Toaster

Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

Summary: Petra goes to the store and has a little meltdown in the home appliances section.

Prompt was AU

Petra added milk to her cart and checked it off her list. That was the last item. Rubbing her pregnant belly, she smiled to herself, deciding to swing by the baby section. While her husband had told her not to get carried away and buy anything for their unborn child, especially clothes, there was no harm in looking. She led the cart and entered the home appliances section, getting lost.

She knew where they used to keep the baby clothes but the store had been remodeled and she still wasn't sure where things were anymore. As she passed through an aisle with kitchen appliances, something caught her eye.

The box was bent and wrinkled in the upper lefthand corner. It sat by itself. There was a row of nice, perfect boxes behind it. She bet anyone who came to buy a toaster would reach back to grab one of those boxes than get the ugly one in the front.

Tears suddenly filled her eyes and she began to weep. All she could think about the poor toaster. No one would love it. All people would ever see when they looked at the box was the superficial and broken outside instead of appreciating and loving the beautiful inside.

Petra gabbed the misshapen box, holding it close to her. Just thinking about it being left all alone on the shelf made her cry. She felt even worse imagining how the poor toaster would feel when it was eventually banished to some dirty shelf in the backroom, cold and forgotten and unloved. Just because people couldn't keep past the distorted box and condemning the poor, innocent toaster inside.

That was how one of the employees found her. On the floor, clutching the box to her chest, large tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Um, ma'am, are you okay? Do you need help?" The tall young man knelt before her, green eyes full of concern.

Petra wanted to explain but she couldn't get the words out, sobbing, which made her cry even more.

He became awkward and unsure, hands suspended as if trying to figure out how to console her. Finally, he sat down and hesitantly patted her shoulder. "It's okay," he offered comfortingly. "Everything will be fine."

When she was done, she handed him the box, sniffing. "I wanna buy this. It needs a good home."

"Of course," the employee agreed.

"But I shouldn't waste money. But I can't leave it either." Fresh tears prickled her eyes.

"Tell you what, I'll have my friend Armin ring up your purchase and give you my employee discount."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'd be happy to."

Petra considered before agreeing. "Okay."

He stood up, putting the toaster in the cart. "Here, let me help," he said, giving her a hand up.

"Thank you," she said, reading his name tag, "Eren."

"Do you need anything else today?"

"No. I should head home. My husband will start to worry if I'm not back soon."

"Let me get this for you," Eren said, taking the shopping cart.

"You're such a sweetie!"

"It's my pleasure."

"Did you buy a new toaster?" Levi picked up the sad box. "Maybe you should have got a different—" His wife silenced him with a murderous glare. He knew better than to argue with her hormones, though, and wisely kept his mouth shut. "I'll put it over here," he said instead.

"Oh! I met the sweetest boy today!" Petra told him, smiling brightly. "His name was Eren and he was so helpful and kind and amazing! And he had such pretty eyes!" She then fawned over his hair and his voice and his wonderful personality and how good he smelled.

Levi had to roll his eyes.

Petra gasped. "What about Eren for a name?"

"Absolutely not."

"But—"

"No. There is no way in hell I'm naming my son that now." He might have considered it if she hadn't gone off on a spiel. Like this Eren was heaven's gift to humanity or something.

Petra pouted. "Fine. Be that way."

A few months later when Mikasa introduced her new boyfriend to them, Petra squealed, delighted, while Levi just sighed.

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