Thanks to Zangrien for the wonderful piece of Roxanne fanart !! She's an amazing woman who I'm glad to call an artist acquaintance of mine ! She even included a little Levi, it couldn't get any better than that ; v ;
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In the month of December, most of us would prefer to bundle ourselves under thick blankets, either dreading the frigid world outside or spending it curled into another person's frame. I wanted to do both, but given Brightfield demanded we work the day before Christmas Eve in order to ascertain our bonuses for the year, it was a worthy option to persevere through the chilly, gloomy day.
I had dragged myself out of bed around seven in the morning, with another two hours to spare before work officially started at nine. Throwing a discarded t-shirt over my form before leaving the room, I snuck out quietly in order to unplug my phone from the charger in the kitchen, albeit I still hadn't chosen to put pants on as well. Considering it was only ever Levi and I at the apartment, I had come to the conclusion that being partially naked really didn't matter; I was going to end up taking a morning shower anyway, so what point was there in throwing on shorts, underwear, or socks when they were just going to be tossed in the hamper anyway?
Yawning, I padded into the kitchen barefoot, listening as my footsteps made that familair clapping sound against the cold tile. Checking my phone for notifications and messages, I replied to anyone who had texted me the night prior and dismissed unnecessary emails from my inbox, swiping them to the side and setting my phone back down when finished. Another trek was made to the hallway for towels before I officially deemed myself ready for a shower, and another few minutes were spent waiting for the water to heat up to a tolerable temperature.
I breathed in a calming intake of the humid air once I stepped inside, calmed by the gentle beating of the water down my back. From sore shoulders to the slight aching in my lower back, it felt euphoric to finally wash away the tenseness in my muscles, while still retaining the memories of a stress-relieving night with Levi. A wandering smile crept onto my lips as I rinsed my hair and giggled to myself, my eyes closed and cheeks flushing with an embarrassed warmth; the scalding sensation of the water wasn't helping my flustered case in the slightest either.
Then, as I reached up to grab my personal bottle of shampoo from the installed ledge in the shower, I could have sworn I heard the faintest click coming from the bathroom door. The room fell awfully quiet afterwards, and only the sound of the running water began to drown my hearing once more, so I assumed it was my mind playing tricks on me. Rinsing my hair once more to rid myself of the paranoia, I eventually gave in to cleansing my hair, only to feel the eerie presence of another being in the bathroom.
Alright, getting a bit spooky now, I pondered as I lathered my hair thoroughly. I swear to Jesus, if this apartment is haunted, I am going to kick Levi's ass into next week for not telling me.
Humming to keep my thoughts preoccupied, I turned around and stood underneath the shower head, washing out the soapy mess of shampoo bubbles currently residing on my head. Fluttering my lashes closed, I breathed once more in an attempt to soothe my fretting nerves, running my fingers through my drenched tresses multiple times moreso in an act to decompress myself from the ghostly aura of the bathroom.
However, opening my eyes revealed a much more sinister sight, one that immediately caused me to shriek in both fright and utter surprise when I figured out the culprit of the strange noises.
"Can you not scream so loudly like that?" Levi asked of me, his expression morphing from a cringed sneer to a more pensive and stoic countenance. "The neighbors are going to think I'm murdering you."
"What the hell are you doing in here?!" I retorted back shrilly, trying to cover my unclothed and damp frame as best as I could from the male's peering eyes.
"Showering?" Levi stated in an unconcerned manner, one of his thin brows raised in perplexity as to why I questioned him about the matter.
"D-don't act so nonchalant about this!" I stammered profusely, a flustered heat beginning to simmer in my cheeks. "C-couldn't you have at least waited until I was finished? You nearly caused me to have a heart attack from sneaking in here like that!"
Levi rolled his eyes in an indifferent fashion, yet his lips were parted in amusement when he explained, "Since you were already in here, I decided it was best to not waste water. We don't always have the necessary funds to pay these shitty bills, you know?"
Sighing, I realized Levi did have a point when it meant being conservative with our utilities, and the amount of money we both had from our paychecks and savings. While I was still paying off the last of my debts from college, Levi was occupied with saving bits and pieces on his end for a more important goal in the future, which left the two of us with a limited amount to use each month, depending on what we earned or what was needed to be prioritized. It was a simple structure that we were content with, but to say we were swimming in cash was a clear overstatement; for the most part, we were merely scraping by when it came down to it.
Then again, it didn't change the fact that I was growing exceedingly uncomfortable with the current setting, seeing as though both Levi and I were in in the same confined space, and my claustrophobia was not mixing well with the internalized notion that him and I were nude in such close proximity of the other. To be able to witness every contour, every outline, and every curvature of your partner's body underneath the bright, fluorescent lights of the bathroom was creating a conflicted emotion within me; it was one thing if a couple was caught in the heat of the moment late at night, but the raw audacity of viewing such a primitive charade made me both mortified and intrigued.
"Is there a reason you keep staring at me?" Levi queried quietly, his gruff voice hooking my attention back to reality instead of my contemplative thoughts. "Because if you're just going to stay in that corner and cover your breasts, then move aside, because I need to wash my hair."
"Sorry, I'm just not used to seeing you like . . . this," I commented softly, averting my traveling gaze to the ceramic flooring of the shower. "It's a bit awkward seeing your partner in all their glory with enough light to detail their entire figure. You can understand why I'm trying to conceal myself, right?"
