Hey, Everyone! I'm here with another new story! Well, not new, actually. This is the long-awaited sequel to Never Regret. It's taken some time to come up with material for this one, but I'm on a roll with three chapters already written, and more well on the way. Not to mention I'm in quarantine with the rest of the world and have more than enough time on my hands to write as much as I want, so hopefully you guys will get chapters quickly for this one. At least for now, anyways. There are already some TRIGGER WARNINGS for this one, though not for this chapter. Starting in chapter three there will be some abuse and violence, so be aware of that. (not between Eren and Levi. You'll see.) Anyways, I'll shut up so you guys can get to the reading part of this. Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a review, favorite, and follow! Loves! ~HeartQueenVivaldi

The Choice We Make

Chapter 1

Levi always enjoyed sitting in the sun. Especially when Eren was able to join him, like he was now. Eren had taken a couple of classes online over the summer, so sometimes wasn't able to enjoy the good weather with Levi as much as they would have liked. At least he was nearly done with his classes since they were self-paced, and Eren was smart enough and motivated enough to get them done quickly.

With the pressure of the classes lifting quickly, Eren found he was able to relax alongside Levi today with ease. Eren quickly decided over the course of the last few months that he loved the pool in the backyard even more than the hot tub, which he had fallen in love with over the winter months. But this was better.

Eren was lounging on a floating toy in the pool with his sunglasses on and his eyes closed, soaking up the sun, and Levi sat nearby, reading a book in the shade of a big tree close to the pool. As much as Levi liked the sun, he didn't like the sunburns it gave him.

Eren caught the sound of Levi turning his page and picking up his glass of lemonade from the table next to him, so he opened his eyes to look over at his boyfriend. Eren smiled at Levi fondly and rolled off the floaty to swim to the side of the pool and hoist himself out.

Levi caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and looked up from his book and at his approaching boyfriend. He put the book to the side before Eren decided to throw it in the pool or something similar.

Eren didn't say anything as he approached and straddled Levi's waist to sit in his lap and give the older man a passionate kiss. Levi gasped at the feeling of water soaking through his t-shirt and swim trunks. It was cold.

"Come swim with me." Eren whispered into Levi's neck and the older man stood easily with Eren in his arms. Eren always loved that about Levi. He was so strong. Levi put him down for a moment and Eren pulled Levi's shirt off for him.

The second the fabric had hit the grass, Levi had Eren in his arms again, this time princess style, and threw the both of them into the deep end of the pool. They surfaced moments later, and Levi pulled Eren into him to give him another passionate kiss as he kicked hard enough to keep both of their heads above water and to move them both to the shallow end of the pool where they could both touch the bottom and not drown while making out.

They soon reached the steps and Levi was more than happy to take Eren in his lap again as they kissed, and Eren fought for dominance in the kiss, even though they both knew that Levi would always win such battles.

"I hope you're both still wearing shorts, or that would be awful embarrassing for all of us."

Eren hit his head on the railing next to them at the unexpected sound of his grandmother's voice coming from the direction of the patio. He swore rather loudly and held the spot he hit with both hands. Levi chuckled and kissed Eren's forehead.

He looked over to see not only Grandma Ella, but Carla, Grisha, and Mikasa all standing on his porch. "How did all of you get in?" he asked.

"The side gate was unlocked, and you didn't answer the doorbell, so we figured we would let ourselves in. We knew you were home, so we didn't feel too bad about it." Mikasa explained. "I'm glad we didn't come any later though. From the looks of it we would have seen some things we didn't want to."

"Like what? We are both very attractive, if I do say so myself." Eren said, walking up the stairs and getting out of the pool to retrieve a towel.

"Levi's white ass, that's what." Mikasa retorted.

Levi shook his head but didn't comment. He simply pushed himself off the wall and into the middle of the pool to lay on his back on top of the water.

"Did you guys bring swimming suits? You could join us." Eren said, wrapping the towel around himself.

"I'll pass." Grandma said. "I'll just as soon sit and read a book close by."

"I'll join." Mikasa said and went to retrieve her bag from the car, followed by Carla, who also wanted to join. Grisha declined to keep Grandma company.

"What are you all doing here? I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow." Levi said, hanging from the side of the pool, his chin on his hands.

Grisha answered for them. "Well, we all had nothing better to do, so we thought we could come early. I hope you don't mind."

Levi shook his head. "Not at all. Your rooms are all ready for you. You're welcome any time." Levi flinched away from Eren's splash as he jumped back into the water.

"So, is this what you two have been doing all summer?" Grandma asked, staying a safe distance from the water so she wouldn't get splashed.

Levi shook his head. "No, Eren's taking classes, so we have been inside a lot."

