Chapter 7: An Unexpected Surprise

"Well, based on the evidence provided by Shirogane... we have no idea what we're dealing with." The director said in the debriefing room after Eren and Miyuki got back.

Eren and Miyuki were scheduled for a few upcoming psychological evaluations and a polygraph, to ensure that they were still mentally ok after the oddity of the report. If it wasn't for the fact that they provided pictures from a government issued camera, they would have written them off as crazy.

However, this was something completely unreal and unexpected.

"So, a giant naked man could be in Tokyo?" One agent asked.

"Hey, you saw the evidence." Another agent said.

"I know, but what the hell are we supposed to do about this?" He asked.

"Well, we both saw Shirogane's report, a tank can easily take this thing down." The director said.

"Yea, but we don't know how it got there or where it escaped to." He said. "If this thing can teleport or go invisible, we'd never be able to actually get a clean hit on it."

Eren remained quiet, knowing that he had all the answers in how to beat a Shifter, but was unable to speak without awkward questions being targeted at him.

"For now, we have basic evidence." The director said. "It only appears during a lightning strike, even in non-stormy weather. We can use this at least."

"We're seriously considering this?" The agent asked.

"Look, I know it's strange, but we need to take this seriously." Miyuki said.

"I agree." Eren said. "This could be some kind of new weapon." Eren grasped at straws in how to explain this.

"Right now, the Chinese Government is covering this up, confiscating phones and videos." The director said. "Unfortunately, some videos leaked but so far no one is taking it seriously."

"Look, they can cover it up in an isolated area like North Korea, but if this happens in anywhere like Japan or in the west, there is no hiding this." The agent said.

"We're informing the Diet, and they'll figure out exactly how to proceed." The director said. "For now, we'll continue monitoring the situation until we can learn more about what's going on."

"Are they going to go public?" Miyuki asked.

"Even if they did, no one will believe us." The director said. "For now, it'll be in a secret meeting and they'll figure out from there. Once we do, expect to get busy soon since we'll have to find unique ways to narrow our search."

After the director was done speaking, Eren and Miyuki left the debriefing room, intent on getting changed and heading home. Miyuki looked exhausted and just wanted to go see his newly pregnant wife and children.

"Are you doing alright?" Eren asked.

"Yea... it's just, you should have seen it." Miyuki said.

"I felt the earthquake, but I was too far in the wood line to see it." Eren lied.

"Still, I don't think I'll get that out of my head anytime soon." Miyuki said.

"Get used to it, we might see that thing again." Eren said.

Eren knew they had to be ready. If these were Shifters from his home world, they will probably try to target him. Eren was terrified at the possibility, and unfortunately, he was caught on video.

While the general public won't believe that it was real... he just made himself known to other potential Shifters. He needed to prepare, and he needed to find them. As well as avoiding the JSDF in case they get called in.

Eren may not know too much about this world's version of modern warfare between militaries, but he knew enough. Aircraft that can rain rocket propelled bombs from dozens of kilometers away, ships that can hit from other countries, and armored vehicles that could one shot a colossal Titan.

Even Reiner's Armored Titan would be useless here, as it was against anti-Titan cannons. Eren was terrified, for the first time in a long time. But his fear was entirely directed towards the safety of his family.

He would protect them, no matter what. He would ensure his family lives a long and happy life.

Ai was busy typing some things into her phone by the time Eren got back. She was resting in the bed after B-Komachi's debut and ensuring that they had as positive a first impression as possible. She needed to make sure that their fanbase could have a chance to grow and had to moderate their Twitter and Instagram.

She was dressed in an ankle length knitted skirt and a long sleeve V-neck shirt for warmth. It was a lot more casual for home life after she got back from Braun-San's fight.

"Hi Darin." Ai greeted Eren as he walked into the room. "How was-" Ai went silent.

Eren seemed... distracted. Like there was something on his mind. He took his jacket off and went to get a new shirt since he was wearing normal clothing instead of his usual suit. He was only gone a day or two, but he seemed like he was worried about something.

"Eren, are you ok?" She asked as she stood up from the bed.

"Yes, nothing to worry about." Eren lied.

All these years, she was easily able to detect all of his lies. Well, minus when he always said he was from another world. Eren always seemed to tell the truth then, which she chalked it up to his joking.

"Eren, did something happen while you were overseas?" Ai asked.

