A/N: I don't know much about art or graphic design - and I know even less about working in IT. So bear with me on any inaccuracies there.

A very unofficial soundtrack for this fic is Issues (Acoustic) by Julia Michaels, because that "poorly wired circuits" lyric made it riiiiight into my title.

I hope y'all like this overly long oneshot that - surprisingly - won't make you cry.

Disclaimer: I don't own SNK or the eruris. Also, most of the company names are spoofs of real companies - so yeah, I don't actually own Best Buy, you guys.

Enjoy!

Art and Poorly Wired Circuits:
An IT Love Story

Levi had never been a patient man.

He'd be the first one to tell you that, in fact - quickly followed by his entire design staff. True, Levi did not make it a habit to coddle employees. When Garrison Electric and Survey Corpse Outfitters were constantly banging down your door, needing this logo or that advertising campaign, there was simply no time to wait for Hanji's "creativity" to start flowing.

But... more than ever, there was one situation in which Levi's patience always ran out.

And that was when dealing with computers.

"Shit," he said, as MP Coffee's new logo, that he'd spent far too long meticulously shading, suddenly vanished from his desktop screen. Pixel by agonizing pixel faded to black. "Shit, shit, shit..."

Levi was the founder of a design company that worked in predominantly digital mediums - and yet, he had never been a fan of computers. Machines were both too unpredictable and too automated. Though the rest of his team chided him for it, Levi had always preferred his pencil, some paper, and his own two hands.

No computer manipulation. No disappearing projects. And no damn pixels.

Levi's lip curled, and he smacked at the system unit beneath his desk. The computer responded with some aggressive whirring and tutting, and then all was silent in his office.

"Come on, not this again." Levi's pulse rose. They'd unfortunately made the switch to digital design about a year ago, and Levi was damned if he didn't regret that decision more with every passing day.

"It's much faster!"

"The design will be more polished!"

"Think of all the trees you'll save by not using paper!"

His team's arguments had made enough sense, and his nagging, burning desire to overtake their competition had fully convinced him to go digital. But it was just his luck: on a big project, and with an approaching deadline, his computer had shit out on him. Of course.

He reached over piles of company paperwork and unfinished sketches on his desk, and pushed the button on his intercom. "Petra?"

His secretary's eager voice came from the receiving end. "Yes, sir?"

"The computer is busted again," he barked.

A tiny, almost exasperated sigh. "I'll be right in, sir."

Levi was pacing back and forth in front of his desk when Petra came through the office door. She breezed past him, manual in-tow, and stooped beneath his desk to fiddle with the system controls. This wasn't the first time she'd played computer doctor - for a 22-year-old, she could pick up just about any task that Levi threw at her.

Levi's breath came in wheezes, though he tried to keep them silent and tightly controlled. This was exactly why he didn't trust damn machines. Paper and pencil: trustworthy. Electronics: finicky.

"What was it this time?" Petra asked, as she fiddled with the reboot buttons.

Levi's nose scrunched, eyes screwing up as he scratched at his undercut. "I don't know, what it always does - it's being a piece of shit."

"You know, you might have better luck if you upgraded computers, sir."

Levi looked at his over-sized desktop that was about ten years too old. His mother had bought it for him.

He swallowed. "I'll keep this one," he muttered, a hard edge to his voice.

After about 45 seconds, the computer unit hummed again. Levi sighed out through his nose in relief. Petra popped back out from under the desk, and they waited for the start up screen to load.

And they waited.

And then they waited some more.

... Nothing.

Levi fidgeted with his pant leg. What was taking so long? He had a company to run. Projects to finish. So many clients to please.

"For god's sake..." he grumbled. He reached down and thumped at the system unit again, despite Petra's cry of "Don't do that, sir!"

The screen glowed to life. Unfortunately, it was not with MP Coffee's half-baked logo. It was a solid, all-encompassing - practically leering - blue screen. Levi's eyes nearly glazed over as instructions and various strings of code began flying across the screen.

Oh fuck, he thought.

The words abruptly disappeared after not more than 10 seconds. They gave way to a neon blue expanse, which then faded to darkness.

"I, ah... think it might be best if we called a professional this time, sir." Petra grinned up at him sheepishly. "I can fix a lot of things, but I'm no computer programmer."

