Author's Note
*Ennio Morricone starts playing in the background*
Once upon a time in the West…
(Wholesome/low-key boring glue gun chapter! You know what that means for the next one hehe)
Levi observed the needle of his compass swinging under the crystal cover. Either Hange was right, and they had sent Sophie to the most recondite place inside the Walls, or she didn't want to be found. He put the gadget back in his pocket and turned around, observing the coarse silhouette of the town of Yormgen over the dry, golden field. He wasn't sure whether a couple of houses and a farming field qualified as a town, and yet, there was no trace of her there.
It was barely midday, but the suffocating warmth from the sun forced him to remove both his Survey Corps cape and the leather corporate jacket. He placed the clothing inside one of the sacks hanging from the saddle of his black horse. The animal snorted in return. Wearing his uniform to reunite with Sophie was a statement of interest, to remind both her and himself that he wasn't there for some weekend getaway. Moreover, the emblem of the Wings of Freedom had been helpful when asking for directions to a couple of reticent, suspicious farmers. An outsider woman lives in the house with the windmill down south. Those had been their words.
He scanned the area once more, placing a hand over his eyebrows as he wrinkled his eyes to get a better overview of the land. Besides the distant contour of Yormgen, there was nothing else than a desert field with small patches of green. The only sounds to be heard were the snorts and fidgeting from his horse and some random bird chirps. The air was just as dry as the earth, and dust swirled around the cuff of his pants.
He forced his eyesight a bit more, which allowed him to distinguish another shape along the horizon. It seemed more like a set of treetops than a house with a windmill. The locals hadn't mentioned a forest, but he figured that it was his best bet.
From the sack, he retrieved a round water bottle and chugged some of its content. Levi tilted the flask, letting the water drip over his hand so he could wash his face. There was way too much dust there, perhaps even more than in the Underground. He placed the bottle back in the sack and stroked the neck of his horse before mounting it. With one swing of his arms, he pulled the reins. The animal neighed in response and began galloping towards the horizon.
It wasn't too long after that he arrived at a small forest. The trees weren't as sturdy and tall as the ones he was used to seeing outside the Walls, but the area was livelier than the barren land from before. Trotting, he followed what seemed like a small trail along the grass, grateful that the leaves from the trees offered some protection against the instigating brightness and warmth of the sun.
The vegetation began to dissipate, and the light across the leaves became harsher. As the horse followed the coarse path, Levi heard high-pitched sounds. They weren't shouts of distress or annoying screams, just quiet laughing. He used his hands to move away some of the tree branches along the path until he reached its end. He finally saw it: the house with the windmill.
He stepped down from the horse, guiding it with the reins as he entered the area. It was another open, flat ground like the one around Yormgen. In the middle of it stood a wooden, elongated hut that extended to a porch. Behind the building, a fan windmill slowly turned its rotor with a screeching sound. Trees like the ones from the forest surrounded the land, protecting the haven.
Levi turned towards the noises disturbing the apparent calm of the area. Next to the windmill, three kids sat in a circle, playing with wooden figures and giggling. Levi slowly approached them, dragging his horse as well. Once the children noticed his presence, they all gasped and stood up.
"Hey," he greeted with a shaky breath. The kids—two twin brunette girls and one blond boy—stared at him with wide-open eyes. "I'm looking for a woman." The boy hid behind one of the girls while her twin examined Levi with the same suspicious, reticent gaze as the farmers of Yormgen. He wasn't sure whether mentioning her name would inspire more trust in the children. Perhaps she had changed it when moving into the town, but he tried. "Her name is Sophie."
The girl with the judging eyes frowned in silence. The other one approached her and whispered something in her ear. After a brief pause, she relaxed her face and pointed at the porch. Levi looked at the location she had signaled, but once he switched his gaze back to the kids, they ran away.
Levi sighed and turned to his horse, scratching its furry forehead as he whispered, "I guess people don't like me around here either." The horse snorted and swayed its neck.