Truthfully, she never fully knew what he did. He worked for an intelligence agency, but he seldom talked about it. Sometimes he'd go to a country that he wouldn't tell her for some job. This was the same.

"Nothing." He lied again.

He seemed really nervous. Ai never saw him like this. She even remembered when he would fight those Yakuza guys, that he had no fear or real worry about them. He never seemed nervous or scared, ever. Like nothing in the world would be able to hurt him.

While it was a quality about him that made her feel safe and attracted her to him, she wished he'd show a more vulnerable side to her. He very rarely ever revealed his worries or past to her.

Something that sometimes concerned her. He had no trouble in the past telling her that he killed men as a nine-year-old, or that he was a child soldier. It never made him feel bad about admitting those things. But, there were some things in his past that he refused to share with her.

Like what specifically happened to him before he came to Japan. All these years, he never once said a thing about it.

Now, he was scared and worried. She could see it on his face, no matter how much he tried to hide it.

"Come here darin." She said in a soothing voice.

Ai lightly grabbed Eren's shoulders and lead him over to the bed. She gently pushed him down as she sat down, letting his head rest in her lap. Eren didn't put up a struggle, instead just letting himself relax as he laid down on her lap.

Ai took her purse and took out a pair of Q-Tip's. One thing that would surprise many westerners is how in Japan, and even in Korea, a woman would clean the ears of their husband or children. It was seen as a kind of bonding thing in Japan.

She lightly brushed Eren's long hair as she cleaned his ears, letting him relax as she did so. She could almost feel his stress melt away as he closed his eyes.

It was a thing that made Ai happy. Eren never showed this side to anyone, only ever her. Meaning it was something special shared between them. Something that was always romantic to her since he looked so cute when he was like this.

As Ai traced her finger over his face, she noticed something odd.

"Your scar, it's finally faded." She said.

It's weird. She never thought it would fade that fast. Especially since it was so noticeable before. She actually kind of missed it since it made him look kind of dashing.

"Yea, pretty amazing." Eren said.

She felt Eren get tense again. Like he was getting worried again. He never cared before when she mentioned his scar, but apparently it was worrying him. Was he having bad memories of the time that Yakuza guy attacked her?

"Eren, I want you to know that you can always tell me anything." She said as she gently turned him around to get his other ear. "I'm your wife, and no matter what, I promise I'll support you."

Eren said nothing, but he did get worried again.

Why did he never trust her enough to tell her when he was worried about something? She knew that she couldn't practically solve his issues, but she wanted to at least know so she could support him.

When Ai finished, Eren got up into a sitting position. Ai finished putting the stuff away in her purse as she felt Eren get closer to her. She looked over at him as he leaned in closer to her, going in for a kiss.

She smiled, bearing the pain of that stupid beard pricking her, and let him kiss her. Eren gently pushed her down on the bed, placing his body over hers, and getting on top of her. Ai blushed, not expecting this turn of events.

For a moment, Eren stared at her. His eyes taking in every detail of her face. She actually blushed and looked away, feeling a bit self-conscious at how he stared at her. It was like he was worried about losing her and was trying to memorize her face.

Eren leaned down to kiss her agai-

"Mama." Mikasa opened the door.

"Kyah!" Ai screamed and tried to push Eren off. This time though, he expected it and barely budged.

"Yes Mika-Chan?" Ai asked.

"You promised you'd watch LoveNow with me." She said as she walked in, watching Eren get off of Ai.

"Oh... R-right." Ai stuttered, remembering that promise she made.

"Come on, papa can teach you self-defense later. It's about to start." She turned away and closed the door.

The look on Eren's face told her he was about ready to throw all the kids out of the house. Ai had to desperately stop herself from laughing.

"Well, it is your fault since you didn't lock the door behind you." Ai stuck her tongue out.

"Honestly, I got caught up in the moment." He grumbled.

"We need to start being more careful." Ai said. "I'll find a way to keep the kids out of the house tomorrow, promise." She winked at Eren.

"Right." He said.

On the bright side, the hilarity of the situation seemed to calm his nerves. Ai could tell with the twitch of his lip that he found the situation to be funny. Also, they had to stop forgetting to at least lock the door.

"Oh, can you do me a favor." Ai said as she placed her hands together.

"What?" Eren asked.

"I need you to get some groceries. We're out after tonight. I'd go, but Mikasa really wants to watch that dating show." She said.

"Sure." Eren nodded. "Though I'll need to sleep early tonight. I have an important meeting tomorrow at work."

