A/N: Hello everyone! New post up! Apologies for keeping you waiting.
Enjoy!
A toast to everyone who loves Levi Ackerman.
Stay safe everyone.
Love,
A.615.
Kapitel 11 – The Annoying Gnat
The third day after the Battle of Trost. Another day at the castle. Today should be the day Levi's Elite Squad returns, but it should be fine if they were to stay for another day. She was told yesterday that there were many casualties, and they needed all the manpower they can to clean up the corpses, or else they will be dealing with a epidemic on top of Titan attack casualties.
The hospital could not stomach another patient. From what she has read in the paperwork she sorted out her Captain yesterday, the hospital does not appear to have enough beds. They have no choice but to makeshift beds with curtains, coverlets and just plain hay on the floor covered with sheets to make it better.
The people were suffering from the aftermath of the Titan attacks. She was lucky to be alive and recuperating in her own room instead of at the hospital. She quietly thanked Captain Levi again for bringing her here instead of leaving her at the hospital.
A lovely waft of wind blew in through the open window, ruffling her hair fondly. There was a fresh scent of pine in the air, and somehow, her thoughts drifted straight towards the shower and shampoo Captain Levi uses. They smelled of Pine too. Could it be that the Captain just had his morning shower? Bless her for being able to think up something about the Captain first thing in the morning.
Then, another set of lovely aroma drifted in the room. Of tea and toast. And jam perhaps? Oh, jam. Emma always made the greatest jam with wild berries they hunted whenever they were out on an expedition. They were rare to come by behind the Walls but plentiful on the outside. A precious commodity everyone appreciated in the barracks. Her stomach growled at the thought of freshly spread jam and the scent of the berries. Oh, its morning, and its breakfast time. Lovely.
Stretching her arm over her head, she felt a bit of stretch and a tearing feeling in her dry skin around her back, but it didn't hurt anymore. It was only when she stretched her legs and toes did she felt the pain squeezing her muscles.
That's internal pain. Can't do much with the applicable medicine available to her from Levi's grace. Those internal pain will have to heal slowly. He has been extraordinarily kind to her already. Not to mention she has been sleeping in his bed all these while. Though of course, he had insisted on her multiple times that he have no use of the bed as he only can sleep for a few hours at times.
It's not a wonder why everybody dumped their paperwork to him. He's a Godsent in times of piling paperwork.
Oh wait. Freya remembered something about yesterday. Something about Captain Levi's tub of medicated gel?
Wait a minute.
Yesterday. The ointment thing, and his glorious set of hands. Oh fuck. Did she faint in his arms?
Freya's eyes snapped open. It is morning here in the cold castle, and Levi is in the room shuffling around with his paperwork. There's the tell-tale wetness in his hair, confirming her earlier assumption that the Captain just had a shower earlier. She quickly got up from the bed and stood up hastily. Her legs felt like jelly from lack of use and was caught off the balance before Levi quickly pulled her wobbling form into his arms before she can bash her head onto the side table.
With her squeaking like a blushing milkmaid.
"Oh, dear Maria. I'm so sorry, Levi Heishichou," Freya said, covering her mouth and face. She couldn't imagine how she looked like right now. Sand in the eyes, messy hair perhaps? Not to mention possible bad breath as well oh hell no not that! That would be too embarrassing!
"Careful there. You're going to crack your skull open if you do that now," the Captain rumbled a reply. For Freya, it was a little weird to hear a reply when her head was still sticking on his chest. A little weird but soothingly nice, reassuring even. Gentle, calming. Everything nice. She had half a mind to stay there forever until he began to speak again. "You will need a cane for a few days at least. Don't stand up on your own just yet. "
In one move, Levi bent down and hoisted Freya from the waist up to his shoulder like how one would sling a bag of potatoes. Freya managed to swallow her squeak this time and bit her lips in silence. She might sound stupid if she were to make another sound. He carried her across the room and out to his office, intending to send her to the bathroom to help herself with whatever it is she needs to do on her own early in the morning.
He heard someone gasped aloud outside his office door, prompting him to snap his neck towards the direction of the source of the sound he had heard. His office door was agape as if someone had just opened it and left it ajar.
