Chpt 12: The Maiden Escapes From The Beast Again

Petra.

He missed looking into her honey-gold eyes. It's so different from his dark sapphire ones and he couldn't and would never gaze into another woman's eyes as he did with hers. Before he could utter her name, he heard a scream behind him, "Oi! Close the door before we freeze to death in here!"

Levi shot a dirty at the loud-mouth asshole but the asshole missed it, having turned back to devour his fried noodles like he's never eaten that shit before. I hope you choke and that shit comes out from your nose, he curses even though he know he is somewhat at fault for keeping the door open, and blocking Petra's way.

He quickly stepped to one side and held the door open for the beautiful woman and mysterious child she's carrying, "Sorry, didn't mean to keep you out there."

"It's all right." She stepped into the warm store, glad to be sheltered from the falling snow.

Even though the small diner was brimming with joyous chatter, Petra and Levi could still feel the tension radiated between the two of them, both not knowing what to say after seeing each other for the first time in three years.

"Can I help you, miss pretty?" Saved by the weird accent of the god-send owner.

While Petra gave her order to take away, Levi took in the sight of the woman he loved. She looked pretty much the same, hair slightly longer from what he last saw, but he couldn't place a finger on that child she's carrying.

Is she babysitting that brat? Whose child is that? Damn that warm-looking beanie and why is he sleeping at this time?! He cursed, wanting to see the child's hair and eyes to get a clue of his parentage, half suspecting it's his spawn.

Poor Levi, he was over working his brain out of work as well.

"Bye, Levi."

Bye? What bye? Who is Levi?

The next thing he knew, he saw Petra boarding the taxi, door shutting like a big fuck you in his face.


Levi felt like an idiot. A shitty idiot. How could he have dazed out that badly until the woman he'd been searching high and low for said bye?! Flopping his head onto his table, Levi could only say he felt like a failure even more than when he scored a B on his mid-term exams. He sat back up, not wanting to develop a bad posture but every time he remembered the taxi door closing, he ran his palm down his haggard face, the result of not being able to sleep, though for a totally different reason this time.

"What's wrong with you now? You look like you need me to drag you to the bar again."

Why him….?

"No. No drinks." He groaned, partly because of Roy's presence and partly because he recalls that scene again. "I met Petra a few days ago."

"And?!" Roy sounded way too excited for some reason.

"And nothing happened." Levi stared into Roy's dark eyes, "Why the fuck are you so excited anyway? Are you hiding something from me? Your actions are suspiciously odd, even for you."

Roy sweated a little when Levi narrowed his already slitty eyes. "Nothing, nothing! Not from me! Not at all." He waved his hands around; perhaps it was a bad idea to rouse the dormant serpent.

Like always, Riza found Roy with relative ease. "Mr Mustang, you s–"

"Riza!" The taller raven exclaimed, glad and not-so-glad to see his saviour and maker. "Good to see you again! Come, we must get back to work." He got up and started to walk towards his fiancée, not wanting to be near the hissing reptile.

"Hawkeye, you got any idea why he's acting like that?" Levi gestured to the escaping man who froze up.

"Probably because he doesn't want you to know something?"

Pat, Roy suddenly felt Levi's hands were too large for his frame.

"Buddy, I believe a talk is in order." Levi had a wicked grin on his face, "Hawkeye, I'll be sure to escort this criminal back to his cell later. Mind if I borrow him for a while?"

In a moment of sadistic revenge, Riza nodded, only requesting he arrives in one piece. From that day onwards, Roy never tried to escape from his lover's chains again because Levi is one mean attorney.

He should just join the police force instead, scare the shit out of suspects for information, Roy could visualise it all. He tried not to focus on the fact that Levi had isolated a chair just for him, the short-but-intimidating male circling around his prey while deciding his plan of attack.

"Anything you would like to spill, before I dig it out?

"There's nothing much, really. Depending on who is concerned…" Roy's manly voice had dropped into one of a terror-stricken small boy's.

"Ohhhh. You had my curiousity earlier on but now you have my attention. From your tone, it seems I would be of utmost concern with regards to the issue you are hiding from me."

What have I gotten myself into?...

"Uhm, I only met Petra last week. That's all?" The man under the spotlight said meekly, forefingers twiddling as he began counting down. 3… 2… 1…

Levi slammed his hand onto the armrest, cornering Roy like the little rat he think isn't. Roy had expected Levi to start bellowing in his face, spit and all flying like missiles, so he was more than a little suspicious when he heard nothing from the enraged man.

"Roy Mustang, you have ten seconds to say everything, leave no details out, otherwise I will not be able guarantee you will walk out of here without an injury." Levi gritted out, head bowed down in an effort to stop himself from punching Roy's lights out.

"Riza and I. At supermarket. Saw Petra and a kid. Said hello and bye bye. Oh, and Riza got her number." The sweating man added the last bit in a fruitful attempt to save his face when Levi raised his fist.

Levi raised his head and Roy couldn't look anywhere but the man's sharp eyes. "How come she has and you don't?"

"Because I ran to the snack aisle?" He hoped it was somewhat helpful.

Levi straightened his back, mumbling under his breath but Roy could still make out words like oh my fucking god and what the fuck does Hawkeye sees in him and hopeless.

Roy pouted, "Can I return to my cell now?"

