Broken

Chapter four

Levi's shoulder fell into the cobblestone, the force of the impact jolting him, and he looked up with enough warning to move before a foot hit where his head had been before. This was the first time his anger had taken the two of them outside the headquarters, and it was the first time Eren had truly tried to kill Levi.

"Eren!" Sasha ran forward, before Connie grabbed her arms and tugged her back.

"Sasha, we can't interfere," Connie said. "Even I know this."

They couldn't interfere, or the anger will be pushed at them; so says Hanji and Erwin. They shouldn't interfere, unless someone's life is put on the line. Strangling or fatal wounds —the two only reasons to interfere. Both men know how to fight well enough to not die this easy.

It was Eren's first strike to Levi's head, of course, so the Corporal was slightly surprised. Levi scrambled to his feet, and caught the next blow to his head with his hand. Bringing Eren to the stone walkway, he felt his body tugged down easily and Eren was suddenly on top of him. Hands were holding his shoulders down, keeping him still as the two of them caught their breath. "I...hate...you," Eren growled, his glowing red eyes locking in the grey ones below him. He had caught his breath by now, and moved his hands from the Corporal's shoulders.

"Then why do you kiss me?" Levi inquired, remembering every kiss, every blush, every 'I love you'. His breathing grew heavier as his thoughts were plagued by the way Eren had said it. It's not his Eren, it's not his Eren, it's not his Eren. His breathing was caught in his throat as fingers slid around his neck. He gasped, attempting to bring his hands away from the ground, but Eren had them pinned with his legs. "E...Er...en!"

"Now we can interfere." Sasha ran from Connie's grip, flying at Eren with ease and pushing him away from Levi.

"Connie! We need to jolt him out of this! Get the Captain!" Levi's chest shuddered, and his eyes were wide in fear. Eren had tried to kill him, not just injuring him, but killing him! Strangling him! Eren Jäger just tried to kill him. "Corporal, are you alright?"

"Yes," he forced out, before coughing and sitting up. Eren's eyes were closed, his body limp in Braus' arms. "He asleep?"

"I guess," Sasha said, shrugging. "He kinda just, well, fell limp after I jumped at him. His head never touched the ground, though, so..." Levi nodded, but he still went over to Sasha's side.

A hand fell on his shoulder, and he looked back to see Hanji, Erwin, and Connie behind him. "Are you okay, Levi?" Hanji asked, their eyes soft as their smiled sadly. Levi's hands found his neck, before he turned back to Eren.

"Miss Braus, what happened after Connie found us?" Erwin asked.

"He kinda fell limp, but he had never actually touched the ground with his head, so I don't know." Levi closed his eyes, and haunting words filled his mind, shattering the previous words and images of love and replacing them with hatred.

'And you're still in love with me.'

'Look how small you are!'

So, so many words and gestures filled his head, all of them bringing him further into darkness.

'I...hate...you.'

Eren's turquoise eyes burst open, his eyes catching everyone else's angered gaze. "What's with all...the pissed glares?" Relization dawned on him, and his eyes widened. "What did I do?" He looked around, his eyes finding the hand-shaped bruises along Levi's neck. Tears began to fill his eyes, and he pushed away from Sasha.

"Eren, it wasn't you--"

"Of course it was me!" Eren sobbed, looking back to Levi's markings. "I... I really hurt him."

"You stupid brat," Levi croaked, faking a smile. "Of course it wasn't you." He couldn't have Eren blaming himself for another death, even if it hadn't managed to kill him. "It was my fault, so don't worry about it." Eren sniffed, and Levi's arms wrapped around the younger's torso. "I promise."

"I'm sorry, either way," Eren said, holding his arms around Levi's shoulders.