The Ereri Project (#2)

Tired (Blind)

Levi never expected it, because his brunet beau always seems so happy and optimistic, but even Eren has days when he get frustrated and down on himself.

He did think it was odd when he didn't have a good morning text waiting for him when he woke up, especially on a day when they had planned for Levi to come over, but he decided Eren must just had been busy in the morning and went about his business.

When he got to the apartment, Mikasa was sitting on the couch, not doing anything.

"You okay?" Levi asks as he walks inside the familiar living room.

"What?" Mikasa asks, looking up. "Oh, Levi. Eren's not doing so hot today, you might want to go home."

"Why? What happened? Is he sick again?"

"Not exactly," she replies. "He just... isn't having the best morning."

Levi stares at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She sighs. "If you really want to know, he's in his room. I can't make any promises about how he'll react though." She downs the rest of the mug that had been sitting on the table in front of her. "I have a meeting to get to," she says. "You have my number if you need anything."

Levi watching her leave with a knot in his stomach. What could possibly be wrong with Eren?

He walks over to his boyfriend's door and knocks softly. When there's no answer, he opens the door. Eren is laying over the blankets and upside-down on his bed, with headphones over his ears and turned up so loud Levi can almost make out what he's listening to from across the room.

He walks over and sits on the bed, startling Eren into pulling off his headphones. "Go away Mikasa, I already told you I'm not hungry," he mutters in a tired voice.

"Not Mikasa," Levi says.

Eren's entire presence softens immediately. "Levi," he says sheepishly. "What're you doing here?"

"It's Saturday," Levi replies. "You were expecting me."

"Saturday," Eren repeats absently and flops against his bed. "I'm sorry, I forgot, I'm not ready to entertain today. You should probably go."

Eren starts to put his headphones back on but Levi rolls his eyes and grabs the brunet's wrist. "I'm not going anywhere, what's going on?"

Eren shrugs childishly. "Nothing."

"I've never seen you turn down food but when you thought I was Mikasa you said you weren't hungry."

"I'm not."

"So why aren't you?"

"I don't feel right today," Eren says. "I just want to sleep, okay?"

"But why?"

Eren's eyebrows furrow. "I don't know, okay? Will you get off my back?"

"No."

Eren growls. "Levi!"

"Not until I know what's wrong."

Eren crawls up his bed and pulls back his blankets in an attempt to hide beneath them.

"This just happens sometimes, okay?" he says, burying his face in his pillow. "I don't know why but some mornings I wake up and it feels like my body's half asleep and my head won't go the right way so I listen to music and sleep until I feel better."

Levi watches his tall, stubborn lover curl up in his bed, his headphones left at the foot of the bed.

Levi picks them up and places them back over Eren's ears before sliding under the blankets as well, though still sitting up.

He pulls Eren over until he's almost laying on his lap.

Levi pets his boyfriend's hair slowly and hopefully calmingly, just trying to provide some kind of comfort.

He doesn't say anything when Eren starts crying in his sleep and don't mention it after he wakes up. He makes peppermint tea and reads to him when Eren gets tired of the music.

He can't really describe the relief he feels when Eren voluntarily gets out of bed to make himself a sandwich because he's so hungry from skipping meals all day.

After he's eaten though, Eren gets back in bed with Levi to cuddle, wanting to draw out the quiet contact as long as possible.

Mikasa gets home sometime in the evening. She's glad to hear soft giggles coming from Eren's room when she passes his door.