I don't own SnK

"One small crack does not mean that you are broken, it means that you were put to the test and you didn't fall apart."
-Linda Poindexter

~Chapter Three: Fate Says Third Time's the Charm~

That week passed by like a blur and Eren didn't remember most of it. Except from those soft, feathery kisses that he'd shared with a certain short man.

The only reminder that it happened was the constant visits he got from Hanji, her always appearing in her painting class uninvited and stirring up quite a fuss. Oh, and there was that cream-colored handkerchief, a piece of Levi's possession. Eren found the object which lacked the omnipresence to tell him that he indeed forgot to give it back to Levi.

And he thought that he wouldn't be seeing him anytime soon.

The young man sighed loudly, placing his head on the drafting desk and grumbling at his luck. It wasn't like he didn't want to see Levi, because in fact, he really wished to gaze upon that smirk on that man's face and the quirk in his eyebrow whenever he found something stupid. Eren felt his cheeks heat up at the thought—an image of Levi popping out in his head—and he let out whiny noises despite the fact that he was not the only one in the art room.

"What's been up in your ass these days?"

That familiar voice brought everything into a screeching halt. Eren's head snapped forward (he really was glad that he didn't get a stiff neck because of that) and he was faced with that recognizable long face and those intense light brown eyes.

"J-Jean..." he muttered weakly. Holy shit, he certainly didn't see this—him—coming.

"What's up?" his ex-lover asked so casually to the point that Eren's blood started boiling at the sight of the man.

Jean Kirstein leaned back to the seat in front of Eren and he was wearing that playful smile on his face like it was the everyday routine; to disturb Eren in his classroom and ask him how was he doing. Wow, fucking douchebag, the green-eyed lad thought as his mind went reeling with memories of him and this guy.

Eren hadn't thought of Jean that often during that week, too. The cause of that would be the constant intrusion of a certain black-haired man's picture in his head, like a bird that wouldn't just drown and kept on resurfacing on the waters of his thoughts.

"Do I know you?" Eren sassed back.

Jean looked genuinely taken aback, like he wasn't expecting a goddamn retort from Eren, and the latter couldn't help but snort at that. His light ash brown hair swayed as Jean shook his head.

"Eren, look. I'm sorry about what happened last week and I know that it was out of the blue and I told you to wait for me—"

Uh. Yeah. NO. They were NOT gonna have this conversation right now.

"Jean," Eren looked at him square in the eye and fueled his gaze with enough intensity that would melt down a rock, and he continued, "go fuck yourself."

The brown-haired guy's mouth drop in shock and Eren could see that he was calculating a some type of a response to that, but he ended up spluttering some non-existent words. Eren grabbed his sketchbook, stood up and kicked his chair back to its place. The movement startled Jean out of his dumbfounded state and the guy began to walk after the leaving young man. He caught up to the brunet in the lobby just before he pushed the door; Jean grabbed his unoccupied hand. Looking down at those painted hands, he started to interweave them, much to Eren's surprise whose eyes went wide at the action. It made him turn and look at the brown-haired lad.

"I-It was a dare." Jean took a breath, not averting his eyes from their interlocked hands, and then he gave him a light squeeze.

"What...?"

"I was dared to break up with you," he explained more clearly. However, none of his words made sense to Eren as he remained frozen on his position like Jean dumped an ice-cold bucket of water on him.

"What the fuck did you just say...?" The brunet's words contained no anger but the breathy question seemed more than enough to deliver the surprise of his mental state.

"I thought it was ridiculous! And I still think that it is the worst... I got mad and Reiner told me that I'm completely wrapped around your finger and then—"

Eren stopped him mid-sentence, roughly pulling his hand away from the offending ex-lover.

"You broke up with me because of a dare...?" His tone was enveloped with poisonous hatred and incredulity. Somewhere along the lines, Eren truly cared for Jean and even developed feelings for him during the time that they were together, which was only seven months but it was enough for Eren to experience the exultation of liking someone. And finding that the foundation of their relationship was weak enough that a simple dare would crumble it to dust was blowing Eren's mind away.

