Chapter Text
abalone shell
shields one from the waves of negativity; full of peace, beauty, compassion, and love;
when worn, it is helpful if you are in need of guidance in a relationship.
He tilts the shell and admires the pearly, holographic look. It shimmers in certain directions, though the only light he has is the dim lamp on his desk. Sighing, the male places the shell onto the desk and pulls out a relatively thick needle. He carves a circle in the top-middle area, scraping the shell with high pressures in hopes it would make a solid hole.
After a few minutes of delicate handling, the male finally punctures a fractured hole that barely breaks it in half. He huffs and grabs some superglue, applying it at the cracked area just to make sure it would have some stability. His nimble fingers then snatch a thin, white string that he made from slicing a shoestring.
Though he has the money to buy a proper necklace, he feels that creating the necklace from scratch would make its purpose more real. And thus, the shell hangs heavily on a thin string. He ignores the weight and ties it around his neck, making sure to wrap his hand around the rock and attempt to feel some sort of energy.
And little by little, he feels a small hope that things will work out this week. He gives a grim smile and closes his eyes. He should travel to the beach more often, especially if he is going to find things like this. He tucks the shell under his sheer shirt and stands up from the desk.
It is time to make lunch.
Levi Mallory. Twenty-five years old. Graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in business and computer science. Currently works as an at-home web developer, managing and creating websites for strangers or big businesses. Has a steady income of about eighty-thousand, though his husband makes much more.
He lives in an average two-floor house. It has a living room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a basement, and a clean backyard. It is the perfect house. He spends his days off cleaning it from top the bottom, making sure to get the settled dust off the counters and throwing away spoiling food in the refrigerator. He liked to clean. It wasn’t that bad of a chore.
He would fix their bed, as if on instinct. Fluff the pillows and light some candles or incense. He had to make sure the television was on his favorite channel, so when his husband came home, he could undress watching his favorite show. Levi also made sure to brush his hair, take a shower with his husband’s favorite body wash, shave his legs, pluck his eyebrows, and put on loose clothes that could easily be taken off.
It was a routine he got into while he waited for his husband to get home from work. The time between, of course, was when Levi would indulge in his own job. He would send emails of updates about current web development and manage his job gracefully. There wasn’t a day when he didn’t get the job done.
Even today, on April 10th, the routine is still the same, and he has yet to mess up.
Roman Mallory. Thirty-five years old. Graduated college with a doctorate degree in psychology and social work. Currently works as a professional psychologist – making around one-hundred-thousand dollars a year. He has midnight, blue-black hair that is straight as silk. His eyes are a fiery orangish-red, though many see it as hazel.
Levi would know, he has to look into them every single night.
They met when Levi was eighteen and Roman was twenty-eight. Levi was fresh out of high school and exploring the depths of life in college when he ran into the male by accident at a train station. It was a complicated situation, as Levi had pulled a classic move and spilled his coffee. He gave his sorry and attempted to leave, but with Roman’s charismatic personality, it wasn’t hard for him to win Levi over.
He was Levi’s first boyfriend – his first kiss. He had lost his virginity to him and fallen in love with him quick. Levi did not know much about relationships, as the most he had seen close was his mother’s bickering with his father. Other than that, he did not know much.
Mom told him – “Don’t ever let someone put their hands on you. Especially if it’s your girlfriend!” Of course, Levi was ten, and his mother assumed he would grow up to be straight – as most parents did, unfortunately.
Luckily, Levi understood. Even in high school, he would stand his ground against anyone who bad-mouthed him and fought boys who dared touch him. He was not weak. He knew what was right and wrong. He remembers watching television shows as a teen and becoming irritated when women or men had no agency in their lives. It was their lives. No one else should be able to control it but them.
He knows right from wrong, but when there is a middle-ground, Levi is the one to get stuck.
“Fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty.” Roman slaps a pile of money onto the kitchen table. Levi looks down at it in amusement, curious as to why his husband has so many one-dollar bills in his wallet. “I swear, I had no idea I had all this shit. No wonder my wallet is given me ass-pain.” He let out a chuckle and shuffles the cigarette pack. He lifts one out and places it between his teeth before grabbing a lighter.
“We’ll use it for the vending machines at the airport. Get us some munchies.” He gives Levi a grin and lights the cigarette. He blows the cigarette smoke out carelessly.
