I'm getting too old for this shit, Eren sighed, and leaned against the balustrade.

"Armin!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

Armin threw a smile over his shoulder and scampered into the room. A minute later Eren heard a thump as he purposely threw himself against the bathroom door, and Eren bristled. Oh, no. He couldn't have Levi eating Armin. Shoving himself off of the wall, Eren lurched forward to drag his oldest friend back downstairs—by his hair if necessary. He should have known that Armin would do something like this.

Eren rounded the corner and found that Armin had already thrown open the door and was standing there proudly offering up a box of donuts from The Titan's Teacup, and greeting Levi with a shout and the biggest damn grin Eren had ever seen on anyone.

He was going to strangle Armin. Period. End of story. A good throttling would be excellent.

"Armin!" He hissed again, grabbing his friend by his thin upper arm.

Armin tipped his head back to look at the Alpha. If he didn't know any better, Eren would figure Armin was trying to look up his nose. Looking the perfect picture of innocence, he asked, "What?"

"Don't what me, you know perfectly well what," Eren frowned down at him. "You can't just go barging into someone's bathroom!"

"But I brought donuts," Armin pouted.

"There's a counter downstairs," Eren said flatly.

"Well, I wanted Levi to know, you butt. Besides, I don't think he minds." Armin waved Eren off and practically skipped over to Levi.

Eren refrained from growling, but he did stomp over to his friend. "That's it, you're leaving."

"I'm not going—Hey!" Armin squealed when Eren picked him up around his waist and tossed him over his shoulder like a sack of flour. Thank God for painkillers. "Put me down, you asshole!"

"So I've upgraded from being a butt to an asshole." Eren ignored a wiggling Armin to smile apologetically at Levi. "I'm sorry about this. He has no manners." And then, neatly turning on his heel, Eren walked out of the bathroom. Just before the bathroom door clicked behind him, he thought he heard Levi laughing quietly.

"You'd forget to feed yourself if it wasn't for us," Armin was saying. "I couldn't let you forget to feed poor Levi,"

"I do not forget to feed myself,"

"Oh, right, how could I forget all the children who shovel food into your mouth?"

"You really going to count that? I almost died because Nanaba decided it was a good idea to feed me while I was sleeping."

"You cried with her when Mike scolded her," Armin smirked.

"I had tears in my eyes because the force of my coughing made me gag and let me tell you that was unpleasant,"

"You know you felt terrible,"

"Armin? Just be quiet." Eren grumbled, heading into the kitchen.

Armin was quiet. For about two point five minutes. "He's cute, y'know. Levi."

"He is, isn't he?" Eren deposited Armin in the kitchen.

Armin nodded enthusiastically. "He still reminds me of a grumpy kitten. I don't think that'll ever change."

Eren opened his mouth only to suddenly envision Levi as a tiny, fuzzy black cat that, instead of being wide-eyed, was as grumpy as a Sphinx that had gotten wet. Not only would he look permanently grumpy, but he would be perpetually expressive in that odd way cats are. The image of a wobbly, pissed off cat had Eren throwing his head back and laughing. Even though he'd agreed with Armin in a text, and agreed with him now, he hadn't actually imagined it. Until now.

"Careful, Armin, I think that one has claws." Eren snickered.

Armin set the donut box on counter and skipped out into the garage. "I saw! I still wanna hug him."

"I'd say he might eat you, but he didn't seem to care once he recovered from his shock." Eren followed Armin out to the trunk of his car, which was still open. A bag was on the ground in front of it.

See, Eren had been in the middle of taking that bag—full of Levi's bedding, which needed a wash—when Armin had asked where Levi was. Armin's eyes had lit up and he'd practically ran inside to greet his "favourite grumpy kitten." Eren had tried to tell him that it wouldn't be a good idea and, Armin being Armin, didn't listen. He had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with their scents. Before Eren had gained the merman's favour Armin had always just smelled like home—that new book smell mixed with spices and lemon (he'd spent more time at Armin's house when he was younger, thanks to his father). Now, beneath that, Eren could detect the tiniest traces of something sweet-smelling that reminded him of the ocean. It wasn't a full-blown smell, and it wasn't the same, but that connection was there.

"He looks kind of like Kenny," Armin said, so quietly that had Eren not had such keen ears he would have missed it.

Eren's heart clenched at the tears in Armin's eyes, which he didn't even try to hide. It wasn't Kenny that Levi looked like, and he wanted to tell Armin about those pictures he had found not too long after Kenny was murdered in cold blood. Armin would start to bawl outright. No, he wouldn't be the one responsible to redden those baby blues or make his skin blotchy. And then he would need to explain to his irate sister about why Armin was upset—could almost hear the snap of her jaws as she subtly threatened to tear out his throat with her teeth for being the reason her Omega was upset. All right, so maybe she wouldn't threaten to do that, but he damn sure didn't want to face her steely glare.

So, instead of telling Armin what he thought, he set his hand on the Omega's head and gently drew him closer. "His surname is Ackerman,"

Head whipping up, Armin's eyes went wide. He'd been relaxing into Eren's side until those words were uttered. "Have you asked him if he knows Kenny?"

"No, not yet," Eren said.

"How come?"

