Wings: Common Life [Aot/SnK Fanfic]

A Holiday Worth Remembering

I decided to change Iris' career in the story. Instead of becoming a Scout, she takes Software Engineering and an associates degree on Photography;  Armin took International Studies and Environmental Studies. Leon is still joining the Academy while Sofia is going to med-school to be a surgeon.

~*~

 Christmas holds a special place in Iris' heart. Aside from the number of gifts and food she would get to taste in those days between the holidays and the New Year, it was her father's birthday, and the day where her parents decided to save their marriage and try. It has been nineteen years since Maria decided to give the marriage a chance and burned the divorce papers, and a few months from that day she and Levi renewed their vows and promised to go to couple's therapy and be more present in their role in the family.

They managed to keep their promise for the past nineteen years, and while Iris often butted heads with her father during the time she was growing up, she would always make Christmas a special holiday for just the three of them. She would ask often ask Farlan and Isabel, or Mike in preparing a special dinner for the three of them – at first it was to book reservations to their favorite restaurants ("The lady at the desk won't take me seriously whenever I try to call them," Iris told her godfather when she asked him to call the front desk and reserve a table for herself and her parents), then she started learning how to cook with Sarah Kirsch and made their holiday dinners.

It became an agreement to the Reed-Ackerman family that Christmas was an intimate celebration for the family – their family. They can celebrate another holiday with friends and extended families, but December 25th was for them.

So when Iris asked Armin to join her and her family for the holidays, Armin was quite surprised with the invitation. He knew how important the day was for the Reed-Ackermans – to Iris especially – and he didn't want to break the tradition. The first time Iris invited him to join her family in the celebration, Armin apologized as he already promised Eren of joining the Jaegers and Ackermans for the holidays.

"We're planning on heading back to Shinganshina for the holidays – see the place, visit Mom and Dad, and Grandpa," Armin told her.

Iris understood his reason and promised to visit his hometown with him soon so she could see where he grew up.

The next time she asked him to join her family, Armin was hesitant and a bit nervous, and seeing that, Iris reluctantly agreed to the plan of spending the day of Christmas with him before joining her parents for their holiday dinner.

"No Armin again?" Maria asked her daughter while watching Iris prepare lasagna, it was one of the few dishes she knew how to cook.

Iris shook her head, a bit disappointed.

"Well, I'm sure it's not too serious. After knowing him for some time, he's the type of person who takes time to warm up into a family."

"I know," Iris sighed.

"You can always break up with him, you know." Levi joined the conversation as he entered the kitchen with a couple of puppies that Titus fathered following him around.

"Screw you, Dad," Iris said with a deadpan look.

Levi turned to his wife with wide eyes. "Aren't you going to say something about that?!"

Maria sighed. "I'm with our daughter on this one."

But the third time she invited him and he tried to insist on keeping it a family tradition, Iris was not having any of it, and their conversation escalated to an argument that they didn't see coming.