Wanderlust

Chapter 27

"What did you just say?"

The older man was tense in his grip, turning as immobile as stone. Confused, he stroked the man's back, trying to soothe him.

"I love you." Eren repeated, louder and more sure as he buried his face in the Frenchman's neck and inhaled the scent he'd come to recognize as Levi's.

He realized that this was a big step, and he didn't expect the other man to say it back right away, but it felt right. After all, the emotions swirling in his chest could only be described as love. A blossoming, undeniable love for the man in his arms that swelled in his heart, until Levi crushed it.

"Don't say that." The words were harsh on the shorter man's tongue, and the sharp rejection that stabbed Eren's heart was only strengthened as Levi pulled away.

"Why not? It's true." He asserted, blindly believing that Levi was only acting so strange because he wasn't convinced on Eren's sincerity. "I love you, Levi."

An emotionless mask covered the older man's face, concealing whatever emotions he was feeling, "You don't love me, Eren. You barely know me."

That hurt.

Levi only called him by his first name when he was trying to drive in a serious point.

"I know about your love for cleaning, your inability to cook correct portions of food, what makes you smile. Those are the important things." He pressed, desperate to convey that his feelings were real. They had to be. He'd never experienced love before, but he'd never experienced the emotions he felt around Levi either. Despite their fights, their differences, he could picture them living happily together for the rest of their lives. Wasn't that love?

"Three weeks. Less than that actually. You've barely known me for three weeks and you believe you've fallen in love with me?" Emotionless gray eyes peered into green, searching, digging.

"I-" Eren choked on his words.

"You've had little to no contact with any of your friends and family these past weeks, with your only source of companionship being me. It's understandable you'd feel close to me, and even have strong feelings for me, but you don't love me, Eren." The way Levi was analyzing him, his emotions and feelings was so distant and cold that Eren exploded.

"You can't dictate how I feel, you bastard. I may be impulsive, but even I wouldn't run around telling people I loved them if I didn't mean it." He glared at the shorter man, and for the first time in several minutes, he saw some flicker of emotion in those gray eyes. Finally, something.

"Even so," Levi sighed, softening his voice, "I don't want to hear it, not when your feelings are clouded by gratitude and my sole presence in your life." He took a step back, "I'll let you get back to your art, I have some things to take care of." And then he was gone.

Eren stood there, staring after him for several long moments, torn.

He was hurt, heartbroken, and confused, yet at the same time he understood Levi's concerns.

The blank look in the older man's eyes... The cold tone of voice... The distance between them seemed to have doubled. And yet, it didn't feel as if they were having another fight.

Whatever had just happened, Eren could say for a fact that he never expected such a reaction to the first time he told anyone he loved them, and not just like family.

Then again, he's Levi, he reminded himself, turning back to his nearly finished painting and struggling to brush off his hurt feelings, He's never done anything I've expected.