As his mind whirled with thoughts, Eren came to the conclusion that somewhere, somehow, he had fucked up. He fucked up because it had been two weeks since Jean got sick and he couldn't stop thinking about it at all. More than anything, he couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. Among all the wild moments of that afternoon, his mind always careened back to that second of rose-tinted madness. He thought he might go insane because of it.

The worst part was, he still didn't know why Jean kissed him. He wasn't sure if Jean knew the answer himself. That alone agonized Eren as he paced the loft he shared with Armin and Mikasa, knowing that they both watched him with a mix of derision and weariness.

"Eren, it's ten at night."

He darted his gaze up to meet Armin's over the other boy's laptop screen. Or he tried to meet it anyway. Armin wasn't looking up, his fingers still typing away with the same diffidence as his sigh. Crushing his palms into his eyes, Eren forced his feet to stop moving so he could glare harder at the back of his roommate's computer. "Yeah, and? Do you have a problem with that?" The words came out harsher than he meant, but damn it, he was having a crisis here. Couldn't the people he called his best friends act a little more concerned?

Mikasa rolled her eyes, snapping the dishtowel she'd been using with a resounding crack. "Don't take an attitude with him, Eren. I'll only warn you once." Her voice curled through the air, silencing anything the other two planned to say. Armin's gaze locked harder onto his screen and Eren jerked his down to the worn fibers of the carpet. She appraised them both for another second before turning her attention back to the kitchen chores like she hadn't just cut through the tension and replaced it with a heavier one.

Eren swallowed hard. Even if he stared at the carpet, he still dug his nails into his pajama pants, almost vibrating with need. His entire body sung with energy. Mikasa's threat had only turned it to righteous fear instead of all the panic and confusion and want he had been vibrating with. Because yeah, he definitely wanted something right now and the only person who could fix that was Jean. Eren was so goddamned fucked right now and he knew it.

"Okay, right. Sorry. It's just…what the fuck did he mean by kissing me?" Eren threw up his hands, far too fucked to care about sharing the truth. They had to know anyway, guessed it from his face and actions and everything else that the creepers used to know every detail of his life. He supposed he should feel thrilled that his best friends knew him so well, but most days, he felt the exact opposite. Today was definitely one of those.

"Eren…" Armin started slowly, his gaze finally lifting above his laptop screen. "Who is it that kissed you…?"

Eren could feel both of their gazes on him now, heavy and cold and so damn intense that it made him squirm his toes, watching a little carpet furrow appear, then spring back into shape like nothing at all happened. Too bad his insides didn't work the same way. He lifted his head just to drag a hand through his hair. "Do I really have to say it?" Mikasa's glare sharpened in answer. Sharpened like a knife. He dropped his hand, wincing when he yanked a few strands of hair loose with it. "Damnit. Jean. Jean kissed me when I took him home the other week. When he had that fever, ya know?"

Neither Mikasa nor Armin bothered to hide the shock on their faces. Very carefully, Armin shut his computer and sounded out an answering question. "…Jean? The kid you used to pick fights with in junior high? Your coworker, Jean?" Curiosity shone in his blue eyes, along with a something that Eren couldn't quite define. Maybe a spark of puzzle pieces falling together.

Eren spun away in order to stave off that sudden notion because Armin couldn't possibly understand. Eren himself didn't understand considering there shouldn't have been anything to understand yet. Nothing even happened. A kiss did. His mind supplied the thought before he could squash it down again. And let's not forget how you pulled him into a hug for fifteen minutes and just…stroked his hair. Was that even real? Eren wanted to die thinking about what he initiated. However, he felt most distressed by the fact that he didn't regret it. He might even do it again if he got the chance.

"What of it? Know any other Jeans?" Eren shoved his hands into his pockets, rolling his eyes despite the slight haunch of his shoulders. It was a strange mix of nonchalant and edgy that baffled even him. But then, everything baffled him right now. Eren met Armin's eye for one second before the boy shook his head. Of course he didn't know any other Jeans.

However, a sharp tut left him tense all over again. With slippered feet on a war path, Mikasa stalked around the table toward him. Eren tripped over his words in an effort to recover.

"Ah! What I mean is, of course it's that Jean! I can understand the confusion, though. The Jean we know wouldn't kiss me, would he?" Even though he did just that and they knew it.

Dropping onto the couch, Mikasa patted the space next to her without glancing at Eren. He followed the beckon anyway, perching himself with plenty of room between them and far less relaxed edges. No, he stuck up from the very edge like he might bolt off again a second later. And why not? His feet hadn't stayed still for hours and the desire to move only increased given the current conversation.

