Day 10

December 22nd

"Eren" I look up and blink "were you even listening to me?" Mikasa asks, I look at her and shake my head lightly, she frowns "what's wrong? You've been acting weird since yesterday" I blush, thinking about why I have been 'acting weird'... if only they knew... "did something happen?"

"No!" I almost shout, she looks at me confused "no... I am just stressed" Mikasa tilts her head "we only have four days until the ball, I want it to be perfect for everyone, you know?" She nods and looks at me questioningly "really, nothing happened, nothing unusual, at least" wow, I am such a good liar!

"You still haven't told me what Levi asked you" I bite my lip and shrug, speeding up as we get to school. If there's someone I don't want to tell, that's Mikasa, she would just freak out, and knowing her, she'd probably stalk Levi and be creepy, I really don't want that to happen. "Anyway, remember that we're going out after school with everyone else" she calls as I reach my class. I freeze. Shit.

"Yeah... I can't go today, sorry!" I say before getting in class and starting a day of pure boredom. After what feels like a lifetime, the last bell rings and I rush outside.

"Eren!" Armin calls, I turn and see him with Jean and Mikasa "what do you mean you're not coming with us?" He asks sadly.

I look to the road and see Levi's car waiting, I smile "sorry guys, I promise we will next time" I tell them as I start walking to the car.

"Where are you going?!" Armin calls confused.

"I'll tell you at home!" I smile as I get to the car, I get in and close the door, kissing Levi's cheek, "so, where are we going?" I ask excitedly.

"Like I'm gonna tell you, keep dreaming, Eren" I roll my eyes and pout "maybe you are new to this but people don't usually tell the other where they're taking them on a date" my eyes widen and I blush.

I blink and look at him "a what? A date?" He glances at me "I- I am not mentally prepared for that! You have to tell me these things" I say quickly "at least tell me I am not supposed to be wearing a suit or something like that"

Levi chuckles lightly "oi, I said a date, not a wedding, we're just going out" I bite my lip "and don't come at me with the whole 'I'm not mentally prepared' thing because I am quite sure you weren't mentally prepared yesterday either" we stop at a red light and he looks at me. I don't know what's redder, the red light or my face.

"I- I wasn't... I was just hoping it happened..." I mutter, he smiles and I look at him "what?" He glances at my lips and kisses me quicky before driving again, I look at him, still blushing, and bite my lip, trying to take in how fucking flawless he is "Levi..." I start, he glances at me for a second before focusing back on the road "what are we...?" I notice him tightening his grip on the steering wheel "I mean... I think it's pretty obvious what I feel... but I don't know what you feel... and I don't want another relationship like the one I had with Reiner..."

He doesn't say anything and I begin to internally panic, did I fuck up? He parks the car and looks at me "Eren, you don't know what I feel because I don't want you or anyone to know, but you should know that I am not like him, I would never do anything to harm you in any way" he says seriously.

"Why do you not want anyone to know?" I tilt my head. What can he possibly be afraid of? He's the captain of the police department, he has the police under his command, what can be out there that-

"Kenny" he says, I frown, Kenny? "He found you, and he wants to make my life a living hell. I'm pretty sure you can figure it out" I nod lightly "Kenny is capable of doing anything to get what he wants... even kill" I freeze "I don't want him to hurt you. I don't want him anywhere near you" I look down "Eren, promise me that if he tries to get near you, you'll tell me immediately" I look at him "promise me, please" I nod.

"I promise..." I trail off, he smiles lightly "but... why does he want..." he opens the door and gets out of the car, opening the passenger's door and taking my hand.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you someday, but not today" I get out of the car "we're on a date, aren't we?" I smile and nod "well, let's go"

He pulls me with him to a deserted street, I look around and see nothing "where are we going? Is this the right way?" I ask, he stops and turns to me.

"Just trust me, okay?" I smile and he starts walking again, "okay, I need you to close your eyes" he looks at me and I pout, he rolls his eyes and pulls me closer, taking off his scarf and tying it around my eyes, blindfolding me, before taking my other hand too "don't worry, I'll lead the way" I nod and follow his lead, walking shakily.

After a few minutes, he stops and takes off the scarf, I look at him and he kisses me softly before taking me a few meters ahead, where a completely empty beach lays, I look at the view in awe. The water looks a thousand times more clear than anything I've seen before. He smiles lightly and walks me to the shore.

"It's amazing" I mumble, I look at him "how... how did you find this place?" He shrugs "awh, come on" I pout, he kisses my cheek and I blush.

"Can't you just enjoy and stop asking questions?" He asks, sitting on the sand and looking up at me "don't make me pull you down because you know I will" he threatens, I bite my lip and sit next to him "when's that super important Christmas ball?" He suddenly questions.

