Eruri Valentine’s Weekend 2k18 Collab with the lovely @autiacorart !!!
A late submission, but hopefully worth the wait! :) It was a blast working with such a talented artist! <3
Blackout Café - A Modern Eruri AU
Summary: Levi is a grumpy dork. Erwin is a sappy dork. Basically they’re both dorks. And they meet at a coffeeshop.
Warning: Swearing ahead, oops.
“Fucking shit,” Levi swears, hurrying down the street. A power cut. Who the fuck expects a power cut in this day and age?
He is still grumbling when he bursts into the coffeeshop, looking around a little wildly for the electric socket.
“Fuck,” he swears again. He had forgotten that this was one of the smaller, less pretentious coffeeshops. It was why he liked the place, but right now, he wishes he was somewhere else, anywhere else that has better aids for his dying laptop.
But there is just one table next to a socket and that happens to be occupied, and he doesn't know if he can make it to another coffeeshop in time. Fuming, he stomps over to the counter.
“I need to charge my laptop.”
“Oh we can charge it here for you sir-”
“I need to work.”
The employee pales. “Um, I'm sorry sir, but that table is the only one-”
“Yeah, I noticed,” he snaps. He considers stepping on the other side of the counter where he could work next to the socket. It sounds unappealing and embarrassing and Levi glances back at the table. The man sitting there is casually reading something, the electric socket empty.
Bastard isn't even using it.
Squaring himself, Levi approaches the table, his mouth filling up with several gruff phrases that have worked for him before. When he reaches the table, the blond man, who has his head bent down over an unmarked bound book, looks up -and Levi freezes.
Holy shit. Levi is suddenly at a loss for words. This guy is hot.
His bright blue eyes are wide with curiosity and he smiles a polite smile as he says, “Can I help you?”
“Uh, yeah,” Levi manages to rasp and gestures at the electric socket next to the table. “I need that.”
The man glances at the wall and turns back to Levi, his smile widening. “Oh, by all means. Please, have a seat.”
Levi's brain short circuits again. What he meant was to ask the man to take another table, since there were quite a few empty ones around. But no. Mr. Handsome-Lawyer-Guy had to go and assume Levi wanted to share this table. Which he didn't, whether or not this man looked like an artist's rendition of fucking Apollo.
But his laptop beeps another “low battery” warning and Levi decides he doesn't care either way. With a grunt of gratitude, he plugs in his charger and slips into the chair opposite the man, resolutely keeping his eyes trained on the laptop screen.
With a deep breath and a mental command to fucking get a grip of himself, Levi pulls up the chat conversation and pings his client.
Sorry for the delay, Karl. I'm back.
The exchange goes on for longer than expected, with Levi having to upload and send a few of his drafts over the coffeeshop's slow WiFi. When he finally closes the conversation and leans back with a sigh, a low voice startles him by saying, “Busy day?”
Levi opens his eyes and blinks at the blond man: there is no mistaking that it was indeed him that spoke. His astonishingly blue eyes are still widened with interest, his firm mouth still has that polite, easygoing smile that -shit, the man has actual dimples. How the fuck is he even real?
“Uh, yeah.” Levi says, remembering that he was asked a question.
The man throws up a magnificent eyebrow. “Even on a Saturday?”
“Especially on a Saturday. Field day for freelancers.”
“Oh. I see.” He nods so understandingly Levi wonders if his earlier estimation was wrong, whether this man is not a lawyer but a shrink of some sort. Ew.
Again, the man's smile widens unexpectedly. “I'm Erwin,” he says, and offers Levi his hand. Levi takes it almost suspiciously. “Levi,” he mutters.
“An uncommon name,” the man says, eyes gleaming.
“As is yours,” Levi points out.
The man -Erwin -grins at that, showing a flash of neat, white teeth. “True.” He pauses, then continues, “By the way, are you staying? I'm going to go get myself another coffee.”
Levi hesitates. He really has no other plans, except for going back to the drawing board for Karl for the tiresome client. But he can spare a half hour, at the very least. Erwin is intriguing, and he would not mind getting to know him more. And maybe even get his phone number…
No. Levi is shocked at himself. He has never been this interested, this forward, to use Kenny's antiquated term, with anyone. His romantic track record is littered with casual flings and half-hearted attempts, and after Farlan, his record has been conspicuously empty for a long time. Is he really, finally getting out of that slump?
“Levi?” Erwin says softly, and he is brought crashing back to the present.