Someone was outside.
Clicking his tongue in unease, he quickly dropped Freya in the bathroom's stone seat and closed the door behind him to leave her to her business.
"Call me when you're done," he said to her and heard a small 'en' as a reply from her before closing the door hastily.
Striding quickly towards the door, Levi wrenches the door open wide and strides out the corridor.
No one.
He was one hundred percent sure that someone was outside just seconds ago. The bugger had sure run fast enough away from his sight before he had the chance to rectify who the fuck it is that had dared to enter his office without announcing or stating their business.
Levi sighed. He hoped that it was not the same rat that had weaselled their way into harming Freya.
The horrors of what jealousy can do to a fellow human behind the Walls.
On a brighter note, if it is just a normal cadet, they will surely spread some sort of rumours around, seeing as they had seen him carrying Freya on his shoulder. That reminds him of the time when he had seen all those gnats and useless good for nothings trying to hit up Freya during dinnertime. Fuck those little shits. He would swat them off anytime or send them off to sweep horse shit forever in the stable. The sooner the rumours spread, the sooner those gnats will go away.
All that is left is to wait and catch which soldier has a loose mouth. He will make sure to make them muck up horse shit with their mouth for being such chatterboxes.
After settling down Freya back onto his bed and gave her breakfast, he sets to compile the documents that needed Erwin's attention. He received notice from Hange that the Commander is back to the castle and was informed that the rest of his elite squad members will remain still at Trost District and should be back somewhere tomorrow. Too many casualties needing too many manpower to sort.
But before he leaves, there was one thing that he needed to emphasize to Freya.
"Now," Levi said, sitting down heavily on his bed and jolting Freya from her stupor after having a full breakfast. He watches as she blinks a couple of times before shaking her head and widen her eyes. Was that her way of trying to look more awake? Because that stray bed hair is not working her case.
He almost chuckled.
Holding the need to smile down, he continued, "I am going to be out of the office for a while. Not more than an hour. I trust you can take care of yourself for a while?"
She nodded and almost replied before he interrupted her by leaning in further, "And no, I do not want that quill picking incident to happen again. You are to stay in bed if you cannot walk."
Freya's mouth froze wide open at their sudden proximity. The Captain really is gorgeous. His presence alone could summon attention from the whole room, let alone this close. There really is no way to not look back into his glittering blue-grey eyes.
Blinking her eyes rapidly to clear her thoughts, she closes her gaping mouth and smiled, "I can do that. But that will mean you will only be left with 8 promises."
Levi frowned. Most people would have backed away or stopped smiling or apologize immediately for saying something that defies his order, but she remained smiling that sweet cheerful smile with her bed hair still sticking up when she tells him of how his accumulated promises dropped from 9 to 8.
8 more promises. That's not fair.
"That's an order," Levi said disdainfully, flicking her forehead. "You are to follow them-"
"But I'm not on duty, sire," Freya interrupted, rubbing her forehead. "I can promise not to overdo it, but I'll take it as a promise, not an order."
Levi clicked his tongue in irritation. The teacup has learnt to buck up yes, but buck up against him? He raised his hand to rub her forehead where he had flicked the spot earlier with his thumb. Then slides his hand to pat down the bed hair that distracted his attention. Her hair is soft to the touch, almost silky cool. All the while with her eyes wide staring at him.
Was that admiration in her eyes? They seemed to sparkle more than usual. Those clear blue green eyes of hers reflected his face in them. And it was then he realizes they were actually very close.
He could not help it. It was as if she draws him in unconsciously. There were times he realizes too late that he is brushing her hair aside, or tucking her in, or just to check up on her and see if she is sleeping well in the night. It seems that he just wanted her close by, where it is safe for her.
Where it eases his being and lessens his worry.
Clearing his throat, he stood up and picked up the pile of documents to be sent to Erwin. They are confidential and needed to be sent to him personally by hand.
"Suit yourself," Levi retorted, striding out of the room and was about to close them when she said with a smile, "Have a good day ahead, Levi Heishichou."
An hour. All he needed is an hour and he'll be back. She should be fine.
With a nod of his head, Levi closed his room door.
