Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

   Eren grips the pole tightly as the subway car sways back and forth along the track. The rest of the seats surrounding him are empty yet he still had the urge to stand. After sitting down in classes all day it's nice to be on your feet. The earbuds resting in his ears are blasting Panic! at the Disco at full volume to the point where he is oblivious to all of those around him. All he sees is him and his music.

   "Haven't you people ever heard of, closing the-" Eren sings along with his music and taps his foot, not realizing how loud his singing really is. He feels his phone vibrate in his pocket and he reaches down to grab it. He brings it up to eye level and unlocks it, seeing that it's a message from Armin.

   "Hey, where are you?"

   "I'm omw 2 the park, u coming?"

   "How many times have I told you to use proper English?"

   "Lol watcha gonna duuu :P"

    "I'll be there in five."

    "K."

    Eren tucked his phone back in his pocket and hummed along with the next song on his playlist. The car rattled to a stop as more people piled on. It was rush hour in the city of Trost and the car was bound to fill up soon. As the car jerked to a start, Eren watched as the seats slowly filled up with people. Soon the only empty seat was next to Eren. He eyed it, deciding if he should take it before someone else did, but before he got the chance, a short raven-haired man took it.

    Eren shrugged it off and returned to his music, turning to face the other way, still gripping the pole. The man became annoyed with Eren and tried to get his attention.

    "Excuse me?" Being that he is not one to repeat himself, he pokes Eren's arm. Eren was still so wrapped up in his music that he didn't feel it. Frustrated, the man pokes him harder but still fails to receive a reaction. Nearing the end of his short fuse, he stomps on Eren's foot, earning a short yelp.

    Eren turns around and yanks one of his headphones out of his ear to glare at him. "Sorry." He states, obviously not sorry. "Do you mind getting your butt out of my face?" Eren flushes slightly, not realizing that it had been in his face to begin with, and moves to the side, still holding on to the same pole.

     The easily angered man expects him to put the headphones back in his ear but instead he leaves it out and looks at him for a while, studying him silently. "Eren," he says after a while.

     "Excuse me?"

     "My name's Eren, Eren Jaeger."

      "Levi." He states simply, crossing his arms while leaning back to put his head against the glass of the window. Eren continues to look at him with great interest, occasionally opening his mouth as though he was going to continue the conversation, but stopping before anything came out of his mouth. Eventually Levi tires of watching the boy blubber like a fish so he continues the conversation for him, despite wanting nothing to do with anyone around him.

      "What do you want?" 

      Eren looks mildly caught off-guard, he had been trying to be subtle with his observations but apparently it hadn't worked. "I-I, well...you look...good." Eren flashes a small grin before turning back around, trying to avoid further embarrassment.

     "Hey, brat, I'm not done talking to you." Eren clenches his fists quietly before turning back around on the heels of his converse to look at Levi again. "What the hell was that supposed to mean?" Levi was beginning to look genuinely interested in what Eren had to say. It's not every day that a stranger tells you that you 'look good' without trying to get in your pants.

     "Well, the definition of your cheekbones, the trim of your hair, the curve of your lips, the arches of your eyebrows and the cold look in your eyes, it would be incredible to draw..." Eren gradually trailed off, even more embarrassed than before. "F-forgive me."

     Levi simply looks at Eren. Not thinking, not judging, not wondering, just looking. "So you're an artist?" Eren nods in response, staring at his feet. Just then the subway comes to a stop and Eren stumbles forward, caught off guard. Before he falls to the ground he feels someone grip his arm and pull him to his feet. After he brushes himself off he turns to see that it had been Levi who had helped him.

     "Come with me, I'm buying you coffee." Levi dragged Eren out of the subway car, not allowing any room for argument. "And while we're there, feel free to draw me." Eren's eyes widen in surprise and it takes him a full minute to realize that he was supposed to meet up with Armin at the park.

     "Wait!" Eren pulls out of Levi's grip and stops walking entirely. 

     "What?" Levi turns around and raises an eyebrow.

