For You

Saw

"Shadows? What the..." Eren murmured, then whispered the last word he was gonna say under his breath.

"Whatever." Mikasa handed Eren a flower.
"Let's go visit her."

"See ya. I'll be lazy on the couch while you too cry your asses off." Levi said, walking away with Riren in his arms.

"Bye Poppy! Bye Miki!"

[~]

Eren sighed as he flopped down on the couch, glad to have left the emotional roller coaster that he encountered at the graveyard.

Levi was already sitting on the opposite side of the couch, watching TV with Riren on his lap.
"How was it? You came back late." He asked, without looking at Eren.

"Same as always. Stand over my mom's grave and cry a little, talk to her inside our minds, then Mikasa changes the subject by complaining about you."

"She's just a cranky single lady, Eren. Maybe if she got with that horse faced guy then she'd be less of a meddler. But I don't care if she complains about me, I just ALWAYS occupy her mind, don't I?" Levi smirked, and Riren giggled.

"Papa has a funny smile!" Riren exclaimed, then reached up to poke Levi's lips.

Eren laughed and stood up from the couch to walk over to Levi.

"Poppy!" Riren reached up slightly, and Eren smiled as he bent down to ruffle Riren's hair and give him a kiss on the forehead.

"Can you get Riren ready for bed? I'm tired." Eren asked as he raised his head from Riren's in order to face Levi.

"Fine." Levi sighed.

"Thanks." Eren reached behind Levi's head and felt his undercut as he leaned in to kiss him.
"Love you."

"Thank you." Levi said.

Eren pulled away slightly to scowl at him, and Levi snickered as he initiated another kiss.

"Kidding. I love you too, Eren."

[~]

"Levi! I slept in! Shoot! Do you have Riren ready? Oh my god! What happened?" Eren ran into the living room, shocked at the sight.

"Huh?" The short black haired man on the couch was awakened by this, then widened his eyes at the realization of what happened.
"Shit."

He was lying on the couch with Riren sleeping on his chest, and the TV and lights were still on.
"Heh. I guess I fell asleep here."

"Without getting Riren ready for bed! Levi, I asked you to take care of him, and that includes yourself too! How much sleep have you been getting recently?!"

"Aw you care about me." Levi dully remarked as he slowly sat up, carefully scooping Riren up.

"Of course I do...!" Eren sighed and gently picked up Riren, and the smol boy in his arms sleepily snuggled more into his Poppy's chest.
"Levi, we have to get him to school in 15 minutes..."

"It's fine, he's a kindergartner, it's not like a tardy will be marked in his permanent record." Levi said as he stood up and stretched. Not like stretching made him any taller, but still.

"Fine." Eren looked down at the Riren in his arms and gently shook him awake.
"Riren? Are you okay?"

"Hm." Riren hummed as he slowly opened his eyes and lifted up his head.

"Levi, go pack Riren's lunch. I'll go get him ready. Today we have to talk to the teacher." Eren said, walking upstairs with Riren.

Levi rolled his eyes and murmured to himself.
"Pfft. As if he'll even eat his lunch."

"What?" Eren paused walking up the stairs and looked back at Levi.

"Nothing."

[~]

"Hi Ms. Hanji, I'm sorry we're late." Eren walked into the door of Riren's classroom. Behind him, Levi was there holding Riren's hand, and all of the kids there were scattered around the room for playtime.

"It's okay, but I prefer Doctor." Dr. Hanji said as she looked up. She was crouched down next to a few kids who were drawing on large papers on the floor.

"Okay, Doctor Hanji..." Eren looked at Levi with an expression that said: what is wrong with this woman?

"Well, um, we'd like to speak to you about our son Riren." Eren continued.

Riren smiled at Hanji when she looked at him. He was standing there adorably with his head high, holding his Papa's hand with one hand and clutching his lunchbox in the other.

He looked at Eren who was still talking to Dr. Hanji. Then he looked at Levi.
"Papa, can I go to Rivai?"

Levi widened his eyes for a brief moment and then told Riren to hold on as he tapped his husband on the shoulder.
"Eren. Riren wants to hang out with his friend Rivai now. Should we spy on them?"

Eren smiled at Dr. Hanji and told her thank you, but he can handle the rest. She cheerfully nodded and then crouched back down with the kids who were drawing. What was weird about it was that she was less playing with them, more...observing...

Once again, Levi and Eren gave each other the 'what is wrong with her' look.

"So Riren, would you let us see your friend too?" Eren turned around, only to find Levi there, but Riren gone.
"Riren? Uh...Riren?" He called as he turned around himself trying to find his son.

"Whoops." Levi shrugged.

"Levi!"

"Well I'm sorry, I was more focused on this crazy teacher. God, Riren was right about her."

"Whatever, let's just go talk to him and his friend."

Levi sighed and stood on his tip toes to point across the room.
"There."

"Huh?" Eren looked where Levi pointed and was surprised he didn't see them earlier.

Despite all the kids being scattered all over the room playing, there was only one kid in the corner.

He had black hair that nearly covered his eyes, and the only thing you could see of his eyes were the dark color of his pupils, and the shadows underneath them. His pale skin was nearly white, and almost translucent. He was wearing a worn and oversized white shirt and gray sweatpants. Sitting in the corner and hugging his knees that were pulled to his chest, he looked like something out of a horror movie.

Around him, it was vacant, except for the bright spirited child named Riren that was walking towards him.

"Hi Rivai."