It never really occurred to me how much I'd have to do to prepare for life after high school until the end of high school neared. Go figure.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Shingeki no Kyojin

Chapter 7

"Eren…get up." Levi blinked his eyes groggily and tried to stretch. "Damnit Eren really?" Eren's arm remained tightly wrapped over Levi's body. Was he really that strong in his sleep? He couldn't be. Levi grumbled and pried Eren's arms away so he could sit up. He gave a hearty yawn and stretched his arms out in front of him. He hadn't woken up this peacefully in a while. The emptiness that enveloped him every other morning was nowhere to be found. Levi could only assume that is was all because of the boy whose bright green eyes were staring back at him this moment.

"Of course you were awake." Levi's hand moved to rummage through Eren's hair. Eren smiled sheepishly and snuggled against Levi's waist.

"I didn't want you to get up." Eren's voice was barely audible as he spoke against Levi's shirt. "Can't we stay here? Please?"

Levi sighed and ruffled Eren's hair. He leaned over Eren and reached for the phone sitting on the nightstand closest to Eren. "I'd love to but your phone has been buzzing all morning. Don't tell me you couldn't hear it? Someone is seriously trying to get a hold of you." He pressed the phone against Eren's cheek and let it fall onto the sheet.

"Yeah I heard it. I was pretending not to though." Eren propped himself up on his elbow and checked his phone. "Alright so about seven of these seem to be from Hanji. How she got my number I'll never know." He looked at Levi to blame.

"You think I gave her your number?" Levi scoffed. "I knew she would bother you to no end so giving her your number was out of the question. It's very likely that she snagged my phone while I was preoccupied. She's a pro at getting what she wants one way or another. "

"You don't think she….is really into me do you?" Eren blushed in embarrassment for asking that.

"Doubt it," Levi closed his eyes and leaned against the headboard taking in another yawn. "She's a reliable friend who wouldn't push her own feelings into our relationship so I know if she's talking to you this much it's out of pure hope that you'll continue to share her love for those strange things she's into."

Eren breathed a sigh of relief. "So I should talk to Hanji then?"

"If you're ready for that."

Eren looked at his phone and grinned. He liked the idea of sharing a hobby and mystical creatures weren't all that bad. Eren's smile fell as he read the most recent message. He grumbled and rolled onto his back.

"What's wrong?"

"My dad also messaged me. He wants me to come home right away and I know it won't be good."

"He really does know huh?" Levi folded his arms and sighed. "So what are you going to tell him?"

"I'll tell him the truth." Eren replied quietly. He turned again to face Levi and ran his hand up the man's thigh. "I don't care if it's been a week, a month, or a freaking day. My dad can't barge into this relationship and ruin everything. I'm so happy with this right now."

Eren slid his hand further until his fingers reached Levi's waistband. Two fingers ducked beneath the elastic and pulled on the fabric. "Can we finish where we left off last night?"

"Nope." Levi grabbed Eren's wrist and pulled it away causing the waistband to snap back against his skin. "Your dad wants you home. I don't think angering him more is your best option now."

"Uhhgg but I'm not ready to go home. Let me stay for a while!" Eren whined and lifted himself up to wrap his arms around Levi's torso and press his face against his chest. Eren nuzzled his head and grinned sleepily.

"Is that how you'll act every morning?" Levi secured his hands beneath Eren in an effort to pry him off. "You must have been a pampered brat." He grumbled under his breath.

Levi's efforts were almost futile until a low grumble startled the both of them.

"Why do you look surprised? You're the one who made that noise." Levi folded his arms against his chest as Eren sat up.

"I didn't mean to. That was my… stomach." Eren's voice trailed off and he looked away.

"You're hungry?" Levi moved over to the side of his bed and sat on the edge. "I'll go make breakfast. I'm taking you home right after that though." Levi stood up and left for the bathroom.

Eren fell back against Levi's pillows and stretched. He wouldn't have minded waking up there every morning.

Within a few minutes Levi stepped out of the bathroom and headed for the bedroom door. "Go wash up and meet me in the kitchen."

"Alright." Eren nodded at Levi and retreated to the restroom.

Levi opened his refrigerator door and scanned the shelves. He wasn't aware of Eren's preference but he assumed eggs and toast would be fine. It was quick to make and they didn't have all day for some extravagant meal. Levi glanced at the analog clock on his stove. It was nearly one in the afternoon and Eren had to work at five that day. Not only that but a sure to be angry dad was waiting at Eren's house, no doubt in a mood to scold.

Levi pulled out a carton of eggs and four pieces of bread. He popped the bread into the toaster and pushed down on the bread lifter.