He pulled the animal as he strode to the house. Bit by bit, he distinguished the shape of a reclining chair on the porch, and its features became more defined the closer he got. Someone rested on it.
Levi tied up his horse to a wooden post. Slowly, he walked towards the staircase leading to the platform, stretching his hands to release the tension and nervousness. His breath became shakier with every step he took as the figure on the chair began to resemble Sophie's frame. She had her back on Levi, and didn't seem to acknowledge his presence.
He stepped on the wooden deck, which screeched in response. Levi whispered a curse and closed his eyes, waiting for the woman's imminent reaction. However, there was only silence. He opened his eyes, blinking several times before approaching the reclining chair. To avoid another unpleasant noise that would reveal his presence, he tip-toed around the seat. Once he finally faced her, he gulped. It was Sophie.
She was peacefully sleeping on the chair, with an open book resting over her chest. Levi knew it was Sophie only because of his closeness. If he had seen her as a passer-by in a crowded street, he wouldn't have recognized her. Her hair was short and loose, slightly over her shoulders. Her skin had turned from pale to sun-tanned beige, with multiple, tiny freckles covering her nose and cheeks. She no longer had the thin arms and delicate hands of a lady. Instead, she had the build of someone who spent her days tending to the crops and not to blueprints. Despite the book acting as a cover, he could distinguish her wearing a light orange shirt, layered with a brown vest. Rather than a wide, long skirt, she wore black pants. Her shoes were farming boots instead of the elegant flats or heels she used to wear as a lady. It was a similar attire to the ones she wore in the Underground, but the woman under them was much different.
Despite his indiscretion, he continued to scan Sophie in her sleep. Her eyelids lightly twitched as she breathed out through her parted lips. It was a rhythmical, calming pattern. The Sophie he knew was always on the defense, attacking however dared to disturb her peace. From their first encounter at her basement to all the threats that she had greeted him with back at Ehrmich, she didn't hesitate to bite back. She even used to carry a weapon in her hair to protect herself, but she was resting on that chair as if there was nothing in the world that could hurt her. Not even the shadow that his presence cast on her could wake her up. That's when Levi realized.
She was happy.
The first thought that crossed Levi's mind was to leave that place. He could run away and tell Hange that Sophie had decided to stay, that she had forgotten how math worked, or some other excuse. If he left at that moment, he wouldn't be disturbing the peace that she had struggled so much to achieve. Sophie would remain oblivious to all the threats against Paradis, and she wouldn't be part of the agony of the Military.
He would be leaving her again, but at least he would know that she was happy. Levi could finally fulfill the purpose of his unsent letters: to protect her. Perhaps those kids would tell her that some grumpy, sweaty man with a black horse had stared at her like a creep before leaving like a ghost. However, it was still better than dragging her into his curse of misery and loneliness once more.
Levi gently closed his eyes, letting himself get surrounded by her calm aura, hoping that, one day, he could achieve the same peace she had at that moment. That was everything he could ever wish for.
He stared at her quiet expression once more before taking a step back. His heartbeat raced, trying to figure out a way to let her know that he had been there. A letter? A carving on the door? The whispers from those kids? Too many ideas rushed through his head, but he was running out of time. He slowly moved away from Sophie, letting his heart sink as he realized that there was nothing else that he could do. Disappearing from the scene was a betrayal of his duty and his deal with Hange. But he couldn't bring himself to wake her up and turn her world upside down again.
Suddenly, Sophie swayed her head and wrinkled her nose. Levi felt his lungs tightening for a moment, making him unable to breathe. Too late.
"Uhm, Dan? Is that you?" she yawned, still with her eyes closed.
Levi mantained his silent, military presence. He cursed himself for not leaving fast enough. Even when he tried to run away from his duty, it always dragged him back.
Sophie rubbed her eyes. Levi gulped, waiting for her reaction like an animal waiting at the slaughterhouse. She moved her hands away from her face, blinking several times to break away from her tranquil dream. The flicker of her eyelids stopped when she came back to reality.
