Exactly How Drunk Was I?
Levi sat hunched over his desk, one hand in his hair and another scribbling furiously at the paperwork in front of him. He was trying to get ahead, but as soon as one thing was done, Erwin dropped another five on him. Whether it be reports of recent missions, scout files that needed either updating or creating, meeting notes... it was all never ending.
It didn't help that Levi, try as he might, was not particularly adept when it came to this sort of stuff. Coming from the Underground certainly had it's disadvantages, one of which was the lack of a decent education system. He could read and write of course, but he was self taught mostly, and it took him a bit more concentration. But Levi was far too proud to admit that he may need a little bit of assistance, or more time completing the tiresome tasks asked of him. Even to the commander, though he thought Erwin probably had his suspicions. Not that that deterred the bastard from giving him more paperwork.
But tonight, Levi was struggling more than usual, due to all the ruckus that was going on down the halls. Loud rambunctious laughter echoed through the halls, cheers and praise , screams of excitement, clanging of cups and even the occasional tone deaf singing. Not only had some of the more seasoned soldiers returned from a particularly successful mission, but they had just brought in a batch of new recruits. Which unfortunately meant double the festivities, double the alcohol and, much to his dismay, double the noise.
He scratched his head, dragging his fingers along his scalp to help soothe his thoughts as he heard a group of boys burst into obnoxiously loud song.
How the fuck am I meant to concentrate and get this shit done with those idiots bellowing like that? He bolted to his feet and marched towards the door leading out into the halls. Swinging the door open he was about to storm straight to the source of all the noise, but stopped in his tracks when he almost collided with a figure at his door.
"Hey Captain Sir! Coming to join the party?" his steel grey eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the woman standing before him. Illyria Light. She was slightly dishelved, her dark auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail, though strands had fallen down haphazardly, framing her face. Her white shirt had a couple of the top buttons undone and her black harnesses hung down her side and thighs instead of being placed correctly on her shoulders. Her green eyes gazed up at him, though they were a little red and very unfocused. She clutched a bottle of whiskey in her right hand, holding it up to her face and smiled at him coyly.
Illyria had been in his squad for a while. She was one of the more seasoned soldiers who had just got back from the mission with Levi and the others. She was a force to be reckoned with out on the field, her skills rivalling his own on occasion. However, there was a softness to her, a sparkle of humanity left in her that hadn't been extinguished yet. Out of all of his squad, she was the one whose company he could tolerate the most, despite her occasional smart ass comments.
"No, now move, Light." He commanded, pushing against her arm in an attempt to get past her and continue his current mission. Illyria fell back against the wall and groaned a little, but she wasn't deterred. She reached out and grabbed the corporals sleeve. He froze and turned, glaring at her. Who does she think she is? Although Levi tolerates her company, that did not give her the right to get so... friendly... with him.
"Hey, leave 'em alone. It's not often they get to celebrate a victory like this. Just give them until midnight to have their fun, eh?" she spoke softly and Levi sighed at her words, knowing deep down she had a point, though he would never admit it.
He tutted at her and strode back into his office as Illyria smiled, pushing herself off the wall and following him in, quietly shutting the door behind her.
"Whatever." He muttered, returning to his previous seat at his desk. He glanced up when he heard footsteps inside his office, not realizing Illyria had followed him inside. She plopped herself down in the big armchair opposite him and heaved a sigh of relief at the comfortable chair.
"That's better." She said, locking eyes with the stoic looking man in front of her.
"I don't remember inviting you in, Light." He stated casually, as he picked up his pen and turned his attention back to the mound of papers.
She shrugged.
"Yeah well we all know manners aren't really your strong point, Sir." He lifted his eyes to look at her, not moving his head and stopped writing for a second before continuing his work. Illyria smiled cheekily at herself, stretching out her limbs in the chair before leaning over the desk, both elbows on the hard wood and hands cupping her face.
