The Second Soulmate |Ereri AU|

Chapter Four

A/N
Tell me if there's any errors! Sorry this chapter's so short, the next one will be longer.
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Levi's POV

Once I'd returned home from the walk, I closed the door and leaned up against it for a moment, my eyes closed.

I let out a deep sigh beginning to walk back over to the living room couch taking a seat and whipping my phone out.

"No new messages."

I let out a breath of air, tossing the phone aside and collapsing deeper into the couch cushions. I turned my head, expecting to glance outside the window but instead my eyes floated down to the shelf beside the wall that held a framed picture of Erwin and I.

The photo was taken several years previous at an ice skating rink by Petra. Erwin was hugging me from behind, practically engulfing me, while I stood in front, my face turned slightly away from the camera with a blush and scowl plastered across it. I told Petra I didn't want to be photographed but never the less, she snapped the photo anyways.

I leaned over, and reached for the frame, pulling it back towards me once I had grasped it in my fingers.

~~~~

"Hey are you alright?" Called Erwin from below. I was only sixteen the day I'd first heard the words tattooed on my left wrist.

"What the fuck? Wait, you're a guy? What the fuck?" I looked down in confusion from in the tree where I had been sitting during the schools lunch break.

Erwin stood under the tree, his eyes widened in surprise, a hint of humor clear in them. I hopped down from the tree to meet face to face with the much taller blonde. "You're... I'm... this is weird."

"I'll say," Erwin agreed giving a small chuckle. "I'm gonna shove that back in the closet for a second though and pretend I didn't hear anything. Seriously though, are you alright? You didn't look to good up there."

"I'm fine," I spoke looking to the side, crossing my arms.

Erwin bent down so he was eye to eye with me. "Please talk to me. If I heard correctly, I think we'll be spending a lot more time together if yours matches up too. You might as well say what's on your mind."

"The only thing on my mind right now is that the first words I said to you were actual shit-fire," I finally said, looking up at the taller one and giving a small, sympathetic smile. "That's kind of hilarious."

Erwin sucked in a breath. "Oh yeah, it's really a good one. My mom is gonna have a cow when she meets you. I remember the day I came back from getting my tattoo she was furious with 'whoever gave you those damned words as a tattoo'," he said laughing in between sentences.

I let out a small breath of amusement. His laugh was really nice. "Sorry about that."

Erwin shook his head. "I like it, I find it amusing. But anyways, going back, what's the matter?"

There was silence for a long time. I looked up at Erwin to see him raise his eyebrows. Sighing in defeat, I spoke up. "My mom died yesterday. I'm supposed to move in with my uncle by next week. I don't know, it just all feels so... rushed. And by what I've seen of the guy, he's definitely not father material."

Erwin's eyes softened as he looked down at me making my stomach flip. "Oh Levi, I'm so sorry." I just shook my head, not saying a word. The blonde stood there for a moment before slowly walking towards me and hesitantly putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Do you want to come over to my place after school? I can't believe you'd even come to school right after that happened. I know I wouldn't," Erwin spoke after a while.

I stood still for a long moment, before finally looking up into Erwin's eyes. I knew my eyes were red from lack of sleep the night before and from crying. It didn't help that I was trying to hold back tears as we spoke. "Well I wouldn't want to miss hanging out with you, now would I?"

Erwin gave me an almost pitiful laugh, tilting his head and smiling in sympathy. He squeezed my shoulder and after a moment of hesitation, I brought my own hand up to rest on Erwin's. Seconds later I quietly asked, "Can we go somewhere? Alone? It doesn't have to be on campus."

Erwin nodded. "Of course. You can lead."

I nodded in silence letting go of Erwin's hand and walking away, the blonde quick to follow. Once we reached the woods that lined the border of the school, we walked in where there was a cluster of trees so no one could see us and sat down.

Neither of us spoke for a while. The bell to get to the next class eventually rang but I didn't bother getting up. "You can go to class," I said, my voice suddenly hoarse from forcing my tears to stay inside my eyes.

I could feel Erwin's gaze on me but I continued staring at the ground. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Erwin gently move in, grabbing my chin softly and turning my face so we were locking eyes. "I'm not leaving you like this. Not without a smile."

I let out a huff of amusement. "Yeah good luck with that. That's not my thing," I said sniffing and wiping an eye with my sleeve.

Erwin let out a sigh. "Okay well if you won't smile for me will you at least let me stay here with you?"

I stayed silent contemplating it before eventually nodding in agreement. Minutes past by and everything was quiet. Everything except the sounds of nature surrounding them and the soft sniffs and shudders coming from me as I tried to keep quiet, unnoticed.

Out of nowhere, Erwin leaned over, pulling me into his chest in a warm hug. My body instantly grew stiff at the sudden gesture and for a moment I stopped breathing, panic beginning to rise in me. Erwin reached up and began to pet my hair. "Breath, it's okay."

My body remained frozen a second more before I realized I had to breath and that's when I let out a shuddering breath, causing my whole body to shake and tremble. Not long after, whether I wanted to or not, I had completely broken down in Erwin's arms, crying softly into the blondes chest as he whispered soothing words into my ear and stroked my hair.

About twenty minutes had come and gone when I had finally gained control and pulled away from Erwin. I looked down at where my face had been and cringed in disgust. "Shit I'm sorry, your shirt's all wet now," I said wiping the remaining tears from my face.

"Don't even worry about it," Erwin smiled softly, brushing a hair out of my face.

A few moments passed again, all in silence. "It's okay, you know."

I turned to look at Erwin confused. "What is?"

Erwin faced me, putting a hand on my cheek. "It's okay to move on."

"What are you talking about? Move on from what?" I asked, growing more and more curious with every second.

Erwin stared at me for a moment before leaning in and kissing me on the forehead. "It's okay to move on from me."

~~~~

I shot up into a sitting position on the couch panting for breath. When I looked down, my hand was clutching the picture frame I'd grabbed earlier of Erwin and me. I shook my head, confused before looking out the window and seeing the sun beginning to set. "Shit, I need to make dinner," I muttered to myself.

I got up and walked over to where I'd grabbed the picture frame from and stared down at it in my hands. "It was just a dream," I thought to myself as I set it back down and headed towards the kitchen in preparation to cook.