Sleepy Roses {An Attack on Titan Fanfiction}

II

Previously:

It was an old fashioned picture book, full of photos of the Ackerman family. The photo the book was open to a picture Levi had never seen before. In the picture a smiling dark haired man sat in the living room of Levi's childhood home holding a frowning baby Levi. He flipped the page over looking for the tag that was on all of the other pictures, stating the people and place but he couldn't find one. Who the heck was this guy?

Levi threw the book down in frustration and buried his face in his hands. He picked the book back up and closed it. He had dinner with his mom tonight, he could ask her who the man was. Curiosity burned away at him and he prayed his mom would know who the man in the picture was.

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Levi took his helmet off and parked his bike carefully before heading back up to Eren's apartment. 

"I'm back," He walked in and took off his shoes and coat. He'd brought his shoulder bag back with him full of clothes, plus that picture book he had found. It was light but he swore he could feel it weighing him down. He wasn't going to think about it though, it wouldn't do him any good. "Eren?" He walked further into her apartment and into the bedroom. Eren was laying prostrate on the bed, holding her phone over her face and squinting. 

Levi laid down on the bed beside her and slipped his arms around her waist, he took a deep breath and sighed. 

"You get your clothes?" She asked. Levi nodded and replied:

"I did, plus as a bonus I ran into a creepy old picture book," Levi hoisted it up for her to see. Her eyes flitted away from her phone for a second. Levi turned to the page with the mystery man and showed it to her. "Do you recognize this guy?" 

Eren rolled her eyes, "Levi, the Ackerman family has a million members, I barely manage to recognize the usual suspects. Mom, Uncle, one cousin and after that I'm out," She put her phone on the nightstand and slid down, snuggling her face up against Levi's chest. He wrapped his arms around her. "Can't you just ask your mom tomorrow? She for sure knows more about your family than I do," 

"She does, I just hope she remembers. She's a flake," Eren stretched her legs out and pulled Levi closer. 

"I'm sure she will. I'm exhausted," Eren yawned. "Who knew packing was so energy consuming," She began to drift off. 

"Hey, we can't sleep yet, I still need to change clothes, that's the entire reason I left," Levi complained, but Eren just hugged him tighter. 

"You're fine, plus I'm not letting go, so good luck getting dressed with me attached," Levi sighed and shifted his hips, getting comfortable. He leaned over and gave Eren a tender kiss on the top of the head, then nuzzled up to the crook of her neck and sighed. His hot breath tickled her throat, earning Levi a long pleasured sigh. 

"Goodnight Levi," Eren whispered, and Levi answered in kind. 

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Levi tapped his shoe against the clean wooden floors of Eren's apartment. "Are you ready yet?" He called out. 

"I'm still doing my hair, hang on," She yelled back. Levi rolled his eyes. 

Women. 

"Your hair looks fine," He replied, knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere. 

"You're biased!" She exclaimed. He shoved his hands into his pocket and shifted impatiently. "Okay, I'm beautiful, let's go," She emerged in a taut black turtle neck, tucked into a light green skater skirt. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and her face was brushed with a touch of blush. 

"It took you an hour to put an elastic band in your hair?" Eren punched him in the shoulder and he recoiled in pain. "Ow," She smirked. 

"Do not underestimate the art of doing one's hair okay? It takes a long time to look this good," Levi slipped an arm around her and gave her a peck on the lips. 

"And look good you do," She smiled and kissed him again. "But we really do need to leave now," Eren's smile fell and she pouted as she donned her coat and pulled on her denim converse. Levi grabbed his keys and he and Eren rode the elevator down to the parking garage where Eren's car was parked. She owned a smart car, it was tiny and aggravating, even more so when she compared it's size to Levi's own small frame.  

"I'll drive," He clicked the unlock button on the key and the two of them got in. He tossed his bag with the picture book on the back seat of the car. 

"Can we stop for coffee?" Eren asked as Levi put the key in the ignition. He frowned at her. 

"Eren we're going for dinner, there'll be coffee there," She sulked and crossed her arms. Levi pulled out of his spot and scanned Eren's parking pass at the exit. He got out onto the street drove to the nearest starbucks. "What do you want?" He asked her, moving into the drive through. Eren perked up. 

"I want a pumpkin spice latte, and a cookie!" She exclaimed. "A chocolate chip one!" He ordered her drink and cookie, and she sat happily sipping it. 

Levi pulled into the driveway of his familial home and put the car in park. Eren shoved her empty coffee cup into the cup holder and brushed the cookie crumbs off her skirt as she got out of the car. He locked it behind them, and Eren ran ahead of to knock on the door. Levi grabbed his bag and joined her by the door. 

"Eren hello!" Levi's mother answered the door and Eren gave her a big hug. 

"Hi Kuchel! How are you?" His mom ushered them both inside. 

"I'm great, I'm very glad the two of you are here. How's the new place, I know you were supposed to look at it yesterday," She whisked them into the living room where Levi's grandfather sat on a big red leather arm chair. 

"Hello Grandfather," Levi greeted him then he and Eren sat down. 

"The apartment is amazing! I'm very excited to move in. The movers come tomorrow morning which means all of the furniture will finally be moved into the new place and we'll be able to spend our first night there," Eren told her about all their plans. Levi leaned back and propped up a cushion behind his back. 

"I'm glad, that city apartment is perfect for the two of you, it's much closer to the police station too isn't it? That'll be convenient for you Levi," He nodded. 

"Yeah I won't waste an hour on the train to work every morning," He agreed. He shifted his bag and carefully unbuttoned it. He pulled out the picture book and fingered it nervously. He wasn't really sure how to approach his mom with it. He had no reason to be nervous yet here he was. Nervous. 

"Hey mom could I ask you about something?" He asked, starting to open the book. 

"Sure hon," His mom glanced down at it and her expression changed slightly. She kept up her smile but she looked anxious. His grandfather looked a tad nervous as well. Levi flipped through the book until he arrived at his mystery picture. 

"Do you know who this is? I don't recognize him and there's nothing written on the back," He held up the picture for her and her eyes widened. 

"I don't know!" She exclaimed hastily. She cleared her throat. "I've never seen that picture," Her second response was more composed. She smoothed out her skirt. Her hands were shaking slightly. 

"This guy's holding me as a baby, there's no way you'd give your kid to some stranger. Who is this guy?" She swallowed slowly. 

"Levi don't be rude to your mother," His Grandfather piped up. 

"Sorry grandfather, I just cannot believe that you don't know who this is," 

"Levi, I really don't know that man. I swear, now why don't we go eat dinner, before it gets cold," Levi's mom stood up and his grandfather followed close behind. Eren moved to follow them but Levi pulled her back down. 

"Mom?" She turned back around. "Why won't you tell me who he is?"