13thcommander: (selfie stick)

phone

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-04 01:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Levi.

[Oh gods, look out, he's using his excited voice, there is A Plan afoot.]

Levi, come over here. I have something to show you.
13thcommander: (chibi excitement)

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-04 05:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[Could he have gone over there to get Levi? Yes, absolutely. But that would have involved leaving his set-up behind, and Erwin is way too excited about it to do that.
He doesn't even consider that Cassandra or Falco might not like Levi just letting himself in, because his sense of boundaries when it comes to Levi isn't the greatest either.
]

Look at this!

[Erwin has been busy today, and he stands next to the fruit of his labors and preens. He's got a camera, set up on a tripod and pointed towards the couch. It has a long cord attached to it, which Erwin is holding in his hand.]

I got my camera set up! I can take our pictures now!

[Sorry, Levi, it's already been decided: you're having your picture taken.]
13thcommander: (eyebrow waggle)

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-05 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Your face is the only one I want pictures of.

[Said casually, as Erwin tweaks the camera a millimeter to the left.]

Look! I got my first roll of film developed.

[He guides Levi to an array of photographs, splayed out on the dining room table. Quite a few of them are absolute garbage: too blurry, out of focus, unclear on what Erwin was trying to capture. But, between the wasted ones, Erwin managed to get a few good ones: there's a picture of Sans's and Papyrus's houses at night, all lit up with decorations; the reading room in the library, empty and peaceful, with a book spread open across a table; Erwin's backyard, covered under a heavy layer of snow, with more flakes drifting down.]

I read that I'm supposed to take pictures of things that are important to me.

[Thus, Levi is getting bullied towards the couch, in front of the camera.]
13thcommander: (:))

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-05 03:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[Most of these early attempts were selected because they couldn't move, once Erwin figured out that capturing moving things on film is hard. But he did definitely select places he has warmer associations towards.]

I'm not just passing the time. [Once Levi lets himself be guided, Erwin gets him situated on the couch, carefully and gently manhandling him into position before going back behind the camera.] I want to start taking pictures of different places, and then photograph them every month, so we have a record of if and how they change. Don't make that face.

[Snap! One picture of Levi taken!]
13thcommander: (pleasantly surprised)

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-05 03:56 pm (UTC)(link)
[He was frowning! Now he's making his standard resting bitch face, which is better.]

I'm practicing. [Snap! Another picture taken, and Erwin steps out from behind the camera, holding up the cord he has.] Look, I can trigger it remotely. And the cord is long enough for me to come join you on the couch.

We can have a picture of the two of us together.

[Which they've never had before! It would have been impossible to get a portrait of the two of them done back home, and the pictures Santa Rosita provided them with are all of times and places Erwin doesn't remember. Despite that, he's found that he likes having pictures of Levi around, and he wants more.]

Can I come over?
Edited (repetition) 2021-02-05 15:58 (UTC)
13thcommander: (pleased)

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-05 04:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you.

[Levi might not be cooperating, exactly, but he's not resisting this either, which Erwin counts as a win. He crosses in front of the camera and settles in on the couch beside Levi.]

Look at the camera, please. I'm going to take a few of them.

[Snap! The first photo will be a total wash; they'll somehow both have their eyes closed. Snap! The second one will be better, at least for Erwin; in an event that surprises no one, he's fairly photogenic. Their positioning is awkward, though, too far apart and too rigid. Snap! The third photo will be much like the second; decent enough, but without any real chemistry between them.]

Okay.

[Erwin gets up to go adjust the camera, moving it closer.]

I'm going to learn how to develop the film on my own. Peter says you can do that, if you have something called a dark room. Then I can take pictures of whatever I want, and not have to worry about anyone seeing them when they're developed.

[Dick pics??? Who can say??]
13thcommander: (gauzy optimistic)

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-05 05:28 pm (UTC)(link)
[With the camera closer, Erwin sits closer to Levi on the couch. He tucks his right side in behind Levi's shoulder, to disguise his missing arm. Unconsciously, he tilts his head in Levi's direction.]

I wouldn't call it suspicious, but yes.