With a hasty move, she stood up and gasped. The sound of the book against the wooden deck resonated between them. As a result of her motion, the chair gently swayed back and forth, while Levi observed her expression: a mix between doubt, relief, and dread.
"Hey," he breathed out.
Sophie opened her mouth slightly, but no words came from it. Instead, the screech of the windmill and the chirp of the birds took over her voice.
Levi took a step forward. Sophie remained unwelcoming, scanning him from top to bottom several times. He figured she was probably calculating all the possible scenarios that had led him to her. He also figured that she was about to grasp what many of them meant.
She took a deep breath before breaking her silence.
"Did you come here on your own…or did they send you?"
A gentle, warm breeze surrounded them, swaying hair and flipping the pages of the book on the floor. The answer to her question was simple: Both. However, the lump in Levi's throat prevented him from using his voice.
Suddenly, the door leading to the house opened. Another kid, slightly older than the ones Levi had seen before, appeared.
"Sophie! Sophie! Sophie!" he squealed. "Jen is chewing my pen!"
Sophie turned to him and grunted, "Not again..."
The little boy returned to the house, leaving the door open. Sophie looked at Levi, slowly approaching him.
"I'm sorry, I need to—"
"It's okay," he interrupted. Levi kneeled to grab the book from the floor. He passed his hand over its cover to remove some of the dust before handing it to Sophie.
She retrieved the book as she whispered, "Thank you."
They stared into one another in silence; at least her eyes were as dark as always. There was a sense of urgency in the air, but Sophie didn't seem bothered by it. She continued to analyze Levi until a yell from the inside of the house startled the quietness between them.
Sophie sighed, "Look, uhm…I really need to check up on them." She quickly turned her head towards the door before looking at Levi again.
"Of course," he said, taking a step forward. "Can I…help you with anything?"
"Sure." She paused before whispering, "Come in."
Levi followed Sophie as she entered the house. The inside was a small area, compared to the grand rooms of her manors. The entrance was also the kitchen and the dining room, and the large table and wooden chairs at the center occupied most of the space. The walls were covered with shelves, displaying all kinds of utensils and books clumped together in a disorganized manner. Instead of portraits or expensive vases decorating the area, children's drawings were taped all over the place. Three doors lead to three different rooms, but only the first one, closer to the entrance, was open. Sophie slid towards it.
Levi leaned his shoulder on the door frame with his arms crossed, observing the scene. Two rows of desks, with their corresponding chairs, faced a blackboard hanging on the wall. The dark-haired boy that had previously interrupted them, and another girl with pigtails, sat at their little tables. However, there was enough space for at least five more kids there.
Sophie kneeled next to the girl and clicked her tongue, "Jen..."
"I thought it was my pen," she murmured, biting her nails.
"Liar," blurted the boy, crossing his arms.
"Mark, that's enough," commanded Sophie. She stood up and lifted her chin, "I hope you are both done writing those sentences."
After her instruction, the kids pulled their chairs closer to the desks and began to write. In silence, Sophie walked towards Levi and stared at him as he blocked the entrance. Instead of taking the hint to step aside, he scanned her presence once more, getting to know her again.
Sophie looked down, avoiding Levi's gaze, "I need to find the others."
"Right," he answered as he cleared the way. Sophie slid away from him. "I saw three kids by the windmill. Do you want me to get them?"
Sophie stopped right before she crossed the door. Without facing him, she replied, "No. They won't trust you." Looking at Levi over her shoulder, she whispered, "Just make sure those two don't kill each other in the meantime."
Once she left, Levi entered the room. The kids continued to write on their corresponding papers, but he did notice their awkward stares. He was so used to his military stance that he wasn't sure whether he elicited respect or fear on the children.
The girl with the pigtails, Jen, raised her hand and muttered, "Uh, Sir?"
"Yes?"
"How do you spell beverage?"
"With a b."
"Uhm, but where?"
