January
There was the atmosphere of nasty school lunch that was slowly suffocating him, and Hanji knew it, because she wasn't going on and on about the cute freshmen she tutored on Tuesdays. He hated eating in the cafeteria because it was crowded as hell, not to mention the school lunch will '5ever' taste like shit, as Petra would say.
"We're not avoiding the subject, Levi." It was rare when Petra tried to instigate, but when she did, it worked. Everyone stared at him, even Erwin, who looked more amused than anything else.
"Levi honey, as your virginal friend—"
"Hanji, I said I'm not going and you're not a virgin." It was true, not that anyone wanted to hear it. All of the seniors looked forward to the prospect of prom, 'happy memories' and a 'night to remember' being on the tip of the tongue. It was overrated, it was a dance in the schoolgym, and teachers awkwardly trying to blend into the crowd of teenagers.
"Wait, where are you going?"
"To the library," he said, sliding the remainder of his fries (if they should even be called fries) towards the center of the table, feeling slightly disgusted when Auruo and Petra eyed them hungrily.
Hanji sighed, like she always did when Levi got on her nerves. "You're always there." She popped a fry in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "You're not gonna get a cute date if you're just stuck with those books."
Her hands were fluidly balancing chemical equations it almost gave him heart burn. Erwin nodded in agreement.
"She has a point, you know."
"Did you see the ticket prices? You're all hilarious if you think I'm going to shit out a third of my paycheck."
"You work at Burger King," Petra huffed, giving Auruo a scathing glare. "Don't touch my fries."
"They're Levi's!"
"Shut up, they're mine." Petra was viscous, and everyone knew it. She almost rivaled Sasha, a junior that caused most food fights, and Levi wasn't stupid enough to stick around.
"See you in English." He could feel his stomach swirl with nausea. The subject won't be dropped, he was pretty sure about that.
…
Eren knew that the guy with the piercings was going to come. Sooner or later, but he would. Jean must've noticed too, because he started to make that face he reserved only for the seniors.
"He's coming in any minute now," he grumbled, stuffing a book angrily in the shelf.
"Tell me something I don't know."
"You're a dick."
Eren laughed and continued to restock, stamping DISCARD on the books that would be thrown away.
He honestly didn't care about anyone who came in the library, especially if he barely even knew them. All Eren did was categorize those who Misplaced and those who Did Shit Right.
And that senior fell under DSR, one of the few in the damn school library who put a book in its rightful place after reading it. He had a good taste in books too, Eren believed, but that was about it.
And of course, Hanji. She was in the debate team with Mikasa, and was practically glued to that grumpy senior. Sometimes Hanji would pop in, and she would tell Eren that she could tutor him at his house at six, after debate practice, bringing him a new little bottle of lotion, maybe hand sanitizer. She was one of the few people who kept his condition in mind, and she wouldn't touch him unless he let her.
"Levi just gets on my nerves. And he's always angry for no reason." Jean was ripping the book covers off, eyeing the clock continuously. Anxiously.
"Marco's also coming in soon," Eren said pointedly, biting back laughter when Jean slammed his knee on the table and flushed furiously. "He probably doesn't like you, I wouldn't blame him," he added, filing Everlost as 'missing.' "We both know the only reason you still volunteer at the library is because you wanna stare at Marco."
"Shut up. And I'm not going to deny that."
"He's graduating this year. And all you've done is stare and lust for his freckles. You count them."
"Suck my dick."
"Prom is coming up, maybe he'll ask you to suck his." Eren snorted. "Seventy dollars. Think about it, Jean. Your horseface blushing like a school girl as he leans in close, lips puckered up, and bam!" Eren slammed the book on the table with vigor. "Thee is no longer a virgin. For seventy dollars."
"Oh my god, Eren. You're such a loser—"
"Says the square."
Jean huffed, his hands swatting at Eren's face."Wait-be careful, you dumbass, you're going to-"
The glasses slipped off and skid on the floor. It felt more dramatic than it actually was, then again, everything that had to do with Eren was overly dramatic. Jean could feel his stomach lurch, he crossed the line big-time and Eren was staring at him wide-eyed and upset. Okay, he definitely stepped on the friendship garden.
"I'm so sorry man, let me—"
"I'll pick them up. Don't worry about it." Except he could see that everything was not fine, the guy was pissed, eyes darting everywhere nervously, fingers drumming to the beat of ten because of anger-management class. Hands were balled into fists, the corner of his lips twitched slightly, it was a miracle no one's face was rearranged.
