[Levi / Eren] Haven

Chapter One.

Short, scrawny, fifteen years old. A personal servant, born a peasant, his brilliance dawned on him in blue-green gems for eyes and silky, chocolate-hued hair.

He stood wearily next to a small table in the castle's library, which had an expanse of every book imaginable, all awaiting the king's eyes, just as much so as he was. He was ready for every subtle, simple command from his majesty, be it fetching him tea or fixing his tie, or being told to sit in a seat and relax. He was rather terrible at fixing the king's tie, but his majesty found it endearing to have to help him fix it. Said King, Levi Ackerman, was what the brunette silently held onto as an idea of home. He was much taller than his servant, and had silver eyes, cheekbones framed by thick raven-black hair. And, though never directly mentioned to the youth, the small brunette named Eren was his favorite and most trusted servant. Prized, in fact. He held a soft spot all over his heart, and not just because of his poor background.

Admittedly, after all the years they were together, they still didn't know much about each other. Roughly, that translated to "Eren was a beautiful mystery but knew every possible thing about his king."

Levi sat with a leg crossed over the other, book in hand and his reading glasses on. The fact that he was getting older certainly didn't help his eyesight. His lips parted to take in a breath, his intention to speak, and Eren's frail body oddly caught his scarce attention. His mouth shut as his eyes skimmed over the boy's bony figure, feeling his throat tighten. The realization came to him that his servant was a lot skinnier than just a week before. Perhaps it was that he was eating less than he should have been, or overworking himself. It wasn't from neglect or being malnourished, Levi was certain of that. He personally served Eren food amidst every meal, making sure he was given a meal. Whether he ate it or not was up to him. He oft took it up to his room, and brought it back down empty to clean it. Levi had assumed he'd been eating, but he could have been dumping it or giving it away. Four times a day he got a break until after dinner time. Some of his servants were such pigs, if they were stealing from such a sweet, innocent boy... such greedy, vile creatures. Levi pondered on if they knew anything about Eren, if they knew what he'd gone through at his home, or if they only knew he came here on a free ride and was favored over everyone else there. Levi took him in for a reason, though. The others all volunteered to work, Eren was from the slums of his kingdom, rare as they were with Levi running the place. Then his thoughts shifted elsewhere... Eren may have been intentionally not eating. He flipped to the next page and cast his gaze back to the pleasant book, which Eren had read in his own time surprisingly. "Sad story," he mumbled, and Eren nodded in false agreement. He had never picked up a book, let alone read  one.

"Maybe, I wouldn't know, my king," Eren replied quietly.

"Are you trying to upset me, Eren?"

"What?" Eren turned to him, completely dumbfounded by the accusation. His king was never off about something he suspected, but... that kind of claim against Eren was completely unlike him. "No, of course not, I don't know what you mean."

"What is the matter with you?"  Levi glanced up at the brunette again.

"What do you mean, Sir?" Fretting was Eren now, he'd done nothing wrong that he could recall. Why was Levi getting so mad at him? He couldn't help but wonder, body shaking as he stood there.

"Eren," he said finally, in a stern tone.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Eren looked at Levi's expression, and saw something out of place... he looked hurt. Levi sighed and grabbed Eren's wrist. Eren whimpered, flinching at the sudden, sharp pain, causing Levi's eyes to widen.

"Oh..." he whispered in shock. He grimaced, letting go of the boy's wrist, as he wondered what could be under the sleeves he always hid his arms with. Eren frowned slightly and rubbed gently at the sore part of his wrist. "Eren," Levi paused, his eyes raking at the thin clothing, "Lift your shirt up."

"My king-!" Eren was startled by the sudden development. "Please, don't make me." Eren looked away. Levi's eyes shut and reopened before his hands reached out, easily pulling Eren into his lap by his waist, the youth's legs across his thighs. Eren's cheeks were stained with a visible blush, his lips trembling as he spoke again.

"Eren, lift your shirt up."

"I don't want to!"

"Eren."

"No!" Levi's eyes narrowed.

"Are you disobeying me?" Levi's brow raised. He grew more and more concerned with the boy, though he wouldn't let it slip until he had an answer to what happened to him.

"I can't!" Eren's hands went up to his face and covered it. He wished he could just disappear.

"And why is that?" Levi's tone and gaze both softened.

"I'm so ugly," he said, barely above a whisper. Levi just heard him, though he almost hadn't.

"Don't say that." Levi's eyes narrowed even more as the brunette remained silent. "Show me now, that is an order.

"Please..."

"Why can't you?" Eren rested his hands on his thighs, a look of guilt settled upon him as he turned to face Levi once more. "Eren, why can you not tell me?" The small boy said nothing. "Eren, I mean it, tell me now."

"No..."

"You're getting skinnier and skinner. I can put my entire hand around your wrist." To prove it, he curled his fingers to his thumb around Eren's lithe wrist. The smaller male got out of his king's lap, and stood facing him. Levi knew Eren's will was defeated over the matter, and he was giving in. It made him feel awful, but he just wsnted to help his most favorite person in the world. At that, Levi leaned forward and slid Eren's shirt up, shuddering at his bony figure. The brunette shivered at the warmth of Levi's touch. Levi knew the boy slept on the cold, hard floor in his own room, right next to his soft, warm bed. He'd had to put blankets over him in the middle of the night so that he wouldn't freeze to his death. The maids and butlers that tended to his room had started to leave him pillows on the floor to rest his head on. He never felt that he deserved it, he felt inadequate and much more of an inconvenience than help. His room was cozy, but it was fashioned out of a large closet next to Levi's room, per his request. He wanted to keep close to him in case he fell ill or needed something throughout the night. Heaven knew the poor boy was terrified of almost everything. "Eren..." Levi's eyes were threatened by tears, much softer than before -- he'd never been moved so much as to want to cry before this boy came along a few years prior. Just the sight of an already beaten, broken angel, slowly dwindling away, slowly deteriorating, made him feel horrible.

"Please don't look at me..." Eren whispered. Levi ran his fingers gingerly over Eren's hipbones.  But he regretted it the moment he did, feeling ridge upon ridge where there should only have been smooth bone.

"Eren... What happened?"

--

A/N:

Trigger warning.

There is self harm, in various ways: Cutting, Suicidal Views, Suicidal actions, and forced Anorexia.

There is death (but not of the two bbies this story is about so don't worry your pretty little head).

There's rape.

I don't take these subjects lightly.

I advise you, if you are triggered easily, not to read this.

EREN IS SHORTER.