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Levi is a secretive creature; a cat which likes to come and go as it wishes, never to be asked where it had been and when it would be gone again. At the start of their relationship, that behaviour drove Erwin insane. It was not uncommon for Levi to vanish without so much as a notice.
The first time Levi disappeared, Erwin worried to the point of a nervous breakdown. Did Levi have enough of him? Did he do anything wrong? Where had he failed? Was Levi dead, fallen off his beloved motorcycle and rotting unnoticed somewhere in a ditch?
Erwin wasn't even able to text him because Levi did not own a phone with that capability, complaining loudly that “all these fucking texts just makes everyone more annoying than they already are.” - That and Levi’s ancient Nokia phone he carried around for EMERGENCIES, only worked half the time. Levi would claim it was because the phone was old as shit. But in reality, Levi only charged it about once a month—if Erwin was lucky. Consequently, Erwin was left stranded.
Erwin had prepared himself for the worst - to open the door and see solemn-faced police officers ready to give the horrible news. But instead, as the door rang, there was Levi; standing in front of Erwin’s house with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, holding a bag from the bakery and acting like he hadn’t been gone for three days.
“Here, I brought these horrible sweet things you like so much,” he mumbled around his cigarette before slipping past Erwin and into the house.
Before Levi continued further, Erwin grabbed and hugged him hard, squeezing him to his chest before burying his nose in raven hair.
“What the fuck you oaf,” Levi screeched as he dropped the bag from the sudden onslaught.
With teary eyes, Erwin explained what the hell that Levi had put him through the past few days, but Levi just scoffed at him.
“I just went out of town a bit to visit some friends. No need to lose your shit about it old man!” But Levi gave Erwin a gentle and soothing squeeze as an apology.
Following that incident, Levi would let Erwin know before leaving for a few days. Every time, Erwin would ask Levi where he was going, but Levi just shrugged and told him to stay safe and that he would try to call - if he had time.
But Levi would dutifully call in the evening to tell him charming things like, “I saw a ugly deer today on the road, staring at me with his stupid Bambi eyes. It reminded me of you with his dumb look so I didn’t run it over.”
Erwin chuckled. “Is that so?” It was Erwin’s way to subtly accept Levi’s way of saying I love you and I miss you.
Over the years, Erwin noticed patterns in Levi's disappearances. And after Erwin's accident, Levi hesitated to leave him alone at home and his departing words changed to “I'm gonna leave for a few days, so Mike is coming over tomorrow.”
Erwin appreciated the sentiment. He wasn't too keen to be left alone either, especially now that he was no longer fit to drive. Stuck at home with nothing to distract him other than work, having Mike or Hanji around was always a fun break from Erwin’s routine.
On the bright side, the notice of guests staying the night was Erwin’s first clue Levi was planning to leave. Levi would freshen the sheets and comforters, as well as finish the normal cleaning treatment to be sure the room was ready for human habitation.
The second clue of Levi’s impending departure would come when Levi drove Erwin to the supermarket two towns away. Levi excused the distance to be because the local grocery store was “too fucking fancy and fucking expensive for fucking people who had too much fucking money.” Erwin simply accepted the explanation silently as a bottle of honey mead infused with liquorice landed in their shopping cart that wasn't available at their home store.
The first time Erwin saw it he just raised a brow and looked at Levi questioningly.
“Don't you dare say a thing,” was the only annoyed answer he got. But the bottle vanished along with Levi a few days later.
The third clue where Levi destination was, was just received last year. Levi had just returned from his visit wearing a new leather jacket which brought out his massive shoulders even more than usual. With a scarlet blush, Erwin complimented the jacket’s fit. Levi absent-mindedly stroked the soft leather and said, “yeah, my mom said so too.”
Erwin hadn't remarked anything to that, realising that Levi let it slip without noticing. But he filed the info away in his mind, while grinning like a cat who stole all the cream.
The time was here again; Levi and Erwin just visited the supermarket two towns over last week and Levi was in the middle of changing the sheets in the guest room, so Erwin took a gamble and decided to finally ask Levi.
“Levi, are you ashamed of me?”
