A/N: The story is very silly, and the majority of 'plot' is just making friends, "look-we-are-alive-sort-of-AU-thing". It trails the development of several relationships: AruAni, Springles, Rivetra (mostly pre-developed), Jeankasa(focus), Mobuhan (pre-developed). I'm sort of nervous about it, as it is the first time I'm writing many of these characters. I am not familiar with their characterisation, so please have patience and forgive me if it falls OOC. For those that still care to read, thank you for your consideration.

I would like to add as well, the story contains an OC: Lilia. (Levi and Petra's daughter). I wanted to write Rivetra children, and although she is not the focus point, she does make appearances. Simply because some are very against OCs in fanfiction, I wanted to mention it at the start. Again, thank you for reading this far and I hope the story isn't too awful. I may continue to post this, if any are interested.


"What the fuck is this?!"

He imagines she's about to bring up the blaring music that rattles the chilled windows of the building from the inside out- piercing his ear drums at a level he's not even certain he would have enjoyed during his Wings of Freedom fan years. No. That's a lie. He would have enjoyed it. He chuckles, a smile painting his face as he steps to her side.

"What's up, Petra?"

Fiery, copper eyes rise to meet his of sky and he startles lightly as he witnesses a look he became all too familiar with 10 years ago- upon forgetting to finish his half of a university political science project.

"J-just-." A deep breath. Amber lashes conceal honey eyes. "I'm sorry, Erd. I-I'll be out in a second."

A genuine smile. "Yeah, sure, Petra. I'll be in the car with Lilia. To be honest, I'd rather not witness your quarrel." He chuckles inwardly, flippy ponytail bobbing at his nape as he scoops a smiling girl into his arms, carrying her out of the blaring bakery. "Let's go put up your hair, eh?"

A wide, bright eyed smile paired with bouncing, honey eyes. "Mmm-hmm! Like yours, yeah?" A light tug on his blonde strands.

"Haha, sure."


"Levi!" No response.

Louder.

"Levi!"

Still louder.

"LEVI!"

"Hn?"

He steps, rather flatly into the front room of the establishment, ruffled apron and oven mitts about his frame, his eyes flat, his face deadpan as per ever, despite the booming bass backbeat pounding his ears near roughly enough to rupture the drums. "What is it, Petra?"

Her eyes -normally as sweet as the honey of their colour- are set aflame, like fiery daggers beneath a harsh brow. He... didn't expect her to be this upset. Sure, the music's a little out of place for a bakery, but he isn't even the one that put it on. "Petr-"

"Don't you fucking Petra me, Levi. What is this?"

"It's music, Petra. Specifically mine. How we first met."

Following his flat, patterned words, the scalding knives of her gaze pierce his of stone.

Sure, they'll need to discuss that as well- though it's not her main focus at the moment. "That's not what I mean, Levi. This. THIS." A swift finger meets a neatly and thoroughly scribbled out bar in the time sheet –written in crimson- alongside the counter.

"That's pen, Petra." As though nothing were wrong with this.

"Levi." Crossed arms, an 'I'm long tired of this shit' face.

"I fired Kirschtein." Flat, dull syllables.

"And why? You know we need the help right now. Erd is outside playing with our daughter whilst Mikasa works alone in the back room during our argument because you fired a sweet, high school boy the first week of his job! We need the help. Don't you understand that? Lilia needs you. She needs me. She needs the both of us. Without him, on Tuesday, the store will be completely empty after 4." She moves her finger swiftly to the column to prove such is the case. "Why the fuck did you fire Jean Kirschtein? He's a sweet kid."

"Tch." Sharp glints cross his ashen orbs at the word 'sweet'. "He was late to his interview."

"Do you even remember how many bloody times I was late to my job after we met, Levi?"

"Hnnn."

"Then he's rehi-"

"No." A quick cut-off of a response.

"Why did you really fire him, Levi? I told you the high school boys wouldn't want to wear your ruffled aprons."

"You could wear just a ruffled apron." Stated as though there was nothing strange to such an utterance.

Her lips purse to the side playfully. A coquettish folding of a copper brow. "Not now, Levi." She smiles softly, staring his gaze down tenderly. "Really, why did you fire him?"

"He's a filthy brat."

"What did he do? Track mud in?"

"No."

"Then what? Tell me, Levi. Erd is waiting."

"Hn. He's filthy in a different way." The words- like daggers off his tongue.

"What do you mean, Levi?" She closes the gap between them, pulling the mitts from his hands so as to the feel his warmth against her skin. A pale smile with softened eyes. "Really, Erd was nice enough to drive Lilia and I down to pay her enrollment since the auto is still in the shop."

"Tch. He's fucking filthy. Said you were attractive."

An inquisitive, playful furrow grows in her golden brow. "Oh? Is that so? And you disagree?"

Silence.

A pursing of her lips to one side, brushing one hand lovingly over the rough part of his undercut. "I'm flattered, Mr. Jealousy. Think he's going to sweep me off my feet?"

"Tch."

A coquettish giggle. "I thought not. Either way, you can't fire him for that, Levi. We need his help. He's a sweet kid." A very pleased, inward smile paints her contours. She's still got it. She'll brag and tease him further about this later.