Bile formed in Levi's throat as he imagined some pretentious programmer prying open his computer and completely gutting it in front of him. "No need for a programmer. Just get me on the phone with a department store or something."

Petra's eyes lit up with determination. "Right, okay! Let's see..." she bit her lip, thinking, "... I'll set up a line with Trost Buy as soon as I get back to my desk." She nodded without actually receiving a confirmation of that plan, then scurried out of the office, slamming the door behind her.

Levi sighed, shaking his head almost fondly. Sure, she was a bit hasty. But an excellent secretary.

Levi turned to his office window and glared out of it, eyes narrowed. It wasn't a particularly picturesque view - and how could it be, in their shitty, scaled-down office building? Trost was mostly overpasses and stressed out bankers in suits. Not exactly the home of artistic expression... or artistic funding. Levi had barely managed to snag the grant that had launched the company. As it was now, he was paying out of his measly savings just to keep himself and a small staff of five afloat.

It had never been an easy business. Levi had never been wealthy - he'd grown up bouncing from home to home, staying with his uncle whenever his mother was ill...

He'd worked his way through college and clawed his way up, dragging the company along with him. But he looked across the street at Dok Design, at its ten-story headquarters, impressive clientele, and slick art style.

And he realized that hard work hadn't gotten him very far, after all.

He grabbed the curtains and drew them shut. Shutting the world out with muted red fabric. When his desk phone beeped with a transfer from Petra, he reluctantly picked up.

"Levi Ackerman speaking," he said.

"Yes, this is Mike at Trost Buy." Mike's voice was deep, vibrated through the phone with a slight laze to it. "Ms. Ral told me about your computer shutting down. Could you tell me what exactly happened?"

"Right. Of course." Levi tried to put on his most professional, assured voice. Company owner, that's right. Truth be told, he wasn't much for leading. Or professionalism. Or communicating in general. "The screen went out, so I smacked the damn thing. It came back on... I smacked it again. Then everything was blue, and lots of, ah... code everywhere. Or something."

He practically heard Mike wince through the phone. No doubt he was wondering how smacking a computer ever helped anything.

"And what were you doing when the computer quit on you, sir?"

"Just... ah. Sketching. A logo. I run a digital design company." After a long pause, he added, "Levi's Logos." He'd long since come to regret picking that damn name.

Mike snorted. "Nice." Levi glared at nothing in particular in his office.

Nothing but the sound of typing for a moment, and then Mike continued. "What art program?"

Well shit, Levi thought. Eld and Gunther were the experts in that area - always wasting precious work hours, arguing over which digital art program was the best. He usually let them download whichever program they liked best onto his computer, and then he fiddled around in it enough until he'd hashed something decent together.

"Fuck if I know," he told Mike.

A pause. "Okay. What anti-virus software are you using?"

"Huh?" Levi didn't know what that was supposed to be, but it sent a chill down his spine all the same.

"Sir, what computer model do you have?"

Levi glanced at his screen monitor and accompanying hardware. Any serial numbers he saw were like a foreign language, and company names had been worn down to faint traces for years.

"It's big," Levi eventually muttered.

"That's not really specific enough, sir."

Levi's voice raised, heating up. Probably more than necessary. "It's your job to know that stuff, isn't it?"

"... and you said you run a digital design company?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Levi didn't think the bellowing laughter that blasted out of the phone was an acceptable answer.

Mike didn't exactly have a passion for technology. He certainly wasn't passionate about the hideous, crayon-blue uniforms and hideous, crayon-yellow name tags that all Trost Buy employees were required to wear.

But he didn't hate his job. It paid the bills, gave him plenty of time off to spend with Nanaba, and it wasn't even unpleasant work.

... except when he got customers like Levi.

Mike sighed deeply through his nose, trying to calm his laughter. The barrage of insults that Levi was throwing at him had gotten a bit tiring by now. Even for Mike.

I don't make enough for this, he thought.

"Let me put you on hold, Mr. Ackerman," Mike interjected, in between slews of curse words. "I think this case might be better suited to our manager."

Levi hated being put on hold. Hated it. By the time Trost Buy's perky hold music stopped grooving in his ear, he'd paced his office several times over and was ready for nothing short of a fight to the death.

