Break in to my Heart

Chapter 4

"Wake up Eren!"

A sharp jab on his side jolted Eren from his sleep. He opened his eyes and gave Mikasa a bleary pout.

"It's seven in the morning sis. You know I bought that alarm clock so that I wouldn't have to suffer this." He gestured pointedly to his alarm on the bedside table that clearly hasn't gone off yet.

Mikasa pursed her lips. "That's for if I'm not here. While I am here, you need to get up early and get ready for work," she stated sternly. She sounded harsh enough but Eren knew her long enough to know she meant it good-naturedly. Plus she's got a point. The last time he tried to sleep in a little he had to sprint to the museum and inhale his breakfast in five seconds flat. Not the best morning routine when you're tripping your way up to work and choking on your breakfast.

"Alright, I'm up," he grumbled, rolling out of bed sluggishly and trudging to the washroom. Ten minutes later he emerged in the living room with his face clean and hair as tamed as it'll possibly get.

Still rubbing his eyes wearily, he plopped down on one of the chairs in the kitchen and glared at the clock as if it would turn back and give him a little more time to sleep. He watched as Mikasa busied herself over the table. "I still don't get how you can be such a morning person Mikasa. Don't you ever sleep in?"

She slid him a coffee over the counter and yanked him forward to smooth out his collar and tuck in his shirt. It's always been like this since they would children, Mikasa practically babied Eren and Armin. She turned around and picked up another cup. "Yeah I do, but isn't it much more refreshing to get up early? Usually I'd get up an hour or so before work and go to the gym for a while before leaving. It really gets you energized for the day. You should tag along some day."

"Yeah, maybe…" muttered Eren without much enthusiasm, scooping up his cup. He took a sip and made a face.

"Still not fond of coffee?"

"Nope. But otherwise I'll probably fall asleep on my desk so I'm not complaining." Eren took one last gulp to empty the cup and set it in the sink. "We should go soon, do you want me to walk you to the university?"

"No, I'm fine thanks. I'll call Armin and tell him you're dropping by today." She took out her phone and made a quick text message. "I'll see you at lunch?"

"Yeah, hey there's this little café next to the university and it's really nice. I'll meet you guys there at lunch for a coffee?" Eren picked up his jacket and tossed Mikasa hers. She caught it and put it on tying her red scarf around it. The scarf was a gift from Eren when they were children, Eren found it sweet though a little weird that she has always treasured it since.

"Sure, see you then." He walked her out the door and locked it behind him.

Eren really wasn't the type of person to show up early, which explains why he's sprinting as fast as he can to get to the café that really shouldn't be that far away. In his defense, he's usually late but not this late.

It was all that asshole Jean's fault, he thought glancing as his watch. He was already ten minutes late for their lunch meeting when Jean insisted on keeping him back with stupid insults (which he also stupidly fell for) and hundreds of questions regarding Mikasa. So add that and everything else together and he's running almost half an hour late.

He stumbled up the steps of the café, nearly ran into a waitress, apologized hurriedly, and collapsed in the chair next to Mikasa and Armin who were watching him from a table in the front of the shop in surprise and amusement.

"Hey- there- sorry- I'm late," huffed Eren, tossing his bag onto the ground beside him. "Did- you wait- long?"

"Nah, we kind of knew you'd be late so we showed up a little late too," smiled Armin. "Mikasa told me you're free today and we happened to be too. It's been so long since we've met up."

"Yeah it has," grinned Eren. Having finally regained his breath, he smiled and looked Armin up and down. "You look like you're doing well, how's it going at the university?"

Armin's smile widened at that and he put his hands together excitedly. "It's going great! The professor is conducting these really fascinating experiments and she's going to let me help even though volunteers rarely get to participate in labs. I just hope it isn't dangerous like some of her past… experiments." He gave a nervous little grin and a half shrug.

"Oh well, where's the fun without the risk," said Eren. "This is biology isn't it so shouldn't there be lots of labs, just have fun with them."

Mikasa gave him a nudge and a small smile. "Fun is fun but this is research so make sure you stay safe Armin."

"Of course he will," said Eren rolling his eyes. "It's Armin what more do you expect."

Armin laughed. "Yeah, it's great, and no need to worry of course I'll be careful. But enough about me, how're things with you two?"

"Good," said Mikasa.

"Fine," replied Eren at the same time.

Armin gave them a knowing smile. "You two are always like that, you know it doesn't hurt to open up a bit."

"Yes of course, we've been friends for most of our lives what's there to hide? We really are fine though," said Mikasa lightly.

"Alright then I'll take your word for it," Armin snorts. "Hey Eren, are you going to get something to eat?" He gestured to the cup in front of him and the muffin Mikasa was holding.

"Oh, yeah - right. I almost forgot," chuckled Eren. He beckoned towards a waiter from the other end of the café. Armin and Mikasa started to chat again.

