p class="MsoNormal"Eren's room was bright, the curtains open and the window wide to get every bit of the Summer breeze. Keepsakes and memories fluttered on the wall, and the neatly made bed smelled fresh and inviting, even from the other side of the /Every moment Eren stared in the mirror, his grey t-shirt seemed tighter. Even with a shirt over it, he realized it didn't exactly hide what he wanted. He merely sighed, hands idly tracing over his love handles. He shook his head; after a long day in college, this was the last thing he needed to think about. His flat mates wouldn't be back for a while and a few hours alone online were certainly going to help. Within a few moments of logging on, right as he clicked his e-mail bookmark, a little notification popped up in the bottom corner of his screen./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Hey, loser."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren smiled. It was just like every day./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hey Levispan style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro'; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"J/span"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Over the past four months, Eren had been messaging someone every evening. A guy, to be more specific. He knew nothing to do with his appearance except a short explanation of black hair, tattoos and piercings. They weren't quite in a relationship, but flirting was almost constant between them. They had sent some rather naughty messages at times, but it was never uncomfortable. Well, his companion wasn't. Eren was. His confidence was low, the idea of exchanging any kind of pictures with him was nightmarish but Levi would never force him into anything he didn't want. Even when they were in the middle of a sexy conversation, a simple message would stop the flow of things exactly as Eren needed./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Finally on break?"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yup! Everything was submitted today, a week of freedooooooooooooooooom!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"br /Levi smiled at his phone. He knew he looked like a mad man, walking down the street smiling at the small black phone, but Eren's announcement of freedom was certainly a sign that he could finally ask him to meet in person. They knew they lived in the same city, but nothing more. Today and many other times, he found himself wanting to snap a quick selfie and send it with the hope that Eren was nearby and would appear from behind the closest building./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"At first, Levi thought he'd just want a quick few pictures to sate his lonely appetite, but somewhere through their first meeting and their first (of many) all night conversation, Levi realized he wanted to keep Eren around. Since they'd met, he'd stopped seeking guys for pictures, deleted his Grindr account and stopped his one night stands. He knew very well that he was truly smitten. He knew Eren's schedule by now, so he wouldn't message him during the day, even on his own lunch break at the bookstore, but the second Eren logged on, he messaged him. Occasionally, he called him, it was rare but it happened. Last time had been on a day that had left Eren in stressed and tired tears. He didn't even think that he could get to a point of wanting to chat with someone outside of his friend circle that often, but he did. Constantly. But before Levi could make the suggestion, a new message from Eren lit up his screen./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Literally going to sleep for the next two days. People have me pretty much booked up next week, ugh. *slams head on table* save me"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Levi smiled but it wasn't quite a complete one. That meant they couldn't meet up./p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh really, any dates?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"He felt his stomach twist at the idea. He stared at the screen, narrowly avoiding one of the trees that outlined the footpath. The branches were long enough to skim his tattooed arm./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Lol right, as if you need to ask."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"He liked that Eren was more or less his, but his confidence was something they didn't really speak about. Levi had no clue what Eren looked like outside of vague description that merely detailed brown hair, green eyes, and a "pretty decent tan", but he didn't need more to be attracted to him. It was the way he typed, the way he expressed himself with words, his passions and his suffering. There was always more to learn and more to love./p
p class="MsoNormal""Gotta make sure you're not cheating on me, babe"/p
p class="MsoNormal"br /Eren smiled at Levi's possessiveness and leaned forward like a love-struck teen. Eren didn't "date", but seeing Levi worry about it was endearing./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You know I wouldn't, I'm all yours 3"/p
p class="MsoNormal"At this point, he couldn't tell if they were joking./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Damn right you are. I'm not into sharing."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Sharing./p
p class="MsoNormal"For the millionth time, the question bounced around in his mind – were they dating? Was he really Levi's? He had wanted to ask, but he worried about pushing the boundary between them. If they were, Levi would be put off by his body when he saw it. If they weren't, it would be the thing that would force Levi away./p
