Eren Jaeger tugged at the tight collar of his shirt. His sister, Mikasa, had insisted that even a semi-formal event meant he had to at least attempt to appear like he wasn't a foul-tempered, overdramatic, overworked college student. Eren was pretty sure that this was woven into his very being and no amount of cologne and stupid skinny neckties could mask it.
His best friend, Armin, elbowed him softly as he became increasingly fussy and irate. This was the exact opposite of his thing. He didn't have time to find clean socks, so the bottoms of his feet stuck to the soles uncomfortably. But Eren supposed he was willing to put up with that under the circumstances. And by circumstances, he meant hot piece of five foot three ass.
"Eren." Armin's elbow cracked against his side harder now, blue eyes staring at him in exasperation.
"It's not my fault I'm bored as hell." Eren frowned down at the concrete floor.
"Maybe you wouldn't be if you just left the poor guy alone." Armin frowned back.
Armin had been Erens best friend since kindergarten. They'd always been there for each other. When Armin got bullied. And when Eren got into fights he had no hope of winning. And when Eren broke his finger in a particularly rowdy game of Snakes and Ladders in high school. And when Eren when accidentally spilled coffee all over Mina Carolinas watercolor still life last Friday.
"Armin, 'poor' is literally the least accurate way to describe the enigma that his he."
"Oh, God Eren. Please just stop. Were drowning in your thirst, I swear." Armin pleaded honestly.
"Overreacting much?"
"Eren. The only reason we're even here is for you to harass the guy then get turned down flat."
"Okay, wow. That one stung a little."
"Eren this is going to be the fourth time you ask the guy out. You've been after him for months in the most overt ways. If he says he's not interested Eren, he's not interested."
"Not listening!" Eren reply in a singsong voice, hands over his ears.
"Your such a fucking noob, Jaeger." The voice came from behind them and then from behind the camera like always.
"The fuck are you doing here Horse Face?"
"Because that's original," Jean grumbled. "Besides I'm not the only one here to watch you bomb. Connie and Sasha are going to be here in like, five minutes and Christa and Ymir are over there talking to Professor Ral."
Armin and Eren glanced over there shoulders. Indeed, there two friends were fifteen meters away, talking to Erens favourite teacher.
"You guys are total assholes, you know that right?"
"That's rich coming from you."
"Jean I will break that camera over your head if you don't get it out of my face!"
"Touch my camera and your dead Eren." Jean took two quick steps back, not doubting the other boy's rage.
He and Armin had met Jean in the first week of high school and as far as Eren was concerned, he'd hung around like a bad smell ever since. No matter how much their past was tangled together. Jean was a film student, easily one of the best in his class and easily one of the biggest jerks on campus. He was already with his video camera, all ready to capture what stupid thing he did next. And the fact had he'd come to this art showing just to watch Eren yet again fail in his attempt for a certain mans attention was oh so typical of him.
"Remember that stupid little camera you had in high school. The one that went flying into the ocean." Eren glared at him, with his bright caribbean blue eyes.
"Yeah, and remember how many lawns you had to mow and how many gutters you had to clean to pay me back for that?"
"Guys, seriously-" Armin was cut off.
"I did it before I'll do it again!"
"Eren. Lower your voice." Mikasa appeared beside him, her girlfriend, Annie, silent beside her.
Everyone had been surprised when the two had gotten together midway through the first year of college. Their relationship had initially consisted of hating each other's guts, but the two had seemingly found common ground and had been nothing but faithful to each other for the last two years.
"Listen to your sister, you spaz." Jean couldn't help but get the last word.
"I'd be sleeping with that camera close, Horse Face." Erens gaze was too serious to be questioned.
Jean swallowed nervously but still kept his camera rolling.
Armin turned to Mikasa and Annie wearily.
"Can I be relieved of my Eren duties now?"
Mikasa nodded and she and Annie each stood at Erens sides. Armin wandered off in the direction of Ymir and Christa.
"Guys! I don't need to be babysat." Eren glared at his sister.
"Tell that to Mina," Annie spoke dully.
Eren looked at Annie in annoyance.