"You say that after our steamy session last night," Levi teased, his obvious pun in regards to our surroundings causing me to relinquish a small giggle and smile. "What? Are you ashamed of your body or something? Roxanne, I could fucking care less about your physical aspects most of the time, but believe me, I think you're the cutest thing that ever lived. I'm just attracted to you more than I am you, ya know?"
Stepping a bit closer, Levi closed the meager gap between and lifted his dark lashes to study my humiliated expression. He blinked a few times, waiting patiently for a response to his affectionate words, or to at least lower my arms from their pressed position against my chest, but I wouldn't budge. I pulled my lips into thoughtful pout, olive eyes half-lidded as I was forced to gape at the slightly shorter male in front of me, with his off-parted dark hair and those narrow gray-blue eyes, or that angular jawline he had and his well-maintained figure . . .
God, why did I have to fall in love with such a good-looking idiot like him?!
"Am I going to have to coax you out of this cramped corner?" he questioned kittenishly, raising a hand to tickle the underside of my chin. "C'mon, you're being stubborn this morning, and I would prefer we do this the easy way."
"I'll come out when I'm ready," I confessed, laughing lightly at what Levi called persuasion. "But can I at least have some space! You're kinda making the situation harder to accustom to when you're everything is almost touching my everything!"
"And I thought you would want to be closer after our bedroom escapades," Levi replied in a snarky tone as he placed his hands on the curve of my dripping waist. "You didn't seem to be concerned last night when you practically glued yourself to me after we were finished."
"That's because it was the heat of the moment and I didn't give a crap!" I countered harshly, yet the humiliated glow in my cheeks remained constant. "It was different then, alright? You should be lucky I'm not forcefully pushing you out of the shower right now . . . And you do realize I have other things to do this morning, right?! Like, get dressed and do my make-up and hair, along with helping you make breakfast."
"Yeah, but I have a pretty good idea on what I want for breakfast," Levi remarked, his stormy hues examining my figure as he spoke.
Inhaling a sharp intake of air, I sought refuge against the condensation-ridden tile of the shower wall by slinking into the corner further, trailing my eyesight anywhere away from Levi's when I muttered, "Says the one who spoiled himself with dessert last night."
Catching onto my innuendo as well, Levi chuckled lowly and brought one hand up to pinch my cheek, his other squeezing the chubby parts of my side as he stated, "What can I say? I'm a fucking glutton when it comes to you."
"How charming," I mocked sheepishly, allowing an entertained grin to curl at my lips from his crude language.
Levi shrugged, indifferent towards my playful riposte to his raunchy banter. Although, I managed to grin at him and finally urge myself to make eye contact, feeling more loose with my comfortableness after engaging in a short, but enjoyable conversation. Even if I was still awkward with the whole situation, Levi made it easier to handle, and I eventually caved in by letting my arms drop from their stagnant position in order to ease Levi aside from me.
Noticing my change in attitude, Levi shook his head and returned to his original plan of actually showering, I following in suit with his plans as well; well, more like I had my back turned to him the entire time. Considering I was slowly acclimatizing to the ordeal, it was best if I didn't let my sight wander when it came to Levi and the heated quarters we were in. It was one thing showering with your partner, but I'd rather not spend that time looking eye-to-eye when I still had other things to wash besides my hair.
After finishing and drying off, Levi offered to prepare breakfast as a form of an apology regarding his fervid antics in the shower. Choosing not to address him with full eye contact for a while, Levi noticed my distant ruse and decided to cook something quick, but elaborate in the time frame we had before work. I eventually eased off the residual, uncomfortable tension I was harboring towards the male and let the morning slide, seeing as though it was a natural event that happened between couples; I just hadn't been exposed to it often, and found the experience strange from my perspective.
Him and I chatted over a cup or two of coffee after breakfast, then checked the time and were both astonished by the fact if we kept conversing at the kitchen table, him and I were bound to be late for work. Extra layers were added before leaving and Levi promptly turned the heater on in the car, turning it down at certain intervals to ascertain we weren't baking to death in the enclosed space. Although we had to go our separate ways after getting off the elevator, Levi spared me a discreet kiss goodbye and reminded me about our afternoon plans, which I quickly nodded in affirmative and pecked him once more for good morning luck.
Remembering I had some domestic matters to attend to, I headed for the break room instead of my office, nagged by the fact I had some unwashed and day-old Tupperware containers in the fridge that needed to be cleaned out. Although, with prioritizing came the opportunity for Mira to bombard me with her catty morning banter, her lips ready to spill gossip and possibly inform me of her witnessing Levi and I enter the building in a tardy fashion.
"You were almost late this morning," Mira mentioned in the break room as I was cleaning out the communal fridge for any of the containers to be washed. "Please, I know you live with your boyfriend, so it must get tempting every now and again, right?"
"It does get pretty chilly in December after all," I answered right after, extracting a Tupperware bowl from the fridge as I passed the blonde an all-knowing glance. "Things . . . happen, y'know? One minute you're just trying to stay warm, and the next, you don't know how the sheets came undone and everything looks like a blur."
"Nice to hear you have an active sex life," Mire teased with a simper, her arms crossed as she watched me dump the leftover contents of the container in a nearby trashcan and place the bowl in the sink. "You don't know what I'd give to have a stud warm me up when it's cold outside."