CALL MY NAME-CALL MY NAME-CALL MY NAME
The skin on her palms have dried up. The medicated gel proved its effects with its rapid healing ingredients. Levi had left some documents by the bedside table. It didn't take long for her to sort them all out neatly according to its urgency.
Now, all that's left for her to do is to peel those scaly dried skin.
Still, she was amazed at how fast all these have healed with the right medicine. She could have healed much earlier if she had not listened to that girl's sweet words. New formula? What a load of horse shit. Sure, it did help with the pain, but what use would painless be if it would mean she needs to live with wet wounds for a long period of time? Not to mention it could leave deep scarring the longer the wounds remained as such. Oh, was their initial plan this? To scar her?
Hah! Scars. Think she is afraid of them? She got them all the time from washing buckets of clothes in a day and blisters grows mercilessly on her hands. She would have cared if she were as beautiful as them, or popular with the men, or if she were one of them. Thank Wall Maria she was not then. They have bad names surrounding them everywhere they go, and men only goes for one thing when they were nice to them.
Bed. Skin ship. The likes.
Freya giggled a little when she thought of how green their face would look were they to find out that the Captain Levi have fed her breakfast in bed for days.
She peeled off the scabs gently, revealing freshly healed wound in the form of pinkish white scar. She tried to open her palm and close them, and finds that despite the wounds closing nicely, internally, they still hurt a little bit.
Just a bit more and it will be all good again.
The familiar sound of the doorknob squeaking open interrupted her thoughts. Her heart jumped a little at the thought that Captain Levi has returned. She could not wait to show him how much her skin has healed. Even when she was at the bathroom earlier this morning to do a quick wipe down, the skin behind her back had already started to peel. The thought of no longer needing the handsome Captain to apply that medicated gel behind her back brought a blush to her fair cheeks as she was reminded of yesterday's event.
Of his warm calloused hands gently rubbing the gel to her back. Of how close he was to her body. Of how nice he smelled to her. And how warm he felt. She could hear his heartbeat pounding strong and fast in his chest, mirroring the pounding of her heart in her own chest. And that voice.
Has anyone ever praised how lovely his voice sounded? Especially more so when he is speaking against her temple? The deep voice vibrated down his throat and spreads throughout his chest, sending sparks to her whole body down to the very tips of her fingers. It was exhilarating to have him so close.
The sound of chair scraping the floor and someone hissing in pain immediately had her thoughts scrambled into thin air.
She lamented a little at the loss of the lovely thoughts she had of the Captain Levi. How careless of the Captain to get himself in trouble with his own office's furniture.
…
Wait.
Wait a minute.
Something ain't right.
The Captain wasn't a person with a careless nature. This 'Captain Levi' that had just entered the office doesn't sound…right.
Freya's heart pounded. Something was amiss. The sound of booted steps on the wooden floor does not have that familiar confident stride that the Captain Levi would have when he comes into his office. Instead, this one sounded as if they are trying to be quiet, and slow. And mousy. And probably too mousy that they hit the chair in their hurry to be quiet and quick.
Could it be the mouse they are trying to smoke out?
No. No, no. It couldn't be. The Mouse wouldn't have known that all of them, including Hange Bun-Taichou, knows about the wrong tub of ointment case. It was kept quiet to trap the mouse. It would have to be the medic that was giving her those ointments.
It has to be the medic… But…
Medics don't wear military boots.
This would have to be someone else.
"Levi…Heichou…?" Freya tried calling out softly. Levi's hearings are impeccable. He can hear a pin drop from within the room if he were outside the office area. If he were Levi, the boots steps would have quickened towards his room.
But this one remained mousy. Slow and quiet.
Someone else is in the office.
CALL MY NAME-CALL MY NAME-CALL MY NAME
The talk with Erwin dragged. Long and winding it goes, and they kept going back to the same topic.
For Freya to learn the Three-Dimensional Manoeuvre Gear. And the Commander had said no.
Again.
Had the Commander allowed him to leave after finishing submitting his report, they wouldn't have that argument about Freya's need to learn the Three-Dimensional Manoeuvre Gear. It was just a simple request to keep Freya close to his side as her Captain, and that is all.
