AIN'T TALKIN' 'BOUT LOVE

CHAPTER 22 - PATIENCE by GUNS 'N ROSES

Okay, my loves. It's not exactly what I wanted, but it will have to do for now, if we're going to move on. Wanted to thank YOU, my readers, for 100K views on "Strongest Hope." Isn't that crazy awesome? This update is dedicated to jellie_belles who's been with me from the very beginning and made me realize I could really do this. Thank you always, for your love and support! I adore you!

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Goddamn that fucking kid. Honestly, it was becoming near impossible to avoid him, and tonight, showing up in those ripped jeans that had a slice missing right below the curve of the boy's ass. Jesus.

Every single place he went, Eren was there. His friends and his brother accepted him into the group, no questions asked, which fucking pissed him off. The fact that Eren was a perfect fit for the group pissed him off even more. Now, they were teasing Levi all the time, and it felt like they were ganging up on him.

Even if they were just joking, he didn't know where to "be" in all of that...how to react without overreacting. He didn't think people realized just how hard he had to work not to be a dick. God forbid he let it all hang out.

Hange asked him about it a couple of days ago. They always shoot the bullet right into the part of his head that is the biggest mess. They'd gone into his office and caught him sitting on the couch staring. Yes, he'd been thinking of Eren, crying on his living room floor, holding Levi's hand like his life depended on it.

His friend sat in a way that allowed them to wrap their arms around his shoulders. In a rare moment of surrender, Levi sank back and let them press their cheek to his.

"Tell me, little bit."

He huffed and shook his head, not able to put up a fight. He was so confused.

"One minute, everything feels so comfortable...like laundromat, comfortable." He peers around at Hange to make sure they understood.

"Hmmm," they said. "And?"

Levi leans his head back on his friend's shoulder. "And then he flashes those green eyes and talks to me like I'm something shiny." He closes his eyes. "And the bottom drops out of me. He scares the shit outta me, Hang."

Hange runs their fingers across the stubble of his undercut. "What's the scariest part?"

They sit quietly, watching the sun go down, and Levi has the ridiculous urge to cry. He swallows convulsively and turns his forehead into Hange's cheek. They hum a little until he finds his voice.

"What if the shine doesn't last long enough for him, or worse...what if he realizes I never was shiny to begin with."

Hange pulled him tighter. "Oh, honey, honey...sugar." They kissed his forehead. "You are really in a 'worst case scenario' spiral, aren't you?"

"Fuck you."

"I know, babes." They moved their body around so they could face Levi. "Are you taking your meds?"

"Yes."

"Sounds like you might need an adjustment, honey." They peered under Levi's bangs and smiled. "Do you need to be reminded of all that you've survived, all that you've overcome, everything you've accomplished?" They gently shook him. "Levi, this kid isn't bigger or badder than anything you've survived." They smiled into his eyes. "And, this might actually be a good thing for you, squirt."

Levi batted at Hange's hands. "Okay, you went too far." He grabbed their hands. "Now I'll have to kill you." He pulled his friend into his lap and started to tickle them. They squealed and screamed and kicked until his very stern assistant came marching into his office.