(A/N): This story is a Modern AU which is going to focus on Eruri with a bit of Rivetra in the past. The rating may change in the future. Please enjoy!

The air was much stickier than he preferred; a humidity he didn't quite care for. The golden sand was sticking to the back of his legs and the wind kept blowing his hair into his face. Glancing at his arms, he realized he had forgotten to re-apply sunscreen, so more than likely he was going to have a nasty burn on his arms. Silently, Levi wondered how this was supposed to help him feel better at all.

He picked himself up, brushing off the sand from the back of his legs. Grabbing his shoes, he made his way back towards the main street. It was only about a five minute walk from both the beach and downtown area, one of the supposed luxuries about Hanji's beach house. A decently secluded area, Levi did find himself enjoying the peace and comfort of the small house tucked nicely away in the upper woods. There was a small house to the left of Hanji's, which she said was owned by a nice man, but Levi had yet to see anyone there. However, that was how he liked it.

This had been his second trip to the beach and as he walked up the path back towards the house, he vowed he wouldn't go back for the rest of the summer. He didn't care how calming the waves were, the sand between his toes was disgusting. Just a moment ago he had been thankful for how close he was to the beach, but now, walking back, it seemed miles away. At the very least, he just wanted to be back in the small cape to wash the sand from his toes. With every step he took he could feel the sharp particles brushing his skin. It made him uncomfortable.

When the house came into view he picked up the pace, his goal finally in sight. He could make some dinner, sit out on the porch, and read peacefully by himself, thinking of anything but the annoying sand that had been trapped on his body. Pulling out his keys from his pocket, he was but a few steps away when…

"Hey neighbor!" A voice called out to him. Levi froze in place, already angry that this unknown man had interrupted his chance at freedom. Maybe, if he was lucky, the man was talking about some other neighbor, a house on the other side, that after all these years Hanji had been too stupid to notice. "You must be Levi," he called out. Levi groaned inwardly. The man was definitely speaking to him…unfortunately. Slowly he turned to face the voice calling to him. The man was tall, very tall and blond. Levi wasn't surprised that he lived by the beach, his casual t-shirt and shorts combo with the old looking sandals gave him away.

"Yes…I am," he muttered, squeezing his grip on the keys harder. "And you are?" he asked as politely as he could muster.

"Erwin Smith," he smiled and held out his hand. "I've lived next to Hanji for years." Levi glanced down at the blond's large hand. Did he have to take it? He had to take it. Leaning forward he grabbed his hand and shook it.

"She mentioned a neighbor," Levi said quickly. All he wanted was to get into the house and wash up…in peace. The blond laughed heartily.

"Yes that would be me. I enjoy when she's here in the summer. Makes things more…lively," Erwin nodded.

"I can imagine." It was hard to imagine Hanji doing anything…quietly.

"But she messaged me to let me know you were here. She said you might be lonely, so feel free to stop by my place anytime you want for dinner or something," the blond smiled. Levi turned away from the man.

"I'm sorry, but Hanji was mistaken," he muttered and walked into the house, leaving the blond behind.

He should've felt bad, he really should have. Especially with the way he had just completely ignored the man's nice hospitality to a complete stranger…but what did Erwin Smith know. Levi was exactly that; A complete stranger. It wasn't as though the man really knew anything about him besides what Hanji had said and Levi wasn't willing to share anymore. On top of that, he didn't really trust Hanji not to say some stupid incorrect shit to the man. Things such as 'He might be lonely.' What sort of absolute bullshit was that?

Levi placed his keys on the small table by the door and wasted no time walking up the stairs to the shower. As much as he hated to admit it, the small house really was the perfect size for him. Two bedrooms and one larger living room with a deck off the side, the kitchen only separated by a small wall. It was a nice space, quaint. Something Levi would never have expected of Hanji to be frank.

For a moment he paused in the living room, thinking it would've been amazing to take her here. She would've loved the place. Staring at the couch he could almost see her. The breeze would flow in from the window and her bright red hair would brush her cheeks, falling just above her shoulders. She would be smiling her perfect smile, always making up for what Levi lacked. She'd pat the couch, her eyes narrowing as she'd invite him to sit with her, wanting his company, his touch. As he'd kiss her lips, she'd beg him to buy a house like it for themselves when they were married. A place to take time off and vacation…eventually bring their future children there…He shook his head and turned down the hall towards the shower. He hadn't come here to think about those things. The whole point was to get away from those thoughts and move forward, enjoy something in life. Levi wasn't even certain why he had even thought about that in the first place. It wasn't as though she had ever been here…

He made his way down the hall to the bathroom turning the water on. He was more than happy to get this disgusting sand off of him. He wondered who could possibly think going to the beach was fun or relaxing. That Erwin Smith guy probably did; He probably wore his stupid old sandals…and his nerdy looking shorts and hawaiian shirt. There was a hint of jealousy in his thoughts. That some man, living all by himself in a secluded house could be so relaxed, calm and…happy.

