It took me a really long time to update this time I even got astray my "every after four days" routine of updating. But here it is anyway.
Your POV
I was really serious when I backed out from joining the Legion again.
What Levi said back then was true. I agreed to come to the Legion in order to avenge his death which is really quite far from happening and he's also right when he said that I was stupid enough to not ask commander Erwin if he had survived.
But when I learned that he's still alive, everything spun around three sixty. He was also right when he said that I was too embarrassed to tell him that that was my reason.
I really hate it when Levi outsmarts me. Not like I'm any smarter than him though. Silly.
'Say (y/n), why were you on the roof?' Levi asked me, not moving away from where he's seated in the middle of his bed, his legs stretched out relaxed and his arms supporting him up.
'Hmmm.'
'Don't you hmmm me, you brat. Answer me when I'm asking you.' he said, slightly scolding me.
'Don't you brat me, you brat! It's not like you're any older than me! We're just around the same age.' throwing his words right back at him. It's one trick I developed in our academy years.
'Tch!'
'Oi? You mad now? I was just kidding! Hehe I was there coz...' oh shit! Now that I think of it, the reason why I was there was really lame!
He looked at me. Though his eyes projected no interest, I knew better than fall for that. He's actually taunting me, like he already knows the reason why I was there and he's just waiting for me to admit what kind of idiot I am.
Oh well, if he knows it, there's no point in hiding it.
'Well, I was there because I don't want anyone to come after me. Not Eren, or Jean or any of those nice kids. I refused your offer. It'd be shameful if I disturbed you as far as taking me back to town which I presume to be miles away. And since running away from the house would prove that the person who came after me when I closed the door can still see me no matter how fast I can run. So I hid on the roof. I don't want to interrupt Jean's relaxation you see.'
I suppose that Levi is thinking how stupid I am now. Well, what's new? He's the bully type.
'That was me. It wasn't Jean.' he pointed out.
So it wasn't Jean. Good that I didn't disturb his- wait, what?
'You?'
'Yes.'
I can feel my cheeks burn. Damn Levi making me blush twice in a row!
We heard a knock on the door.
' Levi Heichou, lunch is ready.' it's Eren's voice if I have not mistaken.
'We'll follow.' Levi answered without even bothering to stand up and open the door.
It took a few seconds before I heard Eren go down the stairs but before that, I was certain that I heard him say 'we?' in a questionable whisper.
'Don't you ever do that again.' Levi warned me. That tone, it is similar to the warnings he gave me when I do silly things that are worthy of solitary confinement back when we were still training in the academy.
Okay sir, no more (y/n) on your roof.
He got off his bed and went to the door.
'You heard the brat, let's go.'
I stood up and followed him. He led the way downstairs.
'It would really be nice if you stop calling people that word.' I told him as I closed the door of his room.
'Mind your own business.' he gritted.
He was on the landing of the stairs when Armin passed by. Armin froze on his tracks when he saw me standing behind Levi.
'(y..y/n)?' he looked at me, surprised. Then to Levi.
'Hey kid, did you left your manners somewhere outside?'
Armin just looked at us, confused.
I saw Jean mouth 'add 'miss' to Armin. Which the little blond did right away even without realizing what it meant.
'M-miss (y/n), I thought you already left.' Armin said to me nervously but still managed to look at me in the eyes.
Darn, he's so cute, I wanna pinch and pull his cheeks.
'Oh, I've changed my mind.' I answered him. I walked slower so that I can talk to Armin and let Levi go ahead.
'I mean..' Armin tried to protest.
'Oh yah. Why am I upstairs? Hehehe let's just not talk about that.' I said as I patted Armin's head then ruffled his hair.
Good lord, why is this kid so adorable?
I took off my coat, revealing my white three-fourth sleeved shirt and black knee-length skirt. Finally, I don't look so flashy.
Armin helped me with my coat and hung it on the coat hanger beside the door.
'Thank you.' I said flashing Armin again my signature smile. Just like how it did before, Armin's cheeks gave out a slight tint of red.
Holy shit, this kid's so cute!
A faked cough came from the dining room. Its from Levi.
'You'll have plenty of time for that later but the food won't remain hot for as long as you please.'
Oh Levi. You don't have to be so rude.
