Lost in the Meaning (Ereri/ Eren x Levi fanfic)

Chapter Nineteen :|: Collecting Names

(The winner of my "guess what number I'm thinking of" contest is @phocus! Congrats, with the guess of 24 (my number was 23 :b) you won! How do you guys like these contest things? Do you like me interacting with you guys? I certainly love when you guys post comments and vote and that lovely stuff, honestly, without any of that I'd lose hope in this fic. MAYBE Y'ALL COULD HELP ME ACTUALLY FINISH A FANFIC. Lol, and how do you guys like the longer-chaptered fanfics? if you don't my next fanfic will be shorter, I promise! Now, enjoy the chapter, I'll shut up.)

(UPDATE: I literally helped set up a wedding yesterday and am so exhausted but everyone now is calmed down so ok TIME TO WRITE!)

Chapter Nineteen :|: Collecting Names

The tires spun and swiftly swung out of the high schools parking lot. Eren leaned back in the passengers seat and picked back up the stack of CD's that were stacked by the ashtray in the middle. Levi eyed him for a moment, but didn't stop him from looking through the different albums. George Strait, Kenny Chesney, and of course, Garth Brooks, were the three cases that actually had the CD's inside of them. Eren flipped them over and read the songs featured on the backs.

"You're kind of an ass, but you have really good taste in music," Eren said, holding one of the albums up higher to cover up his smirk when Levi's eyebrow did an odd twitch.

"So where am I taking you again?" Levi asked, checking the time on the dashboard.

"Medleton, I'm going to my aunts."

Levi curved the wheel quickly to the left, taking a sharp turn, as he almost missed the exit he wanted to take. He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head as he heard a car honk behind them. "I didn't know i was giving you a rise hour out of town. Dear Lord..." He trailed off, starring out into asphalt path.

Eren crossed his arms and starred down into his lap, feeling a little guilty for making Levi take him out of town, but decided to push it away.

"Oi, hand me one of those albums. Surprise me," Levi held out a hand, the other kept the car steady on the busy road. The teen looked at the few artists, weighing his options, before handing Levi George Striat. The older man made a small smile, but Eren hardly saw it. He liked his smile. It made Levi a little less of a mystery.

The CD slid into the player, Levi looked at the songs on the back and flicked through until 'Give it Away' started to play through the speakers. Eren remembered this song from the times when he was young and his father didn't travel as often. When he and Mikasa would go fishing with him at the pond in the park and Mikasa would always want to catch the tadpoles. Granted, then Eren just wanted to find where the ducks laid their eggs, rather than catch fish, but this song was one of his fathers favorites, it'd play in the car on their way to the pond.

Levi didn't mouth the words to the song like Eren did, but he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the rythem. Starring out into the highway that began to open up into many other lanes.

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It'd been about forty minutes of driving and cheap romance songs and sing-alongs when there was a detour sign that forced them to take a different route.

"Blasted construction," Levi said under his breath. By then, they'd switched to CD's that had a few other songs burned onto them. 'Valerie' by Amy Winehouse was blaring.

The Jaguar took a turn down a gravel road constructed for the detour. They'd be taken through another town first before making it to Medleton.

Eren stretched, his palms resting against the roof of the car. "Hey Levi, can we stop for like fries or something? I'm hungry."

"What, no. I'm not your mother. You can eat when you get to your aunts or something."

Eren dug around through his pocket and pulled out a ten dollar bill he'd found on Mikasa's nightstand. He was sure she wouldn't miss it too badly. He showed Levi the money. "I can pay for myself i just really want some cheap truck stop food."

The older man sighed, but agreed. The Jaguar jumped around on the dusty gravel road for a few minutes before hitting cracked pavement. It was a small town, mainly full of fast food stops and gas stations. Though, the place was beautiful. Graffiti lined the caving walls of older building, not the annoying numbers of sluts or drug references, but the art. Two eyes starred back from behind an alley between a tattoo shop and a gift shop, drawings of bicycles were drawn all over the sidewalks, as if one was parked outside of each shop. A build board above a sub shop was painted over in white and in bold black read "And if you're in love, then you are the lucky one, 'cause most of us are bitter over someone."

Levi read that one aloud to himself it seemed, passing the sub shop as we swung through the reckless town. Eren looked at the billboard through the rear-view mirror, the sentence seeming to stick to his mind like a sap. The words seemed familiar, maybe a song he'd heard. He gave the tought a rest and scoped himself out one of the fast food places he'd been hoping for, making Levi park at the front.

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Eren sat across a booth from Levi, eating a burger he'd paid for with the stolen money from his sister. Levi picked at his curly fries every now and then. He'd found that he knew the cashire behind the counter. The girl who'd taken his money was that friend of Sasha's, Kyra Gibson. She'd given Eren a free drink, seeing how they'd known each other. It was a bit odd though, seeing one of your classmates walk in with your math teacher. Kyra explained how every weekend she'd come down to the little, crippling town.

"Wow, what a coincidence then. I guess it's cool, this is a nice little town," Eren twirled a curly fry around as he talking to Kyra. She giggled and nodded, wiping down the table besides them.

Kyra blushed and hid behind her hair, picking up her trays and marching her way back to the kitchen. Levi hufffed and rolled his eyes, crossing his legs and leaning back in his seat. Eren frowned a bit.

"What is it?"

"She likes you."

Eren raised a brow. "Who? Kyra? You think so?" Eren looked back at the kitchen. Through the opening in the doorway, they made eyecontact. Kyra waved, smiling wide. "How can you tell?"

Levi shrugged. "The way she kept looking back when she walked away, how flustered she looked when you walked in. What, do you like her too?" Eren watched her wash the dishes in the sink behind the front desk, her blond hair swaying. The boy turned back to look at Levi and concluded his decision with a shake of his head. "She's really nice and all, but i hardly know her that well."

The crease in Levi's forehead seemed to lose its tension, as if he'd settled a bit like something had been bothering him. Levi pursed his lips and looked away, lost in thought.

He looked so calm then, watching something off in space only he saw, thinking. The way his fingers drumed quietly on the table. Eren's gaze followed Levi's perfect features, from his jaw structure, to his pointed nose, his eyes.Levi glanced over quickly, too quickly, catching Eren watching him.

"Are you ready yet, brat?"

Eren nodded and stood from the table quickly. He waved his thanks and good bye to Kyra and held the door open as Levi walked out. The shorter man leaned against the wall and pulled a cigarrett box out of his back pocket. He shook the small box and opened it. Empty. With a sigh, he threw it in a bin and walked toward the car. Eren was already inside, singing along to some classic.

Another small bit of wall art caught Levi's eye, drawing his attentions to a little cross that had been drawn on brick near the sub shops door. Another sentense hung there, waiting to be read.

"And if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones, 'cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs."

(TEHEHE ok so I'm writing two chapters at once, r n, the next ones gonna have the beautiful car scene, AND THEN SOME. HAHA, BE PREPARED. Working on the second rn, trying to post it today as well, hold tight with this chapter to tide you over of whatever.)