p class="MsoNormal"He forced down the idea and instead opted to play along with Levi./p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't you worry, honey, you won't have to"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Could he send Levi a picture of his face? He thought about it for few moments. It wasn't exactly intimate but it would be something. Would Levi be interested in the idea? It hadn't really come up before. He felt himself grimace at the thought of showing someone he liked so much what he was behind the screen./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"So, why are people whisking my Eren off next week?"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Later, he decided, later he would send a photo./p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh you know, wild drug parties with strippers."/p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Are you trying to make me jealous?"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren chuckled./p
p class="MsoNormal""Naaaah. Strippers are pretty rad though."/p
p class="MsoNormal"em"I'll be your own personal stripper. You don't even have to pay me"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"The image that he had formed of Levi in his head took hold and the voice that had filled his ears when he most needed it muttered new words, ones it had never truly said. His temporary fantasy was ruined when he heard his front door bang and heard Mikasa shout his name./p
p class="MsoNormal"He pushed his computer chair back just as Mikasa opened his door./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hey, what do you want for dinner?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Hey, I'ono, what we got?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Mikasa wandered away mumbling about a bad work day and something about pizza being perfect right /He shrugged and followed her with images of Levi swirling in his mind./p
p class="MsoNormal"br /After a few minutes without response, Levi thought he had over stepped. The bus stop was quiet when he stopped and he stared at his phone while he waited. He imagined Eren, a scrawny, tall, tanned boy, frowning at the message and deciding that Levi was just a sleaze. The worry clenched his stomach and forced him to tap nervously. He couldn't mess this one up too. He had messed up before, so many times. Sometimes it worked out okay, he had stayed friends with some of the people he had hurt but some of them hated him. He understood, but he didn't want Eren of all people to hate him. What he felt for Eren was different already. He didn't find himself wanting anyone else, not even looking at them and admiring. People were just…people. Guys he once would have been eager to go home with had become just faces in the crowd. He hadn't gone home with a guy since he'd met Eren. br /He thought back to the week after they had met, when he had gone out and kissed a tall, handsome man, but the moment he had gone to the bathroom, with promises on his lips, Levi checked his phone to see messages from Eren. There was nothing particularly important, wishing him a good night, telling him he was bored. The last message was a picture. A funny picture from some dumb site of a cat mid fall from a counter. The caption underneath just said "I can't stop laughing oh my God" and Levi spluttered. He ignored the strange looks that people around him had cast in his direction, instead he was focused on the image of a cute tanned boy in his bedroom, giggling at a picture of a cat falling off of a counter, and it was when he realized he was smitten. He left then, ignoring the fact that a guy was on his way back to meet him and instead, he went home, laughing at pictures Eren was sending him. Once he settled into bed that night, he asked if he could call Eren. He was shy, but even in the silence, when all that passed between them was breath, Levi felt comfortable. When they said goodnight, Levi rolled over and realized it had felt like the most natural thing in the /That had been the only time he had been truly comfortable with someone, comfortable enough to let them talk him to sleep. Now, four months on, it was normal for them to have late night chats, though phone conversations were still few and far between. The thought of not having another one with Eren was scary, it made his gut drop and his heart pick up. As he stepped onto the bus, he realized Eren still hadn't replied, it worried him. He took his seat and had just put his head back when a buzz from his pocket brought him back to reality./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""emSorry! Was talking about options with Mika. I'm sure you're a great stripper~" /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"He let out a tense breath. So he wasn't upset./p
p class="MsoNormal""NGL, thought you hated me there."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren had taken the time to follow Mikasa and talk about dinner options and get himself a drink. While he sipped from his favourite plastic glass, he thought back to Levi's offer. He wanted to be enthusiastic about it. He hadn't expected Levi to be so upset. He knew about Levi's past. Relationships had not worked out very well for him and it was often his own fault. He knew Levi had cheated on people, had left for no reason. It terrified him to like someone who had such a poor record but he wanted to risk it. Every time he got a message from Levi, it made his heart swell and he wanted to know what it was like to love Levi and be loved by him. He didn't know what he looked like really, he had an idea. br /It was enough of an idea that Eren could imagine waking up beside messy black hair and running his fingers over painted skin. He could imagine Levi in his kitchen, sitting on the counter while Eren made breakfast, talking about whatever came to mind this morning. He could imagine Levi pulling him closer for kisses before their days began properly, while they left the house, sloppy kisses that said "I love you, be careful, have a good day, I'll see you soon". In all of these daydreams, Eren was not quite himself. He was thinner, more muscular, more attractive./p
p class="MsoNormal""Nah, never gonna hate you."/p
p class="MsoNormal"He knew Levi needed little reassurance. A few words were enough./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Good, can't have my bae hating me before we've even met."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren smiled through the rush of nervousness he felt at the idea of meeting Levi./p