Laughing, I turned the faucet on and placed the Tupperware underneath it, soaking it for a few minutes before explaining, "Well, living with your boyfriend is more than just having a body to hold on Winter nights. It's a lot of responsibility, like taking care of a child, except, I can never tell who the child is in my relationship with Levi."
"It's definitely you, Roxanne," Mira taunted as she withdrew one of the monochromatic mugs from the rack by the coffeepot. "You're so spontaneous and affectionate, I still can't understand how Levi's moodiness can tolerate you. I guess opposites really do attract."
"We may be opposites in personality, but that doesn't mean we don't have similar interests," I stated merrily, flashing Mira a kind smile while she poured half a cup's worth of coffee into her mug. "We're both intellectuals at heart, even if I'm rowdy and he's more reserved. I need someone to help me analyze the world, and he needs someone who will help him see the world in a bigger perspective. Mutual interest kinda drives us in a way."
Gaping at me with wide, amethyst eyes, Mira took a sip of her coffee, her face scrunching up when she realized she had forgotten to add creamer to the bitter mixture.
"Wow, this is what a mother must feel like when she's losing her child," Mira commented a bit dolefully, her pale irises scrutinizing the ceramic mug held in her right hand. "I remember when you first came to Brightfield a few years ago, all bright-eyed and oblivious; it was so cute, and you were so young. Ah, how time flies . . . Now you're leaving my protective nest and creating a new life with your boyfriend . . . This is too sentimental for me."
"Quit it, your ego is big enough as it is," I joked with a blithe smile, grabbing the sponge near the faucet handles and damping it under the running water with a bit of dish soap. "Come on now, I know mama bird will find her papa bird someday, you just have to keep looking. Christmas is in two days, and if you're still set on chasing after Eren, now's a better time than never to ask him out on a lunch date or something."
"Will you come with me if I do ask him?" Mira blubbered, her hands coiled around the mug as a source of warmth for her skin while I began scrubbing the interior of my Tupperware.
"Sorry, but I already have plans for lunch today," I replied casually. "Levi and I are meeting up with Phil later, since his finals are over and he deserves a break from schooling. We're taking him out to that diner down by the Chenango River, since it's in the downtown district after all. Besides, if you want to get closer to Eren, you're going to have to make the effort to go alone with him; I'm not meant to be third-wheel material any longer, Mira."
The blonde sighed wistfully, her glossy lips pursed into a contemplative line as her light violet eyes trailed to the coarse carpet of the break room. She remained there for a few seconds, thinking in a silent manner before going over to the fridge and choosing one of the flavored creamers from the inner shelf.
"Geez, first I was giving you advice, and looked how the tables have turned," she declared a tad sarcastically, although retaining her happy-go-lucky vibe about my speech. "Anyways, do you and Levi have any plans for Christmas? I mean, it is your first Christmas together and you'll be celebrating his birthday . . . Is it gonna be special or what?"
Humming at the fact she changed the subject back towards my own relationship problems, I huffed out a composed breath and returned back to washing my Tupperware, rinsing the soap from the glass of the bowl before setting it on the small rack to dry.
"Not really, we were just going to spend the day together at home," I responded happily, pressing my lower back against the edge of the granite counters when I turned around to better speak to Mira. "Levi doesn't want to do anything grand, and I completely agree with him. We'll probably end up watching a movie or two, and walking to the park or something. All I know is he's set on taking me to the Christmas tree in the shopping center, and that's the only thing set in stone as of right now."
"Ooh, I wonder why," Mira crooned as she stirred her now toffee-colored coffee delicately. "Do you have any idea what kind of gifts he's planning on giving you?"
"No, and believe me, I've tried multiple times to get an answer from him," I confessed in a dispirited manner, huffing out a deep breath through my parted lips. "It's like pestering a brick wall when I do. So I gave up like, a week ago after I couldn't get any information outta him."
Mira chuckled in that feminine fashion she normally did when she found a situation ironic or downright hilarious, and spared me a twinkling smile with her eyes. Her right hand held onto her mug while her left absentmindedly fiddled with the ends of her lengthy, middle-parted fringe, coiling the semi-curled strands in between her index and middle fingers.
"Sounds like something you'd do," Mira informed, grinning at me coyly. "I bet he got you something expensive, like jewelry covered in diamonds or that overly-pricey, romantic junk guys usually get for their girlfriends. Levi seems like he'd be that stereotypical boyfriend underneath that disappointed mug he always wears."
She sipped on her sweetened coffee, her expression remaining pleasant from the tolerable taste.
"Besides, you guys have been seeing each other for what, three, four months now? Kinda obvious he would get you jewelry of some sort if you ask me."
"But see, that's the problem," I deadpanned to the caffeine-deprived blonde. "I don't want Levi to get me anything expensive; he has more important things to worry about then spending his savings on Christmas presents. You know he wants to open his own firm someday, and he needs the funds for it. Stuff like jewelry shouldn't even be in the budget on his end."
"Then what did you get him for Christmas, Miss Frugal?" Mira pressed snidely, visibly growing irritated with my rainy-day saving attitude as of recent times.
Pushing myself away from the counter, I smoothly replied, "A collector's sampler filled with his favorite brand of cologne. That, and a super cute sweater that matches his grumpy personality. One thing for Christmas, and the other for his birthday; I think he'll like them."