He scrubbed himself off, enjoying the shower. If he had his way, he would've stayed in there for hours, especially since he kept finding sand in strange places. He would never understand how it got there and as far as he was concerned it would never get there again since he refused to set foot on a beach for the rest of the summer.

Finally stepping out of the shower, he made his way to his room, changing quickly. He had decided to make something easy for dinner so he could get to reading out on the porch.

Erwin Smith was a happy man. After spending the majority of his earlier years living in Boston, working for corporate America, he had decided to cut his ties and move to Cape Cod. He had completely fallen in love when he had visited for the first time and though his body had left, his heart had not and after a few more visits he knew he had to have his own place. So he left his city apartment and moved into the small cape, tucked away at the top of the hill in the woods. The greatest decision of his life.

He had lived there for almost 5 years now, and even in the cold winter when the snow covered the ground completely, he was in love with the place. The atmosphere was so clean and the people were so friendly. So different from the fast-paced ass holes that lived in Boston.

Today, he was showing a house to a couple that had been trying to find their perfect second home for years. Their budget was small and both of them were incredibly picky; one house was too dark. (Dank was the word they had used). One had the wrong color scheme in the bathroom, one was too far from the beach and the list of reasons went on. Just this summer alone, it was Erwin's fifth showing for them and it had only been a few weeks into June. He knew he was in for the long haul with these two, but he really didn't mind. Finding the perfect house, especially a second home for vacationing purposes, often took a great deal of time. He himself had struggled to find the perfect house but now he could honestly say he was thrilled where he was living.

Erwin even loved his neighbor which was certainly more than he could've said for anyone he had lived closed to in Boston. Hanji was usually around during the summers, but Erwin absolutely adored her company. The woman was eccentric, to say the least, but Erwin found her such a joy to be around. She always had some crazy stories, especially about her co-workers. So when Erwin heard that she wouldn't be joining him down the Cape for the summer, he had to admit he was a bit disappointed. She had explained that her co-worker, Levi Ackerman, really needed the break, but didn't say why, not her business to tell. That surprised Erwin, since Hanji was generally pretty talkative about everything. However he respected her and offered to check on the man from time to time, since Hanji had made it clear he was going through something.

That had backfired on him though. Levi Ackerman was anything but approachable. First off, Erwin never saw the man. His car was often times parked at the house, but Erwin had no idea what he looked liked, or what he spent his days doing…or if he even was really there. Maybe this person was some sort of specter.

Or so Erwin thought, until finally he saw the elusive man after a few days of missing him. It seemed he had walked wherever he had gone, which made sense. Erwin hadn't seen the car move much, so Levi probably bought the majority of the things he wanted from the small general store right down town.

Immediately, Erwin took this as his chance to get to know the man, Making his way over towards the house he called out to the him.

"Hey neighbor!"

He could almost see the man freeze in his tracks. He did not look happy to be stopped. Perhaps he was in a rush? Either way, Erwin wasn't going to lose this opportunity, to speak to the dark haired, short man. "You must be Levi," he said with his best smile. One that always seemed to help his clients warm up to him.

"Yes I am…and you are?" he said with a scowl on his face. He couldn't believe this short angry man was friends with Hanji. Maybe there was some mistake? Hanji was a bubbly, cheerful woman…this man was…anything but. Of course she did say she was going through something but…still. Either way, Erwin wasn't going to let it deter him.

"Erwin Smith," he introduced himself, offering his hand to the shorter male. "I've lived next to Hanji for years." Levi looked absolutely disgusted by his hand. Maybe he was a germaphobe or maybe he really wasn't a people person? Hanji was the type of person that sort of forced herself into other's lives, however Erwin couldn't imagine borrowing a vacation home from someone he didn't like…Levi couldn't possibly be that bad?

But maybe he was. After a quick exchange, Levi claimed Hanji was mistaken about him needing any company and disappeared into the house, leaving Erwin completely stunned. It was like he was back in the city, surrounded by rude people who didn't give a damn about saying hello or asking how how anyone was.

"Well then," he said aloud, running his hand through his hair. Maybe the man was difficult to get to know? He'd have to ask Hanji. Either way, he didn't want to give up on Levi Ackerman just yet.

1 Year Ago

"So! When are you going to do it?!" Hanji whispered in his face and Levi quickly pushed her away.

"Who told you about this anyway?" he scoffed. He had planned on only telling a few people and Hanji had not been on that list. Though knowing how she got about people and people's business…Levi wasn't the least bit surprised.

"Erd told me! I could tell he was hiding something…you know when he does that thing with his lips!" she giggled and leaned over Levi's desk further. "So when," she asked, practically whining. "You can't keep this from me anymore and as Petra's best friend, I think I deserve to know." Levi sighed, pushing her back further once again.

