The Ereri Project (#2)

Always

A/N: Okay, to be honest, I cried a little bit while I was writing this.

I'm still unsure about this ending but the alternate ending I wrote just felt fake and insincere so... I hope you all understand.

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It's been a long time since the two of them have felt lazy enough to spend a morning lying in bed together.

Levi gazes into Eren's eyes, thinking about how far they've come. Remembering for a moment how young Eren had been when they met compared to now; wrinkles set into his face with silver hair. Eren slips his hand into Levi's slowly. "Do you believe in alternate universes?" Eren asks suddenly.

Levi stares into Eren's eyes, feeling like he's known them for centuries longer than he's had. "I suppose," he replies. "It's not out of the question, at least."

Eren looks up at the ceiling with a dreamy look in his eyes. "I had a really nice dream last night," he says.

"What about?" Levi asks, rubbing the back of Eren's hand with his thumb.

"Us," he replies. "Every version of us from all of our alternate universes together."

Levi listens, Eren has talked about this before, after all. "Like that dream you had about the giants."

Eren nods. "That was one universe, yes, but I got to see what it was like when the giants were gone. You couldn't walk anymore but you finally got to see the ocean and we lived together in a cottage by the beach."

Levi nods. "Sounds nice."

"And there was another where we were mermen and we raised a baby whale together. Another where we were vampire soulmates and you had our baby. And another where I was a werepuppy and another where we were Pokémon trainers. There was even one where I was a teacher and you were one of the students in my class."

Levi smiles. "Interesting."

Eren smile slips a bit then. "There were sad ones too, though. One where the two of us piloted a giant robot together but something happened to it and we fell in the ocean and drowned together. And one where it was like the little mermaid and when I returned to the sea you killed yourself because you didn't want to be without me."

Levi watches Eren as he continues talking.

"There was one where I was blind, another where you were deaf. One where I was a hairdresser and bleached all your hair blonde."

Tears start sliding down Eren's cheeks.

"Why're you crying?" Levi asks, reaching over to wipe them away.

"Because I love you so much," Eren replies, not bothering to wipe his face. "And I think it's beautiful that our love is strong enough to exist in so many places all at the same time the way it does."

All Levi can do is hold the younger (though it feels silly to consider him young now) man and rub his back while he cries. "I love you too, Eren," he says. "Forever."

Eren sniffles, trying to stop the tears. "I can't wait to meet them all," he says.

"What?"

"We're some of the only ones left," Eren replies. "In heaven or the afterlife or wherever we go from here, those other versions of us are waiting."

Levi doesn't know how much of that he actually believes that but he nods anyway. "Okay," he says. "I hope I'm nice."

Eren chuckles. "Of course you are." Eren wraps his arms around Levi, smiling as Levi kisses his forehead. "I don't think I'll ever stop being in love with you."

"Good," Levi says. "If you're right we're going to be together in some kind of afterlife together for a long time."

Eren kisses Levi, holding one of his hands again. "You'll go with me, right?"

"Anywhere."

"And you'll hold my hand?"

"Always."

...

Petra sighs, glancing at the clock. They should be out of bed already.

She gets up. "Celia?"

The teenager looks up from her place on the couch. "Yeah, mom?"

She almost sends her daughter to check on her parents but decides to go instead. "Can you watch the eggs? I have to go get Grandpa and Pop-pop up."

"Sure," Celia goes to sit in the kitchen instead while Petra goes upstairs.

When Petra opens the door, she pauses. She always secretly loved her parents' affinity for physical affection because she loved how clear it was that they belonged together. Lately it's been making her more and more worried to find them sleeping like this though. She has a feeling neither of them have much life left in them so she won't be surprised when they do pass, she's just not looking forward to it.

She tiptoes over to the bed, smiling when she sees the two of them smiling and holding hands. Her Daddy is a grumpy old man but he always has a smile for her Papa. As she steps closer, she pauses again. She doesn't have it in her to disturb their peace just yet. She touches the foot of the bed and closes her eyes. "I love you guys," she says. "But it's okay to go when you're ready, Celia and I will be fine."

She turns and leaves, closing the door behind her.

~~~

Eren passes the next morning.

Levi goes as well a few hours later, right before their doctor comes for their scheduled checkups.