"We're home!"
Levi smiled when Eren announced their arrival the moment the little guy opened the door for the raven Omega.
"Welcome home dears," Kuchel was already at the door and caught Eren in her embrace. "How was your first day in kindergarten?"
"It was so much fun! I made a new friend!" Eren cheered.
"That's amazing! Tell me more!" Kuchel giggled.
"Bathroom first!" Little Eren raised his hand before bolting towards the bathroom.
Kuchel straightened to face Levi. "Are you okay?" She asked, knowing how miserable her son was when he realized he forget about picking little Eren up from kindergarten.
Kuchel could have prevented it. She was baking cookies and she reminded her son to pick up little Eren in ten minutes. Kuchel thought Levi already left, only to find him reading a book in their small library.
It seems like Levi's memory became worst as time ticked. Kuchel feared the day when Levi would forget his own name.
"I'm okay," it came like a whisper from the male Omega.
Kuchel approached him and wrapped Levi in her warm embrace. "Everything will be okay," she reassured while gently patting his back.
"Mama?"
"Yes, baby?"
"I met someone... Today."
The old Omega pulled away and looked at her son. "Yeah?"
"His name is Eren. That's easy to remember..." Levi said timidly. "He was... Nice."
"Yes! Mr. Big Eren!" Little Eren got out of the bathroom, now with Capitan trailing behind him. "He's sooo tall. He's new to the neighborhood and he lives near the park with the pond!"
"Wow, that's nice to know," Kuchel giggled at little Eren's enthusiasm towards the new neighbor.
"Then, we should welcome him by inviting him to dinner," Kuchel suggested, not missing the way Levi's eyes widen.
"N-now?" Levi stuttered.
"Yes! Now, please! I really like him!" Little Eren added.
"Oh, not now," Kuchel smirked at her son. Levi simply turned red under her stare. "I assume he must be busy settling down the new house. How about next week?"
"But I want now," Eren pouted. "He's sooo cool and tall!"
"Alright, alright, but first, do you have homework?" Kuchel distracted the child. She took his hand and lead him to his room to change into fresh clothes.
Levi watched silently they retreat, this time, the German shepherd stayed with him. The dog padded closer and bump his nose on the raven's hand to grab his attention.
"Huh?" Levi snapped out of daze and knelt at the dog's level. "Are you hungry?"
The German Shepherd whined and started licking his face. The raven groaned but he let the dog for a few seconds.
"Okay, stop!" Levi giggled. "You wanted a treat, I got it."
Moving to the kitchen, the raven Omega fetched one of Captain's favorite treats. Handing feeding the dog, Levi's eyes landed on the small leather notebook on the kitchen counter. With his free hand, he flip the cover to reveal it was a journal by his mom.
"Hmmm," Levi hummed. He went to wash his hands and went to his son's room. Standing by the door frame, the raven watch while his mother sat down on the floor with little Eren telling her all his stories about his time in kindergarten.
Levi pulled out one of his son's extra notebooks and started writing in the small sitting area near the window.
" Today was Eren's first day in kindergarten." Levi wrote down a corresponding date. As he continue, his lips pulled down into a frown.
"I almost forgot to pick him up."
Levi blinked several times to keep the tears in.
"Then, Mr. Big Eren ask he could share the bench with me!" Little Eren told his grandmother.
"Did you share your bench?" Kuchel asked.
"Yes! That was my first class in kindergarten!" Eren said proudly.
Levi giggled, recalling the new neighbor in town.
"I met someone nice today," he smirked while writing it down. "His name was also Eren. That's easier to remember. I hope I can see him again and thank him for helping..."
Levi paused and stared at his own writing. Slowly, he drew a face of a tall man, with chocolate brown hair, tan skin, amazing big eyes, similar to his little Eren.
"He smelt nice too," the raven continued to write. "Like pine but his eyes reflected the vast ocean. He's... nice."
"That's very nice, Eren dear," Kuchel patted the tiny boy's head. "Now, let's eat those chocolate chip cookies."
"Yey!" Little Eren stood up and ran to grab Levi's hand. "Come on mommy! Let's eat!"
Levi smiled and let the boy drag him to the kitchen with Kuchel walking closely behind them.
"Oh god, what have I done?" Eren gasped. He didn't wait anytime, he picked up the poor soul and drove to the nearest place that could help.
He didn't need to drive that far since he memorize the small town's layout. Trying not to justle the poor thing, Eren entered the cozy building timidly.
An Omega in her late forties was about to greet him but she gasped when she saw the poor thing's condition.
"What have you done?!" She gasped, walking around the counter, she took the pot of plant from Eren.
Eren frowned at the wilted plant. He really felt sorry.