"But my classes are almost done. I only have to take the finals for them, and I have until the end of August to do so, so I don't feel bad taking a few days off from classes to chill for the holiday." Eren explained, coming up behind Levi to wrap his arms around his waist and kiss the back of his neck.

Levi simply closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his boyfriend clinging to him and the soft lips on his neck. He opened his eyes again when he heard a snicker. Grandma was just about to sit in one of the chairs where Levi had been sitting earlier, Grisha joining her, and she smiled at them. "You two are too cute for your own good."

Levi rolled his eyes then trained them on Mikasa and Carla coming through the gate again, both with duffle bags in hand. "Just go in. The door is unlocked."

"Same rooms as last time?" Mikasa asked, to which Levi simply nodded.

Once the girls had gone inside, Levi turned in Eren's arms to wrap his own arms around Eren's shoulders. Eren had a goofy smile on his face and a soft look in his eyes. "What?" Levi asked.

His smile turned into a grin and he chuckled a little. "Nothing. I think you like hosting these family parties."

"I tolerate it." Levi responded with a kiss to Eren's cheek to emphasize why, and that reason being Eren.

"Okay, sure. I'll believe you if it ever ends. You typically don't 'tolerate' anything if you don't enjoy it at least a little. Kind of like me leaving my underwear on the bathroom floor when we take a shower together." Eren whispered the last part, keeping an eye on his conversing father and grandmother to be sure they weren't listening.

"Hey, we have guests. Watch yourself." Levi chastised, wishing he had his arms around Eren's waist instead so he could pinch his butt.

Eren laughed and leaned in to give Levi a sweet kiss on the lips. "later then." He consented once he pulled away.

"Of course. Now…" Levi reached up to run his wet fingers through Eren's damp hair and push it out of his eyes. "you need a haircut."

"Actually, I was thinking I would grow it out. It'll have an awkward stage, starting now, but I think I would look good with long hair." Eren said in total seriousness.

Levi grimaced. "I don't know if I like that idea. Maybe I'll have to chop at it while you're asleep."

Eren gasped in mock offense. "How dare you threaten my hair." He pushed away from Levi and the wall to swim out into the middle of the pool. He smirked, taunting his older boyfriend. "Give it a chance."

"We'll see." Levi responded, still eyeing Eren's hair, but eventually shook his head, instead deciding to leave it be for the moment.

Levi gave Eren a look and took a deep breath. He ducked below the surface and used his feet to push himself off the wall, down deeper in the water and in Eren's direction at an angle. He opened his eyes under the water and spotted Eren's kicking feet just above him. With a few powerful kicks, Levi approached the feet and, even with Eren's attempts at kicking him away, grabbed at Eren's ankles at pulled.

Eren's head dipped under the water against his will and Levi continued pulling until they were both completely submerged. Eren had his eyes squeezed shut and Levi pulled on his waist and pulled Eren closer to him. He planted a closed-mouthed kiss on Eren's lips then pushed away to swim to the surface.

He broke free with a gasp and pushed his hair back off his forehead. Eren surfaced only seconds later, spluttering and coughing. "Very cute." He said as he also pushed his hair back.

Levi laughed and pulled himself up onto the floaty toy Eren had been laying on earlier, laying back on it and taking deep breaths. Eren swam over next to it and rested his arms and chin next to Levi's head. Neither moved for a long moment.

Their moment ended when they heard Mikasa yell, "Cannonball!" Levi looked over just in time to see Mikasa launch herself off the ground next to the pool and curl herself into a ball in the air. He turned his head just before the splash and only turned back when it was over.

Mikasa resurfaced and Carla took the less annoying route into the pool: the stairs. Mikasa had on a classy, beautiful black bikini that fit her well, and Carla had on a one-piece plain red suit with a pair of black shorts. The two of them joined Eren next to Levi and. Eren must have given Mikasa some kind of signal because suddenly the two of them had ducked under the water and disappeared, out of Levi's line of sight.

Suddenly everything became clear when a hard shove came from underneath the toy and Levi suddenly found himself back in the water. When he resurfaced, he was met with a giggling Mikasa and a very smug Eren. "oh, you're asking for it." He said. "I'll get you for that one."

"Oh?" Mikasa asked. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Alright, hang on a second. Let me at least get out of the splash zone before the three of you have some kind of water fight." Carla said, pulling the toy with her to the shallow end of the pool where she was more than happy to climb on and lay there comfortably for as long as she felt like.

When Carla had exited the war zone Levi gave Eren a playful glare and said, "I thought you were supposed to be on my side?" he asked.

"After you pulled me under? Nah., I think I'll take Mikasa's side, thanks." Eren responded.

"I'll be on your side, little brother." A new voice spoke up behind them and Levi was glad to see Eric standing there with Cory. Cory was rolling his eyes at Eric, who had a mischievous grin on his face. For some reason, Eric already had swim trunks on, so he pulled his shirt off and dove in next to Levi.

