Hey everyone! Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows. You guys are so sweet! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I'm back on it. I'll start working on my other fics…eventually; I'm a horrible procrastinator but I'm trying to get over it.
I was free. For the first time in a long time I had broken free of the constraints they had put me in. Eren was in trouble, and as always, it was up to me to protect the bastard. I was everything Eren wasn't. I was strong, while he was weak. I was smooth, while he was awkward. I was smart and calculating while he was brash and unpredictable. But most of all, he was human, while I was anything but. They tried to separate us, by drugging him up on happy pills and injecting him with serums. They tried to drown me out and erase me, but settled on locking me away when all their methods failed. His family, and those damn doctors; they thought they knew what was best for Eren, but they didn't. Eren didn't need them and he still doesn't need them. He doesn't need anyone but me, because in the end, it would always be just me and him.
Eren and I. We were different yet one in the same. I was generally silent, hidden in Eren's subconscious until he needed me. I was the monster within him, fighting for him when he was too weak to do so himself. 'Fight,' I would whisper to him, 'If you win you live. If you lose you die. If you don't fight, you can't win!' I'd watch Eren curl up and cry one too many times before he allowed me to break free and protect him. I was always there, beating up the boy who stole Eren's crayons in kindergarten, knocking down the bullies who pushed him down at the playground, and lashing out at his parents when they coddled him. But what did I have to show for it? The bastard would black out when I took over and have no recollection of my good deeds when he finally came to. Hell, he didn't even remember me murdering those men who tried to kill him and Mikasa! The ungrateful little shit…
That's when it happened. They locked me away by keeping Eren sedated on a steady flow of pills. It dulled his senses and made me numb. I was forced to crawl into the dark recesses of his mind to wait for another chance to resurface. And resurface I did, like a fucking cockroach even after you think you've killed it off. Eren was having another miserable day in his mundane little life…until that raven haired dwarf humiliated Eren by taunting him and beat his ass. I felt a crack in his psyche, and it rippled through his mind. I managed to slip through, despite the pills his father prescribed from him. Levi lit a fire in Eren's soul, and I was determined to make sure it burned the little bastard.
I woke up in a cold sweat. I was back at home in my bed, surrounded my pillows and blankets. The window directly across from my bed was cracked open and a ray of sunshine peaked through the blinds. I was tucked into bed and someone had even tucked my old stuffed bear under my arm. What the hell happened? The last thing I remembered was blacking out after fighting Levi…Levi. Angry thoughts of the short, foul tempered boy filled my mind and I gripped my sheets in anger. I struggled to sit up but I fell back down in a heap. My body ached and burned, the result of the powerful ass whooping Levi gave me. Angry tears threatened to spill from my eyes and I snuggled my face into the stuffed bear for comfort. How did I get here? Had my mother discovered my battered form and took me home?
There was no doubt that by now both of my parents were aware of my condition. I could never do anything without word somehow reaching my parents. What would they do? Lecture me? Give me more drugs or more therapy? I silently contemplated the possibilities until I heard my door creak open. I raised my head gently to peer at my door. My mother walked in with a tray full of food and a worried look on her face. Mikasa came in behind her with a cup full of orange juice. Both of them looked restless, with heavy bags under their eyes. They had no doubt spent their time worrying and fussing over me in my unconscious state. My mother took a seat near me with the tray in her lap, while Mikasa stood at the food of my bed. I clutched my bear in annoyance as I heard my mother speak.
"Eren, you got into another fight, didn't you? I specifically told you to play nice with the other kids and try to make new friends. What on earth happened?" my mother asked, her normally soft, motherly tone turning hard and authoritative.
"I didn't even start it! That asshole did!" I protested.
"Eren, language! I don't care who started what. You know better that to start fights. That isn't how your father and I raised you. Why didn't you use the methods Dr. Rico taught you in your anger management class? Now look at you, my poor baby is hurt," my mother chastised, but her eyes softened.
"I don't know Mom, I'm sorry," I sighed. I didn't have the heart to fight my mother, at least not today especially not when she was doting on me.
My mother lifted a hand to caress my cheek and she pressed a kiss to my forehead, "I just don't want my baby getting hurt. Who did this to you? Was it Jean again? Should I call his parents? Do I need to pull you from your group therapy?"
"No Mom," I groaned before she could slip into full blown mother bear mode, "It's okay. Please don't call anyone's parents, it will only make things worse, okay? Just tell me what time it is."
