Chapter Text
Levi Ackerman is not having a good start to his day.
For starters, he forgets his umbrella and is currently hurrying through the relentless onslaught of rain. He protects his laptop bag under the curve of his body as he tries not to slip. He’s cold and drenched to the bone.
Thanks to him sleeping through his alarm, he also hasn’t had any time to prepare lunch and if there is one thing he never goes to work without, it is his lunch.
For the last year and a bit, Erwin Smith and he have been having a competition to see who can bring the most ridiculous lunch every day. Erwin is his annoyingly attractive colleague who Levi is totally not in love with.
He is currently down by nine, sitting at seven points for the year. Scores are decided by the rest of the insufferable department and today he has a feeling he could have won. He planned candied beef with strawberry yoghurt, cheese and lettuce. But of course, he left it at his apartment halfway across the city.
Finally, the office building is in front of him and he pushes through the revolving door into the blissful cover of the ground floor. He is ten minutes late as he sneaks upstairs and is just about to reach the bathrooms when Hanji and Erwin come around the corner.
Hanji immediately bursts into laughter at the sight of his completely drenched figure. He ignores Erwin’s stupid slightly damp and transparent shirt that clings to his defined pecs. Levi scowls and pushes past them into the men’s room.
Levi is half an hour late to his desk after having successfully dried himself with the hand dryer. He collapses into his chair at his desk opposite Erwin, and between Hanji and Mike.
“What time d’you call this?” Erwin looks at Levi with mirth in his eyes while he chews on a pen.
“Fuck off.” It is an unquestioned rule that Levi is never late. He will be teased about this for weeks.
They work for the research department of some random-ass sports company and Levi is currently analysing data from a recent study. It isn’t the most interesting job but it is enough for now. He isn’t sure what he wants to do in the future but he knows that whatever it will be, it will not be this.
One of the things he hates about the job is constantly being reminded of how attractive Erwin is every time he looks up. Erwin has rolled up his sleeves showcasing his insane forearms and his tie has loosened slightly over the day. His soft blonde hair is hanging over his eyes and is a mess in places he has obviously tugged at in annoyance.
He shifts his gaze before Hanji can catch him eye-fucking their collegue. Again. Honestly, Levi is pretty sure the whole office is aware of Levi’s feelings for Erwin. That is, everyone except for the man himself and as far as Levi is concerned, it will stay that way until the end of time.
At one o’clock, as per tradition, they all gather into the cafeteria to judge the daily lunches. For one blissful hour, he can behave like a kid again and no one will say anything. It’s not that Levi is frequently immature, it just feels good to be allowed this time machine back to his childhood where complaining is normal. Now his life is filled with endless responsibilities.
Levi steels himself for the humiliation of showing up empty handed. When Erwin enters carrying a fucking sausage, Levi nearly punches the bastard.
“What the fuck?” Levi growls from his place at their designated table. Everyone laughs as they take in the lack of lunch Levi has.
“I had a feeling you wouldn’t bring anything today.” Erwin grins victoriously as he takes a bite of his plain-ass snag.
“Literaly how the actual fuck did you know I would fucking forget?” Levi sulks.
“Aren’t you just a sore loser?” Hanji coos and contorts Levi’s cheeks with her dirty fingers into a grimace.
Levi shakes their hands off him and wipes his face. Mike, bless him, is the only one trying to at least seem sympathetic.
There is no vote today as the point obviously and unanimously goes to Erwin. And not that he will ever admit it to anyone, but it is rather endearing seeing Erwin accept his eightieth paper plane award.
Levi sits glaring at Erwin stuffing his mouth for the next twenty minutes. To people who didn’t know them, with the way they hurl insults at each other, it might look like there is real animosity between them. And at the start, there had been. Erwin had gotten on his nerves so much to the point that they had actually physically fought once.
But that time is past and after years of working by each other’s side, Levi doesn’t have a better friend than him. Erwin listens on the rare times Levi allows himself to talk to someone about his problems. He supports him more than anyone ever has and Levi is eternally grateful for getting to know him.
