Levi
Levi left the conference room and started down the hall alone. He went through the administration department without looking at his colleagues, and even completely ignoring their presence. The meeting with Keith Shadis went as he expected. Their supervisor praised them for the successful arrest of Tom Xavier, whom was currently in custody, but the real issue was Zeke Yaeger. The man was released, and Levi knew it was mostly his fault.
Ackerman burst into their common office and kicked at the trash can. Crumpled papers fell on the floor, and the dumpster spun in the air, before it dropped. Levi clenched his fists and leaned over the desk, trying to calm his breathing. Goddamn it. He knew Zeke would try to provoke him, but he did not expect such a direct face-off.
After a short while, Erwin and Hanji entered the room. The friends stopped in front of Levi, looking at him sympathetically.
"I fucked up. I totally fucked up, I'm sorry" Levi muttered, not looking at the agents.
"Come on. He had it coming all along. Mike would be proud" Hanji confessed as she sat down on the desk.
"Not only was Zeke released from custody, but we can't use his testimony for anything. His lawyer made a complaint against me and he also managed to convince the judge that Zeke's testimony had been made under duress. And now I find out that I am suspended for two weeks... That's just wonderful.
"Sp what? We're moving forward, Levi" Erwin raised a hand and placed it on Ackerman's shoulder. His touch was warm and gentle. "We knew Zeke wouldn't be in custody for too long. But we have Xavier, right where we wanted. Grisha's production will be delayed and we finally have an official source of information. In my opinion, this is a true success".
"Anyway, I guess Zeke must have provoked you with something. He said something about Mike, didn't he?" Hanji bit her lip.
Levi didn't answer. He no longer had the strength to pursue the subject, and his silence was speaking louder than his words.
"I know what will cheer you up," Erwin said suddenly, straightening up. "You're suspended from tomorrow, right? Maybe you want to pay a visit to our new friend?".
An hour later, Levi and Erwin entered the interrogation room in pre-trial detention. They saw a middle-aged man wearing a gray uniform intended for the people detained there. Tom Xavier looked inconsolable. He had a chubby face, short, dark hair and round glasses, from behind which an intelligent, but a bit dim gaze flashed. He folded his hands in front of him and raised his face just as the door closed behind the detectives. Both men sat down at the table opposite Xavier.
"Can you finally tell me how long am I going to be here?" Tom asked, staring first at Erwin and then at Levi. "Nobody tells me anything! This is against my rights".
"Hello, Mr. Xavier" Levi began, completely ignoring the arrestee's question, at least for the moment. "My name is Levi Ackerman, and this is my partner, Erwin Smith. We are agents of the police unit dealing with counteracting drug trafficking.
"Drug trafficking...?" Xavier swallowed. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. "What do I have to do with this?".
"Exactly, that's what we would like to ask you about" Levi picked up his briefcase and unfolded it in front of Tom. "Do you see that bill? Why do you think it aroused our interest?".
Xavier looked at the printed scan. The document was a receipt from one of the chemical stores. It's true that the number of the purchases didn't exceed the limit that was imposed on buyers in such places, but to the attentive eye it might look suspicious. Tom shook his head in disbelief.
"This is your proof? For what? Do you know who I am? I used to teach chemistry in high school, now I'm tutoring and teaching children and teenagers. Isn't it normal to buy materials that I use in my work from time to time? Would you like a list of my students?".
"Oh, definitely, we'll ask for it" Levi confirmed, writing something down on a notebook.
"You know, we understand your indignation. We just have to check all the leads. It's our job".
"I understand you, too, but... An arrest!? This is way too much!".
"You know this man?" Levi asked, holding a photograph in front of Xavier's nose. It showed Tom and Grisha talking to each other at some banquet. It was taken a couple of years ago, but only recently the detectives stumbled upon it, at Eren's suggestion.
Tom blinked, apparently surprised by the police discovery.
"Yes, if I remember correctly, it's Grisha Yaeger. He owns a chain of famous hotels in Eldia".