For a few seconds - in other words, what seemed like an eternity to Levi - there was nothing but silence on the line. "Hello?" Levi grumbled into the phone. "Is this damn thing on?"

The voice that came back to meet him was rich and calm. A beacon of light in this computer catastrophe. Quite honestly, it might as well have been a hallelujah chorus to Levi.

"Hello, Mr. Ackerman. This is Erwin Smith, Trost Buy Manager."

Levi's face heated up involuntarily. He almost dropped the phone. Almost tripped and fell, and he wasn't even walking, wasn't even moving at that moment. Goddammit.

"Hi... uh." Levi blanched. Words now seemed as confusing as broken HTML and shorted out circuitry. "My computer... broke..." he stammered out.

"Yes, that's what Mike told me." So calm. How could he be this calm, when Levi's entire career and existence and damn computer hung in the balance?

"I'm not really a tech guy," Levi muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"No worries." Erwin's smile could be heard through his voice. "That's my job." Levi let out a deep sigh, and thought that maybe God didn't hate him as much as he'd assumed. He heard some typing on the other end of the line, and then Erwin spoke again.

"Well, Mr. Ackerman, I'm thinking our best option is for you to just bring your computer into the store. I'll be able to get a better look at it that way. When's a good time for you to stop by?"

"That won't work, I can't move this thing. It's huge. Desktop."

The line went completely silent for a moment.

"You... you still use a desktop?" Erwin asked.

"Yes." Levi blinked. "That's what I just said." What an idiot.

"And how old is it?"

"I don't know. I've had it 'bout ten years."

A faint chuckle came through on the other end of the line. Levi frowned. "What's so funny?" he snapped.

"Nothing, sir." Erwin sounded almost like he was smirking. Bastard. "You're right, a desktop will be quite a hassle to bring down to the store. Why don't I stop by your office this afternoon instead?"

"Fine, thank you," Levi grumbled, not sure why there was nervous sweat on his collarbone. He pushed a button on his phone set, transferring Erwin back to Petra's line without another thought.

And for some reason, as he continued pacing back and forth in his dim office, Levi couldn't help but be glad that Mr. Perfect Manager Erwin wasn't there to see his nervous shuffling.

After what felt like another eternity, Petra's voice beeped through the intercom. "Sir, the representative from Trost Buy just arrived. He needs to get his equipment, and then he'll be right up."

"Thanks, Petra."

Levi paused. Then, for some reason he couldn't place his finger on, he shrugged off his patchy, brown jacket and put on his nicer, fitted black one instead. He ran a hand through his hair and walked out the office door.

Their office wasn't anything to write home about. Second floor. It held four desks, paired on either side of the room. A short hallway to Levi's office space, and then Petra's desk by the front door, which led out to the larger building's hallways - housing many other, less artistically inclined companies. Pale, grainy carpeting that could use a good vacuum sweep. A few windows with blinds drawn shut, because the only thing beyond them was more brick and stone. A wealth of contradictions - beige walls and abstract, colorful artwork mounted on them; rickety, wooden desks and sleek computers with which his team designed masterpieces.

Well, Levi thought dismally, let's not get carried away. Menu art for McZackley's isn't exactly a masterpiece.

Gunther's and Eld's desks were the closest to Levi's office. They'd gone to the same design school, had been hired together, and generally were attached at the hip. Levi had grown accustomed to hearing their bickering from all the way down the hall.

Gunther looked up as Levi walked past him. "Just finished the concept art for Historia Secret's summer campaign, sir," he said.

"It looks like shit," Eld interjected.

"No one's asking your opinion on a women's undergarment store advertisement."

"... That's probably true."

Levi didn't stick around to hear more. "Good, good." At least they were working.

Hanji typed fervently away at their desk, lips curled into a giddy smile - and yet, their drawing tablet was mysteriously nowhere near them.

"Hanji," Levi barked as he walked up behind them. "Don't you have some line art to do?"

All Levi saw on Hanji's screen were the words "My dearest love, Moblit," and then Hanji frantically covered their screen, smacking the keyboard with their free hand until the browser closed. "I was on a personal break, sir, honestly!" they stammered.

"You're an intern, you don't need breaks." Levi sighed. As the years - and years - went on, he became less and less sure of how Hanji had ended up interning at the company. Had they just strolled in one day and decided to take a desk? And somehow Levi and his staff had all just looked the other way? He really didn't know.

