Work Text:
“Hello?” You breathe into your phone. You can hear the obnoxiously wide smile in your own voice but you don’t care. It’s not everyday you get a phone call from Levi while he’s at work. The most you recieve is a text no more than a couple of sentences long—most times asking how you’re doing or a quick message letting you know that he is going to be staying late.
“Are you home?” Levi asks so casually like you’re the one who called him and not the other way around. The bustling of office life on the other end is loud for a single moment before you hear the soft thumping of footsteps and then eventually, the closing of a creaky door.
“Got here an hour ago.”
“Check outside.”
“What’s outside?”
“If you go to the window you’ll see, brat.”
You begrudgingly make your way over to the window in your living room from your comfy seat on the sofa. Eyes widening at the sight, you take in all the unexpected beauty that stares back at you. The sounds of a real housewife rerun coming from your T.V fade to the background.
There it is before you, the very first snowfall of the season.
The light shining from the post lamps decorating your street illuminates the ground glistening from the very thin layer of fresh snow blanketing it. You watch in awe as the white specks sway together before reaching their final destination. Falling isn’t exactly the right word to describe the way the snowflakes move—their journey down is gentle and poetic like a declaration of love. The scene before you looks like something straight out of a postcard or like the ending scene of a holiday film right before the final credits roll in. You’re mesmerized.
The very beginning of winter has always been your favourite part. The exhaustion sprouting from dealing with winter-centric chores like salting down icy sidewalks or the constant shovelling of front steps are not required yet—the grievances of winter haven't worn you out because they haven’t begun and that’s exactly the way you like it so much.
In your eyes, the beginning of winter is solely reserved for romance, or rather the romanticization of your life. You’ll deal with the snow when it becomes a problem but for now it’s the perfect backdrop for a cup of hot chocolate and a good book.
“Y/n.” Levi’s baritone voice fills your ear. You forgot you were still on the phone.
“It’s so beautiful.” You whisper.
“I have to get going.”
“Do you ever see snow and think gosh, I really want to lay down in that?’”
He makes a noise before replying swiftly, “No.”
“I’m going to do it Levi, I’m going to lay down in the snow.” You’re only half kidding. Maybe less than half.
“Wear a thick coat and some gloves.” He sighs, a faint twinge of amusement in his breath. He knows better than to persuade you not to do things you’ve already set your mind on doing. Instead—like the responsible, better, smarter half that he is—Levi tries to limit any dangers associated with your impulsive ideas. The potential, impending dangers this time around are good ol’ fashioned pneumonia and maybe some frostbite.
“I miss you.” You say hazily, eyes still glued to the scene outside your window. You wish he was was beside you, drinking in the first snowfall of the season with you. If he was here, he would forcefully wrap your hands around a mug filled with some sort of hot beverage or tug on your sleeve so you could sit on his lap as you two gaze out the window.
“Erwin asked me to stay late tonight.”
Again?
“Oh,” You try to hide your disappointment but there’s no point in concealing anything from Levi—he just always knew when it came to you. “Maybe by the time you get back home there’ll be enough snow to make little snow people.” You add with as much optimism as you can muster.
“I doubt there’d be enough snow on the ground by then.”
A gust of breath forces itself out of your mouth. “Dream killer.”
“Put some tea on the stove for us, will you?”
You peel your phone from your ear to check the time. “Erm a little premature for that, no? Just let me know when you leave work and I’ll put it on.”
“I’m heading out now is what I’m saying. Erwin can figure his bullshit out all on his own without me holding his hand while he does it,” Levi says with no sense of guilt in his voice. “Or not, I don’t really care.”
You laugh at his boldness. “Skipping out on work early to be with me? You missed me that much?”
“Missed the comfort of my own house and no, I'm not skipping anything. It’s overtime and I don’t want to f—cking do it.”
“That’s the spirit.” You grin, silently manifesting that this nonchalant work attitude stays in Levi for a little while so he can routinely leave work faster than usual. To be with you, that is.
“Levi?” You breathe out his name and when he doesn't respond right away you take it as your cue to continue, “Thanks for calling me.”
“What? Don’t...thank me,” He coughs before quietly mumbling to himself, “The bar is in hell.”
“Okay fine I won’t ever show you gratitude if that’s what you want.”
“Oh? I can turn back around now to tell Erwin I’m more than happy to work overtime and help him wash his own ass.”
You snort loudly. “You’re so mean to him. I wonder if he knows how awful you talk about him.”
“He knows. I relish the opportunity.”
“You love him.”
“And you love to talk. A lot.”
“Then hang up.” You emphasize the p on the word up, making a popping sound. Suddenly, a squirrel sccuries in front of the window, catching your attention before making its way up a nearby tree. It jumps from one snowy branch to the next chaotically, its bushy tail high in the air like an exclamation mark. Amused and curious you ask, “Don’t squirrels hibernate?”
“Not all squirrels,” Levi murmurs. “And not all at the same time.” You weren’t expecting him to actually know the answer.
“Oh, wow? Did not know I was in a relationship with a squirrelogist.”
“The thought of hanging up on you just got a hundred times more appealing.”
“What’s appealing is you cuddling with me on the couch with the curtains wide open so we can watch the beauty of winter as we drink tea.”
“So that everyone in the neighbourhood can watch us too? Is that a new kink of yours, honey?”
“Okay, so what I’m basically hearing is that you’ll never let me live out my fantasies of being in a real life hallmark christmas movie. Actually, you know what, if my life was a movie you’d be the freakin’ villain.”
“The only villains in those shitty ass hallmark movies are the clueless main character and their annoying love interest. I’m convinced they get hard-ons from miscommunicating.”
You snort. “Don’t act like you don’t like watching them. I’m the one who ends up falling asleep only to be woken up by you telling me the movie is over.”
“And do I ever seem happy?”
“Fair enough,” You reply with a dopey smile on your face because it seems like Levi does not want to hang up and neither do you. Even though you know he’s on his way home, probably leaving his office right now, talking on the phone with him made you feel warm. “I hope the sun doesn’t melt all the snow by the morning.” You sigh.
“I’ll personally make sure the sun doesn’t rise tomorrow to ensure that won’t happen.”
“That’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me.”
He grunts in response, “Write it down so you don’t forget.” You can hear the sound of a car engine starting and some rumbling of what you assume is Levi getting ready to drive off.
You glance over at the road, it’s decorated with a layer of snow. Biting your lip you say, “Come home in one piece so I can force you to watch that new christmas romance movie with me on netflix.”
“If it’s the catfish one—”
“How’d you know? Don’t tell me you’re watching movies without me.”
“No, netflix just forces it down my throat everytime I open the app.”
That smile of yours returns. “Drive safe, Levi. I love you.”
“I love you,” He immediately breathes out and you wait for the second i love you because with Levi it always comes. Two I love you’s before he hangs up, it’s like tradition and you’re not even sure if he’s aware of it. “I’ll see you soon, Y/n. I love you, bye.”
You finally let the hand clutching your phone drop from your ear. Smiling to yourself, you leave your cherished spot in front of the window; you’ll be back shortly though, you just have to make some tea first.