Chapter 1

Blind Date

"You did what?" You asked Hange unbelievingly.

"I set you up on a blind date tonight! Don't worry, I'll babysit Eren for as long as necessary, but please go! He'd probably kill me for wasting his time if you didn't show up." She grinned at you, her glasses catching in the last rays of morning light filtering in through your thin curtains causing her to appear a bit maniacal.

"Jesus, Hange. I told you I wasn't interested in dating right now." You said, setting your coffee mug down and rubbing the bridge of your nose between your eyes.

"I know, but look, he's even got a daughter just a little bit older than Eren, and he's an ex-corporal in the military who now works for one of the best Software companies in the States, The Legion!" Her glasses still had that maniacal glint to them, making you cringe.

"Ex-military? You know I'm not a fan of anything militarized..." You said, your voice trailing off before returning with a vengeance, "If all this douche wants to talk about is guns rights and-" Hange raised her hand, silencing you.

"He's not like that. He's actually a decent guy, but he is a bit dickish. Then again," she said, tilting her head to peer over the rims of her glasses, "So are you."

"An ex-military dick. Okay, I think I've heard all there is. You can call him and-"

For the second time in five minutes, Hange cut you off, "He's got a daughter about Eren's age, he makes hella good money, and he's damn attractive. You're going," she finished, slamming her hand on the kitchen table, causing Eren to squeal and begin crying from the next room.

After retrieving your squalling son from the living room, you retook your seat across from Hange, "What's her name?" You asked softly as you cradled a still-whimpering Eren to your chest. He'd always been afraid of loud noises.

"Who?" Hange asked confused, a look of sorrow on her face for making Eren cry.

"His daughter, you dolt." You said, more interested in his kid than him.

"Oh, right," she laughed, "Her name is Mikasa, and she's a doll baby. Hair black as night and onyx gray eyes just like her daddy."

"How old is he?"

"Well, you'd never be able to tell from looking at him, but he's thirty-one."

"Thirty-one? Hange, he's eight years older than me?" You asked, dumbfounded.

"Look, he's attractive as hell, but a little on the short side, well, of everything," she laughed.

"What do you mean?" You asked, hoping like hell he wasn't a midget. Your brain made a quick mental image of you next to Tyrion Lannister, and while he was an awesome character in Game of Thrones, you weren't sure you'd be able to live with Grumpy the Dwarf the rest of your life.

"Well, his temper, and his height too, but don't worry he's still an inch taller than you!"

"5'5" isn't so short, I guess," you mused as you swirled your coffee before taking another sip, careful not to drip any on the now sleeping Eren in your lap.

"5'5"?" Hange asked, "I thought you were 5'2"," she stared at you unblinkingly.

"This man is 5'3"?" You asked, eyes staring daggers at her.

"Well, yes (Y/N), but listen-."

This time it was your time to cut her off, "So you're telling me, you set me up with an ex-military, short-tempered, and just plain short, single-daddy in hopes that our only thing in common, that of us both being single parents, would be enough to combat everything else that is probably going to send us ripping out each other's throats?"

"Did I mention he's also a clean freak?" She said, smiling sheepishly while taking in her disheveled surroundings.

It wasn't that you were a dirty person, but trying to take care of a home, while also maintaining a toddler all by yourself had its limits. You could have Eren's meals ready for him when he woke up, or you could spend time picking up around the house. The latter never won out.

"Fuck me, Hange. It better not be an at-home date." You said, noting the mile high pile of dirty dishes, along with the grime-caked oven top, which actually made you cringe a bit and you knew every meal that had been cooked on it in the last year.

"No, no no, don't worry. I'll be watching little Eren here at your place, and you'll be going to this nice little sit-down bar-and-grill called The Titan's Way." She smiled at you.

"The Titan's Way? I've never heard of it."

"Don't worry, I've been there a thousand times. It's really good. Try the avocado burger, and order black tea to go with it."

"Black tea? Why, I prefer gre-"

"Just order black for the night." She kept on smiling.

"Does this man have a tea-kink or something? I've never even heard of having a tea-kink." You said, stroking Eren's hair.

"It's not so much a kink as a preference. A really deep preference. Okay? He's a tea snob." She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, "But don't worry about that now. How about you lay Eren down and I'll help you pick out an outfit for tonight." The maniacal glare back.

"Are you sure I won't end up regretting this?" You asked, looking down at your son. You'd planned on spending the night cuddling with him and watching old Land Before Time movies.

"(Y/N), I can promise you won't fully regret it," she giggled.

You groaned and leaned your head down to rest atop Eren's head, his silky hair tickling your nose.

"Now look, come on before you fall asleep, and let's go pick out an outfit!"

"I guess," you said, defeated.