Twenty minutes after breakfast has ended.

Twenty minutes after everyone but three people left the dining hall.

Twenty minutes since Mikasa sat down opposite of Levi.

Twenty minutes of intense silence.

Eren couldn't take it.

"Are you two just gonna glare at each other? Can't you just... I don't know, forget it? Or at least let me not be a part of this?" Eren whined, his head resting on the top of the table. He was still sick and hungover and they weren't helping.

Both Levi and Mikasa looked down at the brown mess of hair spread across the table. Mikasa's face formed into a worried expression. She wanted to help her brother out of his obvious suffering, but she didn't have the means to. Levi on the other hand looked at him impassively for a few seconds before standing up, handing the leash to Mikasa and walking off in the direction of the kitchen.

Mikasa stared after him in confusion, holding the piece of leather attached to her brother's neck awkwardly.

Eren didn't even notice his boyfriend left. He just winced at the high-pitched squeak that was followed by Sasha running at full speed out of the kitchen and through the dining room.

He only moved a few minutes later, when he heard something gently hit the table right next to his head. He carefully opened one eye to look at what it was and was met with a mug filled with something hot enough to form a steam. "Huh?"

"Coffee," Levi explained simply as he sat back down next to Eren. "It should help a little; if nothing, at least it will wake you up."

With inhuman effort Eren lifted his head only to be hit with the unmistakable aroma. Coffee indeed. For a second he couldn't decide if the scent made him feel nauseous or like he could see the light in the dark hangover tunnel again.

Pretty quickly he voted for the latter and grabbed the mug only to find out it was too hot to be of any use still. So he groaned as he dropped back on the table.

"Thanks..." he mumbled and hoped Levi heard him because he sure as hell wasn't repeating it. Not now when they were irritating him to no end anyway.

Levi just hummed in acknowledgment and buried his hand in the fluffy mess of brown hair where it stayed. (He'd never admit it but Levi loved petting Eren's hair.) (He'd never admit it but Eren loved Levi petting his hair.) (Everyone was happy.)

"So..." began the half-dead hungover minor after another good portion of silence. "Is anyone planning to answer my question?"

"Just drink your coffee, brat. We'll sort this out before you finish."

"Can't I just take my coffee and go to my room to die? "

"No."

"Why not?" Eren's tone was bordering between exasperated and defeated. He really didn't understand why he had to be there. He just knew he'd eventually end up embarrassed beyond reason.

"Because the collar would be pretty much pointless if I just let you wander off anywhere you wanted by yourself."

Eren groaned. In his physical misery he actually forgot. "Can you please stop treating me like I'm some kind of mentally underdeveloped toddler that gets lost every chance he gets? I'm a big boy; I can take care of myself." He wanted to be angry. He wanted to shout. But he didn't have the energy he needed to get angry and shouting was completely out of question.

"If we actually believed that, I wouldn't have suggested it and he wouldn't buy it for you."

"Go to hell, both of you."

"Sorry, brat, but she's right. For the past weeks I feel like the corps have been doing nothing but looking for you."

"Oh, really? As far as I remember, at least half of those times had something to do with either of you, if not both." Eren couldn't help but growl viciously as he grabbed his coffee to finally take his very much needed first sip. (Which forced Levi to relocate his hand down to Eren's waist.)

Levi and Mikasa exchanged a look before replying in unison. "That's not the point."

Eren stared at them blankly for a second, then he turned to Mikasa. "Are you sure you're my sister instead of his?"

Mikasa and Levi exchanged another look, this one full of disgust. "Well, technically I'm not your sister either but I'm definitely not related to this midget."

"What she said," Levi nodded and then shot a seemingly indifferent look at the girl. "By the way, you've just lost any right you might have had before to complain about whatever shit the brat told you yesterday."

Mikasa stared right back with a matching expression that made Eren voice his doubts about their claims. "Are you absolutely sure? Because it really seems like you are. And it's not like either of you knows much about your families, I'd say it's possible."

He was ignored. Not that he expected otherwise. He was kind of getting used to them ignoring him when they were indulging themselves in their antipathies. And either way, the coffee was more important right now.

