Complications Throughout Generations

Chapter 59

Eren's POV:

It was the holiday season. There were wreaths and ribbons hung everywhere, sparkling lights on top of roofs, my dad and I brought in the Christmas tree, and Santa was back in the mall.

Today I was going over Mikasa's house. Armin is having a Christmas movie marathon with his grandpa so it'll just be us. We both walked off the bus and into the house to greet the two people in the kitchen, Kuchel and Levi. It's a tradition that every time I come over, Kuchel makes us cookies. This time it'll be a little different. Mikasa and I will be helping her because we're making Christmas cookies.

"Levi, do you wanna help make Christmas cookies?" Mikasa asked. He shook his head with a pencil in his hand and writing on a piece of paper. I found it funny how Kuchel is his homeschool teacher and still gives him homework. Mikasa's been telling me that Levi has been leaving his room more often lately. She thinks it has to do with me which I find absolutely ridiculous. But I guess she knows more than I do. Which I don't understand since all of the memories I keep getting aren't so pleasant. But for whatever reason, they don't hurt my head. I don't know how since one of the recent ones was him beating me up in a court room.

"I think you'll get through it. You're thick headed enough to believe that, so do it. Believe it."

"Do you think you'll get through it?"

"I don't think about the future. Like I said, I focus on the present so I don't get killed or so that someone else doesn't get killed."

"You don't think about anything else?"

"Nope."

"Nothing?" His voice raised a pitch and he scrunched his nose a bit. I shook my head and laid back down. "I don't believe you."

"Is that so?"

"If I ask you something, will you be honest?"

"No."

"Fair enough...but I'm still going to ask."

"Spit it out, brat."

"Do you ever think of me?"

"I told you I do. I need to make sure you're not going to kill-"

"You know what I mean."

I tilted my neck in confusion as that popped into my head. No, what did I mean? He called me brat a lot. He really must not have liked me. I try my best to be friendly with him but I just get the cold shoulder.

"So Levi," I tried to talk to him. He kept his eyes on his paper, "what do you want for Christmas?"

"Nothing." For a 10 year old, he really acts like a grumpy old man.

"Seriously? Nothing? No toys or anything? Not even a new pair of socks?"

"Nope." He said, putting emphasis on the 'p'.

I sighed in defeat and picked up a cookie cutter shaped as a candy cane. That immediately put me back in the mood to make Christmas cookies.

Throughout the process, me, Mikasa, and Kuchel were having tons of fun. Everyone was smiling and laughing. This is what the Christmas spirit is all about. But then I looked at Scrooge over there on the couch. I need to do something about this. I'll let Levi be every other day, but not during the holiday season. So once Kuchel was putting them in the oven, I took the opportunity to walk over to him and sit down.

"Why didn't you wanna make cookies with us?" I asked. He was reading Order of the Phoenix, he seemed to be close to the end.

"Too messy." Mikasa always tells me how he's a clean freak. I wanted to test that just to get a rise out of him. Probably not the best idea but hey, we'll see what happens. Knowing that I had some flour leftover on my hand, I patted down on the black sweatpants he was wearing. My handprint was completely on his leg. He slammed his book and sat up. "What the heck is wrong with you?" His voice was louder than I had ever heard it. I just shrugged.

"Just wanted to know what would happen." I acted innocent.

"Wanted to know what would happen?" He scoffed. "Mom!" Tattle tale.

"Be nice, Levi." She disregarded his call as she continued to talk to Mikasa.

"Why don't you go to school?"

"I do."

"I mean real school."

"I do." He was getting angry. For such a small kid, he was like the Hulk. "I just don't like people." That's somewhat of a reason I guess.

"People aren't so bad. You'll get over that one day." I didn't mean any harm by what I said. But clearly that was taken the wrong way once Levi's small body jolted towards me and pinned me.

"Oh my god." Kuchel muttered and ran over. "Levi!" She shouted and grabbed him off of me. He had tears in his eyes but his facial expression remained emotionless. "Come here." She pulled him over the couch and put him on his feet. "Come on, baby." She took his hand and they went to his room. Mikasa ran over to me quickly.

"Eren, are you hurt?"

"No." I shook my head. "Is that...normal?" She shook her head. "I didn't mean to upset him."

"Levi just doesn't do well with people." She mumbled. We were both quiet to hear Levi's cries from the other room.

"Is that not normal either?" She shook her head again.

"You must've triggered something. What did you say?"

"I just told him he'll get over his fear of people one day." I shrugged with dumbfounded eyes. Was that really that bad?

"He won't." She sighed. "Not for a long time."

"Why?"

Mikasa took a seat next to me and twiddled her thumbs in her lap.

"We lost our dad in a car accident." I let out a light gasp. I genuinely thought her dad just wasn't in the picture. She never told me he died. "Levi and his two best friends were also in the car. He was the only one that survived." I felt a pit in my stomach. He definitely hates me now. Oh god, what if Kuchel does now too? My life is ruined. I feel awful. I had no idea it was that serious. I just thought he was a little off, that's all.