Summary: Set two months after the death of his squad, Levi begins to accept everything, including Petra's. Unfortunately, that is the period of time when Petra's ghost comes to visit. Will Levi be able to see her once again? And will she be able to say her goodbye properly? With a help of a certain person, they might. (Levi/Petra ship [BEST OTP EVER!] and an existence of an OC)
A/N: I just finished reading Shingeki no Kyojin: Birth of Levi, and I just can't express my feelings into words. All I can say is that I shed two tears, not because of the deaths of Levi's friends, but too much Levi on screen is just too overwhelming. Nah, just kidding. I did cry for Isabel and Farlan. Nice friends, yet he didn't shed a tear for them (no wonder he didn't even cry for his squad!). However that doesn't mean he has no feelings, at least he mourns for them. Anyway, back to the story, people!
Disclaimer: Shingeki no Kyojin doesn't belong to me. The story and characters belong to Isayama Hajime-sensei. If they were mine, Rivetra would be the top OTP and lots of characters wouldn't have died.
Levi finds things becoming weirder and weirder. First, the coffee tasted like the ones Petra used to make, then he noticed the laundries are done just like how she used to do: white are separated from the dark colours, which Eren and Nura never do, and now he notices that the arrangements of the books in their study are arranged neatly and according to the author's names.
This is definitely not the work by those brats, he concludes. But then who else could do something like this?
Behind him, lurking in another room, Nura and Eren are watching him and seem to be satisfied.
"Look at him. He's starting to get the idea," Nura snickers. "He should be able to see her soon."
However, Eren feels bad. "But isn't this considered cheating? It is our plan to make Levi-Heichou to be able in seeing Petra-san, and I asked her to ask requests from me, but in the end she's the one who does most of the job like cleaning the study and doing laundries."
She lightly hits his head. "Don't be ridiculous. Just see it in another point of view. Imagine that her request is to do most of our chores."
"Well, she did say she missed cleaning the castle."
"And add with the idea that this will lead to their happiness. That doesn't sound half bad, right? Thank God so far Petra-san has no idea that this is a part of our plan." Then her face expression turns serious. "We don't have that much time left."
"Hey, Eren!" Levi calls, out of nowhere, which flinches them, thinking they've been caught and they almost shrieked out of surprise.
Eren quickly calms himself down and enters the room looking as normal as possible. "Yes, sir?"
Still crossing his arms, he interrogates him, "Have you cleaned the first floor's rooms?"
He gulped nervously. "I haven't, sir."
"Then get your ass up there and fucking clean them. By the way, if you see Nura, get her to buy some stuff from this list." He puts a hand into his jacket pocket and takes out a slip of paper, then flings it to Eren. "Tell her to be back before afternoon, or else she'll have to clean the stables till she passes out."
"Understood. What are you going to do, Levi-Heichou?"
"I'll inspect each corner of this room and if I see any dust, the two of you will work your asses off and finish the job," he warns and sends a cautious glare.
I don't think he'll find any since it's Petra-san who cleaned the room, Eren silently thanks Petra. "V-very well, sir." He leaves and passes the slip to her. "Well, you heard what he said."
"How troublesome," she groans, scratching her head while reading the list of cleaning materials and food for re-stock.
"But this is a great chance, Nura-san," Eren says, giving a thumbs up.
She quirks an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"This is a chance for you to bring Petra-san to town and visit her father. At the same time, you may try to continue convincing her to agree with our plan."
"Good idea, Eren. Luck's in our side since you're on duty currently." She grins mischievously.
He has a clueless expression on his face. "Eh? What do you mean, Nura-san?"
"You can act as a distraction so that Levi-sama won't feel suspicious. I mean, if both of us are gone, imagine what would he think."
He quickly shakes his head, refusing to think what she implies. "I don't think I'd want to."
"Right? In the mean time, you can also ask him things about Petra-san," she suggests.
"Like what?"
She shrugs. "I don't know. Maybe something like, how he feels about Petra-san, which I doubt he'd say anything, but there's a high chance that we'll earn some points from that. Just make up some questions but don't give any hints about her spirit has returned. Got that?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Therefore, the two go to separate directions.
"Petra-san. Are you ready go?"
Petra is still tending the horses when Nura calls her. "Where are we going?"
"Isn't it obvious? We're going to see your father," she answers.
Wariness rises in her. "But where's Eren? And what did you say to Heichou?"
"Levi-sama gave us some chores to do. Eren has to clean the whole first floor and he asked me to buy some stuff in town."
"I see. That's too bad. Well, I'm ready as I'll ever be, but what about you, Nura-chan? You haven't changed your clothes yet."
Nura mentally hits herself on the head. "Oh right! Excuse me for a minute." And then rushes back in to the castle, making Petra giggle with her rash personality.
True to her words, a few minute later, Nura returns with a casual type of clothing which consists of pants and a hoodie. She also brings a basket with her to carry all the stuff on the journey back. The two girls then jog, well one of them is floating, to town in a quick pace, since they're in a hurry. Soon, they reach their destination where it is very busy and crowded. Their surroundings are noisy with lots of chattering, selling and purchasing and children running around.
Petra has a nostalgic feeling in her, and she smiles due to the returning memories. "Wow," she exclaims.
"You look happy," Nura states, looking at her senior.
"I almost forgot how it feels like in the town." She inhales deeply and then releases her breath. "The smell, the sight, the noise. Everything is still the same."
"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. But we still need to find your father and finish the job. I don't want to clean the horse stable. It's a nightmare in there!" Suddenly, her bile feels sick with her imagination of horse faeces and the revolting smell.
