"Sasha, the chowder is wonderful. You are really talented," said Historia, and Levi let out a small grunt backing her up.

"Thanks! Jean helped," Sasha said, and her shining brown eyes creased in a contagious smile. "The fish, it's cod… it is good, right?"

"Yeah, the cheap, poor people's version of the real clam chowder—" Connie chirped in.

"Connie, mark your words," said Levi, with a severe look on his face.

Jean reached out behind Sasha's back to smack Connie in the head, but Levi's gaze shifted to him immediately, and Jean's hand fell limply onto the back of Sasha's chair.

"It's delicious, Sasha," Levi said.

"Thanks, I wish I could try to make the real clam chowder sometime, too."

"We can try to get some discounted at the docks' fish market, for your birthday, for example," said Historia with a sigh. "I could talk Reeves into giving us a good price."

"That would be great, but my birthday is like in two months?!" Sasha laughed, shaking her head, and her ponytail floated in the air.

"It's already June. How are these two months, Sasha?" The frown on Connie's eyebrows deepened.

"Oh, shut up."

"You all finished? Then let's clean." Levi rose to his feet, taking some dishes from the table. His eyes met Eren's. Eren nodded. Armin's card was all signed, carefully guarded under his hoodie.

"But don't wander off just yet," Historia said, getting up too. She reached out for Armin's forearm, "I need you to help me with something in the shed."

Everybody except for Armin exchanged all-knowing glances. They waited for Historia and Armin to leave and gathered at the front door listening to the sounds, ready to follow them to the shed for the surprise.


Armin reached to open the door to their surf shed.

"Historia, what is it you—"

Then he noticed her. Brand new, shiny shortboard rested over two sawhorses. He could recognize the WRV brand, unmistakable five jumping dolphins standing out on a white deck in the faint light of the shed.

"No way, Historia—" Armin felt suddenly like his heart jumped to his throat, tears of emotion welled up under his eyelids, and his chest heaved with a loud sigh. It was the most beautiful board in the world, and it was… his.

He ran his hand along the curvy surface. The smooth epoxy resin let him slide his palm from the pointy nose to a slightly upturned tail. It had never seen the ocean so far and didn't have a drop of wax on it yet. A new board, especially the high performance one, was a rare treat for them; Levi had a sixth sense for that stuff and a lot of surfer friends to trade boards that were 'almost' new, ones that some rich dude had bought, tested during a sesh or two and had decided to sell. This one had come straight from a shaper workshop.

"I take it you like her?" Hoarse Levi's voice resounded behind him, and the shed crowded with all the members of their family. Eren scooted close to Armin, brushing against him with his arm as they stood shoulder to shoulder. "Enjoy. Eren?"

"Right," said Eren and unzipped his hoodie. He slowly took out a greeting card and solemnly handed it over to Armin. Their fingers touched, and Armin's heart swelled with an overwhelming warmth when Eren smiled at him.

The "Good Luck!" cover featured a drawing of a beach, waves, and two surfboards standing tall and proud in the sand. Armin opened the card and read it. 'Hoping you'll ride the wave of success at your surfing event', signed by Historia with her beautiful handwriting. It even smelled nice. Next to hers-Levi's, not as ornamental, but equally immaculate, even cursive. A line of hearts and smiling faces by Sasha, Isabel's signature XOXOXO, 'Break a Leg' by Connie, and a stick drawing of a small surfer sliding down a wave signed by Jean. Last but not least, 'Kill those waves!' by Eren.

"Thank you, guys." The voice came out from his mouth, surprisingly high-pitched. Armin squeezed himself in a tiny space between Levi, whose arm hang loosely around Historia's shoulder, and Historia, sliding his hands around both of their waists and tightened his embrace, bringing the three of them into a tight hug.

She leaned in and kissed his cheek, and Levi ruffled his hair.

"Enjoy, Armin! And good luck out there!"

Armin's throat thickened with emotions. He went for the round of hugs and thank yous. When he finally made it back to Eren's side, they both leaned over the board, touching her with great reverence, and Eren wrapped his arm around Armin's shoulder.

"You haven't seen the best yet," he whispered, and both his breath grazing Armin's ear and his touch made Armin shiver. "Turn her upside down, dude."

Armin hesitated.

"Do what he says, Armin," Levi said.

The board was so light when he lifted her, and a smirk spread across his face at the sight of the board's back.

