'Levi, who told you that was a good idea?' Erwin looked down. His face didn't move, remaining as cold as stone except for the slight raising of his eyebrow. Levi didn't say anything, holding the eye-contact as if it was keeping his heart beating. Tension crackled in the charged air, neither moved their positions. Stuck in a battle of wills, they remained as they were- in silence.

'I did.' Spit reached Erwin's newly cleaned and ironed shirt, courtesy of his wife- Levi still felt bitter about that. Oh, what a cruel fate she had been dealt with. It had been long since she had believed Erwin was cheating on her and they were already separated but with the whole situation new, they were still living together and apparently his wife had been generous to iron his shirt one more time.

Or, he could have just paid someone to do it. Levi wouldn't be all that surprised.

'You did?' Erwin didn't move his ice blue eyes. He pressured down on Levi, his perfectly groomed hair not moving a strand out of place as he leant in and rested his lips less than a few centimetres from Levi's own.

'Uh-huh. And I'm not changing him.' The eyes as grey as guns budged, not leaving Erwin's but enough for Erwin to take advantage of Levi's weaker position. He was faltering, Erwin was winning.

The door slammed open, quick and unexpected, bringing with it a windswept teenager and some dirty trainers on the vacuumed carpet. 'Oh. My. God!' Eren screamed upon the sight, running up to Levi and immediately bringing his hands up to the glowing object fixed underneath his hands. 'This looks TERRIBLE!' Eren laughed, staring in amazement at the vibrant neon green that his fingers seemed to enjoy reflecting. 'Erwin, did you do this? It was a dare, right?' Eren looked like a child who had just been thrown a bag of candy. This was the highlight of his day: the best dare ever to be created.

Except it wasn't a dare.

'No. Levi, how about you explain?' Erwin leant back, folding his arms patronisingly as Levi sent daggers up to him. It was times like these when suddenly the age, and height, gap became so much more prominent- and annoying.

'I was in town and I saw the place advertising it and I thought it would look cool.' Levi shrugged and turned to walk away but Eren was having none of it.

'No. Way. You did NOT dye your hair neon green because you felt like it.'

'Why wouldn't I?' Levi shrugged and shook what should have been raven hair away from his face. Erwin almost repulsed at the action. He had let go of his rather prejudice thoughts about tattoos for Levi, forgiving the small one on his shoulder and ankle, but this, this was too much. He was not accepting his boyfriend to have neon hair, especially not green.

It was like the time his other boyfriend had thought it would be good to get a tattoo of their names in a place Erwin refused to even name. Erwin had never been so quick to deny an idea before.

'Because it looks terrible.' Eren laughed, never holding back on the honesty. It was his honesty that made this whole thing work anyway. Twenty-nine-year-old Eren, thirty-one-year-old Levi and thirty-five-year-old Erwin in some sort of weird relationship.

They both had fallen for him, apparently, despite his oddly repulsive charm for anyone sensible (not that either of them could be put in that category) and in that, had agreed with each other that they could both have him. Erwin was fine with that. Definitely fine with that.

Eren hadn't had to put up with each other for that long, quickly becoming friends and even if they wouldn't be more than that, it made for an interesting yet perfect environment. There were no secrets between them and they had long since passed the awkward stages of never mentioning of them to the other.

A year in and it was fine.

And, Erwin had actually left his wife.

Not that he had told them he had one in the first place.

Until he left her.

Now, that was a fun conversation.

'Better than that fucking mop of what you call hair on your head.' Levi retorted back, purposefully turning to Erwin and pushed the strands back between pale fingers. Erwin had always like how dark Levi's hair was. Maybe, just maybe, this was revenge.

'If this is about Rose then-' Erwin wasn't even heard over Eren's complaints.

'Hey! I'm not the one that got annoyed at his boyfriend and in revenge decided to dye his hair some ugly fucking ass colour!' Of course, Eren had to be the first to snap. His short temper had been funny at first. Now, it was what caused most of their fight. And, almost always, ended up with him apologising.

'Oh, now that is low! At least I didn't fucking go shout at his wife who didn't even know he was GAY!' Levi shouted, pointing an accusatory finger. He stepped forward, out of his attempt to leave the room, and approached Eren with calm and calculated steps.

It was times like these when Erwin wondered if he really was the one that was the centre of this relationship.

Even when they were arguing, the tension between them...well...Erwin didn't think he would call that perfectly normal tension. He didn't want to say the word. He wouldn't say the world: like a kid who thought kissing was a curse.

Eren had no retort.

'Tch. Brat.' Levi stepped away first, not willing to go any further. It was why Erwin tended to let them fight it out. They never lasted long. Eren's short temper would fuse out and leave him running or Levi simply not have the energy for it.

'Are you guys done?' Erwin asked, rising from his place leaning against the sofa.

'Yeah.' They spoke at the same time and glanced at each other. 'Jinx.' The same time.

'Well, at least there will be some quiet around here whilst I go buy some black hair dye.' Erwin sighed and rummaged by the door for his shoes.

Suddenly, laughter filled the room- loud and boisterous. Eren was the first to crack, the grin spreading from ear to ear and Levi followed soon after. It was a rare occasion but Erwin was too shocked to even move.

'What?' He asked, completely lost. It was something he didn't feel often. It made him feel...even more lost.

'You totally fell for it!' Eren burst out, slapping his leg harshly, the laughs wracking his body like sobs.

'OMG. That was amazing.' Levi breathed from the unwilling wheezes that were spilling from him. He was trying to not let himself laugh. He didn't know why he was even trying, Erwin's face alone was enough to send him into giggles. The smile on his face was refreshing. He was glad for it.

Eren turned around and raised a palm and with little resistance, Levi slapped it. A best-friends accomplishment marked down with a high-five. 'Now THAT was revenge for the wife.' They both grinned madly and turned to Erwin with wicked smiles.

'Happy April Fools?' Eren added weakly.

'It's September.' He stated blankly, almost robotically. He couldn't process anything now, especially not emotions.

'Happy September Fools.' It was always impressive how Levi spoke with no qualms as if it had been what he meant from the start. But, without the usual frown, it was lighter- funnier even. Erwin allowed himself to smile.

'The hair dye comes out?' Erwin was praying, praying that it did. Levi nodded.

'One wash and this nasty stuff is out...hopefully.' Levi sent Eren a warning glance. They had agreed, if the dye didn't come out like Eren said, Levi was having Erwin for the week.

'Well, well done. I deserved that.' Erwin scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

'Yes, you did. Now I'm getting this fucking nuclear stuff out of my head.' Levi stalked off and left Eren in the room alone with Erwin.

'That better come out or I am SO dead.' Eren complained, leaning against Erwin and pressing a chaste kiss to his lips, falling against his broad chest.

'It will...probably.' Erwin couldn't contain the light smile on his lips as he stared down at Eren who was beginning to grumble about the unfairness of it all.

Suddenly, as if he had never left, Levi stormed back into the room, furiously rubbing at his wet hair with a towel. The green hadn't changed in colour a bit. 'You, kid, are so dead.'

word count: 1400

published: 22.09.17