"Do you think you did well?"
Eren and Armin were standing outside of the Sina University Health Department, waiting in the burning May sun for Jean and Marco to arrive for their rendez-vous. The campus felt hushed. Only a few students were idling around the building, and nobody was strolling down the path to the student union, which was shining in pale lime light from the sun-bright trees along the cobblestone. Like Armin and Eren, the students were done with their finals, and everyone was packing up to go home.
"I think so," Eren fiddled with the strap on his backpack, checking his watch (a graduation gift from his parents) every now and then. "I mean, I studied for that test almost as much as you did, Armin, so I think I'll be okay. Nothing on the test was too bad."
Armin laughed a little. "I still can't believe your dad insisted on joining our study group."
Eren groaned at the memory. "That's what I guess for having parents that live near campus.) Eren's parents had insisted that their little boy should like with them during his time at the university. Most of the time, Eren didn't mind. A doctor father was a good resources, and Carla Jaeger always welcomed her son home with a cookie and clean laundry. However, a week or so before finals had started, Eren, Armin, and Reiner had settled down for a few hours to go over their notes and old tests for biology. The moment the boys had walked through the front door, Grisha had announced that he would help them study and sat down at the table with the students to drill them on their course, nonstop, for the next two and half hours.
"It's great that your parents care so much about your education, though," Armin reasoned diplomatically. "And your father was a big help."
Eren nodded and sighed, glancing around the small square. "Where's Reiner? He was in the same classroom as us, but he didn't come out."
Armin smirked. "He stayed behind to talk to Professor Ackerman."
"Oh. About what?"
"I don't know, probably grades or something like that," Armin grinned and wiggled an eyebrow suggestively. "You jealous?"
"What?" Eren sputtered indignantly. "No! Armin!"
"Please. I've seen your search history, Eren. You stalk Professor Ackerman facebook."
"Armin!"
"You're totally crushing on him," Armin carried on, completely unmoved by Eren's mortification and beet-red cheeks. "Not that I blame you or anything, though. He's pretty hot. For an old guy."
Eren bristled. "He's thirty-one. Thirty-one isn't old."
Armin just hummed in satisfaction. "See? You know how old he is. That's being a little obsessed, right? And you didn't even deny it."
Eren wanted to melt.
"Hey!" Marco appeared around the corner of the Health Building, panting. Jean was close on his heels, sandy brown hair plastered to his forehead with sweat. "Sorry we're late! The bus broke down a couple miles from here." The freckled brunette frowned when he caught Armin's smirk and Eren's humiliated expression. "Is something wrong?"
"Nope," Armin said cheerfully. "Eren's just in denial."
"Armin," Eren groaned. "Don't."
"Oh?" Marco asked curiously, studying Eren. "About what?"
"Eren has a crush on Professor Ackerman?"
"Huh," Marco contemplated that for a moment. "That's not so bad."
Jean snorted. "That would never happen."
"Yes Jean, thank you," Eren said dryly. "I'm aware."
"The school year's over anyways, and you probably won't see him after you graduate," Jean shrugged. "Unless you're sticking around after graduation."
"Can we just drop it?" Eren snapped. He'd already contemplated not ever seeing the professor again, and Eren would be lying if he said that saying goodbye to the teacher didn't both him. Professor Ackerman was a brilliant teacher, and while he was foul-mouthed and unapproachable, he was never harsh or unkind. His expectations, despite what other students said, weren't unreasonable. He expected dedication and effort, and his rigorous teaching and high expectations had done Eren a lot of good, helped him work hard enough to be second in the class. The professor's dry humor made Eren laugh, too, and he was always understanding of any difficulties his students had or finding ways to make sure all of his pupils could be comfortable in class.
"Touchy," Jean teased one last time, holding up his hands in surrender. "Chill, Jaeger. I'll drop it." Turning back to Armin, he added, "I think we need to celebrate tonight. Finals are over, and we're graduating. That's reason enough to unwind, right?"
Armin yawned and stretched, popping his neck. "Actually, yeah. That sounds like great idea."
