It came up that last chapter someone thought Erwin was wearing a wig and we went over it and decided that in a beautiful world Erwin got a bad hair cut like Connie and basically wore a wig so no one would notice… but everyone knows it's a wig and one day he's walking serious faced down the halls and its lopsided and everyone knows it's lopsided but no one has the heart to tell him and it's just there and everyone feels awkward. Erwin seems to always know everything so I like when people put him in the dark. Haha. Here's the next chapter.

"So that boy/girl that came by today-"

Shadis cut Erwin off as they walked to the parking lot, "They work at the café down the street and they always try to talk to me. I can assure you, they'll never come to the hospital again."

Erwin laughed, "That's a shame, they were cute."

"Hange? Cute?"

"Of course, they so obviously have a crush on you."

"You're joking."

"Not this time, they had that same look in their eyes and shrill in their voice as everyone who's ever looked at me."

"I think that's the most roundabout compliment you've ever given yourself," Shadis applauded.

They got into Shadis' car and Erwin gave him directions to the bar. The drive was quiet at first. Shadis found himself wondering how long he had actually known Erwin. The man had been one of the first applicants for a job when the hospital was finally built. The Erwin he met then and the one he knew now were very different. The first Erwin was very suave yet serious. He was a practiced surgeon and specialized in the treatment of pulmonary (lung) conditions and diseases. The first time they played chess together Erwin won by a landslide. Erwin would probably hold his own against Grisha, he wasn't sure if they had ever played together. But this Erwin, the kind of guy who'd say he got into lung studies simply because he's been told he "takes my breath away" one too many times… were they really the same? Erwin used to be so respectful but now he treats Shadis like a younger brother… Which also irritated Shadis because he was considerably older.

"I think you should give Hange another thought, they really seemed to like you," Erwin butted in once more.

"That's impossible, if I were you then sure but I'm not. I'm old and I have these bags under my eyes."

"You forgot to mention you've gone completely bald."

Shadis ignored that one. Was he getting so used to the bald remarks he didn't hear them anymore? Was that a good or a bad thing?

"Keith… You really are over Carla right?"

Keith almost crashed the car, "Of course."

Erwin didn't say anything after that. His only commentary from there were directions. Shadis didn't have to wonder what Erwin was asking or why he was asking it. He knew. Maybe everyone knew. Grisha definitely knew. How did Shadis know that? It was because Shadis, himself, told Grisha. He thought back on the day of he and Carla's wedding. He had dropped by Carla's room to wish her good luck and stuff like that. She had been so happy to see him.

"You're the only person I could talk anime with," she smiled that day.

Keith smiled back, but it was more of a twitch. It didn't seem like Carla could tell the difference. He left and before the ceremony started he bumped into Grisha who was on his way to the inside of the church.

"Grisha… I need to tell you something… Don't be angry, I just want you to know how lucky you are. I'm in love with Carla."

Grisha nodded in acknowledgment, not a trace of rage in his eyes, only understanding, "I know."

Keith had entertained the idea of yelling, "objection!" Running in dramatically proclaiming his love for her at the wedding but he knew he never would have done it. Those two little words had definitely sealed his fate. Grisha knew. Grisha had known Keith was in love with Carla all along. But Grisha was also genuinely in love with Carla. It's just the way things happened, it was the hand he was dealt. Keith clapped at the wedding and danced at the wedding and drank at the wedding and made merry at the wedding, but he hated the wedding. He hated being at the wedding. He went home from the wedding and sat down. What had his life been until then? Being completely honest he couldn't express what he was feeling that night. Maybe he wasn't feeling anything? Maybe he was feeling everything? He doesn't know.

"It's this bar on the right, Kenny's."

Keith groaned, interrupted from his trip down memory lane, "are you serious?"

Yes, it was a bar, but it was one of those cool trendy bars where people meet for hookups and stuff. It was the kind of bar you had to be between twenty one and thirty to get into. Shadis was not any of those numbers. You could hear the loud music from outside and you could see the raging party going on inside. Shadis wanted to go home; he didn't even want a beer anymore.

"Don't you think we're a little old for this bar?"

"Maybe you are but it can't be helped, this is where Levi works. Come on, just drink with me until he comes home with me."

