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“How have you been?”
Kuchel asked Levi as she poured him some wine into one of her ‘fancier’ glasses (which were actually stolen from a fancy restaurant back in New York but she doesn’t talk about that) and put the bottle in between them both.
“I’ve been fine. College is stressful but what did I expect?” Levi huffed out a laugh, picking up his glass to clink with his moms.
“I know I say this all the time,” Kuchel began, “But I’m so proud of you baby.”
Levi smiled at his mother, a real smile. Not one that he does everyday. Even though it is true that his mom does say that she is proud of him more or less everyday, it doesn’t stop the smile that forms on his face. She was proud at the fact that Levi managed to get a scholarship for his dream college.
“Thanks mama.”
“So, “ the sweet look on Kuchel’s face had passed now, “Anything new on the roommate?”
Levi rolled his eyes and drank his wine. He wished he never told his mother about his attractive roommate now. It’s the only thing she would go on about.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me young man,” Kuchel said, grabbing her glass and giving it swirl, “I’m not getting any younger and I want grandbabies before I go to my grave.”
“Morbid much.” Levi deadpanned. Kuchel took a sip of her wine and winked at Levi.
“Come on, spill it.”
Levi sighed and put down his glass,tracing his finger around the bottom of it to avoid his mother’s greedy gaze.
“Eren is fine.” Levi said.
“Just fine?”
“Yeah. What else do you want me to say?” Levi asked.
Kuchel laughed and shook her head, biting at her bottom lip as she stared at her son who was probably unaware that she could see the faint blush on his cheeks. Kuchel had noted a long time ago that Levi would always blush whenever he spoke about Eren, and Kuchel loved to tease him with it.
“When am I going to meet him?” Kuchel asked after a moment, watching as her son looked at her like she asked him to help hide a body.
“W-what? We aren’t that close to each other!” Levi squeaked out, grabbing his glass of wine and taking a long sip out of it.
“You guys aren’t that close but you fell asleep on his shoulder the other night?” Kuchel questioned.
“That was only one-wait, how the hell do you know about that?” Levi couldn’t remember telling his mom about that.
Kuchel grabbed her phone out of her pocket and showed him the picture that Hanji had sent her the night of him doing said thing. Kuchel watched as Levi looked pissed and embarrassed at the same time, but he didn’t move his eyes away from the phone screen. She could’ve sworn she had seen Levi smile the tiniest bit before he handed back her phone to her.
“I’m going to kill Hanji.”
“No you are not.” Kuchel laughed. “But seriously, when are you going to pull that self doubting stick from your ass and ask him out on a date?”
“When pigs start flying.” Levi deadpanned.
“With the way that Hanji is going with their experiments, that might be sooner than you think.”
Levi rolled his eyes and went back to drinking his wine. Kuchel watched him as she sighed. Was it wrong of her to want to see her baby happy? Kuchel knew that Levi hadn’t always been that expressive as a child, even in his teenage years too. But, she wanted Levi to branch himself out more. Make more a statement when he walks into the room, instead of hiding in a corner and waiting for everyone to leave like he usually does.
“Heard anything of Uncle Kenny?” Levi asked. Kuchel groaned and picked up her glass.
“He ended up in jail, again .” Kuchel took a long sip of wine before continuing, “Honestly, that man never fails to amaze me.”
“Well it is the great Kenny Ackerman.” Levi said as he held up his glass in the air, Kuchel leaned forward and clinked her glass with Levi’s. They both shared some small talk for most of the evening.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Levi grumbled to himself. Kuchel looked up from her phone and picked up her third glass of the night.
“What’s wrong?”
“Hanji.”
“Going to need a bit more context, love. They are always annoying you in some way.”
“Can’t pick me up.” Levi answered, then took a long sip of wine. “So they have asked Eren to pick me up instead.”
Kuchel couldn’t help the excited squeal that left her throat as Levi glared at her. How could she not be excited?! she was going to meet the boy that has made her baby so happy!
“Don’t look so happy.” Levi said. “You aren’t meeting him.”
“ What! Why?” Kuchel whined, like a child who has just been told no for the first time. She crossed her arms and pouted, which didn’t faze Levi in the slightest.
“Because I know exactly what you’ll be like. I don’t need you scaring him off.” Levi grabbed at his glass again and started drinking the rest of its content.
