I Don't Believe In Love Songs (Ereri/Riren AU) (COMPLETED) [#Wattys2018]

Chapter 6

Levi

I watched as Eren stormed off. My chest started to hurt. What was this pain? Regret? Was that brat actually making me feel sorry? I shrugged it off before grabbing a bottle of Captain Morgan and walked to the nearest convenience store.

"How may I help you?" the cashier asked, not knowing who I was or why I was in there drunk at four in the morning. I smiled at their ignorance, but not for long.

I put a bag of Sour Patch Kids on the counter and pointed behind them, "One pack of Kools, the blue pack."

They nodded and grabbed me the cigarettes. I showed them my ID and they finally rung me up. I nodded and left the dirty store and leaned against the side of the building and took off the plastic layer of the box of cigarettes. I flipped open the box and stuck a cigarette in my mouth. I searched my pockets and growled.

"Here," Hange lit my cigarette with a lighter, "I see your habit is back. Wanna talk about it?"

I took a long drag of the cigarette before blowing it in the opposite direction of them. I stuck it back in my mouth and shook my head.

"Is it Petra?" they asked.

"Help no."

"Is it Eren?"

I somehow managed to choke on the smoke I looked at them, glaring, "No, Shitty Glasses. I just wanted to smoke, okay?"

I felt their arms wrap around me, "You know, Levi... it doesn't make you any less strong to feel. In fact, it makes you stronger. Nobody will think less of you."

"Levi Ackerman does not feel," I hissed.

Hange remained quiet, their grip loosening on me, "Levi... I think you're scaring Eren away. It seems that the more he's around you, the more distant he is."

The feeling in my chest returned and I took another hit of the cigarette, trying to make it go away, "Let's get back to the bus, Shitty Glasses."

I crushed the cigarette butt and tossed it in the garbage before returning to the convenience store to wash my hands. When I returned, Hange was smiling. I rolled my eyes and met up with them.

I opened the pack of candy and handed Hange a red one. They popped it in their mouth and locked elbows with me. I rolled my eyes yet again, biting off the head of a blue Sour Patch Kid.

We returned to the bus about fifteen minutes later. Hange crashed as soon as we arrived, but I went to the bathroom to change, brush my teeth twice, and wash my face. I looked up into the mirror. I looked like shit. I groaned, walking out of the bathroom before opening the door to the room that Eren was staying in. I crept in, making sure to carefully close the door behind me.

We didn't have enough beds for Eren, so he took the couch in the music room. I felt kind of bad, putting him there with his back problems, but doubted he'd sleep easily in a bed either. Our beds were like cubbies in the walls. Knowing him, he'd probably fall out and kill himself. That'd be a lot of paperwork to fill out.

Eren had himself wrapped up in a Jaeger burrito. I pushed his hair back so I could see his face. My breath caught. He looked so young and innocent. The feeling in my chest came once again when I noticed that his cheeks were stained with tears.

Had he been crying? Did I really do that to him?

I sighed, rubbing Eren's face with my thumb. He winced at this, and a sharper pang hit my already aching chest. Eventually he snuggled up to my hand and the pain subsided a little.

I got up and left the room, glancing at Eren before I shut the door. I crawled into bed and the pain returned. I didn't sleep that night.

——