"Drink by yourself if you're planning to ditch me anyway."

"I have to go in with someone or Levi will know I'm coming specifically to see him. I don't want to give him that satisfaction."

"You need to quit it with the mind games, one day it's gonna backfire and you'll lose an arm."

"I won't make any jokes about you for a week."

"… I've been craving a beer anyway."

So they walked into the bar and were greeted by blaring music and screaming from college students and just out of college adults. Shadis was so ashamed of himself for even being there. He had work to do. There's always work to do. He should have just told Erwin no. Erwin immediately guided them to the actual bar where a very short but very attractive man was throwing bottles and glasses around, making drinks at high speed with amazing precision. He was humanity's greatest bartender, Levi Ackerman. His steely gaze and barely buttoned shirt had his tip jar overflowing with bills and phone numbers. Even Shadis was taken aback but his godly face.

"Erwin, that's Levi?"

Erwin's face had completely changed from flirty and douchey to purposeful and handsome. He walked right up to the bar. The crowds of women parted at the sight of Erwin cuz damn it, Erwin is hot as oil on freshly microwaved popcorn. Sizzle.

"Hello Mr. Smith, what will you and your friend have tonight?"

His voice put a lump even in Shadis' throat. Do people that good looking really exist? The man was even lightly sweaty just from the heat produced by all the bodies in the room. He was so sultry and slutty and regal and provocative. Everything from the way his collarbones poked out from his shirt to the stoic side-glances from his grey eyes to the curl of his lip as he smirked like a devil visiting a woman in her dreams for sex. This man's aura screamed sex. It was almost too much to handle.

But he wasn't Shadis' type. He was a gorgeous, sexy bar tender. He was walking perfection, he was special. Shadis wouldn't be able to handle that for more than the time he's spent staring at him. His eyes finally wondered away from Levi as he got used to his features. He remembered vaguely having a similar experience when he met Erwin. He had actually forgotten about it. Erwin's draw was his wholesome good looks and romantic appeal. Shadis has seen women literally swoon and fall into Erwin's arms just to know what it was like to be held in them. Old women would ask him for help crossing the street. Everyone had an advantage and they worked it just for a little interaction with Erwin Smith. Levi probably was the same. In that moment they both became considerably less attractive to Shadis. Underneath that angel face was a snarky, egocentric bastard and he assumed Levi was the same.

"I'll have a brandy, he'll have a beer. Just put it on my tab."

"Will you ever actually pay your tab?"

"It's come to my attention that should I keep up these silly games I'll lose an arm. What do you say to that?"

Levi smirked, "I'll meet you upstairs in ten."

Levi went on to ready their drinks as well as make arrangements with the other bar tender, the bar's owner, Kenny. Kenny was an older man, maybe Keith's age, but he did not give off that impression. Kenny gave off the vibe of being a "cool dad." He had that ragamuffin look at first glance, like a homeless mercenary. But when you actually took a long look at him you could see it was intentional, from the grease in his hair to the stubble on his chin, to the cuts in his jeans. This man wanted to look like he rolled out of bed this way when the truth is he probably spent two hours getting ready.

Erwin handed Shadis his beer and smiled, "this one's on me so drink up and leave whenever you're ready."

"Whore," Shadis remarked raising the pint to his lips when someone knocked into him.

"Oh sorry 'bout that buddy," the voice Shadis knew all too well said- then the voice realized it was Shadis they bumped into and started grinning, "So much for your date."

"Hange, what are you doing here?"

"I should ask you that baldy, I'm here with the squad," said squad posed as they were gestured to.

"Guys! This is Shadis! The guy I was talking about!"

"Hange, you can't be serious," one with an ugly mug and a bleeding tongue said.

"That's Shadis?" Asked a taller man with blonde hair parted in the middle.

"He's so old," one with shoulder length red hair laughed.

"He's kinda ugly," said one with buzzed down brown hair.

Shadis sighed, "It's good to meet all of you. Please keep Hange away from me. I'll be leaving now."

He set his beer down on the counter, not even taking a sip. He was totally put off by this place, the vibe, the smell, the- actually it's surprisingly clean in here? No matter the reason he was ready to go home and pass out on his couch.

"Shadis, you don't have to go," Hange tried.