With a piece of white chalk, Levi wrote the word on the blackboard. Once he was done, he observed Sophie's polished calligraphy and numbers written next to it. From simple sums to complex words and equations, that slate was a dump of messy knowledge. A similar untidiness was present in every shelf and cupboard in that room, filled with stacks of papers and writing utensils. That house wasn't the clean and organized museum of luxuries that her manors had been.
Sophie entered the room again, grabbing the blond kid from before by the hand. Behind her, the pair of brunette girls followed her every move in silence, like copies of her shadow. The children took their places at the desks while Sophie remained close to the door.
"You two," she said, pointing at the duo. "Take care of the others. I will be back in a moment."
The girls nodded in unison. Sophie scanned the room for a moment before gently closing the door.
She leaned her back on the wall next to the entrance and sighed, "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Don't worry," he assured her. "Are they…yours?"
She snorted, "No, no. I'm just their teacher. Sort of." She paused and clarified, "Sort of a teacher. Yes, that sounds better."
Levi approached her, observing the novelty of her looks once more. Judging by Sophie's breath, his closeness seemed to disturb her, but not enough to move away.
"You look good," he said. Even if Sophie's skin wasn't as fair, Levi could still distinguish her cheeks turning red with his words.
"Thanks," she whispered, slowly studying his face. "You look…tired."
"I had a long trip," he answered, even though the tiredness had accompanied him for the past two years. Shiganshina, Erwin's promise, the Outside World, and his mission: he was tired of carrying his duty without barely making any progress.
"Sit down, I'll get you something," she said, pointing at the table.
Levi sat at one of the chairs. He observed her moving around the room, grabbing some cutlery, and preparing a refreshment. The messy state of the kitchen made him frown, but he was too exhausted to scold her for it.
"If you are sort of their teacher, shouldn't you be teaching them right now?"
She filled a jar with water as she answered, "Oh, no. Class is over. They have a break until the others arrive."
"The others?"
Sophie arranged a plate with a bread bun along with a glass of water. In return, he whispered some words of gratitude. As she bent over to leave the food on the table, Levi distinguished a scent of hay and green grass coming from her. It wasn't a gross smell but more like a familiar and rural essence that, for a moment, felt like home.
She sat next to him and elaborated, "I teach the kids in the morning and the teens in the afternoon."
"Huh, when I was in Yormgen, I didn't see a lot of children running around." Levi grabbed the glass and gulped some of the water.
"Oh, they are from many villages around here, not just from Yormgen." She swayed her head and added, "They come here for a couple of hours per week before going back to work at the field. I teach them to read, write, and some math. Enough so they can be independent."
Levi observed her in silence, admiring her intention. Sophie gave those kids a chance to choose their dreams and ambitions without being bound to their circumstances. It was what she and Levi never had.
He finished the drink and slowly put the glass back on the board. "Those kids playing near the windmill…they are from the Underground, right?"
"Yes." Sophie blinked a few times. "How did you know?"
Levi stretched his neck before replying, "You said they wouldn't trust me, and they were outside despite this crazy heat." He cleared his throat, "I was also like that when I arrived at the surface. I couldn't stand being indoors for too long."
"Yeah, I did that too," she whispered with a nostalgic tone. "I spent a couple of nights feeling the rain on my skin, despite how cold it was outside. I think I ended up sneezing for like a month." Sophie smirked, but her gesture turned into a frown as she observed Levi's plate. "You are not going to eat anything?"
"I'm not hungry."
She paused for a moment and took a deep breath, more concerned than bothered by his action. Levi didn't like to eat during missions. His body tensed up, figuring out how to deliver the news to her. All the speeches he had practiced on the way suddenly disappeared whenever he stared at her. She was happy.
Sophie placed her hands on the table and moistened her lips.
"Look, I bet that there is a good reason for why you are here." She paused, waiting for Levi's confirmation. He remained silent, observing her. "But the older ones are coming soon, and I don't want to cancel on them." Sophie leaned forward as she whispered, "Can we talk later?"
Thanks to her proximity, Levi observed the incoming light reflecting on her pupils as she spoke. Sophie had her life, and that also meant she had her boundaries. He looked at her hand, wishing that he could grab it.
