Today's second prompt is "lies".
What kind of lies would they tell to each other?... I just guessed, and… well, let's see what you think about it.
Five lies between them.
Petra has always been a sincere person. She doesn't like to tell lies. She always wanted to be honest and faithful to her convictions. As for Levi, he considered himself as an honest person, a man who one day took the decision of stop lying to himself and everyone, to fight for the truth. Since then, there wasn't need for him to lie in order to achieve his goals, but there were five occasions when they lied to each other.
The first to do so was Petra, a couple months after graduating from the military school. It was her second expedition and she was eager to prove herself. At the time, she was also part of the few survivors from her squad. There had been so many deaths and wounded and the soldiers took shelter in the woods. Suddenly, the Commander ordered Levi to form a group of volunteer soldiers to kill the titans that were surrounding them, so the legion could continue with the expedition.
Then Levi approached the soldiers and said.
"Alright, listen up everyone! I need volunteers to finish with these shitty titans. I don't want any heroic acts, you have nothing to prove. I only need the ones who are in good condition and adults. I don't want shitty brats under 18! Understood?" he glared at everyone and a bunch of soldiers volunteered. Petra, who had just turned 17, was among them. When Levi saw her, he came closer and looked at her carefully "Name?"
"Petra Ral, Sir!"
"Ral… aren't you underage? " he looked at her in the eyes, trying to find out if she was lying.
"No sir! I'm 18 Sir!" Levi kept quiet for an instant and then the battle began. Petra, along with other guys killed three titans.
Of course, when Levi found out about her real age, he scolded her and punished her severely. But by then Petra's abilities had already picked the Captain's attention.
The second lie was told by Levi some years later. The special operations squad had just been created. It was one of their first training days. Early in the morning they all woke up and had breakfast. Petra made some coffee.
"Captain, would you like some coffee?" she kindly asked as she held a cup in her hand. The truth was, Levi hated coffee. That bitter taste remaining after drinking it as too much for him. Besides, he couldn't sleep well after having coffee.
"Yes…" he took the cup "thank you Petra" he had a sip and tried as hard as he could not to frown at the horrible taste, but he was more than willing to drink it if she had made it.
The third time wasn't long after that, and it was Levi who lied. He did it to protect himself; to protect her. That night Petra was helping him with the paper work. They were in his office. He had already noticed how he flirted with him every time they were together and he wasn't willing to allow something to happen. He couldn't fall into temptation because it wasn't correct to the eyes of the military. Those feelings he had weren't allowed.
They were about to finish with the paperwork when he felt her hand in his.
"What are you doing?"
"I… feel something very strong for you and… I would like to…" she was blushing and he put away his hand.
"What? You want me to, somehow correspond your feelings?" he spoke as rude as he could.
"But… I've seen how you look at me and your attitude changes when you are around me"
"It's just your imagination, Petra. Now, go to sleep" he turned his gaze back to the paperwork and then Petra took his face between her hands and got closer him.
"I don't believe you… look at me in the eye and tell me you don't feel somethig for me" and he looked at her, just like she had done with him many years ago.
"I don't feel anything for you" he lied. He didn't want things to get complicated or that Erwin changed her from his squad because of his fault. He couldn't accept it because it would mean to not see her every day.
"OK. Forget what I just said" there was sadness in her voice, and she stood up from the chair, decided to leave the office as soon as possible.
But just before he could reach the door, he took her by the waist and put his lips on hers. He felt Petra's tears going down her cheeks and he made a vow to not lie to her again.
Next time was Petra's turn. It was also the first night they spent together; some extra glasses of wine plus the deep kisses and tight hugs' heat made them end up in the Captain's room. Levi had always been careful and reserved when it came to physical contact with Petra. He did want to have intimacy with her, but he refused to hurt her in any way or make her feel somehow uncomfortable.
They had never talk about sex, but when kisses and caresses were about to cross certain point, Levi always stopped or found way to distract Petra so nothing would happen and she wondered why he wasn't taking the next step, but she found out that night.
Everything was dark and only the moonlight lightened the room. They we kissing with urgency and their breathing accelerated as Petra took off the Captain's jacket and he caressed her back, letting his hands slowly wander around it, until he felt the girl' fingers trying to unbutton his shirt.
"Wait…" suddenly he stopped kissing her and he looked at him , wondering… "are you sure?"
"Captain, I thought I was being clear enough" she traced his collarbone as she spoke.
"Yes, but I don't want to hurt you. We can take this slow if…" while he spoke, she read his glance and finally understood what was going on.
"Don't worry, it's not my first time…" and then she kissed him and they continued where they left. A little later, Petra's pain gesture, among some other things, made Levi realize that it wasn't true, but it was already too late; the next day he would make her compensate about it.
The last time they lied to each other was during the 57th expedition, right after Levi found his squad's dead bodies, except for Petra, who was next to a tree. At first he thought she was dead, but then she blinked and he went down to hold her I his arms, trying to press her wounds so she wouldn't bleed out, but it was already too late for that. He couldn't save her.
"Petra… I'm sorry… I should have been here sooner, I..:"
"It's ok… but I think I will have to take some vacations after this"
"Yes, you could go to your father's for some days and…" he felt the years growing in his eyes as he touched her face.
"My father… will I see him again?"
"Yes you will, when you go home, along with some wound from this expedition. And you will be able to sleep in your own bed and… and I'll go visit you. We could tell your father about us and I will be proud of telling him how brave and magnificent is his daughter, and how great she it to kill those goddamn titans"
"Are you for real?" he nodded and caressed Petra's lips with his fingers. She knew it wasn't truth, she was about to dies, but she made her best effort; the last one, to keep talking to him "yes… then we can have a little walk around the city. I'll show you my favorite places, and I will cook dinner at night… this time of the year… there are beautiful landscapes… we'll see them together"
"Yes, we will"
Some instants later, Levi noticed Petra's breathing stopping and a spine-chilling yell was heard among the woods, but no one ever knew whose scream was it.
