The Ereri Project!

Paris

Hanji decided she wanted to throw an enormous theme party for her thirtieth birthday.

Levi's only regret is that he and Erwin were not enough to talk her out of it.

She threw it in a reception hall and invited practically every person she had ever met. Or at least, that's what Eren assumes because he can't imagine her holding active friendships with half the people walking around.

It was Paris Masquerade themed. Everyone was required to wear black except for Hanji, who wore red. There were no specifications on mask colors. Levi and Erwin decide it's probably because she's trying to make up for the disaster of a sweet sixteen her parents threw for her.

That said, Levi has to admit the party is pretty great.

He's never been to Paris. When he, Hanji, Erwin, and Petra backpacked all those years ago he asked if they could skip France altogether.

His mother was from France, if he'd heard from his parents correctly. When he was born she'd been too poor to take care of him and he was afraid of accidentally finding her if he ever went there.

But that is beside the point, he shouldn't be dwelling on that tonight.

Not with Petra looking cuter than she ever has.

And Eren, if he's being honest.

Levi is sitting with Erwin at their assigned table, watching Eren holding Petra on the dance floor. Both of them are dancing and laughing and Levi has what Erwin has taken to calling a "daddy moment".

He spaces out and kind of gets lost in how much he loves the two of them. When Erwin notices, he laughs. "What?" Levi asks.

"You're funny is all," Erwin says.

Levi makes a face. "Shut up Blondie."

"Well," Erwin says, standing. "A slower song is starting and I'd like to dance with my 'niece' before the end of the night. C'mon."

Levi rolls his eyes. "If I weren't so sure, I'd say you like my daughter more than you should."

"Well I do love her," Erwin says. "But in the same way that I loved your sister."

Levi looks at him and frowns. "As I recall you had a crush on her when we were kids."

"Which, as I recall, you beat me up for and I got over it."

Levi smirks. "Sucks you finally got bigger than me."

When they get over to Petra and Eren, Erwin takes Petra and Eren pouts at him. "Aw, we were having fun."

"Yeah, well, I'd like a turn with my husband tonight if he doesn't mind," Levi says.

Eren gives him and smirk as Erwin moves away with Petra. "Oh, you're married?" Eren asks, fixing his mask. "You seem too much like a lone wolf for that."

"Yeah, well," Levi says, pulling Eren into position and starting to move to the music. "I decided I was happy and wouldn't be able to find anyone better for me."

Eren smiles. "What's he like?"

Levi snorts, "What about you? You married?"

Eren makes a face. "You wouldn't believe how uptight my old man can be," he says. "He wouldn't even speak French for me tonight even though this party is Paris themed."

"Who shoved a stick up his ass?"

Eren laughs. "It's not as bad as it used to be," he says. "He's a pain but he loves me, so things are pretty great. We bought a house last year, you know. That was an adventure."

"First house you've ever bought?"

Eren nods. "Neither of us had spoken to our parents in a while so we weren't really sure what to expect and kind of ended up in way over our heads."

"But everything turned out okay?"

"It turned out fabulous actually, our daughter loves having a yard to play in and I love having a huge kitchen to bake in."

"My husband likes baking too."

"Oh really?"

"He actually made the birthday girl's cake, if you can believe it."

"That gigantic thing, I'll bet he had a minor heart attack trying to get that here without it falling apart."

"Like you wouldn't believe."

"So what is he like, he likes baking obviously and you changed the subject earlier."

Levi smiles. "He's a huge dork who seems to be trying to give me and my daughter diabetes with all the sweets he keeps around the house constantly; my only saving grace is that he's looking into opening a bakery soon.

He's taller than me and thank god he doesn't try and rub it in most of the time. He talks too much and we argue a lot but he's sweet and he's smart and he's goofy and makes me happy."

Eren smiles. "Sounds nice."

"What about yours?"

Eren hums while he thinks. "Well, he's a great dad - better than my dad ever was. Our daughter was actually his sister's, you know, he wanted to take her in right away. Which, frankly, I thought was nuts at first because neither of us had any experience with kids but it was probably the best decision he's ever made. Um, he co-owns a hotel with his best friend and the two of them go to "work out" a few times a week, personally I wouldn't put it past either of them to be banging behind my back because they're both gorgeous but he'd never do something like that to me. He's got this hardass exterior but he's really a huge softie if you get down to it. I'm happy."

Levi smiles and they continue dancing.

Eren leans his head down on Levi's shoulder. "I love you," he says.

"Love you too."

Eren stands back up normally. "Do you think we could pawn Petra off on Erwin tonight?"

Levi puts on a shocked face. "And cheat on our husbands? I'm appalled, beautiful stranger."

Eren rolls his eyes and kisses Levi. "My husband can fuck off."

Levi snorts and shakes his head. "And right after you were just waxing poetic about him like you liked him."

"I adore him," Eren says. "But I need some fun in my life and a night without worrying about a three year old walking in on us."

Erwin is happy to babysit Petra for them.