"It's 7 baby, I just got you home thirty minutes ago. I brought dinner to you since you're in no condition to get up yourself. Here, open up," my mother said as she lifted a spoonful of soup to my lips.
Normally I would protest, but I was exhausted. I silently let my mother spoon feed me, much to her pleasure. She fed me a hearty meal, consisting of tomato soup, orange juice, a grilled cheese sandwich and sliced apples. When I asked her about dessert she scolded me stating that my right to dessert had been revoked for a week as well as my computer and gaming rights. I grunted angrily, but accepted the terms of my punishment. My parents had little to work on, so they had to come up with creative methods of punishment. They couldn't ground me, because I hardly left the house. They couldn't take away my cellphone because I didn't text anyone other than Armin and Mikasa, aside from the occasional group chat. My parents had settled on taking away my sketchbooks, the TV and computer from me, as well as forcing me to take piano lessons when they needed to curb my bad behavior.
After my mother fed me, she wiped my mouth and encouraged me to do my homework, take a shower, and go to bed. I grumbled in response and snuggled deeper into my blankets as my mother left my room. Mikasa pulled my computer chair next to my bed and watched me, her emotionless eyes never wavering. Her eyes softened as they settled on my cheek. It was probably bruised. She fiddled with her scarf and pulled her my notebook out of my desk.
"We should do our homework Eren," she said softly.
"You haven't finished yours already?" I asked her with a skeptical look.
"No, I have…"
"Then let me copy it," I said, "I'm tired and I just want to shower and go to bed."
Her eyes narrowed and she tugged her scarf again, "You need to do it on your own Eren."
I let out an angry huff, "Come on Mika," I said, hoping her childhood nickname would butter her up, "I'm tired, like really tired. I got my ass beat already, I don't want to get it beat again by a bunch of mindless homework."
She hesitated for a moment but reluctantly nodded and went to her room to fetch the assignments. That was the thing about Mikasa. She stood by me no matter what. When she returned, she handed me the assignments and we sat quietly as I copied Mikasa's neat handwriting. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye occasionally, noting the way she still hadn't learned to relax, even in my company. She sat with her back up straight, and hands folded neatly in her lap. Her breathing was slow and deliberate, and I could easily time the rise and fall of her chest. Her eyes were distant and spaced out, and she blinked once every seven and a half seconds or so. It was rather stiff and robotic. She had a bizarre need to control things I'd noticed over the years, but I never pointed it out to her. I shrugged. Being overly controlling was better than being a perpetually angry nutcase I suppose.
Despite this odd quirk, I always felt at ease with Mikasa. She steady and fairly predictable, and over the years she'd become my rock. I leaned on her whenever necessary and she never pushed me away. She was my silent shadow. Mikasa always had my side, unless she would side with my parents. She was a perfect balance for my erratic personality, and though I didn't say it enough, I loved her for it. And I especially loved how easily she bent to my whim.
When I finished copying her homework I handed the assignments back to her. She wordlessly slipped my things back into my backpack and placed her homework in her lap. She looked up at me expectantly and I rolled my eyes.
"What?" I demanded.
"What happened?" she asked so quietly it could be a whisper.
"What does it matter? It's over now."
"Eren…it's not over. I know you too well; I know how you hold grudges."
I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at her, "Your point?"
"Just tell me what happened, or at least tell me who it was. I can help you Eren. You know you can count on me," Mikasa said.
"Ugh, Mikasa I don't need the third degree. I'm already gonna get it from Mom and Dad, I don't need it from you too. I got into a fight with some jackass from group therapy. I landed a few hits but he kicked my ass. What else do you want?" I growled.
Her pale pink lips moved, but I didn't catch her response, "Mikasa fucking speak up. I can't hear you if you're whispering."
"I said, 'Nothing, I'm sorry,'" she said, raising her voice a bit.
"Okay, whatever," I grunted as I gingerly swung my legs over my bed to get up. I stumbled slightly, and Mikasa rushed to my side.
"Do you need help?" she asked as she attempted to support my weight.
"No," I said, shoving her off me, "I don't need your help."
A rare glint of sadness sparked in her eyes as she dropped her hands, "Okay, make sure you take a shower and get to bed early."
"Alright," I nodded, "Goodnight."
She stepped forward and pressed a light kiss on my nose, "Goodnight Eren."
