Work Text:
Getting ready for school!
“Connie!” You shouted jamming the cotton material his way . “Put it on!”
“No!” He slapped your hands away.
“Connie, honey, please you have to wear the hat. It’s cold outside, You can take it off as soon as we get to the school. Do it for mommy.”
Connie turned away from you and crossed his arms.
“No, I don’t wanna.” He pouted.
You sighed and ran your hands over your face for the millionth time that day.Today was a big day. This was the day all seven of your boys were starting school for the first time. They were all enrolling Shiganshina elementary.Of course you were a nervous wreck, this was the first time in a LONG time you would be apart from them for more than a couple of hours. People might say you were too attached to your boys, but you didn’t care. You almost always craved their company, so much that you kept them out of preschool just so you could prolong that company you so desperately craved.
But you couldn’t stall any longer. The boys were getting to the age where they needed to learn more about the world, and interact with other kids their age. So today they start Kindergarten.
That was fine with you though,you were prepared to let them go.
The problem was getting them prepared to go.
“Momma! Momma!” A voice chanted from behind.
You turn around to find a freckled face boy, waddling towards you clutching a single shoe close to his body.
“Yes, baby.” You say giving him your full attention.
“I can’t find my other shoe.” He states waving the other in your face.
“Where was the last place you had them, Marco?” You asked.
“The bathroom.” He answered without a beat.
“Did you check the bathroom?”
“No.”
“Why, not?” You questioned with a confused look.
“You always say when you lose something it’s always somewhere you least expect,
So I checked every place but the bathroom.” He explains looking proud of himself.
You stared at him for a moment then laughed, gently maneuvering him in the direction of the bathroom.
“Maybe you should just check there instead.” You suggested after your giggles subsided.
He smiled and ran down the hall.
“Okay,mommy!” He shouted as he went.
You smile and turn around with Connie’s cap in your hand prepared to wrestle him down and force the cap on his head, only to find that he had gone.
You throw your hands in the air exasperatedly. “Really,Connie?” You call voice ringing throughout the house. “You know I’m gonna find you, you can’t hide forever.”
You rounded the corner in the hallway making your way up the stairs. You climbed three steps before you heard a crash come from the kitchen.
“Uh-oh.” A soft voice said.
You cursed quietly and change your course, heading to the kitchen.
Once you’re in the kitchen, you see Bertolt standing in the middle of the kitchen, surrounded by orange juice and broken glass, holding a plastic cup in both of his tiny hands. You realized he must have broken the glass pitcher that held the orange juice.
Bertolt moves his big green eyes to make contact with your (e/c) eyes.
“Sorry momma, I got thirsty.” He mumbled looking down.
You shake your head at him, moving to pick him up and sat him gently on the counter.
“It’s ok Bertl, just ask me next time,okay?” You smoothed out his sweater and took the cup from his hands pouring him some apple juice instead.
“I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” You finish, handing him the cup.
He nodded taking the cup in both of his hands as he took small sips.
You smiled and started on cleaning the kitchen. You had just finished up mopping,when you heard the sound of tiny feet running past the kitchen doorway. You were ignoring it, until those tiny feet made their way into the kitchen.
Panicked you yelled out to the incoming children.
“No don’t! The floor’s-”
You were cut off by two boys groaning in pain.
“Slippery.” You finished.
Reiner and Eren lay sprawled on the floor.Eren didn’t look nearly as hurt as Reiner did but the reason for that is: Reiner wasn’t wearing a shirt.
You helped Reiner and Eren up off the floor, moving them out of the wet soapy spot you created with the mop.
“Why are you two chasing eachother around?” You scowled.
“Eren stole my monster truck T-shirt!” Reiner said pointing and accusing finger at Eren.
“I did not!”
“Did too!”
“Did not!”
“Did too!”
“Enough!” You said sternly cutting both of them off.
They both quieted immediately.
“Reiner, honey,” You said softly. ”Why don’t you just put on a different shirt?”
Reiner pouted. “But I want the one with the monster truck on it. It’s the best one.”
Bertolt looked up from his apple juice and nodded. “That shirt is really cool.”
Reiner whirled around and glared at Bertolt.
“Did you take it?” He asked angrily.
Bertolt shook his head fiercely and went back to sipping his apple juice.
“Why don’t you put on the dinosaur T-shirt, that one’s pretty cool.” You said ruffling his hair.
Reiner grumbled “Okay.”
“Good.” You said grinning at him, gently slapping his bum as he left the kitchen.
“Get a move on.”
You turned to face the turquoise-colored eyed boy, who was trying to slip out along with Reiner.
You placed your hands on your hips. “Hold it right there,young man.”
Eren’s shoulders tensed as he turned around to face his mother.