"Whatcha doing?" she asked, feigning interest. She knew full well what he was doing.
"Sleeping." The captain responded curtly, not even bothering to take his eyes away from the paper. Illyria cocked an eyebrow.
"Do you always look so constipated when you're sleeping?" at that Levi sighed and threw down his pen, leaning back in his chair and surveying the quite clearly tipsy soldier before him.
"What do you want, Light?" he asked, placing both his hands on his lap as he spoke.
"Couple of glasses would be a start." She joked. When the corporal looked at her like she had just spoken another language, she held up the bottle of whiskey and shook it excitedly, signalling that the glasses were for the alcohol. He rolled his eyes and opened up a drawer to the left of his desk, taking out a whiskey glass and pushing it across the table to her. She smirked and poured herself a generous helping of the whiskey, nodding in the captain's direction.
"And another."
"I'm not drinking." Illyria looked at the man before her. He held her stare, not intimidated at all.
"What you can't have one celebratory drink with your favourite cadet? And after all we've been through, I'm hurt." She placed a hand to her chest in mock heartbreak and pouted. Levi did not respond.
"Guess humanities strongest is scared he will be out done by little old me." Levi scoffed.
"Everything about what you've just said is wrong." She cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Oh?"
"Firstly, you are not my favourite cadet. Secondly, I don't give a shit if you're hurt. And thirdly, I'm not scared." Illyria took a large sip of her whiskey and held up a finger, signalling she clearly had something to say once she had finished drinking.
"Ah, but something I said was right." Levi frowned, watching as the woman in front of him emptied her glass and refilled it, with uncoordinated hands.
"And what's that?" he challenged, tilting his head a little, appearing genuinely interested in what he had missed. Illyria looked up at him and smirked, and Levi felt something in him stir.
"You can have one celebratory drink." Her voice was soft but her eyes shone, knowing she had won as she slid the glass across the desk to the captain.
Levi looked from the glass to Illyria. Her lips twitched into a smile as she held the bottle up.
"To victory." She whispered as she took a gulp straight from the bottle, having given Levi her glass. Levi's eyes softened and he picked up the glass and brought it to his lips.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed. He didn't know when you had both finished the first bottle of whiskey. He didn't know when he had pulled out a second bottle from inside his desk. He didn't know why you continued drinking when you were clearly, so very drunk. And he certainly didn't know why he continued to pour you more instead of shipping you off to your room for the night. He didn't remember when you had moved, to sit beside him. Sitting on the edge of his desk next to him, chatting away about something or another. What he did know, was you were going to regret all of this in the morning. Getting up at dawn and training with the hangover you were surely going to have was going to be sheer hell.
Serves her right.
Levi could hold his own when it came to drinking. He was not drunk, just in that much more relaxed, content state. He wasn't disorientated, or slurring his words, or chatting total shit. He was in total control of himself and the situation. Illyria, on the other hand, was not. She had quite clearly had a fair amount to drink before she even came to the captains quarters. And since being in the room had helped him in polishing off over a bottle and half of neat whiskey.
Illyria wasn't a total fool though. She knew she was drunk. She just didn't care. She was in castle grounds, and therefore safe, and she was having far too much of a good time with the captain to even consider training tomorrow at the moment. She would cross that bridge when she came to it.
Levi looked up at the chuckling woman sitting on his desk, ever so slightly amused. Illyria was laughing hard. About what, he didn't even know, she wasn't making a lot of sense, but whatever it was had her tittering to herself. Which in turn, made him smile a little. She gasped for air as she put her hand over her stomach.
"Oh god... it hurts..." she laughed, wiping tears from her eyes as she tried to calm herself down. Levi just raised his eyebrows as he took another sip from his glass, refilling Illyria's which he had given her a while ago.
"You know, you're not so bad." Levi scoffed at that.
"Is that so?" he entertained her. He was a little curious as to where exactly she was going with this. And it would be a lie if he wouldn't get some sick satisfaction out of reminding her of this tomorrow, when she was sober.