Mikasa slipped out of my room before I could protest and I wiped her kiss off as soon as she was gone. We weren't little kids anymore. I didn't need her giving me goodnight kisses like I was her kid brother. I grabbed my towel and headed down the hall to the bathroom. It took a bit of effort since my ribs were sore, but I managed to make into the bathroom without stumbling. I quickly stripped down to assess the damage my fight with Levi had caused. My cheek was purple and bruised, and so were my ribs. My cheeks burned with the shame of losing the fight and I splashed cold water on my face and stepped into the shower. The flow of water was nice and warm, and it relaxed my aching muscles. As the warm water kissed my skin I let my mind wander.
It was clear to me that Levi would pose a new problem in my already problematic life. He carelessly knocked down my best friend and made him cry, and then he insulted me and beat me up. A memory of Levi's fist crashing against my cheek flashed in my mind and I gently ran my fingers over the swollen flesh. Levi was rude and vulgar, and his insults creative insults echoed in my ears. I bit my lip as I recalled how Levi had blatantly questioned my sexuality. I'd never really thought about it before, but the more I contemplated it, the more flustered I became. I remembered the way Levi pressed against me, spreading his warmth oh me. I remembered his hot breath tickling my ear, and the way he kissed my ear. It was my first kiss, and it excited me. I mean sure my parents and Mikasa kissed me, but they didn't count. No, the way Levi's lips pressed against my ear was much more…intimate. An unfamiliar feeling washed over me and I felt the blood rush to my crotch.
I shuddered as I imagined Levi pinning me against the tree again. I struggled to remember every detail of his face as I grabbed the bar of soap and washed my skin. I imagined his steel grey eyes regarding me with contempt, and his thin lips pulled into a scowl. He had a strong jaw, which hilariously contrasted his small stature. I found myself oddly attracted to Levi, even though I didn't find him exactly physically appealing. It was rare that I would lose a fight, and even rarer still that anyone could beat my insults. I was drawn to the dangerous glint in my eyes and I contemplated both smacking the smug look off his face and feeling his cool lips on me again. Levi had specifically stated his disinterest in me, so I tried to focus my imagination on throttling him in a vain attempt to counter my pubescent angst. I hastily exited the shower, dried off and threw on my pajamas. I stumbled back to my bedroom and snuggled against my covers and fell asleep.
When I woke up the next morning my muscles were sore and a bit stiff. I brushed my teeth and dressed myself in a black v neck, dark jeans, and a pair of converse. I brushed my teeth and sighed when I noticed the bruise darkened. There was now a dark purple bruise sitting atop my left cheekbone. I really should've iced the thing, but whatever. I headed down to the kitchen and ate the breakfast my mom prepared while my father watched me with a tired look in his eye. As Mikasa and I headed to the door, he stopped me with a hand to my shoulder.
"Eren," he said in a stern voice, "I won't be back until dinnertime tonight but we need to have a talk. Also, there's no group therapy today, but there will be tomorrow and I expect you to go without any complaints, okay?"
"Yes Dad," I grumbled.
"Good boy," he said as he pulled Mikasa and I into a tight hug, "I love you guys, have a good day at school."
"Bye babies!" my mother cheerfully called.
"Yeah, yeah, bye!" I said shutting the door behind Mikasa.
Mikasa and I met up with Armin, as usual and we chatted a bit as we walked to school. Armin scolded me for fighting again, and I carelessly shrugged my shoulders. I had other things on my mind. We split ways after gathering a few books of out our lockers and Mikasa and I settled into our usual sits in Mr. Shadis's English class. I tossed my books atop my desk and slouched over. The class was as loud and boisterous as ever, and I closed my eyes to get a moment of peace.
"Wow! Would ya look at that shiner! What happened to you Eren? You look like hell!" a loud feminine voice laughed into my ear.
I cracked an eye open to see the loud mouthed red head, what the hell was her name again? Oh yeah, Isabel Mongolia, settling into the empty seat next to me. She was wearing a loose fitting pink sweater with a cat on it, leggings and high top sneakers. Her red hair was still tied into two pig tails, and I couldn't help but note how strange the small girl was. She shot Mikasa a toothy grin and Mikasa gave her a smile wave.
"Doesn't matter, and could you tone it down?" I grumbled as the bell rang.