"What do you have in common with Yaeger?" Erwin wanted to know, staring at Tom intently. Xavier frowned.
"What does it matter? I hardly know this man! Am I accused of something?".
"We have a few suspicions about this man. For now, we're collecting clues".
"And you arrest every chemistry teacher who lives in this city?" Xavier asked, his eyes narrowed.
"No, only the ones who has meet Yaeger several times" Levi sighed, then set another document in front of Xavier. "Please, read this. If you're innocent, there's nothing to worry about, right?".
Xavier reached for a sheet of paper, quickly scanned the letters. As he read, his eyes grew larger and incredulous. The man's face turned red with anger.
"What the hell is this?".
"A search warrant for your apartment, signed by a judge. It's not that unusual. As I mentioned, if you are innocent...".
"Shut up! This is a violation of my rights!" Xavier boiled with indignation. "You damn amateurs, I won't leave it like that! You'll regret all of that, when...".
The man suddenly fell silent. He must have realized he had gone too far. One moment longer, and he would have said something he would regret. So he calmed down, cleared his throat, and brushed the dark strands back.
"Fine, you can search my apartment if you want" Xavier replied after a while, his tone calmer. He looked coldly at the detectives. "I have nothing to hide".
"Great. Your apartment is about to be searched right now. We should get the first report soon" Erwin explained, lifting the corners of his mouth a little.
"Meanwhile, I would like to ask for this list of your students" Levi said, bringing a blank sheet of paper and a pen to Xavier. "Apart from tutoring, are you still employed in any place?".
"No. That's enough for me" Xavier replied, clicking on the pen and looking at the empty page.
"I understand. You have a pretty big and well situated apartment for someone who only lives from tutoring… " Levi muttered, raising one eyebrow.
Xavier immediately glared at him.
"Are you suggesting something?!" Tom raised his voice again, but quickly regained his composure. "A man my age can't have savings? If you want to accuse me of something, do it right away".
"I just think out loud" Levi shrugged. "Please, take your time, we have it plenty".
Levi and Tom stared at each other for a moment.
Xavier's gaze was unpleasant and hostile. Ackerman knew the reason. They pushed the man against the wall. They totally grounded him. They put him for to two weeks in custody, possibly longer, depending on how quickly they managed to rule out any circumstantial evidence of any illegal activity. Each day of delay cost Grisha a fortune.
For once, the law was on their side.
Hanji
Hanji knocked on the brown door and stepped inside without waiting for an answer. The pleasant smell of some food hit her nostrils. She took off her shoes and headed towards the kitchen. She was slowly starting to feel like home here.
Moblit was just bending over the stove, vigorously stirring something in the pan. At the sight of Hanji, he smiled widely, with childish joy.
"Han, it's great that you're here! Dinner's almost ready".
The man walked closer to hug her and place a tender kiss on her lips. The woman wrapped her arms around him and returned the gesture. She closed her eyes, savoring this sensation. She had waited for it all day, and it was a really hard day. They kissed for a while, until the vegetables in the pan started to burn a little. Moblit finally broke away from Hanji's mouth, and quickly returned to the stove.
"Are you tired?" Berner asked as he stirred the vegetables.
"Yea, very much" Hanji replied, then sit down on one of the chairs at the table. Everything on the counter was ready, plates, cutlery, glasses. Moblit hasn't been idle. "But today was an important day. I was involved in a search of the apartment of one of the suspects. Maybe I shouldn't be telling you this, but I if I won't, I will explode from my excess of thoughts".
"Relax, baby. Until you give me any names, I should be safe" Moblit winked at her merrily. "It all worked out?".
"Not completely. We found almost nothing suspicious…" Hanji rested her chin on her wrist and sighed. "We need to check a few things, thanks to which this man's stay in custody will be a little longer. I'm sure our prime suspect will just get totally mad".
"If you detained his employee, that's for sure".
Moblit walked over to the table and placed a portion of the meal on each plate. Hanji saw a mix of colorful vegetables, well-seasoned and looking very inviting. Berner put the pan down, then sat down next to Hanji and looked at her fondly.