“You need to start packing by the way. I’m not doin’ all your shit like last time.” Levi boldly announces. His husband laughs, putting the smart comment aside, and watches as Levi walks across the room to put up the dishes. “It ain’t funny.”
“God, baby, I love you.” Roman jumps out of his seat and strolls over to Levi. Smiling, he grabs him around the waist and pulls him in. “Talkin’ to me so reckless. You keep me sane.” He kisses the back of Levi’s neck before running off into their bedroom, probably to start packing for their trip.
‘I love you,’ He can’t help the thumping in his chest. “I love you, too.” He whispers though he knows his husband can’t hear him. He takes his hand out from the sink and grabs the shell underneath his shirt. Clenching it, he sighs with relief when positive energy flows through him.
It’s working, he assumes.
He cleans the two dishes in the sink quickly. When he makes his way into their bedroom, he finds Roman on the floor packing away some clothes. There is a smile on his face and he hums discretely. Levi almost feels the urge to hug him, kiss him, and tell him how much he adores him. But instead, Levi walks over to the bed and sits down on it slowly.
“Need some help?”
“Nah, baby, I got it. You rest. Dinner was great tonight.” Roman purrs. Levi lets out a sigh of relief and moves the bedcovers away. He cuddles into the mattress and grabs his phone, often looking over at his husband to make sure he is doing well. “Your work go okay?” Roman asks.
“Yeah. Nothing too much.” Levi answers in a whisper. He turns in his bed and watches Roman fold awfully. He gives a smile. “Your packing is shit.” Roman looks up and gives an amused glint. He doesn’t respond, but only continues his packing and trying to fix his folding skills.
Then suddenly, Levi’s phone rings. Levi looks at Roman first before answering. He hugs the phone to his ear and tries to speak quietly. “Hello?” He mutters.
“Levi, baby! How are you?” The warm voice of his mother soothes his ears. Smirking, Levi relaxes and cuddles the phone against his shoulder. “I can’t wait to see you. New Orleans misses you!” Levi chuckles and responds.
“Me too. I’ll be there by tomorrow night. Is Izzy and Far there too?” He gets invested in the talk. His mom groans at the thought of waiting to see her son but otherwise keeps her composure.
“Of course! By the way, you need to call them after this! They haven’t talked to you for forever. And I know your phone is good and workin’, boy, so you better call!” Flinching, Levi rubs the back of his head in guilt and sighs.
“Yeah, I’ll make sure of it.” And after that, they continue into an array of conversations. Levi tries to ignore the subtle glances from Roman while he finishes packing away his clothing that he decided to do last minute.
“Alright then, baby, it was nice talking to you. Call me when you land and I’ll come pick you guys up! I love you.” His mother’s warm voice leaves heat lingering in his gut. Levi responds with a brief goodbye and pulls the phone away from his ear. Just as he is about to dial his siblings’ number, Roman snatches the phone away from him with a goofy smile.
“What’s this? Who you talkin’ to, yeah?” There is a playfulness in his tone. Levi tries to play along, giving a grim smirk and trying to grab the phone back. “Hmm?”
“I’m calling Izzy and Far. That’s it. Give it here –“ He reaches up for the phone and is effective in grabbing it. However, Roman substitutes from gripping the phone to clutching Levi’s wrist. Staring through the arch they made with their arms, Levi tries to release himself. Roman’s grip gets tight enough that it could leave a nasty bruise.
Levi drops the phone automatically, by routine.
“Fine, but I’m calling them later.”
“I finished my packing,” His hands start to roam down Levi’s thighs, clenching tightly every few seconds. The pressure makes Levi scowl, but he otherwise stretches his body to make himself more available. Roman hums in pleasure and pulls his jeans roughly. The short-haired male flinches and lifts his hips. “Do I get an award?” Even throughout all the rough handling, the second Roman connects his lips with Levi’s, the problems seem to fade away.
He imagines himself as a wave when his husband starts to rip his clothes apart. The lovely kiss lingers on his lips, just enough for him to ignore the way Roman grips his neck and pushes him into the bed. He cannot breathe for a second, and the more he pushes him into the bed, the more Levi closes his eyes and foresees himself as a tsunami.
He feels the waves over and over again. His husband's naked thighs collide against his, creating a hungry clap and heavy breathing. Levi grabs the hand wrapped around his throat and tries to find a glimpse of air. The pleasure, radiating from his warm lips, and the pain, throbbing between his legs. Finally, after ten minutes of drowning, his husband takes his hand away from his neck and lets Levi breathe properly.
