Chapter Text
Cool air rushed through the open window of his bedroom—flakes of old, worn out paint starting to crumple and peel with the wind. Dusk was already beginning to fall over the rusted brick of the low buildings in Uptown Chicago. Broadway stretched a ways down, North and South, and the view from his window presented him the somber embrace of the remaining sunset on the horizon.
Levi paced around his bedroom; the floorboards beneath him creaking under the weight of years without repair. The record he'd left on all day played softly from his living room—the small space of his apartment only just barely the size he could afford with his salary, but he'd managed this far. Being a waiter in a failing jazz club hadn't been his best career choice, but it was what he had, and he'd take what he could get.
With a final drag of his cigarette Levi fastened the buttons of his cuffs before he chucked the butt from his mouth out of the open window. He looked over to see the wall clock reading 8:20. He still had a good ten minutes before he needed to be downstairs, but he was always one for punctuality.
He left the window open with hopes that the summer night's air might freshen up the place, and as he straightened his bow tie, licked his teeth, and combed his hair back in the mirror, he knew he was ready for work tonight.
Levi shut and locked his door—the rusted metal of the deadbolt jangled and fought against his efforts, though with a little manpower he was always able to shut it with the magic touch. With a quick lick of his fingers, he adjusted his eyebrows as he headed down the three flights of stairs. At ground level the building never looked like much save for the apartments, but below in the basement, was one of the sole remaining jazz clubs left in Chicago. 1966 had brought not only the new luxuries of rock n roll, but also the publicized death of jazz and big band, replaced with boys who wailed guitars and spat in the way of authority and grace.
The Rose Mill club was brilliant though—modest to most, the club was small and simple with dark mahogany floors built up by the rusted red of brick walls, all shrouded with deep yellows and reds of ambient lighting from above. The stage at the center was rounded and intimate with the audience, only a foot or so below. With about fifteen tables, it was obvious that the club never grew much bigger than it had in it's heyday as a speakeasy back in the age of prohibition, but after thirty years, the club aged gracefully, much like a fine wine.
Out on the floor, Levi could see Petra and Auruo fixing and straightening the fixtures on the tables—lighting candles and patting the seat cushions to comfortable perfection.
“Hey, Levi.” Petra waved as Levi made his way in from the back entrance of the club, conveniently adjoined with the fire exit of the apartment building above. He nodded his head to her as he made his way to the bar, Mike already scrubbing and drying the whiskey and wine glasses.
“You seem to be working a little late on those aren't you?” The smaller man sat at the bar, picking at the threads left by the leather over the counter.
“It won't take me more than a couple of minutes to finish these, you know that.”
Levi just smiled at the big guy. He'd always been curious how the man—basically a yeti in disguise—had ever gotten away with being a bartender when he could barely see through the thick, blond bangs over his eyes. He'd told Levi it had been a talent of his that he could find his way around with his nose better than his eyes, and with that Levi left it with a shrug of his shoulders.
“You think it'll be a slow night again?” Levi asked as he stared at the front door, where the manager was arranging the host desk for the start of the night.
“I don't think so. We do have that new singer tonight, and I know for a fact he'll be bringing in a few more patrons than usual.” Mike looked down at Levi with a devilish grin. The raven grimaced at the thought of the club ever being more full than a dozen or more people. It seemed nearly impossible.
“I doubt it, Mike. This place hasn't seen more than the same three people since '55. It'll be slow, with or without a new singer.”
Mike shrugged, though his smug little smile was still present under the small scruff of his beard. Levi clicked his tongue before he slid out of the bar stool reached behind the bar for his waiter tray. If the night was going to be as slow as he thought, or as packed as Mike predicted, he'd need to be ready for it regardless.
__________
“I need a whiskey sour and a dry martini.” Levi looked back out on the floor as he waited at the bar for his drinks. The sea of people he couldn't have predicted filled the room wall to wall, and it left him entirely dumbfounded since it wasn't even 9 o'clock yet. The first—new—singer would be coming on in about five minutes, but for now, it was simply the band playing, and Levi couldn't help but shake his head.