He reached over Hanji, grabbed the drawing tablet from the far end of their desk, and placed it back into their sweaty hands. "Now. Work."

"Ugh," Hanji whined, "you're no fun, boss."

"I'm doing it right, then."

Levi would've checked on Oluo's progress next - except the desk space opposite Hanji was completely vacant. For God's sake, the computer wasn't even turned on. Levi heard giggling from Petra's desk, and he looked up.

Of course, he thought.

There was Oluo, leaning on the front desk, casually running a hand through his hair as he told Petra some generic, shitty joke. Petra rolled her eyes at him, cheeks growing as rosy as her hair.

Not doing their jobs.

As soon as Levi approached, Petra looked up at Oluo like a deer in the headlights, swatting at him until he stopped leaning on the desk. She forced her smile into a more schooled, professional expression as she turned to Levi. "Hi, sir! Mr. Smith... um, he should be up at any moment. Sir."

Levi eyed the two of them, but he didn't push the topic. Their dumb shit wasn't his business, as long as it didn't interfere with work. Speaking of which...

"Oluo," Levi said. "Go ahead and get my computer's system unit out from under the desk, so that Mr. Manager can work on it."

Oluo crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow in his usual smarmy way. "I'm not an intern, sir."

"Yes, and if you'd like to make as much as an intern someday, you'd better not slack off."

Oluo looked back to Petra, then at Levi again. His lip curled and he reluctantly went past Levi back to his office, grumbling about Levi ruining the mood or something.

Petra frowned. "I hadn't realized they sent the manager over," she wondered aloud. "That seems a bit excessive."

"Well, I don't want some high school kid working on my computer."

"And you couldn't have taken it into the store?" Petra's eyes clouded. "An in-office visit is going to be more expensive..."

Levi shook his head. "The computer would be too bulky to take in. Mr. Manager even agreed with me. He needs to come here and look at it to get an idea of what's wrong."

"If you say so, sir." Petra eyed him. "Hopefully he can figure it out."

"Well," Levi said, "he'd better not be some idiot."

And right on schedule, Mr. Perfect Manager Erwin Smith pushed open the office door, briefcase of computer tools in tow. And with his pressed blue shirt and... glasses, dammit... Levi had to admit he didn't look like an idiot.

"Hello," Erwin said brightly, holding out his free hand to Levi. "Mr. Ackerman, right?"

Levi frowned slightly, tentatively shook his hand. "Yes. And you're Manager Smith?"

"Ah, I'm not in the store. Call me Erwin."

"Sure," Levi mumbled. "Right this way to my office." He felt Petra's inquisitive eyes on his back as they walked away.

Erwin followed Levi through the room and down the hallway. His eyes trailed over the art on the walls. He stopped at the end of the walkway, in front of a city-scape painting that was particularly abstract - each building represented both a food group and a political faction. Hanji caught him looking and called out, "I did that one!"

"It's lovely." Erwin smiled so simply - in a way that made Levi's stomach flip cartwheels. "All the art in here is great. There's so much of it."

Levi snorted. "Wait til you see the office," he deadpanned. He opened his office door and ushered Erwin in. It wasn't quite the clean, artistic utopia that the front room implied.

He watched Erwin take in all the details of the room. The very few finished works on the walls - and, by contrast, the many half painted canvases, sketchbooks with half the pages torn out, and discarded color palettes, lost character designs. The walls were as beige as in the other room. A room that was unsure of what it wanted to be.

Erwin did not say as much in this room. His expression was less one of simple admiration - it was more quizzical. Like he was trying to solve a problem.

"What's the name of your company, Mr. Ackerman?"

Levi wanted to slam his hand in the door. "Levi's Logos."

There was Erwin's smile again. "It's a good name."

"Ugh, whatever." Levi gestured down at his computer's system unit, which Oluo had laid in the middle of the floor. "I'll let you do your thing, then. I wouldn't be much help."

"That's alright, I'm sure I can handle it." Erwin knelt down, opening his tool box. He examined the side and back of the computer unit for a moment, and then he began dissembling its innards with a fancy screwdriver.

