Complications Throughout Generations

Chapter 8

Eren's POV:

It was the night before our expedition to Shiganshina. My home. I hadn't been there in so long. The battle I knew we were about to face would mean so much more.

The Survey Corps were fortunate enough to have a nice dinner in preparation. It was nice hearing people laugh and others smile. It made me forget what's about to come for a bit.

"Eren, can I take some of that?" Sasha shouted, already digging her fork in my food. I just nodded and laughed.

"Can we split it?" Connie joked of course.

"Never." She gave him the look of death.

I looked over at Mikasa and Jean. Armin was in between us but I was still able to hear his nauseating voice. Of course he was trying to flirt up a storm. He had that stupid smirk on his face with a toothpick in his mouth. Disgusting. She just sipped her drink and listened to his babbling. Poor Mikasa. But then we made eye contact.

He said, "the ones who really suck are the suicidal maniacs who think the only way to fight is to charge in blind, right?" His voice got louder, making it clear he was talking to me. Armin looked at him, hoping he would stop talking. I lowered my drink from my lips and turned to face him.

"Are you talking about somebody in particular?" I seethed through my teeth. Armin and Jean looked afraid. But that didn't stop him for long as he went back to a stupid smile.

"Yeah, I'm looking right at him. Suicidal maniac."

"You see the funny thing is that I recently discovered that I'm a pretty normal person. So hey, if that's how you really see me then maybe you're just a coward, Jean." I let the smirk stretch across my face. I could tell it hit a sensitive spot for him. "Right?"

Immediately, we stood up and grabbed onto each other's shirts.

"You think you're so cool, don't you, piece of shit!" He shouts.

"That's a pretty shaggy looking mane you're growing there, horse face!"

Everyone began to stare as we fought. So I punched him in the stomach. I could tell it hurt.

"You bastard!" He grabbed me by the collar and punched me in the chest, nearly lifting me off the ground. We continued to throw punches. I could tell he was getting tired. I held him still by the shirt collar and noticed the sweat gripping from his forehead. "But seriously, huh. If you didn't have Titan powers, you'd be dead ten times over. Although I guess Mikasa would've swooped in every time to save your worthless ass. You're so eager to die? Fine, then I'll kill you!" He backed away from my hold and aimed for the stomach once more. But bringing up Mikasa was enough to bring me to the edge. Especially coming from him.

"Yeah, okay," I choked out. Then turned around and put all my might into a blow aimed at his chest. "Give me your best shot!" I pulled back for another attack. "You wanna start showing your mom some more respect, Jean boy!"

"Would you forget that?" He strained out as I held my firm grip on him.

"Never." Everyone was cheering and raising their mugs in the air. "Horse face!" I shouted, getting another jab at his chest. I looked over at Armin and Mikasa and was expecting them to stop us but they never did. They continued to watch. Which meant no one was going to. I was getting tired but I couldn't look weak. Especially against Jean.

"Hey."

Oh no.

Captain Levi appeared and kicked me right in the stomach and pushed Jean out of the way. Soon after, Jean received a punch to the gut. Both of us fell on the ground in excruciating pain.

"That's enough celebrating." Levi said to the entire room. "Go to bed." You could hear Jean vomiting as the captain was giving his instructions. "And clean that up." He sounded as disgusted as ever.

"Yes, sir!" Many men had said before they had dispersed.

"Jaeger." He said. He walked over to me as I laid on the ground in agony. He put his foot down on my bicep. "Come with me." He got off me and started to walk away. I groaned as I tried to help myself up. I looked back and he rolled his eyes. But I soon caught up and was about to walk past Jean who is practically dying on the ground. I felt the urge to kick him but it was almost as if Levi read my mind. "Don't even think about it." He continued to walk straight to a room I'd never been in. It was his. We had either gone to his office or my room. I sat down on his bed as he leaned against the wall. "Care to explain what the hell that was about?"

"Jean is stupid." I pout.

"Like that isn't obvious enough." He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. I smiled knowing he agreed with me.

"He called me a suicidal maniac."

"What did you call him again? You called him a horse?"

"Horse face. Because that's what he is. A horse."

"Looks like Mikasa has the hots for the horse." He smirked knowing that would get under my skin.

"No she doesn't!" I shouted.

"I'm playing, Jaeger. That girl is so in love with everything you do."

"That's right." I nodded, proudly. That actually seems pretty shitty on my end.

"Yikes, brat. Proud of the fact that you're allowing someone to be head over heels in love and you just take advantage like that?"

"It's not like that!" I defend. "You know how I feel about her!"

"Do I?"

I never actually told him. I just assumed he knew since he analyzes me every chance he can because he thinks I'm going to become a terrorist.

I sigh. "Listen, I understand how Mikasa feels. She's my best friend. I would die for her. I'd do anything for her. But I know myself too well. If I get wrapped up in feelings and emotions, I become obsessed."

"As if that isn't obvious enough." He scoffed. "I mean just look at how you look at me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I retort.

He comes over and sits next to me on his bed.

"I know you love her." He avoided the question. "You don't hide your emotions very well. You can see it in your eyes and the way you look at a person." But maybe not entirely. He looked up into my eyes and I looked into his with the exact emotion he's talking about. But it wasn't necessarily on purpose.

It hadn't been too long since I had come to the conclusion that I do in fact have feelings for Levi. What once was an admiration of his strength and leadership has now grown into an admiration of his vulnerability and insecurities. I had come to learn more about him over time. He didn't let many people in. At first I didn't understand. But the way I see it now, no one is deserving enough to know someone as amazing as he is. What others believe is a cold, emotionless man is actually a man who cares more about others than himself and will do anything to make sure they don't feel the same pain he does every day. I told him I want to be there for him and help take his pain away. Shockingly, he's let me do just that.

I looked down at his lips then back at his silver eyes. I put my hand up to his cheek and rubbed it with my thumb. I moved my attention back to his eyes to see they never left mine.

"Just get it out of your system," he whispered.

I nodded and placed a soft kiss on his lips. I pulled away knowing that I had already overstepped my boundaries. Instead of turning away, he put his hand on the back of my neck and pulled me forward. This kiss was deeper. More passionate. I put my other hand on his cheek, pressing harder against his lips.

"Levi!" The door slammed open only to reveal a psychotic Hange. Her expression dropped as Levi and I immediately backed away from each other. It was like a reality check. You don't realize how bad something is until someone catches you. He panicked and left me alone in his room and grabbed Hange by the wrist. He wiped his face with his sleeve before slamming the door shut.

"God damn it." I was ready to cry. I fell back on his bed.

What now?