"Said he'd do other things with you. Prompted by the Springer brat."

A quirk of a brow as she weaves her arms about his neck, his own snaking her waist though his face is near deadpan, as per usual. "You think that matters? You know what high school kids are like. It's probably nice to have a hot boss, hmm?" Her voice grows coy and syrupy.

"Tch. I don't fucking like it, Petra."A swift roll to copper orbs.

"Levi, we need the help. We're rehiring him. Now, tell me why this music is shaking our bakery."

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I didn't turn it on, Petra."

Though the concept is strange to her, she knows his words are true.

"Well, who did then?"

"Connie." A somewhat dry response to a question not posed to her.

The honey coloured woman quickly unsnakes her arms from her partner, though he doesn't return the gesture. He couldn't care less what the Ackerman brat -who entered the room just seconds prior- sees.

"Connie turned it on this morning, Ms. Ral." Airy and flat as per usual. Levi's suddenly pleased he didn't fire the Springer brat as well.

"Oh, I... I see. Nevermind that." She smiles lightly, attempting to turn to face the high school girl whilst still ensnared by the 'Captain' of this strange establishment, noting immediately how Mikasa continues to wear her crimson, tassle-ended scarf at all hours. "Do you know Jean, Mikasa?"

"Yes. New guy. We met yesterday."

"Wonderful. I know tomorrow is your first day of classes, but if you see him, could you please tell him he isn't fired and that I appreciate the compliment?" She flits flirtatious, slightly narrowed, copper eyes to the man that ensnares her. A curve to pink lips. He returns the look with a displeased sneer.

"All right, Ms. Ral." A sweeping, raven strand plays at a porcelain face with her nod. The way Mikasa refers to her always serves to remind her that she isn't married to the man with whom she shares a bakery and a child.

"You can call me Petra, Mikasa."

"All right, Ms. Ral."


"Whatidya wanta be when you grew up?"

"Hmmmm..." He puts a hand to his chin, eyes lifting to the sky in thought.

"Huh? Huh?"

"A rockstar."

"Hmmm... I'll be a rockstar!"

"I thought you wanted to join the military, like your dad?"

"Yep! I'll do both AND open a bakery!"

"Just like your dad?"

"And you! You wanted to be a rockstar!"

"Yeah, but I never became one." He laughs, rubbing at his scalp from his spot on the stone steps.

"Ooooh! No no, Erd! You'll mess it up!" Puffed up cheeks and pouty, copper eyes set about a reddened face in concentration.

"Aaah! Sorry sorry!" He quirks a brow, attempting to look back at her. He can't see her face but he already knows the expression that paints it- a cute one, with tiny knitted amber brows about a puffy face. He winces as small, deft fingers attempt to lace a band with his golden locks. Jeesh, Petra's taking a while. "You almost done? You know pigtails are only supposed to be 2."

"Yep yep! 2!"

"It feels more like 6."

"Nope! Just 2!" A sweet giggle. Their playful banter is interrupted by the clacking of shoe against concrete from behind. "Ah!" A wide smile. "Mama!"

The copper-coloured woman stifles a laugh, coming to kneel at her daughter's side. "So what's this, Lilia?"

"I'm practicing to be a hairdresser!" Erd's hair is twisted and tied about in strange bundles and knots that hardly resemble pigtails.

"I thought you wanted to be a firefighter?"

"Yeah! Like Erd!"

A chuckle. "And what about being a rockstar?"

"And I could have sworn just last week at Hange's place you wanted to be a scientist?"

"Yeah! Like Moblit!"

A soft laugh. "Oh? Well, with that hair style, I think you're Erd today."

"Oooo! Yeah! I'm Erd today."

He shoots a playful smile to his longtime friend. "And I'm Lilia?"

"Psh. No. You aren't half-cute enough." A soft nudge in the arm, offering him a coquettish smile with a teasing laugh as she shifts so as to help free his hair of her daughter's madness. A playful raise of his blonde brow in return.

"Is Auruo coming? Hmmmm?" Bright, amber eyes meet some of a slightly darker shade.

"Eh? No, he's at work, love."

"But Erd said you three were best friends when you were young!"

She laughs, managing to free the last of Erd's locks from the strange ensnarement her daughter created. "Well yeah, we were. We still are."

"So then where's Auruo? Best friends do everything together!"

"Well, you'll see him tomorrow."

"Will I?!" Bright eyes.

"Yep. After school. Whilst Papa and I are here at the bakery."

Her sparkling face falters a little. "Oh... you mean I won't see Mr. Moblit and Hange anymore?"

A soft smile, ruffling the well-smoothed scalp of her daughter's new hairdo. "Oh, you will. They're not going anywhere. They just can't watch you after school. They have to go back to work and be scientists!" A boop on the nose.

"Ooooh! I want to be a scientist!"

She's scooped into the tall man's arms and the adults laugh; though the young, bright-eyed, scientist-chef-hairdresser-veterinarian-rockstar-baker-to-be will never understand.


A/N: I promise this /is/ Jeankasa.