Glitter, Glamour, and Ties

Chapter 10: Puns Aren't That Funny. Pls Stahp.

"Cut the crap, Eren. I know there's something going on." Mikasa had had enough. Eren could tell by the flashing look in her dark eyes. That, and the fact that she'd cornered him as soon as he'd gotten home. He was sitting on the couch with their shared laptop, silent as she towered over him. She had her hands on her hips and there was a severe line cut between her lips. "Now tell me."

"There's nothing," he defended, trying to look appropriately cowed. Because, really, his words weren't a total lie. As far as him and Levi, there was nothing more than there ever was (technically). And as far as everything else, it wasn't so much "something going on" as it was "something that happened."

"You're in for it now!" Jean shouted from the kitchen. "She's been grumbling about you since she got home!"

Eren ignored him.

"Then give me a straight answer," she demanded. "What really happened last week? And what happened last night?"

Really, Eren was getting a little irritated. He knew Mikasa was overprotective, but his business was still his business. "It's like I said," he countered, beginning to bristle. "I got into a fight and then I fell off a pole."

"Fight with who?" she persisted.

"I don't know! Some random guy!"

"Where were you?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because it happened in the middle of the day when you were supposed to be working. Armin told me you never came in. What were you doing?"

Eren pursed his lips. He really didn't want to keep lying, especially since covering this up was going to result in an actual lie. He'd have to make up some kind of story, and he wasn't sure he was willing to go that far. But he wasn't willing to give out the truth either.

"It doesn't matter, Mikasa," he replied, slumping some in his seat. "I got in a fight because I was being stupid, alright? Can we just never talk about it again? Please?"

"Why won't you tell me what really happened?"

"Because it was my own fault, okay?! I was being an idiot! I screwed up and got what I deserved! No offense, but I'd rather not relive the experience by telling everyone about it. Quit worrying—it's not gonna happen again." His tone had dwindled by the end of his explanation, his fingers moving the screen of the laptop back and forth as he stared at the keyboard.

Above him, Mikasa held steady for a few more seconds before, like a balloon, her entire posture deflated. Her hands fell to her sides and her sharp expression fizzled down to her typical look of disinterest, even if that wasn't what she was really feeling.

"And you really fell yesterday?" she asked.

"Yeah. You can call Ymir and ask if you're really that worried about it," he muttered. "Everyone saw it." It was probably the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to him in the club, and that was saying a lot seeing as he spent a majority of his time there nearly naked. Granted, he hadn't actually banged his head, but he was pretty sure Mikasa wasn't actually going to call his boss, so he wasn't too worried. Granted, she could be pushy, but she wasn't exactly the sneaky type.

Seemingly giving in, she sat down on the couch bedside him, Eren still poking uselessly at the computer while Jean threw dinner together.

"You're really not doing anything dangerous?"

"C'mon Mikasa," he said with a slight smile, rolling his eyes. "Like I could get away with doing anything dangerous. I can't even keep myself from getting hurt doing what I'm already doing."

"I worry about you sometimes, working at that club."

"Don't." He'd told her the same thing many, many times. "It's as safe as any other job." Usually. "And Ymir keeps us all 'protected.' Really, you don't have anything to worry about." He was probably safer working there than as a waiter at a bar or something. There were very strict rules and anyone who broke them were swiftly turned out. "What happened last night was a freak accident. Sometimes I get overly confident." Or rarely overly nervous. Or attacked by creepy stalkers.

"Really?"

"Really. Besides, you don't need to be worrying about me." He cast her a fully-fledged smile. "You're carrying Jean's mutant spawn now. That horse head might be hard to push out."

"I heard that!" Jean.

"I'm barely two months. There's hardly anything to worry about." She wasn't even showing, really. She might have looked like she had a bit of a belly, but only people who really knew her would recognize such a change.

"You guys picked out any names yet?"

"No," Mikasa said as she leaned back against the couch. "We probably should start thinking about it, though."

"Yeah, probably." Eren laughed. "And, like, where's the Jean-spawn gonna sleep?" Because they didn't have any extra rooms.

"We have been talking about that," Jean said as he entered, balancing three plates of steaming food on his arms (he'd worked as a waiter all through college). He handed one first to Mikasa before then giving Eren his and sitting down in the chair across from them.

"Oh yeah…?" Eren hadn't failed to notice the heavy weight that had settled on the air, or how Mikasa had become stiffly defensive.

"We haven't made any decisions," she said flatly.

"But we're going to have to," Jean persisted, as though this conversation had come up on numerous occasions. "They'll both understand."

