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Levi hated Halloween. The whole point of it was silly and he hated the steady parade of children (who were basically carries of dirt and germs; Levi knew that well just from his own kids). Of course, his kids were ecstatic about it- and why not, it was a chance to get candy and stay up late.
Of course Erwin and Hanji were also excited by Halloween, or perhaps they were just excited that Armin had other children to go with this year. Hanji even conspired with the kids for costume ideas. It seemed Mikasa and Eren had informed them about Levi’s sewing skills and decided he was going to make a group of costumes for them. He had never done a project that ambitious before, but Eren and Mikasa looked so excited that Levi couldn’t bring himself to say no.
For the month of October, Levi’s office was transformed into a sewing room. Suddenly, Mikasa and Eren were very good about leaving Papa alone to work. Grudgingly, Levi had to admit how cute it was to see his little monkeys so excited about something.
“Hold still!” Levi commanded as he tried to help Eren into his costume. Eren was practically vibrating with excitement. It was almost finished, but he wanted to make sure it fit correctly. If it did, he just needed to finish some hemming and clean up the threads.
“It looks so cool!” Eren cried, looking down at himself and raising his arms to see the costume better. “I’m a dragon!” he cried, waving his arms to flap the wings attached as Levi pulled the hood up over his head. “Rawr!”
Levi made him spin around, looking at the costume from every angle to inspect the quality. It looked pretty good, if he had to say so himself.
“Okay, take it off now,” Levi said, not wanting anything to happen the costume he spent so much time on.
“But I’m a dragon!” Eren protested.
“Yes, you’re a very fierce dragon,” Levi humored him. “But please take it off now. Halloween isn’t until next week.”
The boy pouted, but let his Papa remove the green suit off of him. “Papa I’m so excited!” Eren squealed as Levi folded up the fabric and put it safely away. “Can I see Armin’s dress?” he asked.
Levi had finished Armin’s costume first and had kept it folded up and wrapped in the drawer of his file cabinet. Obligingly, he reached over to unfold it and show Eren. It was blue, a soft periwinkle color per Armin’s request. The sleeves were long for warmth, with a high waist and a flowing skirt with three layers of shimmering material. Levi felt disappointed in the lack of detail, but he didn’t have time to try and make it fancier.
“Armin is going to look so pretty!” Eren exclaimed. “That’s why the dragon wants to keep him!”
Levi smiled. “That’s why Mikasa is the Knight to protect Princess Armin from the bad dragon!” he teased.
The hurt look on Eren’s face surprised Levi. “The dragon isn’t bad! The dragon just wants to have friends. The knight is the dragon’s friend too! She protects the dragon from people who are mean and want to hurt him!” Eren explained, red in the face and ready to cry frustrated tears.
“You’re right, Eren,” Levi assured him, patting him on the head. “The dragon is very nice and misunderstood.”
“What about you, Papa?” Eren asked suddenly, wiping away his tears. “What are you gonna wear?”
Levi blinked with surprise. “I’m not going to dress up,” he said firmly.
Eren’s big eyes looked disappointed. “But, everyone dresses up for Halloween!” he complained.
“Not Papa,” Levi replied, with no remorse.
A few days later, Erwin and Armin were over for dinner. It was two days before Halloween and it was all the kids could talk about. Even Erwin was eager to discuss the evening, where they would take the kids trick or treating, when in the day they would do it, and what they would do afterwards.
“What are you planning on wearing?” Erwin asked. “Maybe we could coordinate.”
Levi stared, almost with disbelief at Erwin, this professional with his manipulative, charismatic personality, was acting like a child about this stupid holiday. Of course as Levi came to know Erwin as they dated, he had learned how much of a dweeb he secretly was. So the question shouldn’t have come as such a surprise.
“You can’t be serious,” Levi said flatly. “I’m not dressing up.”