When he resurfaced, Levi shook his head. "you're early." He said. "I thought you weren't going to be here until later this evening."

"Well, Cory got off work early, so we figured we would see if you were around. Turns out we were right. Also, if you were wondering, I was hoping you would be playing in the pool, hence the swim trunks." Eric explained before Levi could even ask about the trunks.

"I was wondering about that. Anyways, these two younglings need to be taught a lesson." Levi said, gesturing to the other pair of siblings with his head. "Help me with that?"

"Sure thing, brother. So, what's the plan?" Eric asked with a smirk.

"Chicken fight!" Mikasa yelled, and Levi and Eric turned just in time to see Mikasa almost completely lifted from the water on Eren's shoulders.

"Oh, it's so on!" Eric countered and dove under the water. He lifted Levi onto his shoulders before he could protest, but he figured this was as good a revenge as any.

Mikasa and Levi grabbed at each other's hands and pushed as hard as they could. They wrestled on top for quite a while as Eren and Eric did everything to just keep their heads above water. It didn't take too long for Levi to give a mighty shove, and Mikasa was back in the water.

With a victorious double fist pump, Levi fell backwards into the pool. "Don't mess with the big kids." Levi said to Eren and Mikasa when he resurfaced. He also gave Eric a fist bump. Levi found this to be one of the most interesting parts of his life these days. A year ago, if someone had told him he would be playing water games with his brother and having the time of his life, he would have called them crazy.

But now, Levi could hardly imagine his life without Eric in it. They kept in close contact ever since Christmas, calling each other at every chance they had. Once Levi had decided to give Eric a chance, he found that Eric was worth it. He became the older brother that Levi remembered having as a kid. The older brother that would do anything for him and protect him from everything.

It especially made Levi happy to know that his old family and his new family got along famously. Mikasa and Eric might as well be best friends, and the rest of Eren's family were incredibly nice, no matter how much they found out about Levi and Eric and their situation. And they were quickly finding out most things.

They had already learned about the worst parts of Levi's life, including his drug dealing days, and about Kenny and his mother. They still didn't know about Eric's mistake, and they likely never would. That would be kept between Levi and Eren, and Eric and Cory.

Amazingly, even with everything the Jaeger family had learned about him, they still enjoyed Levi and supported him. They, like Eren, were willing to look at who he was now and where he was going rather than who he had been.

The fact that they were there for the fourth of July was proof enough of that. And they were enjoying themselves, relaxing and making themselves at home. Levi couldn't possibly ask for better. It was bound to be a wonderful few days, as usual.

Levi decided it was time to retreat from the pool for a bit, so he swam to the side to hoist himself out of the water. He retrieved his towel from next to his chair and noticed Grandma Ella eyeing his tattoo. He rather liked his Tattoo, so didn't mind if others wanted to know about it.

"Why a dragon? It's beautiful, but why?" Ella asked, and Levi looked down at the swirling lines of black ink on the left side of his body.

He looked back up at her, and she was looking back at him, waiting for an answer. "Dragons in the orient are a symbol of wisdom and strength. I've been through a lot in my life, as you know, and I figured I needed the strength and wisdom of a dragon to survive. It's a symbol of hope for me, I guess. My two friends, Isabel and Farlan, had one each as well, though not in the same place. Farlan's was on his ankle and Isabel's on her back."

Ella looked impressed and smiled at him. "That's really good. I'm impressed. Much of the time when I ask about the meaning of a Tattoo, I never get an answer. It's always bothered me when people get tattoos without reason. At least yours has a purpose. Any others?"

Levi chuckled a bit and used the towel to dry his hair a bit then answered with another laugh, "yes, but I won't be showing you that one." He winked at her, and Ella burst into laughter.

"I don't think I want to see it if it's where I think it is. Does that one have a meaning, too?" Ella wiggled her eyebrows a bit.

Levi blushed and burst out laughing a full, hearty laugh. He nodded. "It does, in a way. It's sort of an extension of this one," Levi said, pointing to his chest, "but it's meaning is a little different. Dragons are also a sign of fertility. So, that one is sexier. Or funny, depending on the situation." He winked at the old woman sitting in his chair.

"I think the one I'm looking at is pretty sexy on its own." Ella said, then the two of them just stared at each other for a moment before shuddering simultaneously. "Let's just forget we had this conversation, shall we?"

Levi laughed, "agreed." Just in time, too, because Eren was approaching them. He picked up his towel off the grass and wrapped it around his shoulders.

He walked up to Levi and gave him a peck on the lips. "What are you two talking about?"

"I was just explaining my tattoo to your grandmother." Levi said.