"I-I-I was furious and I-I was motivated by anger, Eren. I planned on apologizing to you but I got caught up with some assignment. Eren, I swear that I'll make it up to you," Jean pleaded and attempted to take the brunet's hand but Eren backed away from him.

"You're a selfish bastard."

Hurt flashed across Jean's face.

"I know, I am. But, Eren—"

"Did you even love me? Care about me?" He didn't know why he asked that, but without the image of Levi, he was finally seeing what he had and what he had lost.

Jean's eyes watered and Eren didn't know if he still wanted to know the answer to his question. His deep feelings for the brown-eyed man had gradually faded away over time and the amusement park incident was the final push. He wasn't expecting his answer though, because it was the least anticipated response he wanted to hear from him.

"Yeah. I did. I cared about you and I loved you. I still do, Eren."

Stop. You're just making things complicated.

"Ever since five years ago, that time when you lost your mom, I've only wanted to support you and be your friend but...it changed."

No, nothing changed. You just pity me; you don't love me.

"When I got to go out with you, I found that loving you was almost the most natural thing to do—"

"Stop. You're the one who broke up with me, right? I said okay before you ended the line, so it was a mutual agreement," Eren said with hardened resolve.

No, Jean would not crumble his bubble now. He was the type of person to move on with life after encountering things and bad omens, because if he let them make him hesitate or stop, he would be the one hurting in the end. No need to dwell in the past.

"Bye, Jean." And with that, Eren pushed the heavy, glass door and welcomed the breeze that passed by outside of the building. He didn't fail to hear Jean calling out after him, as he remained inside of the building with the door between him and Eren's back.

"Eren..."

The green-eyed college student leaned back against his swivel chair and the object groaned in the midst of the silence in his apartment. It was almost seven in the evening, and Eren was supposed to write a longass essay for his psychology class. Doing the activity deemed impossible because 1) his mind was completely blanking out and 2) he was waiting for the clock to tick away since he was supposed to go to Mikasa's house for dinner.

Finally giving up on writing the damn essay and on waiting, he stood up and grabbed his black jacket from the coat-hanger stand. He left his room, not bothering to look at his opened laptop, and went to grab his combat boots.

As he was tying his shoelaces, his mind wandered to his conversation with Jean. He knew him ever since high school—practically for eight years—and dating him was also part of his decision. He was harsh earlier and Eren thought of apologizing for being such an arse.

At that moment, he seemed to emphatically understand Jean's position.

Anger brought out the worse of you.

And whoever said that anger also brought your honest side was wrong, because that certain emotion merely riled up the other bad aspects of you.

Eren closed his eyes to block out all of the other incoming thoughts and he shook his head to dispel the apprehension residing in his mind. He got up from the step he was sitting on and opened the door.

A dinner with his friend and her family would be a nice change...and a distraction.

Mikasa's mom was still the same with her eyes and her hair similar to her daughter. There was a spark of kindness behind those dark brown eyes, and her hands were calloused with the housework at home, an evidence of her being a mother. Her husband didn't change, except from the few grays that were starting to change his blond hair. Mikasa had her father's heart-shaped face and their temperament was also the same that sometimes when they got annoyed, Eren had to stifle a laugh. It was amusing how those two pairs of eyes narrow suspiciously or in irritation, and with a pair of eyebrows pulled down right on the middle of their foreheads.

"I wish I could eat your mom's food everyday," Eren said, sighing in contentment as he rubbed his now-bloated stomach.

Mikasa was sitting next to him on the couch and she swiveled around to look at him before saying, "Eren, you know that you're welcome here anytime. You can also move in with us."

The brunet shook his head but with a smile on his face. This family had been good to him ever since he became orphaned at the end of his high school days. They offered him food, clothes, shelter, and love—things that he never asked from them but they gladly gave those things to him like he was their own son.

"I'm grateful, really."

A pause ensued. The voices from the flat screen TV were ignored and Eren could hear the clanking of the dishes in the kitchen, where Mikasa's parents were. Those were the sounds he heard in his everyday life for five years after his mom passed away.