p class="MsoNormal""You say that so definitely, like we're definitely gonna meet and I'm definitely your bae"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren knew he was blushing, but he ignored it, sipping his drink and watching little "typing…" bar with strange adoration./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Eren, you're obviously my bae, let's not fool ourselves. Tbh, I do like to think we'll definitely meet sometime, when we're ready. It'd be cool if you were still my bae after that too."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren almost choked on his drink, blush now heating his neck and making him squirm in his seat./p
p class="MsoNormal""I hope that you still think that when you see me."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren's finger hovered over "enter". He didn't entirely want to bring it up, but he didn't really want Levi to know his self-esteem was as low as it was behind the screen. He debated. Could he really be this honest with Levi?/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"em"I hope you still think that when you see me embarrass myself." /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Levi smiled. Mostly because he knew he would./p
p class="MsoNormal""Did you guys decide on some dinner btw?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"The night went on, messages bouncing until the sun had settled well below the horizon. Armin slamming the door had brought Eren out of his Levi haze and he could smell the pizza he had brought./p
p class="MsoNormal""BRB dinner"/p
p class="MsoNormal"He settled at the table, cheeks still freshly red from a message regarding Eren being cute./p
p class="MsoNormal""Why are you blushing?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Good evening to you too, Armin, yeah, my day was good, a wonderful question to ask at the first time you see someone."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Armin rolled his eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal""It's just so unusual to see you blush. You don't. Like, ever."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren shrugged, choosing to focus on food./p
p class="MsoNormal""You know, Armin's right, you are blushing."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Mikasa started putting glasses and cutlery at the table./p
p class="MsoNormal""I think we should change the subject."/p
p class="MsoNormal"There was a brief moment of silence. The shifting of boxes and plates to divide food cluttered the air. Until Armin spoke again./p
p class="MsoNormal""Eren, have you met someone?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren felt his blush spread and heat up./p
p class="MsoNormal""What, no!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Eren, you're blushing again."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Be quiet, Mikasa!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren hid his face and groaned./p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay, look, fine, I met this guy online a while back and he's just…really…" Eren paused. His fingers ran through his hair automatically while he looked for the right word./p
p class="MsoNormal""Nice, he's really nice."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Why haven't we met him yet?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Mikasa's voice was steady. She wasn't jealous, not when she had her own relationship business, but she was wary. Especially when it came to people online./p
p class="MsoNormal""Because emI/em haven't met him yet. I'm just…nervous? I don't know, like, he seems so cool, and nice, and hot and I'm just…" he swept a hand over himself "…this, I'm just this and it's not that good really, and I don't want him to see me yet because I think he'll hate my body."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Armin stared sadly and Mikasa's hand grabbed Eren's./p
p class="MsoNormal""Eren…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""No, it's fine, look, I know it's not that big a deal, I know. I just worry that it'll be the reason he doesn't like me, you know? At the same time, I am like 'Screw that, I'm awesome the way I am!', but I don't always feel like that."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Mikasa nodded. She always understood when Eren didn't want to continue talking about something. She also understood Eren's insecurities. No one was rude to him, but no one had ever told him how cute he was, or how attractive they found him. It was tough, she knew that, but she also knew she couldn't change it. So instead, she moved on./p
p class="MsoNormal""Did you guys hear what Connie did at Jean's party?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm home!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"A red head bobbing down the hall was the first sign of life within his apartment./p
p class="MsoNormal""Levi, hey!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""You on the way to work?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Isabel nodded./p
p class="MsoNormal""Farlan will be back in a sec! He went to get some basics then he's taking me to work."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Levi nodded in response as the door opened behind him./p
p class="MsoNormal""Isabel! Ready to go?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yup!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"There was a quick hug and a nod to Farlan, and suddenly Levi was alone again./p
p class="MsoNormal"He pulled out his phone. Even though Eren was in the middle of dinner, Levi sent a quick message. It wasn't unusual for them./p