"Very nice, but I'm all pruned and in need of a shower. I think I'm done in the pool for the day. Join me?" Eren asked with an innocent tone, but Levi was only too aware of the real request. In other words, let's go upstairs and have some steamy shower sex before more people show up.

"Yes. I'm done as well. You all enjoy yourselves. We will be back shortly." And who was Levi to deny such a wonderful request? And he asked so nicely. So, the pair retreated to the house.

At the back door, Levi turned to look at the people he considered family, all getting along and having the time of their lives. Then he turned back and Eren was already standing just inside the house, holding out a hand for Levi to take.

Levi took it to let Eren lead the way. Yeah, life was pretty good. Things were finally looking up.

"Well, I just don't know what else to do, Levi. These are our options." Eren said, lease agreements and papers with rental prices scrawled on the bottoms of them laid out on the table around him.

"I had no idea apartments near campus were so expensive." Levi said, shifting some of the papers around to get a better look at a few.

"Yeah, unless we get a really crappy one in a sketchy part of town, which we don't want."

"I will not move into a filthy, old apartment." Levi agreed.

"Okay, so what do you want to do. These are the two cheapest, but they are kind of far away from campus. I would have to take a bus or the car to get there." Eren laid the two papers in front of Levi with pictures of the apartments. "And this one is the expensive one that's basically on campus. I wouldn't have to pay for parking, gas, or a transportation pass. I think by the time I paid for any of those things, it's going to be sixes either way. And either option is so expensive. All I see is zeros." Eren handed Levi the last paper and put his head in his hands.

They were running out of time to pick an apartment to live in. The new semester was supposed to start in only 3 weeks, and the two of them didn't even have a place to live. Levi, of course, had graduated, but Eren still had one year to go. They had decided they would rent an apartment near campus so they could continue living together, but the hunt wasn't going so well. Everything was either ridiculously expensive or absolutely disgusting.

"I have a hard time believing that a one bedroom apartment can cost this much." Levi said. "I could take out a whole mortgage for what these ones cost. No wonder most people choose to live in the dorms."

"I'm starting to think that's the best option." Eren said.

"What is?" Levi asked.

"It's not too late for me to put in for a dorm, and they're so cheap in comparison. You could stay here, and I will come visit on the weekends. I would have to put up with another random roommate, but maybe it's worth it. I don't like the idea much, but…" Eren trailed off, feeling the irritation radiating off of Levi.

"We don't have to go there, Eren. I can afford these apartments. I just wasn't expecting this." Levi said, waving one of the quote papers in front of him. "I don't know if I like that idea at all."

"You think I do? I don't want to, but it's an option we have." Eren said matter-of-factly.

Levi groaned and rubbed at his temples. "Okay, how about this. Let's go to Trost. We'll stay in a hotel for a night and we can go look at all three of these places. If there's one we like, we can move into one of them. If not, we can go with the dorm plan."

Eren nodded in agreement and they made plans to visit Trost in the coming days.

They arrived at the complex closest to campus three days later. They went into the office to speak with someone, and they took a tour of the complex and were shown a model of the kind of apartment they would be living in. It was a nice apartment, but they still had two more to see. They took the woman's business card and started for the next one, about a twenty minute drive from campus.

This one was cheaper, but the pictures were obviously outdated. The buildings were run down, and the apartments themselves were dirty. Levi didn't even take a business card for that place.

The last one was more like what they were looking for, but Levi spotted a set mouse trap in one of the cupboards. The lady who was showing them the apartment didn't even seem to care and Levi had enough. They left without further consideration.

That left only one option for an apartment, but Eren couldn't seem to get past the price tag on it. No matter how much Levi assured him that he could afford it, Eren just couldn't get it through his head. He was about to give in when Levi received a call from that very complex. They had just rented their last apartment and would not be able to take Levi and Eren now. She assured him they would have one open in the next eight weeks, but that was too long.

Frustrated, Levi threw his phone onto the dash and hit the steering wheel once. Eren sat in his seat in silence for a long while, letting Levi process everything. He knew what this meant. They wouldn't be able to live together, at least not this semester.

They pulled into the parking lot of their hotel and Levi turned the car off but made no move to get out. He fell back into his seat and laid his head back. So much for things looking up for him.

"Levi, we can survive this. I'll visit on the weekends and holidays, and we can call each other every night. It will go fast, and we'll be back together before we know it." Eren spoke softly.

Levi sighed. "I know, Eren. I just wish it didn't have to come to this. I'll be fine. We'll be fine. Come on. Let's go get some rest."

They got out of the car and took their bags with them into the hotel. They checked in and went to bed quietly with hardly a word spoken. But before Eren fell asleep, knowing Levi would still be awake, he whispered. "I love you, Levi."

"I love you, too, Eren. Goodnight." Levi returned then pulled Eren in to him and curled around him to sleep.