A/N: I am so sorry I haven't updated in a while! I've had insane writer's block and was away on holiday with nothing but a notebook to write prompts in. So luckily for YOU GUYS I now have a lot of content to type up and hopefully a lot of updates. For now, enjoy a bit of Levi.
That brat.
Levi sits at his desk in the History department and sulks.
'Is it because he's short like you?' Levi bristles at the memory of Eren's cheek; how dare he.
"How's the new influx treating you, Levi?" Erwin Smith strides over.
"They're bratty." Levi replies shortly, shuffling some papers.
"You say that every year," Erwin comments.
"Then stop asking me, Eyebrows," Levi replies and Erwin gives a laugh.
"You coming for lunch?"
"I suppose."
The two men leave the large partitioned office and head down to the cafeteria. Erwin texts Hange to meet them and the three teachers take a seat away from the hub of loud students.
"How are you, Levi?" Hange sing-songs, grinning manically.
Levi glowers at her. The two friends couldn't be more polar opposite if they tried. "You been sniffing chemicals in that lab of yours, Four Eyes?"
"You're so mean," Hange wails. "You're just in a bad mood because I've already stolen a Fresher from you."
Levi looks at her blankly as he takes a bite of his lunch. "You did?" He asks flatly.
"Yes," Hange insists. "Armin Artlet!"
The name sparks recognition in Levi; he was the one who Eren called last night. "Oh right."
"Er-win," Hange tries pleading with the other man. "Levi is being disinterested."
Erwin gives a half smile. "Hange, leave the man alone: his students are annoying him."
"His students are always annoying him."
"You two are doing my head in, I'm going," Levi says tiredly, getting to his feet. "See you later, Eyebrows. Shitty Glasses."
"Bye, Grumpy," Hange says brightly, unfazed by Levi's abruptness. The three have been friends for so long that things other people find unapproachable and rude about Levi, Hange and Erwin just take in their stride, and barely even notice anymore.
Levi collects his flask and satchel from his office before making his way off campus to his apartment. It's only midday, but Levi doesn't have any other classes to teach today. He's thankful for this; he is in no mood to teach thanks to the insufferable Eren Yeager.
Levi doesn't get it; he's known this kid all of 48 hours, and he's already had to rescue him, bring him into his home and clean up his goddamn vomit.
So how has one student managed to make such an impression on the cold Levi Ackerman? Truthfully, Levi is still trying to work that one out himself.
God, that brat had the greenest eyes Levi had ever seen. And he was so tall. Levi likes tall people.
Cut it out, Levi. He scolds himself firmly. God; this really was going to be long year.
Levi attempts to shake himself out of his stupor by crossing over to the kitchen and making a cup of tea as it should be made; in an expensive handcrafted teapot with a sterling silver engraved tea strainer. It's a methodical process which Levi finds therapeutic and calming.
The dark haired man takes a seat at his desk and settles down with some paper work and seminar planning whilst sipping his tea. As usual, he works in silence for several hours, eventually cooking a simple dinner for himself: a lonely existence. But Levi is content with being on his own.
As he makes his fifth pot of tea, the intercom buzzes. Levi frowns in confusion and looks at the clock: it's 2am. What fresh hell is this, Levi thinks in annoyance as he steps into the hall and lifts the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Leeeeeeee-viiiiiiiiii!"
"Oh for fuck's sake." Levi pinches the bridge of his nose as Hange's voice sings through the plastic phone.
"Let me in!"
"No. Go home, Hange. Where's Erwin?"
"He's here's with me! Let us in, Levi; pretty please?"
Levi sighs and with resignation, presses the door release button. Before he hangs up, he hears Hange cackling with joy. Within a few minutes there's a knock on his door which he reluctantly opens to see Hange Zoë and Erwin Smith beaming at him.
Hange throws herself onto Levi, hugging him tightly as he resists.
"Get off me, Shitty Four-Eyes, you smell like a tavern," Levi complains and Erwin gently pulls the woman off him.
