Levi Has A Pet

Summary: Levi has a pet, an unusual one, but it's a pet and he likes it with all of his dark little heart. It's small, undemanding and, most of all, clean. But it's a blast from the past and when word gets out, everyone wants it. Levi has to make sure his unique pet remains his and free. Eren, already done with this BS 2000 years ago, gets dragged into it. He's not complaining, despite his complaining.

He didn't get the chance to go to sleep until hours later, after he explained everything to his comrades who remembered and showed Mikasa, Connie and Annie the Hallucigenia. Which had, predictably, hissed at Annie and made rude gestures towards Connie when he poked its container. It had completely ignored Mikasa, which confused Eren and Levi since they knew it was interested in Levi almost as much as Eren and Levi was an Ackerman so they had thought Mikasa would be of some interest, too.

Then again, as Levi recalled, the Hallucigenia had always ignored his mother and Kenny before, so maybe it ignoring Mikasa wasn't such a strange occurrence after all. Not to mention that they were lucky that it wasn't his-screeching its little head off, considering she's the one who killed its last host, one it had personally protected, almost killing the 'shining centipede' along with him.

Levi really didn't understand his pet, for all that he should probably stop calling the Hallucigenia that. He might have grown slightly attached to it, but that didn't suddenly erase the fact that this creature was probably nearly as intelligent as primates based on everything it has displayed so far, nor does it erase the fact that it was beyond powerful. Certainly beyond human imagination. They still had no idea if the Titan powers was the only thing it had in its arsenal and Levi would actually like to keep it that way if he can. But all of that also doesn't erase the years he'd spent taking care of it, mumbling shit to it, even playing with it and keeping it safe. Though he didn't understand why it didn't hate him; he'd had almost as much to do with Eren's death as Mikasa, even though she'd been the one to land the final blow, and then when he'd found it, he had taken it away from its natural(?) habitat and had put it in a cage. Well, aquarium, but the point still stands that he'd taken its freedom. And this thing had shared a mind with Eren, so surely it would hate anything and anyone taking away its freedom, right?

Yet it didn't.

In fact, it seemed to like him, perhaps even slightly more than Eren, for all that it could be a shit when it wanted his attention, especially when Eren got into one of his moods when he wants to ignore its very existence. It still preferred to rest around Levi more than anyone. It, in fact, once threw a fit when Levi fell asleep on the couch when he, Armin and Eren were watching a movie and Eren moved him to his room, only for Armin to come running after him with a screeching Hallucigenia, waking the former Captain up just as Eren was putting a blanket over him. It had been an awkward situation that they never repeated again.

The Hallucigenia seemed to be content now as Sasha and Marco had fun feeding it, fascinated by the Cambrian animal they had the privilege to see in the flesh as Levi, Eren, Armin and even Jean explained everything to the others. Sasha was only half listening, obviously more interested in a thing almost as gluttonous as her as she fed it pieces of sushi Mikasa had ordered her staff to bring them. She didn't seem as disturbed by stories of Titans and the Rumbling, as clearly Connie had been the better best friend since he'd told her everything he remembers, unlike Jean with Marco or Reiner with Bertolt. The others, on the other hand, listened vigilantly with grim faces as Levi retold his life with the Hallucigenia and becoming a fugitive, finding Eren and Armin, how they found Jean and how that led them all to this moment. They were reasonably surprised to hear that Erwin and Levi weren't going to be allies in this life unlike the last, Reiner was crestfallen Historia didn't remember and they were all confused by Zeke's lack of memories. Eren and Armin told everyone about their lives - again - and then Armin tried to explain the theories they've been making in the car before they had to fight off the traitors.

"And so we can't really test out the theory until we find Pieck, Gabi and Falco," Armin was finishing up as Eren finally took the container away from Sasha and Marco before they made the Hallucigenia sick from all that food. Levi was grateful, as he had no idea if the thing could die like an overfed goldfish or not.

"It's a sound theory, except for the part with Zeke not making sense. Or the part with Hange," Annie commented while running her fingers through her for once loose hair. They all needed a shower and some rest after the day they've had, especially the group that had just come from Spain. "Though if it really is the start of the Rumbling, a lot more people should remember."

"Not the start of the Rumbling, but rather the so-called Battle of Heaven and Earth," Levi corrected, saying the name of the battle with heavy sarcasm and a roll of his eyes. "It's the only thing that makes sense about Hange remembering, but the monkey is still a mystery to me."

