She'd Make a Good Housewife.
Long one-shot ^.^ I wanted to leave something before I disappear from tumblr and ff net.
*Sigh* It's finals week; I have a lot of studying to do and I leave you with this fluffy one-shot.
Enjoy~
"Ackerman!" Corporal Levi shouted as an aberrant titan grazed her leg with its unusually sharp fingernails as she swung in front of it, distracting the titan and saving the soldier that was about to be devoured in its hand.
She grunted as pain shot up her leg, but she didn't stop her assault on the titan. With a spin and a shift of her weight, she managed to get to the back of the titan and slice its nape in a matter of seconds. She landed rather ungracefully on the ground, rolling as to not injure her leg any further.
Leaves and pebbles were trapped in her hair as she laid on the ground, feeling warm liquid on her left leg. She was bleeding, the claws of the titan had been sharp. She also felt her stomach wet, so she glanced at her shirt, noticing the white cloth soaked in red.
"Ackerman!" Corporal Levi shouted again as he landed next to her, immediately putting pressure on her thigh and calf. "Stupid brat."
Mikasa moaned as she felt his fingers squeezing her leg. "It was going to eat him," referring to the soldier in its grasp. She had seen it so many times: her adopted mother, her previous squad leader, countless comrades… she'd had enough, and she swore to herself to save anyone within a titan's grasp.
Levi stared at her with his gray eyes, then spoke with a strange softness in his voice, "Good work… but still reckless, brat. Wait for back up." Levi felt panic as he saw her stumble in the air as the titan's claws reached her. He thought she would be down for the count, but it amazed him on how she didn't falter and continued her strike. It was admirable.
"…Is it bad?" Mikasa whispered, feeling very tired.
"There are no fractures, so that's good. But, the scratches are deep and we don't know how filthy those nails were," Levi murmured and noticed her fatigue. He took off his cravat and gently wiped her face from sweat, "Sleep."
"…But what if I don't wake up?" her voice laced with slight panic and feeling very touched by the way he was handling her gently.
Levi scoffed, "Tch. I'll make sure of it. I won't let you die, Mikasa." He said it with confidence and Mikasa felt strangely flustered by his determination and as he said her name, but she felt reassured nonetheless.
"Thank you, Corporal," Mikasa murmured before closing her eyes and letting fatigue take over her. The last thing she sees is his face with a small, rare smile.
She felt something burning; her leg, her stomach. It was starting to feel uncomfortable… and then it started to hurt, stinging… a mad ache… a mad, burning ache, but she does not smell a fire. The ache began to turn into pain, and like she was pulled out underwater, her eyes snapped open. Gasping as the pain felt like someone was pressing a white, hot iron on her leg and stomach.
Mikasa whimpered as she felt a wet cloth on her leg. Her eyes still cloudy from fatigue saw the form of what looked like to be Levi and Hanji.
"H-Hanji," she moaned and her nose was filled with the scent of alcohol.
Oh. Alcohol.
She felt a warm hand, unknown to whose hand it belonged to, smooth her dirty hair back, "It's okay, the worst is over now. You were asleep when we cleaned most of your wounds. It was surprising you didn't wake up, considering we were using alcohol." It was Corporal Levi.
"Your wounds are not bad," Hanji spoke up, with a smile of relief on her face. "No fractures, just flesh wounds. Although I highly suggest not doing training, you need these to heal first or else you'll be tearing yourself apart even more." She wrapped bandages around her leg. "Levi already took you off the squad," Hanji grinned mischievously, "You should've seen him when he entered the infirmary carrying yo-
"Hanji," Levi snapped, narrowing his eyes at her. His eyes calmed down as he turned to speak to Mikasa, helping her sit up the bed and continued to clean her hair by taking out pebbles and leaves, "I took you off training for a month."
Surprised, Mikasa turned to protest, "Sir, isn't that too long?"
"Yes," he immediately replied as soon as the question was said. "However, I want my best subordinate to be back in top health before going back into the field. Of course, it depends on how fast your wounds will heal. As soon as it is completely healed, we'll resume training so that you won't lose your touch."
She stared at him as she felt his fingers pluck into her hair, feeling very comforted. She nods her head, "Yes, Sir."
Levi chuckled. "You're surprisingly agreeable today." The both of them didn't notice Hanji watching them with suspicious, yet giddy eyes. She hadn't heard Levi laugh in a while. Usually it was just a sarcastic laugh, but this one sounded so genuine and true. "First you obeyed me when I said to sleep. And now you're agreeing to call off training for a month? Where'd your spitfire go, brat?"
"Jerk," Mikasa mumbled and lightly slapped his hand away from her hair.
Trudging out of his room in the cabin, he caught a whiff of meat and the aroma of tea. A little surprised that someone had woken up before him, he knew there was only one person capable of doing that.
And said person will get a delightful lecture from her superior.
"Ackerman," Levi grumbled, putting on his uniform and boots and making his way to the kitchen. It had been more than a week since her injury, but she wasn't fully recovered yet; her wounds were still tender so she shouldn't be moving around.
He was about to ask why she was up so early in the morning; when she should be resting, healing her wounds and all. Of course, his plan was to sarcastically ask his question then order her to get some damn rest.
However, the sight before him took the words out of his mouth.