Eren hesitated, glancing back at the garage door. "He's . . . been hurt bad. I'm not sure how or why, but I'm certain he's suffered at the hands of Alphas. He tells me he feels bad because I broke open my cut looking after him and while that may be true, it doesn't feel like the whole story. That and I don't think pestering him about his family tree is a good idea,"

"Probably not." Armin eyed him for a moment. "He didn't tell you he's been hurt, did he?"

"No, he didn't. All I really needed were a few clues here and there." Eren pursed his lips before adding, "Even though he volunteered to look after me while I healed, he was so scared to be left alone with me; I offered to go, or to even have someone else stationed here as extra protection if he felt like he needed it, but he refused both, and because of that . . . I signed a contract with him until he feels more at ease." Eren's hand lifted halfway up to his side, hovering above his concealed would-be scar. "I could see that he was skeptical about a piece of paper keeping me at arm's length, so I let him see what would happen if I did something he wouldn't like."

Armin stared at him in disbelief. "You, you haven't been contracted to anyone since—"

"Since Kenny died, I know." Eren said.

While Eren grabbed a box from the trunk, he spotted a movement from the corner of his eye, and balancing the box against his thigh and the trunk, he reached out and grabbed the yoke of Armin's shirt. Halting, Armin gave him a teary-eyed pout.

"And where are you going?" Eren asked.

"To give Levi a hug! He needs a hug," Armin practically wailed.

Unperturbed, Eren just lifted a brow at him. "Are you forgetting where Levi currently is?"

"No! But he still needs a hug," he said.

"You can give him a hug later if he lets you. Until then, you have to wait." Eren's stern tone could have had him come off as mean if not for the affection in his eyes.

"But—"

"No buts," Eren interrupted. "Now help me unload the car before all the food gets here,"

Sighing, Armin grabbed a medium-sized box labeled BATHROOM. "Because you're being so mean I claim rights to hug him before you."

Eren laughed.

"You gonna be okay hauling in food and boxes? That contract stuff probably left you feeling like crap,"

Eren hefted up the somewhat light box he had previously abandoned. Other than his side and chest feeling tight and numb, he could move well enough without any pain whatsoever. Short of falling or being hit he would be perfectly fine and healthy (so long as he didn't lose any more blood).

"Thanks to Hanji's pills I have full mobility and no pain—though that doesn't stop me from wanting to sleep for a little bit of forever."

"You gonna get some sleep after everything gets settled?" Armin asked. The two of them started to bring things into the house, making a few trips back and forth.

"Uh, maybe. I'll have to see how things are in a few hours,"

Armin's eyes brightened, a sly smile tilting his lips up. "I'll stay for a bit to keep Levi some company if you do decide to rest,"

That look sent chills up Eren's spine. "How do you plan to keep him entertained?"

Armin smiled evilly. "You remember your younger years? Your teenage years. My memory hardly ever fails me, thus giving me a vast array of stories that Levi would be interested in, especially if he's fond of you. After all," Armin leaned in close, whispering, "That form is only shown to family/close friends or mates, giving me further reason to play matchmaker."

Eren frowned as his mind drifted back to all the stuff he had done. Immediately those conjured images had him making a truly unfortunate expression right then. From all the times he had mouthed off to elders and other children his age because they had pissed him off. All the times he got into fights during high school with bullies. Tying himself to people because he had a penchant for wanting to beat people up, and while he had done those things with the belief that whomever needed to be taught a lesson had brought it upon themselves, his style and execution of said orders were reckless and careless. Of course all of that had stopped sometime after he turned eighteen and decided to keep someone safe rather than go after a target. From then on, when he realized his faults and flaws, Kenny showed him that sometimes helping people felt ten times more fulfilling than beating the snot out of douchebags. All in all, he had kind of been a little shit.

Eren felt like his soul was seeping out through his mouth.

It was Armin's turn to laugh. "The look on your face is priceless, Eren. Mmn, you know, the story that I have mind I think Levi would be veeeery interested in," he purred.

"What are you . . . talking about?" Eren asked, and then, with horrible flashes from four years ago, it dawned on him. "Oh, hell no. No. No way. You are not telling him that one. End of discussion."

"Come on, it's funny. He'd get a kick out of it," he said.

"He might, but I am no way letting you retell that story." Eren said. Okay, so he might be spouting a bunch of bullshit to his friend because he didn't want Armin telling Levi that story—he wanted to tell the Omega himself and see his expression for himself. The story wasn't embarrassing, not really, because he had helped a dozen people in the end despite winding up bruised and battered. Oh, and he might have gotten shot once. Or maybe twice.

"You know you liked being called Ms. Yeager." Armin smirked at him before his eyes lit up. "Oh! That reminds me . . ." Armin skipped to the front seat of his car, pulling out a guitar from the passenger's side.

"My guitar!" Eren rushed over, gingerly taking the heavy object after shooting him a disapproving look. "You swung by the house to get it? By the by, that shouldn't remind you of anything, least of all a guitar,"

"Yeah! I didn't know how long you'd be here for, and I know you haven't played recently." Armin frowned at him. "It just hit me that I had it, okay? Close my trunk, will you."

Eren huffed, doing as was asked of him. He was grateful that Armin had put his guitar in its case, making it easier to lug around. "So that's it, right? Nothing else?"

Armin met him by the door, holding a stuffed . . . something. "Yup! We got everything,"

"What's that?" Eren asked.

Armin held up the stuffed stingray proudly. "It was on Levi's bed when we got there. I didn't want to stuff it into a box, so I put it in the front seat,"

"Huh," Eren said.

