Project Eruri Remastered

Chapter 5

"I thought you were the best." Levi said, locking eyes with Erwin. Erwin smiled at him.

"Well that's a relief." Erwin laughed. "I'll drop it for now." Levi leaned back and closed his eyes, letting the water wash away his worries. Maybe this wouldn't be impossible after all...

"Levi?" Erwin asked. Levi cracked an eye.

"Yeah?" Levi said.

"Are you feeling any better?" Erwin asked, concern evident in his eyes.

"I am." Levi said.

"Good." Erwin stood and Levi averted his gaze, finding it incredibly difficult not to admire the man. "How about I treat you to some ice cream?"

"You don't have to do that." Levi stood.

"Nonsense. I put you through a lot today. Come on." Erwin led him out of the hot tub.

"Alright." Levi said. They walked to the locker room and Levi grabbed his clothes from the day use locker. He quickly changed and toweled off his hair. Erwin had apparently swapped his suit for a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt at some point. The shirt hugged his body, accenting his broad shoulders. Erwin led him from the campus rec center to his car, a modest dark blue Honda CIVIC. Modest may have been an understatement. The car was older, a 2005 model, with dents from what Levi assumed was hail.

"I know it's not much." Erwin said, climbing in. Levi followed suit.

"No, no." Levi buckled his seat belt. "I think it's cool."

"I named him Lumpy." Erwin said proudly, starting the engine. "Irony for the hail damage."

Levi chuckled. "You're funny."

Erwin pulled out of the lot. "Have you ever been to BTO?" He asked.

"A few times." Levi said. BTO, By The Ounce, was the local ice cream and frozen yogurt place. Levi had always loved the old fashion decor, but the shop was a ways off campus and none of them had a car.

"I like your shirt. Again." Erwin smiled at him. Levi glanced down at the AC/DC shirt and laughed.

"You like hard rock?" Levi asked.

"Hard rock and some metal, yeah." Erwin glanced over.

"I wouldn't peg you as the type." Levi said.

"And you look the part." Erwin said back. "Well, more so if you had long hair."

"Did you ever have long hair?" Levi asked.

"Yeah." Erwin chuckled. "Back in my high school and college days believe it or not."

"Why not now?" Levi asked.

"Dad always said I looked homeless." Erwin ran his fingers through his still wet hair. "I guess I chopped it off when I interviewed for this job. I think short hair suits me better."

"Well I never saw you with long hair," Levi said. "But I think you look good now." Levi's eyes went wide and he looked out the window.

Erwin laughed his classic full-belly laugh. "Thank you!" He pulled into a parking lot and turned off the car. He hopped out of the car and Levi followed him, very much aware that some might consider this a date. Levi watched Erwin's back as he strode into the building. What Levi wouldn't give to hug him...

"Get whatever you'd like." Erwin said, handing Levi a bowl. Levi poured in some caramel and some chocolate chip cookie dough.

"Vanilla? Really?" Levi said, placing a hand on his hip. Erwin laughed.

"It's good!" He said defensively.

Levi rolled his eyes. "Basic." He said, smiling. They checked out and took their ice cream back to the car.

"I would love to stay and chat, but I have to get home." Erwin said. Levi nodded. "I'll drop you off at your dorm. Where are you?"

"Longden." Levi said around the ice cream in his mouth. They drove in silence until they stopped in front of Levi's building.

"Thanks for today!" Levi said.

"Of course, I hope I didn't traumatize you too much." Erwin chuckled and Levi joined in. But when they stopped, Levi felt the chasm stretching between them. If they were together, would Erwin pull him into his lips for a kiss? Would Erwin take him back home with him so they could watch a movie, or play a game, or even... Levi blushed and got out of the car.

"Thanks again." He said before closing the door and running into the building.

***

"You idiot." Erwin said, resting his head on the steering wheel. What was he doing? Levi was his student and here he was taking him out for ice cream... he had never felt so... close to someone before. But it had to stop. Whether Levi knew him from another life or not, he needed to control himself. He was 't sure what he felt for Levi, but he needed to cut it off. He couldn't open up to him.

Erwin pulled away from the building and to his small house just a few blocks off campus. He parked the car and went inside. He tossed his keys in the box by the door and sighed. His house was decorated sparsely, just as someone may expect from a bachelor professor in is forties who just didn't care anymore about himself.

Erwin collapsed on to his couch and looked at his TV. He shook his head. He needed sleep. He hadn't slept in a week it felt like - he never did the week leading up to the first day and especially yesterday. After he had met Levi, he couldn't stop thinking about the young man. It was almost impossible to get him off his mind and it had only been two days! Luckily he would have the weekend to set his mind straight.

Erwin leaned his head back and stared at the off-white ceiling. It was time to unwind and do something for himself. He stood and walked to his bedroom where he grabbed a notebook. He flipped through it. Wings of freedom... he knew it was important. He traced a sketch of the wings with his finger. It had to be important. He had to remember this "other life" no matter what it cost him. And his nightmare... something about giants. But he couldn't remember much. All he could remember were those drunken giants and a burning in his right arm.

Erwin sighed and walked to the television. He would give up on it for now. But he would find out what Levi meant to him. He knew he would. Eventually.