[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.
[ That's not something he'd ever considered. There's a reason that Erwin's the thinker here, though, and that head of his was good at this kind of sneaky bullshit. It'd be a lie to say he wasn't at least a little impressed, and glances over at Erwin briefly. ]
You think they're getting censored? Or altered? [ Maybe that explains this bullshit. He can't say he's getting it entirely, but he thinks he can work with it. Some of the rigidity in his posture eases for all that being in a photograph is still distinctly uncomfortable. ] Huh. Alright.
[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.]
[ There would have been no reason for Levi to think of something like that, but it makes sense. Always thinking a few steps ahead of everyone. Erwin could be able to tell if he'd actually fucked up a shot or not, he supposes, instead of wondering if something he'd caught on film without realizing it got censored on them. ]
And just how many of these do you plan on doing? Practice all you want, but they're going to look shitty.
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.]
[ Levi wouldn’t have the first clue how the picture might turn out. He’s caught off guard regardless, the entire set up a obviously planned to get him to throw him off. Erwin’s arm is strong around him, startling enough that he loses his faint scowl Erwin had earned from all the rearranging. Getting much more out of him would have been a near impossible feat. ]
Don’t throw my own words at me like that. [ Did Erwin just keep a list of random bullshit He’s said just to ambush him with it later? He’d clearly been scheming here to some end. He twists in his hold, looking up at him to scold. ] Now you’re being self-indulgent.
[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.]
[ Levi does not canoodle. Sit too close and bitch at him and do little things like pour his tea, sure, but that only goes so far. Erwin might be more comfortable, but Levi certainly will been listening for any sign of anyone coming home. ]
Yeah, alright, I’ll give you that much, Erwin. [ He quirks an eyebrow up at him. ] I’m not complaining.
[ Except for the part where he certainly has been this entire time. Erwin knew what he could safely disregard. ]
[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.]
I’m sure they’ll come out clearly. [ Erwin had spent enough time on this project, it’s almost certainly going to be a success. However, it doesn’t change that the subject matter he’d been photographing has been Levi himself. ]
[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.
Just keep saying whatever you want to. [ If anyone is going to get the hang of all the technology available to him, it's certainly going to be Erwin. While Levi had something of a jump on him with exposure to many of the concepts behind everything here like photographs and wireless radio and the like, he'd never actually cared to understand the way that Erwin did.
[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.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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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!]
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You think they're getting censored? Or altered? [ Maybe that explains this bullshit. He can't say he's getting it entirely, but he thinks he can work with it. Some of the rigidity in his posture eases for all that being in a photograph is still distinctly uncomfortable. ] Huh. Alright.
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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.]
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And just how many of these do you plan on doing? Practice all you want, but they're going to look shitty.
living the dream here with this icon
[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.]
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Don’t throw my own words at me like that. [ Did Erwin just keep a list of random bullshit He’s said just to ambush him with it later? He’d clearly been scheming here to some end. He twists in his hold, looking up at him to scold. ] Now you’re being self-indulgent.
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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.]
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Yeah, alright, I’ll give you that much, Erwin. [ He quirks an eyebrow up at him. ] I’m not complaining.
[ Except for the part where he certainly has been this entire time. Erwin knew what he could safely disregard. ]
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[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.]
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That’s going to be the problem.
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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.
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It made it easy to assume his success. ]
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[One revelation at a time, though. Erwin has pushed his luck enough for one day.]
You couldn't stop me if you tried.