Levi let the sheets drop to give Erwin one of his annoyed looks usually reserved for comments like “the earth is flat” or “we don't need to clean more than three times a week.”
He huffed at Erwin, eyebrow arched up to his hairline. “What?”
Erwin squirmed, standing in the doorframe to the guest room watching Levi work, until he gathered his courage to continue. “I know that you are going to visit mother, but you’ve never taken me with you to meet her.”
The eye roll Levi made in response should have made a sound “So, you figured that one out all on your own, smart ass?” Levi spat while abandoning the exchanged comforters to the floor. Erwin was actually a little bit proud of himself that he figured it one out.
Erwin cleared his throat. “Well, I did meet your uncle.”
Levi immediately gave a short snort of amusement. "Meet" was probably too strong of a word to describe the encounter he had with Kenny Ackerman earlier in the year.
Erwin still remembered the scary first encounter with uncle Kenny like it was yesterday.
Him and Levi just returned after a night out with Mike, Nanaba and Hanji. Erwin unlocked the door and turned on the living room light only to be welcomed by a dark figure with a cowboy hat lounging on their sofa, eyeing the two of them darkly.
Pushing Levi back into the hall, Erwin let out a surprise gasp, while stumbling backwards and falling onto the hall carpet. Erwin’s head was filled with panicked thoughts of how they could escape and call the cops before the stranger had a chance to devour their flesh on the dining table.
Levi cursed loudly while he pushed past Erwin, then gave a loud roar as he charged the intruder. Erwin tried to snatch him as he sailed past, his priority having switch to protecting his boyfriend from the psychopath rather than call the cops. But Levi was like butter, and he easily slipped through Erwin’s fingers.
Erwin could not make sense of the battle that was taking place before his eyes as Levi swiped at the intruder’s legs violently, which flipped the coffee table and over, causing profanities that would have made a sailor blush to spew from Levi’s mouth.
The stranger responded with even more colourful language. He grabbed onto Levi's coat while Levi was trying to haul the burglar of the couch.
In the mist of the struggle, Erwin could hear, “can't your uncle come visit his favourite fucking murder goblin nephew once in a while?”
Sitting on the floor, phone clenched in one hand, Erwin looked up and audibly gasped; his brain doing its best to process the new information.
Both feuding men paused to look at Erwin, remembering he was there. Kenny eyed him on the ground gasping like a gold fish and said, ”Levi, I think your golden retriever had a heart attack.”
That was how Erwin meet the infamous Uncle Kenny. The days that followed where some of the strangest Erwin ever experienced. Uncle and nephew bickered constantly. Levi following his uncle around the house and cursing at his “dirty old lazy ass making everything filthy.”
Erwin did rather enjoy Kenny's stay at their home, mostly because he was able to learn things of Levi's past.
One evening Kenny let slip that Levi had stayed with his Uncle for a few years of his childhood while his mother was out of town working. Erwin gobbled up every bit of information he could gather, knowing next to nothing about Levi’s past.
Kenny left some days later, only after Levi complained he would suffer a stroke if he had to bear the shit old stray any day longer. Not that Kenny was bothered by his nephew’s admission at all. But that evening, Levi had jumped Erwin in their bedroom and after an unusual loud and drawn-out sex session that night, Kenny left the next morning while grumbling under his breath, “loud gay fucks, doing it all night long, fucking howling like street cats.”
Erwin’s ear-tips blushed as he waved Kenny goodbye from their front door. Levi sent his uncle off with a loving middle finger that was still proudly raised even after Kenny and his old car vanished around the corner
Erwin had to admit that memory still brought a smile to his face.
Levi was eyeing him up and down now, then finally came to a conclusion.
“Fine,” he grumbled at Erwin. “If you wanna come with me, be my guest. But just so you know, Mike wanted to come over and bring his crap sci-fi board game. Y’know, the one where someone scammed him out of his money because no way in hell is that shit worth the bucks he paid for it. But if you rather hang out with me and my old hag...,” Levi trailed off and gave Erwin a deep contemplative look from under his eyebrows.
It was a tempting suggestion; Mike and Erwin had searched for that “crap sci-fi board game” for months and both of them where eager to play. But Erwin had his priorities straight.
