In a world full of colors, Levi only sees grey.

( There is no black, and there is no white. Only the mixtures of the in betweens that really, only makes life complicated.)

Levi supposes, the first time he actually noticed the greys in his life is when he sees Petra in his room for the first time.

It was dark then, some time between 2 and 3 in the morning and Levi is doing paperwork for Erwin on another expedition that failed(as how they always do) when there is a gentle knock on his door and Petra comes in with a cup of tea in her hand.

" Heichou," She says, with a smile and she walks towards him. " I brought you tea."

Almost as if the tea word is a cue for his eyes to wander, his eyes felt drawn to the ceramic cup in her hand. It is steaming, he notes, and she must've specially brewed it for him. She places the tea on his right, and Levi only stares at her.

Petra looks up and meets his scrutinizing gaze, warmth flooding in her honey-copper eyes. " Goodnight Heichou." She whispers, and without another word, she leaves.

Sometime in between 2 and 3 in the morning, Levi first sees shades of grey in his life.

It is only when Petra sets down his tea on his table for the 7th time in a row, Levi finds himself stopping her just as she is about to leave. " Why are you doing this?" The words leaves his mouth faster than he could register in his brain; he blames it all on his sleepless nights that he finds himself in this situation where Petra seems as shocked as he is about his question.

To his surprise, Petra laughs and then she says, " Don't think too much about it Heichou. Goodnight."

But all he never does now is think about it.

Levi catches himself more than once often wondering as to why Petra does the things she does now. Another thing he also wonders how did she know he is still awake at late hours in the night -his room is a floor above hers.

( He never voices out his questions though; that is just not how he is.)

The days passes by quickly enough in his ever growing greyscale life, and then suddenly it just stops.

He is sitting on his bed this time, 3 folders in his hand, eyes closed and throat parched.

It is 2:45 AM.

Levi has never been one that found comfort in sleeping -there is just too many deaths that relives in dreams that he dreams of. He refuses to call them nightmares -because are they not they same? A nightmare is a dream, only with a different term and context but one just the same.

His mind is in a state of blank when there's a soft twist of the door knob and Levi snaps his eyes open and feels his heart clench so painfully in his chest. Half of him knows it is stupid, but he thinks that it is Petra coming in with another cup of tea.

( She will say, " Work hard Levi."

Because he has not heard his name solely on her lips before.

And he wishes he had.)

But it is Hanji who enters, with her eyes sad like puppies and all things delicate. She remains standing at the door frame, her attire free from the 3DMG.

" Levi," She starts quietly, as if afraid he would break. " I'm sorry."

There are many things Levi thinks Hanji can be sorry for, but these deaths are not one of them.

" Go and sleep, Hanji." He tells her, his voice sounding strangely defeated in his own ears. " Rest."

But Hanji stayed for reasons unknown and Levi is tired of asking unasked questions in his head that he will never receive answers to. He lets her be in his room; he is too tired of everything and not wanting to sleep at all.

The minutes turn into an hour of silence, and Levi thinks that Hanji must have fallen asleep sometime in between because when has Hanji ever be quiet?

But he is wrong when Hanji's voice breaks the silence so suddenly, " Petra loved you, you know."

But he does not.

( There is a past tense in her words, and that stabs him more than not knowing.)

His throat feels drier than it was before, and he swallows anyway. Levi feels the drag of sand all the way down his throat before he lets out a raspy, " When?"

When did she love me?

When did she tell you?

( Why did she not tell me herself?)

Hanji sends him a small, broken knowing smile and only says nothing.

At times when Hanji can be smart, it is at times like this when she knows he should not have answers at all.

Levi first saw grey, when Petra entered his room with a cup of tea sometime between 2 and 3 AM.

And when Petra left, she took all the colors away from him.

fav, follow and review!

Your thoughts on Levi please! xx

-sakura