"What made you think that bastard doesn't remember, though?" Connie asked, though he looked a bit confused by the conversation as a whole.

"That's actually a good question," Eren realized, turning towards Levi. "I never even met him so I can't say, but you did, obviously. How did he act that made you assume he doesn't remember?"

Levi gave him a deadpan stare.

"Don't look at me like that," grumbled Eren. "I'm being serious here. You weren't exactly friends for him to approach you with warm hugs and open arms. And he's a very good actor; believe me, I would know." That was said with bitter irony that made Levi wonder just what the hell had happened in the Paths between the Jaeger brothers before the Rumbling started.

"You think he was only acting like he doesn't remember?" Reiner asked and Annie huffed.

"I wouldn't be surprised. I never quite trusted him to begin with. It was always obvious that his goals didn't quite align with any of ours."

"Well, considering he was only trusted with the Beast Titan because he betrayed his own mother and father, it's not surprising that you guys didn't exactly click," commented Connie but Eren shook his head.

"Zeke's views and goals were mostly shaped by his mentor, Xavier, but also partially by our father since he was the one who originally urged Zeke to join the military and do everything they tell him in the first place."

"Wasn't that your doing, though?"

"Hush."

Annie rolled her eyes.

Eren glared at her. "Not everything the other bearers of the Attack Titan did was because of me," he snapped. "You lot got lucky. You only get minimal feedback from past Shifters. Me, on the other hand, I had so much noise in my head some days that I was tempted to tie a rock around my ankle and throw myself into the canals or into the sea so I could drown in peace. Not everything was my doing. There were times I didn't know where I began or ended, days when I didn't know if the thoughts running through my head were actually my own or not. So don't make jokes about that or I will hurt you."

"You can try."

"And you can both shut the shitty fuck up before I hurt you both," Levi interrupted before Eren really did fight the blonde. "No one cares about the monkey's upbringing from the past or even from the present. Fuck that shit, it's not important. What is important is figuring out if Zeke remembers and if he does, why he was so bloody adamant to get the Hallucigenia."

"Well, probably because he knows what it fucking is," Eren replied, still pissed but never enough to snap at Levi, an old respect that lingered through two lifetimes and two thousand years. "Before I woke up in the Paths, a lot of time apparently passed and Zeke either had a chat with Ymir or he just gathered knowledge from the Coordinate through the link he possessed because of his Royal Blood or something like that. It's not important. Point is, Zeke knows about the 'source of all living matter', which is this little guy," he said while pointing at the luminescent white creature that really shouldn't be alive and was causing so much trouble. "So if he remembers, he's chasing you for the Hallucigenia for more than just scientific curiosity. Hell, he's most probably using his position within the CIA to hunt for you and the Hallucigenia more easily."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Reiner said with a sigh, crossing his arms and leaning back into the couch he and Bertolt were sharing. The taller of the two said nothing, still too shocked about the things he had done in a past life he had no recollection of. "He's always been crafty, I can give him that. But say that he does remember, would he really go up against Levi-heichou-" Levi's glare bounced off the oblivious dunderhead's skin like blades used to against the armored plates of his Titan form. "-when he knows he doesn't stand a chance unless he has some Titan powers and you have none?" The last was directed at Levi, who could only shrug.

"You never did say what made you think he doesn't remember," reminded Mikasa and Levi sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose.

"Well, first, he showed no recognition, but I can give him that, as I didn't exactly look like this back then. I was younger, had longer hair since Kenny and I sold everything but the bare necessities so we could spend every last penny to pay for my mother's medical bills and I wore glasses, which became redundant after the Hallucigenia bit me and returned to me my Ackerman abilities. But even after he witnessed some of my less than normal by human standards feats and it became obvious to those who remembered that I am the Levi of two thousand years ago, he made no move to approach me, be it as an enemy, an ally or an annoyance, which would just be too irresistible for someone like Zeke."

"Fair enough," the man's own brother conceded. "If Zeke really did remember, I doubt he'd have the self-restraint not to annoy Heichou. It was the only way he could get revenge on him since the likeliness of Zeke winning in a fair fight is like Reiner's chances of getting a date with Annie."

"Rude," Reiner complained while Annie just nodded in agreement.

