Stand By You.

Chapter 10.

Eren rinsed his mouth out with water before spitting, putting his tooth brush back in it's holder. The dinner with their family had been enjoyable but tiring, especially on Levi, the smaller male seemed off since returning home. Then again he didn't seem right during dinner either, Eren thought.
"Jean's proposal to Marco was really sweet." He said as he walked out of the bathroom and joined Levi in bed.
"Mmm." Was the only reply Eren received from his husband, the ravenette laying down on his side.
"Levi what's wrong?" Eren asked, gently rolling Levi over to face him.
"I'm just tired." He said quietly.
Eren raised an eyebrow as he looked down at Levi. "Yeah and what else? I know something's not right Levi, I know that from the way you're behaving."
"It's probably nothing but my lower stomach is aching." He said, rubbing the spot he'd been rubbing all night.
"What do you mean?" Eren asked as Levi sat up, leaning against the head.
"Here, it's just aching." He said, placing his hand on the bottom of his bump.
"I'm taking you to the hospital." Eren said, getting out of bed and pulling his clothes back on.
"Eren it's nothing bad. I don't need to go--" Levi began but the brunette cut him off.
"You're going to the hospital whether I have to drag you there or not!" Eren snapped, throwing Levi his clothes. "Now get dressed!"
Levi fell silent, getting up and doing as his husband had said and got dressed. He slipped on his converse, avoiding looking at Eren as he grabbed his hoody. Eren never snaps at me, not even when it concerns the baby, he thought miserably. Maybe he'd pissed Eren off at dinner. He had spent most of it talking with Erwin, Marco and Auruo. But Eren's not the jealous type, he doesn't mind if I talk with our friends.. I think?
The car journey to the hospital was made in silence. Levi was starting to think he'd done something to upset or anger Eren because he didn't once spare a glance in his direction nor did he apologise for snapping. He had no reason to snap. He should have listened to Levi because he was the mother and he knew if something was wrong. Nothing was wrong with the baby and Levi had tried to tell Eren that but the brunette merely grunted at him, causing Levi to fall silent. Soon they were walking through the doors of Maria General Hospital, Eren practically dragging Levi by his wrist as if he'd run or try to leave.
"Eren stop, you're hurting me." Levi said, gently trying to pry Eren's hand off his wrist but the grip only seemed to tighten. Eren released Levi once they reached the reception.
"Hi, can I help?" The receptionist asked.
"Yeah, my husband is in his fourth month of pregnancy and has been getting some pains in his lower stomach." Eren explained.
"Okay, can I take his name please?" He asked.
"Yes, it's Levi Jaeger. J-A-E-G-E-R." Eren answered.
"Born December 25th 1990?"
"Correct."
"Okay, I've sent Dr Carr a message so if you want to go up to room 204 in the maternity unit and you'll be sorted out."
"Thank you." Eren smiled.
He turned round nudging Levi forwards, the smaller male following the directions to the maternity unit all the way to room 204 then knocked.
"Come in."
Eren opened the door letting Levi in first before walking in after him, closing the door.
"Ah, the Jaegers. I'm not meant to be seeing you for another two weeks but apparently there's been a little bit of pain." Dr Carr said.
"Yes, I just wanted to make sure it's nothing serious." Eren said.
"Of course. Levi if you could hop up on the bed for me." Dr Carr smiled, patting the mattress.
Levi sighed and got up on it, laying down. He was beyond furious right now with Eren. Why can't he just fucking listen to me when I say there's nothing wrong.
"Okay, I'm going to do a sonogram to check on the little one and make sure there's no problems but first is it okay if I ask you a few questions?" He asked, looking to Levi.
The ravenette gave a curt nod. "If you must."
"Have you had any falls recently or tripped?" He asked.
"No."
"We were nearly in a car crash earlier tonight though." Eren explained.
"Ah, that might be the cause of this. Did you hit the other car?" The doctor asked Eren.
"No, we missed it narrowly as I slammed on the brakes in time. We were very lucky that there were no injuries."
"Was Levi thrown forwards when you braked?"
Never mind the fact I'm sitting right fucking here you prick! I'm meant to be the one you ask, Levi angrily thought.
"No, his seatbelt prevented that." Eren told him.
"And where exactly did the seatbelt go on him?"
"Across his chest and under his bump."
Carr nodded his head and looked to Levi. "Pull up your top please and we'll see if there's any damage."
Levi did so and watched as the cold gel was applied and Carr placed the wand on his stomach, moving it around.
"Well I don't see no damage or anything serious and your little one seems healthy. It looks as if it's just a bit of whiplash. I'll prescribe home some painkillers to ease the pain."
"Thank you." Eren nodded.
Carr placed the wand back and wiped the gel from Levi's stomach before writing out the prescription.
"Hand this to the receptionist and he'll get it for you." Carr said.
"Thank you again. Good bye."
"Bye."
Eren and Levi collected the medicine needed before heading home, the drive as silent as it was on the way there. That was mainly because Levi was fuming with Eren and if he exploded at him now he'd probably cause Eren to crash.
Once home Levi stormed off upstairs and before Eren could come up after him, Levi had come back downstairs with a bag for Eren with some of his clothes in and toothbrush. He chucked it at Eren, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.
"Get out."
"Excuse me?" Eren said.
"Maybe you didn't hear me or just didn't understand. Get the fuck out now!" Levi snapped.
"Why? Because I took you to the hospital for worrying about you!" Eren yelled.
"No because you don't fucking listen to me! I told you I was fine, that the baby was fine but you never fucking listen!" Levi yelled back.
"I was worried and concerned for my husband and child! So I did what I knew was best and took you to get it checked out and you're fine!"
