Wings [Levi Daughter]

A Fragment of Time [Part II]

An update during the weekday! This is another short story that happens between the last chapter and the epilogue, and it centers around Petra's birth and the complications that came with it. It's more of a fluff story that shows how things are now with the other characters, and how they went on with their lives after the war.

Enjoy!

~*~

The squealing laughter of a child echoed in the empty halls of the mess. Eren’s chubby cheeks have turned red from all the laughter as Jean and Connie made faces at the boy, even the simplest raising of eye brows or the horse-face impressions that Jean entertained the boy. But before he ran out of breath or started coughing, Eren was taken by his grandfather from the two Squad Leaders, delighting the boy. 

“If he throws up, you’ll be cleaning the mess,” Levi told them.

“He won’t throw up, Captain!” Connie said.

Taking his seat at the table, Levi had his grandson perched on his leg and reached for the half-eaten bowl of mush that Mikasa prepared for the one-year-old boy. “When you took him from my care, you promised to feed him. He barely finished his food and it’s almost his bedtime.”

The two Squad Leaders tried their hardest to stop their laughter. It was hard to watch the Lance Corporal act like a mother-hen by tending to his grandson. Levi Ackerman was someone feared and was Humanity’s Greatest Soldier, now – while he was still considered by those traits – he was homey. No one ever imagined the man who wielded swords like it was childsplay to change nappies and prepare bottles of milk, or take the time to spoon feed a child mush fruit. 

The Captain was far from how they first met him years ago.

Joining their table, Mikasa sat beside Levi and handed Eren a toy horse that the boy happily played with as he ate his mush food.

“Armin and Iris are going to kill you for getting him another one,” Levi told Mikasa.

“There’s no harm with giving him some toys, he is a child after all.” Mikasa said as she shook Eren’s tiny hands and asked if she could hold him. Seeing that the boy have eaten more than half of his dinner, Levi lets him join his godmother and play with her. “Besides, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.”

Levi shook his head in amusement. “You won’t be the one who will get an earful from his mother when she sees the toy. Iris has been accusing me of spoiling Eren.”

“Because you are,” Hange joined their table, she was about to take a seat beside Eren but Levi grabbed her by the collar and had her sit at his other side. Away from his grandson. The last time Eren was left with Hange, the woman brought him to her lab where different kinds of knives and needles were present. Armin was quick to get Eren from the Commander, and Levi did not hold back in scolding Hange for bringing Eren in such a room.

“But it’s understandable for a grandfather to spoil their grandchildren,” Hange continued.

Whilst Jean and Connie snickered at the title, Levi glared at Hange. Ever since Eren was born, he have been teaching the boy to call him “Levi” than “grandpa”, which Hange has been adamant to teaching the boy to do so. He was only in his late thirties, too young to be a grandfather, while he is one now, it was hard to accept the facts.

“I’m not spoiling him,” Levi told Hange. “If anyone is spoiling Eren it’s this one –” he pointed at Mikasa “-- and Leon and Sofia.”

“So, how long will Eren be staying with us?” Jean asked as he teased the boy by taking the toy horse. Eren whined and tried reaching for his toy but Jean only kept it away.