EruRi Short Stories

Night

It was a chilly night outside, the dark skies sprinkled with stars that illuminated its background.

The lamps below had provided a light in the streets, in which an occasional carriage or person went past them, slowly fading away from the lamps.

In a taller building, with a view that looked down upon this, was an office.

A blonde man sat in a chair as he journeyed through a pile of paperwork laying upon his desk. The ink of his pen dragging along with his hand movements on his quill, signing and writing over and over, repeating, repeating.

Letters from the capital, letters he had to send BACK to the capital, signatures of approval, another document of which Hange requested to get another Titan (the seventeenth one he had seen and had to sign no on), the list of things Erwin had to do seemed like it would almost never end, especially as his movements started to slow.

Across from him a man sat in a chair with his legs crossed. Levi sipped a warm cup of tea he had just made, occasionally glancing over at Erwin. He would study his face, his movements, his body. It was clear that the man was exhausted and trying to push through the work.

Erwin was a busy man, Levi knew that. As the Commander of the Survey Corps, he had much to do. Still, it didn't ease the pain Levi had watching him do this to himself, especially after the horrible expedition they recently had, it just added on to the stress and paperwork weighing on Erwin.

Erwins eyes formed dark bags under them, he was sluggish and his hand kept missing the ink he had to dip his pen in, and when he didn't miss it, his lazy movements would slosh it to where it stained the desk and other papers. His posture became a slouch like an old man, and his eyes kept closing and hastily opening again.

Levi couldn't take seeing it anymore, he spoke up "Erwin, is it not about time for you to be going to bed?"

The other man slowly looked up. "No, no, I'm almost finished, I've got it."

Levi frowned. "You said that same thing the last time I asked you, I ain't taking no for an answer, you need sleep."

Erwin pouted like a child who was just told no. He shook his head groggily and ignored Levi's demands, continuing his work.

Levi got irritated, he walked up to Erwin and went behind him, holding his wrist lightly to stop him from writing.

Erwin tried to push through, but the exhaustion made him weak to a point where he strained himself attempting to simply get out of Levi's gentle grasp. He gave up quickly and sighed, looking down at his lap, trying to avoid Levi's eyes.

Levi took Erwin's pen and ink and assorted it in the correct drawers before arranging the papers on the desks into piles and taking it off, allowing more space on the desk for him to wipe down the ink blotches.

The whole time Levi did so Erwin said nothing, silently staring down as he couldn't bring himself to speak or even move.

After Levi was done he looked back at Erwin sadly, seeing the state the man was in. He wouldn't have been able to carry him back to his room to go to bed, so he settled for the desk.

As if reading his mind, Erwin layed his head down on the desk, folding his arms around his face and using them like pillows.

Levi whispered so he wouldn't disturb him "You alright sleeping here?"

Erwin didn't respond for a second, and then he nodded lightly and opened his eyes to meet Levi's.

Erwin's blue eyes gleamed looking up at him, in a way that they seemed to thank Levi for doing this. Erwin reached out a hand to the other man. Levi, at first, was puzzled, before taking his hand and patting it gently. He dragged a chair next to Erwin's and sat next to him.

Levi used his jacket as a cover for Erwin, laying it gently upon his back. As he did so, he studied Erwin's face once more. He smiled. A soft smile. He brushed a strand of Erwin's hair out of his face, and then noticed the other man smiling as well, his cheeks a rosy red color.

Levi chuckled under his breathe before gently stroking Erwin's back, he layed down using Erwin's shoulder as a rest, as he too, drifted off to sleep.