Eren
Levi told me to spend the day away from my room while some people come in to remove the bars inside it, so I walk around outside the castle grounds. Its winter and I can feel the snow crunching under my boots. I hug Levis jacket tighter as I zip it up and bury my nose inside of it.
"Eren." I turn around to see that woman from before…Petra? Walking over to me Levi following behind her. She's wearing a long beige jacket with dark brown tights and brown knee high boots. Her hair is cut to her chin and she isn't wearing as much as make up as she did the night I met her. She's also wearing a fluffy red scarf around her neck, her breaths visible as she breaths out with a small smile. Levi is dressed in all black, he's wearing a suit covered by a long trench coat, he has his hands stuffed in his pockets as he looks up at the castle in a bored manner.
"Yes Miss?" I question looking between them curiously.
"Such a well mannered boy." She squeals clapping her hands together making me use all the will power I have to not run away from her.
"We need to find you some furniture for your new room. Would you like to go shopping with us?" She questions making me shrug, while I feel Levis piercing gaze making my skin prickle but I pay it no mind. She pulls the large red fluffy scarf from around her neck wrapping it around my neck making me be able to lift my nose from Levis jacket. I blink up at her, despite the way she acts she does seem to have some motherly instincts and she happens to put them to use as she offers me her hand. I can faintly smell her perfume on it, the scent of strawberries clings to the fabric and while I prefer Levis scent I don't mind this one.
I take her hand and I'm surprised when it feels warm against my skin, together we all end up walking over to Levis car. I wait behind her as she opens up the door for me allowing me to slip inside. She leans over buckling my seatbelt tightly before placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. I feel my face flush as I catch Levis steely grey eyes in the rear view mirror. I hear a quiet Tch sound before he looks at the road driving far from the castle where we are living. The drive is spent listening to Petra saying how she always wished she could have a child so she could buy them things and spoil them. Levi was annoyed but didn't say a word the whole way, while I laughed uncomfortably. When we finally made it to the furniture store, Levi ignored all protests as he lifted me against his hip carrying me inside the store.
"Shitty brat I can't let you break anything here so stay quiet and don't squirm." Levi reprimanded but his voice had the same tone as the night before, it sounded empty.
"What color do you want the furniture in your room to be?" Petra asks placing a gentle hand on my head.
"Uhhh can it be grey?" I ask looking between both of the adults who are pretending to be my parents.
"Of course dear! I'll look for wardrobes and stuff you and Eren can find the bed." Petra grins taking Levis free hand in hers tugging him to where the beds are.
"You make an adorable family." An elderly woman says as we pass her making Levi scoff and Petra beam at the woman.
"Thank you, these boys are a bit of a handful." She gushes to the old woman who laughs in return, before she runs off towards the bedroom sets. Levi grunts a curse under his breath and sighs softly walking away from them to show me the beds.
"Do you see anything you like Eren?" He asks as we eye the beds many of them are large and extravagant but I don't want that. I smile seeing a small bed without a headboard I tug on Levis jacket pointing at him.
"Tch, I'm letting you buy any bed you want and you go for the cheapest one? Humble little brat." He mumbles.
"Not a brat." I reply with a frown as he sets me down and lets me go over to inspect the bed, he crosses his arms over his chest as I go and push down on the mattress of the bed I had chosen.
"Well lay down baby, then we will know if you like it or not." He says glancing at his watch. I stare up at him for a moment before grabbing his hand tugging him towards the bed as I lay down. I pull harder on his hand making Levi sigh as he lays next to me on his back.
"What do you think?" Levi says as he turns his head to face me, I bite my lip looking back before I shake my head. Levi looks to the other side of the store while I grab a pillow as quietly as I can. I grip it in my hand before I bring it over my body smacking Levi in the face with it. He pushes the pillow off of his face blinking like he can't understand what just happened, his grey eyes sliding over to me and I only smile sweetly. But the face remains and I can't help myself as I slap my hand over my mouth to hold back my laughter at the look on his face, it's so priceless, his lips are parted slightly as he intakes a sharp breath. I can see a smile fighting the scowl that normally adorns his lips and we both look into each other's eyes before we both break out laughing.
"You little brat." Levi grins pinching my cheek slightly making me squeak before he pulls away to stand up. He pulls my hand making me stand as well. I catch sight of Petra talking to the man who works at the store as I respond to Levis comment.
"I'm not a brat Mr. old man." Levis eyes widen as he narrows his grey orbs playfully.
"I'm only twenty one you little green eyed monster." He sneers lightly before tugging me over to the nicest bed in the store.
"Still. older. than. me…old…man…." I reply emphasize each word happily making him roll his eyes as he offers me his hand.
"You cheeky little shit." I can't help but smile at that knowing he isn't trying to insult me.
"Hey…Thank you for all this." He smiles softly before kneeling in front of me.
"I'd do anything for you baby, I thought I mentioned that." I place a kiss on his forehead before looking at a better bed. We spend our time laying down on various beds and at one point I just tell Levi to choose one for me. Levi waves the man who was with Petra over as his expression changes back to its usual stoic mask.
"Hello sir what can I help you with?" He says with a fake smile making Levi glare as he points to the nicest bed in the store.
"I want this one, I need it delivered by the end of the day." The worker stares at us in shock before he quickly composes himself.