Erwin looked disappointed but nodded. “I just assumed. You put so much effort into the children’s costumes. I just thought…”
Internally Levi groaned. “Don’t use that manipulative tone with me!” he growled, but he knew deep down he was considering Erwin’s request.
“It doesn’t matter,” Erwin said, brushing it off. “It shouldn’t disappoint the kids too much.”
That was the last tug that pulled down Levi’s refusal to dress up. “Fine, whatever,” he muttered, grumbling to himself.
Levi refused to work hard on what he was going to wear. And he wasn’t going to look ridiculous either. Levi stood at his open closet, looking for something that could pass as a costume and appease everyone. At last, he came across an old t-shirt he’d forgotten about. Levi was quite certain it was given to him as a joke and that he’d never worn it.
It was black and had the words ‘Budget Ninja Costume’ printed in white.
“Good enough,” Levi declared. “Now maybe everyone will leave me alone.”
“Nice shirt,” was the first thing Erwin said to him when he and Armin came over to get ready to go trick or treating. “I can see you put a lot of effort into that.” He was wearing what looked like an attempt at Indiana Jones. Levi observed that Erwin looked very attractive in it.
“Shut up and get inside,” Levi smirked, his words not actually very biting.
“Can we get our costumes on now?” Eren asked, dying from the anticipation of having to wait all day.
“Yes,” Levi confirmed. “You can put your costumes on now.”
Even Mikasa smiled as Eren yipped in victory. The two rushed to Levi’s office, where they knew the costumes were kept, dragging Armin along with them.
“Come and see Armin!” Eren cried, gripping his hand.
“I’ve already tried it on,” Armin replied, but he let himself be led by Eren anyway.
Levi trailed after them. “Don’t try to get them by yourself! Let me help you.” He would admit he felt protective of the costumes he had slaved over.
“They seem quite enthusiastic,” Erwin remarked cheerfully.
“Eren’s been wanting to put it on all day,” Levi replied. “I’ve been trying to distract them with other things since this morning.”
Eren was already jumping to reach the top drawer of the cabinet, where he knew the costumes were kept.
“Papa hurry! I want to go trick or treating!” Eren declared, still trying to reach even as Levi stepped over and opened the cabinet himself. The costumes were snatched right from his hands and hastily put on with little fingers.
Both Levi and Erwin had to help the clumsy little ones with their costumes, adjusting them with the ease that came with manual dexterity. Levi carefully straightened out fabric and gave each outfit another look over, even if it was too late to make any changes. The kids chittered with excitement and repeated asked when they would be leaving.
“Just a few minutes,” Levi said as he gathered their things like the cheap plastic bags with pumpkins on them his kids would use to carry candy, shoes, and extra jackets just in case. They shouldn’t be needed; he’d made sure the costumes where warm. But, it was always good to be prepared.
“Where are we going?” Armin asked, trailing after his Daddy into the entryway.
“Mike and Nana’s neighborhood,” Erwin explained. According to Erwin it was a nice, family friendly neighborhood and the houses gave out good candy. Erwin also figured it would be more fun for the kids to go house to house, rather than going trick or treating in an apartment complex. Levi felt it was a lot of work for some candy.
They drove together to the neighborhood about ten minutes away. As Erwin drove, Levi was turned around in the seat, giving very specific directions. He was feeling a little nervous about the trick or treating and being out on Halloween- there were all sorts of weirdos out there.
“Stay close to Erwin and I, okay? Don’t run off. Say thank you after you’re given candy. Don’t eat any of your candy until Erwin and I go through it. And stay away from any grownups that seem scary,” he listed off. He looked at each of them directly in the eye as he spoke (particularly Eren) to make sure they were listening and understood. “Alright?”
“Okay!” they chorused back.
They pulled up to Mike and Nanaba’s place and parked in their driveway. Instantly the kids were trying to untangle their way out of the car.
“Calm down,” Erwin laughed. “We need to go in to say hello first anyway.”