"Erwin." Levi greets stiffly.
"Good evening! We went for a drink but Hange felt bad about earlier so came to apologise to you," Erwin says; despite having been drinking, the Head of History is still in control and calm – which is more than can be said for Hange.
She skips into Levi's apartment and throws herself down in the sofa as usual. Levi follows behind her making a noise of irritation.
"Don't you dare put your feet on my sofa, Hange," he growls as he passes her. "You want anything to drink, Erwin? Hange, I'm cutting you off."
"So mean!" Hange wails.
Erwin laughs. "Pour me a whiskey," he says. "And one for yourself, too."
Levi nods and pours amber liquid into two exceptionally beautiful crystal cut glasses. He hands one to Erwin and sips at the other, enjoying the warm burning sensation as it passes down his throat.
The two men join Hange in the living room, Levi sitting on the armchair and Erwin sitting beside her on the sofa.
"So what's going on, Levi?" Every since the three of them became friends in high school, Erwin has always had a sixth sense of when something was wrong with the smaller man.
"Nothing. Just a particularly challenging set of students this year. And one in particular; Eren Yeager," Levi takes another sip of his whiskey. "Brat of a kid. Mouthy and snarky."
"Sounds like you," Hange comments dreamily. Levi shoots her a glare.
"Levi, it's been two days. How has this student wound you up so much?" Erwin asks.
"I don't know! He's in all my seminars, lectures, and I'm even the brat's personal tutor. Thanks for that, Eyebrows."
Erwin holds up his hands at the accusation. "Hey! I don't make the rules. It's all generated at random."
Levi purses his lips and sits back in the chair. "I said that Napoleon was my favourite historical figure, and Yeager asked if it was because he was short like me." Levi finishes in an angry hiss.
There's a moment of silence before both Hange and Erwin burst out laughing. Levi scowls.
"This is why I don't tell either of you anything."
"Oh Levi, don't be so sensitive," Erwin says fondly, smirking still.
"And to make it worse," Levi is on a roll. "His mate – Kirstein or something – is with him in lectures and seminars and my God are they an infuriating pair together. They never stop bickering. It does my head in."
"And that sounds like you two," Erwin points out with a glitter of teasing in his blue eyes.
"I'm serious, Eyebrows; they're going to drive me to homicide."
"You've just got to be patient with them."
Levi blinks. "You have met me, right?" He checks. "As in; you are the real Erwin Smith?"
Erwin gives another laugh at his friend's dark humour. "Right; come on you," Erwin stands and hauls Hange to her feet. "Let's leave this good man in peace."
"But I want to play with Levi!" Hange whines, making to go and cuddle Levi some more, acting more like a puppy or a toddler, than a fully grown woman with two PhDs.
"Well Levi has had quite enough of pandering to overzealous personalities today," Erwin says gently. "Thank you for the company and the drink. See you tomorrow, Levi; try and get some sleep."
Levi waves his concern away with a dismissive hand before turning away to clean up. Erwin leads Hange out of the apartment and the door closes: peace again at last.
Carefully washing out the glasses, the neglected teapot and wiping down the surfaces, Levi boils the kettle again.
Buzz buzz.
"Oh for the love of God," Levi rages out loud, striding to the intercom again. He snatches up the receiver. "What, Hange? Did you leave the last of your sanity here?"
"Dr Ackerman?"
Levi freezes.
"Hellooooo? I can hear you breathing, Mr Dr Napoleon Ackerman!"
The jibe is enough to jolt Levi back into reality. "Yeager?!" He hisses finally.
"Let me innnnnnn," Eren slurs over the intercom. Levi feels himself panic a little.
"No. Go home."
"I can't."
Levi pauses. "Why not?"
"Because Jean locked me out and then locked his room and is having sex with my sister in MY room."
He falters, index finger hovering over the release button. Levi hesitates, a million thoughts and warnings spinning through his head.
"Please, Ackerman; it's really cold out here. Plus, you said the other night that you have a duty of care."