Eren knew where this was going. He'd kind of been wondering when the subject would come up. Having all of them under one roof was fun, and perfect for people just out of college or working, but it wasn't exactly conducive to raising a family. Granted, neither Eren nor Armin would mind having a baby in the house, but, even if Mikasa didn't agree, Eren could see why Jean might want to organize things differently.

"You guys wanting to move out?" Eren asked straight. "Or… you wanting me and Armin to move out?"

"We would never ask you to do that," Jean explained, his brows knitted together almost sadly. Because, for all their disagreements and insults, he and Eren were friends. Good friends. "But it's not something that you and Armin should have to put up with. Kids are great, but it's not like it's only a few months of crying and things will go back to normal. It's gonna change everything. And you need your sleep, we all know that, and Armin's going to be going back for a higher degree soon, so he doesn't need to deal with it either. Besides, it's not like we'd go that far."

"I don't want to go far," Mikasa said flatly.

"There are a few houses just up the street we've been looking at," Jean said, giving Mikasa a hard look. "Not any different than where we are now."

"You guys don't need to do that," Eren interjected, having closed the laptop in order to focus on his food. "All the houses on the street are the same. You might as well stay here. It'd be less hassle for me and Armin to find our own place." Even if they had only recently moved in.

"Eren…" Mikasa wanted to object.

"Don't worry about it." He smiled, believing completely in what he was saying. "It's all part of growing up or whatever. Not like we could live together forever." The look on Mikasa's face clearly hinted that she disagreed. "Besides, this place is starting to get a little too domestic for me." Not true at all, but he could pretend.

"We're not asking you two to move out," Jean made perfectly clear.

"Good, because we won't do it because you asked." Eren felt fully confident in speaking for Armin. "Really, it's fine you guys. You deserve to have a familiar place to start your family. It's not going to be easy anyway. Don't make it worse for yourselves." He couldn't imagine that getting ready for a baby and looking for a new house, as well as moving, would be somehow less stressful. "Give the kid my room. It's bigger, and has a lot of nice windows." It was on a corner.

"Armin's room is closer to our room," Jean corrected. "Besides, your room has horrible insulation problems." Which was saying a lot when considering they lived in Los Vegas.

Eren frowned. "I never complain."

"That's because you live in a heat bubble that would kill any of the rest of us. You're room is either way, way too hot," because the air conditioning got our, "or too cold." Mostly during the winter nights. "Armin's is much easier to climate control."

"You've been thinking about this a lot, haven't you." Eren had narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"I figured there was a chance you two would volunteer to leave." Jean shrugged, despite the fact that Armin had yet to weigh in on the matter. "Just covering all my bases."

Eren rolled his eyes, and would have offered a nasty rebuke had he not been distracted. His phone (which had a nice crack in it after last night) buzzed in his pocket, his nerves shooting up even as he quickly reached to get it.

Unfortunately, it wasn't who he'd wanted it to be.

Armin – Just landed. It's so cold here, omg.

Eren – It's gonna get colder D: WE'VE BEEN KICKED OUT!

Overly dramatic, sure, and not really true, but it got the point across.

Armin – I wondered when that would happen, lol. They better put the baby in my room. Your room sux.

Eren gaped, Mikasa and Jean having moved on to Netflix when it'd become clear the conversation was over.

Eren – Why is everybody hatin' on my room? I like my room :(

Armin – Because not everyone is their own space heater. So are we going to move out together then, or…?

Eren – Might as well. You and me, Armin, trailblazing on our own!

Armin – Can we trail blaze closer to work? I wouldn't mind saving on gas.

Eren – That's not very exciting…

Armin – Well, working for Levi is a lot more labor-intensive. I'd like to be closer. It's good work experience, but driving half an hour there and back gets a little old.

Especially when he had to do it more than once a day.

Armin – Besides, not like it wouldn't be more convenient for both of your jobs.

Eren – Yeah, I guess.

There was a slight pause before Eren dared ask his next question.

Eren – Are you with Levi?

Armin – Yeah. He actually swung by after his meeting to pick me up at the airport. Why? Should I tell him you're asking about him ;)

Eren – NO! I was just wondering… :/

Levi – What do you want, brat? I'm busy.

Eren sighed before typing back to Armin.

Eren – Really…? -_-

Armin – I just told him you wanted to know why you weren't invited.

Eren – Really?! -_- -_- -_-

Eren to Levi – I didn't ask that. He's full of shit. Don't trust him.