“I told you it'd be packed tonight.” Mike laughed as he slid the waiter's drinks to him over the counter.
Levi shook his head more, speechless by the fact. “This guy must be good to warrant this many people.” Mike smiled as Levi wandered off into the crowd of filled tables, tray in hand as he wandered over heads with pardons and polite words.
After a few minutes of handing out drinks and appetizers from the kitchen, Levi was interrupted from an order with a patron—the entire floor looked up to the stage, silent and waiting like the second coming of Jesus. Levi took the opportunity to write down the few last orders he'd been given—with how packed the club was tonight he could never just rely on his memory to take every order.
As his pen hit the paper, he heard the band begin to roar—the saxophones starting soft and sensual accompanied by the sporadic clang of the piano, the smooth addition of the top hat of the drum filling the room with more soul than it'd seen in a decade. Without much hesitation, the song was brought to new heights by the tempo of fingers snapping—one pair—as velvet met with the microphone.
You never know how much I love ya, Never know how much I care...
Levi turned at the drop of a hat, the pen nearly slipping from his fingers as his head whipped to face the stage. Through the dim lighting—dull and accented with dark—Levi's eyes met with striking blue and completely caught off guard.
When you put your arms around me, I get a feelin' that's so hard to bear. You give me fever.
Levi's breath hitched as the man sang to him. Their eyes were locked for what seemed like minutes—dancing around the words of the song, the message caught in the airwaves between them. The blond on stage was caught, hook, line, and sinker in Levi's gaze. His fingers snapped to the beat, and it seemed like the words escaping her lips were genuine and not fodder.
With as much courage as he could muster, Levi shook his gaze away as the room began to fill with sound once again—as if everything had stopped in that moment. He looked back to the woman sat before him, a look of concern in her eyes as she repeated her order again.
He made he way back to the bar several times through the night, all the while, his mind would give an excuse to let his eyes wander back to the stage every chance they got, though he never met the man's eyes again. He did, however, get a chance to really look at him. The man stood tall—taller than he'd hoped—with a strong build under the pressed brilliance of his tux. He had a strong face, a man's man's features fit with high cheekbones and prominent chin. A soft wave of blond, slicked locks framed those piercing eyes. Altogether he was packaged with the voice Levi could only describe as sultry and smooth, like the Devil asking for a simple car ride home.
Levi shuffled back to bar for what he thought was the hundredth time that night. The set was ending soon—typically an hour per singer, with two singers a night, was enough to get the patrons in and happy and out. The man was a classic—that much was true. Every song he sang was a beloved favorite, ranging from Sinatra to Crosby, and it was obvious he was a jazz junkie.
The small waiter sat at the bar as he waited for more drinks—patrons were beginning to leave, and for good reason. It was obvious that a large majority of the customers that night came for that new blond, and there wasn't much reason to stay after he'd gone off because there sure as hell was anyone who could top that tonight.
Mike was filling a few more drink orders as he looked at the smaller man, a triumphant smirk on his face. Levi looked up to him, his face distorted with fatigue. He hadn't worked that hard in the club in years, and it showed.
“Where did that guy come from?” He huffed.
“I've known him for years. He came to me the other week asking of any clubs were searching for a singer. I told him we'd take him, so, here he is.”
Levi shook his head in wonderment. Looking up at the stage he could see the man finishing off his last song, smiling out in the crowd like he knew what he'd done to the people there. He did. And he liked it.
The smaller man turned back to the bar, only one of the five drinks he needed ready and waiting for his tray. Seemingly out of nowhere, like a figure emerging from the black, the blond came to sit next to Levi at the bar. How he was able to bypass the eager, chattering women was a surprise, but as luck would be on his side, the bar was tucked neatly in the corner on the far east side of the club.
