He opened his eyes; the light coming in from the white-framed window made him squint. He couldn't quite tell if he was awake or just dreaming, but his headache confirmed he wasn't asleep. Last night was crazy. He tugged on the soft white cotton sheets to cover his face and closed his eyes again. He inhaled the scent of lavender on each fiber of the fabric. On top, a dark green blanket was strategically placed to keep him warm and for a moment he'd never felt so comfortable. The smell of freshly brewed coffee made his stomach rumble and reminded him of how thirsty he was. Maybe dad's making coffee, he thought, but he wasn't home nor was he in is bed next to Armin's. In a bustle, he jumped out of bed and stared at it for a few seconds questioning why he had woken up in a queen-sized bed instead of a single. Images from the night before flashed before his eyes: the game; the drinking; the puking; the professor. The professor. He looked down at his bare legs, he wore only his t-shirt, his boxers, and his socks. His cardigan and pants were neatly folded on the feet of the bed.

A noise came from the adjacent room, it sounded like silverware clanking on dishes. He zipped up his pants, adjusted his mossy green cardigan and placed his hand on the doorknob trying to find ways to overcome his embarrassment.

What should he say? Everything sounded stupid in his head. He stood in the middle of the living room staring at the shorter man in the kitchen wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt, sleeves scrunched up, as he flipped a pancake "Do you want pancakes?" He asked without looking back at the nervous boy.

"M-me?"

"Is there anyone else?" He put the last one on the pile and turned off the stove, turning around and placing the plate on the table that separated the two of them. He looked so casual and less intimidating, Eren didn't know it was possible. "I don't normally make pancakes, but I figured this occasion called for something special." A ghost of a smirk haunted his lips.

"Professor, I-"

"Don't call me 'professor' when you're hungover in my apartment", he sat at the table and gestured to the seat in front of him "call me by my name."

Eren walked shyly to the table. He wanted to refuse the invitation; the professor had helped him when he was drunk, he'd brought him home and let him sleep on his bed and now Eren was going to eat his food… it seemed unfair. However, looking at all the food and feeling the warm smell of fresh pancakes it became difficult to walk away, so he sat down looking at his fingers fidgeting with the wrinkles of his jeans "L-Levi, I am truly sorry" he said "thank you for-" he trailed off, he glanced up at the raven one who was studying him through a meticulous gaze "for taking care of me last night"

Levi's lips drew a crooked smile that looked rather mischievous. The boy shifted in his seat feeling exposed, that smirk looked dangerous like he was on the prowl. "Sleeping on the couch isn't the best but I'd do it again if I had to, don't worry" he joked as he poured some coffee into the two uninteresting white mugs "I hope you had fun though" he pushed the steaming hot drink near Eren as well as a glass of water "You ought to be thirsty… and your head must be killing you, take this" he threw a pill across the table. "Remind me to never take you out drinking" he laughed and took a sip of his coffee licking his top lip as soon as the mug stopped touching his mouth. Eren mimicked, he couldn't stop staring, like he was cursed to never draw his orbs from the small lips, thin eyebrows, and semi-closed eyes that, all together, made him look apathetic yet interestingly handsome.

His trance was broken when he heard the shrill of a notification coming from his pocket, he reached out for his phone. 'Eren where the hell are you?', a text message from Armin popped up on the screen among other unread ones and missed calls. He typed 'I'm OK I'll explain later' and hit send. He placed the phone on the table screen facing down, but it started vibrating. He let his head fall back, sighing and rolling his eyes at the annoying repetitive sound "Aren't you going to answer that?" Levi asked, he seemed intrigued. The boy took the phone, sighed once more and answered the call "Hello… No, Mikasa, I'm fine… Stop that! I said I'm fine… We'll talk later." And hung up, putting his phone down – almost throwing it – on the grayish wooden table. He stabbed his pancakes with his fork and in an aggressive swipe of his knife cut a piece and shoved it in his mouth. He was absorbed by his own mind, thinking why her friend kept mothering him, he didn't notice the man in front of him had ceased eating to glare at him. "Girlfriend mad, huh?" Levi inquired in a docile tone. Eren forced himself to swallow the half-chewed content of his mouth; he tried to deny the 'girlfriend' part, but his food blocked his esophagus leaving him uncapable of making any sound. He had to wash It down with some coffee.

"She's just a friend – she's my sister – adopted." He struggled to say. He could feel his temples throb reminding him of how intoxicated he got the night before.

"What's her deal, then?"

"She's very protective of me. You see, her parents got killed when she was nine" Eren looked up at the man to see his reaction, but saw a cold, impassive expression on his face. "She was home when it happened, she witnessed everything. Some guys got into the house and shot her father in the head. Mikasa and her mother were in the kitchen and as soon as they heard the shot her mom hid her in the cabinet under the sink and told her to stay there and be as quiet as she could until she couldn't hear anything but the sound of her breath. It was an old cabinet; it didn't close all the way… Mikasa saw the two men murdering her mother with three gunshots. It was brutal… The police said it was a robbery, though nothing was missing. They said the robbers got spooked by the neighbors or something, yet no one even saw Mikasa leave the house.

"I found her near my place, two days after while I was out playing; she was dirty, thinner and cold… I gave her my scarf and told her to come home with me, since my father was her family's doctor, but she refused, she was scared. I, a nine-year-old boy, assured her that I wouldn't let anything happen to her, but she said she didn't want anything to happen to me. She was scared for me! I said we would protect each other… a pair of kids. My father called the police, and the social services came to get her; it's actually funny now, because we started running so they wouldn't take her away. My parents didn't hesitate, they legally adopted her as fast as possible, but I wasn't aware of the process and paperwork." Eren sipped his coffee "I think she feels like she owes me for 'saving her life'" The boy's tone indicated he reproved of the title of 'hero'. Levi studied him for a while, then dropped his gaze unsure of what to say, he could only think about how the girl must have felt and how she could move on. At that point he understood how important the boy sitting across from him had been to Mikasa, "You're a good person, Eren" he let out. He could see why the girl idolized him. She, on the other hand, did spike his interest having such an unusual last name: Ackerman – his own.