She shrugged and I turned my attention to the front of the class as Mr. Shadis began the lecture. I slipped into my own world and started drawing in my notebook. My hand shifted across the page and unconsciously found myself drawing a familiar pair of stormy grey eyes. I tried my best to draw the grey orbs from my mental picture of Levi. I was carefully shaded the eyes over to capture Levi's bored and disinterested look and I halfheartedly wondered what those eyes would look like filled of passion and life. Heat rushed to my face and I slouched over to cover the drawing. Although I was pretty sure no one was watching me, I didn't want anyone to see what I was drawing. My left hand gently sat on the paper while my right hand danced across the page. I applied a few light and feathery strokes to add the angry crease between his eyebrows. What was his deal anyways? Did he also have anger issues? Perhaps a nervous tick? I felt myself grow oddly giddy at the prospect of observing the smaller boy. I bit my lip and trailed a finger over the paper. Why the hell was I so interested in him anyways? The guy kicked my ass.
I started to his strong jawline when I felt a poke to my shoulder. I quickly slammed my book shut and turned my head around to face Isabel's curious eyes.
"Whatcha drawing?" she whispered.
"Nothing," I growled.
I was too absorbed in shooting daggers at the small girl that I didn't felt Mr. Shadis stomp over to our desks, "Do you two have something to say?" he demanded as he slammed a textbook down on my desk. His angry eyes burned and I swore I saw steam coming out of his ears.
"No sir," Isabel and I said at the same time.
"Alright then maggots," he said, "As I was saying, I want you to use the remainder of this time to work in your groups on the project I assigned. Like I said before I expect to be wowed and if you can't wow me I will fail you. And when I fail you, you will fail this class and if you fail this class you will fail at life maggots, so failure is not an option! Now get to it."
The class collectively grumbled am answer and I reluctantly moved our desks together. Isabel was quick to jump into the project. She slid a copy of The Catcher in the Rye onto the desk. Mikasa and I stared at her with blank expressions as she babbled on, "I think we should do our project on this book. I just love it and the main character reminds me of my big brother. So you guys still wanna do a power point right? Have you started yet?"
"No," Mikasa answered to Isabel's disappointment, "Not yet."
"Well I won't be able to do it, my mom took away my laptop," I said.
"Really? That sucks. How are we going to get our project done than?" Isabel said scratching her chin, "Ooohh, I know! Why don't you guys come over to my house today? We can work on it on there and we can all hang out."
Mikasa and I exchanged looks. She looked indifferent while I looked disinterested, "No," I said without a second thought.
Isabel's hopeful expression dropped and she looked a bit crestfallen, "But why not? I figured we could all hang out, get some work done and maybe have dinner together. This is only my second day here and I don't really have many friends. I was hoping that we could spend some time together and maybe we could all be friends. I only have Farlan and Levi…it would be nice to have some other friends."
As she spoke, I tuned out her voice until I heard his name. My ear twitched a bit. Farlan and… Levi? I immediately lifted my head and looked at the small girl. I did my best to hide my obvious interest.
"Levi?" I asked nonchalantly.
"Yeah, he's my big brother. Dark hair, kinda short, kind of grumpy? Do you know him?" she asked excitedly.
I shrugged my shoulders while Mikasa regarded me with a suspicious look, "Yeah, I might have seen him before."
"That's great, I'm sure big brother could use some more friends too. It's too bad you guys can't come over," she said with a pout.
I looked at Isabel and then Mikasa. This was a golden opportunity to strike back at the guy who kicked my ass. I may not like Isabel but perhaps I could use her to get closer to Levi. The guy throttled me, and then completely humiliated me. And just like Mikasa said, I was definitely one to hold grudges. A familiar unbridled anger bit at me in the back of my mind. No, I couldn't let this ample opportunity go to waste.
"You know what Isabel? On second thought, we will come over today after all. We need to work on this project and it might actually be fun," I said.
Her green eyes light up, "Really? Awesome! Here's my phone number, I'll text you guys at the end of the day. We can all fit into Farlan's car now that big brother fixed his motor cycle. I'm so excited!"
"Me too," I said with a wicked grin.
Mikasa tugged on my shoulder, "But Eren Dad says he needs to talk to you tonight, and we haven't even asked Mom yet," she whispered as Isabel entered our numbers into her phone.
"Don't worry about it," I whispered back, "I'll ask my mom now."
I quickly pulled out my phone and sent my mother a text, asking if I could go over to a friend's house today with Mikasa.
From Mom:
A friend's house? Honey that is so exciting! :-) But you are supposed to be on punishment.
To Mom:
I know but we need to work on a project. Plz Mom?
