AOT Strutter

Night song

Erwin went to Connie after Eren had been playing for about two hours. Eren didn't miss a word of the song, but his eyes followed the blond head. After Erwin left, as Eren hung onto the last note, Connie spoke to him.

"Eren says to take a break." Connie informed him. Eren nodded as he ended the song.

He shifted to set his guitar down. Moving a little closer to the mic he thanked the crowd.

"I'm going to take a short break. Thank you all for listening." He waved as he stepped off stage.

He hadn't gotten more than a step or two when someone handed him a towel. It was Levi. How had he gotten over here? Eren glanced toward the bar.

Two taller guys were behind it. He wiped his face with the towel. It was quickly taken from him as a fresh, room temperature bottle of water was thrust into his hand. Eren gratefully sipped from it. He tasted the lemon and honey.

"You play?" He asked Levi. The man just stared at him.

"Thanks for cleaning up my guitar." Eren offered. He held the water bottle up.

"Thanks." He said again as he turned to walk away.

"Y, y, yes. I used t, t, to sing a, a, a, lot be, be, be, before." Levi stammered out.

Eren nodded. "I would love to hear it some day." He turned away not wanting the guy to feel even more pressured.

"Eren!" His name was a shot in the dark.

Groaning he turned to look at the dark haired woman. Her heels clicked on the tile as she tapped up to him. Her smile was small, but he had never seen it on her face before. He blinked. She sort of looked pretty that way. However, before Eren could say a word, a hand snagged the woman's arm.

Levi pulled her away, through a door that led outside. It had been where Eren was heading.

"What are you doing here?" Eren inched toward the door. It was open just a crack.

"Eren happens to be a client of mine." Mikasa sounded frosty. Eren shivered he felt for Levi right now. Should he step in?

"Then call. I can give a report just as well as you can." Levi's tone was just as icy as Mikasa's.

"Listen little Levi..." Mikasa began.

"Tell me, is he from... there?" Levi's voice sounded... haunted.

"No." Mikasa spoke softer.

"That doesn't mean his life has been any better." Eren could see Mikasa fold her arms over her chest. Of Levi he couldn't even glimpse a shadow.

"He reminds me of..." Levi's voice drifted to silence.

"Yeah, is that why the stutter came back?" Mikasa sounded like she was teasing him.

"Maybe. Those damn eyes!" Levi growled.

Mikasa laughed. Well it was a cold sound but it was suppose to be a laugh, Eren was sure.

"Yeah, don't mention them to him. He is sort of sensitive about them. He once asked me if he could get contacts to cover them up." Mikasa hissed.

"What? Why?" Levi sounded stunned.

"He was... forced to do .... things, because of them." Her voice trialed off.

Mikasa didn't move. Eren could still see here. But there was the sound of something smashing. A low growl as another smash sounded.

"Eren? What are you?" the door before him was kicked closed. It almost hit Eren in the head, but he had kind of been expecting it.

He turned to see Connie. The bald guys eyes were wide. He blinked rapidly before snagging Eren's hand. He half dragged the kid down the hall. Shoving Eren behind his booth, Connie glanced, fearfully, back down the hall.