Disclaimer: I own none of the characters!

Notes: Next chapter is is a little more focused and not so magically sporadic. *sweats* This will also get an update **after** the the 7th due to A-Kon (Dallas)! This story, if my math is correct, has approx. 6 chapters left. ;-; With that being said, enjoy!

Walking home, hand in hand, Eren couldn't help but smile. He was nothing but a glowing mess, wrapped up in his cloak. Levi carried the lantern, sporting a crown of the blue flowers that had grown all around them. The air was brisk, making their walk back to the small town pleasant.

Levi touched one of the bluish flowers in his hair and hummed to himself.

"What is it?" Eren asked.

"These flowers…"

"You're still on about the flowers?"

"They sprouted over night."

"We just didn't notice them last night. Let's be honest, we were busy looking at the stars. And making out," Eren replied. "And other things."

His last words came out as a purr and Levi looked away with a slight blush. "Shitty brat."

They laughed and swayed happily, walking over the small bridge to the town. Shiganshina was barely waking up, barely stirring. A few people were on the move, off to tend to their homes, and some were off to work. The scent of fresh bread filled the air, mixing with the morning dew.

Eren sighed, stopping in front of his house, and draped his arms over Levi's shoulders. The prince rested his hands on Eren's waist, drawing light circles.

"You should go inside and relax. Clean up and everything. I'll have to get to work soon."

"Nooo…"

"Eren."

"Ugh…I know. Maybe she won't work you like a slave today?"

"I don't hate it. I agreed to it."

"I know but…you're our guest."

"And you're the fiancé I'm working for." Levi took Eren's hand in his own and raised it to his lips. "And I'll do what I can to make sure I prove myself to your mother or whoever I have to."

"You're too fucking amazing." Eren sighed and kissed Levi softly. "Now come on! Let's get back inside before mom realizes we never even came home!" Eren cried, dragging Levi by the hand to the window.

Sneaking in was going just fine until Eren knocked over a vase. The crash seemed to be heard around the entire house and within seconds, Mikasa had forced her way into the room, blade already drawn. She gave them, Eren mostly, an unforgiving look as Levi crawled through the window.

Carla could only shake her head but shrugged it off. "There's really not much that can be said about it. Just be safe with whatever you're doing. As far as I know, you're Levi's responsibility now."

Mikasa huffed and Levi turned away, to hide the flush of color on his cheeks. Eren smiled big, kissing his mother on the cheek as she kept cooking breakfast. She brushed him away.

"Go wash up. You're still such a mess."

"Alright!" Eren cried, hurrying away.

Carla sighed as Levi and Mikasa took their seats at the table.

"We really just went to watch the meteor shower, Mrs. Jaeger," Levi said. "We ended up falling asleep." Telling his fiancé's mother that they were out because they did more than some lewd kissing wasn't exactly kosher.

"It's fine. You're both home safe."

Home. The word was almost foreign to Levi at times. But he still smiled and mumbled a quiet "thank you". Mikasa watched him close but she didn't say a word. Carla turned to them, placing plates of eggs and stewed apples in front of them both. She set a plate out for Eren and then one for herself, taking her spot at the table by Mikasa.

Though as hungry as he was, Levi still wanted to shower and get clean. He could still feel dirt under his nails and sweat on his skin.

"This is amazing, Carla," Mikasa said. Carla smiled and continued eating. Eren soon joined them, a smile on his fresh face as he sat down to his plate.

"This looks great, ma!" he cried in excitement.

"Your apples are so fucking important to you, huh?" Levi snorted. Eren shrugged, his cheeks filled with food. "I'll have to make sure to plant an orchard for you."

Eren's eyes lit up, his puffed out cheeks red with excitement. He smiled and swallowed, gasping as he took a fast drink of tea. "Really!?"

Levi nodded and Eren slammed his fists on the table. "That'll be amazing! I can't wait!"

He grabbed Levi's hand, holding it tight. Mikasa groaned over her cup.

"You two are such lovebirds. Can't you get a room before making bedroom eyes at each other this early in the morning?"

"Mikasa! Don't say weird things like that in front of mom!"

Carla laughed and there was a knocking at the door. She wiped her mouth and stood up. "That's Hannes. He said he'd help repair the roof."

"So Levi is free from work today?" Eren asked hopefully. Carla snorted.

"I never said that."

Eren groaned and Levi flicked his nose. Carla hummed, walking to the door, and they could hear it open from the kitchen.

But there was no warm welcoming. No sound of happy laughs or Hannes's voice. The silence that came from the door soon fell throughout the house, along with an icy chill. Levi grew rigid, Eren's smile faded and Mikasa reached for the blade leaning against the table.