"Now go put that thing down, go fetch Levi, and we'll snarf down some donuts," Armin said.

As it turned out, he didn't have to go fetch Levi for anything—he was standing in the entrance to the kitchen wearing an oversized sweatshirt, one he was certain he had seen before, and sweats. Looking damp and only mildly uncomfortable, fingers plucking at the fabric he was currently clad in, Eren thought he was cute and maybe a little boyish looking. Eren was furiously trying to think of something to say or do that might help Levi be more at ease when Armin squealed and launched himself at the man. Eren lurched forward to grab him and ended up dropping the guitar case on his foot. While he yelped and limped, Armin had succeeded in tackling Levi to the ground out of pure happiness.

"Levi! Hi, hi! I brought you guys donuts because I know Eren can be so forgetful at times, and I couldn't let him forget to feed you. There's also a case of water lying around here somewhere that I brought in along with a majority of your bedroom stuff. Oh! And this stingray is the cutest little stuffed animal that I've ever seen, but don't worry, I won't swipe it," Armin kept babbling at Levi, who blinked up at him. "I didn't just bring you some food, I also brought this . . ." Armin rummaged in his pocket to procure a hair bow that he used to pin back Levi's bangs. "Welcome to the family!"

Levi's eyes darted to Eren's and he looked away just as fast, Adam's apple bobbing. "F-family?"

Armin nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Family." Armin threw Eren a dirty look, speaking directly to him. "Even if you guys don't become mates I'm introducing him to everyone. If you don't like it, then you can kiss my broaches." He pulled Levi up a little, squashing the poor Omega's head into his chest.

Eren tried to keep a frown off his face to avoid directing attention toward the fact that Levi's eyes were tearing up. Levi squeezed his eyes shut and his arms twitched like he couldn't decide whether or not he should hug Armin back.

"D'ya wanna be a part of our family, Levi?" Armin rubbed his cheek against the top of Levi's head. It was something commonly seen between close Omegas to show their affection, so, naturally, Eren was stunned.

Levi's arms finally moved, hands resting on Armin's sides tentatively. With a tear tracing itself down his cheek, he said, "It wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to me." His tone was light, edged with a little quaver, but Eren detected a sense of despair. Armin must have, too, because he looked desperately from Levi to Eren.

Levi didn't appear to accept touch so easily and for an Omega that was something that could be construed as concerning. Omegas were typically a highly tactile dynamic when they had never been threatened. Levi wasn't just wary of touch, he'd seemed almost afraid of it—needed to steel and prepare himself when there needed to be skin on skin contact. Eren was by no means stupid, he knew that Levi's violent outburst earlier on the steps didn't stem from nothing; one could be paranoid and cautious and still react calmly when they were shaken from their own minds, but Levi's body had instinctively reacted with absolute terror, seeking to keep him away no matter what. Right now with the mention of belonging to a family, crushed against Armin's chest, Levi looked so vulnerable. A part of Eren rose up and he wanted to carefully extract him from his friend and pull the Omega into his arms and snuggle into him until his love and affection blotted out whatever still haunted him. Staring at Levi he could only wonder who had broken him, leaving him with no sense of security or even a family. At that moment, he knew one thing for certain: Eren truly wanted to rip apart whoever it had been so he could tell Levi he could feel at ease knowing his tormentors were nothing more than rotting cadavers.

Eren did the only thing he could do right at this moment—he went over to the tangled pair and crouched slowly, aching foot forgotten. "Armin is right. We don't have to be mates for you to be a part of our large, mismatched family, so I extend my very own warm welcome. You will always have a home with us no matter what happens."

Levi looked up at him, eyes shining so brightly they glittered like gems. "Does your friend take in a lot of strays?"

"Nothing but!" Armin said proudly.

"You're squishing Levi," Eren tapped him on the shoulder. Addressing Levi, he said, "Pretty much, yeah."

Levi smiled, it was small and just barely there, but it was present nonetheless. He leaned into Armin for just a second.

Eren tilted his head and smiled, holding out one hand. "We'll eventually introduce you to a house full of rowdy children, teenagers, and real lively adults, but for now how about we fill our stomachs?"

"Sounds good." Levi said. "I deal with rowdy children on a near daily basis, so I won't be bothered."

"Ooh, you do? Where do you work?" Armin hauled himself to his feet, still holding the stingray.

Levi glanced at Eren's hand. After a few moments of hesitation, he took it and rose up onto his feet. "Reiss Rapids."

Armin gushed, "I love that place so much. The dolphins are so gorgeous. I almost kidnapped a panda to take it home with me, they're adorable and cuddly looking. Have you ever seen that one video with that lady that tried to clean a panda pen and they were just so interested in the basket meant for fallen leaves? Ooh, ooh, and I could never forget about the monkeys!"

Levi gave Eren a quizzical look. He glanced down, saw he was still holding Eren's hand, and let go quickly. "I think I would've remembered seeing you there, you're so enthusiastic,"

"Trust me, it would be hard not to notice him because he's usually flanked by the world's grouchiest looking Alpha."

"Mikasa is not grouchy." Armin frowned at him, wandering into the kitchen. "I seem to remember a time when you were the grouchiest Alpha around, Eren,"

Eren grumbled, "Let's just eat."

"You mean to tell me he wasn't always this way, Armin?" Levi asked.

