Even the Strong Cry

Chapter Twenty

Erwin came back into Levi's office with two cups of tea in his hands, he had just left because he thought Levi looked a little tired, and honestly he wanted a little time to process the information. Levi had cancer. He was probably dying, and soon he would be retiring. Was Erwin meant to accept that? There was so much he wanted to say to Levi, and it made his skin crawl to think that it was possible that the little Titan brat had already said it.
What was going on between the captain and the cadet? He knew they lived together, but that was purely so that Eren could be supervised, right?
When Erwin came back to Levi's office he almost dropped the tea he was carrying. Levi was sleeping on the job?! That couldn't be right, Levi would never do something like that. 
He set the tea down on the windowsill and gazed at the sleeping male, noticing how his serious expression faded slightly in sleep, his mouth was slightly less turned down. Almost as if it was a small smile, but not quite.
"I'm sorry captain..." Erwin sat on the desk and smiled down at Levi who was still fast asleep in the chair. He leant in and snapped his fingers in front of the ravonettes face. "Wake up captain." he called gently. He got no answer.
After getting no answer Erwin decided he would try and put some of his first aid training into use. He tilted the ravonettes head back and checked his breathing. It was harsh and irregular, every breath sounding painful. Then suddenly it just ceased. Levi stopped breathing.
"Levi!" Erwin exclaimed. He stood up and set the captain on the table where he had been sitting. Again Erwin checked his breathing but it wasn't happening.
"Wake up Levi! You can't leave me now!" Erwin pressed down on Levi's chest hard thirty times in a row- and then moved on to rescue breaths. He had meant to only do the quick breaths that he had been taught in training, but Erwin found himself marvelling in the softness of Levi's lips.
The reaction Erwin got was not what he had been expecting. Levi kept his eyes closed, but his breathing returned and he gently moved his tongue along Erwin's mouth, returning the kiss.
"Oh Levi..." Erwin muttered against Levi's lips.
"I...I love you..." Levi whispered. Erwin was shocked. Levi had the same feelings?
"Levi, I love you too..." Erwin muttered.
"I love you more...Eren..." Levi whispered back.
Erwin immediately moved his face away. "I'm not Eren." he said sadly. Levi's eyes snapped open.
"GET OUT NOW!" he yelled. "HOW DARE YOU TRY AND KISS ME!" his head was pounding but Levi didn't care. He picked up a book that had been sitting on the desk and threw it at the commander, who finally left, leaving Levi with his head in his hands.