AIN'T TALKIN' 'BOUT LOVE

CHAPTER 25 - MIDNIGHT HOUR by LITTLE MAY

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By the time Eren was back in his apartment, it had started to rain. Little beads of water hit the glass and ran down in tiny rivers. He ran a shaky hand through his hair and slumped onto his couch.

After being surrounded by Levi's delicious warmth, he felt cold, but for the first time in years, he felt sated. He knew Levi would be different, and that he would feel way more than he usually did after fucking the nightly fare. It made sense that this would feel different because Levi was different.

He was everything Eren had hoped for. Levi made his body sing. He fucked like he played, with grace, but raw, like he was famished, and his guitar was what fed him. He played Eren that way, and he couldn't get the memory of the man's fingers, hands and lips off of his body. It was going to be near impossible to go back to life before. He felt foolish. "You did this," he whispered to himself. He'd gotten what he wanted, thinking it would be enough. He hadn't realized that there was so much more that he would want.

He got up and grabbed a root beer from the fridge. He sat on the couch closer to the window and ran his fingers down the glass, chasing the rivulets.

When Levi warned him to stay away, of course Eren saw it as a challenge. It was practically an obsession. But as he got to know the man a little bit better, it became more. It was exactly what Levi had said. Eren had told himself that he wasn't attached, and now he couldn't fool himself anymore.

He thought back to the conversation with Belles and Farlan earlier that night. They were on their way to the warehouse jam. She was in the front seat, twisted and looking back at him. Farlan sat quietly driving. She had told him that he was so confident in every area of his life, except when it came to Levi.

"You could have any man or woman you want, so why do you think he won't react to you?" she said.

Farlan hummed his agreement. "You've already got him in your pocket, man. Stop acting like he's not already hot for you."

"He might just get tired of turning me away. What if I push him to do something he really doesn't want to do? I don't want that either."

Isabel scoffed. "That man will never do what he doesn't want to do."

"He's so fucking stubborn," lamented Farlan, shaking his head.

Eren dropped his head, his shoulders rounding out. "I don't know, you guys. What if we're wrong?"

Rolling her eyes, she playfully pulled his hair. "What happened to 'faking it until you make it?' Have you forgotten everything you taught me?"

"This is different, Belles," Eren mumbled.

"No, Er! It's perfect." She grinned between the two men.

Farlan glanced at Eren. "She does that shit all the time."

Eren smiled. "You do?"

"Yeah! Of course." She tousled his head. "All those times we walked straight, chewing gum, with that look of fucking annoyance. People treated us differently. Remember?"

"Yeah, especially when we were scared. You're right, it always worked. I don't remember the chewing gum part though."

Isabel giggled. "That's Farlan's addition to the strategy."

Eren glanced at Farlan who nodded. "Dude! When you chew gum it forces you to relax and it makes your jaw look tough." He laughed. "I used that all the time when I was by myself in Europe."

The sound of thunder brought Eren back to the moment. Eren sat a little straighter. The rain was coming down harder, but he had an idea. What would he do if last night was as natural as pie and he wasn't afraid of Levi's rejection?

Grabbing his phone, he typed out a text, smiling to himself. Sliding his phone in his back pocket, he stood up and grabbed his umbrella, wallet and keys. It would be light soon, and he had some shopping to do.

*****

Levi turned over and pressed his face to the pillow. It smelled like everything he'd been trying to avoid his whole life. The feeling of being content, satisfied. He'd thought maybe Eren was in the bathroom, but the door sat ajar and the apartment was quiet. "Eren?"

Only the whir of traffic on the street below. He couldn't fathom his disappointment. Rubbing his eyes he thought about Eren's silken, brown skin, and how he'd grasped Levi's shoulders as they kissed each other. He scrubbed his face to anchor himself. He would have to slip back into that heavy gray coat of protection and indifference. Having taken its lead weight off to spend the night with Eren, it seemed like it was going to be only heavier having to wear it again.

His thoughts were interrupted by his phone and the ping that announced a text. He sighed and leaned over to grab it, a slow smile sliding onto his lips. Come to my place in a half hour for breakfast. I'll be waiting...

While his stomach was flat inside of him only a few seconds ago, he now felt the heady high of relief. It just seemed like after the night they had, it would be a waste to not hold him again. Sad. He realized that he had been feeling sad at the idea of Eren walking away.

He still had to make up for his behavior - when his stupid words sliced into Eren's heart and left the boy stunned and shaken. It was so stupid of him. So careless. The hurt in Eren's eyes made his stomach flip. Maybe today, he would do something special for him, something sweet.

Levi typed that he'd be there. In the shower, while brushing his teeth, pulling the sheets off of his bed and making tea...all these moments were filled with ocean eyes looking at him with want and desire. Not just to fuck, but to be with him. He could see that clearly when he opened the door last night to find the man leaning against his door frame. Levi knew, at that moment, that he was in much more trouble than he had imagined.

Thirty minutes couldn't go by fast enough. What would he do to let Eren know that he didn't just want it to be this one time? Hopefully, that's what this breakfast was about. Hopefully, for once, he and Eren would be on the same page.