Chapter Text
It all starts just when things are supposed to be winding down, at an unreasonably late hour on a slow night. Levi’s second man of the night has pulled his trousers back on and been seen on his way, and Levi’s back in his room, tugging the dirty sheets off the bed and thoroughly ready to call it a night, when there’s a knock at the door.
The owner of Levi’s current place of work is a woman of indeterminate middle-age named Gunda, who had probably been something of a beauty before years of hard living in the bad side of the capitol had taken their toll. Now, in the year and a half or so that Levi’s been in business with her, she’s always looked exhausted almost to the point of collapsing. But she’s fair enough, and she keeps to herself, both qualities for which Levi is greatly appreciative. Which makes it all the more of an unpleasant surprise that she’s here now, since he can already guess that it means that his night isn’t done after all.
“There’s one more for you downstairs,” Gunda says, unfortunately predictable.
“No, there isn’t,” Levi retorts, even though his hopes of a somewhat early finish and a few extra hours of sleep are already starting to fade. “I’m done for the night. Find someone else.”
“He asked for you,” Gunda continues unwaveringly. “Specifically.”
“For me?” That’s a little odd. Levi doesn’t have many regular customers, and of the few he does have, one hasn’t shown up in months, one has already stopped in earlier in the evening, and the others have never come around this late before. “Who is it?”
“New fellow.” Gunda says. “Haven’t seen him before, but he just walked in and said that he wants you.” She starts to turn away, shuffling back towards the stairs down to the lobby. “You can have ten minutes to get ready, then I’ll send him up.”
“Wait,” Levi protests. “Give him to one of the others. Or tell him he’s out of luck, I don't give a shit. I’m done. I‘ve been working all night.”
“You had two guests, and the last one wasn’t even twenty minutes. You probably didn't even have to take your clothes off for him, you can handle one more.”
“Yeah, okay, that guy was finished practically as soon as he could get his dick out, but the merchant with the lazy eye went for fucking ever, and then he wanted to-“
Gunda’s worn-out face slowly creases into a grimace. “Don't need the details.”
"So, I’m done for the night,” Levi persists.
“He looks like he’s got money.”
There’s something to consider, at least. “A lot?”
“More than most of the trash that comes through here, that’s for sure,” Gunda snorts.
Levi does a series of mental calculations, weighing potential benefits of a rich customer and a pleased Gunda against the satisfaction of fucking it all and going to bed. “He’s not some kind of weirdo, is he?” he asks.
“I’ll send him up.” Gunda knows the beginnings of a forfeit when she hears it.
“You didn’t answer the question!” Levi calls as she walks away.
“Keep your voice down!” she scolds over her shoulder, and adds: “Five minutes.”
“Five-?” But Gunda is long gone now, down the stairs to the lobby, where a few particularly patient or particularly desperate men still wait, mingling with the whores less impatient to wrap up for the night than Levi is. Levi’s mystery man among them, apparently. Sina’s tits and Rose’s cunt.
Levi slams his door shut and takes stock of the conditions in his room. The sheets go back on the bed – if the customer notices that they haven’t been cleaned, he can take it up with Gunda, or make a fucking appointment next time. Unlike some of the places Levi’s worked, his current circumstances include a small bathroom, blessedly convenient and private, off of the bedroom, and Levi has time to get himself into a more or less acceptable state of cleanliness before there’s another knock at the door.
The knock is unmistakably different from Gunda’s, a businesslike rat-tat-tat of knuckles against wood from somebody who sounds like he’s used to being minded. Levi takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly, willing his bad mood away. Whatever this customer has in mind surely won’t take that long – Levi used to pride himself on his ability to satisfy customers quickly, back when he had been younger and more excited by the work – and if what he’s been promised is true, there could be a tidy bit of cash in it for him after it’s all done. Business, not to mention business aimed specifically at Levi, has been slowing down for the past few months. As annoying as it is to have extra work piled on at the last minute, this could turn out to be a very good thing after all. And he’s a little curious to learn what this man’s story is, anyway.
The man outside the door is starting to shift on his feet, but his face brightens affably when he sees Levi. He’s tall, young – not a lot older than Levi, probably – and startlingly handsome, with golden hair, high cheekbones, and clear blue eyes. Levi blinks, caught by surprise. He’s been in the business long enough to know that any kind of man might show up on the right evening, but this still isn’t quite what he had expected.
“Hello,” he says, a fraction less coolly than he would have liked.
