Crack of Sunlight (Ereri/Riren)

•~Chapter Eight~•

Sasha's surprise turned out to be dinner for a party of eight at probably the loudest restaurant Eren had ever been to (bless his poor ears for enduring it) where they had an even louder chorus of employees sing to him and more than half the restaurant chimed in (supposedly normal procedure, so he'd heard) and totally butchered the part where they sang his name because the majority of them didn't hear it initially. He shared subtle looks of sympathy with Armin, who wasn't all that fond of loud, crowded places. After the singing, he was showered with presents ranging from gag gifts (a roll of toilet paper, the center stuffed with lip gloss, courtesy of Connie who ended up covered in both things by the end of the meal) to gift cards (some for music, some for other things, courtesy mostly of Armin because it was all he could afford) to a rubber duck with an IOU attached to the bottom (from Ymir) all the way up to a portable Bluetooth speaker (courtesy of Christa, whose family was practically rich).

After that, they went paintballing, where they learned Jean had very poor aim, not so surprisingly earning him teasing about how Marco would always be top. To those he appropriately fired insults back to whomever said it before making googly eyes at his very blushing boyfriend and then, on more than one occasion, earning a paintball right in the chest or forehead.

At its conclusion, it turned out to be a fantastic night - one that Eren would surely remember for a long time. He kept his cool through the entirety of it about Levi and the three special words he was told by the man earlier that night, though inwardly he couldn't stop thinking about it. The only one who could tell something was up was, of course, Armin, who insisted he be told once they got a minute away from the others.

Between paintball fights, they escaped to the bathroom which turned out to be empty and he spilled the news to his blond friend.

"I talked to Levi earlier, and..."

"And what?" Armin pressed. He wasn't normally one to pry, but he knew it was something big.

Eren kept his eyes on himself in the mirror. "He told me he loves me."

Armin's mouth literally popped open and he stared, wide-eyed at his best friend for a good half a minute before composing himself and smiling. It was Armin's classic I knew it smile and Eren rolled his eyes to try and hide his blush.

Presently, a few weeks subsequent to that night, Eren sat out on his front porch with his mother while Mikasa was at school. They waited for Alex, who'd called him saying she bore news and had something for him. Naturally, she refused to tell him any details, causing him to sit with his leg bouncing anxiously. Carla placed her hand on said knee, stopping it, and squeezed gently.

"I'm sure whatever news she has isn't bad," she assured him.

"But she never says she needs to tell me in person...and I just have a feeling..."

"Eren, darling, do you believe Levi can beat his addiction?"

The brunet looked down at his mother, mildly startled. "Well...yeah, of course I do. He kind of already has."

"And do you believe he has the will to get better?"

He blinked at her. "Yes..."

A soft smile graced Carla's features. "And you've given him a reason to want to."

It wasn't formed as a question, but Eren nodded anyway.

"Then you should have faith that whatever Alex has to tell you is good news. And if it isn't, you should have faith that it's just another obstacle you both can get over, even if you can't directly be there for him. That's how it works."

Eren merely nodded. He knew she was right, but that was nothing new. It wasn't like him and Levi were officially together or anything - that was among the least of his worries - but they did have a connection. They loved each other, and that was what she meant.