"You spend twenty-three hours a day in complete silence and that's what you got to say?"
Annie looked up at him with those cold blue eyes. Eren suppressed the urge to shiver.
"Here we see Eren Yeager, flanked by to two attractive women. It is likely he will die without there support and protection." Jean spoke in his best David Attenborough voice.
"That's it! Give me the fucking camera!"
As Eren lunged for Jean, Connie, and Sasha, the groups one and an only married couple came bounding towards them.
"Eren!" Connie shouted, drawing looks from everyone in the gallery. "Eren! We saw the guy!"
"Seriously?" Eren stepped forward to grab Connie's shoulders to stop himself from being run down. Sasha, however, ended up on her butt when Mikasa actively stepped out of her path. "Where?"
"He just walked in." Sasha stood up, rubbing her tender backside. "He was talking to Professor Zoe."
"Here we go." Mikasa sighed softly.
"Okay. Here we go." Eren suddenly felt as all his confidence had abandoned him. He turned to his friends. "Do I look okay?"
"You have got to be kidding me." Jean scoffed.
Before Eren could threaten him with further property damage, Connie slung an arm around his neck.
"Hotter than a tamale." Connie grinned.
"Go get the booty!" Sasha saluted him.
"Okay. Cool, yeah. I can do this." Eren smiled at them gratefully. "Thanks, guys."
Eren headed off to find Professor Zoe and his one true love and his friends watched him go in various different emotional states. Connie and Sasha were leaning against one another, practically in tears for pride. Mikasa and Annie looked completely done with the entire situation and Jean continue to narrate the scene before him.
Armin, Christa, and Ymir joined them.
"Eren gone a-hunting?" Ymir gave a feral smirk.
"If by hunting, you mean he went to get rejected again then, yes. Hunting." Jean answered.
"It's like you guys have no faith in Eren!" Connie clung to his wife.
"What gave it away?" Ymir's cruel smile stretched wider.
Jean laughed and they both shared a high five.
"Ymir, don't be so mean." Christa pouted, up at her girlfriend. "I think it's adorable and we should give Eren our full support."
"What? So, you think Eren will actually get him to agree." Ymir arched a brow down at her.
"God, no. But that doesn't mean we should pick on Eren for it."
"That's my girlfriend." Ymir wiped away imaginary tears. "So kind."
-Tuesday To Tuesday-
Levi Ackerman gazed up at the portrait with a critical glare. The woman in the painting stared off into the distance, blonde hair wildly blowing around her face, eyes elegantly slanted and bright. The color bright pallet reminded Levi of waking up with the sun, alone. Like the light was attempting the smoother the obviously dark emotions.
Several feet away the young artists spoke about there work to Hanji and Erwin. Levi didn't care much to know their motivation. He strongly believed that once art was shown to anyone other than the creator, it was up to one's self to draw a story from it.
"Levi." Erwin grabbed for his attention. "What do you think of it?"
"I think I could have a buyer lined up in twenty-four hours." Levi turned to the artist, stoically. "Are you interested?"
"Yes! Yes. Of course." The artist beamed.
"Good. I'll be in contact as soon as possible." Levi handed them his business card and turned before they could thank him again.
"Levi!" Hanji grinned maniacally besides him. "Did you like it? Ty's one of the best art students in the fourth year!"
"It was okay."
"Sounds like Levis seal of approval to me." Erwin chuckled.
Levi and Erwin had been friends for almost two decades, meeting in their third year of high school. Erwin was the golden child. Bright and attractive. Friendly and well liked. Levi was an outcast and glad for it. He much preferred to be left alone. Then they'd been paired for a geography assignment and Erwin had somehow niggled his way into Levis good graces.
They'd both meet Hanji in the first year of college when they'd streaked across campus in an attempt to get people to stop asking about what genitals they had. Levi sorely wished he didn't know, but he did and it was cross he was forced to bear.
Levi glanced around at the crowd skeptically, before stopping to view a ceramic vase.
"Hideous," Levi muttered under his breath before quickly moving on, once glancing about the area.
"Looking for someone?" Erwins voice drilled with smug intentions.
