I'm so late with this! School is a pain, but we're on break now and I finally had time to really get to this.

As always I hope you enjoy!

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"Why?" Eren groaned, elbows deep in dirty dishes, "It'll be fun. Come on!"

"No," Mikasa answered.

"It's just a birthday party," he groaned, "It's not that big of a deal."

"I already told you that don't want party. And that's final."

"Tch…You don't control me."

Giving up, Mikasa sighed at him from the kitchen table and turned her attention back to the baby boy in her arms. Their son, Erik, was snoozing, nestled deep in his mother's hold as she gently rocked him. Mikasa gazed fondly at him, her gray eyes holding nothing but care and affection, but deep within her irises, Eren could make out familiar sadness.

He sighed and rinsed the last plate away.

His wife was a beautiful woman. She was determined, caring, honest and amazing. And Eren loved her with everything he had. But even so…his wife was also a somewhat broken woman. Having her parents violently murdered had left a permanent scar on the contours of Mikasa's heart.

At first he thought that he could rescue her, relive her of her suffering, of her nightmares. But Eren soon came to understand that what she needed wasn't a savior from her grief, but someone who would accept her for everything and all that she was, sadness included. Even though Mikasa had come to accept what had happened and live with on her life, Eren could still see the lingering effects it left on her.

It was the reason why she worried so much. The reason why she anxiously calls him whenever he's only ten minutes late from work. The reason why she doesn't at all sleep but stays up all night taking care of Karlee when she's sick.

The reason why she cried for days after they brought Erik home from the hospital.

Eren had comforted her, held her, and even cried with her. He told her it wasn't her fault and told her that everything would be okay. After the first few days she had calmed down, but even five months later, Eren could sense the soft guilt she felt.

He put the dish away and walked over to her. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he pressed a soft kiss into her hair.

"He's fine."

Mikasa bit her lip, "…I know…"

Eren ran his finger across Erik's rounded cheek, "He's going to be strong and healthy. So don't worry."

She sighed and leaned against him, "But what if h-"

"Be quiet," Eren interrupted, "Don't fucking worry about the 'what ifs'. Just be glad that they never happened."

Mikasa looked away, "…Don't curse in front of Erik."

"He's not even half a year old!"

"You said the same thing about Karlee and look how she turned out."

Eren hung his head in shame. Earlier that week they had received a call from the school saying that Karlee had been sent to the principal's office for angrily screaming, "You fucker!" at a classmate who cut her in the lunch.

Mikasa didn't talk to him for two days after that.

Sighing, Eren raised his hands in defeat, "Fine. I'm a bad dad who curses in front of his kids and an even worse husband who does nothing but stress his wife out."

Mikasa stiffened and glared at him, "Why would you say that?"

Eren was confused, "Huh? That I'm a bad dad? Geez I was just joking."

She didn't buy it and loomed frighteningly into his face, "You're a wonderful father, husband and person and if you ever say otherwise I'll hit you. Hard."

He gulped nervously. When they were younger, Mikasa never let anyone get away with trash talking Eren. And it seemed she wouldn't let he himself get away with it either.

"Thanks," he mumbled. She could be damn so scary sometimes.

At that moment, Erik let out a few small coughs, blinking his wide evergreen eyes, before resting back to sleep. Smiling, Eren took him from Mikasa's arms.

"He's so much like you, it's scary. Same face, same hair, even the same cough."

Mikasa raised an eyebrow at him, "But his eyes are just like yours."

He shrugged, "That's one thing. But everything else is all you. He's beautiful. Just like his mother…What? Are you blushing?"

Mikasa turned away, hiding her flushed cheeks and scowled. Eren had a habit of randomly complementing her, and though she loved it, it still left her feeling embarrassed.

"I'll take him to bed," Eren said, heading for the stairs.

Mikasa nodded and headed towards their bedroom, but before she could step in, Eren yelled out, "I'm still not letting the party thing go!"

"Ugh," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

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"But please Daddy? Pretty pretty pretty please?"

"No."

"But why?"

"Because I said so."

"Yeah right. It's because of Mommy, isn't it?"

"Believe it or not, but your mother's not the only responsible adult in this house."

"Then who else is? Because it's not you!"

