A tail for an eye - Eren x Levi

Chapter 21

'A Few Helping Hands'

Levi watched with close intent as Eren approached Erwin, the other mer-people watching with an equal amount of interest, though likely more hatred than Levi. The eagerness in their faces shone above everything else, it seemed like they were all desperate to just push Eren closer to get on with the job. Erwin seemed clueless, meanwhile Levi didn't quite know how to feel nor what to expect.

"Stay away from me, freak. I'll kill you with my bare hands if you touch me," Erwin warned, though it held little truth. Deep inside, he knew that himself, "Levi, stop him. You know his name, how do you know his name?"

Erwin babbled on, mixing between questioning Levi about knowing Eren's name and begging him to help and insulting or threatening Eren, who prolonged his closing approach, certainly owning an intimidating aura. In an unexpected action, Tom had jumped into the water with his feet and stood in front of Erwin, shielding him.

"Don't come any closer!" He yelled, holding a pitiful branch from a tree, "I'll stab you."

Even Eren looked rather amused at this sight, pausing in his approach but holding a mix between a smirk and a smile. Some of the mer-people behind him struggled to hold in a few giggles and cackles. Tom's face grew red with embarrassment. 

"Levi?" Eren asked, his eyes growing soft upon landing them on Levi, "I don't want you to watch. I don't want you to think bad of me."

"What the hell is he talking about, Levi? What? You're best buddies now?" Erwin rambled on, twisting his head in bother their directions sporadically, shoulders tense and up to his ears. Though he tried to wriggle away, Levi still held his foot down on Erwin's leg.

"I won't," Levi told him, to which Eren gave a cute smile at the thought of that, a gentle blush of red growing over his cheeks.

Eren swung under Tom's feet, who tried to stab downwards but just hit the water. Eren grabbed hold of his legs and pulled them, sending Tom flying back as he dropped the branch before landing half onto Erwin, who screamed at him to get off and kill the merman.

Tom was held underwater, bubbles and muffled sounds coming from within the water. His arms and legs wiggled about everywhere, but Eren kept him down by holding onto his elbows and resting his body above Tom's. Erwin became more worried now, moving about more in a try to get away. However, Levi moved to hold onto Erwin's arms, keeping hit foot on his leg and sinking it down further. He cried out

"Levi, he'll kill you next! Save us and we'll save you," Erwin pleaded, but Levi didn't even bother looking at him, focusing on Tom. Though they couldn't even see him, they could only see the bubbles that covered his face as he screamed underwater. The focused appearance on Eren's face interested Levi, who figured Eren saw killing pirates as entertainment, as a sort of experiment of his own. His eyes were dancing at the figure underwater, but not in the same way he'd stare at something incredible, more at something when finding out something new for the first time, "Levi! Levi, come on, who's side are you on? You're a human, let's show them we're better!"

Soon, Tom's movement came to a slow halt, all sign of life fading away and now his face could be seen under the water. A parted mouth, closed eyes and relaxed body. Almost peaceful. Eren moved over Tom as though not even there, knocking into him slightly but no response was giving from the now corpse laid there. Some of the other mer-people came closer and grabbed Tom, pulling him deeper into the water. A few of them went just out far enough to go deeper within the sea with Tom's body and didn't emerge for a while. Eren, however, paid them no focus as he took over holding Erwin's arms, placing his fingers over Levi's and brushing them along his smooth hands as he removed Levi's grip. Levi conformed to that instantly, allowing Eren to pull Erwin away. He let go of his leg.