"I meant that look-wise. It got to the point that everyone joked he came out of the womb permanently irritated,"

"I'm putting out applications for new friends, effective tomorrow." Eren said.

Levi just cracked another smile. "So what pissed in your Cheerios so much?"

"I just got into a lot of fights," Eren's response was automatic, left hand coming up to wrap around his opposite forearm as though he could physically stop the ache coming from the scar there, reminding him of his past. It was true, he had gotten into a bunch of fights—many of them involved his father and then he joined Kenny. And yeah, he used joining as an excuse to get back at the world for what his father had done, only to realize later on down the line that he could actually change his ways and be a better person.

Armin used napkins to hand out donuts, giving him a sympathetic look. He knew. Armin was aware of everything his father had done, having patched him up a few times in their early teenage years. He'd been the one to scold Eren once finding out his forearm had been sliced open and he hadn't went to see a doctor; he might have gone if he didn't loathe hospitals and doctors. Hanji was the only exception because Kenny trusted them, calling them when house visits were in order.

"You did?" Levi asked. Eren noticed his eyes skimmed his upper torso in silent askance.

"Yes. More than I care to admit. Over the last few years, though, I haven't gotten into anything too serious."

Levi bobbed his head, biting into his donut with sprinkles. Eren picked up his guitar, checked it over, and then propped it up against the wall before he joined. No one really spoke as they ate, although Eren could practically see Armin vibrating with energy. It was too damn early for an energetic Armin—an energetic Armin didn't like to stay still for too long and tended to talk so much. Eren loved Armin, they were family, but goddamn he had never met anyone who could talk so much or had so much energy depending on the day (he wasn't counting toddlers).

"You know," Armin said, after wolfing down a fourth donut, "I won't say anything about you being a . . ." Armin made weird flapping motions.

"What?"

"If those are supposed to be fins, I'm not impressed," said Eren.

Levi leaned in closer to him and whispered, "I thought they were supposed to be wings?"

Eren shrugged.

Armin's mouth mimicked a fish. "Better?"

"No, not really." Eren polished off his own fourth donut.

"Want another?" Armin tried offering Levi more, but he just shook his head and looked a little green. He hadn't even eaten half of his third donut, choosing to set it aside instead. "Aw, okay. Anyway, I mean it, though. I won't say anything. You can trust me."

"I, I don't think you'll, ah, tell anyone," Levi stammered. There was an odd, perplexed look on his face.

Eren's brows shot up at him, though he said nothing.

Armin leaned around them to look in the direction of the door when the bell chimed merrily. "Who's that? Mikasa and Annie shouldn't be here yet." Armin checked his phone. "They would've let me know when they were on their way. I didn't get anything from them. Eren, did you?"

Levi's eyes flitted to the door and he moved closer to Eren's side, fingers twisting in his oversized sweatshirt. Seeing the Omega come closer to him, instinctively seeking comfort, had him straightening his spine. Taking his phone from his pocket, he frowned when he saw the notification. "It's the food. I never heard the notification. Shit." He smiled at Levi apologetically again. "You want to go upstairs while they bring everything in? I'll let you know when they leave."

He hesitated before nodding. Grabbing his stingray Levi hurried as fast as his heat-ridden bones would allow. Armin rushed up next to him, murmuring softly to him, and offering an arm to him.

Glancing out the peephole Eren spotted one female and one male dressed in slacks and collared shirts, the logo of the company emblazoned on their breast pocket. The woman had a name tag that said she was Casey, the guy's name was Phillip. He greeted them with a smile.

"Mr. Yeager?" asked the man.

"That's me," Eren said.

"Could you sign here to confirm your order?" He was handed a clipboard and pen.

Eren made a vague noise of agreement, took the clipboard, and signed for it. After handing it back, he asked, "I'll leave the door open for you guys, okay?"

"Of course, Mr. Yeager. We'll be right back," the woman said. She smiled at him, then they both went to the truck in the driveway behind Armin's little green car.

After some consideration, Eren decided to move everything they'd brought in from Armin's car over to the stairs to avoid a clutter in the kitchen. It would be easier to bring everything up later on. Glancing up the stairs, he saw Armin peek his head around the corner, flash him a thumbs up and a smile, and then he disappeared back into the bedroom.

"Just moving in?" the woman asked from behind him. She was carrying a crate full of fruit. She glanced down the foyer into the living room. He was pretty certain the guy was carrying meats.

"Something like that," Eren said, going back into the kitchen with both workers at his heels. "I'm kind of like the hired help, really."

"You want us to put the food away?" Phillip asked. He was probably more interested in getting his work done than keeping up a string of friendly conversation.

"Yeah, it'll cut down on the amount of stuff I need to do." Eren said. Phillip looked him up and down, but Eren couldn't bring himself to care what the man thought. If the guy knew he owned a business he might birth a litter of kittens. Shit, Levi almost did that.

Something tickled his nose when he went back by the stairs. Tipping his head back, Eren took several short, sharp sniffs to identify it and his head started to feel woozy, shudders running through his body. It was Levi's unique, intoxicating scent and he couldn't stop inhaling. Now that he was really focusing on it, Eren never wanted to stop breathing it in. The Alpha was beginning to realize that Levi was starting to seriously remind him of home, too. Now, Armin had always been a symbol of home all throughout his childhood and teenage years when he hadn't known much beyond pain; that type of symbolism would probably never go away. But Levi, Levi was reminding him of what home had become—full of comforting hugs, soothing noises, happy laughter, feeling safe. Maybe that didn't exactly make sense because those things don't have smells, but Eren could feel it wash over him like a physical thing. Underneath that, he could smell something bittersweet that tastes like his favourite chocolate; it smelled different than he was sure it was supposed to—unusually subdued with traces of hesitance from Levi's fear. It had to have had something to do with what had happened to the Omega.