But the waves never stop. Clenching the sheets below him, Levi closes his eyes and tries to imagine himself on the beach again. However, his thoughts are cut short by the sound of his phone ringing. He looks over at his phone on the floor and tries to reach for it. Roman pushes his hand away and slams it onto the bed.
“Wait – I need to answer. It’s –“ A rough thrust cuts him off quickly. Levi curls his fist and resists the urge to punch him, choke him, hurt him. The minute Levi opens his eyes and parts his mouth for a response, Roman kisses him delicately again.
It feels nice. So warm, like it used to be.
“You’re mine.” He whispers in his ear. “All mine. So, worry about making me feel good. Alright?” He doesn’t respond. Levi licks his lips and shuffles his hips uncomfortably. Roman glares down at him with his red eyes. His long, silky locks reign over Levi’s form like a prison. He can’t see anyone else but him.
“Turn over, now.”
And he does. He lets his husband grip his hips and force his head down. He cannot breathe. Levi tries to imagine the windy beach again, but all he can hear is his ringtone and the feeling of the abalone necklace digging endlessly into his chest.
“Levi! Oh, my baby boy!” Turning his head, Levi spots his mother from a mile away. She runs over in a floral yellow dress and her hair in a proper bun. She smiles largely and tucks her son into her armpit. Levi curses his small stature in his head and tries to avoid being smothered in her bosom. His mother, Kuchel Ackerman, coos and rubs his head like he is a child. “I missed you so much! I still can’t believe you moved! Never again –“ Kuchel finally opens her eyes and views Roman standing before her, looking dazzling in a burgundy button-up and tight black slacks.
“Roman! Look how handsome you’ve gotten.” Smiling even larger, Kuchel gives a brief hug to the elder male and basks at the view of her family. “God, I can’t wait for you guys to get home. I missed having company.” As they walk out the airport, Roman grabs all of the bags and urges Levi to go spend time with his mother.
“Go ahead, baby.” He whispers. It sends thrilling chills down his back. “I’ll be behind you. Catch up with your Mom.” And so, Levi did. He listened to his mother rant about how his siblings were irresponsible teenagers, often sneaking out at night. She even mentioned how the two came home high off of marijuana, in which she had to reprimand them about how disrespectful it was to be around her intoxicated. It made Levi laugh and reminisce about his younger siblings.
He misses being home.
His mother decides to stop by a cafe to get Levi a coffee. Even though he tells her she doesn’t need to spoil him anymore, Kuchel still demands she has the right to take care of her baby-boy when appropriate. She had not seen him for a year, and this was just the time for her to suck up all the time she could with him.
“No milk or sugar.” Kuchel ceases in grabbing packets. Turning her head, she looks at Levi suspiciously and cocks an eyebrow. Levi shuffles on his feet and looks over at Roman, who was currently standing outside of the Starbucks and scrolling through his phone. “I’m trying to watch my weight. Can we go now?”
“Weight? Levi, you look fine.” Kuchel shakes her head and pushes the coffee toward Levi. “If you are trying to please Roman, you’re making a mistake. That man loves everything about you.” For a second, Levi wants to turn toward her with big bubble eyes and ask ‘really?’ As if she knew their relationship – back to back. “Now, come on! Home awaits us!”
It takes them about two hours to get to Kuchel’s house. Levi sits in the front of her car, fiddling with the radio and trying not to play on his phone much. Kuchel rants on and on about her work life. Eventually, she pauses for a second and takes her right hand off the wheel to gesture her son.
“Yeah, I have a guy coming over to fix up my deck. Them damn raccoons and shit keep ruining the structure inside! He told me he would handle it, so hopefully, we can get the pool back up and running.” She swallows spit building up in her mouth from speaking so much. “So, guys, don’t get all protective if you see some stranger in our backyard. I’m paying him, be nice!” She laughs heartily, causing Levi to give a smile.
Roman does not say a word.
Mom’s house is about three years old – so it is relatively new. Levi had bought it for her once he had enough money for it. Of course, Roman pitched in as well, but large sums of the mortgage are paid by her son. So, to hear she was already having problems was making him a bit irritated. Levi didn’t show it though. He wanted to have a good couple of months while he was here for the summer.