Instead, he nodded, "Sure. I'm not in a rush."
"Great." She pulled away and stood up. Her movements weren't as calculated as before. Instead, they were more relaxed. There was nothing to fear, no rules to follow in that house.
Levi passed a hand through the table, and the dust over it followed his motion. He clenched his jaw and shivered.
"I'm going to clean this place."
Sophie turned around and lifted an eyebrow, "Are you asking for my permission?"
"No, I'm stating a fact," he replied.
Sophie chuckled and pointed at one of the larger cupboards. "There are cloths and soap over there. Have fun."
Levi went towards the cabinet and took out anything that slightly resembled a cleaning supply. He hadn't even tied a piece of fabric around his neck when someone knocked on the front door. Sophie opened it, and three teenagers of about 14 years old waited at her doorstep. While dusting off the kitchen counter, Levi observed the scene from the corner of his eye.
"Hello everyone," Sophie greeted. "What happened? You all look exhausted."
The first boy to arrive was blond and tall. "We've been chopping wood since sunrise. This weather is insane," he said as he entered the house. A shorter, dark-haired boy followed him. The last one to come in was a strong and large redhead girl. Their clothes were dirty, and their skin gleamed with sweat.
Sophie stood by the open door. She crossed her arms and frowned, inspecting them as they lined up inside the hall.
"That's dangerous. You should've waited until later," Sophie scolded them.
The girl rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, but they are building something big in the cities. We are getting paid more than ever for every cart we fill."
"Just…be careful, okay?" she sighed. Sophie observed the doorstep and added, "Where are the others?"
"They are not coming," answered the shorter boy, firmly.
"Why? What happened?" inquired Sophie, closing the door. The three teens wavered in their places, struggling to answer. Sophie sighed, "Okay, well, I guess we will do something easy today."
"Who's that?" asked the blond boy. At his reference, Levi adjusted the cloth around his neck to cover his nose and mouth. He wasn't wearing any Survey Corps emblem, but he didn't want to be recognized either. He hoped they would ignore the belts and straps surrounding his body.
"My assistant," answered Sophie.
"Wow, someone's got money," blurted the blond.
"Nah, he is just a rather cheap one."
Levi clenched his jaw. No matter how much she had changed or how independent she had become, Sophie still didn't hesitate to tease him. Instead of answering back, he continued his labor. He knew she was testing his patience.
"You know, if you got yourself a man, you wouldn't have to pay anyone to help you out," mocked the short one. Levi instinctively turned his head towards him. That brat had only said two sentences, but he already disliked him.
"Dude," scolded the blond, hitting his colleague's arm with his elbow.
The girl grunted, "Do you ever shut up, Alex?"
Sophie observed them in awkward, intense silence. With that uncomfortable quiet, even Levi felt reprimanded.
"Okay, okay, sorry," muttered Alex.
Sophie placed her hands on her hips and lifted her chin. "Apology accepted. But we are doing trigonometry today."
"Shit, man," sighed the blond.
"Language!" chided Sophie. "Dan, send the kids to the porch. Mia and Alex, get the classroom ready."
The trio obediently followed. Levi observed the train of kids leaving the house guided by Dan while the other two arranged the room. Sophie approached Levi just as he was finishing cleaning the big table.
"You good?"
He pulled down the cloth covering his mouth and crossed his arms.
"Cheap assistant? Really?"
"If that's too low for you, I can tell them that the great Captain Levi, Savior of Humanity, is scrubbing my floor," she teased. "Alex is a big fan of yours."
"Well, I'm not a big fan of him," he retorted. "He doesn't seem very nice."
"He is just a teen. Give him a break," she said, arranging her hair. "I'm sure that some heavy math will be punishment enough."
"Or he should be the one scrubbing your floor instead," he replied.
"Heh, thanks for the suggestion," she smirked. "I'll be off now. Just let me know if you need anything."