Levi – Good. I have no intention of giving you impromptu vacations every time I go anywhere.

Eren to Levi – I could be a pretty good stress-reliever ;)

Levi – All you've done since I met you is add more stress to my life.

Eren to Levi – Rude :(

Armin – What are you two talking about?

Eren to Armin – You really want to know ;)

Armin – … Do I?

Eren to Armin – He's actually just being mean to me :'(

Levi – How's your head?

Eren to Levi – This conversation is so funny, it's got me stitches! HAHAHA!

Levi – You're an idiot.

Armin – Omg, really, what are you talking about? You are talking to him, right? I think I heard him laugh.

Eren to Armin – Like… Like a real laugh? Or like that huffy, one-noted, "hmph" thing he does?

Eren to Levi – You know I'm hilarious. Armin said you laughed.

Armin – Uh, the second one.

Eren to Armin – That's not a laugh. That's what disdain sounds like.

Levi – Armin's deductive reasoning skills must be off. Maybe I should fire him.

Armin – What's going on between you two?

Eren to Levi – Maybe you should just laugh at my jokes because they're awesome.

Eren to Armin – Nothing. We're just friends.

Levi – You never answered my question.

Armin – Yeah, right. That's what they all say.

Eren to Levi – Oh, don't worry, I'll go ahead and answer it now :DDDDDD

Eren to Armin – Who all says? What are they saying? o.O

Levi – You should be ashamed of yourself.

Armin – You're not funny. Seriously. He's my boss. I deserve to know.

Eren to Levi – Why? Because I'm ahead of the game? Because my humor cracks you up? Because you're falling down laughing since I'm sooooo funny?

Eren to Armin – Seriously, nothing is going on. And why would the fact that he's your boss mean anything anyway?

Levi – I hate you.

Armin – It's my job to know everything about him .

Eren to Levi – Are you sure you aren't head over heels for me? Omg, I'm so good.

Eren to Armin – Well, you're really not doing a very good job then.

Levi – …

Armin – !

"Eren, what are you doing?" Jean jolted him from his phone. "Seriously, I went to all that effort to feed you and you're letting it get cold." Which was true—the cold part, anyway. Supposing it was fine to momentarily leave both conversations, Eren put his phone down and started eating again. He got a kind of indulgent satisfaction when his phone kept buzzing and he refused to reply. They could both wait. He was clearly very, very busy.

Well, until he really did get busy. It was his turn to wash the dishes and after watching an hour's worth of Netflix, and spending twenty minutes in the kitchen, he still hadn't answered. Just for good measure, he gave himself another hour to take a shower and do related things, only looking at his phone again when he was laid back in bed with a pillow at his back and an ice pack on his hip.

He was sourly disappointed when all four messages were from Armin.

Armin – Seriously, dude, c'mon.

Armin – We're best friends!

Armin – Did something happen between you two last week?

Armin – You know I won't say anything… :(

Shoulders slumping, Eren typed back a reply before dropping his phone to the side of his pillow.

Eren to Armin – Seriously. There's nothing going on. I'd tell you if there was :(

He really had nothing to tell. Nothing concrete, anyway. Even with what had been going on at the club, he wasn't sure what to think. But, it did seem that Levi was actually reciprocating his advances. Well, maybe that was a bit of a strong word. He wasn't asking that Eren stop being inappropriate, in any case. Which could either mean he was putting up with Eren because he didn't want to hurt his feelings (which seemed unlikely) or was actually enjoying the attention. If it was the second one that was true, Eren was stuck asking "why?"

His phone buzzed. Picking it up, he half-expected that it would be Armin again. His eyes bugged when it wasn't, a smile stretching his lips far too quickly.

Levi – I've only been here one day and I'm bored.

Eren – Are you usually not bored in Vegas?

Levi – I'm not usually snowed into a hotel, in any case.

Eren – That sounds horrifying. Snow is the devil's work.

Levi – And you've spent enough time in the snow to know?

Eren – Actually, no. I've never even seen snow in real life, haha.

Levi – It's not something to get excited about.

Eren – I'll just stay here in Vegas, safe and warm and not freezing, kthx.

Levi – I'd rather be there.

Eren – I'd rather you were here too ;)

Levi – Is this the part where I'm supposed to ask what you're wearing?

Eren – That's inappropriate, Mr. Ackerman. I'm offended.

Levi – Why? What are you wearing?

Eren – It'd be too much for you. I wouldn't want to tease ;)

Levi – Yeah, right.

Eren – BUT! If you insist!

Levi – I really don't.

