entrancelogs | [Open] Here's a story, about a man named--

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[Open] Here's a story, about a man named--

Who: Levi, his odd little family, Eren's friends, and you
Where: Storybrooke
When: Throughout the event
Rating: PG-13 will update
Summary: Levi is married, Eren is his son, what can go wrong?
The Story:

Open: Being one of the local firemen Levi was use to being around town on call, waiting for something to happen. There was a lot of that in Storybrooke. Nothing too bad seem to ever happen here-- well not as bad as the cities at least. Sure they had their strange things happen once and awhile, but the police dealt with that. It wasn't his job to solve the mysterious, just to save as many people as he could.

This had been a rather boring week for him, at least when it came to his job. Personally though he had been dealing with lack of sleep, strange dreams about giant naked people, and thoughts that lingers on his dead ex wife. He hadn't thought of Petra in ages, why was he thinking about her now? And why did these thoughts of guilt come with them?

The strange thoughts and feels were taking his attention off of what he should be doing-- walking. The hot cup of tazo tea he had in his hand spills to the ground as he bumps into someone. Maybe he shouldn't hold it by the lid, but hey old habits.

"Fuck." He sighed. "I didn't get you, did I?"

Closed to house: Levi leaned in the kitchen doorway of his home. He stared at the stove and the blonde that stood hovering over a pot of boiling water as she was cooking. From the smell in the air he knew it was pasta, most likely for the kids. Yes, kids. Now, don't get him wrong. He loved Eren. Even if he was a little shit, that was his son and his friends weren't all that bad (except for that Melissa girl, she was kind of weird). But to have them over on what was suppose to be his and Integra's date night-- their only date night, was a bit of a downer.

Being a firemen he didn't have a whole lot of down time, even now he was technically on call in case something happened. Which it would be his luck for some strange disaster to start up tonight. "Why are you cooking? Let's just give them some money so they can go out." Where they would go in this one horse kinda town...well they were smart (at least Arthur was) they can figure something out.

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As much as she enjoyed her private moments with Levi, she knew Eren needed their help. Her help. She gave her husband an apologetic look as she added a few more ingredients into another pot as she made the finishing touches on the sauce.

"Darling, I know we hardly have time together as of late, but Eren needs our help." She turned and walked to him, kissing his cheek in attempts to cheer him up. "I'll make it up to you. All right? Anything you want, just ask."

Arthur doesn't have any friends.

At least, he doesn't think he has any friends.

Today, he was being harassed as usual at school, and he was expecting the bullies to simply work it out of their systems-- Until, for the first time in his life, someone else his age stepped in. Or more like barreled in. Like a bull in a china shop, the boy attacked with wild anger. Arthur was scared of him too for a moment, thinking that a bigger predator was looking for better prey... But then he saw his eyes (an unusual shade of green), and felt immediate, distinct relief.

He felt safe. He can't remember the last time he's ever felt safe.

As the boy knocked some heads together, a girl (that looked familiar? Had they had classes together before?) came to check if he was okay. Arthur insisted that he was alright, that she should be worried about the crazy kid taking on three guys bigger than him at once. ~~they worried about him a lot after all, he was always going off on his own~~ But despite their advantage, the bullies dispersed, and the boy was left behind only slightly scuffed up.

Arthur was ashamed that someone had to rescue him, but he preferred this embarrassment over having his head shoved in a toilet. And while he could barely bring himself to look at or talk to either of his saviors... He found himself shyly ~~stalking~~ gravitating towards the two of them for the rest of the day. Being around them filled him with a weird feeling of reassurance. After the bell rang, and while he was debating trying to approach the boy again, he found the other doing so for him, inviting him and the strange girl over to his house.

And here he is. He had to stop by his place with his grandfather to get a few things, but he's returned in time for dinner. Arthur swallows nervously, and rings the doorbell, unsure of what exactly is going to happen to him tonight.

Getting into fights wasn't anything new for Eren. Since day one, he'd always been a problem child. Not that such a troublesome streak was always a bad thing. Running away from home at age 10 had inadvertently led him to meet the woman who would come to be his new mother. And now there she stood, at the kitchen stove, cooking on what should have been her special date night. In all honesty, Eren felt a little bad about it, but it was nice to know that she loved him this much. And he did need her help. Whatever this strange feeling he'd been having all day was, he desperately felt like he needed to get to the bottom of it.

It felt like he was missing something. He was sure he was missing something. This dinner was his way of trying to figure out what that something might be.

"Thanks, Mom. I'll make this up to you later, promise." Eren said apologetically, passing by the kitchen quickly before heading off to get the door. Back when he'd first began calling Integra 'Mom,' he'd felt a little odd using such a title, but now that he was older, he was sure this was the way his real mother would have wanted it. (And there was no denying that his father seemed happier with Integra around.)

