Lost in the Meaning (Ereri/ Eren x Levi fanfic)

Chapter Thirty-One :|: She Lays Down

(What's up, you guys? This chapter might be a little choppy, and I'm sorry if it's even more so than usual, I'm a little everywhere this week.)

Chapter Thirty-One :|: She Lays Down

He held his head low, not meeting Levi's gaze, sitting up against the granite island, reading the pages in his hands. Levi stepped toward him, his movements out of rhythm, and his eyes dark.

Eren filtered through three pages in his hands, his fingernails scraping at the corners. The first page had an article small and poorly written, double sided and probably printed straight from a local news website. There was Eren's student ID photo from the beginning of the school year; something he hated greatly due to the haircut his mother had given him, shorter than he'd have liked. Under that was a description, his features, his height, weight, eye color, and even his blood type.

On the other side of the page was in bold letters the words "DANGEROUS" and "KIDNAPPED". There was a photo of Levi, but it didn't look recent, though he looked so much drained and older in the photograph. There were a few paragraphs explaining the stolen truck, being tracked to the motel, and how the case had gone cold as of the posting of the article and anyone in the district that could provide information would be rewarded.

The second page was what had his gut really twisting and turning. It wasn't an article or something copied and pasted; it was an email. From whom, Eren had no clue, but he guessed one of Levi's ongoing sources. The bottom had what looked like an attachment of a doctor's scrawl. The only words he could make out were words like "condition... brain dead... passed this morning..." The third page had multiple contacts and information, one Eren made out as Aunt Kai.

"I was going to tell you when you woke up. I thought it'd be fair to find out..." Levi trailed off, now standing a few feet from Eren, who set the pages down and held his head in his hands. The whir of the printer coming to life again startled the older man who was contemplating how to console the kid. Pretty shitty way to find out your mom was dead.

Levi stood and padded with bare feet across the hardwood, crouching beside the machine and picking up a small stack of things he must have printed while Eren was out cold. He shuffled through the deck of information, pausing on a few papers that had large boxes of texts. Eren continued to keep his head down, hardly breathing.

"When'd you find out?" His voice was shallow and choked.

"Just now," Levi responded slowly. "Well, while you were passed out. You tripped walking up the stairs and pulled a few stitches. Not sure why you fainted, I didn't think the pain was that harsh." Easy for him to say, Eren thought. Levi continued. "I brought you into the room and replaced the old bandages. I figured that be a good a time as any to try and do some digging. I had the same source supplying us with this room and, hopefully, a new car tomorrow, find some things out and email me the details..." He grew quiet, making Eren raise his head, feeling hollow inside and out.

"And, as it seems, we've bitten off more than we can chew. There's more information on your mother, if you're interested. If you think you can handle it."

Tears buried the boy's eyes, his lungs struggling for air as if they were filled with very tiny holes, so there was never quite enough oxygen every breath. Handle it? What was it that Levi knew? He'd already by freak accident found out that his mother would now never wake from a coma, what else was there to handle? The dreadful curiosity was clawing at him, though. What more was there?

"Tell me," Eren whispered, still staring at the floor, eyes wide and tears spilling over his cheeks.

Levi shook his head exasperatedly. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything in the first place. He should have made sure all those damn papers were together, and not scattered for the kid to come across. He'd share what he knew anyways, though.

His eyes flickered from the papers currently in his hand to Eren's body curled against the island in anguish. "Your mother was put into the hospital on account of a car accident... Is that correct?"

Suddenly panic erupted in Eren's chest. Was he understanding what Levi was trying to say? God, no, he prayed he wasn't right- prayed he was wrong.

"There's source to believe that the week I came into town, I was followed." Eren squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to believe what he already feared. "Street races are common around the area, and at first that's all i figured. But, it didn't fit. Part of me knew, I guess, but I'm guessing you're fairly aware of that now, too."

Eren's eyes shifted up to Levi's, swimming in the dark of the room to find his. "They killed her...?"

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A low tapping came from the other side of the door, jolting Mikasa upright and springing to her feet. Kai shifted on the couch where she sat, adorned with waded tissues. Her eyes were soft and small from so many hours of worrying and so few hours of rest. She watched Mikasa open the door quietly, revealing a solemn looking man with a scarred face and a powerful aura. He greeted Mikasa with a softer smile than that which you'd think he'd own.

"Hello," he held a hand out for her to shake. Mikasa took it wearily and gave it a light shake before taking her hand away. "I've come with some news I believed you'd like to hear. This is the family of the missing boy, is that right?"

"Yes," she replied curtly, not opening the door any wider. "If it has anything to do with regarding our mother, then we've already been informed." At this point, Aunt Kai was off the couch and standing small and delicate behind the door.

"No," he chuckled at her coldness, running a burn damaged hand through his light hair. "No, it's not about your mother, but my condolences nevertheless. You haven't heard what it is that I have to say."

Mikasa didn't ease her grip on the door, the man sketching her out. "No thank you, sir, anything we need to know the authorities will-"

Kai placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing beside her to see the man fully for herself. 

"Please, Mikasa, maybe he knows something important." Though his roughed up appearance unnerved Kai as well, his attire was sharp and clean, and the car parked out by her curb was nothing of cheap. Her niece glowered at the stranger, but stepped away, returning to the couch. Kai held the door open for the man as he nodded politely and took a step inside the small home. She offered coffee, but the man turned it down, and pulled out a stool to sit at the counter. 

"What is it you know, Mr..." She trailed off in hopes he'd inform her of his name.

He smiled, but didn't correct her. "I think I can help you find your nephew, my dear."

Her face fell. "H-he's alive then? You know this for a fact? Have you seen him?" Her tone was rushed but quiet. The man took her hands in his, chuckling darkly again.

"Yes, yes I've seen him," he spoke lowly. 

"Where is he then? Do you have him with you? Why isn't he back?"

He shook his head a few time, taking his sweet time answering. She starred at him with glassy and pleading eyes. "I've seen him, but he's gone now." He reached behind her for an apple sitting in a dish, tossing it in the air. "The man he's with stole my truck."

He took a bite. 

(The 1975's new album has me in a bigger wreck than this fanfic has some of you boogers. Hence the title)

(Edit: This fic, just by the way, will come to an end. I've got a few extra chapters planned out, but for once I'm actually not just winging everything, I have it all planned out to the end. I estimate a good handful of chapters left, and I'll start writing better and longer chapters, promises ',:) )