Forty five minutes was all it took for Petra to reappear with her packed belongings, room clean and cleared of all but a lingering trace of her scent. He mentally questioned whether it really took the titian haired woman just forty five minutes to pack, or if she had done so prior, anticipating he'd agree to her accompaniment.

Erwin allowed for Levi to take a wagon cart, along with the black steed, Gaius, that carried the captain through military travels and expeditions. It was a fitting retirement for a horse that had seen so much in its time. With their belongings loaded (and with plenty of room to spare in the back,) Levi bid adieu to Erwin, who came to see him off. He was thankful he did not have to explain to the commander why his subordinate was travelling with him, though Levi could have sworn Erwin's expression betrayed the fact that it was less of a surprise and more…expected.

They were silent for the beginning of the ride, the sounds of nature, the clacking of the horse's feet against the road, and the turning wheels of the cart were all the filled the air. It would take them about six hours to reach Trost, only four if they had been riding horseback. It was not uncomfortably quiet; the occasional glances Levi snuck of the young woman beside him showing she was admiring the scenery that had always been a blur when they passed by countless times before.

But it wasn't long before a certain thought occurred to her, distracting Petra from admiring the surrounding scenery. She scratched her cheek, realizing she had never asked why exactly he was headed where he was. Perhaps it was a bit odd now to inquire, after they've been on the road for almost an hour. Then again, it was probably even odder asking to join him without even knowing what business he had in the district.

"Ah, Captain?" Formalities were just one habit she could not shake, despite the man having said to her before to just call him by his name.

"What is it you plan to do? ...er, well in Trost, that is..."

His half lidded gaze kept their focus on the road before them.

"Open a tea shop."

Silence fell between them once again. He glanced to her as though he were trying to gauge her response. Humanity's Strongest, a glorified war hero, a man who had been offered honors, awards and rewards for being one of the primary figures to bring victory in the Titan war. A man who did not want titles, fame, and excessive fortune, but rather the simplicity of living out the remainder of his life running a tea shop.

"I think...that's actually a really lovely idea." Petra smiled, causing his gaze to shift back to the road once again.

"It'd be a nice change compared to the pubs and bars within town..." She smoothed out the folds of her dress as she continued, "not to mention there are plenty of merchants and vendors that make them an ideal shopping district. A cup of tea while spending the afternoon at the market...it's a perfect way to relax."

He had to admit, had he expected any sort of response from her, that certainly wasn't it. While he had his own reasons for wanting to set up shop in Trost, the ones she not only thought up in mere seconds but rather hit perfectly as though an expert carpenter nailing together a chair, were not reasons he thought of himself.

With a mental note of 'not bad,' he only nodded, before speaking once again.

"I've made negotiations with the Reeves company...they not only have quality black tea stock, but their own researchers are studying recovered herbal books and plants from the free lands...That shitty brat Reeves left behind isn't so shitty I suppose."

Petra giggled, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "That's amazing, though. With the rate they're going, they'll become as big as the merchants in Sina, or even better."

"Maybe..." He hummed, sneaking yet another glance at the woman beside him. Levi's eyes traveled up her pretty face, stopping at a fallen leaf that had managed to cling to her hair. Following a moment's hesitation and a questioning expression coming to her face as she tilted her head, he reached out, fingers brushing against her soft, beautiful locks to pluck the leaf out. Petra blinked, confusion still evident on her features, as well as a hint of pink coloring her cheeks, tearing her gaze from his as she saw what he pulled from her hair.

"Oh...th-thank you." The stutter in her speech was a reflection of her heart as it skipped a beat. A small smile came to her lips, again causing him to divert his attention back to the road before him as he discarded the offending leaf. He gripped the reigns of the horse, staring ahead once again.

Petra's hands folded in her lap, watching as her thumbs twiddled. A minute or so passed before his voice filled her ears again.

"It's going to be a lot of work. I'd rather you back out now before we arrive. Karanese is closer in distance from here than from Trost," Levi said. Despite the offer to take her home, warning her of what was ahead, he knew she would refuse. Her determination was one of the many attributes he admired her for, and certainly one of the main reasons why he had handpicked her for his special operations squad. He needed neither a response, nor to look at the young woman, as he could feel that same fiery determination radiating from her.

"Well, Captain, I'm surprised you're even saying this to me."

Oh that sassy, can do tone, dripping from her voice with a viscosity similar to that of honey. He smirked as she continued.

"I assumed you knew me better than one to back out of a challenge." She gave him a sidelong glance, a smirk of her own gracing her rosy lips as she caught sight of his.

"So long as you're not ordering me to return to Karanese, I have no intentions of having you detour there...and even then, that's an order I will have to defy."

"As if defying and questioning my orders is something you're unfamiliar with..."

She playfully bumped her shoulder into his. This time, his smile wasn't so transparent.


It was mid-afternoon the moment the horse's hooves clopped over what was once the bordering wall that defined the district of Trost. It was as lively as ever, children playing, some even waving as their wagon passed by. Elderly residents sat outside their homes, enjoying the nice weather, while mothers huddled together to gossip.

Before Petra knew it, the wagon had come to a stop. She turned to look, noticing the rather large, warehouse looking building, a big sign with bold lettering reading 'Reeves Company.'

"Here." She felt leather in her hands, looking to see Levi as he climbed out of the cart. She jerked forward slightly as the horse began moving again, Levi leading the steed to a water trough to drink from. He rounded the cart towards her and spoke.

