Sidestory – A night in Liberio

Leo is shaking and is extremely embarrassed. He is walking next to Sasha who is fascinated by the city and is looking at every detail of it: the buildings, the streets, the lamps, the cars, and especially the people.

She is not wearing any disguises and nobody recognizes her, except for some curious faces noticing her marks. Nobody knows who she is… this makes her feel so happy.

Leo: S…so Sasha, this is Liberio, it's the capital of Marley. It used to be a city that housed the Eldian population before the Rumbling under an internment camp… that's why there are some marks on the streets. It had to be almost completely rebuilt… so it is now a combination of all the cultures of the world…

Sasha is very interested in what Leo is saying, but she keeps getting distracted by everything around her: Wow… everything is so different… and nobody know who I am! That's the best!

Leo: Oh right! Everyone in Paradis must know who you are right?

Sasha: Yeah… and a lot of people see me as a divine figure or something… they start to prey around me or try to kill me. It's not good.

Leo is deep in thought: Oh… that sounds bad… but you are here now right?

Sasha smiles: Yep! I got to make the most of it. OH LOOK!

Sasha ran towards a plaza that had many restaurants and food carts; Leo tried to keep up with her.

Sasha: OHHH. Loo at all these food places! All of them are different! EVERYTHING SMELLS INCREDIBLE!

Leo nervously: Want to try some of the food? I have a little money…

Sasha gets close to Leo, her shining eyes sparkled with excitement: REALLY!?

Leo blushes, he is mesmerized by her eyes: Y..YEAH!

Sasha starts to scope the plaza: THERE! She points at a Hizuru Takoyaki cart.

Leo: Oh? Really? Weird first ch… I MEAN THAT'S GREAT SASHA! Let's go. (Damn idiot)

Sasha is giddily eating with tears in her eyes, Leo is happily looking at her.

Leo: I have never seen someone so excited about food Sasha.

Sasha: Well you would be too if you had to eat the same stuff all your life!

Leo: Yeah I guess so…

Sasha: The vendor was so nice too! He gave us an extra ration for free!

Leo: I think it's because of you… he noticed your eyes.

Sasha: Huh? Are shining eyes good luck or something to the Hizuru?

Leo: No haha. It's because you have the Asian traits. The Hizuru are very kind and supportive of each other.

Sasha: Yeah he did talk to me in some strange language.

Leo: He asked if you came from Hizuru as he had not seen you before.

Sasha shocked: You speak Hizuru?!

Leo blushing but feeling proud: Yeah… I speak all the main languages used here in Marley: Eldian, Hizuru and Aytish. My dad insisted.

Sasha: Wow you are so smart… I don't really know anything… never liked to study.

Leo: Well I'm sure you just had the wrong teachers… Miss Gabi and Mister Falco are really fun… I'm sure you will like to learn from them… in any case I can help you if you like…

Sasha: YEAH! WE CAN STUDY TOGETHER!

Leo: Well I think I am studying more advanced subjects than the ones you will learn with Gabi and Falco…

Sasha: Oh… right.

Leo realized what he just said and wants to smash his head on the ground: I… I AM SORRY SASHA! I didn't mean anything by that! We can study together!

Sasha saddened: No that's fine… I will slow you down.

Leo is so embarrassed he wants to run away. Then someone screams: SASHA! HEY SASHA!

Sasha stands up excited: MARCO HEY!

Marco runs to her and Leo happily: Hey guys! Sasha what are you doing here! I haven't seen you in forever!

Sasha: It's only been a year but look at you! You are tall! You were a tiny boy just a year ago!

Marco feeling good about himself: Well that's what happens when you become a man Sasha

Leo annoyed: Don't be ridiculous Marco we are the same age, we are barely teenagers.

Marco: Speak for yourself Leo! I already have girls lining up for me.

Leo: Yeah right Marco, in your head maybe.

Marco: HA! You are just jealous Leo, if only you would step up and pick up girls with me. You are much better looking than me! You need to have more confidence! Don't you think so Sasha?

Leo starts to bleed from his nose: Don't ask stupid things to Sasha!

Sasha laughs: You guys are so funny…

Jean approaching to them: Well look who it is. No wonder you ran like a maniac Marco.

