#rosesofthelady

A couple years ago I wrote this drabble. It’s stuck in my head ever since and I’ve been wanting an opportunity to expand on it, so this one expands on it! 

You don’t necessarily have to read the first drabble to understand the second, but they are written to go together.

-----

Levi takes a seat at the bar, the same stool as always. The bartender knows his order by now, and he pours a second glass for Agent Smith, too. An envelope filled with incriminating information about Levi’s gang members sits heavy in his jacket pocket.

Agent Smith settles onto the stool next to him, and Levi forces himself to not look up. He’s developed an inconvenient habit of forgetting how to breathe whenever he looks directly at him. Instead. Levi lets himself get used to the agent’s presence in glances - a glimpse of his leg, a look at his tailored suit jacket - before allowing himself a hesitant glance at Agent Smith’s face.

“Good evening, Levi,” Agent Smith says. He’s started using Levi’s first name all the time now, as though they were friends. Levi likes it, but he hasn’t yet gathered up the nerve to call Agent Smith “Erwin.”

“Evening,” Levi says. “I’ve got something good for you today.”

Levi places the envelope on the bar, and Agent Smith pockets it to examine later. Their fingers briefly brush as he does so.

“Thank you. The force appreciates your help.” After a pause, he says, “We’re getting close now, thanks to you. Our partnership will likely only be necessary for a couple weeks more.”

“Oh.”

Agent Smith mistakes the source of disappointment in Levi’s voice. “I understand that means your trial can be scheduled, but your cooperation will vastly reduce your sentence. You may even get off with community service. I, for one, will be vouching for you.”

Levi looks to the side, away from Agent Smith. He became an informant purely to reduce his sentence, and he originally took on the job reluctantly. He never would have expected that he’d be disappointed to see it coming to an end.

As he looks away from Erwin, something catches his eye that drives all other thoughts out of his mind.

“Shit.”

“What is it?”

Kenny Ackerman strides through the door. He hasn’t seen them yet, but it’s only a matter of time. And once he does, Levi’s cover will be blown. All the hard work he’s done to bring down the gang will be for nothing - and if he doesn’t get in witness protection, that’ll be the least of his worries.

“Kenny.”

Agent Smith follows his gaze and stands up, ready to move away from Levi. Levi stands as well. Kenny knows who Erwin is. If they’re anywhere in the near each other when Kenny spots them, it’ll be over.

Levi glances at Kenny and finds that it’s too late - Kenny’s looking right at him.

And then Agent Smith says the only thing he can without destroying Levi’s cover. “Levi Ackerman, you’re under arrest.”

Levi barely has time to figure out what Erwin’s doing before he’s grabbed from behind and slammed against the bar counter. He presses his body against Levi’s, one hand pushing down his shoulder while he grasps his wrists with the other. Levi takes a deep breath and hopes that anyone watching will attribute his flush to the heat of the fight.

“Play along,” Agent Smith whispers in Levi’s ear, hot breath tickling his skin. He doesn’t need to be told twice. He starts to squirm in Erwin’s grip, and for added effect, he shouts, “Get your hands off me, pig!”

Agent Smith loosens his grip just enough that Levi knows it’s intentional. He probably wants Levi to be able to fight back more, possibly to create a scene so Kenny can’t come over and investigate what’s happening. Levi’s happy to oblige.

He pulls himself out of Agent Smith’s grip, and the agent shouts, “Stop him!”

The next few minutes go about as smoothly as one can expect from a bar fight.

Amid the flailing punches of self-righteous drunks, Levi and Agent Smith stage a fairly convincing struggle. The place is too chaotic for anyone to tell that more often than not, Agent Smith is actually protecting Levi.

Levi, unfortunately, does not have quite the same amount of control over himself. He swings a out a wild punch that he assumes won’t hit. But hit it does, square in Erwin’s eye, hard enough to send him reeling.

Agent Smith ends the struggle pretty shortly after that.

--

“I, uh … I’m sorry I punched you in the face.”

Agent Smith smiles as he accepts the ice pack Levi holds out, and a warm feeling grows deep Levi’s gut. “No need to apologize. It simply created a more convincing scene.” He stands and comes around from behind his desk. “Are you alright? It looks like you have a split lip.”

They’re in Agent Smith’s office, hiding out until someone comes by to post Levi’s bail and he can be “released.” It’s late at night, the building practically empty and the lights in the office kept low. It feels as though they’re the only two people in the world, only the stinging of the cut on Levi’s lip reminding him why he’s there.

“A drunk got in a hit, I guess. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure? Let me see it.” Erwin gently presses his fingers under Levi’s chin, tilting his head up so the cut can be better illuminated by the light. The warmth from his fingers seems to spread throughout Levi’s body, and he suppresses a shiver under that touch. And then Erwin suddenly pulls his fingers away, as though burned.

Silence settles over them, soft and smothering.

“How … how’s your eye?” Levi chokes out.

Agent Smith sits against his desk and picks up the discarded ice pack. With his other hand, he gingerly prods the area. It’s dark and puffy, so bad that Levi places his finger on Erwin’s hand and pushes the ice pack onto his face.

“Fuck, I got you good.”

“I have to say, you throw quite a mean punch..” Levi swallows and pulls his fingers away from Erwin’s hand. “Levi, I … while we’re alone, I just wanted to say … thank you for reacting so quickly tonight. We seem to make a good team.”

“Even when I punch you in the face?”

“Even when you punch me in the face,” Agent Smith says with a chuckle.

“Thanks … Erwin.”

Agent Smith - Erwin’s - smile is so soft that Levi feels he could stare into it all day.

Yeah! Thanks! :) 

Jesus Christ Superstar (yeah sorry. Still.)

Elisabeth

Martin Guerre

Les Mis

Hinterm Horizont (I just rediscovered the soundtrack and I forgot how great this thing is)

Rent

Ugh that's the worst.. my do that too but only sometimes. I hope you'll feel better soon! Especially since it's your birthday tomorrow!

I did a lil bit o’ nostalgia sketching last night.

So here is Amaya!