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“Disgusting…” Levi muses to himself as he enters his modest apartment to find the floor littered with an assortment of items, from toys cars to plastic bags. It seems the little shits spared no expense during their ‘play time’ today.
“Mama, you’re home!” A young and very irritating voice called out, followed by the sound of toddling feet and eventually a young 5-year-old boy.
“Call me ‘mama’ again and I’ll chop off your tongue,” Levi muttered under his breath as he hesitantly embraced the small child. Soon, two more young children followed suit and were all demanding attention from Levi, a blond boy and a raven-haired girl. Levi only laid claim to Eren and Mikasa; Armin was another’s responsibility.
“You’re home ‘mama’,” another voice-way too deep to be associated with a child-filled the apartment and caused Levi to straighten.
“Erwin, did you tell them to call me mama?” He asked as he made his way to the side-room where the kitchen was located, having identified the voice’s location. Three pairs of feet scurried around him as the children began to play with each other.
A soft chuckling eased from the kitchen where Erwin stood, peeling potatoes and grinning. “Perhaps,” The tall blond spared a glance sideways at the exhausted Levi and cracked a smile. He looked horrid after a long day of work. He had such a demanding job… Erwin secretly feared for the shorter man’s health, but knew Levi was no idiot.
“You’re a shithead, you know that?” Levi lifted himself onto the counter beside his lover and sighed in discontent, leaning back on the wall. He closed his eyes and could almost feel his smaller-than-average body melt against the cool surface.
“Big day?” Erwin’s voice asked. The pitter-patter of feet faded slightly as the three youngsters ran out of the kitchen and into the living room to play.
Levi opened an eye and glared at the tall blond. “The fuck do you think? Of course it was a big day,” he replied gruffly, turning back to the way his head was positioned before.
“You need to stop with the coarse language mama,” Erwin specifically emphasized the word ‘mama’ to elicit a reaction from Levi. It wasn’t going to happen.
“Try having the day I’ve had,” Levi huffed as he jumped back down to the ground. He was beginning to slip from the counter anyway, and was feeling rather uncomfortable. “What’s for dinner?”
“I’m thinking a goulash with gnocchi, sounds good?” Erwin asked, though he already had his mind set.
There was no objection, only a small amount of silence before Levi muttered “Does Armin eat that sort of thing?”
“Yes,” Erwin responded over his shoulders, finishing up with grating the last potato. He looked to be doing it so effortlessly, however it was a tiring activity.
Levi leaned his weary body against the arch of the entrance to the kitchen and released a small sigh. “Then it’s fine. Mikasa and Eren love anything with meat in it, so-“
“It’s always about them, isn’t it?” The blond interrupted, though it was out of rudeness rather than a curiosity, “I mean, everything you do is for your kids. It’s really sweet, even though you act as if you don’t care for them at all.”
“Shut up Papa, otherwise I won’t let you bring your brat around here anymore,” Levi huffed. Erwin noticed that he didn’t deny it.
“Armin gets along well with your ‘brats’ though,” Erwin stated as he washed the potato juice from his large calloused hands, drying them before making his way to Levi. Leaning down and wrapping his arms around the short male’s waist, he hummed “What if they turned out like us?”
“Why should that matter?” Levi snapped suddenly, trying to break free of the taller male’s grip. It was pointless, so he sighed again and asked “why do you ask?”
“No reason,” Erwin shrugged. It was a blatant lie. Erwin had been watching the interactions between Eren and Armin, and although they were like brothers, he couldn’t help but admit how adorable they were together. The way Eren dressed Armin up in Mikasa’s dresses that she never wears, throws a towel over his head and pretends he is his bride makes Erwin chuckle every time. Mikasa always plays the best man.
Erwin knew he was lucky. He had such a beautiful family. Despite not being his biological children, Eren and Mikasa still cared for him like they were family. Armin accepted the two other children into his life easily; a lot easier than Levi had accepted Erwin into his. “Do you want me to come around tomorrow?” Erwin’s voice was a lot more hushed.