Mira hummed in agreement, nipping her coffee as the two of us waited idly around for nothing in particular. The only reason I had entered the break room was to clean out any of my items from the fridge, but of course, Mira had to badger me about my slight tardiness, which ended up in a full-blown conversation about relationships and Christmas plans. Not that I really could complain, spending so much time with Levi meant I needed to reserve room for more woman-to-woman talks with Mira anyhow.
A pair of footsteps resonated faintly in the outer hallway before entering the break room, breaking the quietude of the scene when a taller male strode in and noticed Mira and I with a grin.
"Ladies," Mike greeted warmly, a bit surprised to find the two of us lounging in the secluded space instead of in our offices or cubicles working.
We both welcomed him with an equally happy, yet suspicious, "Good morning," as he walked over to the fridge and placed some personal contents inside, shutting it soon after. Mira and I had grown awkwardly quiet, preferring not to speak of our trivial matters in the presence of Mike, especially since he was in cahoots with Levi and Erwin. One minor slip and gossip would ensue, and I would be practically mortified if Levi found out about what I was saying behind his back! Not that it was anything disrespectful, but the fact that I blabbed about him so intimately with Mira-Ooh, he would never let me live it down!
Swallowing my pride, I passed Mike an acknowledging glance, attempting to convey that his presence in the break room was hindering, although nor Mira or I held any personal ill will towards the lofty fellow. Mike was a gentle giant, a lovable bear of a man who was welcomed to Brightfield with open arms after his transfer and the whole harassment fiasco, so it was undeniable I grew attached to the guy after a while. Even if our friendship never bloomed outside of the workplace, he was still a pleasant sight to see from time to time, and that was enough to content me to a degree.
"Hey, Roxanne," Mira snickered from beside me, her voice hushed to below a whisper, "You wanna know what I just realized?"
"What?" I hissed back, irritated that she had snapped me out of a peaceful daydream with her giddy revelation.
"You ever wondered if guys who have this going on, have the ability to work wonders down here?"
She motioned her hands with each fluctuation, the first creating a ring around her lips to symbolize facial hair, and the second relating to a more private matter concerning females. Registering her signals almost instantly, I smacked her gently on the arm and flushed a fervent shade of salmon, an impish grin curling at her glossed lips all the while.
"No, not really!" I seethed quietly in response, trying to contain what embarrassment had arisen from her shameless comment. "My mind doesn't normally revolve around how stubble affects-!"
"What are two you girls giggling about over there?" Mike announced mischievously, his pale green eyes staring Mira and I down like a watchful hawk.
Painted lips pressing into a bashful line, I stared at Mike with large, blinking eyes, visibly embarrassed by my almost-audible outburst concerning the taller male. He looked back at me, perplexed, a honey-blond brow raised in confusion when his peridot hues affixed themselves to only me. Mira, who grinned coyly at both my reaction and Mike's interference, draped an arm around me and pulled me closer to her in a forceful manner.
"Oh, you know, women things," she answered suavely, her embrace nearly crushing me with the anxious energy she was exerting onto my flustered being. "You just wouldn't get it, Mike. Sorry."
"I assumed as much," the blond replied with a simper, who had caught on to my passing peek at him earlier as a sign to leave the room. "Well, I'll see you two around. I don't know about you guys, but Miss Brightfield has me working to the bone since I transferred here! Oh! And I hope you guys have a lovely Christmas!"
"You too," Mira and I said simultaneously, followed by me jamming my elbow into her rib cage when Mike couldn't be seen from the break room's windows anymore.
She winced for a minute, laughing it off when she giggled, "What? What did I do that was so terrible?"
"Making oral sex jokes in the workplace isn't very becoming of a professional woman, Mira," I teased in response, tapping the slightly taller woman on the bicep in a sportive manner. "And what if Mike overheard you? The last thing we need whispering around this law firm is your comment about the correlation between facial hair and sexual gratification . . . I swear, when isn't your mind in the gutter?"
Sighing, Mira pulled me into another squishy embrace and disclosed, "Oh, how you scold me so . . . If Levi hadn't of snatched you up when he did, I probably would have left my boyfriend and made you my girlfriend, Roxanne!"
"Shoulda, coulda, woulda," I remarked as I detangled myself from her arms and headed towards the exit, glancing back at the woman for a moment before fully leaving. "My feet are killing me, so I think I should get to my office now . . . and I advise you do the same before Erwin slaps a stack of files on your desk for slacking off."
Proffering me a childish salute, Mira grinned warmly and nodded her head, signaling her choice with an obedient, "Aye aye, ma'am!"
Preferring not to further our conversation, I lolled my eyes at the carefree woman and padded down the hallway and to my office, mentally reminding myself to slip off my heels right when I plopped myself down and officially started work.
~*~
When Christmas morning had finally rolled around, I had to coax and prod Levi out of bed at six in the morning, possibly irritating his sluggish morning self with my high-spirited and overjoyed attitude about the nostalgic holiday. He insisted on getting properly dressed and making coffee before doing anything else, stating he would need caffeine in order to function properly when combated with my ecstatic behavior. Frowning, I had waited impatiently for the older male to finish his morning routine, although the aroma of freshly-brewed coffee did stimulate my senses and soothe my overly-excited nerves by a minor degree.
