Cute Eruri moments (Erwin X Levi)

It is the Little Things in Life That Matter Most

The first present appears without much celebration. It sits at the corner of Erwin's desk unmolested, its wrapping neat and bright. The next one is odd, a bit larger, the wrapping a little untidy, but its effort made clear. It's when the courier brings in the tenth gift that Levi bothers to check the tags.

"They're for you." Erwin says, his finger marking his place in the book on his lap. His other hand is at his mouth, his index finger covering the smile on his lips.

"I see that." Levi glares back at him. "Is this your doing?"

Erwin shakes his head with a soft laugh. He shifts in his seat and crosses his leg over the other. "No, no. Even I know not to do something so cruel to you." He turns a page in his book. "Well, not all of it, anyway."

Levi rolls his eyes. "I'm gonna kill whoever did this."

Erwin brings four fingers up with a lopsided grin and laughs when Levi growls deep out of his throat like a bear waking from hibernation. Levi doesn't even offer his common courtesy of slamming the door behind him as he leaves.

The presents keep piling up through the day. Many are sent anonymously. Some of the gifters are obvious based on their contents. Others are marked neatly and with a note of sensible pride. Levi peeks his head into the office on occasion as the stack turns into a pile and then into an avalanche of appreciation. He stands at the door frame, his fingers flexing into fists and his hips shifting from side to side. The bones in his neck crack as he rolls his head along his shoulders.

Erwin comes up from behind him and places a hand on his shoulder. He reaches around and holds a box wrapped in green paper laced with a silken red bow. Levi brings his hands up to catch it as Erwin lets it go. With a soft and quick kiss to the top of Levi's head, Erwin squeezes his hand and drops it down to his side. "Happy birthday, Levi."

Levi clutches the cube in his hands and shakes his head. He looks back up at the unsightly abundance of gifts piled around Erwin's desk–cakes and books and cleaning supplies. Alcohol and baskets of berries and vegetables surrounded by wrapped boxes much like the one in his hands. He huffs and turns, bumping into Erwin's chest before pushing past him and down the hall. Erwin turns to watch him leave before adjusting the hems of his jacket and turning to his office door and locking it.

Erwin makes a few stops before the sun sets, handling his duties until even the torches on the walls seem exhausted. He arrives at Levi's quarters, his knuckle rapping three times as he tries to balance the tea tray solo in the other hand. He waits patiently for the familiar croak on the other side to signal him inside. Erwin enters carefully, closing the door behind him until the latch catches with a soft click. He stands at the door awaiting a more formal greeting before taking the true invitation to get comfortable.

Levi looks up at him from his chair next to the window. Frost patterns at the corners of the quartered window pane. A wind blows and rattles the wooden frames, and the draft catches Levi quickly into a shudder. He sits staring at the box Erwin had handed him, thick blanket across his shoulders and chin on his knees.

"I brought tea." Erwin says.

Levi grunts.

Erwin crosses the room and places the tray on the table. He prepares their drinks inside of the mismatched teacups, a pair they had acquired from abandoned towns outside the wall. Tilting his head to catch a glance at Levi's cautious stare, he can't help but smile a little as he continues. "Did you open my present, perchance?"

Levi snorts.

"I think you should." Erwin abandons the tea and walks toward the wardrobe. He opens the door and pulls his jacket off. Continuing through his disrobing, he steals several glances behind him in hopes of catching Levi working through the wrapping of his gift. However, no such thing happens, and he shuffles barefoot across the freezing wood floor and sits on the edge of the single bed. "The tea will grow cold." Erwin says, but the words are there to keep the room warm–like the tea, and the blanket, and his silent offer of intimacy.