A/N: Another chapter! Felt bad that the previous chapter was kind of short, so I hope this makes up for it!
For felixr-94: I thought I had the end planned out, but it's still up in the air for now. I have an idea, but nothing is set just yet :)
We're moving along with the story here, and moving on to other POVs.
Sorry if the language is a bit harsher than usual. Also, warning, this chapter is kind of dark and deals with controversial issues. Everyone has their own opinion on it, but let me be clear, I don't mean to offend anyone.
Read, review, let me know what you think!
Sunday
At Mid-morning, just before 11am, Levi arrived at the doorstep of Petra's apartment.
She hadn't been answering his calls, and his texts were being ignored, so he took a gamble and figured she had to have been home. They used to go out for breakfast on Sundays together, but once she landed the internship at Sina Software downtown, it completely rearranged her entire schedule.
Still, the chances of her being home were 50/50.
Levi hadn't shown up to plead with her, nor had he written some soppy, pathetic love letter.
If they were over, he wanted to make it official. He couldn't stand the thought of breaking up through text or over the phone. Something as heavy as that needed to happen in person. At the very least, he wanted to know where they stood in their relationship. Two years of being together; they owed each other that much. It was a simple courtesy, really.
He knocked a couple times, and it wasn't long until he could make out faint footsteps seemingly making their way to the door.
Sure enough, Petra was home. "Levi?" She was a bit taken aback. "What are you doing here?"
Levi noted her appearance. Her light brown eyes were glistening radiantly. Her hair was the epitome of "tousled sex hair." And the real kicker; her shirt was on backwards.
Levi wasn't stupid. He was familiar with her "morning after a night of fucking each other's brains out" look. Seeing her like this brought back fond memories. But obviously, he hadn't been the one to make her practically glow like she'd just had the best orgasm of her life; she must have taken someone else to bed.
Levi blinked. Then again. Then once more. "You weren't answering my calls."
"So the logical next step was to show up at my place unannounced?"
"I haven't heard from you in a long-" Before Levi could finish, a voice called out to Petra from her bedroom.
"Petra!" The voice was deep, husky, a bit groggy. "I gotta go to work soon. Mind if I shower?"
Levi couldn't see the bastard, but he decided that he heard enough. He wasn't going to waste his time starting a fight and kicking the guy's ass.
Right then and there, he decided it wasn't worth it. The relationship wasn't worth it. Petra wasn't worth it. He wasn't going to fight for her anymore.
He was done.
He scoffed and began walking away. "Well I guess that settles it. Nice to know you've already moved on."
Petra quickly threw on a jacket, shut her front door, and frantically chased after him. "Levi! Wait!"
Levi turned around, beyond livid that she had the audacity to follow him. "What the fuck, Petra. What do you want from me?"
"Just let me explain!" Petra shook her head, trying to find the right words. "This was a one-time thing. It happened spur of the moment…"
"Bullshit." Levi narrowed his eyes, wondering why the hell he was still standing there.
"Look, we've been done." Petra shot back. "Our relationship has been dead for a while now. I was trying to-"
"When were you going to tell me?"
"Well, I'm sorry. I hadn't exactly marked the date on my calendar."
"A heads up would have been nice, because this is all news to me. What? You just expected me to get the hint? In the meantime, you thought it would be all right if you fucked other people?"
"He's the only one. And just this once."
"And that makes it okay? I haven't been with anyone else this whole time we've been taking a break, which was your idea by the way. If by 'break' you meant 'break-up,' you should have made that more clear."
They were hit with an uncomfortable silence. The engines of cars starting, people out walking and chatting amongst themselves, dogs barking; all background noise reduced to a mere afterthought.
"You just…" Petra looked away and bit her lip. "You stopped being the Levi I fell for. There were times when I would look at you, and you just… weren't there. I lost you."
Levi remained frozen where he stood.
She better not bring it up…
They had agreed to never speak of it again.
Petra slowly inched closer and closer to him. "Do you hate me?" Her tone was soothing, apologetic. Her eyes were saddened by what she saw. "You haven't forgiven me, have you?"
He knew she wasn't talking about her infidelity anymore.
"Levi, I never really had the chance to apologize… for…"
"Stop."
"You need to let me finish." She reached for his hand. It felt limp, cold. "I'm sorry that I…"
She paused, on the verge of tears.
"That what?" Levi mocked, seething with anger. "That you had the abortion?"
"No." She replied sternly. "I honestly don't regret it. But I'm sorry that I didn't hear you out, and that I was insensitive to how you felt about it all."
"It would have been my kid, too." Levi muttered under his breath.
"It was my choice." Petra let go of his hand. "What's done is done."
With that, Levi figured there was nothing else to say. For it to end like this, after everything they'd been through, it hurt more than anything else.
"Goodbye, Petra." Levi turned his back and walked away.
The Ragako Bookstore was unusually quiet for a Sunday afternoon.
Annie Leonhart was a frequent patron, preferring the calm, warm, laidback setting to the uptight, legalistic, icebox of a library at SU.