After mugs were distributed between the two of us, I playfully patted Levi into the living room and we set both of our coffee cups down, Levi going straight for the tree and plugging in the extension cord to a nearby outlet. Considering the gloomy, Winter morning outside the windows, the bright, blinking lights of the tree brought a much more festive and gleeful glow to the room. Clapping my hands softly and smiling, Levi motioned me over to the tree and sat down beside it, his jean-adorned legs crossed and his right arm reaching underneath the plastic bristles for one of the few gifts underneath the fake, but realistic-looking tree.
Only two presents were visibly seen from our standpoint, and as soon as I got comfortable in my lounging position across from Levi on the carpet, he offered a small, rectangular box to me wrapped in a red satin ribbon.
"Merry Christmas," he murmured with a small smile when I took the gift from his grasp. "Go on, open it."
Heeding his advice, I nodded with widened eyes and tugged on the ribbon, watching as the scarlet band came undone and dropped into my lap. There was no wrapping paper, just the velvet container itself, which was a dark crimson in color and retaining its soft exterior all around. Pressing my thumb to the small slits of the box, I pushed the top up a bit and was immediately greeted by more velvet in the interior, along with a shimmering item on the inside. Grinning, I opened the container fully, my olive eyes sparkling from the piece of jewelry secured inside.
It was a darkish-purple gemstone styled into a classic teardrop shape, with a sterling silver band encompassing it with miniature, round-cut diamonds surrounding it. The necklace hooped into another smaller, mirrored oval above it, no semi-precious stone but more of the tiny diamonds implanted into the metallic sheen of the silver. I thumbed the jewelry affectionately for a moment, admiring the quality and pure glittering characteristic it displayed when the lights from our Christmas tree bounced off of its surface.
"It's Alexandrite," I stated, lifting my lashes to peer back at Levi's silent nature. "This is one of my birthstones . . . Levi, you didn't have to."
Levi merely shook his head in disagreement, huffing out a light sigh before bluntly answering, "But I did, because you deserve it. I think a woman as gorgeous as you should be wearing something as equally beautiful as herself."
Quirking one of his brows slightly, Levi awaited my response to his romantic speech, which only caused me to giggle quietly and tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. Flashing a closed-lip smile, I blinked my attention back to Levi and exhaled a flustered breath, most likely squirming from his attempt at a sentimental line to accompany his gift.
"Thank you," I breathed almost mutely, more overcome with the sheer beauty of the jewelry and the amount of thought Levi had invested in his Christmas present for me. "I really do love it, and it probably won't measure up to the gift I got for you, but-."
"I could care less on how much you spent on mine, Roxanne," Levi rebuffed, his stoic expression masking the warmness in his rainy irises. "Hell, I don't need anything special, really. I'm a simple man with simple tastes; you don't have to go out of your way to impress me. Anything is fine, as long as you're the one giving it to me."
Feeling the temperature rise in my cheeks, I scrunched up my face a bit and pulled a larger box out from underneath the tree, outstretching it to Levi with a flushed countenance and embarrassed hues glancing straight at his own surprised ones.
"Then please, just open your present already," I whispered with pleading eyes, but a sincere smile broke through my persuading countenance. "Oh, and Merry Christmas, you dork."
"Wouldn't you rather me help you put on that necklace I bought you though?" Levi queried fondly, yet his hands still took ahold of the wrapped box I was presented to him. "Well, I suppose we can do that after I tear this shit apart."
Letting go of the box, I watched as Levi carefully tore open the wrapping paper, his fingers unhooking the taped sides of the box and meticulously ripping the sticky, translucent pieces away from the scarcely-designed paper. Once the underside of the box was visible, Levi pulled the remaining wrapping paper away from the container and flipped it over, marveling the collection of cologne I was discussing with Mira days prior.
"Okay, now this must have cost a fortune," Levi remarked, his stormy eyes blinking to glance at my form. "Although, I'm actually pretty glad you bought this for me, I think I was running out of this stuff last time I checked. Thanks, Roxanne."
"Yeah, well, now you'll be prepared the next time you take me out to dinner," I joked in a teasing fashion, sparing the grateful male a coy smile.
Chuckling at my banter, Levi gandered at the container for a second longer before tucking it under his arm and proceeding to stand up, voicing, "Alright, alright, I'll make reservations sometime soon, princess . . . Now, how's about we put that necklace on you? Since we're done with this whole Christmas nonsense and-."
"Wait!" I interrupted, gesturing for Levi to halt with an outstretched hand and waiting for him to address me with eye contact from his upright position.
Raising his brows in confusion, I crawled behind the tree and extracted a hidden present that was propped against the wall, hastily standing up afterwards and fixing my hair before presenting another wrapped box to the shorter male.
"Happy Birthday!" I announced with mirth, grinning at Levi affectionately all the while.
The raven-haired male's eyes enlarged by a fraction, his thin lips pressed into a pensive line as he blinked in astonishment at me. He remained silent for a few minutes, completely speechless and dumbfounded by my words and second gift for his own personal holiday.
"I would have felt bad if I had to compromise with one gift for both occasions," I disclosed bashfully, "so I just got you two things instead of one. Y'know, one for Christmas and another for your birthday. I didn't want you to settle with so little just because you were born on the same day as another gift-giving holiday."
Pushing the wrapped box towards him more, Levi's startled expression softened by a few degrees when he hesitantly accepted the present and placed his first one of the table by the couch, his rainy hues still shimmering from shock when he began opening the wrapping paper. He placed it in the same pile with the other discarded paper and inspected the blandly colored box, probably realizing it was mainly used as a gift box for clothes. Sighing tenderly, Levi opened the dull item and extracted the article of clothing from it, smirking when he read the text imprinted on the front of the grey sweater.