"Fuck you." Levi grumbles, more to himself than to Eren as he stabs the door release button, hearing the click on the other end as Eren pushes through the door.
"Thanks, teach!"
Levi hangs up the phone and swears repeatedly. Before he has much longer to contemplate anything, there's a knock on the door. Levi yanks the door open.
"If you throw up again in my apartment, I'm chucking you out of that window faster than you can say Napoleon Bonaparte. Understood?"
Eren's eyes are glazed over and the kid is clearly drunk as a skunk. Eren salutes him. "AYE AYE, CAPTAIN!"
"Yeager, stop shouting."
Eren staggers into the clean apartment, all limbs and lack of control. For someone so tall, it's almost laughable to see him swaying around with his long legs and arms, looking like some oversized toddler.
But Levi isn't laughing.
"Sit down before you knock something over," the professor snaps and with a lopsided grin, Eren plonks himself down in the middle of the sofa where Hange was not long ago. "Do you want tea?"
Eren apparently doesn't hear him and is instead fascinated by the fluffy cream carpet. "Woah," he murmurs and eventually gets on his knees. Levi opens his mouth to protest but shuts it again in defeat. "It's so soft," Eren rubs his cheek against the floor, giggling to himself. "It's like a little Labrador."
Levi rolls his eyes and makes both of them a mug of tea. He sets Eren's mug down on the glass coffee table in front of the sofa. "Don't you dare knock that over." Levi warns, standing over him.
"Mr Dr Napoleon Ackerman." Eren sits back on his haunches and sticks his hand in the air as if waiting for permission to talk.
"What."
"I have a question."
"Yeager, I swear –"
"Is this carpet made from tiny Labradors?"
Levi bites back a cutting remark in favour of Erwin's advice to be more patient. "Shut up and drink your tea." Close enough.
Eren nods, his head lolling around on his neck, before reaching out for his mug and with meticulous care, lowers his lips to the rim and sips. He sets the mug down and swallows hard, suddenly going bright red and his green eyes water.
"Hot." He gasps simply. Eren looks up at Levi with big, green-blue eyes, just like the ocean, and just as enchanting. "Dr Ackerman, it burnt me."
"Stop being a child." Levi snaps, but he lowers himself to the floor beside Eren anyway. Eren looks pleased. "Let me see." Just like the other night, Levi takes Eren's chin firmly between his thumb and forefinger to study the damage. "Open." Levi demands and Eren obediently parts his lips. The professor can't help but notice how soft the teenager's lips look and how those big eyes are deep enough to drown in. Fuck.
"My tongue hurts," Eren complains and closes his eyes, sticking his tongue out. Suddenly, he opens his eyes again, lifting them to Levi and staring him straight in the eye. Levi's stomach flips and he stands suddenly, walking to the kitchen again to put plenty of space between them.
"Why did you even come here, brat?" Levi asks gruffly, his back to Eren, trying to compose himself. Pull yourself together man. The kid is 19. And he's such an irritation.
"Because Jean is –"
"Yes," Levi cuts him off impatiently, turning around and leaning against the cool marble countertop. "But it's now 5am and you have class tomorrow morning."
Eren shakes his head. "Nu-uh," he denies. "No school."
"God, you're ridiculous. Look, why did you come here and not to one of your mate's flats? I swear there's a small army of you lot that traipse around the damn university together, grouping together in the café and giving me a headache."
Eren thinks deeply, his nose scrunched up in concentration. "You have a duty of care?" He attempts a cute smile.
"Nice try, kid."
"I'm not a kid!"
"You are to me."
Eren pouts.
"Look, you need to call Kirstein and ask if he's done nailing your sister so you can go home," Levi rubs at his forehead. He needs to get Eren out of here. Nothing good is going to come of this.
"No way!" Eren yelps. "I'm not going back there!"
"Eren, you can't stay here … it's … it's not appropriate."
"It's not illegal," Eren says slyly.
Levi blinks, having no response. Technically the kid is right. Dammit. But Levi holds firm. Or at least – tries to.