"So, did you kiss him back?"

Eren's gaze snapped up to meet Mikasa's, eyes going wide at the simple question. "What?!" He could feel heat flooding into his face and damn if he started blushing now. Eren never blushed over stupid things. Was this stupid though? "It wasn't like that, I swear, Kasa! It was like…a half-second affair. He was delirious with fever and just…I already said I have no idea what he was thinking!"

"Affair?" Armin asked with one eyebrow raised.

Eren slapped a hand over his face, groaning with every electric fire burning from his nerves. "Not like that! Armin!" Something like laughter filtered from the small blonde's lips but Eren felt too mortified to care. He could barely hear it over his rapid, panicking heartbeat anyway. It wasn't like that, right? He hadn't even thought about kissing Jean back, at that time, or even during the weeks since. All he wanted was to know why, but now that Mikasa put the thought in his mind, he found the question blazing inside his mind. He could picture it. God, he could actually picture kissing Jean.

What would it feel like? Would those lips feel soft instead of desperate if he moved along with that rhythm and gave as good as he got? Would Jean like that? Groaning again, Eren dropped his hand so he could look head on into the gazes of his best friends. "Do you think Jean likes me?"

For a second, the apartment fell into complete silence. Even the heavy beat of Eren's heart slowed and went soft to match this weird held-breath of time. After speaking the question out loud, he found the words oddly simple. They troubled him but, thrust out into the world, they seemed so much smaller. So what if Jean liked him? So what if he didn't? It didn't affect what Eren felt himself and he realized he didn't mind either way what Jean meant in that kiss. He could go with the flow.

Finally, when it seemed like the soft breath of held air might turn tense with its length, Armin shrugged one shoulder. "I've never considered that Jean might like you, but I know he doesn't dislike you either." When Eren raised an eyebrow as if to question this, Armin shook his head. "Don't deny it. You two have danced circles around each other for how many years now? If either of you really disliked the other, you'd find new orbits. And-" Armin paused, his mouth twisting into a quick, subtle smirk. "You would have punched Jean in the face for kissing you if you hated him."

Which yeah, was probably more than a little true. "Okay yeah, I'm pretty sure I don't hate Jean. And if he hated me, he probably wouldn't kiss me even as a joke," Eren added with a hum. The truths were flowing easier now, still sounding so simple that he wondered how he never noticed them before. Then, something struck him in that moment, bright and oh so simple. It left Eren sucking in a breath as he fought back a smile.

"Anyway, this has been a great talk. Thanks for the pep, especially you, Armin. I'm going to head to bed early, maybe get an early start tomorrow, drop in and get some coffee for everyone? My treat for sure!"

Bewildered stares met his retreat when Eren all but bounced off of the couch again, taking three large steps toward his room in the time it took anyone to understand what just exited his mouth. Eren couldn't care less though. He pieced together his puzzle, and oh man, did it feel great in his mind. What a pretty picture.

Rocking back on his heels, he shot an even larger grin to his friends, before either of them could come up with a question. "I think I'm going to ask Jean if he likes me. Anyway, g'night, you guys!" With that, he pranced away, letting his door bounce closed and the springs of his bed squeak when he flung himself down. Oh yes, it was a pretty picture indeed. He would ask Jean how he felt, and then, he would ask the other boy out.

Back in the living room, Mikasa slowly turned her gaze to meet Armin's, the two sharing a blink in the resounding silence. "Was…that a good thing that just happened, or…?"

Mikasa shook her head. "I have no idea. Just remember to add tissues and ice cream to the grocery list, kay?"

Armin's lips twisted into a sardonic grin as he shook his head. Looking down at his closed laptop, he couldn't help but wish that he'd left it open and avoided this entire conversation. But hey, maybe it would go well. He did say he didn't think Jean hated Eren. But at what point did Eren start liking Jean? This was such a mess, wasn't it?

"Right. Make it two gallons of Neapolitan. Something tells me we're going to need it."

xXx

Even before Eren's alarm went off, he threw his feet down to the floor in conviction. No grogginess or half-forgotten dreams left cobwebs in his mind. By the time his feet hit the shaggy tufts of carpet, he already cast his mind forward to work. Would today bring him what he wanted, or would he have to plan, pull in favors to tweak his schedule into a reunion? Otherwise, he wasn't sure when he might see Jean next. Yes, Jean. He drifted, there in the middle of his bedroom floor, as he replayed the previous night. So much happened that he could think about it for hours. Or maybe hope? He didn't know exactly what he set his mind on, but once Eren decided anything, he never gave up. He'd decided that he was going to ask Jean out and that was that.