"Don't tell me what I do and what I don't have right for, shorty. It's not like I'm going to listen to you, or anyone else for that matter, when it comes to Eren's safety."

Levi raised his eyebrows while Eren looked confused. "I don't remember ever threatening Eren's safety. I even bought him this," he gestured to the leash still resting in her hand, "to ensure it. What the hell did he tell you?"

Mikasa glared and huffed. "Besides other things I'd rather not think about, much less talk about, he said he once had bruises for two weeks after one night."

There was a moment of silence when the lovers looked at each other trying to figure out what this was about.

Levi frowned as he looked back at Mikasa. "What..." he trailed of as realization lit up his face. Then his lips were graced by a wide smirk. (Eren was pretty sure he wanted to laugh but couldn't. Not in the presence of anyone who wasn't Eren, at least.) "He was exaggerating. It couldn't have been longer than four days."

Eren looked even more confused now while Mikasa looked enraged. "That doesn't excuse hurting him!"

"Actually, he did it by himself. I just mentioned I'd like to see him like that and he did it for me a few days later. I didn't make him do anything."

"That doesn't matter! You let him hurt himself and that's inexcusable! What did he do that he needed to hurt himself, for you, no less?!"

"Oh, god no..."

Levi gave Eren a highly amused look.

"No, Levi, wait, don't tell her!"

"Sorry, Eren, but I have to or she won't drop this. Mikasa, tell me; have you ever tried to wear the straps for 3DMG without clothing underneath?"

Mikasa stared at him, completely speechless. When she sharply turned to give Eren a scandalized look, hoping for him to deny it, she was met with the sight of her precious little brother hiding his bright red face in his hands.

The girl stared into space for a minute while dead silence fell over the dining hall. Then, in jerky movements, she abruptly dropped the leash and stood up, moved from behind the table before covering her eyes and muttering, "I didn't need that image. I really, really didn't need that image." After another few seconds of silence she turned away, towards the door, announcing she needed to go clear her head.

Levi was pretty sure she meant purify her mind but he didn't bother correcting her.

A/N: Yes, the 3DMG straps are not very original but come on, the uniform is literally asking for it...

And in reaction to the guest review that complained about Eren being treated like a dog... Does really wearing a collar automatically mean you're being treated like a dog? Because I personally think Eren is treated like the kid dangerous to his surroundings and himself that he is... Not like a dog at all; that looks kinda different in my mind... (Though I'm not saying they won't do any pet play in the bedroom in the future, after Eren sobers up...) (I won't write about it, if anyone is wondering.) And anyway, generally speaking, being treated like a dog isn't necessarily a bad or humiliating thing... Sometimes I wish I was treated like our dog, the ultimate king of the household. (I seriously doubt he's the only pet in that position.)

I'm ranting, aren't I...? ;;

Edit: Okaay, I really didn't expect people to get so passionate about this... ;; But you know, Eren isn't exactly uncomfortable or miserable, he's just annoyed with them. As far as I remember, Eren's only reaction in the first chapter is disbelief and resignation, here he's already just resigned and annoyed. He's miserable because he has a hangover. (Who wouldn't be miserable with a hangover?) But it doesn't have anything to do with the collar.

I admit he's being treated like a kid. I already said that. But you know, if he really minded that much, he could take it off. Levi wouldn't force him if he was seriously against it.

And anyway, the exact words that started this were, "(...) Eren treated like a dog." Don't try to tell me the original problem was about the kid-treatment...

I'm sorry, I understand some people might be uncomfortable with this but I just don't like it when people misinterpret or misunderstand things (including me, mind you...) so I only want to show my opinion on this. I get pretty detached and there are not a lot of things that make me uncomfortable reading or that would trigger me, so I can't tell when I'm going over the top. I really didn't think this was that bad...?

...Sorry, this got too long... I, too, can get passionate about some things and I don't know when to stop...

If it makes you feel any better, the leash won't be making a re-appearance. (The collar will, cause I like it. I think I wouldn't mind one myself...)