She enters their bedroom and shuts the door behind her.
Petra usually grins radiantly when she lays her eyes on Levi, but this time the best she can do is force a weak half-smile.
"Levi? Can... eh, can I read you something?"
His husband's eyes scan her, while she's holding a piece of paper and a deep shade of pink appears on her cheeks. She can't hide from him. She's anxious.
"Don't tell me you wrote a romantic poem about me," Levi sighs. "That's pathetic."
"What? No, it's not a poem. But if it was, it would be super romantic!" she sits next to him οn the bed, somewhat more relaxed than before. He has a unique way to always make her feel better.
"What is it then?"
Petra shows him the piece of paper. "It's a letter from… my parents," she explains.
Levi simply nods.
A few seconds pass in silence before she adds hesitantly: "Do you want to hear it?"
He narrows his eyes and hums in suspicion. "Something tells me you think I should".
Petra clears her throat and starts reading the letter out loud.
Dear Petra,
You should write to your old parents every now and then! It's been so long since we had any news. How are you? Is everything okay with your health? We hope that you didn't get seriously injured in this recent expedition you had. We heard there was a storm! Hopefully, captain Levi was there to keep you safe. That's our biggest solace.
Your niece is the most adorable little girl! We can't get enough of her. It's nice to finally have a grandkid! We are hoping for more.
Is it still valid that you're taking a day off on the 23rd of this month? You should come for dinner! We know you're having a great time there with your pals in the military. And hanging out with old people is perhaps not your preferred choice to spend the day, but please consider it. We miss you.
How about you invite captain Levi too? You know how we always wanted to thank him for his service to you. We'll be very glad to have him if he has a few hours to spare.
"So..." Petra lowers the letter and looks into her husband's eyes. "Do you accept the invitation?"
Levi falls back on the mattress. "You haven't told them yet," he states coldly, staring into the ceiling.
"No. Not even a word." Petra lays back too. "Not about the wedding, not even about our relationship."
He chuckles. "Are you that ashamed of me?"
"Of course not, baby!" she lays her head on his chest.
He groans when she leaves a hasty kiss on his cheek, but he doesn't push her away. He puts his arms around her. "I'm not the boyfriend material you want to present to your old man?" he whispers huskily, his lips against her hair.
"Levi, you're not boyfriend material. You are husband material! I'm sure my parents will be thrilled when we tell them. That is… You want to meet them, right?"
"I suppose I have to thank them. For bringing to life the only woman in the world that could ever stand me."
"Ah, cut it out! Please, don't be too harsh on yourself. You are lovable. And kind. And sweet," she trails her fingers delicately through his hair. "That's what I'll say to my parents."
"Oh, yeah?" Levi raises his voice. "And what will I say? 'Nice to meet you, mister Ral. I'm the one who's been banging your daughter. I even knocked her up once!'"
Petra moves away from his embrace and sits up on the bed, with her back turned to him.
She knows Levi. He didn't mean to cause her pain. He loves her. He's just anxious about meeting her parents. But it still hurt. It always will.
His gentle touch on her shoulder soothes her.
"I'm sorry," he whispers.
And that's enough for her to fall back into his loving arms. "It's okay. Maybe you are right. I should write to them first."
Levi kisses her forehead. "It will be a smaller shock this way. They are your parents. It's natural for them to worry." He pulls her closer. "Someday we'll get it. When we'll be parents too."
Dear Papa and Mama,
I hope this letter finds you in good health! I missed you a lot too.
I'm glad that you enjoy spending time with Lena's daughter. You mentioned in your letter how good it feels to be a grandparent. Maybe you'll get to experience it again.
I am thrilled to come back home on my day off and eat with you.
Levi will come along too. He thanks you for the invitation.
Perhaps you are puzzled that I call him by his first name. I think you should know that a lot of things have changed between me and him. My loyalty to him is not only out of admiration, but out of deeper feelings as well.
We've been together for quite a long time. Mom, dad… he makes me very happy.
Levi's not only my former captain. He is my husband.
We were married recently by military law. It was spontaneous, on the battlefield. The Commander, a close friend of ours, officiated.
When things calm down and we're not so busy with our duties, we'll take care of the paperwork and maybe we can prepare a small ceremony just for you guys and some close friends.
Please, don't be mad at me. We are very happy together.
Sorry for not telling you earlier. We cannot wait to meet you in person on the 23rd.
Petra checks the letter many times and gives it to Levi to read it as well.
"Do you think it's okay?"
He shrugs. "I'd keep it way shorter".
"What do you mean?"
"How about: 'Hey mom and dad. You owe me a wedding present'?"
Petra bursts out laughing. "Seriously now, is it good? Or should I write it all over again?"
"Baby, you know your relationship with your parents and how they will react. I'll be there when you'll meet with them, so you don't have to worry about facing this alone. I'm not leaving you alone ever again."