After two weeks, he wondered what the other boy would say. They'd spoken only once since that day and it had been in passing, a few sentences spared about health and Sasha's unwelcome potato salad gift left on Jean's doorstep all night, cling-wrapped like that might keep New York City out. Eren had to agree. At least a text would have been fucking grateful. But other than that, they hadn't crossed paths. Of course, he couldn't say this surprised him. Well, it did, but it shouldn't. Everything just slipped back into its usual pace with Levi scheduling the two of them as far away as possible. But hey, Eren knew how to fix that.

When he pulled into his usual spot behind the cafe, his good mood hadn't lessened one bit. Eren walked into the Green Bean with a bright grin on his face and a peppiness that had nothing to do with the overwhelming wall of espresso aroma. Ymir met his gaze, eyes turning bright before she ducked down to whisper excitedly to the small blonde at her side. Which, any other day would have worried him, but in the high of his own self-revelation, he just waved, calling out a greeting loud enough to cut through all the noise of the machines and chatter.

"Ymir! Christa! It's been forever! I'm so happy to see you two!"

"Uh…" Ymir gave him another look, suspicious and at least one part disgusted. "Why? Got some favor you're trying to butter us up for? You know how I prefer my buttering," she huffed, rubbing her fingers together in a 'money' motion. Christa jumped onto the front counter, posed with her hair thrown back, inspecting the underside of her nails.

"We also take bribes in the form of whiskey and vodka. Cuts out the middle step of buying it, you see," she murmured with that sort of coy charm that sent shivers down Eren's spine while Ymir's face stretched into an appreciative grin.

"Nice thinking, babe. This is why I fell in love with you!"

Christa rolled her eyes. "That's not the only reason…" Winking at Ymir, she managed to pull out another wolfish grin that made Eren want to puke. Now he remembered why working with these two was almost as bad as working with Jean—and he was about dying to work with Jean again.

"Ugh, whatever you two. You're going to scare the customers away." Glancing around the coffee shop, he met the eyes of a few customers who darted their gazes away immediately, faking attention to their morning newspapers and cafe lattes. He wasn't fooled though and grinned for a half-second before stalking around the counter to throw his things in the back. Thankfully, he planned to get to the store early and still had ten minutes left to convince the lesbian duo to cave to his favor. "Now, about that buttering up…" he called out, holding the back door open so he could motion Ymir and Christa toward the schedule pinned up on the inside.

With one eyebrow raised, Ymir leaned in close. "Yeah? What did you have in mind? If this is about that after-work basketball game, there's nothing that you can pay that will make me take a dive. You're going down, shorty!"

"What? No!" Eren gasped. "The heck are you talking about? I just wanted to switch some shifts! And you are so not beating me at basketball. I've got Bertolt and Annie on my team!" How could anyone not win with that combination? Sure, Ymir's team was liable to cheat and they had Reiner who could…like, bowl them all over in ten seconds flat. But that was beside the point.

"And Connie," Ymir pointed out. "I know he loves basketball and everything, but have you seen him play…?"

Eren sighed. "Okay, point taken. But about those shifts. Normally I like the really early ones, but on Friday, could you switch your closing shift with me? There's someone coming in that night that I want to see for a bit. I'll get Sasha to switch for Christa's too so ya'll can get some partying in. She owes me a favor after the rollerblading incident. You know the one."

For a second, Eren bared his teeth but he managed to pull out a smile as he stared down Ymir's tall, wiry frame and wolf-like smile. He needed this and he needed them to understand. He really didn't think he could wait another day or week or however long it took for his and Jean's schedule to match up. No. If he left it up to Levi, he would be waiting until next year.

"Uh…yeah? That's a favor for you?" Ymir grunted, her nose all scrunched up in disbelief. Christa looked on from the register, interested despite the way she split her attention. Eren just kept smiling though, even when the two of them exchanged a look. They knew something, reached some kind of revelation and he could guess exactly what. It wasn't something that would make him back down though, even when Ymir choked on her breath. "Wait, doesn't Jean work on Friday? Have you gone insane?! Don't tell me you didn't notice that! If it's just the cute boy who works across the street, you can see him there better than working Friday. There's no one to stay late for. There's just…"

Eren met her gaze head-on, that awed, trailed-off whisper answered with steely pride. "Yep. Jean." No one else could do this to him despite the fact that even a month ago, he couldn't even begin to imagine it.

