It could have been such a beautiful day…
However, somewhere along the line it all went out of control pretty fast. Eren knows that standing this close to Levi, moving to music, and their bodies pretty much pressed together from hips to shoulders, simply can't end well.
As so often when Eren finds himself in a situation he fumes over, it's all Jean's fault!
It all started with a provocation. A thoughtless defense. A silly, stupid almost-dare on a drunk night. Fucking Jean!
If he hadn't smirked this arrogantly during stag night and sneered that the Titans would reappear before Eren would bring a date to his wedding, all of this wouldn't have happened. Jean has always had a way of pushing Eren's buttons. So after a beer or two too many, Eren snapped. He proclaimed loudly, so that the whole bar could hear it, that he wouldn't come alone to the wedding. Then Jean would see that Eren wasn't as pathetic as he always said!
Only to prove by doing so, that he truly was this pathetic.
Naturally, Eren instantly did everything to get himself out of the mess. Oh, indeed! He tried to find someone, anyone, who'd go to the wedding with him and no, nothing else. Still, it seemed like too big of a commitment, too strange, too false.
Eren cursed himself for the umpteenth time for being this impulsive. All the war winning, all the growing up, and he still hasn't learnt to fully control himself. He'd even been desperate enough that he honestly considered to simply fake a wondrous illness to slip out of the deal. But it was Jean! Eren knew that chickening out only would have delayed the problem instead of changing the fact that he'd have to man up and admit defeat eventually. Not to mention there was no way he'd miss out on his sister's big day.
Of course there was another option. Eren could simply follow his heart. The one he truly did want to ask though…well…There was no way it would work out.
Only that, oddly enough, it somehow did.
Maybe it shouldn't have been this much of a surprise that Levi sensed that there was something bothering him. After a whole week, followed by another one of letting Eren brood, Levi told him to fucking come out with it.
The following discussion had been one of the strangest, and briefest, Eren has ever had. Before he knew it, he had a fake date with a simple "I'll pick you up at nine, then."
It almost has been worth it to bring Levi as his whatever he is, simply for the satisfaction of seeing the shock on their faces. At least on Jean's. Mikasa, looking happier than Eren has ever seen her before, only squinted her eyes at their sight. Eren has a feeling she is fully aware of the farce. As is Armin, probably. Also, Eren guesses, Hanji has her doubts too if that curious expression of hers is anything to go by. Still. Jean has visibly paled, Connie still hasn't fully stopped gaping, and Sasha was so stunned that she even forgot the mini sandwich in her hands, if only for a brief moment.
Admittedly, it helps Eren's cause that he has this foolish, hopeless crush on Levi to keep up the charade for the day. What doesn't help, on the other hand, is that it's been a long day with too much flirting-not-flirting and lingering glances.
Now the evening celebrations have begun, and Levi has led Eren onto the dance floor to press them so close together that Eren can feel Levi's breath. He even can smell the scent of Levi's soap as they move. Slowly to the tunes of the band's calm music. It makes Eren's head go dizzy while his heart pounds frantically against his ribcage. The party is in full swing, and yet, somehow, the world seems to narrow down to just the two of them until everything between them, every little touch, every little brush of fingers, every shared breath, feels so much stronger. So much more intense.
It also doesn't help that from this close, Levi's eyes shine almost gold in the flicker of the candles.
Eren knows he should enjoy this as long as it lasts. It all will be over much too soon. Their arrangement ending by the start of the next day. He finds himself utterly idiotic for having to think of the fairy tale his mother always read out loud to him when he was small. It is ridiculous for a fully grown man, a soldier, a veteran, to compare himself to Cinderella in his wish this night would never end, and that midnight should never come. He's got no prince, sure enough, but he thinks his choice is so much better anyway…
The song ends, and Levi declares he has to go for a piss.
Eren doesn't even know why this makes him chuckle almost hysterically, but there it his. It's blubbering out completely unchecked as he watches Levi blaze a trail towards the bathroom. He's so lost in his thoughts that he doesn't notice Hanji approaching until she begins to speak.
"You know, I think you might be lucky." She stands next to him, following Levi's departing figure with her eyes as well.
"Huh?"
She grins at Eren. "Should we dance? I know you know how it's done. I watched. And no worries, we don't have to come that close."
The blush that heats Eren's blood instantly must be scorching his cheeks in a bright red, but Hanji doesn't comment on it, and he is grateful for it.
"Do you know how to lead?" Hanji asks instead.
"Um…no," Eren admits.
"Good thing I do, then. Come on."