"But I want to stand on my own Mikasa." That was the same response he told her when he decided to leave his second home. Eren wanted to be able to become independent; to become strong enough and hold his ground with his own power. There was that money from his parents' savings and he used that for what it was intended for—his college. He adamantly refused to take it at first, both surprised at the number of zeros in it and stubborn at that thought of contradicting himself since he said that he would stand on his own.

However, he remembered that his parents would want that for him. And the thought of disappointing them was enough to pierce his inflexible resolve, and he went to Trost University where he pursued arts.

Mikasa placed her hand on his forearm, and during these times that Eren thought Mikasa was more like his mom. It was a funny thought, really.

The doorbell buzzed and Mikasa shot up from her seat. She went to the kitchen and the green-eyed man vaguely heard them.

"Are you expecting someone?"

"Yeah. You should open it."

"I heard that he's an acquaintance of your dad. Please, open the door."

"M'kay."

His best friend came out and Eren felt awkward just sitting there like a lazy guest so he followed her. It had only been two years since he moved out but for this family, he was always part of this house no matter what.

He felt the presence of Mikasa's dad behind him and he raised a curious eyebrow to him.

"He's someone I know from years ago," he responded, offering a smile. Eren shrugged and nodded his head like "Okay." He was suddenly interested in the little turtle paddling in the aquarium at the corner of the living room. His lips tugged upwards as he remembered the day Armin, Mikasa, and him had acquired the sea creature. It was the first time they went to the beach and a visit to the aquarium followed suit. They were seventeen back then and five years had already passed. That was probably the happiest day of his life ever since his mom died.

"Levi!"

The sudden outburst from Mikasa's dad caused Eren's head to whip towards their guest. His eyes widened comically as the oh-godly-handsome-man who had been haunting him in his night and day dreams, had somehow manifested inside of Mikasa's house. It didn't help that the older man's gray eyes reflected the equal surprise in it, and Eren would have laughed at those lips slight hanging agape if not for the fact that Mikasa would hang the short man upside down if she found out about their not-even-budding relationship.

"Hello, Mr. Ackerman. I haven't seen you in so long," Levi said politely, snapping out of his trance.

"I was surprised to hear the news that you came back from Japan! I was glad that Erwin called and told me about it. I hope that inviting you for a late dinner wouldn't be too much of a trouble," the blond-haired man said.

Oh god. Didn't we just eat?

"This is my daughter, Mikasa (She gave a small nod to him and vice versa). And this is Eren, mmm, our child as well, you could say." He gave a throaty laugh and something swelled in Eren's chest in those words.

"H-Hi."

He faced Levi and offered a hand to shake. The older man took the hint and they shook hands as if they never met before. The spark was back, though. And it was something that ran through their veins and made Eren jumped. Even Levi was surprised and they jerked their hands away. There was a small portion of warmth that remained and Eren caught Levi smoothing his expression back to the usual indifference.

Eren's emerald orbs trailed Levi's actions from the time he slipped off his shoes and properly put it on the side, and to the point when he put away his light jacket, leaving him for Eren to admire. He was wearing black slacks and a dark blue button-up shirt, and Eren felt totally not-so-mature with his faded jeans and Pikachu shirt. He had his head downcast, stealing glances to the older male who seemed to be heeding no attention to him as he chatted away with Mikasa's dad.

When they arrived at the dining table, the blond-haired man looked curiously at Eren and Mikasa.

"You don't have to eat again. We're just gonna catch up with each other," he informed them.

For some reason, Eren wanted to stay. It had been a week and some days since he last saw the gray-eyed man and he really wanted to stay and talk to him, too. But the situation would definitely get worse since Mikasa's eyes were already narrowing in suspicion. And he was right, because she totally cornered him when they went to the living room.

"Do you know that man? Why do you seem so shocked? Where did you meet him? When? Was it the amusement part? Oh, holy—"

"Mikasa," Eren cut her off, not wanting to further arise her conjecture. He bit back his tongue as he contemplated whether to tell her the truth or not. His mouth ran off before he could even stop it, "He broke my phone."

His black-haired friend stopped to think and Eren really thought how much he hated the fact that she could read body language.

"Oh. Did he fix it?"

"Yeah. We accidentally met up because of Hanji, she's from Biology department, and then he gave me back, err... a brand new phone."