"Shut up Erwin."
"I think he's a nice boy, although a peculiar one, given, well, you know." Levi sent the tall man a warning glare but Erwin continued. "He has a friend in your advanced biology class, doesn't he Hanji?"
"Yes! Armin! Oh, he's such a smart little thing." Hanji beamed with pride. "Erens always coming in during class and sitting in the back waiting for Armin. He's great. He helps with the experiments and everything!"
"You don't need to shout, you psychopath." Levi hissed at her then turned his venomous glare on Erwin. "And one more word out of you and I'll make you choke on your eyebrows."
"Ah, so eloquent as always." Erwin smiled serenely.
"Oh, Erwin! When you do that it gets me all hot and bothered!" Hanji cackled and fanned themselves.
"Now, now, Hanji. We mustn't do this in public. We may, entirely on accident, embarrass our dearest friend Levi." Erwin said in mock seriousness. "After all we are married."
"And not to each other." Hanji dramatically. "Oh, where did we go wrong?"
"I fucking hate you both." Levi groaned and hurried forward to escape their childish act.
Levi rounded the corner and instantly spotted Eren with his back turned, not three feet away. He quickly turned, hoping to make a lucky break for it. Then Hanji opened their stupid freaking mouth.
"Eren! My sweet little assistant!" Hanji rushed forward and Eren turned just in time to be enveloped in an embrace.
"Oh, hey, Professor." He laughed before his eyes widened. "Professor, do you know where Levi is?"
"Behold!" Hanji pointed over to him triumphantly.
Levi was currently thinking of the cleanest possible way to violently bludgeon them.
"Hey, Levi."
Then there was Eren. With his stupid bright smile and entrancing eyes.
"I regret every decision I've made up till this point in my life," Levi said in a completely flat tone. "But, nevertheless, hello Eren."
Just the simple greeting seemed to make the boys whole face glow.
"Hello, Eren. How are you?" Erwin stuck out his hand warmly.
"I'm fine thanks, Mr. Smith."
Levi actively ignored the contrast of Erens tan complexion against Erwins paler one as they shook hands.
"Please, call me Erwin. This is the third time, no fourth we've met isn't it?"
"Fourth is right I think." Eren smiled back, so cheerful and endearing. So dangerous in his innocence.
Then Erens hand was reached out in his direction. It was so close he could see the lines on his palms. Now, the boy was right in front of him and Levis straight forward nature allowed him no room to look away.
Like the multiple other times he'd seen Eren in the last two and a half months, Eren was dressed in semi-formal attire. Scuffed black imitation oxfords and black jeans that hugged at his thighs. Above that he wore, a dark grey button-up shirt, one of the three buttons up he'd seen him wearing so far, the other two being white and a green shirt that bought out his eyes disgusting well. A plan black tie hung from his neck, Levi was certain it was the only one he owned. Then there was that ridiculous mop of hair, wild and untamed. Levi didn't even want to touch on those eyes of his.
Levi sighed and shook Erens hand, pretending he couldn't feel the warmth spreading through his own hand.
-Tuesday To Tuesday-
Eren couldn't help but beam at Levi. And he was too busy raking his eyes over the other man's body to notice Levi do the same thing.
Levi stood at only five foot three, yet still always managed to appear as the most impressive in any room. Eren could tell his shoes were expensive, not cheap knock-offs like his own. Sleek black slacks, perfectly pressed, white button up, beneath a black blazer. And easily Erens favourite part of Levis respective attire was the pure white cravat. Clean and immaculately so. Levi himself sported an undercut, which appeared to be as intimated by him as most people considering not a strand every strayed for there arrangement. He was pale, but not sickeningly so. His face was all sharp angles and deep dark eyes. The kind of eyes Eren would absent-mindedly doddle throughout the day, much to his sister's annoyance.
He bundled up his confidence and stuck out his hand. Levi stared at it for a moment before sighing and gripping it. Eren sent a mental pray to every God he could think of that Levi wouldn't notice how ecstatic the skin on skin contact made him.
"So, it was nice seeing you again, Eren." Erwin nodded politely. "But we'll let you get on with it."