From Mom:
Well alright, I'll let your Father know, but come home early he still needs to talk to you.
To Mom:
Okay, thnx. Luv you.
From Mom:
I love you too baby! :* :-)
I threw my phone back to my bag and looked up at Isabel and Mikasa, "My Mom said we can come over, but we can't stay out too late. Is that okay?"
"That's fine," Isabel said with a smile.
"Then it's settled," I said.
As the day went on, I did little to hide my shit eating grin much to Mikasa's chagrin. She and Armin questioned my newfound happiness several times but I evaded their questions. The truth was I eager to see Levi again, and I didn't really know why. And there was no way in hell I would admit that out loud, much less to my sister and my best friend. I was running different scenarios through my head as I tried to find the most plausible one. In the end I was banking one getting into another fight, but I wasn't worried. Although I didn't want to admit it, I knew that if we got into another fight again today, things would be different. I was an expert at hand to hand combat, but I knew I lacked the tact. However, with Mikasa by my side, there was no way I could lose. My sister packed a punch when she was angry, and once she and I stuffed three guys into the same trash can for picking on Armin. I hated to rely on her, but at least with Mikasa with me I could be spared from another brutal beat down.
But what would I say when I confronted Levi? Isabel was oblivious to the fact that her beloved brother and I had fought, so I concluded she wasn't aware of my animosity toward him. Would be hit me again when he saw me? Insult me? I wasn't aware if he even liked me or not. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if he and I had never fought. 'Maybe we could've been friends,' I wondered as I felt my heart beat speed up. I could hardly sit still during my classes, and I kept glancing at the clock. I drummed my fingers on my desk and bounced my knee up and down all day. Mikasa asked me several times if I was okay, and I was so lost in thought I didn't even snap at her like I normally would.
I was so wound up that I couldn't even finish my lunch. My stomach was knotted and I managed to drink the milk my mom packed me and the giant cookie. I ended up letting Sasha, Ymir, and Reiner fight over the rest of my lunch. By the end of the say I had plotted and ran every possible scenario that my encounter with Levi could lead to. I was so distracted that I got pegged in the head by Jean when we were playing basketball in gym class. Everyone was very surprised when I didn't even bat an eyelash. I was so eager to leave that I took a half assed shower and rushed Mikasa through hers. Mikasa's hair was still dripping when wet after I sent Sasha to hurry her up. True to her word, Isabel texted me and we met up in the school parking lot.
"I already let Farlan know you guys were coming over so he should be waiting for us. This is so exciting!" she squealed as we weaved through the cars.
We followed Isabel until she stopped at a black Sedan. Farlan was casually leaning against the car door and his eyes widened a bit when he saw me. He kicked off the car and walked over to us. He ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair and smiled at us, but I could tell his eyes were troubled when they settled on the purple bruise on my cheek.
"Eren, it's good to see you again," he said as we shook hands.
"You too Farlan," I said.
Isabel and Mikasa stared at us with curious expressions.
"You guys know each other?" Isabel asked as she tossed her back pack into the trunk of the car.
"Yeah, we met yesterday. So I already know Eren, and you are…?" Farlan asked as he extended toward Mikasa. She gave his hand a shake but regarded him with her normal expressionless face.
"Mikasa."
"Are you Eren's girlfriend?" Farlan asked.
Mikasa tugged on her scarf and looked over at me, "No, he's my brother."
"Ah, okay. Well in any case it's nice to meet you," he said.
He gave us a smile and we all climbed into his car. Isabel sat shotgun while Mikasa and I sat in the back. The drive was rather quiet, with a few questions and jokes here and there. Every now and then I could see Farlan eyeing me warily in the rear view mirror while he thought I wasn't looking. We eventually pulled up to a rather large house in a nice neighborhood. The house had a beautiful garden out front with many bright flowers. There was a sleek Porsche parked out front, as well as a motorcycle. Isabel excitedly ran out of the car and dragged Mikasa and I inside. The inside of the house was beautiful. There was a large living room with elegant furniture and a big fireplace. The kitchen was equally as large and elegant. And on top of everything the house was spotless. It was so clean I could probably see my reflection on the hardwood. Levi was nowhere in sight.
Isabel kicked off her shoes and placed them on the shoe rack next to the front door. Mikasa and I looked at each other and mimicked her. We sat down on the circular sectional couch and pulled out our school notes. Isabel instructed us to wait for her while she ran upstairs to fetch her laptop. Once she was gone, Farlan casually sat down next to us.