Levi nodded in response, and Sophie headed towards the class, shutting the door behind her. He continued his chores around the kitchen, brooming, wiping, and making sure that the whole place looked brand-new. To his surprise, it was untidy but not as dirty as he had expected. Most of the filth came from the dust in the air.
Once the area was up to his standards, Levi looked at one of the closed doors. Sophie hadn't allowed him to enter, but he figured that she wouldn't mind the intrusion in exchange for a clean, fresh room. He grabbed the handle and pushed the door open.
Inside, a grand window on the wall opposite to the door illuminated the area. A closet and a single-person bed rested on the right side, whereas the left one had a large desk with a set of shelves above it. The bedsheets were perfectly arranged, unlike the surface of the board on the other side. It was another messy workspace, from another Sophie, with another life.
Just like the other times, he approached the desk to analyze and clean it. There were no metal pieces or blueprints. Instead, it was all covered with scraps of wood and small papers with numbers and measurements. Models of animals and carts decorated the shelves over him. He observed the drawings taped to the wall of horses, landscapes, and portraits of kids. They didn't have a signature, but their technique allowed him to recognize the author. Even after all those years and claiming that she hated drawing and building, she was still doing the same thing she had always done. Perhaps bringing her back wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.
A cooing sound interrupted Levi's inspection. He turned around to find its source, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. The murmur continued, so he kneeled on the floor to better follow it. He bent his neck to look under the bed, only to find a pair of small, bright eyes observing him. Before he could react, the figure clucked and escaped towards the door, leaving a set of feathers on the way. A chicken. She had a damn chicken under her bed.
Flooded by disbelief, he stared at the floor until he realized something: the dust was uneven. There was a wooden panel that wasn't as covered with as much filth as the ones around it. He passed his hand over the area, which confirmed his suspicion. With the tip of his fingers, Levi examined the plaque, noticing a dent on its side. He pushed it, and the panel lifted.
He placed his hand inside the hollow area under the panel to examine it. One by one, he took out empty bottles of wine, beer, and other cheap alcohol. Luckily, the last one of them was still half-full. He observed the glass containers, wondering what all of that meant.
If she was happy, why was she still hiding? If she had reconciled herself with her talent, then why drink?
"What are you doing?" said a voice behind him. He turned around to see Sophie standing at the entrance. "You scared my chicken."
Levi stood up, brushing the dust off his clothes. "I would say it was mutual," he argued. Sophie's gaze switched towards the bottles scattered over the floor. Levi crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation. She remained silent, ominously staring at the containers.
"Going through a woman's stash? That's not very elegant of you," she finally muttered.
He didn't respond to her provocation. He knew it was her way of distracting him.
"I thought you were over this."
"I am," she answered with conviction. "These are just old gifts from the locals. Sometimes I feel like treating myself. Is that illegal, Captain?"
Despite her naming his rank in such a slandering manner, he approached her without hesitation. "Well, your reputation does precede you."
Sophie pushed herself back in response. She lifted her chin, but her expression seemed visibly hurt by Levi's comment.
"If you don't believe me, then that's your call," she hissed. "But don't disrespect me."
Levi took a deep breath. Instead of attacking her, he had meant to show his concern, the same one she had shown when he hadn't eaten the food. He only wanted to make sure that his mission wouldn't bring her more pain than necessary and that she was happy. However, most of the time, his words failed to convey his true feelings.
"You are right," he admitted. Sophie blinked in response and approached him. He gulped before adding, "That was out of line, sorry."
She stared at him for a moment, perhaps evaluating the honesty behind his statement. He expected her to reprimand him in some way, but she didn't.
"Well, you've already scrubbed my floor, so apology accepted," she scoffed.
"Aren't you going to punish me with some math problems?" he taunted her, glad that she hadn't taken his offense seriously.
"No," she whispered. "I believe we need to catch up."
Levi stretched his back. Indeed, he wasn't there to clean and scare her chickens. Even if the peaceful way of living in that house had managed to take his mind off his mission, he had work to do. Sophie wasn't the only one hiding secrets.
"Yes, we do."