The plates had been rearranged at least a dozen times and the forks inspected another dozen. Levi had no idea why the hell he felt that way and it especially didnt help that Eren sat at the head of the table staring at him with squinted eyes, as if waiting for him to fuck up something or do something embarrassing.

“Why the hell are you staring at that fork again?”

“None of your concerns,” Levi bit back.

“What? Nervous? Are you finally realizing how much you're in love?” Eren asked and Levi couldnt tell if the lad was too smart for his own good although stupid in nearly all else or if he was just spewing shit like usual. Nevertheless, Levi ignored him as he awaited the other three to make their way down.

Mike happened to arrive first, weirdly sniffing Levi as he had done when he arrived and that, no doubtedly, made Levi just a bit nervous. Why the hell was everything seeming so different compared to the first time they met a bit over a month ago? He wasn't used to changes as such and they were a bit frightening.

“Why the hell did you just smell me?” Levi asked, squinting his eyes at Mike who was smirking to himself with a grin.

“You smell a bit confused. Like if you aren't sure about something, or someone. Emotions?”

Levi swore he would purposely pass out if he could. Why was everyone assuming things about him that he wasn't even sure he could answer? Was he so obviously distraught or was it a skill people from the civilized world obtained over years and that he didn't manage to get? Either way, he was about to start bouncing off walls if they kept asking him questions as such.

“No. I guess I'm just not used to having so many people here.”

A nod of the head and a chair pulled out to be seated on, Mike joined Eren at the table, dropping the topic with Levi, where they got into a casual conversation of lord knows what but eventually, they were soon bickering loud enough for Levi to listen whether he wanted to or not. Besides, what else was he supposed to do as he waited for Mikasa and Erwin to come down?

“-very important to learn,” Mike said seriously.

“It's not! It isn't useful for anything! We don't even use it in everyday lives!”

“You do. You use it everywhere without notice!”

Eren was obviously upset at that answer, crossing his arms as he looked at Levi who watched them silently and completely lost but immersed.

“What about him?!” Eren yelled, pointing at Levi. “I'm pretty sure he doesn't know how to do math and he's lived way too long perfectly fine!”

Oh. That's what they were arguing about and boy Levi was amused now.

“Jokes on you. I actually did have a tutor and math was my best subject, surprisingly.”

A series of frustrated grumbles exited the boy's mouth, his arms being thrown up in defeat as he had no room for argument in a house filled with academically smart people. Sometimes he wondered what it'd be like if he had inherited some form of mental smartness but no, he was left as the only one in his friend group without that type of intelligence and only the continuous hunger for brawls and arguments.

But by the grace of whatever deity had blessed him, Erwin and Mikasa walked down the stairs, interrupting whatever Eren wanted to say upon realizing his defeat against the intellects. And though he thought he wasn't going back to the topic, he couldn't help but to ask one final opinion from his sister.

“Mikasa! You've come to rescue me!” Eren yelled joyously. He’d be able to win whatever battle as long as his sister was there to back him up. “Tell them math isn't necessary in life!”

“It is necessary,” Mikasa responded simply, unaware of the crisis at hand.

Boisterous laughter reverberated and Levi couldn’t help but snicker silently at the boy who looked as if he had just found out his life had been a lie and in a way, it had. The one person he had depended on to save him had just shot him down and that was a pain.

“What's going on?” Erwin asked, mainly directed at Levi, as he took a seat beside him.

The laughter Mike and him had shared along with the previous comments from Eren and Mike about his apparently obvious panic over Erwin had set him at a bit of ease, relaxing his body and he was now able to look at the blond as if he hadn't been manhandling the cutlery like hell as a distraction.

“Jäger believes there's no need for math so Mikasa also disagreeing with him made it amusing.” Erwin smiled lightly, unable to laugh out loud due to not having been present since the beginning but it was fine, there'd be more opportunities to laugh boisterously. “Well, seems like everyone is here. Everyone can start eating now.” Levi announced, leaning back to watch them begin.

Without disbelief, it was almost expected to see Eren dig in immediately, shamelessly filling his plate. It was almost a surprise he had managed to wait for everyone. At least he had some form of manners albeit not that many.

With light banter, the four guests chattering away, Eren consuming rapidly as if that'd be the last time he'd eat, and Levi mostly watching them happily as he more or less picked at his own food, it was a pleasant time. He had been doing good with eating and he even appeared to look much more lively, something that he hadn't looked in a while.

“I made cake, if that's what you guys like,” Levi announced, his voice nearly drowned out with Eren’s loud laugh at whatever Mike had been saying.

The noise died down instantly and Eren, who usually seemed arrogant and disrespectful, perked up cheerily, clapping his hands as if he were a child.

“Oh yes! There's always room for cake!”

So without further adieu, the cake was brought out as the chatter started up again.

Levi could bask in their presence forever. He had never grown up with guests or friends over so them all together was such a happy emotion. Levi could feel joy radiate within, his eyes glistening cheerily as he mainly listened instead of talked. There was no need for words when he could simply listen intently to the ones that he never knew he would enjoy so much.

Stories upon stories and even as they moved from sitting to cleaning to the living room, the chatter never died down as if it were something they always did. Even Eren who seemed annoying as fuck was not to bad to be around.

That would definitely be a night to remember in Levi’s book.

It was until it began getting late where they departed, bidding their goodnights as they entered their own rooms. Levi entered his room last, watching happily as they all went in and it was then where he was sure that he'd have difficulty sleeping. It was when he was just about to close his door that he heard one open, resulting in him sticking his head back out to see who it was.

Erwin.

“Need something?” Levi asked, a smile on his face as Erwin stood there a bit awkwardly.

“I just wanted to thank you for everything and say that it was a really lovely evening,” Erwin responded, still standing partially in and out of his room. “We’ll be leaving early tomorrow to get a head start as well as leave enough time for you and Mikasa to bond.”

Levi nodded, unsure if he was supposed to respond to the first part of the statement or not but decided to leave it be, instead responding to the second part.

“I'll be up. I'll be seeing you guys off so have a good sleep and rest well.”

“You too,” Erwin bidded, their eyes locking for a second before they had to tear away.

It would be too much to handle if they had remained that contact for a longer time and Levi had just hardly managed to act normal earlier that evening. He didn’t want to have that feeling again.

Both went into their rooms and suddenly, both had the overwhelming feeling of wanting to sleep in the way they had done at Erwin’s house. Together in one bed comfortably. Well, in Erwin’s case, comfortably but in a castle with more than enough rooms that wouldn't be possible especially with Levi still a panicked mess once his thoughts intruded and Erwin already comfortable with the fact that he found Levi absolutely endearing.

Only time would tell if they ever got to do that again in their lives or if it was a one time thing they would never experience again.

._._.

“This feels so damn domestic,” Levi commented early the next day as he watched his guests leave. “Feels as if they are the providers of the home and we’re stuck here being the wives or whatever the hell the lifestyle was long ago.”

Mikasa laughed quietly, the two watching the three head off into the woods where they would hopefully bring some form of meat for them to roast later on that evening. Even if it was small, such as a type of bird, it'd be perfectly fine.

The two were now left alone to do family shit and bond as meant to be.

“There isn't much for us to talk about. Our family was very small and I've heard all about them from my dad when he was still alive,” Mikasa commented, heading towards the kitchen where she took a seat on the counter. “Why don't you show me how to bake that cake we ate last night?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

With nothing else to do but have small chat over random things and bake, Levi pulled out the ingredients necessary and they set off on their baking journey. As long as Mikasa didn't somehow manage to burn down the house, it'd be okay considering Levi trusted himself in his own kitchen.