🎨Color Me Yours 🏀 RiRen Erotica by ♡DiLo

Anticipation

A/N: Hello, lovelies. This chapter (and most of this story, tbh) contains a running subplot of alcohol/substance abuse, mental health challenges, depression, anxiety, and vandalism and almost all of it is perpetrated or experienced by individuals below the age of consent. Please be warned in case any of these themes is a trigger for you.

If you struggle with alcoholism, substance abuse, or mental health issues, you are not alone. I see you.

♡DiLo

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Thursday was uneventful.

Eren was a little trepidatious at the thought of seeing Levi again. Not that they were friends or anything, they still very obviously annoyed the hell out of each other, but the conversations the day before had felt strangely intimate. It left Eren wondering what the mood between them would be today. Unfortunately he would never know. A scuffle in the cafeteria during fourth period lunch meant they were no longer the only kids in detention. 

The new rowdy bunch were clearly freshman and seemed determined to make their displeasure known, complaining loudly and roughhousing. Levi was already in the room sitting in his usual spot, sketchbook open. The kids were giving Levi a wide berth and one look at his face explained why. He wasn't wearing makeup again today but the dark circles under his eyes were even more pronounced as though he hadn't slept since Eren saw him last, which given the moody grumpiness of his facial expression was entirely possible. As Eren dropped his phone into the bin on the desk he noticed a crumpled up ball of paper fly out of the knot of warring first years and smack Levi directly in the side of the face. 

The room hushed as he slowly lifted his head and turned a cold glare on the perpetrators. He didn't do anything particularly threatening but his whole demeanor screamed that he was dangerous. The closest of the freshman raised his hands in a defensive gesture and stuttered out an apology.

Apparently satisfied, Levi turned back to his sketchpad, neither him nor the others appearing to notice or care that Eren entered the room. With just the slightest hitch in his step he made his way to the seat he had occupied the day before.

Why did it feel so natural to sit down next to Levi when they weren't even friends? He sat sideways today, not wanting to turn his back fully on the room. He drummed his fingers on Levi's desk but the other boy didn't look up.

"Hey."

Levi's pencil scraped against the page for a few seconds before he answered. He was using one of those weird flat pencils that Eren saw in the art room from time to time. He was working on a different sketch than the other day, shading in a section of what looked like the side of a person's face. 

"Hey."

"You look kind of tired today."

"What's it to you?"

Eren was taken aback. Levi had bitten out the words with an unwarranted vehemence that didn't seem to fit the situation at all. He realized that himself and sighed, looking up at Eren with eyes that were dull with exhaustion, his tone turning the statement into an apology.

"I haven't slept much this week."

Eren nodded, trying to imagine what that must feel like but couldn't. He slept like the dead. Probably because he exhausted himself playing basketball every day. 

"Oh. Why don't you sleep now? I'll uh...I'll watch your stuff."

Levi looked like he wanted to argue but it genuinely seemed like he might keel over any minute. Eren wondered again if he was on drugs because even for someone that tired he just didn't look right. He mumbled something that sounded like whatever and shoved his drawing supplies into the bag on his lap, pulled his hood up and layed down on his folded arms. His breathing evened out within moments.