"No way. How did you arrange that?" Armin's fingers traced along letters J. BRAZIE carved into the surface. Then he raised the board and hugged her with a gasp. "My new baby."

"I have my secret ways," Levi said, visibly pleased by the all worshipping expression painted all over Armin's face.

"Let's take her out for a spin!" Isabel blabbered out with her usual melodic cadence.

Armin's stomach clenched. He was dying to take the board—he should think of a good name for her—out to the ocean. To feel her speed paddling, smooth slide over the slick surface of the green wave's face, and to check the deck behavior in the maneuvers. Something was nagging at him, though.

"Yeah, I would love to," he said, with a heavy sigh, and his eyes skimmed over Eren's face. "But I would rather wait for Eren. I don't want to test her without Eren."

He turned towards Levi and Historia, his eyes pleading. Eren seemed surprised, but then a smile crawled on his face, and it was so worth it.

"Is it alright?"

"It's cool, kid," said Levi,

"Of course. Let's see what Hange says tomorrow about the staples. Maybe it would be possible soon, right, Eren?" Historia said and raked her palms through both of her hair.

"Anybody in the mood for an ice-cream cake?" asked Levi. Armin noticed an almost imperceptible exchange of looks between Levi and Historia. It had to be a strain on the household budget. "Let's celebrate the occasion."

"It's too expensive, guys. You don't have to…" Armin's cheeks flushed, and he muttered under his nose to both Historia and Levi.

"Nonsense, let's make it a proper party," Levi said with a hiss.

"Yes, it will be fun," said Historia. "There's always a good moment to have some nice ice cream, Armin."

"Come on, Eren, let's go pick up some," Levi said, with a turn of his head, pointing out to open door.


They hadn't even made it out of the parking lot when Eren asked, "your friend Furlan, he just liked boys, right?"

"Oh, I see you already came prepared with questions," Levi snorted, turning into Montauk Highway, "yes, as far as I know, Furlan was gay, not bi."

"As far as you know? Haven't you been like dating him?"

Fuck. Explain polyamorous lifestyle to a nosey but probably romantic sixteen-year-old.

"We were close, but we were not exclusive; we were seeing each other and other people, too. If this is what you are asking about. He was free to see other people, so I can't tell you with certainty he had never dated any woman in his life."

Eren tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, studying Levi's face through his thick eyelashes.

"I see," he said after a while, "and… my brother… you dated my brother, too, right. Was 'he' gay?"

Levi furrowed his eyebrows.

"Your coward of a stepbrother?" Levi said through his clenched teeth. "I don't really know, kid. I think he is bi, but Zeke… as little as I actually know him, he's always been this eccentric, paranoid lone beast, and I don't think he's been with many people altogether."

"Ah." Eren lowered his head, playing with his fingers, enlaced at his lap. After a tense moment of silence, his voice dropped to a hoarse whisper, and he said, "I just wish… I knew him better." A heavy sigh followed his statement. "I just wish I knew the bastard at all."

Levi moved his left hand to the center of the steering wheel and reached with his right to knead Eren's shoulder.

"Look, Eren. I'm sorry that your shitty excuse of a stepbrother didn't have the balls to step in, take the custody over you when you needed it, and hides on some remote island at Indo or in Thailand," he said, and Eren sniggered, "I will tell you as much about this beardy weirdo as I know."

Eren let out a heavy huff. It took him again a couple of long minutes to react.

"Levi," he said with a teenage seriousness that made Levi twist his head. Brat's jade, shining eyes were glued to his face. "I don't think I would be better off with him. I'm not changing you guys for anything. No regrets here."

Levi swallowed hard around the lump that had suddenly had formed in his throat.

"Shh. Come on, want to grab a milkshake before we go back?" He asked, pulling into the parking lot of Montauk's most famous drive-in from where he had planned to grab the ice cream cake.

"Seriously?" asked Eren, his eyes glistening.

"Seriously, knock yourself out. Let's celebrate you coming out to me," Levi winked, and Eren blushed. "I will get some iced tea. We will pick up the cake on the way back."

They parked the Explorer on a bluff overlooking Fort Pond Bay and settled with their drinks on the car's hood—Levi cross-legged and Eren sprawled over his side—watching the wind chase cottony clouds all over the sky and ripple the calm surface of the bay, glistening in the early afternoon sun.

"We live in the best place in the world," said Eren, his eyes fixed on the shimmering waters in front of them, and took a sip of his chocolate peanut butter ice-cream shake, caramel marshmallows sprinkled on top of it.

