Monachopsis Tea 《Levi x Reader AU》

Falling For The Tea Man

"Good morning!" I cheered opening the door to the cafe. "How did you sleep?" I asked sitting across from Levi at one of the tables as he drank his black tea.

"Fine." He answered tiredly sipping his tea. He sure held his cup weird, to each their own I guess.

"Did you not sleep well?" I asked looking at him curiously.

"No, I'm an insomniac." He put his tea down to look at me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." I frowned slightly.

"Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault." He stood up taking his teacup to the back.

I followed after him. "I know but still. Sometimes when something is no ones fault, it's nice to hear someone apologize for the world."

"I guess that makes sense." Levi washed his teacup and put it away.

"I don't know if I've ever actually had the tea here, since I work here I should probably try it, you know Incase someone asks for recommendations?" I asked hoping he'd get the hint.

"Do you want some tea y/n?" He asked looking at me.

"I'd love some, thanks for offering!" I smiled happily at him.

"Why kind do you want?" He asked starting to boil some water for me. "We have the shop tea and the worker tea, they're the exact same. I just buy them separately so we don't drink our costumer stock."

"That's actually really smart." I complemented him, now that I thought about it, whenever I wanted a book I would just take it from my store. "I'm fine with any tea."

He nodded and shooed me out of the kitchen. "I'll bring it out once it's done."

"You don't want any help? Because I'm happy to help if you want me too." I stayed looking at him. "Or I can just keep you company?" I wanted to stay with him, I didn't know why but I wanted to be wherever he was.

"No, it's fine you can go sit down." Nodding as I looked down at the floor feeling somewhat sad, turning on my heel I walked out of the kitchen like he asked me to.

Taking a seat at the counter by the window, I looked out thinking. Did he regret combining businesses? Is he mad at me? Did I do something wrong or to upset him? The more I thought about it the sadder I felt.

Maybe he's just scared of getting close to someone. For a long time I was scared of the world, I was scared to let anyone into my life, I thought they would leave me, like my parents did. I spent several years alone, in isolation, in fear.

My walls were so high it would take a colossal titan to break them. But eventually I opened my store, I felt so melancholy alone, then one day, a costumer came in looking for a book about the ocean, he came almost daily looking for different books. He would talk with me and was always so kind.

Shortly after that I moved in with Hange, she somehow got me to open my walls, even if just a little bit, it was enough for her and a few others to squeeze into.

Maybe he's like me, with the constant feeling of monachopsis. Perhaps he just needs someone to open his walls and show him the world again.

So many people have stepped out of my life, and it hurt. A lot. But meeting Hange and Armin and all my friends I've learned an important lesson. People need people. No matter how much it can hurt sometimes.

I wanted to help him, and I thought I figured out why I wanted to be around him so much, because he was just like me.

I brushed off the feeling of it maybe being more, I couldn't possibly be falling for someone I just met, life isn't a book. It was simply a fascination I had for someone I saw myself in.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard the clanking of a teacup being placed in front of me. "Here's your tea." Looking down at the small glass cup I smiled.

Levi sat down beside me on another stool and I turned to face him. "Thank you!" I gave him a big grateful smile and sipped the tea.

"Careful it's hot." He looked away as I burned my tongue on the hot tea.

"You could have told me sooner." I huffed playfully hitting his shoulder. "What kind is this anyway? It tastes familiar." I asked looking down into the orangey pink liquid.

"It's peach, I thought you'd like it." He responded looking back at me.

Biting my tongue I felt my eyes involuntarily fill with water, as a tear slid down my face. "Are you alright? Do you not like it?"

"It's not that." I put the cup down and wiped my tears. "Sorry, it's just- when I lived with my grandma she would make me peach tea, I have a lot of fond memories of her and her tea. She would make it every peach season and I loved drinking it with her. But I took all the time with her for granted, I never actually finished the tea when I was younger, now I just wish I could have another cup of her tea, to spend time with her again. I don't mean to be a crybaby, its just that it tastes exactly like how she made it."

"I'm sorry I didn't know." He put his hand on my shoulder comfortingly.

"Why are you sorry? I'm glad. You brought back something dear to me." I gave him a closed eye smile. "Thank you Levi, for the tea."

He looked taken aback for a moment. "You're welcome." He removed his hand from my shoulder, staring out the window watching all the passerby's.

We sat in silence while I finished my tea. "Hey, what if we do something after work today?" I asked turning to him.

"Why? Are you falling for me?" He teased leaning in with a smirk.

I was most definitely falling for him, I was no longer in denial. "Why? Are you falling for me?" I repeated his question back to him, mimicking his smug look on my own face.

I was honestly dying on the inside from all the butterflies, but I was trying to keep it together on the outside.

Levi leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Y/n, you're blushing." He leaned back and chuckled at the sight of my face turn completely red.

"That's not fair! You can't do things like that!" I hit him playfully as he continued laughing at me. "You never answered my question." I huffed folding my arms.

"Sure we can go somewhere after work, where did you have in mind?" He asked as I took a sip of the now cooled tea.

"Wherever you want is fine!" I smiled at him. "You know, that's not the question I was referring too." I looked out the window taking another sip of tea.

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Word count 1185