"But it's also possible that he wasn't sure if he should approach you if he really did realize you also remembered," Armin pointed out. "You kind of loathed him, so it's only reasonable he wouldn't risk you going for his head a second time."

Mikasa sighed. "So we're back where we started on that front."

"But Zeke's now classified as a 'maybe remembers', not as a 'doesn't remember'," Jean reminded. "It's a big difference. It actually puts him in the same category as Hange. We can't be sure unless we actually confront him about it. And speaking of Hange, when are you supposed to meet her?"

Eren, Armin and Levi looked at each other. "Two days from now. I guess we just have to lay low for a while before we go to the science fair," Eren replied, running a hand through his hair. "This could get real messy really easily, huh?"

"You'll have my bodyguards' protection until you get to the fair, but I'm not sure even my family can get me tickets to get inside on such short notice," Mikasa said apologetically but her two friends reassured her she was already doing a lot for them and Levi just waved her off. She accepted their reassurances a bit awkwardly, probably still not used to not being able to protect her two closest friends how she wanted despite what happened to Eren in their last life. "Well, I guess I should show you guys to your rooms now. Although, fair warning, this place has only three 'guest rooms' and a pullout couch so we'll have to arrange pairs-"

"Connie and I'll take the pullout couch!" Sasha immediately exclaimed and no one was surprised because those two likely wanted to goof off and watch TV all night long.

Levi snorted. "I'd prefer to be able to sleep, so unless you're going to shut up and go straight to bed, no."

"You sleep now, Levi-heichou?" Asked Connie, surprised and a little incredulous but he shrank under Levi's glare at the '-heichou' part. Honestly, what was it going to take for these brats - even if they were all older than him now, with Armin being the second youngest next to Levi; Mikasa was the same age as Jean, Annie was a year younger, Bertolt and Reiner were already in their early thirties and Connie and Sasha were twenty five and twenty six respectively, while Marco was also the same age as the soon to be married couple -to stop referring to him as their superior. That was in another life they will hopefully never have to live through again, if Levi can keep the Hallucigenia out of anyone's grubby hands and keep it away from Eren.

"Occasionally."

"Then I guess Bertolt and I can take the couch and Marco can stay with you two," Reiner offered and the three were mostly okay with that, though Levi still doubted they'd get any sleep since the two are most likely going to pester Connie about the details of their past life since he was the most talkative about it until this impromptu reunion.

"But don't you guys need to be well rested as pilots?" Armin questioned and Reiner waved him off.

"We work for Jean. We won't be flying anywhere for at least a few more days, when we need to get his and Marco's parents for the wedding."

"Perks of working for a private company," Bertolt said with an awkward laugh, clearly still unsure what to make of his role in their last life's wars and suffering. Not that anyone really blamed him for it anymore. The world was never black and white, least of all two thousand years ago.

"Armin and I will obviously take the other guest room," Annie declared, already snatching up her blond renewed lover by the arm and making him squeak in embarrassment. Levi tried not to feel sorry for Bertolt, considering the poor idiot seems to be in love with Annie again and was having her affections stolen by the same man again in a second life because he hadn't had the courage to confess before. Though the likeliness of Annie not holding out for Armin were very slim, considering how she'd pounced on him the second she laid her eyes on him. "But that leaves ... "

Everyone turned to stare at Eren and Levi at that, realizing that their resident suicidal maniac would have to share a room with their respected past superior. Levi rolled his eyes and Eren seemed more confused about their reaction than anything. Armin didn't seem bothered, considering he'd had a first row seat to how close the two of them had gotten in the weeks they'd lived together in his and Eren's apartment and considering the fact he had found them all but cuddled up to each other the morning they set on the journey to find Jean.

"I'm sure they don't mind," Jean suddenly said with a smirk and Levi turned incredulous eyes at the kid with the healthiest amount of respect for authority in his old squad, not quite able to believe his ears. "They seemed rather chummy on the plane."

"Jean, what the fuck?" Connie asked incredulously, clearly impressed by the balls Jean had seemingly grown overnight. Or, well, during a cross-continental flight, anyways. Armin wisely didn't say anything. He really always was the smartest one of this bunch.

"Your point?" Levi decided to interject before things got outright weird. That seemed to shut everyone up, which greatly pleased him as he really didn't want to deal with this bullshit right now. "Get your asses to bed, brats. It's way past your curfew."