     "I was supposed to meet Armin at the park, I really shouldn't be doi-" Levi cuts off Eren's sentence midway by grabbing Eren's phone out of his pocket. Eren can't tell what he was writing but when he was done he tossed it back to Eren and continued to walk to the aforementioned coffee.

     "It's fine, let's go." Eren's muddled mind takes a few moments to catch up on the events but once it does, he rushes to catch up with Levi. They walk side by side with heavy dead-air hanging between them.

     "I'm an artist." Levi suddenly breaks the silence. "And I also like the curve of your lips, therefore, I am drawing you." Eren couldn't possibly argue with him, as long as he gets to draw Levi.

Chapter Text

Charcoal, to Eren, was positively orgasmic. It didn't really matter what type of charcoal Eren pinched between his fingers, just so long as he could get the feel of the organic material lightly running across his tough honeybee paper. It was evident, of course, to Levi, as he watched the student shiver with euphoria as his fingers dragged the small charcoal stick in tiny, light strokes over the paper. Levi sat nearly perfectly still with only his hands and arms moving as he slowly blended the colors of his pastels on his sketchbook. He hated to be dirty, but for art he would sacrifice, as he had to get the colors just right.

The two sat in absolute silence, occasionally peeking up to get a better look at their subject. Their coffees went untouched, the steam billowing endlessly from the brim. In about ten minutes Levi had finished, setting it down to look through other drawings as he took a sip of his drink.

"Aw, I needed that!" Eren complained, just as Levi brought the rim of the cup to his lips.

"Draw from your imagination." Levi answered him, pulling his hand back and sipping the warm bitter drink. Levi liked his coffee black- straight out of the grinder, beans straight from Ethiopia.

"Damn it, I can't do that." Eren whined. "I'm a realism student!"

"Well, this coffee is damn good, so you'll have to go unfinished." Levi shut him down. Eren frowned. He skipped meeting with Armin to draw this guy, and he was going to draw him, no exceptions.

"Gimme that." Eren took Levi's coffee off the table and knocked about half of it back, just before gagging and spraying it all over Levi- and his sketchbook. Eren's spit blew the pages, hitting almost every single one, and getting Levi right in the face.

"What the fuck, brat?!" Levi fumed, snatching his sketchbook and flipping through the coffee-speckled pages.

"What is that?!" Eren cried, snatching a napkin and licking his tongue dry. "It's horrible!" He moaned.

"Are you kidding me?!" Levi cried. "Look at my fucking drawings! They're ruined!" Levi shoved his sketchbook in Eren's face- a beautiful colored-pencil sketch of an orange-haired woman, smiling as she stood in a light pink dress. Her face had a coffee splatter right on it, almost perfectly, ruining it. Of course, Eren couldn't see that. He could only mesmerize himself in the photorealism of this gorgeous sketch.

"That's...that's amazing." Eren gasped, his mouth gaping open. "How...how did you..." He began flipping those pages, to Levi's surprise, gasping at each photorealistic drawing. Dragons, men in suits, cityscapes and horses filled the pages, each looking real enough to emerge as a 3D being. "Levi, that's brilliant!"

"Well, they're all ruined, thanks to you." He snatched his book back, closing it and huffing as he dried his face clean of spit-coffee.

"Do you two need anything? A few more napkins?" A Starbucks barista walked over, touching Levi on the shoulder.

"Nothing." Levi answered, still death-glaring at Eren. "Thank you." He grabbed his bag, snatched his sketchbook and slammed a tip on the table before storming out on his coffee-ruined clothes.

"Fuck." Eren muttered, jumping up and running after him, leaving a huge mess in Levi's seat- and his own sugary coffee, untouched, on the table.

"Hey, wait!" Eren cried, dashing after Levi, who was already across the street and heading to the subway. Eren waved his arms frantically as Levi turned to see him, only to glare and turn back around. Eren dashing into the street, a green light beaming, nearly getting flattened by multiple cars. He tangoed on the asphalt, spinning around with the force of the air, dancing to the music of angry honks. Somehow he tripped over the curb and face planted into the concrete, but that didn't stop him. He ran right up to Levi, grabbing him by the shoulder only to be struck across the face with a clenched fist.

"Ow!" Eren cried, going down.

