Between The Lines | eren x levi (editing)

Nine

"Why do you need to drag me to the bookstore anyway? I can just hang out with my friends, and you can browse books all by yourself," Eren asked stubbornly.

"I don't trust you enough to stay at home and Hanji told me to keep an eye on you, hence the reason I can't allow you to go out with your friends. You're still a kid, you know. I don't like this as much as you do, but I'm just following what I was told to do," he answered as he combed through his jet black hair with his slim fingers.

"Well why do you care what Hanji says? We've only known one another for two weeks so there isn't some special bond between the two of us. Like, if I were to die because me and my friends went drunk driving, it wouldn't affect you at all."

"And you're right, I don't care," Levi said coldly. "But Hanji is a very good friend of mine. She's done a lot for me and I feel compelled to pay her back because she cares about you."

"Why can't you just tag along with me if I go with my friends? I'm getting bored."

"A no is a no," Levi said, irritated.

"It's not-"

Eren was cut off shortly when Levi sent a piercing glare his direction, telling him to shut up immediately before he regret it. Luckily for Eren the walk to the bookstore was short, so he didn't need to suffer any more awkward silences. He did not recall ever seeing this bookstore, because he didn't recognize the stores and little shops surrounding it. When they step into the warmth of the bookstore, they're greeted by a soft chorus of bells. A small head bobbed with surprise behind the cash register.

"Welcome to Maria bookstore," a short blonde girl with vibrant blue eyes greeted. "Oh, Eren and Levi! I haven't seen you at the hospital for a while now, Levi. How are you two doing?"

"Still recovering from the fire but Levi took me in after Hanji basically forced him to. Now we're stuck together," Eren answered with a smile.

"How kind of you, Levi!"

"I didn't even want to do it in the first place," he mumbled under his breath quietly enough so that she wouldn't be able to hear.

"Let me know if you guys need help with anything, okay? I'll be right here," she said before proceeding to disappear behind very tall bookshelves.

After a pause Eren asks, "so she works at the same hospital at you?"

"Kind of. She's new, so she's just training right now," Levi told him before beginning to stroll down the aisles as if it were a part of his home. He carefully read each and every spine of the books he passed and although it seems so simple, he looked as if he were studying a very complicated map. His fingers tips occasionally brushed the books delicately as if they were real breathing creatures.

"The Lovely Bones is pretty good. You should read that if you're looking for anything new," Eren murmured.

"Isn't that a very sad one? I've watched the movie trailer before," Levi questioned with one hand resting on the shelf.

"Yeah, but it's amazing. Kind of reminds me of this other book called All the Brightest Places in terms of sadness. You should read that book too, it's really good."

"I bet you say that about all books, Jaeger."

"You don't know that," Eren said. Little did he know was that Levi was correct about the assumption.

---

"If you spoil the fucking ending for me, I'll beat the shit out of you," Levi said as he looked up from his book briefly.

"Forty cents," was Eren's mere reply.

Levi sighed, almost tiredly. "You really want to win this bet, don't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"What do you plan on buying if you end up winning?" Levi questioned curiously.

Eren paused for a moment as if pondering profoundly. "Books," he replied simply with a small tilt of the head.

"Eren, we were just at the bookstore an hour ago and I even asked if you wanted anything," Levi said.

"I don't want to own you anything more. I'm already staying here, which you highly dislike, and I don't want to rob you of your money too."

"Think of it as an early Christmas present. It's in three weeks after all."

"I hardly know you enough to deserve a gift," Eren persisted.

"Forget it then," Levi said with a wave of his hand before returning to his book.

"What do you usually do all day anyways?" Eren asked after a few seconds of quick silence.

"Well, I work at the hospital but I can't do that since you're here. If I do manage to catch some free time when I'm not bombarded with errands, I watch movies," Levi answered.

"Can we watch a movie then?"

"No," Levi said and flipped a page sharply. Eren felt like he received a papercut at the sight of it.

"Why not?" Eren demanded with a frown, slightly disappointed.

"Because I said so. My house my rules," Levi told him without looking up from the pages.

"But I'm bored," the younger boy whined.

"Well maybe you should've asked me to buy a book for you too. I'm at the good part right now."

"Please," Eren pleaded.

"Eren-"

"Please? I'll let you choose the movie."

With a loud said, Levi set his book down on the couch facing down to save his page. "Fine. Now please stop being so irritating."

It was then when Levi realized he was going to be stuck with a boisterous and annoying teen for some time, and that he was going to be an absolute pain in the ass.