Levi looked to his tentatively, his eyes lowered cautiously below his lashes as the man looked to him simultaneously. Like a wave hitting the shore the man spoke in a voice so different from how he sang. A deep baritone that melted with ever syllable.
“How did you like the set?” The man flashed a row of pearly whites. Confident and oh so conscious of himself.
“Well, I don't really know how you brought in this many people, but I'd say you were successful.” Levi kept his wits about him as he looked to the man. It was in moments like these that he was grateful for the constant solemn look of his features to hide was behind them.
“I'm a little surprised myself to say the least. I didn't think it'd turn out like this.”
“Well, you had me working all night regardless.”
“Is it so bad that you were working all night?...—uh, what was your name?” The blond held out his right hand, a pure smile on his lips.
Levi shook his hand cautiously. “Levi.”
“Levi. I'm Erwin. Erwin Smith,” He held Levi's hand a bit longer than was custom for men, but it seemed evident enough tonight that that wouldn't matter. “So, Levi. You said my set was successful, but you never answered if you liked it or not.” He kept that smile on his lips, handsome lips enough to die for.
“Like I said, I was working the whole time so I didn't get to hear much,” he paused, looking to the floor before he met Erwin's eyes with new conviction. “But, you were amazing I'd say.”
Erwin smiled from ear to ear—a blush at the tip of his ears hidden by the dark of the club. “That's what I like to hear.”
Levi scoffed, a natural reaction to such a cocky attitude. But with once had seemed as unattractive as extreme confidence, Levi found Erwin's smooth-talking approach to be something fresh, and with looks that added to the appeal, he was someone hard to ignore.
“Well, you're lucky I don't have to walk far to get home.” As just a joking segue for the conversation, Levi was shocked to be caught in Erwin's gaze once more, though now his eyes were less a sleight at polite conversation, and were something far more dangerous.
“Where do you live?” His tone was hushed under the vibration of the band. His voice so difficult to pull out from the noise surrounding them that he was unsure if what he heard was correct.
Levi paused; staring back at the man to gauge how to respond to such a simple question. But the answer was everything that mattered.
“...upstairs.” Barely just a whisper, Levi gave him the answer he wanted, regardless of how entirely true it was.
“Perfect.” Was all Erwin said.
Before Levi could speak past the rising lump in his throat, he turned at the sound of Mike coughing—five ready and waiting drinks spread over Levi's tray. The smaller man, flustered, took his tray with only one final look at Erwin, who did nothing but stare back at him.
Levi shook it off as he headed back onto the floor, tray practically shaking the drinks over his jittering fingers. He was never sure how propositions worked, but he was sure that what had just happened was something.
___________
At around eleven the club began to dissipate—patrons, scramblers, drunks, and band members alike packing up on a Friday night with the whole weekend before them. Levi was wiping down a few of the drink trays as the other waiters occupied themselves by clearing the table clothes ready to be washed in the back. Their aches and pains and complaints were heard loud and clear from the bar. Levi searched around for any sights of Erwin, but there was none, and admittedly he felt a bit of a fool for searching. Men were just as much a tease as women, he knew that much.
As the manager chased a few stragglers out of the door, Levi, done with his remaining duties, made his way to the back entrance of the club. He was extremely tired and knew that what he desperately needed was a good crash on his bed. Before he could make it to the back door, he was stopped in his tracks by the little chestnut, Petra.
“Levi! Tonight was crazy wasn't it?” The girl, standing just shy of Levi's height, was often at his beck and call. He often felt a bit bad for how easily she fawned over him, but he knew there wasn't much to do about it. “I'm so tired, but those tips were pretty nice, huh?” She giggled a bit awkwardly, but she was friendly enough.
“Heh, yeah. It was pretty rough tonight, but good business is good business.”
