Hiya guys! I'd like to thank all you awesome peeps for reading/favouriting/following this story, it means the world to me :D Keep bringing in those reads and don't hesitate to give any ideas you wanna share, I could definitely use the help when I eventually hit writer's block :P A shout out to GrumpyCatWriter101 for being my first ever comment/review!
Needless to say, I spent the rest of the operation away from Levi. To be honest, I didn't even know where he went off to. Naturally, Hanji reported the incident to Erwin and he had a talk with me but I was not completely at fault. I admit, my actions were a little crude but ultimately it was for the sake of Humanity. Mainly, it was Levi that Erwin was worried about, and honestly, so was I. We had no idea how the situation would play out or how Levi would respond. Like the saying, bad news travels fast, so when I entered the Squad room, everyone already knew and sent me sympathetic looks.
"I don't need your pity, guys." their looks irked me.
"What's going to happen now?" Linda mused quietly. I shot her a look.
"Nothing is going to happen. I don't want anyone taking sides and all that nonsense. The Captain and I had a disagreement and will personally work it out-" I halted as the door creaked open and Levi entered. It was my first time seeing him in person after that Water Gate incident. All eyes were turned to him. Being cold and anti-social as usual, he swept through towards the hallway to his office. I tried.
"Levi-" and was shot down as he silently moved past me and slammed the door to his quarters.
"Yeah, you are totally working this out." Sophie commented. I looked down to the timber floor, sad that my best friend had chosen to hate me. I guess I had it coming.
"He'll come around, Rina." Jack threw an arm around me shoulders. "You'll see. Just give him some time."
"Any luck?"
It had been two weeks since the incident between Levi and I. Despite all my attempts to talk to him or to even get his attention, the Captain didn't even spare me one glance. Hanji, Brian, Linda and I sat around the dining table.
"Every evening you ask the same question." I began, absently twirling a fork between my fingers.
Steve slumped onto the table at my reply.
"And every evening, I give you the same answer." I continued. "Nope."
"How are you dealing with it, Rina?"
I turned to Linda's soft voice. She always could always read how we were feeling. I sighed.
"I'm all right. I mean, I knew it was going to happen anyway. I just wasn't prepared for what an impact it would have on me."
"Don't tell me you guys have some sort of a romantic relationship going on?" gasped Brian, placing a hand on his heart. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"No but we are – were – best friends." I corrected myself sadly. "I'm starting to get frustrated at him. I mean, not even one look, not even one bloody word!" I held up my index finger as emphasis. Personally, it was getting easier and easier to ignore him. I was reaching the point where I would just give up in getting a talk with him, knowing that it wasn't going to happen. Linda patted my shoulder comfortably. Speaking of the devil, Levi along with the remaining squad members walked in. The Captain paused for a second as we locked eyes (for once) before pulling away and addressing us.
"An expedition outside the Walls is scheduled in three weeks. We have a meeting with Commander Erwin first thing tomorrow morning."
I stood up silently and headed to the door, holding in my sudden bubbling frustration.
"Haruza. Where do you think you're going?"
I paused, hand on the doorknob. "If that's all, Captain Levi, then I'm going to retire to my quarters. Good night, you guys." I addressed the rest of them with a smile over my shoulder and left.
After the meeting with Erwin the next day, Levi and I avoided each other like the plague. We were barely in the same room together for any period of time, trained away from each other and never spoke a word. Although I kept close to the other members of the squad, I could tell that the situation was beginning to affect our teamwork. Levi was the Captain so of course I followed his instructions. I didn't make it easily though. However at this point, I had completely given up reconciling with Levi and now ignored him in return. For the sake of the Special Operations, I approached Erwin with my concerns.
The Commander's eyebrows bushed together as he frowned. I stifled a chuckle at the weird sight. He really had bushy eyebrows.
"I haven't noticed any slack in your overall performance, nor in Captain Levi's. However, you're afraid that this issue is causing some rift in the squad?"
I nodded. "As you know, teamwork is essential in survival and the social context outside of operations aids in that. With the disagreement between Captain Levi and I, socially, our relations are beginning to make an appearance for the worse and im afraid that it could impact our future performances."
Erwin rubbed his chin in thought. "Have you and Levi talked yet?"
I looked at away from the higher officer. "I've tried to talk to him but he just ignores me completely. After that, it became routine and we just stopped speaking to each other."
We fell into a comfortable silence.
"Well, there so happens to be another position available, if you want."
"Oh no, sir! I enjoy being with the Special Operations Squad. Despite the tension with the Captain." I turned back to the leader, waving my hands in protest.
Erwin waved me quiet. "It's not a permanent position, Officer Hazura. One of the squad leaders for the Scouting Legions has broken his arm and I have ordered him to take time off to recover. Once he's fit for duty, he will return to his post. In the meantime, the position of being a temporary Squad Leader is open and you are fully qualified for it. It may give you some much needed time away from Levi, at least for a couple of weeks. You can begin next week just before the Expedition and continue until the original Squad leader comes back fully healed."
I ran over the pros and cons in my head, fully aware Erwin was waiting for an answer. I replied with two words.
"I'm in."