He found himself wishing that Levi would pick him, because then Eren really could smother him with positive feelings and show him he didn't have to shoulder all this fear by himself. Only thing was that things would have to be done differently if they did wind up as mates. Most often merfolk had the tendency to claim their mates and then kept moving on in their relationship since they already felt so connected. Maybe he would feel more at ease by doing the normal couple thing? The dating stage, the awkward first kiss stage, the getting-to-know-each-other stage.

From the corner of his eye, Eren saw Phillip staring up at the stairs, nostrils flaring. Even if Eren had wanted to stop his lips from curling in order to bare his teeth, he wouldn't have. A snarl bubbled up from his chest, a low warning. I won't tell you Levi is mine, but it'd still be in your best interest to back off, the thought stayed firmly in the front of his mind as he postured in front of Phillip, eyes narrowed and scent showing his displeasure.

Phillip cleared his throat and rushed out of the house. From then on Casey brought in everything since the man refused to come back in. The Alpha helped Casey put away whatever she brought in.

Once everything was finally done, Eren smiled to Casey, who was currently standing just outside the front door holding the last crate that'd been brought in. "Thank you for doing a great job," he said.

"You're welcome! Do you need anything else?" Casey asked.

Eren shook his head. "Nope. Can't think of anything." He waved to Casey when she went back to her car. He only shut and locked the door again when he saw the car turn the corner to head out of the community.

"Are you trying to kill us by piling all of this stuff at the base of the stairs?" Armin's voice had him turning around.

They were both picking their way around the boxes and whatnot. Eren rolled his eyes. "Of course not. Don't be ridiculous."

"Armin tells me you sing," Levi's eyes drifted to the guitar in the study to Eren's left. "And play the guitar."

"On occasion," Eren admitted. Arching a brow at Levi, he asked, "Do you want me to play a few songs?"

Levi flushed and tromped ahead of them into the kitchen. "No."

"Yes." Armin giggled. "Sing for us, Eren!"

Shrugging, Eren grabbed his guitar case and lifted it. Armin pressing in close had his brows scrunching up. If Eren still had food, he would've been worried Armin was going to swipe it. "Can I help you?"

"I thought I heard snarling earlier. Was everything okay? I didn't want to leave Levi up there all alone because he was still somewhat spooked,"

"Yeah, everything was okay. Caught the guy sniffing around, literally," he said.

Armin snorted. "Men."

"Er, we're men, Armin."

"Yes, we are, but apparently we can control ourselves much better than others. You don't go sniffing around someone else's house. It's rude." And with that, Armin hurried after Levi and plopped down next to him on the sofa. Eren couldn't help the smile from forming on his face.

Sitting down on the chaise portion of the couch, staying a decent distance away, Eren took out his guitar and started tuning it, plucking the strings to ensure they were pitched just right. Unfortunately, he was probably going to be clumsily playing. Or, maybe not, since his fingers were moving on their own like they hadn't forgotten how to navigate this instrument.

"So, what am I playing?" Eren asked.

Levi, who was still clutching his stingray, shrugged. "You pick."

"I don't have anything in mind." Armin added.

Eren hummed and picked at the strings for a few minutes to get reacquainted with his guitar and to pick a beat and rhythm to what he had in mind. He'd already had a song in mind, had already opened his mouth to start, when he looked back to where the two Omegas were huddled up on the couch—Armin lifted his hand and set it on Levi's head, who only tensed briefly, and then started to pet Levi. Eren didn't feel an ounce of jealousy, he couldn't, not when Levi was looking so content. And Armin was family, he would never hurt Levi. All he could see were those tears in his eyes from before, the one that traced a path down his cheek. Armin pinning back Levi's bangs.

Welcome to the family, Armin had said.

With that, Eren knew what he had to sing, and the words flowed out of him, melodic and holding a smooth albeit low, raspy, deep cadence:

We are, we are not your ordinary fami-mily

But we can all agree that we are, we are

As close as close can be

So it don't matter what it looks like

We look perfect to me

We got every kind of lover; we're so lucky indeed

They can keep on talking, it don't matter to me, 'cause we are, we are family

As Eren sang, he closed his eyes and envisioned his family: An image of his mother came, gone as fast as it had come up, before he saw Nanaba, Lynne, and Thomas among a couple dozen or so other children he watched over. Teenagers that had come to him when they had nowhere else to go. Young adults who didn't know the ropes of adulthood because no one thought to teach them. He saw their faces flashing across his closed eyelids, saw them smiling and happy.

So what? We don't look,

We don't act, we don't walk, we don't talk

Like you do

So what?

If we hang just to hang, ain't no shame

We gon' do what we want to

'Cause we come from everywhere
Searching for ones to care
Somehow we found it here

We found us a home

He saw everyone he had befriended despite their differences: Oluo, Jean, Ymir. Those who had welcomed him with open arms: Armin, Mikasa, Mike, Historia, Petra, Annie, Kenny. Everyone else who had inserted themselves into a business that Kenny had started to help others.

