Imagine that it’s the 1960’s in New York City. Eren and Levi have known each other their whole lives and they’ve grown up together, now they’re sharing a small Brooklyn apartment while they try to establish themselves. Eren is an aspiring writer and Levi is a nightclub singer working his way up the ladder, ultimately hoping to find himself among the ranks of Sinatra and Martin.
Levi works a few jobs in addition to his singing gigs, so Eren rarely gets a chance to see him, but he always makes sure to leave his Friday evenings open so that he can attend whatever show Levi’s booked for. He has always loved Levi’s voice and after a long week, it’s exactly what he always needs to wind down and relax. It’s also one of the few times that he gets to spend with him: they usually have a drink and talk for a few hours after the show finishes, then they walk home together around 2 or 3 AM. He genuinely savors their time together, probably more than he really should.
After one particularly stressful week, Eren goes to see Levi perform. He’s in a horrible mood: his manuscript has been rejected, he misplaced a draft he was working on, he was nearly fired from his job, and someone pick-pocketed him a few days prior and took a nice wad of cash from his pocket. Tired, upset, and irritated, Eren thoroughly enjoys the show but he sits through it with a scowl that Levi can’t help but notice. He’s usually so upbeat during his performances, he’s only seen him angry like this at home.
When he’s done with his show, he tries the water with questions about what’s bothering him, but Eren deflects them and instead makes Levi talk about himself while they drink. He’s still visibly on edge, so Levi waits until they have a little bit of alcohol in their system and they’re on their way home to pry.
It takes a little bit of urging, but Eren finally cracks and tells him everything that’s been bothering him, and Levi listens patiently while he complains. There isn’t really much he can say that can make it better so he just offers his sympathy. Eren knows that he isn’t a particularly talkative person and he rarely says more than he needs to, so he appreciates the effort regardless of how helpful it really was or wasn’t. He does, however, have one request: “Would you mind sing something for me? Anything, really, just one song. Your voice calms me down.”
Levi pauses thoughtfully but nods. Eren is expecting one of his normal set songs, like Fly Me to the Moon or Beyond the Sea, but Levi starts on a note that he isn’t familiar with.
When an irresistible force such as you
Meets an old immovable object like me
You can bet just as sure as you live…
Never one to half-ass anything, Levi suddenly takes Eren’s hand and twirls him around in the middle of the street. Eren doesn’t dance, so it’s more of a one-sided swing dance on Levi’s part: he yanks him around by his arms and has him trailing clumsily behind his own refined steps and movements.
Eren questions the situation at first and apprehensively pleads for Levi to stop, but his requests are turned down with a terse head shake. There’s nobody around, Eren notices, and he’s forced to let it go and enjoy himself to the best of his ability.
When an irrepressible smile such as yours
Warms an old implacable heart such as mine
Don’t say no because I insist…
It’s harder to do than he’d thought because he’s having an awful time trying to ensure that he doesn’t blush. He shouldn’t feel this way about his childhood friend, especially not when said friend is a man, but here he is, and his heart is pounding out of his chest.
Someone’s gonna be kissed…
Levi pulls Eren in close with an arm wrapped around his back and his other arm extended, hand in hand. There is a pause as they make eye contact. It’s only a few seconds, but it’s sultry and intense and makes Eren’s breath catch in his throat even though he’s gasping for air. (Who would’ve thought that dancing was this tolling?)
So, en garde, who knows what the fates have in store
From their vast mysterious sky…
Eren has the strongest urge to kiss him. He doesn’t know why, but he has the strongest urge to kiss him. It might be the way that the moon illuminates his face and reflects in his eyes, or perhaps it’s because of how fluid and well-practiced his movements are. No, no, it’s most certainly his voice, velvety and smooth and nostalgic… Or is it, perhaps, the way that Eren’s hand fits so well in his? (Does he even hear himself? Oh, this is bad, he has it bad for Levi and this is bad.)
I’ll try hard ignoring those lips I adore
But how long can anyone try?
Levi dips his head in and their faces are enticingly close, so close that Eren can feel the warmth of his breath on his lips. He struggles with himself internally for a few moments: he knows that it’s Levi’s job to be suave, it brings in business and this is surely just a show, he’s had practice and he’s been doing this for years, they’ve been friends for years and friends don’t kiss… but how much does he really care? No, is it worth risking everything? He shouldn’t do this.
Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight it with all of our might
Chances are some heavenly star-spangled night
You’ll find out just as sure as we live…
Just as he decides against it, Levi raises his hand to cup Eren’s cheek. Eren can’t hear anything over the sound of his own racing heart, and everything around him fades out of focus when Levi kisses him. They’re soft and his movements are gentle, but there’s an undertone of hunger that catches Eren off guard. He hates to be presumptuous, but it feels like Levi craved this as much as he did, it feels like Levi spent nights wondering what Eren tasted like and how smooth his skin would be and what it’d feel like to be pressed against his body. On that note, Eren kisses back and wraps his arms around his shoulders. Levi misses his next cue in the song by a few moments in favor of sucking on Eren’s lower lip and then trailing a line of kisses up his jawline to his ear.
“Something’s really got to give.”
