Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Levi comes home from work and notices a faint light coming from the gap under his apartment room. He trudges and slowly opens the door. Worn out boots, widely opened bag greets him together with his red welcome mat. Purple hyacinths wrapped in kraft paper is sitting on his coffee table, too bright for its own good to be unnoticed.
He’s sleeping on the couch again, face buried in the cushions arms and legs splayed over, hoodie and shirt discarded, the steady rise and fall of his back is hardly discernible beneath the low light afforded by the lamp.
Levi loosens his tie, picks up the flowers and heads to kitchen, filling up the forgotten vase with tap. He could not remember the last time the ceramic had flowers. Purchasing things as such wasn’t even his idea and as a rule, he never won against him.
He places it in the counter, fixes himself a drink and leans on the door of his balcony. The Indian music a few blocks away is loud in the soft squeeze of the evening silence. He fills his lungs with the crisp autumn air and nicotine, breathes out fog and ripples of smoke. He swallows a mouthful of scotch leaving a burning stripe down his throat, settling in his stomach, does nothing to soothe the overwhelming feeling there.
“The key,” comes the voice of Eren, hoarse. “is still there.” He yawns, eyes still hooded beneath heavy lids.
“So, you’re a burglar now?”
“Didn’t you left it there for me to find?” Eren says as he pushes himself upright. A playful grin stretches over his face of being right.
Levi shrugs. He’s won this argument again. Only because Levi is too tired to fight him on it. Though, he could not count the times he attempted to take the key above the door frame, but he makes it a bad habit to make petty excuses not to take it.
“You’re smoking.”
Levi ignores his remark, heads to the kitchen for a can of beer. By the time Levi returns, Eren is slouched on the couch, scratching his stomach and the back of his neck absentmindedly. His messy long brown locks falls on his face.
He tilts his chin towards his feet. “Red and green socks?”
Eren chuckles. “Yeah. They feel the same.” He says, pulling his hair into a messy man bun. Levi takes in the way Eren struggles with the hair tie, diverts his gaze.
“I bought you tea. Went for the tin containers, the lady said they’re the best. I think you’ll love them.”
He hums in response.
“Did you missed me?”
“Sure.” He chokes on his reply. He steps out forward and leans on the iron banister, he takes a deep drag and lets the smoke gush vicious from his teeth and grimaces. The fizzle of malted barley and tobacco will definitely linger in his mouth for a while.
Eren is quiet as he closes their proximity, he wants to move but instead, he holds his breath and registers the familiar stirring warmth flowing from Eren’s body against the white thin fabric of his dress shirt. His arms slithers their way to Levi’s waist enclosing him in a sloppy hug, burying his chin on his hair. He inhales Eren’s scent, exhales toxins. For once Eren is not a disembodied voice on the other end of the phone but right behind him, breathing, flesh and bones.
“I missed you, Levi.”
Eren sends Levi’s heart in a turbulent riot, his head starts to swim in a state of catatonia. For a minute or two, there wasn’t a sound.
“Cigarette is not good for your health.” Eren says, breaking the silence. Only then Levi realises that the air is biting cold, the cigarette between his lips is vanishing and aware of the dramatic beating of his heart beneath his thin skin.
“Let’s go inside.” Levi reluctantly withdraws his body from Eren, hollowing his cheeks in on the cigarette until the flicker of orange disappears, he huffs and watches the white smoke flood out of his mouth.
“Do you mind if I sleep in your bed?”
“No.” He waves a hand dismissively. “Take the bed. I have to do something.”
“Pulling up an all nighter? It’s past twelve. You never sleep later that that.” Eren leans on the wall, observing him as he pulls out his laptop from his bag.
Little did he know, insomnia has been Levi’s little friend, a monster that gnaws and religiously reminds him that he should be contented of what Eren offers him—tea, flowers, time or even feelings—for they’re not in a relationship after all.
“I need to finish this presentation.” He lies.
“Okay. Don’t push yourself old man.” Eren presses his lips into a thin line then smiles, punctuating his last words.
He shakes his head, the ghost of a smile flickers across Levi’s lips.
“Come to bed when you’re done with that.”
❁ ❁ ❁
He memorised the cracks of the ceiling before his alarm rings. Eren is snoring lightly beside him, loose arms around Levi’s waist, slackened with sleep. Levi cautiously rolls out of bed. For a few seconds he does nothing and just sits there, studying the contours of Eren’s face. He looks decades old with mustache and goatee, except he’s the type to watch cartoons after a depressing or horror movie, takes pleasure in drinking hot chocolate during summer and enjoys reading comic books under the sheets.
He pushes Eren’s brown locks that falls on his face. As he watches Eren, he wonders how long will he stay and how long until he disappears again. He cares to know but he has never asked.
He heaves a quiet sigh. He should know by now that this is Eren, the boy who has a knack for running away. When he disappears Levi has no idea where he’s gone or how long he’s planning to go. Only leaves clump of small, bright blue flowers. Eren is fond of them—flowers and their significance. Like a mystery. Eren once said.
The first time Eren left, he was back in a month. The last time Eren left was two years ago. If Levi can draw any kind of projection from this it wouldn’t be one he wants to think about, not with the nomadic way that Eren packs—nothing other than the clothes on his back and a plastic bag of paint bottles and an old, wrinkled and washed out photo of their first date in the pocket of his jacket—which Levi likes to think is there not on purpose but because he’s forgotten to throw it away.
He plants a kiss on Eren’s forehead. Eren stirs but doesn’t wake. Levi’s five o’clock alarm rings, a cue for him to start his day. He picks up the pillow on the floor, tucks it back and draws up the covers around Eren. He takes his phone from the table lamp, he checks the weather forecast, his e-mail. He finds a text from Petra, saying she’s bought a lovely dress and is looking forward tonight. He apologises and deletes their conversation.
Levi draws the curtain open letting the light of dawn illuminate the room. He picks up Eren’s clothes then walks to the kitchen, purple hyacinths greets him while doing its job to be pretty, ignoring the strong urge to find out what they mean. He cooks breakfast. He cannot remember the last time he cooked for two, it feels strange, although not bad.
He leaves Eren’s food on the table and double checks everything before leaving; the stove, the tap and the boy sleeping soundly in his room.