Chapter Text
Levi was walking through the campus library with a determined scowl on his face. He hated going to the library because the students who worked there were never helpful and the staff was always too busy with running the library that they were no help to the students that wanted their help. Add in the fact that it was always dusty, and there was absolutely nothing good that Levi could see coming from his visit to the library. He mentally cursed his stupid European History professor for assigning the class a research paper last minute, especially since it was due by the end of the week. Levi looked down at the slip of paper he held in his hand that had the call number for the books he was looking for and rounded the corner of the shelf only to run into someone.
A sharp gasp left Eren's lips when he felt another body collide with his own. Eren clutched his psychology textbooks close to his chest when he noticed how agitated the shorter man looked. "I-I'm so sorry." Eren stammered out softly, his teeth sinking into his lower lip. Eren had been far too focused on checking the contents page on his book to even see the boy before him until it was too late. All the kid wanted was to collect his books, yet by the looks of it he had already pissed this guy off. "Are you alright?" Eren's timid tone questioned, his teeth gnawing harshly at his lower lip. The last thing he wanted was a fight.
“I’m fine,” Levi said with a frown. Just his luck, he had run into a silly little freshman. Levi could just tell, the aura of unease and timidness when dealing with other students gave it away. Plus, no one carried their textbooks to the library unless they intended to study there, and Levi knew that no one ever got studying done in the library. A college library was never quiet and how was one supposed to study with all that noise. Just thinking about it annoyed Levi and he leveled a stare at the boy standing in front of him.
“I suggest you find somewhere else to study, brat. You’ll get none of that shit done in this place,” Levi stated bluntly, gesturing to the textbooks clutched to the kid’s chest. As if to prove his point, a bunch of laughter broke out from one of the tables near them.
Eren gently nudged his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, his emerald irises watching the older-looking boy for a moment. Eren flinched when he heard the abrupt laughter, his fingers lightly scratching at the back of his neck. "I see." Eren murmured more to himself than the other boy. Eren was just glad this guy didn't chose to beat him up or embarrass him in front of everybody. "I'm really sorry again." Eren's subtle voice practically whispered, his head bowing slightly to show his respect. "I hope you're alright and all, but I have to get back to my dorm." Eren looked back to watch the boy's face. Why did he look so cold and serious?
Levi watched the boy leave, and tried to figure out why he had given the brat advice in the first place. Normally, he just brushed off their stuttered apologies and went about his business. Rolling his neck around on his shoulders to get rid of any kinks, allowed Levi to push the green-eyed freshman out of his mind. He looked back down at his stupid note and then up at the shelf to realize that the book he needed wasn’t there. That the spot was empty, a clear gap between the books next to where it should have been. Levi’s mind jumped back to the brat and remembered seeing the kid walk away holding a library book in his hand. That brat had just taken the book Levi needed for his paper, and that wasn’t cool. Levi scowled and he quickly stormed out of the shelves fully intending to track down the green-eyed, book-snagging freshman. By the time he made it up to the Circulation desk he found the brat, handing over his student id to check out the book.
Eren hummed to himself, his slightly taller frame leaning against the desk of the check out. His eyes skimmed over the print on the first page, a small smile tugging through his rosy features. Eren absolutely loved psychology. He loved the thought of helping people for a living. Eren's body stiffened somewhat when he felt an uncomfortable feeling flush through him like a tidal wave. Eren looked around, searching for the pair of unfriendly eyes. A small gasp escaped him when he noticed the exasperated junior from before. "C-Can I help you?" Eren's unsteady tone questioned, his arms hugging his book tight into his chest.
“You have my book,” Levi said curtly. He didn’t have time to screw around, he needed that book so he could write an accurate history of how psychology had developed in 19th century Europe. Granted he could have easily changed his topic, but why the hell would he do that. Levi arched an eyebrow when the student worker stopped what they were doing to stare at him like he was the crazy one. “I didn’t come to this shitty library to leave without the goddamn book I am using for my paper,” Levi said to emphasize his point. Erwin’s words echoed in his ears reminding him that most people were not mind readers so he needed to explain things to them.
Eren looked at Levi quite dumbfounded, tipping his head to the side slightly. A small laugh escaped the younger boy as he watched Levi go on arguing his point. "It's fine." Eren spoke, holding the book out. "You can have it. I just need it back by Wednesday, if that's possible of course." Eren yawned. Eren did need the book, but he was too tired to fight for it. All he really wanted was to study but if this guy really needed the book that bad. "If you can't get it back to me by Wednesday that's fine, I'll just go to another library. I'm sorry that I took your book." By that last statement it was evident that Eren would much rather apologise for mistakes than fight on them for no reason—especially being this exhausted.