Converse. Those familiar black Converse were in his line of vision, and before Eren could tell the guy to stop, to not pick up the glasses, he already did, and was waiting for Eren to stop staring at him like a moose.
It was the DSR senior, a cold scowl was settled on his face and Eren could see why people would be intimidated by him.
"You must be pretty blind if you can't see that I picked up your glasses. Are you going to take them or not?"
Rude as fuck.
"Yeah. Can you—?" He heaved a shuddering breath, and god, Mr. Senior looked so pissed. Eren fumbled in his pocket for the small bag of disinfectant wipes, feeling his cheeks burn, "wait a sec, let me do this."
"Just take them."
Eren ignored him, taking out a wipe and flattening it out on his palm.
"Put them here. Don't touch them as much as possible." The guy looked unimpressed, but complied. He gave Eren one final glance and made his way to his usual corner to read.
"He needs to get laid." It was Jean's way of apologizing.
Eren didn't laugh.
…
Levi wasn't even reading the book in his hands. He was staring at the library volunteer, who was busy laughing with the other guy, and pushing library cart after library cart towards the front. Everything about him was weird, and it wasn't the fact that he dressed like a hipster. Black skinny jeans, Vans, white shirt, grey cardigan. And the glasses.
The glasses. He wasn't even wearing them, he was walking around blind, obviously unable to read from a distance because of the constant squinting. The other junior, John, or something like that, shot dirty looks in his direction, aware that he was staring at his friend in a not so friendly way. He probably told his hipstery friend, because the boy turned to look at him, squinting, then shrugged and went back to what he was doing.
Disinfectant wipes. Pretentious, Levi lived for it.
…
Hanji was sprawled over his couch, her textbooks on his coffee table, and Erwin was fiddling with the VCR, prepping the movie. "I thought you said we were going to study," Levi said, eyebrows raised when Erwin slapped the box loudly.
"We are. Like, in five hours," Hanji chimed in, closing the textbook and snuggling on the handmade pillows Levi's mother took the time to re-stitch now and then.
"There's a lot of dust on this thing, it's been a million years since we used it." Erwin frowned at the black smears on his palms. "Do you have a wipe or —"
"Don't start." Levi had enough about disinfectant wipes for today. He went to his kitchen, glad his mother placed the wipes in the bottom cabinets. Usually a chair had to be pulled out so he could reach the top ones, and he honestly would not be able to stomach the amount of jokes Hanji was ready to spill.
"Aren't you a ray of sunshine? Why the bitch flakes this morning?"
Even Erwin stopped dusting the VCR, probably just as curious about his sour mood.
Levi almost laughed, but he didn't. Instead, he pointed towards the DVD player. "Netflix," he said.
"You're right. Turn it on," she decided. "And spill." It was bound to come out sooner or later.
It was a fact known by all in the senior class. He was fucking great at storytelling, having a flair for the dramatic, regardless of what anyone said. Infamous for spitting out the weirdest shit, especially when drunk, everybody stopped to listen, to know what Levi had to say. A man of a few words, but they were worth hearing. Sometimes.
"I was at the library and walking to my usual spot, and this guy, I shit you not, almost cried when I picked up his glasses. Like I was Lucifer and his glasses were the bible."
"And?" He didn't like the way she was staring at him.
"He made me fucking wait until he got out a baggie of disinfectant wipes and told me to put his glasses on them, didn't even wear them."
He was expecting a snort of laughter, perhaps a sympathized, "That shit's hella weird," but not Hanji punching him on the arm, her crooked glasses almost slipping off her nose, her eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Levi, that was such a dick move. Before I judge you, how'd he look like?" She crossed her arms, the necklace Moblit gave her still there. It was a miracle she hadn't lost it yet.
"He dresses like a skater boy." Hanji waited. "His friend is the one Marco's crushing on and I honestly can't see why."
"Oh my god, you were a total ass. The reason he was really upset about his glasses—well, the reason he wanted you to put them on the wipe is because he's mysophobic, you butthole."
She exhaled, patting the space next to her. This was his house. She meant serious business when this happened, preparing a long discussion of 'why Levi fucked up and must therefore apologize to those he has wronged.' Erwin's eyes were laughing at him, turning off the TV, Netflix, and Levi's soul.
"You better make this quick, I'm not failing AP English." She ignored him.
"I don't know if you remember last year, but when I started tutoring, I got a few sophomores. And Eren, that's his name, he was one of them. Well, it got pretty bad. Nobody noticed until he started skipping to wash his hands, clean his locker, that kind of stuff. Like, I know you love cleaning, but Eren took it to a whole different level."
"Making progress last time I heard. His therapy seems to be working." Erwin added.