"Aren't you still just a kid?" Sasha, oblivious to their precious social dynamics through the bliss of ignorance that was a lack of memories, blurted out and everyone winced at that.

Levi, though, arched an eyebrow. "I guess it's saying something, then, that I call you lot brats. Maybe it's time for you to reconsider your level of maturity." And just like that, the matter was put to rest and Mikasa led them to their rooms in relative silence besides telling them where they could get a drink, some food or a snack and where the bathroom is. Reiner and Bertolt were the ones who settled first while Jean and Mikasa had to get everyone else situated in their rooms and borrow them some clothes for the night, since none of them were actually expecting to spend the night at Mikasa's, let alone in one of her safe houses. Only Levi had any clothes of his own, considering he was used to leaving with only the things that can fit into his backpack for the past two years. He's not sure if that made everyone envy him or pity him. He's not sure if he wants to find out.

"Here's the WiFi password and a phone with a SIM card. It's on my name and the phone has my number installed already. Be sure to call me if you need anything. And I mean anything. Even if it's just another towel, don't hesitate to tell me. If you do, I'll kick your ass in the morning. Or Heichou's, since I know that would piss you off even more," he heard Mikasa tell Eren and Levi tried to ignore the last part because he didn't know what to make of it. To him, it didn't even make sense, but Mikasa's and Eren's relationship never really did, if he was being honest, and the last couple of days only made it all the more confusing.

"You do realize he has all of his old abilities, right?"

"Do you believe that will stop me?"

There was a moment of silence before Levi rolled his eyes and just ignored them, going about his nightly routine of taking care of the Hallucigenia, though this time that only consisted of making sure its water was relatively clean and nothing more since the damn thing's already well beyond fed. It really liked sushi. He inspected the container itself, as he did after every unfortunate interaction he might have with people who would chase him and his pet because he can't risk the thing breaking and his pet dying of dehydration and the inability to breathe without water. And he also can't risk it for the thing to have even the slightest chance of escape. It was intelligent and it would gladly take any opportunity. Though, he had to admit that it had actually had plenty of opportunities to escape and yet it had never done so. Hell, there was a short window of time it hadn't been in Levi's hands and yet it had waited for him to come and get it! Damn the French and their weird touchy-feely-ness. They had really caught him off guard with that.

"Everything okay?" Eren asked, plopping down on their bed on his side and craning his neck to see the container. "You have a pretty scary frown on your face."

"It's nothing. Just cursing the French."

The former Titan Shifter chuckled at that, though Levi couldn't find anything particularly humorous in what he'd just said. Eren shot him an exasperated grin. "Oh, come on! Isn't it an American thing to say 'excuse my french' when they're about to curse or cuss someone or something out, but yet here you are, literally cursing at the French! It's funny!"

Well, when you put it that way, it is, sort of, kind of, maybe a little funny. It certainly fell into the humor Levi himself appreciated, except he was dead serious about cursing the French.

"But seriously, though, is everything okay?"

"As okay as it can be," Levi replied with a sigh. He eyed the only thing Eren had brought with him, his laptop bag, with the said device in it. "Hey, can you give me your computer for a second? There's something I need to do."

Eren arched an eyebrow but handed over his laptop all the same. "Is this 'something' a thing I should be worried about?"

Levi didn't look up to meet those suspicious and curious green eyes as he waited for the laptop to power up so he could unlock it and get to work. Why Eren felt so comfortable giving Levi his password, he didn't know, but Armin had it, too, so he guessed it was not something Eren was generally bothered with. Besides, Levi knew all of Eren's important private folders had their own separate passwords. Why the idiot would choose to have many different passwords instead of creating a separate account on his laptop that only he would have access to, he didn't know, but he guessed that was Eren's business. "I don't know if I've ever told you that before we met, I actually had plans to come to either Japan or go to China. You know about my pen pal, right? She offered to take me in. Like, years ago. Even before I became a fugitive."

Eren let himself plop down onto his back on the mattress, turning his head to face Levi as they conversed. "Ah, the infamous ZoeH. Interesting name. And why does she even know that you're a fugitive?"

"I told her, duh," the teen said in his most bratty-angsty-teenager voice that he could manage, a tone he had, unfortunately, become quite intimately familiar with after years of taking care of various brats in his past life. If it wasn't Isabel, it was Petra or Olou, and if it wasn't them, it was Eren or his second Special Operations Squad. And if it wasn't one of his Survey Corps brats, it was Gabi.