Levi took the book from the outstretched hand and finally took a good look at the freshman he had just bullied into giving over his book. The brat was taller than him by a few inches with chocolate brown hair that looked like it had been ruffled one too many times to remain flat and bright emerald green eyes that were hidden behind the frames of his slightly oversized glasses. Ignoring the bags under the kid’s eyes and the fact that he looked ready to drop, Levi couldn’t push the idea that the kid was kind of cute out of his mind. Levi thought the kid looked like he needed to take a nap or get some coffee in his system before his nap became involuntary. “Thanks,” Levi grumbled, “I really only need to get the citation information and a few quotes from it for my paper.”
Levi saw the tired nod that the kid directed at him as a response to his words and he felt like an asshole. Levi never felt like that, he had no problem telling people the cold truth without it fazing him one bit. However, this tired and cute brat made him feel like a piece of shit and he didn’t like it. “How about I buy you a coffee to apologize for being rude,” Levi startled himself by asking.
Eren squeaked out a small yawn, clear tears rimming his vibrant eyes. "Sounds lovely." Eren smiled. The younger boy removed his glasses for a moment so he was able to rub his sleepy eyes with a loose fist. "Only if it's not a problem for you, of course." Eren finished, slipping his glasses back on.
Levi swore he saw cat ears appear on the top of the kid’s head, but that was utterly ridiculous. How the hell was the brat so cute when he rubbed the sleep from his eyes? Levi had been told that he looked like an angry bear by his friends, why did the brat look like an adorable kitten. Levi shook his head to cleanse it of such idiotic thoughts and said, “It’s not a problem, but if we don’t hurry our asses up we will be standing in line with all the rude fuckers that are getting out of class.” He motioned to the short line leading from the small Starbucks kiosk that was located just outside the library entrance.
Eren looked over his shoulder and gasped softly. "You're right," he said, collecting his English Lit textbook from the check out boy. Eren yawned again, his eyes watering once more. "I'm Eren by the way," he said, shooting the raven haired boy a sheepish grin. Eren re-wrapped his scarf, a small hum escaping him as he tried to keep himself warm. "Shall we get going then?"
“Levi, and yes. I want my coffee before the vultures attack,” Levi said leading the way to the coffee shop. He was still holding the book in his hand and he made a mental note to get his information from it as quickly as possible. He jumped line behind a girl talking into her cellphone about some party or another that she had gotten shitfaced at. Levi tried to tune her out, but it was hard because she kept shaking her head around and hitting him with her long hair. Levi glared and his deep scowl returned. This was why he hated dealing with people. Levi exhaled slowly trying to calm himself down like his high school counselor had told him to do, but it didn’t help.
Eren looked over at Levi and smiled shyly. He could read him like a book. Eren watched how the shorter man's jaw clenched and unclenched, his eyes glaring daggers into the back of the girl's head. Eren stifled a small laugh, his eyes crinkling as he giggled. Quickly looking away, Eren bit down into his lower lip, stuffing his hands into his pockets and began rocking back and forth on his heels. "Would you like me to go grab us a table?" Eren smiled.
Levi blinked at the brat in front of him suddenly remembering his presence. No, that was wrong his name was Eren not brat, Levi thought. He had a really nice laugh, too. Levi was about to reply when the girl in front of him unexpectedly walked out of the line, placing him at the front the line. The cashier looked at him with a bored expression as he waited to take their order. “It’s too late for that now. Just order what you want and then go grab us one. I’ll grab our drinks when their done,” Levi said gesturing for Eren to go ahead and order his drink.
Eren nodded and looked at the cashier with a polite smile. "I'll just have a green tea." Eren hummed with a small grin. "Two sugars and no milk, thank you." Eren pulled out his wallet and fished a $10 note from the leather material, handing it to Levi. "I'll go get us a table!" he chirped, shuffling out of the line and made his way down to a booth away from everybody else. Eren wasn't gonna lie, Levi was beyond sexy and that thought made Eren blush darker than a tomato.
Levi stood there in stunned silence for a few seconds until the sound of the cashier clearing his throat pulled him back to attention. “I want the largest, hottest, blackest coffee you have in this shitty place. Oh yeah, and that brownie,” Levi said without dropping the scowl that was permanently plastered on his face. The cashier told him the total and Levi grabbed out his wallet and paid for their order before heading over the counter where they would give it to him. Levi grabbed a handful of real sugar packets, not that fake Splenda shit that a lot of people used. His mind was reeling, he hadn’t expected the brat to order tea so casually. No one liked tea that was around his age unless they were girls that didn’t want to drink coffee because it was bitter. Excuse me bitch, but there was no way in hell that the wonderful thing that was coffee would like to be consumed by a tramp like you, Levi thought to himself a small smile on his lips.