Erwin grabbed Hanji shoulders and steered them away, ignoring their protests.
"How have you been Levi?" Eren asked eagerly.
"I'd say I can't complain but I can and I will."
"Found anything here that catches your eye?" Eren gestured around at the art.
"Only one. A painting." Levi answered plainly. "But you're not here to ask me about work, are you brat?"
"I'm not a brat." Eren pouted, his confidence wavering ever so slightly. "And I was wondering-"
"No."
"Please."
"You heard me."
"You won't regret it." Eren stared over at him, eyes burning fiercely.
"Kid, this is the fourth time you've asked me. And I have turned your ass down each time." Levi said exasperatedly. "Just give in."
"No. Please, just a chance is all I'm asking for."
"You don't even know me, brat."
"But I want too." Eren stepped closer to him.
"Is this seriously your tactic? Annoy the hell out of me until I cave?" Levi glared up at him, but Eren refused to step down.
"Yes. It's worked before."
"And you say your not a brat."
"Levi." Eren practically begged. "A chance. That's all I want."
Eren wouldn't give in. He just knew that this could be something great. He didn't know why exactly, but his mother had always taught him to go with his instincts and that's what he was going to do.
"I'm not your type."
"You don't know what my type is."
"Well, if it's anti-social middle-aged men, then there's something seriously wrong with you." Levi started walking away, but Eren followed closely behind at his heels.
Everything about Levi eluded him. He knew so little about him but he wanted to know everything. It wasn't love at first. Eren was fairly certain that didn't exist and that everyone has to suffer through the tried old clique because Shakespeare was an idiot. When he first met Levi he knew he was physically attracted to him. That was a biological fact. But at first, he'd found Levis personality, in general, to be rude and inconsiderate. It wasn't after the third time they'd ran into each other at one of these galleries that Eren had spoken with him and seen a glimpse of the human under Levis cold facade. It had been then when Erens real interest had grown.
Eren wouldn't give in until he had his chance to show Levi what they could have. Lucky for him, he had a reputation for being stubbornly determined to the point of physical injury.
"I know I'm being annoying but if you give me a chance and it doesn't work out, I'll leave you alone forever. You'll never hear from me again, you'll never see me again."
Levi stopping abruptly, Eren nearly running into his back. Levi glanced over his shoulder to look at him.
"Let's go outside."
Eren now realized they were standing by the front doors.
"Okay." Eren nodded and hurried forward to hold the door open for Levi who rolled his eyes at his actions.
They stood out from the air conditioning and into the humidity of the summer night. Eren suddenly wished he wasn't wearing jeans. Levi led them down to the end of the block, where there was less traffic and human noise.
He turned sharply to Eren, who quickly tired the burn the image of Levis angles illuminated by the orange glow of the street lights deep into his mind.
"I don't date, Eren. I'm not interested in being with anyone. Why is that so difficult to understand?"
"Come on, don't tell me you don't feel something here?" Eren gave him a pleading expression.
"Beside the sexual tension radiating off you, not really." Levi snapped at him.
"Come on." Eren bit his bottom lip, eyes wide and innocent. "Come on. Please?"
Levis gaze seemed to bore into his sole for the longest moment, his expression unreadable.
"If I agree, you will stop being an annoying little shit?" Levi arched a thin dark brow.
"Yes, I swear." Eren nodded earnestly.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," Levi muttered more to himself then Eren. At his words, Erens lips drew up into a wide grin. "Don't look so pleased with yourself. This won't go anywhere. Waste of fucking time and energy."
"I'll prove that it isn't."
"Is that right?" Levi drawled sceptically. "Since your so confident, I have a condition."
"Alright..." Eren now felt a little apprehensive.
"One week." Levi held up a single slim finger. "You get one week to show me that this is worth it."
"That's all I need."
A fleeting glimpse of surprises flashed though Levis' eyes. He'd likely thought Eren would fight for more time.
"Good. Because that's all you get." Levi tugged back his jacket sleeve to reveal an expensive looking watch. "It's eight twenty-four. You have seven days starting now to show me that this isn't a waste of time. And if in the end, I'm right, stay the fuck away from me."