Armin and I went to the dining area and joined everyone in the table. It was just when Mikasa placed a plate for me.
Another beautiful face. Her features are far different from everyone else in the room.
The meal was fun. Levi sat on the place where the father gets to sit on a family set up. I was sitting on the first chair on his right, then beside me is jean, then Connie and Eren. Opposite us are Armin, Historia, Sasha and Mikasa respectively.
There was beef stew. With obviously a lot of potatoes in it. I heard Armin say that Mikasa did the cooking and Historia assisted. Connie also added that it was Sasha who overdosed the dish with potatoes which Sasha denied saying it was just the right amount in ratio to the meat.
Well I guess Sasha did the math wrong there.
Eren has a big appetite and gets into little disputes with Jean every now and then because of simply unarguable things like Eren should help eat the potatoes and not just the meat.
Mikasa ate silently but in some occasion she'd shot Eren and Jean that certain look, which makes Jean shut up and Eren go ahead with his food.
Just when I thought Eren had the biggest appetite. I saw Sasha chow down servings after servings of the food in full platters and Connie cannot help but go wide eyed on her eating habits.
Armin is probably the most normal one, eating quietly and giving out small talks to everyone when his mouth isn't full.
I'm gonna enjoy eating if the scene is always like this.
After the lunch, Levi told me to just observe what the teens will do as I will be doing the same soon.
They trained, they sparred. I was all oohs and aahs at their skills. They're all exceptionally good.
Levi was with me the whole time. Giving me small lectures when I asked him about things. It was then that I realized that he's already training me, like he told me he would earlier this morning.
We were watching Eren and Jean start sparring from a distance.
'Levi.'
'What is it?'
'Why do they have to do that? Sparring I mean.'
'We were told the reason for that when we were still in the academy have you forgotten? Or did you not listen on that day?' oh Levi, that hurt.
'Of course I listened that day. But I just don't get the point in learning to fight humans when you soldiers are trained to slay titans. It actually makes no sense.'
He just kept silent.
I watched Jean and Eren's sparring as I waited for Levi's response. Their sparring started with a decent fight to a serious bout that consisted of grabbing some hair and slapping. Now that was half manly.
Sensing that Levi has nothing to say, I turned my back and walked away from him only to be stopped in my tracks when an arm was slid under my jaw from the back of my neck and something thin with an edge like a wooden knife being held right next to my throat.
'Tell me, (y/n). What if you and I are total strangers...' Levi said near my ears.
My heart is still pounding heavily from the shock. I just hope he won't feel it now that my back is on his chest.
'...and I am the thug you met in Utopia before, only older. I am armed with a knife and it's ready to cut your throat whenever I please. Say you are a soldier, trained to kill titans. How will you take me down, knowing that I am a human, certainly not the one you are trained to kill' Levi's voice is dripping with venom.
'What will you do?' he ended, making it sound like a riddle.
I stopped to think for a while.
He's supposed to be a stranger.
Okay, I can deal with strangers perfectly. I'm a salesperson after all. But he's certainly not the stranger I mean here.
Then he said he's a thug. I know well what the worst thugs can do.
Plus he's got a knife. And it's ready to slice my throat anytime.
But...
His knife is just wooden, a replica. Basically not functional. Therefore it can cut no throat.
He's a soldier, not a thug. He may be for once in his life but I know him and he's not the type who'd do something so pointless.
I don't need to be a salesperson to deal with him perfectly.
Because I know him.
He's Levi.
That thought made me smile. Of course that's not the way of thinking he expects me to have as an answer to his question.
'Well...' I began. Though I am certain that Levi won't hurt me, I kept in mind that he's teaching me and I'm already under training and we are as of the moment, in the middle of a sparring.
I faked some struggle and squirmed like a dancing worm in his grip. I tried to bang the back of my head to his face but my attempts made no contact. I squirmed more but it doesn't seem to do anything.
Now I need to really fake things.
'Le..Levi!' I said in a fake choke then followed by faked coughs.
'Sta..stop..stop it!' with continued struggle.
I felt his arms loosen up a bit and that's my call. I slipped under his grip then before he even realized what just happened, we are in switched positions. My hands are now the ones that are threatening him, now that his knife is in my profession.
