The CEO

Decision

Eren

The trip was over before I knew it, as we had cut it short due to our promising dealer. We arrived back home to find that workload had increased drastically. I was in the bank working for two whole days, only getting a few hours of sleep at my desk. At least the others were doing better than me, even though we barely got time to talk.

As for Levi, he didn't close his eyes for more than 3 seconds at a time. He seemed possessed as the bags under his eyes grew more prominent and didn't eat at all until I brought some food over to his office.

Gunther, his assistant, didn't even give me a proper look before he waved me in, too busy with calls. I held the packed lunch in one hand and pushed open the door with the other.

"Hey." I said, walking over to the figure hunched over his laptop. He didn't even notice untile I went and stood by his side. "Levi." I tapped his shoulder.
He looked up at me, his eyes cloudy. He took a moment to speak. "Eren? Why are you here? I didn't call you."
"No, but you gotta eat." I placed the package on his table. He looked at it, frowning. "I'm not hungry."
"Look at you. You haven't eaten in days. You nedd energy."
"I have plenty of stamina." He muttered before turning his attention back to the screen. "You're dismissed, Eren."
"When will you be free?" I asked.
"I don't know, so please leave me the fuck alone."
"At least give me a time."
"Goddammit, Eren, this is not the moment to discuss this." He rubbed his knuckle against his temple. "I'm balls deep in paperwork, so if you'd be so kind as to leave. I know I had to show you something, but that will have to wait."
"I get it." I backed away. "But please eat something soon."
"I can't." He didn't peel his eyes away.
"Levi, no offense, but you already look like shit."
"As do you." He replied.
"Not in a bad way, though. In fact, I'm ready to take you on right now." I started to smile but stopped as he stood up, his face one of intense fury. "Get. The fuck. Out."
I was out in a flash.

"Eren, why are you brooding?" Sasha poked me on the shoulder. We were catching a break in Euphoria, along with Connie, Jean, Marco and Bertholdt. Thomas and Mina stayed behind to handle things.
"It's nothing." I said, the corners of my mouth turned down.
"Lovers' quarrel?" She asked with a cheeky grin on her face.
"Shut up!" I groaned and slid my hand onto my face, blocking out my vision.
I hate it when he avoids me.
My phone buzzed. I picked it up. "Mikasa, I swear, if you're calling to ask if I got a sunburn-"
"I'm not!" Her voice was annoyed on the other end. "I just wanted to say that I'm free today and coming over to meet you in the around 7."
"Oh, really?" I was pleasantly surprised to hear that.
"Yeah, so I need to know the bank's address. Text me later, k? Oh, and good news!" She chirped. "Ymir and Historia are gonna get married in two months instead of waiting for like nine more!"
I was really pleased to know this. They'd been dating since forever, so it was about time. "Okay then, I'll give them a call."
"Okay." She said. The line went mysteriously quiet.
"Mikasa?" I called.
"Eren..." Her tone had suddenly changed, becoming more fragile and heavy. "There's something else."
"What's wrong?" I felt a stab of fear. Sasha and Connie laughed at something.
"Don't freak out yet. I'll tell you when I come over. It's.." I heard her sigh. "It's really important."
"Don't make me worry like that, sis."
"I'm sorry." Her voice shook. She sounded like she was about to cry. I was scared now, as Mikasa rarely showed tears.
"I'll see you later, okay?" She sniffed and cut the call.
I stared at my phone, feeling knots in my stomach. Something told me it wasn't going to be good.
"Eren, you still with us?" Connie snapped his finger in front of my face. "C'mon, let's head back."
"Uh, sure." I followed them out of the cafe, making a reminder to message my sister.
__________________________________________
Levi