Levi, of course, had flipped.
He has all the capabilities to protect someone who had zero skills on the manoeuvre gear, but it will increase her chance of survival rate were she to learn the gears. That way, the Battle of Trost she was mercilessly thrown into will not repeat again.
The Commander, again, refused his request.
"Captain Levi," the Commander started sternly. "I gave you explicit order that she is to be exempted from the frontlines due to her capabilities to remember information. She is here in the Scout Regiment as an Information Keeper since there is a high chance that sensitive information written down in papers will be stolen for unknown purposes. You know about this, and you know the enemy has eyes we know not in our Regiment. She does not need to learn the gears, hence there are no need for her to be at the frontlines-"
"I was there to pick up all her bloodied mess and broken soul," Levi snapped back, frustrated that the Commander remains blind towards her need to learn how to survive on her own. "And you? You're not there to see that. Do you know why so many useless civilians survived? It was because of her. The genius sets the horses down the streets to save those who are left behind. And what did they do in return? They fucking parked the horses behind the fucking Wall, Erwin, and left them all to die out there, including her! Brilliant ain't it?"
Erwin slapped a hand on his table to emphasize on his demand. "And that is why I insist she stays behind! There is no need for her to go out on an Expedition with the rest of us! She is useless out there, and her main job is to keep tabs of information withins the Regiment itself! I've given you orders to do that!"
"Do you think I didn't tell the Teacup to do just that? To fucking run for her life when a Titan attacks?" Levi retorted back angrily. "She was alone at Trost when the Titans attack. She didn't have a choice! There was no reinforcement from the Military Regiment! They did nothing and you know it!"
He remembers her telling him tearfully that she couldn't run, and it wasn't because she had to help them, but that she has no choice.
There really was no one else out there. They were all left outside to die.
Erwin remained firm on his grounds and stood up to open the door, gesturing for Levi to get out. "She is your subordinate, Captain. I don't care how you do it. Keep her close to you if you need to, but it is your job now to reel her in when she went out of line."
Levi gnashed his teeth, infuriated beyond words on how daft the Commander can be when it comes to Freya. The Captain stormed out of the Commander's office with a glare, silently wishing a real stick will end up in the damn Eyebrow's ass someday if all it takes is for him to realize just what the fuck they are facing.
The Captain strode down the corridor angrily in a gale of thunder and lightning, prompting everyone passing down the same corridor to turn around and come back in another hour or so. No one wants to run into the Captain when he's in such a foul mood.
And his foul mood just escalated to another terrifying degree when he arrives just to find his office door ajar.
He remembered he have left the door closed. Some bloody idiots must have left it open. Walking briskly towards his office, he mentally squashed whomever is standing inside his office waiting for his return.
He opened the door and was greeted by an empty office.
No one was there.
But…
His room door was wide open.
Levi clenched his teeth in silent fury. No one enters his room. Not anyone. No one does that, and no one is allowed to do that.
Except Freya. Because she's his secretary and shirt washer.
This time, this idiot is going to die.
"Hey!" he heard Freya's sound of protest from his room. The Captain frowned. She sounded like she is struggling.
"No wonder we couldn't find you anywhere," a man's voice whined in his room. Levi's temper flared up like a matchstick strike against a wall. Truly, for real this time, a human ventured into his room without his permission?
What fuckin' balls they have there. Looks like he's gonna need to squash them to quell out that bravado.
Or did Freya give them her permission to enter?
No, Levi thought silently. She wouldn't do that. Not even if its gravely urgent, she wouldn't allow anyone into my room without my specific instructions. She knows me more than that.
In the span of a few days, she quickly picked up things about him that he disliked. Major one would be dirt, and another major one would be anyone else apart from him stray into his room without permission.
She knew him well enough to know that he will not hesitate to resort to killing in order to kick out the intruder.
A cadet was sitting on his bedside holding onto Freya's hand with both of his hands, leaning closer to her whilst she tries her best to lean as far away from him as possible with a pained expression on her face. Levi noticed the cadet is squeezing her hands.
A fucking cadet. And a brave one at that.
He will be the first Levi will throw to the Titan in the next expedition.
