Between The Lines | eren x levi (editing)

Four

Eren felt numb and frigid when he jumped up from his sleep. He noticed how his teeth were chattering uncontrollably and his legs wobbling like they were going to give in. He embraced himself and rubbed his arms up and down to try to remove the goosebumps. He realized he was just soaked with water when he found his father standing just in front of him with a metal bucket held in his hands.

"What the hell was that for?" Eren muttered in his rough, morning voice.

"Watch your mouth, young man," he father snapped. "You forgot to take out the garbage."

"Really? So dunking cold, freezing water was the only possible way to wake me up? You could have shaken me or something," Eren mumbled as he walked past his father to exit the basement.

Eren didn't complain and did as he was told. He was aware that it was also crisp and windy outside, but his father would have forced him to go outside either way without a jacket no matter what he said if he were to argue with him.

He had no choice but to throw out the trash at seven in the morning.

---

Levi was sitting in the adjustable chair in his office, clicking away at the keyboard about something about a prescription for a kid with severe eczema. Erwin ordered him to go to work early that morning because he was told there was going to plenty of checkups that day, but his girlfriend wasn't any help at all. She was distracting him. She was a small woman with light ginger hair and amber eyes, and she was drop-dead gorgeous. They were that one couple who caught everyone's attention on the street. The only person who didn't pay attention to Petra was Levi himself.

"I don't have time. I've been too busy here for the past couple of days. Sorry. Maybe next time?" Levi said apathetically without looking up from the computer in front of him.

"But that's what you said last time," Petra complained. "We never go on dates anymore. The last time we went on one was three months ago."

"Petra, like I said, I'm very busy. It's winter season and all these kids have been going down with the flu. Erwin will scold at me if I ask for free time," he explained as he rustled papers around and scribbled on a few of them with a pen. "Actually, I do have time today, but it's during the evening. You never like having dates that late, but it's the only option I'm giving you right now. We can go watch that movie you've always wanted to watch. What was it called? Die a something?"

She giggled in response. "It's called Divergent, silly. Okay, sounds good to me. I'll meet you at your place in the evening, okay?"

Petra got up, smoothened her frilly dress and kissed Levi softly on the mouth, lingered there for a while just so he could taste her a little. He flinched, but she didn't seem to notice. He was surprised to see her there so early in the morning, but he didn't have anything against it. She was a little odd, but he still liked her very much, at least not in the way she wanted.

"I'll be taking my leave," she announced after she parted away. "I love you, Levi."

"Hmm. See you later."

The door clicked closed after she made her way out, and another voice immediately started to talk again.

"So you put your work before your own girlfriend? Good," Erwin said, pleased. "You're making me sound like the bad guy here. I wouldn't really get mad at you if you ditched just to be with her. I could make Oluo or Pixis take your shifts. I mean, she's a beautiful girl after all." Erwin was one of the most known doctors at the clinic and he was kind of like the boss, too.

"You are being way too generous. Just let a man work if he wants to work without questioning him," he muttered under his breath.

"Tell me, are you trying to avoid her? I don't see you two together much anymore, and I thought you liked her."