He swears Falco had been the universe's way of saying sorry for all the brats he'd had to watch over because Falco was honestly the sweetest, kindest, mildest, most considerate and most of all respectfully quiet and undramatic kids he's ever had the pleasure of half-raising. Falco didn't complain the rare few times Levi felt like talking about Eren, unlike Gabi, even if both kids had come to respect Eren in some way for what he was ready to do for his people and loved ones. He didn't mind helping Levi do the cleaning, either. He didn't intrude on the time Levi spent with his visiting former subordinates. He was the first one who had bothered to learn how Levi liked his tea and had then forced Gabi to learn to make it to his standards, too, which ended up being good for their later business, as Levi was a snob only about tea and cleaning. He didn't ask about stories Levi would rather not tell and he corralled Gabi when she got too insistent or obnoxious about it. He kept a wary eye on everyone who walked into their establishment or home, helping Levi avoid reporters and journalists and he didn't get on Levi's case too much when he would occasionally get out of his wheelchair and force his injured leg to work like it used to, unlike Gabi, who turned into a worry wart on such occasions, or Onyankopon, who hovered over him like he expected Levi to fall any second now.

Levi paused what he was doing, realizing he missed those brats, but shook his head and opened up his email before he let himself ponder such things too much. Given this pattern continues, he'll probably run into Gabi and Falco soon enough. Probably within a month or so. Two at the most, given they still have to find Hange.

"Why, though?"

Eren's question made him remember he wasn't alone and he turned to find those green eyes still focused on him. They had an eerie glow to them, or rather they reflected the Hallucigenia's gentle glow in an eerie way. But he'd seen this happen before, so he doesn't have an excuse for why it always gave him a pause just how much Eren's eye color could change.

"Well, technically speaking, I never intended to tell her I was a fugitive. They eventually came to that conclusion on their own. Probably by tracking the location of my emails; they're a bit of a hacker, you see. Or just a nutcase."

"You really know how to make interesting friends, huh?" Eren said with a teasing grin, to which Levi mock-glared at him.

"Anyways, I only wanted to tell her that the likelihood of us continuing our exchange of messages was slim to zero and she wanted to know why. She pestered me and my inbox was always blowing up with her messages when I got the chance to check it in random internet cafes or whatever other place I could login and I kept trying to block her, but as I said-"

"Hacker."

"Exactly," Levi said with a nod. "Eventually, we came to a compromise and continued our messaging."

"What was the compromise?" The brunet asked curiously as Levi opened his email and checked the messages he'd received. Only two, both from ZoeH. One was their customary email that asked about how he was doing, when he'd visit and saying she missed their far more frequent chats of the past. The other was one of her random ramble messages, though this one talked about reuniting with an old friend she hadn't seen in 'two thousand years or more', which made him frown. Why did she have to use that specific number? He was starting to hate it.

"We'd continue chatting to the best of my ability and in exchange, she'd keep hidden my email login locations."

"How long have you been pen pals?"

"Since middle school, really," Levi said as he started typing up a reply. Boy, was ZoeH in for a surprise. She's going to be over the moon when she reads this email. "It was the end of first grade, I think. The teacher had us draw three lots. We could pick any number of pen pals we wanted to have from those lots. I ended up only having ZoeH."

"I guess you're not that big of a social butterfly to have more than one," commented Eren. "Why her, though?" Then realization seemed to strike him. "Oh. ZoeH. Without the last letter, it's like Hange's surname." He perked up. "Do you think it's them?" He asked, excited.

But Levi could only shake his head. "I have no clue. There are moments when I suspect but there are also far more moments when I doubt. The reason why I stuck with her for so long, though, is because she reminds me of Hange. She has the same curiosity and enthusiasm as Hange, but she once nearly failed gym class, she has an interest in science but she cleans her equipment almost religiously, she doesn't wear glasses, she wanted to be an astronaut, an archaeologist, a biologist, a chemist, a combination of all those and then she said she'd rather maybe open up a tea shop with me if I ever came to visit her."

"Does she have a crush on you or something?" Eren asked, his eyes narrowing.

Levi snorted. "Fuck no. She knows I'm gay and she's in an interesting three-way relationship, the last I talked to her, with a guy and a project he's helping her on."