"Please, get out, now. This is Levi Heishichou's room. You are not permitted to enter here," Freya said to him, doing her best to look fierce but to no avail. The cadet even went as far as to touch her face and hair. Naturally, Freya reacted with disgust and tries to lean away from his touch. The cadet merely stretched out more and brazenly grabbed a hold of a lock of her hair instead.
"Did the Captain touch you? Abused you? How did you end up like this? You didn't even go on to the expedition! I'm going to report him to the Commander for keeping you here by force-"
"The Captain Levi has a lot more dignity than you could ever have in your whole miserable life. Now get out," Freya replied scathingly, trying to pull her hand away from the annoying cadet. He held on tightly and pulled her close, forcing her close and leans into her face.
"I heard he's in a meeting with the Commander and the rest of the Squad Leaders now. We won't expect him to be back so soon. Don't worry, lovely Lady Nightingale. I'm take you away from this hellhole, and I shall liberate you from this birdcage he forcefully locked you in against your will-"
Levi entered the room and spares the cadet no mercy when he said coldly, "And I will kick you out of the window now for having the balls to disturb my Secretary, you piece of no-name, good-for-nothing, shitty shameless gnat."
On cue, the cadet dropped Freya's hand on the bed and stood upright, as if thunder has struck him on his backside at the sound of Levi's commanding voice. "L-Levi Heishichou!" the cadet saluted, turning pale quickly at the sight of the advancing midget Captain with a stormy expression looming on his face. He gulped in fear and walked shuffled backwards and towards the side as the Captain storms towards him.
No longer was the cadet brave when being confronted by the real thing.
"Levi Heichou," Freya called, smiling widely at him, relieved her Captain has returned from his meeting. "You're back! Thank Wall Maria. Could you please dismiss him? This cadet wouldn't leave at my request."
Levi glanced at Freya. She was cradling the hand that the cadet has grasped to her chest closely. It was her right hand with the sprained wrist. Clearly, the cadet had hurt her hand and at this point, he only hoped that he did not just make her writing hand injuries worst.
"This is the Commanding Officer's Floor," Levi started coldly, moving forward to his bedside. The cadet gave way to him respectfully with a bow and stood aside nervously. The Captain wordlessly held out a hand towards Freya, motioning for her to give him her hand. Gingerly, Freya placed her right hand on his as he examined her injuries. "Tell me, cadet, why are you still here even after dropping off the documents? And in an officer's room at that. Dropping off document into the office is your only order, was it not?"
Levi flexed Freya's wrist. She had taken off the bandages and apparently, peeled off the scabs. The wounds that are on her palms have healed nicely, leaving a white pinkish scar behind. She seems to be at ease with him and did not show any signs of discomfort. Good, Levi thought to himself. Nothing affecting the wrist. Just her hand then.
"Levi Heishichou," the cadet saluted, gulping in fear. "I-I s-saw the Lady Nightingale here, so-."
"That's Madam Secretary to you, you shithead," Levi snapped angrily. Standing up and pulling the cadet's jacket, the Captain dragged the poor soul out of his room. This was beyond any obsession he had thought the bunch of goons would have. This is almost on a worshipping sick obsession level already! Throwing him out of his room and into the office area, Levi gave no time to the stumbling cadet to stand up and advances towards the cadet like a dark looming cloud of storm.
Scared shitless, the cadet scooted backwards and quickly scrambled to stand up on his now jelly legs. Captain Levi is a very scary man to behold, and he didn't want more of his angry sparks to land on him.
Levi made him walk backwards out of his office, muttering in a very low, dangerous tone, "Address her by her correct title, not some birdshit title you lot of shit conjured up, Cadet. You are to get out of my room and run 100 laps around the courtyard. If I so much as see you one more time around my Secretary behaving like you are her confidant and treating her as if she needed saving from a worthless piece of shit like you, I will end you right then and there and I won't even think twice about it. Get it into your shitty thick skull and get the fuck out of my office."
"Y-yes Heichou!" the cadet quacked, stumbling out of Levi's office as quickly as he could with Levi hot on his trails. As soon as he got to the stairs area, Levi booted on his ass and the cadet got kicked down the stairs with screams, bangs, and groans. It wasn't a lovely sight. Least to say the poor soul broke his front tooth from banging into the stair's banister.