Levi stayed near the door, gently closed it. He watched Erwin's shoulders move up and down as he worked on the unit, his careful hands as he fiddled with wires. Not anything Levi would know how to do... so he was glad Mr. Perfect Manager was there after all, he supposed.

Erwin looked at Levi over his shoulder after a few minutes of silence. If it had been anyone else, Levi would have snapped at them to get back to work, he should have... but he didn't.

"What's some of your work that I might've seen, Mr. Ackerman?"

"Our redesign last year for Nanaba Republic has probably been our biggest project. Most of the high profile work goes across the street." He pointed a finger towards the window - but he realized the curtains were drawn shut, so he crossed the room and pushed them back open.

"Our favorite neighbors," he muttered. The sun reflected off of Dok Design's too damn shiny building, directly into Levi's eyes. He could barely keep them open, and he held a hand up as a shield.

Erwin looked up through the window, and Levi tried to ignore how the sunlight made his hair... shimmer.

"Well, I'll be," said Erwin, a smile toying on his lips. "Nile Dok?"

Levi's lip curled. "Unfortunately."

"He was my roommate in college."

"No shit." There was an unspoken question: a graphic design major... and an IT guy?

Erwin laughed, answered the question without being asked. "An odd match, I know. Compared to my major, all nuts and bolts, Nile was practically a wildlife explorer..." Erwin's voice got softer, and his stare on Levi focused. "I'm no artist, so I've always found them fascinating. Ethereal."

Levi shrugged at the shoulders of his jacket, avoiding Erwin's eyes. "You sure have a fucking weird way of putting things," he muttered.

"Maybe."

Levi knew he wanted to ask Erwin something, but he didn't know what it was. "Did you... always want to work with computers?" he settled on.

"In a way," Erwin brushed his hair away from his forehead. "I've always loved technology, so a job in IT was a logical choice for me. A very predictable career trajectory. I actually minored in history in undergrad, though. It sounds silly," and his eyes lit up like a child, "... but I've always had a dream. The history of technology is so rich and varied. I'd love to write a book about it someday."

Levi watched how Erwin deftly manipulated the computer's internal organs. His careful eyes and steady hands. Levi - erratic, passionate, shifty Levi - just couldn't imagine himself ever handling a machine so well. Like him.

"You should write the book," Levi said quietly.

Both of them looked up as someone knocked on the office door.

Levi's eyes were unfocused now. "Come in." Dreams. Everybody had them.

Petra hastily entered the room. She tried to sort through the stack of copies in her arms. "Real quick, sir, I need to run these scans past you for Eren Jaeger."

Levi's brain was blank except for gold hair and stupid ways of saying things. "Who?"

"Eren Jaeger, that student journalist?"

And it was like a dark cloud appeared over Levi's head.

"Ah, of course."

Ever since he'd agreed to letting Eren write an artistic profile of him for his school's newspaper, the hyperactive 15-year-old had bombarded him with endless interview inquiries and phone calls. "What now? More questions about my early childhood? Or is it favorite foods this time?"

Erwin laughed softly, bent over the computer unit with a screwdriver. Petra looked at Levi like a mother ready to scold her child - which was quite an impressive ability for a 22-year-old.

"Be nice, sir, he doesn't mean any harm." She pulled several sheets from her stack - some of Levi's earliest illustration work adorned the pages, complete with character profiles and plotting notes. "Eren wanted to double check that these were the art samples you wanted to include."

Levi rolled his eyes, walked to her and plucked the papers from her hands. Memories flitted through his head - of ideas he'd meant to flesh out, projects he'd never completed... dreams he'd given up on.

"Fine, I'll look them over again." He set the stack back on his desk, wanting to ignore it. As Petra turned to leave, she tugged Levi with her, taking them both out of the office. With the door shut behind them, she turned to Levi, and suddenly the worry etched in her brow was much more defined.

"How bad is it?" she asked.

"What?"

"The computer. Do we know what the damage is?"

"Uh, I don't know," Levi said slowly, pulling at his collar. "Erwin hasn't... mentioned much yet."

"You've just been standing in silence?"

Levi felt his stomach flipping and churning, suddenly put on the spot. "Well... no. He just hasn't mentioned the computer yet."