“Absolutely! Which is incredible, because you know how I've been trying to sing here for years and the manager kept saying no?” Levi nodded halfheartedly. “Well, he told me that since Erwin brought in so much business tonight that he'd let me sing, finally!” The excitement in her voice was palpable, and Levi was truly happy for her, but he was much to tired to share in her enthusiasm.
“That's great to hear, Petra. I'm sure it'll all go well.” She nodded spastically before she took the hint and stepped out of his way for the night. He waved back to the rest of his crew who were getting ready to head out, each in their own special way exhausted by what the night brought.
Levi took in a deep breath as he left through the heavy back door, and sighed into the back hallway of the apartment building. When he looked up he was a bit more shocked than he honestly should have been—but seeing Erwin leaned against the wall, still dolled up in his tux sucking down on the butt of what was left of his cigarette was an awfully beautiful sight to see.
The smaller man was silent as the door shut behind him, filling the silent echo of the barren hallway. Erwin looked to him under pale lashes, smoke bellowing around his face as he flicked the butt away. He stepped closer to Levi, predatory but cautious.
“You said you live upstairs?” Levi nodded slowly.
Without another word their lips crashed. The taste of fresh ash filling Levi's tongue was enough to burn him—ferocious lust and passion caught him in that moment. His face was held by Erwin's calloused fingers, rough and protective enough to guard him. Levi's eyes shut instantly, his legs nearly giving out under the weight of the world above them. His tongue traced over white teeth, the light smack of lips and tongues in an empty hallway caused alarm in him, but he knew there was no risk.
He tried to catch his breath a few times; trying his best to pull back from Erwin's embrace. After a moment he was able to catch him breath, huffing against Erwin's lips as his eyes fought to stay opened.
“That was a risky move.” No man would dare to pull a stunt like that on another man anywhere in America, not in the safety of an empty hallway.
“There's no risk. Men don't look at each other like that unless they understand what it means.” His voice was hushed but confident in what he said. He was right, of course, but Levi was still weary. If Erwin had pulled that on a man who wasn't sure, there's no saying what'd happen to him, not in this day and age.
“Upstairs?” A few blond bangs fell loose onto Erwin's forehead, the leftover glistening of sweat dotting his skin, caught by the fluorescent light. Levi nodded.
Levi wasn't sure in that moment how they'd made it up the three flights of stairs to his place—surely they'd kept their bodies locked in helpless rubbing and grinding along the way, stopping a few steps in for their lips to meet again. It was hedonistic and pathetic how they ached for each other. Lust had taken over in the moments between the first and third floor. The damn deadlock on his door being the only obstacle keeping them from instant gratification.
As he slammed the door shut behind him, Levi was pushed against it in that instant—his left leg lifting to wrap around Erwin's waist. His entire body was set aflame as they kissed—the friction enough to send him over the precipice of whatever this was. Erwin's fingers kneaded tenderly at the small of Levi's back, purposefully undoing the drawstring of his apron, letting it fall loosely down his body until it hit the floor, unwanted and unnecessary.
Levi could hardly speak against Erwin's skin, though he was barely able to muster a suggestion that they make it back to his bedroom instead of continuing where he was sure his neighbors could hear. Erwin complied eagerly, lifting the smaller man against himself, wrapping Levi's legs around him as he made his way back to the only other room in the small apartment.
He practically slammed Levi back onto the bed, taking the opportunity to undo the bow tie around his neck and his tux jacket. While he crawled from the front of the bed, Levi was able to kick his shoes off to the side before he was bewildered by the sight before him. Erwin held himself above the smaller man, his white dress shirt fitted to perfection around his form, the slight creases by the suspenders over his shoulders.
After another moment their lips met against, wordless but meaningful. Levi pulled on the suspenders over Erwin's shoulders, letting them fall past his waist as the larger man snatched Levi's own bow tie away, flinging it somewhere behind them. They smiled against each other's mouths as they managed to rid Erwin's shirt and belt.