"Go away, brat!" Levi shouted furiously.

"I'm sorry, okay?!" Eren shouted back. "Come on, give me another chance! I HAVE to draw you!"

Levi stared at him with a furrowed brow for a few moments, Eren sitting flat on his ass with a red face- half from the blows he sufficed, and the other from running through near death. Levi liked him. He really did. It wasn't everyday that someone complimented him or asked to draw him. And this kid nearly killed himself trying to get to him. Not only that...he was kinda cute. Levi rolled his eyes and huffed a sigh.

"Fine." He extended his hand, helping Eren up. "But you're paying for my dry cleaning, and you're buying me a new sketchbook."

"Deal." Eren beamed hopefully. "So, should we meet in the park next time? I'd love to draw you in the nature and-"

"We're meeting for dinner." Levi declared. "Japanese. Your treat."

"Dude, I'm a college kid, I don't have that money." Eren whined, folding his arms. Levi narrowed his eyes. Eren sighed. "...deal."

"Great." Levi said. "On Saturday night we'll meet at Jinae Specialty."

"But I have something going on on Saturday." Eren protested. "Armin and my sister are-"

"Seven o'clock sharp. Make reservations."

"Okay." Eren sighed weakly.

Levi turned on his heels and began his way to the subway station. It was easy for him to get what he wants. It's a simple recipe- some tone, a little bit of eyes, a couple sharp insults, and a pinch of violence. It was what made Levi, as known to his friends, terrifying. Rightfully so, of course. He was sharp. He was quick. And Levi took shit from no one. Especially not coffee-spitting college kids who ruined your sketchbook and your favorite button-down shirt. But looking back...Eren was still standing there. With everyone passing around him.

"Maybe I was a bit too harsh on him." Levi thought. He stood, debating his mind until he groaned and walked back to Eren.
Eren looked up when he saw Levi coming. Is he coming to hit him again? He said he was sorry, right?! And he's already buying this guy dinner, so-

"Hey. Brat." Levi was standing in front of him. Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god. Please don't hit me please don't hit me please don't-

"Brat!" Levi snapped.

"O-Oh, uh, hi." Eren tried to grin but ended up making himself cringe.

"Give me your phone." I-I can't pay for a knew phone. Oh man...but he looks ready to kill me if I dont!

"Um...okay." Eren fished into his pocket and handed Levi his iPhone. Levi unlocked it, pressed a few buttons and tapped on the keyboard a bit before handing the phone back to Eren and- ...kissing his cheek? Levi left as quickly as he came, Eren touching his cheek where Levi had smooched him to look down at his phone...and see Levi's contact number. With a smile on his face he watched Levi disappear into the crowd before dialing up Armin.

"You apologizing for standing me up?" Armin asked, annoyed.

"Armin." Eren beamed. "Great news."

"What?"

"I spit coffee all over some guy and scored a date with him." Eren said proudly. There was silence on the other end, just before a sigh.

"Good for you, Eren." Armin said. "You ARE meeting me in the park tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, of course." Eren replied, nodding.

"You're not ditching me for any old guys?"

"No."

"Good." Armin smiled. "Now what was that about spilling your coffee?"

"Ooo, let me tell you about THAT." Eren mocked a feminine voice, making a sassy hand gesture even though Armin couldn't see it, and still making his blonde bestie giggle.

"And then what?" Armin asked eagerly.

"And then, he walked right up to me, and gave me a kiss." Eren said proudly, finishing his story. The conversation on the phone had carried all the way back to the subway and into Eren's room, where he lay in his bed. It normally wouldn't have taken that long to tell, but Armin asked so many questions and Eren was so bad at storytelling so there were many confusions. Nonetheless, Armin was still on his way home to their shared apartment, eagerly listening to Eren's story.

"He kissed you?!" Armin asked excitedly.

"Well, not on the lips, on the cheek." Eren blushed. "And then he made me buy him dinner at that fancy Japanese cuisine. But I got a kiss, Armin!"

"And a date!" Armin added, almost as excited as Eren.

"Do you think he likes me?" Eren asked hopefully. "Do you think he would go out with me?!"

