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Nico is starting to learn the differences between Levi’s kisses. It’s something that is obviously going to take a lot of thorough studying, and Levi adds more of them by the day, it seems, but this one...this one’s gotten pretty familiar. When Levi breaks the kiss, looking down to catch his breath, Nico tips his head back against the wall, smiles down at him, and waits.
“Are we dating?”
That’s...not what he was expecting, and his fingers clench, briefly, on Levi’s hips. “What?”
Levi looks up at him, then, hair falling into his eyes, which are bright, determined. His chin tilts up a little. “We have a lot of sex, which means I’m over at your place all the time, and we’ve ordered takeout so I guess we’ve done dinner,” Levi’s hands are drumming Nico’s collar bones as he explains. Nico’s mouth hangs open slightly as his brain tries to process what Levi’s saying, brows lifting and furrowing as he looks down at him. “But we’ve never actually gone out, or introduced each other to people--although Karev knows, and so does Taryn, and I’m guessing Doctor Lincoln...”
“Link knows about us.” Nico’s finally gotten his mouth to do something. It seems to even be something in the right direction, because Levi relaxes into him, his hands stilling, pressed to Nico’s chest, over his heart. He studies Nico’s face.
“You look...confused.”
“I am confused.” Nico nods slowly. “I guess I’m surprised by the question.” Even more surprised, really, that it isn’t something he’s thought about. At all. He’s spent every free night they’ve both had with Levi in his bed since they kissed in the ambulance, but he hasn’t wondered what that means.
“Because it’s obvious we’re dating, or because it’s obvious we’re not?”
“Because…” Nico lets out a breath. “Because it isn’t something I’ve been worried about. Which isn’t like me.”
Normally, Nico’s the one who wants to define things as soon as socially allowable. It’s strange how he hasn’t felt like he needed to.
“Oh.” Levi tenses, shifts like he’s going to pull away. Nico slides his arms completely around Levi’s waist, tugging him closer instead.
“Not because it’s not important to me,” he tells Levi, ducking his head to catch his eyes when Levi tries to avoid his gaze, “Being with you just feels so natural that I just...haven’t questioned it.”
“Oh,” Levi says again, but this time he’s smiling, a slow, small thing that curls into something bright and beautiful. His fingers rub at Nico’s chest, then slide up, his arms wrapping around his neck. “So…that’s a yes.”
“That’s an...I’m with you. Whatever you want to call it. Dating, boyfriends. I like you, I like us, and I’m not interested in or looking for anyone else.” Nico feels Levi curl one hand in his hair, his other brushing his earlobe, caressing his jaw.
“I like you too,” Levi tells him, voice softer, a little teasing. Dorky, but it’s cute. “I really like us.”
Nico knows the kiss that’s coming, too. It’s the one Levi gives him when Nico’s done something to make him feel good. Slow and drawn out and open, emotion there in the brush of his tongue against Nico’s, the skim of his fingertips down Nico’s throat and then back up to tangle desperately with his other hand in Nico’s hair.
Nico goes easy when Levi starts tugging him towards the bed and pulling his shirt off at the same time, helping Levi with his own. He falls over Levi when he tumbles backwards, bracing himself over the smaller man and smirking down at him.
Levi groans, and pulls Nico down.
*
*
*
As they’re getting dressed again afterwards, Nico pauses where he’s sitting, tying his shoe, and glances at Levi. “We should go out tonight.”
Levi pauses, glancing up from checking his phone. “What?”
“Do dinner. You know. A real date.” He pauses, adds, “Not at Joe’s.” Their first real date doesn’t need to be somewhere all their co-workers hang out. They don’t need that kind of pressure, or any kind of audience. “You’re off at seven, right?”
“Is this because of what I said earlier about the take out?”
“This is because we’ve been doing this for a little while now and I want to take you on a date.”
“Okay...” Levi seems to think about it, then nods, smiling. “Yeah, alright. Where should I meet you?”
Nico stands. “I’ll pick you up. Eight-thirtyish?”
Levi nods, giving Nico a smile that is deceptively shy, and when Nico leans down to give Levi a quick goodbye kiss, the smaller man is sliding his arms around Nico’s neck again and pressing their bodies together. He deepens the kiss for a moment, then pushes Nico back.
Another new one. Nico likes it.
Nico whistles a little, a skip in his step, as he goes to find Link. Thinks about Levi and kisses and first dates, a flutter of excitement in his stomach that makes him feel like a teenager.
He’s got reservations to make.