"About overseas?" Ai asked out of curiosity.

"Something like that." Eren said.

Eren threw on his jacket again and walked out of the room. Ai smoothed her clothes really quick and redid her hair, so she didn't look like she was about to have sex. As with any parents, finding time to be a husband and wife was difficult on occasions.

Ai walked down the stairs and into the main room, where Mikasa already had the channel pulled up. She was so excited for this episode since it would feature her favorite YouTuber, that British explorer.

It was cute watching her have a childish and celebrity crush. Ai remembered how there were a lot of young boys who confessed their love to her when she was famous. Many of them were under ten so it was cute when they admitted they had a crush on her. She even remembered watching their mothers laugh at their innocence.

"It's starting!" She yelled out.

Aqua, Ruby, and even Kawachi were in the main room. Ruby was excited to see it, though much less than her younger sister. Aqua wasn't too invested but watched it anyway. Kawachi was the only one who seemed bored, preferring to look through his phone instead.

"What are you looking at?" Ai asked her son.

"Some YouTube shorts." He said. "Like this one, the monster looks so fake."

Ai looked over his shoulder and saw a giant naked monster fighting a bunch of tanks. The camera was shaky, like it was taken by a phone.

"Right here, the way this monster dodged does not make any practical sense given the physics." The YouTuber in the short said as he paused the video. "Due to the amount of mass something of this size should have, the sudden acceleration and deceleration of the monster dodging simply doesn't make sense. Unless the monster was significantly less dense, the physics just doesn't add up. It is most likely an actor in mocap with a 3D model placed in the terrain."

Ai lost interest in the phone and went back to the TV.

The title for LoveNow appeared on the TV as the show started. It was a teen romance drama that put a bunch of high school entertainers together so they could live out a reality dating show. Ai remembered she used to have potential requests for these kinds of things, but Saitou decided not to since it would ruin her idol image if she dated.

Ai would admit occasionally that she wished she did do something like that as a teenager. It seemed like a lot of fun to go on public dates like that as a teenager and not an adult after she met Eren.

"Hi, I am Sumi Yuki." A cute girl said on the show that revealed she was a model.

"Wow, she's really beautiful." Mikasa said.

Next came a young boy, a dancer, named Kumano Nobuyuki. He was an attractive young man with black hair and a sleek yet toned body, probably from all his dancing.

Another boy introduced himself as Morimoto Kengo.

"Hi, I'm Mem-Cho, and I'm a YouTuber." A playful looking girl smiled. Ai could see from the roots of her hair that her blonde hair wasn't natural.

"I am Kurokawa Akane, it's nice to meet you."

Ai remembered that girl. She did research on potential performers that could join the new B-Komachi and she came up as a potential. Though, there was no way Ai could contact her since she had too many acting jobs and couldn't devote to being an idol.

"Come one..." Mikasa said in excitement.

"That excited?" Ruby laughed at her younger sister.

"N-no, i-it's just-" Mikasa stuttered.

"Leave your sister alone Ruby." Ai giggled. "Everyone has celebrity crushes."

"These dating shows are annoying." Aqua said.

"But they're trying to pursue love." Mikasa said to her oniichan.

"Reality dating shows are often pretty scripted. While they let the teens do what they want generally, they help to guide certain events to ensure they get the reaction the public wants. It's often times very fake and people can get together mostly for what it can do for their career than actual love." Aqua explained.

"Yea, it's boring." Kawachi said, not looking up from his phone.

"No one asked you." Mikasa stuck her tongue out at Kawachi.

"Ok everyone, just watch." Ai said.

"Hi everyone, my name is Armin Arlert." The British foreigner said with a wave. "Armin being my given name. It's nice to meet you all."

"Wow, you're really handsome." Mem-Cho said as she clasped her hands together.

"I know, right?" Mikasa commented.

"Please, you'll make me blush." He said bashfully as he scratched the back of his head.

"He's humble." Ruby said.

"Yea, he's an inspiration." Mikasa said again.

Ai could admit he was attractive. He had a kind of boyish charm to him that contrasted well with his western features. Despite being in a school uniform, she could also tell he was physically fit since he did a lot of rock climbing from what she saw. His hair was short and styled, barely reaching his eyebrows.

However, his accent threw her off again. She heard the British accent in his Japanese, but he also had an American accent. She assumed it was normal since he clearly traveled, but it was still odd.

"I'm a YouTuber as well, though I actually do more exploration and nature stuff." He said.

