Camp Shiganshina

🖤N I N E🖤

It looked exactly how it did 10 years ago. The rope ladder was still all old and crumbly, the structure just barely still standing. And the sign in front of it was exactly the same.

"Jaeger's Place," Levi read the sign, crouching down to examine the lettering. It was extremely well done, even for being 9 I was able to make very beautiful handwriting.

Shining my flashlight around, I started investigating the base of the tree. It was a tall oak tree, the roots were hazardous and I almost tripped many times. I continued to walk around until I found something quite interesting.

"Well look over here, a Scarlet Swamp Hibiscus," I said, gesturing Levi to come over. He did so, shining his own flashlight on the red flower.

"Is it important?" He asked, crouching down with me to examine the plant.

"Very, they are only found in areas with watery soil and is native to the east coast of the U.S,"

"Meaning this was planted here," Levi added, I nodded to agree with him.

"And very recently too. The only problem is that a Hibiscus is supposed to symbolize glory and a perfect wife/partner. So having this here, at a crime scene, makes no sense..." I trailed off, unsure of what to do next. I stood up once more, walking around the tree once more. Nothing jumped out to me, so I gestured to Levi I was climbing up the tree.

"Be careful, I'll be up after you," he called out as I started my ascent. The rope ladder creaked and pulled itself down but didn't break. I felt rather lucky. I got up into the treehouse and refused to look at the rest of it without Levi. I peaked my head out to see him very carefully climbing the tree on the rope ladder.

At the top of it I reached out my hand, urging for Levi to take it. He did so without any thought and I helped to haul him up into the treehouse.

"So this is where you last saw her?" Levi asked, already looking around.

"Basically..." I answered, slowly turning myself around. Although I sped up once I noticed Levi wasn't walking around anymore. The creaks in the floorboards had gone quiet, concerning me greatly. I spun around to see Levi looking at the dried up blood that covered the center of the treehouse.

I took a very deep breath before walking closer to Levi; and that is when I saw why he had stood still. There in the center of the blood was a fresh and new black rose. It sat in the middle of the blood, making it's black petals standout against dried blood.

"No...no..." I said, choking back on tears that were threatening to fall. "That stupid damned death flower!"

I couldn't contain the sobs that erupted from me. I fell down to the ground, the tree house groaning with my weight being flung onto it. The floorboards creaked as I saw Levi gently go down to my level.

"Eren..." He started, but obviously couldn't find the right words to say. So he just went with hugging me (definitely the right move).

I gripped onto him as tightly as I could, sobbing into his chest. I could feel Levi sit down fully and pull myself closer to him (even if he is smaller than me he could still do it). He rubbed his hand up and down my back to try and sooth me. I could feel him making little shapes and patterns to try and calm me.

We stayed like that for what seemed like forever. He held me like I was going to melt and succumb to the sadness like a child, and I held him like he was going to leave me for good.

Okay, so maybe we have something going on. Maybe I do feel like this is more than just a petty crush on a complete stranger. Scientifically speaking, it takes the brain 3 days to get used to something new. To feel like you could do it forever. To, in a sense, reset your brain to be new and free. And I had been with Levi for a week now, 3 days had come and gone a while ago.

So maybe it'll just take 3 more to get used to the fact someone is toying with my heart over my lost sister.

Either way, I know I have someone here for me. And he knows I'm there for him. Even in the toughest of times I will be there for Levi.