Notes:
This is something that's
been on my mind for a while now.
The first chapter is a a bit short,
as it's just a beginning and introduction to
the main characters. It's harmless as far as warnings
go. Just a bit of language on Levi's part.
Please enjoy.

People always say that you should never grow up too fast. That you should never take on the world before you're ready. But sometimes, you don't have a choice...

Chapter One:

The hollow sound of the casket being dropped six feet under made me flinch as I watched as my mother was buried. Rain drizzled from the sky, kissing my skin as if in apology for the anguish I was feeling at the moment. There was nothing that could make this better, nothing could bring her back. And that was a fact that I'd have to live with. I was only sixteen, and Mikasa, my foster sister, was a year older, but the state now recognized us as adults, given the circumstances. Dad was god knows where, and we had no other living relatives. We were going to be too old for foster care soon, so they didn't want to waste money by placing us in the system.

"Eren." A soft voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I turned, facing my best friend. Armin's blue eyes were full of sympathy and worry. He had lost both his parents when he was young and currently lived with his grandfather.

"I'm okay." It was an automatic response, something I'd been practicing and had down to a T since I found out my mother had gotten in that horrible car accident. I'd been saying it so many times that I almost believed it myself. But Armin knew better than that, and in an instant, his small arms were wrapped around me gently.

"You're more than welcome to stay with us Eren. We won't mind at all." He'd been putting that offer on the table for days now, and my answer was always the same. I always said that I'd figure something out, that I'd get a job and rent an apartment. We'd be fine on our own.

"You already know my answer Armin. We're gonna be okay. I'll work something out, so don't worry about us." But he did worry. And I knew he always would. The three of us had known each other practically forever, and we always had each other's backs whenever the situation called for it. But I'd stick with my lie. We'd be fine.

It wasn't until after the funeral, that Mikasa spoke. Her voice, usually calm and collected, was thick with emotion. She stopped walking, and I almost didn't realize until I heard her voice tear through the awkward,thick silence.

"Eren." The sound of name alone gave me pause, and I turned around to face her, noticing the look on her face for the first time since we were told mom had died. Her dark eyes were glistening, most likely with tears she hadn't shed yet, and her face was pale. Far more pale than it usually was. To be quite honest, she didn't look well. And that was saying something, because she always looked well. Better than well most days. So the sight of her like this was a little unnerving. "Where are you going to stay? I can crash at Annie's for a while, but it's you I'm worried about. For a foster sister, she worried a lot about my well being. People always swore we were blood related, even though we weren't.

"I'll stay at Armin's or something while I look for a place to work. I'll lie about my age if I have to. Just until we can get on our feet, okay?" I tried to smile, to show her that everything would be okay. That I had this all under control, even when in reality, that was the furthest thing from the truth. I was just as scared as she was. Maybe even more so, but it didn't matter. I was going to make this work, even if I had to work my ass off to make it happen. "You go on ahead, find Annie. I'm going to go job hunt. And before you say anything, I'll be back at Armin's before midnight. Don't worry about me."

She nodded, staying silent for a long moment. That was the thing she did when was worried about me, and I was being my usual stubborn-as-a- mule self. She always grew silent and did this little nod to acknowledge my words. Then she'd turn away and leave me to my unruly thoughts as I headed in the opposite direction.

"I love you." She called out to me, making me smile. Despite everything, she and I were really close. Closer than your average siblings. And it showed in our daily interactions.

"I love you too." I made my way downtown on foot, letting Mikasa take the old car. The rain had stopped by the time I made it there, not that it was a long walk. It was only a block or two away from our old house and the cemetery. The first thing that caught my eye was a brightly colored sign that read 'Now Hiring' in neon green. Eager to find work, I rushed over and pushed open the door. A blast of thick cigarette smoke and loud laughter slammed into me full force the moment I was inside and I couldn't hold back a cough. Looking around, I found that I was in a dimly lit bar, filled with tables that were occupied by loud, drunken men. It hit me that it was probably a gay bar; there were quite a few in town. Not that it bothered me; I'd take work wherever I could get it.

"You old enough to be in here kid?" A bored, masculine voice spoke from behind me, causing me to jump and whirl around to face him.