Eren turned his attention away from Karlee and somberly reminisced about the days where she never talked back. He scooped another spoonful of mashed carrots and fed it to Erik. Things were going well. Normally the baby would always fuss when it came to food, but this time he was eating it just fine.

Karlee stamped her foot, "Don't ignore me!"

"Oi…" Eren didn't even look down at her, "Don't yell like that."

"Then let me feed, Erik!" the six year old cried.

Eren sighed, "No. Knowing you you're going to choke him or something."

She huffed, "Am not!"

"Are too," Eren countered.

"Am not!"

Eren groaned, "Why don't you go bother your mother or something?"

"I'm telling Mommy you said that!" she yelled.

He flinched and grabbed Karlee before she could run off, "Do it," he threatened, "And you'll never get to feed him."

Her eyes lit up, "So I can feed him now?"

"No."

Karlee glared at her dad and stuck her tongue out at him. When he shrugged and continued feeding Erik, she pouted and stalked off. Her parents never let her play with the baby. She wasn't allowed to feed him, to bathe him, to practice any wrestling moves on him.

And apparently taking Erik on walk was a big no.

Frustrated she buried her face in the couch and screamed. After a few minutes of that she began kicking at the ground dejectedly. But when she realized she was still being ignored by her father, Karlee got so irritated that she punched a wall.

And her little fist went right through the drywall.

She gasped as Eren yelled, "What the hell?"

He jumped from his chair and ran into the living room. In front of was him was his daughter, teary-eyed and apologizing, with her arm half a foot deep into the wall.

"Shit shit shit," he thought, "Mikasa is going to kill me. Dammit it all."

He leaned forward and assessed the situation. While he was checking the damage Karlee hung her head.

"I'm sorry…"

Eren sighed and ruffled her hair, "It's fine. No harm done."

"No harm?" she asked, "But I made a big hole in the wall."

He pried her hand out and dusted it off, "I was talking about you," he pinched her cheek, "not the wall silly."

"So you're not mad?" she whispered.

"Nope," Eren said, "But you're still grounded."

Karlee moaned. She figured as much.

"But," Eren told her, "If you go find me a couple of photos to cover this up, I think I can let you off the hook."

She beamed at him and instantly ran off to her room, to get one of her drawings.

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[Four hours later]

As Mikasa was warming up a bottle for Erik, she noticed something new on the living room wall. Squinting, she walked over to it and smiled when she saw it was one of Karlee's drawings.

"Let's pin this in a better place," she hummed.

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[.25 seconds later]

"EREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!"

Eren jumped when he heard his wife scream his name. His mind frantically went through a list of anything wrong he'd done recently, but when Mikasa marched over to him with a crumpled drawing in her hand, he realized he was done for.

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"You booked the entire restaurant, right?" Eren asked into his phone.

"Didn't I tell you that I did?" Jean replied, "Anyway why do I have to help you throw your wife's birthday party?"

Eren groaned, "Because Armin's in charge of bringing her there, Annie said no and Sasha's mouth is as big as her appetite…Well almost as big. So you were the next best option."

"You need more friends."

"You need to shut up."

"That's not how you thank someone who's helping you throw a surprise party."

"…Sorry."

"What's this? Is Eren Yeager actually saying sorry."

"I freaking hate you."

"The feeling's mutual."

"Listen here horseface, I do- Oi! Karlee get off me! Don't take the pho- Get back here!"

Jean heard the sound of yelling, laughing, and then the loud slam of a door.

Tentatively he asked, "Who's there?"

"It's me, Uncle Jean!" Karlee giggled.

A warm smile stretched on his face, "What up kiddo? It's been a while."

Karlee nodded, "Yeah. That's because Daddy says I'm not allowed to talk to you."

Jean's eye twitched "He said that? Really?

"Really."

"Well tell Daddy he can kiss my-"

"Ass!" Karlee interrupted.

Silence stretched as Jean tried to process what just happened.

"…What did you just say?" he asked.

"Ass!" Karlee cried, "Kiss my ass, right? Daddy said that to Mommy once and she kicked him really hard! And then another time he said it to this guy when we were driving. And another time he sa-Daddy! Nooo! But I'm not done talking to Uncle Jean!"

"You still there?" Eren grouched.

"Yeager. You need to get your fucking act together, your six year just told 'kiss my ass'."