Okay, so the links in our chain makes us strange
But really they make us stronger
And I wouldn't replace not a thing
Mother or father
'Cause we,

'Cause we come from everywhere
Searching for ones to care
Somehow we found it here
We found us a home!

Eren lightly bounced his foot on the floor, fingers strumming over the strings with practiced ease. He felt the way words could cause his heartbeat to speed up to try to match the set rhythm. And the setting of the song had him seeing a happy, smiling Levi surrounded by Eren's giant support system, the main reason why he had been able to take on all the responsibilities that had been entrusted to him.

And then, before he could start the final verse, the air around him shifted. His mouth was open and the words were there on the tip of his tongue waiting to be spilled when the couch dipped and arms haltingly went around his midsection—the arm around his back and the hands at his uninjured side were tightening and becoming unyielding, refusing to let him go. A face slowly pressed into the side of his chest. Eyes opening, they were immediately drawn to the opposite side of the couch, where Armin was sitting, clutching the abandoned stuffed animal.

If Armin was there . . . That means that the person who was currently clutching at him . . .

Dragging his eyes over to the spot beside him, Eren went as still as a statue with Levi curling into his side. The arm trapped against his side and Levi's body twitched, wanting to draw Levi into a tighter hug, but his instincts were screaming don't move.

"L-Levi?" his voice was soft, afraid to speak normally because Levi might spook. Eren glanced back over at Armin, eyes pleading, and mouthing, "What do I do?"

Armin paused, considering, and then shrugged, palms up facing the ceiling and head tilting. He wasn't any help; he didn't know what to do either.

Levi peeked up at him from under his lashes, just barely lifting his head, and Eren's world stopped turning and his heart stopped beating at the look on the Omega's face. It was a look that he often saw on neglected and abused children when they got settled into their new homes and someone came much too close for comfort—it was such a raw, desperate vulnerability that they could no longer bear to hide. Something in the depths of his eyes begged Eren to not be like others, and he wanted to tell Levi he wouldn't be—would never be. Unease churned his stomach and Eren's mouth opened.

Who broke you? He found himself suddenly desperate to ask that question, to know who put such a heartbreaking expression on Levi's face.

"Why?" Eren whispered. It didn't matter right then that Levi couldn't possibly know that Eren was referring to his past. For how long had his abuse lasted? Were his abusers still around him in close proximity? Did he never get justice?

Levi might have been a grown man, but that meant nothing to the protective side of Eren, the one that wanted to pull him close and whisper to him that everything would be all right, that he would help Levi get closure if it was needed.

Levi shook his head and hesitantly pressed closer. Eren wasn't sure if he was really breathing or not, so he had to stare at his back just to make sure. That was when Armin came over to sit on Eren's other side, and him lifting his free hand to pet and scratch at Armin's scalp was so easy to do, so natural, done so many times over the years it was instinctive, muscle memory causing his arm to move automatically. Armin leaned into the touch, as much of an instinct as Eren's petting, and trilled quietly, eyelids fluttering. From his other side, Levi's breath hitched, and a wave of heat crashed over Eren like a rising tide, trying to smother him and he tensed to suppress a full-bodied shiver. He couldn't stop his hand from tensing in Armin's hair, who chuffed at him lightly.

Levi tensed and started to pull away, and Eren panicked. "No, no, no. You don't have to move. I mean, you can, if you want to, it's just . . ." he trailed off.

Armin leaned around him to look at Levi. "Eren doesn't give into his instincts so easily, so he's not going to fall all over you. He knows how to keep it in his pants for sure."

He flinched. It was small, almost miniscule really, but Eren had been looking at him from the corner of his eye. Had felt the way he shrank away just the tiniest bit, and Eren's stomach fell somewhere below his ankles while his heart leapt into his throat. It couldn't be what he was thinking, right? Maybe Eren had just imagined it—No, no, he hadn't imagined it. There was no mistaking the subtle tremors going through the small Omega, the ones he could feel against his arm.

"Levi?" Eren kept his voice gentle. "Look at me?"

He pulled back, hands trembling where they fisted in Eren's shirt. His eyes drifted up, dropped, and then lifted again. He wouldn't keep eye contact for long, choosing to stare at Eren's chest. It was as good as it got, and he'd take it.

"I swear to you I will never force you to do anything you don't want to do." Eren bit into his lower lip, before adding, "And the song . . . If you want it, you have a family. It isn't set on any sort of parameters or conditions—none of that bullshit. When you're one of us—"

"You're pretty much stuck with us," Armin interrupted.

Ignoring Armin, he continued, "If you want to cling to me, then I encourage it. Whatever makes you feel safe is truly okay with me, whatever you're comfortable with."

Levi's eyes slowly dragged up. "What if you don't want it?"

Ah, no one asked you what you wanted, did they? The thought flitted through his mind before he could stop it and it made him sad. How long have you been afraid of touch? Is this why you reacted so violently earlier?

Eren's eyes softened. "If you're so unsure about anything, all you have to do is ask me whether or not I'm okay with it,"

Levi's eyes glanced down at his hands, still fisted in Eren's shirt. "Is this okay?"

Eren smiled at him. "It's perfect. Make yourself at home. Like I said, you are more than welcome to cling to me."