p class="MsoNormal""Starting to regret giving Isabel a spare key."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Living alone was only good when people weren't bothersome. He loved this apartment, it was clean, spacious, and so many surfaces. Levi had developed a love of plants while living here and within weeks, he found himself running out of space for /He kept his laptop in the kitchen, open but locked. With music playing, he started unpacking some groceries from his backpack. When his phone pinged, he opened immediately expecting a text. Instead he opened a half face picture with the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen. /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Hey, loser."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren smiled. It was just like every day./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hey Levispan style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro'; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"J/span"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Over the past four months, Eren had been messaging someone every evening. A guy, to be more specific. He knew nothing to do with his appearance except a short explanation of black hair, tattoos and piercings. They weren't quite in a relationship, but flirting was almost constant between them. They had sent some rather naughty messages at times, but it was never uncomfortable. Well, his companion wasn't. Eren was. His confidence was low, the idea of exchanging any kind of pictures with him was nightmarish but Levi would never force him into anything he didn't want. Even when they were in the middle of a sexy conversation, a simple message would stop the flow of things exactly as Eren needed./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Finally on break?"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yup! Everything was submitted today, a week of freedooooooooooooooooom!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"br /Levi smiled at his phone. He knew he looked like a mad man, walking down the street smiling at the small black phone, but Eren's announcement of freedom was certainly a sign that he could finally ask him to meet in person. They knew they lived in the same city, but nothing more. Today and many other times, he found himself wanting to snap a quick selfie and send it with the hope that Eren was nearby and would appear from behind the closest building./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"At first, Levi thought he'd just want a quick few pictures to sate his lonely appetite, but somewhere through their first meeting and their first (of many) all night conversation, Levi realized he wanted to keep Eren around. Since they'd met, he'd stopped seeking guys for pictures, deleted his Grindr account and stopped his one night stands. He knew very well that he was truly smitten. He knew Eren's schedule by now, so he wouldn't message him during the day, even on his own lunch break at the bookstore, but the second Eren logged on, he messaged him. Occasionally, he called him, it was rare but it happened. Last time had been on a day that had left Eren in stressed and tired tears. He didn't even think that he could get to a point of wanting to chat with someone outside of his friend circle that often, but he did. Constantly. But before Levi could make the suggestion, a new message from Eren lit up his screen./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Literally going to sleep for the next two days. People have me pretty much booked up next week, ugh. *slams head on table* save me"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Levi smiled but it wasn't quite a complete one. That meant they couldn't meet up./p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh really, any dates?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"He felt his stomach twist at the idea. He stared at the screen, narrowly avoiding one of the trees that outlined the footpath. The branches were long enough to skim his tattooed arm./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Lol right, as if you need to ask."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"He liked that Eren was more or less his, but his confidence was something they didn't really speak about. Levi had no clue what Eren looked like outside of vague description that merely detailed brown hair, green eyes, and a "pretty decent tan", but he didn't need more to be attracted to him. It was the way he typed, the way he expressed himself with words, his passions and his suffering. There was always more to learn and more to love./p
p class="MsoNormal""Gotta make sure you're not cheating on me, babe"/p
p class="MsoNormal"br /Eren smiled at Levi's possessiveness and leaned forward like a love-struck teen. Eren didn't "date", but seeing Levi worry about it was endearing./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You know I wouldn't, I'm all yours 3"/p
p class="MsoNormal"At this point, he couldn't tell if they were joking./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Damn right you are. I'm not into sharing."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Sharing./p
p class="MsoNormal"For the millionth time, the question bounced around in his mind – were they dating? Was he really Levi's? He had wanted to ask, but he worried about pushing the boundary between them. If they were, Levi would be put off by his body when he saw it. If they weren't, it would be the thing that would force Levi away./p
p class="MsoNormal"He forced down the idea and instead opted to play along with Levi./p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't you worry, honey, you won't have to"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Could he send Levi a picture of his face? He thought about it for few moments. It wasn't exactly intimate but it would be something. Would Levi be interested in the idea? It hadn't really come up before. He felt himself grimace at the thought of showing someone he liked so much what he was behind the screen./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"So, why are people whisking my Eren off next week?"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Later, he decided, later he would send a photo./p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh you know, wild drug parties with strippers."/p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Are you trying to make me jealous?"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren chuckled./p
