Long Time, No See - Levi x Reader (Modern!AU)

36 - Old Photos, New Memories

Even when all the boxes were brought up to the apartment, the truck was empty, and our energy was all but depleted, there was still work to be done. Because of course there was. There was always something more to be done. With everything effectively off the truck and in the apartment and now crowding the entryway and living room, there was only one more thing left to do, logically, and that was to unpack.

Levi at least assisted me in unpacking everything and sorting things away. We hung up my clothes on my designated side of the walk-in closet, put some away in the dresser, hung some of my things up, set some pictures and decorations out, and slowly but surely we got through the boxes and broke them down to be brought down to the trash room.

While we worked, I had music playing, for it was to be a long night and there was no way I was going to keep sane doing this in pure silence. And occasionally, perhaps due in part because of how tired I was or simply because I was excited at the prospect of our lives starting together in earnest, I would sing and dance and distract myself from the task at hand.

When I would sing Levi would click his tongue and continue working, and when I would dance Levi would pretend not to care but I was so finely tuned to know the weight of his gaze on me without even having to look, that I knew that he was watching. And so I put on a show for him, at least when I felt like it. I'd sway my hips and peek over my shoulder nearly every single time, I'd catch his eyes with my own mischievous gaze and I'd laugh at his surprised and adorably flustered expression.

It never got old.

At some point in the evening, long after Erwin had exchanged keys with Levi and drove off in his truck after a short conversation with us, in which he'd asked how I was settling in and we talked about all manner of nonsense, a song that was slow and sultry and soulful came on.

I'd been placing the new photos I'd gotten from Meg today, actually maybe yesterday at this point with how late in the evening that it was, on a shelf in the living room when the song started, and because I immediately recognized it, my body had begun to sway. I hummed along, only low enough for me to hear.

Levi was in the kitchen working on a late dinner for us because we'd forgotten to eat, and I got an idea. It was a rather mischievous idea, and one that he was sure to not like, or at least he would pretend he wouldn't, but I didn't care. As soon as I placed the final picture up on the shelf, I made my way to the kitchen where he was tending to the food.

The music from my phone poured in easily from its spot on the coffee table, the beautiful lyricists' voices blending together as the bass kept time and the strumming of the guitar adding a sensual sort of feel to the song. Despite his back being turned to me I sauntered up to him as though we were at a club, and I was sizing him up as a dance partner or even as someone to take home.

I fought the urge to laugh; this was ridiculous. It really was. But I was incredibly exhausted, and I was deliriously happy. It was a wonderful recipe for mischief, and my heart gave a little flutter at my plan continued to form.

My hips were swaying as I pressed my chest to his back. My arms wound around to his front and if he was surprised by my presence, he didn't show it physically. Though I'm sure he wasn't surprised. No, I'm sure it was always a possibility in the back of his mind for me to come up behind him to start some trouble.

Sometimes, he welcomed the trouble.

At other times... not so much.

He continued to stir the pot even as I ground against him, and it was as though I just wasn't there. And that just wouldn't do. I peeked over his shoulder and turned the heat off, just for a moment, before taking his hand and spinning him to face me.