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Eren had started dating Mikasa a couple months ago, and he was pretty sure these had been the best couple months of his life so far. Well, that was until her dads had found out. All it had taken was one slip up from Eren to his boss, which was him saying "Ackerman? Wow, my girlfriend's last name is Ackerman too!" and then his fate was sealed.
After what had been dubbed 'The Incident' Eren was met with vaguely threatening glares from Levi whenever he entered the café for his shifts, which had now been conspicuously moved to either opening or closing times and he was almost always supervised by Levi as if Eren had lost the skills he'd learnt when he got this job back in high school.
Mikasa had decided that the only way this would stop was if Eren was formally introduced to her dads, which brought them to where they were now, outside her childhood home. Eren had to steel every single one of his nerves once Mikasa rung the doorbell, "Are you sure we can't leave now?" he muttered from his spot huddled behind Mikasa.
"Yes, I'm sure, Eren," Mikasa sighed, fighting the amused smile that tugged her lips, which she knew would only make Eren feel even worse about the situation, "Look, you got along with my papa anyway didn't you?"
"Got along with is a bit of a stretch, but yeah, he tolerated me," Eren nodded, his usually steady hands shaking around the bouquet in his clammy hands. Somehow, Eren - a med student - was practically catatonic when it came to meeting the parents of his partner, he didn't know how yet but, this was definitely Zeke's fault.
"Oh, you're here," Levi's dry voice came from the now open front door and Eren felt himself practically shrink in on himself while he and Mikasa moved into the house.
The inside of the house was nice, homely. The hallway was adorned with pictures of the family, that made it obvious how much love Levi and Erwin held for their kids. The walls were a pale grey and the inside of the front door was a forest green, a clear mix of the personalities in the house. All of which was observed while Eren and Mikasa slipped their shoes off, Mikasa having warned Eren that Levi would hate his guts forever if he didn't and tracked mud into the house.
"These are for you and Mr Smith!" Eren said quickly, wincing at the volume of his own voice and holding the flowers out stiffly. Why did he have to come off so desperate?
"Thanks," Levi's voice carried the same cold tone he'd had with Eren recently but the muscles around his eyes did loosen from their previous scowl. The gesture didn't go unnoticed and Mikasa smiled as she nudged Eren's arm gently.
"So this is where we're all hanging out now?" Erwin's voice drifted from the doorway he leant through, a friendly smile on his lips.
"I told you to keep an eye on the sauce." Levi frowned, finally taking the flowers from Eren.
"Oh it can wait a minute or two," Erwin waved his hand dismissively and Levi let out a yelp-like sound before he shoved the flowers into his husband's arms and rushed to the kitchen.
"Works like a charm," Erwin winked and Eren felt just a bit of tension drain from his body.
"What's he making?" Mikasa questioned as Erwin led the way into the living room and Eren stayed hot on Mikasa's heels
"The pasta you obsessed over when you were little," Erwin's smile grew imperceptibly while he took a seat on one end of the- woah big sofa. Definitely not cheap was all Eren's mind could oh so helpfully provide.
The living room was taken up mainly by a large black L-shaped sofa, that would never be able to fit into Eren's pitiful dorm, and opposite that was a huge flat screen TV that looked like it cost Eren's weight in cold. Mikasa had to drag Eren to sit down next to her since he was barely able to restrain his gawping. And wow Eren could practically feel how soft the rug was under his socked feet. He was just about to spiral into a self induced poor pity parade when the sound of Erwin clearing his throat snapped him out of, and from the look on Erwin's face the silent spiral hadn't done him anu favours in entering the good graces of parents.
"Sorry, sorry, what was that? I was miles away," Eren smiled sheepishly and ducked his head slightly.
"I was just asking what you're studying," Erwin raised a singular brow.
"Oh, I'm a med student. I plan to be a doctor." Eren nodded.
"A noble pursuit, truly," Erwin smiled, genuinely it seemed, "Now, I was wondering-"
"Dinner's ready!" Levi really had impeccable timing, Eren was not at all prepared to enter an awkward in depth conversation with Erwin.
"So, how are Armin and Historia at that camp thing?" and that was why Eren was sure he loved Mikasa, she wasn't letting her parents ambush him and Eren would forever kiss the ground she walked on.
"They're having fun from what I can gather," Erwin smiled, "Apparently Historia and Ymir have become the goddess counsellors at the camp," he chuckled. Oh how Eren envied Ymir. Mikasa had told him that Ymir and Historia had been childhood friends and only started dating a year ago and Ymir had instantly received the seal of approval from both dads. What he wouldn't give to be like Ymir.