“And here we are…” Kuchel whispers as she pulls into the garage. Immediately, before he could touch the handle, his passenger door flies open. Levi looks over to see Roman smiling at him, holding out his hand respectfully. He grabs it happily.
“Thank you,” Levi gives him a brief kiss on the lips. Roman hums and begins to grab the suitcases and bags in the back. Levi feels his mother’s presence behind him.
“Such a gentleman,” Kuchel coos with giddiness in her tone. “Opening the door, getting the bags – ah, where do all the chivalrous men go?” Her voice fades as she starts to walk toward the house entrance. Levi follows a few steps behind her with the ghost of a smile on his face.
Yeah, such a gentleman. Pride flows through his veins like water. His husband is such a gentleman. Handsome, affectionate, kind. A gentle man.
“In case you forgot, over here is the kitchen…” His mother’s voice fades out as Levi begins to gaze around the house. His mother adores flowers, so the whole house is filled with roses and lilacs. She is also religious, so there are stone crosses on the wall along with a painting of God. It reminds him of his childhood. It may be a different house, but there is no difference in the atmosphere.
Just as Levi walks around with his mother, he spots a ray of sunlight illuminating a room. He recognizes it as the kitchen, which next to it are transparent screen doors leading to the backyard patio. He then hears an annoying drilling sound and the cluttering of wood. Kuchel tuts her lips and peeks at the backyard.
“Didn’t know he was here so early. Don’t mind him, he comes and goes.” Kuchel pulls open the screen door and leans outside. “Hey, you thirsty?” Levi takes a few steps to look outside along with her.
A man, whether he was older or younger is indistinguishable, squats among the deck with a drill in his hand. He lifts his head up and looks at Kuchel. Then, slowly, he glances at Levi with eyes that remind him of the shell wrapped around his neck. “No, ma’am, I brought some bottles this time!” He picks up an almost empty water bottle and gives a big grin. Kuchel shakes her head and rolls her eyes.
“Alright, smart-ass, I’ll get you some.” The male gives a deep laugh and watches Kuchel walk away from the screen door. Levi stands there awkwardly for a second before realizing his mother walked away. Shaking his head, he gives one last look to the male outside and strolls over to his mother pouring water in a cup.
“His accent is thick,” Levi mentions. He pulls out a chair from the dinner table and takes a seat, making sure to stretch his limbs from the long flight. “Or maybe I been gone too long?”
“Nah, he’s from uptown.” Kuchel laughs while pouring a glass of water. “Sometimes he has me going back to mine! Haven’t heard one that deep since I moved back…” Levi shifts his eyes over at the comment and continues to look out the patio window. “His name is Eren. Don’t worry bout him much, he stays for about two hours or so before leaving.” Kuchel winks at her son and walks toward the doors. “Here you go, fool!”
The new-named worker, Eren, strolls over to Kuchel with a large grin. He gives a brief thank you before gulping down half of the glass. “Thank you, ma’am, I’ll get back to it then.” He waves slightly at Levi and his mother. Levi rolls his eyes and starts to pick at his nails in annoyance.
Great, not only did he have to deal with the noise, but also an over-eccentric worker who probably didn’t know the limits of personal space.
“Hey, baby,” Roman enters the room out of nowhere. He slides into the seat next to Levi and makes sure to rub his hand on his thigh secretly. “I put all the luggage upstairs in our room. You feeling alright?” He smiles endearingly and raises an eyebrow. Levi nods and just gestures the scene in front of him. Roman looks ahead.
“Mom’s worker is outside. You should go introduce yourself,” Levi gives a small smile in amusement. “Make sure you’re comfortable.” Roman raises an eyebrow in confusion. His silky, deep-black hair flows like a waterfall over his chest and back. His fiery auburn eyes flicker from a reddish hazel to a bright red. At least, in Levi’s eyes it does.
“Roman?”
“Alright,” He responds. “I will…but not now.” Kuchel strolls over to the table and sits down at an empty chair. She smiles at Roman and hands him a cup of tea she had been brewing. Roman gives her a thank you and immediately takes a sip. Levi’s jaw drops dramatically.
“What about me?”
“Oh hush, I got it brewing.”
“I wasn’t first?”
“I serve guest first, baby boy –“ She reverts back to his old nickname as a child, “Plus, he just carried all your clothes upstairs!”
“Kiss ass…” Levi whispers. He grabs Roman’s tea and takes a sip, tasting the sweet green tea flavor and being reminded of home once more. “Taste good. You put peppermint in it again?”
