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Coming into the house and being met with silence is always strange. Both Eren and Hanji are home at this time of day, and usually at least one of them is making some kind of noise, even if they're not causing chaos as a duo. Not even Magnolia comes to greet him in the hallway, her furry ginger self hidden away somewhere.
Removing his shoes at the door and shedding his outer clothing, he makes his way into the house, searching for his missing partners and cat. Every room that makes sense for them to inhabit is empty - the living room, the kitchen, Hanji's office.
Anxiety has been chewing at Levi's chest all day, anticipating his return home today. He's been planning his proposal for a while, being secure only in the fact that Eren wouldn't want it public.
The plans running through his mind on repeat during his workday definitely did not involve coming home to an empty house..
Finally, he hears the tell tale purr of Maggie and follows the sound into the bedroom only to find a bundle of colourful blankets almost completely obscuring the two figures curled up in the bed.
Eren's feet, clad in fluffy socks, poke out the bottom of the blanket; a mess of brown hair and Hanji's arms sprawl out the top. Somewhere under the cover, the rest of their bodies could be in any state of entanglement. A soft purring doughnut of orange fur rests on top of the blanket, her green eyes blinking up at Levi as he enters the room.
A smile makes its way onto Levi's face, his chest filling with an affection he almost feels unable to hold within him. Distinguishing which head belongs to Eren, he kneels down on the floor beside the bed, reaching out to stroke her hair.
Even in her sleep, she nestles into the touch, turning her face towards Levi. Her cheeks are rosy from the warmth of her nap with Hanji and her fringe sticks directly upwards. She's adorable.
Leaning forward to kiss her bared forehead, Levi shakes her shoulder gently. Keeping his voice low, Levi whispers to urge her awake, "Eren, Eren.. Wake up."
Her eyes open just a slit, forest green foggy with sleep. Eren's voice is soft, merely more than a whisper, "Why? Nooo, I'm tired.."
Levi snorts gently, she's barely even awake but her penchant for disagreeing with him doesn't fail her. "Long day at work?" he muses, stroking her hair without much hope of taming it.
Nodding her head just slightly, she mutters, "The longest, I need sleep."
"It's barely even six, you'll never sleep tonight," Levi reasons, biting his lips absentmindedly.
Eyes slightly wider, Eren lifts a hand and places a warm finger to his lips roughly, "Don't bring logic into my bedroom, and stop chewing your lips," she scolds, voice lacking any real malice.
Biting gently at the fingers against his lips, Levi then kisses Eren's palm. Her eyes soften as she brings her hand to cup Levi's face. "Lay with us," Eren entices, like a siren in her attempts to drag Levi under the blankets. "You're cold, napping is warm."
In their quietness, Levi had almost forgotten about Hanji, but as he turns his attention to them he cannot help but feel compelled to join his partners.
"If you think my outside clothes are touching that bed, you don't know me," Levi reasons, raising a defiant eyebrow.
"By all means, take them off," Eren challenges, a second hand freeing itself from her cocoon to gently wrestle with Levi's tie. Honestly? She's right - fuck it.
As Eren works on his tie with her sluggish movements, Levi works on his shirt buttons, strips down to his underwear, and allows Eren to pull him into herself.
Levi's entire body relaxes in her arms, the soft blankets whispering against his bare skin, the warmth seeping into his very core. Eren's fingers ghost along his spine, walking from one boney knob to the next.
Hanji snuffles into their pillow just behind Eren, and they move around in their sleep. A hand appears over Eren's shoulder and with a soft exhalation of laughter, Levi twines his fingers with Hanji's.
Voice a soft suggestion of secrets, Levi fakes a sigh, "Such a shame you won't get up, today is supposed to be a special occasion."
At this point Eren's eyes have fallen closed once again, but she still takes the bait, "Occasion? Really it isn't, it's fine, let's sleep."
Chuckling at her nonchalance, Levi uses his hand that isn't attached to Hanji to trace the lines of Eren's restful face. "Personally, I had plans. Just a little question, that kind of thing."
Eyes opening in curiosity, Eren's eyebrows scrunch up. Her determination to fall asleep wavers as she falls into Levi's trap, "A question?"
"Hmm, yes, just four words. I'll just have to ask another time, since it's nap time right now," Levi teases, trying to keep the smug grin fighting its way onto his face at bay. "Now, I'm going to sleep."
Even with his eyes closed, Levi can tell the girl beside him has changed, she's fully awake and most likely staring him down with that intense gaze of hers. Eren's breathing has changed, her breaths come quicker and more shallow, her heart thumping an erratic rhythm against Levi's own chest.
"Levi, stop messing with me," she whines, and ah yes, Levi can hear the pout fixed to her lips. "Open your eyes, I'm awake now!"
Feigning a snore, Levi snuggles further down under the crocheted blanket. With his face buried into the pillow, Levi allows himself a secretive grin, his heart pounding just as hard as Eren's.
This is what he's been worrying about for weeks, but Levi quickly realises that it's nothing more than normal - it's just him and Eren, Hanji's presence overseeing as always. Things are as they normally go, the three of them tangled up in shenanigans.