Levi just hummed from where he stood laying out the last couple of plates and Eren felt his heart drop to his ass when he realised he was sat between Levi and Mikasa with Erwin opposite him at the circular table. At least they were spaced out, considering the table usually seated five and there were only four currently. It did make Eren wonder what happened at holidays, surely extended family came over and they couldn't all sit at this table. Eren forcefully shook his head, now wasn't the time to wonder about the semantics of holiday meals.
"Anyways, as I was about to say, Eren, I was wondering where you're from? I mean, from what I hear, you started working at Levi's in high school but you didn't meet Mikasa until recently, I'm curious," Erwin said conversationally as he wrapped pasta deftly around his fork.
"Oh, uh, well, I'm from a kinda small town near the mountains," Eren swallowed, the pasta around Erwin's fork might as well be Eren's brain with how much it was blanking, "But, I moved here a couple years before high school to live with my brother," he looked down at his own pasta as he slowly pulled some onto his fork.
"I see," Erwin mused, shooting a glance to Levi and Eren would be eternally grateful for the tiny head shake that came the Ackerman man.
"So, Mikasa, how are your classes?" and just like that; the subject was dropped and the atmosphere thawed into a far more relaxed one.
The plates had been long cleared (and dutifully placed in the sink by none other than Levi) when the group moved into the living room behind Erwin who was excitedly recounting a tale from his own university days. Once they were on the sofa, Eren felt the full effect of the three glasses of wine he'd had with dinner, he really was a lightweight compared to Mikasa who'd had five and showed no signs of inebriation apart from the slightest flush to her cheeks. Eren fwlt like his head was filled with cottonb as he stifled a yawn and leant his head against Mikasa's shoulder.
"Why don't you two stay the night? Neither of you should be driving and it's no bother," Levi spoke up when Erwin had finished speaking - the punchline of his story being "and that's how Nile was accused of treason because of a python," clearly Erwin had a similar tolerance to Eren.
"Are you sure? We don't want to be a bother," Mikasa frowned.
"You're fine, Gremlin. It's not like those two are going to even remember this conversation," Levi shook his head at his husband and Eren respectively.
"Yeah, okay then." Eren hardly realised he'd moved until he was in Mikasa's childhood room, looking around at all of the posters past Mikasa had put up.
"You liked My Chemical Romance a lot," Eren slurred, more from grogginess than alcohol, while Mikasa guided him gently to her bed to lay down.
"Yeah, I did, you can tease in the morning," she smiled softly.
Waking up wasn't as bad as it could've been by any account. Eren's head barely hurt and he vaguely remembered being in Mikasa's room so the location wasn't too big of a shock. He yawned quietly as he dragged himself up and left the room, the sound of a shower tipping him off to where Mikasa was, and reluctantly made his way downstairs to where Erwin was in the kitchen and hunched over a cup of coffee.
"Good morning, Eren," Erwin was surprisingly chipper, raising his mug to Eren in greeting.
"Morning, Mr Smith." Eren nodded.
"Look, Eren, usually I wouldn't say this but I like you." Erwin sighed, looking down into his coffee, "You're a good kid and you make Mikasa happy so you have my approval at least," the man looked pained to admit it.
"That hurt you, didn't it?" Eren smirked slightly, shuffling to sit at the breakfast bar.
"Yeah, it did, but really... You're good. Better than that Annie girl at least." Eren felt a thrill at being compared to Mikasa's ex and being determined the better one, it filled him with a morbid pride he'd never admit to. "I don't thin Levi will say it in so many words but, I think he approves too so you can relax a bit."
The morning moved slowly after that, Erwin insisted Mikasa and Eren stay for breakfast with Levi their begrudging chef after he showered from his morning run. The breakfast had been good and Erwin had been right to tell Eren to relax, he was actually able to converse with Erwin this time although Levi was still a mystery.
It was only when he was tying his shoes and Mikasa was waiting by the front door that Levi properly spoke, low enough that only Eren heard. "You've worked at my café for almost six years and you've been dependable. Just be the same for Mikasa, okay?" there was a pause, in which Eren stayed hunched over his laces and Levi awkwardly hovered, "And I guess I'm proud of you, bye," and like that Levi was gone into kitchen and Eren walked with Mikasa to the car in a stupor.
He only breathed out once he was sat in the passenger seat and Mikasa had started the car, "They liked me?"
"So, you approve too?" Erwin smirked, leaning against the counter next to the sink where Levi was washing up.
"Yeah, how could I not? I've been the brat's boss for half a decade, he's an annoyingly good kid." Levi huffed, making sure not to scrub the plate in his hands harder, "Besides, he was obviously terrified about this."
"Hah! Yeah, he was."
"You're cruel."
"I am."
And if Eren was the last partner that got instant approval, that was for Levi and Erwin to know and for Jean to find out.