"Look, Yeager; you've known me for two days," Levi turns back to the countertop, wiping it down again. "You can't stay in my – dammit, Eren!" Levi has no sooner turned from the worktop back to Eren than to see the stupid brat flat out asleep on his sofa.
Eren's limbs are sprawled over the arms of the sofa at either end, lying on his tummy and his mouth open as he's already snoring gently.
Levi hovers, uncertain of whether to wake him or not. A buzzing sound alert's Levi to Eren's back jean pocket which is lighting up, but not waking the boy. Levi pulls out the phone to see Horse-face flashing up with a picture of Jean's head edited onto the body of a horse.
Levi considers answering the call, but he's waited too long and the phone falls black and silent in the palm of his hand. "Fuck." He swears. He doesn't want any of Eren's friends to worry about him, but before he can think any further, the phone lights up again and Armin flashes on the screen.
Levi slides the bar across and raises the phone to his ear. "Hello, Armin. This is Dr Ackerman."
"Oh! Hi –" Armin sounds rightfully confused and drunk as hell. Teenagers, Levi thinks irritably.
"Look, Eren is passed out on my sofa – don't worry, nothing weird. He came knocking on my door for some reason and then fell asleep."
"Right …" Armin sounds uncertain and Levi cringes inwardly, wondering if he should have taken the call at all; it's raising more questions than answers. "Dr Ackerman, I can come and get him?"
"You sound hammered."
A sigh. "I am."
"Look," Levi pinches the bridge of his nose again. "He can't stay on my sofa."
"Why not?" Armin pleads. "He's no trouble when he's asleep – it's when he's awake that's the problem – oh Mikasa –" suddenly there's a scuffling noise and some background bickering before a girl's voice is on the phone. "Dr Ackerman, can Eren stay? Please? None of us are capable of carrying him home and he's with you so –"
"Ackerman … Mikasa, right? I am a teacher. I cannot have my student in my –"
Mikasa cuts over him. "You're a university tutor and he's an adult." Mikasa hangs up and Levi stares at the phone in horror. How do these brats know so much about law and relationships? Actually; I don't want to know.
"God, you are in for a world of hell when you're sober, Yeager." Levi tells the unconscious teenager. Eren doesn't even stir.
Levi finds a comforter and unceremoniously throws it over Eren's body. How is this kid so damn tall? With a flick of the lights, and finally placing a plastic bowl on the floor beside his hand which hangs off the sofa, Levi slopes to bed at around 6am for his usual three hours of sleep.
In bed, Levi tosses and turns, unable to get any rest, knowing that Eren Yeager was asleep just outside of that door. He wasn't sure what was disturbing him more: the fact that Eren was 19 and his student, or that he was drunk and unclean.
Would it be unethical to bundle him into the shower? Probably. Get a grip, Levi. But he can't. His brain is in overdrive. Levi sits up in bed and grabs his phone, calling the one person able to calm him.
"Levi?"
"Erwin – sorry to wake you. I have a problem called Eren Yeager."
Erwin sighs over the phone. "Levi, I told you; he's a kid. Be patient with him and –"
"Eyebrows, he's asleep on my sofa."
Silence.
"Levi …" Erwin starts with a ring of warning in his voice. "Where are you going with this?"
"The kid turned up on my doorstep locked out of his accommodation, and I let him in and then he fell asleep on my damn sofa."
"Look, there's technically nothing wrong with this," why was everyone suddenly so obsessed with the relationships between university teachers and students at this time of the damn morning? "But you need to be careful, okay? It's not exactly the best situation and I don't know how Principle Zackly would –"
"Will you cut it out I am not fucking the kid he is just asleep on my fucking sofa."
"Levi, calm down."
Levi breathes heavily and tries to calm himself. "Just … drop it okay?"
"Levi –"
He hangs up on Erwin and stares into the darkness of his room, heart racing. Just his luck to wind up with a student who was impossible, irritating but somehow mildly good looking in a rough kind of way.
Fucking hell.