For a moment, the man at the door looks as though he’s about to extend his hand for Levi to shake, bizarrely, but he seems to remember where he is and who Levi is at the last second. In the end, he just smiles some more. “Levi?”
“That’s me.” Levi’s recovered himself now, focused once again on the job ahead, which now looks as if it might be a little more agreeable than previously expected. He opens the door wider, inviting. “Come inside?”
His room isn’t anything particularly remarkable, but his customer takes everything in – the hastily remade bed, the cabinets where lubricant and other necessary items can be stored tastefully out of sight – with a curiosity that doesn’t escape Levi. He already knows this man is new here – Levi would have been told if this was just a case of a bored regular wanting to try something new for the night, not to mention that he’d definitely remember it if he had seen someone like this around before – but now Levi’s wondering if this isn’t his first time in any brothel, period. Another surprise.
When the man doesn't make the first move, Levi steps behind him and helpfully eases his coat off his shoulders, as smoothly as their substantial height difference allows. It’s more of a courtesy than he extends to most, but there’s no harm in going the extra mile for a new customer, especially since one thing that Levi’s been told is definitely right – this man has more money than either of the other customers Levi’s seen tonight. His clothing is plain, almost self-consciously so, but there’s no hiding the good quality of the fabric, and the attention with which it’s been tailored.
A good-looking, rich man by himself in a brothel in one of the more dubious parts of the city, in the middle of the night. Levi is officially intrigued now, enough that the sudden imposition doesn’t seem so bad after all.
“Haven’t seen you here before,” he comments as he sets the coat aside, surreptitiously feeling for a weapon (no) or a wallet (yes) out of old habit as he does. Levi doesn’t normally have much patience for this part, stale conversation before the main event, but tonight he’s genuinely curious to find out what this man has to say for himself.
“I got, ah, a recommendation.” The man’s all composure and bland friendliness, even now. Perhaps he’s some kind of politician.
Levi raises his eyebrows. “A recommendation for me.”
He’d meant it as a challenge – Levi’s not sure if he has any customers who are so enamored with him, let alone any who are likely to be friends with someone like this – but the man doesn’t hesitate at all. “That’s right.” He’s taken a seat on the edge of the bed now, eyes on Levi.
Fair enough. Levi can try to tease out how exactly this man heard about him later, if he still cares. Now he strides over until he’s standing almost between the blond’s legs, looking down at him. The next move is for the customer to decide: Pull Levi onto his lap? Onto the bed? But he doesn’t react right away, though Levi can see him tense, blue eyes dilating.
When he still hasn’t moved a second later, Levi takes the initiative, smoothing one hand over the man’s shoulder and privately marveling at the unexpected strength he can feel in his back and arm. Whatever this man does for a living, he keeps himself in good shape. Levi can appreciate that.
He lets his hand trail down, over a chest and abdomen equally hard with muscle, as he slowly drops to his knees. It’s as good a place to start as any, when the customer doesn’t have anything special in mind. The man doesn’t speak, but when he realizes what Levi’s doing he makes a wordless, pleased sound in the back of his throat, and one of his own big hands comes down to rest heavily where Levi’s neck meets his shoulder.
“What did they say about me?” Levi asks, more out of an urge to break the silence than real curiosity, as he starts tugging at the thick leather belt that’s now only slightly below eye level.
“Hmm." The man’s looking down at Levi with the same satisfied expression that he’s seen from this position a thousand times before. Levi can feel his pulse beating against the man’s thumb at his throat. “That you’re little, and cute, and good at what you do.”
“Huh.” Levi’s a little disappointed. It’s boringly generic praise, and he’s almost certain that this man is just pulling it out of his ass in the moment, not actually repeating anything he’s been told. Plenty of men who have passed through Levi’s room enjoy his size, to be sure – “cute” is a little more unlikely, though not impossible – but if this one had really asked around about Levi, he’d have heard a few more colorful things.
The little bastard’s got a mouth on him, but he knows how to use it good.
Likes to act like he’s somebody just because he used to know some of the right guys underground when he was a kid.
Thinks he can be picky, like he won’t be too old and too worn-out for anybody to want before long…
Levi makes quick work of the belt and draws the man’s cock skillfully out of his trousers and underclothes. It’s just as nice as the rest of his body, flushed and well-sized with a bit of a curve, rising out of a little more golden hair.
“Oh,” Levi says, pitching his voice into a low purr. “I am glad you heard about me, Mr. …?” It’s occurred to him that he still doesn’t have a name yet. It’s slightly annoying, especially considering that the man knows at least something about him.