And slowly Levi started to lean into him again, and still Eren didn't move to pet him as he did Armin. Eren was still afraid that one wrong move just might spook the Omega into scurrying back to his, metaphorical, corner. Wordlessly, Armin got up, retrieved the stingray, and offered it with a watery smile.

"I'm assuming it will be hard for you to keep singing?" Levi took it and crushed it between his chest and Eren's arm. He was hellbent on keeping himself as close as was possible (only tensing if Eren happened to shift).

"I can certainly try, but I cannot guarantee the best results." Eren grinned. "Hmn, let's see what we can go with next . . ."

"Wait, here." Shifting around a little, Levi situated himself with one arm around Eren's back and the other tentatively wrapping around the Alpha's, giving him more mobility.

Eren chuckled. "Comfy?"

Levi nodded, beginning to relax.

Humming, Eren gave it some thought. Maybe something funny and/or upbeat would be beneficial? It would most definitely lighten the mood, allowing for the tense atmosphere to shift to something happier. Nothing to try and serenade him (Eren wasn't stupid enough to try that yet) and songs about overcoming obstacles might have been a good choice if Levi wasn't actively trying to focus on other things. Something catchy and optimistic maybe?

Ugh, picking out the right song was such a pain in the ass.

"Oh!" Armin patted his arm repeatedly. "Why don't you sing the song you did a couple months ago? Something about being human and no blame. One line was 'I'm only human after all.'"

Eren's brows pinched together while he thought, but it was Levi who came to his aid. "The one by Rag'n'Bone Man?"

"Must be!"

"Weren't you just boasting about how good your memory was about an hour ago?"

"Okay, first of all, I can't sing worth crap, so I definitely wasn't going to try. Second of all, I can never catch the name on the radio, so I, once again, tell you to kiss my broaches,"

Eren laughed, and then had to fight against a yawn. Now that he could be relaxed and at ease, he was starting to feel fatigued. Alas, there was still stuff to be done.

Taking advantage of his pause, Armin said, "I will sic Mikasa on you. She's already going to bitch at you for leaving her to tell with desk work for the next week or so, and you didn't even tell her." He cast a look at Eren's midsection, and he wanted to shrink away.

Right, how could he forget that? And on top of bitching at him for leaving her with unexpected paper work, he had needed stitches again.

I'll cross that bridge when she gets here. No biggie.

"And you didn't think to look it up on the internet?" said Levi.

"Don't turn on me!" Armin wailed. "I gave you a hair pin!"

Levi just blinked at him, like he couldn't quite believe his ears over Armin's dramatic wails.

Both of them turned their attention back to Eren when he started strumming and getting a feel for the beat and tone again.

I'm only human
I'm only, I'm only
I'm only human, human

Armin settled himself back at Eren's other side, reminding him of a perky puppy.

Maybe I'm foolish
Maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this
And see what's behind
Got no way to prove it
So maybe I'm blind
But I'm only human after all
I'm only human after all
Don't put your blame on me
Don't put your blame on me

Take a look in the mirror
And what do you see
Do you see it clearer
Or are you deceived
In what you believe
'Cause I'm only human after all
You're only human after all
Don't put the blame on me
Don't put your blame on me
Some people got the real problems
Some people out of luck
Some people think I can solve them
Lord heavens above
I'm only human after all
I'm only human after all
Don't put the blame on me
Don't put the blame on me

Levi had closed his eyes and was humming along to it. Eren desperately wanted a nap and needed to pause longer than was necessary between verses in order to hold back his yawns now.

Don't ask my opinion
Don't ask me to lie
Then beg for forgiveness
For making you cry
Making you cry
'Cause I'm only human after all
I'm only human after all
Don't put your blame on me
Don't put the blame on me
Oh, some people got the real problems
Some people out of luck
Some people think I can solve them
Lord heavens above
I'm only human after all
I'm only human after all
Don't put the blame on me
Don't put the blame on me

I'm only human
I make mistakes
I'm only human
That's all it takes
To put the blame on me
Don't put the blame on me
I'm no prophet or Messiah
Should go looking somewhere higher
I'm only human after all
I'm only human after all
Don't put the blame on me
Don't put the blame on me

Eren inhaled and on the exhale, he finished with the last verse:

I'm only human
I do what I can
I'm just a man
I do what I can
Don't put the blame on me
Don't put your blame on me.

When Eren finished, Armin squealed,"I just love listening to you sing! One of these days I'm going to give you a song to sing for Levi where you can show off your falsetto. You do it so well!"

"Falsetto?" Levi's brows raised.

"Falsetto! It isn't obnoxious or anything when he does it, I swear. It remains just as soothing as that lovely raspy/baritone/tenor thing you got goin' on. Positively fantastic. Levi, if you ever have any issues sleeping, just have Eren sing for you. One time I hadn't been able to sleep decently for, like, two days, and then he sang for me and it lulled me right to sleep. I think his voice is made of magic,"

That's going too far, Armin. Before Eren could say those words, a huge yawn seized him. Every time he blinked it was getting harder and harder to open them back up. He knew he practically flubbed that last verse (and was hoping no one else noticed that he had gotten the chords and tone wrong). Please don't let me fall asleep on them.

Considering he was trying really hard not to fall asleep, it isn't all that surprising that he never noticed the weight beside him shift, Levi detaching from his side or handing his stingray to Armin. What he did notice was the guitar gently being pried from his hands.

"Come on, Eren." Levi hesitated a moment before setting his hand on his arm, tugging once.

"Where we going?"

