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[The ball is distracting, but Eren knows a command when he hears it. He takes off on the Captain's "Go!" this time, running as fast as he can - but he keeps his eye on the ball. He leaps to catch it, snatching it out of the air with his jaws. He doesn't hesitate to run back to Levi, putting all his power into his legs once again. He waits for the handkerchief to drop it.]
"Good." Levi definitely sounds pleased, looks it, if you knew what to look for. He gives Eren's head a ruffle, much like how he's done in his normal shape, and repeats the process of wiping off the ball after signaling the direction he'll throw it in.
"Again-"
"Again-"
[It's fun, but more importantly, it looks Levi definitely has a reason for throwing the ball, and that's reassuring that they're actually doing something important. Eren sees the value in it too. Without his titan, he's felt sluggish and weak. He enjoys the feeling of quick reflexes and powerful muscles, driving him across the ground at speeds much faster than a human can run.
[He catches the ball midair again, stumbling slightly when he hits the ground again. He'll repeat the drill as many times as Levi commands it - all that running he's been doing has built up his endurance in this form.]
[He catches the ball midair again, stumbling slightly when he hits the ground again. He'll repeat the drill as many times as Levi commands it - all that running he's been doing has built up his endurance in this form.]
Admittedly, he's never much seen the appeal of having a pet, per-se. And of course Eren isn't one, but Levi's beginning to understand why people enjoy having dogs around. There were some working dogs kept by the Survey Corps in some of the less urban outposts to help keep vermin and other things away, but Levi had never really interacted with them much. He likewise kept his distance from the strays and feral cats that prowled around the barns, because they likely had fleas and who the fuck knows what other sort of disease-carrying parasites that could transfer to him with just one touch. Hard no.
Horses were a necessary part of their routine, but strangely, he'd taken to them quite quickly. Having Moon in Somnius has been wonderful, really. Maybe they'll have to do this again and put her through her paces, have her run along with Eren and make sure she hasn't completely lost her unflappable demeanor in the face of danger.
But this - yeah, all right. He can understand why some people like to keep them around a little more, now. Is it possible to not feel a little bit better doing this? Seems unlikely.
Levi throws the ball several more times, trying a few different ways of throwing it - a high lob, an underhand, bouncing it off a boulder, until Eren seems like he's tiring, and they can move onto something else.
"You good, mutt?"
Horses were a necessary part of their routine, but strangely, he'd taken to them quite quickly. Having Moon in Somnius has been wonderful, really. Maybe they'll have to do this again and put her through her paces, have her run along with Eren and make sure she hasn't completely lost her unflappable demeanor in the face of danger.
But this - yeah, all right. He can understand why some people like to keep them around a little more, now. Is it possible to not feel a little bit better doing this? Seems unlikely.
Levi throws the ball several more times, trying a few different ways of throwing it - a high lob, an underhand, bouncing it off a boulder, until Eren seems like he's tiring, and they can move onto something else.
"You good, mutt?"
[It's definitely exercise. Eren only drops the ball one other time. He has just as much reckless energy as ever, and that's always best suited to an actual goal. If it's just catching a ball, then it's just catching a ball - it makes him feel like he's working toward something, at least; he's so tired of feeling like he just sits around doing nothing worthwhile.
[And it's fun. Eren wonders if he might like a dog someday.
[He comes back to Levi panting, but nods his big furry head. He's not ready to quit yet (if he actually needs a break, he's not likely to let that on in any form).]
[And it's fun. Eren wonders if he might like a dog someday.
[He comes back to Levi panting, but nods his big furry head. He's not ready to quit yet (if he actually needs a break, he's not likely to let that on in any form).]
"Good." Another head ruffle, scratching behind the ears.
"Listen up. I buried some stuff out here yesterday, so I want you to use that slobbery wolf nose of yours to see if you can find them. They're in boxes, like this one." He taps a small box made of pine wood - it's a repurposed tea box. "Three of them. They're all out around the edges of the clearing in the woods."
There's three socks also sitting on the bench; one blue, one green, one gray.
"Inside each box is the match to these socks - they probably smell extra ripe to you. See if you can find each one."
Levi's also curious if Eren can tell who the socks belong to (Hange, Erwin, and himself - not that it would be hard to guess.)
"Listen up. I buried some stuff out here yesterday, so I want you to use that slobbery wolf nose of yours to see if you can find them. They're in boxes, like this one." He taps a small box made of pine wood - it's a repurposed tea box. "Three of them. They're all out around the edges of the clearing in the woods."
There's three socks also sitting on the bench; one blue, one green, one gray.
