Chapter Text
“Levi, have you ever kissed anyone?”
The constant scratch of pen on the paper stopped abruptly. Eren looked up from the bed to Levi, sitting by the desk, the image of diligence itself, completely focused on his homework. The sound resumed, Levi’s fingers gripping the pen firmly.
“You’re my best friend, Eren, you would have known if I did.” Eren rolled on the bed to be able to see Levi better. For all of his feigned nonchalance, Eren knew Levi well enough to be able to tell what he was actually thinking. Little things, like nervous clench of a fist, tendency to hunch on himself when he felt uncomfortable, barely visible blush when he was embarrassed… The blush that he could see now, dusting Levi’s cheeks. Eren wondered many times how was it possible, for someone with such pale skin to be able to hide his blushing like some damn ninja.
“But isn’t Erwin your best friend, Levi?” Eren fluttered his lashes, doing his best impression of puppy in need of reassurance. Levi sighed, sitting straight in his chair, homework forgotten for now.
“You know you’re both my best friends, you dumbass.” Of course Eren knew. Erwin and Levi were both year older, sharing a majority of classes, while Eren, as a sophomore, tended to spend majority of his time at school with Mikasa and Armin. That was also the reason Levi allowed Eren to hang out at his place pretty much anytime he wanted, offering him his notes and help with more difficult subjects. Also, a bed that Eren was free to roll in, until Levi was finished with his work. That was a privilege on itself, as Eren was the only person allowed to do that (maybe Levi let him do it, because he knew Eren would always make the bed after himself, no matter what pillow fort-like construction he built, it was always back to pristine condition).
Eren fell on his back with a dramatic sigh.
“And here I thought that high school is all about parties and make-outs. I was fooled!” Eren felt the bed dipping as Levi sat beside him. “Or maybe we’re just a bunch of nerds and don’t hang out with the cool kids.” Eren cracked one eye open to chance a look at Levi.
Yeah, there it was - corner of his lips slightly upturned. Suppressing a smile.
“You might have mistaken high school with college.” Levi said in a seemingly deadpan voice, but Eren could easily tell he was amused.
“We should train then, don’t you think?” Eren got up on his elbows, flashing a smile. Levi raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he meant.
“We should train before we have our first kiss!” Eren exclaimed as if he was saying something completely obvious. “Or do you want to embarrass yourself in front of your date?” Eren waggled eyebrows in a silly way, which earned him a punch to the shoulder and Levi’s stiffled laugh.
“Training for first kiss would make it our first kiss, you idiot.” Levi was still laughing and Eren didn’t want it to stop. Having usually closed-off Levi so open and amused made him feel special… a privilege of a best friend, you could say?
“Is that a no?” Eren asked, cocking his head, finally sitting up.
Levi stopped laughing, as if what Eren was really saying suddenly sunk in. Something wary in his eyes, calculating whether Eren was joking or being serious.
“I wouldn’t mind sharing my first kiss with you.” Eren whispered, letting Levi know that it wasn’t some stupid prank. All of the light atmosphere disappeared with those words and for a second Levi looked like he’d been punched. His eyes widened in surprise, eyelashes fluttering as he looked down to Eren’s lips. Eren covered one of his hands, clenched in a fist (he’s nervous), with his own, rubbing little circles with his thumb, reassuring him. Slow touches, a hand on Levi’s shoulder, a nudge, a push and before they knew it, Levi was close, so incredibly close, they were practically breathing into each other’s mouths, yet still, their lips didn’t touch.
Eren was good at reading Levi from afar, but from such a distance it was even easier. He could feel slight tremor, Levi’s uneven breathing - he wanted, but he was afraid. Not of an experience (or lack of it), first or not, it was just a kiss; but of a shift in their relationship. Eren could feel that Levi was on a precipice and he wasn’t sure he was ready to jump.
So he took the leap for him and pressed their lips together. Just a chaste kiss, but somehow the feel of Levi’s chapped lips on his own made something in his chest swell. He was hyper-aware of body that he was holding in an embrace, of warmth spreading everywhere.
He pulled back just to look at Levi’s face. He’d never seen him… always reserved Levi, his face flushed hard and eyes glazed, unfocused. He could feel Levi’s fingers, not nervously clenched into fists, but desperately holding onto Eren’s clothes.
When Eren moved again, Levi expected another kiss, but Eren just kept him close, hiding his face into Levi’s neck.
He didn’t let go until he could feel Levi shivered no longer.