Erwin's undershirt spread across his chest, barely fitting over his built form. The fabric stretched, malleable and manipulated over his muscles as he pulled his clean over his head, tousling his perfect hair only just slightly. Levi stared at the smooth skin, pulled taut over firm abdominals, a ridge of flesh pulling to the center below his belly-button where his trousers blocked the view beneath.
Levi's gawking must've amused him, since Erwin could do no less than to smile at the smaller man's reaction. In some sort of reply, he supposed, Erwin bent to meet with the lower half of Levi's torso, his fingers toying with the buttons of Levi's waistcoat, letting it fall to his sides listlessly as he further worked his belt and trousers.
Levi sighed as Erwin undid each and every button of his dress shirt painfully slow. Kissing just below each advance, he pulled the shirt and undershirt up together, his lips brushing softly against his hot skin. His breathing became labored as Erwin stopped at his right nipple, taking it between his lips as he licked and nipped playfully at the rough skin. Levi was growing anxious, but he was already so lost in a haze that he'd already given himself to this man in so little time, and there was nothing to fight against.
Erwin pulled back after a few moments, stripping Levi to his underwear—the thin white fabric leaving nothing to the imagination. He stripped himself, his cock bouncing painfully prominent as he crawled back onto the bed above Levi. The smaller man was entirely flushed from the tips of his ears to his chest, the rest of his body a perfect candidate for porcelain.
They kissed another minute before Levi began to reach to the nightstand at his right. Erwin looked up and over to see his struggles, but guessed correctly in thinking he was searching for something. He pulled himself up with a low grunt as he reached over for Levi, with nothing on the surface of the nightstand besides a lamp, Erwin took the liberty of reaching into the small drawer, lifting the first thing he could get his fingers on in the dark.
He pulled out a jar of Vaseline petroleum jelly, looking at it with a perplexed expression. He cocked his eyebrow to Levi who just shook his head.
“Give me that,” he snatched it from Erwin's hand before falling back on the bed, his legs still spread around Erwin's. The blond complied with a shrug before his lips found Levi's again. His kisses fell lazily from Levi's mouth, down his chin, chest, his stomach working taut beneath his touch. Erwin let out a few breathy laughs as his fingers pulled at the waistband of Levi's underwear.
“What?” He heard above him with a concerned tone.
“No, nothing. It just...reminds me of a song is all.” His breath fell hot against Levi's skin, sending a trail of unforgiving goosebumps down his stomach. Levi just sighed as Erwin slid the fabric of his underwear down his legs, letting him feel the cool night air on his skin. Under their hushed tones, they heard the ambiance of the city outside Levi's window—something the man had taken for granted over the years he's lived there. It was calm, relaxing, and a soundtrack to summer love.
In a flash, Erwin snatched the jar of Vaseline from Levi's hand, opening the cap as his lips kissed the length of Levi's hard cock. He was pink and wet under him, and Erwin was just as enthralled by the sight of a rare painting.
Without having the ask, Erwin knew what Levi wanted him to do with the jelly, and it was ingenious to say the least. He dipped two fingers in, lathering them as best he could with the limited space between him and bed. His tongue began to lave at the sweet skin of Levi's length as his fingers spread and teased the tight skin of his entrance. Levi instantly surged at the touch—his back arching as his fingers dug into the bare sheets of his bed. He hissed as Erwin thrust his fingers forward, all the while he took Levi in his mouth, his tongue working of the head as his cheeks hollowed around him.
Erwin worked him for a few minutes—sucking him gently as his fingers filled and eased Levi to relax. He'd never wanted so badly not to hurt something, to be delicate and careful with his hands.
He lifted himself slowly, eying at Levi below him—the glow of the lights from the window illuminating the soft curves of his body, his skin dancing in the chill of the air, pale and begging. He kissed him again as he spread Levi's legs further around his waist, his cock jutting greedily against the little ring of muscles.