Eren pulled out his phone and began scrolling through his tumblr, his teeth nipping at his lower lip lightly. Eren noticed a shadow and looked up. "Oh, hey!" Eren chirped, locking his phone. Eren's eyes watched up at Levi, a sudden look of awe filling his emerald orbs. "Thanks for getting my tea." Eren grinned, his cheeks burning a light shade of rose-pink.
"Not a problem. Now take your money back, brat. What part of I'll buy you coffee didn't you understand?" Levi said slamming the $10 bill on the table in front of Eren.
Levi took a seat across from Eren and pulled the lid off of his coffee and began to rip open the sugar packets two at a time until he had poured 8 of them in his coffee. He gave it a quick stir with the wooden stick he had brought with him before putting the lid back on his drink. With that done he let his coffee sit for a second and looked up at the curious gaze of the emerald-green eyed brat sitting across the table watching him.
Eren flinched slightly when Levi slammed the money on the table, his teeth sinking deep into his lower lip. "Sorry." Eren murmured, his whole demeanour seeming somewhat discouraged now. "Thank you, though." Eren said, wrapping his hands around the porcelain cup that the green tea had come in. Eren let his eyes fall shut and pressed his lips to the brim of the cup and blew on the scoldering liquid, trying to cool it down before he took his first sip. When Eren placed the cup back down on the table his glasses were completely fogged up, a small giggle fleeing past his lips as he removed them and began cleaning the lenses with his shirt. "So, Levi, what are you studying?"
Levi was pretty sure he was smiling, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. The brat looked so cute with his steamed up glasses and thoughts of making out with Eren until they ended up that way again passed through his mind. Where had that thought come from, Levi wondered. Of course he knew that he liked guys, but he didn’t normally fall for the innocent looking brats so quickly. Correction, make that never. He never fell for the innocent ones because he didn’t want to be the one to corrupt them. Now, Eren on the other hand… that was a completely different story. Levi really wanted to corrupt this adorable little freshman. Those thoughts aside, Levi took a long drink of his coffee and winced when it burned the inside of his mouth. He was sitting there with his mouth wide open when Eren asked his question about his major. “I’m a double major in Marketing and Management. What about you, Mr. Jung?” Levi asked hoping that Eren would understand his joke.
Eren giggled quietly once more when Levi called him that unfamiliar name. He didn't quite understand the joke but he still thought it was funny enough. Eren slipped his glasses back on and rested his chin in the palm of his hand. "I'm taking a major in psychology." Eren explained, his bashful expression never once leaving his face. Eren stared at Levi for a moment before looking outside, a small yawn squeaking past his lips. Eren blinked slowly, the purple craters under his eyes making his exhaustion evident. "Do you enjoy your studies, Levi?" He murmured softly, looking back to the older boy with a tired grin.
“You didn’t get my joke did you, brat?” Levi asked when he heard Eren’s slightly nervous laugh. “You better learn about that fucker soon, because Carl Jung is a psychologist. He wrote a bunch of big books and articles and stupid shit like that. His name is splattered all over this book,” Levi said waving the book around to make his point obvious. “Tch, whatever. Some idiot professor will probably teach you all about him sometime before you graduate. Anyway, I guess I like my majors, I wouldn’t still be taking the classes if I didn’t. Although, they are all repetitive and easy. What about you, brat? Are you liking the school so far?” Levi asked genuinely curious for once. He could feel his phone vibrating in his pocket, but Levi ignored it. It was either Erwin or Hange and he didn’t want to hang out with their sorry asses when he had a cute freshman in front of him. Though from the looks of it he wouldn’t too much longer because the kid looked like he was about to fall asleep at the table.
Eren watched Levi with pure admiration. His chin rested in the palm of his hands whilst his eyes only focused on Levi's. Eren's cheeks were tinted a light pink as he listened to Levi ramble on about the different things that psychologist had done, a small laugh escaping him once Levi finished. "Yeah," Eren replied softly, still watching Levi with his feeble smile. "I really like it because I'm good at it. Things are always easier when you're good at them, y'know?" Eren say back and ran his fingers through his disheveled strands of hair; some of the chocolate brown locks tangled around his slender fingers, causing him to wince slightly.
Levi knew that Eren was watching him, but it didn’t bother him. In fact, it only made him more adamant about making the brat smile at him. He saw Eren’s wince when his fingers got tangled in the wild strands of his hair, and Levi frowned, “Hold on a second. Don’t yank your hair out just because it got tangled around your fingers.” Levi unconsciously leaned forward and made a move to grab Eren’s hand.