“Sorry.” He blinks and shakes his head. “I was trying to figure out my schedule. Yeah, I can stay for a bit.”
“Excellent.” The man beams at him and Levi feels another burst of indignance at his attractiveness. “What's your poison?”
Levi snorts. “I can get my own order.”
Erwin shakes his head. “I'm getting up anyway.”
Levi shrugs. “Oolong tea.”
Erwin’s smile falters.
“What?”
“You're ordering tea. At a coffeeshop.”
Levi raises his eyebrow. “So?”
Erwin recovers admirably and shakes his head. “Nothing. I should remember not to make assumptions too fast.”
“Meaning?”
Erwin laughs and Levi can't help but notice he looks a little flustered. “I was trying to guess what sort of coffee you'd drink,” he admits. “Sorry, it was presumptuous of me.”
Levi waves away the apology, interested. “So what do you think I drink?”
“Black.”
Levi snorts. “I drink it black when I do drink coffee so you're not half wrong.”
“Good to know. Well, I'll be back in a minute,” Erwin nods cheerfully and walks over to the counter. Levi quickly takes the opportunity to check out his appearance in the laptop screen, making sure his hair isn't too ruffled or that there isn't anything stuck between his teeth. When he is done with that, he sneaks glances at the counter over the top of his laptop. Erwin is massive: tall and powerfully built, he looks like he spends his free time pressing weights at the gym.
Damn.
Levi quickly switches to his phone and pretends to be browsing it when Erwin returns to the table. He places Levi's drink down with unnecessary grace before taking his earlier seat.
“Thanks,” Levi grunts, to which Erwin responds with another smile. “My pleasure.”
Ugh. Does he ever not smile?
They take a few sips of their drinks in silence, before Erwin thankfully breaks it. “So what sort of freelancing do you do, Levi?”
“I'm an architect.”
“Really?” Erwin looks inordinately interested. “Sounds glamorous.”
Levi can't help it, he lets out a bark of laughter. “Yeah, right. It basically involves drawing lines all day.”
“I'm sure there's more to it,” Erwin insists, leaning forward. “As far as I'm concerned, it's art.”
The statement endears Erwin to him, but he shakes his head. “There are some of us who would take offense at that. The drawing process is very precise and even scientific.”
Erwin waves his hand. “Of course, I understand that. But would calling it an art undermine its value?”
“In my eyes, no.” Levi admits. “But I draw for a hobby and maybe that makes me biased.”
“Did you draw that?” Erwin asks, his eyes gleaming. Levi looks down at his left arm, where most of his tattoo is peeking below the sleeve of his t-shirt. When Levi nods, Erwin hesitates and asks, “May I…?”
Levi can't help but feel a little self-conscious as he tugs up the sleeve. He's been asked this a dozen times before, so the request isn't exactly new. However, this is Erwin he's showing it to. Erwin, the real-life model, the hunk, the first man he has been genuinely interested in for years now. He remembers that this intense, insane pressure is why he hated dating to begin with.
Erwin’s eyes trace the rose curling down his arm, its vines twisting around a plain, sharp sword. It is filled with simple colours, the lines are basic, and the personal sentiment is evident only to him. He wonders what Erwin thinks of it.
“Stunning,” Erwin murmurs, and Levi hurriedly sips some tea to hide the heat in his cheeks.
“Thanks,” he mutters when he feels it is safe to show his face again. “It's my early work, though.”
“It's… absolutely perfect,” Erwin says, his voice still low.
That seems to break the spell, and Levi snorts. “What, really? ‘Perfection’ is a myth.”
“Perfection is subjective,” Erwin corrects him, that curious gleam still in his eyes. “Much like art.”
To that he has nothing to say. Meanwhile Erwin digs in his pockets and pulls out a surprisingly worn leather wallet. He plucks out a card and says, “Maybe this will substantiate my words. I'm an editor at a publishing house.” Levi takes the card, his heart thudding. “Maybe you've heard of us?”
Wings of Freedom Press. Levi has heard of them: an old company, going back decades, but not one of the big names. The title under the neat “Erwin Smith” simply says 'Editor’.
“I've heard of you,” Levi confirms. His chest is feeling more and more hollow with every passing second and the reason makes itself known with Erwin's next words.
“When I say 'perfect’ I mean it's exactly what I've had in mind for our next publication. We've been looking for an illustrator, and, at the risk of repeating myself, your art would be perfect for the book.”
