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The atmosphere was gentle, only the vibrating of the air as the train rumbled along the tracks, into deeper parts of the city. He’d never liked trains before. The motion making him tense and taunt. Trying not fall out of his seat because of the small bells that didn’t warn him when they were stopping.
Still, this ride, wasn’t as bad as usual. Eren had his hands folded in his lap, his body swaying to the jolting of the tracks as he kept his eyes straight. In no way checking out the stranger next to him because god damn it a jaw line that sharp with those grey gunmetal eyes should be illegal. They were committing murder. Eren thought his heart was going to stop when his eyes first made contact with those silver pools of what looked like seething hatred.
Whether it was from fear or attraction. Eren had no clue. It might be both, because Eren has never been so afraid and turned on in his life. His heart stopping and beating like a snare drum at a 220 tempo. Something that should be impossible, but isn’t. How would someone’s wrist not hurt from drumming that fast? Answer, lies, because his heart was in pain from only a few minutes of this.
God his thoughts were getting weird.
Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Eren kept his head straight until he felt a strong tap on his shoulder. Looking back to see those same eyes even angry then before, lips in a deep frown. He stared at the pretty pink appendages as they moved angrily. Oh it was this again.
‘Brat, are you fucking deaf? I asked you a question.’ Eren freed his hands, moving them freely and fluidly in a pattern. ASL. He hadn’t heard the other man because he was in fact deaf. Though Eren had a feeling that this man’s voice was smooth like honey. Eren watched the other’s face carefully. It was always the same.
Confusion…
Understanding…
Pity… wait what?
‘My question was stopping points. Point out the next stop on the fucking map if you can’t fucking tell me with your voice. I don’t give a damn you shitty brat. Just tell me when the hell is the next stop?’ Eren paused in surprise, before smiling warmly and gleefully taking out his map and showing the grumpy man beside him. And after that the boy was left alone, the man seemingly satisfied with the help and getting lost in his own thoughts. Eren’s heart took a break from its bout of near cardiac arrest as Eren contemplated the events.
It was interesting. Refreshing. And very well appreciated, compared to the pity that seemed to attack him in suffocating waves. Submerging him in people constantly asking him if he need help as if he were some stray dog. Sometimes even talking to his accompanying friends as if he weren’t there.
If anger issues were ever a small problem, it would be the last time that happened. No, it wasn’t a problem for Eren really. Maybe it was a small problem for the guy that got his nose broken by Eren striking him in the face for acting like he was an idiot because he couldn’t hear. Even going as far as to call him weirdo freak, or saying he felt sorry for the parents with a defect son.
That guy learned really quick that Eren read lips quicker than Mikasa could react to stab that man for that certain remark. Which Mikasa would have. Knowing how his parents were a sensitive topic and if Eren hadn’t beaten her to the literal punch she probably would have throttled the asshole for even daring to say that in front of Eren just because he was deaf and thought that Eren couldn’t hear the remark, or understand without using ASL.
Eren never regretted doing that for a second however. His anger issues were very erratic and could be violent. But for the most part Eren felt that he was pretty docile. Only getting worked up when there was a reason to be getting worked up about. Then all his pent up frustration exploded outwards like a grenade. Taking everything out in the target radius and after the few explosive seconds. Or minutes. The anger washed away like the ocean tide. Leaving Eren only slightly guilty, but mostly peaceful. As if all the weight on his shoulders had fallen off. And even if it piled on again, there’d always be a way out. There always was. Always.
Sighing silently, Eren leaned back against his seat and tilted his head to the window with its passing scenery of city skylines and small trees meticulously placed for legal reasons and ‘environmental’ reasons. This… peace, would probably only be a one time thing. Eren hadn’t seen him of the train before. Or if the man had been on the train before then he hadn’t sat here. So, what reason would there be to sit here again? None. That made Eren a little sad. Especially when he peeked over and caught sight of the stranger again. His profile illuminated by the early morning sun, washing his dark mysterious beauty in hues of orange and red. It was gorgeous and made Eren’s breath catch in his throat.
It was right to be sad, it was a damn shame to ever miss this view again. Maybe Eren should ask if Levi models. He had to. No one looked that good this early in the morning without a god given talent. It was unfair.
But… Eren really couldn’t complain. He was lucky enough to see it by accident once, they were just strangers on a train. Nothing besides this small everyday interaction would happen. It was useless to think about what it might be like to taste those lips. Drink in those eyes from a much, much, closer proximity.
Ah, well, a guy can daydream.
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Unless he doesn’t have to. This man just kept surprising Eren again and again didn’t he? But still, with un-predictableness aside, he’d never once expected to see the stranger again. Much less sitting in front of him. Facing him straight on with one leg crossed on the other to face him directly as his arms clumsily signed.
‘I’m sorry.’
And as sloppy and strange as it was to interpret, it made Eren feel like his was on top of the world. Over the moon. Someone, a random stranger, had actually put in the effort to learn sign to tell him something. Instead of just going with the fact that Eren could read lips. It made Eren get this buzzing warm feeling in his chest as he grinned widely. Giving a thumbs up in response. It was obvious that sorry was probably the extent of what the other man knew, So, Eren would stick with the universal everyday slang everyone was used to.
The man looked relieved, turning to sit facing forward with his feet on the ground, but head tilted to face Eren still. Giving the boy perfect view of the man’s gorgeous eyes and playful smirk.
‘How did you understand me yesterday?’
Eren smiled, tapping his own lips and reaching over to gesture to the words on a random sign on the train. Levi seemed to nod in understanding, before waiting for Eren to look at him before speaking again.
‘You know my lips are good for more than just reading.’ Blushing bright red, Eren buried his face in his hands, looking up between his fingers to watch as Levi seemed to laugh softly and under his breath. Eren knew that even in his embarrassment that he’d love to hear that chuckle. Feel the vibrations of it underneath his fingertips.
After another round of innuendos and hopeless pick up lines, it was no surprise that Eren finally caved in to give the beautiful man his number. Being whisked away to a black and white, silent, old school drive in movie that weekend.
The brunet boy never regretted that decision ever.