"She did…shit."

"I'm so telling Mikasa."

"Wait. Jean. No. Stop. Ple-"

Jean hung up.

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"Come on Mikasa," Armin said, "Cheer up."

Mikasa looked away. It was her birthday, and even though she told Eren she didn't want a party, she hadn't expected him to go out and leave her alone all day. He was gone before she woke up, with a note that simply read: Busy today. See you tonight.

"Not even a happy birthday," Mikasa whispered bitterly.

Armin sweat-dropped, "I'm sure he has his reasons."

They both walked out of the mall complex. When she realized Eren wasn't going to spend her birthday with her, she called Armin to complain. But kindly and surprisingly enough, he offered to take her out to celebrate and Annie agreed to watch Karlee and Erik.

"Yeah right," Mikasa said, "He probably just forgot."

"I'm sure he didn't," Armin told her, "So don't brood, it doesn't suit your face."

"Oh Armin," Mikasa sighed, "Why didn't I just marry your instead?"

He scratched his head, "Don't say that. You married Eren because you love him and he'd be heartbroken if he heard you say that."

"Would he? Would he really?" Mikasa asked.

"I know he's an idiot and gives you nothing but headaches," Armin said, "But he really does love you, believe it or not."

"I know…" Mikasa sulked, "I'm just a little down, that's all."

"Would a trip to your favorite restaurant fix that?"

A huge grin spread on Mikasa's face and she wrapped Armin in a bone-crushing hug, "It just might."

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As they were walking up to the restaurant, Mikasa noticed the sly grin on Armin's face.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked.

"Oh nothing…" he answered.

"Stop it," she told him, "You look creepy."

"…That's pretty mean," he said.

When Mikasa was about to enter the door, Armin covered her eyes and she immediately knew what was going on.

"He didn't," she gasped, as Armin pushed her through the door.

A group of people yelled, "Surprise!"

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"Come on Mikasa!" Sasha yelled, "This is your party! You need to let loose. Have a drink or something."

Mikasa sighed, "I know…I'm just worried about Erik and Karlee."

"They're fine! Annie's taking care them!"

"That's exactly why I'm worried."

Sasha was laughing when Jean walked up to them. He looked mortified.

"What's wrong?" Sasha asked him.

"…I need a drink…" Jean mumbled.

She cocked her head, "Why?"

"I went the bathroom," he sounded horrified, "And in there I heard…I heard…"

Mikasa and Sasha leaned in and both questioned, "Heard what?"

Jean's eyes looked dead, "Reiner and Bert getting in on."

Sasha dropped the food she was holding and screamed, "WHAT?! EWW!" while Mikasa gagged. At that moment Connie ran out of the restroom yelling, "What the fuck guys?! I know you're wasted and totally into each other but not in a freaking restaurant!"

Everyone looked at him.

"What's going on?" Armin asked.

"Pssh Are you crying?" Ymir also asked.

"Don't tease him," Christa chided.

Connie wiped his eyes, "I need a drink."

Jean nodded his head in understanding.

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Mikasa was sitting at one of the tables, sipping some wine, when Eren sat down next to her. It had been three hours into the party when they finally got to talk to each other. He placed his had along the curve where shoulder meets neck and she leaned into the touch.

"Are you having fun?" he asked her.

Mikasa looked around. Everyone was either dancing, eating or drinking, and Sasha somehow found a way to simultaneously to all three. Well everyone besides Bert and Reiner, who were still in the bathroom. She made a mental note to get them a designated driver home.

She shrugged her shoulders, "I guess."

Eren frowned her, "I went through a lot of trouble to throw this. The least you could do is pretend that you're having a good time."

"I'm sorry," Mikasa said, "I just would have preferred something…more personal."

"Personal?" he asked.

Mikasa face grew warm, "You know…just you and me…"

Eren snorted, "Is that it?" He leaned in close her whispered in her ear, "We'll have plenty of 'you and me' time tonight."

He trailed his fingers across the soft dip of her waist and Mikasa swallowed. She turned to tell him to stop but he cut her off with a chaste kiss. It was sweet a first, but then Eren started getting his tongue into it.

From across the room, a very drunk Connie yelled, "Get a freaking room!"

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Thank you for reading!