"Will you get some protection for this time?".
"What? Why?" Hanji was a little surprised. She put a piece of paprika on a fork and stuck it in her mouth.
"You know, since there's a chance that man will get mad... You should be careful".
"Oh, but we are. There's always a chance, but I really doubt that he would attack the police in broad daylight. This man has too much to lose, his position is too important to him".
"Is it Grisha Yaeger?" Moblit asked suddenly.
Hanji coughed loudly, with a chunk of paprika in her throat. Berner quickly handed her a glass of water and patted her on the back.
"Shit, Moblit... How the hell do you know?!" Hanji stared at the man.
"I don't know! It just occurred to me. I stumbled across this article today. See?" Berner reached for the newspaper and showed the girl something that was on one of the pages. "Seemingly nothing big, but... I just thought about it".
"The son of a local entrepreneur detained by the police" Hanji adjusted her glasses as she read the article. "What is Grisha Yaeger hiding behind closed doors? Our journalists found disturbing information that Yaeger was involved in a criminal activity related to the misappropriation of property. Yaeger's Hotel is a chain of hotels owned by an affluent family that recorded a significant income in the previous quarter. But what did the Yaeger family really get rich from? Damn, what is this? And why haven't I seen it earlier?".
"It came out yesterday. You know, it's not some popular magazine, my mother accidentally left it here... There's an interview with some former hotel employee who claims to have seen many irregularities with his own eyes".
"Fuck" Hanji blurted out. The girl flicked through the pages of the newspaper for a moment longer. "Can I borrow it?".
"Sure" Moblit leaned over and kissed the brunette on the cheek. "Provided you promise me to take care of yourself".
"Okay... But you also have to make a promise! Please, promise me to forget about it! You can't know anything!" Hanji quickly folded the newspaper and put it aside.
"I don't know what you're talking about" said Moblit, smiling brightly. "Now, can I have dinner with my girlfriend?".
"Oh... So I'm already your girlfriend?" Hanji smiled back. Her cheeks flushed. Suddenly, she fortgot about everything that was related to her work. Only the man sitting next to her mattered.
"We spend almost every evening with each other, we sleep together, we eat lunch and dinner together, we take showers together... Yes, I think so. I'm just waiting for you to introduce me to your friends" Berner confessed, then smiled charmingly. Hanji suddenly jumped up from her chair and sat down on Moblit's lap. She pressed her mouth against his lips, hugging him tightly by the neck. The man kissed her back passionately, trying to take the initiative, but it wasn't easy. Only after a while he grabbed Hanji by the thighs and rose with her, seating her on the empty spot on the table. The brunette looked into his eyes.
"Can we finish our dinner first?" Berner asked, lifting one corner of his mouth.
"Sorry. I guess I totally fell for you" Hanji confessed, pressing her face against the hollow of the man's neck. She heard his soft sigh.
"I feel the same. But I can hear your stomach rumbling. Did you eat anything today?".
"I report that my duties didn't allow me to eat".
"What? You must be kidding! Come on, I'll put it in your mouth myself!".
"What are you gonna put there?" Hanji asked, and she laughed out loud at the sight of Moblit's expression.
Mikasa
She got into a blue, sport car, adjusted the mirrors and the seat, then started the engine. She started toward the electric gate, which opened automatically for her. Mikasa widened her eyes. It was really happening. She had her own car, she could leave this place whenever she wanted... Well, maybe not entirely. First, she had to report such a desire to Grisha and let him know where she was going. The man may or may not have agreed to the ride. He had been in a bad mood lately, which made her afraid he would change his mind. Yaeger, however, kept his word.
Of course, she expected his men to follow her. She also suspected that the car was equipped with a GPS transmitter so that Grisha would always know where he was. Therefore, she had to be very careful and always have a suitable excuse prepared for her guardian. Besides, she had to be wary of the man's enemies, mostly the Tybur family.
She had with herself the weapon Eren had given her, though she hoped she wouldn't have to use it.
