AN: Ugh I'm SOOOO sorry this took as long as it did. I have a ton of excuses but they're just that: excuses. The main one is writer's block, though, if you can at least let that one slide ;3; I'm here now though. I like most of this chapter, but I also think it kind of dragged on. I'm trying to tell myself that I write fanfiction to polish my writing skills but dammit if I'm publishing to then it should be better and you guys deserve so much better. Sorry ;n;

Chapter 4

Sleep was never a friend of Levi's, one could tell by the ridiculously dark circles under his eyes and his constant state of annoyance. When he heard Eren sobbing in his sleep and felt him thrashing around, tearing the sheets off of his side of the bed in the process, he supposed it at least had one benefit. He shook Eren. "Oi, Eren."

"Ngh?" Eren opened his eyes to see a concerned Levi through his tears. It was just a dream. Just a dream.

Levi brushed away a tear, he flinched when the boy threw his arms around his waist. Levi stroked the Eren's back until he was able to talk.

"You can't ever leave me…" Eren choked on his words, tears still streaming down his face. "Please." His grip tightened. "I don't ever want to go back to the streets. It was awful there."

Levi's eyes widened slightly. Having grown up on the streets himself he knew all too well why the boy never wanted to go back. Of course at the time he didn't mind, he didn't have time to. He was too busy trying to live. No. Survive. You don't live on the streets, you survive. "I wouldn't send you to the streets no matter what idiotic thing you might do," Levi said. "I wouldn't send my worst enemy to the streets, it's filthy out there."

Eren let out a soft giggle. He had no idea Levi had a comforting side, much less a sense of humor. It was…nice. It wasn't long before Eren stopped his sniffling and released Levi from his death grip, smiling up at Levi. "Thank you," He said.

With a ruffle to his son's hair he said, "Get some sleep, Eren. You don't wanna look like hell in the morning." The boy nodded and lied back down. Levi cringed at the sheet that was stripped from Eren's side of the bed. He took a deep breath. I'll fix it in the morning he told himself and lied down too. His eyes drooped and the noise in his head stopped for a while.

The alarm blared in Levi's ear. He could've sworn he had just drifted off, how was it already morning? "Fuck!" He yelled and smashed the off button on the alarm.

Between the alarm and Levi's outburst, Eren was startled awake. "I-I'm up!" He announced.

"Hurry up and get dressed for school, brat," Levi ordered. He watched the boy jump out of bed and rush to his room. Levi dressed himself in seconds and fixed the bed, which placed a sense of peace inside him. Perfect.

"I'm ready," Eren called.

Levi met Eren in the hallway, giving him a good look over. He sighed. "Come here." Levi led Eren to the bathroom and grabbed a brush.

"O-ow! That hurts."

"Maybe if you'd done it yourself it wouldn't hurt so much. This will teach you to brush your hair from now on." When Eren's hair was to his liking he had a new order for the boy. "Now wash your face."

"Yes sir."

Levi gagged, waving his hand in front of his face. "And while you're at it, brush your teeth. It smells like a dog took a shit in your mouth."

It took time but finally the boys were ready to leave the house. The drive to Eren's school was on the way to Levi's job at the dry cleaner's, which he thanked the God he didn't believe in for small favors because morning traffic was a bitch. "Behave," Levi ordered at the car ramp. Eren didn't reply, he wasn't about to start making promises.

Eren might've been able to say that he behaved at school. That is, until a group of bullies thought it would be fun to pick on the smallest kid in his grade.

"Hey!" Eren shouted. "Leave him alone!"

"Or what, Jaeger?" Their ring leader scoffed. He walked up to Eren and gave him a shove. "What're you gonna do, huh?" Eren gritted his teeth and balled up his fists so tight that his knuckles were as white as bone. "Does this make you mad?" Another shove. What happened next was a blur. Eren's body moved on it's own. His fist made contact with the other boy's nose, blood gushing onto his knuckles.

All the attention shifted from the boy now cowering in the corner to Eren whose face switched from wide eyed surprise to a conceited grin. "Alright, if you all want a fight, I'll give it to you."

There were only three boys. Piece of cake. They charged at Eren who kicked the one in front of him in the shin and flipped another back first onto the last. These guys are pretty weak. They must have some sort of complex picking on the smallest kid in back. Eren thought. He walked over the small blonde boy in the corner. "Hey, you okay—Armin? You go to this school too?!" Eren helped his friend up.

"Saving me again. It's like old times." Armin tilted his head, a small smile on his face.

Eren patted the boy's back, chuckling. "You say it like I left the orphanage years ago, it's only been about a month you know."

"Still feels like forever."

Eren laughed again. Then he looked at Armin, something in his head clicking. "If you're here and not at the school by the orphanage…you were adopted? Good for you!"

Armin nodded. "I'm still getting adjusted but it's great. They travel a lot so they have lots of stories to tell me. Oh, and they have a huge library of books. Eren, it's amazing."

"I'm happy for—"

"Oi! Did you do this, Jaeger?"

Eren flinched. Why did it seem like everyone addressed him by his last name. He looked up to see his teacher, Mr. Shadis, looking down at him and shrunk where he stood. "This" was the pile of whimpering bullies. "E-eh yeah."

"See me after school for detention, Jaeger!" Armin squeaked causing Mr. Shadis to focus on him now. "What was that, Arlert?"

Armin took a breath. "I-I said Eren did it to protect me. They were picking on me, sir."

"I see. You have detention too," Mr. Shadis snapped.

"That isn't fair!"

"Wanna make it the whole week?"

"N-no sir," Armin said before Eren could open up his big mouth.

Detention was beyond boring. There was no talking, no sleeping, not even writing. They were pretty sure that even if one of them so much as coughed their time would be extended. The boys stared at Mr. Shadis. Mr. Shadis stared back. It was an hour long staring contest.

The timer on Mr. Shadis' desk went off. Sweet freedom. "You're free to go."

Eren was up out of his seat before Shadis even opened his mouth. "C'mon, Armin!" He grabbed the other boy's arm and dragged him out.

Levi was waiting at the car ramp. "And what took you so long? School ended an hour ago." Looking at the floor Eren mumbled something. "What?"

"I had detention with Armin."

Levi sighed. "What did you do?"

"He was being bullied. I couldn't let him be bullied, I had to do something. "

The man shook his head. "Alright, just get in the car." He looked at Armin. "Oi, where's your ride, kid?"

Armin fumbled with shirt. "U-uh, I don't know. My babysitter should be here soon, I think."

"You think?" His answer was an unconvincing nod. "Where are your parents at?"

"O-oh, on one of their trips. They couldn't take me cause of school and all."

"I only asked where they were at." Levi sighed. I can't believe I'm about to ask this. "Want to come home with us?"

"I-I have to call my parents!" Levi nodded knowingly and handed the boy his cell. It was a short phone call, mostly yes' a no's after Armin asked the question. Finally the boy handed the cell back. "They said it was okay."

"Alright, get in."

Armin grinned, sliding in next to Eren who returned the expression. "Thank you, sir."

"Mhm."