[The Brat] "Hey, you there?"

"Yeah. What's up?"

[The Brat] "Nothing much. How's ur face?"

"It's a face. Still fucked up. My arm's free though"

[The Brat] "Can we talk?"

Levi's heartbeat sped up.

"We talked after class."

[The Brat] "Not abt the fight. Abt us."

Levi took a deep breath.

"There is no us."

[The Brat] "please can I just talk 2 u?"

"Fine. Hans has taken 'Kasa to the zoo. Want to come over?"

[The Brat] "Sounds good! I'll be over in a few."

Levi levered himself off of the couch and looked around the already clean room. There was nothing to tidy up. Not in his house. He nervously plumped the pillows on the couch and rearranged the coasters on the coffee table anyway. He checked his bruised face in the mirror; yep, still a fucking mess. He smoothed his hair.

What would Eren have to say? Would he be able to resist the kid? Jesus, he wasn't sure.

After ten minutes Levi stepped out onto the porch. Eren's civic was coming up the street.

As Eren was slowing down to park in front of Levi's duplex, a nice old man was walking down the sidewalk in the same direction. Levi was out on the porch. When Eren got out of his car the 'nice' old man was ranting at Levi. "You leave your goddamn trash bin in my spot! Stop using my spot!"

"Your 'spot' is literally right in front of my house, Mr Sandelford!"

"Well I don't want shitty trash bins in front of my house!"

Levi took a deep breath. "Mr Sandelford— "

"Just keep your goddamn bins outta my spot!"

The old man turned then and stumped off down the sidewalk, as he brushed past Eren, he spoke: "Goddamn Jews. Taking over everything."

Eren actually froze on the sidewalk, mouth hanging open. He spun around towards the old man. "Hey! You— "

"Eren. Eren stop."

It was Levi.

"But that asshole just said— "

"I know what he said. He's shared it with me many times. Come on, let's go inside."

"But Levi!"

Levi heaved a big sigh. "Just let it go, Eren."

They stepped in the door and Eren gestured violently. "That just sucks, that sort of shit. It burns me up!"

"Yes, it fucking sucks but there's nothing we can do about it. Anti-semitism has been around for millennia. I've put up with it my whole life, unfortunately." he absently scratched at his bruised jaw.

Eren's hands balled into fists. "Well, it makes me angry that Mikasa will have to put up with this crap!"

"'Kasa's not Jewish,' Levi said mildly.

"What?"

"She's not Jewish."

"Uh … is she adopted?" The little girl looked exactly like Levi.

"No."

"How … how can that be?"

"Judaism is matrilineal. Your mother has to be Jewish."

"So she wasn't … ?"

"Still isn't, I guess. She's Methodist if I remember correctly."

Eren rubbed his face with both hands. "I thought she was dead!"

"I never said she was dead. 'Kasa's mom is alive and well."

"I just assumed … because she's not around …"

"Tch. Come sit down at the table. I'll explain. You want some coffee?"

They settled down at the table, coffee and tea in hand a few minutes later.

"Her name is Petra. Petra Ral. Cute little strawberry blonde with a very generous nature. We were best friends since we were kids.

"You dated? Married?"

"Never to either. Just friends."

"So how … ?"

Levi toyed with his saucer

"We were drunk. She initiated it." Levi sighed and shifted. "Turns out she had a secret crush on me all those years and when I got shitfaced at a party … well …"

Eren just stared.

"We hashed it out the next day—there were a lot of tears and some yelling before we decided to put it all behind us and stay friends. Then she found out she was pregnant."

"She didn't want the baby?"

"She didn't want to even be pregnant. She even made an appointment to get an abortion but I begged her not to."

They sat in silence for a moment, sipping out of their cups.

"Petra just didn't want to be a mom right then, which was her right. She was pre-med and we were so young."

"Let's see," Eren mused, "you were 19?"

"Yup. She was 18."

Eren's phone buzzed and Levi's did as well a second later. It was Hange sending pics of Mikasa and them at the zoo. Levi and Eren both smiled fondly at the pics before putting their phones away. Levi resumed.

"So Mikasa was born and Petra signed over her parental rights and asked to not be in 'Kasa's life. I took her and left school and left Sina. I send Petra pictures and updates every now and then. She's never replied."

Eren shook his head. "Jesus, that's … well, I don't know what to say."

Levi stood and refilled their cups. "Nothing to say. Mikasa has no mom, essentially."

"She has you, though. That's all she needs."

"Thank you for saying that."

They both concentrated on their drinks. Levi put sugar in his tea and watched with thinly veiled disgust as Eren dumped several huge spoonfuls of sugar and so much creamer into his coffee that it was a pale beige. He shook his head. "So what is this important stuff we have to talk about?"

Eren took a deep breath. "I want ... I hate being away from you."

Levi's heart secretly soared.

"So … will we just be friends or do you still want to be with me?" he asked.

"Honestly? I want to be with you."

"Eren, I don't want— "

" —to get hurt again, I know." Eren suddenly took Levi's hand. Levi tried weakly to retrieve it then gave up. "I promise," said Eren, "that I will try my best to never hurt you. If it means never having you, then so be it, but I want us to try."

"I want … I'm good with being friends, but … but what about what you said? What about when you left? Why was all that so sudden? I mean … I thought we were doing OK! I thought we were getting along."

Eren put both hands in his hair. "What the hell, Levi?! You don't want to date but you're OK with us being friends and me flirting with you and wanting you?! How is that fair to me?"

"It's not! It's not! But I … fuck. I miss you, too."

Eren rose from the table and began pacing jerkily. "We can't. We just can't be … friends … whatever …"

"Why not?"

"For one thing, I fucking like you. I want to be with you. When I'm here and I can't have you, I'm miserable!"

"I understand but …"

"And what about Mikasa?"

Levi's entire body language changed and he frowned. "What? What about Mikasa?"

Eren actually stopped and shrank back from Levi.

Oh, god, he looks like he's gonna kick my ass. Fuck me, that's scary and sexy at the same time.

Eren struggled to get his traitorous mind back on track. "Mikasa is upset … with me … with me being here," he babbled.

Levi looked, if that was possible, even more murderous. "How did you know that?" He stood and stepped slowly toward Eren, who backpedaled.

"I was here, OK?"

"When?"

Levi was slowly but surely walking Eren backwards, toward the wall.

"That day!" Eren said, slightly hysterically. "You and 'Kasa were in the bathroom. I came to bring you your keys, remember?"

"And you eavesdropped?"

Eren searched desperately around in his brain for some excuse—any excuse—and came up with nothing. "Yes."

Levi seemed taken aback that Eren had actually answered truthfully. He relaxed minutely. "She was ... just upset …"

"She was upset with me."

"No …"

"Yes, she was!" Eren reached out and gently gripped Levi's upper arms. His voice dropped. "I snuck out and then distanced myself from you because I didn't know what to do. I was scared. I never want to hurt either one of you."

Levi searched Eren's face.

Eren could only think achingly that he wanted to kiss him just then, bruises be damned.

Levi backed up suddenly and Eren let go and dropped his hands.

"I … I need to think …" Levi said, bowing his head and rubbing his forehead.

Eren fidgeted. "I guess I'll go?"

"Yes … yes, go."

Eren sadly gathered up his coat and left.