Chapter Text
Clack. Clack.
Eren had halted packing when the sound began. Startled, he looked around to an almost empty studio. Posters and frames were absent from the walls, clothes were strewn haphazardly on the bed and large boxes stood where furniture once was. His attention was then drawn to the door, where the sound seemed to originate.
Clack. Clack.
The sound of heavy boots pacing was ridiculously loud even from the opposite side of the door.
Clack. Clack.
Dropping the shirt he had been folding into his luggage, he proceeded to walk towards his door to check the source of the sound and peeks at the eyehole.
He sighs.
Levi.
The man was pacing the short distance between his apartment door and the next and he seemed to be deep in thought, brows creased and lips moving minutely as if in internal dialogue. Yet suddenly, he stops, jerking his head in the direction of Eren's door. Eren's hand clapped his mouth just as a gasp escaped his lips. He felt like Levi's steel grey eyes were boring into the mahogany door, like Levi knew he was observing him from the other side of it, like Levi could physically feel his presence. He could feel Levi's intense stare, which shouldn't even possible considering the inch-and-a-half thick obstruction between them.
As quickly as he looked, Levi looked away and shakes his head, his raven locks cascading into place. He continues mumbling to himself and his frown slides deeper as Eren sees him take a deep breath. Eren finally notices the deep thumping of his heart and places his hand on his chest in an attempt to quiet it for fear of being discovered.
Discovered? Why was he afraid? He wasn't the one pacing in front of someone else's apartment. He wasn't the one with something to say. He had already delivered his piece a week ago.
With this in mind, Eren's shaking hand grips the doorknob, his tears threatening to form around his eyes when he takes a breath and opens the door quickly.
Levi's face was one of shock before it morphed into a mask of apprehension, and then of indifference. Eren's was one of indignation.
"Eren."
"Why are you here?" Eren asks.
Levi pulls something from out his pocket, a rustic key tied to leather cord, and presents it to Eren.
"You left this in my apartment."
"I left it there on purpose," he says, "It isn't mine anymore." Eren tells him in hopes of breaking his mask, to get an ounce of emotion from the otherwise inexpressive face.
It works. Levi's face drops by a fraction.
"I gave this to you. Of course it's yours."
"Look, Levi," He sighs. "I'm trying to not sound bitter here... but I actually kind of am so..." He trails off, laughing humorlessly and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't want to keep anything that reminds me of you, okay? I'm not that mature. You know that. You call me 'brat' for the same reason."
A pause. Another sigh.
"I really do appreciate you being honest and telling me that you don't feel anything for me anymore but that doesn't change the fact that it hurt. I'll get over it, don't worry. I will. But for that to happen, I have to forget. And having that thing in my possession is..." Eren trails off again, fighting the tremors threatening to shake his frame.
"It wouldn't do much help, Levi." Eren places his hand on Levi's outstretched one, closing both their hands around the key. "I can't keep it."
Levi drops his hand, key still held in his grip. "We could still be friends. We were friends before all this."
"You were never just my friend. I was able to handle it before, because I didn't know what it felt like to be with you, but now that I do, I can't be just your friend. " Eren said while trying to smile reassuringly.
Eren's eyes stayed empty and inexpressive and Levi couldn't be any sorrier.
You were the one who wanted to break up with him, a voice in his head whispered deridingly.
"You're not fair." Levi replied, to both Eren and the voice.
Eren laughs, scratchy and awkward.
"I know."