Something fell to the floor and Eren shot to his feet, running through the house, despite Levi and Mikasa calling after him to stop. To wait. But how could he, after what he heard? After—

"Mom…?" Eren muttered, eyes filled with terror at the sight before him.

His mother, limp on the floor. Breathing, but still pale and unconscious. A tall figure standing over her, watching her curiously. But at Eren's voice the man looked up and it was like time had decided to stop.

"Eren."

"Dad…?"

Levi and Mikasa slid into the room, both of them out of breath. They stared at Carla and looked back up to Grisha. Mikasa was stunned as speechless as Eren.

"Eren, oi, Eren!" Levi spat, trying to get his attention. "Who is this—"

Before he could say another word, Grisha raised a hand. And everything stopped.

Eren couldn't feel his body. He couldn't move so much as an inch. He even tried out his voice and nothing happened. He was paralyzed, still standing on his feet. No, not paralyzed, but rather frozen.

But his eyes were just fine. He could see everything happening.

Grisha waved his hand again, and Mikasa's sword flew across the room to him. Whatever spell had been put over him, Eren was sure was over Mikasa and Levi as well. He watched, helplessly, as Grisha looked over the legendary blade with reverence.

"I should have expected as much from Mikasa," Grisha said. Just hearing her name on the man's lips infuriated Eren. "But what I'm most curious about, is you, Eren."

He used the sword to point in Eren's direction and if Eren could feel a chill, he certainly would have in that moment.

"You're almost of age. And everyone knows that's when magic starts to surface."

Magic? What was this old man on? And why was he even here?

"So let's see it, Eren," Grisha said. "Let's see exactly what your magic can do. If anything at all."

Eren had no idea what the old man was talking about. But he watched Grisha move closer, the sword raised in his direction. But then the man turned, just slightly, in Levi's direction. Eren pulled at his own body, fighting against the invisible bonds keeping him in place. But the more he did, the more he felt his body stiffen.

Grisha paused, blade raised to Levi's neck, and watched Eren cautiously. He sighed. "You're worthless, Eren. Even when the man you apparently love is in danger, you can't do anything. I'll rid this world of you both."

Grisha swung his arm back and the blade came down. Eren didn't know how it happened because it was so sudden. But he stumbled forward between Grisha and Levi, hand raised to the sharp metal. He didn't care how he broke through Grisha's prison, all he had to do, in that moment, was make sure Levi would live.

The blade never touched his fingers.

Grisha fell back, a white, burning light on his hand, and dropped the sword as he screamed. Eren got to his feet, feeling almost sympathetic for the stumbling man, but he turned to Levi and Mikasa. Both were on the floor, rubbing their tense limbs and looking around as confused as Grisha.

"What the hell did I even do?!" Eren shouted, voice wracked in terror. Grisha narrowed his eyes at his son and took a step back.

"Magic. Real magic. Not that simpleton flower growing you did overnight."

"HUH?"

Before another word could be exchanged, Grisha waved his hand and in a cloud of black fog, he was gone. Eren slumped to the floor, his mind a complete mess.

"I'm sending for Hanji," Levi said immediately.

Mikasa nodded. "That's a very good idea."

A clean up, coffee and a few hours later, they all sat around the table in the Carla's kitchen. Eren, Mikasa, Armin, on one side; Carla, Levi and Hannes on the other. Hanji and Irwin sat at the ends, hands folded on the table's hard surface.

There were no smiles, only solemn eyes and slow coffee sipping (in Levi's case tea, Hanji had suggested he have his enchanted tea leaves brewed to sooth his nerves).

"So then, Eren used magic, eh?" Hanji asked softly. Eren shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess? I just…I just did what I could to protect…" His words trailed off and he looked down at his cup of coffee, squeezing it between his fingers. "Sorry…"

"You had an urge to protect. So in that moment of desperation, you managed to break free of his spell," Hanji said. "And quite possibly cast a defensive spell in return?"

Eren shrugged again Mikasa spoke up. "After he broke free, and the sword hit him, there was a sort of…white flame between them."

"Mn. Perhaps white magic?" Hanji hummed. She snapped her fingers. "Of course it was white magic! It makes perfect sense!"

A questioning silence fell over the room as Hanji grinned, pleased with her current deduction. Suddenly, Armin snapped his fingers.

"It does make sense!"

"He gets it!"

"I don't fucking get it!" Eren cried. "Wait, slow down. Why does this make sense?"