"Inside each box is the match to these socks - they probably smell extra ripe to you. See if you can find each one."
Levi's also curious if Eren can tell who the socks belong to (Hange, Erwin, and himself - not that it would be hard to guess.)
[He's never stopped to consider what sort of socks his superiors wear, so he might have a harder time guessing than Levi expects - although, he might recognize their scent?
[He hadn't even considered an exercise like this. Sense of smell could be extremely useful...
[Eren gives one heavy nod, then steps up to the gray sock. Ripe indeed. He really can smell everything like this - but even something buried in a pine box? He stands alert, eyes narrowing on the woods - then, he's off, nose pressed to the ground as he disappears into the trees. It was smart of him to start with one sock at a time. He knows exactly what scent he's looking for, but there's only the smallest hint of it. It takes him about fifteen minutes to find and dig up the box. He lets out a howl from the woods (cannot open - paws).]
[He hadn't even considered an exercise like this. Sense of smell could be extremely useful...
[Eren gives one heavy nod, then steps up to the gray sock. Ripe indeed. He really can smell everything like this - but even something buried in a pine box? He stands alert, eyes narrowing on the woods - then, he's off, nose pressed to the ground as he disappears into the trees. It was smart of him to start with one sock at a time. He knows exactly what scent he's looking for, but there's only the smallest hint of it. It takes him about fifteen minutes to find and dig up the box. He lets out a howl from the woods (cannot open - paws).]
They gray sock should smell very familiar, at least, since Levi is right here. It might be a bit of a challenge yet, for Eren to sniff it out between time and the box acting as a barrier, but if that's the case, Levi will have to adjust the exercise to try again another time.
Luckily it seems like that won't be necessary. He watches Eren track around the area for a little while. Eventually, he closes his eyes and just listens to the sounds around him - Eren rustling about, the light breeze through the trees, birds calling. It's nice to just...detach for a bit.
He dozes for a few minutes, arms folded in front of his chest before waking to a now-familiar howl, and trudges off in that direction - it's the right one, so he can only assume Eren found what he was looking for.
"Found it, huh? Not bad." Levi picks up the box, dusting off the excess dirt, and opens it to show Eren he had the right one (which Eren probably realizes by smell, rather than color).
"Next one. Get going. I'm timing you now." There's a gold chain and pocket watch in his hand.
Luckily it seems like that won't be necessary. He watches Eren track around the area for a little while. Eventually, he closes his eyes and just listens to the sounds around him - Eren rustling about, the light breeze through the trees, birds calling. It's nice to just...detach for a bit.
He dozes for a few minutes, arms folded in front of his chest before waking to a now-familiar howl, and trudges off in that direction - it's the right one, so he can only assume Eren found what he was looking for.
"Found it, huh? Not bad." Levi picks up the box, dusting off the excess dirt, and opens it to show Eren he had the right one (which Eren probably realizes by smell, rather than color).
"Next one. Get going. I'm timing you now." There's a gold chain and pocket watch in his hand.
[When Levi lifts the box, Eren nods at the sock and then gently butts his head against Levi's knee - "That one's yours!"
[Then it's back to work. Eren runs off to the socks Levi's laid out and goes for the green one next - more challenging now that the owner isn't standing right next to him. Is this...Hange's?
[Off into the woods once more. This time, it only takes him about 13 or so minutes. Not bad, but not great...]
[Then it's back to work. Eren runs off to the socks Levi's laid out and goes for the green one next - more challenging now that the owner isn't standing right next to him. Is this...Hange's?
[Off into the woods once more. This time, it only takes him about 13 or so minutes. Not bad, but not great...]
Maybe he will, someday, when he feels confident enough to ask for this sort of thing again. Or maybe he'll just take it to his grave because he'll never be able to conceive of asking without sounding embarrassingly depraved and needy. It's a toss up at this point, really.
Luckily, Levi doesn't doubt that Erwin is enjoying this. He's held out for so long, gently putting him off, even though Erwin offers every time, looks eager to return the favor. It'd been enough to know that he could help the man relax for a time, get out of his head, whisper his name like little prayers to the stars and press kisses to his skin afterward.
Maybe he's been a little off on his expectations of what it feels like to be touched by another person. But it could never have just been anyone - touch and closeness is intimate, personal in a way he can't afford to most people very often. In the underground, sex is almost always about power, who can do what to who for how much. So many people did what they must, but the thought of being that close to the body of someone else, a stranger, had always made him ill. Who knows where they've been, who else they've been with, what sort of things they could be carrying?