"So Eren, how are you?" Farlan asked politely, "Can I get you guys anything? Water, soda, juice?"
"I'm doing well, and no thanks, I think we're fine," I answered for the both of us.
"Alright then. So uh, I don't know if Isabel has told you, but we live with Levi too," Farlan said casually.
I could feel Mikasa's eyes trained onto me as I answered, "Oh yeah, she told us."
An awkward aura filled the air, so I felt it was safe to assume Farlan was aware of the fight Levi and I got into. He warily eyed my cheek and I unconsciously crossed my arms and fidgeted in the seat. I chewed my lip and Farlan coughed. Eventually Mikasa cleared her throat, "Actually, could I have some water please?"
"Right, sure," Farlan said quickly jumping up and shuffling into the kitchen.
As soon as Farlan was out of sight, Mikasa tugged on my sleeve, "What's going on Eren?" she whispered.
"Nothing," I lied through my gritted teeth.
She tugged on her scarf and sighed, "You don't have to lie to me Eren."
"How do you know I'm lying?" I asked.
"Your ears turn red when you lie."
I quickly covered my ears and scowled at her, "Why do you always have to pry?"
"Because I care about you Eren," she whispered, pulling her scarf over her face, " I just want you to be safe. So please tell me, who is Levi? And how do you know Farlan?"
"I met them in group therapy yesterday," I whispered back.
"Who is Levi? Was he the one who hurt you?" Mikasa asked as her bland tone suddenly hardened.
Before I could answer Isabel ran down the stairs excitedly with a pink laptop. Mikasa shot me a look, clearly telling me, 'we're not done'. I quickly looked away and pretended to be very interested in what Isabel was doing. She quietly thanked Farlan for the water when he handed it to her. Farlan settled on the couch across from us and began working on his own homework. We ended up discussing the book a bit, since I'd never read it while Isabel and Mikasa had. We began working on the project together and we silently agreed to let Isabel took control. Mikasa planned the outline, I looked up quotes, and Isabel started the power point. It was going pretty well, and I felt disappointed that Levi hadn't made an appearance. I'd started to develop a throbbing headache and I took a few pills my father prescribed me for migraines. I closed my eyes and rubbed my head when Mikasa wasn't looking.
The only reason I'd agreed to coming over was so that I could see Levi and he wasn't even there! Mikasa sensed my annoyance and sent me a questioning look. I shrugged my shoulder and continued flipping through Isabel's book. Had Isabel told Levi I would be coming over? Was he avoiding me? Did he even know I was in his home? My mind was a whirlwind of emotions. After about an hour of working Mikasa cleared her throat and spoke up.
"Perhaps we should be going soon Eren," she softly suggested.
"Yeah, sure," I said packing up my things.
"Wait! No! You guys can't go yet, you haven't even eaten anything!" Isabel protested as he wrenched my backpack out of my hands.
"It's okay, we'll eat at home, right Eren?" Mikasa asked, pulling her bag away before Isabel could snatch it.
Grgrrrhhh, my stomach sounded before I could answer. My eyes widened and I clutched my stomach. The last time I'd eaten was breakfast this morning, and I was feeling pretty hungry. Isabel smiled triumphantly and raced into the kitchen. She opened the large double door fridge and cabinets. She threw a bunch of items on the counter and dug out several bowls and plates. Farlan sat up and smiled sheepishly at us, as if silently apologizing for Isabel's tenacious spirit. The clanking of pots and pans echoed through the house as Isabel dug up all the ingredients she needed. She even donned a pink apron that read, "Kiss the Chef!"
"Is pasta okay with you guys?" she asked.
"Yeah, sure," I answered as I slouched into the couch.
"Would you like any help?" Mikasa asked politely.
"Sure," Isabel replied happily.
Mikasa walked into the kitchen and I followed her to avoid an awkward conversation with Farlan. Isabel and Mikasa began chopping vegetables while Farlan and I watched from the sideline. After a while Isabel frowned and set her hands on her hips.
"Farlan! We're almost out of pasta!" she yelled.
"Okay, do you want me to go pick up some more?" he asked.
"No way! You always get the nasty stuff, besides I want to pick up a few more things anyways. Can we go to the really quick?"
"Sure Izzy, I don't see why not," Farlan replied as he grabbed a coat out of the closet.
"Great, do you guys wanna come?" Isabel asked us.
