Chapter Text
Levi perched on the edge of Petra’s bed, chewing on his lip, as he watched the redhead hold an outfit on a hanger up to herself posing in the mirror.
“This isn’t Clueless, y’know.” He grumbled.
Petra spun around and poked her tongue out at him. “So I guess you’re just going in that?” She eyed his slouchy joggers and hoodie.
“No.” He primmed, “I’m borrowing your clothes.”
Petra quirked a brow at him as Levi went to her closet and pulled out a couple of items. When she saw what he had picked she beamed whickedly.
“Oh, honey yes!”
-
Nearly two hours later with ensembles complete, hair and makeup in place and half of a bottle of Malibu dispatched between the two of them; “ for courage” Petra had urged as Levi chugged down his sad excuse for a pina colada in the cramped kitchen, they were finally on their way to the outskirts of the college campus.
On these narrow streets, far from Campus security’s jurisdiction, lucky students with healthy bank accounts and parents with deep pockets rented brick houses with quaint wood porches and tidy little backyards. Well, mostly tidy. People were already flowing in and out down the little alleyway between townhouses and leaning against railings with cigarettes dangling from lips and fingertips.
Levi’s stomach did a little flip and he halted in his tracks but Petra shoved him along.
“We’re going in, Lee.” She hissed in his ear, hand like a vice on his elbow, “And we’re gonna have a nice time.” He could hear the smile in her voice and he gulped, composing himself.
It was just a houseparty, full of people getting blitzed and celebrating the end of midterms. He was celebrating. He shouldn’t be so jumpy.
So what if his first major crush of his adult life had spiralled out of control and crash landed his heart into a pile of rubble. So what if this party was being hosted by said disastrous crush? No biggie.
The music thumped and shook the window frames. Tacky scarves, likely scavenged from the local Goodwill hung over the lights and cast colourful glowing patterns on the walls throughout the rooms.
Petra led the way through the crowd of classmates and strangers talking over the music and laughing loudly to the kitchen and, more importantly, the beer. She grabbed them each a red plastic cup and filled them from the keg next to the fridge. They sipped at their beers and ventured out onto the back deck.
Another speaker pumped music into the yard where more people lounged on plastic chairs gathered around a small fire pit.
Levi noticed a golden head of hair, illuminated by the flames. With perfect awful timing Erwin looked up and smiled, waved to Levi and made to stand.
“Yeah, I gotta go.” Levi drawled and turned on his heel handing his drink to Petra as he went. She tried to halt his retreat with both her hands occupied.
Erwin’s smile faltered but he followed Levi into the house, nonetheless.
“Go get ‘im, Tiger.” Petra muttered to herself as Erwin passed her on the steps.
Levi knew it would be shitty to leave Pet here. She would probably enjoy herself better without his mopey ass but it wouldn’t be cool. He definitely didn’t want to talk to Erwin, though. As soon as he’d spotted the blond he knew it had been a mistake to come. He couldn’t handle this. He was far from over him.
He jiggles a door handle, looking for a bathroom to hide in only to find it locked. He weaves through the press of bodies, how can there be so many people here?, and makes it up the stairs only to find Erwin has followed him, cornering him at the top of the stairs. He takes a deep breath and plasters a bored expression on his face. Hopes his desperate and panicked eyes don’t give him away.
Erwin looked down, scanning him. “You look..” He tries to swallow but his mouth has gone totally dry.
His baggy tee was nearly transparent it was so thin. Erwin thought he would be able to see his nipples through it if not for the silky black bomber draped over his shoulders and embroidered with colourful birds. The top barely covered his ass, hugged by ridiculously tight silver spandex. It flattered the swell of his thighs and led Erwin’s eyes up, tantalizing.
“I know.” Levi snipped and turned to saunter away. He’d accomplished exactly what he’d wanted; Erwin was helpless, bi-curious putty in his hand but if he didn’t walk away now he would lose all his nerve and likely his dignity.
Erwin reached out and took Levi’s hand, he froze. Erwin’s hand was clammy and warm as he twined their fingers together and lead Levi through the dim hallway to his bedroom. Erwin let go to make sure the door was locked behind them and Levi took the brief moment to collect his thoughts.
No! He wasn’t just going to let Blondie bowl him over with his perfect hair and his charming smile and blue, blue, god, why were they so blue eyes.
He steeled himself and took a deep breath as Erwin turned around and stepped towards him. He threw up his hand in warning.
“What the hell, Erwin?” His voice was a little shaky, a little breathy and not as threatening as he’d hoped. “You can’t just- act all cool and shit like it’s not weird. I mean, how am I supposed to take mixed signals like this?” Erwin had the decency to look abashed at that. Or maybe just confused? He opened his mouth but Levi cut him off, “After, what, the better part of a month of radio silence, you expect me to fall all over you like you didn’t completely shut me down?” Erwin did look truly shocked now, horrified even. His eyes got all vacant-looking and his hand came up to his mouth as his jaw dropped open.
He staggered a little and dropped down onto his bed, scrubbing his hands over his face and mussed up his hair. Maybe he was more drunk than Levi realised. It made Levi nervous but, fuck he looked good doing it.
Pull yourself together! This is your payback!
“Oh, Levi,” Erwin whined from behind his hands. He peeked up at him over his fingertips but pinched his eyes closed again immediately. “Oh my god, I never texted you back. Oh my god!” Erwin looked about ready to collapse in on himself but Levi was trying to stay firm and show some self-respect and restraint, anything to not melt at this beautiful blond moron.
“No, you did not.” He pursed his lips and crossed his arms.
Erwin groaned and flopped back onto his bed still covering his face.
Levi fidgeted in place for a moment. “Did you mean to?”
Erwin groaned again. Levi was confused, curious but he was starting to lose patience.
“And …? ”
Erwin let one arm flop lamely onto the bed and rubbed at his eyes with the other, like he was trying to rub an image out of his mind. Levi felt truly nervous. He’d probably tried to compose a long rejection letter and lost his nerve. But then why was he trying to drag Levi away from the party with those bedroom eyes? The fuck?
“I tried to send you a dick pic.” He muttered
Levi felt hot and cold at once. All the blood rushed from his brain, towards his crotch and then did a 180 trying to decipher Erwin’s words.
“You tried?” Levi’s armpits felt itchy, he was completely losing his nerve. Erwin wasn’t making any sense.
“I sent it to the wrong person.” Erwin’s voice was so small he nearly missed it.
“Who?” He whispered. Erwin was peeking through his fingers again and he looked so pained it made Levi’s heart hurt.
“Nile.”
Levi’s head was spinning. He felt his soul leave his body momentarily as he tried to grapple with this new information.
“Nile fucking Dawk?” He nearly screamed, “Are you shitting me, Smith?”
Erwin sprung up, hands clenched in fists and his face all red and desperate.
“He was texting me about a study meeting and I accidentally sent it in the chat.” He groaned again. Levi worried he was going to do damage to his skin with how much he was dragging his hands over his face. “I was so embarrassed, I took on our whole midterm presentation on my own. I don’t think I even looked at my phone for a week after that.”
Levi was still pissed but he had to stifle a bout of laughter. He stood there for a while, stumped for words and then it clicked. Erwin had been all for the sexting until his own stupid luck had gotten in the way.
“Ok, so...can I see it now?”
Erwin nearly choked, eyes bugged out. It was adorable to watch him so flustered and Levi couldn’t have held back the smile spreading over his face if he’d wanted to.