It's another slow song, and Eren has the suspicion her timing isn't completely coincidental. Sure enough, they've only made a few steps back and forth in a small circle when her grin turns into a full beam, and she begins to talk.
"So. Tell me," she demands. "Is this real? Because honestly, I can't tell, but something seems off."
Eren doesn't pretend to have no clue what she's talking about. "It's not." At her raised eyebrow he relents and adds: "it's a show for Jean."
Her knowing gaze tells him that yes, indeed, she knows about his crush. Apparently everyone does. Then again, Eren probably shouldn't be surprised. He has long given up on believing that his feelings could have gone unnoticed over the years. They must be obvious, clearly written all over everything he does. Yet seeing it in Hanji's warm eyes as she looks at him in silent understanding, still makes Eren gulp.
"How did he react when you asked him to do this?" Hanji asks.
"I didn't ask him of anything," Eren answers. "He offered."
"Oh?"
"Yes. It was strange."
They fall silent for a while and Hanji squints her eyes.
"Has he picked you up?" she asks eventually.
Eren frowns. "Yes."
"Is that from him too?" She nods at the decoration on his jacket.
It's a white rose, wired around a clasp to make it into a small brooch. It was another one of the surprises today. Levi gave it to him with the stoic declaration that it was mandatory for the bride's brother to be presentable. After that he unceremoniously pinned it to Eren's lapel before they began their walk to the ceremony.
"It is," Eren affirms.
"Hm. Well, I stick with my previous comment."
Eren just wants to ask what Hanji means, when they are interrupted by a low, familiar voice.
It sounds unaccustomedly amused. "What are you doing with my date, four-eyes?"
They both turn to look at Levi. To his own disgrace, Eren can feel his blush spread further over his neck and down his chest quite without his permission.
Hanji, however, doesn't appear to be fazed at all. "He looked lost."
"Tch. I'm certain of it. I'll take over from here."
"Of course." Her grin is so wide that Eren thinks her face must split in two every moment now. Before he can react though, she's already gone, whereas Levi's hand has slipped back into Eren's own. The gentle squeeze of cool fingers around his makes every sensible thought fall out of Eren's head as he looks down.
Levi already looks back, studies his face, but gives away nothing in return. Still, he is close, too close, and after a whole day of uncertainties and foolish hope, Eren suddenly has to know.
Because yes. He wants this to be so much more than just pretend. He has been wanting this for so long that he can't even remember going through the days and nights without this hollow, yearning ache. Having Levi here in his arms and yet so far out of his reach at the same time makes it almost impossibly hard to breathe.
They're moving slowly. So slowly now, and trying to find an answer, a hint, anything at all in Levi's eyes, Eren feels himself crumble. He makes a decision, and goes for the only way he can come up with that will tell him for sure.
He presses even closer, his hand holding on to Levi's arm, and without letting himself think it through any further, he closes his eyes and lowers his head. Levi inhales sharply against Eren's mouth, but his fingers curl around Eren's waist line and his pulse point on his wrist. One moment later their lips finally touch, once, twice, again, and again, softly at first, barely brushing. Then Eren sighs, and Levi surges forward, deepens their kiss to make it hot and greedy.
Eren is only glad Levi is holding on to him so tightly, because he seems to have lost any foothold in his legs. Everything he knows and feels and is, it's all reduced to Levi's lips against his, Levi's taste in his lungs, Levi's strong fingers digging into his clothes. Levi's wonderfully firm body urging even closer against his in an unsaid yes. Eren melts, meets Levi's tongue with his own, pouring months and years of longing into their kiss, until it hurts in all the best ways, and they have to part for air.
While Levi is panting wonderfully against his chest, it takes Eren a moment to realise that they are still standing in a room filled with people. Most of them are staring, and some of them have started to giggle. He can even hear someone whistle. Eren thinks it's Sasha.
Whoever it is, Eren couldn't care less. Levi is still holding on to his hips and now blinks up at him with an almost sly smile. "You just had to do this in public, hadn't you."
Eren grins back. He honestly can't help it. "I didn't plan to. Sorry." Before he can't help it, he sheepishly adds: "…sir."
More giggles around them.
Levi only snorts, his eyes shining like a sky full of stars. "Should we get the fuck out of here? We can come back later."
"Yes," Eren says, noticing with a jolt of relief that he somehow even manages to stand on his own when Levi loosens their embrace.
"Let's say our goodbyes, then."
"Yes," Eren repeats.
He can't stop smiling. Maybe…just maybe, he should thank Jean for being such a pain after all.
Not that Eren would ever admit that out loud.