Sasha: Hey uncle Jean!

Jean: How are you Sasha? How is your mom?

Sasha: Pissed off with me!

Jean: I can imagine. Armin told me about you being sent here to get in line. You met the captain already didn't you?

Sasha: You mean my uncle? Yeah… he almost killed me.

Jean: That I can believe. You better not call him uncle though.

As Sasha and Jean talked about her life in Paradis with Mikasa, Marco dragged Leo away from them.

Marco: So Leo… how long have you been in love with Sasha?

Leo shooting blood from his nose: WHAT?! What makes you say that?!

Marco: Come on… you are all hunched and shaking. I have never seen you like that mister scary genius! You are as intimidating as your mom and smart as your dad, but you are acting like a nervous idiot! What else than love can cause that!?

Leo embarrassed: Is it that obvious?

Marco: Well to those who know you well yes!

Leo: Oh… you think Sasha noticed too?

Marco: Doubt it… she has always been quite dense. Don't get what you see in her. She is like a boy.

Leo: Don't say that…

Marco: Princess Ymir on the other hand… uff. I love going to Paradis just so I can see her…

Leo: Yeah I guess she is good looking…

Marco: Damn… you are so in love aren't you? No wonder you don't pay attention to any of the girls of our class.

Leo timidly smiles to himself.

Marco: So how has this date been going? All good? Have you enchanted her yet?

Leo nervously: It's not a date! I'm… just trying to make her feel at home…

Marco: Yeah right… so has it gone okay?

Leo feeling down: No… I screwed up… I was rude to her by accident… You actually saved me just in time…

Marco: Don't worry. Sasha is not the type of girl that gets resentful or cries about stuff like that… She could beat you up though…

Leo: I deserve it… sigh… how can I see her in the eye now?

Marco slaps Leo's head: Don't be ridiculous! I'm sure by tomorrow she would have forgotten all about it! Don't think too much.

Leo: Easy for you to say…

Marco: All will be all right, come one let's go back, my dad seems to be overwhelming Sasha… I bet he is talking about her mom.

Sasha is getting annoyed while talking to Jean.

Jean: You need to take care of you mom Sasha, you can't be giving her more hard times…

Sasha: Yeah I know it's not like I try to annoy her on purpose you know?

Marco: Dad… are you obsessing over Sasha's mom again? I'm telling mom.

Jean getting nervous: NO! You now how she gets about that! Come on Marco I'm just being a concerned parent helping my friend's daughter you know?

Marco: I'm telling mom.

Jean: Sigh… what do you want?

Marco smiling: Let's take Leo and Sasha to dinner at a fancy restaurant!

Jean: Fine. But keep your mouth shut.

Marco: You are giving such a great example dad!

Sasha was confused about what Jean and Marco were talking about. Leo felt very anxious and nervous around Sasha. As they ate Leo did not spoke to her at all. Sasha felt sad about his and begun to think if she had done something to upset him.

Sasha to herself: Maybe I'm too dumb? He has been acting weird all day… oh well. I'm sure everything will be back to normal tomorrow.

As they returned to Armin's home, Annie was already outside waiting for them. Sasha was overjoyed and went inside talking to Armin about everything she saw. Meanwhile Leo was dragging his feet as he went inside.

Annie: What's wrong Leo? Did something happen?

Leo: Yes. I was rude to Sasha and I feel like an idiot.

Annie: Aw Leo, don't beat yourself up…I'm sure she deserved it.

Leo: WHAT?! NO! Stop treating Sasha so badly mom!

Annie feeling sad that he is defending Sasha: Oh I see… she is more important than me now…

Leo blushing: WHAT?! Why are you saying those things mom!? WHY IS EVERYTHING SO STRESSFUL!

Leo ran to his bedroom.

Armin approaching Annie: You need to take it easy Annie. They are teenagers… normal teenagers, these are their concerns, as it should be.

Annie: Yeah… knowing that doesn't make it any less hard…

Armin: Well… you got this to make you feel better haha. Armin picks up Christine and gives her to Annie.

Annie picking up Christine: Nice of you to talk about your daughter as if she were a thing…

Christina hugs Annie. She did felt better.