"I'm allowed to hug him and squish his cheeks, Eren's such a cutie, you don't understand." As Hanji became spoke more and more, he couldn't deny his interest had been roused, if only slightly. Eren. That was his name.
"You could've just said he was a germaphobe."
"I know, but you should at least understand. He's pretty private about that."
…
Mikasa was giving him that stare again. He wanted to crawl in a metaphorical hole and come out at the age of eighteen, ready to pay taxes. Except he was sixteen, and she was stronger. "Eren, just breathe."
"I need to wash my hands."
"Your record is four hours. You said you wanted to beat that. We're aiming for five." She was calm like always, her red scarf tucked neatly beneath her chin. Armin was smiling widely. With encouragement. Without shame. Because who wanted a friend who couldn't even go to the movies without being able to order a ticket?
Eren nodded, brows furrowed, fists clenched. "I want to watch the third Harry Potter movie." They knew he needed a distraction, because they've seen the movie like ten times, and Eren was able to screech "Twelve years! In Azkaban!" so beautifully that Armin would drown in a fit of giggles, until he eventually ended up sniffling in the corner, unable to face the rest of the film.
"Did you and Hanji talk about tutoring?" Mikasa's finger hovered over the 'play' button, and Eren wanted to sigh so deeply his lungs shriveled up. He was inwardly glad she would be graduating this year, but he knew he was going to cry the day she'd receive her diploma.
"Yeah, told me she wouldn't be able to starting next week because she's got an internship at dad's hospital."
"Who's going to tutor you then?" He could tell Armin felt bad about not doing it himself, but he was taking different courses, advanced ones.
Eren shrugged. "She said her friend Erwin can't either because he works. So I have no idea."
…
Levi went into full out staring. He would fucking watch Eren and he would focus primarily on his hands. He finally learned that Eren's friend wasn't John, he was Jean, Jah-n.
Eren's hands changed frequently. Sometimes they would be smooth and look soft to touch. On other days, and he could tell Eren would be in a shit mood, if the dark bags had anything to say about that, his hands were slightly dry and his fingers would curl and twitch. He was always listening to music, his Vans seemed to be the organ he could never part with, and his eyes.
His eyes were just weird. They were bright and fiery, and Levi would wait for him to take his glasses off, Eren unknowingly handing him an illegal V.I.P. ticket to see those blues and greens. Levi choked when he came upon this metaphor. Okay, so maybe Eren was pretty hot.
…
February
Hanji's exuberant greetings of "Hey!" turned into "Have you apologized to Eren for being a dick?" and Levi would flash the bird before saying, "No, suck mine."
"I only suck Moblit's dick. And for the world of science." Her hair wasn't in a ponytail for once, instead it cascaded down her shoulders, which was weird. But not bad. Yearbook pictures were a nightmare.
"Gross."
"Are you going to the library today?" She blinked at him owlishly, as if she didn't know the answer to that question. He didn't feel like humoring her, especially with only two hours of sleep and a cup of coffee.
"You know I will," he replied tiredly, his bags so heavy today that no eyeliner was necessary. He didn't even put his piercings on, his mother was almost concerned. His motto of "Look like I want to kill everyone but myself" wasn't followed and everyone had enough sense to stay away.
Hanji beamed. "Can you tell Eren to meet me on Sunday at my house? Ask him when he can stay with me for finals, and write down which classes he needs help with."
Levi blanched. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" Do you not see how unfabulous I look today?
She rolled her eyes, feeling particularly bold, knowing Levi was too tired to deal with her sass. "I have debate, and then I'm going to be volunteering."
This is why she owes me like ten dollars. "Fine."
…
This was probably the worst favor he's agreed to, because he honestly didn't want to talk to Eren. He didn't mind staring at him, but speaking to him was a whole different story.
Perhaps he could pass the message to Jean, but he didn't want that idiot to fuck it up, since he seemed like the type to do that. Marco was dying to ask him to prom, ask him on a date, and Levi had to withhold the cringe that always threatened to show itself in front of the guy.
There. There was Eren, except he wasn't listening to music. He was sitting down on Levi's corner, beanie missing, and bedhead in its utmost glory. But it wasn't what Levi noticed. That was because a) Eren was eating, and b) he was eating in the library. Ms. Brzenska was a hard ass, she outlawed gum and those who chewed it, practically unleashing her fury when someone popped a bubble loud and clear. Then again, she's barely there to protect the books from being defiled with crumbs.
