Hey guys! Happy Friday! Thank you thank you THANK YOU so much for the reviews, faves, and alerts! Chapter 11 got such a great response from you guys. :D

I was inspired, so I was able to write chapter 12 quickly! Pff, who cares about sleep, right? XD

Enjoy the chapter~

Chapter 12 Light at the End of the Tunnel

Mom... mom. What am I going to do without you? You were my guiding light in this dark tunnel. I want to tell you I love you again. I want to hug you and kiss you again. But I can't. You're gone. And it's my fault.

"Eren Jaeger."

Eren's head snapped up at his name getting called out. His calculus teacher Professor Hannes and most of the class stared at the brunette. Levi, who was grading papers for the professor, looked up at well.

"Yes, sir?" Eren asked tightly.

"You obviously know more than us since you insist on sleeping. So tell me, what is a parabola?" Hannes asked.

Eren tensed at being put on the spot. "It's a curved thingy." He replied, unable to think of an intelligible answer.

"A curved thingy." Hannes repeated, unimpressed. "I couldn't have said it better myself with a Bachelor's degree in science and a minor in secondary education."

Eren sunk in his seat shamefully. Levi scowled, glaring at Hannes' back.

The second my duties of being his assistant are done, I'm kicking his ass.

Levi directed his attention back to Eren, who looked like he was about to cry. Eren was already in a vulnerable state. He didn't need any teachers on his back. As the lecture went on, Levi looked for an opportunity to get back at Hannes. His chance arrived soon enough.

"So this section of the parabola is called the latus rectum." Hannes was explaining, gesturing towards the space between his drawn graph.

The class burst into giggles at the silly name. Hannes rolled his eyes.

"That's mature. How old are we, five?" He asked.

Levi smirked. "Well professor, it's not every day we see math make an... ass, out of itself."

Everyone lost it. Hannes' flushed as the class roared with laughter. The black haired man glanced at Eren, hoping he at least put a small smile on his face. To his disappointment, Eren had put his head back down, and Armin was trying his best to comfort him.

For the last two weeks, Eren moved around like a mindless zombie. He attended class and completed his assignments, but the life in his usually passionate emerald eyes were gone. Mikasa attempted to maintain her normal composure for Eren's sake, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. More often than not, Levi would see her sitting alone outside, crying silently.

Levi tried countless times to show as much affection and support as he could to his boyfriend, but to no avail. Every time Levi would say something to Eren or try to hug him, the brunette would flinch and shrink away, not wanting to be touched.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Before the tragedy, Levi had embarrassing conversations with Hanji and Petra, trying to brainstorm ideas on what to do for Eren that day. Even though Levi despised the over commercialized holiday, he knew it would make Eren happy if he got him a box of chocolates and took him out for dinner. But with Eren rejecting his affection, Levi felt empty and alone.

How do you console someone who lost someone so dear to him?

The next morning, Eren woke up to something soft pressed against his forehead. His eyes fluttered open, seeing Levi raise his head from his own. He felt a tingle on his forehead, so Eren assumed Levi had kissed him.

"Good morning. Happy Valentine's Day." Levi murmured. "We can do whatever you want today."

Eren blinked. "Oh..." He didn't know what to say. He didn't bother keeping up with the date anymore.

The young man sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Levi... Mikasa and I are leaving for Shiganshina today."

Levi's hopeful expression dissipated. "Oh?"

"Only until Monday." Eren assured him. "Since mom left everything to us in her will, we have to go sort out... stuff. We all know dad won't be there to help."

Levi's heart wrenched at the grave expression on his face. Eren was in no condition to be going back to Shiganshina. He was still grieving.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Levi asked, reaching his hand out to tuck Eren's hair behind his ear.

Eren flinched, moving his head away. Levi quickly retracted his hand.

"No... this is something Mikasa and I have to do. Besides... I could use the time alone."

That hurt a bit more than Levi would have liked, but the pain Eren was feeling hurt him much more.

"Well, okay Eren. What time do you leave?" Levi asked gently.

"As soon as I get dressed." Eren slid out of bed and walked over to his drawers. "We're taking a charter bus back to Shiganshina, which will be here in an hour, so I better hurry."

Levi was bewildered at Eren's sudden announcement. How long did he know he was going back to Shiganshina? Why didn't Eren tell him until now? Sighing, Levi walked over to his side of the room, taking out a heart shaped box. He kept it hidden behind his back until Eren was ready to walk out of the dorm with his already packed duffel bag.