"No! No, I am not fine! I am so angry with you, Eren! The fact that you ignored me the mother of this child, the one carrying it and protecting it, makes me so angry because I feel like you don't trust me to look after our child!"
"I do trust you to care for our child!" Eren snapped.
"Really?! Well, it doesn't fucking feel like it! I told you that the baby was fine, that there was nothing wrong! I'm not going to just act normal if I think or know something's wrong with the baby!" Levi snapped back.
"Well excuse me for being fucking worried!"
"I don't want you to worry when you don't need to worry. Now get out!" Levi yelled, tears streaming down his face.
Eren stared at Levi with his own narrowed eyes before grabbing his bag and storming out, slamming the door shut behind him. Levi closed his eyes, taking in deep breaths to try and calm himself before opening them to a wave of fresh tears. He walked upstairs to his and Eren's room, changing into his pyjamas and climbing into bed. It felt different without Eren, a bad different. It didn't feel right not having him beside Levi but he was so angry and upset with him right now. Levi clutched Eren's pillow close, sobbing into it before eventually crying himself to sleep...
~*~
Eren drove around for a bit to calm down before he drove to Armin and Erwin's house, knowing they'd let him stay. He pulled up outside their house, grabbing his bag and walking up to the front porch, wiping his tears away before knocking. A few seconds passed before someone could be seen through the glass and Armin opened the door.
"Eren, what are you doing here..." He trailed off when he see Eren's bag.
"Levi and I.. we got into a fight. Can I stay here for a few days?" He asked, sniffling as he wiped his eyes.
"Oh god, of course, come in. You know we'd never turn you away." Armin said, pulling Eren inside and into a hug.
The brunette rest his head in Armin's shoulder, holding back his tears. "I really upset him, Armin." He said as they pulled apart.
Armin took his bag and placed it by the stairs as Eren slipped his shoes off. "It'll sort itself out Eren, so don't be too hard on yourself. Come, Jean and Marco are here. We'll take your mind off it." He said softly.
Eren nodded, wiping away a few tears that had rolled down his cheeks. "Can I use the bathroom first to freshen up?"
"Sure, upstairs on the left but you know that." Eren nodded and began to walk upstairs when Armin stopped him. "It'll be okay."
Eren gave him a small smile before continuing upstairs. Armin sighed and made his way back into the front room with Erwin, Marco and Jean.
"Who's at the door?" Erwin asked as Armin sat back down beside him.
"Eren. He's going to be staying with us for a couple of days. He and Levi got into a fight and from the way Eren was it looks bad." Armin sighed.
"Oh god. Is he alright?" Marco asked.
Armin shrugged. "He was crying slightly. He's just upstairs to freshen up. I hope Levi's okay, I hate seeing them like this."
"Like this? As in this has happened before." Marco asked.
Erwin nodded. "Yeah and it wasn't very nice."
"I never heard anything about it." Jean said.
"Neither did I. What happened?" Marco asked, frowning.
"They didn't tell anyone but myself and Armin. I don't even think Mikasa, Farlan and Isabel know. When they were engaged we made up this joke that Levi was secretly already married and had a first husband and that he was planning to kill him off and take his money and marry Eren. Levi had been talking about how some husbands and wives do that to get money and how they get away with it and that's how the joke came about. Anyway, Eren caught wind of the joke but only the part about Levi being with someone else. He thought Levi was cheating and accused him of it. Levi was furious. He kicked Eren out and called off the wedding, even giving him the engagement ring back. Well, Armin and I stepped in after two weeks of them being separated. We brought them together and explained everything. They worked it out but the first crack had already formed between them. It took Levi four months to trust Eren again before things started to go back to normal. It's in the past now and they tend to pretend it never happened."
"So Levi never actually cheated on Eren?" Jean asked.
"No, Levi was and is too devoted to Eren to do that. It'll work itself out. They just need time." Erwin told him.
The four fell silent as Eren walked into the room, eyes red and puffy.
"Hey, you okay?" Armin asked.
He shrugged and sat down beside Armin, sighing. "I guess."
"It'll be okay." Erwin said to him.
"What happened? If you want to tell us that is." Marco said softly.
"He was having these pains under his bump. He said he was fine and that it was nothing. I told him no and that I was taking him to the hospital. He started to protest but I... I snapped at him. We went to the hospital and it turns out it was nothing, just a bit of whiplash. We were given some medicine and came home. He stormed upstairs and before I could go up after to see if he was okay he came back down with my bag and told me to get out. We got into an argument over the whole ordeal. He said that he felt I didn't trust him in caring for our child because I didn't listen. He was right to be honest. I should have trusted him when he said he was fine. He was so angry and upset and the worst thing about it is that I caused him to be like this. I upset him so much and I hate myself for it, knowing that he's at home crying on his own." Eren placed his head, letting out a sigh.
"Levi knows you were only being protective but with his hormones all over the place he just felt more angry than anything. You two will work it out soon. It'll be fine." Jean told him, placing his hand on Eren's shoulder.
"You think so?" Eren mumbled, looking up at them as he wiped his eyes.
"We know so." Armin smiled.
"I love him too much to lose over something like this but he can be so stubborn at times. We both can." Eren sighed.
"It'll be okay. Go get some rest, you look exhausted." Erwin said.
Eren nodded and stood. "Night guys."
"Night." They said as Eren left.
He closed the door to his room, changing into his pyjamas before climbing into bed. He looked out the window, looking up at the stars, thinking that it had only been a couple of hours ago that he and Levi had been staring at them together, pointing out different constellations. He sighed softly, playing with his wedding ring.
"Good night, Levi, I love you..."