But moving on to the real issue here... The boy. The girl. Eren hesitated, eyeing the doorknob of his front door but not yet reaching to answer it. ...How exactly do you go about telling someone you just recently met that you feel like you've known them forever ~~without it sounding like a creepy pickup line~~?

That's what this was about, wasn't it?

Eren tried to put on his bravest smile as he finally opening the door. This was the part where he was supposed to say 'Hey, thanks for coming! You've got great timing. Dinner's just about ready!' but instead, awkwardness wins out and Eren continues to just stand there, smiling like a dork and studying the faces of his seemingly familiar guests.

Melissa didn't know what to call it.

She'd been alone for so long it was hard to place. So used to being alone - from school to home and back again. She knew the route, knew the best places to keep her head down, knew which hallways to head to to keep out of the hallways during rush hours. It was easy that way, because if she could keep the attention away from herself, she could get through it all.

And then today had happened. She didn't know what it was in her that decided to go down that way today, or why she felt like she had to, like there was a reason, something to find. She didn't know why, when she did make it down that hall and found the blond boy up against the wall and the brown-haired one taking on the other boys - older, known bullies. People she avoided. And yet here she was, filled with whatever that was inside of her, something violently protective and scarily unfamiliar. She'd never met these boys before, had no reason to barge in when she did, and yet here she was and here they were.

She found as the day went on this feeling got worse, and worser still. She could barely get through class without a nervous tick moving through her, a tension of are they okay where are they how do I know. Melissa didn't even know their names before today, and yet she couldn't shake the feeling. Which is why, later, she finds herself walking up a bit silently behind Arthur just moments after he rings the doorbell to Eren's house. She's never even been here before, yet the moment the door opens and Eren is standing there, smiling like that, she feels better.

He's smiling at him, dear God, he's smiling, he's welcoming him into his house-- how exactly are you supposed to act in this situation? Arthur, trying his absolute darndest to fish the back of his brain for proper etiquette, manages an ugly, shaky grin in return. If it were anyone else, if it wasn't this boy who made him feel like someone was tugging at his insides, towards him, he probably would have turned heel and ran as soon as he opened the door...

"H-hi... Eren?"

Arthur tucks some hair behind his ear, looks to the side, and nearly jumps out of his shoes-- when did Melissa get here? His heart was pounding so hard in his head he couldn't hear her approach. She was quiet as a cat!

Integra was quiet in the kitchen no longer busying herself with food as she held her breath trying to listen to what was going on in the doorway. She couldn't see them from where she stood and instead moved to pull Levi over to her.

"Can you stop frowning? That's not the way you should welcome your sons friends with a frown." She knew Levi could be intimidating with that look he always gave so anything to help Eren cheer she would do. She took his hand in hers and leaned on his shoulder while she leaned on the counter waiting for the kids to appear.

"I'm not asking you to smile either, just... stop frowning."

Arthur's words pulled Eren back to the moment. "Huh? Oh! Right. Hi," he said, stepping to the side in order to let his guests - or rather, his friends - through the doorway.

As he did so, he took a quick glance over his shoulder in the direction of the kitchen, where he was sure his mom was listening in. Even though he couldn't hear the conversation going on between his parents, Eren was secretly wishing for something similar to what Integra was requesting. For the love of god, Dad. Please don't scare them off.

"I wasn't sure if you two would really come. I'm glad."

Melissa isn't sure how she's supposed to react to Eren smiling at the two of them. Because he is, he's smiling, and Melissa can't remember the last time someone smiled at her like that. She turns to Arthur, in question, as if he would have some kind of answer to it only to watch him jump. Her eyes go a bit wide when he does, stepping back a little.

"Sorry, I didn't-" But then Eren was talking, was inviting them in, and Melissa just ends up looking back to Arthur before she can bring herself to move. Was this really okay? Her gut told her yes, that this was natural, but she's never been inside anyone else's house before.

"I, uh-" She ducks her head a little when she finally walks in, feeling a bit awkward when she stands right inside the doorway. When she continues, her voice is a little more steady, though not very loud. "Thanks for inviting us."

"Thanks for inviting us," Arthur parrots Melissa, a little under his breath, but he's trying. He steps in as well, and after he takes off his shoes and gathers enough courage to actually look up, he begins to curiously observe his surroundings. A nice, warm house, much bigger and fancier than the one he lives in with his grandfather. He feels... welcome, even when he's practically a complete stranger; he feels like Eren has opened his door to him before.

"I, uh..." he clutches his bag close, "thank you, for today. Those guys are always... trying to get me."

"Oh. Them. It's no problem." Just the thought of those jerks makes Eren's blood start to boil. "They're just lucky the bell rang when it did. I wasn't through with them."