Eren groaned with impatience and they all trudged into the house.
This was only the second time Levi had seen Mike and Nanaba and even though they were pleasant and old friends of Erwin’s, Levi felt a bit awkward around them still. Although it was fascinating to see yet another side of Erwin- that and Nana was always willing to share embarrassing stories about Erwin at university. The kids liked the two of them though, with how big and strong Mike was and how enthusiastic and fun Nana was. They were greeted kindly and Erwin made pleasantries with them, until the kids ran out of patience.
“We’ll be back in a while,” Erwin waved goodbye as Levi kept the kids corralled.
“Have fun!” Nanaba waved back.
“C’mon, let’s go! Let’s go!” Eren cried, only stopped from running ahead Papa’s firm hand on his shoulder.
The three costumed monkeys walked ahead of Erwin and Levi as they marched up and down the street, stopping at every house. The sidewalks were already filled with kids scurrying around, some older and without supervision or others only babies being carried by their parents. Levi eyed everyone carefully as the passed and kept a careful watch on his own children. Erwin held his hand comfortingly, and they waited at the sidewalk while the kids ran up to the door.
“The lady also thought Armin was a girl,” Eren declared, looking a little upset as they came back from their fifth or sixth house.
“I don’t care,” Armin replied quietly, looking embarrassed and blushing, but Eren didn’t hear him.
“People probably assume he’s a girl because of the dress,” Erwin explained.
“That’s dumb! Boys wear dresses too,” Eren argued.
Levi smiled and patted his head. “That’s right.”
After only two and half streets, the kids were starting to lose their vigor. It was also getting dark quickly as well, so Levi decided the next house would be their last stop before heading back to Mike and Nanaba’s. The last house they stopped at had gone all out on the decorations. The lawn was covered in gravestones and fake cobwebs and skeletons.
Of course, Eren thought it was the coolest house he’d ever seen and was eager to run up and ring the doorbell.
“It looks a little scary,” Armin said softly, holding onto Erwin’s pant leg.
“Yah, come on! Let’s go!” Eren replied excitedly, tugging on Armin’s sleeve.
Levi sided with Armin and was eyeing the property skeptically. “You don’t have to go Armin. It’s okay,” he assured.
But after Eren and Mikasa promised to protect him, Armin agreed to go up to the door. They were the only kids there as they went up the walk and rang the doorbell.
“These people certainly enjoy Halloween,” Erwin remarked pleasantly. Levi only grunted in response as he kept his gaze steadily on his kids and Armin.
As soon as Eren reached up and rang the bell, ominous music began to play and smoked billowed from the side of the house. The three of them stiffened and watched as a dark figure came around through the smoke, cloaked in black and carrying a scythe. It moved slowly and boomed with evil laughter.
Armin screamed first.
Levi’s instincts reacted instantly. He was running up the sidewalk before the three even started moving. All at once, he scooped them up in his arms and dragged them back to the safety of the sidewalk.
He didn’t appreciate the way Erwin was laughing and pointing to the cloaked figure who was now waving his arms, hood down and apologizing for being too scary.
“Everyone alright?” Levi demanded ignoring everything else and crouching down to check the three little ones.
Eren was smiling, pupils blown wide with adrenaline and laughing about how scary that was. However the other two were a little worse for wear. Armin was wiping at the tears on face and Mikasa was trembling and gripped at her Papa’s arm fiercely.
“Alright, looks like we’re okay,” Levi concluded, straightening up, picking up Mikasa on the way. “Stop laughing Erwin,” he snapped, giving him a slap. “Your kid needs your attention.”
“Are we going to get our candy?” Eren asked, pointing.
“No, we’re going now,” Levi said firmly, taking him by the hand and dragging him briskly from that stupidly scary house. “We’re done.”
It took much apologizing and coaxing to calm Levi down and keep him from banning Halloween at the house forever. It was a ridiculous holiday, just as he thought.