“Mike and Twilight Imperium 4 can wait a few days. I want to meet your Mom, Levi”
Levi deflated a little, no doubt a bit disappointed that his bait wasn't taken. “Fine, you old nerd. Pack your bags and call Mike. Tell him that his plans for that LaLa Land shit are cancelled.”
Erwin gave him a wide smile and left to do just that.
Mike was unsurprisingly a bit disappointed but understood.
“Wow, so finally you're meeting his mother. I must admit, Nanaba and I came to the conclusion that he just randomly spawned somewhere.” Erwin could hear Mike’s chuckle at his own joke. “That's a big step there buddy, have fun! I guess I’ll just make Nanaba play with me this weekend.”
Erwin could make out Nanaba's voice through the speaker. “The hell you won’t!” And Erwin said his goodbyes to them with a chuckle.
Erwin nervously got situated into the passenger seat as Levi drummed his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. “Best you get some sleep, old man. This will take a while” he said as he started the engine. Erwin complied and leaned his head on the headrest. Since he no longer had his license, Levi would be the one driving the entire way. And Levi never failed to show how annoyed he was at Erwin’s subtle attempts at backseat driving. Though while true that on some streets in Germany there is no speed limit, it certainly didn't mean that their Skoda was built to be a race car.
So, Erwin choose to take Levi's advice and get some additional shut eye, sparing them both from elevated unhealthy blood pressure levels.
Sometime later, Erwin awoke as their car halted in a parking lot. It was already dark outside as the tires crunched slowly to an halt. Erwin looked out the window to see they were on dark side street. Before them stood a flat and rather long building, surrounded by a dark fir forest. The word Bar glowed on the old facade of the structure, surrounded by two LED screens with animated boobs.
Erwin's tired eyes followed the glowing breasts, bouncing hypnotically up and down, with the same fascination he used to have for old lava lamps.
Absent-mindedly, he asked “Are you tired...? Do you need to stop for a break?” He drew his eyes away from the signs to look at Levi.
Though facing the windshield, Levi’s eyes were trained on him and his lip drawn up in amusement. “Something like that, you old pervert. Try to not get to exited by the glowing boobs.”
Before Erwin’s sleep muddled brain could form reply, Levi was already out of the car and was making his way to the bar’s entrance. Before Erwin was able to catch up to him to Levi was already entering the Bar and Erwin had no choice then to follow behind him.
The bar turned out to be a full-blown strip club with everything Erwin had only seen on television. The club was darkly lit. The only thing being really visible was the catwalk in the back of the bar, which currently had some girls performing, along with multiple silver poles stretching from the ceiling to the ground.
Erwin's gaze flicked over to Levi who looked to the stage with a soft smirk. As Levi turned to make his way over to the bar, Erwin trailed behind him like a lost puppy. Still confused and gazing through the dimly lit room, he heard an excited loud squeal coming from the bar.
“Levi! Darling! It's so good to see you!” Erwin's head snapped around so fast he was sure he had given himself centrifugal trauma.
Behind the Bar stood a big blond drag queen, with lavish make up and long fake eyelashes. She was in the midst of slapping on a big slobbery kiss on Levi's cheek and Erwin couldn't help but stare. No one had ever dared to kiss Levi on the cheek if they wanted to continue to walk this earth. To Erwin's utter horror, Levi just chuckled and grabbed the two offered drinks standing atop the counter.
It that moment, the queen noticed Erwin and gave him a long alluring look under fluttering lashes. “Oh Levi! Look at that! He is so adorable! All blond and big and muscular! I'm getting weak.” The queen dramatically fanned herself.
Levi gave an amused smirk and threw Erwin a seducing look himself. “That he is, isn't he?”
Erwin just stared at both and wondered if he was still asleep in the car.
Levi seemed to catch himself and turned back around. “Hands off Eld–I mean Nova. This one belongs to me.”
Eld just rolled her eyes dramatically and pried her eyes away from Erwin. “Oh, come on Levi. No crime in looking! And by the way I'm a taken queen now. Gunther just asked me to tie the knot. We’ll be married next spring!” With that Nova showed off a huge diamond ring sitting on her finger.
