A/N) So many unhappy people! I am so sorry! I promise, things are going to get better! I can't break my poor Eren's heart. I got a lot of questions as to why? Well, because I want this story to be somewhat realistic, and life isn't all happy all the time. But things will work out in the end! This chapter kind of bounces around a bit, but hopefully it's still understandable. Hope you all enjoy it. Eren baby is gonna be back with his Levi before you know it.
"He's out of surgery, but he's in intensive care. I'm sorry, but only his family can see him." A doctor was telling the group at the hospital.
Erwin nudged Mikasa "Check on him, for all of us."
Mikasa nodded "I am his next of kin, his niece, Mikasa Ackerman."
"Follow me then, Miss."
Erwin sat back down, and ran his fingers through his hair "At least surgery went well. I should let the boys know."
Hange sighed "It's one in the morning, but knowing Eren, he's probably fretting and awake. I'll call him."
Erwin turned to Carla after Hange walked outside (reception was terrible in the waiting room.) "Are you alright? You probably have grieving to do. You don't have to stay with us."
Carla shook her head "Levi is important to Eren, and I feel responsible for Grisha's mistakes. I know I should grieve, but I'll do so when Levi is alright. Now, I just feel empty, not sad."
Erwin put a comforting arm around her "You are a strong woman, and a good mom. The kids are lucky to have you. Hell, all of us are lucky to have you."
Carla smiled "I love how close you all are. I had my apprehensions about age, but Levi, Hange, and even you make my kids happy. That's all a mother could ask for. I just wish Grisha could have seen that..." Carla's walls began to crack, and she leaned on Erwin's chest to cry. He just sat there, holding her, and saying nothing.
Mikasa stood in the doorway, still shocked. Her uncle lay there looking battered, broken, and bruised. She pulled her scarf tighter to her neck, and walked over to him. His head was bandaged, eyes black, leg in a sling, arms bandaged up, and God only knew the damage to his body beneath the blankets "Oh, uncle Levi..."
The man groaned, and she jumped in fear. He began to mumble "E...re..n."
"It's just me, Uncle. Eren is at school." She told him.
"Er...en." He continued mumbling the boys name.
She laid her hand against his cheek "I promise, I'll bring Eren to you, Uncle Levi. Save your strength."
Levi seemed to relax at the touch, and began to quiet down. Mikasa's heart was breaking seeing her Uncle like this.
"Stupid shrimp. You better get better fast. You worried a lot of people."
Hange came back in the waiting room looking flustered "The kids got balls. He offered to come back, but I told him only family. He starts screaming he is family, and finally Armin helped me, help him, see some sense. Carla, you raised a bull headed and persistent kid."
Carla wiped her eyes "That's my Eren. Wouldn't be my boy if he didn't have such a spitfire attitude."
Mikasa finally went home around three in the morning. Erwin and Hange slept in shifts. Carla decided to go home for a little while, but promised to be back soon.
Eren didn't sleep, Armin and Mikasa were in and out. They did something they hadn't done in years. Eren and Armin pushed their beds together, and with Mikasa, they all lay together. Just seeking comfort with one another. Eren and Mikasa did this when Mikasa had nightmares, they all did this when Armin moved in, and now the siblings needed it again. Eren felt safe with his sister on one side, and his brother on the other. It may seem odd to some, but for them, it was normal.
Mikasa kept her mouth shut about Levi calling out for Eren. That would be the breaking point for Eren to run off. So she kept quiet, cuddling into her brother's side.
Before they knew it, the sun was peeking above the horizon. Armin sat up, and stretched "Going to go deliver them some breakfast." He said with a yawn.
Mikasa looked over, and saw Eren fighting to stay awake "Eren take a power nap. I'll go grab us some cappuccinos."
Eren just nodded, and finally gave up the battle with consciousness.
"Be careful when grabbing breakfast Armin." She told him. Everyone was uneasy driving after the accident.
"Yeah I'll be fine." He took off, rubbing his eyes as he went downstairs.
When he got to the hospital, Erwin greeted him with a kiss. "Anything new?" Armin asked.
"Levi is stubborn as ever. They are keeping him medicated to stay asleep, and get over the worst part of the pain. Poor guy really needs Eren. Don't tell him though!" Hange said.
"Maybe hearing Eren's voice?" Armin suggested.
Erwin shook his head "If Eren heard Levi's voice calling for him, he'd drop everything and come here."
Carla came rushing in "I'm so sorry I overslept, everyone!"
"No problem, Carla. This wouldn't be the first time Erwin and I pulled an all nighter. We have been in college, ya know." Hange gave her a wink, and Carla smiled.
"Oh, hello Armin, dear."
"Hey mom. Caramel mocha coffee?"
"You know me so well!" She took the offered cup, and took a drink "That's nice."
Erwin ran his fingers through Armin's hair "Baby, you look exhausted. Are you sure you are okay?"
"I'm fine. I slept on and off. Just today and tomorrow to go through."