Mikasa's fingers tightened on the steering wheel. It might not be much for someone, but for her it was a step forward. She felt that she was human, that she had her rights again. That at least to such a small extent she can decide about herself.
As she drove into Trost, she headed downtown. She parked the car in the first free spot and immediately walked down the main alley of the city.
She passed the storefronts, she saw people shopping or walking with their loved ones. She couldn't believe she really was here, alone, without bodyguards, without hostile eyes watching her.
She stopped at an ice cream stand. A nice old lady sold her a vanilla treat in a sweet waffle. Mikasa sat down on the bench, slowly eating her ice cream and watching the people passing by. She wished Eren and Armin were with her. Unfortunately, both of them had been very busy lately.
A little girl sitting in a pram smiled at her. Mikasa smiled back, feeling a strange tenderness. Until now, she had never thought about what it would be like to have a baby. Surely it had to be something amazing… But not for her.
Still, she had to check it.
She got up from the bench and started walking. She found a pharmacy and went inside. The pharmacist without a word handed her what Mikasa asked for. She left the place and went to the coffee shop, where she ordered a coffee with cream. While the retailer started to prepare the drink, Mikasa went to the toilet.
She took a pregnancy test out of her purse. It took her a short while to use it. She washed her hands and stood over the sink, waiting for the result to become visible. Well, she should check it out since she and Jean didn't use any protection that time. She knew it wasn't that easy to get pregnant, especially when there were so many stressors in her life... But she had to know.
She felt a little nervous.
She would be really unlucky if her first sex ended with an unwanted pregnancy. What if the test will be positive? What will she do then? How would Eren react? What would Jean do? He certainly wouldn't let her go back to the Yaeger mansion. Would she have to hide then? Could she ask the police for help?
Maybe she could disappear, change her identity, go somewhere far away with Jean by her side... Maybe...
The girl blinked. One vertical line appeared on the strip. Mikasa stared at the result for a moment.
That was weird. Although she was so afraid of it, for a short moment she hoped that the test would be positive...
trash can and left the toilet. She drank her coffee and then returned to the car. She reached for the phone and checked the address on the website again. It was four p.m., the man was about to finish his job. She had no idea if she could even find him, but she had to see him, even for a moment. If Grisha asked her about it, she had the perfect excuse. Men don't want to engage in conversations about women's medical issues, right?
The girl joined the traffic and headed to the right place.
Jean
The door closed behind the last patient. Jean turned off the computer, then stretched in his leather chair. It's been a long day, he was replacing one of his older colleagues today.
There were footsteps in the corridor, and the door suddenly opened. Jean saw the face of the young receptionist.
"Jean, there's another patient here. Will you take her?".
"Did she have an appointment?" The man asked. The woman shook her head. Jean sighed, but nodded. "All right, let her come in. But we can't make it a habit".
"Sure" The receptionist replied and closed the door behind her.
Jean straightened and waited a moment. Finally he heard footsteps on the other side, followed by a knock.
"Come in, please" He replied, leaning comfortably against the headrest of the chair. One more visit and he'll be able to go home and rest. He just hoped he wouldn't get an emergency call from one of Zeke's men. It was the last thing he would have wanted, to go to the Yaeger mansion after such a day, having a sack on his head… On the other hand, maybe he would have seen Mikasa, and that would have made up for any inconvenience.
Jean shook off these thoughts. Now he should focus on something else. He looked towards the door and widened his eyes.
Mikasa went inside and closed the door behind her. She smiled gently at Jean and took a few steps towards him.
"Hi. Do you have a moment?" She asked, stopping in front of a large oak desk. Jean took a moment to close his mouth and after a moment he was able to answer.
"Of course... But... What are you doing here?" The man asked, getting up from the armchair and going over to the girl. He stood in front of Mikasa, and shyly stretched his hands towards her, as if afraid she would suddenly disappear.
"I wanted to see you, just for a while. I found the adress of your clinic on the internet. I was hoping you would still be here. Apparently I was lucky" Mikasa smiled wider. She took a step closer and cuddled up to the man. Though she looked a little embarrassed, she clearly didn't want to waste any time.
