Titan High was perhaps the most uneventful high school ever in existence, thus whenever something happened, it would without a doubt hit the headlines and be talked about in every single class. From Ms. Hange Zoe in the Science Department changing eyeglass frames five months ago or principal Erwin Smith arriving at school one minute later than expected that morning to Jean from homeroom 14 not wearing the same tie last week and Historia bringing an extra sausage for lunch yesterday. Anything out of the regular routine was to be noticed, passed on from one to another, and soon enough it would be as popular as a Lady Gaga album.
The hot issue this time involved not one but two people – Connie and Sasha, and to many's prediction, it would last longer than the "victims" wanted. All because they were the first couple to publicly be together in Titan High's history. Normal people wouldn't want their relationship to be discussed and speculated among a group of maybe five hundred. Yet Connie went straight to Sasha's homeroom with a bouquet of white roses and confessed his love like a brave kid he was. And Sasha, god knows since when she had been waiting for this, in less than one second after Connie asked her out, jumped right to him and screamed a yes so loud and in such passion that the witnesses thought it was more like an agreement to an offer of a life-time supply of potatoes. Whether Connie was a potato dealer in disguise and that was how he captured Sasha's heart, they were officially a couple. Their fame skyrocketed and in no time they were called the Kanye West and Kim Kardashian of Titan High.
"Oluo's late again?" Eren said as he dropped his backpack on the floor and plumped himself down next to Armin in the hall way.
Oluo Bozado was class 14′s homeroom teacher who taught history and was a weird man, occasionally biting his own tongue while giving lectures. He was also that teacher who was late in the morning on a regular basis and other teachers had to unlock the classroom for his students. Today wasn't an exception as the kids gathered in groups surrounding the room.
"Yeah. I wonder if anyone's gonna to anything about him. We've had him since freshman year and he hasn't been on time even once." Armin moved a bit to the left to make room for Eren.
"That old man. This is why students have no respect for him. But that aside, how's our Beyonce and Jay Z doing?"
"Still being the dorks they are."
"It's been two weeks, hasn't it? I can't believe Connie got her head over heels for him though." Eren said in skepticism.
"Eren, he gave her white roses. Who wouldn't fall for that?" Armin responded with dreamy eyes.
"What do you mean? It's just roses for fuck's sake."
"Someone as dry as you won't understand," Armin sighed. "I bet you don't even know what a rose in general symbolizes."
"Why do I need to know?" Stubbornly Eren snapped back.
"It's fine if you aren't interested in that stuff, Eren, but flowers can mean a lot to certain people, just saying," said Armin.
Mikasa approached Eren and Armin just in time to catch their conversation and joined them.
"Who in this world would like something as lame as the meanings of flowers?" Eren groaned.
It took merely a fraction of a second for Armin to take Mikasa's scarf and shove it in Eren's mouth. He hissed while Eren struggled to take his hand away to no avail.
"Your mouth will kill you some day I swear." Armin gritted his teeth. "If Mr. Levi heard this even Mikasa wouldn't be able to rescue you."
Eren broke free from Armin and pulled away the scarf, coughing like mad.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Eren asked in bewilderment.
"Mr. Levi, the school's librarian. Sometimes he opens the door for us, remember? He's crazy about the language of flowers. And you don't wanna pick on someone like him."
"Er… Okay…" Eren replied warily. Considering the fact that he wasn't someone who'd go to the library often like Armin, he had no clue as to who this "Mr. Levi" was, even though the name did ring a bell somewhere.
"Anyway, watch your words. There comes our man." Armin said, picking up his books. "With the keys."
Eren stood up and grabbed his bag. He scanned the ground once more to see if he forgot anything then lifted his head up to see a man walk past him. He was short and had one of the most perfect profiles with a nice, straight nose and alarmingly pale complexion. Behind the glasses were silver eyes like those of a wolf, and a cold gaze that could freeze one's blood. There was a light scent from the man, of what Eren wasn't able to tell, but it was as gentle as the soft blanket his mother would put on him on a winter night. His aura was that of an adult, responsible and caring, but his appearance insisted late teens, modest in height and petite in figure. Whoever he was, it was certain that Eren couldn't keep his eyes off him.