“Mom!” He whined. “I already told you, I didn’t take his shirt.”
You narrowed your eyes. “You know that’s not what I want ,now come here.”
You commanded pointing to the ground in front of you.
Eren trudges towards you,eyes glued to the floor. Once he’s in front of you
he stops his eyes still not meeting yours.
“Did you brush your teeth?”
Nod.
“Really?”
Nod.
You kneel down, your face inches from his.
“Let me smell.”
Eren shakes his head lightly.
“Open.” You commanded.
Eren’s eyes darted from right to left as he hesitantly opened his mouth.
You leaned in and sniffed his breath, instantly recoiling away from him covering your nose.
Briskly standing up, you pointed in the direction of the bathroom.
“Go.Now.”
He grumbled a complaint and turned stalking out of the kitchen.
You turn around to see Bertolt, helping himself off of the counter,wiggling his tiny little feet backwards in an effort to get down.
Once he does he darts out of the kitchen with a faint ‘Thanks mom.’
You sigh, pick up Connie’s cap and continue your search for him.
You made your way through the living-room giving it a quick once over and finally heading up the stairs.
You glance around, trying to decide which room to check first.
After contemplating for a while you make your way into the boys’ room.
Once you enter you immediately recognize a small figure under the covers on the bottom bunk of one of the bunk beds.
You tip-toe silently up to the small figure, you recognize to be a child, trying not to scare it away.
When you’re just a short distance away, You yank the comforter away revealing, not Connie but Jean.
“Jean, what are you doing in bed, why aren’t you dressed for school?” You ask noticing he was still in his cowboy pajamas.
“I’m not going to school.” He states crossing his arms.
You breathe heavily through your nose in frustration and turned around facing the door preparing to leave.
“Jean, I don’t have time for this, your brother is already giving me a hard time, so just put on your clothes and-”
A sob broke through the air making you stop mid sentence.
You turn back to Jean in surprise. To see him covering his face while sniffing.
You walk back over to the bed and sit on the edge, although it was kinda hard as you awkwardly bent your neck so you wouldn’t hit the railing on the top bunk.
“Jean, are you crying?” You asked even though you already knew the answer.
Jean wiped his eyes almost violently.
“No.” He said even as tears continuously fell from his eyes.
Jean kept up his feeble attempt to stop tears from falling, but eventually gave up, threw his arms around your waist and buried his face in your stomach as he sobbed uncontrollably.
Before you could question his actions he cried out even louder startling you.
“Please don’t take me, mommy, I don’t wanna leave you!”
Your mouth dropped open in shock, because you expected this from at least one of your boys today- Just not Jean
“Oh sweetie,” You said sadly holding him closely to you. “I don’t want you to go either or your brothers, But I’ve kept you kids out of school for as long as I could. You need to go so you can get an education make new friends, and experience new things. It’s important.”
“But I’m not ready to go.” He says his face still buried in your stomach soaking your blouse with his tears.
You shushed him softly, stroking his back.
“Mommy’s not ready for you to go either.” You said as tears gathered in your eyes.
You inhaled sharply and wiped your eyes, pulling Jean up to look at your face.
“But Mommy needs you to be strong.” You said taking his hands in yours and squeezing them lightly. “And mommy will be strong too.”
Jean sniffed and nodded, pulling himself together. “Okay, momma.”
“Good,” You said kissing his forehead ushering him off of your lap. “Now let’s get you dressed.”
He nodded once more and as the two of you moved to get dressed a familiar piece of fabric caught your eye.
“Jean, why do you have Reiner’s monster truck T-shirt?”
Jean looked at you with a grin tears long forgotten.
“It’s a really cool shirt.”
You were about to give him lecture on stealing when you suddenly got an idea.
“It is a cool shirt, isn't it?”
____________________________________
Connie moved from his hiding place, realizing that escaping form his mom had been a success,
But now he had to go. Like really go.
He had been holding in his urine for WAY too long and he knew better than to do that, his mommy taught him that.
So he passed through the kitchen making his way towards the guest bathroom located down stairs, making sure to be extra stealthy in-case his mom was around.
He was hurrying through the living-room when, he saw a certain shirt on the coffee table.
Connie stopped dead in his tracks and took a moment to study the shirt and immediately recognized it as Reiner's monster truck T-shirt.
He REALLY liked that shirt, they all did. And who wouldn't?
It was a pretty awesome shirt.
Grinning deviously,Connie reached for the shirt only to be yanked back into his mother's warm chest.
"Gotcha." You said smiling.
Connie gasped and started to struggle, while you tried putting the hat on him.
"Stop squirming." You commanded as you pinned him down and forced on the hat.
You smiled victoriously when you got it on and patted Connie's head as he pouted.
"You can take it off when you get to school, honey."