Kuchel looked at him and rolled her eyes, she would admit, she was only going to embarrass Levi a little. Maybe show Eren some old baby pictures of Levi? Especially the one of Levi covered in nothing but sand and looking absolutely petrified. It was her favourite. Kuchel undid her arms and filled up her glass with the rest of the wine bottle on the table.
Levi excused himself to use the restroom a few moments after their final conversation. Kuchel had been sitting at the table still when she heard the doorbell go. Now, she could wait for Levi to come back and leave with Eren like he wanted too; no Kuchel interruptions. Or, she could answer the door and meet the boy that her son has been smitten with for the past 6 months. Kuchel didn’t take long to think as she got up from her chair and quickly made her way over to the door, glad that Levi hadn’t actually heard the doorbell go off from upstairs. Kuchel made it to the door, almost letting out a victory cry as she opened it up.
Eren looked exactly like Levi had described. He was a tall guy, the brightest teal eyes she had ever seen before, his hair tied back neatly into a bun with a few strands hanging out and had the biggest, most welcoming smile on his face.
“Oh hi Miss Ackerman.” Eren greeted.
“Hello Eren, “ Kuchel greeted back. “Please call me Kuchel. Do come in.”
Kuchel moved away from the door, giving Eren space to come into her home. Eren quickly walked inside, blowing onto his hands as a weak attempt to get them hot due to the cold weather they had been having recently. Kuchel walked back into the kitchen, happy to see that Levi hadn’t returned yet, and sat back down at the table.
“How are you?” Eren asked.
‘Oh, he’s got manners too.’ Kuchel thought to herself as she grabbed her wine glass.
“I’ve been fine, how about you?”
“Meh, exams and studying do get the best of you, I guess.”
Kuchel laughed as she nodded her head. If she remembers correctly, Levi had explained that he and Eren had stayed up countless nights helping one another study for the various exams that they had coming up.
“What are you studying?” Kuchel asked, pointing over to the seat next to Levi’s empty one, motioning Eren to sit down. Eren complied and took the seat, lifting up the pair of glasses that were almost falling off the tip of his nose. Cute, it was actually quite adorable how Eren portrayed himself to be in front of her.
“I’m an art major.” Eren replied with a smile. Kuchel looked at his hands and noticed the paint stains on them, various colours completely covering up any form of skin on there.
“Ah that’s wonderful.” Kuchel said back with a smile of her own. Eren hummed and looked at the table, instantly the picture in the middle catching his eye. Eren picked up the picture and looked back up at Kuchel.
“Is this Levi?” Eren asked as held up the picture. Kuchel laughed and nodded her head.
It was the picture that she took on Levi’s 1st birthday party. Though Kuchel didn’t have the money back then for the most Extravagant birthday party, so she went to their local park and had Kenny take pictures of her and Levi while they had their picnic, though it wasn’t much, it was still one of her favourite memories that she had created with Levi over the years.
“Yeah, “ Kuchel said as she took the picture into her hand. “That was on his first birthday.”
“I see he still has that glare down to a T.” Eren jokes. Kuchel shook her shoulders, trying to keep her laughing at bay.
“To be honest, I think he came out of the womb with that glare.” Kuchel joked back at Eren. Eren laughed and shook his head.
“He was really cute.” Eren said. “Unlike me, I was a pretty ugly kid.”
“I beg to differ, love.”
“No, really. I didn’t start growing my hair until I was 2. It was a whole ass thing. My mom used to try and make me wear hats also, so my bald head didn’t get cold, however, I would end up coming home from nursery with no hat and drawings on my head.”
Kuchel couldn’t stop the laugh that came out as she listened to Eren’s light hearted story. The boy had some serious social skills, even though he had only met her, she felt a bond with him already.
They spent the next five minutes talking. Eren telling Kuchel about his family, how his parents are both doctors and how his adopted sister moved away to the UK to go to a university there. Kuchel also learned that Eren was a year older than Levi, that he and Levi shared the same taste in music and other activities. Kuchel found herself lost in conversation with Eren, until she heard footsteps coming down on the stairs and huffing Levi following shortly after.
“Mom, “ Levi voice bounced off the walls in the now silent house, “You need to get the guy out for the toilet, again . I just spent like a half hour with my hand in- Eren! ”
Levi had been rambling when he noticed a familiar brunet sat at his dining room table. He shouted Eren’s name, surprised and confused as to why Eren was sitting at the table with his mother.