The tumbling was loud and clear enough to serve as a warning for anyone who harbours intention to go up the Commanding Officer's Floors and mouse around like him.
"I'm sorry, Heishichou," Freya apologized, fingering on one piece of scab that she has yet to peel on her palm. "He just barged in then sat himself next to me. I don't even know him-"
"I'm not blaming you," Levi interrupted her, taking a wet cloth and wiped her hands with it. "He's just a dirty rat sneaking around an officer's room. I'm gonna have to wipe down the entire floor in this room, lest he left some droppings behind like the mouse he is."
And of course, rumours spread like wildfire. This time, it was definitely not Emma who spreads the news about how Freya ended up recovering from God knows what kind of situation she got mixed up with that needed her to recuperate in Levi's own bedroom. It was the good-for-nothing gnat cadet who had trespassed into Levi's territory after he got kicked down the stairs. Apparently, he felt bummed out that he couldn't rescue the beauty trapped with the beast in his room and told anyone who is willing to listen how Levi confines Freya in bed.
And gradually, the story starts to have versions.
Apparently, someone saw Levi carried Freya in a potato sack into his room in broad daylight. Another version tells how the Captain ties up Freya by his bed and punishes her if she does not finish the paperwork in time.
And everyone found out where the Nightingale hides after the Battle of Trost. Levi gnashed his teeth in annoyance when he realizes just what a stupid move it is to leave Freya unattended. He could have locked his room door that day, and yet he did not. He had thought that Freya would stray out to his office as usual and sits herself at her secretary chair again. It was an adorable sight, and he thought of wanting to see that again when he comes back to the office.
But no. That idiot cadet spreads words and now, all the gnats started to park outside his office door for all sorts of stupid reasons.
Just to get a glimpse of their Nightingale.
"Captain, the horses seemed to have a bout of stomach-ache. They shat everywhere in the stable!"
"Captain, the toilet is blocked!"
"Captain, Hange Bun-Taichou is looking for you."
"Captain-"
"Captain!"
"Captain, the paperwork from 10 minutes ago."
Levi's veins popped one by one with the amount of ridiculous request pouring in. He couldn't again leave the office after that mousy gnat's fiasco. He needed someone to vent on – someone willing to endure an earful from him and someone capable of surviving his punishments. No wait, scratch that. No specifics. In fact, Captain Levi doesn't even care anymore. Anyone would do. The next person that came into the room will get his wrath.
One thing leads to another, the rumours escalated to Erwin's ears.
Sparked by the rumours that Levi is forcing Freya to sleep with him? That was one thing.
Not that he was racing towards Levi's office to check up on Freya, but his attendant soldier that followed him does notice the Commander seemed to walk albeit a little faster than his usual slow unhurried pace upon hearing the latest gossip when he passes by the cafeteria.
"Oh, poor lady. Tormented by the Captain," one soldier said, shaking his head almost sadly.
The lady and the Captain. That perked up Erwin's ear.
Another soldier slapped his back to shut him up. "Oh shush you! That's Captain Levi you're talking about eh? He's a dignified man. He won't do such a thing to the lady."
The soldier clicked his tongue in distaste when he couldn't convert him into a believer. "But didn't you hear the noises whenever you pass by the Captain's office?"
"What noise?"
"I heard the lady made those sounds."
"What kind of sound?"
"You know? Those…?"
"Come on, spit them out and get it going."
"Exactly! They're having a go!"
Erwin stiffened.
That conversation was heard in the morning.
The other one was this ridiculous, outrageous rumours stating the revered Captain Levi has chained his Secretary to his bed and not allowing her off his bed. And that every night, there were screams coming out of the Captain Levi's room.
This wasn't what he meant when he said to 'Keep her close'.
This was 'Too close'!
Erwin walked a little faster, his heart speeding up and he can feel the anger simmering in him. Not that he is perturbed by the rumours. Rumours are started by stupid people. He is the Commander. He is unbiased and fair to all, not to mention cruel and heartless in the quest to gain humanity's freedom. But he's just here to check up on the Captain.
