Dangerous Territory

Nursing the Sick

Eren awoke to a sky colored bruised purple and the smell of old shoes. He flinched at the stench and realized there was a bare foot smashed against his cheek. As he blinked out his eyes, he remembered Levi making himself a place to sleep in his bed. His foot had slipped out from under his blanket in the night and found warmth on Eren's feverish face. Although the smell was atrocious—he made a note to order his men to let Levi take a bath—he found the situation comical.

In bed with a Jew! Hitler would be furious.

Slowly, his hand slid forward, and in the pre-dawn darkness he put two fingers on Levi's ankle, just to feel it.

Hairy legs, just like him. So normal!

He was not sure what he had expected, but after a lifetime of hearing about how Jews were lower than animals, being this close to one fascinated him. They really were not different at all.

Levi's toes were so tiny, it was honestly adorable. Eren touched one, tracing the length of it. Levi let out a small moan of displeasure; that was also cute and made Eren bite back a silly grin. He traced the next toe, and Levi shifted his foot away, taking it off Eren's cheek. Levi moaned again, finding the cold not to his liking, and his foot smashed back against Eren, this time landing across his mouth. Feeling a little playful, Eren stuck his tongue out and gave the bottom of Levi's foot a wet lick.

Levi let out a shriek and leaped from the bed. He tangled up in his blankets, landed hard on the floor, and scurried away, breaking free from the covers like escaping prison bonds.

"C'était quoi, ça? Putain, c'est dégueulasse." What the hell was that? Fuck, that's gross.

"Sorry, sorry," chuckled Eren.

Levi heard English, and he realized he was in an actual house, not the dungeon. "Que diable ... Eren!" he cried out in outrage. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Just then, the door banged open, and Jean stood in pale long johns with his gun drawn. "Keine Bewegung!" Freeze!

Eren called out quickly, "Es ist sicher, alles ist gut." It's safe, all is good. "Sorry, Jean. He shifted in his sleep, so I hit him." That was a lie, but there was no way he could admit what he had actually done.

Jean slowly lowered his gun. "Maybe I should hit him too for waking me up."

"It's fine now. Thank you." Eren broke into coughs. "I don't want to bother you, so is it okay if the Jew uses the kitchen to make me some tea? I also want him to bathe. He stinks."

Jean sighed. "Whatever. If he escapes, though, this is all on you."

"The fate of his people is bound to my survival. He knows that. He won't run, and he won't poison me."

Jean mumbled, "That's a risk I sure wouldn't take."

Down the hall, they heard Connie sleepily asking, "What's going on?"

"The lieutenant is beating the Jew so he'll make him breakfast. Go back to sleep."

Connie groaned and closed his door. Jean sighed and turned away.

"Seriously, this is all on you, Jäger. Don't bring the rest of the squad down with you."

"I won't. And thank you."

"Don't thank me. I should be talking you out of this, not turning a blind eye. Still, this Jew is useful, if only to translate. If he can save your pathetic life, it's worth it, and if he can hook me up with that cute French nurse, then I owe him one."

"I'll ask him to tell her all about your redeeming qualities," Eren laughed, but it turned into coughs again.

Jean's eyes softened with concern. "Seriously, don't you dare die on us. And you, Jew!" He glared at Levi, who was still crouched on the ground. "If he dies under your care, I'll shoot you myself." With that stern but loyal warning, Jean left.