Petra's brow furrowed for a moment, but she moved to her next thought quickly enough. "Well... okay, then." She put her hand on Levi's arm. "Just try to ask your new friend a little bit about the computer, at least. I need to start budgeting..." And she walked back down the hall to her desk, running numbers with her fingers.

"He's not my friend," Levi muttered, even though Petra was already long gone. Maybe he was saying it for himself. Reminders were important. He turned and slipped back into the haven of his office.

Erwin wasn't working on the computer anymore.

He leaned against Levi's desk. He held a stack of papers in his hands: the copies of Levi's old art.

Erwin looked positively startled when he noticed Levi had slipped in. "Oh God, I'm sorry," he said, laying all of the pages back on the desk like they had burnt him, trying not to disturb anything else. "I didn't mean to snoop."

Levi brushed past Erwin to grab the papers off the desk, clutched them to his chest. "Um, no... sorry you had to see them."

"Sorry?"

"Yeah. They're just... very old drawings."

Erwin didn't reply, and Levi felt pinned down by his hard eyes, like he was being analyzed.

"Don't be sorry," Erwin said after a moment. "Old or not, they're very good. You certainly inspired the Jaeger boy, it seems."

"Yeah, well... thanks." Levi could hardly get mad at Erwin, with his damn wide eyes. "But that kid could get inspired by tap water." He reluctantly un-clenched his grip on the pages, and put them face down on the desk. Erwin returned to his knees and fiddled inside the computer some more.

Levi clung to the edge of the room, the shadows. Erwin stayed in the sunlight in the middle of the room. The heater hummed to fill the silence. Levi didn't think to ask about his computer. Sweat shined on Erwin's forearms, and Levi felt cold and clammy.

"Those sketches are quite different from the logo work you do, aren't they?" Erwin asked after several minutes of silence.

Levi pulled at his cuff links. "Like I said... I did those a long time ago. Not much time for that style anymore."

Wires buzzed in the interior of the computer, as Erwin crossed and uncrossed them. "Did you start in illustration?"

"That's what my degree is in. The logos came later. And I'd never even done digital until last year. Hence-" Levi gestured vaguely at his dissembled, non-functioning computer, "-things like this happening."

Erwin chuckled. "Of course." He screwed various panels back onto the computer system, glancing up at Levi as he did it. "What made you stop doing that type of work? You've got a gift for it, Mr. Ackerman."

And that was when Levi let his shoulders sag - a bit more than he ever let his staff see.

"Ah God, I don't know. It's not that I quit. I just..." He looked up at the ceiling as he spoke. Wished he could see the sky. "Times get hard, and you have to go where the work is, do the work that's needed..." His voice was barely above a whisper. "I used to have dreams, too."

"What were they?"

Levi smiled wryly. "Comic books." At Erwin's raised brow, Levi tried to explain better. "I always loved them as a kid. And then I got to art school, and I was always coming up with stories - man-eating monster designs, complex military situations. Shit like that." Excitement rose in Levi's throat, thinking of all those characters and places he'd been so passionate about.

But then he remembered that he wasn't nineteen anymore. He wrung at his hands, standing up and wandering back to the window. "That's done and over with, though."

Levi felt a tentative hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Erwin looking down at him, kind eyes studying him.

"What makes you think it has to be over with?" Erwin asked.

Levi felt like shrugging his hand away, but didn't. "I've been doing this too long. It's what I do now, there's no room to change."

"People change all the time."

"Change is harder than that."

"At the drop of a hat," Erwin pressed. "For god's sake, Nile was a musical theatre major for an entire semester of freshman year." His hand softened on Levi's shoulder - more like a feather's touch. There was a glint in his eye. "I don't mean to push you. I know the big bucks might be in designing logos for coffee cups... all I'm saying is that you shouldn't stop yourself from going after what you really want."

Levi shrugged, almost laughing. The right words escaped him, like they always did. And then something occurred to him. "Where do you get off saying that to me, when you're the same?" He crossed his arms. "You have a dream that you're letting collect dust, too."

Erwin's eyes flickered. "And I'm going to do something about that."

"I'd hope so."

Erwin paused, and some heat crept into his face, his neck. Levi found it so odd... seeing him less than perfectly calm and content.

"Well, Mr. Ackerman, if you ever decide to switch up career paths, please do let me know," Erwin said slowly, leaning down, putting his tools back into his toolbox. "You see, when I finish writing that book, I'll need a first-rate book cover... and I think you'd do a wonderful job." He smiled at Levi like he was so pleased to be standing there and saying stupid things to him.

