Disclaimer: I own none of the characters!

Notes: I'm really sorry this chapter is super late. I've been sick and barely able to write and then editing and it's been awful. But here it is! Next chapter is a mini chapter! I hope everyone has a happy Easter! (well, those who celebrate it, and if you don't, still have a wonderful day and eat some chocolate eggs)

"LAND!"

The shout from the lookout was heard across the deck, everyone stopping what they were doing to listen. Marco pulled out his telescope, letting go of Jean's waist to extend it and look towards the sea. Sure enough, through the glass, he could see the shape of land in the distance.

"Are we almost there?" Eren panted, running up the steps and to the ship's wheel. Jean rolled his eyes, leaning against the wheel.

"Yes, look at all the land around us," Jean snapped.

"The fucking lookout said he could see land, asswipe."

Jean opened his mouth to keep arguing, but Marco tapped the end of his telescope to his chin. Jean held his tongue as Marco laughed.

"It'll be about an hour. We'll dock, get supplies and head out to Shiganshina. It'll be a few days before we reach the actual town."

"A few days…," Eren mused to himself. "Where will we be going, exactly? What does the witch look like?"

Even Jean turned to stare at Marco and wait for a response.

"She's blonde. About this tall—" Marco held out his hand to show a height much shorter than himself. Jean snorted.

"That sounds like Annie."

Marco's eyes lit up. "That's her name…"

Eren inhaled sharply. So it wasn't enough that they would be in Shinganshina. But they would be in his village; in his exact village. Where Mikasa lived and where Armin lived and where his mother lived.

He smiled to himself, a sense of excitement coming over him. He was more than ready for this reunion.

The moment Eren saw the familiar rooftops of his home village of Shiganshina, he froze. Horses passed by him but all he could do was stare at the quaint little village. The wood houses, covered in vines and spring flowers. The little ponds were filled with water from a fresh rain. The stables were filled with animals, baby chicks chirping after their mothers. Children played in the streets; familiar faces Eren knew all too well. All settled against tall trees, blooming with flowers and green leaves that were all orange when Eren saw them last.

It was the same town. The same place. Just less of him in everything.

He stared at the tavern, the very one Mikasa worked in, and he wanted to dismount his horse to run inside. To see her. And what right did Marco have to stop him?

He jumped down and ran to the tavern, ignoring Jean and Marco calling after him. He pushed through the doors and saw it was mostly empty, as it always was during the day. A dark haired girl looked up at him and his heart jumped.

"Mika…Mina!"

The girl's eyes widened. "Eren…?"

"Mina! Mina, where's Mikasa? Is she here? Is she with mom?" Eren spat, running up to her. He grabbed her by the shoulders and through his hysteria he didn't realize the shocked terror on the girl's face. But her boss surely did.

"HEY! You lookin' for trouble?"

"No no!" Eren cried. "I just…Mikasa?"

"Mikasa…Mikasa left a long time ago, Eren," Mina said.

Eren dropped his hands and look around the tavern with delusional. He inhaled deep. "Alright. Alright…"

He felt hands on his arms, pulling him back and he didn't protest. He let Jean tug him outside and into the light.

"Eren, what the fuck are you doing? Mikasa left, I told you that," Jean spat. "Pull it together!"

"I know, I know. I just…I can't…Jean there's so much," Eren said through strained breaths. Jean's face softened. He patted Eren on the shoulder and pulled him into a firm embrace, trying to calm him down. Eren draped his arms around Jean, holding onto his friend for support.

Even Marco patted Eren on the back. "Come along. You know where this witch lives."

"Marco…please…may I see my mother first?" Eren said, trembling again Jean. "I know you want to find Annie but please…I won't be able to focus until I see my mother. I haven't seen her in months…"

Jean looked up to Marco. "Marco, please—"

"That's fine."

Eren choked, his eyes wide. "W-What?"

"Let's go. If you have to see your mother first, that's fine. I would make Jean take me himself but I figured if you're both so close, he'd want to see your mother, too. So please, Eren, lead the way."