Holding out his phone, Eren pulled up his good leg, managing to snap a picture before sending it on its way. He tacked on a winky face in the caption.

Levi – Rubber duck pajama pants. Why am I not surprised?

Eren – And that's only on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I wear Lord of the Rings pants. And on Thursday, Star Trek!

Levi – Beam me up, Scotty.

Eren – That was actually never said in the show :(

Levi – I've honestly never watched a single episode.

Eren – WHAT?! That's terrible. We should Netflix and chill sometime ;) Wait… Don't tell me you've never seen Star Wars either.

Levi – Hasn't exactly been on my priority list.

Eren – O.O I'm so sorry. Like, really.

Levi – I didn't realize you were such a nerd.

Eren – This is a cultural issue. That's it. First date. We're marathoning Star Wars.

Levi – First date?

Eren – Yup! Screw Netflix and chill. This is a problem of epic proportions.

Levi – Is that another one of your puns?

Eren – What? Screw? With Netflix and chill? Haha! I am brilliant ;)

Levi – Not the descriptor I'd use.

Eren – But for real, like, you HAVE to see Star Wars. There's no excuse.

Levi – You never give up, do you?

Eren – If I really want something? Never! :DDDDD Unless… Should I give up?

Eren practically winced as he asked, on the verge of dropping his phone and shoving it under his pillow. Rather, the only thing that stopped him was that horror story about a smartphone catching on fire as a result of such actions. Which, he supposed, might be a pretty good metaphor for his current situation.

He was slightly unnerved by how long those ellipses remained on his screen, but they never blinked out, so he supposed that was something. The response he eventually got, however, was surprisingly short.

Levi – Why would you?

Eren – Because you already rejected me once.

The answer came much faster than he expected, and he'd sent it before he could stop. But perhaps it was better to finally get to the root of the problem. Granted, it could end badly, like it had the first time, but he wanted to know.

He needed to know.

Those ellipses were back again, waving up and down as he waited for an answer. It was only a few moments, but to Eren it seemed like an eternity. He'd been working up to this conversation for days, the weight of it feeling as though it was crushing his shoulders.

Levi's reply was even far less satisfactory than Eren would have expected.

Levi – I did.

It was actually quite frustrating, Eren's eyebrows furrowing as he glared down at his phone. It didn't seem like he was asking much when it came to what they were discussing, yet it was like pulling teeth. Of the two of them, he was the one putting himself out there, baring it all. The least Levi could do was be straight with him. Eren liked to flirt, but he didn't like to play games—not the kinds of games that had potential to end badly, in any case.

Eren – Yeah. You did.

He could be difficult too. It wasn't fair to always been on the lower end—the losing end. If Levi wanted this too, then he was going to have to say so.

Levi – Have I not made what I want clear enough?

Eren – No.

Levi – What more do you want to know?

The question only made Eren angry. He didn't want to be angry, because that meant things weren't going the way he preferred. And that Levi wasn't justifying his actions in a fashion that got them anywhere—if he wanted them to get anywhere.

Eren – I won't be used.

Levi – You think I'm using you?

Eren – I don't know, are you?

Levi – For what, exactly? What do you have that I could possibly want?

Eren – You know. Don't act like you don't.

Levi – Enlighten me.

Eren – I'm not stupid.

Levi – I never said you were.

Eren – Why won't you answer the question?

Levi – What do you want me to say?

Eren growled.

Eren – I'm not my job.

There was a long pause then, before Eren saw those ellipses again.

Levi – Are you really suggesting what I think you are?

A question Eren didn't quite know how to answer. Not that he had much time to think on it.

Levi – After everything you've learned about me?

More of those ellipses.

Levi – I know you're not the "Rogue Mask." Are you implying that I think otherwise?

Eren – You rejected me before you knew, didn't you? And now what?

Levi – What does it matter?

Eren – You've been watching me at the club for weeks. You were interested in the Rogue Mask, but not me. That's what matters.

Levi's response was long in coming then, Eren's chest twisting as every second ticked by. And, for once, he was "rewarded" with a long message.

Levi – So what if I was? I like watching you. And I'm not ashamed to admit I was sexually attracted to you. Did I reject "Eren" because I was preoccupied with the "Rogue Mask?" Yes, I did. I wanted to fuck the living daylights out of you. I'd still like to. Whether that was plausible or not doesn't matter. I wasn't feeling particularly interested in anyone else as a result. However, I am offended that you'd suggest I would use your feelings for me to get that.

Eren had to read the message multiple times before he understood it. Despite its bluntness, however, he found that he still had very little idea of how to comprehend it.

