Angel With A Shotgun [Levi Ackerman x OC] / Attack on Titan / Shingeki no Kyojin

Code XXXI: Lacking

"Well, it's been quite awhile," Levi breathed to himself as he approached the antique shop, sure it was the correct one when he spotted the same filthy display panes. "Now, now... what could be so special about this lazy con-artist?"

Gingerly pulling open the entrance, he stepped inside briskly and was immediately battered with a musty smell. Dust swirled in the air as he fell into a coughing fit, his hand waving the air around his face to dispel the dust cloud. Squaring his shoulders, he proceeded to quietly observe as much of the tiny little shop as he could. It was not an easy task to weave through the cluttered tables and display shelves, but eventually, he was approached by a man.

A tacky one with very little sense of fashion, at that. Lanky, erratic blonde hair, several ear piercings, a choker... Xora had described to him in detail what Piquet had looked like right after the Eagle's Capture mission rundown. This man was missing the glasses, and his hair was not curly at all, but his features gave enough away to confirm Levi's suspicions.

"Bonjour!" he greeted warmly with a slight bow of his head. "How can I help you?"

"Can you show me some of your timepieces?" Levi asked him, thinking of the first thing that came to mind. The familiar French rolled like silk off of his tongue.

"Gladly!" Sylvane beckoned toward Levi and led him toward the back of the shop, where a register sat atop a glass case. "What kind of models are you interested in? Watches, grandfather clocks, the works? Also, was there a certain time period you're looking for, or...?"

"Not in particular," Levi responded, beaming. "I like to keep my options open."

"Excellent!" Sylvane laughed as he flipped through a binder he'd taken from the shelves behind the glass display case. "Please wait a moment as I find what you are looking for."

Levi nodded and let his eyes wander, taking the hiding hole of this con-artist into close inspection. They fell onto a work of art, one that actually seemed quite well-done; the colors of the different brush strokes the artist had used to create the piece was effectively put together. In the very center of the painting lay a silhouette of the Eiffel Tower, and behind it, the dying horizon. It was quite a grand piece, indeed.

"That is a very well done piece right there," Levi commented, pointing to where it hung on the wall right behind Sylvane. "What are its origins?"

"Oh, that?" Sylvane murmured when his eyes landed upon it, smiling sheepishly. "Actually, I'm the one who painted it. I just have it on display for others to see; it's not for sale."

"Oh, is that so? Well, I must say that it is very well done, indeed. Are you an artist?"

"Who, me? No, no, no—it's just a hobby of mine. I paint when I have time, but it isn't a career." He waved the matter away and began to prattle off about different pieces in the shop, urging Levi to follow him as he toured through the dusty place. Aesthetically, Levi looked to be paying the utmost attention, but his head was miles way.

He nodded  in assurance as Sylvane continued to talk about their many timepieces and the eras in which they originated. He wondered if the Mona Lisa was kept with him.

"And now, we come to some of my favorite items in the shop!" Sylvane announced excitedly as he and Levi circled back to the register counter. "Our pocketwatches!"

"Pocketwatches?" Levi echoed, his eyebrows rising a fraction. Amusement danced in his eyes; a small burst of nostalgia came with the word. "Interesting. I don't think I have any in my collection. How often do they come and go?"