Petra lets the letter drop to the floor. As well as her robe.
"Did they answer?" he asks her as soon as she enters their bedroom.
Levi is not one to get nervous, but maybe now he has the right to be.
"Not yet," Petra pouts. "That's strange. They usually write back to me within a week!"
Petra always loved passing by the mail service. However, her recent visits proved to be fruitless. It is understandable not to answer right away to such a huge announcement, but with each passing day her hopes of receiving a letter from her parents fade away.
She takes off her coat and sits on the chair. After a deep sigh, she feels Levi's hands massaging her shoulders.
"You think they are mad?" he asks.
"I'm sure it must have been a big shock, but I honestly believed they'd be happy for me."
"So… the invitation still stands?"
"You don't mean they purposely don't respond because they want nothing to do with me?"
He shakes his head in denial. "That's absurd. You're the best person in the world. I'm probably the problem."
"What?" she gets up from the chair to hug him. "No way! They always speak so highly of you!"
"Because they think I'm your captain, not your fuck buddy!"
"Oh, shut up. You're not that. You are my family. The only family I have left, because obviously my parents don't respond to my letter because they don't want to see me anymore!" she whimpers frantically.
Levi rolls his eyes and grabs her firmly from the shoulders.
"Well, they will," he states decisively. "We're going for dinner. They can kick us out if they want, but we will be there, just like you said in your letter. If they can't accept it, it's their problem. Now, let's stop talking about parents, unless you want to call me 'daddy'".
Petra's hands are too sweaty. She begs Levi to knock on her parents' door instead of her.
"Tch. Why me? It's your house."
"Oh, is that so?" she rests her arms on her hips. "You forget that it's because of me that we are together? Because I knocked on your door that night? So, now do me a favor, 'cause it's your turn to knock!" Petra shouts impatiently.
"Fine, fine…"
Levi lets out an inaudible sigh and knocks.
She'll have to remind him later that this is not her house. It's the same old neighborhood, but it's not familiar anymore. If Levi is unwelcome here, so is she. She'll always love her parents no matter what, but she will stand with her husband.
Petra hears footsteps from inside coming towards them. She manages to steal a quick kiss from Levi before the door swings open and her father appears behind it. Surprisingly, a genuine smile lights up his wrinkled face.
"Petra!"
The old man gathers his daughter lovingly in his arms. He seems equally taken aback as Petra and Levi.
"Sweetie, you are here! Your mother will be so excited!"
"Um… thanks," she replies awkwardly, caught between wanting to share his joy and wondering how he will treat the man standing next to her.
"Captain Levi!" Mr. Ral then turns to him. From the corner of her eye, she notices her husband stiffening his posture. "Sir, it's an honor to welcome you to our humble house."
That sounds too formal for a son-in-law. Maybe he wants to keep some distance. But then again, why is he so smiley?
Levi nods. Anyone who doesn't know him would say that he's being cold or indifferent. However, Petra recognizes the slight twitch of his upper lip: he's anxious.
Mr. Ral guides them inside the house and takes off their coats.
"Ursula! Guess who's here!" he shouts enthusiastically.
Her mother soon arrives. Her hair pulled back from her tired face, in a messy bun. A few stains here and there on her cooking apron. A typical housewife. What Petra once dreaded to become, but now finds herself yearning to achieve.
"Well, look who decided to appear!" her mother kisses her furiously.
"Honey! Not in front of the captain!" her father nods to the man Ursula didn't notice.
The woman startles at the sight of their guest and quickly fixes her hair. "Captain Levi, sir! What a pleasant surprise to see you here! Welcome!"
Petra and Levi exchange a clueless glance. Surprise?
"We weren't sure if you were coming, Pet," her mother continues. "Much less if you'd bring the captain along. But we were prepared just in case. I cooked for two extra persons."
"What do you mean? Didn't you receive my letter?"
Ursula blinks. "What letter?"
A warm feeling engulfs her. Not the kind that she gets when Levi holds her. Oh no. It's like when she realizes she has a fever and her forehead is burning hot. The only thing that calms her down is the fact that Levi will catch her if she faints.
Petra clears her throat and tries to explain, hoping her mother is joking. "Uh… The one that says we accept the invitation and… and some other stuff," she lowers her voice.
"No, we never got a letter like that," Ursula shakes her head. "That's unfortunate! We pay so many taxes and they still lose our letters!"
"It's not important," her father waves his hands dismissively. "What matters is that you are here. Come on, let's eat! You must be starving."
This is going better and worse than Petra expected.
It's not the family dinner she imagined. Her father won't stop embarrassing her with stories from her childhood, her mother constantly refills her plate saying "you're so skinny!" and Levi hasn't uttered a single word.