Eren – What else am I supposed to think? I'm a stripper! A lot of people want to fuck me! Last night is a prime example! That doesn't mean someone cares about who I really am!

Levi – Are you seriously comparing me to the asshole that attacked you last night? While I'll admit I've beat the shit out of you myself, I wasn't aware you were lumping us into the same category.

Eren – I don't want to. I just want to know if I should be!

Levi – I don't know, Eren. Should you be? Because clearly all I want from you is sex.

Eren – Are you seriously being sarcastic right now?

Levi – Am I?

Eren – I don't understand why you can't just give me a straight answer!

Levi – And I don't understand why I should have to. I go with you for coffee, we work out together. I secured your mother's living situation. I trusted you with my personal possessions and understanding of my OCD when we went to California. I threatened the assholes who were harassing you. I tried to protect you from Kenny at that dumbass company party. And that was all before knowing about your other job. Yet you're accusing me of abusing your feelings to get sex? Fuck you, Eren.

There were tears streaking down Eren's cheeks halfway through the message, quite unbeknownst to him. Even what he was typing was coming out without much forethought, running on frustration, hurt, and defensive passion.

Eren – You didn't have any interest in me until after you knew! I don't want to be seen as something I'm not and if you're not attracted to me when I'm not the Rogue Mask, then you're not attracted to me!

Levi – You might not be the Rogue Mask, but the Rogue Mask is you. As far as I'm concerned, being attracted to the Rogue Mask means I'm attracted to you. Just because I was too preoccupied to figure it out doesn't make that somehow less true.

Eren – It means you want to fuck me when I'm wearing a mask and you don't when I'm not!

Levi – No, Eren. It means that if I did fuck you while you were wearing a mask, I'd probably like to have coffee with you the next morning, like always, instead of kicking you out as a one night stand. That's the difference.

Eren's fingers were shaking as he typed, and his vision was cloudy, but he kept going anyway. Even if he probably shouldn't have.

Eren – I guess I have my answer then.

Levi – What answer?

Eren – That you don't want anything more from me than sex.

Levi – Is that really what you got from that?

Eren – Was I supposed to get something else?

Levi – If that's what you're bound and determined to believe, then I guess not. Don't fucking text me anymore.

"Fine!" Eren actually shouted, not caring whether Levi could hear him or not. In a fit of temper, he lost control—as he'd been prone to doing as a child—and threw his phone across the room. It hit the wall with crack before slamming to the ground. Too frustrated to care, he grabbed his thin bed sheet and pulled it up over his head. Burying his face in his pillow, he closed his eyes and pretended like it didn't hurt as bad as it did.

oOo

"You know, it'd probably be easier on us all if you tried to act like you were kind of in a good mood," Hange lectured as they walked from the high-end hotel where they'd been having their meetings with Douche-Who-Inherited-All-His-Father's-Assets. Normally, they wouldn't fly across the entire country to meet with one lowly asshole, but Dumb-Shit-Kid had to go to a "concert" there and Erwin needed to close on some deals with other companies concerning this company by the end of the week.

So there they fucking were.

"I'm not in a good mood," Levi replied, his tone a little nastier than usual. One, because he'd just gotten out of a meeting with Just-Hit-Puberty-Douchenozzle, and, two, because other dumbass brats were being idiots and he was in motherfucking Chicago when he should be beating the shit out of someone.

"Which puts everyone else in a bad mood," Hange grumbled, shivering as she high-stepped her way through the snow—like a cat that had never been in the stuff before.

"Uh, Sir…" Armin asked tentatively, aware of the angry glares he'd been getting from his boss all day. "Should I make… dinner reservations?"

"No," Levi said straight. "I'm going back to my room."

"We were going to go uptown to eat," Erwin interjected, not the least bit fazed by Levi's attitude. "You sure you don't want to come?"

"Yes. Armin will go."

"I will?" the blonde asked.

"You want to eat, don't you?"

"Y-yes."

"Well, I don't plan on it tonight, so go with them and quit bothering me."

"Yes, Sir."

"Seriously Levi, you're being an asshole to everyone," Hange said quite seriously.

"Good." Not bothering on any better a response, Levi climbed into the last cab waiting in front of the hotel, closing the door after and making it clear he didn't want anyone else with him. Giving out his hotel information, he slumped in the back seat as they headed out, unconsciously picking the dirt from under his fingernails.