"Upstairs. You're going to bed,"

"Nooooo," Eren whined. "I'm fiiiiine. Don't worry 'bout me,"

Armin laughed when Eren pitched forward and almost face-planted to the floor. "Oh, yeah, he's fine, all right. There's a spare room upstairs, isn't there?"

"There is," said Levi. "But there's no blankets or sheets on it, so I'm just going to set him in mine,"

"Still here, y'know," Eren mumbled.

"Shush." Armin said, standing now too. He pulled on Eren's other arm.

"Lemme sleep here, I'll be fine,"

"You're going upstairs." Levi insisted.

Eren could only whine again in protest, not that they were listening to him at all. It took a bit of convincing Eren's limbs to cooperate and in almost no time flat he had either arm draped over Armin and Levi's shoulders, the latter leaning into him carefully (since he was on his injured side) and the former just kept trilling. It felt more like Armin was holding the two of them up as he bulldozed his way to the steps. Levi's legs were wobbly and Eren's were seconds away from just ceasing to cooperate anymore.

"You'll be lucky if we make it all the way up without my legs giving out," said Eren.

"He's stronger than he looks." Levi murmured. Huh, guess he noticed that they were being dragged forward by the force known as Armin.

"Quit your whining. Before you know it, it'll be tomorrow! And if you continue to be lucky you'll just have to read snarky texts from Mikasa." Armin's tone was way too cheerful.

Eren didn't bother vocalising a sigh; it would've been a wasted effort.

"One, two, three, up we go! One, two, three, up we go! One, two, three, up we go!" Armin sang on the way up the stairs.

Levi snickered quietly from his other side and Eren couldn't help but focus his eyes on the smaller Omega. When Levi must have noticed he was staring (for too long), he gave him a perplexed look, tilting his head. All he could do was give a goofy grin in return and hum. The Alpha briefly wondered whether or not he passed out on the way up because he swore he had just blinked when they were suddenly standing by the closest edge of the bed. No matter, he decided, pulling away from the two Omegas and falling forward carefully on the soft sheets. Feeling someone yanking at his legs, Eren glanced woozily to Armin.

"Lift your big foot so I can get your feet on the bed," he huffed. Eren whined, again, but obliged. "You're not wearing your blade, are you?"

"I saw it on the couch," said Levi.

"Oh, good, then we won't need to roll him over." Armin started fussing with his shirt, lifting the hem just a little to peek under it.

"Wha're you doing?" Eren slurred.

"Checking that giant bloody wound of yours,"

"It isn't bloody," he protested weakly.

"I saw it earlier—it doesn't actually look all that bad aside from being a little inflamed. It isn't fucking gross and gaping anymore." Levi looked vaguely sick.

Armin lightly shoved at the underside of his hip to wrestle the sheet out from under him, but he was pretty much dead weight at this point. "Will—you—move!" His poor friend kept grunting, pulling at the sheet.

"Noooooope!" Eren said, rolling gingerly to curl up on his side. "Don' need it." The world around him started to blur around the edges and bleed out into everything around it, reminding him of a really messy painting.

Apparently giving up, Armin said, "I'm gonna swipe the last donut. Does anyone care? Will you need help back down, Levi?"

A head shake. "No, I'll be fine. Meet you down there."

"'Kay!" Armin skipped from the room.

Levi sat—more like collapsed—somewhere around Eren's knees, at the edge of the bed. "I was originally not going to say anything to you, and I'm not sure if you'll even remember since you seem kind of out of it, but I didn't want to let you in right at this moment."

"Uhhh?" came Eren's oh-so-intelligent reply.

"I thought I could hold out until this is over, I really thought I could. The merman part of me hasn't been so glaringly obvious since the change, and now that you're here and it approves of you, it's become very clear it won't let you get away easily because it favours you. It wants you around indefinitely whether I'm ready or not. Sure, it isn't impossible to find other suitable mates, though it won't be so easy. The more I try to put it off, the worse it'll be in dealing with it later. But whatever, the point is, I wasn't going to let you in. Plain and simple."

"And now?" came his reply once he could focus enough and lift his head to look behind him to Levi, which took more of an effort than it should've

"I want to let you in," Levi said simply. "I'll let you in, bit by bit, and feel how different you are. No more hiding from that part of me, no more ignoring it, no more fear—enough is enough."

"What changed?" Eren whispered. Because his eyes had stubbornly insisted on staying closed, he missed the uncertainty on the man's face.

"You aren't what I was expecting." Levi said. He felt lean, nimble fingers brush against his hair in a gentle question and Eren couldn't help but lean into it. Levi sifted a trembling hand through his hair, feeling it's softness.

"Mmmn . . ." He hummed, drifting off from Levi's impossibly gentle touch. "You either."

That much was true. If someone had told Eren that he would be meeting up with a merman, one who would choose him, after grappling with a hulking giant of an Alpha while seriously injured, he would have laughed and rolled his eyes. But now, seeing Levi with his own eyes, Eren wouldn't have wanted anything else. He would help Levi however he could and hope beyond hope he wouldn't be pushed away due to a shift in judgment somewhere down the line. Hope beyond hope that Levi would still accept him, faults and all, once they got to know each other more.

Credits: The first song is We Are (Family) by Keke Palmer, and the second is Human by Rag'n'Bone Man.

I thank anyone who comments because your positive feedback keeps me motivated and makes my day!