I only ate a little bit of the packed lunch because my stomach was growling like crazy, not because the brat told me to.
Nevertheless, I felt much better and thus proceeded to stare at my laptop for another few hours, concluding long meetings and emailing people all over the damn earth.
At one point my vision got a little blurry. I rubbed my eyes impatiently and allowed myself to look at the time for a split second.
Holy shit, 6:15 pm? It felt like only a minute had passed since I had watched the sunrise at the skyline from my seat.
I got up, my legs sore from sitting for so long and came out of my office. I gave Gunther a quick nod before moving over to the breakroom.
I was praying that Eren wouldn't notice me as I walked past his department, but of course he had razor sharp observation. Those eyes I had come to think of as beautiful widened as they landed on me and he stood up like I was the president on something.
I mentally rolled my eyes and quickened my pace, but he caught up with me easily with those annoyingly long legs of his.
"You look exhausted." He began.
"Good evening to you, too."
"Seriously, you have to get some sugar in your system."
"You're not my mom."
"I know, but you're important to me."
"Shocker, since I'm the one who pays you."
"That wasn't what I meant."
We entered the breakroom. I ordered a black coffee in preparation for another sleepless night.
"A latte for me, please." Eren said to the counter staff.
"You don't get anything. Go back to work." I gave him a pointed glare.
"Can't I have a break too?" He pouted "I'm feeling really drowsy myself."
"Get used to it." I replied curtly.
We collected our cups in silence and he followed me over to a table in the corner.
"Go back." I hissed.
"Please." His eyes had turned disgustingly pleading. "I've been working too. Just five minutes."
After a second's hesitation I consented, and he happily sat down across me.
"If you don't mind, I have someone coming over in about half an hour, so I'll be taking a break again." He said cautiously.
"Do whatever you want." I muttered, taking a sip of my coffee. I lost myself in the taste of the bitter liquid in my mouth, feeling my senses getting sharper.
"By the way, if you don't mind me asking...Did your mother own this bank?"
I froze, feeling a familiar tightness in my chest. "Who told you that?"
"Armin did." He replied simply. "Remember? He was totally fawning over you, so he must have done some research."
I relaxed at that. "Yeah, that's correct."
"I forgot her name. Wasn't it, um..."
"Kuchel Ackerman." The words rolled off my tongue, familiar and painful. I faltered, not used to saying that name after such a long time.
"Yeah." His eyes shone with curiosity. "And your dad...?"
"Shut up." I snapped.
He blinked in astonishment. "I'm sorry?"
"It's none of your business." My voice came out as a growl.
Eren bit his lip, causing me to look away and towards the steaming hot cup in my hands. "You're better off not knowing about him."
"Why?" He said softly.
Pain shot up my chest right then, and I struggled to breathe. "He was an utterly, utterly fucked up man, but the past remains in the past."
"What did he do?" He asked quietly.
"As I said, it's none of your-"
"I said this before." He said shortly. "Your eyes betray you even when your expression is that cold. Do you have any idea how much it breaks my heart seeing that immense amount of pain in your eyes?"
I didn't reply. I didn't need to. I didn't think he expected me to.
"I'm sorry." His voice broke. "But you really...look like you want to talk. Please, please stop lying to yourself, Levi."
The way he said my name sent another stab of pain in my heart. "I-"
"Just say it." He interrupted, speaking with a finality. "Tell me you don't want to talk about it with me, and I'll happily accept and never pester you again. I beg you, don't put me through this torture."
I couldn't speak, even after opening my mouth. My mind was drawing a blank. The agony in his expression...
Broke my heart.
I sat there staring at him like an idiot for a few minutes while he patiently drank his coffee.
Finally, he finished and got up silently. I could do nothing as he passed by me to head back to his workspace.
"Oh, and.." He placed a hand on my shoulder and leaned down to speak against my ear. "I'm still waiting for an answer. From when I confessed to you, remember?"

I was truly panicking now.
My hands shook as I told Erwin everything on text.

This is killing me, I wrote.

Okay, calm down. He replied.

I imagined his comforting, older brotherly voice and tried to relax.
Tell me when you're feeling okay.

I am now.

Good, I'm calling you.