The words linger on the tip of his tongue, and the anticipation and joy masks all anxiety he may have felt planning some way to ask Eren. In the end, it's come to this, a humble evening encased in love and comfort.
Retrieving his face from the pillow, Levi stops pretending to sleep. He almost laughs at the sight that greets him, Eren has tears in her eyes already, it's clear she has already worked it out. She has that scrunched up expression on her face that tells Levi she's trying to keep in her sobs.
Tutting softly Levi runs his thumb under Eren's eye, wiping away a few tears. He chuckles softly into the space between them and her watchful eyes bore into his own. "You silly thing, I haven't even asked yet, don't cry."
Roused by Eren's badly stifled tears, Hanji's face pops up from behind Eren. After a little shuffling around, they rest their head in the crook of Eren's neck, their fingers automatically tightening around Levi's. Their brown eyes blink owlishly as they get used to the golden light still streaming in through the blinds.
A long yawn stretches on until Hanji is finally satisfied, opening their mouth to speak this time, "What's going on?"
Hanji gently presses a smattering of kisses to the space just below Eren's ear and her breathing comes steadier for a moment.
"Well, I was trying to explain that I had important plans and how your nap was an obstruction," Levi puts plainly, massively down-playing the situation.
Eren is breathless when she speaks, her voice just a soft exhalation, "Ask."
Levi watches the moment that Hanji realises what's going on, their eyes widen comically and their grip on Levi's hand tightens to a vice-like crushing. Knowing all too well the restraint they're practicing to not leap from the bed, Levi feels
his grin growing wider until it positively aches.
He truly wouldn't want this any other way, taking a deep breath, Levi comes out with it.
"Eren, will you marry me?"
Rather than replying, Eren finally let's her sobs burst forth. She practically howls as all of her emotions come barrelling out, nothing is ever done by halves if Eren is involved. It has always been every emotion possible all at once with her.
Hanji lets go of Levi's hand in favour of wrapping both arms tightly around Eren, pulling her into their chest as her body goes through its motions. She will calm soon, she always does.
Levi's hands find their way to Eren's skin, brushing across any tanned expanse they can find, Eren needs closeness. Always has.
"You're okay," Levi soothes, pressing kisses to her dampening cheeks, "Let it all out. That's it, you're so good. You're doing so well."
"I'm so happy," Eren admits, her voice choked and thick with tears. Realising how silly she sounds, laughter rips itself free from her chest. She still sobs, yet her smile is blinding. A strange mixture of rowdy laughter and whines ring out in their bedroom. "What is wrong with me!"
Hanji cackles, a rich and joyful sound. "You're just perfect the way you are… Levi, I think she wants to marry you. All else failing, I'll take the ring. Do you think it would suit me?"
Levi snorts, laughing at Hanji's sly comment, "You can have one if you want, but you're definitely not having Eren's."
Eren's green eyes suddenly clear and her voice seems to come easier when she asks, "Can they really?"
Levi's heart stutters in his chest at Eren's candor, "Of course, Hanji can have a ring too, if that's what you both want."
"Yes!" Eren enthuses, sitting up in bed and wiping her eyes, "Please, I want us all to have a band… If that's okay."
Hanji and Levi follow Eren's lead, sitting on the bed alongside her. Hanji has gone extremely red, their snarky demeanour falling away in seconds.
"Well?" Levi prompts, even though he's aware of their answer, he could never give up a chance to tease Hanji.
They clear their throat, warm brown eyes lingering on Eren's face, obviously uncomfortable with the pure adoration plastered there. It's a look, Levi has learned, that Eren reserves only for Hanji and Magnolia - a gentle tilt of her lips and steady affection glowing from within her.
For once, Hanji is stumped for something to say, the rare shyness endearing - they're a stranger to being serious, even on the days where they experience a low and it's hard for them to find much energy at all.
Eren laughs softly, taking Hanji's hand and squeezing reassurance. "I think they want a ri-i-ing," Eren sing-songs, cheeky for a girl who was sobbing not even five minutes ago.
"Yes," Hanji agrees, fumbling to find the right words, "I just never thought you'd want that. I'm… not like you two. Together."
Eren's eyebrows scrunch up in sympathy, slight confusion at Hanji's words. "Of course we're together, we're a three! I can't remember when it wasn't… Just us three, together. We work better this way."
Levi just nods his agreement, fondness pinches his heart, "Eren is right, as usual."
Eren grins in satisfaction at Levi's comment, "I guess this means it's a deal."
"Deal," Levi confirms, his shoulders feeling lighter in the company of the two people who help him lift everything and anything thrown his way. "We're three."
Hanji nods, their smile bashful but holding so much love. It's a deal. Three rings it is.
Throwing her arms wide, Eren catches both Levi and Hanji around their shoulders, pulling them close to her chest. She is impossible, her gravitational pull keeping both Hanji and Levi in her comforting orbit.
Eren laughs and the sound feels like a tonne of bricks hitting Levi's body, he loves her. He loves this, their little circle of affection and support. Soon Hanji finds their voice again, chuckling at Eren's joy.
"This is... Yeah, this is nice," Hanji comments, they take their head from where it rests on Eren's shoulder to plant a kiss on her cheek, a scarlet blush colouring Eren's face.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Eren says, her eyes bright and so hopeful.