Jean was nowhere to be seen either, and Eren was gorging down that cream cheese bagel like it was Jesus coming down on him. The way he held the bagel was weird, and every time he took a bite, he took a clean cut sip from his water bottle. Levi could see it now, those slight neurotic tendencies. His hands were soft today.
"You're Eren, right." It was more of a statement than a question.
The boy blinked in surprise, lips still moving as he chewed. "Me?"
Yes, you dumbass. "Hanji wanted me to talk to you," he said offhandedly, pulling up a chair and folding his hands to look less menacing. It didn't work, because Eren flinched, bagel raised defensively.
"About?" The squeak in the second syllable did not go unnoticed, and Levi had to bite down the deep smirk that almost took over, the inside of his cheek stung.
"Tutoring." He made sure to keep his eyes level on par, because Eren did not have the absolute right to be taller than him even when they were sitting. Teal. His eyes were teal. "I have a sheet of paper here, write down the classes you're struggling in, Hanji will then tell you tutoring schedule for next week."
Eren blinked. Swallowed. His adam's apple rippled.
"Do you understand, or do you need me to repeat what I said?"
"I need a pen," was replied coolly, glasses removed and snapped into their case. He could see Tony Stark's face on a button, a gift card to Subway. He also noticed Eren had the same pack of disinfectant wipes whipped out like a shield. "Actually, no. I'll get my own." It was snottily said, and Levi felt the corner of his mouth twitch. Asshole.
"Whatever." He was sure Eren didn't forget the glasses incident, probably still held a small grudge, because he grumbled as he had to open up his messenger bag, a blue glitter pen ready to use. Levi noted that the guy had a tendency to not smile, just frown, scowl, or flicker a crooked grin. Deep in thought, the boy abandoned the bagel.
The first subject on the list was pre-cal. It was written in a slanted scrawl, fucking glittering.
"Do you want my second water bottle?" Levi looked up, and Eren was stared at him with less contempt this time. "You can have my apple too, if you want it," the boy offered, his hands holding the vividly red fruit with an 'organic' sticker on it.
Twilight flashed in his mind, he almost barked out a short crude laugh, but he took it anyway, since Eren did not resemble Robert Pattinson at all. "Why are you eating lunch here?" He asked instead, and Levi suddenly realized how pale his own skin was, how it contrasted strongly against Eren's natural tan.
"I don't eat in the cafeteria, it's too…stuffy." Pre-cal, Physics, and English. Silence. Maybe Levi should've seen it coming. There was always something wrong with hot people. They were either stupid or had a furry fetish. "Did you know that Monsanto is forcing farmers to buy their genetically modified seeds?" There. Just what he was expecting, just not a furry fetish. "Monsanto is forming a monopoly and the government is doing nothing to stop it. We have no say in what we eat, and what factories put in our food." Eren said it seriously, genuine concern and passion dripping with every word, Levi needs to care, because he was sure Eren was going to make him care. Monsanto. Sounds like a vaginal infection. "I'm writing my history paper on it." Eren was looking at his hands, tapping on the table, crinkling his lunch bag.
And Levi could see it now, Eren was nervous. So nervous he's talking about genetically modified seeds. Hanji owes me another ten dollars now."Right." What else was he supposed to say? Trust bust them, bruh. Destroy these monopolies. Suck my Richard. Please. "Why are you eating in the library? Shit's not allowed, Brzenska will murder you and your sandwich."
"She knows that eating in the cafeteria makes me uncomfortable, so I'm allowed to eat here, by myself," Eren explained. He didn't seem fazed by the question, probably answered it a million times before.
"Before I forget, I'm going to tell you—"
"You better be fucking sorry for touching my glasses. I'll stab you if you do it again."
Well then. No apology for you.
…
The old routine was followed, in which Eren wouldn't talk to him, and Levi would pretend to read, watch him restocking bookshelves, the exception being that Jean no longer volunteered. He learned a week later that Marco and Jean were officially a thing, which 'was about time, I was getting blue balls just watching them', is what he heard Eren tell Mikasa.
Levi didn't know what to tell Hanji when she asked him why Eren wasn't answering his cell. "Did you do something to him? Say something. Oh my god, did you tell him I shaved Moblit's pubes off?"
Fuck. "No, I didn't say anything. Why? Because I didn't know that until now, you're a gross piece of shit."
…
He didn't go to the cafeteria at all that day, taking a direct walk to the library. The smell of hand sanitizer was strong, so was the smell of Lysol.
"Hanji wants to know why you don't answer the phone," he said. Eren didn't look at him, still wiping furiously, Ms. Brzenska's desk had never been that clean.
