Crack of Sunlight (Ereri/Riren)

•~Chapter Seven~•

"Happy Birthday, Eren!" chorused Carla and Mikasa together the minute Eren set foot in the living room.

He smiled sleepily at them. "Thanks, guys," he yawned.

"We made French Toast," said Carla.

Eren's eyes immediately lit up and the scent of cinnamon, vanilla, maple syrup, and frying oil greeted his nose as he wandered toward the kitchen.

"And stayed up late wrapping presents," said Mikasa pointedly, gesturing to two neatly wrapped gifts waiting for him on the table. He raised his brows.

"You guys didn't have to get me anything..."

Mikasa sighed. "I knew you'd say that. But it's too late, so you'll have to open them and enjoy them."

"Can't argue with that..."

Eren got down plates for Carla to serve the absolutely heavenly smelling pieces of French toast on and they sat down to eat. Eren practically drowned his in syrup while Mikasa glowered at him in disgust, barely using any on hers and Carla tsked him for using so much, scolding him and telling him how bad all that sugar was for him.

"Shush, it's my birthday," he mumbled in excuse before shoving half a piece of toast in his mouth.

"Boys are so gross," mumbled Mikasa.

"Come on, 'Kasa, you're fourteen. You're too old to be thinking that."

The faintest of blushes rose to Mikasa's cheeks and she averted her eyes to her food. Eren saw right through her and nudged her under the table with his foot, a grin spreading across his face. "Someone has a cruuush," he sang teasingly.

"Shush up, Eren," she mumbled. "You're not even close."

"Uh huh, sure."

She rolled her eyes. Carla chuckled, shaking her head. "You two are hopeless."

They finished their breakfast and Mikasa insisted Eren open his presents before she had to leave for the bus stop. One of them was the latest season of Supernatural, completing his collection thus far. The other was a book and a gift card to buy music with.

"Sorry it's not much," said Carla.

"No, it's great. Thank you both."

Mikasa was on her way out the door when Eren's ringtone sounded from the kitchen table. The caller ID showed Sasha, and he braced himself as he muttered a hello into the receiver. A very tone-deaf chorus of 'Happy Birthday to You' erupted so loudly into his ear that he had to hold the phone several inches away from his ear until it was over.

"Has anyone ever told you guys how tone deaf you are?" he joked half-heartedly.

"Damn, Eren! Just 'cause it's your birthday doesn't give you the right to be rude," muttered Jean.

"Take a joke, Kirstein!" Connie shot back.

"Thanks, guys," Eren went on.

"So how does the big two-oh feel?" Ymir asked.

"I've been twenty for like two minutes, how should I know?"

"Aw c'mon, Eren, don't tell me you're one of those people."

"What? One of what people?"

"One of those people who's all stickler about the exact time you were born. Seriously. Who. Cares." It was clear Ymir was rolling her eyes.

"What's wrong with that?" came Armin's innocent tenor.

That initiated lighthearted arguing between them on their, of course, very strong opinions on whether or not it was cool to know and care about the exact time you were born. Only being over the phone, Eren was unable to detect who had what opinion.