AIN'T TALKIN' 'BOUT LOVE

CHAPTER 49 - CALIFORNIA by LANA DEL RAY

SPOTLIGHT LINK: https://open.spotify.com/track/7oTE1KmtU2ml9zBhv9Reao?si=4b251c84c6224759

Eren walked to the chain link fence and curled his fingers through it. His heart thundered in his ears and his mouth was dry. There could be no mistaking the black Porsche parked on the curb outside the boys home. Levi had to be here. It was bound to happen eventually. Eren had been staying at the home for about a month and a half now, and it was good. The boys had come around and they were a tight knit group that slept, ate and healed together. Levi was never far from his mind though and seeing his car here, now, and knowing that he was so close made his head spin.

"You gonna pick that ball up and pass it back or are we going to be here until dinner?" Javvy shouted.

Eren jumped and turned around. He scooped up the ball with his fingers and tossed it easily to the boy. "It's not like you can do anything with it," he chided him.

"Oh damn," Estaban laughed.

"Yeah? Watch this," said Javvy, as he lobbed the ball towards the net and watched with a satisfied grin as it dropped cleanly through.

"Lucky, shot, punkass!" Eren huffed a laugh, as his attention was drawn back to the car. It was his. No doubt about it. He had the urge to usher everyone back into the building, but he had no real excuse and they'd just finished their afternoon chores. There was no way the boys would go for it.

He could hear the ball dribbling behind him as Javvy came up with an exasperated sigh. "Dude, what's up?"

"Nothing," Eren mumbled. Sweat trickled down his back and he chewed nervously on his lip.

"We playin' or what?"

Before Eren could answer he heard the side door of the building close and he turned quickly to see if it was... oh God. Levi stopped and was standing stock still with his eyes as big as saucers. His mouth opened, then closed. He looked around him and walked slowly to the other side of the fence where Eren stood.

Tears sprang to Eren's eyes, and all he could say was, "Hey." He smiled before he could stop himself. It was just so good to see him.

"Eren," Javvy yelled. "What the fuck?"

Eren whirled around and frowned heavily at the boy. "Would you just give me a minute?" he spat.

Javvy's eyebrows went up as he glanced quickly between the men. "All right, jeez," he said, then rolled his eyes and dribbled the ball back towards the other boys who stood and stared back at the uncharacteristically snappy man.

He turned back around to Levi who stood with his messenger back wrapped protectively around him. He looked like he might bolt at any moment, but instead his mouth turned up into a soft smile. "Hi," he breathed out. "What are you doing here?"

Eren glanced back at the boys who tried not to stare, and who were now smoking, apparently no longer interested in playing basketball. "I'm an R.A. here. I've been here a little over a month." He shuffled his feet. "I ran into Pyxis and he thought it would be a good idea."

Levi stepped forward and held onto the strap of his bag. "That's good." He looked to the ground and then up, hesitantly looking in Eren's eyes. "I bet you're really good for them."

Eren smiled at the compliment. "I like it. They're really good for me too."

They looked at one another silently for a moment. Levi said, almost in a whisper, "It's good to see you, Eren."

Eren's stomach flipped over, somersaulting between terror and joy. He couldn't believe that after all the nights of crying himself to sleep, Levi was actually here in front of him. His gray eyes were dark in their intensity and it seemed like he wasn't breathing. "It's good to see you too."