Tears pulled at Eren's eyes. He let go of Jean and ran to his horse, quickly remounting it. Jean and Marco followed him, and before long they were riding down the dirt road to the Jaeger household.

And like the rest of the town, Eren's home hadn't changed. But it was blooming with flowers in shades of powder blue. The animals, that Eren could see from where he stood, looked healthy. The house was in good shape. It was being taken care of.

He jumped off the horse and ran around to the side of the house. And there, walking across the green grass, was Hannes carrying a basketfull of the reddest apples Eren had ever seen. Standing by the house, with a smile on her face—

"Mom…"

Carla looked like she had been struck by lightning. As if the voice was just the sound of the wind. But she turned and she looked to make sure. Her eyes widened and she mouthed Eren's name in disbelief. Eren's heart jolted at the sight of her soft eyes. He jumped over the fence and started to run to her. And she ran to him.

Eren collided with his mother, wrapping his arms around her tight enough to make her gasp from the lack of air. But Carla's grip was just as tight and Eren found himself winded, too.

"Eren, Eren oh my God, my baby," Carla breathed, holding him close and burying her face into his mess of hair. Her tears smeared into his hair and along his cheeks, leaving his face wet.

"Mom…" It was the only word Eren could manage between his tears.

There was a tap on his shoulder and Eren looked up at Hannes. The man was in just as much in shock but he started smiling, once he knew Eren was real. Eren let go of his mother to hug him as well, both of them laughing.

It was perfect. It was all too perfect.

"Let's go inside," Carla quickly said, grabbing Eren's hand. She shook him to get his attention and wiped her eyes. "Oh, Eren you have to tell me everything. I want to know how you escaped from him and—"

"Mom…I didn't escape," Eren said softly. "I…well…I was kidnapped. Twice." He nodded over his shoulder to Jean and a waving Marco. Carla raised her eyebrows.

"I'm confused…"

"I'll explain it all, mom, I swear. But Levi…Levi isn't bad, mom. He's really kind and gentle and…"

Carla grabbed Eren by the shoulders, shaking him firmly. "Eren! Listen to what you're saying! This man took you away from here!"

"I know, mom, but he wasn't cruel to me," Eren continued. "He kept me safe and gave me a home. And I'm alive, too. I didn't have to escape—"

His mother gasped. "But Eren…this is your home…"

"It is…"

"But…?"

Eren shrugged and smiled. "That's not important. I don't want to ruin this. Let's go relax and catch up and—"

Carla cupped Eren's cheeks. She squeezed and he was unable to say another word.

"That's fine, but I don't know how I feel about that boy with the hook…," she said, nodding her head in Marco's direction.

Eren pulled back, laughing. "He's actually nicer than Jean."

Carla leaned over and glanced at the two boys again. Even Eren turned around to see what they were doing: Jean was running his mouth while Marco quietly laughed, a slight flush of color on his freckled cheeks.

"Oh, I can see how you'd say that," she said.

A sudden commotion startled them all in the background. Eren jumped, gripping his mother's hands, and turning to look at the spectacle. Townspeople standing outside their homes stopped their work to stare as well.

There were proud horses. The loud clanking of armor.

"What is all of that?" Carla whispered.

"It looks like…the royal guard," Hannes said, walking to the fence.

Eren squinted, trying to make out the faces of the soldiers on top of the horses riding into town. Black hair and a red scarf. A blond boy with blue eyes…

"M-Mikasa? Armin!" Eren cried. He let his mother go and ran to the fence as tired horses came to a stop near the front of the town.

Children ran up to the horses, to admire Mikasa's shining armor but her dark eyes fell on Eren. Tears glassed her eyes as she dismounted. And soon after, Armin jumped from him horse. They had to maneuver around the children staring in awe to run the rest of the way to the small piece of land.

Eren jumped over the fence and met them halfway, throwing his hands over their shoulders.