"Then, shall we go to buy the what's on the list first?" She recommends.
But Nura stops on her track and waves a hand. "Nope. I have a better idea. We'll go see Ral oji-san first, and then if it's possible the three of us can shop together."
Having her hopes high, Petra puts her palms together to form a ball shape. "Do you think he can see me?"
"Of course! We'll never know until we try it, so let's go!"
With that, Nura runs through the crowd, apologizing along the way whenever she accidentally steps onto someone's foot or bumping against their shoulders. Behind her, Petra floats over the crowd with ease and comfortably.
"Are you sure we're going to make it before afternoon?"
With high optimism, Nura responds, "That's why we've got to hurry. The earlier we reach there, the more time you can spend with Victor oji-san and the earlier we can go home, unless you want to stay with Victor oji-san."
In haste Petra replies, "No! I mean, I'll go with you, you know, to keep you accompany."
Accompany, eh? Nura says mentally, grinning widely but hopes the other girl not to notice it. "Okay, come on!"
After running a few kilometres away, they finally reach the Rals' house. Once they're only a few steps away, Petra stays in her position, which makes Nura to turn around.
"What's wrong, Petra-san?"
Anxiously, Petra puts her hands against her chest, wanting to make them stop shaking from nervousness. "I... I'm scared, Nura-chan. What should I say to him once he sees me? Should I tell him that I'm doing good? Should I say that I don't regret of dying? And what if... what if he can't see me? I don't think I'll be able to-"
Detecting her hesitation, Nura quickly puts both of her palms on top of her shoulders and start shaking her with quite amount of force.
"Get a grip of yourself, damn it! For once, Petra-san, stop degrading yourself. You're not as unimportant as you think you are. You were hand-picked by Levi-sama, and are one of the members of Special Operation Squad, which is something that not everyone can easily get. You contributed a lot for humanity by killing 58 Titans, and that is very impressive. You are a considerate and loving daughter. You are strong and independent woman, but you also act as a mother figure to me. So please stop doubting of who you are."
Surprised by her ranting, Petra is left awestruck and wide-eyed. Was she that inspiring to this 17-year old girl? Was she that embarrassed at herself to the point she forgot all the efforts she made for the sake of humanity as well as Levi? Did she really think that her father is disappointed in her for dying as a proud soldier? How stupid of her to think in those ways.
Letting go of her shoulders, Nura turns to the side, ashamed of her outburst. "I- I'm sorry, Petra-san. I didn't mean to yell at you. I just can't stand listening to your-"
"It's alright. In fact I should be thanking you."
"Eh?"
"Because of you I can finally understand how I should view my surroundings and hopefully I can take some of your positivism. So don't worry about me, Nura-chan. I will no longer doubt myself anymore."
Satisfied, she smiles so widely that it reaches her eyes. "Great! Now, are you ready?" She raises her hand to knock the door, and Petra nods her head assertively.
"Hello, Victor oji-san. Are you home?"
They wait. And then she knocks the door again. "Victor oji-san? It's me, Nura."
Initially, they think that he's not home, but then they hear soft steps from the inside of the house. Soon, the door opens, revealing the old man.
"Oh, it's Nura-chan." He forms a welcoming smile once he recognizes her then he opens the door wider for her to enter. "Come on in."
"Sorry for interrupting," she says politely.
He goes into the kitchen immediately while Nura sits down on one of their couches. "Would you like some tea, or coffee, or hot cocoa?"
"Tea would be nice, thank you," she replies and eyes Petra, who is absorbed in observing her home.
The room's furnitures are still arranged in the same way when she left after her last visit. Some of the picture frames have changed, but the family portrait stays intact at the centre of the room. She moves to touch the yellow, transparent curtain and notices a sunflower in a flower pot on top of the window frame. She smiles, noticing that her father still favours the flower that he claims to be similar to her.
"Daddy, why do you say that sunflowers and me are alike?" Her young self asks her father one night.
Victor caresses his daughter's cheek as he explains, "Because, your hair colour is the same with the flower's petals. Your smile is as bright as sunflowers whenever the sunlight shines over it. And of course, because you are as beautiful as the flower."
"Hmm... But then why did you and Mommy named me 'Petra?'"
His father chuckles and carries his daughter to bed. "I will tell you the reason behind that one day."
Melancholically, Petra smiles with the memory. Don't worry, father. I already knew what my name means to you and Mother.
When she hears her father coming back to the room, she quickly hides behind the couch where Nura sits. Then Victor goes back into the room, carrying a tray with two teacups on top of it.
"There you go. I think you'll be glad that I ran out of tea, so I served some hot cocoa instead."
Without holding back, she quickly grabs the cup. "Really? Thank you very much, oji-san!"
"It's been a while since you came to visit," he states but doesn't sound begrudged.
"Oh, I'm sorry. But you know, things just get busier," she says after gulping the hot drink.
Victor sets his cup down and says, "Yes. I understand. My daughter used to tell me that. So what brings you here today?"
Being bad in acting in front of the old man, Nura staggers, "Um... would you prefer me to lie or being honest?"
"Would it hurt me if you lied?"
"Well, not really I guess, since eventually I'll show the truth to you anyway."
He raises an eyebrow, growing interested. "Show? Show me what?"
Smiling nervously, she requests, "Turn around, oji-san."
And so he does.
A/N: Dun dun dun dunnnn! Wonder if the plan's going well? Do give me what I want. (Yes, I'm being a review whore nowadays.) Reviews make me smile!
P.S: Sorry for the father's name. I can't think of other good names for fathers.
5 days left.