Eren smiled, watching them. They should really get together more often. He remembered how they used to be inseparable when they were little and now with this and that they rarely have time to hang out anymore. Plus their interests were beginning to vary and they didn't have the same opinion as often so branching off was inevitable. Armin still enjoyed biology and studying living things as much as when he was younger. Mikasa still had that strong sense of justice. And Eren… he was the only one who hasn't really decided yet, though if he felt strongly about anything, it would be justice as well.

When he was little, he had always believed in poetic justice as Armin called it. Good people were rewarded and bad people were punished. But that was incredibly naïve. Sometimes - hell oftentimes- that doesn't happen. People who do horrible things get away with it, and decent people are given terrible fates. He glanced at Mikasa thoughtfully. Mikasa's a great person. But that didn't stop her parents from being murdered when their house was broken into years ago. And it's not as if she deserved that. Definitely not. Life is just unfair that way. But Mikasa's stronger than she looks (and she looks fairly strong), and as she put it, the world is a cruel but beautiful place.

"Hey-"

Eren barely registered the voice.

"Hey, shitty brat- are you going to place your order?"

Eren opened his mouth and was just about to tell Armin that he's got it when the words catch in his throat. That isn't Armin's voice-

And shitty brat? Who calls him that?

He looked up and his gaze locked with that ice cold glare he hadn't seen for well over a week. He could vaguely feel his jaw dropping open in astonishment.

"L-Levi?" he sputtered in surprise. It was Levi without a doubt no matter how you look at it. The same dark cropped hair, same sharp pale blue eyes, and same … short stature. Except he was wearing one of those black waiter vests or something and holding a small notepad. He was tapping it impatiently with a pen.

"So you're able to read the name tag, congratulations, now would you like to place your order?" he replied flatly. "And what are you gaping at?" he added after Eren failed to reply.

Eren quickly snapped his mouth shut. What the hell? Had Levi forgotten him already? And the hell is he doing working in a coffee shop?

"Uh- I'd like a medium coffee?"

"Fine, is that all."

He nodded soundlessly.

Levi snapped the notepad shut and without another glance towards Eren, he walked away.

Mikasa and Armin were staring at him by now. Armin rather curiously, and Mikasa slightly confused but interested. Mikasa was the first to break the awkward silence.

"Was that Levi? The friend you mention before?" she asked inquisitively.

Eren turned to face her, and unless she was much mistaken, he looked just as confused as she felt.

"I- uh… yeah I think so," he said after a while.

"Is he always that serious?" asked Armin. "He doesn't seem very friendly…" he noted staring off to the side where Levi was serving another table.

Eren didn't know what to say anymore. That Levi isn't always like that? That he's an alright person? But what the hell was up just then, Levi acted like he didn't even recognize Eren.

"Um- he's usually like that yeah. Quite serious," he said, deciding to just go along with it. Armin nodded but Mikasa looked slightly unconvinced.

"You looked surprised to see him, didn't you say he left abruptly last week?" she asked.

Eren nodded briefly. "Yeah I was, and he did, I had no idea he worked here." That was the truth. Of all the things that passed between the two in awkward conversations over the few days Levi had been over, there had been no mention of anything a job or even anything remotely similar.

There was a pause where Eren's eyes drifted over to Levi's retreating back as he walked back into the kitchen. That is Levi right? He looked the same, I mean, he hasn't got like- a secret twin or anything right? And his name tag even reads Levi. Yet he didn't give the slightest indication of having recognized Eren.

A waitress walked up to their table and handed Eren his coffee. Mikasa had decided to leave the topic of Levi be and was talking with Armin about his upcoming experiments. Eren sat quietly and sipped his coffee. Levi came out a few more times, passing their table without a second glance and taking other people's orders in that same sharp tone.

"You're being rather quiet today Eren," noted Armin giving him a small prod. "Something bothering you?"

Eren opened his mouth, paused, and closed it again. He shook his head and smiled. "Nope nothing, just thought I should finish this coffee before going back to work. And you guys seemed to be in a heated debate so I didn't want to interrupt you," he said lightly.

When they finished their drinks and snacks, Mikasa stood up to pay the bill.

"No wait Mikasa-" interrupted Eren with a smirk, making a grab for her wrist. "You always pay, I'll pay this time." He took out his wallet and set the bills on the table before she argue and herded them out the door.

She gave him a small smile and Armin chuckled.

Eren snickered and punched the air jokingly. "First time I paid without an argument! We're finally getting somewhere." He grinned at Mikasa and she shook her head with a smile.

"This was nice, we should get together again sometime," she said as they walked down the steps.

"Definitely," agreed Eren and Armin nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah just give me a call."

After they left, Levi pocketed his notepad and walked up to their table where Eren left his bills. He glanced at the receipt and picked up the money to check the amount. It matched. He was about to leave when he noticed a small slip of paper wedged next to one of the bills.

His frowned deepened slightly and he eased the paper open. Inside was a short message written in Eren's scrawled handwriting, it read:

'Hey Levi, it's Eren. You still remember me right? Why did you leave so suddenly, hey if you've got time give me a call.'

And below that was a number scribbled hurriedly.

He snorted, crumpled up the paper and tossed it in the trash before making his way back into the kitchen.