My Dirty Little Secret

Secret Seventy-Seven: Family Matters

"Phantom!" Farlan and Isabel gasped as they saw the man. They thought for sure he would have died in that fire. Hanji had looked so depressed while staring at the paper they didn't know what else to assume.

"Hello you two," he smiled running towards them. Vincent grabbed their hands as he ran and dragged them along with him, "no time to explain I'll just tell you in the car!" he said. The two nodded, they understood this man was pretty crazy so they didn't ask. It was part of the rules to do anything he said, especially now that he was the boss.

They reached the car and went on their way. Vincent explained to them what was going to happen and the two stared at each other dumbfounded. Isabel smiled towards Farlan, "you know Phantom, you're a lot nicer than we'd thought you'd be. There is no way this is going to work."

"Nicer? You're saying that to the guy who pointed gun to your head our first meeting?" Vincent laughed. These two were strange but he liked them. If he didn't like them he wouldn't be going through all of this trouble, so they knew he must like them at least a bit.

"We understand why you did that," Farlan spoke, "it makes sense when you think about it. Love really is our weakness. We care about each other too much and someone was bound to use that against us eventually," he said.

"You think of me too highly," Vincent chuckled, "I really just toyed with you for my own amusement."

"'There are two things you need to know if we are ever to 'work' together,'" Isabel lowered her voice to try and make it seem a bit more like Vincent's.

"'One: don't let your 'love affair' distract you from the real issues,'" Farlan said, joining in.

"'Two: if you don't do everything I say you'll die,'" Isabel finished.

"You guys are so embarrassing," Vincent concentrated on the road to try and forget that memory. The two laughed at Vincent, he was a strange guy, the strangest they'd ever met, but he almost felt like one of them. If they could have anyone to adopt them, they'd want it to be Vincent.

"It was the truth," Farlan said, "if we didn't do exactly everything you said the night we collected the Titan's blood, we'd probably be dead. Not to mention all the other crazy shit you made us do."

"I have to admit, it was more fun than being ordered around by Chlaus," Isabel smiled.

"If this doesn't work, which there is a possibility it might not," Vincent said, "you can forget it ever happened and stay in The Basement...or join a circus."

"Why a circus?" they both asked.

"Because the circus is meant for people who haven't a place to belong."

...

Eren and Levi were eating lunch together along with the triplets. Life was normal, boring and normal. It was nice for a change to have nothing strange happen to them. Peaceful. Peace is a great and beautiful thing. However, it doesn't last long. 

Today would be the day something happened to them.

Levi specifically. 

The doorbell rang and Levi groaned, getting up to answer it. Eren offered to do it but something was telling Levi it was for him. Opening the door he saw a man, dressed in purple wearing a top-hat. He had a beauty-mark under his left eye along with this blue paint, kind of like a raindrop. Was this stranger in the circus or something?

The individual smiled, "you must be Levi," he spoke. Levi stiffened, confused. He'd never met this man before, how did he know who he was? "My name is Phantom," he continued to smile, watching Levi experience the same terror upon his realization that Farlan and Isabel went  through.

"P-Phantom?!" Levi stuttered. What did this legend from The Basement want from him? Had they decided not to let him continue to be free? What about Eren? Was he in danger? Is this Farlan and Isabel's doing?

"There is no need to be alarmed," he said, "I'm not here to cause trouble, well, I suppose in a way I am," he thought about it for a moment, "you see, the current leader of The Basement has been, eliminated, in a sense. I am now the ruler, you might say," a shadow cast itself over Vincent's eyes. Levi understood what he meant by that. This guy was implying that he had killed Chlaus...the leader who had lead The Basement for such a long time. But what did that have to do with Levi? "There are two individuals in my car," Phantom pointed, Levi could see them clearly. Farlan and Isabel. He clenched his teeth at the sight of them, wanting so much to give them a piece of his mind. Levi still hadn't forgiven them for what they had done to Eren, "we've created a cure. They're clean now and I am setting them free."

"That's all fine and dandy, but what the hell does that have to do with me?" Levi growled. Vincent grabbed the collar of Levi's shirt and closed the door behind him, bringing the shorter male outside. He picked up Levi and pressed him up against the door. Levi didn't see it coming, didn't know how to react.

"Don't you understand?" Vincent spoke coldly, "those two were protecting their lives. Sure, they shouldn't have taken their anger out on you, but you betrayed them, or at least that is what it felt like to them. They are sorry, truly they are, I'm not asking you to forgive them, I'm asking you to give them the chance to apologize. If you refuse me, sir, you are dooming them to a life of regrets and agony. They will never be able to find closure and they will never be able to move on."

"So what?" Levi glared, "what does that have to do with me? They deserve it."

"No, they do not. They were your family, they are your family, and you only get one chance to patch things up. Family is all you have in this world, boy. Fix it while you still can," he said. Levi knew he was right but he didn't want to admit it. Levi was too stubborn. 

Vincent let go of his collar, taking a few steps back. He waited for a few moments, allowing Levi to process his decision. However, Levi didn't seem to plan on changing his mind. Sighing, Vincent turned to leave, and began to walk down the steps of this house.

"Wait!" the door opened, Eren stood there calling out to the male, "Levi is being a dumbass! Don't leave, get Farlan and Isabel," he said.

"Eren?" Levi questioned, how long had he been there? Levi's eyes widened when he remembered that Phantom had closed the door. Did he do that because he saw Eren coming? Did he say those things on purpose? No, that couldn't be right, no one could be that devious...

Vincent turned on his heel and clapped his hands together, smiling brightly at the two, "I knew you'd understand!" he looked back at the car and gestured for the two to come out. 

Farlan and Isabel got out slowly, regretting their decision to come in the first place. They knew they had to face this but it didn't make it any easier. The two walked up the sidewalk, then the steps, and stood in front of Levi and Eren hanging their heads in shame.

"We're so-" before they could begin their apology, Eren hugged them both.

"I can't begin to imagine what happened to you two," he spoke, "I know what you put me through was terrifying and I was freaking out terribly for the longest time afterwards. But recently, I've thought about what must have happened to you to make you do those types of things. So you don't have to apologize," Eren separated himself and grinned, "I've already forgiven you. And this dumbass," he said pointing to Levi, "is sure to forgive you if I've already done it."

Farlan and Isabel didn't know what to say. Instead they just started crying, "Thank you," they said in unison. 

"Tch, you two were always so emotional," Levi groaned pulling the four of them into a group hug. Eren couldn't stop himself from crying too, that always happened when people started crying in front of him.

Vincent left for his car, glad that everything had worked out. He doubted that they'd ever cross paths again but he didn't realize that Eren and his son happened to know each other. So maybe they would meet again, under different circumstances. It was rare for people to connect Vincent Phantomhive with Phantom because they were so different but it wasn't impossible...