“Of course, I wouldn’t dare leave it out.”
“Peppermint?” Roman interrupts with a look of confusion. “Never thought of that. My grandma used to just put in ginger.” Levi gives him a brief smile before handing back the cup. Kuchel ends up sliding his own glass over, it breathing the sweet aroma. Before Levi could respond, Kuchel sits down at the dinner table and sighs in nostalgia.
“I used to work at this real cute diner when I was eighteen – right when I had Levi,” She smiles at the memory. “We would have to wear these cute white dresses and red lipstick while we served. And every night, we’d have to suck on peppermints to keep our breath fresh for the customers.” Her head shakes. “We couldn’t have gum, because that was unprofessional and some girls didn’t know how to chomp with their mouth closed.”
Roman tilts his head in genuine interest. Levi watches him, enamored. “Anyways, I’d always have extra peppermints to bring home ‘cause they gave us too much. So, when Levi started gettin’ older and got sick, I’d make him green tea with peppermint in it. I never had ginger or whatever – I just used what I had back then.” Kuchel takes a subtle sip of her own tea and basks in the flavor. “Now it’s all we drink.”
“That’s funny…” Roman trails off as he begins to reflect on his own childhood stories. Most of it usually consisted of him and his grandmother, since he didn’t have a mom or father growing up. It was a touchy subject he never liked to talk about. “My grandma always used ginger or oranges. Though I didn’t drink much tea growing up. Started drinking full-blown coffee once I hit junior high.” He and Kuchel give a hearty laugh in unison. She started to reprimand him soon enough, making Levi zone out and gaze out at the patio.
The male, named Eren, is lifting brown wood back and forth. His ivory shirt is littered with dirt stains and other liquids. Such as sweat, which is soaking in on the curve of his back. He ignores his deep, cocoa-colored hair that is falling in front of his face. He only pays attention to the wood in his right hand and the nail gun in the other. He is deeply invested in the process and it only serves more entertainment for Levi to watch.
Levi tries not to be obvious as he watches. The guy isn’t exactly quiet, that’s for sure. The nail gun and drill dominate over Roman and Kuchel’s conversation, though they act like it doesn’t bother them too much. After a few more minutes of drilling, Eren lifts the goggles off his face and heads over to the patio doors.
His entrance is immediately noticed by Roman first. His tense form and squinting eyes are enough signs by itself. Kuchel turns around and scowls at the sight. “What’re you up too? Trying to steal more of my water?”
“Oh, no actually.” Eren’s baritone voice interrupts. He gives a small smile and he opens up the refrigerator. “I brought my container of juice for myself. I was lettin’ it cool up before I took a sip.” He pulls out this dingy, old plastic container full of cerulean juice. He grabs a coffee mug and pours it – evidently showing he is pretty comfortable in the house. And by the looks of Kuchel, she did not mind that much either.
As Eren takes a drink, he notices the new person in the room and decides to introduce himself. “Sorry, didn’t see you there. Name’s Eren.” He nods his head at Roman, who gestures back lazily. “The deck is about twenty percent done,” He says to Kuchel. She groans and rubs her eyes.
“Twenty? All that work out there and you say twenty?”
“Well, you gotta think about buffing it down, painting it, staining it, and all other shit that’s gonna make it shine.” He moves his hands in a fanatical way that makes Kuchel laugh. She rolls her eyes and leans back in her chair. “Hey, but I got rid of them raccoons! Them bastards were biting through the new wood I had yesterday.” He winks and takes a few more sips of his drink.
“Good, good. You think you can get the squirrels on my roof too?”
“You keep givin’ me task after task I’m gonna be rich by next week…” – are the last words he says before heading back out onto the deck, evident humor in his voice. Kuchel leaves him with a warm smile. Levi can’t help but watch the interaction and wonder just how close the two have gotten.
“You too dating now?” He playfully says.
“Shut it. He is nice company.” She simply says. “He has the funniest stories too. You should sit and listen one day. It’s like talking to a ninety-year-old man.”
“His accent is pretty funny itself.” Roman interrupts. They all agree with subtle laughter. Yet, all eyes linger on the male outside. The one who stood as a sort of unknown anomaly among the family discourse. Well, at least in Levi’s eyes.
