A/N: Soooooo I was considering making this chapter into a full-fledged fic, but in the meantime, here is a slight-futuristic AU where Mikasa is a successful lawyer who lives alone in a big, empty mansion until she purchases a taciturn biodroid by the name of Levi... :)

"Your tea, Miss."

"Thank you."

The cup and saucer were placed gently onto the rich wood of the table, beside a stack of papers and folders — Mikasa didn't even glance up from her book.

"Is there anything else you'll be needing, Miss?"

"No, thank you. You are dismissed."

"I have no other commands for the next hour, Miss."

Resigning herself to the conversation, she glanced at the page number and shut the book, letting it fall to her lap as she brought her attention to him. Mikasa questioned him patiently; "Are you done with all daily chores?"

"Yes, Miss."

"All the rooms sanitary and in order?"

"Yes, Miss."

"Is there we need restocked?"

"No, Miss."

"When's the last time Eren was checked on? Is there anything he needs?"

"The last communication was one hour and twenty-one minutes ago. He said he was fine, and... passionately requested that you leave him alone for the duration of the day. I do not believe he needs anything, Miss."

Her mouth twitched down, but Mikasa recovered with a calming breath. "Well then," she said more lightly. "I guess you do have nothing better to do."

"Sorry," he said. He didn't look very sorry. It was rare to get any emotion out of him, really, but it was a quirk she supposed she liked in him. Needed, even.

"It's all right. Would you like to sit with me? You can make yourself tea if you want."

One eyebrow rose, questioning — it disappeared into his silky black hair and his eyes glinted. "Is that a request or a command?"

Mikasa countered, "I said it was up to you, dummy."

"I do not believe I am unintelligent by any stretch of the imagination, Miss," he replied smoothly. But in the next second, she was looking at his back as he strode away in the direction of the kitchen. And she felt calm, and warm. Her book lay forgotten under her hands, and a faint smile sat on her lips as she stared long after he had disappeared into the hall.

Levi was… He was really something. Something in a way she couldn't quite put her finger on.

He returned a few minutes later with a plain teacup in hand. Silently, he pulled out the chair across the desk from her, and made himself comfortable.

"How is your tea, Miss?"

Oh. Mikasa grimaced, she had been too engrossed in her work and had forgotten the tea entirely. She quickly took it and sipped — it was the perfect temperature, just strong enough, just enough sugar and just enough cream.

"Perfect," she complimented, fingering the delicate golden rim.

He did not reply.

In an ordinary social setting, with anyone else she could think of, this would have all seemed very cold; impersonal. Truthfully, it was anything but. Simply, Levi did not question the sincerity in her reply, and saw no reason to make small talk. It had only been two short weeks, but Mikasa secretly was grateful that Levi, too, was also not verbose.

He was sipping his tea slowly, and looked like he was in thought. She could see his gaze going straight past her and out the bay window that beautifully framed a view of the front garden and entrance walkway. The sun was still out — though you could see the imminent storm in the whorls of grey clouds that loomed miles off — and it warmly illuminated the carefully-kept grounds. A trimmed lawn, manicured hedges, stately trees, flower beds crammed with white buds, and attractively worn brick path that led to the black, iron-wrought gates.

There was a pang of guilt that she had to ignore him like this, but the case she was working on was extremely important, and tomorrow was a deadline she needed to meet. Anyway, it's not like he's a house guest — he's the housekeeper, she had to remind herself. It was difficult to treat him like one, though… That was the downside of purchasing the state-of-the-art biodroid, she supposed. He looked too perfectly real, acted so normally— well, maybe not normally, but nothing about him really gave one reason to doubt his humanity at first glance.

"Is something bothering you, Miss?"

Mikasa nearly choked on her tea, and stifled the cough. Glancing at Levi — one brow was perfectly raised in question — he was expecting an answer or an explanation.

"No," she replied curtly. "No, I'm fine. Just absorbed in the case."

Something in his blank expression told her he didn't buy it. "Do you require any assistance? If this is the Leonhart case, I have already acquired the data pool on travel patterns and expenses that you requested."

Mikasa was going to say no, no matter what he said, and was frustrated when she found herself unable to. She actually needed that data. Very much so. "I… Yes. Here," she shuffled through a few folders until she found the right one, and passed it off to him. "Document what you can on the timeline so I can finalize the chart."

"I will. Is there anything else? I can prepare more tea… or perhaps cough drops."

Silence hung in the air for a moment. Mikasa met his eyes — his gaze was steady, but the faintest upward twitch of his lips betrayed his teasing — and she half-smiled, too.

"You can fuck off," she said eventually, and in an old habit, her fingers tugged up her comforting scarf to cover up to her nose.

Levi took a long drink from his teacup. He leaned back in his chair, placed his ankle over his knee, and propped open the folder in his lap to begin to read. "As you wish," he replied, hiding his amused smirk as Mikasa did her private smile.