Author: Skyver Pi
(^Name changeee~!)

Summary: "Perhaps I should rephrase that." Levi said bluntly, "I don't want to take care of your kid. I have enough problems as it is, and looking after a little brat who just graduated from using diapers isn't something I want to get involved with." That's what he said, but after being blackmailed, the young man is forced to look after the said brat. Modern AU. Series of drabbles/one-shots. Parental!Levi. FLUFFINESS.

Disclaimer: I do not own the cover image or Shengeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan

Beta: Not-beta'd.

Eager Wings

^i^

"Once Upon A Nightmare"

A shrill scream pierced the still night air.

Levi shot up from his bed, heart thrashing violently against his chest, threatening to break through the cage protecting it. Without wasting a moment, the man's hand shot under his pillow and grabbed for a concealed pocket knife before he hastily pushed away the bed covers and bounded off the mattress in a single graceful motion. Although his sight still needed to adjust to the darkness, and he was momentarily blind from the blood rushing to his head, the lithe man could navigate seamlessly through the room as if it were day. Not even ten seconds had passed before Levi threw open his bedroom doorway and dashed through the pitch black house, passing by both the kitchen and living room to reach the source of the terrified shriek.

Eren.

The boy was in trouble.

Levi swore, cursing his luck

Damn it.

He reached the other end of the house in mere seconds, finding him-self outside the kid's closed door. The stout man didn't hesitate at the entrance and was quick to open the door and surge forwards into the small bedroom. While entering, Levi flicked out the large knife he had snatched, schooling his features and preparing for the worst situation – just in case.

Upon his immediate entrance, Levi's narrow eyes let the faint starlight of the nighttime fill the room from the window. However, he was met with an unexpected sight.

Instead of a tall threatening figure that the formal criminal had assumed would appear, there was only a small boy sitting up on the bed, huddled in forest green blankets and staring fearfully up towards Levi. He took notice of how the figure quivered shamelessly, wide-eyed and frightened beyond comprehension.

Levi moved deliberately, his hand slow to tuck away the sharp blade into the pocket of his sweatpants before reaching out with the other to flick on the light switch. Once the florescent lights glowed the room regained its usual color scheme; the sudden change blinded both Eren and Levi for a moment.

The man didn't speak up, nor did he approach the traumatized child, but he met Eren's intense gaze levelly. Eren relaxed somewhat at his familiar face, reassured that it wasn't a monster that barged into the bedroom.

No words were exchanged for a good few minutes, and Levi still refrained from approaching the still terrified kid. Instead, he leaned back, taking up residence at the doorway. His half-lidded gaze watched the rest of the room as if he was bored, but honestly what else could he do? Give Eren a hug and kiss alright? Tell him to shut up and get over a bad dream? Levi didn't think either option would be welcomed. He had absolutely no experience of comforting children. He wasn't particularly enthused about doing so, either. His own childhood was deprived and without much comfort, but he has survived the haunts and demons through the years. Though that was how he was raised. The stout man grew up needing no one, and the few friends from his childhood were already long gone. However, Eren was different. He didn't grow up like him. Eren was an attention-seeking, spoiled, messy kid that loved too much and had an annoying habit of getting under Levi's skin.

Eren was…

"I-I had a nightmare," a less then audible whisper sliced through the silence. Levi tilted his head and stared at Eren as he finally snapped out of his dazed shock. Though the turquoise irises were now carefully glued to the bed, observing the simple patterns of the green quilt.

"I know." The black-haired man was blunt as always, but there was a distinct softness his normally callous voice. "Your screaming woke me up."

If tonight was any other normal night, the young kid would've either blushed or pouted angrily from the embarrassment of causing such a scene – but this night was anything but normal.

Eren's face turned pale and desolate as he murmured a hollow, but guilty, "I'm sorry."

Any and all Levi's thoughts screeched to a halt and the small man clenched his hand at Eren's apology. It seemed so wrong. It seemed so damned wrong that this child, the filthy obnoxious brat that couldn't keep his temper or mischief under control, had once again withered away and been reduced to the grief-stricken kid Levi had watched over during their first month together…and even during that first week, Eren hadn't once woken up screaming from nightmares nor did he act like the shell of a child he was currently.

It was his body that moved before his mind.

Levi, in all his irritation, walked forward and placed his free hand on Eren's shoulder, keeping a firm grip even as the kid jumped from the sudden shock. The artificial lights of the room lit up his intense stare tenfold as he ordered crisply, "Shut up, Eren, and listen to me."

The fact that Levi has said his name and not 'brat' definitely left Eren a bit dazed and questioning reality right then, but the man didn't leave much of a break between phrases.

"I told you when you first got here that you need to pull yourself together, and you did. I have never seen a kid do that before. I don't deal with kids in the first place, but you're a different kind of brat. So don't be like this, don't look like your life is over when it hasn't fucking started yet. I'm not telling you to forget what happened to you, or pretend you're not frightened. Just...just don't look so...You're safe here, I'll always make sure of that."