Ymir actually shivered, goosebumps rising all over her freckled skin. Eren's gaze must have shocked her so much that Christa had to raise her voice, far more worried sounding than Ymir looked. "Wait, don't tell me you want to pick a fight with him, Eren. Levi will skin you alive."

"And we won't stop him," Ymir added with a murmur. She shook her head, seeming to recover from her shock. However, when she looked at Eren again, it was with more than a smidge of suspicion. "If it's just for a fight, then you can call us out for the count. So? Why?" She crossed her arms, answering Eren's steely pride with some of her own. And yeah, given the time, she could easily roast him into the ground, but right now, Eren had no problem submitting to the truth.

"I…I'm going to ask Jean out."

"E-excuse me?" Christa choked. "Like on a date?!"

Ymir fell against the wall, laughing as she held her sides, tears gathering against her lashes. "Jean? You're going to ask Jean out!? What is this world-ending drama? Oh god. Someone put you up to this. Who? Did Connie dare you?!"

"It's not like that!" Eren snapped. His hands curled into fists as he took a step toward Ymir, almost forgetting who he went against. It was dangerous and he saw it in the sudden tenseness of Christa's body, not that Ymir needed the petite blonde to fight her fights. Ymir could knock him to the ground any time she wanted, but that didn't mean Eren wouldn't still try his best. Though, he probably wasn't supposed to punch the shift manager, or well, any coworker in full view of the customers. Dragging in a breath, Eren took neither a step back, nor another forward to complete his threat. Instead, he found pink racing across his cheeks, the truth too much to hold back.

"…I-I really like him."

"Oh…god. The world has ended. Goodbye," Ymir groaned. Pushing Eren back and nearly knocking him over in the process, she steadied herself against the wall with a shake of her head. "He's even blushing, babe. I can't believe this. Eren thinks he's fallen in love with Jean!"

"I have!"

Despite how loudly he insisted, neither Ymir or Christa looked entirely convinced. At least Christa seemed vaguely suspicious instead of just amused. However, she shook her head after another second. "Well, if you really think so, I don't mind helping out. Right, Ymy?" She added, sharp blue eyes on her girlfriend who had no choice but to shake her head vigorously.

"Of course! We support you all the way, man! Just don't come crying to me when he punches you in the face." She muttered the last bit under her breath, but before Eren could properly shout back, Christa flicked Ymir in the arm, leaving her yelping instead. Damn, when did the little blonde even step away from the register anyway? Ymir was an obvious sort of scary. Christa though, she was the one who got you when you were least expecting it, judging by the wounded expression on her girlfriend's face. Eren could only nod his head, too cowed for actual words.

They wrote their switch on the schedule before moving onto the floor. If not for the constant attention that Ymir and Christa gave him, it would feel like a normal shift, something to maybe rid his mind of the constant thoughts about Jean. That didn't seem destined though, so by the time Eren left the coffee shop for his ratty old car, he was questioning his new feelings for Jean almost as much as the lesbian pair. It was strange and he knew he fell in love too fast, but it was because someone showed him the possibility first. If he needed to steel his jaw and drive home with twice as much determination as usual, then so be it. The world would be that much fuller of a place.

Wednesday passed in much of the same way, though Sasha had no idea why he decided to hang out in the backroom for two hours after work. She just found it utterly entertaining in the way that she found all curious things. He even managed to avoid giving away any information all the way until the end of her shift when she gave him a weird look as she gathered her things and passed the keys to Reiner. However, another voice cut off whatever dumb comment she was about to give.

"…Eren?"

He spun, his heart palpitating at the sight of Jean in the doorway, clinging to the frame like he needed support. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you have left, like, hours ago?" Eren flushed but didn't duck his head to avoid the other boy's eyes. There was a strange vulnerability in Jean's question that left him skittering, not unlike when the other boy hung himself over Eren two weeks ago. He once thought he might fall for Jean's charms if they were any other pair, but now he thought he couldn't resist them any longer.

"Yeah. Ymir made me do her cleaning tasks, so here I am," Eren breathed out, shrugging one shoulder like he hadn't just lied. Jean must have bought the nonchalant motion because he shrugged back, relaxing as he slid into the backroom. With one hand tugging his hair into order, he tossed his bag into a locker, not quite meeting Eren's gaze nor outright avoiding it.