“I don’t have work tomorrow though,” Levi said indignantly, “I can take care of Mikasa and Eren myself,”
“That isn’t why I want to visit you,” Erwin’s voice was lower now, a seductive growl in Levi’s ears.
Levi wasn’t blind to romantic advances. “Oh,” he said, ignoring the bit of excitement he felt. “What time?
“Nap time sounds good, since they’ll be sleeping,” Erwin said, “You’ll just have to keep the noises down,”
“You’re one to talk…” Levi grumbled before one of the youngsters ran in.
“Mama! Papa! What’s for dinner?” Eren flashed his grin, so large and typical of the ball-of-energy child.
“Shit on a stick,” Levi replied snarkily.
“Really?” Eren asked, completely missing the sarcasm in Levi’s voice.
“No, Goulash,” Erwin corrected, releasing his arms from Levi. He noticed the smaller man give a subtle shiver and tense slightly, but that was it.
“Ew, that sounds worse…” Eren remarked, beginning to make gagging noises before elaborating, “Like something a ghost would vomit,”
“Eren…” Levi narrowed his already thin eyes at his child, who began to tremble.
Erwin’s son, however, came to the rescue. “Eren, why don’t we play cars?” He suggested, tugging on the other boy’s sleeve to pull him away.
“…” Mikasa stayed silent as she followed Eren around.
“Mikasa is very quiet isn’t she?” Erwin mused, earning a grunt of recognition from his lover. “Maybe you can learn something from her ability to keep her noises to herself,”
“Shut up,” Levi hissed, loud enough that Erwin would hear but not so loud that the kids would hear them bickering. He then replied with a suggestive “I know you like the sounds I make,”
“Indeed,” Erwin didn’t try to deny it. He did love the sounds Levi made in bed. He loved everything about Levi actually. Though he didn’t know it, the shorter male had a stark beauty. He was like a sculpture, perfect in the way his face and hair were sculpted. Erwin loved the way Levi had to pull up a chair if he wanted to kiss him. He loved his short, toned body being held against him. He loved Levi…
Erwin knew he didn’t show it enough. Levi needed the extra attention. He wasn’t like an ordinary person, who felt and gave love. Levi had no understanding of love before he adopted his children, it seemed. He learned through them, a child’s perspective of love. Though he was too proud to admit it, Levi wanted the same level of affection as a child should receive. He just wasn’t vocal about it.
“Are you feeling alright?” Erwin asked when Levi didn’t relax. His shoulders were still bunched up and his usual frown was more apparent.
“Big day,” was all he said. Erwin sighed to himself before returning his arms to his lover’s waist, placing several soft kisses on the shorter male’s cheek. Levi’s arms threaded their ways around Erwin’s neck, bringing his face closer so that their mouths could connect.
“Uh…” Armin interrupted the lovers sheepishly, toddling over to Levi and tugging on the hem of his shirt. Erwin wanted to groan in annoyance, but knew better than to act so childish, so he released his hold on Levi and allowed the smaller male to crouch down to Armin’s height.
“Yes Armin, what is it?” Levi asked, as dead-faced as ever.
“May I call you mama too?” Erwin’s son blushed and smiled sweetly at the darker-haired man crouching before him.
“…” Levi was silent. Erwin held his breath. “Yes,”
“Yay!” Armin grinned, throwing his arms around Levi in a spontaneous hug. Erwin smiled to himself, watching his lover hesitantly wrap his arms around the tiny blond. “I love you mama!”
“I love mama more!” Eren chipped in, jumping onto Levi’s back and causing several profanities to leak from the short male’s mouth.
“Love you…” Mikasa made her way to the group and carefully wrapped her arms around the last bit of Levi that was left to hug.
“I… I love you all too,” Levi admitted quietly, so quiet that everyone gathered around could barely hear it.
“Even me?” Erwin asked jokingly as he joined the group on the ground.
Levi turned his face and pressed his lips gently to Erwin’s chin before saying “Even you papa,”
Erwin knew that he meant it. He was the luckiest man in the world, with the best family in the world. He wouldn’t want it any other way.