Work Text:
Eren had a date.
To say that he was excited was a giant understatement. He hadn’t had a date since high school and, if he remembered correctly, it didn’t go so well. Well, at least that’s what Armin told him when he was utterly confused as to why his date wasn’t calling him back. He and Mikasa both had thought that a date to a haunted house would be perfect for Halloween. Why else would she had asked him for that exact date?
According to Armin, she might have been expecting a date to a café and a pumpkin spice latte but how was Eren supposed to know? She didn’t say anything. Not when he drove to the haunted house and not when they were about to get in. He would’ve agreed to whatever she wanted to do but it wasn’t his fault she didn’t speak up. It was Halloween for pete’s sake.
But that was behind him now.
Well, okay. It might’ve hurt him a little more than he led on and maybe he asked his new date to meet up with him at a café just to play it safe, but he sure wasn’t going to admit it. Nope. He just really wanted to drink some of their coffee. See, totally unrelated to his previous experience.
“Eren, calm down. Everything is going to be okay. You’re in college now and a totally more mature than what you used to be. You can do this. You can do this.”
Eren recited to his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He ran a wet hand through his hair to try to get it to behave and looked himself over. It was starting to get pretty cold in New York since it was now the middle of November so he had decided to wear clothes he believed where good enough for an icy morning. He had grabbed a long sleeve white pullover, his favorite black skinny jeans that Armin had told him made his ass look great, the only pair of Doc Martins he owned because damn was that brand expensive, a light and long beige trench coat that he was sure Mikasa had bought for him, and a dark gray cotton scarf that he felt finished off the outfit perfectly.
The long sleeve shirt only went down to the middle of his forearm and no, Eren wasn’t one to brag but he would agree that it helped emphasize his muscles. He worked out and like hell was he not going to show it off. So instead of hiding his hard work, he always pulled up the sleeves of his trench coat above his elbow to help further show them.
All in all, Eren though he looked pretty damn good.
So he sighed, took another look at his hair and outfit, and quickly made his way out the door with his phone in one hand.
--
To: Cinnamon Roll
idk arms. he’s not here and it’s already been an hour. shuld i just leave?
Eren sighed and put his phone down on the table. He looked around the café again just in case his date had maybe missed him and sat somewhere else. But alas, Eren couldn’t see a speck of the dirty blonde hair he had become familiar with. Instead, he only saw a group of high school students hunched in the booth furthest from his with textbooks surrounding the table, a couple in the booth near the door who were enjoying a milkshake special together, and the quiet blonde waitress whose name is Krista if Eren read the nametag correctly. She had been extremely nice to him and hadn’t asked questions even though he was sure she had refilled his own chocolate milkshake at least five times.
“Stupid Thomas.”
He muttered and put his head down on the table as soon as his phone vibrated once more. He huffed and faced his phone to check the text he received.
From: Cinnamon Roll
Wow, do you think he might have stood you up?
To: Cinnamon Roll
u are not helping. like at all
He sighed for the millionth time and closed his eyes, hoping that maybe, just maybe, his date would show up and that Armin was wrong.
--
“-i. O- -at.”
Eren grumbled and slowly opened his eyes, suddenly realizing that his left cheek really hurt.
“Oi, you stupid brat. Are you finally awake? This isn’t a fucking hotel."
Eren frowned and finally looked up. His green, drowsy eyes met cold, hard silver and he instinctively straightened up and wiped at his mouth, praying to whatever was up there that he hadn’t drooled all over the table.
He hadn’t.
He did a quick scan of the café and it dawned on him that yes, he had fallen asleep. While he waited for his date. That never showed up. The group of teenagers were still there and were now enjoying lattes and pieces of cakes but the couple was long gone and in their place sat an elderly old man who was sipping at his drink. Krista was also gone and a brunette with goggles and glasses replaced her at the cashier. She was smiling over at their direction and waved at Eren when she realized he was looking at her.
Then there was a soft knock on his table and his attention went back to the worker in front of him. The man still had his molten silver eyes on him and, although Eren thought he was annoyed, he had a rather passive look on his face. His short black hair didn’t have a single strand out of place and his bangs sat perfectly still on his forehead. He had an undercut, Eren noticed. And he was short. But Eren was sure that he wouldn’t appreciate it if he pointed it out. He was also extremely handsome. He was wearing a black V-neck shirt that had a rather low cut under the dark green apron. He had paired it with some black jeans and black slacks. And no, Eren definitely not looking at the guy’s collarbones. Nope. No way in hell.
“I, uh, I-I’m waiting for someone."
He quickly replied as soon as he heard the handsome devil clear his throat. He looked back up at his apron to read his name tag, Levi, and then stared at those eyes. Where those blue specks always there?
“Hmm. So I’ve been told.”
Levi replied, looking over at Eren’s half full cup of chocolate milkshake and grimaced. He looked over at Eren who nodded as soon as he got what he was silently asking him. Levi let out a quiet hum and took his cup before heading off to where Eren believed was the kitchen.
As soon as he was gone, Eren grabbed his phone and checked his reflection on screen. His hair was miraculously still intact and he didn’t look like he was about to die from exhaustion. He then unlocked his phone and almost winced at the amount of texts Armin and Mikasa had sent him. He checked the small clock widget and this time he actually did wince. He had arrived at the café around nine in the morning and it was currently half past one in the afternoon. He had spent an entire four hours here and three of those hours were spent sleeping. Fuck, was he in trouble.
