Short black painted nails tapped rhythmically on the counter top of the quaint little café's bar, as the young man stared off to the side, silently waiting for his coffee. Though, normally a tea drinker, he always made the exception whilst visiting the hole-in-a-wall café. For one, it marked the halfway point between his apartment and the local college campus, two, it served good quality drinks and pastries at a reasonable price, and lastly—
"I hope I did not keep you waiting too long, sir."
Lazily the young man dragged his sharp gray gaze up towards the cheerful sun kissed face of the lone barista the worked here. "Hardly. Also, how many times have I told you to just call me Levi? I hardly fit the role of a 'Sir' after all…" he commented, closing his eyes as she softly sat his drink down in front of him.
A soft giggle passed through rosy lips. "Grandmother would have kittens if she knew I was being so familiar with a young man… Mainly a regular, at that."
"Your grandma is too old fashioned. She needs to get with the times." The rude comment rolled off his tongue, mentally cringing at the fact he never could control speaking his mind.
The young barista took no offence, knowing that was how Levi is. An honest man who always spoke what he thought, but never one to wear his heart on his sleeve. "You don't have to tell me twice." She sighed, a tiny cat-like grin curling her lips. "However, it does provide a sort of thrill, in its own way, Levi…" said man simply shrugged his broad shoulders as he picked up the cup by the rim, effectively ending their small conversation by taking a sip.
Laying, nearly forgotten, by Levi's elbow was a spiral bound notebook filled with words and sentences, most of which have been crossed out before being rewritten, only to meet the same fate yet again. Understanding the silent dismissal, the woman turned away and went back towards the front of the bar, ready to take her newest customer's order.
Making sure that she was no longer close by, Levi slid the notebook back in front of his as he sat his cup back down on the platter, and picked up his trusty ink pen. Scribbling in the only open source of space on the page, he wrote "Don't run away… Cause I can't live without you… Please stay… And I'll learn to love you right…"
He pulled the collar of his leather jacket higher around his face, his lit cigarette hanging loose between his thin lips as he began his trek home from a late tutoring session with high school Sophomore Eren Jaeger, seeing as the brat's friends were busy with their own tutoring session and club activities. If it wasn't for the fact that the kid was the ward of that damn Erwin Smith, he would have told them to fuck off and not bother him, as he had better things to do then help some snot nose high schooler with their own work.
"Ah, Mr. Ackerman! I did not expect seeing you out so late, mainly in this weather." Levi's icy gray eyes clashed against a pair of dark warm eyes. He grunted, pulling the collar higher up around his face, taking notice of the small ring of keys she held in her hand. Her eyes darted to the closed café, weighing the pros and cons of what she was about to do, before taking a deep breath and facing the other young adult with a shy smile. "Would you like to come in for a bit?"
"You shouldn't invite people in after closing hours, [name], bad things can happen that way." He spoke lowly as he put out his smoke, flicking the spent butt into a nearby trashcan.
[name] simply shrugged her dainty shoulders. "That's a high possibly, mainly in this city, but…" he never understood how she could smile and look at him, of all people, so warmly. "I trust you to not do any of those bad things." Without thinking, she took one his larger hands, laced their fingers together, and gently tugged him inside the cozy building, and giving them both the reprieve from the cold November chill.
Once inside the café, [name] helped Levi out of his double breasted military jacket after he removed his book-bag, hanging it up on the coat rack be the entrance, before depositing her own coat and scarf. "You're too trusting, idiot." Levi coolly commented, poking [name] in the forehead as he gave her a stern look.
Slapping his hand away, [name] pouted as she rubbed her forehead. "Am not! I just know you are not the type to hurt anyone without a good enough reason, Levi Ackerman. You might dress and speak like a punk, for all I know you probably are a punk, but even so you're always helping someone. Levi Ackerman, you're a good person, and I trust you more than anyone."
"Tch. You are delusional."
Christmas was a week away, much to the short man's chagrin. He was never one for all the fake cheer and happiness, and any of the sugary sweetness that came with the freezing December holiday. Though, being alone to spend it, is probably another reason he did not care for it, as Levi tried his damnedest to avoid people like Erwin Smith – that bastard is still on top of his shit list, even though Levi plays nice with him – and Hanji Zoe.
"H-Hey, stop that!" a familiar voice cried from an alleyway across the street from Levi's current position, easily catching his attention.
"C'mon sexy… Ju-Just give us a peek…" a distinctively male voice slurred, hiccoughing at random moments.
"No need to be such a prude. We all know ya put out for that punkass Ackerman." This one spoke more clearly than his companion, however booze still lingered on his disgusting breath, as his grimy hands slid down her hips and thighs before roughly grabbing her ass.
[name]'s face got hot from both anger and embarrassment as she squirmed around, only to be backed against a brick wall. "At least Levi's well behaved, unlike you two!" she screamed, kicking at their legs.
"Dammit, Joel, hold her fucking legs together!" the sober one shouted, before smacking the poor woman across the face. "And you shut the fuck up!" [name] grimaced in pain, having bit both her tongue and the inside of her lower lip, only for blood to trickle out of the corner of her mouth.
"Filthy pieces of shit."
Both men stiffen, slowly turning to the mouth of the alley.
Standing as tall as a man of 5'3" could, the aforementioned punkass calmly walked forward, the smoke from the cancer stick still held firmly between his lips swirling around his head, making Levi appear like an ominous black omen. The glowing end of his cigarette being the only source of light on his face, adding to the feeling of dread both larger men felt. Levi's heavy combat boots crunched against the trash and snow as he drew even closer, his cold gray orbs darting over to [name] for a split second before locking on both men.