"...Why would he give you a new phone?"

"He's a lawyer."

"So he's rich. He's not your sugar—"

"Oh, for heaven's sake! NO!" Eren exclaimed, eyes widening at the idea. The thought of itself was ridiculous and Levi being his sugar daddy would totally ruin his perfect image of him!

"Good. Well, if he's dad's friend, then maybe he's not at all that bad," Mikasa decided at the end. Eren held his tongue from saying more, like Yeah! He agreed with our not-so-much-but-looked-like-it date, even went to rides and ended up throwing up for MY sake. But he couldn't tell her that. Admiring a stranger after a day of spending time with him was...not right. But it was not wrong either.

After an hour of watching random TV shows, Levi and Mikasa's dad left the dining room.

"Thank you for coming, Levi."

"It was no problem. It's nice seeing you again."

The childhood friends rose from the couch and was about to see Levi out when Mikasa's dad stopped abruptly.

"Oh! I didn't tell you, did I, Mikasa?" he exclaimed.

"Tell me what?" Mikasa asked, scrunching her eyebrows in confusion.

"Levi is a distant relative. He's an Ackerman and we only found out about that a few years back." He laughed like it was a hilarious prank. However, Mikasa didn't look amused.

"Huh?" She simply mumbled. She took the opportunity to seize up Levi, and Eren did the same. The two of them shared the same color of their hair but other than that, Eren didn't see any similarities.

Then, the brunet saw it.

The intensity of their glares were equal to a wolf fastening its eyes on its prey, and he remembered the day he met Levi; he made him cry with a simple you'll-pay-for-this-you-brat look. The young man couldn't hold back the laugh that threaten to bubble from him after that memory resurfaced. Before he knew it, he was already clutching his stomach and doubling forward. Mikasa's dad also burst in hysterics. He probably saw what he saw, too.

"What's so damn funny, brat?" He heard Levi asked in irritation. The green-eyed man ceased my laughter, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye and grinning to them.

"Because you guys are so alike."

"No, we don't," they said in synchronization but this time, the brunet held back his laugh. Eren saw them glare at each other afterwards and he wondered if it was their charisma that drew him towards these two people.

It was already 11 and Eren was barely aware of the time so upon seeing the clock, he scrambled out of the living room and put on his jacket. He wore his paint-stained Converse sneakers. Oh shit. I have to finish that damn essay!

"Eren? Are you going back?" he heard Mikasa's mother called out.

"Yeah! I have to finish an essay and I'm probably gonna stay up for it," he answered back.

Levi, Mikasa and her family were now in front of him. He was trying not to look at Levi a bit closely because he didn't want to give away anything to Mikasa. He received hugs from his second parents and Mikasa tightened her hold on him when it was her turn.

"You should stay the night here."

"No, it's fine. Thank you for the delicious food," he said softly. The warmth of the house enveloped him and the sudden urge for his tears to spill out of his eyes came to him. He closed his eyes and quickly wiped them away before Mikasa pulled away to see him.

"I'll drive you home," Levi suddenly spoke that it startled everyone. The sudden suggestion made Eren happy and even if Mikasa didn't like the idea, she seemed to comply to it because her priority was Eren's safety.

"Please do, Levi. Thank you," Mikasa's dad said, smiling gratefully.

He left the smiling family and the cold wind instantly hit him, making him shiver. There was still that warmth, though, inside him and it was the only thing he could hold onto as the wind blew towards his direction.

"Cold?" the shorter man asked. He didn't wait for Eren to reply as he pulled a blue scarf from the inside pocket of his jacket. They stopped before his silver car and Levi gently put the scarf around Eren's neck, successfully bundling him up and hiding his mouth away from the sight. Those gray eyes wandered around his face until they settled on his green eyes.

"Get in," Levi commanded, still not taking his eyes off Eren. However, they had to break their contact in order to get in the car. Once inside, Levi heated up the car which gradually soothed the numbing hands which Eren was rubbing together for more friction. Once comfortable, they sped away and Levi didn't have to ask Eren's address the second time.

They arrived at Eren's apartment and the young man was awake this time. During the ride, there was only a silence between them but it was strangely comfortable. Now, though, was a different story.