Later in the sleepy night, Levi showers with the rock around his neck. It feels heavy, but bathing it in water seems like the most soothing thing to do. It is like a rebirth for him. In cleansing it, he feels he is nourishing the spirit and maybe, just maybe, it will guide him a little bit more. Or, that’s what he hopes for anyway.
The water travels through his ebony locks gracefully and flows down his body like a braided river. His feet shuffle back and forth, humming a small tune as he showers. The musky smell of his husband’s body wash leaves his nose somewhat tense, but relaxed at the same time. After a few more minutes, he decides he is done and turns off the water.
Just as he does, Roman enters the bathroom without care and throughs some clothes onto the sink. He closes the door behind him and stares at Levi’s nude body walking out the shower. Smirking, he grabs the towel next to him and hands it over. “Here, though I wouldn’t mind looking a few seconds longer…” He jokes.
Levi ignores it and snatches the towel. Wrapping it around his waist, he gazes at himself in the mirror and seizes a bottle of lotion in the cabinet. His delicate hands rub the lavender-scented lotion on his body, running over large, sore love-bites on his abdomen and thighs. Roman hums at the sight, the same tune Levi did while he was showering, and leans against the door.
“You look beautiful,” He whispers. Levi ignores him again and just rubs the lotion on his neck. The hungry look on Roman’s face always made him uncomfortable, no matter how many times he did it. Levi knew better than to ask for privacy, or he would get offended and aggressive. He ended up just living with being eyed like prey all these years.
It was always a look less than love, but more than desire.
“I bought us reservations to go out to eat in some weeks.” Roman appreciates Levi’s boundaries and decides not to touch him. Levi looks up from rubbing the lotion into his body and places the bottle away. “We’ll go shopping for an outfit later tomorrow.” He crosses his hands over his stomach and nods his head. “I’ll be waiting…”
And then he leaves. Levi blinks and looks down at his moisturized hands. Grabbing the clothes his husband brought him, he scoffs when he sees short-shorts and a skimpy top in the mix. Of course, he would bring him this. At his mother’s house no less.
Nonetheless, he put it on. The shorts are way too small for him considering he has gained muscle over the years, and the top is sheer enough that one could see his entire chest. Levi ridicules himself in the mirror and hopes to God his mother isn’t downstairs. He wants to get another cup of tea before he goes to sleep.
Slowly sneaking downstairs, he is lucky to see his mother was in fact in her room. The kitchen table is in disarray from their earlier habits. Taking their three empty mugs, Levi pours them in the sink and washes his own. He begins to brew some tea and get peppermint ready.
Just as he began wiping down the table and fixing the chairs, he hears the door to the patio open. He jerks fearfully and turns quickly. There the male stood, Eren, with those goofy looking glasses on and empty mug in hand. “What the hell are you still doing here?” – are the first words Levi blurts. “It’s almost eleven!”
“O-oh, I sometimes work late. Kuchel doesn’t mind.” He strolls over to the sink and dumps out his juice. “Uh, sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude though. I know night time is personal – in some ways…” He lingers awkwardly. Levi scrunches his eyebrows up in confusion at his words, then remembers what he is wearing.
“Shit, my bad. It’s…night time…yeah.” Levi tries not to blurt out the truth, claiming he would never be caught dead wearing this at daytime either. “I was cleaning up. I’ll leave in a few minutes.”
“You’re fine. I was about to head out.” Eren stretches and cracks his back. “And don’t feel embarrassed, I’m wearing these dirty goggles so I can’t see much anyway.” There is a hint of humor in his voice. Levi scoffs and throws the wet rag in the sink. He subconsciously pulls down his riding up shorts and shirt when Eren isn’t looking.
“I’m gonna leave my divine juice here.” He cockily announces after opening the fridge. “Don’t tell anyone, but it’s actually Koolaid, with other secret additions, of course. I’m trying not to ruin my image.” He winks under his goggles, though Levi can’t see it that much, and waves his hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow then. Hopefully, with a shirt and sweatpants.” Levi raises an eyebrow at the comment and rolls his eyes.
“Bye, asshole.” He whispers under his breath. All Levi can hear is the faint laughter of Eren walking back into the backyard and exiting the house by jumping over the fence.
When Levi walks back upstairs, he sees Roman doing sit-ups on the side of the bed. He ends up brushing his teeth, washing his face, and heading to bed. All he can hear the entire night is Roman’s heavy breathing as he works his everlasting anger out.