Stray {Ereri~Attack On Titan AU}

Chapter 9

Ello my lovelies, sorry this update took so long. I got major writer's block recently after my best friend transferred schools and it hit me pretty hard, and it was especially hard to concentrate and do my best to keep adding on to this chapter over the course of a few weeks because it felt really short. So I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my bestie Tarence <3 I apologize in advance if this chapter sucks, but I really hope you enjoy it! I love you guys x3 ~Yuki

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Eren's arms embraced me the moment I walked through the door, catching me off guard. Heat invades my cheeks and I weakly push him away. "What the hell's up with you?"

Eren's expression is full of guilt as he looks at the floor. "I'm sorry, Levi. I didn't mean to push your buttons or make you uncomfortable, I just...the way you acted around that guy...I'm worried about you," he murmurs, lifting his head back up to meet my eyes. His eyes were so blue, almost a teal color. They were captivating, not to mention just plain beautiful.

I narrow my eyes at him and cross my arms over my chest. "Why should you be worried, of all people? It's really none of your business, brat."

"I understand that, that's why I'm apologizing. But that doesn't make me worry any less." Eren's eyes sweep across me, and he raises and eyebrow. "Who's coat is that?"

"Hanji's," I lie, gripping the coat and wrapping it tighter around myself. I huff and shuffle past him into the living room ready to escape to my room, but Eren catches my wrist before I can move any further. "Please wait." I sigh and turn to face him, looking up at him. His cheeks turn pink and he sucks in a quick breath. "Okay, this is proving to be more difficult than I thought it would be."

I raise an eyebrow, completely clueless. "What is?"

Eren laughs then smiles sweetly at me. "No, it's nothing. I'm just glad you're safe. I'm also glad you're not mad at me," he says, petting my head.

"Who said I wasn't mad?" I ask, trying to keep my expression stoic but failing when Eren pulls me into a hug, my entire body heating up in embarrassment. I place my hands on his chest, but I can't bring myself to push him away. "Eren..." Something that surprised me was the sudden urge to be held and comforted, and what surprised me even more is that I enjoyed Eren's touch, the sound of his soft breathing by my ear, the feel of his heartbeat under my hand. It calmed me down. Whenever he reached out to me I never flinched, and when he held me like this I felt protected, like nothing and no one could ever hurt me again. I felt safe with Eren, and it scared me just as much as it put me at ease.

"Sorry, I just really wanted to hug you. Didn't I mention I'm a pretty tactile person?"

The corners of my mouth curve upward into a smirk and I roll my eyes. "I don't believe you did, but at this point I think I've figured it out for myself." I punch him lightly in the middle of his chest before slipping out of his arms and walking silently to my room. Once I'm alone I sit on the bed and bury my face into the shoulder of the ginormous coat around me. It was covered in Erwin's scent, and I smile like an idiot as I take the coat off and hang it on the back of my door then slip into bed, wondering where Erwin was going to take me tomorrow and what the hell I should wear.

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"This is serious, Petra! You're the only one I can talk to about this," I whine. I'm sprawled out on Petra's couch, and she's pacing in front of me. She nearly lost it when I told her about my meeting with Erwin.

"Levi, I can't believe you're going out with him after what he did to you!" She sighs and sits on the couch next to me, her face in her hands. "I just don't understand you, Levi."