"Wow, amazing." Yuki said. "What was the most difficult thing you did?"

"I'd say climbing Mount Denali in Alaska." He said.

"Oh, a mountain?" Keno asked. "Was it difficult?"

"I'd say so." Armin said. "I needed special permission for my age, and it's actually the highest mountain climb in the world."

"I though Mount Everest was." Yuki asked.

"Mount Everest is the tallest point above sea level, but the base is high up too. Mount Denali's base is lower than Everest and has a longer climb to the top." Armin said.

"Wow, what makes you want to do that?" Mem-Cho asked.

"I love exploring and seeing the world." Armin said. "I've wanted to do it since I was a child."

"What brings you to Japan?" Yuki asked.

"Well, I'm looking for a friend of mine that's here." Armin said. "And I did need a reason to get a working visa and make some money, so I was excited to learn about this show."

"Oh, he shouldn't say that." Ai said.

"Why not?" Mikasa asked.

"Well, it can be risky saying you have material motives to be on a show since fans can turn on you for being selfish."

"Wait, isn't that the reason these shows even exist? So people can get paid?" Ruby asked.

"Well, yes, but you don't just say that out loud." Ai said. "Though he can probably get away with it since he's a foreigner."

"Oh, and by the way, I heard it's Armin's birthday this Monday." Yuki said.

"Oh, happy birthday!" Mem-Cho said in excitement.

"We should do something special." Yuki said.

"Please, you guys really don't need to." He said bashfully.

Ai wondered if his bashfulness was part of the act or if he was genuinely shy. Either way, it could work in his favor if he's trying to be a popular character in the show.

After introductions, it went back and forth between individual groups getting to know each other. Mem-Cho and Armin started talking, bonding over their shared experience as YouTubers. Ai could tell that Armin wasn't invested in all the cat videos he was shown, but he respectfully listened.

He seemed like he enjoyed Mem-Cho's company, even if he wasn't interested in the videos.

"That Mem-Cho girl is annoying." Aqua said.

"Oniichan hates the super girly types." Ruby teased.

Ai giggled as well. It seems Aqua was already deciding what his taste in women will be, and it seems like he prefers more mature women.

Ai noticed that Akane girl wasn't featured much throughout the episode. Ai hoped she'd get more screentime since it would be bad to be in the background and not contribute. People could get bored of her, and it could cost her the show.

"So, Armin, what are your plans this week?" Yuki asked as they all got back together.

"Well, I'm going to see my friend soon." Armin said.

"Who is he?" Mem-Cho asked.

"Well, I wouldn't want to say on TV." He said with a gentle smile.

"Ehhh~" Mem-Cho whined. "The mysterious type doesn't suit you." She giggled.

"Sorry, I really don't intend to be." He said with a laugh.

"See, isn't he amazing?" Mikasa said as the first episode ended.

"Sure." Aqua shrugged.

"Oh, let your sister have her little celebrity crush." Ai said.

"I'm going upstairs." Kawachi said as he got up and went to his room.

Ai got up as well to start dinner. She needed to get things ready so Eren could have some decent food when he got back.

Mikasa was checking the fan response on her phone of the first episode. It was predictable. Yuki was already a fan favorite since she came off as kind and perfect. Armin was actually a unique one since he was exotic for the show.

A few people mentioned his reason being money, but it was still positive since they understood that he'd need a working visa to stay in Japan. Plus, many fans loved how bashful and humble he was. People were already trying to pair him and Yuki together.

Knock! Knock!

Mikasa turned her attention to the main door. There was a knock on the door, and she was the only one to hear it. Her okaasan was busy cooking dinner, so she didn't hear it.

Mikasa went over to the door carefully. She never understood why, but her mama would get so upset when she answered the door without either her or her papa there with her. It always confused her, but it's no big deal now.

Mikasa got a stepping stool near the door and stood up on it so she could see out the peep hole. For an extra look, she switched on the camera next to the door that had a small screan to give another angle of the front door.

The guy standing there seemed old, maybe a bit older than her papa. He wore a tan and beige suit with a trench coat over it for warmth. His hair wasn't too long except for his beard, which she could barely see a few grey hairs since he was blonde. He had on big round glasses though, glasses that reminded her of Korean styled eyeglasses.

She wondered who he was since she didn't recognize him.

"Can I help you?" Mikasa asked through the small call system that let her talk without opening the door.

"Uh, hello. Is this Ai Yeager?" He asked.