Eren has a few friends his own age, but up until this point, they've all been what one could consider 'school friends.' He doubts a single one of them ever considered him even close to being a 'best friend.' ...And from what he could tell, he is pretty sure that Arthur and Melissa are somewhat similar to him, in this regard. It's another secret similarity that makes him feel like maybe he's finally found people he can connect with, outside of his family.

When he starts to speak again, it's much smoother and more natural. The awkwardness is gone, and all that's left is the excitement over how natural and easy it feels to talk to his new friends. "Just don't tell my Mom about the fight, when you see her, okay? She worries about every little thing."

There's a tight curl to her stomach when Eren mentions the fight. Despite how she had always been one to avoid conflict, to avoid interaction, she feels guilty for not being there. More guilty than she's ever felt before. "You shouldn't have taken them on by yourself." It comes out before she really even knows what she's saying, feeling embarrassed in the following moments.

Even still, she feels her brow crease a bit when she looks at Eren, then at Arthur. She knows, objectively, that the best thing to do would be to avoid the group of guys when they go back to school. To try and keep away from any potential situations. But when she thinks about those guys finding Arthur again, and Eren stepping in, her fists start to curl.

"Next time-" No, there shouldn't be a next time, but Melissa takes a breath and somehow what follows feels natural. "Wait for me to get there."

"Ah, um..."

Arthur shifts from foot to foot awkwardly, looking between Eren and Melissa. She's very... protective, for someone he's only just met, and even had a reputation for being a loner. And he's he's a little overzealous about this whole justice thing. Arthur doesn't want them to have a disagreement so soon, so he tries to defuse the situation.

"I won't tell anyone," he first assures Eren, "and I really-- it's okay. I'll just try not to get cornered like that again, so you won't have to do anything."

Comfort, guilt and, strangely enough, annoyance. Eren can't imagine why Melissa's kind words would have that sort of effect on him. She's obviously saying these things out of concern for his and Arthur's safety. With a little effort, he manages a reluctant nod of agreement. "I can handle it fine. ...But if you want to help, I won't stop you."

"And that's not the point, Armi--" God. Maybe he's more nervous than he thought. He's starting to mispronounce their names. How embarrassing. Hopefully, no one noticed.

"Arthur." he corrects himself, leading the way further into the house. They have enough time before dinner to drop off Arthur and Melissa's things and show them around a bit. "You shouldn't have to tip-toe around school, just because of some bullies. This is your town, too."

But that's the biggest problem with all this. Melissa has no reason to feel like this, and no reason to suddenly be so worried about the wellfare of the two boys in front of her, and yet what settles in her chest is a simple understanding that whatever happens, she will be there to help.

She doesn't feel the need to comment on not telling anyone. It's not like she has anyone to tell, Eren's mother included. But when Eren nearly calls Arthur by a different name, she finds herself a little taken back by the fact he stopped. What...what? She shakes her head, trying to shake the near-headache that is starting there.

"They shouldn't think you're an easy target." She follows Eren easily, almost too easily, feeling like that spot to his side and a step behind is where she's always supposed to be.

Armin, he finishes in his mind as Eren stops himself from doing so. It's an odd name, one that he's never heard before, and yet... he knew. Why? Knowledge doesn't simply appear in the brain; memories don't come from nowhere. But as he follows Eren, looking at his back, he feels something like the pain of an old wound.

"I... It's just always been that way. I am an easy target," which isn't easy to admit, his face twists a little in chagrin, "I can't fight back. I'm too weak. And that's exactly what they want."

"It's got nothing to do with being weak." As Eren replies to Arthur, he halts his steps long enough to direct a questioning look over Melissa's way. Was she feeling okay? Normally, he wouldn't see such a subtle shake of the head as a cause for concern, but with her, he takes notice. Perhaps it has something to do with how strong Melissa's presence beside him feels.

After a moment though, he continues on with what he was saying, "It's because you're different."

...Which is not exactly the most comforting thing to say, but Eren believes it to be true. As an afterthought, he quickly adds on: "You're smart and stuff. They probably feel threatened by you, so that's the only way they can think of to make themselves feel better about it. They're the weak ones. They're rotten."

"You don't have to be." Her eyes go from Arthur back to Eren, seeing the look he shoots her and feeling a bit guilty for it, averting her eyes off to the side. Which is strange enough in itself, that she could possibly feel bad for making Eren worry about her. Was she feeling okay? Besides how her brain had wanted to call Arthur Armin and kept telling her that Melissa was wrong...

Instead of worrying about it, though, she just keeps her spot beside Eren, next to Arthur.