And his Secretary in tow. He heard that she was injured in the Battle of Trost. Injured from wielding the Three-Dimensional Manoeuvre Gear without training. He had wanted to drop by to visit, to commend her on her brilliant idea of releasing Trost's horses to save the civilians, but to protect her identity as his blood cousin, he needed to stay away for a bit and act nonchalant to the news of her injuries. But anyway, he got someone to inform him of her progress and so he is just here to check up on her as well while he checks up with the Captain's work progress and maybe just check up a little again on the Secretary-
"Commander, wait-" his attendant soldier called, but it was too late. Commander Erwin burst into Captain Levi's office uninvited and unannounced.
Captain Levi stood in his full cleaning getup complete with a bandana covering his hair from dust, cleaning his window with a duster in one hand.
"Commander," Captain Levi set down his duster and took off the handkerchief covering his mouth. "What a shitty surprise," Levi continued mockingly.
There were plenty of commotion outside of the Captain's office door. Loads of boots shuffling, and whisperings, and cries of protest when someone bumped into someone.
"Hey, loosen up! Don't block the bloody corridor!" someone shouted. Then was hushed quickly and the sound resumed to whisperings.
It was as if they are there to watch a showdown.
Nothing has ever managed to tick Erwin off this quick at the sight of those spineless looking cadets lurking around the officer's floors and the Captain's room. No doubt, all these gnats gathered due to the rumours of Freya recuperating in Levi's room. A scandalous, juicy gossip-starter.
He needs another plan.
"Where did all these come from?" Erwin gestured towards the retreating cadets with a frown. "They were never here before."
"They swarm around like flies whenever I'm out," Levi said exasperatedly, tugging on his cravat a little. He knew Erwin is here to check up on Freya. The rumours are getting more and more ridiculous. Levi knew it will surely garner the interest of Freya's cousin brother and here he is, and its not even a day yet after he kicked down the fuckin' mousy gnat cadet. "I had to stay in the office, so these goons don't just waltz in like the shitty gnats they are. That is also why I had to lock my room, so these eager gnats don't come in and harass her."
Levi unlocked his room door and revealed a sleeping Freya sitting up and leaning against an upright pillow. There is a pot of tea and two teacups near the bedside table, its aroma filling the room with a lovely scent. A chair was set up beside the bed with several paperwork. Levi had decided to watch over Freya whenever he is in his office. Only when someone came in to look for him did he use his office.
And of course, he just finished cleaning up the room and his office area after the stupid gnat who harassed her was kicked out.
The window was open and blowing in a gust of light breeze, lulling anyone in the room to a pleasant nap. Erwin stepped into the room and sat himself by the bedside, holding up Freya's bandaged hands gently.
"Thank you, Levi," Erwin said, looking down at the healing scrapes on her small hand. "For taking care of her at this time. I appreciate it."
Levi scoffed. "I hope you finally realize how important it is that she learns the Three-Dimensional Manoeuvre Gear. She needs to know how."
Erwin fell silent. Looking at his only living family sleeping soundly, he couldn't help but to observe her. All the scratches that slowly begun to heal, the bandages, the light scent of medicine on her. She was injured badly no doubt. He had wanted to rush back first thing when he heard Freya is alive and injured but was forced to held back from meeting her when he was called to the damned meeting with those higher-ups in the capital.
His cousin sister. They grew up together for a short while. But no doubt, he watches her grow up. She's his only living relative now. He has no one else in the world left to care for. Except her.
The scares on her hands, her cheeks. Its healing nicely, but still, it will leave a scar. His heart constricted against his ribcage as regret sets in. He should have left her still with the Washers. Or better still, keep her with the medics. She will still be safest there. To watch her so patched up from being broken sinks his heart into a pang of immense guilt for leaving her behind the Walls when the Titans attacked Trost.
Levi walked in quietly and leaned himself against the open window, the wind blowing his hair gently like a mother caressing a child's hair, or perhaps that was close to what he remembered from his days of living with his mother; a lovely, kind woman, destroyed and her life crushed out by none other than the filthy humans in the Underground. He quickly squashed his thoughts down when he realizes they were getting darker the more he thought about his past.