Levi's pointer finger tapped lightly against Eren's small chest.

Eren looked up at him with eyes of a kicked puppy, salty tears already cascading down his round face. The boy hiccuped once, twice, before the boy leaned forwards and reached out and wrapped his tiny arms around Levi's torso.

Levi froze; his entire body stiffened from the unexpected embrace. Eren was crying and hiccuping all at once now. Snot and tears dirtying the plain night tee he wore to bed. It was a struggle to not do something. And yet, whether that something was to hug the kid back or push him away could be disputed. A small part of Levi wanted nothing to do with this. It would be easy to drop off the boy at an orphanage and be done with everything. Even if Grisha Jaeger followed through with the blackmail, Levi could move away and start over in another country. He could find a new job and make a living without the troubles of raising Eren.

The other part of him wanted to make the brat happy and give him the chance of a brighter future, giving him something Levi never had.

Damn it all, Levi groaned inwardly while regarding Eren's clinging figure with a mask of indifference. The somber atmosphere was saturating the air and making it difficult to breathe.

"I-I-I saw M-mom-y-y," Eren wept, the weight of his nightmare was crushing his frail heart. Levi was the only source of warmth the boy had, and so he grasped at the life-line. He needed Daddy. He needed Mommy. He needed somebody, anybody. He had refused Levi before, but Eren couldn't deal with his nightmares any longer. He had tried and tried to be stronger, but it felt like he was breaking…and no matter what Levi said, Eren couldn't keep standing so strong.

"I-I saw M-mommy. An' the bad man. He k-killed her. Again an' aga'n. An' h-he killed me. Again an' aga'n…I hate him. I hate him! I wanna kill 'em and bring Mommy back! I wanna kill 'em! Mommy didn't 'ave to die! It's his – it's their fault. " Eren cried out, sobbing hysterically from his fears and desperation. Eren could still see the picture of his mother's face writhing in agony. The men in that room hurting her in ways the boy couldn't comprehend, not knowing her small son was hidden away and watching in horror the slow and brutal death of his only mother.

And he remembered every detail so precisely.

How they tortured her.

How they continued demanding answers.

How red liquid dripped and dripped from her still form like blood-red flower petals falling to the ground.

How he held back his screams and cries that were filled with such disbelief and anguish…

How he felt the unimaginable rage and sorrow boiling through his body.

How he dashed out of his hiding place and reached for a knife, trembling with fury as he screamed for blood-lust. The monsters had murdered his mother. They had murdered his heart.

He saw red.

They killed her.

Theykilledhertheykilledher.

They would pay.

If it hadn't been for the strangers that surged in at that moment, he would've died. Four monsters against a tiny kid with a knife…the odds weren't kind. They had easily kicked him and Eren was sure that they were about to torture him, too. It was the arrival of the strangers though sent the monsters running for an escape, leaving the motherless boy behind.

A motherless boy with a shattered world.

He was broken.

"Stupid boy," Levi muttered aloud, as if he heard the brunette's thoughts. Before Eren could react, he felt his smaller body shift. His face now met the man's chest and a set of warm, comforting arms embraced him awkwardly but perfectly. Levi continued speaking, although more hushed than usual, "Your mother can't come back, no matter how many people you kill."

Eren shook his head violently against Levi's chest and let out an almost outraged cry, "You don't know nothing!"

"Trust me, I know. She's gone." Levi replied, each word was bitter against his tongue.

"…I hate you," Eren growled out darkly, bottom lip trembling uncontrollably

"Good."

A bit stunned, the brunette loosened his hold on Levi's shirt and glanced up. "Why do 'ya want me to hate you?"

Levi chuckled dryly some before releasing the boy. He brushed off his hands onto his black sweatpants as if they were covered in dirt before answering Eren.

"If you hate me then you're alright." Green-turquoise eyes looked at Levi skeptically, bewildered as to what the man meant. Levi took the opportunity to walk out the room and said over his should."How about a midnight snack? We're both up so might as well do something productive."

"It's not midnight though…" Eren whispered, bemused.

Levi turned and gave Eren the most exasperated expression he could muster, "Does it look like I give a damn?"

"...Well...can I have chocolate milk then?"

Needless to say, but Levi intentionally kept his stoic silence as the two shuffled out of the room towards the kitchen, especially when he felt Eren's warm hand slide naturally into his own. He pretended to not notice.

AN: Sooo…if you squint you can see some fluff near the end. Oh, and the angst is real in this drabble. I've had this one done a while...but I'm slightly iffy on this. Was it in-character/reasonable? Did you mind the angst? Any thoughts are appreciated ^^ Please point out any mistakes too if you see anything.

Also, WOAH. So many favorites/follows/reviews already?! I didn't expect this at all. This was just something to pass the time XD The reviews are wonderful to read and I appreciate some of the ideas, as they kind of inspire ideas of my own.

UPDATE: Story discontinued/finished.

Thanks so much for all the positive feedback!