Eren blinked quickly when Levi grabbed his hand. The younger boy's heart stammered, his eyes wide and watching up at Levi. Eren's cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson, the blush contrasting perfectly against his pale complexion. "Th-Thank you, Levi." he whispered softly, looking away with a sheepish expression.
Levi looked away as well. He didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that his ears felt like they were on fire, the only thing that gave away his embarrassment. “Don’t mention it,” Levi mumbled, grabbing his coffee again to take a large fortifying drink. Just when he was beginning to regain his confidence, his phone began to ring and vibrate incessantly against his leg.
Eren looked over when he heard the vibrations against the seat, a small giggle erupting from him. Eren sipped from his luscious green tea and watched Levi. "Are you gonna answer that?" he teased, a cheeky grin curling through his features as he continuously took small sips from the cup.
Levi quirked an eyebrow up as he dug in his pocket for the infernal device. Eren was a cheeky brat and Levi wanted nothing more that to kiss the silly smile right off of his face, but now was not the time. Not when they had just met. That was for a time when Eren was more comfortable around him, maybe curled up in his dorm room watching movies or something like that. Not for a place like a bustling coffee shop while his phone continued to ring.
Levi finally pulled his phone out and answered the call without checking the caller id, “What the hell do you want?” The person other line wasn’t surprised by his reaction and just laughed as she rambled on about her classes. “Hange, did you call me for a reason or not? I have more important things to do that listen to what your filthy rats did today…. Yeah, whatever bye shitty glasses.” Levi said putting an end to the call relatively quickly.
Eren let out a small yet angelic laugh when Levi hung up. Eren's cheek heated up darkly at the sound of his adorable laugh, his eyes quickly averting back down to his empty mug. "Th-Thank you for the tea." Eren murmured softly. "It was very sweet of you." Eren cleared his throat and looked back up at the older male. Eren couldn't comprehend what it was about this older boy but gosh he loved Levi's company. "I really should get going now, though. I have to start an essay that's due in a week.. It was really nice hanging out with you, though." Eren's eyes crinkled again as he smiled, his smile curling back through his rosy cheeks.
“You think it’s funny don’t you, but after you listen to Hange talk about her lab rats as humans you get really tired of the shit really quickly,” Levi mused darkly. He looked up and saw that Eren was getting ready to go. “Yeah, it was nice hanging out with a normal person, even if you are a brat,” Levi said trying to tease the boy. He was hoping to see the blush on his cheeks darken a few shades before he could let the boy leave. “ So we’ll have to do this again sometime. Especially if you want your book back by Wednesday, was it?”
Eren's cheeks flushed darker when Levi made his teasing comment. "Oh shut up, grandpa." Eren teased back, a cheeky giggle escaping him as he slowly slid out of the booth. "Oh yeah, sure! And yes please. We could meet up here again if you'd like?" Eren yawned out quietly. It was clear that the boy was barely holding himself up.
“Grandpa? I still can’t legally drink, brat. Nice try though, but you can’t beat sass master Levi. I am the best at this shit. And is that your way of asking me on a date? Because if it is you better try harder next time,” Levi teased. He loved how Eren’s cheeks kept getting darker and he wanted to reach out to see if they were really as warm as they looked. Levi steeled his features and shrugged, “I guess, I can meet you here on Wednesday with your book. But if you're even a minute late then I’m gonna leave. Got that, Eren?” Levi locked his gaze with Eren’s emerald-green one and waited for his response.
"I-I wasn't asking you on a date!" Eren suddenly cut in, desperation laced through his tone. Eren's whole face was flushed the deepest shade of red possible. The younger freshmen looked down, his fingers fumbling together nervously. Eren wasn't used to this kind of stuff. He wasn't used to talking with guys. He usually just studied so Levi had really caught him off guard. "I-I got that." he murmured softly, peeking up at Levi through his glasses.
“Uh-huh, sure you weren’t,” Levi teased as he got up as well. He leaned forward and stealthily wrote his number on the paper bag that held the uneaten brownie. He grabbed the book and his cup of coffee and made to leave. He was a few steps away from the table when he turned around and added, “I’ll see your adorable little ass here in two day at 2pm. You can have the brownie, brat. See you around.” Levi forced himself to turn around and walk away without looking back to see Eren’s reaction. Levi knew that it would be adorable, but if he didn’t leave now he wouldn’t want to work on the stupid paper that had allowed him to meet Eren.
Eren stood watching Levi with his usual tomato face. Eren swallowed thickly, his hand scratching the back of his neck lightly. Was Levi actually into him? Eren took the brownie and left for his dorm. Eren finished the delicious chocolate brownie and stared at the number on the napkin. "Hehe.." Eren giggled, opening his dorm and walking in. Eren sighed gently. Armin must've been out. Eren yawned and walked over to his bed, collapsing without another word.