"Sir that bed plus delivery is over four thousand dollars." Levi raises an eyebrow.
"I didn't ask that I asked for the fucking bed." He glares making the man swallow hard ushering us towards the cash register.
"Baby hang on." He mumbles making sure I'm securely holding on to his neck as he pulls his wallet from his back pocket and handing the man a black card. The man's eyes almost seem to bulge out of his skull and I roll my eyes. Stupid adults.
"I also will take what Petra chose and will be expecting it with the bed." He glares menacingly making the man nod his head vigorously as he hands Levi back the black card after swiping it through his machine.
"Levi, did you pick Eren's bed?" She calls as walks back to us.
"Yes now let's go, we still need to get the brat a few more things." Levi says as he snatches his card and receipt from the man shoving it back into his wallet. He wraps his arms back around me as Petra follows us back to the car.
"So where to next?" Petra asks as she looks up at Levi with such loving eyes that it makes me feel a little sick.
"Well we need to get Eren some better blankets, clothes, toys. So the mall I suppose." He mutters driving us there, his free hand resting on the space between him and Petra. I watch as she reaches for his hand lacing her fingers through it making him sigh but he doesn't pull away. I look out the window watching the world pass me by, I vaguely remember the mall we are heading to. It's in Trost, where Mr. Hannes lives, I haven't seen him since the last time he saved me from my father. I suppress a shiver as Levi parks the car letting me slide out of the back seat as both him and Petra offer me their hands. I internally sigh and take both walking between them as Levi grabs a cart, immediately he enters a store filled with comforters meant for beds.
The place is packed with people so I cling to Petra's hand as Levi walks us to an aisle with bright brilliant colored blankets and I watch as he eyes a beautiful set of sea foam green blankets. I smile to myself, they are really close to the color of my eyes. "Have you decided what color you want Eren?" Petra questions letting my hand go as she clings to Levis side now that I'm not holding their hands.
"C-can I have that one." I say pointing to the one Levi was eying this whole time making the corner of his lip twitch up as he drops it into the cart followed by matching pillows. The blankets look like silk and kind of remind me of the bottom of Belles dress on beauty and the beast and I wonder if it's the same material as we continue walking through the store. He's randomly throwing stuff inside the cart and I stop paying attention after a while opting to people watch them instead. Before I know it I look behind me to see Petra and Levi are nowhere in sight, uh oh… I look around expecting to see them and I happen to see plenty of people but no Levi or Petra anywhere. I walk through the aisles of the store hoping to run into one of the two but nothing so I walk out of the mall heading straight for the food court sitting in one of the chairs by myself. I kicked my feet slowly my eyes scanning all the people around me until they fall upon a familiar blonde old man.
"Hannes." The name escapes my lips and he looks up his eyes locking with mine and for some reason I know this isn't good. I have to get the hell out of here, if Levi finds out he isn't going to be happy. I slip out of the chair just as Hannes eyes widen in recognition and I start walking in the direction opposite to the man. I can feel Hannes gaining on me and for looking back I run into someone's legs making me fall back on the floor.
"Ow" I groan rubbing my forehead accusingly as I look up to see Petra kneeling in front of me.
"Who the fuck are you?" She growls making Hannes step back in surprise.
"Shit! Baby are you alright?" Levi says picking me up from the ground holding me tightly as he kisses my head above my ear.
"Baby keep your head buried in my neck don't look up until I say it's okay." I nod instantly doing as he said clinging to him tightly.
"Merde!" Levi growls in French making wonder when and where he learned it from as he looks up at Hannes.
"What kind of creep are you chasing down our child like that?!" Petra hisses making people all around us look and start muttering to each other about it.
"I thought he was someone else ma'am I didn't mean anything by it." Hannes says in an embarrassed tone.
"Petra, take him to the car." Levi says passing me to Petra along with the keys.
"I'll be along shortly." Petra glares at Hannes one more time before setting me on the ground taking my hand tightly in hers as she leads me out of the store.
"Eren? Did you know that man?" Petra asks as she straps me in the back seat I give her a curt nod as she sighs softly.
"His name is Hannes he was one of our neighbors, he offered me his home when my dad would come home drunk. At least the times I could make it out of the house without getting caught by that monster." I whisper as she tucks my hair behind my ear, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead she speaks again.
"You did well not getting close to him, that would have gotten Levi wrapped up in something that wouldn't have been too good for him…or any of us for that matter. You did really great today Eren." I nod looking up as Levi opens the door sliding in the car slamming the door behind him. I blink as he offers me a what I assume is a soda, he's angry but he still offers it without a word. I take it from him looking at it to see a chocolate milkshake and I can't help but smile up at Levi. Despite almost getting caught he went out of his way to get this for me.
"I'm sorry, we were going to eat here, but that asshole ruined it. You will be okay with that until I find us another restaurant right baby?" He questions looking at me in the rear view mirror, his eyes look tired and I finally notice the black circles bruised under his eyes from lack of sleep.
"Of course, thank you so much I love chocolate!" I squeal making Levi heave out a relieved breath.
"Anything specific you want to eat baby? Petra?" he asks looking between us.
"Something French!" I cry out making them both look at me like I've lost my mind before they smile at each other.
"That's a good idea it's been a long time since we have French cuisine." Petra chimes making Levi nod in agreement as he drives to a French restaurant in the area.