"Yeager?" Mikasa asked. "My mama's name is Hoshino."

"Oh, forgive me." He said. "I thought this was where Eren Yeager lived."

"Why do you want to see my papa?" Mikasa asked.

"Papa... so you're his daughter, Ruby?" He tried.

"I'm Mikasa!" Mikasa barked out.

"Sorry." The man said. "Figure's he'd give you that name."

"What's that mean?" Mikasa asked.

"Sorry, it's nothing. I was wondering if your papa is home." He said.

"Papa said not to tell strangers if he's home or not." Mikasa said.

"Well, I'm no stranger." The man said. "I knew your papa."

"Mikasa, what are you doing?" Ai asked as she noticed her daughter at the door.

"Eto..." Mikasa said.

"What did I say about answering the door?" Ai said in a low and firm voice.

"I didn't answer it." Mikasa said.

"Mikasa, I told you no talking to anyone at the door or to strangers." Ai said, her voice rising a bit.

"Sorry mama." Mikasa said sadly.

"Now go to the table and get it ready." Ai said. "And no ice cream."

"Yes mama." Mikasa said sadly.

"Hello?" Ai's intercom went off.

She looked over to the camera and saw a bearded man that she didn't recognize.

"Who is this?" Ai pushed the button to talk.

"This isn't Mikasa now?" He asked.

"I'm her mother, Ai." Ai said. "Can I ask what you need?"

"I'm wondering if Eren Yeager is home." He said calmly.

"What business do you have with my husband?" Ai asked.

People asking for her husband was never a good thing. She was always worried that an old Yakuza or criminal friend of his would try to get him involved in something. So, she was hesitant to speak to the bearded man.

"Well, my name is Zeke Yeager." The man said.

"Yeager?" Ai asked. "Are you related to my husband?"

"Yes, he's my little brother." Zeke said.

Brother? As in blood related family? Eren never said he had a brother. He had his parents, adopted sister, and that was all he ever said. He never mentioned a brother. However...

"Well, my husband will be here soon." Ai said as she opened the door. "You can join us for dinner until he gets here."

She was so excited now. Someone from Eren's past. Someone who knew him as a child, who could maybe finally tell her what country he's from. This was a great opportunity. Plus, Eren would be excited to see his brother. They had to have been separated for at least ten years.

"Thank you." Zeke said as he stepped inside the house.

"Shoes, please." Ai said before Zeke could step out of the shoe area.

"Oh, right. Sorry." He said as he took them off. "I'm new to Japan so I'll need to get used to that."

"It's ok." Ai said. "Please sit at the table."

Zeke sat down at the dining table, having to place his feet under the table since it was still a Japanese styled dining table.

"Hello, nice to meet you all." He said gently to the Hoshino/Yeager family.

"Who are you?" Aqua asked.

"I'm Eren's brother, so I guess you're all my nieces and nephews." He said with a smile.

"Papa has a brother!?" Mikasa yelled out.

While everyone was excited, Aqua looked at Zeke in suspicion. Unlike everyone else, Aqua knew that Eren was from another world. He was basically issekai'd here from a foreign world, which should mean Zeke was as well. That's assuming Zeke was being honest.

It was too early to say, but Aqua kept his guard up regardless. He couldn't say anything right now since it would be an odd accusation.

Ai came from the kitchen, carrying a few pots and bowls of Ramen and food for the family.

"My husband is in traffic, but he'll be home soon." Ai said. "We can start eating now."

She messaged to Eren that he had a surprise waiting for him, but she didn't want to spoil it.

"So, it's amazing to finally meet someone from my husbands family." Ai said in a giddy tone.

"I'm sure it's a surprise." Zeke said as he started to eat the Ramen.

"Well, where are you from? My husband never tells me anything about his home." Ai asked in excitement.

"He never told you?" Zeke asked.

"No, never." Ai said.

"Well, I don't want to disrespect his privacy if he's not comfortable in sharing." Zeke said.

Slam!

"Are you ok?" Zeke asked Ai.

Ai's forehead collided with the table as she yelled out in both anger and sadness.

Why didn't she keep her big mouth shut. She just had to phrase it like that. Now Zeke wasn't going to share anything with her.

"Just regretting not being smarter." Ai said as she rubbed her forehead.

"Right." He chuckled.

"So, you're papa's older brother?" Mikasa asked.

"I didn't know papa had a brother." Ruby said.

"Same here." Kawachi said.