“Smith.” It comes out in a choked gasp, thanks to the hand Levi wraps around the base of the man’s cock at the same moment.
“Mr. Smith,” Levi repeats, testing the name out. It might be a lie – which wouldn’t bother Levi at all, lots of men use fake names here – but if it is, it’s a rather unoriginal one.
Smith nods shakily, body tensing as Levi gives him an easy stroke.
“Okay,” Levi says. “And…” – another stroke – “…what part of what I do interests you tonight, Mr. Smith?”
“Oh.” Smith swallows, looking both uncertain and stupidly aroused. “I…”
“Did you talk to the woman downstairs when you came in?” Levi prompts after a moment. This isn’t just foreplay – it’s good to learn what kinds of things a customer is hoping for in advance, to get an idea of how things will play out and avoid any nasty surprises. He lets the hand on Smith’s cock go still, the better to encourage him to actually pay attention to what he’s being asked.
“Yes. I told her, uh, half an hour” Smith starts to frown a little once he realizes that he’s not getting jerked off anymore, until Levi rewards him by going back to work. Smith gets a good look on his face when he’s being pleasured, and Levi doesn’t mind keeping him happy while he gathers his thoughts. Half an hour. That’s not a lot of time – meaning not a lot of money for Levi, unfortunately – but it’s about right for letting a first-time customer get a taste, and it’s late enough now that Levi would have had a hard time staying enthusiastic about the job for much longer than that anyway.
“All right.” Levi says once he’s got a plan in mind. “That’s enough time for me to suck your big cock for a bit…” He teases the tiny slit at the head of Smith’s now fully hard length with his thumbnail, and is rewarded with a sharp intake of breath as the powerful thighs on either side of him twitch sharply. “…And you can finish in my ass, if you want. We’ll have to be quick, but you won’t be disappointed. Sound good?”
“Yes,” Smith breathes, fingers digging into Levi’s shoulder.
“Good,” Levi says, and gets to business.
-
Some minutes later – ten, perhaps, if Levi had to guess, but all he knows for sure is that the knock on the door signaling that a customer’s gone over his time has yet to come – things aren’t going quite as smoothly as Levi had hoped. Smith had seemed to enjoy himself well enough with Levi’s mouth on his cock, and had nodded when Levi had paused long enough to ask if he was ready to move on, but now, even as Levi’s on his back on the bed and reaching down to prepare himself with a practiced amount of showmanship, the sense that he’s having to walk Smith through every step of the process is intensifying, and it’s starting to grate on his nerves.
He adds a third finger to the two already pushed inside himself and lets his legs fall a little further open. In all honesty, he doesn’t really need the extra finger, but he’s stalling, waiting for the customer to do something. Smith’s been watching him from where he’s perched on the edge of the bed for some time now, and while there’s desire in his eyes, he hasn’t even tried to touch Levi since they got on the bed.
One good thing that can be said is that they’re both fully naked by now, at least. Smith’s built just as well as Levi had suspected, tall frame bound with just the right amount of muscle. Levi finds himself wondering again who this man is, what kind of life he leads and what’s brought him to a middling whorehouse in a neighborhood he’s almost surely not accustomed to at such a late hour. He still likes the idea that Smith is connected to the government somehow, or at least to one of the more socially influential rich families – there’s a certain air of class about him, and it’s not unheard of for a bored aristocrat to hit the slums in a misguided search for adventure – but Levi isn’t sure how many of the king’s lackeys have such a toned stomach or tight ass.
Nice manners, good looks, big cock – Smith could be a very good whore, in fact. Levi can’t help but snort at that. Smith raises his eyes to Levi’s face, startled.
“Nothing,” Levi says quickly. Concentrate, he scolds himself, and sits up, keeping his legs splayed lewdly apart and going back to a more alluring tone of voice. “Are you ready?”
“Yes,” Smith answers, though he still doesn't look entirely sure. He shifts down the bed a little bit closer to Levi, and places a hand somewhat gingerly on Levi’s shin.
Levi could sigh, but he manages to hold himself back this time. “How do you want it?” he cajoles. “On my back? Or should I get on my knees for you? Let you pound into me on all fours…?” Smith had responded enthusiastically to dirty talk earlier, and Levi hopes that a bit more will be enough to get him fired up now.
“On your back is fine,” Smith answers, somewhat hastily. As mysterious as he is in some ways, one thing that Levi is almost certain of by now is that this is his first time buying sex.
