Covered Eyes (No Name Levi X Eren)

Chapter 22 ~ Words that Hurt

Eren clings to me. He's scared, shaking, distraught, and crying. “We… we have to go back.”

“Not right now,” Hanji states. “You can't, we need to get you in better shape before we go out and-”

“No! We have to go back now!” Eren yells, trying to tear himself from my arms.

I firmly pull him so he's facing me again, shocked at my sudden harsh treatment of him.

“No. You need to heal, you can't help Isabel if you're hurting.” I state, just as firmly as my grip on his arms. “I won't allow you to act on impulse and get yourself killed brat.”

Eren's mouth moves, trying to conjure words that will make me let him go back. His eyes fill with tears and he bites his lip before glaring at me.

“Fuck you,” He growls at me, “You don't give a damn about me! If you were really my friend, you'd help me get back!” He rips himself from my grasp and stumbles away, eventually colliding with the floor.

“Eren!” I shout and run to his side, sliding against the floor. He curls into a ball, holding his side and crying. I sigh a little, and get the male into my arms.

“Freaking brat.” I scoff, though the terrified feeling lingers in my tone. Eren hits my chest, each hit becoming weaker and weaker.

“I hate you.” He mumbles.

It stings, even if he's not thinking straight right now (like I ever do around him), it hurts to hear such malice directed at me from him.

After setting him on the counter, Hanji and I work his shirt up to check the wound. It's bleeding slightly, a small tear from the healing tissue, but nothing major. He doesn't look at either of us.

“Eren,” Hanji softly starts, trying to lighten the thick tension now in the air. “It's because we care about you that we can't let you go. We can do a lot here while you're healing, but you can't jump the gun like that.”

He doesn't respond and just turns his head further away.

“You need to realize you're not doing this alone, I've already started working on getting information so we have a place to start when you're healed.” They try again.

Still nothing from the younger brunette.

This is where I snap, again. If I'm honest, there were many options that ran through my head in the blink of an eye, some harsher than others, a few suggested by the heart instead of the brain. I could yell again, storm off, kiss his stupid face till he realizes we care about him.

I roughly grab his shirt collar, forcing his attention to me. His face is mear inches from mine. (Sorry, but the brain won this time.) “Eren, don't be such a fucking idiot and think. No one can help your cousin if you die because you didn't let yourself heal! You need to get it through your stubborn head that we're here to help you win your life back from Lovof!”

He locks his eyes with me. Anger and fear radiate from his eyes, the anger slowly dripping away as fear settles in again. He still hides it from Hanji with a glare, trying to hurt me more.

“Levi… too far!” Hanji tries to pull me back.

I adjust myself slightly and they lose any grip they had on me, falling on what little ass they have.

“Ouch. Fuck Short shit!” They gripe from the floor.

“You did it to yourself.” I argue, never breaking from Eren's intense stare.

Hanji sighs and gets up, cursing under their breath. “Fucking jerk.”

“There's ice packs in the freezer.” I remind, sighing and letting the brunette go before glancing to the other one. That was actually my fault, not that I'm apologizing out loud.

“Yeah, yeah I know,” They mock, walking to the fridge to get it. With a heavy roll of their eyes, they put the ice in the back pocket of their jeans.

They look at Eren, the way they look at me when I'm injured and still wanting to perform. “Eren, we know you're wanting to save Isabel, and that you want to clear your name. And believe me, we all respect your selflessness, but we've dealt with Lovof before, and we know that you'd be killed if you returned right now.”

I turn back to Eren, who just looks like he's finally figuring out that we aren't just being dicks to him. Hanji walks to him and embraces him.

“We don't want to lose you to that piece of shit.” I growl, showing my obvious hatred for the man.

Eren tightens his fists, but then sighs. “You're right…” He closed his eyes. “You're just looking out for me.”

He wraps his arms around the taller brunette, and reaches a hand out to me, which I gladly take. His skin is soft, and perfect and I sigh as I look into his gorgeous fucking eyes. “Hey, I’m sor-”

“Don't,” He interrupts my apology. “I was being irrational, I needed that slap of reality.” He looked at me, his eyes soft and absorbed in self hate. “I… I trust you guys, and I'll work on not being… such a brat.” He softly laughs.

I squeeze his hand a little tighter. God dammit Jaeger, you are literally killing me here.

“Don't change too much, just… let's not go off running again.” I smile to him, (Hanji can't see because their back is to me) and he returns it, his smile brighter.