It happens(Erwin X Levi)

Chapter 5: Chapter V

Since Levi's mother died, he kept a distance.

Erwin understood it well. He always tries his best when it comes to understanding Levi, knowing his way of feeling things it's different. So when he wants space, Erwin gave him it.

He gave him time to organize the messiness inside his head and heart, to sort all the negative emotions and all the sorrows. Levi needs it, he spends most of the time alone or with Keith, staying in his small room and sleeping there, eating almost nothing. Erwin would enter the room in the middle of the night and saw Levi sleeping in the armchair.

It was fine, for a couple of days. It was fine that Levi was sad and barely spoke to Erwin or Isabel.

But it was getting longer and Erwin was more worried when it wasn't ending.

In the evening Erwin walked to the bathroom where Levi was taking a long bath, he probably forgot to lock himself as he did before. The clear water didn't cover the pale skin of his body and he seemed uncomfortable. The bruised knees were brought to his chest and his chin was resting on them, staring at the small waves he was making.

Erwin made some steps to the mirror, he was still in the shirt he wore in the early morning to work. It felt sweaty and used and just now he had time to take care of it, of himself.

He loosened the tie around his neck feeling just now like he could breathe for the first time in a while. He threw it on the floor and started to open the shirt. Levi didn't say any word to him, the water splashed and Erwin glanced at him through his shoulder.

"Isn't your skin wrinkled, yet?"

He asked loud enough for his words to reach his foggy mind Levi and his shirt fell to the floor to his feet. Then belt hit the floor with cling and lastly the black jeans with underwear and socks.

Levi looked down at his hand, fingers wrinkled.

He looked up to see how Erwin joins him in the bath, the water is chilly and he changes quickly the temperature. Levi looked away and rested his chin on the shoulder that rested now on the cold edge of the tub. He looked somewhere on the wall, feeling empty.

"I'm worried about you," Erwin says some drips of water later and stares at Levi, as far away from Erwin as he could get. He also brings his knees to his chest but it's uncomfortable for him after a while and he straightened them, touching Levi's skin. They haven't been this close in a while. "I miss you," He tries again, the water moves and it echoes in the quiet bathroom.

"I know things weren't the best for you lately but remember that I'm still here. And it's not easy for me too. It's not easy to see you like this and to think I can't do anything about it," He chuckles at his last words, it feels so helpless.

He sounds so hurt and Levi knows he shouldn't be like this, but it's hard. He never felt this empty before. Losing his mother, he lost half of him.

"I'm sorry," Levi says, his voice hoarse like he hasn't used it in a few days. He rests his cheek now on the shoulder, so he could glance at the man accompanying him. His heart aches, sending him those painful twitches in the chest this time because he realized how much he missed Erwin.

"Don't be sorry. Just don't isolate yourself so much, okay? We are all here for you,"

Levi sighs and after another minute of silence, stares, and more deep sighs, he moves closer to Erwin. The knees are still clutched to his chest but he faced now his partner, his blue eyes shining and studying him intently.

"Turn around, I will wash your back,"

Levi said first.

Erwin stood, the water moving, falling to the tiles and he turns around sloppily. Moves closer and feels the two, familiar hands on his wide back. Levi rubs the soap between his fingers and then spread it across the shoulders, alongside the spine and he takes more of the milky soap to rub it to the rounded hips. He then washed the foam with water and hugged himself to the warm skin.