"Welp," Eren said awkwardly and Levi arched an eyebrow at him. Then he realized what he'd said and he scowled at his former subordinate.

"You have something against homosexuals, Eren?"

The brunet looked the most panicked Levi had seen him since he was fifteen, sixteen years old, two thousand years ago. "Shit, fuck, no! That's not-! No! Just no! I'd be the biggest hypocrite to walk the Earth if I did! I'm bi, for fuck's sake!"

Well, that was definitely a surprise. He paused in composing the email again, racking his brain for any possible memories that would indicate that Eren had an interest in men as well as women. He knew he'd had somewhat of a crush on Historia, with how protective of her he was. Hell, there was a time when they had all thought Eren to be the new princess' father! Something which Historia denied and she had even introduced what was left of the 104th to the father of her child because she felt Mikasa, at least, deserved to know her love interest had remained single as fuck until the day he died, or so a drunk Mikasa had once told him. Or was it Annie? He didn't remember correctly, he just remembered it had been a bad day for his old injuries and he'd been doped up on pain medication while his comrades had been drunk off their asses. Again.

Levi couldn't help but remember Eren's reaction to Reiner's betrayal, couldn't help but wonder if there had been something more the brunet had been feeling. And he couldn't help but wonder about all those fights with Jean. Was it because he was unwillingly attracted to his friendly rival? Levi can't deny that Jean was good looking and he got especially handsome when he grew up, though Levi would personally never be attracted to him, as he reminded him too much of Kenny from eighteen onwards. Especially with the stubble and the hat. But it could be that Eren never got a chance to explore in his past life and the frustration of that had bubbled up and burst out the way it had. Plus, his anger issues wouldn't help.

And then there was Floch. Did Eren find him attractive and that was why he'd chosen to confide in Floch? The redhead personally always kind of repulsed Levi and he was actually fond of redheads in general. After all, he'd adored Isabel, he and Petra had been close friends and comrades and he'd found Nifa to be the second best soldier in Hange's squad, Moblit obviously taking first place. But there was just something about Floch that had made it hard for Levi to like him. He'd never stuck close with Levi's squad and Hange after Shiganshina and seeing the ocean, yet he'd been the first person Eren turned to ... Had Levi missed something?

"But that all aside," Eren said with an embarrassed flush on his cheeks but also a considering look in his eyes that Levi didn't know how to decipher. "Why are you emailing your penpal now? Wait, you're not serious about staying with her instead of here with us, right? Mikasa can definitely give you more protection than some civilian, great hacker or not. What would you do if you accidentally dragged her into this mess if someone found out about you?"

"I'm not going to stay with her, Eren." At least, not for now. But soon enough, everyone would have to go back to their lives and Levi would have to make a choice. Jean and Mikasa are getting married, will probably start a family soon after, too. He has no doubt Annie and Armin won't take long to follow in their footsteps and with the way Connie was looking at Sasha when he thought no one was looking, those two might end up being 'soulmates' rather than 'twins' as each other's perfect half this time around. Reiner had Bertolt and they would be flying all over the world at the Kirstein's and Bott's every beck and call, not that Levi was even that close to them, and depending on how things went with Hange ... Well, Levi had to wait and see what would happen with her. But Eren had a goal and Levi knew how Eren was with goals. He'd go back to Barcelona, finish his degree and get a stable job in the aquarium he was currently interning at, or some other even better aquarium with dolphins and shit.

And Levi ...

Well, Levi would continue being a fugitive. He had no home to return to and no goal ahead, just an open road he would have to take if he wants to remain free and to keep the world free of Titans. As long as the Hallucigenia lived, Levi would have to be on the run.

But he has the chance to get fake papers now, with ZoeH a train ride away. She really was a pretty good hacker and with even the most basic papers, Levi can get a job, earn some honest money and find a way to disappear from everyone's radar for the rest of his life, preferably on some uninhabitable for humans island where he can die peacefully knowing that the Hallucigenia won't start another Eldian-like bullshit situation.

"But I need an ID and a passport. And I need to get my options straight, in case this whole thing with Hange is just some sick joke played on us by shitty fate."

As he continued typing up the email, he could feel Eren's eyes on him and he knew the former Shifter didn't believe him.

They fell asleep in awkward silence that night.