It was a dreary-ass day. It had rained all morning and, even though it had stopped, the clouds that blocked out the afternoon sun were dark and ominous. Levi hoped that the temporary reprieve from the imminent downpour would last long enough for him to take care of some errands on his lunch hour.
He stalked through the noon-day crowd, cell phone pressed to his ear, unloading onto Isabel every gripe he had about the new intern at work. (The boy was clearly an idiot.). He wasn’t paying attention to bustle around him. He was in full bitch mode and a master of tuning out unwanted distractions. In fact, he had failed to notice how the crowd had begun to part and rush around him.
He hadn’t noticed anything...until he saw him.
Levi barely saw him coming, the tall blond man that sprinted toward him like some sort of tweaked-out psychopath coming down from bath salts. The man was clearly headed toward him with single-minded determination, and Levi immediately went on the defensive, dropping his phone and squaring his body as the man came closer, his green trench coat billowing behind him like a cape.
Levi held his hands up to put up a fight as the man hurdled over a bench and descended on Levi’s much smaller frame. The blond grabbed both his wrists, preventing any retaliatory attack, even as he pushed Levi into the alleyway between two nearby buildings. He didn’t stop until Levi’s back hit the wall hard enough to knock the breath from his lungs.
Levi struggled to shift his weight, to keep from being pinned, but found himself being forced to his knees instead. The dirty water from the alley immediately soaked through his wool trousers, making Levi hiss and cuss in disgust. But the blond also hit his knees and curled his body over Levi’s, like a shield.
The sound of tires squealing and a loud crash prevented Levi from pushing the other man off of him. From underneath the blond’s arm, he saw the delivery truck skidding wildly down the street and crashing just mere feet from where he was kneeling in the alley...the exact spot Levi had been standing just moments prior.
The whole ordeal had happened in just mere moments, but Levi seemed to have lived it in slow motion.
“I’m sorry,” the blond spoke, pulling back just enough to allow Levi to look up at him in shock. “I tried to get your attention.”
“You...what…I mean...you just saved my ass.” Levi gaped, as the situation began to sink in.
“I was worried I wouldn’t get to you in time.” The man looked down at Levi with the bluest eyes he had ever seen.
“You idiot! You could have been killed!” Levi spat.
“One would think you would be a little more grateful,” the man responded with a crooked grin on his too-handsome face. “I couldn’t just stand by and watch you get killed.”
“You just risked your life for a complete stranger,” Levi scolded as he stared at the carnage.
“It seems that way, yes.” The blond’s voice was calm, but Levi could feel the pounding of his heart beneath his hands. Not even taking the time to question just when his hands decided to curl against that broad chest.
“Have you lost your mind?” Levi asked as he looked back at the stranger that held him with trembling hands.
“I may have, but I was watching you walk down the street and knew you had no clue that you were walking right into a dangerous situation.”
“You were watching me?”
“Well, I, um, that is to say...you are very attractive, and well, I couldn’t help but notice you…”
“Oh,” Levi said softly.
“Sorry, that just made an already uncomfortable situation even more awkward.”
“No, no, it’s fine.”
“Are you two okay?” Levi looked up to see a police officer standing there. When had the authorities arrived?
“Yeah, I’m good,” Levi answered first.
“No worse for wear,” the blond responded, eyes never leaving Levi.
“Okay, well, you guys need to clear out. It’s not exactly safe here.”
The blond stood and held a hand out to Levi. He grasped it and allowed the larger man to pull him to his feet. A long arm wrapped around his shoulders and he was led away to a bench across the street.
“I’m sorry about your pants. They are probably a lost cause.” The statement was so innocuous in light of the previous events that Levi couldn’t help the bark of laughter that pushed past his lips.
“I have more.” The blond smiled back, shyly. “I’m Levi, by the way.”
“Erwin. Is it weird to say that it’s nice to meet you? I mean, I would rather it be under different circumstances-“
“I want to take you to dinner,” Levi interrupted.
“Please, don’t feel obligated. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“No, not in thanks. I want to get your number, take you to dinner, and, maybe, get to know you.”
“Yeah, okay. There’s just one problem.” Erwin frowned.
“What?”
“I don’t think your phone made it.” Erwin pointed to the black cell phone shattered on the pavement.
“Damn it. I guess we'll just have to get lunch now instead.”
“But we’re filthy.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m hungry and I don’t care if you don’t.” Levi’s stomach growled loudly as if to make his point.
“Not at all.”
“Great, you lead, and I’ll follow.”
***
