The Ereri Project (#2)

Ten Years

Eight year old Eren sits on his front porch watching Levi and his family go back and forth from the house to the moving truck. Carla keeps an eye on him, unsure if her son would try to stow away in the truck to make sure he wouldn't have to be separated from Levi.

Levi glances over at the brunet every so often, guilt tugging at his chest. Eren's getting older now, Grisha is going to stop entertaining his affinity for dancing when he's excited and baking for fun eventually. He has so few friends as it is, he's not going to have anyone accept those things about him soon.

He can't do anything about it though, his mom has wanted to move almost since they got here five years ago. Frankly, his stomach is turning a little more at the fact that he isn't going to get to finish high school with Erwin and Hanji.

Two states away. He has to move two states away. He and Erwin are already making plans to look at the same colleges so he has an excuse to get away from his parents. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't angry with them for moving them all again for no reason. It's not as if one of his parents is getting uprooted for work, his mom's just bored and way more optimistic about moving than anyone else in their family.

Hanji says she's going to put together a plan for her, Levi, and Erwin to go backpacking in Europe in a few years but that's a few years longer than he wants to wait to see his best friends again.

He glances at Eren again. He'd be lying if he said he wouldn't miss that brat.

Levi's dad closes the truck. "C'mon Lee, it's time to go," his mom says with a grin.

Eren's face screws up sadly and he stands up on the porch. Levi watches him, waiting for him to run over. He told the kid he was leaving but they never said their goodbyes. Eren jumps off the porch, ready to run over but-

"Eren." Grisha towers over the eight year old. "Come inside, it's time for dinner."

When Eren glances back over, Levi's dad is pulling away from the house in the moving truck and Levi's mom is ready to pull out of the driveway in the car. It's too late.

He frowns hard and raises both of his hands. One to rub his eye before a tear spills out and the other to wave goodbye.

Levi considers getting out of the car but he grounds himself to the passenger's seat. His mom is ready to go and Petra's in the backseat. How will it look if he runs right now? He just wants Eren to stop crying.

He waves back, frowning as well.

It's ten years before they see each other again.