He stopped. Looked up, face confused, a little 'O' forming on his lips. "I forgot to give her my new number, I changed it a few days ago." Eyebrows furrowed, he reached for a pen in the drawer, scribbling it down. "Here."
Levi looked at the digits. "I also need you to check this out for me."
Eren nodded an 'okay', slipping off his gloves, typing away on the computer. "School ID?" He prompted. Levi handed it over, reluctantly, and could see Eren's piss poor attempt at suppressing a laugh, filing his name. The world knows he wasn't photogenic. "So you're Levi." No reply. "Slaughterhouse Five, huh? You have good taste." A smile, a genuine one this time, he could see a dimple on the left cheek. No contempt, no You fucking touched my glasses.
"Hanji told me to read it," he replied.
"Good, she's pretty spot on. See you around, Levi."
Same.
…
March
"You're starting to read shitty books." Eren's eyes were gold today, which suited him but he preferred the same blues and greens, which would glitter when Levi brought a book that was deemed 'a good ass book'. It was startling, the fact that Eren was initiating the conversation.
"Petra said I should read this."
Eren sighed.
"You poor soul. Don't listen to her. I may be blind as hell, but I can see the sadness in your eyes, reading that shit." Levi didn't say anything, intrigued by that similar passion that was brandished when the subject of genetically modified seeds was brought into question, that same snotty tone. Eren was a snotty little thing, he was starting to see the pattern. "John Green is overrated, I'm a metaphor Levi. Everything's a goddamn metaphor," he said, the scent of Amber Blush thick in the air.
"Your eyes are different today." That was definitely not what he meant to say.
"Oh, I'm wearing my contacts. I was in my anime phase, memes were my life." Eren laughed, it was an earnest sound and it didn't rumble, it just rang freely. "So don't read that, I'll give you a list, okay?"
"I don't care," he replied. The blue shirt he wore today was too flashy for his taste, but Levi could deal with it if it made him more approachable. Eren spoke to him today.
"Good, I'll give it to you tomorrow."
…
Familiar slanted scrawl, same blue glitter pen. 'Eren' was written in loopy cursive at the bottom, a little face and several doodles.
"What is that?" He almost stuffed the paper in his pocket, but he kept the stoicism in check, the paper held calmly. No suspicion. Hanji was waiting for him to say something, tell her to mind her own damn business. Honesty was the best policy.
"Eren's list of books I should read, says he has good taste," he said, indifferent and uninterested. It didn't work because her eyebrows shot up.
"You talk to him? He's recommending you books?"
"So what?" he snapped back, thrusting the crumpled ball in his pocket.
"You just don't do this with other people, I'm just surprised, is all." Hanji fumbled with her hoodie. Not looking him in the eyes, meaning she was expecting more than just a "He's okay."
"I tolerate him." He finally said, which was better than what she was imagining. He's not that bad to be around. That asshole.
Eren was an asshole, his sarcasm almost rivaling Levi's.
"If you say so," she chirped breezily, zipping away to find Moblit.
…
Erwin was also an asshole. "You spend a lot of your time in the library. You don't even show up to lunch." Levi was kicking his ass at Mario Kart, still a little miffed that he was Toad, but whatever. His height deeply burned his soul, as he would remind his mother every time she put on her heels, barely reaching up to his father's shoulder.
"I don't see how that's a problem."
…
"You should follow me on Instagram, Levi." Eren wasn't wearing his beanie today, no contacts, no glasses. Brown hair, a mop of it, but obviously conditioned. "I need more followers, Jean's starting to beat me," he said matter-of-factly, snootiness brought back.
"I don't have Instagram," he lied, placing his book down, finger turning mid-page. "I disapprove of social media."
"You're fucking lying, I found yours, and your Facebook. Follow me because it's my birthday," he replied shortly. Eren dug through the librarian's drawer, a purple post-it in his hand. "Here."
Levi felt his eyebrows disappear. "Are you fucking kidding me? What kind of name is dickless_giant_jaeger?"
Eren's cheeks blushed furiously. "I was really into this show. Go away."
"I'm not following you, kid. Even if it's your birthday," he said warily, clicking 'follow' anyway.
…
April
Oh god, Eren's fucking hash tags. Levi felt his soul being sucked into a vortex, annoyed that he actually found them endearing, felt cheated, but slowly intrigued. There were selfies, Armin sleeping, Mikasa staring into the camera with a Really, Eren, are you really taking a picture right now, I'm so done with you face. But as he scrolled back, there were pictures in which he was clearly at St. Maria's Hospital, the caption saying "Going to my first session."