"Eren." Levi called, just as Eren's hand touched the doorknob.

Eren turned his head to face him. "Yeah?"

Levi revealed the heart shaped box to Eren. "Here. This is for you. Since you're leaving, don't open it until you're on the bus."

Eren bit his lip, reluctantly taking the box. "Thank you, Levi."

"I love you." Levi told Eren without hesitation.

"I..." Eren stopped himself, lowering his eyes. "See you Monday."

Eren opened the door, seeing Mikasa walking towards his room.

"Ready to go?" Mikasa asked.

"Yeah." Eren said.

Without looking back, Eren walked out with Mikasa, clutching the box close to his chest. After standing in the same spot for five minutes, Levi made a decision. He grabbed his wallet and car keys, leaving his room. He headed for Petra's room. After knocking, a sleepy Petra opened her door.

"Geez, I finally get to live in a dorm by myself this year, but every morning you or Eren wake me up." Petra yawned. "What is it this time?"

Levi's expression hardened. "Get dressed. We're going on a little road trip back to Trost."

"What?" Petra was fully awake now. "Why?"

"You have heard of the traveling doctor, Dr. Grisha Jaeger, correct?" Levi asked.

Petra's eyes widened, making the connection. "Jaeger... so he's related to Eren?"

"So you've heard of the bastard. He's supposedly in Trost right now. I need to pay him a little visit. Do you by any chance know where he could be?" Levi asked.

"Well, he visits homes and does checkups there. He either stays in that person's home or in the Rose Hotel during the night. The people of Trost are always happy to see him. He's been featured in the newspaper on several occasions. Everyone thinks well of him." Petra replied.

Levi scowled. "Well, he's a cheating son of a bitch. He's the main reason why Eren's mother killed herself."

Petra gasped, her hand covering her mouth. "What?! When did this happen?"

"Two weeks ago. Eren and Mikasa have kept quiet about it, and for good measure. Grisha Jaeger is the only family they have left. It's about time I knock some sense into him." Levi growled.

"O-Okay. I'll be ready in about ten minutes." Petra said, closing her door.

Levi leaned against the door. Grisha Jaeger... he hurt the family I care about. He hurt my lover. Now it's time for him to suffer the consequences.

~.~.~.~.~.~

An hour later, Eren looked down at the box Levi gave him. He slowly untied the ribbon, letting it fall on the floor. He glanced at Mikasa sitting in the seat next to him. She was asleep, so he proceeded with opening the box. A folded piece of paper fell out. He quickly picked it up. Eren gazed at the assorted chocolates, feeling a small smile etch onto his face. Eren unfolded the paper, realizing it was a handwritten note.

Eren,

Happy Valentine's Day. I know I'm not very romantic, but I want to let you know that I love you a lot. Much more than you think. I know you are going through tribulations, and I am here for you. No matter how much you try to hide your emotions, know that you can project your feelings and burdens onto me. I can take it. What I can't take is you trying to distance yourself from me. I love you too much to just sit back and watch you crash and burn.

I will be here to help you take every step necessary to get back on your feet. No matter how long it takes, no matter how long you wish to grieve, I will stay with you. You do not have to worry. All you have to do is wake up in the morning, and I'll take it from there. The worst thing is seeing you unhappy.

You are a strong young adult, and you inspire me every day to get up and do something great. Now, I'm going to return the favor.

Levi

Eren closed his eyes, folding the note back. He felt around his neck until he was able to clutch the clam pendant necklace in his fingers. Levi... I love you too. I don't feel like I deserve any form of love right now... but you said you'll stay by my side anyway. Thank you. Thank you for loving me.

Levi never drove so fast in his life. The 70 miles per hour speed limit could kiss his ass.

"Levi!" Petra cried when they almost sideswiped a car. "This isn't Grand Theft Auto! Slow down!"

Levi narrowed his eyes as he sped down the highway. "There's no time, Petra! Trost is fucking far away, and I want to get back to Mitras before Eren gets back Monday."

Petra made sure her seat belt was good and secure. "You're so reckless, Levi. I understand that you're doing all of this for Eren's sake, but please don't make his situation worse. He might want to reconcile with Dr. Jaeger, but at the same time, he might not want to. What exactly are you going to accomplish?"

Levi looked straight ahead. "I'm going to make the bastard see what exactly he's throwing away. He's been abandoning a strong, kind daughter and a passionate, hot headed son. He has hurt them too much. I can no longer just sit back and watch them self destruct. Eren feels like all of this is his fault, when really, Dr. Jaeger is the one to blame. He left his family for some two dollar whores, if they're even worth that much. I've never had a real family, and see that bastard willingly throw it away pisses me off."