"Yeah! Everyone thinks you're all big and bad and scary... but you... a-are a softy really." Levi's fingers ran along the rim of his whiskey glass. He stared at the dark liquid inside and shook his head at Illyria's words, slight smile playing on his lips. Yes, tomorrow was going to be hilarious.
Suddenly, Illyria pushed herself off the desk and dropped to her knees in one fluid motion. Levi jumped a little, thinking for a moment that she had actually fallen off the desk. But glancing at the woman who was now on her knees in front of him, he realised it had been deliberate. Her bright eyes sparkled up at him as she rested her arms on his knees.
"Aren't ya?" she asked, both words almost becoming one as her speech slurred. Levi felt something inside him stir again and he tore his eyes away from hers, opting to take a sip of his whiskey to fight off this weird feeling. Maybe the whiskey is getting to me.
Illyria leaned closer, bringing her face a little closer to Levi.
"Aren't ya?" her voice had dropped and Levi's ears almost pricked up at the sound. This needed to stop. Now.
"I think you've had enough." He stated, locking eyes with her emerald green and she scoffed.
"Pfft! No!" and she reached up onto the table, finally leaning back and giving Levi his breathing space back. Her nimble fingers gripped her glass and she brought it to her lips. Eyes screwing shut a little as the liquid trickled down her throat and gave her that familiar burn in her chest. Then she placed the glass in her lap, hands cupping the cool glass softly.
"I think you're amazing yanno?" Levi blinked at this and she looked back up at him, smiling warmly.
"I don't care if you think you're all... big and bad... and mean..." she paused, repressing a small hiccup.
"You're still the most amazing man I've ever met." She placed a hand to her chest. Levi had no idea what to do with that, so he did what he did best and tutted, rolling his eyes.
"You're drunk, brat, go to bed." He chastised, taking yet another sip of his whiskey. Illyria smiled widely, all the seriousness apparently gone.
"Yeah well a drunk heart speaks a sober mind... or... or sober mind... I dunno!" Levi chuckled.
"No, a drunken mind talks shit and regrets it the next day." Illyria chuckled and waved him off dismissively.
"Yeah well I'll deal with that tomorrow." Her eyes locked on to his and she sighed softly, smiling gently at him. She ran a hand through her hair, dragging more stray strands free from their binding in the process.
"So? What do you think of me?" she asked cheekily, her playful smile appearing on her lips. Levi smiled at his favourite cadet and leaned forward, reaching out and touching her chin with his thumb and forefinger. Illyria froze.
"I think..." his voice was so soft. Illyria had never heard it sound so heavenly. She stared, like a deer in headlights into his silver orbs. His eyes lowered slightly, covering his beautiful eyes for but a second before he looked back into her glistening eyes.
"You're drunk."
Illyria squeezed her temples as she trudged along the halls the next morning, carrying some paperwork to Corporal Levi's office. Commander Erwin had caught her while she was on her way to breakfast and asked her to run a couple of errands. She didn't really mind, she wasn't in the mood for breakfast right now, her stomach churning from all the excessive drinking she had apparently done last night.
She didn't remember much after the first bottle of whiskey she had shared with her comrades. She remembered swiping a second bottle, heading to Levi's office, soul intent to get him to join the party, even if only for a little while. Little snippets of harmless conversation. She didn't even know how she had managed to make it back to her room. But apparently she was too drunk to get undressed. She grunted, knocking on the captain's door and waited patiently.
"Name and business." He called from inside his quarters.
"Illyria Light sir, I have some paperwork for you from Commander Erwin." A slight pause followed before the captain gave her permission to enter. She opened the door and walked towards the captain, giving a small nod at him as she was unable to salute due to her arms being preoccupied with paperwork.
"Good morning sir. Here is your paperwork." She placed the papers down neatly on his desk, careful to not drop them everywhere. Her arms were shaky and her legs felt like spaghetti. She swallowed thickly, trying to fight the urge to empty her stomach for the fourth time that morning. Finally she glanced at Levi.