"You were able to counteract your father's magic because he most likely uses dark magic. And you, being pure of heart, somewhat, are able to use white magic. And the best way to break any dark magic curse is with white magic," Armin explained. Eren's mouth hung open as he nodded.

"Eren doesn't understand," Mikasa said.

"I do, too!"

"Wait," Levi said. "Grisha said that magic surfaces with age. So this explains why Eren never showed any signs of magic prior. But what about the blond one, Armin?"

Armin straightened at the mention of his name. Hanji chuckled. "Simple. Some people are more naturally attuned to magic, genetic or not. And considering how hard Armin worked, it only makes sense. Eren, on the other hand, was never aware of his magic background and never showed an interest in it. So now that it's growing stronger, it's taken everyone by some surprise."

"But…ma, did you ever know that? About…dad?" Eren asked softly. Carla shook her head.

"I knew he wanted to learn magic. He told me he was a doctor, and I never had a reason not to believe him. But thinking about it…I suppose his healing ointments could have been magic…I just never thought about it much," Carla sighed. "Should I have been more…aware?"

Hanji shook her head. "It's completely normal not to notice."

"But why did he show up now?"

"Eren it could be because you're coming of age. Your own powers are surfacing and he needs an apprentice," Irwin said softly. "It makes sense that he'd want to come here, test what you can do and see if he can work with you."

"Or rather mold him into a dark caster," Hanji added. Everyone stared in wide-eyed silence as Carla gasped, a hand to her chest. The witch laughed. "Oh, don't look like that. It's not like he's selling Eren's soul to a devil for more power. Hypothetically, yes he could, but—"

"Hanji, stop," Levi snapped. The witch groaned and got quiet.

Eren laid wide awake in his bed, staring at the dark ceiling. He twisted his hand under his hair, nervously wrapping a finger around a strand. Hanji's words rang in his head, over and over again. His father was aware of his existence. His father had waltzed back into his life as if the man served some purpose.

Eren winced and pulled his blanket up around his chin, rolling over. He stared at Levi, sleeping soundly next to him. The prince's face was a twist of emotions, even in his sleep. His brow was still furrowed and his lips still thinned into a frown. His hair fell against the pillow and in the dim light from outside, Eren could see battle scars along his shoulders.

He was perfect. And despite the shit going on around them, Eren smiled because that perfect prince was his.

Eren linked their fingers together and Levi stirred.

"Mn?"

"Shhh, go back to sleep," Eren muttered. But it was too late; Levi's eyes fluttered open and he stared at Eren with steely grey orbs.

"Get some rest."

"I will."

"Will you?"

"Eventually..."

"I'll stay up with you then," Levi whispered. He squeezed Eren's hand. "For however long."

Eren hummed. "You're too perfect, you know that?"

They remained quiet, fingers still interlocked. Outside, they could hear owls and the occasional whistle of the wind. It was soft and soothing and Eren snuggled closer to Levi, feeling his warmth.

"Oi, Eren."

"Hm?"

"Why are you so obsessed with apples?"

The question made Eren look up. He raised his head and leaned against Levi's chest, staring up at him. Levi stroked his hair with a light hand.

"That's an odd question."

"I've always wondered." The prince shrugged. Eren laughed and kissed him on the nose.

"Well…when I was little and dad left ma, the first thing she did was smile. She smiled at me and asked if I'd like to go to on an adventure to the orchard. I was small so…an adventure sounded perfect. So we went to the apple orchard—it's not very far from here—and we picked apples for hours. Then we came home and we made apple pie and apple tarts and apple streusels and apple butter." He sighed thoughtfully. "We baked until we were so tired we couldn't stand up anymore. And then she told me 'Eren, it's going to be like this for a long time. Just the two of us.'

"At first I was confused because of dad, you know, but then she explained to me that he went on a long journey and that he won't be back for a long time. As mad as I was, I knew I couldn't do anything about it. So I nodded along and we ate all those pastries. That initial anger faded and I was so…content.

"But as I got older, I realized he wasn't coming back. I was so fucking angry. And whenever it showed, ma would take me to go pick apples, to calm down, and she'd bake a pie or a tart or something. So I started associating apples with a calming feeling. They always reminded me of being home with mom and feeling calm and happy. Comfort food. Sorry, that's probably all weird and boring."

"No, it's interesting," Levi said. "I never would have guessed. It's simple and endearing, brat. Thank you."

"For what?"

"Sharing."

Eren smiled and nuzzled his nose into Levi's neck, yawning onto his skin. "You're welcome then."

Levi wrapped his arms around Eren's shoulders, kissing his head. "Get some rest, my love."