Petra stared at Levi. "Levi... how in love with Eren are you?"

Levi's expression faltered slightly. "Way more than I ever thought I could. I've never felt this strongly about someone in my life... even Erwin. This brat has gotten me real bad. At this point, I would even go to jail for murder if it means Eren will be happy."

"Don't hurt Dr. Jaeger." Petra warned, smiling slightly. "I don't think that would make Eren very happy."

Levi remained silent.

"Well," Petra sighed. "You're only going 90 miles an hour. What the hell are you waiting for? We have to get to Trost as fast as we can!"

Smirking, Levi pressed down on the gas pedal harder. "Now that's something I can do."

~.~.~.~.~.~.

Eren stared at the empty house. Despite the freezing temperature, the Jaeger residence had its own unique coldness to it. There was no warmth of a loving mother and a supportive father. All that was left inside were memories.

Eren reluctantly stepped inside, Mikasa right behind him. The house felt foreign to him, like it was never really his own home to begin with. Eren exhaled deeply, seeing his breath dissipate into the air.

"We have to decide what do to with our family's possessions." Mikasa softly reminded Eren. "We have to claim the stuff we want to keep, and most likely donate everything else. Also... we have to decide if we're going to keep the house, or sell it."

"How could we possibly keep the house?" Eren asked coldly. "We have no possible way of paying for the bills. We're college students for fuck's sake. And it's not like father is coming back anytime soon, if ever."

"So... where will we live in the future?" Mikasa asked, biting her lip nervously.

"I don't know." Eren admitted. "But we'll figure something out. Mother taught us to be strong. As long as we have each other, nothing will get us down."

At that moment, a wave of comfort washed through the entire house. Mikasa and Eren suddenly felt warm.

"Eren... do you...?"

"Yeah. I do."

Eren closed his eyes, basking in the warmth. It felt familiar... like one of his mother's hugs.

Mom... I love you so much. I promise to take care of Mikasa, and I know she'll take care of me. I know you're in a better place now. I know now that you're watching over us. You'll live on in my heart... forever.

When Eren opened his eyes, the warmth left him, leaving him with teary eyes.

"Eren...?" Mikasa touched Eren's cheek lightly, concerned.

Eren wiped his eyes, sniffling. "I'll be okay. I was just... saying goodbye to mom one last time."

Mikasa wrapped her arms around Eren snugly, finally letting her tears fall. Eren returned the embrace, not holding back his emotions anymore.

"Everything will be alright. I promise." Mikasa whispered.

"Yeah... I know." Eren replied softly.

Before Petra could blink, Levi was out of his car and storming into the Rose Hotel.

"Levi!" Petra cried. "Don't get reckless!"

Giving Petra a brief nod, Levi continued his brisk walk into the hotel. As soon as he entered the lobby, he tried to figure out how exactly he was going to find Grisha's hotel room. The hotel was five stories. The elevator opened on the other side of the lobby. A woman wearing clothing completely inappropriate for winter walked out. Going with his gut feeling, Levi approached the low cut, tight clothed woman.

"Excuse me, but I've come to see Dr. Jaeger. Do you know where his room is?" Levi asked.

The woman eyed Levi up and down, sizing him up. "Huh. I had no idea Grisha was into guys too. Well, you are pretty cute, so I can see why. He's on the top floor in the penthouse. Since you're new, I'll give you some advice going in. He's pretty rough the first night. But it's pretty fun. All of the stress he has means more pleasure. So have fun."

The woman sauntered away, and Levi felt sick to his stomach. "Tch. Grisha is a fucking bastard."

Levi stomped over to elevator and jabbed the button for the fifth floor.

He doesn't deserve to be treated so kindly by the people of Trost. I don't understand. Why do good things happen to horrible people, while honest and wholesome people like Eren and Mikasa get the shaft? Well, I'm changing that today. Grisha Jaeger won't know what hit him.

As soon as the elevator stopped on the fifth floor, Levi shot through the doors. He strode to the end of the hall to the penthouse. Luckily, it was secluded from the other normal hotel rooms, so no one would be able to hear the doctor's calls for help. Levi pounded on the door, almost making a hole in it.

Levi heard some shuffling, and finally, a tall man opened the door. His eyes were red, and he looked like shit. His hair was messy, and he was a sweaty mess. He reeked of alcohol. If Levi didn't have a set goal, he would have turned on his heel and walked away from the disgusting man.