A light bulb clicked in my head and I saw a golden opportunity. If everyone was gone, it would just be Levi and me. I rubbed my forehead gingerly and frowned, "You guys go on without me, I have a migraine," I said, technically not lying because the pills I'd taken had yet to kick in.
"Are you alright?" Mikasa asked, "Should I stay with you?"
"No, no, I'm fine, you go on ahead Mikasa. I'll stay home and watch the food," I said taking a seat at the kitchen table.
"Come one Mikasa's!" Isabel called as she tugged on Mikasa's sleeve, "We'll be quick."
Farlan eyed us warily, "Are you sure? We could stop by the pharmacy and get you something for your migraine. We wouldn't be good hosts if we left you here by yourself."
"No, I'll be fine, I just need to sit down," I assured them.
"Alright," Mikasa reluctantly agreed, "Text me if it gets any worse, okay?"
"Okay, okay Mika."
The three put on their shoes and stepped out of the door. Farlan and Mikasa eyed me once last time before Isabel dragged them out of the house. I quickly closed the door behind them and smirked. I was determined to go find Levi. My pulse was quickening and I felt a surge of adrenaline. I tried to walk up the stairs, but my head was still aching. It felt like my brain was exploding and I suddenly felt very weak. Oh shit, was I having another episode?
I needed to sit down and breathe. I stumbled into the kitchen and sat down at the table once more. My forehead throbbed and I clutched my head. My breathing was erratic and I rocked myself back and forth in an effort to calm myself. It felt like my ears were ringing and I rubbed vigorous circles into my temples. My hands shook uncontrollably and I shakily reached for the pills in my pocket. When I fished the bottled out of my pocket, my unsteady hands twitched and the bottle fell to the floor. I doubled over the table and blacked out.
Elsewhere in the house, Levi was lazily sprawled across his bed, flipping through his history textbook. A small stack of homework was neatly stacked on the night stand next to her. He wore a plain blue shirt and dark wash jeans. He'd kicked his slippers off before climbing into bed, because god know how much dirt and grime were on the bottom of those things. His eyebrows were furrowed and he had his usual scowl pulled across his face. The bedroom window was cracked open a bit and a gentle breeze blew across his face. He put his book down and lifted his arms to stretch his limbs a bit, and he frowned. Where were Isabel and Farlan? Normally one of them would have come up to bother him by now and he was a bit perturbed.
His frowned lessened when he heard a soft knock on his door. He sat up a bit straighter in his bed and ran a tired hand through his hair, "Come in."
The mahogany door slowly creaked open as Levi continued to flip through the textbook. Out of the corner of his eye he saw long legs and assumed it was Farlan. The tall figure slowly walked into his bedroom and closed the door behind him with a soft click. He walked over to the side of Levi's bed and smirked.
"Hey there princess," a dark voice chuckled.
Levi immediately whipped his head around and gasped at the sight of the boy he had beaten just yesterday. His eyes immediately darkened and all of his senses lit up as a fire burned inside of him. He clenched his fist angrily, "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded.
"Your little sister invited me over, and you didn't even come downstairs to play with me, how rude," he pouted.
Levi tried to get up but the taller boy shoved him back onto the bed. He delivered a resonating slap to Levi's pale cheek and he chuckled darkly. Levi gripped his cheek and growled. The taller boy laughed and his hands undid the belt holding up his jeans. Levi's eyes widened, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he shouted as the taller boy pulled off his belt.
He quickly jumped onto the bed and straddled Levi with a dark look in his eyes. Levi raised his fists to strike him and yelped when the taller boy quickly gripped his hands used to belt to tie them together. The taller boy pulled on the belt harshly and leaned down to face Levi. He was so close that Levi could feel his hot breath.
"I came all this way to see you, don't you wanna play with me sweetheart?"
"Like hell I will you little faggot. Get the fuck off me before Farlan comes in here and helps me kick your ass all over again," Levi said as he spat on the brunette's face.
The boy's pink tongue darted out of his mouth and licked Levi's spit off his cheek. Levi grimaced and began kicking the air wildly. He nearly shrieked when he felt the golden eyed boy grinding against him.
"Fucking get off me Eren! Do you want me to whoop your ass again?" Levi viciously threatened as he angrily flailed against the bed.
The boy's golden eyes flickered, "I'm not Eren. From this time on you're going to be calling me Titan, but I would prefer master," he finished with a suggestive wink.