The early morning sunlight caressed Mikasa's pale figure as she peeled some potatoes swiftly and efficiently, dicing them up into cubes and placing them in the big pot of hot stew. She was still wearing her nightgown, a pastel pink cotton dress reaching her knees and rolled up on her elbows, and the addition of a frilly, womanly white apron (courtesy of Hanji: it was a joke-gift for Levi). Her left foot was rubbing the back of her right leg absently and she tucked some of her dark hair behind her left ear.
He couldn't deny how feminine she looked at this moment.
It was a rare sight. He would usually see her in uniform and training clothes, but never a dress or a skirt. The red scarf was missing and he noticed that her hair was longer than before.
Levi cleared his throat, "Ackerman."
Mikasa turned her head, her gray eyes not even hinting surprise, "Good morning, Corporal." She jutted her chin out, pointing towards the kettle on the wooden stove, "I made some tea, please help yourself."
He took a cup in one of the cupboards, pouring the contents of the tea which he had smelled earlier. Gone is the lecture from his lips, "Are you sure you should be moving around already? How are your wounds feeling?"
Mikasa gave a delicate scoff, "I'm not incapable. And, for your information, this is the first time I've been out of bed since the injury." She continued to stir the pot and added, " If I don't move around I'll be a limp vegetable."
Levi snorted at her last comment.
She raised an eyebrow as she placed chopped carrots in the pot, casually stating, "You've been asking me how my wounds are every single day."
Responding to her would surely lead Levi into an embarrassing moment. To save himself, he countered by raising an eyebrow as well; as if saying, and what of it?
Her lips were slightly pulled up, a small smile. Softly and quietly, she said, "I appreciate your concern, Corporal. Thank you."
A comfortable silence took place between them.
Levi just stared at her, slowly realizing that the stubborn brat had grown into a woman.
"The stew's done," Mikasa said with a hint of cheerfulness as she looked at the boiling stew. Taking a ladleful of the broth, she tasted it carefully. "Perfect. I think we'll be having a very nice breakfast today," she mused as she sipped more of her stew.
He watched her, one hand holding his tea as he drinks and the other arm across his chest, She'd make a good housewife…
He spluttered at his tea from his own comment.
Mikasa glanced at him, surprised by his action then asked, with slight disappointment, "The tea is not good…Sir?"
Feeling his cheeks warm up, he waved his hand, "No, no… just went down the wrong way." Her tea was far from horrible; in fact, it was wonderful. Of course, he wouldn't say this out loud, saving himself from the embarrassment yet again.
Amused, Mikasa took another ladleful of the stew and brought it close to his lips, "Critique my work, Corporal?"
Mikasa Ackerman: prodigious at every aspect.
Pressing his lips upon the ladle she held, he took a taste.
Prodigious at every aspect, indeed.
Her cooking would put the Scouting Legion's cooks to shame. Hell, it would put even the food within Wall Sina to shame. The cooking within the inner wall was too sweet; too much sugar, too much… fancy-shmancy.
Her cooking tasted of home, of family and friendship, of comradeship and trust.
He wanted to slap himself for being so soft and sentimental. But, it was true either way.
"Are you alright, Corporal?" Mikasa's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. A gorgeous smile on her face, "Does my cooking do wonders?"
"Not bad." He didn't want to give her the satisfaction of praise because, no doubt, she would rub it in his face. He knew that she knew he was lying. With her level of observance, Mikasa's been around him long enough to know whatever he spits out of his mouth is the truth or a lie.
She laughed, "If you say so." Mikasa casually shifted to the stove, pouring portions of stew into different bowls; she was preparing breakfast for the squad.
"Let me help," Levi offered, taking his place beside her. His squad ate like a herd of horses (and Sasha being equivalent to 5 horses). Mikasa, not only cooked stew, by braised some meat as well.
"Where did you get the meat?" Levi asked absently as he cut the meat into equal servings and began separating them into different plates. He didn't recall anyone hunting within the past few days.
"… I'm willing to bet Sasha stole it from somewhere," Mikasa mused as she finished with the stew. Then she ducked down and opened the other cupboard from below, "And I'm pretty sure she stole this, too."
A watermelon.
Levi resisted the urge to wake up the always-hungry girl.
"We shouldn't let this go to waste," Mikasa remarked. Taking a large chopping knife, she tried to cut the watermelon in half. Unfortunately, one of her injuries caused her right arm to be sprained, thus having difficulty cutting a hard watermelon.
"Here," Levi placed himself behind Mikasa, his chest pressing against her back. His left hand held hers and the watermelon, holding it in place, while his right hand held her other and the knife. Using his strength, he easily sliced the watermelon in half.
He could feel her warmth radiating as they silently cut up the watermelons, hands in contact with each other. His chin rested upon her shoulder; he was wearing his combat boots as he exited his room and he noticed that Mikasa only wore thin flats, making his height higher than normal.
Mikasa felt her blood rising to her cheeks, her heart pounding furiously. What was this feeling? The feeling of him pressed upon her back, the closest they have ever been. His face just next to hers and his calloused fingers holding hers.
"This feels nice," she whispered. Shy, she ducked her head as she heard him laugh freely for the first time. It was a wonderful sound.
"Mikasa?"
"Yes, Corporal Levi?"
She felt his hand on her face, tilting it so she faces him. Softness and admiration was the expression on his face and with a small smirk, he said, "I think… you'd make a great housewife."
Thank you for your support! I'll be posting more in the future :D This will also be posted in my tumblr. Until next time!~