Three seconds later I quickly picked up his call. "Erwin, I don't know what to do."
"Don't panic, you've got plenty of time to decide." His voice was assuring. "Close your eyes and picture his face smiling at you."
Fuck this corny-ass visualization activity, I thought but did as I was told. "Okay... I'm seeing him.'
"Right this moment," He said slowly "what do you really wish to do?"
I paused. "I want to tell him."
"But you can't."
"I don't want him ruined and involved in my shit. He's...too good for that." I admitted.
"And?" He prodded gently.
"And I don't want him to think badly of me." I confessed with acute embarrassment.
"Good." He sounded pleased. "And now it's my turn to reveal some things."
I was alert immediately. "What things?"
"Quite some time ago, he called me and Hanji to ask about you. We didn't reveal much, only how your mother was a good person and your nerdiness in school." He chuckled. "If I know anything about him, it's that he'll stop at nothing to get involved in your shit.
"He cares too much, Levi. And if you want the best for him, you'd better confide in him, or I'm afraid he might torture the information out of us."
I gulped, clutching my hair. I was pacing up and down my office without realising it.
"Tell him." He said loudly. "I give you my word, you both will feel much better."
"All right, jackass!" I shouted, then turned my volume down. "I'm sorry, this is hard. You're being a big help."
"No big deal. It's just your way of saying 'I love you' to your friends."
"In your dreams, bastard." I scoffed.
"Alright, the next step is telling him that you want to be in a relationship with him."
"What?" I blanched.
"Oh come on, Levi, am I wrong in saying that you'd love to get it on with him and more?"
"I wouldn't phrase it like that." I muttered.
"You care about him more than anyone else." He said firmly. "And if you're not going to tell him that, then I will." He paused. "That I like him."
"Oh, fuck off and thanks for your help." I scoffed and ended the call.
I took in rapid breaths, building up the courage to make a beeline for Eren. Finally, I decided I was never going to be brave about this.
So you might as well just get this over with.
I sprinted for the door, throwing the door open. Gunther jumped, looking at me like I'd gone crazy. I probably did look like that, and I probably was mad.
I ignored him and dashed for the hallway, turning corners at speeds that would've sent people crashing to the floor if they'd bumped into me. Thankfully, those who saw me coming were good enough to jump out of my way, their mouths agape.
I neared his working area, my eyes quickly scanning my the place. But he was nowhere to be found.
"Jean!" I gasped and his head snapped up from his computer. "Woah, sir, you okay?"
"Where's Eren?" I grabbed his shoulders unceremoniously.
"Ah- he went to Euphoria to meet someone, I think!"
Of course. It was past seven, according to the wall clock.
I released him and ran downstairs, taking the steps three at a time. Thankfully, my regular workouts saved me from clumsily stumbling down the stairs. People gawked at me, but I couldn't have given two shits about them.
I burst through the double doors and into the cool evening air. I blinked once, setting my eyes on the nameplate of the cafe in front of me.
Where food meets EUPHORIA!

I pumped my legs, running so fast I almost fell down. I grabbed a parked motorcycle to steady myself and it crashed down with the force of my strength, almost taking me with it. "Hey!!" A man shouted, coming towards me with his fists raised. He stopped short after getting a good look at my face. "Why, it's Levi Ackerman of all people!"
"Not now." I breathed and ran off before he could say another word
I swung the door of the cafe open and warm air directed itself towards me, including the surprised gazes of the people sitting at the tables.
They were just a blur as my eyes swept past them before spotting a familiar brunette. I lurched forwards, about to run towards him.
Then stopped dead in my tracks.
Every muscle in my body tensed up.
My eyes came close to tearing as they widened to their limit, as they could do nothing but stare.
Stare at Eren with his lips pressed up against a girl's.
A black-haired girl the same height as him. A maroon coat. Black tights. Deep brown boots.
Every detail of her appearance whirled through my head.
I looked at Eren for a split second, and all noise around me dulled. His eyes were closed and so were hers, probably enjoying the feel of each other. As if in a dream, I turned around and walked out.
"Hey, Levi!!" I heard his yell. Instantly I broke into a run and dashed off.
Instead of going to the bank, I took a sharp turn at the intersection.
He wouldn't find me at the bank, for I would be in another place.
The place I held most dear.