(Unconventionally, I'll include many more notes. They'll serve as summaries of each scene.
This one is a Rivetra encounter in a bar and the start of something more.)
The bar tried to look Irish. It tried to fit the image through oak tables and beams and red brick walls. The windows were finely gridded with specific interstices coloured creating a symmetric pattern. The bar area itself was decidedly Irish as well. The ignored LCDs showed rugby or football. The chalk board was written on with stereotypical phrases. The bar even sold 'Irish' souvenirs. Yet, most New Yorkers ignored the touristic and cultural potential of the place – its liquid potential was much greater.
At the far corner of the bar sat a young woman - Petra. She looked normal. She hid in plain sight – she was not exceptionally attractive or hideously ugly. Her white shirt, hanging untucked over black trousers, and the most generic trousers helped her blend in further. She was neither introverted nor extraverted. This evening, she was merely enjoying a drink for the sake of the drink. After her pint, her intention was to go back out of the Irish oasis, into the real world.
That changed with a pat on her shoulder. "Can you please give me ten random digits?" There was a short (statistically – relatively would have been a miracle), black-haired man staring at her impatiently.
"What?" That was all she managed.
The black haired man, Levi, sighed, mentally recounting why he hated his friends. Erwin was outgoing and Mike had a girlfriend. That left Levi to be bullied into socializing. "Talk to somebody." Erwin had suggested.
"You know, you'll need a girl at some point." Mike added.
After a quick scan of the bar, Erwin pointed at some small ginger. She was alone, quiet but not unapproachable. "Her."
"Yeah, what of it?" Levi asked.
"Get her number."
"No way."
"Do it and we'll buy you a drink."
"Get off my back and I'll do it."
"Fine, we're off if you get her number."
Levi sighed, exiting the memory. "Ten random digits now, please."
"1234567890." The ginger said.
"It needs to be a phone number."
"What?" Petra was shocked. Men had usually made a fool of themselves in the attempt for this number; at least, the few who tried. This sample was either crazy, daft, confident or did not actually want her number. His tone suggested the last – he seemed too rude to be asking somebody for their number. "If you didn't want to talk to me, why didn't you just come up with your own number?"
"I… I will do that, thank you."
"Hey! Too late. Now, I want to talk to you." Petra was curious as to who this lunatic was. Was he really that socially awkward?
"What? Bullshit."
"No. You seem interesting enough." Levi was surprised to hear this from anybody. He thought the only time he would ever hear the words addressed to himself would be once he died and nobody genuinely knew him. He found himself on the barstool next to this lady. "Good. Now, what's your name?"
"Levi."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Petra." She extended a hand, mocking his discomfort. He shook it slightly, uncaring for anything.
"Nice to meet you to." Levi mumbled in a tone that was not nice.
"So, your friends put you up to this, right?"
"How did you know?"
"How else would an introvert walk up to a lady at a bar?"
"We try, you know."
"And judging by your entrance, you fail."
"What about you?"
"Not today."
"Really?"
"Too tired for rejection or having to reject."
"But didn't you just reject me?"
"Technically, you haven't asked."
"Fine. What's your number?"
"718 890 5872."
"Wait… what?"
"718 890 5872. You might want to write it down. Or I'll take yours."
"718 890 5872. The 'what' was surprise that you gave it to me."
"Well, you'll have to call it to confirm." Curiosity got the better of him as reached for his phone and thumbed the digits into his dialler. Petra's phone rang a few seconds later and she picked up. "And now I have your number." She said, over the phone, before hanging up.
"I'll change it if you get annoying."
"Tell me if I get annoying."
"You talk as if there's a future to this."
"Because I want one." Another line, Levi never thought he would live to hear.
"Really?"
"Yep."
"So you like me?"
"I'm interested. I'll see what happens. And you?"
"I guess I'm sort of 'interested' as well."
"Good. Call me, ok?" Levi mentally praised the Lord since Petra did not sing 'Call Me Maybe' for that last line.
"Will do." Levi slipped off the stool.
"Or else I'll call you."
"Shut up."
"I will."
"Not if I call you first!"
"Go on, then." Levi left.
None of his friends believed the duration of the conversation he had had. They each took a year to get anything worthwhile out of him, yet this stranger did it at first sight. "Let's meet her." Erwin said.
"Tch. Off my back."
"Alright, we'll go talk to her ourselves." Though Levi did not really care (as he liked to think), he found himself accompanying his friends to Petra's barstool.
"Hello, I hear you've met Levi." Erwin began with.
"Yes, you must be his friends."
"Yes, and as his experienced friends, we must ask: how did you talk to him for that long?"
"His fault, really."
"How so?"
"He could have just come up with 10 random numbers after sitting there for ninety seconds." Petra pointed at the stool Levi had occupied a minute ago.
"I see. But that does not answer the question."
"I was just nice – and I gave him three chances, at least."
"Three?" Levi called out, surprising everybody. He moved into Petra's view.
"Yes: when you first walked up, when you called my genuine interest 'bullshit' and when you asked for my number."
"Genuine interest?" Mike asked.
"Yes. I'd like to get to know this weirdo." She patted Levi on the shoulder.
Erwin, Mike and Hange were impressed. She cared about Levi? They did not know what to make of it. "Thank you." Erwin turned and the group followed.
"Don't forget to call." Petra said to Levi as he left.
Safely out of earshot, Erwin told Levi: "This one's a keeper, you understand?"
"Shut up."
"Call her."
"What, now?"
"Tomorrow, at this time."
"And?"
"Set a date."
"Wait a minute!" Mike chipped in. "You actually want to do this! You like her!"
"Maybe." Levi deadpanned.
"And she seems to like you."
"Great." Levi had to call her and then they would see.
(A/N: I hope you enjoyed this (I may continue in this plot).
Before I end this one I'd like to note a few rules I've had for myself:
1) There is no set ship. (Though, Rivetra should take up much of this.)
2) There is no guaranteed language (I may write in Spanish if I feel up to it).
3) Some scenes may disappear into their own fic - it will be noted.
Please enjoy this dump - I hope it ends up as one of the better.
Note that most scenes will be AU - they're easier and I have a canon-verse dump (though it's restricted to a plot).
Have fun!)