I lay my head on his shoulder "on the 26th... in four days, why?" He kisses my forehead and I smile lightly.

"Saturday?" I nod "no reason, just wanted to know when you're finally free from all the planning and stuff" I pull away and look at him pleadingly "what is it?"

"Why don't you come?"

"I told you that-" I kiss him "I can't put you in danger, Eren"

"Nothing will happen, come on!" I plead "it'll be fun! Besides, it's inside the school, I won't get hurt, no one can come in if they're not invited, and your name will be the first on the list" he looks at me questioningly "please, I will be alone, I'm the one who created it and I'll be the one to win the 'loneliest award', everyone has a date"

"I'm not too fond of Christmas..." I frown, "sorry" he starts getting up and I pull him back down.

"What do you mean you're not fond of Christmas?" He looks away "Christmas is the best time of the year, why do you not like it?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Eren..." oh, no, I am not giving up that easily, I and not going to date someone who doesn't like Christmas for no reason, even if they are as hot as Levi.

"Did something happen wh-"

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" I frown and he looks away "I'm sorry... but I can't talk about it..." I kiss him sofly for a second and pull back.

"It's okay, I pushed too hard... I just... I have always loved Christmas time so it's weird for me when someone dislikes it and I don't know why" Levi looks at me sadly "I didn't mean to ruin the date..." I look down and he tilts my head up so our eyes meet.

"You didn't ruin anything, Eren" he says sincerely "it's just that... I've never talked about it and this was too sudden" I look down "oi, don't you dare being sad now, okay?" I nod and smile lightly "good"

He got up and held his hand out to help me up "I just realized that I don't know anything about you" I say as we start walking by the water "it's kinda unfair... you know a lot about me" he looks at me and takes my hand.

"What do you want to know?" He asks, looking at me "I'll tell you everything if you don't push too hard"

I smile "well, you know that my birthday is on the 21st of December so, when's yours?"

He looks away and slows down a bit "December 25th" I freeze when I realize what he said "I guess you'll have to know at some point, huh?"

"Your birthday is on Christmas day but you don't like Christmas?" He nods "wow..." I really want to ask him if it has something to do with it, but I don't. I don't want to force him to talk about it if he doesn't feel comfortable doing so. If there's something I have learned from my relationship with Reiner is that I don't want anyone to go through what I did until the day Levi showed up in my life.

"I know what you're thinking... and it does... kinda" he trails off, I look at him and tilt my head lightly to the side "it's also because of Kenny..."

My eyes widen "did he do something to you?" I ask slightly panicked.

"No... he didn't do anything to me... it shouldn't even matter anymore, it was a long time ago" I frown, eager to know but not wanting to say anything "when I was 8, I remember that I was like you, I couldn't wait for Christmas, it was all I cared about... but that year... when I turned 9, Kenny showed up in our house. It was Christmas day, and he was my mother's brother, so we didn't kick him out... that night-"

His phone starts ringing and I pout, I was getting so caught up in the story!

"What is it?" He says as he answers the call "what? Where?" A few seconds later, he grabs my wrist and pulls me with him, away from the beach and back to the car "I'll be there in half an hour, keep me updated" we get to the car and get in.

"What happened?" I ask "why are you in a rush all of a sudden?" He starts the car and drives away "where are we going?"

"You are going home and staying there until I tell you otherwise" I frown, but before I can say anything, he speaks again "they found Kenny, he's at your school" I check my phone and see 5 missed calls and 3 texts.

From Unknown: I'll be waiting for you in your school in 30 minutes

From Unknown: if you don't show up, your friends will regret it

From Unknown: you're late. I think your flatmate is a good one to start.

After reading the third message, I drop my phone "what's wrong?" Levi asks worriedly.

"Armin..." I trail off "he's going to hurt Armin..." Levi frowns and speeds up. We get to my home within 5 minutes and I am still frozen.

Levi picks me up and takes the keys from my pocket, unlocking the door and walking in. He puts me down on the sofa and he kneels down next to me "I promise you, I won't let him hurt anyone else. I'm going to end this"

"Are... you going to kill him?" I ask almost inaudibly.

"I hope so" he says, pushing my fringe back "I'm going to check the house and then I'll leave, okay?" I nod.

"Can you take the keys? I'll feel safer if you have them..."

He smiles lightly "sure" he kisses my forehead and walks away to lock all the windows and shut all the blinds. "Okay, I'm done here..." he says after a few minutes, walking to me and kissing me softly "I'll be back later, okay?" I nod "Armin will be fine" he reassures "and so will you, Eren... I'm not going to let him get near you" I pull him closer and kiss him deeply before he leaves.