[Levi gets him; this has all the trademarks of a patented Erwin Smith Scheme(tm), which is why he's practicing with it today. He has another reason, but that's a more minor scheme that he's going to keep close to the vest for now.]

I also want to make sure that the photos I take are the ones I get back.

[Snap!]
13thcommander: (serious side-eye)

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-05 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[Snap! It's pure luck that Erwin happens to hit the shutter when Levi looks over at him, and it will end up being one of the cuter shots he takes today; he's smiling at the camera, while Levi is looking at him with one eyebrow slightly raised.]

I don't know. [Erwin glances at Levi, but regrettably doesn't click the shutter.] I think everything I have is just as I took it, but I can't tell on some of the blurrier ones. If I can learn to develop it myself, I'd rather do that. Then I know they weren't altered in any way.

[Snap! For all that their discussion is serious, this one will turn out cute too; they're slightly turned towards each other, and while Levi isn't smiling, some of the tension has eased from his shoulders.]
13thcommander: (christmas shot)

living the dream here with this icon

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-08 09:33 am (UTC)(link)
I've only got one more picture left on the roll of film, so we're almost done.

[He's almost done torturing you, Levi, with all this evil picture taking!]

Here, switch spots with me.

[Erwin is going to fuss more with this setup than he did with any of the other photos. Really, the other ones had just been practice for getting this bad boy set up. With Levi on his left side now, Erwin is able to get his arm around Levi's waist, after carefully making sure the cord to the camera isn't tangled. He leans in close, the side of his jaw almost touching Levi's head, and smiles brightly for the camera.]

Say 'rich bitch soap.'

[In the split second before Erwin presses the button to release the shutter, he tightens his arm around Levi in a hug. Snap! This picture is either going to be the absolute winner, or an absolute disaster; there will be no middle ground.]
13thcommander: (soft chin hand)

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-08 10:55 am (UTC)(link)
[Erwin is going to be completely delighted with the results of this photo. It was all one long-con scheme, and one that will pay off in the end; Levi losing his scowl is the best Erwin could have hoped for, and the tiny, miniscule little almost-smile in the resulting picture will be a total prize.]

Allow me some self-indulgence in my old age.

[Now that they're done with the pictures, Erwin carefully sets the cord aside, so he can keep his arm snugly around Levi's waist. Cassandra and Falco are out, and even if they were home, Erwin wouldn't care; Cassandra, at least, has gotten used to a certain amount of canoodling where Erwin and Levi are concerned.]

Thank you for your help.

[And for giving Erwin a chance to scheme something, and see it through to completion. He hasn't done much of that lately, and it feels good to pull of a victory, small though it may be.]
13thcommander: (Default)

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-08 11:39 am (UTC)(link)
I know.

[By now, Erwin is an expert at reading what is real complaining coming from Levi and how much of it is largely for show. This amount of bitching, while also being completely cooperative, is all for show.]

I'll make sure to show you the pictures once I get them developed. I hope I got at least one or two good ones.

[They are sitting right next to each other on the couch, with Erwin's arm around Levi's waist. They are totally canoodling.]
13thcommander: (hot for teacher)

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-08 12:00 pm (UTC)(link)
[Erwin is quickly learning that success in their world does not automatically translate to success with technology in this one, but he's game to try and learn. His new job at the high school has helped with that immensely, ironically; his students are only too happy to help get him up to speed with technology, accompanied by plenty of good-natured eyerolling and references to grandpas.]

If they turn out poorly, it will be because of operator error, and not subject matter, and that's my final word on the subject.
13thcommander: (content glasses)

[personal profile] 13thcommander 2021-02-08 06:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[Levi has the heart and soul of an incorrigible old man, and Erwin knows he will only learn technology begrudgingly and spitefully. Just wait until he learns that using a dark room requires two hands, and that he'll be recruited into helping Erwin develop photos once Erwin has one set up!]

[One revelation at a time, though. Erwin has pushed his luck enough for one day.
]

You couldn't stop me if you tried.
grice: (pic#14396645)

un: FALCOGRICE

[personal profile] grice 2021-03-05 06:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Are you home, Mister Levi? [ . . . ] Alone?