"You don't have a car?" the older male asked.

"No, I don't," Eren shook his head. He then added, "I was supposed to take my driver's test when I turn 18 until it got postponed. Well, it gets postponed every time I make an appointment."

Levi stopped, deep in thought, then he asked, "Then, whose car are you going to take when you get your license?"

It made the brunet smile. Levi seemed so concerned about him even if it was only a trivial matter. It made Eren want to be honest with him.

"My mom bought me a car and it was supposed to be a surprise gift from her. It's not brand new but I want to drive it," he told him.

Levi's lips twitched, repressing a smile. He was right about Eren—he was an honest brat. He lifted his hand and looked at him idly, his hand was softly placed on Eren's brown locks. He patted his head like a gesture of rewarding him of something, feeling the softness of the strands of his hair. Eren found that a bit endearing. Levi might looked like a rough man but he certainly was a gentle person towards Eren (minus that first terrifying exchange between them).

His train of thoughts led him to remember something. A certain object that sat on top of his desk.

"Oh! I forgot to give your handkerchief. Let me go get it and—" Eren was cut off by the older male.

"Give it to me next time," Levi told him. Eren didn't know what to make out of that; it was either he was just lazy or...

"S-So, we're going to meet up?" the brunet asked, keeping away the hopeful tone from his voice deemed to be a little more difficult than he thought it would be.

"Mhmm. Yeah," he replied to him. Levi looked at him with that unhidden curiosity and the younger man had the desire to stay in the car and talk to the no-longer-stranger for hours until the crack of the dawn. If only that was possible.

"You should go in, brat. Even if your mom lets you live by yourself—"

Lets. Eren couldn't ignore the fact that Levi addressed his mom in a present tense and before he knew it, his mouth was already moving before his brain could even process what he just said.

"My mom can't do that anymore. She's dead."

Tension that wasn't present before between them was now hanging in the thin space of air around them. The stillness was unnerving and the younger man regretted that he opened his mouth. He didn't know what prompted him to tell Levi something so personal, and it scared him because he wanted to tell him everything. He wanted to make Levi that special person.

"No, she's not," Levi said softly, breaking the entrapping silence in the car. "Isn't she still alive in your heart, Eren?"

Eren was surprised at his name coming from the lips of the man who cast a mysterious spell on him. He suddenly wanted to cry. Nobody ever asked him that question or even conjectured up that idea...not in a really long time. Levi seemed to give him unexpected things since the day they met and at that point, Eren realized it.

He grasped the possibility that he might fall in love with Mr. Stranger. Upon the realization, instead of the usual blush that would creep onto his cheeks, it was fear that gripped his heart and made it difficult to breathe.

"I-I have to go," the brunet said, breaking the spell. He was scrambling to get out of the car, clumsily trying to remove his seatbelt. He heard a sigh from Levi and the black-haired man removed his seatbelt and leaned over to Eren to take off his.

"I'm sorry, if I said something that offended you," the man apologized and Eren halted in his futile efforts in removing the damn thing off him to look at Levi.

"Why are you apologizing? I-It's just me. It was... I'm just fucking confused," he admitted with bitterness in his tone. He ran a hand through his hair, showing his growing frustration. What was it that confused him? What was it that was making his head pound with foreboding thoughts?

It was always like that whenever he was trying to remember his mom. And now...

"What?" Levi asked, not bothering to mask his own confusion. He successfully removed the offending thing off Eren but the younger man did not attempt to get out this time around.

"I got dumped because of a dare. My best friend wants to pamper me and she wants me to live with her and her family. I'm grateful but I feel like I need to do something. Then, you," Eren turned his gaze on Levi to emphasize his point and continued, "you happened. Like, every time I'm with you I feel like... like I get ran over by a bus."

The gray-eyed man rolled his eyes at him and said, "Speak in something I can comprehend. Because I will assume that my presence instantly kills you every time."

"Exactly," the brunet said, which further deepened the furrow between Levi's eyebrows. "I mean, I feel like I'm... invisible. I've been living my life the same way since five years ago, then when you came, it's been turned upside down. And I feel like...something is gonna happen."

