The Ereri Project!

Bench

Eren tries to fix his hair for the sixth time in the past hour in the mirror in his dorm room.

Armin looks at him with a knowing grin. "Chill out man, didn't you say you know Levi from a long time ago?"

"Well yeah but I've never been on a date with him before."

Armin just shakes his head. "This is what happens when you don't take relationships in the right order."

Eren rolls his eyes. "What "right order"? The dating, then marriage, then sex, then babies, then retirement order because that order sucks, I have needs, I can't wait for sex goddamnit."

"And this is what happens because of your impatience."

"As if you're a fucking virgin Armin."

The blonde's face goes red. "At least I was already dating the people I was sleeping with."

"And you know for a fact I have actually dated all of one person, lemme live with my life without your stupid complaints."

"Yeah, yeah," Armin says, waving his hand vaguely. "I have homework to do and you're just distracting me now."

Eren throws himself on his best friend. "See you later darling," he says, kissing Armin on the cheek.

"Can I expect you home tonight?" Armin asks, rubbing Eren's mouth residue off his cheek.

Eren shrugs and gets back up. "Depends if Levi has work in the morning."

"Text me if you won't be home so I can invite someone over."

Eren shakes his head. "And you think I'm the slut."

Eren leaves their room, taking out his cell phone as he goes. He and Levi had agreed to meet in the park right off campus since it was warm enough to spend time outside and walking was much better than paying for gas in either of their cars. Eren was only about five minutes early so he sat down on a bench to wait.

And he waited.

He checked his phone to make sure he wasn't too early.

And waited.

He started playing Tetris to waste some time.

And waited.

He texted Mikasa to see what she was up to.

And waited.

He checked the time again to find Levi was an hour and a half late.

He decided to send a text, "Where the hell r u?"

No answer.

Another hour later it was turning to sunset and Eren wasn't sure if he should be angry or worried. Without anything else to do, he stares at the jungle gym a few yards away and daydreams about when he and Levi were kids.

.......

"Eren?"

Eren wonders why he's being shaken. He doesn't have class, it's Saturday, right? Why does his neck hurt? Why doesn't he have his blanket?

"Goddamnit brat, will you wake up?"

Eren's eyes loll open lazily and he focuses on Levi immediately. "Where am I?" he asks drowsily, rubbing his eyes and stretching his neck.

"The park," Levi says, his voice is laced with mild irritation. "Didn't you get my message? I told you I was going to be late."

Eren takes out his phone and checks his messages, nothing, not even a response from Mikasa. "I didn't get anything."

"Lemme see."

Levi looks at Eren's phone and rolls his eyes. "Idiot, your phone doesn't get service here."

"What?" Eren asks and takes his phone back. Sure enough, the little icon in the corner with the service bars had a tiny red x over it. "Oops."

Levi rolls his eyes. "You had me scared for a minute," he admits quietly. "No one could get a hold of you, I'm glad I checked here first."

"Sorry," Eren says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

Levi sits on the bench beside him and sighs. "I guess this is as good a date as any."

"How?"

"Look at all the stars."

Eren looks up to see the sky littered with the tiny lights. "Wow!" he grins.

"I'll assume that means you've never gone stargazing. Tonight's a pretty good night for it, no clouds at all."

Eren takes Levi hand and they sit in a comfortable silence. Eren likes to think, in retrospect, that that night turned out better than it could have otherwise.