"Gotcha. That bitch is scary as fuck. I don't blame ya for getting roped into something. Oh, I don't know if you saw, but I shoved that jacket back into your locker. Washed it and all, in case you were wondering." Jean twisted away, dragging a hand through his hair again like he didn't know how to look at Eren anymore. Of course they would run into each other again, but after two weeks, Jean looked even more awkward than Eren felt. Every time their eyes met, it only got worse. Did Jean think he was looking for illness still clinging there? Or did he know? Could he see in each glance just what Eren was thinking? Was he waiting?

Eren pursed his lips. A part of him wanted to come out and say the truth now, but he also couldn't. If he blurted it out the first time they saw each other he wouldn't sound like he thought about it the way he very obsessively had. He needed to prove the doubts Ymir placed in him wrong. So, he just smiled and settled on the edge of Levi's desk. Today, he just needed to confirm a few things.

"Oh, thanks. I noticed, though you could have kept it if you wanted. It doesn't really fit me since my chest is so broad and all. Armin needs to show some kind of moderation or at least stop donating his things to someone bigger than him," he added with a roll of his eyes.

Jean raised an eyebrow as he slid his apron on, hands focused on tying the strings. "That explains why it was so snug. Honestly, it was a bit small for me too. Maybe you should try Connie instead? He's the only one here who's smaller than us besides Christa and maybe Sash, but I dunno how well that would go over…" He didn't bother mentioning Levi either. They both knew how that conversation would go. "Anyway, I've got to clock in so, see you later?"

Eren jumped down from the desk before Jean could reach the door, blocking it. "Hold on a second." Placing himself in the way, he took another step closer until only inches existed between them. One more step and their chests would bump together. He could feel that breath of space as he stared up at Jean, sparks erupting in his eyes. And yet, he said nothing. He watched Jean drag in a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. That breath of space, one single breath of space between them, but they never broke it. Eren just stared up at Jean with sparks in his eyes.

Only when Jean's breath hitched again and pink started to spread across his cheekbones did Eren pull away again. "You should get to work. Good luck out there." Smiling ear to ear, he patted Jean on the shoulder as he finally slid out of the way. Jean followed him with his eyes the entire way to the desk as Eren collected his things like nothing happened in the past five minutes. Maybe nothing obvious had, but still, the puzzle finally made sense. Eren felt satisfied with the answer he got, so after Jean finally wandered onto the floor with a confused look, he headed out with a last wave thrown over his shoulder.

Oh yes, he saw his answer clearly in the pretty pink of Jean's cheeks. Friday couldn't come soon enough.

xXx

"The heck? Are you following me or something?!" Jean snapped the second Eren walked into work Friday afternoon. Eren shrugged one shoulder, as unhurried as he could manage when electricity ran in his veins. It felt like he hooked himself up to an actual wall socket. He should have listened to Armin when he said not to chug that Monster, but it felt like he might combust if he didn't drink anything before work. Perhaps he should have tried water instead, but he wasn't used to feeling jittery. He was used to charging ahead with solid determination.

Meeting Jean's gaze, he blinked once, hoping none of those nerves showed on his face. "Um…kinda? Do you have a problem with working with me right now? I mean, you can talk it out with Levi if that's the case," he stated with a look toward the raven-haired man through the backroom window. If it was anyone else besides their boss, Eren might question why he only seemed to clean or stock on his shifts. But yeah, he didn't plan to question it.

"S-shut up! Don't you dare tell him I complained! We're on thin ice as it is!" Jean hissed. A hint of red colored his face, though Eren had a feeling that this time, anger fueled his flush. Not that he didn't enjoy that look almost as much, wanted to drink it up for another ten minutes if he could find the chance.

"Of course," Eren purred back. He traded nods with Levi in the back, then they slid into their usual work positions. However, Jean kept giving him looks as they worked. Did he think Eren wouldn't notice? Or maybe he didn't care. Jean was obstinate like that, a solid match for Eren's own stubborn streak. Neither of them were the type that cared about making scenes, so why not make a good one this time?

"Hey Jean," Eren started, just after they finished serving their small line of customers. "Do you think you could listen to something important for a second?" He pursed his lips as he stepped toward the other boy, never once dropping his gaze.

Jean raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? You're being really weird, ya know. If this is about when I had that fever…"

"It's about when you kissed me!" Eren exclaimed, not even caring when his voice carried and Jean's eyes went wide. He stumbled back, but hit the cup caddy, leaving them still painfully close. Painfully, wonderfully. Eren matched his step, both of his fists curling tight. "I've been thinking about it every day since then. Even if you don't realize it yet, you meant something by that kiss. I don't want to write it off as just a fever for the rest of my life! I'm not going to forget it, Jean!"