"Over-easy or scrambled?" Levi asked Eren who took a seat on one of the bar stools across the counter lazily. His hair was flipped up in the front, a hardship he dealt with every time he woke up.

"Scrambled."

"Okay." Levi cracked an egg against the skillet and in no time everything was ready.

"That was amazing! As far as eggs and toast go I didn't realize it could taste better than just ordinary!"

"Now you're getting over excited," Levi wiped his hands with a paper towel and removed his and Eren's plates from the table. "Make sure you have everything, we'll leave in about three minutes."

"Why'd you remind me?" Eren mumbled under his breath. He stood up from his chair lazily and trudged to the bedroom to gather his belongings.

Levi didn't reply. He grabbed his lanyard and slipped on his day shoes. The keys in Levi's hands clinked against each other, signifying that he was ready to go.

"Come on." Levi started out the door but was yanked back inside effortlessly.

Levi turned around to face Eren angrily as Eren shut the door. "What are you-"

"Wait." Eren released Levi's arm and wrapped his hand around his back pulling him close against his own body. Eren's other hand moved up towards Levi's head and lightly pressed it down against his shoulder. "Thank you for letting me come over. I love you."

A low mumble came from Levi. Eren couldn't make out the words with Levi speaking into his shoulder but he knew any words at this moment were bound to be good ones.

Eren released his hold and smiled weakly. Levi stood straight and lingered, just taking the time to analyze Eren.

The boy wasn't a liar.

"Enough of this," Levi successfully made it outside of his door and waited for Eren to follow behind so he could lock up behind them. "So what's your plan for when you get home?"

Eren looked down and frowned as he trailed Levi to the car. "I'm going to tell him immediately what's going on. Before he even gets the chance to say anything."

"Bad idea," Levi opened the car door and sat down to buckle before he finished that thought. "You're going to start a war with him. In this case I wouldn't say that's the best game plan. Maybe if you were arguing to get a family dog but not for something that can really offend your dad."

Eren's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to compare Levi's example of a house pet to his own situation. He shook his head a little. "What am I supposed to do? I already know what he has to say. I'm not going to sit around and listen to that."

"Do you know?" Levi questioned now exiting the apartment complex. "I wasn't aware you and your dad spoke about your confused sexuality in such depth before."

"I'm not confused," Eren sneered. "I know what I want." He muttered and turned to look outside the window.

Eren's childlike whims were almost good enough to make Levi crack a smile. "I'm not trying to upset you. I just don't think your dad won't react well to your approach. He's not my dad but hell I've never a parent respond positively to their kid going over their head."

"He won't." Eren sighed and looked forward again. "But if he even dares to say this isn't right. Or I'm not right for you, or vice versa, then I can't promise I won't yell and blow a fuse."

A while passed and they were approaching Eren's home quickly. Levi pulled over onto the side of the road a few houses away from Eren's.

Levi stopped the car and sighed before boring his stare onto Eren who was unsure as to what was happening and could only return the stare in confusion.

"No matter what your dad says about us or whatever he deciphers this as, just know it won't change how you feel right now and I'll be damned if it changes how I feel about you. In any case, it won't change a thing. I'll still be here for you…and love you. Indefinitely." Levi took in a short breath and met halfway with Eren. Slowly. Until their faces were touching. Their lips remained in hold of each other's until Levi pulled away and started the car again.

The next time the car stopped they were in Eren's driveway.

Eren unbuckled with a deep sigh.

"Be respectful but remind yourself that you're capable of making your own decisions."

Eren nodded and stepped out of the car. He looked at Levi and smiled impishly. "Thank you,"

Levi gestured a hand in reply. "Call me on your way to work." Levi put his hand back on the wheel and backed up as soon as Eren shut the door.

Eren gripped his bag and began unlocking the door with his key. A pointless effort though as the door opened for him. It came as no surprise to Eren when he saw who let him in.

Girsha walked towards the living room, leaving the door open for Eren to walk in.

"I called and texted you over and over," Girsha stared at Eren dead center though the look wasn't returned. "Why didn't you ever reply? Your mom and I hadn't a clue as to when you were planning on coming home."

"You knew I was staying at Levi's.." Eren mumbled.

"We did, but apparently for you that means as long as you please."

"I got up at one. Since when has one o'clock in the afternoon been anywhere far from a decent time?" Eren grit his teeth and met his father's eyes. "This isn't really about time is it? Because we both know I've spent days at Armin's without a word to you and it was fine then."

"We're very familiar with Armin and his parents." Girsha answered slowly with emphasis.

"I'm in love with Levi."