Levi whistled. “Congratulations! About time he got the balls to ask. So, you will be a Schultz soon?”
Nova tsked and withdrew her hand. “Please Levi baby, I will always be Nova Star. No Schultz will cramp my style.” With that, she whisked herself away to another customer waiting her counter. While whirling around, she pointed to the stage. “Go ahead, sweethearts. I reserved your favourite table for you right next to her pole. Have fun”
Levi came over to Erwin and shoved one of the drinks he was holding into Erwin's hand. He grabbed Erwin by the arm and pulled him in the direction of the main stage. “For God’s sake, Erwin. Close your mouth. You look more than an idiot than you usually do!”
With a loud snap he did just that, he had not realised that he had been gaping like an idiot.
“Le-Levi, I-I'm just—w-who?” He was pushed down on seat in the middle of his stuttering, Levi taking a seat across from him.
They were sitting in a little booth directly in front of the main stage. A little silver sign with the words “Reserved: LEVI” placed on the bare tabletop. Erwin was once again too stunned to continue as he eyed the little sign in front of him, like it would rise to bite him at any moment.
Levi drew his eyebrow up and looked at him, his gaze morphing to concern. “Erwin, is everything okay? Are you starting to have a seizure?” He placed his hand on top of Erwin's biceps, feeling for contractions of the muscles the usual symptoms Erwin was about to have an episode.
Erwin moved his hand away from his arm and lovingly took it in his own in an attempt to dispel Levi's concern. “I'm alright Lee, just a bit taken aback, I think. So, uhm, who was that bartender back there?”
Levi chuckled a bit, his thumb lovingly stroking their entwined fingers. “Oh, that's just Eld Jinn – sorry Nova Star – she used to have a big show here, but she had back injury a while ago. So she’s taken over as bartender here.”
“Uhm, okay...but seriously, Nova Star?” Erwin asked Levi disbelievingly.
Levi just rolled his eyes. “Yeah, your telling me! I keep telling her that it's more a porn star name than an decent Queen name, but does she listen? No.”
“So... you come here often?” Erwin asked, still a bit fuzzy as to what was going on.
But before Levi could answer, a pretty little red-haired woman stepped atop the stage and whispered in the microphone, “and now gentleman, you all love her, you all waited for her, take those bills out of your pockets, then here she is, the queen of the pole, OLYMPIA!”
The crowd roared to life, whistling and applauding as the light in the bar was dimmed even more. Levi turned to the stage and gave a loud whistle himself while strongly clapping his hands.
Erwin wondered if maybe he was currently having a seizure. Though he had never experienced hallucinations himself during an epileptic event, his doctor always told him that the range of symptoms could change anytime.
How else could he explain sitting here, at a strip club, with his boyfriend, who never made a secret out of that he was totally gay, who was whistling at the stage and watching a female strip show.
Maybe Levi wanted to tell him something with this. Maybe he had interpreted the clues with his mother all wrong? Maybe Levi was really bisexual, or perhaps he wanted to start a polygamous relationship? With a woman? And he hadn't found a way to tell poor demisexual Erwin otherwise?
Sure, Levi knew that Erwin just couldn't just have sex with strangers, part of his demisexuality only allowed him to have sexual feelings for a person after a deep bond of trust and familiarity was formed over a long period of time.
But maybe this was Levi's way of telling him that he wanted to have uncomplicated sex from time to time, with someone other than Erwin? Perhaps with Nova Star in some back room? The thought was giving Erwin stomach cramps and his heart fluttered painfully. He would endure that for Levi...everything for Levi...
Before his thoughts could sink deeper in the depth of his personal abyss, the clapping around finally died down as a slender person stepped on the stage. A hush laid on the audience as an erotic music started to play.
As if on cue, a small dark-haired women with the grace of a feline sauntered across the stage, hips swinging elegantly as she came up to the dancing pole that was nearest to their table. With a gracefully leap she sprung to the top of the pole and curving her slender back suggestively, her strong long legs the only thing holding her to the pole as she slid down. Her erotic lidded eyes gaze scanned the audience until finally settling on their table. A happy spark appeared shortly in her eyes before she started to twirl around the pole.
It was that moment Erwin finally understood.