'Maybe this?' I whispered tauntingly. 'Was I too fast that you didn't see what I did?'
He did not reply. He stepped on my right foot and stayed there. Damn! That's my good foot! He really knows where to hit to immobilize me.
I used my left leg to knee his crotch. Yes I know that's a bad idea and it didn't work properly considering that I'm doing it from behind.
Without my good foot, its hard to move.
'I still got the knife. I'm still the dangerous one here.' I said as I inched the knife closer to his neck's skin. Provocation? Does it even work on him?
I must admit though, sparring with him all this sudden left me unprepared. He even caught me off guard. Its hard to think of a proper move when i don't really fight people and the last real sparring that I had was when I was still on service after the military training. But what distracts me most is his scent. His hair smelled nice and also his clothes. My, now I sound like a pervert.
With minimal effort, Levi snatched away the knife in my hand and threw it away, almost hitting Connie and Sasha who were making fun of their sparring moves.
That was enough to get their attention.
'Now we are equal.' Levi said.
I was taken aback from what he did. If put on a realistic picture, I'd be the defenseless one now. No, even if I had the knife, I'm still the defenseless one, given Levi as my oppressor.
He stood facing me, clenching his fists and getting into the basic fighting stance.
Basics. We were taught about the basics of hand-to-hand fighting. The only problem here is that I don't really fight, even just with the basics.
'Fight.' he said, more like an order.
I smirked. Its going to be my first time to spar with Levi. This chance is one in a million.
We were classmates back in the academy but we never got to spar with each other. So technically this will be the first between us.
Sasha, Connie, Historia, even Eren and Jean who were just separated by Mikasa stopped sparring to watch us.
I mimicked Levi's stance, clenching my fists and putting my arms to defend my face, bending my knees a little lowering my head in my arms for protection.
I never expected Levi to attack first, walloping his fist from behind, aiming for my face. It was a good thing that I dodged it, getting into the opposite side of his attacking arm and tried to kick the back of his knee.
I was fast enough to have landed the kick to where I wanted it to land but I did not have the enough strength to bring him down.
I was bending on one of my knee and my right leg stretched out from the failed attack.
I am not even on my feet yet when I saw Levi's shadow on the ground, particularly his feet, starting do dart down on my back.
'Holy shit!' I screeched, as I got into my feet the fastest possible I can.
I know my former position is not good to do that but it's better than to have my back be a victim of humanity's strongest kick.
I was standing behind Levi now. Without hesitation, I tried to strangle him using my left arm interlocked with my right.
Finally I got this one. I managed to restrain him with that move.
Or so I thought.
Levi's right leg tangled with my right leg, then he kicked up, making me lose my footing as he sacrificed his own.
I fell instantly to the ground and Levi's added weight made the fall hurt trice painful than it should.
We laid supine on the ground, with our right legs laced together.
Shit I had a bad landing there.
I tried to get up, thinking that the sparring is over.
But it isn't yet.
Levi moved to face me, kneeling above me. His knees beside my waist, his left arm grabbed the collar of my shirt and his right raised into a clenched fist, ready to land a punch to destroy my face anytime.
'Okay, Levi. I lost so stop. I can't really fight you when I'm wearing a skirt you kno-'
'Good.' he said, standing up.
I sat on the ground confused.
What was good about that? I even ended up lying on the ground with him on top.
Blush.
Shit. No, not that one.
No, I mean, its really obvious that I lost. I didn't even manage to bring him down despite my attempts.
He left to enter the house, muttering something about being dirty and his clothes and taking a bath.
I turned to the teens' direction only to find Connie gaping which Sasha thought to be silly, Jean and Eren's face in total amazement, Historia hestitating to come to me only to do it anyway when Armin led the way.
Well Mikasa, she's just looking.
Armin helped me get up, supporting my back as he held my right hand.
'I'm fine, thanks.' I said, flashing him a smile paired with a thumb projected up.
'That was odd.' I said to nobody in particular.
'What's odd, (y/n)?' Armin immediately replied.
'I lost but he said, 'good'.'
'Because it is. The fight I mean.' Eren butted in, joining our conversation.
'Levi heichou didn't even managed to land a hit on you until you got that close to him for his advantage.'
I had to look up to meet Jean in the eyes. I never imagined he's this towering.
