War is (Not) Forever - Ereri Angst Weekend 2018

As soon as he was old enough he joined the Marines. Fighting a war was simple, in his eyes. It was just like any other time in his life. Kill or be killed, and expect everyone around you to die.

They were in a war zone, surrounded by fire and blood and death and grief, and Eren Jaegar still found something to smile about. Still found a way to be optimistic. Still believed in people and in the possibility of a good life after all this was over.

Levi was drawn to it. It was like magic, like a spell that kept urging him closer and closer, secret whispers in his mind arguing against every reason for staying away from that kid, from anyone that could make him feel again. No matter how many times he told himself he was just setting himself up for more pain, that it was a futile effort, he couldn't stay away.

AKA a military au, because I can't write these characters in any other au for some reason.

Prompt: Fade
will have two parts, probably, but this can be read as complete. trigger warnings for violence, depictions of wounds, minor character death, minor PTSD. also angst