lovefool | eren x levi

one year.

♡

"congratulations on the baby, kuchel. i'm so sorry i haven't been able to talk to you before, with all these night shifts and..."

"no problem, no problem," kuchel said with a wave of her hand, bouncing the kid on her leg.

carla brushed a strand of hair out her face and smiled. she looked down at her own child.

"eren, don't put your mouth on that! it's nasty and has all types of germs."

eren glanced up at his mother and cooed, putting his hand back in his mouth with a grin. carla sighed and returned her attention to kuchel.

"kids. if grisha wasn't so eager to have them, heaven knows how stress-free i could be right now."

"oh, but they're worth it all the same," kuchel said, holding levi's sippy cup to his mouth. "i would've never changed this if i ever had a choice."

carla reached out for kuchel's hand, enclosing it between hers.

"kuchel, do you know? i've been thinking of you, and my heart aches for you with every given moment. i wish i could do more for you right now. nobody is able to understand how you feel right now, and i hope you understand that."

kuchel was caught between a gasp and a choke. she coughed, wiped her eyes, and sighed.

"ever since he died, i've just been on the edge, yeah? with, uh, with everything, really," she said, getting quieter with every word, "and you know, levi looks so much like his father."

"he does, he does," carla said, putting a hand on her cheek, and the other hand stopping eren from running off.

"he was the love of my life. he really was," she said, her eyes reddening. she looked down and carla got up from her seat across from her kuchel to sit next to her. she rubbed her back and eren stared curiously.

"it's like, i..." her voice cut off, drowned out by her bubbling cries. she wiped her eyes and sniffed.

"whenever i'm alone, i get these thoughts, and i, i just–i need someone to be there for me right now."

"yes, yes, of course, kuchel. always, okay? we'll raise levi together, and he'll be the best child you'll see by far, okay? eren, no, no, stop doing that."

"you don't have to do that, carla. i birthed levi, i can take ca–"

"i birthed eren, but do you think in any universe i would not allow grisha to watch him whenever i'm on the night shift?"

kuchel chuckled. "grisha is an exception. you've kept that man on a tight leash, he would probably abide by your every command out of fear."

"as he should! if i popped this baby out and go to work every day, he should fear me. i am superior."

kuchel took a large gulp out of her green tea. levi was sleeping now, stretched out on the booth. kuchel lifted him up and hoisted him on her waist with a groan.

"as if they don't weigh enough already."

"they always seem to get heavier when they're sleepy," carla said, getting up with eren and putting him on her waist. "heaven knows how i'll be able to carry eren when he's older. i can barely carry him now!"

kuchel walked out the door and was now on the sidewalk, facing carla and eren.

"i, um, thank you."

"what'd you say? i couldn't hear, eren was sputtering by my ear," carla said, opening up the exit for her.

"thank you, for, uh, everything. it was really fun, and i liked it."

"it's no problem at all! i love going out for tea with you, especially with the kids and stuff... call me whenever?"

"yeah, uh, sure," kuchel said, putting levi in the car seat. she got in her seat and adjusted her mirror. looking at levi through the mirror, she smiled.

"levi?"

he was sucking on a teething toy, but pulled it out his mouth and looked at his mother, babbling.

"i think you and eren will be grand friends."

♥

eren pulled himself up on the chair, cheered on by the whoops of both his parents.

"outstanding job, eren! you're doing so well, baby!" carla said, clapping her hands. eren glanced at his mom and dad reaching their arms to him, and he took one step forward.

"yes! there you go, eren! keep doing it, keep going!"

eren took one more step before falling into his mother's arms. his dad, who was behind carla, patted his back and picked him up.

"that was so good! i'm so proud of you, son!"

eren giggled as grisha bounced him up and down. carla squished his cheeks.

"you're such a smart child. we love you so much."

♥

"i love you so much."

kuchel sat in the middle of the room with levi, trying to soothe his crying.

"i love you so much, lev. i love you more than everything."

levi was swaddled in a warm blanket in kuchel's arms. he wasn't loudly fussing like he was earlier, but he wasn't drifting to sleep either. with eyes big and bold, he stared up at kuchel.

she was trying his best to calm him down with the little resources she had. being a single mom, she wasn't able to bring in stable money and care for levi at the same time, so with the help of extremely odd jobs and babysitting, she was able to bring in enough money to pay bills.

and so, levi did not have many toys. living was expensive; not to mention taking care of an entire child. she would be lying if she said that she never had the thought of neglecting her son. but, between carla's hope and levi's heart, she never could bring herself to act on her thoughts.

"yove?"

kuchel stared at levi with astonishment, before a beaming smile sketched its way unto her mouth.

"love, lev. love."

"yove."

kuchel kissed levi on the head and then nodded. "love."