The slender woman was Levi's mother. No doubt about that. Everything fit, from the small but strong statue, the silky raven black hair, the grace with which she moved, to the shape of her beautiful eyes.
In her face, Erwin could make out more resemblance to Kenny then Levi. But even still, that woman was Levi's mom. Everything finally slid into place.
Erwin followed her every move on stage and was captured by her show, till Levi smacked him on the shoulder and playfully whispered, “stop ogling my mom you pervert.”
Erwin just glanced in Levi's direction, giving him his best puppy dog smile. Levi answered with one of his rare grins and continued to lovingly caress his hand while they continued to watch the performance.
As far as Erwin could judge, Levi's mom was really skilled. So many of her acrobatic manoeuvres, which were cleverly interwoven in her stage appearance, it would make a Cirque du Soleil artist pale with envy.
After the show, the audience once again clapping and whistling loudly, throwing the rest of the bills that had still been in pockets onto the stage. Erwin even found himself rising from his seat and loudly applauding, forgetting how strange this whole situation was.
“Wow,” Erwin said after the lights came back on and the bar returned to the normal hustle and bustle between the shows. “Wow. Levi, that was something!”
Levi just smirked and raised a brow. “God, you are such a demisexual dork. I could tell you were the only man in the audience not ogling when her boobs slipped out. Instead, you go round eyed when she did her circus act shit.”
Erwin grinned wildly. “But you love your dork don't you?”
Levi just slapped his shoulder and tugged him out of the booth, pulling him in the direction of a little stage door besides the catwalk.
Levi gave the door a sharp little knock and a guy in a suit with a strange cravat opened it. “Oh, hey Levi! She’s already waiting for you. And who is your little friend here?” The man gave Erwin a hard look which was probably men to be intimidating, had the person been taller than Erwin or more broad shouldered than Levi.
“Cut the crap, Oluo. Nobody is taking your bouncer act seriously. Get your ass backstage and help the girls get dressed!”
Oluo grumpily let both of them pass, but it seems he couldn't help himself. In the best bond villain impression, he snarled at Erwin, “if I see you looking at the girls blondie, I...”
“OLUO!” Levi interrupted and Oluo jumped back into one of the side doors and Levi and Erwin continued down the hall.
Erwin glanced back amused while Levi entered through one of the smaller doors in front of him. As Erwin proceeded to step in after his boyfriend, the sight before him made his heart warm and fuzzy.
Ms. Ackerman was wrapped in a soft red bathrobe and in the middle of hugging her son and placing rapid kisses on the side of his face. She drew back and with her hands lovingly brushed along Levi's cheeks. “Look at the most handsome boy in town.” Her dark voice betrayed her small form, much like the deep sombre tone Levi's own voice possessed.
“Cut it out, mom.” He demanded, but Erwin could hear the warmth in Levi's voice. Levi held his mother’s gaze for a moment, but it didn’t stop Ms. Ackerman noting Erwin standing in the door, probably looking like a creep.
“Oi! Here he is, the famous Erwin! It's so nice to finally meet you!” She beckoned Erwin over with an elegant wave of her hand.
Erwin approached her with his best smile and held out his hand. “A pleasure to meet you too Ms. Ackerman.” He enveloped her small and delicate hand in his.
“Please Erwin, call me Kuchel.” She giggled as she raised her head to look him in the eyes.
She was just as small as Levi, slim but strongly built as well. And just like Levi, she too seemed ageless. Erwin could tell he shouldn’t expect her to be one of those young things, hopping around the club with little bunny tails attached, but she didn't look her age either. She was probably her fifties with Levi was still in his early thirties.
Kuchel was finally able to appraise Erwin herself; her gaze flicking up and down his body, her hands raising to brush down both of his shoulders. “Look at you. What a handsome man you are.” She sounded impressed as she turned back to her son with an accusing tone. “You never told me he was that hot!”
Levi let out a sigh. “Mom, leave him alone. If you encourage him like that, he’ll never let me hear the end of it!” But he smirked and threw Erwin a approving long look.
“Oh, you two must be tired! Get your things to my apartment and I’ll meet you there. I just finish up here for the evening.” She brushed past them both and went deeper into the room which was lined with costumes and mirrors, only to vanish in the back.