"But you won't be alone any more. You won't have to worry about it." Alone. It had been something that she had been so used to for so long, had taken comfort in because at least that way she didn't have to worry about letting anyone else down. Getting hurt again. Now it feels wrong, like being alone was the worst possible thing she could ever be.

It's because you're different, not weak. You don't have to be strong. You don't have to be alone. Deep down, he knows these things are true, but he hadn't allowed himself to think of them in a long, long time. Like he felt the world was too cruel to him, and it didn't matter what was fair. Like he didn't deserve the comfort.

He wants to refute them, he even takes the breath in preparation to say so, but the words get all caught in his chest and his throat, and it withers away. He can't. To any other person, he could, but to these people he can't. Arthur bows his head to try and hide that he wants to cry.

"Thank you. I don't think anyone's ever said something like that to me before. If you'd stay by my side... I'd like that a lot."

"That settles it then. That's what we'll do." They've already reached Eren's bedroom door, but he can't be bothered to worry about giving the grand tour, or the usual pleasantries about how the two of them should make themselves at home, as he had originally planned. Not with such a heart wrenching atmosphere surrounding them. Eren can tell how much hearing those words had meant to Arthur, and what saying them had meant to Melissa. It seems that these two had lived a much lonelier life than his own, up until this point.

"It's funny, but I feel like I already know you two. Now that you're here, it's like we've been together forever."

She doesn't know if lonely is the right word for it. Could it still be called that when she'd actively sought out the loneliness? Actively avoided contacts with others? This is one of the longest conversations she's had with someone outside of school in she can't remember how long, and yet it felt fairly normal.

They make it to Eren's door and then pause, and Melissa looks up when Eren says that. Like we've been together forever. Something in her chest both constricts and relaxes at that, as her eyes go from Eren to Arthur then back, before dropping down to the ground.

"I feel it to but-" she purses her lips. "But how is that possible?"

"...You do too?"

This strange familiarity, he wasn't just imagining it? It isn't just some side-effect of having no-one to call friend for so long? When he thinks about it, normally he would be frightened by people with personalities like Eren and Melissa's, yet he knows that they would never, ever hurt him. Why is that?

It's too bizarre. It's unreal, supernatural-- and that name...

"You were going to call me Armin, weren't you?"

"Ah, so you noticed that slip up, after all..."

It takes Eren a moment longer than it probably should to realize that the unusual name bears some significance to the current issue. Caught off guard by this - by everything, really - his voice comes out a little louder than he'd intended. "...Wait. Why? Does it mean something to you?"

So it isn't just him. He isn't going crazy! Eren quickly opens the bedroom door to let the three of them in, a sudden desire for a more private atmosphere rushing over him. Clearly, there are things that they need to discuss.

Armin. Melissa blinks a little at hearing the sound of that name out loud, her eyes widening a little when she realizes that's what she'd been expecting Eren to say. Even now, when she thinks Arthur it feels wrong.

Which doesn't make sense. What kind of name is Armin anyway?

"I've heard that name before." She doesn't know where, or how, or from who, but she has. The name is familiar. That's when Eren opens the door, and she turns back to Arthur- Armin? - to let him in first and follow closely behind.

"That's the thing-- I know I've never heard it before," he starts, and wanders into the room as he feels the natural flow of their conversation, "no-one's ever said it to me, and I've never read it either. But when you started to say it, I finished the name in my head. I knew when there's no way I possibly could."

This strange, exciting feeling of deducting something puzzling-- that feel very familiar too.

"It wasn't just a random slip-up, right? You think... the both of you think, or thought, it's my name, didn't you?"

"It just seemed natural to say it like that." Last one in, Eren shuts the door behind him, slumping back against it.

"Something about 'Arthur' doesn't feel right. 'Melissa' either," he admits. Frowning, he looks around his room - the superhero comics sprawled across the desk, the revenge flick posters taped up on the walls that were only now starting to show their age, just the corner of one of the Go Army pamphlets that he'd been keeping a secret from his parents peeking out from under his mattress...

Now that his perspective has been flipped, he can't even say for certain that his own room feels 'right' any longer.

She nods to Arthur's question rather than responding out-right, closing the door behind her when they step in. She doesn't know why, it's not even her house, but she's somehow comfortable enough with it. Just as she is when she falls into that open space between Arthur and Eren.

When Eren mentions Melissa not sounding right, she frowns, because honestly...he's right. It doesn't. "What do you want to call me instead?" Because now that he's mentioned it, it's starting to feel more and more wrong. All of this.

When she follows Eren's eyes around his room, non of it looks familiar. None of it feels familiar. But then when she turns her eyes back to the other two, the way they're all standing near each other like this, it does.

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[Open] Here's a story, about a man named--

Closed to house

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oh hey y'all c:

/group hug

/gives all the cuddles to ere'one

i love our group logs <3

one big happy family

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