He was sat back in his chair, one leg crossed, ankle resting on his knee. One arm was on his desk and the other on the arm of his chair. It was probably the most relaxed Illyria had ever seen him. But that wasn't what caught her attention. It was his face. He looked almost... amused? His eyes, usually so disinterested, held an unusual gaze. Playful? Humour? Knowing? Illyria couldn't decipher it, and especially not in the state she was in this morning.
"Sir, will that be all?" she asked, fiddling with her fingers and feeling very nervous under this new gaze.
"No it will not." Illyria blinked. Levi diverted his eyes to the papers for a moment, considering his next words.
"How are you feeling this morning, cadet?" Illyria rolled her eyes and let out a loud groan.
"Like death, Sir. But it's my own fault." She ran a hand through her very untidy ponytail and Levi looked back at her, smirking ever so slightly.
"Is there anything I can do to help ease my 'favourite cadets' suffering?" Illyria froze. What? The expression on her face must have given something away to Levi's eyes because his smirk grew as he got from his chair and made his way towards the woman in front of him. Illyria had no idea what to do, how to respond, where to run. Just what had she done last night??
Levi, was thoroughly enjoying himself. Seeing Illyria so unsure, it was a rare sight. Seeing her nervous, was practically unheard of.
"I-I... I don't understand, sir..." she admitted, eyes continuously flicking from Levi to the floor, to the side, her fingers, back to his eyes. She swallowed again, that familiar feeling of throwing up returning with a vengeance. Levi cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at her.
"Oh? So you don't remember our little conversations last night then?" he was teasing her, but Illyria was sure he was just trying to make her feel as uncomfortable as possible. Which he was. But she thought maybe he would be angry, and she really didn't want to have to face his wrath this morning for something stupid she may have done last night. However Levi, was just amused.
"Not really sir. I'm sorry I had a bit to drink last night. I don't remember much from it at all. I apologise if my behaviour was..."
"Was what cadet?" Levi was stood right in front of her now, his tone a touch more serious. Illyria couldn't even look at him. She licked her lips nervously.
"Indecent." She whispered. Fearful that he may very well tell her that her behaviour was beyond indecent.
"You were quite drunk, cadet." He simply stated, not taking his eyes away from her face, monitoring every reaction. She swallowed again, clearing her throat.
"I apologise, sir."
"For which part Light? For strutting into my office without invitation? For your sheer audacity at referring to yourself as my 'favourite'? Or maybe for telling me how 'big and bad' I am?" Illyria's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and she rubbed her forehead, completely exasperated.
"Christ, exactly how drunk was I?" she murmured more to herself. She finally met the captains eyes, nervously. She owed him that much at least she figured.
His face was expressionless. He gave nothing away as to how he felt about the entire situation, so she had no idea how to respond. This made her even more nervous.
"I really said all that, huh?" she tried, faking a sorry smile. Levi just blinked slowly, his head nodding a little.
"Oh and don't forget mean." He continued and Illyria winced a little, looking away again as she fiddled with her fingers.
"And amazing." She froze again, head snapping up to meet Levi's eyes. She could feel her cheeks heating up. Shit! She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. Levi cocked an eyebrow, smirk returning.
"Or maybe you want to apologise for being so incredibly drunk that you couldn't even walk straight, meaning I had to abandon my work to escort you to your room at 3am?" her throat was so dry. Her head was swimming. She coughed into her hand and nodded.
"I apologise, for everything sir. It-it won't happen again." Levi nodded.
"Well that is a shame." Illyria frowned a little, more than a little confused now.
"Sir?" she questioned. Levi's eyes softened, his lips curling into the faintest of smiles as he reached forward and touched her chin, bringing her closer to him just like how he had last night. He felt her breathing hitch.
"Because drunk Illyria is quite amusing."