Secretly, Petra finds an opportunity to squeeze his hand under the table. He squeezes back. They are together in this.
"Captain, do you like the fries?" Ursula asks curiously. "The sauce is a family recipe. My eldest daughter, Lena, loves to cook. I've taught her everything I know. It's nice to pass on family secrets. I only wish I could teach Petra as well. But she lives so far unfortunately! And she has chosen the life of a soldier. Not of a woman."
Petra wants to scream at her. Why can't those two be compatible?
Suddenly, Levi speaks up for the first time so far this evening: "Petra makes excellent tea."
Everyone on the table turns to him surprised. Petra more than her parents.
Ursula giggles. "Really? Oh captain, you don't have to feel obligated to compliment her."
"It's true. She makes the best tea I ever had. To the point where I can't drink it if anyone else makes it."
His voice is blank, almost lifeless, but his words are a warm comfort.
If her parents weren't present, she'd kiss the hell out of him. But now she simply says: "Thank you… sir."
Levi flinches. It's been a while since she last called him that. In front of her parents, she couldn't address him in any other way. They'd probably choke on their food if she called him "baby".
When dessert is served, Petra finds herself too skeptical to touch her cake. Should she tell them? Or it's better to let them in ignorance and go on with her life? Why ruin this pleasant gathering with a shocking revelation? She will write to them afterward. But what will they think of her? She can't fool them for much longer.
Levi's voice interrupts her terrified thoughts. "Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom. Petra, can you show me the way please?"
"Of course, sir."
Anything to get her away from her beloved parents' presence.
They get up and she leads the way, hoping that the bathroom is clean enough for Levi's standards. When they reach it, in the other side of the house, she opens the door and points inside:
"It's here."
Her voice is still trembling, as if she's talking to a superior.
"You think I really wanted to piss?" he whispers and pulls her close for an affectionate embrace.
"Oh, Levi..." she moans, as she hugs him back.
"I just wanted to tell you that you are doing fine."
She wants to treasure moments like this forever. Levi makes her happy. Levi makes her feel safe. Levi is her family. Levi is enough.
"Maybe we shouldn't tell them," she rests her chin on his shoulder and pats him on the back.
"It's completely up to you. My opinion is that it will make you feel better if you come clean."
"I know…"
A thrilling sensation surrounds her as he softly traces his hands along her back. After a quick look around, Petra lifts her head up and their lips meet in a slow, tea-flavored kiss.
Her eyelashes flutter swiftly against his skin, like the wings of the most beautiful butterfly.
"Petra…" he moans, as the kisses grow more insistent.
She doesn't realize how she ended up with her back against the wall, messy hair, a hickey on her neck, and her husband's arousal pressing her thigh.
Levi doesn't let her grind for long and he breaks the kiss.
"Maybe it's not a good idea to fuck in your parents' house."
She hums in agreement while fixing his cravat. "Maybe not. Can we continue this tonight... sir?"
The last word causes him to raise an eyebrow. "Watch it, brat. You want your parents to see a huge bump under my pants?"
"Hmm... Huge indeed," she licks his lower lip.
"They will wonder why we take so long. Go back inside, time's up."
"Something else is up too," she notices with a teasing air in her voice.
"Fuck. Now I really need to go to the bathroom."
When Levi returns from the bathroom, Petra tries her best not to lighten up the way she usually does when she sees him. He's smart enough to avoid her gaze and not return her lingering look.
She wants nothing more than for this dinner to be over so she can go home with him.
While they are enjoying their dessert, her father attempts to engage their guest in an idle chit-chat:
"So, captain Levi, what about you? Are you single? Married?"
The emptiness in Levi's expression and the silence that follows makes mister Ral laugh nervously.
"I'm sorry, Captain!" he scratches his head. "Perhaps that was too personal to ask."
"It sure was, honey! Don't make the captain feel uncomfortable!" Ursula scolds him while tugging on his sleeve. "I'm sure that—"
"No, it's alright," Levi cuts her off. "I am married."
Petra's heart skips a beat at the sudden declaration. She scans the table for the nearest knife that she can stab in her heart. It doesn't matter that it's dirty with cake.
Her mother exclaims surprised. "Oh! But I don't see a ring."
Petra never minded the absence of a ring in her husband's fingers. Honestly, she'd find it weird. Captain Levi with jewelry? Well, not exactly jewelry, but… Anyway, she doesn't need to see a symbol on his hand to know his complete devotion to her.
Besides, she doesn't know if she herself would get used to a ring permanently. She has never been the type to wear accessories.
"We didn't have time yet for stuff like that," Levi says abruptly.
"Is she from the military too?" her father asks, to which Levi nods. "That's great! I hope you have a loving marriage."
"Thank you. We have."
His laconic way has never been sweeter.