p class="MsoNormal""Naaaah. Strippers are pretty rad though."/p
p class="MsoNormal"em"I'll be your own personal stripper. You don't even have to pay me"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"The image that he had formed of Levi in his head took hold and the voice that had filled his ears when he most needed it muttered new words, ones it had never truly said. His temporary fantasy was ruined when he heard his front door bang and heard Mikasa shout his name./p
p class="MsoNormal"He pushed his computer chair back just as Mikasa opened his door./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hey, what do you want for dinner?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Hey, I'ono, what we got?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Mikasa wandered away mumbling about a bad work day and something about pizza being perfect right /He shrugged and followed her with images of Levi swirling in his mind./p
p class="MsoNormal"br /After a few minutes without response, Levi thought he had over stepped. The bus stop was quiet when he stopped and he stared at his phone while he waited. He imagined Eren, a scrawny, tall, tanned boy, frowning at the message and deciding that Levi was just a sleaze. The worry clenched his stomach and forced him to tap nervously. He couldn't mess this one up too. He had messed up before, so many times. Sometimes it worked out okay, he had stayed friends with some of the people he had hurt but some of them hated him. He understood, but he didn't want Eren of all people to hate him. What he felt for Eren was different already. He didn't find himself wanting anyone else, not even looking at them and admiring. People were just…people. Guys he once would have been eager to go home with had become just faces in the crowd. He hadn't gone home with a guy since he'd met Eren. br /He thought back to the week after they had met, when he had gone out and kissed a tall, handsome man, but the moment he had gone to the bathroom, with promises on his lips, Levi checked his phone to see messages from Eren. There was nothing particularly important, wishing him a good night, telling him he was bored. The last message was a picture. A funny picture from some dumb site of a cat mid fall from a counter. The caption underneath just said "I can't stop laughing oh my God" and Levi spluttered. He ignored the strange looks that people around him had cast in his direction, instead he was focused on the image of a cute tanned boy in his bedroom, giggling at a picture of a cat falling off of a counter, and it was when he realized he was smitten. He left then, ignoring the fact that a guy was on his way back to meet him and instead, he went home, laughing at pictures Eren was sending him. Once he settled into bed that night, he asked if he could call Eren. He was shy, but even in the silence, when all that passed between them was breath, Levi felt comfortable. When they said goodnight, Levi rolled over and realized it had felt like the most natural thing in the /That had been the only time he had been truly comfortable with someone, comfortable enough to let them talk him to sleep. Now, four months on, it was normal for them to have late night chats, though phone conversations were still few and far between. The thought of not having another one with Eren was scary, it made his gut drop and his heart pick up. As he stepped onto the bus, he realized Eren still hadn't replied, it worried him. He took his seat and had just put his head back when a buzz from his pocket brought him back to reality./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""emSorry! Was talking about options with Mika. I'm sure you're a great stripper~" /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"He let out a tense breath. So he wasn't upset./p
p class="MsoNormal""NGL, thought you hated me there."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren had taken the time to follow Mikasa and talk about dinner options and get himself a drink. While he sipped from his favourite plastic glass, he thought back to Levi's offer. He wanted to be enthusiastic about it. He hadn't expected Levi to be so upset. He knew about Levi's past. Relationships had not worked out very well for him and it was often his own fault. He knew Levi had cheated on people, had left for no reason. It terrified him to like someone who had such a poor record but he wanted to risk it. Every time he got a message from Levi, it made his heart swell and he wanted to know what it was like to love Levi and be loved by him. He didn't know what he looked like really, he had an idea. br /It was enough of an idea that Eren could imagine waking up beside messy black hair and running his fingers over painted skin. He could imagine Levi in his kitchen, sitting on the counter while Eren made breakfast, talking about whatever came to mind this morning. He could imagine Levi pulling him closer for kisses before their days began properly, while they left the house, sloppy kisses that said "I love you, be careful, have a good day, I'll see you soon". In all of these daydreams, Eren was not quite himself. He was thinner, more muscular, more attractive./p
p class="MsoNormal""Nah, never gonna hate you."/p
p class="MsoNormal"He knew Levi needed little reassurance. A few words were enough./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Good, can't have my bae hating me before we've even met."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren smiled through the rush of nervousness he felt at the idea of meeting Levi./p