"Dear lord," he commented, shaking his head and relinquishing a few honest laughs. "Thanks For Nothing . . . God, this is too fucking surreal, a damn shirt sounding just like my shitty attitude."
"So, I take it you like it then?" I questioned, innocently staring at Levi as he folded the sweater over his left forearm.
"I love it," he answered genuinely, taking a few steps towards me and pressing a chaste kiss to my lips. He graced me with one of his awkward smiles after he pulled away and pinched my cheek softly, adding, "It's wonderful, thank you."
"Really?" I squeaked, positively overcome with joy that he appreciated the gifts I got for him. "Oh, Levi, you don't know how happy that makes me!"
Unable to restrain myself, I practically tackled the male to the soft carpet of the ground, a small yelp escaping his lips when we became a toppled mess beside the Christmas tree, a pained expression creeping up on Levi's normally bored features. Smiling sweetly down at him, he opened his eyes to stare at me and laughed a bit, obviously not too injured from my reckless behavior or aggravated from the possibly-dangerous action.
"It's near seven in the morning . . . I'm too old for these damn shenanigans," Levi divulged, half-heartingly joking about the time and his age.
"Happy thirty-five, sweetheart," I crooned to him, the pinned male sighing in exhaustion when I pecked his cheek and helped him up to standing, this time promising him I wouldn't crush him with my spontaneous bursts of glee.
The remainder of the day was mostly spent at home, with more warm mugs of various beverages and a few lengthy movies streamed through the television. Levi and I did happen to take a drive out to the park near my old apartment, seeing as though it held memories from the early points of our budding relationship to some more closer, intimate ones. Most of the grass had frozen over or was dying off unfortunately, but perhaps that was the charm of Winter and the frigid season. We spent an hour or so there, but decided to head back home when the wind picked up considerably and forced Levi and I to retreat back to the apartment for warmth.
By the time eight o'clock in the evening came around, Levi was motivating me to get ready for another outing to the shopping district for our planned date together. Only having to lace up my booties again and grab our coats from the rack, Levi insisted we leave sooner than later since he didn't want to have to walk home so late on Christmas day. However, before heading out, I had grabbed both of our scarfs that were wound around the coat rack as well, sparing the male a glance that he knew all too well.
Allowing me to drape the woolly fabric around his neck, I carefully bundled Levi up in his outerwear before we were to head outside into the brisk, December air, the shorter male doing the same for me after I finished with his own clothes. He grabbed the keys and whatever else he deemed was necessary to have as a precaution, patting down his jacket thoroughly as I waited by the door. A few more minutes were wasted with him trying to figure out if he was forgetting anything, but I couldn't get aggravated over his behavior in the long-run; he was just too cute when he was pacing desperately around the apartment and turning the cogs in his brain to remember if he was missing anything.
Finally, he announced he was ready to leave with a proud smile, causing me to laugh at his awkward display before me. I glanced at him, checking him up and down before opening the apartment door and waiting for him to lock it outside, hands in my pockets as I watched him fumble with the simple procedure. He spared me a half-hearted glare when I did muster the courage to laugh at his situation, causing me to giggle even more at his annoyed expression.
After another few minutes of Levi messing around with the lock, he gradually got fed up with my snickering at his failure and decided to drag me along behind him, not even attempting to conceal his embarrassment by that point when he entwined our fingers with a stressed squeeze. I finished my mockery of him and apologized for my behavior, seeing as though his peeved countenance wasn't letting up by the time we were walking down the sidewalks outside. Although, he eventually gave in and accepted my giggling apology with rolled eyes and a sarcastic quip regarding my attitude.
With the antarctic air creeping up fast on our exposed features, Levi and I huddled together for warmth, sharing quiet conversations as we trekked to the shopping center in downtown, which was a short distance away from our home and included the bookstore we visited in November. Before long, the two of us had walked into the bustling area, spectating as other couples were milling around as well and parents with their children were enjoying the dusky, frigid evening. Levi guided me in the direction of the centerpiece occupying the entrance to the shopping center, one of the few things I was looking forward to on this supposed event Levi referred to as a date between us.
Widening my olive hues, I gaped at the massive tree sedentary before Levi and I, my eyes adjusting to every vibrant, blinking light adorning the pine majesty. The twinkling bulbs wound themselves into a spiral all the way from the base to the highest point of the over sized flora, the perfectly coiled wires of the extensions making me believe it had taken workers hours upon hours with detangling them and wrapping them around in such a flawless manner. I blinked every now and again, having to rub my eyes gently to rid them of the blinding colors without smudging my eyeliner at the same time.
"Feels like it gets prettier each year," I commented softly as I checked my fingers for residual make-up and sniffled silently. "I normally came here with Marco, since we were both lonely saps at the time. Ah, seems like just yesterday I was spending Christmas with him or my family, and now I'm here with you . . . What do you think, Levi?"
"It's just a big ass tree covered in hideous decorations; it's like ours back home, only this one is more of an eye sore," Levi responded crudely, crossing his arms over his chest in a defiant manner.
Laughing quietly, I burrowed my frigid hands into the insulated pockets of my trench coat, my shimmering eyes fixated on the Christmas tree when I murmured, "Yeah, but weren't you the one who recommended we come to see it? If I'm not mistaken, you freaking begged me to come on this date with you."
