Tears (mermaid au) - Levi x Eren

Four

I woke up to someone stroking my hair. I opened my eyes and I saw that my head was on somebody's lap. I backed away. Levi was sitting on the edge of the tub, his feet dangling in the water. He looked at me, shocked.

"I'm sorry, Eren, I didn't mean to scare you. You just- you just looked cute."

His cheeks got slightly red. How cute. I could see he was actually trying, this wasn't just a game. I swam towards him, and once again laid my head on his lap. He chuckled softly and started stroking my hair again. I softly started to purr.

"Eren? What are you doing? You sound like a cat."

I looked up. "A what?"

"A cat. They purr when you pat them."

"Oh, it's just something we do when we get touched like that, it's to show that we enjoy it."

Levi smiled. "Just like a cat. I don't mind, though. I just didn't know you could do that, I was just concerned."

Once again, not a lie. I could feel it. I smiled at Levi and nuzzled my face into his lap. Levi continued stroking my hair. We sat there in silence. The water was moving against my body due to the sea. I knew the ship was moving, but the sea was calm, so it didn't have a big 

effect on the water I was in.

"Is the tub okay?" Levi asked, it was almost a whisper.

"The tub?"

"The thing you're in."

"Oh. Yeah, it's okay. It's not the sea, but it's fine."

"I can't let you go back to the sea, Eren. You understand that, right?"

Okay with it? No. Understand it? Yes.

I nodded.

"Good boy."

"How is possible you are so nice to me. When we first met, you didn't see me as anything other than a filthy thing you could use and then throw away. Now you actually enjoy my company."

"How do you know that?" Levi asked, surprised.

I shrugged. "I can feel it."

"Another thing merpeople do?"

I nodded.

"I thought about it," Levi said. "I realised that I wouldn't be able to heal myself without your trust, and it was actually logical. It's a pretty big thing we're talking about. I decided I'd try to become your friend, to see how far we'd get. And then I saw you, asleep. You looked so peaceful and sweet, it almost looked as if I hadn't captured you. And it did something to me."

He was silent, and so was I.

"But I am captured," I said after a while. "You took me away from my family."

Levi sighed. "I know, Eren. I hope that one day you'll be able to forgive me for that."

"Maybe one day," I said.

Levi placed his hands around my body and pulled me into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Eren, but it's my only chance."

I hugged him back. "I know."