The man behind me was short. Shorter than me and I was only sixteen. He also had close cropped, raven colored hair that was parted in the middle. His skin was pale and flawless, and his eyes a steel grey that reminded me of the clouds outside. That piercing stare was only made more obvious by the black eyeliner he wore. There was a silver bar piercing that ran through one of his eyebrows. In short, the man was beautiful. Though his outfit was rather interesting. Tight black pants wrapped around his slender legs, and his torso was covered by a black Skinny Puppy t-shirt, a band I'd never heard of before. The dark colors were quite the contrast against his pale complexion.

"Are you?" I retorted, unintentionally mocking his short stature. I almost regretted it, after the way his eye twitched and he shot me the dirtiest glare I'd ever seen in my life. The saying 'if looks could kill' ran through my head.

"I'm twenty-four. What are you, fifteen? You look awfully young to be in a bar, kid."

"I'm twenty-one, actually. My mom's genetics." It was the smoothest lie I'd ever told. Or at least I thought it was.

"Tch. Go home before your mom worries kid. I don't wanna be involved with any cops if she gets pissed."

I hadn't realized I'd started crying until the man cursed, pushing my shoulder ad leading me to a bar stool. He didn't seem to care that I was underage now.

"Hanji! Get him a shot of whatever the fuck you have back there. He looks like he could use something strong." Turning back to me, he pushed me onto the stool. "Spill."

"My mom died two days ago. Just got done with her funeral actually. The cemetery isn't too far from here."

"Here, this the best I have." The woman behind the counter spoke, eyeing me through her glasses. "And I swear to god Levi, if he's as young as he looks, you better take the blame."

"He's twenty-one. Checked his ID at the door, and it checks out. Calm your tits woman."

I was mildly surprised that this "Levi" was lying for me. Heobviously could tell I wasn't the legal drinking age, nowhere close to it. ButI ignored it for now, and grabbed the glass in front of me, downing itscontents in one quick gulp. The alcohol burned intensely as it went down mythroat, but still, I wanted more. Pushing the glass towards the bartender,Hanji, I looked at her expectantly. And with the way they stared at me, Ithought there was something on my face at first. Then I noticed that Levi'seyes held shock, while Hanji's held concern.

"Honey, if you really are twenty-one, you just turned twenty-one.I'd rather not get you drunk in a rundown little bar. Trust me; wait till you gethome for that." Hanji spoke, shaking her head as she took the glass from me andset it aside.

"This brings me to my unasked question. What the hell are you evendoing in a bar in the first place? And a gay bar at that." It was Levi whospoke now, and I tore my gaze from the bartender to look at the man who lookedperpetually pissed off. "You don't seem like the type."

"I saw the sign in the window. Now hiring? I'll take what I canget. Just to get me on my feet again." It was the truth, and I didn't evenattempt to lie about it. They'd just find me out by my face anyway.

Hanji was suddenly hovering over me like I was some abused kitten she'd found on the side of the road. It was a little disturbing, and quite awkward because her chest was all over my face.

"Oi, Hanji, quit somthering him before he does of something other than alcoholism."

"But Levi!" She whined, in this cute yet annoying way. "The poor thing doesn't have much to live on, if I'm reading between the lines correctly. It's so sad!"

There was a scoff that left Levi's lips and his eyes rolled. The first new expression I'd seen on his face since I'd been here. "No. The answer to whatever the hell you're thinking, is no."

"Levi please? It's not like it would be too much trouble. I mean, I'd do it, but you know how Rico gets when I bring guys home with me."

"Yeah, that's because your roommate's a whore. She'll throw herself at anything with a penis. It's a wonder she hasn't jumped all over my dick yet."

Hanji rolled her eyes at him, grabbing a rag and washing the counter with it. "Yeah, she is. But she's a great friend. She's a bitch, true. But she has your back when it's needed. As for why she hasn't jumped you yet, it's because you give her looks that make her think she won't survive to the next day."

As amusing as their argument was, I was airless annoyed at being treated as though I weren't even there. "Um, what exactly are you bickering about?"

They both stopped, as if they were finally realizing that I was still there. It was Hanji who spoke first.

"You don't have a place to stay, right? Which is why you're staying with Levi."