Levi stared up at him lazily. They'd been so quiet since they made it back to his room, so few words spoken that it all seemed something like a dream. He reached his arms up, hooking his hands around Erwin's neck, pulling their faces closer, their eyes searching in the night.
Erwin took a short breath as he urged forward, his length plunging slowly as his grip guided it. Levi held a noise in his throat through the motion, taking short, labored breaths while his fingernails dug deep into the skin at Erwin's neck. Their noses bumped once Erwin buried himself deep in Levi, his heat engulfing him entirely in one thrust. They breathed the hot air between them for a second, adjusting to their position.
After a moment, Erwin gave a peck at the tip of Levi's nose as he pulled back, slowly at first. With more ambition he thrust quicker, gauging Levi's reaction of a muffled moan. With gracious acceptance, Erwin buried himself again and his face into Levi's shoulder, teeth grazing against his skin as he hissed and grunted in lieu of pure sinner's sensation.
His pace grew increasingly as they eased forward—eventually the natural speed met as they kissed, bit, and spoke nonsense against their skin. Erwin grew breathless as his thrust became sporadic. He held himself above Levi wearily; the muscles of his back accentuated by the night's illumination as his arms began to shake between him. He felt a tightening deep in his groin, he was so close and lost in himself and Levi. Levi's nails nearly broke skin while his moans heightened with abandon. His toes curled, his thighs shook anxiously, and he came the moment Erwin hit that little button of nerves.
Erwin's breath was cut short the moment he saw Levi writhe beneath him. His cum spread and pooled at his stomach, little streaks highlighted by the moon. With only a few thrusts more, Erwin released himself, buried to the hilt in Levi—the heat only urging him further in his orgasm.
The blond nearly collapsed on top of Levi, his arms practically giving out below him. His panting was low and deep as he fell over to Levi's right, falling onto his back with a heavy sigh. His chest rose and fell to no rhythm, stars beginning to cloud his vision in the corners. He looked over to Levi as his breathing began to even out, Levi's expression just as tired and pleasured as his own, and he thought for a moment how beautiful the other man was. He was small, yes, but with his porcelain skin, contrasted only by raven black hair, with a soft face and intense eyes, he was something of a doll in Erwin's eyes.
Levi eyed him up and down quizzically, his lips parted as he huffed. They stared at each other for a moment, their eyes simply dancing over each other's skin, soaking in the fact of their transgressions they oh-so-loved to partake in. Levi was the first to smile, to his own surprise. Erwin gave him a smirk in return as he pushed his head further into the pillow below it.
“I was tired before, but now...” Levi began, the sudden noise in the otherwise quiet room shocking him. “I realize how overworked I really am now.” He let out a lazy laugh as he spoke, his chest bobbing up and down lightly in the silhouette.
“Then sleep. I can leave if you'd like me to.” It was a bit soon to suggest he'd go already, but Erwin was never good with the dynamics of sleeping over.
Levi shook his head into a pillow. “You don't have to.” He gave another smile, more gentle and soothing this time. With that, Erwin couldn't help the blush from his cheeks. He was never sure if he believe in love at first sight or not—he sometimes even doubted if true love ever truly exists—but this was something...it was definitely something.
Erwin got up from the bed, the urge hitting him as it often did after sex. Levi sat up curiously as he watched the man fish something from the floor before he came back with a pack of cigarettes and a lighter tucked neatly in his hand. In naked glory he stalked back to the bed, falling back against the pillow again with his left arm tucked beneath his head.
“You're a Lucky Strike man?” Levi teased as he watched Erwin light the cigarette between his lips, picking one from the pack for himself. Erwin lit Levi's for him as the smaller man came to lay his head against his chest.
“Indeed I am. Have been for sixteen years.” His lips curled humorously around the paper. Levi chucked as he pat his hand playfully against Erwin's stomach.
“Good to hear. Been ten for me.” He swallowed the drag playfully, letting the smoke and the night fill the room around them slowly.