Eren led a blindfolded Levi down the hallway into the apartment they shared. Today was Levi's birthday and, as much as he had protested, Eren had thrown him a birthday party. Levi crossed his arms and sighed as Eren pushed him down the hall. They stopped in front of apartment 27D. Eren fished for the keys in his pocket while Levi tapped his foot impatiently. Though he couldn't see through the thick blindfold, Levi could hear the lock click and the door open. As they walked in and the door closed, Levi could smell cake and candles. Eren pulled the blindfold off.
"Happy 25th birthday!" their small group of friends sat around a small table with a cake on it. Presents were piled under the table.
"For me? I'm so surprised," Levi said sarcastically and forced a smile.
"Aw, can it and blow out your candles!" Hanji said with a bubbly smile. Levi walked over and blew out the candles on the cake. Eld walked in from the kitchen with a stack of plates and a cake knife.
After the cake had been eaten, they all gathered in the living room. Hanji sat on the floor holding a soda can and the small box she had wrapped like a drunk 5-year-old. Armin held a professionally wrapped box with a white bow on top. Petra, Olou, Eld, and Gunther sat on the couch with the gift they had jointly bought. Eren surrendered his La-Z-boy to Levi and sat on the floor, next to Hanji, holding an unwrapped white box.
"Open mine first!" Hanji squeezed as she threw her box at Levi. He caught it, but whatever was inside rattled loudly. He opened it, treating it like it was a live bomb.
"Spoons? Hanji...why?"
"Eren said you needed silverware," she smiled.
Eren blushed and let out a shy laugh as he took the box into the kitchen. When he rejoined the group, Armin handed Levi his gift. Levi carefully unwrapped the paper and opened the box. He pulled out a beige hoodie with the phrase "Like A Boss" in bold navy blue on the front. Before Levi could speak, there was a knock on the door. Eren opened it and Mikasa walked in.
"Sorry I'm late. My car is in the shop so I had to call a cab. Then he was late, and then we hit traffic. But I'm here,"she flung a small green envelop at Levi before taking off her trench coat and trademark red scarf. She hung them on the coat rack and joined the group; standing next to Armin in the doorway.
"An iTunes card. I'll put it with the others," Levi had a desk drawer full of unused cards.
"Our turn!" Petra, Eld, Olou, and Gunther sang in unison and handed Levi their present: a blue gift bag overflowing with paw-print tissue paper. Al the paper fell on the floor as he pulled out whatever was inside. Levi's eye twitched as he looked over the messy room. He pulled out a pair of sleek white Beats headphones.
"My favorite color," Levi said semi-sincerely with another forced smile.
"Best for last," Eren chimed as he handed Levi his gift. Everyone leaned in as Levi popped the box open to reveal a blue iPod touch.
"Now I know why you've been working so much overtime at the office. Here I thought you were hitting it off with the secretary in the broom closet," everyone laughed. Eren turned pomegranate red, but still laughed.
Levi turned the iPod on to see that it already had two songs on it: "Titan" and "Be My Heichou". Both by Erwin Danchou (one of Eren's favorite artists). After continuous begging from the group, Levi opened iTunes and entered on all the gift cards. All 17 of them. After about five of so minutes, Levi's new iTunes account had over $150 in it. It was around 6:30 P.M. When everybody left. Levi was sitting on their black canvas couch watching a documentary on George Washington. Eren sat down on the couch next to him and wrapped his arms around Levi.
"You could have been a little happier," Eren said gently as he kissed Levi's right cheek lovingly. He could smell Levi's rosemary-mint shampoo.
"You, of all people, know I hate birthday parties. The cleaning up especially."
Eren tugged Levi off the couch and clicked the TV off.
"Well on another note...we have a dinner reservation for 7:30 an Sina's. Your favorite," Eren smiled content lay as he grabbed his dark green military-style jacket and tugged Levi towards the door. He threw Levi's black and grey Nike running jacket at him.
They locked the door and walked to the parking lot, agreeing to take Eren's car simply because he had all but begged Levi to let him handle everything. It was a dusty old Volkswagen Bug from 1992 his father got him for his first car. Levi detested both the muddy bronze paint and the dated white interior. But what he did enjoy about it was the cleanliness of it. Levi's own car was a 2013 BMW 328i. The grey interior matched the jet black exterior.
The car ride was bumpy and there was a knocking under Levi's seat. The drive was only a half hour, even though they had to take the Maria overpass into the main part of the city. Eren switched the radio on and let Levi pick the station. It was no surprise he selected the classical station. In the distance, Eren saw a pair of blue headlights swerving through the lane, getting closer every second. Soon it-he could see it was a pick up truck-was in their lane...and it was speeding up. The distance was rapidly shrinking. Levi grabbed the "Oh Jesus" handle.
TBC in Ch. 2