Jean grinned. "Awesome. Bert told me about this great place where he and Reiner went over spring break while they went traveling upstate. It's kinda far away, but apparently the drive is worth it."
Eren eyed Jean warily. "What kind of 'great place' is it?"
"Oh, just a bar," Jean waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing too fancy or weird, don't worry."
"Well, it sounds good to me," Marco interjected. "What time do you want to meet up there?"
"How about nine thirty?" Armin suggested. "Grandpa will want me to stay with him for a bit this evening, just for a little dinner, but after that I should be free."
"Sounds good to me," Jean agreed. Marco nodded, too.
"Eren?" Armin asked. "Does nine thirty work for you tonight?"
"Sure," Eren was still smarting from Armin's jabs, but he wasn't going to pass up a chance to have fun.
"Alrght then, it's a plan." Jean said. "I'll send you guys the directions later."
"This is not a bar,"
Armin's voice was thick with horror.
"This is not a bar. Jean said it was a bar, Eren. It's not, though. This can't possibly be a bar."
"Well," Marco said, ever the optimist, "they do have a bar." He pointed over to one corner, where there was indeed a sleek granite bar, already packed with boisterous patrons.
"Maybe he got the directions wrong," Armin muttered to himself. "Maybe this is all a mistake."
Eren shook his head. "I doubt it. There isn't another bar within ten miles of this place."
Jean had directed them to a strip club.
Strobe lights in various shades of neons and white pulsed in time to the pounding beat, and the floor was clogged with a mix of men and women, all of them young and most of them tipsy and giggling, stumbling over each other and becoming increasingly animated. Apparently, some of Sina's other students had had the same idea as Jean.
Honestly, Eren didn't know what to make of the situation. If this was one of Jean's weird jokes, so be it. It could have been worse. Eren had never been to a strip club, but he wasn't a blushing virgin by any means. He could handle it. Besides, when he looked around at the dancers, he only saw women.
Eren wasn't really into women.
Jean arrived presently, closely followed by Reiner and Bert, and the guys went to get their first drinks of the night at the bar.
Eren wasn't really a fan of alcohol, but he took a shot to appease Jean, wincing at the way to bitter, heavy liquid scorched his throat.
Turning to Jean, Eren asked, "Why did you bring us here, anyways?"
Jean's answering grin could have frightened the Devil. "You'll see. By the end of tonight, you'll be thanking me for bringing us here."
Eren shook his head. "Yeah right. What're you going to do, pick up a guy for me at a strip club?"
Jean just laughed. "Even better. Just wait."
And wait they did. By the tenth or eleventh dancer, Eren was bored out of his skull, and Reiner, Bertl, and Jean were completely, jubilantly, wasted. Poor, scandalized Armin was sitting on his bar stool with his face partially hidden behind his hands, watching with mortified incredulity. Marco was Armin's complete opposite, completely unfazed by the blatantly sexual dancers.
Suddenly, the music changed, the wildly pulsing beat slowing into a more seductive, low beat. The lights began to change color, too, the bright neons shifting into a deep, rich crimson.
Jean gripped Eren's shoulder. "Watch," He whispered excitedly into Eren's ear. "This is what I wanted you to see."
A figure appeared on top of the stage. A shirtless, lithely muscled man stood perfectly still with his arms crossed over his chest, legs spread apart in a wide, challenging stance that screamed authority and demanded attention.
The crowd was screaming now, grasping towards the stage with eager hands, eyes shining in the strobe lights. The man in the lights didn't respond, scanning the crowd with impassive gunmetal eyes.
The DJ's voice boomed over the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, are you in for a treat tonight!"
The crowd roared in agreement.
"Tonight, we have the very best of the best coming in for a special performance," The DJ paused dramatically. "Please welcome the Corporal!"
The crowd went nuts, and as the man strode forwards, jeans hanging low on his prominent hipbones, Eren almost choked on air.
Next to him, Armin let out a strangled sound. "Oh my god, Eren."
"Sweet buttery Jesus," Reiner muttered in amazement.
"See?" Jean said smugly. "What did I tell ya?"