At some point, just when Levi is about to go out for a quick walk, Hanji forces them all to answer a ridiculous survey on everything from what brand of shampoo they use to their favourite tropical animal. They claim it is for personal research which Levi doesn’t think is exactly ethical but they all complete it anyway. What Hanji can possibly do with the information, no one has any idea.
The rest of the afternoon goes by so slowly Levi nearly dies but eventually it comes to an end and they all sigh in relief as the clock ticks over.
They go to the bar down the street after work in the sacred tradition of their department and literally every other department with sad and single members.
It is at times like then when his mind is muddled and fuzzy, when he watches Erwin dancing ridiculously with Hanji and Petra, that he allows the love he feels for his friend to envelop him.
Erwin is glowing in the warm lighting of the room. Sweat glistens on his face and neck and he looks like Levi has always imagined an angel to look like. A soft smile pulls at Levi's lips.
He wonders what it would be like to be with Erwin. To wake up next to him, to spend all their hours together. What would it be like to really love Erwin, to be loved by him?
He promises himself he will never let Erwin find out his feelings. The man has never shown even remote interest in him. Or any man for that matter.
With the alcohol in his system, the desire he feels is only exacerbated as Erwin starts to move his hips to the strong bass.
Cursing, Levi downs another shot and leans back in his seat, looking up at the ceiling. This is his destiny. Not that he believes in destiny.
He is just letting the music lull him to sleep when a body falls against him and Levi jumps. Erwin has flung himself down next to him and is grinning in his drunken state.
“Hey.” Erwin’s voice is higher than usual.
“Hi.” Levi punches him lightly.
They talk about trivial things that make them giggle in their drunkenness, supporting each other with their limbs, leaning into each other as they laugh.
Levi feels light and free and at that moment, he knows that just having Erwin beside him like this is enough. It will always be enough as long as they can stay like this.
Next Tuesday night Levi dreams of hot sweat-slicked bodies pressed against each other. The fingers in his hair pull his head roughly so that blue eyes pierce him just as much as the cock that fucks into him, eliciting moans from him that he can’t hold back. Hands grasp his hips with bruising force as Erwin pushes him into his desk, the random papers and pens digging into his chest…
Beep, beep, beep
Levi wakes as his alarm blares and he just lies here breathing heavily. He is covered in a sheen of sweat and his sheets are a tangled mess. He sits up, trying to ignore his throbbing dick and the too vivid dream he had been pulled from. It’s like he can feel the ghost of Erwin’s large hands on him. Fuck
He takes a cold shower in an effort to ignore the lingering lust that clings to him. But the feeling of Erwin above him like that, fucking him like that has Levi panting and coming onto the shower wall.
Ashamed, Levi quickly dresses and does everything to distract himself from the fact that he has just gotten off to his best friend.
Levi has thought about Erwin like that before. Of course he has, the man is a sex god. But he has never had a dream quite that detailed and he has definitely never gotten off to the thought of his best friend. At least that’s what he tells himself.
Levi taps his foot in an effort to distract himself. He sitting at his desk. The one Erwin fucked him on in his stupid dream. He loosens his tie to cool himself; he has had a permanent blush all morning. Actual Erwin sitting opposite him with his stupid face and body is not helping either.
Sighing, Levi gets up to wet his face and take a break. The bathroom is mercifully free and Levi rests his forearms on the basin as cool water runs over his hands. In the mirror, he looks tired and his hair is a mess from the numerous times he had ran his hands through it.
He wets his face and takes a deep breath. He can do this. He has been lusting over Erwin for years, what’s another day? Besides he is a grown-ass adult. Levi dries his hands and exits the bathroom determined to work efficiently for the rest of the day.
Except he bumps into Hanji who can only have been waiting for him. “Bloody hell, scare the life out of me, why don’t ya?’ Levi huffs.
“What’s up?” Hanji clearly tries to hide their curiosity.
“Nothing.” Levi steps past them.