But of course with Erwin, everything is different. Levi loves him, yes, but it's Erwin's blessed patience that has won him over, letting him fuss and satisfy his neuroses, never arguing when he runs up on a boundary Levi isn't ready to cross yet. He can't say why this time particularly has been successful (definitely not in this exact moment, anyway), but it probably has something to do with the singular, gentle attention along with some well-placed touches that had slowly lit his nerves on fire, clicked on some sort of switch in his brain that decided it wanted more, finally.
And fuck is he being rewarded.
Erwin's tongue is slick velvet, and it feels stupidly, maddeningly good against his cock. A soft little whine ekes out from the back of his throat when he pauses at the tip, and it's followed by a sharp hitch of breath as he's swallowed, down down down as Erwin takes in the whole of him, wrapping him in the wet heat of his mouth. Feeling that, knowing that Erwin can fit all of him at once so easily sends another pulse of arousal racing so hotly through every single nerve at once that he thinks it alters something in his brain.
A wordless moan leaves his lips as Erwin's starts to move on him, dark brows knit up in wondrous pleasure. Without realizing it, he brings his hand up to cover his mouth against any other louder sounds. His thighs flex and twitch, hips shifting instinctively like he wants to thrust, chasing that slickness and pressure. It feels so good, so fucking good, and Levi doesn't know how long he'll last, really.
"Erwin-" he whispers into his palm like a sinful secret.
Luckily, Levi doesn't doubt that Erwin is enjoying this. He's held out for so long, gently putting him off, even though Erwin offers every time, looks eager to return the favor. It'd been enough to know that he could help the man relax for a time, get out of his head, whisper his name like little prayers to the stars and press kisses to his skin afterward.
Maybe he's been a little off on his expectations of what it feels like to be touched by another person. But it could never have just been anyone - touch and closeness is intimate, personal in a way he can't afford to most people very often. In the underground, sex is almost always about power, who can do what to who for how much. So many people did what they must, but the thought of being that close to the body of someone else, a stranger, had always made him ill. Who knows where they've been, who else they've been with, what sort of things they could be carrying?
But of course with Erwin, everything is different. Levi loves him, yes, but it's Erwin's blessed patience that has won him over, letting him fuss and satisfy his neuroses, never arguing when he runs up on a boundary Levi isn't ready to cross yet. He can't say why this time particularly has been successful (definitely not in this exact moment, anyway), but it probably has something to do with the singular, gentle attention along with some well-placed touches that had slowly lit his nerves on fire, clicked on some sort of switch in his brain that decided it wanted more, finally.
And fuck is he being rewarded.
Erwin's tongue is slick velvet, and it feels stupidly, maddeningly good against his cock. A soft little whine ekes out from the back of his throat when he pauses at the tip, and it's followed by a sharp hitch of breath as he's swallowed, down down down as Erwin takes in the whole of him, wrapping him in the wet heat of his mouth. Feeling that, knowing that Erwin can fit all of him at once so easily sends another pulse of arousal racing so hotly through every single nerve at once that he thinks it alters something in his brain.
A wordless moan leaves his lips as Erwin's starts to move on him, dark brows knit up in wondrous pleasure. Without realizing it, he brings his hand up to cover his mouth against any other louder sounds. His thighs flex and twitch, hips shifting instinctively like he wants to thrust, chasing that slickness and pressure. It feels so good, so fucking good, and Levi doesn't know how long he'll last, really.
"Erwin-" he whispers into his palm like a sinful secret.
Erwin will sneak that information out of him, eventually. And he'll be absolutely delighted at the idea, and deliver that fantasy in full.
Erwin has been in all kinds of gross places over the course of his life, but Levi also can rely on him cleaning himself up afterwards, and allowing Levi to inspect him afterwards and make sure he's up to standard without complaint. He's not the most sparkling clean today--they've been out and about, he hasn't washing fully since this morning--but he has brushed his teeth after lunch, so he's clean where it matters. And if Levi shooed him away to go clean up, Erwin would take his banishment with good grace.
The soft, almost agonised sounds Levi is making are music to Erwin's ears; he's never heard Levi sound quite like this before, and he loves it. He loves knowing that he's the one breaking Levi down like this, that his patience has paid off and Levi is letting him in closer, and Erwin would be lying if he said he wasn't rock-hard right now. He ignores his own cock in favour of Levi's, moving up and down on it in the exact way he likes himself, trying to tease more of those sounds from Levi's throat.
Then Levi says his name, and Erwin rises up off his cock, letting it come out of his mouth, the tip resting against his lower lip. "Levi," he responds, his voice warm and rich and full of love, then lowers his head back down and resumes sucking.
