Between The Lines | eren x levi (editing)

Two

Eren absolutely hated math almost more than he hated his father, but really, that was an understatement. The only times he actually found math useful was when he heard these loud but quick sounds that seemed to be coming from upstairs. It was like counting sheep, but the highest amount of bangs he heard was a total of twenty six. He always made up theories of what the sounds may be; a drunk man (probably his father) trying to his find his way to the couch, someone trying to whack a fly but breaking everything around them in the process or maybe someone getting the shit beaten out of them. Eren wouldn't be so surprised if it were to be all three scenarios.

The night after that frenzy of bangs, his mom disappeared without a warning.

Eren never asked his father where she could possibly be. She didn't return ever since and Eren knew how his father would react if he demanded for answer. He would hurt him for asking such a thing- such an innocent and harmless question, but Eren didn't ask and so his father didn't answer.

That was just how things were.

---

Eren tiredly walked down the stairs and grabbed his backpack on his way to the door. His hand was just about to turn the doorknob when a sharp and booming voice stopped him in his tracks. Eren flinched but didn't turn around.

"You better do well on your tests today and by well, I mean perfect. I don't want to be disappointed again, Eren."

"Yes, Gri- I mean dad."

Grisha raised his eyebrows and showed him an accusing look. Eren had a bad habit of calling him his actual name because he hated the idea of having to call him father or dad. Grisha didn't find it respectful whenever Eren's addressed using his name.

"Whatever. Leave. Your face is giving me a headache."

Demon, Eren thought to himself. He's the very spawn of the devil, and acts as grouchy as Mikasa does on her period.

He left quickly and eagerly and felt his face light up when he saw Mikasa waiting for him. She smiled and ran to him, shoving him playfully and almost making Eren lose his much needed balance.

"Morning," she greeted.

"Hey," Eren said back as they started to walk on their way to school.

"Mind if I come over today for homework?" she asked hopefully and readjusted her red scarf.

"Why?" Eren demanded, his tone sharp and harsh without intending to.

"Our science project, remember? And I've never been over before, despite me dating you," she explained and ended her sentence sounding like a question.

Oh shit, Eren thought. How could I forget about that fact?

"Oh," he simply said.

"Oh what?" she asked, her eyes narrowing with confusion.

"It's just... I can't have people at my house," he said as he avoided her questioning gaze. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," she told him quietly.

They stayed silent for the rest of their time together. it wasn't bothersome or awkward. A good quality of Mikasa's was that she didn't mind the silence and didn't feel like she had to fill it with some useless conversation; she merely liked being by his side. The view of the school finally arrived before them and she started to walk ahead of him.

"I'll see you later," she called over her shoulder.

"Yeah," he replied, knowing she could no longer hear him.

---

"Fuck," Eren mumbled under his breath as he felt the cold rain splatter all over his body. The sky was a thick layer of clouds and looked gloomy and grey. Eren didn't think to bring an umbrella or jacket because it seemed perfectly fine that morning.

It was the end of the school day and Eren did not want to walk out in the pouring, freezing rain. He would get totally drenched, and he did not want a shower at all. He silently mumbled a thread of swears to himself as he leaned against the school entrance wall. The cool wind brushed against his skin as he fished for his phone in his pocket.

He didn't have many contacts, only Mikasa, Armin, Connie and Jean for some reason despite them fighting all the time, and his doctor. Armin was probably too busy with his homework and extra lessons and there was no way he was going to ask Mikasa to pick him up; she was already home and he didn't want to expose her to Grisha. Then there was Connie, but that idiot never picked up his phone. He was probably too busy with his girlfriend Sasha Braus.

Isn't this just swell.

Eren had befriended someone from the doctor's office, so there was a big chance she would answer because she had such an outgoing personality. He pressed the call button and pressed his phone to his ear as he shivered from the cold.

"Hello. You have reached the doctor's office. Hanji Zoe speaking," she answered gleefully.

"Hey, wacko," he replied through gritted teeth.

"Oh my! Eren, it's you! I haven't heard from you in a while, buddy," she said. "What can I do for you? You're not hurt, right?"

"I'm fine, but I'm going to freeze my ass off. I need a ride and you're basically my only hope," Eren explained with an embarrassed laugh.

"No problem, kid. I'll send someone for you because I'm actually quite busy at the moment." She hung up before he could say anything else.

He shoved the phone back into his jeans as he waited patiently. Eren thought that maybe she was going to send that tall, blond man with those ridiculously thick eyebrows.

Just when Eren was starting to get worried, a screech of a car could be heard in the distance. A small, silver Volvo car's tires zoomed against the wet pavement and the engine growled louder than the wind. It pulled up right in front of the teenager and he jumped back in surprise. The car's passenger window rolled down and the face of a man in his early twenties was staring right back at him. Sharp, cold and piercing, steel grey eyes studied the boy as Eren did the same. The man's hair was styled in a sophisticated, black undercut and he looked like he was ready to kill someone despite his expressionless face.

"So you're Eren," he stated in his soft, baritone voice. "Get in the car."

---

AN:

standing out in the pouring rain is not fun

anyways, i hope you enjoy this rewritten chapter!

~yo main hoe takeshi