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Eren scratched his neck awkwardly. A thin sheen of sweat covered his forehead as he moved his arms in an upward motion before bringing it down again. He repeated the motion several times before pausing to claw at his neck again. This time, with more irritation.
He regretted it.
“Hot,” he grumbled.
It was hot. His neck was burning . And despite the shade his lengthening hair gave him, it was positively steaming . No, not in a Titan-way… it’s just hot , okay? And it wasn’t the first time that he contemplated cutting his hair.
He brought the hammer down again, grunting in the process. Ignoring the loud noises all around him, he narrowed his eyes at the task in front of him.
Oh, the regret. Oh, the tiredness. Oh… fuck it.
“Oi, do we have a scissor around here?”
He was going to snip it off.
Why did he even bother growing out his hair? Didn’t he tease Jean mercilessly when he grew his own out? Ah, he didn’t remember.
Armin glanced up from his position. He sat on the ground, panting heavily with Sasha next to him, just as tired. An empty barrel of water sat empty nearby. No doubt Sasha drank it all.
“A scissor?” Armin echoed. He glanced at Mikasa, who shared an equally confused expression. “Why?”
Eren furrowed his brows. “This,” He jabbed a finger at his hair and sighed. “Too hot.”
“Of course it’s hot,” said Sasha breathlessly. She gave the brunet a small grin and gestured towards hers and Mikasa’s hair. “That’s why we tie it.”
“This is your first time growing it out, after all,” added Mikasa. “Here.” She untied her own hair and walked over to Eren. Before he could let out a single sound of protest, she began to tie his hair into a simple, yet neat ponytail. It hung low, but it did the job. “Done.”
Eren let out a sigh in relief. He turned around and frowned. “Isn’t this yours?” He asked.
Mikasa shrugged nonchalantly. “You can have it,” she murmured.
“Jeez, Eren, still being coddled by Mikasa?” Jean scoffed. “You’re eighteen for Sina’s sake.”
“S-shut it!”
Connie laughed out loud. “Eighteen and still coddled!” He cackled.
“Shut-shut up, Connie!” Eren yelled.
“Make me!” Connie stuck out his tongue and began to run away from Eren, who followed right behind him, just as childishly.
The two’s distant yelling could be heard from afar, but… in a way, it was comforting. Despite the smoldering sun making everything twice as uncomfortable, Connie’s usual antics and Eren… Eren’s rare bouts of childishness were something that never failed to make anyone laugh.
Jean scowled. “Those two…” he shook his head in resigned disappointment.
“Let them be,” said Armin, smiling slightly. “It’s not often that we get to see Eren like that.”
Mikasa nodded in agreement. She let out a soft grunt before turning to Sasha to shove another water barrel into her lap. Sasha let out a squeal in delight and joyfully began to drink, much to Armin’s chagrin.
“I know,” Jean interjected, scratching his cheeks. He narrowed his eyes at the running duo. “Ever since… ever since we returned from Wall Maria, he’s been like that, wasn’t he?”
“...” Armin didn’t answer. He looked away from Jean, who sighed again and turned to look at the progressing railroad.
Besides the distant shouting and the slurping from Sasha, the area was completely quiet.
Then, Mikasa suddenly said, “It looks good on him. The ponytail.” She gestured towards Eren.
Armin faltered for a moment, then smiled fondly. “He looks a lot like Mrs. Yeager with that hairstyle,” he commented.
He was right, Mikasa knew. Now eighteen, Eren was growing to look more like Mrs. Yeager every day. His face was almost a carbon copy of his mother’s, all except for his coloring. Unlike Carla’s dark hair and hazel eyes, Eren had brown hair and green eyes. Still, the resemblance was uncanny; from his doe-like eyes and his long eyelashes that framed them, to the shape of his lips.
“He should grow it out,” Mikasa murmured.
Armin disagreed. “I think he looks better this way,” he hummed.
Mikasa pouted. “He should grow it out,” she repeated. Then, after a minuscule pause, she added, “If he wants to.”
Personally speaking, Jean… liked Eren’s new hairstyle. Not that he’d ever admit that. Sure, his shorter hair made him look more… youthful, and sure, his short hair matched his temper (which was also short), but there was some kind of charm that came from Eren’s long hair.
Eren’s longer hair gave an aura of calmness… if you know what he meant. There was just something that he couldn’t quite put his finger on that made him more… well… okay , okay? Cause he was still a suicidal brat and still an annoying guy, and he certainly wasn’t going to call him… ‘attractive’. No, that word is reserved for Mikasa.
Well, if Eren had darker hair…
Nope. He wasn’t going there. He wasn’t… well… yeah, no. He definitely wasn’t going to think of the suicidal maniac with darker hair, especially when…
He’ll shut up now.
Point is, Jean liked Eren’s longer hairstyle better than his older one. It was just better.
Better… better…
Jean paused to glance at Eren and immediately regretted it.
Nope. Nope, turn away, Kirstein, stop staring, turn away before Suicidal Maniac germs touch your eyes… Turn away, turn away—it’s just the sunset. It’s just the sunset.
They weren’t blushing! It was the sunset! It… it was the sunset. And he definitely didn’t see Eren duck his head like a shy maiden, nope he didn’t see it at all. He saw nothing. Nothing .
“... sorry,” Eren murmured, looking at the ground to hide his reddened face.
Spoiler alert, it wasn’t working. Especially from the place, Jean sat. Sure, those who sat in front of him would only see his red ears, but from the side? He still saw everything . Including the brunet’s strangely endearing expression— Shit , think of something else… like Mikasa! Yes!
Mikasa… Mikasa…
The image of Eren shyly looking at Mikasa appeared in his mind instead.
Fuck you, Eren.
Levi glanced at the teenagers with a scowl perched atop his face. “You guys look like you need to take a shit,” he commented flatly.
Jean choked on his bread. He looked away from the Corporal, desperate to keep the image of… a blushing Eren Yeager out of his mind. “S-sir,” he began. “W-well—”
“It’s all Eren’s fault!” Connie accused.
“What the f—”
Sasha nodded vigorously. “It is!”
“What?!” Eren glared at Sasha.
Sasha crossed her arms and grimaced for a moment. “Eren said something really… sappy.” She scratched her head and sighed before turning back to make a face at the brunet. “And he—he dared to make that face!” She pointed a finger at him.
Hange cocked their head to the side. “What face?” They asked curiously.
The teenagers stilled. They shared a glance at each other for a minuscule moment and nodded, before averting their eyes away from Hange and Levi.
Levi and Hange looked at each other in visible confusion.
‘What face?’ they both wondered.