"Dr. Grisha Jaeger?" Levi clarified.

The brunette rubbed his eyes. "Yeah."

"Good." Levi shoved Grisha inside, slamming the door behind him. Grisha was shocked by the sudden intrusion.

"Hey! What are you trying to do?!" He cried. "Who are you?!"

Levi stormed over to Grisha and grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Hi, nice to meet you. I am Levi, your worst nightmare."

Levi pushed Grisha roughly on the ground. The doctor struggled against the raven haired man's grip. "Just what do you think you're-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Levi shouted in Grisha's face.

He could sense the fear rising in the doctor. "W-What do you want? Money? My wallet is on the nightstand. Women? You can have them!"

"I'm not interested in either of those things." Levi growled. "I'm here about the well-being of your son and daughter, Dr. Jaeger."

Grisha's eyes widened. "E-Eren and Mikasa? What happened to them? Are they alright?"

Levi gave Grisha a slow clap. "Oh, look at you! Acting all concerned and shit. If I didn't know better, I would have thought you were father of the year." Levi spat sarcastically. "Really, you deserve a fucking Oscar for that performance."

"What relation do you have to them?" Grisha asked again, his anxiety rising.

"If you had, oh, I don't know, come spend Thanksgiving with your family, you would know about me." Levi sneered. "And if you had, oh, I don't know, come home for Christmas, you would know that your wife had been suffering from depression. And if you had given a damn about your family, you wouldn't be a widow right now."

Grisha's breath hitched in his throat. "W-What? What are you talking about?"

Levi released Grisha, standing up. "Carla Jaeger, your kind and devoted wife, overdosed on prescription medication and killed herself two weeks ago. In her suicide note, she stated that she couldn't take being alone anymore. Now, that was a few weeks after you told her you wanted a divorce, because apparently cheap whores are worth more than a loyal wife. Eren and Mikasa are in Shiganshina right now, sorting out what to do about the house and its possessions. Things that eighteen year olds shouldn't be having to do. Eren believes this is all his fault, but really, it's yours, Grisha Jaeger!"

Grisha was in tears. He was shaking, and he couldn't form a coherent sentence. "Carla... I... Carla...!"

"Oh, now you show remorse? You make me sick." Levi scowled. "You left your family. Now you're seeing the repercussions or your choice. Carla was the only family who really cared about Eren and Mikasa. And you killed her!"

Levi grabbed Grisha's collar again, forcing him to his feet. Levi got dangerously close to the doctor, a raging fire burning in his eyes.

"I am in love with your son. He brings joy to my meaningless and desolate excuse for a life. And for some reason, he loves me too. And it hurts to see him walk around like a fucking zombie, beating himself up for something that was not his fault. His smile his gone, that smile that gives me butterflies whenever I see it. What kind of man are you, leaving your family like a coward? You have great kids. I've never had a family like this! My parents kicked me out for being a homosexual. And after meeting Eren, Mikasa, and Carla... I felt like maybe, just maybe... I could be part of it. But you went and fucked up your family. Eren and Mikasa are now basically me as a kid, walking around with no one to love them and no one to care about them. Feeling hurt and abandoned, like everything that happens to them is their fault. I'll be damned if I allow such bright, smart young people get screwed up in the head like me!"

Levi shoved Grisha away, who was now weeping.

"Now, this is my warning to you. You only get one." Levi spoke in a calmer tone. "You are going to get your shit together and come back to them. That is an order, not a suggestion. Let them know that you're remorseful for fucking up, and you want to be in their lives again. And I assure you that they will not forgive you and let you in so easily. They're smart for doing that. You're going to work your ass off to gain their trust again, to show them that you can be a great father. It may take months, years, but you're going to do it. You have no say in the matter. And Dr. Grisha Jaeger, I swear on my life, if you ever, ever, hurt my lover and Mikasa again..."

Levi narrowed his eyes as Grisha stared ahead. "...I will gladly go to prison for first degree murder. Do you understand?"

"...yes." Grisha's voice was even.

"Good." Levi looked around the penthouse, disgusted at the mess. "Now before I take my leave, you and I are going to clean this pigsty. Fucking animals live in better condition than this crap."

Grisha blinked, bewildered at Levi's sudden shift in mood. "What?"