"Well, you DID spew his coffee all over him, he might be a little hesitant." Armin teased Eren, making him laugh. "I swear, Eren, you sound like Bertholdt in fifth grade." Armin squeaked up his voice and made it crack a bunch. "G-Guys? Do- do you think Annie likes me??" Eren busted out laughing, holding his stomach as he giggled.

"Heheh." Eren sniffed. "I do need a boyfriend. It's been a while."

"Are you SURE you've moved on from the horse?" Armin said sarcastically.

"Please." Eren rolled his eyes. "I can't believe I had sex with that thing. And to think he cheated on me with freckled Jesus!"

"Does Marco still apologize every chance he gets?" Armin laughed.

"You bet. Eren, I'm really sorry, I didn't know, please don't be mad, Eren!" I mimicked the tall, freckled boy. "I'm just sorry that the horse put him in the middle of things."

"Marco stayed with him, though."

"Does he still hit on you?"

"God, all the time. And Mikasa."

"Someone needs to get it through Marco's head that Jean is a traitor. HE A CHEATIN HORSE!"

"Eren, we speak English, not stupid."

"Oh, shut up."

"I'll be home soon."

"A-ight."

"English, Eren."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Meanwhile, Levi was at his own home- a lonely studio apartment with his Newfoundland puppy, Catloaf. He had just changed out of his coffee-soaked button-down and into a simple wife beater- his regular pajama top, and was working on a sketch. It was a sketch, of course, of Eren, who plagued his mind so much his hands practically screamed to draw him. Eren had also dropped his charcoal when Levi punched him, so Levi took the opportunity to use it. He tried to use charcoal as he had seen Eren do. Tiny strokes, light lines, tracing a beautiful picture. He carefully etched the individual lines of his hair, keeping it blocky and blended, not using tiny details as Eren, a realism freak, would have.

Catloaf whined at his feet. "Go away, I'm busy." Levi waved her off, but Catloaf stayed. Levi glanced over, meeting eyes with his puppy and being struck in the heart. "Fine." He rolled his eyes, lifting Catloaf into his arms and cuddling him on the couch. Catloaf nuzzled his chest, sniffing the coffee and trying to lick it off. "Ew." Levi remarked. "Damn Eren."

"What would you do, Catloaf?" Levi scratched his puppy's head, who kicked at his fingers. "What should I do to get this boy?"

"Call him?"

"Not a bad idea."

Bzzt! Bzzt! Eren's phone vibrated only seconds after he had hung up on Armin, interrupting his doodling session on his homework. "Huh." Thought Eren. "He must need something." As he reached to pick up his buzzing phone, A grin spread across his face as an idea popped into his head, missing completely that the caller wasn't Armin.

"Whaddup, BITCH!" Eren boomed, expecting to hear Armin laughing on the other end.

"Excuse me?" Levi. Shit. LEVI. He sounded pissed. Eren went positively pale when he heard his voice growl on the other end of the line.

"Le-Levi! I-I-I didn't- I didn't mean- uh, I thought you were-" Eren stammered like a nervous third grader giving a presentation of his Lego diorama.

"Cut it, kid." Levi growled as he rolled his eyes. God fucking damn it. Eren probably just ruined every chance he had with this guy. Jesus Christ, he's dumb. "What are you up to, brat?" Levi asked, shrugging off the previous statement.

"Uhhhhh, yknow...just..uh...just chillin'." Eren laughed nervously, trying and failing to play it cool.

"Okay..." Levi rolled his eyes. "Let's try something else- are you busy?"

"Armin's about to get back, and I think we're going to go to dinner." Eren answered. He could practically feel Levi's frustration on the other end.

"It's a yes or no question, Eren." Damn it. Armin's going to be home soon. But he really needs to at least have a shot with this guy. Sorry Armin.

"No, not at all, haha." Eren forced a laugh.

"Okay. You accidentally dropped your charcoal and I have it at my place. Come over, I'm getting bored." Levi said. Eren stuffed his hand on his pocket- aw, shit.

"A-Alright, I'll be right over." Eren said confidently as Levi ended the call.

Eren groaned as he sank back in his bed- he's only making this harder.