"Maybe," Levi said, looking at the gross, dingy carpet.

Erwin picked up his tool box. He reached out his hand to Levi, but seemed to think better of it and pulled away. "Forgive me if I ask too many questions."

"You're fine," Levi murmured. It had gotten him thinking, whether he was happy about it or not.

Erwin's eyes flickered as he surveyed the art on the walls again. "I like to understand things."

"Bet that's good for computers."

His eyes came to rest on Levi. "It's good for other things, too, Mr. Ackerman."

"Call me Levi."

A rapid knock came on the door.

"What?" Levi called a little too loudly, disoriented and flinching.

Hanji poked their head out from behind the door like a gopher. They wasted no time barging into the office, notepad and pen in hand. "Petra sent me to ask how things were going."

Levi coughed. "Things are fine."

Hanji rolled their eyes, smirking. "I'm pretty sure she wanted to know about the computer, not your personal life."

"Shut up, sweaty glasses," Levi snapped.

"I think I can answer that," Erwin interjected softly.

Hanji pushed their crooked, foggy glasses up the the bridge of their nose. "Good! Please be detailed."

"Well, first off," Erwin began, looking at Levi, "I really would recommend that you upgrade to a newer computer as soon as possible. I think you'd find a less bulky model would be easier to use, and it could really improve your day-to-day work experience."

Levi thought of his mother. The computer she bought him.

"They've been telling me that for years, Smith," Levi said sardonically, letting his hair fall into his eyes. "Anyway, I think learning how to work some fancy new computer is beyond me at this point..."

"Like I said, change is easier than you think," Erwin replied. "Plus, computers always come with instructions."

Levi snorted. "That's more than with most things in life."

"No need to be afraid of something, just because you don't understand it at first."

Levi glanced at his system on the ground, the dusty monitor on his desk. "I'll think about it."

"I'm glad to hear it." Erwin half-smiled. "As for your current computer, its problem is rather simple." He bent down and gestured at the back of the system unit, where the cord plug-in was located... where he hadn't done any dissembling, rewiring, or fiddling. "Your cord is busted."

Levi stared at him.

"... That's it?" he asked slowly.

Erwin nodded. "The wiring is busted in certain sections of the cord, which is why the computer kept flickering on and off. All you need is a replacement, which your secretary can arrange through Trost Buy. Free of charge, in fact, due to your company's insurance."

Hanji scribbled excitedly on their notepad - no doubt Petra would be glad to hear how minor the problems were. Not to mention how financially positive.

But Levi's jaw hung open.

"If it's such a simple fix," he said, "why did you have to take apart the entire computer to know that?"

"Oh, I didn't have to do that." Erwin waved a hand. "I knew it was the cord as soon as I looked at the unit."

"Then why'd you take the thing apart in the first place?" Levi said through gritted teeth.

Erwin smirked, winking at Levi. "I guess you could say I enjoyed the company."

... Oh, thought Levi.

That one caught him off guard. His face flushed, and Erwin chuckled.

"Well, you have my number," he continued, handing Levi a Trost Buy business card, "so you know where to find me if you'd like to pick out a new computer. Or if something quits working on you again - computer, phone, anything with wires, really. Having someone to turn to always makes it a bit easier to... figure things out."

Erwin's words hung in the air, like some sort of promise that could vanish like dust. Levi stammered without actually speaking and turned away, his eyes boring holes into the cluttered walls. "Right... Thanks for your help, Erwin."

"Of course, Levi." And then Erwin smiled, all dimples. He nodded at Hanji, gathered up his things, and slipped out of the office. His footfalls got softer and softer, taking him farther down the hallway and out of their building.

Levi didn't look up from the ground. The old illustrations on his desk caught his eye - still face down. He wasn't sure what made him do it... but he found himself turning them over, so that the sketches could live in the light a little bit more.

In that moment, he hoped the silence would hold, and that Hanji wouldn't say something smart.

Of course, Hanji would never have obliged.

"Wow. He sure was easy on the eyes, don't ya think?" Hanji smirked, wiggling their bushy eyebrows at Levi in that annoying way.

"Shut up."