Erwin has been in all kinds of gross places over the course of his life, but Levi also can rely on him cleaning himself up afterwards, and allowing Levi to inspect him afterwards and make sure he's up to standard without complaint. He's not the most sparkling clean today--they've been out and about, he hasn't washing fully since this morning--but he has brushed his teeth after lunch, so he's clean where it matters. And if Levi shooed him away to go clean up, Erwin would take his banishment with good grace.
The soft, almost agonised sounds Levi is making are music to Erwin's ears; he's never heard Levi sound quite like this before, and he loves it. He loves knowing that he's the one breaking Levi down like this, that his patience has paid off and Levi is letting him in closer, and Erwin would be lying if he said he wasn't rock-hard right now. He ignores his own cock in favour of Levi's, moving up and down on it in the exact way he likes himself, trying to tease more of those sounds from Levi's throat.
Then Levi says his name, and Erwin rises up off his cock, letting it come out of his mouth, the tip resting against his lower lip. "Levi," he responds, his voice warm and rich and full of love, then lowers his head back down and resumes sucking.
Captain Levi.
[It never feels right to start the message with, "Hey," like he might normally...]
I think Lt. Tayrey might be gone for good this time.
[And that...disturbs him for several reasons (not the least of which is that he cared about Tayrey).
[So did Captain Levi...]
I guess we can't be sure, but...
I'm sorry.
[...]
Are you okay?
[It never feels right to start the message with, "Hey," like he might normally...]
I think Lt. Tayrey might be gone for good this time.
[And that...disturbs him for several reasons (not the least of which is that he cared about Tayrey).
[So did Captain Levi...]
I guess we can't be sure, but...
I'm sorry.
[...]
Are you okay?
[ He'd suspected about Tayrey's disappearance the first time. He'd gone over to scrub her home top to bottom, since she'd been particularly difficult about not letting him just do it for her. It'd been his way of looking after her, making sure she had a clean place to come back to. But her return had been brief, and this second time around, the cottage she'd inhabited had reverted back to being entirely empty.
Dang kids why do you have to text when he prefers video--
...he answers in text anyway. Slowly. ]
Eren,
Yeah, I think she's gone.
[ The last part makes him pause, quietly touched that Eren would ask, go so far as to reach out. Tayrey had been one of the first people he'd connected with here. Her spark and attitude had reminded him fondly of Petra, and losing her has scratched against some of that ache, too. Even if their viewpoints on certain things clashed, Levi had still thought her a good person. Hard working, caring. ]
I'm okay. Thanks for asking.
What about you?
Dang kids why do you have to text when he prefers video--
...he answers in text anyway. Slowly. ]
Eren,
Yeah, I think she's gone.
[ The last part makes him pause, quietly touched that Eren would ask, go so far as to reach out. Tayrey had been one of the first people he'd connected with here. Her spark and attitude had reminded him fondly of Petra, and losing her has scratched against some of that ache, too. Even if their viewpoints on certain things clashed, Levi had still thought her a good person. Hard working, caring. ]
I'm okay. Thanks for asking.
What about you?
"Oi..." ok, he gets a little head ruffle. Fond, maybe definitely.
A two minute improvement is still pretty good, and Levi even says as much with a pleased "not bad", opening the second box to show Eren he's right again. It's definitely Hange's, because it's the dirtier of the three. The last one, therefore, is Erwin's.
Levi gathers everything together, and waits for Eren to be ready.
"Think you can find Erwin's bigass sock in ten minutes?"
Go!
A two minute improvement is still pretty good, and Levi even says as much with a pleased "not bad", opening the second box to show Eren he's right again. It's definitely Hange's, because it's the dirtier of the three. The last one, therefore, is Erwin's.
Levi gathers everything together, and waits for Eren to be ready.
"Think you can find Erwin's bigass sock in ten minutes?"
Go!
Edited (always closing my strike tags with i tags rip) 2024-03-16 03:44 (UTC)
[It's not like Eren expected a different answer, but...]
I'm okay. It's not like we were all that close, really...
It's unsettling. But the last time she went home, she was happy about it. She said her contract had been fulfilled. She wasn't where she came from before - a shit place.
If I'm remembering right, anyway.
[An attempt at comfort...maybe? He thinks the Captain would want to hear that. Tayrey isn't dead, she's just...where she wants to be now. That's what Eren wants for everyone. To be where they choose to be.]
I'm okay. It's not like we were all that close, really...
It's unsettling. But the last time she went home, she was happy about it. She said her contract had been fulfilled. She wasn't where she came from before - a shit place.
If I'm remembering right, anyway.