The old Omega sighed. "Give me three weeks."
"Thank you," Eren gave her an awkward smile. "I guess I don't have a green thumb."
"I see, grab a pamphlet and study it," the Omega instructed.
"Thanks again," Eren took one of the pamphlets and skimmed through the instructions on how to properly take care of a plant.
All he wanted was to make his house cozy and homey. He followed some interior designs and arrangements with Marco's help and the brunette had to admit, he liked his house. However, his plants don't seem to like him.
As Eren flipped the pamphlet, another customer entered the shop.
"Welcome!" the old Omega greeted the newcomer, though her full attention was on Eren's wilted plant.
"Hello- Oh my gosh! Eren?!"
The brunette Alpha turned at the sound of his name and discovered a petite female Omega with strawberry blonde hair was gaping at him.
She looked familiar, Eren swore he saw her before. Then it clicked.
"Petra? Petra Ral?"
"Yeah, right!" She hissed. "Why didn't you-" the Omega paused, her brown eyes shifted at the florist before toning her voice down. "Why didn't you finish Erwin Smith?!"
"What the? Why do I suddenly have everyone's permission to kill someone? This is very weird! And aren't you in his team?"
"I was," Petra crossed her arms. "I and my mate but Erwin is crazy! We can't stand him! He's so obsessed about ending you that he threatened the hospital, the doctors, nurses, the guards, and everyone in the hospital when you were first admitted. He even threatened me and Oluo when we tried to stop him!"
"Shit, I thought I was crazy," Eren clicked his tongue.
"There's always a greater and lesser person than you," Petra shrugged and offered him a patient smile. "Anyway, we ditched him and retired from Recon but I knew... everything about what happened to you and Levi..."
"Did Hange send you?"
"No, I'm here to buy rare plants. I'm collecting them," Petra announced proudly. "But she gave me a heads up."
"Good for you," Eren sighed.
"So, are you okay?"
Eren looked back at the florist who seemed busy tending his wilting plant. The whole town knew about Levi and he doesn't want them to think that he abandoned his family.
"Can we talk somewhere else?"
"You're situation's a tough one," Petra commented.
They settled at the park near the brunette Alpha's house. They sat on the bench that faces the pond, watching idly as the swans go on with their business. The weather was pleasant and it was cooler with the trees around them.
"Thanks for stating the obvious," Eren rolled his eyes at her.
"What about Levi's mother? Kuchel?" Petra asked.
Eren inhaled sharply. Of course, he's scared shitless from Kuchel Ackerman.
"I could tell it would end up bad but that's a given, she's a mother and now a grandmother. My mom would be furious if I were in Levi's shoes," she sympathized.
"Then what should I do?"
"I'm sure she's fully aware of the situation, just be patient and explain your side of the story," Petra explained while her hand reach out to pant his back.
"Thanks, I'll do that," Eren nodded.
"It's nice to see you like this," she giggled.
"Like what? Not being a psychopath freak?" the brunette arched a brow at her.
"Well, now I can say that you're better than Erwin."
"That's a bit-" Eren froze when the breeze carried a scent of vanilla and strawberry, the scent of his mate.
"Eren?"
Eren turned around and he couldn't believe his eyes, it was Levi. His Omega in his adorable oversized cardigan. But something was wrong. What was the raven Omega doing here and all alone? He could smelt panic and fear coming off from the raven. Could it be?
The brunette pushed himself off the bench and approach his mate. "Levi, are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened?"
"I was... I... " Levi struggled to remember and it break Eren's heart to see how much he was suffering.
"I want to go home, but I can't remember... Then I smelt your scent and..." Levi trailed off, blue-stormy eyes avoiding Eren's gaze.
"It's okay," Eren crooned, hoping that it would calm his distressed mate. "You're safe now, I'll help you get home."
"Okay..." Levi whispered, then his eyes caught movement behind Eren. On the bench, there was an Omega girl that had never seen before or he couldn't remember. "Who's that?"
"Oh, just a friend who visited me," Eren glanced at Petra.
Petra smiled at Levi and waved at him but the Omega didn't return the gesture.
"Come on, let's get you home," Eren gently placed his hand on the small of the smaller male's back and guided him out of the park.
"Hmmm," Levi hummed, eyes still lingering longer on the strawberry blonde Omega before turning away.
Petra watched them leave. It saddened her to see the person she looked up to in Recon in such a state. However, she didn't miss how Levi's gaze at her.
Levi might have drowned himself in drugs to forget Eren but it seems like the heart never forgets.
"Alright," Petra stood and stretched her arms. "Time to go back to work, god I hope I'll find that plant that Hange needed."