"I didn't want to tell anyone," he grumbled between grit teeth. "Really I think the only person who needs to know is Petra and her father, so I have his permission," he stated flatly.

"EEK What a GENTLEMAN!" Hanji squealed. "Isn't Petra a lucky one!" she cheered. Levi lunged forward and promptly covered her mouth with his hand.

"You realize that Petra works here and could hear you at any moment," Levi hissed angrily. Hanji looked apologetic for a moment, moving his hand to silently whisper that she was sorry. He shook his head. "I don't know," he mumbled. "I was going to take her to her favorite restaurant and then at the end of the date, when the restaurant plays her favorite song, I'd ask her," he shrugged. It was romantic, but nothing too over the top or showy. Hanji punched his shoulder lightly.

"You sly dog, Levi. What a gentleman! That's so sweet," she cooed. Levi rolled his eyes and turned back towards his computer.

"I don't know why women feel the need to get so excited about this," he muttered. "And Hanji," he glared. "I would like to keep this a surprise, so please keep your lips zipped," he snapped miming the image of a key locking her lips. She nodded quickly and pretended to toss the key away.

"Don't worry Levi, I know you think I'm a blabbermouth, but this is important! Of course I'm going to keep it a secret from her! I mean that would suck more for her than you if I spoiled it!" she giggled.

"It would suck for both of us."

"Right, both of you. Either way, you can count on me! As her maid-of-honor, I'll be sure to keep my lips sealed!"

"Maid of honor? I haven't even asked her yet, how could you know she's going to ask you that," he scoffed.

Hanji narrowed her eyes and leaned in. "It's just a thing I know Levi. Girls plan these kinds of things. Petra already told me she would pick no else be her maid-of-honor if she ever got married," she whispered.

Levi puffed out his cheeks and pushed Hanji away for a third time. The woman did not understand the concept of personal space. He could only imagine what Petra was in for with Hanji as her maid-of-honor.

"Anyway, good luck Levi," Hanji said with a large smile. "But you don't need it, everyone knows Petra is going to say yes!"

After his shower and awkward encounter with Erwin Smith, Levi wanted nothing more than to relax on his porch with a book. Feeling lazy about actually cooking dinner, he heated up the leftover chicken he had made the night before and put some corn in the microwave. It took about 5 minutes to prepare and when it was done, he took his wine, his book and food to the porch. With a gentle sigh he sat down in his chair and began to read. It was the perfect night to sit outside, the breeze blowing calmly, the smell of the fresh salt air. All the perks of the beach without actually being there. This was certainly something Levi could get used to.

"Nice night tonight!"

Though that was not. His peace obviously wasn't destined to last long. Sighing heavily he turned to Erwin's deck and gave the blond a small nod.

"Indeed," he grumbled. Erwin stepped down off his deck, coming closer to Levi's, leaning on the railing. Often times with Hanji, the two would hang out at night, sharing beer and stories till they were either too drunk or too tired to stay awake. Though Levi didn't seem as interested in doing that.

"Look," Erwin began, running his hand through his hair. "I think maybe we got off on the wrong foot, I'm a nice guy I swear, I'm not trying to bug you or invade your personal life or anything, but I thought maybe you'd enjoy having a friend down here. I could show you around…show you some shortcuts, you know…that sort of stuff," Erwin said nicely. "Really, I'm not trying to put you off."

Levi stared at the man, he was certain his behavior had been clear; he hadn't exactly been friendly to the man and yet he was still offering these things? Levi did not understand people like Erwin Smith. He sighed and shut his book, placing it on the table.

"I get that you're not trying to put me off, but you are. I came here to get away from people, I'm not really looking for any company, so thanks, but no thanks," he stated clearly.

"O-Oh," Erwin said, his face falling. He obviously wasn't used to people rejecting him outright like that.

"It's…It's a really nice gesture, I just…I'm not really a people person," Levi explained as bluntly as he could. It wasn't Erwin…though the man was obnoxiously nice…Levi would've felt this way with anyone.

"Right…I uh…I understand," Erwin said with a sad smile. "I'll leave you be then, sorry for bothering you. Enjoy your summer here."

"Yeah, thanks," Levi said coldly. He stood up, carrying his book, plate and wine back inside to the kitchen, leaving so Erwin didn't have to feel so awkward walking away. There was a pang of guilt in his heart as he glanced back, seeing the blond walk back towards his own porch. Erwin was a nice guy, Levi really wasn't looking for company and it was too late to go back on his words now.

(A/N): This is honestly a fanfiction I've been trying to write for a long time. I saw a beautiful fanart of Levi and Erwin dancing on the beach and I was very inspired by it. I'm originally from the east coast and I grew up going to Cape Cod all the time so I wanted to write a story that captured the feel of that place. I truly hope people enjoy this and I'm looking forward to writing more cute Eruris. (Even if right now it's rocky lol) Please feel free to review if you would like.