"Stay here, I'll be right back."

Petra nodded, watching as he disappeared through the warehouse doors. Petra sighed, wondering if perhaps she should have packed a book into the satchel she held on her person. Instead, she took it upon herself to hop out onto the ground, patting the black horse as it finished quenching its thirst and offering some food. She smiled as Gaius happily ate, her hand running over the soft black hair as she recalled the many times she tended to the animal. She made a mental note to give him a nice brushing once they managed to settle for the evening.

By the time the horse had his fill, Levi reemerged from the warehouse doors, hands clutching a set of keys.

"Let's go." Was all he said, prompting her to return to her seat in the cart.

Their second ride was a mere three minutes long, Levi this time stopping in front of a house turned shop. An old wooden sign hung just above the door; whatever name that was once displayed had long since chipped away, the word 'Closed' painted over top. A large paneled window was at the front of the shop, brown paper covering the glass on the inside, while flower boxes with withered stems decorated the outside. Though not decrepit, the exterior certainly was in need of a bit of care, and caused the ginger haired woman to assume it was a reflection of the interior as well.

Without a word, Levi once again handed Petra the reigns, stepping to the ground again and leading the horse to the back and through a wooden gate. The lot of grass behind the building was fenced in, not too large, but enough for a single horse stable and room to spare. The cart came to a stop just by the back of the shop, Levi rounding the horse again.

"Leave the rest of the bags for now..."He spoke, glancing towards her as she stood, satchel in hand and preparing to step down. Their eyes met, locking for a moment as Petra stilled. He reached out to take the satchel from her grasp, freeing both her hands so that she may step down from the cart. She gave him a half smile once her feet met with the ground, taking the bag back with a light thank you and putting it over her shoulder. It was then Levi realized that perhaps he should have taken her hand instead.

They approached the back of the building, Levi beckoning Petra to follow him towards the back door. Once unlocked, Levi opened it, stepping inside to a small foyer; a second door on the right and a staircase on the left.

"Careful." He warned her as he climbed up the dark stairway, enough light pouring in from the foyer window to allow her to locate the hand rail. Petra ascended the steps behind Levi, pausing momentarily as he opened another door, and continuing once he walked through it.

She blinked, a bit surprised, as she passed through the threshold and closed the door behind her, to discover the house converted shop still maintained a housing portion. It was clear the previous owners had gone through some extensive renovations just from seeing the flat alone. An open floor plan, half of the original rooms remodeled into living, dining and kitchen space. It was nicely sized, and despite the lack of furniture to fill the rooms, it seemed perfect for a family of four without feeling overcrowded.

Levi stepped into the flat further, eyes glancing around before stopping at some shelving built into the living room wall. He brought his hand to one of the shelves, his pointer running across it.

"Tch- filthy…"

A hint of disgust twisted his features as he pulled a clean cloth from his back pocket, wiping the grime from his digit. A coat of dust covered majority of the surfaces, save for a set of wooden chairs and round table, which seemed to be brand new. Despite Flegel insisting the flat was clean, Levi and the young company owner had different meanings of the word. Of course, Levi knew well enough to inspect before doing anything else. He glanced to Petra as she hung her satchel on a hook by the door.

"I'll open all the windows." She said, rolling up her sleeves. He nodded, passing her to retrieve one of his bags, no doubt filled with cleaning supplies.

Oh how she knew him well.


He was lucky she was familiar with his standards of clean. She as well. And after three hours of dusting, scrubbing, mopping, sweeping, and of course a quick break to procure more supplies as well as a quick bite to eat, the entire flat was spotlessly clean.

Petra sighed as she pulled the white cloth from around her neck, taking a seat at the square table in the dining area. She watched as Levi replaced the candles in the lowered chandelier with light crystals to replace the visibility that left with the setting sun. It had been so long since she last cleaned as thoroughly they did, an ach settling in her body from the weariness, though not without the satisfaction of a job well done.

She did her best to stifle a yawn, a hand covering her mouth as it broke through.

"Draw yourself a bath to get washed up. I'll bring in your bags for you." Levi spoke, pulling the chandelier rope to raise it. She opened her mouth to protest, about to insist she was capable of carrying her own bags, when he spoke again.

"The bigger bedroom has its own bath. The mattress and bed in there are new; I'll give you sheets for it." He tied the rope, before pulling down his own kerchief covering his mouth.

A frown came to her lips. Of course he had not anticipated anyone coming along with him. And because of this, naturally he'd have only bought one bed and mattress.

"What about you?"

"I'll sleep in the chair."

"But-"

"Petra. Take the bed."

She knew him well enough that it was not up for debate. He'd tell her he slept better in a chair anyway, and she was well aware the man only slept two or three hours a night.

Petra chewed the inside of her cheek, twirling a finger around a lock of hair and twisting it behind her ear. Couldn't they share the bed? Would that be weird? She didn't think so and it wasn't as though they had not slept aside one another (granted, it was only ever during over night Expeditions in the company of the rest of their squad.) But there was just something about the thought that caused her to be hesitant, Petra swallowing, and decidedly pushing the idea to the back of her mind.

Petra nodded and spoke.

"Thank you- Levi." She caught herself for once; using his name instead of the title she was so used to saying.

He hummed in response, quickly turning to retrieve their bags from the cart, once against noticing the strange flutter of his heart.