"Does Grisha know you're here?" Jean wanted to know. He wrapped his arms around the girl and hugged her tenderly. But his face showed concern. "He let you come here?".
"I managed to ask him for a car. All he knows is that I had a few things to take care of in the city. If he will ask me about the details, or if it turns out that his people were following me, I'll say that I had to consult you on a delicate matter. After all, you're a doctor, aren't you?" Mikasa raised her head to meet the man's gaze. "We just need to decide what condition do I have".
Jean laughed softly, then hugged Mikasa tighter. Finally, he found her lips and kissed them with passion. He felt as if he hadn't breathed since the last meeting with the girl, and only now did he have a chance to take a breathe. It was an amazing feeling. It felt as if that one kiss had brought him back to life. It was completely addictive and unmatched by anything else. Was he already in love or was it just about to happen?
"We need to exchange phone numbers" Jean whispered, finally tearing himself away from Mikasa's mouth. They both breathed faster, and there were a slight blushes on their cheeks. "Since we last met, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I want to be in touch with you".
"It's not a good idea, sorry. Grisha can't know about us" Mikasa replied. Their foreheads touched. "We'll have to work out some other way".
"But how?" Jean wanted to know. He stroked Mikasa's cheek. He still couldn't believe the girl was really here. "How am I going to get through the day without knowing if you're okay?".
"We have no choice. I promise, nothing will happen to me. Grisha is allowing me more and more lately. As I said, I have a car at my disposal now. I just need to let him know in advance where I am going".
"Well, well... I didn't know you were doing so well. So, everything is okay?".
"Apart from the fact that I have to live there against my will, yes...".
"So don't come back. Stay here" Jean's eyes flashed. Mikasa looked at him in surprise. "Or else, let's run away together. If you want, even today I can pack and we can leave the country...".
"Are you kidding? Come on, this sounds crazy" Mikasa shook her head. "We have no idea how far Grisha's contacts extend. I couldn't put you in such a danger, and besides, I can't leave Eren and Armin".
"Isn't it that they also want you to be safe?" Jean asked, looking the girl in the eye. "Maybe they also want to escape?".
"No, Jean. It's not possible. Somehow we have to learn to live in this mess".
Mikasa stood on tiptoe to kiss the man again. Jean hugged her tenderly, his hands stroking her back. He wove his fingers into the girl's dark hair and heard her softly sigh. After a while, he clung to her mouth, kissing her passionately, not letting her draw a breath. He explored the inside of her mouth with his tongue, trying to memorise the taste of the girl's lips and the smell of her hair. He didn't know when he would see her again. Mikasa returned the kiss, also using her tongue and eagerly moving her lips. As the moment began to last too long, they moved from each other a little, though their bodies trembled with desire.
"I will see you next time" The girl whispered, raising her hand and braiding her fingers into the blond strands.
The man nodded. He took the brunette's hand and kissed it.
"If Grisha will need my help, we'll meet sooner. On the one hand, I want it, and on the other, I'm afraid of it, because I don't want anything to happen to you".
"I doubt it will. I really can take care of myself, doctor" Mikasa smiled.
Jean smiled back gently, but a moment later sadness appeared on his face.
"I would like to know you better. I don't even know when your birthday is… Or what is your favorite color".
"I know, I feel the same..." Mikasa's smile also faded. "Everything in my life is not as it should be. I wish it would change someday".
"Someday it will. I'm sure of it".
They kissed one last time. Jean hugged the girl, then watched her leave and disappear through the door. His heart couldn't calm down for a long moment. He felt absolutely torn. On the one hand, he felt like a lovesick fool, that he somehow managed to see Mikasa for a moment, that he could hug her and kiss her. On the other hand, he was afraid for her, for her safety and health. He was afraid that something might happen to her and that he wouldn't be there to help her right away.
After a while, the man took off his white apron and hung it on a hanger. Then he turned off the light and left the office. The room was plunged into darkness.