“Okay,” Levi says, just barely keeping impatience out of his voice. “Whenever you’re ready, Mr. Smith.” He briefly wonders if Smith would enjoy this more if Levi addressed him differently, “Sir”, or “Master”, or any of the other things that the odd customer of his has enjoyed, before deciding that if that’s indeed the case, Smith can very well speak up for himself.
Smith draws even closer to Levi, drawing his legs up until he’s fully on the bed. Levi’s got his own legs pulled invitingly up to his chest. A little overkill, perhaps, but anything to remind Smith of what he’s here to do. It’s crossed Levi’s mind by now that perhaps this is his customer’s first time with a man, paid or no, a particularly disheartening thought. He’s been the first for a few men – repressed, or simply curious – before, and it’s almost invariably awkward for the customer and aggravatingly boring for Levi. But no, Smith had seemed comfortable enough earlier that surely, Levi convinces himself, that can’t be it. Smith’s some straight-laced noble without enough imagination to even come up with a good alias. It’s regrettable but perhaps to be expected that he’s not particularly exciting when it comes to fucking.
“You’re ready?” Smith asks.
Levi can’t come up with a way to put don’t complain to me if you run out of time before you can fucking put it in, at this rate seductively, so he just nods.
Smith enters him a little more suddenly than Levi expects, catching him so off-guard that he almost forgets to moan as if he’s impressed by the size of his cock even after all the foreplay. Smith rocks his hips steadily forward, gripping Levi’s bent legs. He’s not especially forceful, particularly compared to some of Levi’s rougher customers, but his earlier hesitation is nowhere to be seen. There’s no doubt that he knows what to do, to Levi’s relief.
“Mmm,” Levi encourages, as the bed squeaks and Smith breathes raggedly above him. “That’s it, Mister, that feels good. Wanna give me a little more?” He tilts his hips forward as much as he can – his current position is rather limiting, especially with a much larger partner on top of him – and Smith rises to the occasion nicely, giving a bit more force to his thrusts and adjusting his grip on Levi. As he does, Levi notices that his palms feel unexpectedly rough and calloused, more like the hands of some fighter on the street than those of a noble. Like Levi’s hands, or maybe the way his hands used to be back when he spent a little more time on the street and a little less time in beds like this.
When Levi glances up briefly, Smith’s eyes are almost closed, brow furrowed in concentration as he drives his hips dutifully forward and back.
“You like that?” Levi asks.
Smith says nothing, just pushes Levi a little further into the bed and keeps going. Levi waits a few more seconds for a reply - or even just some kind of acknowledgement, really - before deciding that he’s not likely to get anything, so he decides to shut up as well. Not everybody likes a chatty whore, and if Smith feels like he’s getting his money’s worth like this, so be it.
As unoriginal a fuck as Smith is, he also turns out to be a surprisingly persistent one. Once they settle into a rhythm (or, Smith does, and Levi keeps up) things go on that way until Levi expects a knock on the door at any minute. He can’t tell how close to finishing Smith is – there’s something annoyingly unreadable about the man, at least as far as their current activities are concerned – but after several more seconds of interminable thrusting go by, he figures that a word of warning might not be uncalled for.
“You said h-half an hour?” Levi stumbles over the words a little when the next thrust goes particularly deep.
Smith pauses, slumping forward and catching himself with one arm before he goes straight on top of Levi. He’s gotten sweaty, and his chest, now not too far from Levi’s face, is heaving. “What?” he huffs, the first thing he’s said to Levi since entering him.
“Your time.” Levi reminds him, inwardly thankful for both the respite and the fact he has Smith’s attention once more. “It’s up to you if you want to go over, but they’ll make you pay a shit-ton downstairs…”
He doesn't really know why he feels the need to explain things this much, especially since any extra money that gets bled out of Smith will trickle down to Levi as well, if in rather smaller portions than he’d like. It can be his good deed for the day, helping a good-looking but clueless noble learn the way things are done in this part of the city before he finds out the hard way.
“Oh.” Smith’s brow furrows. He moves the one hand that’s still touching Levi up to smooth back his hair, messy from sex. Levi takes the opportunity to unfold himself as much as he can with Smith still on top of him. His legs had gotten treacherously close to cramping up from holding the unnatural position for so long, and even with the chance to stretch now, Levi’s pretty sure that his knees will ache tomorrow morning. It wouldn’t have been a problem even a few years earlier. Fuck, Levi thinks. I’m not really that old, am I?
