Eren and Levi avoided each other from then on out. Levi took care of their fake baby and Eren went back to his old seat in class by the windows. They still shot glances at each other and every time Eren peeked at Levi, the man was looking at him.

Eren was cruising along Canal St. leaning forward trying to see out of the windshield. Despite the Civic's wipers' best efforts, he could barely see in the freezing, pouring rain.

He was about a mile from his apartment when he spotted them. It was Levi, walking in the downpour, backpack on, fake baby in one arm, real child in the other. As Eren had seen him before, he had shopping bags draped over each wrist. The little girl was trying valiantly to keep their small umbrella upright against the onslaught but wasn't faring well.

Eren hesitated. They hadn't parted on very good terms. But it was absolutely pissing down rain.

"Ahh, fuck it!" He pulled over to the curb a bit in front of them.

Levi came abreast of the car and Eren rolled the window down. "Levi!"

Levi almost slipped on the slick sidewalk but recovered himself. He stared at Eren.

"Get in the car! You're soaked."

Levi just stood. The little girl fought with the umbrella as a fresh gust of wind and rain came up.

"Come on, Levi! Just get in the fucking car already!"

Levi got into the front seat next to Eren and carefully put the fake baby in the backseat (even fastening the seat belt) and put the real baby next to it, also clicking the seatbelt.

They arrived at Levi's duplex a few minutes later after driving in silence and Eren parked at the curb. Levi immediately grabbed his bags, got out, and opened the back car door and began to unfasten the seat belts from the dummy baby and the little girl. When he had opened his umbrella and gotten the kid and doll out he hesitated. Eren, turned around in his seat, watched as he appeared to struggle with himself. Without looking at Eren he spoke.

"Thank you."

"No problem," Eren mumbled.

"Would you … would you like to come in for a moment?" Levi said to the pavement.

Eren was stunned and absurdly pleased. "Uh, yeah, that'd be good. I can, uh, help you carry stuff."

Eren turned off his car and ran around to the passenger's side. He took the bags from Levi and followed him to the door. Levi unlocked the door and stepped aside for the little girl to go in. He gestured for Eren to follow her.

Eren didn't know what he was expecting. Mattresses on the floor and torn wallpaper maybe. What he walked into was a tiny, homey, painfully clean house. The stairs to the second story, where, presumably the bedrooms were, were directly ahead and the rest of the first floor was to the left. The wall to the right separated this side of the duplex from the other. Eren walked in, looking around. The colors were mostly blues and greens and the kitchen—which was open to the living area—had avocado-colored appliances that looked as if they dated from the 70s. There was a venerable sofa facing a small TV, a Formica kitchen table with four chrome and vinyl chairs, a side table with pictures on it … and that was it. The whole downstairs was smaller than the common area in his apartment.

The little girl put her bookbag on the table and, retrieving a step-stool, carefully washed her hands in the kitchen sink.

Levi appeared beside Eren and took the grocery bags. "Tea?"

"Tea?"

Levi blinked. "Yeah, tea. Like hot tea? I might have some instant coffee …"

"Instant is fine."

Levi nodded and moved into the kitchen area. Eren noticed that he also thoroughly washed his hands in the sink. Judging by the spotlessness of the house and the flower shop, Eren suspected that Levi was a bit of a clean freak.

"You're welcome to sit," Levi said, indicating the table.

Eren crossed to the chair opposite from where the little girl had put her stuff and put his hand on it.

"Papa's chair." The little girl suddenly said. Eren startled and stared at her. Her gaze was narrow, like Levi's and her eyes were a matching grey. Definitely his kid.

"Mikasa," Levi chided. "You're being rude. He's our guest." He looked at Eren. "Sorry about that. We … we don't have very many people over."

Eren corrected himself and took one of the side seats on one of the long edges of the table.

Levi located the jar of instant coffee and smoothly went about what was clearly his routine. He put the kettle on to boil and, retrieving a carton of apple juice from the ancient fridge, poured the little girl a small plastic tumbler and set it on the table. She sat in the chair and began unpacking her backpack. She ignored Eren.

Levi got down two mugs, dropped a tea bag into one and a spoonful of coffee into the other. He didn't seem to know what to do with himself. He didn't look at Eren but fidgeted nervously with his hands.

Eren realized that if he wanted to talk he would have to initiate a conversation. He ran his fingers through his hair and cast about in his mind for things to talk about. He didn't want to fuck up this opportunity.

His gaze settled on the little girl, Levi's daughter. Mikasa he reminded himself, committing it to memory.

Jesus this was hard.

"Uh, your name is very pretty. How old are you?"

She gave him a flat, unimpressed look and held up six stubby fingers.

"Six? Oh, you're a big girl, then."

Yahtzee.

Mikasa visibly swelled at the assessment and a tiny smile tipped up the corners of her mouth. She nodded in agreement.

When Eren looked up at Levi, he was turning back to the kettle but Eren caught an identical partial smile on his face.

They all sat at the table, drinking, while Mikasa showed all of her 'work' from her day at school. There were scribbled portraits in crayon and she took great pains to point out which characters were Levi and which were her and her friends and her favorite lovey 'Tilly.' There were also paintings done in bold primary and secondary colors, and large rudimentary letters on the ubiquitous tan paper with the blue lines.

She demanded that Eren inspect each piece and he complimented her warmly each time.

When they were done, Levi took up his mug and put the cup in the sink. "'Kasa, go and get Tilly and decide which movie you want to watch."

Mikasa ran off and reappeared with a battered blue bunny almost as big as she was. "Tilly say hi," she said, thrusting the thing at Eren.

"Tilly says hi," Levi corrected automatically.

Eren stared seriously at the lovey. "Hello, Tilly. You're a very fine bunny."

Mikasa smiled her enigmatic smile again and went to the couch, carefully arranging herself and Tilly on the sofa and covering their laps with a threadbare throw.

Eren had noticed how chilly it was in the house.

Levi had dried and was putting away the dishes. "What movie are we watching, Love?"

"FROZEN!"

Levi frowned slightly. "Volume, 'Kasa."

"Sorry."

Levi came and put the DVD in for her and started the film. Eren recognized the DVD cover from a popular local video store that had gone out of business. Levi must have picked it up when they had had their close-out sale.

Levi took out a large pot and filled it half-way with water and set it on the stove. He began taking out pasta and a jar of spaghetti sauce. He set the kettle back on the stove as well. "More coffee?"

Eren nodded, holding his mug out. Oh shit. Without Mikasa the conversation had screeched to a halt. Eren cast about in his mind.