Pictures where he was with nurses, Jean with a proud smile as Eren posed with his certificate of achievement, his therapist winking, Armin giving a thumbs up.
It was hard to forget that when Eren walked in today, hands grotesquely red, eyes twitchy.
"High five me," he said, voice cracking. He was doing a terrible job hiding his sniffles, those sniffles that indicated that it was the gross kind of crying, the type where your eyes burned red, and your hands couldn't wipe the tears fast enough, lots of hiccups.
"Why?" It's going to upset you, was left unsaid.
"I'm beating my record today, five and a half hours," he replied, it was almost sad, seeing no snootiness, no bite or sarcasm.
"Buy me food." He deadpanned.
Eren blinked. "What?"
"Take me out to eat. Skip school, all types of badassery. Maybe vandalize the fucking school dumpster. Then I'll high five you." Silence.
"Okay."
…
"Where the hell are we going?"
Eren ignored him like always, a little smile dancing on his lips.
"It's expensive, but I've heard it's awesome, like an orgasm," he said, Levi following reluctantly. "And French, it made me think of you."
Innocent words, but they made his throat dry, hands clench. It made me think of you. Ha.
"Au Bon Pain, I haven't eaten at a public chain in forever, but I'm willing to try it. Pretty clean, according to Yelp, and organic." Clearly a blessing. Organic and clean. A breathy gasp, organic was the bomb.
"No genetically modified shit?"
Eren whipped his head around, eyes wide. "You remembered that?"
"No one's ever talked to me about genetically modified food," he dispassionately said,a wry smile in place.
The café/bakery was pretty bright, but as Eren said, expensive. The menu had little to offer, but there was variety, pastries broadcasted cutely on counters, fruit smoothies guaranteeing nutrition. "I'll have number 34 and a strawberry banana smoothie. What about you, Levi?"
"Chicken wrap," he decided. Eren nodded, hand fishing for his wallet. "I'll pay kid, go sit down." His tone left no room for discussion, promised murderous actions if not heeded. Clearly Eren wasn't as stupid as he thought, because he grumbled, obeying and trudging towards a table.
The wait was worth it, according to the moans of happiness as each bite was taken. "For a veggie burger, this is fucking great," he breathed, chews and loud sips taken from the smoothie.
"Vegetarian?"
"Yeah, since sophomore year. Annie got me into it," he answered dismissively, gorging that shit down, so similar in the way he swallowed that bagel at the library. "We should do this again sometime. Not skipping would be better."
Levi didn't say anything, there was nothing to process but Eren's hopeful question, eyes vivid and intrusive. Did he really want to do this again? There was a level of comfort, Eren trusted him, was at ease eating in close proximity, attitude attuned to his so perfectly Hanji would combust. To his blue button down, black skinny jeans, those stupid Vans, the kid had kind of grown on him, like an unwelcome fungus. Eren was such a contrast to what he tolerated, an obnoxious little thing with a penchant for organic food and taking selfies. Silence was gold, alternative rock was pretty okay, Levi only wore form fitting shirts, black jeans, the same Converse for the past two years. Grunge, Hanji told him.
But he listened to Eren. He listened to him talk about Armin, the feats he was conquering with his therapy, how he was failing Physics, and Jean's unnatural obsession with lotion.
"Mikasa's your cousin?"
"Unfortunately," Levi kept chewing.
"Oh, that explains it, you're both kind of the same. Except you're a guy."
"Yeah, I'm sure that's it," he bit back, taking an aggressive sip from his iced tea. He didn't high five Eren. That asshole.
…
Erwin was placing the bowl of popcorn on the table, Hanji was melting the marshmallows to make Rice Krispy bars. It was movie night, and Levi had an inkling of anxiety because he knew Hanji had something 'juicy' to tell him. Something that would be mind-shattering for those who listened.
"I'm just going to say it," she sighed dramatically, hair in disarray, eyelashes fluttering with excitement.
"We're both listening," Erwin poured the apple juice for all three of them, eyebrows raised, poised for the words that were already making the air feel static.
"You and Eren, what's the deal?" She pointed at his face, snapping her fingers in Z formation. Levi knew it, felt it deep in the passages of his brain. Skater boy Eren. It was always Eren, whether he wanted it to be or not.
"There is no deal to tell."
She popped the pink bubble, gum sticking to her face, her eyes big and spastic. "I honestly think he likes you. And I don't know if you considered this, but you're graduating this year, honey. We all are." The words were weighed in, and it sent his blood rushing, bitten tongue burning, because fuck, he's already thought of this before, but hearing it said out loud, coming out of Hanji's mouth, was even more daunting.