Even in the constantly horrendous weather, they weren't far. The drive took all of fifteen minutes and Levi paid the cabby without a word before heading up to his top floor suite. Dropping his suitcase at the door, he shucked his jacket off and laid it on the table near the door.

Loosening his tie as he went, he abandoned his shoes haphazardly before going to the bathroom. He didn't turn on the light—he didn't want to look at it. Instead, he did what he needed to in the dark before coming back out and plopping down on the couch. For a moment, he sat and did nothing. But he knew that couldn't last. Eventually, his focus was drawn back to his nails. Middle left, he could see a vague line under the nail that wasn't clean.

Snapping up, he went to his suitcase in the master bedroom, flipped it open, and took the fingernail clippers from the small pocket near the corner. Twisting out the nail filer, he carefully took the pointed end and slowly slid it beneath his nail.

Still, though, the slight mark remained.

Eyes narrowing, Levi pushed the filer under again, pressing into the skin this time. He scraped at the mark, determined to break it free despite any pain doing so might cause.

He couldn't tell if he'd gotten the filth. There was blood crowding up under his nail before he could.

Swearing, he dropped the nail clippers and returned to the bathroom. He had to flip on the lights this time, so he made sure to zero his attention in on the sink. That way, he'd only see part of the problem. Turning the knob, he stuck his bloodied finger under the cold water, watching for only a moment as the blood ran down the drain.

Soap. He'd need soap. Water wasn't going to make the red stain wash away.

Grabbing the bar that was sitting at the corner of the sink, he took it and scrubbed it into the tip of his finger, into the edge of his nail. Rinse. Repeat. Rinse. Repeat. Rinse. Repeat.

Water still running, he held his finger up to the light. That line was still there, even worse now as it was enflamed and stained dark brown with the blood the soap—which didn't even have the right to be called as much—couldn't wash away.

If he trimmed the nail back far enough, he might be able to uncover it. Or he'd just start bleeding again.

He'd think about it.

In the meantime, this bathroom was unacceptable. He couldn't be expected to shower in it. He'd avoided doing so that morning, but his hair was beginning to feel like a greasy mop on top of his head. Yet, he knew perfectly well that the staff hadn't cleaned it as well as they should have, if they'd cleaned it at all. The sink was proof enough of that.

Pulling the shower curtain aside, Levi peered down into the tub. Soap marks on the drain, water splash-back on the knobs. There was a single, short gray hair in the far corner.

Nope.

Heading back to the bedroom, he reached into his suitcase again. Rubber gloves, sponge, facemask, personal formula of chemical cleaner. Going back to the bathroom, he rolled up his sleeves, got down on his hands a knees, and started to spray. Once there was a thick layer of formula foaming across the whole tub, he took his sponge and started to scrub.

He scrubbed the whole thing, then rinsed it down. He repeated the process twice more just for good measure.

By the time he was done, he had a headache from the fumes, but felt like it was probably fine to bathe in. After all, what would have been the point if the shower was dirty to begin with? Ignoring the toilet and the sink—though they'd probably get to him before the week was over—he returned to the bedroom and picked up the nail clippers he'd dropped previously. His skin was soft and slightly red, probably from the scrubbing, but that didn't mean he couldn't focus back on that blood line.

Focus narrowed, he was just about to start clipping when his phone buzzed.

Shoulders dropping, he sighed. Heading out to where he'd left his jacket, his fished his phone out of the pocket before looking at the message.

Petra – Heya! What are you doin' this weekend :D

Levi – Nothing.

Petra – You should come over here for another barbeque! I'm inviting everyone!

Levi – Why would that make it any more appealing?

Petra – I'm gonna invite Eren :3

Scowling, Levi felt his finger itching, but forcefully ignored it.

Levi – Why would that make me any more inclined to go?

Petra – Oh come on! Give the boy a chance! He clearly likes you! I could tell by the way he was looking at you at the club. God knows why, though.

Levi – What's that supposed to mean?

Petra – It means you don't exactly make it easy. Are you still hung up on that stripper?

Levi – No.

Petra – See? Now's your chance :b

Levi – He's not my type.

Petra – Why not?

Levi – Well, he's an idiot, for one.

Petra – Oh Christ, Levi, you're going to be alone for the rest of your life.

Levi – Gee, thanks.

Petra – You do it to yourself. There's a pretty, doe-eyed boy who sees the moon when he looks at you and you're too busy being all prickly to give him a chance. Like I said, it's amazing he even managed to like you in the first place.

Levi – So you keep saying.

Petra – Don't act like you don't know why . It's half the reason I worry so much about you. You're so intimidating and grouchy, no one's going to ever be brave enough to approach you. That's why you have to do it. I doubt Eren would get up the guts.