Levi dragged Erwin out the room and exited the building using a little side door at the end of a the hall. They stepped back into the parking lot and slowly made their way over to the car.
Levi eyed him from the side as they grabbed their bags. “What’s with you? You’re unusually quiet.”
“I'm just taking everything in,” Erwin replied. “You never talk a lot about your family or your past. Not even to where you vanish to now and then again. You must admit that this is a lot to take in at once.” He waved at the front of the building.
Levi's eyebrows furrowed as he gave him an thunderous look. “You got a problem with this shit?” It seemed to Erwin that Levi misunderstood Erwin's confusion as being unnerved by the strip club business.
“Of course not, Lee.” Erwin quickly dispelled his boyfriend's concern. “Why would I have a problem with that? I'm just so glad you let me in in this part of your live that's all. I'm just a bit stunned to get all this information at once.” Erwin smacked the top of Levi's head with a quick kiss before he turned to haul their bags in the direction of the building.
Levi huffed a bit at his back but clearly in good spirits. “Idiot.”
They were now seated on a plushy sofa around Ms. Ackerman's coffee table. Her apartment turned out to be at the end of the long building on the second floor. It wasn't very roomy, just a small but very neat living room area with a little bathroom attached and a slim door leading to Kuchel's bedroom.
The muffled sounds of thumping music and rough sex could be heard from downstairs. Erwin frowned a little at his tea cup on the table, the surface of his beverage producing small ripples due to the slight shaking of the downstairs disturbance.
Kuchel petted Erwin's arm as she noticed his look. “Don't you worry, puppy. Only downstairs is designated for business and the club will shut down in a few hours. And thankfully, there is no work allowed when the club is closed. You two will be able to have some good night's sleep then.”
That had confirmed Erwin's suspicion that the bar was not simply a strip club but had also a brothel attached. Erwin knew that prostitution was legalized in Germany in the early 2000’s. Drawing the business out of the crime scene had enabled prostitutes to work and organize on their own without doing shady business with pimps and crime organisations.
They now paid taxes and had health insurance like any other citizen. And since they were now able to call the police without any repercussions, crime rates against sex workers had dropped dramatically.
“No worries, Ms. Ackerman,” Erwin smiled smoothly. “I was just a bit worried that my tea might be spilt by the roaring T-rex that seems to reside downstairs.”
Ms. Ackerman laughed heartily. “Yes, dear Magda likes to overact sometimes, but her customers like it that way. And I told you, Erwin; please call me Kuchel.”
As if on cue, the lovers downstairs seemed to reach a loudly and drawn out conclusion to their night and everything settled down.
“Thank God” Levi muttered, “If I had to hear the phrase, ‘give it to me you strong steed’ one more time, I would have called the butchers to tell them to fetch said fat steed so we could finally have some quiet.”
The evening continued, and Erwin watched the two Ackermans catch up. At some point, the honey mead appeared on the table and both Ackermans sipped it pleasurably.
In fact, Erwin never had seen his boyfriend talk so much. Levi told his mother about his plans for the garden next season, tuning up his motorcycle even further, as well as their holiday plans. Kuchel told them about her new show she was in the midst of putting together, the bar’s plan to finally insulate the building’s walls to become more eco-friendly, and Kuchel's upcoming employee meeting to discuss if the bar should invest in new interior for the “work” rooms or build a pool behind the building.
As the evening progressed, Kuchel suddenly jumped up, clearly having forgotten something. “Levi, sweetie, could you make a small errand for me to the gas station? I forgot to get milk for our morning tea and the supermarket is closed this time of night.”
“Sure.” Levi pushed himself of the couch. “We have to walk though, with this mead shit going to my head, I'm not fit to drive. Erwin?”
As Erwin tried to stand, Kuchel grabbed his arm. “No need for both of you to go. Erwin and I will be fine here waiting for you. See you soon darling!”
Levi was uncertainly standing at the apartment door, gaze flicking between Erwin and his mother repeatedly. Levi seemed to be slightly concerned and suspicious to leave the two of them alone.