"Well, well, well," Hanji taunted. "Your face must be as red as the curtains, Levi."

"Get out of my office."

And out Hanji went, laughing their head off. And when Levi threw his entire phone set at Hanji's retreating frame, and it missed and cascaded to the floor with a crack and a smash... well, that only made Hanji laugh harder.

Levi pulled his coat tighter around his shoulders as he walked into Trost Buy the next day. Petra had cried tears of joy at their non-existent computer maintenance bill, not to mention the generous amount of coupons that Erwin had left them. When Levi had told her that he was headed to the store that morning, she'd shooed him off with a mammoth shopping list in hand.

The obnoxiously friendly employees pointed him towards the customer service desk easily enough. He'd been to other branches of the store - this particular store seemed to be a cut above your average department store, though. Everyone with pressed uniforms, always smiling and asking Levi if he needed anything.

Maybe Erwin had rubbed off on them. With his blonde hair and stupid way of saying things and his smile.

Fucking weirdos.

A nervous-looking man with swooping brown hair stood at the service desk. His slightly crooked name tag said Hi, I'm Moblit.

Why does that name sound familiar? thought Levi, but he didn't give it a second thought.

The man murmured eagerly into his cellphone. Cheeks rosy and expression dopey. When he looked up and saw Levi, the color drained from his face. He abruptly shoved his phone into his pocket.

Apparently, it hadn't been a business call.

"Hello, how can I help you?" asked Moblit, already sweating.

Levi rolled his eyes. "I'd like to speak to your manager." He felt the color draining from his own face.

Moblit smiled, like he was glad the focus had been taken off of him. "Right. Okay. Great."

"You okay?"

"Yes. Just fine!" Moblit pressed a call button on the counter's surface. It didn't take long for Erwin to emerge from the back room. He nodded briefly at Moblit, who took that as his cue to vacate the service counter, whipping out his cellphone as soon as his back was turned. As he scurried away, Levi couldn't help but notice that the annoying voice blaring through Moblit's cellphone sounded awfully familiar...

And then Erwin and Levi were alone once more. Overhead lights caught on the surface of Erwin's name tag, gold shooting and beaming.

"Good to see you, Levi," Erwin said, voice more hesitant than Levi had expected. "What can I do for you today?"

Levi shuffled his feet against the carpet. "Well, first I'd like to take you up on that new computer, I think. I'd at least like to try to understand those damn things. And Petra wants me to get some office supplies, I guess... And also..." he took a deep breath, and then he set his certifiably smashed phone down on the counter, "... I have some shitty technology that needs fixed." He looked Erwin right in his damn blue eyes, heat creeping up his shoulders. "You never know when... shit will break."

Erwin schooled the smirk cropping up on his face. "And this phone just broke on its own, of course?"

Levi looked down at the phone that had definitely not broke on its own. He itched at his undercut. "Yeah, well... technology is unpredictable and dumb." He paused, then added, "No offense."

Erwin shrugged. "None taken." He carefully took the pile of cord, plastic, and screen in his hands, then set it off at the work station behind the service desk. "Anyways, I've seen tech that was in worse shape... been thrown even harder." He smiled knowingly back at Levi.

Levi's normally lidded eyes widened. "Yeah?"

"Oh, I have some real war stories."

Levi looked directly at his own feet. He couldn't meet Erwin's eyes. His voice came out gruff and awkward - more grunts than words. "Well, maybe we could grab some food sometime, and you could tell me about them," he said, and he ignored his burning face, sweaty hands, the lump in his throat. "And then I actually had an idea or two for that book cover... if you wanted."

Erwin's eyes shined and his brow quirked. "I'd like that," he said. It struck Levi how much he actually looked like that idiot Moblit, of all people. Cheeks rosy and, well... expression dopey. It made Levi want to vomit - but in that fucking pleasant way.

Erwin paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "Why don't I fix that phone first, though?"

Levi laughed. Let his lips to curve into a small smile. Let himself feel something new, try something new.

"Thank god. Fuck knows I can't fix it myself."

The End

A/N: No joke I laughed for like five minutes when I thought of Historia's Secret lol.

I don't know why this was over 6000 words? But it was? And it gave me feels and I hope it gave you feels too? Let me know what you thought, if you'd like. :3