STRONGEST HOPE (ERERI❤RIREN)

CHAPTER 25 - PERMISSION TO SPEAK FREELY, CAPTAIN?

After Eren left, the three sat quietly, wondering how this would play out. Even Hange was uncharacteristically calm. They fidgeted in their seat, and their eyes were filled with worry. Armin's head was filled with Eren's sadness and hurt. He so badly wanted him to have his love with the Captain, like the love that he'd found with Commander Erwin.

Erwin must have read the boy's anxiousness, because he pulled him into his lap and rubbed his back. Armin put his head against Erwin's shoulder. "What if they never work it out?" he asked. "It will be so sad to see them every day, knowing they should be together."

The two men heard a humming coming from Hange's direction. They were perched in a chair with their knees to their chin, grinning at them, with tears streaming down their face. Armin's mouth dropped open, and he looked at Erwin in panic. He'd forgotten they had also heard them talk about their relationship with Eren.

Erwin shrugged his shoulders, raising his eyebrows at Hange. "It's going to get out, Armin. Eren and Hange are good practice I guess." He hugged him. "Besides, I don't want to hide how much I love you or how happy I am with you."

Hange tilted forward, falling face first onto the floor. "I was pretty sure...," they stammered, crossing their arms over their body, as if to congratulate themselves. "I should win something...I mean, two out of two! Aaahhhh!"

Erwin and Armin looked at them like they were an alien. They brought their eyes back to one another and kissed softly. "I love you Commander Erwin Smith." Armin smiled, tears welling up in his eyes.

Erwin cupped the boy's face in his large hand and kissed his forehead. "Don't you worry, love. We'll get our best friends squared away."

Hange whimpered on the floor.

A loud knock startled them all. "Maybe Eren forgot something," Armin said. He stepped out of Erwin's embrace and walked to the door. "Hey Eren-," he said, but then froze.

Levi stepped into the doorway, breathless. "Uh, hi Arlert, mind if I-."

He looked around the room, confused at the company before him. "Um, am I interrupting something?"

Erwin motioned for Levi to join him on the couch. Armin moved to sit across from him in the chair. They sat awkwardly for a moment until Hange whimpered again.

Startled, Levi jumped up and looked over the chair. Hange was in a fetal position, rocking back and forth. Glancing at his shocked face, they said, "Oh, don't mind me, Captain! I'm fine."

He looked at Erwin wordlessly, then glanced at Armin and realized for the first time that Erwin and the tiny blonde were in pajamas. He looked at Armin and lifted his finger, gesturing between the two men. His eyes grew wide.

"Levi, you're my best friend," Erwin spoke. "I think it's only right that you know that Armin and I are in love. I plan to marry him this summer." He smiled at the look on Levi's face. Hange panted from the floor.

Armin got up and took his place in Erwin's arms once again. He smiled shyly at the Captain. Levi looked back and forth once more and stood. He extended his hand to his Commander, and Erwin took it gratefully. "Congratulations, my friend." He shook Armin's hand too. "I can't think of two more wonderful people to find one another."

Erwin's expression broke. His voice choked up. "Thank you, Levi."

Levi sat back down and looked at the floor. He rubbed his hands together. "Does Eren know?"

"Yes."

"Oh, okay. Good."

"I found out before you Short Stack!"

"Shut the fuck up, Shitty Glasses. You probably hid under the bed."

"Aaaahhhh! Not a bad idea!"

Armin blushed and Erwin snapped, "Don't even think about it."

Levi cleared his throat, and they turned to listen. Armin shifted out of nervousness. He dreaded this.

"So, um. I can't find Eren. He disappeared this morning and I'm...well, I'm worried about him." They had never seen him look so humbled and without a fight.

Armin spoke to ease his fear. "Levi, Eren left to-."

Levi's eyes shot open. "Left? Where is he? Where did he go?" His voice was panicked.

Before Armin could explain, Erwin spoke. "Levi, Hange has cleared Eren to return to work, and he has requested to leave us and serve in the interior with Pyxis from now on."

Hange sat straight up and glared at Erwin. Armin's mouth dropped open at the blatant lie. Erwin shot a quick glance at both of them which told them clearly to keep their mouths shut.

Armin closed his and covered it with his hand, for fear of blurting out the truth. Eren was coming back in two weeks. Why would Erwin lie like this, he wondered. It became clear, however, when he saw the effect that his words had on the Captain.

Levi put his head in his hands and sat still for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he sat up and ran his hand through his hair. His face was distraught. It broke Armin's heart. "Was this his idea?"

Erwin looked at him sternly and nodded.

He looked at Hange and let out a breath. "What about the experiments?

Seemingly aware of the game plan, Hange played along. "Well, it's definitely more complicated now, but we'll make arrangements to work with his titan ability when we most need him." They had a hard time getting the words out. Armin could see the sorrow they felt for their friend.

"Right," he said with resignation. He took a moment before speaking again. He looked at Armin, his eyes glistening. "Um, Armin...did he say why?" He never would have known that this was Humanity's Strongest. He looked completely broken. It was hard to lie about the permanent assignment, but the reasons were the same.

"Permission to speak freely, Captain?"

"Yes, of course." It was clear that he was remembering the last time he and Armin had spoken like this. Armin could tell that he truly regretted having to have it again.

"Eren felt that he had become a- how do I say this? He felt like he'd become a burden to you, sir."

Levi visibly cringed at the word "burden." He put his hand to his forehead and sucked in his breath. "Go on."

"He loves you, but he doesn't want to confuse things, considering how you feel about him."

Levi was clearly frustrated. "And did he happen to enlighten you as to how I feel about him?" he snapped.

Erwin put a protective arm around Armin. "Um, Eren thinks that you blame him for the deaths of your squad and the soldiers on the rescue mission. He thinks you blame him for Erwin's, um, accident."

"I've never said those things! Where did he get that from?" Levi stood and retreated to the window. "I've never-"

"Yes, you have," Armin interrupted softly.

His eyes narrowed at the boy. "What are you saying?"

Armin looked down at his fingers laced with the Commander's. He hesitated to say, because he was pretty sure Erwin and Hange didn't know about Levi's drunken night on the wall.

Levi grew impatient. "Armin, I need you to tell me what you know."