"Sleep when you can, for me?"
"Sleep is for the weak. I need to study study. Which I need to jet. Got to get in some studying before my next test."
Erwin sighed, but just let it go "I love you, baby. Do well, study hard."
"I love you too. I'll do fine." Armin leaned up, and Erwin bent down to kiss him.
As Armin left, Hange chuckled "You two are such a mix matched pair, yet you compliment each other really well. He loves the security you provide, and you love his soft tender nature."
"Are you profiling me? Now of all times?" Erwin yelled with red cheeks.
"It's going to be my job soon. Practice makes perfect!"
Carla laughed as the two bantered back and forth. It was easy to tell they were very close friends. The more time she spent with them, the more she knew her kids were in wonderful hands.
Eren was sluggish. He tried to power nap, but with Levi on his mind he couldn't. He gratefully accepted his heavily caffeinated, overly sugared, heart attack in a cup from Mikasa. "Did you not get one?"
"I remembered that my final is this afternoon. So I'm going to get sleep." She collapsed face first into bed.
"Oh. I would have got it myself."
"Don't worry about it. Sleep now." She didn't get out of that position, as she fought her way out of her coat, and layers she was wearing "Make sure to bundle up. It's freezing. Might snow this Christmas."
Eren looked out the window "I wonder if Levi likes snow." He sighed heavily, and began to get dressed. His final was in an hour, and he was planning to beg his professor to take his project early. Family crisis, dead dad, hospitalized boyfriend, something would work. It was still so surreal to know Grisha was dead. Not like he was really every part of Eren's life, but it just seemed weird.
The weirdest thing, was that he wasn't really sad about it. He was mad like hell. That idiot drove while drunk, and almost killed someone very important to him. It filled him with fury. He'd kill the man himself, if he wasn't already dead.
He finished his liquid energy, and made his way to the building for his final test. Luckily, names about the accident hadn't been released, but everyone was talking about it and speculating. Eren had never been more happy to have the professor quiet everyone down for a test. He had also never finished a test so quickly. It was like wanting to go back to the hospital with Levi, put all the information at the forefront of his mind, and he knew all the answers. He quickly turned in his paper, and then head to the dorm to grab his project.
He knocked on the door of Professor Nile Dok's office.
"Come in." He heard on the other side.
Eren walked in. "Hello, Professor Dok."
"Eren. Don't tell me you want tutoring when your project is already due? Procrastination is bad for you."
Eren shook his head, and held up the binder "It's in here. I was wondering if I could turn it in now?"
"Eren, I can't make exceptions for you, or I would have to make exceptions for everyone."
"My dad was the one that died in that accident last night, and he struck my boyfriend, whose in critical condition." Eren blurted out.
Nile's passive face didn't change, but he reached his hand out to take the binder "I can make that exception. My condolences for your loss. To be honest, I'm surprised you even came to school. I probably shouldn't believe you, but I doubt you would go to such lengths just to turn in a project."
"Tragedy pushes one forward to do their best. Nothing is more important than finishing my finals. I just want to be there for my mom, and my boyfriend's friends as he recovers from surgery."
"That's very grown up of you, Eren. I hope you have a good break."
"Thanks professor, you too."
As he walked out, Eren suddenly remembered something. He had taken time off work as finals came closer, but said he'd be in tonight. As he walked back to the dorm, he called his boss, Mike.
"Hey Mike, it's Eren." He said, when he heard his boss' voice.
"Hey Eren, my condolences, and take all the time you need." Mike said.
Eren was flabbergasted, and managed to squeak out a "What?"
Mike laughed "Erwin, Hange, and Levi are all good friends of mine. Hange told me what happened, and when I heard it was your father, I knew you would need some time off. Take all the time you need, Eren. Actually, enjoy the rest of this year. I'll call you after the new year, to see if your ready to come back."
Eren's eyes filled with tears "Thank you Mike! Thank you so much."
"No problem, Eren. Hope you did well on your finals. Have a nice break. Don't be a stranger."
Eren ended the call. He was pretty certain that Levi knew everyone in this town now. "I guess having an influential boyfriend isn't all that bad. I just hope when the time comes to find a job, he doesn't flex his authoritative muscle on someone." he smiled a little, and got to work. All of his stuff was packed up, and ready to go. He took all of his boxes, suitcases, and stuff, and packed them into his car. He went back in there, and set his key down on the desk. (Armin would turn them in after he was done)
"Last time I'm seeing you dorm. We've been through a lot together. Sex with Armin, awkward boners, sexting with Levi," he took a deep breath "and lots of studying, on Armin's part. I'll miss you dorm, but now it's time to start up a new chapter of my life. To make sure Levi heals completely, and bring him home. To our home. Time to leave childhood behind for real, and start being an adult." He closed the door behind him when he walked out, descended down the stairs, and got in his car. As he was leaving the campus he said out loud "Aw man, commuting is going to be a bitch!"