"I know that." Reality just crashed in brutally—holy fuck, he was graduating.
"We're not saying you can't pursue whatever you want with him, but you can't just waltz in, and then leave," Erwin was giving him a speech too, attacks from both sides, this was fucking planned. "He's got a lot to deal with, and I honestly don't think he can handle this kind of blow, emotionally that is."
"That's true. He hasn't dated anyone since Jean, and for some reason, he likes your short ass. A lot, Levi, he let you take him out to eat. You spentmoney on him." Each word was engraved, every thought he's ever had for the past couple of months spat at his face. His damn voice of reason. And he felt tired. I'm getting worked up over a hipster.
"I like him," he sighed, sharply, cutting in the speech, the inauguration of Levi's Feelings Over Eren Jaeger, the figurative weight lifted from his subconscious, the words liberating him from his mental confines. And fuck it felt good.
…
May
"So?"
He wasn't planning on going to prom, but the idea started to be appealing once Eren became part of the picture, as Hanji painted it out to him.
Eren as his date. Eren at prom.
"I'm going to ask him," he bit out tersely, and Hanji was looking at him with something akin to pride. For what, he didn't know.
…
He woke up earlier than usual, his mother shot him a strange stare, as if her son didn't belong in the kitchen at 6:30 in the morning. The world was ending. Or Levi was suddenly going into another phase. "What are you doing up?"
"Making lunch."
"For who?" Her thin eyebrows were drawn up in confusion. Oh, her poor soul.
"A friend."
She stopped buttering her toast. "What does he usually eat?"
"A bagel with cream cheese," he said, ignoring the sudden smile that resembled Hanji's on his mother's face, piercing metallic grey cutting down on him. She didn't look satisfied with his answer. "I'm going to ask him to prom."
She sighed heavily, silently telling him that a sandwich won't win a hipster's heart. A really attractive germaphobe with really nice eyes."Make him something different then."
…
Eren wasn't reading a book. He was on his phone, concentrated, but when he caught sight of Levi, he smiled, eyes brightening. "I brought you lunch this time," was all Levi said, and Eren's laugh should not have made his stomach lurch, but it did, and for a moment, he thought Eren wasn't going to eat it, because it was made somewhere he's never been to.
But all he did was shrug, and open the bag excitedly, grin still in place. "My therapist said I should slowly start easing into this," he admitted, "but I still have to see her on Thursday." He looked at the wrapped sandwich hesitantly, unraveling it slowly from the aluminum foil.
The sandwich itself was beautiful, if Levi did say so himself. It was toasted wheat, since Eren had a liking for organic shit and whole grains, often "It's nutrition for the body and soul" said, his motto and justification for spending double the money for a carton of eggs."I'll try to take a few bites, okay?"
"It doesn't matter, I'm not going to force that shit down your throat." Levi murmured, inwardly endeared by Eren's shyness. God, he had to grow the fucking balls to ask a question. The whopper, the builder or breaker of something new. Perhaps Eren wasn't into him, maybe he was straight, but who the fuck knows? If he dated Jean for two years, then he must be pretty gay in the deep crevices of his soul. It was just prom, Jesus. Then again, if a date to prom led to something else, then anything is possible.
A sandwich. He's proposing with a sandwich, but Eren was eating it, chewing slowly, deliberately. "I don't know what this is," he said finally. "But I like it."
Not that he'll ever admit that he asked his mother for help. "I figured I would be shit tired of cream cheese all the time."
Eren laughed. "Nah, cream cheese is cum of the gods. Sometimes it's better with jelly, but still." He took another two bites, before settling the sandwich down. Eren was staring at him. "But why did you bring me lunch today? I mean, I like that you did, but—"
"I'm going to ask you something. But first, before I forget this shit, Hanji told me to tell you that she can't tutor next week." He was stalling. Eren knew he was stalling. The bookshelves knew he was stalling. And he was lying while stalling, because Hanji said no such thing, but he couldn't bring himself to care at the moment.
"Wow."
"What?" He didn't mean to sound snappy, but Eren ignored his tone, eyebrows raised.
"I've never seen you this uncomfortable, I guess," he said cheekily, fumbling with his messenger bag for his sanitizer. There was a lapse of silence, and Levi wanted Eren to break it, a small flare of irritation worming its way in his chest.
"Would you date a person with a penis?" It's not the question he wanted to ask, but it certainly did catch Eren off guard. The smell of ethyl alcohol and Caribbean Escape from Bath and Body Works permeated the air.
