Crack of Sunlight (Ereri/Riren)

•~Chapter Three~•

Eren didn't realize how tired he was until he slipped into the passenger seat of Alex's car and breathed a brief apology.

"Don't worry about it," she said coolly, shifting it into reverse and sliding smoothly out of the parking lot. "So...how much does my little brother resent me?"

Eren frowned. "What? He doesn't."

"Hmm..."

"Really, Alex."

"Maybe so. But I bet he still thinks I hate him. Or should, anyway. No?"

"Well..." Eren mumbled. He didn't want to say yes, but he didn't want to lie to her either. It didn't matter, though. She knew, and she sighed heavily as she sped up once they got to the highway.

"Well thank you, Eren. If it weren't for you, I don't think he'd be around anymore. I mean, whether it's mentally or physically."

"You really don't have to thank me."

"Yes. I do."

The teen looked at her straight despite her inability to look back as she watched the nearly deserted highway go by.

"What if it was Reiner?" he asked quietly.

"Um...care to elaborate?"

"What if Reiner was the one who's been addicted to drugs for eight years, and you were the one to help him recover? Would you want all these people thanking you?"

That seemed to baffle the woman for a minute. "Well...I'm not really sure. I just know that I'd be more concerned about him getting better so he could come home and start living his life again...so I could be close and help him stay clean. That is...if he wanted me around."

"Exactly," Eren murmured, looking once more out the window.

Alex's voice was just as soft. "You feel that strongly for Levi, do you?"

Immediately Eren felt mildly embarrassed, even shy. He hadn't really thought of how strongly he felt for Levi. All he knew was that he cared for him, loved him, and wanted to see the life return to his eyes more than anything. He'd been too wrapped up in trying to make that happen that he never considered how strong his feelings really were. But now that Levi was in better care, professional care, he realized he had a lot more time to sort things like that out.

"Well...yeah, I do," he mumbled, angling his face so Alex would be unable to see it, even out of the corner of her eye. He felt the truth in his words despite the embarrassment.

"I'm glad," Alex articulated smoothly. "He needs someone like you. But I guess I shouldn't be pretending to know what he needs. You've been more present in his life in the past several months than I have in probably five years..."

Eren could feel the guilt radiating off of her. If there was anything the Ackermans seemed to be good at, it was feeling guilty and practically drowning themselves in it, thinking of more and more ways to blame themselves.

"You're making up for it," Eren assured her.

"Hmm..."

He could tell she didn't believe him. "Really, Alex. Even if it's little by little...and let me tell you, it's no small thing to be the one with the insurance so he can get this treatment."

"I suppose..."

"Better late than never," the teen murmured, resting his head back and fighting to keep his eyes open.

To that, Alex didn't reply, leaving a good ten miles of silence. Inevitably, Eren started dozing off with the smooth movement of the car easily lulling him toward a state of slumber. When he was pulled back to consciousness, it was by Alex's voice.