As the man strode confidently up to center stage, it became impossible to mistake him for anyone other than Professor Ackerman. The raven-haired man had shed his glasses, and as Eren's eyes roamed over the man's perfectly chiseled torso, Eren saw the sharp curves of a tattoo, a pair of overlapping black and white wings that curled around the man's side.
The music changed again, smoothing into a remix of Christina Aguilera's "Dirrty".
Professor Ackerman strode over to the pole, and the muscles in his shoulders and back caught by the shadows of the club. He curled himself around the pole easily, stretching up like a cat and wrapping one leg around the pole in a single, fluid movement.
Jean laughed in Eren's ear. "You can't take your eyes off him, can you?"
It was true; Eren was hypnotized by the grey-eyed man. His mind was buzzing, fumbling over the apparent fact that his biology professor was a stripper, of all things, but the why didn't really matter in that moment, pushed aside for the delicious sight before him.
Oh, I'm overdue
Give me some room
I'm comin' through
Paid my dues
In the mood
Me and the girls gonna shake the room
The professor slid up and around the pole in a simple spin, a warm up, boots skimming lightly over the ground. The crowd was already eating it up, shouting and catcalling.
DJ's spinning (show your hands)
Let's get dirrty (that's my jam)
I need that, uh, to get me off
Sweatin' until my clothes come off
Then the dancing really began. Eren sat back, drinking in the sight, as his friends openly gaped at their teacher. It was almost comical, how shocked they were.
It's explosive, speakers are pumping (oh)
Still jumping, six in the morning
Table dancing, glasses are crashing (oh)
No question, time for some action
Every movement was fueled by fire, fierce and commanding. The Corporal swirled in a series of kicks and twists, showing off sculpted muscle at every opportunity and glaring at the crowd with lazy, hooded steel eyes. His face was unreadable, toned arms raised over his head, hips swinging, practically making love to the pole.
Temperature's up (can you feel it)
About to erupt
Gonna get my girls
Get your boys
Gonna make some noise
Wanna get rowdy
Gonna get a little unruly
Get it fired up in a hurry
Wanna get dirrty
It's about time that I came to start the party
Sweat dripping over my body
Dancing getting just a little naughty
Wanna get dirrty
It's about time for my arrival
Jean pushed Eren off his stool and grabbed his hand, dragging him through the crowd and towards the stage.
"What the hell?" Eren demanded, struggling feebly. "Jean, what the fuck are you doing?"
"What does it look like?" Jean had to shout into Eren's ear over the roar of the crowd and speakers in order to be heard. "I'm getting you where he can see you!"
"Wait – what?!"
Ah, heat is up
So ladies, fellas
Drop your cups
Body's packed
Front to back
Now move your ass
I like that
Tight hip huggers (low for sure)
Shake a little somethin' (on the floor)
I need that, uh, to get me off
Sweatin' until my clothes come off
Let's get open, cause a commotion (ooh oh)
We're still going, eight in the morning
There's no stopping, we keep it popping (oh)
Hot rocking, everyone's talking
Eren had to admit, the view at the front of the crowd was fantastic. He could see the slight rise and fall of the Corporal's chest as he danced and the slick sheen of sweat over his inked skin.
Give all you got (give it to me)
Just hit the spot
Gonna get my girls
Get your boys
Gonna make some noise
Rowdy
Gonna get a little unruly
Get it fired up in a hurry
Wanna get dirrty
It's about time that I came to start the party
Ooh sweat dripping over my body
Dancing getting just a little naughty
Wanna get dirrty (oh, oh)
It's about time for my arrival
Eren's hear stopped the moment that the Corporal locked eyes with him. The raven-haired man didn't miss a beat, but his eyes widened in recognition. Eren swallowed hard under the man's scrutiny, unable to break eye contact, like a deer in headlights.
After a moment, the Corporal's impassive expression was replaced with a lazy smirk.
Here it comes, it's the one
You've been waiting on
Get up, get it up
Yup, that's what's up
Giving just what you love
To the maximum
Uh oh, here we go (here we go)
The Corporal slid off the pole and off the stage, moving towards Eren with long, leisurely strides. One hand slid down his chest to run along the waistband of his pants, curling the fabric down suggestively across his stomach.