Girsha rubbed his face with his hand and turned away from Eren facing the opposite direction now. "…God.. ….knew it…" He whispered to himself allowing Eren to hear close to nothing. He turned back to Eren who looked like he was ready to argue until the world ended. "How do you know?" He asked Eren with disbelief reflecting from his face.

"I know because I've never experienced this before." Eren kept his face unchanged, unable to lower his guard even a smidge. He wanted to though. He and his dad were usually in a screaming argument by now. It was different this time but that didn't mean that Eren could be any less cautious. " I have had crushes and feelings that I gave the label of "love" to but none of those feelings…none of them even combined together can measure up to how I feel now. And it's a great feeling."

"Eren, you're still young and you don't know what one thing can lead to." Girsha looked worried now. "This other man..Levi is indeed a man. Do you know how that will look? Do you know the hardships you'll have to go through? And even if this does become something you want to boast to the world, what if it doesn't last? Everything you've been and who you wanted to become will be distorted. You won't be the same."

"….Why don't you think I'll be the same person?" Eren asked. Originally he planned on his dad being angry just because it was an unholy act. Not that his family was extremely religious but they tended to follow particular traditions. He never expected his dad to have a true reason for being against it. Be it an unnecessary worry or anything else.

"Your whole life will have to be planned on the basis of how society will react. The world is unkind, unjust, unfit for those who don't preach the norm. You'll become an adjustment and what you wanted in the future will be changed because of your adjustments. This type of relationship cannot just be held together by love. It requires persistence and the will to lose some things you weren't ready to lose."

"Well I don't have much to lose at this point anyway." Eren grumbled, glancing at the floor again. His strong stance had deteriorated with his previous perspective of his dad.

"And what about Levi?"

"Levi…he…" Eren thought about it. Levi would put in a hundred percent, he didn't have a doubt about that but would their relationship ruin anything for Levi? It wouldn't. If there was one thing that could make Levi's life better, it was to have someone who cared about him over anything else. "Levi…he needs me." Eren looked at his dad and smiled. "We'll benefit each other and if we come across any "adjustments", they'll be made and it'll only make us closer."

Girsha took in a very deep breath. "I can't say no to you two, but this is my warning. The future may not always seem so clear and blissful. Be careful."

The smile never left Eren's face as he nodded to his dad.

"Now go get ready for work, the train won't wait around for you." Girsha joked. "And by the way, you don't to worry about telling your mom." He said looking over the couch at Carla.

Eren's mouth fell and his face darkened. "You could've said something" he mumbled.

"Oh but you would've taken forever to tell me!" Carla whined, sitting up on the couch. "Even though I'm not as strict as your father." She snickered.

"I'm not that bad." He frowned at her. "I just care."

She giggled a little at Girsha's concern with himself.

Eren laughed too and walked to his room. "I love you guys."

"We love you too." Girsha and Carla replied then commenced their small bickers over who was sterner out of the two.

Before Eren could enter his room he heard his last name called. In a voice he unfortunately recognized.

"Jaeger! I know you hear me!"

Eren rolled his eyes and opened Mikasa's bedroom door. And what a surprise, there was Jean.

"I'm assuming you heard all that?"

"I did."

"And what do you want to say?" Eren asked mockingly.

"You got balls Jaeger. Your dad can be a scary looking man." Jean looked away once Mikasa started smiling at him. "Now go away so I can continue enjoying your sister."

Eren snickered and rolled his eyes again. "That's gross." He smiled at Mikasa and shook his head at Jean then closed the door and got ready for work.

"How'd it go?" Levi's monotone voice sounded through the receiver as Eren boarded his train.

"Better than expected. My dad said a few discouraging things but in the end he and my mom basically gave me the O.K." Eren sat down in one of the few available seats.

"I'm glad. I've been worried about it."

"You have been?" Eren tried to hold back a smile that would make him look like a giddy school girl but that didn't last long.

"Of course I have. You looked shaken up before and just that left me on end."

"…"

"Why aren't you saying anything? Tell me you're not at a loss for words or anything mushy like that."

"…"

"Jeez Eren."

"I'm just glad. Glad that you're the one I'm with now and that I'm the one you're with and that hurdles can be jumped if we really care about each other."

"That's a way to put it."

"Isn't it? I'm a romantic after all." Eren replied smugly.

"Oh, are you? You'll have to show me one day Romeo." Levi chuckled on his end. "What the-" Levi sighed. "Hanji is spamming again. The nerve of this woman. Eren, I'll pick you up after work okay?"

"Alright." Eren laughed.

Eren tapped the end button and pressed his lips together to hold back any more embarrassing emotions.

He really did love Levi.

Excuse me for the late post

-If I had a song to describe myself as an author on FF that sentence would be the chorus.