The Ereri Project!

Smile!

As a trainee, the fact that Corporal Levi never smiles was inconsequential to Eren.

Why should he care one of his higher ups is a hardass?

After Eren is taken into the care of the Survey Corps, it starts taking precedence. He asks anyone who will listen what Levi's deal is, even Erwin when he has time one day, but he always gets the same answer. Levi just doesn't want to.

Hanji told him about right after they met, when Levi liked her even less and she tried even harder to get on his nerves in an effort to make him laugh. It didn't work.

Eren admits his interest in the Corporal is borderline stalker behavior but he's just so damn curious.

Levi is the strongest in the corps, and one of the smartest according to things Eren's heard about him teaching himself to use 3DMG, but he's just so damn quiet, and stern, and not to mention a HUGE clean freak. Eren can't make heads or tails of him.

He is, however, incredibly surprised to find Levi napping outside during one of their breaks one day. For several reasons but mostly because he figured Levi would think the grass is too dirty to sleep on. Eren really doesn't want to disturb him but Hanji needs him present for today's experiment and no one else was free to go look for him.

Eren swallows thickly and knees beside Levi. "Corporal, sir?" Levi doesn't so much as stir. "Sir, we have an experiment today and -"

He rests a hand on Levi's shoulder but as soon as he makes contact there's a hand gripping his wrist and he's thrown onto his stomach, being held down by a rough grip on his arm. "What was that, brat?"

"Hanji needs you present for our experiment today."

Levi lets him go and stands up, Eren rolls onto his back, taking deep breaths. "I ought to be more startled than you, you know," Levi says.

"Excuse me for not expecting to be attacked."

"You're a soldier, you should always expect to be attacked."

Eren huffs and sits up. "Well I wasn't expecting to be attacked by you."

When he looks back up at Levi, he's startled again but this time at the older man's expression. It's gone almost before Eren realizes he's seen it.

A tiny upturn at the edges of Levi's lips. Barely there, but definitely noticeable if you watch him as often and as closely as Eren does. A smile.

Eren's cheeks heat up. He gets the feeling his childhood hero is now his teenhood crush.

Levi turns sharply on his heel and starts walking. "C'mon brat, they're not going to wait for us forever."