"Such filth have no reason to lay their shitty hands on her. [name] is too clean to be tainted by such pigs." Levi's boot-clad foot made contact with the man – Joel – who still held a hold of her legs' skull, spinning around and implanting his heel into the other's left kidney. [name] stood stock still, watching with wide eyes as the shorter man with a silver dagger-like tongue, completely destroyed her would-be attackers with constant, well placed, kicks to their upper torsos, only to drag both men up by their hair and end them with a knee to the temple. "Tch." Scoffed Levi, dropping them both to the dirty cold ground.
At that moment [name]'s legs gave out from under her, as she slid down the wall to sit on her rump. Saying nothing, he knelt before her, and took out a white handkerchief that he always kept on his person, and dabbed at the blood, glad that her lip had stop bleeding. "L-Levi…?"
Hearing his name, he grunted lowly in response. "You are covered in shit." His tone cold as smoke escaped his thin lips from the exhale.
Ignoring his frosty remark, [name] threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly as the dam broke. "L-Levi!" she sobbed into his chest, "if you h-hadn't shown up w-when you d-did…" her smaller frame shook from her cries.
Levi sighed, petting her [color] hair softly. "Come, we need to get you cleaned up." Without asking if it was fine with her, he picked [name] up easily, and carried her bridal style towards his apartment.
Levi put his cigarette out in the clean navy colored ashtray that sat on his glasses coffee table as he got up, going into his connected kitchen, and made two cups of tea as the shower turned off. Both cups were placed on the glass top while he waited for his guest; the spiral bound notebook before sitting next to his cup.
"T-Thank you Levi… for letting me clean myself up and borrow some clothes." A timid [name] spoke softly as she exited his bedroom, where his en suite was, dressed in his clothes as she rubbed a small towel over her hair.
"You're pathetic, you know." He got up and dragged her over to his loveseat, forcing her to sit down and face him, as his large hands grabbed the towel and set to work on drying the silken strands.
[name] just sat silently, her fingers curling into the hem of the borrowed button-down that belong to the man before her, as she curled her legs to the side. Once Levi was satisfied that her hair was dry enough that she would not get sick did he remove the towel and put it with the other soiled towels. [name] let her curiosity get the better of her as she spotted the notebook. The very same notebook that he always was writing in whenever he stopped by her grandmother's café. With nervous hands, [name] picked up the notebook and flipped through it, before coming to the last passage.
"I was waiting for you… Waiting for all my life… And I ain't gonna lose you tonight…" ended the page.
"Reading something interesting, [name]?" she jumped, startled as his hot breath tickled the shell of her ear and her exposed neck, and dropped the notebook on the polished wood floors. Turning her head, [name] was frozen solid as she stared into cool gray pools that were outlined by black kohl. She could smell the tobacco and tea on his breath, that was how close their faces were. Levi allowed his half mast, lazy gaze, to drift across her pinking face, taking in every single freckle and flaw before drifting down towards her rosy lips.
[name]'s own [color] eyes stared fixated on Levi's own thinner lips, feeling too ashamed to look him in the eye after being caught red handed snooping through his things. Blunt black nails ran over her her slender neck, before tracing the delicate curve of her jaw. "Now… how am I to punish you for snooping through my belongings…"
[color] orbs widen as her gaze darted up to his. "I—" [name] was easily silenced by his lips taking hers. The shock melted away as she reached for him, her own blunt nails grazing against the trimmed underside of his hair, feeling a soft prickling sensation in her fingertips as her dark lashes fanned over her flushed cheeks.
Levi nipped at her lip, triggering a soft gasp, allowing his tongue entrance. The smaller female whimpered into their kiss, feeling his other hand bury itself into her thick hair, only to pull away once her lungs started burning from lack of oxygen. The taste of tobacco and tea lingered on the tip of her tongue as she blushed, panting heavily from the activity. He walked around and picked the notebook back up, setting it on the coffee table, as he touched both teacups. "Tch. They're now cold." Grumbling, Levi picked them both up and dumped their contents into the sink, and just made them a fresh cup each.
[name] shakingly raised her left hand up, the tips of her slender fingers dusting over her lower lip, still feeling the faint traces of his own pressed against her kiss swollen mouth. Her gaze focused once more, taking in the sight of the white teacup in front of her face. Gratefully, [name] took the hot porcelain from him, muttering a small "thank you," before blowing softly. Levi said nothing as he reclaimed his seat next to her, crossing his right leg over his left as he sipped his own tea. The silence was heavy and awkward. "Levi…"
"What happened to 'Sir' and 'Mr. Ackerman'?" he asked, setting his cup down.
"D-Do you honestly expect me to speak to you so formally after that!" she asked, unaware that she placed both of her dainty hands on his muscled thigh as she leaned forward, frowning up at him. For once there was someone shorter than himself.
Levi ran his fingers through her [color] tresses. "Hm… If you did, I would feel a bit put out by how dumb you are." With his free hand, Levi knocked his knuckles against her forehead. "You're not dumb, but you're still unbelievably slow."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" she huffed, her face a bright red as she felt Levi's lips ghost across the shell of her ear, feeling that tickling sensation as he exhaled slowly.
"I was waiting for you, [name], and I'm not going to lose you tonight."
Levi Ackerman © Hajime Isayama
Story © Me
This is my first try at an Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin fanfiction (mainly a Levi fanfiction), so constructive criticism is welcomed, while flames are not.
I wrote this for my friend over on deviantART as my half of an art/write trade, so yeah... enjoy! Let me know what you think and all that jazz.