With Gunter Grass' novel in one hand, a cup of espresso in the other, she sat on a red cushioned seat in the lounging area, easing back and forth between sipping and reading. Bertolt had agreed to meet up with her in about half an hour. Though he normally stuck with reading graphic novels and the occasional western, Annie felt that she required the company of an old friend. His mere presence was enough to keep her sane. She hated to admit it, but being alone scared the hell out of her.
She refused to dwell on it.
Setting her drink aside, she internally congratulated herself for reaching the halfway point in The Tin Drum, and decided she would take a break from reading German literature for now. She ached for a bit of nostalgia.
They have to have it here. This place has everything.
She commenced the search for her favorite book.
As she got up and made her way to the adult fiction section, she remembered that she wasn't the only one who had a deep appreciation for the novel.
It was Eren's favorite as well.
Just forget it. It didn't mean anything.
Annie turned around the corner, honing in on the "I" section of author's last names.
She found it.
As she extended her arm in an effort to pull it from the shelf, she heard her name.
"Annie…"
Half expecting it to be Bertolt, she eagerly turned to face him. But oddly enough, it hadn't sounded like Bertolt.
Standing right next to her, browsing through the same collection of the same shelf, was Eren Jaeger. In his hand was a copy of the same book she had reached for. Her favorite book.
Their favorite book.
Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Annie and Eren were seated next to each other in the lounging area, surprisingly comfortable with one another.
Maybe it was just easier to forget about Friday night… for now, at least.
Both were too invested in their conversation regarding books, the fact that this bookstore was a true gem, and how the university library was ultimately the last resort when it came to reading and studying for school. Annie liked the fact that the library was convenient and in close proximity to all her classes, while Eren only went there at Ymir's behest.
Eren couldn't help but admire her sarcastic remarks, coupled with her appreciation for similar novels he found himself thoroughly engaged in. It made for an interesting discussion, that much was true.
"Be honest, did this book make you cry?" Eren quipped, holding up his copy of Ishiguro's novel.
Annie's face was blank. "No. Why? Did you?"
"What? Of course not! I haven't gotten emotional over a book since I read Old Yeller back in middle school." He blushed when he saw her expression had changed.
It wasn't forced, or all of the sudden. It happened naturally, effortlessly, easily; like the way one falls asleep.
For the second time since he had met her, he got to see her smile.
He made her smile, and it felt… like something he'd never felt before.
"Eren's a softie when it comes to man's best friend, huh?" She tucked a loose stray of hair behind her ear and faintly beamed once more.
Eren was about as red as a tomato. "I-I was eleven at the time. The ending of that book was just way too depressing. You'd have to be heartless to not feel for something like that."
"I guess." Annie tilted her head and looked down. "I was the same way when I was a kid. One night, my dad read Hachiko Waits to me for a bedtime story..." She paused for a moment, wondering why she shared that with him.
She rarely ever spoke about her father to anyone.
"Is that the one about the dog in Japan?" Eren asked, eyeing her curiously. His question was a much needed distraction, saving her from memories she wanted to push back to the farthest parts of her mind.
"Yeah, he waits for his master at the train station everyday…"
"Until one day, his master dies…"
"See… I'm getting goosebumps already."
Eren grinned from ear to ear. "I've got a tissue if you need one."
"How nice of you."
"I try."
Without any hesitation, Annie suddenly leaned in closer. "So tell me…"
Eren's heart was racing, pulsing so loudly in his ears he swore Annie was able to hear it, too.
Annie continued, a delicate tone easing from her lips. "What made Never Let Me Go your favorite novel? Why did it stand out from all the rest?"
Eren was deep in thought, pondering the answer to that question. He was instantly hit with deja vu, feeling as though they had been in that exact same position before. Rather than fighting that feeling, he chose to welcome it.
"Well..."
Before he could reply, they were interrupted.
Bertolt had arrived a few minutes later than he said he would; but somehow his arrival felt too early for Annie. It felt spontaneous and intrusive to Eren.
"Hey, Annie." Bertolt looked over at Eren and waved. "I remember you. Pole vault guy. How's your shin?"
Eren nodded. "Better. A lot better, actually. Thanks."
Bertolt had always been the quiet type, but that's also what made him a good observer; always aware of what's going on around him, in his peripheral vision, and in his blind spots.
He suddenly realized how close Eren and Annie were sitting, they both had a copy of the same book in each hand, and Annie had been… smiling…
She looked smitten with the green eyed brunet, and that roused both confusion and jealousy within Bertolt.
He wasn't the aggressive type, and Annie wasn't even his girlfriend, but from the looks of it, he had a competitor of sorts.
"I gotta get going." Eren said, slowly rising from the lounge chair. "I'll see you in class tomorrow, Annie." Before excusing himself entirely, he turned to address Bertolt. "It was good seeing you again, man."
"You too." Bertolt forced out, trying to remain as civil as possible.
Annie said her goodbyes and greeted her childhood friend.
"So, what are you reading today, Bert?"
In his hand was a copy of some western novel, a cowboy taming a wild stallion in an effort to impress his lady love on the front cover. He already forgot the title of the book, and it didn't help that he was in such a flustered state.
"Just something I picked up." He mumbled, massaging the back of his neck.
Annie nodded and went back to reading The Tin Drum.
Bertolt looked away, hoping he'd one day muster up the courage to tell her how he felt, before it was too late.
From the looks of it, he was running out of time.