"Hard agree," said Levi and raised his iced tea to make a little toast to Eren. "So, how long have you known?"

"That I like boys? I don't know, like forever." Eren let out loud laughter. "I'm pretty sure I even had a crush on Jean when we were like 11."

"Oh, huh, that's interesting." A snort ripped out from Levi's mouth. "But it's not Jean that you are interested in now, am I right?"

Deep red color crept over Eren's cheeks.

"No, not Jean, obviously… how could you even think that," Eren said with a scoff. "Jean… eek."

"Oh, I get that you two don't like each other… but you have been beating around the bush who it is now. You don't have to tell me, though."

Eren let out a sigh.

"No, I want to. It's just… I kept it a secret for so long," Eren paused and swallowed, "I thought it might be obvious?" He sighed again.

"Alright. I will say it out loud if you want me to." Levi waited for Eren to nod. "Is it… Armin?"

Eren laughed in the most honest, childlike way Levi had seen him laughing in a long time. The laughter of relief.

"That obvious, huh?"

"Well, once we took Jean off the suspects' list… "

Eren snickered.

"Does Armin know about it?"

"No, I… I…" Eren said, and his eyes drooped. "I don't think telling him is a good idea… He's Armin, he is perfect, and I am just—" He choked on his milkshake.

"Hey kid, you are as perfect as Armin is. You have your flaws and big ones, to be fair." Levi knitted his brows in a feigned seriousness, but then he let a smile linger on his lips. "But you're a passionate, funny, and loving person. You don't need to be anything else, Eren. You are important to all of us, the entire family… and Armin, he's already your best friend."

"Yeah, but what if he doesn't like me like that?"

"Well, that's always a risk, Eren. But what if he does? You need to make a choice here. Do you want to play it safe and never find out? Or risk it."

"Yeah, that makes perfect sense to me," Eren said with a sigh.

"Ok, kid," Levi checked his surf watch, "Are you ready? I think we should be getting back with that cake."

"Yeah, I am." Eren nodded, and they both jumped off the Explorer hood. "Levi?"

"Yes."

"Is it all right if I want to keep being gay a secret, for now?"

"Of course, it's just between you and me; it's your information to keep or share."

"I will tell Historia, and Armin, and the rest when I am ready. But for now, I want to be private about it."

"Sure thing, kid," said Levi, opening the car door. "And, Eren, thank you for trusting me with it."


"Sasha, leave some of the ice cream for the others," said Levi when Sasha helped herself to another serving of the ice-cream cake.

He leaned over the kitchen counter, waiting for the water for his evening cup of tea to boil. All the kids roamed around, still talking loudly and excitedly about Armin's new board. Levi smiled under his nose, listening to their careless banter.

"Hey, can you help me with that…"

Historia ran into a kitchen in haste, the scent of her perfume following her every move. Her hair was braided in an elegant low bun plait. She was wearing high heels and a slinky, strappy white dress, exposing her naked shoulders and plunging neckline. All the banter stopped, and all eyes turned in her direction when she handed a delicate silver necklace to Levi.

"Wow! What happened to you?!" Eren was first to react.

"Are you serious, Eren?! You look gorgeous, Historia!" said Isabel.

"Like a goddess… your date is really lucky!" Jean said, earning a scowl from Levi.

"You don't say these things, Jean!"

"But why—"

"You are… an angel," said Armin, choking on a sip of water.

"Oh my god, your hair, so gorge…" Sasha sighed.

"You look so different from usual! It's so pretty…" said Connie.

"Thank you, Connie, guys! Levi, can you please help me with that?!

"Sure, turn around," Levi said. You look…. tall in these shoes."

"Oh, thanks, that's flattering." Historia giggled, and he tried to hide a flush, a slight hint of embarrassment crawling upon his face.

The high heels she wore made her slightly taller than him, and it was as hot as it was humiliating at the same time. Seeing her face close to his before she turned, he realized she wore discreet, natural makeup. It was subtle but visible enough to make all the difference. Her mascara-coated eyelashes fluttered seductively, and the rosy lip gloss glistened in the kitchen light.

Levi sighed.

Her soft skin felt amazing under his fingers when he fastened the clasp of her necklace. Historia lowered her face, exposing the long neck, and he couldn't but run his fingertips all over her nape. She gasped, and he noticed a shiver run along her spine. The necklace had been fixed, but neither of them hurried to break the touch.