Chapter 8 – Invisible String

Sleep was evading me tonight. I turned to the window of my bedroom, wanting to see the moon but the cloud cover made it near impossible. I noticed that it hadn't rained in a couple weeks which was unusual for summer. Usually, it would rain at least once a week, but it seemed that we were going through a dry spell.

I got up from my bed, grabbed my notebook and made my way down towards the kitchen. Once I made it there, I lit a candle and seated myself at the table, I started doodling flowers to occupy my mind, trying to make me a little tired. As I was drawing, my eyes couldn't help but wonder over to the door that led down to the basement where Eren was being held. I felt bad for the kid, that he had to stay down there all by himself with no company. I imagine it got pretty lonely. Eren wasn't that much younger than I was, I think they said he was fifteen.

It seemed strange that children were able to join the military, did anyone else see this as an issue? I noticed an orange hue illuminating from the crack of the door that led to the basement, indicating that someone had lit a candle. Eren was awake for some reason.

I took it upon myself to make a quick cup of calming tea for him and made my way down to the basement to where he was being held.

Low and behold, there Eren was, sitting up on his bed with a candle lit on his bedside table. He looked like he was preoccupied with a book. "Diana?" he asked meekly, confused at why I was there.

"I noticed that you were awake, so I made some calming tea to help you go to sleep," I explained as I made my way to sit in the empty wooden chair next to his bed. I handed him the teacup, which he hesitantly accepted. "It seems pretty important that you're in tip top shape. A lot seems to be riding on your shoulders." And that much was true. It seemed like everyone was putting so much pressure on this kid to be humanity's savior. I couldn't imagine what kind of pressure he was under.

"This will make me go to sleep?" Eren questioned, unsure if I should be trusted.

I let out a short laugh, "It's not a potion if that's what you're worried about. I know Olou might have gotten into your head about all that witch nonsense."

He nodded and took a sip hesitantly. Then, humming in approval.

I smiled, "It's good right?"

"Yes, it is. Thank you."

I short silence passed through us, not necessarily uncomfortable. We just didn't know each other that well.

Then he spoke up again, "I'm sorry for judging you." his bright green eyes down cast to the bed he sat in. "I was judged too, and I should have known better for listening to Olou's dumb comments."

I waved him off, not wanting him to take anything to heart. "It's fine, we all have our preconceived notions. I'm glad you're warming up to me though. I feel like it's us against the world." That much was true. We were both tools of the military, completely at Commander Erwin's will. Something in the back of mind told me to stick around Eren and to watch out for him.

"You feel it too, don't you?" Eren's voice pulled me from my thoughts. I looked back at him; confusion plastered on my face.

"What do you mean?"

"Something is telling me to stay by you." Eren looked back down at the teacup in his hands. "A small voice in my head."

"I do," I confirmed. "It's like an invisible string."

He nodded in agreement. I noticed that his eyes were becoming droopy, tired. "Is the tea working?" I cracked a rare smile. Eren nodded.

"I'll leave you to sleep then." I willed the flame of his candle to go down so that he could go to sleep more easily and then made my way to the stairs that led back to the kitchen.

"Diana?" Eren's voice called out to me.

"Yes?"

I could hear him settling down in his bed, "I know you distrust the military and aren't very fond of the idea of being here. But I hope that you come around."

I knew what he was trying to say, and I smiled even though he couldn't see. "Okay, Eren. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

I made my way back to through the door to the kitchen and was surprised to see Captain Levi peering over the kitchen table looking through my sketch journal that I had left out when I went to the basement.

"Hey! Get away from that." I hissed, trying not to be so loud that I woke Eren or anyone else in the castle up. I can't believe he took it upon himself to look through it. Does he not care about privacy?

The Captain's gaze locked right on me, and then to the door where I had just come out of. An incredulous look plastered on his pale features. "He's a little young for you, don't you think?"

"It's not what it looks like, I was just bringing him some calming tea."

I didn't really care what he thought, I just wanted him to get away from my journal, embarrassment creeping up to my neck fearing what he stumbled upon.

He turned his head back down the journal, staying on one page and then, ripping it out and folding it to put into his jacket pocket. "What did you just take?!"

"What do you mean 'calming tea'?" The Captain asked, changing the subject. I had a feeling that I knew exactly which sketch he took.

I came to him at the table and almost reached for the picture in his pocket myself, but he quickly evaded. "Do you want this?" He reached into his pocket and took the picture out, unfolding it and displaying it for me to see. And there it was, plain as day, my sketch of Captain Levi from yesterday.

