A/N A bit late, sorry!
His Neighbor's Girlfriend
Chapter 7
That night, she treats him to dinner – not. Well, almost.
Erwin hands him a glass of water which he accepts, his eyes still glued to the girls under the shed.
He coughs again as he notices Hange pointing a finger to their direction. In haste, he turns his back against the window. He'd totally lost his composure. And why is he even panicking?
A thick brow raises and cuts his thoughts off, "Do you know that woman?" Palm against his chin, elbow leaning on the table.
Levi looks at Erwin, who is, by now, looking in the same direction he's staring at awhile ago.
He feigns a cough, hoping the blonde man will just let his question go unanswered. But, "A muse, perhaps?"
This time, he really chokes on his saliva. Erwin is quick to run on his side and tap his back, a smirk lining his lips. See, Erwin is good at manipulating people – especially squeezing information from them.
He asks for more water. The corners of Levi's eyes now teary with all the choking.
"When Hange saw your painting of the rainy day, she said it strangely reminds her of her co-worker's eyes. I can't really see her eyes from here. Maybe, I should–" As Erwin stands, Levi hastily grabs his arm, pulling him to sit back.
With a pained voice, Levi speaks, "Don't."
"I've never seen you lose your cool like that." Erwin laughs mockingly.
Stifling a cough, Levi replies as he recomposes himself. "She's my neighbor's girlfriend."
"Oh." Erwin blinks.
Just like that, the conversation is over. And Levi is thankful. But he knows how perceptive his friend is.
When he and Erwin walk back to the studio, he discovers Mikasa is still sitting there, unmoving and with no Hange in sight. He assumes she may be waiting for someone but briefly wonders if she already had lunch. He brushes his thoughts away as he perceives Erwin glancing at the girl as well.
Anyway, why would he care?
However, he did not expect to see her in the same position he'd seen her earlier as he drove by the bus stop. He checks his watch, it's already 7 PM.
He decides not to get involved.
But still.
As if his hands have minds of their own, he stirs the wheel and turns around, stopping in front of the bus stop. "Oi," He calls out as his window slides down.
Mikasa, now as pale as a ghost, as if she just snapped back into reality, looks back at him, her eyes slightly widening. "Hi," She says in her blank expression, lifting a hand, palm facing him.
He contemplates for a while, but his mouth is faster than his brain. "Do you need a ride home?" No point in regretting. He looks like a dirty old man picking up a girl.
Her mouth opens, closes, opens and closes again. Then, with renewed resolve, she nods, "If you don't mind? I lost my phone. And, uh, yeah." She seems like she wants to say something more but decides against it in the last minute.
He is curious, but the night breeze is colder now. Levi reaches for the passenger's door, pushing it open. "I don't."
She stands, then suddenly freezes. She throws her hands up in the air, her impassive face contorts into an expression of that unbearable pain. Clenching her jaws, she forces herself to smile. "Sorry, please wait. I…" She hunches and massages her calf, balancing herself with one foot. "Cramps." She says in between her gritted teeth.
"You seem to be having many problems with your legs." Levi can't help but be amused and sympathetic at the same time as he releases an air of relief he doesn't realize he is holding.
She halts briefly, and if Levi didn't blink fast enough, he could've sworn he saw an expression akin to disappointment registering on her features. She tries to smile, "I must have been overusing it."
Before the next bus arrives, she manages to get inside his passenger seat. All throughout the ride, they are quiet. He finds the silence comfortable until her stomach growls. Now, Levi seldom laughs. His emotions are so controlled that the supposed laughter comes out a cough.
Flustered, Mikasa hugs her stomach. Levi wonders how she manages to keep the straight appearance despite the redness of her face.
"Let me treat you to dinner as thanks?" She says, unsure.
Unexpectedly, he finds himself agreeing before his brain can even process the gravity of her offer.
That night, they ate quietly. Not the awkward kind of silence. It is calm, peaceful, and comfortable.
It's like that moment, the universe existed to bring them together.
"Ah." Mikasa gasps as she rummages her bag. "I forgot I lost my wallet as well."
"You have the nerve, girl." Levi says, pulling his wallet from his back pocket.
"Sorry, I'll pay next time." She utters as she clasps her hands together, eyebrows creased.
Did he just secure a second date?
And Levi knows he has already fallen into the trap Mikasa never intended to set.
He is already treading the dangerous waters.