Shadis stared at them, "I'm too old for this."

They followed him outside, "They were just kidding, they're really very nice when you get to know them."

"I don't have to get to know them, I'm too old to hang out with you kids anyway."

"I don't think it's a problem!"

Shadis stared at them for a long time before unlocking his car and getting inside. Hange ran around to his side and stared at him with pleading puppy dog eyes. He met them with his own cold but clueless ones. Erwin's voice rang out in the back of Shadis' mind.

"Hey Hange… you… don't have a crush on me, do you?"

Shadis realized he said that out loud and quickly slammed his car door shut. Then he heard Hange laughing. Then he turned his car on and thought about running Hange over but was instead careful not to hit them as he sped away into the night. He drove so fast a police officer on a motorcycle started to follow him. Shadis had no respect for police on bikes so he used all of his tactical genius to ditch the cop. It totally worked, not to brag. He got to his apartment building, parked his car, and flew up the steps, into the elevator, and into his apartment. He sighed crashing on his couch.

He couldn't remember the last time he had been so mortified. Maybe he could? Back in 5th grade when he told Marie he liked her and she laughed. Wasn't Nile married to her now? She picked Nile with his peanut butter and banana sandwich over him? That's really embarrassing. But that's not it. He liked Marie; he had a crush on Marie. So what was this Hange business?

He rolled off the couch and walked into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out a banana and walked to the cabinet and pulled out some peanut butter and walked to the island counter and took out some bread. He could have a peanut butter and banana sandwich too if he wanted. He has everything he needs right here. He has all the qualifications. He sighed setting everything down. A crummy sandwich wouldn't be the answer to his problems. What problems did he even have? Did he say he was fine as he was? He was content not being special. Why didn't he feel that way now?

He wondered over to the turnstile in the living room and put on a record. Yes, a record, he's really that old. Weren't kids these days into records? Maybe he was hip after all. Not after using slang like "hip." The only hip he had was one that would pop out of place eventually. Maybe he'll get it replaced? Growing old sucks. Yeah, he really couldn't be with Hange because when he's eighty Hange would be half his age. He would die well before Hange and there goes their youth. They'd end up just like he is now. Why Hange? Well they seem to be the topic of the evening. It's their fault he's feeling this way tonight. It's also Erwin's fault because Erwin put all these dumb thoughts in his head.

He picked a record out of the case; a bouncy ragtag song started playing. Shadis laughed a little to himself. He picked this song of all songs? It's so corny and doesn't suit him at all. He tapped his foot and bopped along and started singing. Why did this song make him so happy?

"Oh tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree. It's been three long years. Do you still want me? If I don't see a ribbon 'round the old oak tree I'll stay on the bus, forget about us, put the blame on me- if I don't see a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree."

He caught his reflection in the glass of his window. He was smiling like a moron, singing like an idiot, holding an unpeeled banana. Smiling really doesn't suit a face like his. He looks scary, he thought to himself. He laughed at it anyway, walking back into the kitchen to make that God Damn peanut butter and banana sandwich. He ate that sandwich with pride as the song ended. It tasted like when he was a kid. It tasted like sweet, sweet rejection. He laughed at himself. That's all he really learned to do in school. What an idiot he is. He got over it.

"Alright Keith, finish your sandwich and get ready for bed. I'm actually going to sleep in my bed for once… I should figure out where to get coffee tomorrow morning… I could try making it?"

He looked at the coffee machine on his counter, "I work hard enough as it is, no need to push it. I'll just go somewhere else."

Wow this chapter was like double the length of the rest of them. The song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" wasn't carefully chosen, I just listened to it and kind of laughed because it sort of suits Shadis. It's about a guy who goes off to war and leaves his sweet heart behind and when the was is over he writes to them letting him know that he still loves them and he's there if they want him? I feel like Shadis is kind of like that in this fic. This chapter was originally planned to go a completely different way but what you see here ended up being what I went with. I shouldn't plan chapters because they never end up as planned. The best part of this chapter for me was when Grisha was like "I know." I was like "you fucker." I say that a lot, especially with Erwin and Levi. I'm not sure what this fic is about but the more I write it the more I like it even if the pairing isn't popular or conventional. Leave me a Review I'm lonely XD