"You heard me. Grab a mop and get to work. Maybe a lesson in cleanliness will give you a head start in cleaning up your shit relationship with Eren and Mikasa." Levi spat. "And just because I've changed the subject to your horrible hygienic condition, doesn't mean I can't snap on you at any second. I am still absolutely livid. Eren might be able to forgive you, but I doubt I ever will."

Grisha nodded, trying to end his flow of tears. "That's fine. I'm sure I won't be able to forgive myself either. I'm... ashamed and angered that it took my son's boyfriend that I've never met breaking me down and my wife dying to finally wake up. I... I've been having a tough time. As I'm sure you know, I'm a traveling doctor, and with women flocking around, I gave into temptation and willingly slept with them. I drank to take the guilt away, but now it's become an addiction. If... I could do it all again, I would be staying at home with Carla, and my kids. Carla... I'm so sorry..." The doctor broke down into sobs again.

Levi closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. "Like I said, you need to get your life together. Go to a rehabilitation center to end your addiction to alcohol. Eren and Mikasa need a role model, and who better than a man who has fucked up, realized his mistakes, and made a conscious decision to get back on the right path?"

Grisha looked up. "I..."

"Now let's get this place fucking cleaned up. And I want it done tonight. Your son comes back to Shiganshina on Monday, and I want to drive back without the police on my tail." Levi said firmly.

Grisha continued to cry as he and Levi got to work. Every so often, Levi could hear Grisha mutter Carla's name.

Carla... I'm sorry it took your death to make your husband realize the good things he's had. Levi thought to himself. From wherever you are, I hope you're seeing this.

Levi paced back and forth in his dorm, trying to restrain himself from calling and bothering Eren. After getting back to Mitras early Monday morning, he awaited Eren's return. It was now ten pm, and there was no sign of him or Mikasa.

"Damn it...! What if something happened to him?" Levi clenched his teeth, worried. "Eren... don't do anything stupid!"

A knock interrupted Levi's panicking. The short man rushed to the door and opened it, revealing an exhausted Eren.

"Levi... I'm back." Eren yawned.

"I can see that." Levi gently took Eren's free hand and pulled him inside, closing the door behind him.

Eren neatly lined laid his duffel bag next to his desk before facing Levi. The black haired man stood there awkwardly, not sure what to do. His first impulse was the hug and kiss him, telling him how much he was missed. But he wasn't sure if Eren wanted his affection at the moment. Levi didn't have to ponder long. Eren strode over to him and wrapped his arms around him, squeezing tight.

"Levi... thank you for loving me, even when I don't love myself." Eren whispered, releasing his tears. "Your note reminded me that I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have you as my boyfriend. When I was at the house, I think I made peace with my mother. I could feel her warm presence. And that's when I remembered... I'm not alone. There are people who share my pain. We're all in this together. We all shoulder the burden, and together, we'll overcome it. I don't think I'll ever get over my mother's death. But... at least I can live on knowing she loves me, and knowing that I can find happiness with my family. Mikasa... Armin... and you, Levi."

Levi gasped. He finally returned Eren's embrace. "Damn it... you're making it difficult for me not to hold you captive forever. I don't want to share you with anyone else."

Eren laughed slightly, wiping his eyes. "Mikasa wouldn't be too happy about that. She'd break down the door with no effort."

Levi loosened his grip on Eren, reaching one hand up to cup Eren's cheek. He gently pressed his lips against Eren's soft ones, eliciting a surprised gasp from Eren. The brunette immediately softened, realizing how much he missed Levi's warmth.

"Levi?" Eren murmured on his lips.

"Mmm?"

Eren smiled for the first time in two weeks. "I always thought that my mother would be the light at the end of every dark tunnel I would pass in my life. But now... I see that it's you."

Hurray! Levi and Eren made it through another difficult hurdle in their relationship! Will you guys be upset with me if I tell you that there's one more of those coming up soon? Yeah... sorry. But there's a Riren lemon next chapter! So that should make up for it~! :3

Hey, the awesome EmoCece gave me an awesome idea. I now have an Instagram for this account! So go follow me at punkrockkitsune! FF is being a pain the urls, so I'll post a link on my profile.

If you've liked the story so far, add this to your favorites and alerts. And remember...

REVIEWS ARE LIKE PORN TO WRITERS, SO SATISFY OUR URGES!

I really appreciate feedback. See you in the next one!

PRK

~.~.~.

Oh, and by the way, you know those math jokes I keep making? Those come from my actual pre-calculus class. XD The weird thing is, I hate math, but I remember these nerdy jokes, like the latus rectum one...pffffft! I know I shouldn't be laughing at something like that, but come on!