"E-Eren?!" Jean choked out, his back against the cups and eyes frantically raking the room for every eye turned their way. God, they all stared but Eren didn't spare anyone else a glance. His eyes bore right into Jean like no one else existed in the world. It made him want to crawl out of his own skin. And yet, he just clenched his own fists, leaning forward to meet the sparks. "Shut…just shut up already! Think about where we are! L-Levi is-"

"I don't care!" Eren dragged in a deep breath, then crossed the last foot of distance between them. Grasping one of Jean's hands between his, he didn't try to stop the words from bubbling forth. "Jean, I know you feel something for me and I think I've been in love with you since that day! I…Jean, will you be my boyfriend? Please? I'm so lost it's stupid…"

For a second, no sound ghosted through the little coffee shop, just the faint buzz of music overhead, so distant that no one could identify it even if they tried. Jean's hand trembled in Eren's, yet his other hung limp at his side like he wasn't quite sure why he had limbs in the first place. Eren could relate and he wanted to say that, but he needed to wait for Jean to respond first because this was killing him. Didn't Jean plan to say yes? Or at least no? Compared to no response at all, he could deal with that and move on in the same quick way that he'd fallen in love in the first place.

It felt like minutes passed before the stand-off ended. Seconds—Eren knew it was only seconds—before Jean let out a hollow-sounding whisper.

"…I thought you hated me." The question sounded strange in the quiet, or maybe just the idea of hating Jean made Eren feel rubbed raw. He might have felt that way in the past but he'd also felt more. Jean never knew, though; he could hardly be blamed even if they proved weeks ago that their friendship was stronger than their hate.

"That doesn't matter anymore. I'm serious about this, Jean." Eren squeezed the other boy's hand, his lips pursed into a determined line. Even he was beginning to notice that they'd put the entire store on pause. He didn't want to leave his question hanging though. "Don't you have an answer for me?"

Jean bit his lip, his eyes once again darting out to take in all of the staring eyes. This was so absurd. Two weeks ago, he and Eren couldn't stand to work a single shift together, had almost forgotten that they were once friends. Now, this guy was asking to be his boyfriend. Just because of a kiss? Jean remembered that day like something from a dream. If not for the warmth left behind by Eren's hug, he might have believed the kiss never happened.

But it had. He knew far too well who he was under the surface to deny his own way of seeking comfort. He just never expected that he would act that way with someone besides Marco. Eren's words flashed in his mind, saying that he felt something and maybe he just didn't realize it yet. Was that even possible? With a suspicious look, he pulled in a shallow breath, those cerulean eyes gazing at him suddenly seeming to shimmer like crystals or beautiful ocean waves that pulled into their depths. Which was…oh.

"Eren I…yes! You fuckin' moron. I'll go out with you! I-"

He didn't get the chance to finish before Eren yelped and crashed their lips together in a kiss that lasted not even a second and left Jean's lips feeling more crushed than tingly. When they pulled away, Eren still holding onto Jean's hand, a couple of the customers in the lobby started to clap, making up for the ones who looked nonplussed or put upon by their display. It left both of them flushing, but not quite ready to end their moment. Eren leaned closer and this time, Jean mirroring the movement as he brought his free hand up to rest against Eren's waist. Their lips hovered an inch apart. Eren slipped his eyes closed just as a certain slow clap broke through.

"Well, this is adorable and all, but how about you two get back to work," Levi bit out as he stepped onto the floor. Eren and Jean both spun to face him, hearts in their throats and a rather squeaky noise erupting from Jean. Levi raised an eyebrow. "As in now."

"R-right boss! Of course! We'll do that now!" Eren stammered. Oh god, he didn't think his face could get any warmer. If Jean's tomato-blush was anything to go by, he must have looked ridiculous for sure. And he didn't normally blush in the first place. But that may have been an error in his own perception.

The pair of boys stumbled back to work, Levi's piercing gaze on their backs for at least a solid hour. But, past the ice-blue of his eyes, a smile slipped out when Canon in D minor reached its crescendo. It was a nice ending indeed. That was Levi's last thought about the two boys bickering by the espresso bar before he slipped into the background again, content to leave them to it. After all, it was a slow night. They could afford one evening where no one got any work done, himself included.

Levi pulled out his phone and loaded up the latest version of Crashlands, his grin turning wolfish on his face. Yes, this would be a good night indeed. Just as soon as he won the high score.