Besides him, Kuchel was smiling and the waved at Levi. “No worries, sweetie. Erwin and I will be fine.”
“Sure.” Levi replied, eyes narrowing as he left the apartment after giving them one final look before closing the door behind him.
Kuchel turned to Erwin. “Now, Erwin, puppy, you must have so many questions. You’ve barley said a word all evening.”
“I had fun watching you two, you know. Levi isn't normally such a talker.”
Kuchel chuckled. “Yeah, he always was a quiet child.” Her expression suddenly became quite sad. “That’s probably my fault. You know that the prostitution business wasn't always legal. As a child, Kenny and I forbade him to talk to anyone about the things going on. We were always afraid someone would call the cops. Of course, dear Kenny always had his hands in some kind of trouble; so it was better to keep silent than say anything wrong.” She smiled sadly at him.
Erwin nodded. Of course, that would have been hard, raising a child under those circumstances. “Kenny told me that Levi used to live with him some time,” he asked.
“Yes,” Kuchel sighed, displeased. “With this kind of business, I had to move from town to town for a while. I could only go so long till I could get arrested for immoral behaviour, y’know. And Levi had to stay in school, so we decided that he would live with Kenny for a little while. It wasn't optimal, but at the time, it was the best we could manage. Of course, these two stubborn heads clashed all the time.”
Erwin snorted. He could only imagine what a teenage Levi and Uncle Kenny had unleashed at each other and the world at the time.
“I'm so glad he has you,” Kuchel continued, gazing at him. “Levi talks about you all the time”
“He does?” Erwin replied surprised.
“Of course, puppy. He is head over heels for you. He was so worried about you after the accident. The night you had your first seizure he called me. I hadn't heard my darling cry in a very long time...”
She trailed off as her gaze flicked over his head, finally settling on a small scar that disappeared into his hairline. She reached out and touched it lightly. “Poor puppy,” she whispered sadly, her forehead knitted in concern the same way Levi did when he was worried.
“I'm alright.” Erwin gave her a small smile as he drew Kuchel's hand down from his forehead before taking her hand in his. “Your son takes very good care of me.”
“Of course, he does,” her expression becoming light again. “I'm just so glad that he finally found someone he can show his soft side to. He’s just such a big mush on the inside, isn't he?”
They both agreed. Not being able to resist, Kuchel brought the photo album out and they where both engrossed in Levi's childhood.
When Levi returned and saw the photo album lying across Erwin's lap, he greeted them with a shocked “what the fuck?! MOM!”
Kuchel just chuckled and Erwin turned the book in his direction and pointed to one of the pictures. “You never told me!” Erwin proclaimed offended.
The photo showed an about 9-year-old Levi, hanging upside down on a silver dancing pole which was set in a small living room, his legs the only thing holding him as he gave a bored stare at the camera. The text beside reading “Little Levi makes Mommy jealous because he can do the monkey bars better than her”.
Levi groaned in horror.
Erwin had enjoyed their little trip very much. They had talked late into the night and past the bar closing down, giving the apartment some much needed silence. Levi and Erwin had slept on the couch until early afternoon the next day.
After Kuchel served them a cup of her excellent earl grey with milk to wake them up, Erwin and Levi took her to a nearby restaurant for brunch before they packed for the trip back home, which would be a good 4-hour drive if traffic on German streets was kind to them.
Erwin was a bit disappointed that they had to leave so soon and he made Kuchel promise that she visit sometime after Christmas.
“I would love to spend Christmas and my darlings birthday with you,” she had stated. “But you know, Christmas is a very busy season in my line of work. Maybe someday soon, when I'm old and ugly and no one wants to look at the old face any more.” Levi only tsked and declared that she would never be ugly, causing Kuchel and Erwin to smile.
As Erwin was climbing into the passenger's seat, he could help but grin while taking sideway glances at Levi.
“Well aren't you happy now,” Levi grumbled. “Your old ass hasn't stopped smiling for over an hour now. Should I be worried you are having an episode soon?” he teased Erwin.
Erwin just closed his eyes and leaned grinning back on the headrest. “I'm just happy Lee that's all.” He thought about his order conformation email he had just received: one a retractable dance pole.