"We've met three times. And all of them are coincidental, brat," the shorter man pointed out, oblivious as to what his statement could mean.

Eren just looked at him and Levi, not understanding what point he was making, simply stared back. After a minute of a heated staring contest, Eren shrugged and that was when Levi caught on.

"I can't fucking believe it. Of course, a crybaby like you—"

"HEY!"

"—believes in Fate. Well, I'll tell you what."

"...What?"

"I don't believe in that magical shit. I believe in opportunities and chances, but not in myth—"

"OKAY! Geez, forget it."

"—No, because I don't think you understand, brat."

"Stop calling me that..."

"I didn't fucking believe it until I fucking met you and saw your goddamned beautiful eyes."

That final statement stopped Eren in what-in-the-seven-hells he was saying, making his mouth open comically. His eyes seemed to bulge out of their sockets and he swallowed the thick lump in his throat. He saw Levi's neck turning red, and that said a lot about a man whose skin was comparable to the snow.

"Go now before I really ravish you here in this car," Levi said, voice was husky enough to send shivers down Eren's spine and it made him snap forward and clutter out of the silver vehicle. Once he was out though, his feet remained rooted on the ground like he was waiting for Levi to say something else, because it looked like his conversational skills were impaired at the moment.

The gray-eyed man didn't fail and his words flowed through those pink lips.

"You're welcome to run away, but I promise I'll be on your fucking trail because I don't want to miss my chances. Goodnight, brat."

If it was possible, the deep shade of red on Eren's face further brightened like a color of a ripe tomato.

"Wait, c'mere," Levi suddenly interjected and the younger male couldn't help but comply, as if he was under a powerful compulsion. He peeked inside the car through the rolled-down window, his head was poking inside and he was averting his eyes from the man who was causing him to have butterflies in his stomach.

"You're always welcome to call me when you feel like you're having a shitty day," Levi stated. At that statement, Eren properly looked at him and their eyes locked together until he processed what was just said.

"Huh?"

"Tsk. Are you shitting me, brat? You haven't seen my name in your contacts, have you?" Disbelief was clearly in his voice and Eren took out his unscratched phone from his jacket's pocket. Scrolling down his list, he unquestionably saw the name "Levi" and he felt stupid for not even bothering to check any changes in his data.

"You didn't change anything else, did you?" he asked, unsure if he really should be asking that question when the man was already generous enough to do everything for him; buy him a mad expensive phone and transfer what needs to be transferred.

"No."

"Okay."

"Well? Say your piece now."

Uh. Eren clearly didn't know what to say, but he remembered his manners and said, "Thank you for driving me home."

Levi didn't immediately reply to that but he said, "I wasn't talking about that, but you're welcome."

"Wait. What do you mean, then?!"

"Not telling you."

Eren felt a little bold and curious so he opened the car door and let half of his body inside. He had the urge to tease the older male who seemed arrogant enough to leave Eren confused and unanswered in their every little encounter. So he did what he thought of.

The brunet leaned closer to that flawless face of Levi and his nose caught a whiff of vanilla scent with a mix of a manly smell, before he rubbed his nose gently to the lobe of Levi's ear. He felt him shudder and it fueled Eren's desire to venture the effects he had on the man.

"If it's fate, I have no complaints," Eren whispered, tone was low and seductive in Levi's ears. His companion let out a low and almost-inconspicuous growl, but Eren heard it loud and clear.

His desires. His affection. And his growing impatience.

And then he went inside the apartment in a blinding speed, refusing to let Levi catch him.

For the first time, he felt like he was up high in the sky with blood drumming in his ears and his heart free to throb for someone. It was intoxicating. Breathtaking.

That feeling didn't last, though, as Eren's eyes fell upon his open laptop.

"SHIT! MY ESSAY!"

Unbeknownst to him, Levi was still outside of his apartment, looking at the now-lit window and thinking of how this day brought them together again. For the third time.

"That brat will be the death of me," he mumbled in surrender and he finally sped away.

A/N: Reviews are my side-dish here. And I hope you fuel my appetite for my stories XD See ya~ Stay tuned!
-CrimsonHazelEyes (Wow, this penname is too long...and really old).