Hanji grabs his hand to stop him. “Sure. And I’m happy about the new law that prevents me from experimenting on my neighbour’s hedgehog.”
“At least Dorothy will be able to heal her broken scapula now.”
“But I wanted to observe the healing process when the specimen is injected with various substances?”
“You do realise you need more than one test subject and preferably only one dependant variable to make the results reliable?”
“Of course, but that’s no fun.” Hanji huffs. “Hey! Stop changing the subject! What’s got you all fidgety today?”
Levi considers ignoring them but he knows they will just keep pestering him until he gives up some information. “Just a bad dream…”
“Dream? Is that why look all flustered and can’t stop staring at Erwin?”
“Shut the fuck up.” Levi should have known Hanji would see straight through him and not believe the ‘bad’ part.
Hanji’s cackle follows him as he strides back to their office.
The following days are uneventful as Levi goes about his work. He wins two more lunch competitions while Erwin wins the other. Monday morning is bright and Levi is in one of his rare good moods. Something about the sun shining and the fresh air…
Levi is earlier than usual so he boils the kettle in the tea room, whistling to himself merrily. While he waits he walks to the bathroom. The hallways are quiet as most people rock up with five minutes to spare.
He pushes open the bathroom door and promptly chokes on air. Erwin stands shirtless wearing slacks that are way too fucking tight. His muscles strain against the fabric and Levi lifts his eyes intending to look at nothing but Erwin’s face but his traitorous eyes stray on Erwin’s chest which glistens with droplets of water that run off the curves and ridges of his muscles.
Levi swallows and pushes the desire to run his lips along every inch of the golden skin in front of him. Erwin laughs in obvious discomfort as he struggles with the shirt and turns to show Levi his current predicament. Erwin has somehow managed to get his wrists tangled behind his back in his shrunken white shirt.
Levi doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He must be the world’s unluckiest person. He has long ago accepted that Erwin would never be attracted to him, far less love him. So why does the universe insist on torturing him??
“I managed to shrink my clothes in the dryer without noticing.” Erwin looks over himself sheepishly, his damp hair falls into his eyes and honestly, Levi wants to die.
“I can see that.” Levi is proud to say his voice sounds mostly normal.
Levi assumes his friend has been for a run. He has no idea how Erwin has the motivation to do that on a Monday. He also has no idea how anyone can get themselves stuck in their own clothes. Levi moves to help his friend laughing under his breath. “You idiot.”
“Thanks.” Levi sees Erwin tilt his head back as he lets Levi help. His throat is on full display in the mirror and Levi feels the room temperature rise at least five degrees. His co-worker is so achingly beautiful and unreachable.
Erwin’s back muscles are clenched as he strains against the shirt. “Just relax.” Levi scolds as he holds Erwin’s wrists still. Levi blushes at the action, luckily he is hidden from the mirror by Erwin’s giant body. His skin is so warm and soft as Levi begins untangling the shirt. He tries to think of anything but how similar this position is to some of his fantasies. Although preferably he would be the one tied up– What the fuck was he thinking?
Levi finally pulls the shirt free and hands it to Erwin. “What’re you gonna wear?”
“This,” Erwin says as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. “Well, that is if you help me get into it.” He grins like that is a perfectly reasonable request.
Which it should be. It is, Levi tells himself as Erwin pushes his arm into the shirt. The material resists at first but soon lets Erwin’s thick forearm slide through it when Levi pulls on Erwin’s hand. His other arm is a bit more of a struggle and the seams are clearly straining against Erwin.
“Thanks Levi.” Erwin says as he buttons up the ridiculous shirt and Levi tries not to collapse.
As Levi turns to leave, he sees that Erwin has left the top three buttons open or risks tearing the shirt. Fuck.
He leaves the bathroom hot and bothered. Levi is so distracted by his thoughts that he bumps into Hanji. They just raise their eyebrows.
Levi promptly ignores Hanji for the rest of his day which passes once again with him in extreme discomfort as a result of Erwin’s sex appeal.