This wasn't the time and place to be dark and gloomy.
"I was there when nobody was there for her," Levi said quietly, not wanting to wake her up from her slumber. Sleep is the best medicine. She will heal faster with much rest. "You didn't see how she continued to fight with that broken body of hers. Erwin, you knew you cannot be there for her. Hence you placed her with me, by my side, where she will be safest."
Erwin kept silent. He caressed the back of her hand gently and swiped a stray hair from her face.
When Erwin did not respond, Levi continued, "There was no one else there for her but me. No one else was looking for her but me, as per your order. But with or without, I would have looked for her. No one even knew she remains at Trost after we left for the expedition. She was likely there as well when the Colossal Titan attacked. We are not gone for long after all. And she had seen everything with eyes unbiased of how a Titan attack feels like. She learned it first-hand without proper knowledge of the Three-Dimensional Gear and suffers the aftermath. This-" Levi gestured towards her whole being lying on his bed. "-This is why she is here. This is the reason she got so badly injured. This poor little Teacup didn't know how to manoeuvre the gears without harming herself. She helped the citizens escape, and look where that got her?"
When Erwin continues his silence, Levi brought up the topic again. This time, he hoped the Commander will agree.
"Let me teach her," Levi asked quietly this time. He learnt that he will never get the Commander to agree to anything that has to do with his cousin were he to resort to using harsh and hard words. "Give me your word, and I'll teach her as soon as she's good enough to stand."
Erwin sighed. "I am the Commander-"
"A Commander that couldn't do shit when his only family almost die out there in Trost, that's what I see," Levi bites back scathingly, staring back when Erwin's eyes flashed dangerously at him.
"Captain Levi!" Erwin hissed.
Levi shakes his head, hoping Erwin won't reject his request again. "Secretary or not, she needs to know how to survive. Get her to learn the gears officially, or I will teach her behind your fuckin back!"
Freya's eyes fluttered open. There were some sounds and argument going on near her, and someone holding her hand as well. Thinking that it was the creepy cadet again, Freya jolted awake and snatched her hands back from the person.
The first person she quickly looked for in the room was Levi. Finding him standing near the window, she relaxed a little from the initial shock.
Then, she looked at the person in front of her.
It was Erwin.
"Oh," Freya blinked. "Oh hello, Winnie," Freya greeted Erwin with a bright, sleepy smile, her heart thumping wildly against her chest from being jolted awake from shock. "You're alright. I'm so glad."
Erwin frowned at Freya's jumpiness. "Freya, did anything happen recently? You're rather jumpy."
He dearly hoped nothing had happened between Levi and her, and that the rumours are not true.
Damn it all then. Yes, he admits to himself quietly. He is here to confirm on just how ridiculous and faux the rumours are about both of them. He'll be damned if Levi really ties her up on the bed and tortures her every night. He'll have to find some way to have him skinned alive if that were true.
"Yeah," Freya quickly combed her fingers through her hair to get herself some semblance of dignity. She knew she have this particular spot in her hair that sticks up after she woke up from sleep. "Some cadet barged in then start to serenade to me shitty things like birdcage and liberate me from the Captain's evil clutches and so on. They touched my hair and face. Disgusting. If I can walk, I would have smacked him with something."
Upon hearing what Freya had said, Erwin simmered in silent rage.
Correction. Levi will not be the person he will have someone skin him alive. It will be this particular cadet.
The Commander glanced at Levi and frowned gravely at him. Now they have cadets who dared to disturb an officer? He will find this rat and skin them alive.
If he were to backtrack all these unnecessary events, it would have ended up with just one reason – that all these were a result of Freya not knowing how to manoeuvre the gears correctly.
If she was capable of using them, she wouldn't have to end up recuperating in Levi's room. Hell, all these rumours won't even start in the first place. And he wouldn't have to worry more about her being injured in the future too.
He closes his eyes tiredly and took a long sigh. The Captain Levi is right.
"You have my permission, Captain Levi," Commander Erwin finally said to Levi. "Once she is good to go, you will begin the training with her."
End of Kapitel 11: The Annoying Gnat
Updated on: 16th of January 2021.