Crack of Sunlight (Ereri/Riren)

•~Chapter Ten~•

"It's really gone? You took care of it?"

"Every last bit," Eren promised.

Levi nodded slowly. The two stood in the hallway of Levi's apartment only moments after Eren watched him unlock the door for the first time in months. Levi stood just outside the bathroom, staring in, particularly at the cabinet doors.

"When?" he asked.

"About a month ago. The night you told me you love me, to be exact..."

Levi's shoulders visibly rose with the deep breath he sucked in. He nodded once more before pivoting around and heading into his room to dump his belongings on his unchanged bed. The blanket still held wrinkles from the last time it was inhabited - back in February before they'd left. He, like his suitcase, sat heavily on the end of his bed to lean over and rub his face. Eren hovered in the doorway, hesitating.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. It's just...weird."

"Weird how?"

"Weird being here...knowing that cabinet is empty and that suddenly my life seems to have done a 180."

Slowly, Eren made his way into the room. He was cautious, understanding that things were starting to sink in for Levi. It had been surreal to himself until Levi had kissed him under the tree. Now that Levi was home, he was so much better, that his life had changed drastically, it was no surprise that he was only beginning to realize these permanent changes and that he was likely uneasy after having been dependent on drugs for so long.

"Are you scared?" Eren asked.

"A little," Levi admitted in a huff. "Shit, I don't know."

Slowly, the brunet sunk down onto the mattress next to the raven, unsure of what to say. After a long moment of silence, he finally said, "No one can really blame you for being unsure."

Levi sighed and ran his fingers through his hair habitually only for it to flop right back over his forehead. "I don't know what I was expecting when I got out of there, honestly. Things are the same but...not."

"You have changed," Eren pointed out.

"I suppose so."

Silently, Eren reached out and gave Levi's hand a gentle squeeze. Automatically, the raven's fingers wrapped around his as well. The younger could feel him shaking just slightly - not the kind you could see, only feel. He attempted to send reassurances through that contact by gently rubbing Levi's thumb with his own.

Levi gazed down at their hands. He spread his fingers out, opening Eren's as well. The sizes were a considerable difference, Eren's fingers being a good half an inch longer than his own. He slid his fingers between Eren's, noticing the contrast of their skin tones as well - the alabaster of Levi's against the olive of Eren's. They were different in so many ways, from the tone of their skin to the way they thought and their experiences. Still, holding Eren's warm, soft hand felt so incredibly right and they fit together so perfectly it was almost overwhelming.

Before he could say or do something cheesy like press his lips to the back of Eren's hand, he gently pulled away and slid to the floor, taking his bag with him and saying, "Gotta unpack."

Eren followed suit, sliding to the floor himself and crossing his legs. The first thing Levi did was pull Eren's hoodie over his head, revealing the dark red long-sleeved shirt that still hung too loosely around his skinny torso, and held it out to the other. "You can have this back," he said quietly.

Eren merely discarded it onto the bed as Levi pushed his sleeves up and unzipped his bag. There was clearly something bothering him, causing an uneasiness in the air. Eren was determined to find out what it was.