Levi gave his criminal a sadistic smirk, "Oh, no. That won't do at all. I've already promised Hawkeye I would escort you back and I can't break it now, can I?"

Roy whimpered like a kicked puppy.


Levi tried but Riza refused to give Petra's number to the about-to-be desperate man because it's not in her place to give the god damn number.

"Why did she gave you her number then?" He inquired.

"Because reasons."

Damned, it's hard to fight with Hawkeye, he realised. That woman's poker face stood on the same level as his.

So close yet so far! If only he could just contact her…

"Please Hawkeye, I have… unresolved issues with her." He pleaded, hoping the stubborn woman would understand his predicament.

Roy opened his mouth to say something but Riza elbowed him in the ribs rather hardly before he could do something stupid. "Sorry, I can't. But I can tell you she's here to stay. She has rented a studio apartment not too far from here."

So that's why she was there.

"Alright. Thanks anyway, for what you have shared. Have fun disciplining him." He pointed to the man kneeling on the floor, still clutching onto his ribs like a lifeline.

"Hmph."


Levi has no idea why but he's glad all his meetings today were done at the same café; he could save on gas and have something to eat in between to build energy needed to withstand his clients' stupidity. Taking a much needed toilet break after having drank four cups of beverage, he returned to his corner booth, not anticipating the next meeting with another member of the 'Moron Club'.

Trying his best not to slap his client, Levi exercised the patience he painstakingly developed over the years. He wondered when he would see Petra again. As if someone up there heard his thoughts, in walked Petra with the same kid clutching onto her coat.

Oh, how he wish he could just get up and head towards her but alas, there's an asshole he needs to settle first.

Petra didn't seem to have noticed Levi since she happily walked to a table quite near to the lurking serpent. Good thing Levi could multi-task; one eye and forty-five percent of his mind is focused on his client but the rest is all directed to the woman who has his heart. She had removed their coats and the eye he focused on her almost popped out of its socket when he saw the brat had black hair, black hair like his.

Now the conflicted attorney did his best to stay put at his table. He observed them from the corner of his eye while he discussed business with the naggy old man before him. They were happy, the kid was smiling throughout his meal although he retreated whenever someone approached their table. And Petra, she seemed so content in her current life, unlike him, someone who couldn't find an anchor for his life. He wondered if she still has feelings for him.

Levi meeting was finishing when the honey-haired lady stood up and left the café.

"Feel free to contact me again if you wish to amend your will and I will see to it. Hopefully, not!" He said as he shook the balding man's wrinkled hand, grabbing his briefcase and rushing out of the store, and rushing back to pay his bill.

By the time the busy man headed back out, he only a speck of Petra's back. How he could tell, let's just say it is gut instincts. He fastened his steps to catch up to the disappearing woman, no fucking way he would lose her again.

Levi followed her closely, a casual stalker, you could call him, one without any motive at the moment. What should I ask her when I catch up? Whose child is that? Is she living alone? Speaking of living, where is she staying now?

Once he was done compiling his questions, he realised they have already arrived at her apartment building. Levi recognised it as one of the smaller but more affordable houses with reasonable security. He actually thought of renting one a few years ago but a pay raise changed his mind rather quickly.

"Petra!" Levi called out but the building door has already closed.


It's been three days since Levi last saw Petra, which means today marks his third day moping around his office, staring into this computer like a zombie.

"He looks zombified." Eren said quietly to his neighbour, emerald eyes observing his superior in a discreet manner.

"You will look like one too if he catched you slacking off, Jaeger." Annie, the ever uptight and lone beauty, chastised the gossiping male. The ambitious young man slinked back into his cubicle, wondering what could have rendered his superior in such a state of trauma.

I bet he forgot to flush his toilet this morning, he snickered, not noticing a certain handsome HR manager rushing into Levi's office with a wicked smile on his chiselled face.

"Oi, Levi, snap out of it!" Erwin snapped his fingers in the face of the dazed attorney who didn't realise someone was in his office.

"Huh, what? Why are you here? Don't you know it's rude to do that?" He scowled, almost blushing at the fact he got caught in such an embarrassing state.

The handsome manager waved Levi's brusque manner off because he's used to it, "That's not what I want to talk to you about. Do you want to hear the good news or bad news first?"

"Only the good news."

"Ok. The good news is Petra is coming back to work."

Levi swore he shot out of his chair but before he could yell like Hanji, Erwin doused him with cold water, "With Mike."

"…. What the actual fuck?" Why with the sniffer?

"That's her request when I told her we would re-hire her at the interview yesterday."

"She was here yesterday and you didn't tell me…" The air in Levi's office suddenly became still and cold, and if you were sensitive, goosebumps would be all over your body.

"You were out. Anyway, Nanaba will be assigned to you in the meantime, do not piss her off no matter what, please. I swear, this company's legal assistants are vicious." He shuddered mentally at the memory of a pissed off Riza and a pissed off Moblit, not forgetting Nanaba and Petra.

Levi thought hard. It's good that Petra will be working close by, even if she was his assistant anymore. Nanaba is capable, that's for sure. But Petra with Mike…

Hmmmm.

"…Fine, I'll deal with this. Did she say why she wanted that post?"

"Not explicitly. And before you ask me what it is, confidentiality reasons."

Levi made a disgruntled sound, obviously unhappy at that but if he is able to see Petra on a regular basis, he'll live.


A/N 1: Levi, why you so slow?! *le sighs