Aqua remained silent, staying on guard.

"Well, I'm not surprised he never said much about me. We didn't part on the best of terms." Zeke said.

"I'm actually curious, what was my husband like as a child?" Ai asked.

She was going to get something out of thise meeting.

"Well, I don't really know actually." Zeke said.

Damnit.

"Why not?" Mikasa asked.

"Well, Eren and I have different mothers." Zeke said.

"Really?" Ai asked.

"Our father, Grisha, was a poor father to me." Zeke said. "He treated me as more of a tool than a son. After he was arrested and released, Grisha found another wife and had Eren." Zeke said.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Ai said.

"I had a moment to speak with him after he was arrested." Zeke said. "I came to terms with him. It seems he learned his mistakes when Eren was born, something that made me jealous, but I saw that Grisha was a changed man."

"So, when did you meet papa?" Ruby asked.

"I met him when he was pretty much a man. We had a brief meeting, but after that he was eighteen when we first actually spoke." Zeke said.

"What happened between you two?" Ai asked.

"Well, Eren and I had different goals that came into conflict, and it caused issues between us." Zeke said. "I heard ten years ago he got involved in crime over the news. I thought about approaching him at the time, but I had my own issues to deal with."

"Really, like what?" Ai asked.

"Well, I found myself in America without a penny to my name." Zeke said. "I had to get by for a while, but I managed to make a decent life in the past ten years."

"Why are you contacting him now?" Aqua asked.

Aqua was putting the pieces together. He assumed that Zeke also got brought to this world in America and was unable to meet with Eren because of his poor situation. It was pretty much the same problems Eren had, but Zeke would have had an easier time in America since they have a different legal structure for asylum seekers.

"Well, some things happened recently, and I felt like it was important to see him again." Zeke said.

"Well, I'm sure Eren will be happy to see you again." Ai said.

Ai felt something in the back of her mind, a familiarity in how Zeke talked. He reminded her a lot of Eren, which shouldn't be a surprise. Mostly in how they speak without conveying information. He's vague in how he speaks and ensures his words don't get specific. It's the same thing Eren does.

"Oh, and I heard about the debut of your daughter as an idol." Zeke said. "I'm very happy to hear that."

"Well, we had Braun-San to thank for that." Ruby said.

"Reiner Braun, I read up on him recently." Zeke said. "He seems like a good fighter."

"Yes, his exposure helped us to at least debut. I have Ruby scheduled for an interview soon, so her and Kana will have a chance to get noticed more." Ai said.

"Well, I am certainly rooting for you, now that I have a niece." He smiled. "Even if by marriage, I see you as family."

"Thank you." Ruby said.

Ai heard the door open and looked over to see Eren putting his shoes away. He started making his way to the dining room.

"Hi darin, guess who decided to visit." Ai stood up excitedly. She couldn't wait to see her husband's smile.

"What is it-" Eren stopped as he saw his brother.

"Eren, good to see you." Zeke said.

Ai saw a mix of emotions run over Eren's face. Emotions that Ai wasn't expecting. She assumed he'd have a mix of disbelief, joy, and even sadness. Something that would indicate that he hasn't seen his brother in so long.

However, his face was one of surprise, but anger and fear as well. He looked like he was ready to attack Zeke instead of hug him or even greet him. He tensed up, like a spring being compressed, ready to react to anything. She noticed Aqua do the same, though didn't know why.

Eren grabbed her and pushed her behind him, reaching into his coat and pulling out his gun, aiming it right at Zeke.

"Pap-" Mikasa began.

"Get behind me!" Eren yelled out to the rest of the family.

Not wasting a moment, Aqua got up and grabbed the kids, motioning for them to get behind Eren. Mikasa ran over and grabbed at her papa's waist, unsure of what was going on but she knew that they were in danger for some reason.

Ai was almost in shock. She did not expect this kind of reaction when Eren saw his brother. Even if they did part on bad terms, she'd expect yelling or even threats. Not for Eren to show lethal intent and draw a gun on him.

And based on how tense and focused Eren was, she could tell he perceived Zeke as a threat. The man who took down an entire Yakuza group alone, the strongest in Tokyo, was afraid of one man.

Zeke has arrived lol.

This was a fun one to write and shows a lot of Eren's worries, though mainly from Ai's perspective. I like the idea of his family reacting to his emotions while at the same time not letting the reader see it. I hope it worked well.

Hope you guys enjoy.