It was Thursday when Eren's phone buzzed in his pocket as he was chilling on his bed watching Tik Toks.

"Hello?"

"Eren, sweetie, it's Mom."

"Hey, Mom! What's up?"

"I'll be out your way today. Friday is Dad's and my anniversary so I wanted to shop for a gift at the mall. Can I come by?"

Eren pictured the disheveled wreck that was his apartment and cringed. He'd have to clean up.

"Yeah, sure. What time?"

"About five. Is that OK?"

"Sure. See you then."

"OK, Baby. Love you! Bye."

"Love you too. Bye."

Eren wandered into the main room and Jean and Armin were there. He cringed. They looked like they were both headed out—Jean had his backpack slung over one shoulder and Armin was in his work uniform—so no cleaning help for him. "Who was that?" Jean asked.

"Just my mom."

"She OK?"

"Yeah, it's her and Dad's anniversary or some shit so she's coming by." Eren looked morosely around the apartment. "Now I gotta clean this place up all by myself."

Jean slapped him heartily on the shoulder. "I'm sure you can cope. Has your dad said anything to you about the warning?"

"Not a peep, thank god. I don't want to talk to that fucker anyway."

"You should give your dad more of a break, Eren," Armin said, "he's supporting you after all."

"He's a fuckhead!"

"You're right," Armin said reasonably—Jean and Armin had grown up with Eren and were well aware of Grisha and his tendencies—"But all you have to do to be the bigger man is act a little grateful through college."

Eren growled down at the floor and kicked at the corner of the rug. "Why do I have to be the bigger man? Why can't he nut up and be a better father?"

"I think he's doing the best he can," Armin said.

"Hey," said Jean, "at least you'll get to see your mom."

Eren was entirely pleased with that aspect. He adored his mom. "True …"

"Come on, Jean, if you want a ride. I'm gonna be late for work," Armin said and then to Eren, gently, "just think about it."

The door clicked shut behind them and Eren crossly surveyed the room. He kicked at a dirty shirt (probably his own) wadded up on the floor. "Fucking cleaning!"

Eren began 'cleaning' by packing every dirty dish they had into the dishwasher and all the random packages of food out on the counter into the first cupboard he came to. He then shoved everything on the floor in the living area under the couch and everything on the floor in his room under his bed. He dragged his duvet up over his unmade bed.

He was picking up all of the beer bottles in the apartment in a desultory way when he realized that he probably should get his mom something for her anniversary. He had no idea what to get. A gift? A cake? He decided on flowers. Yes, definitely flowers. His mom loved them.

After getting his place semi-decent he donned his coat and gloves and grabbed the trash as he went. The garbage safely in the bins, he headed out to the flower shop down the street.

The flower shop was a quick, chilly walk from his apartment. He stepped in the door, the little bell over it tinkling, and looked around for an employee. The shop was warm and green with bright spots of color where the flowers were. It was also immaculately clean and tidy, not a single flower petal on the floor. The clerk emerged from the back, drawn by the bell, and Eren was startled that he recognized him. It was Levi.

"You work in a fucking flower shop?" Eren asked, laughing. He saw Levi tense up.

"Yeah, what about it, asshole?" Again the voice was low and deep.

"Hey! That's no way to talk to a customer!"

"Then don't be an asshole. Do you want flowers or dontcha?"

There wasn't another flower shop in town. Eren frowned. "Fine …"

Levi became all business. "So do you want a bouquet or an arrangement or what?"

Eren shrugged. "I dunno. My mother's coming into town."

A soft look crossed Levi's face, so quickly that Eren almost missed it. Perhaps Levi's mom lived a long way away and couldn't visit him.

Levi came around from behind the counter. The floor behind the counter was raised about six inches to give the proprietor a good view of the whole store and when Levi stepped down, Eren smirked.

"What?"

"Nothing. You're just so short."

"Yeah, I'm short, dickhead, but you're a dickhead so that makes us even." Levi turned on his heel and walked off amongst the flowers forcing Eren to trail after him. "Do you treat all your customers this way?"

"Only the dickheads. Does your mom have a flower choice or a color preference?" Levi asked over his shoulder as he moved.

Eren thought about it. His mom loved flowers and would actually gather wildflowers to bring into the house. "Yellow, I think."

Levi nodded and beelined for a corner of the store. Eren followed.

"I could make a nice bouquet of sunflowers, lilies, and green poms. It would be gorgeous and inexpensive."

Eren scratched his jaw. "What's a 'pom'?"

"It's a mum."

"That didn't tell me anything."

Levi sighed and gathered up some sunflowers before moving off. Eren trailed him.

"These are the lilies," he said picking out a few vibrant ones, "and these are the poms." The little chrysanthemums were small and green and in clusters that looked like tiny pom-pons.

"I'll bet she'll love it," Levi urged.

"OK, then. Let's do that."

Levi moved surprisingly quickly. He was back behind the counter, cutting the stems to length, adding a bit of greenery, and arranging everything in a bouquet. He carefully wrapped it in green tissue and a plastic sleeve, laying it on the counter.

Eren had to begrudgingly admit that it was gorgeous. Sunny and happy and bright, much like his mother.

Eren dug out his credit card while Levi rang him up. When Eren handed it over, Levi happened to catch the name on the card.

"Your name isn't Grisha Yeager."

"Nah, it's my dad's"

Levi turned the platinum card over in his hands and whistled. "Must be nice."

Eren shrugged dismissively. "Whatever. I do work, you know."

"Why?" Levi asked honestly.

"My dad's an asshole. Wanted me to go to med school like him. I can only use the card for school stuff or stuff like this, for mom. He pays my rent and for food, though." As soon as he said this Eren realized how entitled he sounded. "I gotta pay for beer and going out and stuff!" He jammed both hands into his jeans pockets and stared at the floor.

"Poor baby," Levi said crisply and ran the card.

Eren bristled. He cast around for something to say. "So how come you come in late to class, like, every day?"

"Work," Levi said evenly. He held Eren's gaze. "Twelve hours a day on weekdays and eight on Saturday."

"Jesus, dude! You must be flush. How come your clothes—" Eren realized his mistake just as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Levi had frozen, flowers in one hand, card and receipt in the other.

"Mind your own business, Eren," he said darkly.

Eren fled from the store, flowers in hand.