"Petra, you should have brought along the captain's wife too!" Ursula jumps at the opportunity to reprimand her daughter. "It's not right for a man to be separated from his spouse. She should be here, eating with us."
"She is," Petra mutters.
When she lifts up her gaze from the floor, she finds three pairs of puzzled eyes piercing through her soul. A sharp intake of breath and she covers her mouth with her hands.
"Baby… What do you mean?" her father's voice trembles.
She can pretend she made a bad joke. Or even better, she can just get up and leave.
But all it takes is one moment to lock gazes with Levi, and she finds the encouragement she desperately needs. He gives her a reassuring nod, and she starts talking confidently:
"Mom. Dad. I have some important news to tell you. I wrote it all in my letter, but I guess I have to say it all over again. Well… here it goes."
She fearlessly takes Levi's hand in hers and she declares:
"Levi and I are married."
The awkward smile on her father's face vanishes instantly. But she continues.
"We were married by military law…"
Petra repeats the exact words from her letter. She had examined it so carefully before emailing it, that by now she knows it by heart. Every sentence that escapes her mouth is clear and precise. She will not leave anything out.
Before she knows it, she reaches the end of the words from her letter, and she concludes her monologue:
"After the war ends, we intend to open a tea shop and have children."
Her hand is still intertwined with Levi's. He must be freaking out because of her sweat. She realizes she is trembling only after Levi squeezes her hand and keeps it steady.
"Excuse me?" her mother chuckles in disbelief.
"Petra, what kind of joke is this? You can't be married!"
"It's not a joke, dad. Levi's my husband." She elbows him. "Levi, don't just sit here! Confirm it!"
Levi succumbs to her wish. "Everything Petra said it's true."
"This is too much!" her father gets up from the chair. "Petra Ral! You and that man should have asked for my permission! You can't just announce it to me! And to make things worse, you tell me after everything is done!"
"Dad, I don't need your permission. Your blessing would be welcome, but I've stopped seeking your approval since… ages! You didn't even let me join the military when I was a teenager, but I did it anyway. And now I'm a grown-up woman. What makes you think you could stop me from getting married to the man I love?"
"A real man would respect his wife's family," he hisses.
"He does respect you," Petra retorts. "But honestly? Now I don't think he should. I don't even know if I should have respect for my own family, if they treat me like this!"
"Pet, your father is only concerned!" Ursula says. "This was completely unexpected for us."
"And she didn't even have the courtesy to say it to our faces!" he shouts. "No! She wrote us a stupid letter! A freaking letter, can you believe it, Ursula? Oh, I'm so glad that letter never came, because I would have torn it apart! That is, if I would survive the heart attack it would give me!"
"Sir, with all due respect, I asked your daughter to marry me," Levi says. "I asked her on the spot. She didn't have time for much thought."
"You stay out of this!" the older man barks at him. "Now we have a family talk."
"But he is family, dad! He is my family," Petra says. "And I know this will hurt you, but you have to hear it. Levi these past years has been family to me more than you have."
Her mother gasps. "How can you—"
"I'm not saying this to blame you," she interrupts her. "I know you love me unconditionally. I do too. And I'll always be your daughter. But my life is elsewhere."
Her father stops roaming around the room. He sits on his chair and buries his face in his hands. Petra's heart melts at the sight and she walks up to him.
"That doesn't mean you can't be in it. Our invitation still stands."
When her father looks up, she gives him a sweat smile and a squeeze on the shoulder.
Father and daughter engage in a tender hug that washes away any bitterness from before.
"Sweetie… I'll be honest with you," Ursula says. "The truth is that I wished you'd get married to captain Levi. That's part of the reason we wanted you to bring him home."
"Really?"
"Pet, are you kidding? Who wouldn't want Humanity's Strongest as their son-in-law? But that's not the main reason. The way you describe him in your letters… Levi must mean a lot to you."
The fact that her mother used his first name makes her soul blaze with satisfaction.
"Everything," Petra admits.
"Your appreciation towards him was obvious. We want you to be with someone that makes you so happy. Don't we, honey?" she looks at her husband.
The old man sighs. "Captain Levi? Or… just Levi. Honorifics should be dropped between family. Levi, do you love my daughter?"
The answer comes naturally to the captain's mouth. "Yes, sir."
"And will you take good care of her?"
"She doesn't need me to take care of her. But I will be there for her for anything she needs. Mister and missus Ral, I'm shit at words but—Fuck, I wasn't supposed to swear."
Her parents blush and lower their gazes, but Petra simply giggles.
"Baby, they get it," she leans her head on his shoulder. "We love each other and we're happy."
"Yeah, what she said," Levi murmurs and sips at his tea.
This family dinner didn't go exactly as Petra expected, but it was pleasant nonetheless. Relief settles in her heart, as she resumes eating her dessert and she imagines all the family dinners to come. Hopefully, with more persons.