AIN'T TALKIN' 'BOUT LOVE

CHAPTER 40 - TUSH by ZZ TOP

SPOTIFY LINK: https://open.spotify.com/track/6zGDIDjfDkPyNxrEERO3XG?si=afa6a2da1f954964

Eren watched Levi hang his suit shirts intently. He took a breath and asked his question. "So who was that guy at the bar?"

"Who?"

"The guy with the sunglasses, staring you down while you played. I got a great picture of you throwing him a couple of birds."

Levi shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, um. He's just a guy that comes in every once in a while."

Leaning forward, Eren tried to see the man's face to see if there were any expressions while he talked. "It really seemed like there was a connection between the two of you... did you date him? I couldn't see much, but he seemed hot enough."

"Hot enough for what, brat?"

"I don't know." He frowned. This was not the direction he thought they were going.

"Are you jealous?"

Eren shot his head up and looked into Levi's eyes. He saw the smirk playing around his mouth and relaxed. "No, I just wondered how you knew him."

"Sometimes I do work for other people. It's not unusual for them to come into the bar every once in a while."

"So Hange knows who it is."

"Well, yeah. Why?"

Eren's eyebrows raised in curiosity. "Isabel said Hange is the only one who knows who you work for. How come?"

"Mostly for anonymity. Artists don't draw focus to the people who play for them unless they're eventually joining the band. And lots of times when people find out who I play for, they automatically want something from me, like tickets and autographs. It's just not cool."

"Do you play with a lot of famous guitarists? Like, was that guy at the bar famous?" Eren rolled into a sitting position.

Levi stood quietly, a dress shirt draped over one hand and a hanger held limply in the other. His gaze went to the window. Eren waited patiently.

"Yeah. He's pretty famous. It's easy to be anonymous at the bar. He likes to listen to good music like everyone else."

"It sounds like you've made some pretty good friends. Sounds like fun."

Levi was impressed that Eren hadn't pressed him for more information. "The next time he comes in, I'll introduce him to you, okay?"

"That'd be cool. I think you both will like the picture I took."

"When do I get to see it?"

"You'll have to get naked first."

"You're so charming."

"I know what I want." He appraised Levi's naked chest and looked up to the man with a raise of an eyebrow. "I almost always get it."

Levi hung the shirt up and crawled over to the other man. Slipping his hands around his waist, he pressed his lips to Eren's shoulder. "You can be very persuasive."

Eren tilted his head back as Levi rubbed his thumb over a nipple. "Mmmm, babe. I'd give everything to you, without a fight. Don't you know that by now?"

Levi pulled him tightly to his chest and breathed in the smell of Eren's hair. "I'm so lucky to have you, Eren."

Eren tried to pull back to look at his face, but Levi held him securely. They held each other quietly like that, their breaths moving in time with one another's.

*****

Rain fell in sheets outside the GuitarBar, and yet the place was almost at capacity. People came in dripping wet, laughing with relief. Thunder rumbled low and lightning sliced through the sky. Outside the high windows of the warehouse, it threw a show worthy lightshow across the walls.