It’s not a train of thought that Levi wants to linger on, especially not while he still has a semi-stranger’s cock up his ass, so he redirects his attention hurriedly back to the task at hand. “Is there, uh, anything else I can do?” he inquires helpfully. “If there’s something in particular that you need… It’s all confidential here, you know that, right?” He’s pretty sure that he’s got Smith correctly pegged as being about as kinky as a slice of bread, but he hasn’t forgotten how much encouragement the man had needed a while ago. He wouldn't be the first of Levi’s customers to hold back at first, only to nervously confess fantasies involving being spanked or women’s underwear or something similarly colorful well after things were underway.
“Oh, no,” Smith replies quickly, somewhat to Levi’s disappointment. “You – You’re fine like this. Just right.”
More insipidly bland praise, but Levi supposes that he can appreciate the effort.
“Just stay like this a little longer,” Smith continues, and then adds, a little uncertainly: “Is that alright? Do you need a break?”
“ ‘S fine,” Levi answers quickly, before Smith has the chance to get off-track. He rolls his hips encouragingly, feeling Smith stiffen above him. “Go on.”
Smith looks at him for an oddly uncomfortable second, blue eyes unreadable. Then he pushes himself up, and starts to move again.
Somehow they still haven’t run out of time, and Smith is as good as his word. It’s only another minute or two before the grip that he’s taken up once more on one of Levi’s legs tightens, his next thrust goes deep and long, and he lets out a choked groan, folding over on top of Levi again.
Levi catches his breath, back and shoulders itching from so much time pushed against the cheap, coarse sheets, and waits until Smith rolls clumsily off of him. After a few more moments, when it’s clear that the man doesn’t want anything else from him for the time being, he carefully gets out of bed and heads for the bathroom.
When he returns after a quick minute of freshening up – he’ll wash for real after the customer is gone, and he can’t wait for it – Smith is already starting to get dressed, quietly doing up the buttons of his shirt. He looks up when Levi, still naked, steps out of the bathroom, only to let his gaze drop awkwardly without a word after a few seconds go by. Levi’s not offended. He doesn't have any complaints about the way things have turned out, but Smith has looked a little uneasy for most of the process, and the sex doesn’t seem to have helped. Levi can picture him slinking back to his own neighborhood in the dark in a few minutes’ time, ashamed and maybe a little regretful, entering his home as silently as possible to avoid facing questions about his late-night excursion from his servants or his wife.
Smith, now fumbling for his belt, works up the courage to get Levi’s attention and clears his throat. “Ah. Excuse me,” he manages when Levi raises his eyebrows questioningly. “About the money. I paid some downstairs, but if you wanted…” He lets the suggestion trail off, and combs his hair back distractedly with his fingers before busying himself with his belt again.
Levi’s rather impressed that Smith has enough sense to understand that hardly enough of the official price for Levi’s services is actually going to wind up in Levi’s hands. He’s ready to reply with some demure bullshit – you’ve shown me such a good time already, but if you really insist, how generous of you, Mr. Smith – when something snaps into place inside his mind, as sudden and shocking as a bolt of lightning.
Outside of the brothel and the scummy neighborhood surrounding it, Levi isn’t ashamed to admit that he pays little attention to what goes on in the rest of the world as long as the walls are still securely in place. But something - maybe the angle his customer is standing at, or the way the light from the lantern falls on his face - is suddenly making him think of a newspaper article that he had glanced at over somebody’s shoulder possibly as long as a year ago. He can’t remember exactly what the article had been about – some boring announcement of changes within the military - but he finds that he can still remember the small illustration that had accompanied it.
What a waste, the woman holding the paper had said, shaking her head in disappointment. Such a handsome face, and they send him off to get himself killed with the rest of those fools in the Survey Corps.
Levi knows how to hold his tongue, despite what a few of his more disgruntled former customers might say, but the words come out before he can stop himself. “Shit,” he says. “You’re Erwin Smith.”
The man doesn't flinch, but his fingers slow at the buckle of his belt, and when he does finally look up at Levi a few slow seconds later, there’s a hint of uncertainty on his face that has nothing to do with his earlier awkwardness.
“You didn’t even use a fake name,” Levi says incredulously. “Why didn’t you use a fake name?” He knows he’s guessed correctly, but he still can’t really believe it. This is way beyond what he had anticipated back when Gunda had first warned him of Smith’s sudden arrival.
Smith. Commander Erwin Smith. Fucking hell.
The commander opens his mouth to say something – looking a little annoyed, maybe – but any words are cut off when the knock at the door that means that he’s gone over his time with Levi finally comes.