Levi – He seems like the type that could be pretty forward.

Petra – Maybe so, but you can't expect him to. C'mon, Levi, that's not fair.

Levi – Why not?

Petra – Because you're you! You're rich and smart and important, and he's just a receptionist.

And a stripper, but Levi didn't type as much.

Petra – If I hadn't been forced to work with you, there's no way I ever would have had the guts to talk to you, let alone ask you out on a date. You're a scary guy!

Levi – Then he should nut up.

Petra – You're being kind of a dick about this :(

Levi – Excuse me?

Petra – I'm serious. You're not even giving him a chance. As far as relationship balance, you're the one with the power. He probably can't even imagine that you'd be interested in him. He probably doesn't even think you really know he exists. He'd have to be pretty brave to even consider asking you out. Like I said, you're intimidating. So you have to be the one to make the first move.

Part of Levi wanted to tell her she was wrong. That she was seriously underestimating Eren's capacity for dumbassery, but didn't. Rather, he found himself stuck on something else.

Levi – You really think that's how he feels when he looks at me?

Petra – Yeah. Why wouldn't he? You're his boss. Like, his BIG boss. That kind of a power difference is a big deal.

"Goddammit." Phone dropping to his side, Levi stared at the wall for a moment, considering Petra's words. The longer he did, the harder it was to shake the feeling that he'd fucked something up. He didn't like it when he messed things up, but sometimes shit happened and he was afraid this might have been one of those times.

Meaning, his argument with Eren. Truth be told, he hadn't even considered the situation from Petra's perspective (Eren's perspective?). It'd seemed pretty clear to him what he wanted, the fact that Eren had failed to see as much being a fault on his part, not Levi's. He wouldn't lie to himself—he'd been bothered by Eren's accusations. Hurt, even. No, Eren didn't have any intimate details about his past, but he was well aware enough. Or so Levi had thought. Once upon a time, he hadn't been so different from Eren himself, and the idea that he would somehow take advantage of such a situation for selfish reasons had irked him considerably. Even more so that Eren would fathom such a possibility.

Yes, he'd wanted to get the Rogue Mask "into bed," so to speak, but he'd never utilized underhanded means to do so. And he'd never considered doing so. That Eren had turned out to be the Rogue Mask had not only been a surprise, but what Levi had considered a win-win. He got the Rogue Mask and Eren. No, he hadn't been romantically interested in Eren before, but not because he hadn't liked the kid. He'd just been focused elsewhere. Which, really, he hadn't ever considered to be a bad thing (as Petra had seemed to assume). Sex didn't have to mean anything, and he wasn't a bad person for acknowledging that.

He'd learned a lot of things the hard way, even if others hadn't been through anything similar enough to consider where he was coming from.

But perhaps he'd been hypocritically guilty of the same mindset.

He knew what it was like to be used, to be viewed as an object instead of a human being. Most people did, though perhaps not as acutely as individuals like himself or Eren. It was a fact of their current culture, be that for good or bad. Levi was as guilty of indulging as anyone else, and probably more willing to admit to it.

Even so, there was something he'd missed. He'd been relating to Eren on the same level when, perhaps, he shouldn't have. How many times had his job been brought up between them? His position? Enough times that Levi should have known, whether Eren admitted it or not, that the kid was intimidated by him.

Levi wasn't used to being in a position of power. He wasn't sure he'd ever be. It was nice, sure, but as far as the rest of his life, he'd only recently been able to adopt such a lifestyle—and by recent, he meant less than the last ten years.

But that wasn't how Eren saw things. Whether Levi had a past or not wasn't the point. He was the powerful one. The one paying Eren's tips when he went to see him. The one that had pulled money out of nowhere to help his mother, even if Levi hadn't considered it any kind of hassle. Things that hovered over Eren's head that Levi hadn't considered twice. Perhaps it hadn't been so unreasonable that Eren had wanted to address the subject directly. If their situations had been switched, Levi would have likely wanted the same thing. He knew that from experience.

Yet his offended sentiments and skewed notion of their relationship had allowed him to miss that. Once he'd learned Eren was the Rogue Mask, he'd thought things between them would be easy. He hadn't paused to consider Eren's own insecurities, and the implications those would put in his stupid, broken head.

Sighing, Levi slouched some against the wall, further disheartened when he realized that he'd have to be the one to take action.

He'd have to apologize.

He hated apologizing.