"Yeah, but I'm not looking at the tree right now," Levi confessed on a chuckle. "My eyes are staring at something way more gorgeous than that dumb monstrosity."
Confused at what he was talking about, I curved my head to see where Levi's stormy gaze had fallen, only to trail my sight back to the tree when I realized he had been staring at me the entire time. Swallowing a nervous lump in my throat, I tittered at his unusual behavior and traced my attention back to him for a quick second, his rainy irises still affixed to my flustered expression.
Reaching a chilly hand up to tap my cheek gingerly, Levi graced me with another of his rare, lopsided smiles, instantly charming me from the way his thin lips vaguely curled upwards and the faint wrinkles by his eyes became more visible from the affectionate action.
"Jesus Christ, you're so fucking cute," he remarked, brushing away a strand of my fringe before returning to caress my jawline. "Really now, you could have just wrapped your body in a huge bow and placed yourself under the tree as my present, for both Christmas and my birthday."
Giggling, I fidgeted slightly and grinned merrily, lifting my lashes to view the squared cement of the shopping center's outdoor pathways.
"Speaking of presents," Levi added solemnly as he returned his hand to his side, "I still have one more to give you, Roxanne."
Perking up at his disclosure, I gawked at the shorter male in astonishment, but also having to comprehend the sheer audacity of his statement.
"Levi, the necklace was enough, you didn't have to spend more than needed," I assured, my brows furrowed in concern for his shopping habits.
Rolling his eyes at my fretting response, Levi reached out and grabbed my wrist, withdrawing my hand from my coat pocket and holding it with the utmost care and consideration. It was a tender and doting effort on his part, especially since I was normally the one inclined to clasp my fingers with his in public; witnessing him engage in the action was enough to bring another jovial smile to my face.
"Well, I think my girl deserves more jewelry than just a necklace," he divulged, his thumb skimming the back of my hand amorously and a nonchalant smirk replacing his warmhearted simper.
Perplexed by his odd announcement, I quirked a brow in curiosity and patiently waited for him to explain himself further, all the while watching as he motioned for me to extract my other hand from its pocket as well. I cautiously heeded his command, baffled as to why he continued displaying such demonstrative and fond gestures in public. Knowing him, he would be six feet buried in humiliation and embarrassment, yet there he was, cool and collected, facial expression constant and complexion the same milky tone; save for the tints of pink nipping at the sides of his cheeks and the tip of his nose due to the chilly weather.
"I know, I've never been the best in romantic situations," Levi addressed, his grip on my hands firm, yet therapeutic. "I can't write you a fucking thousand-page essay in detail of all the reasons why I'm so head-over-heels for you, nor can I always be the most affectionate boyfriend who ever lived on this damn planet . . . I'm grouchy and ill-mannered, unpleasant to be around sometimes, and I don't understand how you can stand living with someone as intolerable and moody as myself . . . But then I look back on all the precious moments we've shared, and I begin to realize how you can tolerate my flaws."
Inhaling a small breath, Levi gave my hands a discreet squeeze and exhaled calmly, averting his stormy irises from me for a moment before affixing them to me again and continuing, "To me, those significant moments have probably brought me the greatest joy I've ever felt in my miserable life. And now, I . . . I want to make those memories a permanent part of our lives, from then, 'til now, and for many more years to come."
"W-what are you talking about?" I questioned mutely, my lips pursed into a worried pout and olive eyes scanning for any indication that the male was pulling my leg. "Levi, I love you too and understand how you feel, but why say all this here and now?"
Shrugging as an ambiguous answer to my whimpering, Levi sighed wishfully and released his grasp from my hands, fluttering his lashes closed for a few seconds before huffing out another soothing breath. A sign of nervousness was washing over his system, considering he was beginning to buckle at the knees and constantly having to regain his composure by breathing steady intakes of the breezy night air. Something was troubling him immensely, and he was aching to vocalize it, no matter how difficult it seemed.
Levi rummaged through the pockets of his jacket for a moment, nodding once to himself before slipping them out again and returning his heartfelt gaze to me. I stood silently, blinking often as I pondered what exactly his intentions were regarding his rather strange behavior in front of me. Scanning for any other signs besides his obvious fretting, I couldn't pinpoint the source of his problems, unless he was meaning to do what I think he was planning on doing. However, that was something I didn't want to believe, something that couldn't possibly be happening then, in front of so many people.
My heart skipped beats, unsure of how to deal with the situation, each of its pulsations causing a ripple of anxiety to spread through my chest. I gulped mutely, puffing out breaths that instantly clouded my vision with steamy, fog-like resemblances due to the frigid, December weather. Levi kicked at the ground for a moment, his dark fringe shrouding his rainy eyes as his jaw seemed to tense, and one final exhale was audible from the shorter male.
And then it just, well, happened; the moment my mangled and pounding heart had been dreading unfurled in but mere seconds, causing my body to grow completely rigid from pure shock and disbelief.
There, with the wandering eyes of passersby as my witness, Levi Ackerman, the stoic-faced, emotionally frozen, short-statured man, was bending down on one knee, in public, right in front of my figure.
Ghosting my hands over my mouth, I studied the dark-haired male with enlarged eyes, my mouth forming almost incoherent speech, but still enough to blubber out, "Levi, you're kidding, right?"