"Eren…Oh God Eren…," Mikasa gasped, burying her face into his neck. She ran her hands over his shoulders and hair and face, feeling to make sure he was truly real. She closed her eyes and inhaled, trying not to tremble. "You really are alive…"

"Of course he had to be!" Armin cried. He laughed, covering the sound of his own sobs. He smiled big, pleased to be able to hug Eren close. "He's too stubborn to die!"

"Damn right I am!" Eren laughed, tears running down his cheeks.

It was overwhelming. Everyone all at once. His mother. His sister. His best friend. Three of the most important people in his life all together. Eren couldn't control his tears. It was a cascade down his cheeks and all he could do was laugh because there was nothing wrong in the world.

In that moment, everything was perfect.

But as he let go of his friends, to catch his breath, Eren looked up and was suddenly breathless again. What he thought was perfect, this reunion, suddenly became flawed. Because the scene in front of him made it truly perfect and complete.

Levi had dismounted his black horse and was standing patiently, gripping the reigns. He was holding himself back, giving Eren an uninterrupted moment to be with his family. And draped over his shoulders, was a red cloak that hung a little too long around his feet.

Eren's heart fluttered and he took a step forward. Mikasa grabbed his hand and he stopped, ready to yell and ask why. But as she saw the look on his face, Mikasa smiled and squeezed his hand instead. She looked to Levi, inhaled and let Eren go.

She let him go. It was a silent gesture, something Eren never expected from her. He smiled and looked to his prince.

Eren ran to Levi, arms wide. He threw them around his lover's neck and Levi lifted Eren right off his feet, spinning him around as he hugged him.

Levi was back in his arms. Eren could smell him, touch him, see him, hear him; Levi invaded all of his senses at once and Eren loved it because he had wanted it for so long. From being forcibly dragged away, to being out at sea and finally back where he belonged. Through fear and tears Eren was back in Levi's arms.

"Oh fuck, Eren," Levi breathed. "I thought I'd never find you."

"I knew you would. I knew you had to, Levi. I love you, Levi, I love you so much."

"I love you, too—"

"Eren…"

He looked around at his name and to his mother, now standing by Mikasa and Armin. She smiled, though warily at her son and Levi. Eren took Levi's hand and gave him a gentle pull.

"Mom…I know you've met Levi but…I want to reintroduce him as…," Eren swallowed, turning red at his own words as he muttered them out, "as the man I love—"

"Miss Jaeger," Levi said, bowing his head. "I wish to redeem my name and ask for your forgiveness. It was wrong of me to take Eren from you but I can't say I regret it. Because over these months, I've truly fallen in love with him."

Carla's lips thinned. She was still accepting that her son was with the man who had taken him away from her. And now she was receiving an apology from him as well. But Levi wasn't finished.

"Also…I wish to ask for your blessing."

Everyone gasped. Even Marco gasped.

"Levi…?" Eren stuttered out.

"I know it's soon….but we're meant to be. And I don't want to lose you. Never again. So Eren, if it's alright, I'd like to ask for your hand in marriage."

Mikasa's face paled. Armin flushed red. Jean and Marco had dropped their jaws and were close to screaming.

"YES! HELL YES I WILL!"

"Eren," Carla sighed.

"Mom, you can't—"

"On two conditions," Carla interjected, holding up two fingers. "Two fingers you have to meet in order to gain my blessing, Levi. So hush, Eren."

Eren groaned as Levi stood at attention.

"First, you have to wait until Eren's seventeenth birthday. Because then he will be of age. Second, I want you both to stay here. In Shiganshina."

"That's not fair—"

"I understand, Miss Jaeger," Levi nodded. "And I fully agree to your terms."

"Levi!" Eren spat. Levi took his hand, running his thumb over Eren's skin.

"Eren. Your mother's blessing is important to me. And if she wants to test me, then I'll bare through it. If I could wait and track Eren down, then I can wait to marry him. I'll wait for a month, a year, ten years it doesn't matter. Because he's worth the wait."

Carla nodded. "Good answer, short stack."

Notes: And then they frickle frackled under Carla's roof.