"Wow, um. I'm bi, so yeah, pretty much there myself," Eren laughed nervously. He noticed that Eren sounded different, his voice becoming slightly nasaled. "I don't know if you know this, but Jean was my boyfriend in freshmen year, we broke up last year, and then I kissed Mikasa in my basement when she turned sixteen. Annie punched me." Eyes looked distant, but amused all the same.
"What about now?" Levi asked. "Relationships," he said at the look of confusion.
"I like someone else now. If you want me to be specific, it's you."
"Your eyes are red." He felt oddly elated when Eren gave him a crooked grin. Levi was overcome with the urge to grab his hand. That seemed to cut the build-up tension, and Levi was glad, because the surge of confidence was exactly what gave him the power to pose the words in his throat.
Eren shook his head, his hands rubbing furiously at his face. "Are they really red, because they burn? And I feel itchy." A wheeze, a really weird wheeze. Blotchy, his tan beautiful face was getting blotchy. Really fast.
Hives. It honestly hit him harder than it should have. Little bumps began to flare, spots on his arms. The question was right on the tip of his tongue. Prom? "Are you allergic to anything?" Eren wheezed again and he had to bite down the panic.
"Chocolate," he gasped. The sandwich. Nutella.
Shit. "I put Nutella in that sandwich, it's basically chocolate," his voice was calm and even, and Eren's was not, he was reaching for his messenger bag, faster than Levi's ever seen him, an orange stick pulled out. It was fat and thick, like a marker.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
"Nurse. Now." Eren was hacking and coughing and panting, cheeks marred with red spots, Levi would've told him to fuck off if it was somebody else, but when he pulled his pants down, exposing navy blue boxer shorts, Eren stabbed the orange thing on his thigh, suppressing a whimper, making Levi flinch.
He ran. He ran fast, and dialed—punched— the nurse's number on the librarian's school phone, the rings taking too long for his taste. "Nurse Mina speaking—"
"A student is having an allergic reaction right now. At the library. Chocolate."
"Did they use the EpiPen?" She asked, her voice lowering, professionalism kicking in.
"I don't—"
"The orange shot." She clarified.
"Yes."
"I'll be there once I call the hospital's paramedics." The line went silent, and Levi exhaled, not that it made him feel any better.
Eren. That loser.
He was sitting, slumped on the table, the sandwich almost menacing but sitting innocently on the foil. Fucking Nutella. His breathing was less raspy, but his eyes still red. The lack of skinny jeans would've made him snort, everything would've been a bit funnier if it was a different situation, but he didn't, instead cradling Eren's head and reassuring that the nurse is on her way.
All he fucking wanted was a date to prom.
…
Apparently, Eren was going to be fine, and Mikasa was going to beat him up, but Hanji's reply of "Calm yourself, princess. Nobody's beating up anyone, unless they want me to spam their Facebook with memes." That threat was taken to heart. Hanji was patting his arm, rubbing circles until Mikasa left, humming a tuneless tune.
"I didn't know he was allergic to chocolate," he finally said, the rush of nurses and old people making him uncomfortable.
Hanji sighed. "I didn't know you owned a red shirt." He didn't look amused. "I'm kidding. I was told he hasn't had a flare since he was eleven, so I'm guessing that's why he kept eating it. Can't know what something is if you never eat it,'' she murmured, tone soft, and Levi wished Erwin wasn't there to wiggle his thick eyebrows in agreement.
"I was about to ask him the question. That's the whole reason I brought him a sandwich in the first place."
"Nutella can suck our dicks." He didn't snort. Laugh. Nothing. "Let's go get ice cream," she decided, pulling on his arm.
…
Eren wasn't at school the following day, the same spot they sat at everyday empty. Except he didn't expect his phone to ring, an unknown number flashing, because nobody called him except for Hanji, Erwin, or his mom.
"Who is this?"
"I wanna be your vacuum cleaner." He sounded fine, slightly nervous, but cheerful.
"Did you just fucking quote—?"
"Arctic Monkeys. Hell yeah, I did."
Levi could feel the smile on the other end, see the left dimple next to that crooked grin. "You're such a shit."
"A shit you never asked to prom. I was just waiting for the question, y'know? Like, 'when is he gonna ask me, do I have to ask him to take a selfie, more organic food'?" Eren began to laugh.
Levi almost dropped his phone, a truck ran over him, his lungs were punctured. But this electrical surge wasn't painful, it was just there.
"So will you go, or do I have to court you like a princess."
"I wouldn't be the princess in this relationship, that would be you. I'm the prince."
"You're fucking hilarious, kiss my ass."
"I will, if you pick me up at eight."
He'll be there, all right.