He sucked in a breath and clicked over to Armin’s text thread before Mikasa’s. He wasn’t sure he was ready to face his sister quite yet.
From: Cinnamon Roll
Received at 10:15am
I’m sorry! But, it could be a possibility. Why else would someone not show up to a date without even warning you that they might not come.
Received at 10:50am
Eren, did he show up?
Received at 11:30am
Eren? Why aren’t you replying? Mikasa is getting worried and you know how she gets when she’s worried about you. Send me a quick text if you’re with your date or something.
Received at 12:24pm
Seriously Eren, this isn’t funny. We’re really worried and we have no idea what café you’re at. Please text me or call me back as soon as you see this message.
Received at 1:20pm
Okay, Eren. You’ve left me no choice. I’m going to hack your phone and track you down before Mikasa calls the police.
Eren groaned and looked back at the time. It was currently 1:37pm and he quickly texted his best friend back before he did anything too drastic.
To: Cinnamon Roll
hey hey, no need for that. that douche never showed up and i ended up falling asleep in the café. im safe tho so pls don’t track me down. im gonna text mika rn
Eren then took a deep breath and went over to Mikasa’s texts, noticing that there was only two of them.
From: Mika
Received at 11:50
Where are you? Who are you with? Do I know them? Does Armin know them? Why doesn’t Armin know where you are? Do we need to track you down? Eren, we went through this at Target not so long ago.
Received at 1:25pm
You’re so dead.
He set his phone down and dropped his forehead to the table. He was dead. Definitely dead. Mikasa wasn’t a force to be reckoned with. He’d have to hope that Armin could help calm her down before she found out where he was.
“You know, if you really insist on sleeping here you could at least try not to look like someone just kicked your puppy.”
Eren’s head snapped back up towards Levi, who was currently placing down a plate in front of him and a cup of something that wasn’t a chocolate milkshake. He eyed the plate and realized that yes, it was a brownie and double yes to that being hot cocoa if the abundance of small marshmallows was anything to go by. He looked over at Levi again, confusion all over his face. Levi only shrugged and quickly took a seat in front of him.
“You were starting to drive our customers away with that constipated look of yours, brat.”
He bluntly stated. Eren didn’t believe him for a second. He did a quick sweep of the café again and noticed that the teenagers and the old man were now gone. Eren was the only customer left and he was sure that no one else was going to be coming in soon. Everyone was indoors, either at home or at work, where it was comfy and warm. Coffee might be one of the world’s wonders but here in New York, it was like water. Eren hadn’t met someone who didn’t have a coffee machine at home and the only reason a person went out for coffee was for a date.
“But I didn’t order any of this.”
He replied before Levi thought he wasn’t paying attention. Something told him that the man wouldn’t appreciate being ignored. And in all honesty, Eren himself hated that feeling. He had gone through half of his life being ignored by his father and he had sworn not to do the same to another person.
“It’s on the house. Courtesy of shitty glasses over there who’s been eyeing you since she switched spots with Krista.”
Levi pointed behind him, towards the brunette behind the cashier who looked over and laughed. Eren smiled at her and took the hot cocoa from the table, sipping on it and taking one of the small marshmallows to chew on after. He let out a small hum in appreciation and looked at Levi again. The man was facing the window, eyes glazed over, and he was absentmindedly picking at a napkin that Eren had put down on the table before. Eren let his gaze fall over at his phone and realized that he received two messages.
From: Cinnamon Roll
Oh thank heavens you’re okay. You can’t do this, Eren! You could have at least told me the name of the café you’re at. I told Mikasa that you got ahold of me and I’m assuming that you didn’t text her like you said you would. She’s more mad than usual so please, for the sake of humanity, call her or something. This isn’t something I can control this time.
From: Mika
Where. Are. You.
“Trouble in paradise?”
Eren shook his head at the sudden question and sent Mikasa a quick reply before looking up at Levi. The man had ditched staring at the windows and was now looking at Eren. Sharp light blue eyes, almost transparent and that Eren swore were silver, were taking him in. From his shaggy brown hair to the outfit he had chosen specifically for his date. Who, once again, never showed up. Those eyes swept back up and held his gaze, unwavering and sharp. Dominant almost. As if he were taunting Eren to look away or lower his eyes. Of course, Eren was never the kind to easily submit and held his place, slowly putting down the cup of cocoa on the table.
“You’ve got some interesting eyes, kid.”
Eren blinked. Levi was looking away again, this time towards the clock that was on the wall by the restrooms. He looked back at Eren and then towards the brownie and cocoa and then stood up. He made his way out of the booth and stopped.
“That’s supposed to help put a diabetes inducing smile on your face so don’t waste the food thinking about some shit who stood you up.”
Eren’s eyes widened and he was sure his face was slowly taking on the color of a ripe tomato. Levi side glanced him and was that a smirk? Yes, yes it was.
And with that he walked away. And not even Mikasa’s scolding was enough to remove the new smile on Eren’s face when he got home.
Because not only did Levi pick at his napkin. He had also written his number down in beautiful script with the words “You’re way too fucking handsome for that frown, bright eyes” next to them.