But it wasn't fair to expect Eren to come to him again—not after he'd done so numerous times already. Granted, he wouldn't put it past the kid to do so, but it seemed like kind of an asshole move to wait and see. Besides, he owed him, really. As far as Eren was concerned, he'd been rejected twice.

And there was always the chance that Eren wouldn't pursue him again, which didn't sit well with Levi, clearly. Granted, Eren was obviously determined, but that wouldn't last forever. He'd give up at some point.

Looking back down at his phone, he saw that Petra had texted him again. He continued to ignore it, instead pulling up his messages with Eren from the night before. He pursed his lips at the last things he'd sent, surprisingly hurt that Eren hadn't gone against his order and texted him again. But, really, he'd done it to himself. Eren's attentions were numerous, but that didn't make them any less a luxury.

Might as well get it over with.

Levi to Eren – I'm sorry.

He waited a few minutes, simply staring at his phone, until his impatience caught up with him.

Levi to Eren – You're probably ignoring me. I suppose I don't blame you. But I don't apologize if I don't mean it—I really am sorry. I let my personal feelings get in the way, as I seem to be doing a considerable amount recently. For that, I also apologize. I'm not accustomed to being the "powerful man" everyone seems to see. I made a mistake in assuming you related to me the same way I do you, especially since finding out about your job at the club. It didn't occur to me that you'd imagine what you've made so blatantly clear, but you're not wrong for having done so. I've been there, even if that's hard for you to imagine. And I would never use your situation to take advantage of you. I was under the impression that we were both on the same page, which was my mistake. No, I don't want you just for sex. It's difficult for me to relate to others, but I never had much issue with you. I've always been fond of you, Eren. And I wouldn't jeopardize our friendship unless I wanted something more. I didn't mean that I simply wanted us to stay as we are, when we were texting last, though I now understand that's what you took away from the conversation. I wasn't implying that we sleep together and act as if nothing had happened. Contraire, I was only meaning that if we did, I'd like to continue to spend more time with you.

Levi to Eren – Again, I am sorry. I blame myself for any pain this misunderstanding caused you. I didn't mean to hurt you. Forgive me.

No matter the truth of it, such a message still had Levi on edge. And like he had before, he waited. But even ten minutes after he'd sent the message, he hadn't gotten an alert that Eren had even seen it. He was being impatient, he knew—Eren could be doing anything—but he wanted him to see it.

Maybe he even needed him to.

Levi to Eren – Eren…

Fifteen more minutes and still nothing.

Levi to Eren – Eren, please.

He stood, staring at his phone, for twenty minutes. Yet still, not a word. Eren hadn't even seen any of it.

Supposing he was busy and that there was nothing to be done about it, Levi shoved his phone into his pocket before pushing himself off the wall. Deciding he'd continue to ignore his fingernail for the time being, he returned to the bathroom.

Maybe it couldn't wait to be fully cleaned.

By the time he was done, it was nearing ten in the evening. The bathroom was spotless, his skin was red from the effort, and Eren still hadn't seen his texts.

And so, he waited.

A/N:Look at that characterization. Mmm, I feel like this chapter is the pinnacle reveal of what I've been subtlety doing with Levi's character the whole time. We finally get to see his mental illness directly, which we haven't before. But there have been hints of it—cleaning the office, his strict schedule, obsessive tendencies, etc. Anybody else notice these things? Poor Levi :(

ALSO! POP FUCKIN' QUIZ! What does the fact that we were all upset at Levi potentially using Eren, despite everything he's done for the kid otherwise, say about how we perceive people when sex is involved?

Entire class "OHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Honestly, I'm just playin.' I set up the situation for that exact response, lol, but I think it's kind of interesting that so many of us were afraid Levi was going to be swayed by his lust for the Rogue Mask instead of his value for his and Eren's friendship. Like, what does that tell us about society's views of men in general? There's that old "boys will be boys" mentality that we're all guilty of indulging in (myself included). But, really, I don't think Levi would ever do something so horrible, even in canon. Like, he cares way too much, even if he doesn't show it very often. Yet, still, men are plagued by this idea that they listen to their dicks instead of their brains, and I think that's a huge contributing factor to the rape culture we live in. WE MUST FIGHT THESE MISCONCEPTIONS! Continues with feminist rant while everyone that even got this far in the note finally quits reading.

But for real, there was a lot going on in this chapter, even if it wasn't always totes obvious, lol. Some of it was really obvious though. No matter, I hope you guys enjoyed and PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS!

PLEASE! Melts into useless puddle of attention seeking goo. Is pathetic; is ashamed.