Shaking his head, Levi remained silent in his lowered position, ignoring the notion that people who had been milling the shopping center's space were now halted and watching our recognizable scene with intrigue and amazement. The familiar sensation of tears welling up from behind my eyes was beginning to surface, and I pleaded for my emotions to cease their fluctuation, else the threatened pressure would spill a real sob-fest for everyone to see.
"Roxanne, I could tell you I love you a million times, but sometimes," Levi started, proceeding to extract a small, palm-sized object from the right pocket of his jacket, "one action can speak louder than all those instances combined."
Running his left hand over the top of the item, Levi kept it pressed between his hands, the bottom of the box-shaped container resting in the palm of his right hand, and the top pushing against his other. Finally summoning the courage, Levi tipped the velvet cube open, the interior covering a creamy white compared to the navy exterior.
And secured in the middle sat a small, round-cut diamond ring, the ebbing lights from the large Christmas tree bouncing off the twinkling surface and reflecting the clearest versions of a rainbow's hues.
"You're not messing around?" I asked for clarification, lips quivering and voice a shaken, trembling mess escaping my throat. "This isn't some twisted joke, right?"
"No, not at all," Levi reassured gently, blinking his doting stare upwards to fully communicate with me. "I'm being completely sincere with you. You really think I would pull such a cruel joke in front of all these people? Look, I may be rude at times, but correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not a fucking asshole who would play with his girlfriend's feeling like that . . .
"So c'mon, what d'ya say? Will you marry me, Roxanne?"
The peering eyes of the passersby waited for a response, some instinctively curling their lips into sentimental smiles and assorted eyes half-lidded in affectionate manners. A few giggles and hushed coos came from the small crowd, mainly other women who were watching the scene unfurl.
Palm now pressed against my lips to quell their trembling mess, my glossy eyes finally pricked with tears when I nodded ecstatically in response, my hand moving a bit in order for me to formally, yet spontaneously vocalize, "Yes, yes, Jesus Christ, yes! God, of course I'll marry you, idiot!"
Grinning in a thrilled fashion, Levi quickly brought himself back to standing, his fingers and hands still slightly shaking from the anxious moment when he withdrew the ring from its secured slit and reached for my left hand, slipping the item onto my ring finger with ease. It was a perfect fit, and I couldn't help but marvel at the jewelry for a few seconds, only to be followed by my arms practically throwing themselves around Levi in a tender, sobbing embrace, his own arms winding around to complete the action too.
A sweep of appropriate applause resonated from the passersby who had stayed to watch the entire event, but at that given moment, I could have really cared less if people were witnessing the whole thing! I just squeezed the shorter male even tighter, letting all the eustress-filled tears drip down my cheeks-heck, my make-up was probably going to look horrible afterwards, but who honestly cared? There was an engagement ring on my left hand and a full-blown marriage in the future for Levi and I.
"I love you, Jesus Christ, Levi, I love you so much," I kept repeating to the rainy-eyed male, cradling him as the last few droplets left thin streaks down my complexion. "You don't know how much I do, I swear, I love you more than anything! I'm just so happy, I can't believe this is fucking happening . . . "
"Okay, Roxanne, I love you too," Levi chuckled as he patted my back affectionately. "But please, you're squishing me to death right now! Not that I really mind though, since you're the one squeezing me after all."
Sniffling, I inhaled a deep breath and slowly pulled away from the embrace, trailing my hands to cup Levi's cheeks when I gazed at him with a goofy smile curling at the corners of my mouth. I must have looked horrible from all the crying, yet Levi still stared at me with that erubescent warmth he normally displayed towards me, a minuscule amount of a bashful tint spreading across his milky face adding to the authenticity of the moment.
"This is the part where I should kiss you, right?" Levi asked sheepishly, his stormy irises examining my features before he returned his full attention to looking at my own olive hues. "Like, to seal the deal?"
"How do you not know what to do after your girlfriend says yes, Levi?" I teased, squinting happily when the said male reached a hand up to thumb away some of my residual tears.
"Oh, I'm sorry, but this is my first time proposing to someone," Levi responded back bluntly, tracing his fingers down my jawline before cupping my chin. "I'll just kiss you anyway, alright?"
Nodding my head in agreement, Levi and I both leaned in, grazing our lips against the other's before pressing them into an amorous and joyful kiss. Although an outright public display of affection, nobody seemed bothered by the romantic charade, rather, they moreso encouraged for it to continue.
A few more kisses were shared between Levi and I before I embraced him once again, squealing happily as I virtually smothered him for the upteenth time that day. All the male could do was simply return the action whole-heartedly, whispering sweet nothings to me and enjoying the precious moment for as long as he could. After a while, people began to depart the area, some voicing congratulations to us and others smiling at us goodbye.
I just continued to cling to Levi, basking in the glow that was an optimistic future between us, and all the shared memories to come.
-
Hullo, hullo everyone. Normally I only do an author's note when something is important, and believe me, I think this is important to those interested.
You guys are aware IHAO! is close to ending, right ? Like, really close. I'm only doing a few more chapters before I stamp this baby as "completed." I dunno, maybe there'll be a sequel in the future, because hey, if it's something I'm motivated to do, and you as the fans want to see it happen, I can probably deliver it in the future.
Also Mike reminds me of Andy from Parks and Recreation in this AU ;;;; A big, cute, loveable, happy, optimistic bear <33