'He tried to attack you more than twice but none was successful.' he added.
'Yeah. He did have you under his grasp when you began. But you managed to escape.' Armin inserted.
'Then when you sparred, he attacked first. You dodged it again.'
Now that I think of it, Armin's right.
'And then he tried to give you his only-Eren-knows-how-painful kick when you were on ground to his advantage. But then again, in the blink of an eye, you got his throat locked in your arms.' Connie stated, voice full of energy like a kid playing with action figures.
'I don't think there's anybody here who has seen how you actually moved. You're really damn fast.'
'In fact, I doubt if heichou ever landed an attack on you. That's a veteran for you. Talent never gets old.' Eren added. This kid really is proud of the military. Plus, veteran? My, eren, youre making it sound I'm too old.
'He could have if he didn't held back.' everyone turned their eyes to Mikasa.
'When he got you on the ground, he could have done what he wanted but it appears that he ended the sparring in your favor.' Mikasa explained.
All of us nodded in agreement.
'But when animals that are hard to catch get caught that easily, that's when they get the most aggressive.' everyone turned to Sasha who's now heading to the back of the house, probably to the kitchen
We followed her to where she's heading, occasionally chatting with each other.
I found Eren to be very lively, strong willed and had a very manly voice for his age.
Mikasa despite being very beautiful is the silent one. Probably the polar opposite of Sasha. Though silent, she's not the antisocial one. She talks to the people around her but most of the words are given to Eren then Armin next.
Speak of the devil and it comes they say. But in this case, talking about faces will make it, speak of the angel and the angel will come. If Mikasa is beautiful, then Historia is a goddess. I even thought a silly idea of her being the human embodiment of either Maria, Rose or Sina. The wallists believe them to be goddesses that guard the walls. What will be their reaction if Historia is one of them and they'd see her chop the wood we'd use for tonight's cooking?
Sasha, who arrived first in the kitchen already had stuffed her mouth with bread. Jean said something about her being gluttonous but I rather find it cute.
Speak of Jean, Jean is a real nice guy. He's got this bad boy attitude though and for the nth time I noticed, he's not in good terms with Eren. But I guess that's just up to the bullying level and not anything so serious. Again, not anything so serious.
Connie isn't really much of a super guy. It's not a compliment but I'm certain its not an insult. He's the average guy that goes easily with others and that's probably one of the first things that I liked about him.
Then here's Armin. Mirror, mirror on my store's wall, who is the cutest of them all? Armin Arlert is surely the answer. He's got this pudgy nose and round blue eyes. His hair is so fluffy I'm gonna die.
No, not now.
Armin's kind of shy too but despite that, he talks smartly just like the others. Enough reason that his intellect is just being covered by his innocent look and appeal.
Historia prepared tea for us for snacks.
'Uhm, Eren? Can you please take Levi heichou's share to his room?' she asked her kindly.
'Sure.' Eren nodded while Mikasa poured him his tea.
'I'll bring it with me. So don't bother.'
Levi said, appearing. He just got his share and left. He probably went there to get himself a cup of tea and he arrived just in time when it was prepared.
He left without a word, leaving us in silence.
'By the way, (y/n)...' Jean said breaking the silence.
'Yes?'
'How old are you?' he continued.
Hahaha now that's the question I'm never used to answer.
'I'm only a year younger than Levi.' I said, sipping my tea right after.
There was silence again. Even Sasha stopped eating.
That answer was enough to leave them all gaping in amusement.
a/n
this one came really late, I'm sorry guys.
I got busy with my schedule and I needed to make my priorities clear. I had two field study deployments all at the same time in different schools. plus I had to finish ten hours of observation in each school, summing everything to 20 hours. plus i still have my regular school to attend.
then some time during the late days of November, i got really busy sorting things out for a teaser photoshoot that my friend and i arranged. it was some kind of an Alice in Wonderland fanfic (i put it that way). it was really interesting.
Both reasons basically consumed all my time. and i still have a lot more work coming.
THOUGH, I WILL STILL UPDATE. I CANT LEAVE THE READER HANGING ON THE AIR.
and oh, lastly.
to the person who said that THIS works out well better than the others...
THANK I APPRECIATED IT. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