Eren could only stand there in the crowd, rooted to the spot. His heart was pounding in his throat, and he realized that he was panting ever so slightly. The crowd parted around the Corporal like a sea, all eyes fixed on the pair. Somewhere in the dance, Jean had deserted Eren, and the smug jerk was watching the show gleefully from his seat at the bar with the other students.
The Corporal flung both arms around Eren's shoulders, and Eren's squawk of shock died in his throat as the man pressed their bodies together, rolling his chest up against Eren's and purred the lyrics into Eren's ear.
Gonna get a little unruly
Get it fired up in a hurry
Wanna get dirrty
It's about time that I came to start the party
Ooh sweat dripping over my body
Dancing getting just a little naughty
Wanna get dirrty (oh, oh)
It's about time for my arrival
Eren was an absolute wreck. His unruly brown hair was plastered to his face, breathing ragged. His pupils were blown incredibly wide, ringed by a barely-there circle of teal green. His head was swimming, and he struggled to keep his arms low at his side, frightened by what might happen if he reached out and touched the Corporal, even though he badly wanted that skin under his hands.
The dance ended too soon, and Eren wanted to scramble after the last strands of music as it melted away. Despite himself, Eren let out a little whine as the Corporal slid away, earning a chuckle from the man before he slipped off into the crowd.
Eren stood there numbly for a minute, thoughts indistinct, before he let out a shuddering breath and darted off after the Corporal, down the hall backstage.
Professor Ackerman's door was the last one in the hall, and when Eren threw the door open, the older man was waiting, unsurprised.
"Close it,"
Eren did, and the moment the door was shut, he said, "What are you doing here?"
Professor Ackerman snorted and leaned back against the wall in a pose that seemed fairly sexual. He hadn't changed out of his outfit from the dance yet, Eren noticed. "Teaching doesn't pay all that well at this university, and I have a kid sister to take care of. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching, but it's not a good way to pay the bills. Stripping for hormonal brats isn't an ideal job either, but it's money in my pocket at the end of the night."
"Oh, okay," Eren blushed. "And why did you do that?"
"Do what?" The teacher raised an eyebrow in teasing, mocked innocence. "Dance?"
"You know what," Eren swallowed. "Dancing like that."
"Like what?" The teacher peeled himself off the wall and strode over to Eren in a few quick steps, lacing their fingers together and pushing the boy against the wall. "Like this?" The Corporal breathed in Eren's ear.
"Y-yes," Eren squeaked, leaning into the teacher's touch despite himself.
Professor Ackerman chuckled. "You're not very subtle, Eren. I noticedyou, all those times you would stare at me in class. The way you would come up to talk to me after lectures for whatever dumb, mundane reason seemed to come to mind. The expression on your face every time I brushed against you when you scooted too close or tapped you on the shoulder. I'm not stupid. And the way you looked tonight…" The professor purred. "I know you want me, Eren."
"But-but that doesn't explain why y-you danced like that," Eren stuttered. Somewhere in his speech, Professor Ackerman had begun to roll his hips against Eren's, ever so gently, and now he was watching the college graduate writhe slightly under the action.
"Shitty brat. Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Professor Ackerman sighed. "You're cute and you're not an asshole. If you want me, you can have me." He leaned in even closer, nipping at Eren's throat and humming in amusement when Eren bit back a soft moan. "All you have to do is say it. Do you want me, Eren?"
The night felt dreamlike, unreal and almost fantastical to Eren. Right now, though, he couldn't get enough of the Corporal – his vaguely minty scent, his hard muscle, that perfectly sinful smirk. Eren would be damned if he was going to let go of this man. "Yes sir," He breathed, his voice high and needy. "I want you, sir. I want you so, so much."
Professor Ackerman chuckled, slipping one hand down to play with the fly on Eren's jeans. "Good boy. First thing first, though, if you're going to scream my name, I want it to be my real one." He fiddled with Eren's belt, too, unbuckling it and pushing it away in one swift movement.
"Call me Levi,"