"It's a deal."
Eren stuck out his hand and they shook for the second time this night.
"Your better have something decent up your sleeve brat."
-Tuesday To Tuesday-
"Armin does this look okay?" Eren turned left and right, watching his reflection carefully.
"Eren," Armin sighed, looking up from his textbook. "you look perfectly fine."
"You said that about the last four shirts."
"And I was right about the last four shirts." Armin returned his attention to his book. "You need to calm down Eren. You have hours before you need to be ready."
"You don't get it, Armin. This has to be perfect." Eren tugged the shirt off and over his head.
"You should probably just stay home then." Ymir grinned from the bedroom doorway.
"Fuck off," Eren growled and starting going through the pile of clothing on his bed for the fifth time that hour.
"You can't force this date to be perfect." Armin shook his head.
"Don't tell me what to do." Eren pouted moodily.
"Fine then. I give up." Armin grabbed his textbooks and stationery. "I have to go to the library anyway. I'll be back in a few hours."
"Hmm." Eren held up another shirt and begun inspecting it closely.
"I don't get what's so special about this Levi." Ymir leaned against the door frame, out of Armin's path.
Armin then quickly ducked out of the way as Jean came up the hall, camera in hand.
"And today on, In The Life of A Suicidal Bastard..."
He came to stand in the doorway behind Ymir.
"He just is." Eren balled up the shirt he was holding and threw it into the basketball hoop attached to the wall above his bed. "Levi...Levi's just really freaking special."
"Is that supposed to be a good thing?" Ymir irked a brow.
"Yes." Eren held up another shirt. "He's a really unique person. I can just tell."
"Yuck."
"Thanks." He rolled his eyes, still not looking over at her. "You wouldn't understand how I feel Ymir. You've been obsessed with the same girl since high school. I haven't known Levi that long, but I just know that I need to...you know."
"Hit that?" Ymir grinned.
"That too." Eren shrugged and finally glanced over at her, seeing Jean lurking behind his camera. "Oi!"
"Come on, I got to document this. Who knew The Suicidal Bastard Eren Jaeger had human emotions."
"I'm going to break that camera over your head, Horse Face!"
"Chill out, you psychopath!"
"Boys, boys! Calm the fuck down." Ymir moved too stand between them. "Don't make me take you both over my knee."
"Christa! Ymirs getting weird again!" Jean shouted down the hall.
"Ymir!" Christa shouted back up the hall in a warning tone.
"Way to be a snitch, Kirsten." Ymir glared coldly.
"Not that this isn't totally hilarious," Eren crossed his arms over his chest. "but could you guys piss off? I got shit to do."
"You mean pine over the shorty some more?" Jean snickered.
"That's it!" Eren lunged for the door.
Jean gave a manly squeal as he grabbed Ymirs arm and hauled her into the hall with one hand and slammed the door shut with the other. The door shook in its frame as Eren collided with it.
"Jack ass..." Ymir wrenched her arm out of Jean's grip.
"I saved your life." Jean snorted. "You should be grateful."
"You...you guys know I could just open the door right?" Eren spoke loudly through the closed door.
"Yeah, I'm leaving. I've got about six hours of footage to edit." Jean rolled his eyes and disappeared into a room across the hall.
"Christa! I'm hungry!" Ymir shouted down the hall.
"That's nice! You know where the kitchen is!" Christa yelled back from her place in the dining room.
"That's not what I meant!"
"I know what you meant!"
Eren sighed and dropped back on to his bed with a slight smile. Despite there teasing, he knew his friends didn't mean any real harm. He looks at the shirts around him and felt totally and utterly helpless. He hadn't been on a date in almost two years and that date hadn't been successful in the least. He thought about where he was taking Levi today, he knew he couldn't get out of wearing something formal, but by this point, Levi had seen everything he owned that could be described as such. Then it hit him. He lived in a house of eight people, surely he could find something, even if it wasn't his.