“You had your hand in me?” Eren playfully asked, wiggling his eyebrows at Levi.
Levi cleared his throat, hoping that not only Eren, but his mother didn’t see the blush on his cheeks when Eren had said such a thing.
However, Kuchel had noticed and was currently dying at how shy Levi got. It was too cute for her to handle as she watched her son stutter over his own words. But, Kuchel did feel a bit bad for Levi who hadn’t even ushered a single coherent word in the minute that he had been standing and gawking at Eren who had looked rather amused by the whole situation.
“Eren turned up when you were busy in the toilet, I wasn’t going to leave the boy out in the cold.”
“A-ah. I see.” Levi managed to get out, still avoiding his mother’s and Eren’s gaze.
“Yeah, sorry to intrude.” Eren apologised. But Kuchel shook her head and waved her hand up in the air.
“No need for that.” Kuchel reassured. “You’ve been a delight to have as company.”
Eren smiled at Kuchel, big and bright. “As have you, Kuchel.”
“Should we head off now?” Levi interrupted. “We’ve got that exam in the morning.”
Eren nodded and got up from his seat, Levi went back over to the table and grabbed his phone as well as his bag. Kuchel got up from her place and followed the two boys to the door. Both Eren and Levi turned to look at Kuchel.
“It was nice meeting you.” Eren offered his hand for a formal handshake, however, Kuchel had another idea.
Kuchel grabbed Eren into a hug, which Eren quickly accepted with no hesitation. Kuchel is a hugger, not a hand shaker. She pulled away and gave Eren a big smile.
“Likewise.” Kuchel said. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?”
“Deal.” Eren laughed out as Levi opened up the door and gave Eren room to exit the home. Eren waved one more time at Kuchel before he left the house and went to his car that was parked up at the end of the street.
Levi turned to Kuchel and before he could even say that he would see soon, she pulled him into a big hug and held him tight. Levi hugged her back, twice as tight. She pulled away and kissed his cheek. Levi looked at with his big silver eyes and grinned at her while she placed another quick kiss on his forehead.
“He’s a keeper, you know?” Kuchel teased. Levi pulled away and groaned, telling his mother that he will call her tomorrow and let her know how his exam went. She hummed her agreement and watched as he went down the stairs, seeing him off to the bottom step and watching as he got into Eren’s car.
She went back into the home, smiling and feeling quite full of herself. Kuchel decided that she was going to get Levi and Eren together, seeing how their personalities fitted into each other’s and how much of a nice guy that Eren was, she couldn’t really stop herself from pulling out her phone and calling Hanji real quick, telling them to get on board with ‘Get Eren and Levi together.’
———-
Levi got into the car with a huff, feeling himself getting a bit more warm now he was in the car, grateful that Eren had turned on the heating before he got in.
Eren started up the engine, but then he turned and looked at Levi with a grin on his face.
“Why are you so happy?” Levi questioned.
Eren shrugged his shoulders and sighed happily.
“I got to meet your mom.” Eren said.
“It was not that exciting.” Levi rolled his eyes and clipped in his seat belt.
“Well I’m sorry.” Eren teased. “I think meeting your partner's parents for the first is an exciting thing.”
Before Levi could give Eren his usual snarky reply, Eren leaned forward and kissed it right off his lips. Levi felt himself melt into the kiss, like he would always do whenever the brunet kissed him.
Eren pulled away and placed a quick kiss to Levi’s nose. Eren started up the car again, starting his drive back to the college where they stay up for another hour or so studying then go to sleep and get ready for the exam in the morning.
“So,” Eren started off. “How long are you going to keep hiding us away from your mother?”
Levi laughed at Eren’s words and grabbed at Eren’s free hand, intertwining their fingers together and bringing up Eren’s knuckle to his mouth and placing a kiss on it.
“Give her a week or so, she’s probably already on the phone with Hanji right now planning something that involves us getting together.”
“Ahhh. We still need to tell Hanji too.”
“True, “ Levi agreed. “How about we pretend to keep pining for each other and get ‘together’ when they think their plan is successful?”
“You are evil, Ackerman.” Eren teased as he glanced over at Levi who only kissed Eren’s knuckle again.
“You still love me.”
“That, “ Eren squeezed Levi’s hand lightly. “I do.”