Be My Salvation (Ereri/Riren)

XXIX

...I don't even know what happened to this chapter, lmao. It got kinda dark unintentionally x'D

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Levi came home a day earlier than anticipated. Eren was standing at the kitchen counter, chopping potatoes for the casserole Petra was putting together, completely oblivious to the knock on the front door that Mikasa was the one to answer.

As soon as he saw her, Levi lifted a finger to his lips, a mischievous glint in his eye. Even she smirked a bit and quietly welcomed him home.

"Where's Petra?" he whispered as he stepped in, soundlessly pulling the door shut.

"In the kitchen with Eren," the girl whispered back.

Levi gave a small nod. "Is anyone upstairs?"

She shook her head.

"Good. Don't let anyone else know I'm here, 'kay?"

"'Kay," she whispered.

Mikasa made her way back to the couch where she'd been as he tiptoed up the stairs with his things.

Eren remained in the kitchen, still entirely unaware of the situation. When he was finished with the last of the potatoes, Petra relieved him from cooking help to set the table. He was just reaching up to retrieve the five needed plates when a familiar voice that sent warmth down the length of his limbs and erupted butterflies in his stomach said from behind, "Anything I can do to help?"

Simultaneously, both Eren and Petra whipped around, eyes wide, to find Levi leaning against the frame of the door that separated the kitchen from the living room. The brunet disregarded the dishes and his foster mother altogether when he launched himself at the raven, engulfing him in a tight hug, laughing as Levi staggered back a little having to grasp the doorframe to steady himself.

"You're early!" he accused a moment later as he pulled back, gently and playfully swatting Levi's shoulder.

Two thin brows arched upward. "Should I go back?"

"No," Eren mumbled. "But why didn't you tell us?"

"I was under the impression that you liked surprises," Levi retorted. Though his mouth was more or less a neutral line, the glint of amusement shone in his dark irises.

"And a surprise it was," Petra said, coming forth to fold her foster son into a hug. "Welcome home."

"Thanks."

"How'd you get back?" she asked.

"Bus. I left this morning."

"Didn't you have one more final you had to do today?" Eren asked with a furrowed brow.

"My instructor gave us the option to take it early, so I did." Levi gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Well we're glad you're back," Petra said. "And, as a matter of fact, you can help by helping Eren set the table."

"Can do," Levi said. Together, the two retrieved enough dishes and silverware for the (now) six of them and spread them across the table the way it was always done. Once the milk classes were in place, Levi snorted.

"What?" Eren asked, feeling the heat creeping up already as he found Levi's eyes to be directly on him.

"Your face is gonna get stuck that way if you keep it up," said the raven.

It was only then that Eren realized he'd been smiling the whole time they were arranging the dishes, and widely so. His cheeks were a little sore and immediately fell a little. "Oh," he mumbled with a small laugh.