Christa, Armin, and Annie were too short. Jean, Marco, and Ymir were all too tall or built in a completely different way to Eren. There was only one other person living in the house. His sister Mikasa. He and Mikasa were the same height and close enough to the same body type despite the fact that they were of the opposite gender.
He thought for a split second about the possible embarrassment. Not from wearing girls clothing, he could hardly talk big when he was completely aware of how comfortable a pair of leggings could be. But there was the fact that he would be digging through his sister's wardrobe to find clothing for a date because he had nothing suitable. Then like most questionable things in his life, Eren ignored it and did it anyway.
He got up, and left the room, closing the door softly behind him. The room shared by Mikasa and Annie was right next door, and if he was correct, Annie would be in there as perusal, waiting for Mikasa to finish her job at the bakery.
He knocked on the door lightly and waited. After several long moments of silence, the door opened a crack and a single icy blue eye stared up at him.
"Yes?"
"I need help. Please." Eren pulled his best pout. It was common knowledge within the group that Annie had something of a soft spot of Eren.
Annie looked at him impassively for a moment before opening the door. Eren headed straight for the bed, dropping face down on to the dark pink covers. Annie closed the door the trudge over to the corner, sitting on the large beanbag with impossible ease.
"Spill," Annie spoke singularly.
"Okay, so you how I'm going a date a with Levi today, right?"
"Yes."
"Clothes. I can't find anything to wear. It has to be something formal, but like not overly formal. Like laid back formal. But I don't have anything like that, nothing that Levi wouldn't have already seen." Eren groaned dramatically.
"Uh huh." Annie leaned back in the beanbag. "And where do I come into this?"
"Mikasa. Mikasa is the only person in the house who is close to my size." Eren explained earnestly.
"You want me to help you steal your sister's clothes."
"...yeah."
"Fair enough." Annie nodded and stood from the beanbag without a sound.
Annie crossed to the other side of the room and pulled open the doors of the built-in wardrobe.
"This sides mine." She gestured to the left side of the wardrobe. "This side is Mikasa's."
Eren stood and started looking through the clothes.
"...um." Eren was pretty sure he had no idea what to look for.
"Move." Annie pushed Eren aside.
She seemed to know what she was looking for and pulled out two shirts. She held them out for Eren to see. One was a simple white button up with small single red roses embroidered into the cuffs and collar. The other was a silky dark red material with a dark grey collar.
"I have no idea."
Annie rolled her eyes and thrust them both at him.
"Try them both on then decide."
"Okay. Right."
Eren tugged off black button up he already had on and first pulled on the white shirt. Annie gestured to the full-length mirror on the inside of the wardrobe door.
"I look gay." Eren deadpanned.
"You are gay."
"Like you can talk." Eren scoffed.
"I like it."
"Do you think Levi will?" Eren glanced down at Annie.
Annie stared up at him.
"Do you like it?"
"Yes."
"Then wear it."
Eren smiled gratefully. They both shared the same straight forward honesty that had made them fast friends.
"Thanks, Annie." As he headed for the door he called over his shoulder. "I owe you one!"
"More than one at this point, but who's counting." Annie rebutted.
"Thanks again." Eren laughed.
Annie gave him the tiniest of smiles and nodded.
Several hours later, Eren was pulling out of the driveway in his trusty old station wagon. The entirety of the house, plus Connie, Sasha, Reiner, and Berthold stood on the front lawn.
"Good luck!" Sasha and Connie waved homemade signs that read "Go get some Eren!".
"Use protection!" Reiner laughed loudly.
"Try not to screw up too badly Jaeger!" Jean shouted from behind his camera.
"Fuck you Horse Face!"
"Eren!" Ymir cupped her hands and practically screamed, earning an elbow from Christa. "See you around eight!"
"Gotcha!" Eren stuck his upturned thumb out the window.
"We're going to see him again in about an hour you know that right?" Marco stood amidst the shouting, a confused look on his face.
Then Mikasa came jogging up the side of the car to the driver's side window.
"Eren, I'm lucky I got here in time. Work ran a little late. Just be safe, okay? And- hey, is that my shirt?"
"Bye!" Eren waved as he quickly reversed back and out the drive.