Lack of sunlight is said to be a risk factor for depression, and so both Eren and Levi moved to California, where it was brutally warm and sunny almost all the time. His parents, having started a business and all, remained in Italy but would visit Eren and his new husband as much as he could. His parents had always been decently wealthy, so it wasn't a struggle at all.
Eren was twenty-five now while Levi had just turned thirty- two, and both had found careers are themselves. Eren was a published author while Levi was an ASL teacher at a local secondary school and a counselor on the side. Despite their marriage, the road towards it was not always happy; Eren still experienced panicked attacks from time to time while Levi had pangs of extreme guilt and anxiety. They would fight sometimes but would always fall into one another's arm by the end of the night. For a few weeks after Levi's suicide attempt, he stayed in the hospital with minimal visits from Eren because he required time to think and analyze the situations. It was during the third week when he realized he couldn't be away from him, he couldn't stand it. It was so natural and easy to forgive, for they did not want to lose each other a second time.
Levi did, eventually, meet Eren's parents after his release from the hospital after his suicide attempt. Carla did not cry because, like Eren, she felt like she didn't deserve to. She had purchased different assortments of bouquets for him and told him how sincerely sorry she was for being an awful mother and overall human being for those past new months. She had been ready to get on her knees for forgiveness, but Levi had already forgiven her a long, long time ago. He had reached out to plant a firm but shaking hand on her shoulder, looked her in the eye and told her she didn't need to be sorry for anything because it was because of her motherly instinct, and the motherly instinct to protect one's children was understandable. When Grisha flew over to their home country for a brief visit and to accompany Carla back to Italy, he spoke to Levi like they were old friends and greeted him enthusiastically. He too also apologized for not handing over his son so easily, but Levi also forgave him. Soon the two of them were parents Levi never had. They always made sure to invite him to annual family trips, sent him presents on his birthday and other various holidays and spoke to him over Skype if they had the time. For a few years Carla had kept her distance in fear that Levi would think she was trying to win him over so easily, but Levi picked this behavior up and told her she didn't need to be so formal and polite and that they should acknowledge what happened but not speak about it unless brought up in a serious conversation.
It was hard to tell who proposed to who first because when they both went on a romantic getaway to the Philippines, they both whipped out a small box at the same time. At first, they were quite surprised and startled that they had thought the same thing, but laughed it off and proceeded to place the rings on one another before dancing on a beach in Cebu. The wedding was crowded with Eren's family and relatives while Levi had no guests of his own because Kenny was still rotting away in prison and Levi's other relatives were either dead or he disliked them. Even so, Eren made sure Levi didn't feel terrible and sad about it and told everyone to make Levi feel welcomed, but they already did before he even opened his mouth. Everyone was accepting of him even when he had confessed what he did. No one saw him as criminal or a manipulator, they saw him as Eren's love.
Levi was never this happy in his life. His chest was constantly tight with the feeling of intense delight and euphoria, and he could never keep still. He felt as if someone had stuffed a cage of bees in his heart, but it felt nice. He would catch himself smiling at the most unexpected moments, and Eren noticed this as well. Eren would catch his face in one hand, plant a kiss on his mouth and tell him how good he looked whenever he simply smiled. What was there not to be happy about? They lived in a beautiful modern beach house where many of the walls were replaced by gigantic windows to allow the light to inhabit the floors and every bit of the rooms, they were successful in their careers and Eren's panic attacks were decreasing. Even so, Levi would sometimes be sitting on a stool in front of a window, letting the sunlight bathe him as he stared blankly ahead. His face didn't show it, but Eren knew this was Levi's own way of remembering what he wanted to forget, his own way of reliving his nightmares unintentionally. They attacked him from nowhere and whenever this happened, Levi always sat in front of the same window. It was like a routine. Now, it was Eren who also took care of Levi. He would leave him alone for a few seconds before approaching him and reassuring him that the past is dead and the future was luminous and great. Before moving to California, Eren did finish university and was fortunate enough to graduate with a few of his friends, along with Levi who had to be convinced to attend. Much to his surprise, they accepted Levi even though they were told about his criminal past. They didn't give much thought to it and claimed that a bad past shouldn't affect one's ability to learn. They had been well known on campus, but also experienced harassment, especially when word went around about what Levi used to be. Eren and Levi always ignored it because they had faced worse, much worse. Nothing besides the absence of one another could hurt them now.
