ONE ʙʏ ONE

ᴛʜɪʀᴛᴇᴇɴ

Mikasa couldn't sleep. She laid in bed staring at the ceiling, puzzling her next move. The Sunday morning sun was barely pricking the horizon, and the street was starting to come alive with traffic. The noise helped her think, but what could she think?

"Armin...are you with him?"

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"Levi, what do I do?" Eren asked. The trembling boy paced back and forth across the room, dreading walking into his house. Levi wanted Eren to stay, but he had to pull himself back from his urges.

"I think," Levi suggested, "I should go with you. If I can interrogate a bastard rapist, I can bring a drunken loudmouth to his knees."

"Levi-"

"Please, let me protect you."

That sentence came out more begging than Levi intended, but he couldn't let his Eren be hurt again. Taking the chance, the raven slid his hand into Eren's, lightly squeezing it. The teen was too conflicted to react.

"Levi, why do you care so much?" Eren wondered. "You beat kids up for just looking at you the wrong way, and then, when it comes to me, you're gentle. When anyone dares hurt me, you pour burning coffee on their arm."

"Eren–" The way Levi said Eren's name was soft but startling. "–I don't mind protecting you from filthy people because–"

Pull it back, Levi.

"–you protected me from Mikasa. You saved my life, so let me save yours."

Bold-face lie.

Levi could've easily stopped her, but confessing feelings now, despite what Levi wanted, wasn't the perfect moment. Eren believed him, a little disappointment building.

"Fine, but only if Armin comes along," Eren stated. The brunette knew Grisha wouldn't try to do anything with Armin around. Also, he really needed his friend right then.

Levi reviewed his list in his mind, remembering the blond was on his list. He nodded, "Of course. He's your close friend, so maybe we should inform him of this crazy weekend."

"Woah, Woah, Woah," Eren pulled his hand away, "Tell Armin exactly what?"

"Your father, what he did, what happened with Mikasa, etc. He's your friend, Eren; he deserves some answers."

"Even," Eren's voice lowered, "what you did to that perv?"

Levi shrugged, crossing his arms, "If you want. I'm not ashamed of what I did."

Eren nodded, grabbing his jacket and pulling it over his shoulders, "Alright. Yeah, you're completely right. Armin should know."

Eren shot Armin a quick text before he and Levi started toward's Armin's. Eren navigated. Upon arrival, the teen hoped in, immediately noticing the tension. Eren told him everything from his father's abuse to Mikasa's attempted murder. He even mentioned the accident between him and Levi getting drunk. Levi had to bite back a smirk. Armin stared at the floor of the car, taking in all that he missed. Levi silently drove to Eren's house.

"Jesus, Eren, it's only been a day!" Armin joked, trying to ease the tension. He quickly followed with, "I'm glad you told me, though."

"I honestly had half a mind not to tell you. Levi was the one who convinced me." Eren admitted, gesturing his head towards the raven.

Levi adjusted his mirror to make eye contact with Armin. "You're his friend, almost a brother, right?" His stormy irises wanted confirmation of Armin's closeness with Eren. Armin nodded, a nod that probably saved his life. "Then, he needs you in times like these."

The blond hummed in response. Eren thanked him again before riding the rest of the way in silence. As they pulled up into the driveway, Eren felt nervousness slosh around in his stomach. Levi noticed and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Let's stay for a bit; I'll leave a message of how Eren is under my watch...and Armin's. I'll stay until I feel he gets the idea. No aggression, but passive sternness." Levi stated. Eren and Armin nodded, and the three hopped out. Girsha's car was parked in the driveway.

Eren entered through the front door, remembering how much he didn't miss the alcohol smell. Carla appeared from the kitchen, bags under her red swollen eyes. There were a few new bruises and her wrist and face. 

"Eren?" She croaked out, almost surprised he was still alive. "You shouldn't be here."

"Why not?" Levi sternly asked. "It's his home, correct?"

"Uh, yes." She chuckled wistfully. "Perhaps, you boys had better go upstairs."

Just as she finished her sentence, Girsha walked in alongside a face Levi was appalled to see. Chester was apologizing to Girsha, telling him that he couldn't come around anymore. Girsha smiled, but the lividness radiating off of him was thick. Levi's was just as suffocating if not more. As Vito looked over and met eyes with Levi, he jerked back a mile, slightly gasping. Girsha glanced over, meeting Eren's eyes. Eren's old man had murder clear in his gaze. 

"I-I'm leaving, I-I swear," Chester swore, holding his hands up in surrender. 

Levi took a step closer. "Then beat it."

Eren had never seen anybody run as fast as Vito did at that very moment. Girsha was now focused on the raven that had such an impact on Chester. Carla sat, engrossed in the forming war between her husband and Levi. 

"Eren, welcome home." The old man gritted through his teeth. Carla tried to encourage them upstairs, but Girsha intervened, "Now, Carla, let me sit with our guests and chat."

He gestured for The three of them to sit down. Levi placed a hand on Eren's hip protectively, whispering, "If this goes south, I want you to go ahead upstairs and pack for a few nights. Clothes, charger–anything you might need. Go on."

Eren nodded, walking towards the staircase. 

"Let's talk, Mr. Yeager."

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Short I know, but I needed to get something out after the long wait you guys had to go through. If you're wondering where I went, you can check my bio. Thank you for your patience!

Toodles~