[An attempt at comfort...maybe? He thinks the Captain would want to hear that. Tayrey isn't dead, she's just...where she wants to be now. That's what Eren wants for everyone. To be where they choose to be.]
[ The right answer right now is whatever Dolph wants. Levi prefers face to face interactions, so he offers. But it doesn't matter. ]
Ok. Be there soon.
[ ...and just to offer him an out, just in case (because maybe Dolph doesn't actually want to see him, as they hadn't parted on the best of terms last time, and maybe it's the anxiety): ]
Can always change your mind. Up to you.
[ But if Dolph doesn't change his mind, Levi will be at his door a little while later with a small bag in tow - there's more tea, like the kind he gave Dolph for his birthday, and a few pastries that Jean had left at their cottage from his latest baking experimenting. ]
Ok. Be there soon.
[ ...and just to offer him an out, just in case (because maybe Dolph doesn't actually want to see him, as they hadn't parted on the best of terms last time, and maybe it's the anxiety): ]
Can always change your mind. Up to you.
[ But if Dolph doesn't change his mind, Levi will be at his door a little while later with a small bag in tow - there's more tea, like the kind he gave Dolph for his birthday, and a few pastries that Jean had left at their cottage from his latest baking experimenting. ]
[Is it Eren's nature, or the fact that he's in the mindset of a dog that makes him so happy to be doing "not bad"? He must look like a total dope with his tail wagging at Levi, but he doesn't really notice much himself! On the "Go!", he zooms off into the woods. He thought he'd caught the whiff of a third, unfamiliar smell on the last round, so he doesn't need to sniff along the ground to find the general area he needs to be in.
[Ten minutes...Eren moves with urgency. He's never been all that good at trying to time shit in his head, and he's focused on the scent, but he doesn't allow himself to waste any time on this run. He can do it. He will do it!
[Levi should hear him howl from the woods only seconds before the time limit's up.]
[Ten minutes...Eren moves with urgency. He's never been all that good at trying to time shit in his head, and he's focused on the scent, but he doesn't allow himself to waste any time on this run. He can do it. He will do it!
[Levi should hear him howl from the woods only seconds before the time limit's up.]
Edited 2024-03-16 04:13 (UTC)
You can come.
[ because no matter what he feels, the trust is still there. and he wasn't hurt, just . . . trying to find his way.
dolph lets him in. the house is looking a bit better, with basic furniture, electricity. there isn't much in terms of personal touches, but it looks lived in. there's a chair that clearly broke recently and shoddily put together. livio had broken it and dolph has said, we'll fix it. it's fine.
he gestures to a non-broken chair. ]
You can take a seat.
[ because no matter what he feels, the trust is still there. and he wasn't hurt, just . . . trying to find his way.
dolph lets him in. the house is looking a bit better, with basic furniture, electricity. there isn't much in terms of personal touches, but it looks lived in. there's a chair that clearly broke recently and shoddily put together. livio had broken it and dolph has said, we'll fix it. it's fine.
he gestures to a non-broken chair. ]
You can take a seat.
[ Levi can't help but look at the general state of the place, tracking corners and shelves for dust. He manages to refrain from running his fingers over anything that might look especially dusty, but it's impossible to note the state of the one chair. There's an obvious question in his eyes as he glances from it to Dolph, but doesn't comment on it. Yet.
He sits on the edge of the offered (unbroken) chair, setting the bag down on a table. ]
Brought you tea and something to eat, if you want it.
[ If he doesn't that's fine too. Levi watches Dolph steadily. ]
How long has he been gone?
He sits on the edge of the offered (unbroken) chair, setting the bag down on a table. ]
Brought you tea and something to eat, if you want it.
[ If he doesn't that's fine too. Levi watches Dolph steadily. ]
How long has he been gone?
A few days. Not long.
[ just long enough to be noticeable. he should probably check on meryl too. though he's not sure what he would say. did meryl know what livio wanted? was she aware that this would happen?
because dolph knew. he knew. he lets that thought sink like a stone in his gut before moving on. ]
I'll need to figure out what to do with his stuff.
[ the little kiln dolph got him last month for valentine's day. so that livio could practice making instead of feeling like a killer. ]
[ just long enough to be noticeable. he should probably check on meryl too. though he's not sure what he would say. did meryl know what livio wanted? was she aware that this would happen?
because dolph knew. he knew. he lets that thought sink like a stone in his gut before moving on. ]
I'll need to figure out what to do with his stuff.
[ the little kiln dolph got him last month for valentine's day. so that livio could practice making instead of feeling like a killer. ]
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