“Sir? It’s been thirty minutes, but-“
“He’s done!” Levi yells, snappy with nerves. “He’s getting dressed, he’ll be out in a minute, go away!” The knock had made them both start, and his mind is still racing to make sense of the situation. What’s someone like that doing here? At the very least, Levi would have imagined that a soldier of Erwin Smith’s status should be able to afford an exponentially nicer brothel.
Silence outside, and then the sound of feet shuffling away from the door. “Thank you,” he hears Erwin say.
Levi paces over to where his own clothing has been discarded, and starts to pull on his pants. He still hasn't decided what he’s going to say next – or if it’s wise to say anything, really – but whatever conversation is about to take place, the idea of having it naked is absolutely too much.
“Not really your part of town, is it, Commander?” he comments at last, when Erwin still hasn’t said anything.
“Not ‘Commander’ here,” Erwin replies. There’s definitely something just slightly different about his demeanor now, as if all of the responsibilities and burdens of his work have come back down on his shoulders with Levi’s realization.
Levi shifts on his feet. He’s still not sure if he’s completely comfortable with the turn things have taken. An anonymous, low-ranking noble looking for a night of excitement would have been well enough, but one of the most preeminent men in the military is another matter entirely. He doesn't know how big a deal Erwin showing up in a place like this would be, but if anybody else realizes who he is, and word spreads around, it could easily become a mess of the kind that Levi’s very happy to stay out of. And even if the more damning things they say about Erwin – heartless, doesn’t care how many young ones get eaten as long as it suits his own plans – aren’t true, the man’s still in a position where he could ruin Levi’s life with no effort at all if things go sour between them.
“Is there a problem?” Erwin asks him, one strong brow raised.
“Not at all, Mr. Smith,” Levi says, relieved when his words come out smoothly and Erwin continues getting ready to leave.
He pulls on his coat, and Levi’s moving to open the door for him, more than a little eager for this job to be over, when he sees that Erwin’s pulling out his wallet. Levi watches somewhat apprehensively – he doesn’t even care about money anymore, he just wants this man gone before there can be any other surprises – and almost chokes when he realizes that Erwin’s pulling out an amount of money that’s nearly twice as much as what he would have already paid on arrival.
“Um,” Levi sputters as Erwin tries to hand him the money. “That’s not – you don’t have to do that.”
“Take it,” Erwin says. “You earned it.”
Levi grinds his teeth, torn. It’s an incredible amount of money, all for him. In the back of his mind he’s already imagining the things he could buy with it - better materials for cleaning himself and his room, new clothes, a meal at a good restaurant, a visit with a good doctor the next time one of his customers leaves him with some kind of disease – but the whole thing is just too bizarre, and if Erwin’s going to be here at all, Levi would feel better if he at least acted just like any of the other shabby men waiting downstairs. “It’s too much,” he says.
“For your company tonight,” Erwin insists. “And your, ah, understanding.”
Levi’s a little offended at the suggestion in the last part, and it gives him the confidence to keep arguing. “I told you before, confidential,” he tells Erwin. “I don’t give a shit about who anybody is once they’re out of here.” It’s the truth. A few of the others get a kick out of particularly well-known or scandalous customers – the popular actor, the priest who preaches chastity but likes to come in and buy a boy and a girl at the same time – but Levi’s long past taking an interest in things like that.
In the end, some of the money goes back into Erwin’s wallet, but the amount that he presses into Levi’s hands is still much larger than what Levi’s already gotten from either of his earlier customers.
“Good night,” he remembers to say as Erwin starts to go. He still feels a little shell-shocked by the entire interaction, though the money in his pocket and the fact that Erwin doesn’t seem to be holding any of the night’s awkwardness against him are doing something to put him increasingly back at ease.
“Good night,” Erwin replies.
There’s another strange moment rather like the one back in the doorway when Levi had thought that Erwin was about to try to shake his hand, a sense that the man is searching for what it is that he’s supposed to be doing next. “I’ll come for you again,” he adds at last.
No, you won’t, Levi scoffs internally. You didn't even enjoy it that much, and if you have any sense you’ll go somewhere else next time, somewhere where they don't know who you are or they see men like you often enough that they don't care. But before he can even begin to put that thought into words, the door is closed and Erwin’s heavy, steady footsteps are fading out into the hall and down the stairs.
It’s only when Levi’s back in bed a while later, drifting off to sleep with his body clean, sheets changed, and money tucked safely away, that it occurs to him that he still doesn’t know how Erwin Smith - of all people - knew him by name.