_____________________________________________
"Okay," You said walking to the front door with your kids following behind you. You stopped suddenly and turned around.
"Is everybody ready to go?" You asked.
They all nodded.
"Kay,let's see here..." You started as you pointed to your children.
"Eren, Bertolt, Marco, Armin-" You stopped abruptly as you realized Armin wasn't there.
You were about to ask the kids where he was but you were cut off by the sound of the t.v being turned on in the living-room.
"Stay here." You commanded them.
You entered the living-room to find Armin sitting on the couch looking glum.
'Well at least he's dressed' You thought
"Armin, it's time to go to school." You said.
"I don't wanna go like this." He responded
"Like what,baby?"
He pointed to his hair.
"Like this, it makes me look like a girl."
You moved to sit down next to him and stroked his hair.
"Armin,there's nothing wrong with your hair."
"It's not a hair-cut for a boy." He pouted.
"You never said anything before, why now?" You questioned.
His bottom lip quivered.
"I don't want the kids at school to make fun of me."
"Sweet-face, no one is gonna make fun of you." You reassured rubbing his back in a comforting manner. "You're going to make tons of friends and even if you don't you still got your brothers, right?"
His blue eyes still wavered as he mumbled. "I guess so."
You thought for a while before you finally spoke. "Okay how about this; You go to school like this today and if you decide you still don't like your hair when you come home, I will take you to a barber-shop and we will have someone cut it."
He took a moment before he answered, but what you said seem to satisfy him, so he grinned and answered: "Deal."
"Perfect," You responded standing up.
"Let's go to school." You grabbed his hand and joined everyone in front.
"Alright, is everybody ready now?"
____________________________________________
The class looked how you expected it to look, a floor littered with various amounts of toys. while the wall contained numbers, letters and shapes all different colors. There were also a fair amount of posters on the wall, with motto's like 'Be yourself.'
The few children that were there were scattered about in the room.
Yep, just how you expected.
The teacher however was not.
"Hello students." She practically singed as she approached You and the kids. "My name is Ms. Hange, Welcome to my class!"
You looked at the boys expectantly.
"What do you say boys?"
They all looked at Ms. Hange.
"Good morning, Ms Hange." They say simultaneously.
"Oh, my," She gasped "Are all these boys yours?"
"Oh,um yes." You respond blushing.
"Oh my goodness you must be a mess down there."
All the color drained from your face, as the boys all turned and gave you questioning looks.
"What's she talking about,momma?" Marco asked.
"Nothing, baby." You said quickly, then turned to Ms. Hange.
"I assure all of my parts are fine, but if you could please refrain from any of that talk in front of the children." You said the last part quite hushed.
Ms. Hange nods in understanding "Right, we'll save that lesson for another day, perhaps next week."
Your jaw dropped open in surprise. "That's not exactly-"
She cut you off as she turned to the rest of the class and clapped.
"Everyone we have new students , please treat them as if you would wanted to be treated."
"Yes Ms. Hange." They responded.
She turned to you with a smile. "You may take a moment to say goodbye, if you wish."
You nodded softly turned to look at your boys.
Only to find them gone.
Then you hear children's laughter in the other direction.
You snap your head in that direction and see your boys.
Armin, Eren and Jean were siting at a table coloring with a girl who had long black hair and a scarf.
Bertolt and Reiner were playing shapes with a girl who had short blonde hair.
Marco and Connie were sitting with a boy with short blonde hair (similar to Reiner's)
and a girl with a long brown hair pulled into a ponytail.
They were all interacting with other kids, and it made you proud yet sad at the same time.
Deciding not to bother them you tried to make a quick exit
You said a quick goodbye to Hange and turned around to leave.
But as you turned the hand-knob, you felt someone tugging at your pant leg.
You turn around and see all of your boys standing there expectantly.
"Momma, where are you going?" Bertolt asked meekly.
"Yeah, You can't just leave without saying anything!" Connie complained.
"What about our good-bye kisses?" Armin added.
You stared at your kids in surprise for a moment before you smiled, that heart-warming smiled they all loved to see on your face.
You reached your arms down and picked them up one by one and kissed them each gently on the cheek as you fought to keep tears from falling out of your eyes.
"Okay," you said after you kissed the last child (Eren) and set him on the ground.
"Mommy will be back in a little while, be good for Ms. Hange."
"Bye, momma!" They chanted as they retreated back to their spots in the classroom.
Before Eren could go you grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him back to you kneeling down so you could whisper in his ear.
"If Ms. Hange does anything out of the ordinary, grab your brothers and run."
You said only half-jokingly.
Eren giggled and hugged you once more before letting you go and running over to his original spot in the room.
"Bye,momma." he said as he left you.
You smiled and got up exiting the classroom.