[personal profile] grice 2021-03-05 08:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[ . . . ]

Of course.

[ maybe it's best to say this in person too, so . . . here comes falco, even knocking on the door and waiting patiently in front of it, scarf around the lower half of his face and wearing a light green sweater. ]

[personal profile] grice 2021-03-05 10:02 pm (UTC)(link)
[ is that mister erwin’s cardigan or—? ah, no time to feed that thought. falco wastes little time in letting himself in once invited. he greets levi with an inclined head as he steps in and, before he goes any further, removes his shoes to leave at the door. defeats the purpose of cleaning if he walks in with them, he thinks.

next comes his scarf— the one he uses to mask the surgery, though he doesn’t feel so worried to keep it exposed with levi around. in fact, that’s why he was here in the first place. ]


I can sweep the floors?
grice: (pic#14275802)

[personal profile] grice 2021-03-05 10:52 pm (UTC)(link)
[ anything to please uncle levi. but with that— permission to go forth with his thought, that is— falco does what he’s told: he sits down, lips tensing down and coming to a still. he was already planning to say it when they were done.

it takes a second; he’s already been playing in his head how to ask him, and now that Levi’s waiting for it, he feels briefly at a loss of words. briefly. ]


I was wondering if you’d . . . Help me, [ both hands come up to cup his cheeks— what should’ve been them, at least. ] to get these off.
grice: (pic#14508102)

[personal profile] grice 2021-03-06 12:56 am (UTC)(link)
[ the grisly truth of what that entailed had been obvious but lacked the overall safety many of those around him would seek. hell, he thought about it. breaking into the hospital to steal drugs and such, but how much more danger did they need to scrape against and run getting caught when he technically didn’t need to, especially after that phone call on the television?

it was messed up, but. in compensation, no one else would need to get involved and it’ll be over in the same day. he could handle it, and swallows tight when he decides to skip the actual details with something easier to understand.

why he didn’t tell his pseudo-parents yet, well. levi will get it. ]


It’ll grow back.

[personal profile] grice 2021-03-06 12:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[ he could show him to confirm (that getting a paper cut earlier in the morning from looking at his notes had made it steam closed), but falco is certain that his word right now is enough. he’s positive and he makes it show. he just has to steel himself— ]

If you need to knock me out, sir, that’s fine too.

[ save the rest for people who actually need it more than him. ]
grice: (pic#14266581)

don’t try this at home 😳

[personal profile] grice 2021-03-06 05:14 pm (UTC)(link)
[ the jaws were very close to the cervical part of his spine, they both knew that and if falco were to be honest, no matter how much gall he gathered to go through with something this ludicrous and what he was entrusting levi with— it made the pit of his stomach go cold when he nods and prepares to follow him to the garage. there wasn’t a way in hell that this wasn’t scary and chances were he’d wake up right in the middle of something traumatic. perhaps not as much as getting these things screwed on were, or anything else he’d lived through.

make a conscious choice, and all that. ]


I’m ready.

[ his voice cracks just an inch at his second word, but he won’t be any more prepared the more he waited to consider the risks. ]
grice: (pic#14450895)

[personal profile] grice 2021-03-24 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
[ innocently enough, falco obediently scurries over to the cloth to be diligent, but just as easily as he goes like a moth to fire, or a mouse to a freshly placed trap, he doesn’t suspect a thing.

the last thing he saw was his own hand reaching for the cloth and his jaws clattering out his voice: yes si—. with a measured hit over the head or behind it, the boy is out like a light and may very well topple onto the cool floor if left to gravity. ]
feudalladyshandmaid: (Why)

phone

[personal profile] feudalladyshandmaid 2021-03-08 12:42 am (UTC)(link)
-can you hear, oh damn.

Hello? Levi? It's Cassandra.
feudalladyshandmaid: (Uh)

[personal profile] feudalladyshandmaid 2021-03-10 10:19 am (UTC)(link)
Great. [She sounds more relieved than you'd think. She hopes to finally have this weird little gizmo under control by the start of next month.]

Uh, you're taking it easy, I hope? You wouldn't happen to need anything, would you?