A business proposition was all Erwin had in mind, nothing more. Levi feels like he could kick himself in the ass all the way home, the physical impossibility of it be damned.
“You just saw my tattoo. That's enough for you to make a decision?” He asks, stalling. Though the attraction is clearly one-sided, Levi feels resentful and badly wants to decline the offer. He only hesitates because this offer could be lucrative in the long run.
Just that, of course. No other reason.
“Art styles change over the years but remain, in essence, the same. I -let’s just say I have a good feeling about this.” Erwin says smoothly. “I can only say so much, but I urge you to consider it. I think you'll like what we can offer to you, and we would be thrilled to have you as a part of the team.”
“I already have a client.”
“Of course. If it doesn't take more than two months of your time to finish your contract with your current client, the offer is still open.”
Karl and his problematic specifications would be gone in two weeks at the most. That left him with little to no excuses for refusing Erwin.
“I understand that this is unconventional,” Erwin goes on, seemingly unaware of Levi's growing antipathy. “You can, of course, email me a portfolio of a few select works. We should be able to draw up a formal offer soon enough.”
Levi grits his teeth, still fingering the card. He wants to ask if he would have to work closely with Erwin but can't bring himself to say it. He doesn't know what he wants the answer to be, in any case.
“I'll think about it,” he manages finally. He doesn't want to make a choice now, when his emotions are all in a fucking mess, and regret it later.
Erwin suddenly seems to realise that he is sitting with a stranger in a coffeeshop. “Fair enough.” He swigs down the rest of his coffee and says, a little nervously, “I'm sorry if I came on too strong. I just -am very impressed by your skills and wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity to work with you.”
Stop. Just fucking stop. Levi wants to scream at the man, but he knows it is immature and unfair of him. Erwin wasn't flirting with him in the slightest, he sees that now. On the other hand, Erwin does seem genuinely impressed, and how can Levi blame him if he sees a business opportunity in that?
“Right.” Levi finds his teacup empty, and stands up. “Thanks for the tea.”
“Oh. You're welcome.” Surprised, Erwin stands up, too.
Levi hesitates, then offers him his hand. “Nice talking to you.”
Erwin’s face is almost unrecognisable, a stiff, polite mask. “And you.”
With a small, final nod, Levi gathers up his laptop and charger, and marches away. When he steps into the street, he stops for a moment, trying to remember if he's run out of cigarettes at home.
“Levi!” The coffeeshop's doors swing open behind him and Erwin strides out. “I forgot -is there any way I can contact you?”
Too surprised by Erwin's sudden reappearance, Levi nods. “Uh, yeah. Hang on.” He gropes in his pocket and finds his card case. Plucking one out, he hands it to Erwin, who squints at it as though it holds very important instructions. “And… this is your personal phone?”
Levi raises an eyebrow. “Yeah.”
“Then, would it be alright if I contacted you on this number? Outside of work?”
Levi stares at him for the full moment it takes him to realise what Erwin is implying. “Are you asking me out?” He asks him point-blank.
A now-familiar smile spreads on Erwin's face. “Yes, I am.”
Levi's heart is thudding erratically again, the hollowness from before replaced by so much warmth he feels like he could melt right there on Erwin's dress shoes. (And who the fuck wears dress shoes on a Saturday?)
“Wow,” he comments. “You hire people better than you ask them out.”
Erwin chuckles and Levi notices the slightly pink hue of his cheeks. Is Erwin Smith, the real-life model, the hunk, blushing? Well, damn.
“I'm a little rusty,” Erwin admits. “And a lot more used to hiring people.”
“Clearly.”
“So, is that a yes?”
Levi gives him a contemplative look, taking in the deep blue eyes, and the strong shoulders, and the trim waist. “It's a maybe,” he begins, and does not miss the disappointed flash in his eyes before finishing his sentence, “for the illustration gig. You can definitely buy me another drink.”
Erwin’s face lights up so quickly Levi nearly laughs. The man is like a fucking Labrador. “I'll text you, then.”
“Perfect.” Levi throws him a last smirk before walking away, fighting the urge to skip like a demented child, the expression on Erwin's face bringing an unnaturally sunny smile on his own.
Power cuts, Levi decides, are really fucking underrated.
A/N: My knowledge of architects and their work is very, very basic. Hopefully I haven’t misrepresented you guys!
Thanks again @autiacorart for so beautifully capturing the essence of my story in your art! And thank you all for reading!