Experimenting With Miracles // ERERI

Chapter 12

Twenty minutes; he was supposed to leave on expedition in twenty, short minutes, and yet he couldn’t find the will in his muscles to pull himself from the bed. It was the first time in a long while that Levi had any trouble with that. He prided himself on being a timely person, on being up and ready perhaps even hours before he was supposed to be somewhere. But not today. Today he had awoken with an arm thrown over the two people--or one and a half he supposed--that he loved the most. He looked sadly down upon his lover’s slumbering face, stroking a rogue strand of hair from his eyes.

“Eren…” he called quietly, regretting that he had to wake him up in the depths of such a peaceful sleep.

The brunette grumbled and rolled away from Levi’s touch, huddling further into his covers. Levi shook his head. He reached over Eren’s sleeping form and pinched the teen’s nose closed with his fingers. After a moment Eren spluttered awake with a cough.

“How many times to I have to tell you to stop doing that?!” he yelled, a pout forming on his plump lips.

Levi frowned, “I have to leave.”

The room became quiet.

“Right now?” Eren whimpered, his voice void of the angry passion it’d had just a moment before. “C-Can’t you stay with me a little longer?”

The Captain shook his head sadly and nuzzled his nose into the other’s hair. He breathed in his sweet scent, knowing it could be a few days before he was able to have that luxury again. He kissed Eren’s hair gently and laid a hand on his pregnant stomach. Levi gave a small smile at the little stir he felt.

“I’ve already waited too long, brat. I need to leave in less than fifteen minutes.” 

Eren sniffled back a sob and laid his head against Levi’s strong chest. The heavy, bleeding pulses of his lover’s heartbeat lulled his sorrow.

“It’s so dumb. Your husband is pregnant, so why can’t you just stay! I don’t want to be alone…” Eren grumbled.

Levi pulled him closer and pecked his lips. “You know I have to go, Eren, so stop making it harder on yourself and accept it. I’ll be back soon. Plus you’re not going to be alone idiot, remember?” he calmed the trembling young man, “Your little blond coconut friend is going to stay with you.”

“Armin,” Eren provided with a wet laugh.

“Yeah that one.”

Despite their conversation, Eren still wouldn’t let Levi go. They sat together, glued to one another for another five minutes before the Corporal finally pried Eren away. He kissed his brow and belly and hastily threw on his uniform. Eren straightened his cravat for him as he walked to the door.

“Be careful.”

“Whatever.”

And he left. Eren slumped back into the bed, fighting back tears and waiting for his friend to come accompany him to breakfast.

The trumpets could be heard two towns over. Levi never understood why they had to be so loud, but then again he had never felt the need to question it. Not until now, when he was trying to get his thoughts on anything besides his husband and child back at headquarters. He straightened his cravat again and flicked a speck of dust off his horse’s saddle. Magnolia whinnied haughtily and he stroked her smooth black mane--even the damn horse could tell he was off today. This was going to be one shitty expedition.  

Levi focused tiredly on the slow rising of the gate. Hopefully this would all be over soon so he could come back and be with Eren... Fuck. Stop thinking about him . He bit his lip hard and spurred his horse as the legion began to move forward into the open wildlands.