The man advanced toward Eren's homeroom and clacked the door open. The kids poured in, thanking him for saving them from wandering and sitting everywhere like hobos. Armin, being the good sport as usual, also said thanks as the trio passed him.
"Thanks, Mr. Levi."
Eren had never turned his head that fast. He stared at the man standing outside, who was calling homeroom 14 students in for attendance. Tugging Armin's sleeve while heading to his table, Eren muttered.
"Wait, that's Mr. Levi?"
"Yeah, we've met him before when he helped Mr. Bozado open the door and take attendance, remember?" Armin said.
"No! Literally every teacher has done that for our class since Oluo never shows up during homeroom, how am I supposed to remember all of them?" Eren kept his voice quiet, his gaze fixed on Levi. The more he observed the man, from a relatively far distance, the more attractive he became, with his tucked red blouse and black cravat.
"Well now you know at least one." Armin shrugged and put the books on his table, which was behind Eren's.
"Wait, are you for real? He actually works here? But isn't he like, twenty?" exclaimed Eren.
"Yes, he does. And even though his face is young, I'm sure he's thirty-something. He's been the school's librarian for over ten years, if I'm not mistaken." Armin said as he flipped through his notebook, finding the material he needed.
"What…" Eren flopped into his chair, amazed. How a person managed to stay that young was beyond him. But it was interesting. He wouldn't mind investigating more of that seemingly ageless beauty.
When he was certain that no one was left in the hallway, Levi entered the classroom with a list of names on his hand. He quickly moved to the podium and took a pen on Oluo's desk. Adjusting his glasses, Levi spoke in a monotonous tone.
"Alright, children. Oluo is late today so I'm doing his job as a homeroom teacher. Ackerman, Mikasa?"
"Here."
"Arlert, Armin?"
"Here."
"Bott, Marco?"
"Here."
"Kirstein, Jean?"
"Here."
"Springer, Connie?"
"He's here but with Sasha in homeroom 16," a kid answered.
"Absent, then. Reiss, Historia?"
"Here."
"Yaeger, Eren?"
Eren was deep in thoughts on Levi's inexplicable youthful look when he was called. "H-Here."
Levi shot Eren an annoyed glance because of the hesitance in his reply. Eren swallowed in fear that Levi would decapitate him because that was what his facial expression was telling. They locked eyes for a few seconds before Levi clicked his tongue, which startled the other. To Eren's heartache, Levi mumbled, "What a Columbine," and carried on.
Eren was dumbfounded. He looked at Armin, but he was busy reviewing for his Physics test, so he slowly changed his gaze to Mikasa on his left, hoping she could give him an explanation. Mikasa signaled him to get closer, and he did. She whispered in a volume that couldn't possibly be any lower.
"I heard about this from Jean – Mr. Levi frequently uses the language of flowers in conversations to prove how much he appreciates it. So whatever he said, that might be a flower's name."
Oh. Great. And Eren thought there were enough weird people in the staff. From constantly-tongue-biting Oluo to overly-excited-for-experiments Hange and probably-wearing-a-wig-with-an-excessive-amount-of-gel Erwin then shamelessly-smelling-people Mike and now dramatically-passionate-about-the-language-of-flowers librarian Levi. Not to mention the students. Sasha the potato girl. Jean the horse-face. Armin the alert. Mikasa the potential serial killer. Who said this school was uneventful? Over two years in this school and it remained impossible for Eren to digest how absurd the faculty was. And it wouldn't be possible anytime soon for sure.
Notes:
*Columbine represents foolishness because of the flower's resemblance to a jester's cap and bells.
The language of flowers is used a lot in here, so it can be quite confusing. I will try to do my best with the research and explain everything in the notes and/or directly in the fic if convenient. My apologies if any flower is interpreted falsely and do correct me on it! and also is there too much homo for a gen fic