p class="MsoNormal""You say that so definitely, like we're definitely gonna meet and I'm definitely your bae"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren knew he was blushing, but he ignored it, sipping his drink and watching little "typing…" bar with strange adoration./p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Eren, you're obviously my bae, let's not fool ourselves. Tbh, I do like to think we'll definitely meet sometime, when we're ready. It'd be cool if you were still my bae after that too."/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren almost choked on his drink, blush now heating his neck and making him squirm in his seat./p
p class="MsoNormal""I hope that you still think that when you see me."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren's finger hovered over "enter". He didn't entirely want to bring it up, but he didn't really want Levi to know his self-esteem was as low as it was behind the screen. He debated. Could he really be this honest with Levi?/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"em"I hope you still think that when you see me embarrass myself." /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Levi smiled. Mostly because he knew he would./p
p class="MsoNormal""Did you guys decide on some dinner btw?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"The night went on, messages bouncing until the sun had settled well below the horizon. Armin slamming the door had brought Eren out of his Levi haze and he could smell the pizza he had brought./p
p class="MsoNormal""BRB dinner"/p
p class="MsoNormal"He settled at the table, cheeks still freshly red from a message regarding Eren being cute./p
p class="MsoNormal""Why are you blushing?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Good evening to you too, Armin, yeah, my day was good, a wonderful question to ask at the first time you see someone."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Armin rolled his eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal""It's just so unusual to see you blush. You don't. Like, ever."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren shrugged, choosing to focus on food./p
p class="MsoNormal""You know, Armin's right, you are blushing."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Mikasa started putting glasses and cutlery at the table./p
p class="MsoNormal""I think we should change the subject."/p
p class="MsoNormal"There was a brief moment of silence. The shifting of boxes and plates to divide food cluttered the air. Until Armin spoke again./p
p class="MsoNormal""Eren, have you met someone?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren felt his blush spread and heat up./p
p class="MsoNormal""What, no!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Eren, you're blushing again."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Be quiet, Mikasa!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Eren hid his face and groaned./p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay, look, fine, I met this guy online a while back and he's just…really…" Eren paused. His fingers ran through his hair automatically while he looked for the right word./p
p class="MsoNormal""Nice, he's really nice."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Why haven't we met him yet?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Mikasa's voice was steady. She wasn't jealous, not when she had her own relationship business, but she was wary. Especially when it came to people online./p
p class="MsoNormal""Because emI/em haven't met him yet. I'm just…nervous? I don't know, like, he seems so cool, and nice, and hot and I'm just…" he swept a hand over himself "…this, I'm just this and it's not that good really, and I don't want him to see me yet because I think he'll hate my body."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Armin stared sadly and Mikasa's hand grabbed Eren's./p
p class="MsoNormal""Eren…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""No, it's fine, look, I know it's not that big a deal, I know. I just worry that it'll be the reason he doesn't like me, you know? At the same time, I am like 'Screw that, I'm awesome the way I am!', but I don't always feel like that."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Mikasa nodded. She always understood when Eren didn't want to continue talking about something. She also understood Eren's insecurities. No one was rude to him, but no one had ever told him how cute he was, or how attractive they found him. It was tough, she knew that, but she also knew she couldn't change it. So instead, she moved on./p
p class="MsoNormal""Did you guys hear what Connie did at Jean's party?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm home!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"A red head bobbing down the hall was the first sign of life within his apartment./p
p class="MsoNormal""Levi, hey!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""You on the way to work?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Isabel nodded./p
p class="MsoNormal""Farlan will be back in a sec! He went to get some basics then he's taking me to work."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Levi nodded in response as the door opened behind him./p
p class="MsoNormal""Isabel! Ready to go?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yup!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"There was a quick hug and a nod to Farlan, and suddenly Levi was alone again./p
p class="MsoNormal"He pulled out his phone. Even though Eren was in the middle of dinner, Levi sent a quick message. It wasn't unusual for them./p
p class="MsoNormal""Starting to regret giving Isabel a spare key."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Living alone was only good when people weren't bothersome. He loved this apartment, it was clean, spacious, and so many surfaces. Levi had developed a love of plants while living here and within weeks, he found himself running out of space for /He kept his laptop in the kitchen, open but locked. With music playing, he started unpacking some groceries from his backpack. When his phone pinged, he opened immediately expecting a text. Instead he opened a half face picture with the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen. /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p