Doctor's Orders

Chapter 22

Before we begin, thank you all so much for your patience and support over the past few weeks waiting for this update<3

Eren

"Hi, Hiroaki!" I greet the 6 year old cheerfully as I sit down on the fluffy carpet in Mikasa's living room next to him, pleased to see his leg cast free and stretched out in front of him comfortably. He had a nasty break, so it's nice to see his leg fully healed.

He doesn't respond to me, instead shooting me a nasty side eye scarily reminiscent of Levi and going back to playing with his Play-Doh.

"Hiroaki?" I ask again, receiving nothing but another glare. Is....is he ignoring me?

"Mikasa, is something wrong with Hiroaki? He won't respond to me."

She cuts herself off from her conversation with Levi from where they sit above us on the couch and glances down at her son before looking back at me with a devious grin. "I told him about what happened between you and Levi while it was happening and he's pretty pissed at you. You'll probably have to beg for his forgiveness."

A child is giving me the silent treatment. Everything in my life is so backward.

I spend the next 30 minutes trying to get Hiroaki to even look at me, and when I say I do everything, I mean I do everything.

I tried to give him a Play-Doh heart made by me, I tried to bribe him with money, tried to bribe him with the promise of alcohol (Levi taught me that one), but he won't even spare me a second glance.

A sigh escapes my lips as I lean back against the bottom of the couch and give up. I love kids, but not when they're being stubborn little sacks of shit.

Whoah, I'm turning into Levi. Calm down Eren. 

"Are you done?" Levi looks down at me when Mikasa leaves to take a work call. I nod my head defeatedly, looking on longingly as Levi moves down to the floor next to Hiroaki and is greeted with a bright smile.

"Lee! I made a tree!"

"That's supposed to be a tree-"

"It's very nice, Hiroaki! Good job."

He doesn't respond, instead turning away from me and moving closer to Levi.

"Alright, that's enough, you little shit. Stop being mean to Eren, he didn't do anything to you."

"B-but, but, Mommy said he broke your heart! She said you were deprecated!" His chin wobbles and tears brim in his eyes, his little fists clenching up where they rest by his knees.

Levi raises an eyebrow. "Depressed?"

"Yes!"

"Hiroaki, yes, I was going through a tough time, but Eren and I talked and we're all good now. You can't be mean to him...." Levi trails off as he glances at me, leaning in to speak to Hiroaki more privately. "If this were like two weeks ago, I would let you drag the shit out of him, but we're past that."

I choose to ignore that second comment and instead give Hiroaki my trademark smile I give to all the kids at work, holding my arms out slightly for him. "Come on Hiroaki, you know I'm your favorite."

He glances rapidly between Levi and me for a moment before he breaks out into tears, rushing into my arms with a loud wail of, "I'M SORRY EREN!"

I shush him and pat his back to let him know it's ok, and after a few minutes of loud crying, he slumps into my arms fully as he falls asleep. I carefully place him up on the couch and pull a blanket over him, a fond smile on my lips before I turn to Levi and give him a look.