The Ereri Project!

Hands (Blind)

The coffee shop is unusually crowded today. Levi really ought to take his coffee back to the office instead of sitting here, but he'd much rather have his half-hour break away from his exhausting co-workers.

Levi looks at his watch, at nine-fifteen on the nose in walks the blind boy, tapping his walking stick in front of him as he goes. "Excuse me," the boy has to say a few times, flustered and embarrassed.

Levi watches in intrigue, as he does every day. The boy always comes in here. And he always takes the same table in the corner by the window.

Levi surprised himself with the amount of attention he's given to the disabled stranger.

He usually hates everyone he sees but for some reason, he's entirely captivated by this boy; with his moptop hair and black sunglasses.

When the boy gets his order, Levi realizes every table in the shop is taken.

He doesn't know what possess him to do it, but he stands and touches the boy's shoulder to get his attention.

"Sorry to bother you," Levi says, once he realizes the boy has actually given him his attention. "But all the tables are already taken so I wanted to invite you to sit with me."

"Oh," the boy smiles. "Thank you, that's very kind."

Levi takes his hand to lead him over and helps the boy sit. "What?" he asks when he realizes the boy is smiling at him.

"Nothing," the boy replies. "You just have unusually gentle hands for a man. I thought you were a woman until you spoke."

Levi's cheeks flush. "Gee, thanks. Way to insult the guy who just offered you a place at his table."

The boy giggles. "It wasn't meant as an insult, gentle hands mean gentle hearts, after all."

Levi rolls his eyes. "I'm Levi, by the way."

"Ah ha," he replies cockily. "So you're the man the barista says is always staring at me. I'm Eren." They shake hands, despite Levi's embarrassment at being found out. "So I guess that means you come here every day too?"

"I come here during my first break from work."

"It's only like nine in the morning, when do you start work?"

"Seven."

"Jesus, I haven't had to be anywhere that early since high school."

"So you are out of high school?"

"Duh, how old did you think I was?"

"You just look like a teenager is all."

Eren makes a face. "Now look who's throwing insults, I'm twenty-three."

"You should take pride in your youth while you've got it."

Eren cocks an eyebrow Levi sees over his sunglasses. "Oh? So how old are you then?"

"Twenty-nine."

Eren snorts a laugh. "That's barely old at all."

"But I'm almost thirty."

"So? People are living into their eighties and nineties now, you've barely lived half your life yet."

"You seem very optimistic."

"I'm was a motivational speaker for a while, I'm good at being optimistic."

"So you're not a motivational speaker now?"

"Nope, I'm a writer."

"A writer?"

"What? A blind man can't write? Voice recognition software is a godsend, lemme tell ya'."

"What do you write then?"

"Are you familiar with the series The Titan Lands?"

"Yes."

"Wrote the first one when I was fifteen."

Levi's jaw drops. "No way."

Eren nods, smiling. "Yeah, no one believe it at first. How could a blind kid write a novel not about blindness. I read a lot, you know, and I wasn't always blind so I kind of remember was some things looked like."

"My best friend would kill me if she knew I met you."

"She's a fan?"

"Big time."

Eren laughs. "Well, if you bring her with you on your next break I'd be glad to meet her."

Levi smiles. "Assuming I'd like to sit with you again."

Eren smirks. "Why wouldn't you?"

Levi shrugs, but realizes Eren couldn't see the motion. "I dunno," he replies.

Eren laughs again. "So it's a date," he says, getting up. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely," Levi replies.