"Give that back!"

"Why? It's a picture of myself. I quite like it." I could hear the smirk playing on the captain's lips. We definitely weren't completely fond of one another. So, the fact that I took the time to sketch him must have boasted his ego a little bit. Or a lot. I saw him fold the parchment again and put it back in his pocket. "Why do you even want a picture of yourself? Are you that vain?"

Captain Levi wanted to say something to retort but didn't. "You can always draw a new one. I'm obviously a topic that you like."

My, was he cheeky tonight. I moved back to the table, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of a reply and grabbed my journal before he could take anything else. I blew the candle out that I left out and then had every intention of leaving. And then, something stopped me.

"You don't know what calming tea is?" I looked back at him from the doorway. He shook his head "no". I guess that makes sense. I've only seen him drinking that black tea which was probably packed full of caffeine because that's what he usually drank during the night while doing late work.

I signed, wondering when the last time he had good night sleep and felt sorry for him for a second. It quickly passed when I remembered he snooped through my personal things and stole something from me.

"Do you want me to make you some? I have to warn you though, it is pretty strong so if you want to stay up longer, I don't recommend." I explained as I got some extra ingredients out to brew the tea.

"I think I can handle it." He commented as he planted himself next to myself in front of the stove top, watching my hands work.

I finished making the tea and poured two cups for him and me. I handed him the cup, which he took by the top the way he usually drinks. I put my teacup to my lips and smelled the pretty aroma it gave off and hummed deeply, almost loud enough to be moan.

I heard a snicker. I looked back over the rim of my cup to see Captain Levi peering down at me, a smirk on his face. "A good cup of tea is all it takes, no?"

I was caught off guard by his bold inuendo. "Captain?"

I wasn't sure what had gotten into him, I couldn't believe he was speaking so boldly to me. Maybe Captain Levi needed this tea to calm down a little.

"Why sketching?" He asked out of the blue as I continued sipping my tea.

I shrugged, not really sure how to answer. "I enjoy the arts. Music and drawing are kind of what keep me sane in this fucked up world we live in." I explained as simply as I could. I looked at the window above the sink and pondered for a moment, these people probably didn't have a lot of access to any kind of art. They were in the military after all, but what kind of outlets did they have to express themselves?

"When I lived in the Underground, there was a man who stood outside of our home and played the guitar. I was fond of it." He mused, his gray blue eyes glazing over with remembrance.

"Our?" I asked. Did he live with someone else? Where were they now? What were they to him? Could they have been lovers of some sort? A thousand questions flooded my mind at who this person could be. I looked back at the Captain, and his features became noticeably more stoic than previously, and then guarded. "You don't have to talk about it if it's painful, Captain Levi." I suggested, not wanting to bring up unwanted feelings or memories.

He took another sip of his tea and averted eye contact; I could tell that he was debating something in his head. Whether I was trustworthy or not.

"You don't have to be so formal with me all the time. You can call me 'Levi' when we're alone like this." The Captain explained. I felt his eyes back on me, and I nodded in agreement. I didn't want to be so formal all the time, but I felt that I had to.

"I wouldn't mind playing the guitar for you every now and then, if you like it so much," I offered to him with a small smile. I could feel that something had shifted between us, he was being much more open and less stoic than usual. Like Eren, I felt connect with Levi too and I couldn't deny that any longer. And I knew that like I was supposed to help and protect Eren, Levi would do the same for me for some reason.

"I would like that."

The next day, I was alone in my room on my bed after ODM training, strumming away on my guitar, when I heard a rapping at my door.

"It's open."

Levi entered my room, with, you guessed it, two cups of tea and then closed the door softly.

I smiled when I saw him and gestured for him to make himself comfortable on my bed across from me. He seemed hesitant at first and I could tell he was even contemplating sitting on the floor. "I don't mind, there's plenty of room." I explained and he eventually sat across from me with no argument.

I looked back down at my journal that I wrote all of the chords I use along with the lyrics to songs I've been writing, not planning on singing in front of him because that felt weirdly intimate and kind of embarrassing if he heard how I sounded and didn't like my voice.

We sat there, enjoying each other's company and listening to the vibrations of the guitar strings. No one needing to say anything to express the contentment we were feeling.

And in that moment, I wasn't angry or upset at my situation with the Captain or the Survey Corps. I forgot about how afraid I was to go beyond the walls in a few weeks. I was quite happy.

A/N

Oops I accidentally dropped off the face of the earth for a couple weeks sorry haha here's some fluffy dumb filler moments that don't really matter to the story but that I love. Enjoiii