In the week of the winter solstice, all survey corps member were given a holiday. I would be at the base for the whole time, because everybody else goes to their families.
The morning of the last day, Petra and I were alone as usual. She began to sit on my lap a few weeks ago, neither of us knew why, as she admitted; but it was more intimate and felt better - especially when she faced me. When she faced me we could kiss more easily and talk face to face - instead of me talking awkwardly at her back and her talking to the table.
"Levi, what are you doing over the break?"
"Nothing, you're going to your father's right?"
"Yeah… I want you to come."
"What?!" Why? The last visit wasn't great, but I'd go again if there was a reason.
"I want him to meet my boyfriend." I couldn't help but smile inwardly.
"How long would you go for?"
"I can only go for a day… He's busy after that." That left us in a silence.
I broke the silence. "Petra, you never talk about your mother." Maybe this was some unknown abnormality in her life.
She shifted. Her gaze moved around. "She died in Shinshiga. My dad survived because he'd moved into wall rose - my mother was packing the old house." She was sad, so I hugged her.
"So your family is not that normal."
"You can talk!" She kissed me.
So, the next day, I walked to Mr. Ral's house again. The walk was much like the last time's.
Mr. Ral greeted us similarly. He knew that the corps has an off, so he wasn't as surprised - to see Petra.
"Captain Levi?"
"Please, call me Levi." Again, it's my name and I'm not here as a captain.
"Petra, isn't it rude of you to waste his time, bringing him here." He probably meant 'why is he here.'
"It's no trouble, Mr. Ral."
"It's just that, Petra should know - it is not good to bring a superior along for something so personal." Mr. Ral, being a parent still. Petra is 22, he takes his time.
"He's not just my commanding officer, dad." Mr. Ral took in what Petra said. He looked at me, I felt his evaluation of all he knew of me in that moment. He looked back at Petra. I followed his gaze.
"What?"
"He's my boyfriend." I did not know what to do. Mr. Ral was taking it in further, one of his guesses was proven correct. He looked at me, I nodded.
"Well, do come in, both of you." We entered. Petra told me she'd be as clueless as I'd be with this. I turned out to be her first boyfriend introduced to Mr. Ral. Maybe even her last… I'd see.
"I hope you don't mind, dad." Petra's girlishness was over the top. Yet, somehow, I wasn't annoyed.
He looked at me, snorted and jeered, "Mind?! How could I mind that my daughter is dating humanity's strongest soldier?" Petra tried to make me bet he wouldn't say that. I wasn't foolish enough to wager.
"Thank you." He did compliment me.
The talk switched to normal things again - how's the business, how's the corps.
"Oh, er Levi… Would you mind if I had a moment?" I stepped into the back room. Their conversation seemed to take forever. I looked at the paintings on the wall. All were generic drawings of imaginary hills or the royal palace.
"You can come back in now." Petra gestured toward the front room.
We had dinner and then left. This whole time was quite uneventful.
Outside the house, I asked Petra "What did your dad tell you?"
"I'm not to get married before 24… and 'don't do anything stupid.'"
"Stupid?"
She turned red. "I guess it's about having kids."
"Don't fear that." Kids. Wow, parents get concerned too easily.
"Overall, that did go well."
"Yeah." I guess her parent's approval was a good thing. It's hard to think about parents, about wanting to make them proud. Never had that problem (or goal).
Petra followed me to my room. I don't know what we'd do. Then I remembered - I owed Petra something. I opened my 'drawer of the dead.' I pulled out Petra's badge. I never thought I'd have to return these. "Petra, this was yours."
She saw it. "Thanks." She put in her pocket. She looked at the other badges. The drawer wasn't full, but crowded. She felt sorry for me, I guessed by her hug and soft kiss. I closed the drawer.
I closed my eyes. "Sorry, I'll be a bit boring right now." I sat down and closed my eyes.
"It's ok. I wasn't planning on doing much." I opened my eyes. She'd hung her jacket on my coat rack. She was on my bed.
"What are you doing?"
"Nobody's around. I thought we could do more." It had been months since we last gotten more intimate. I would love to do something like that. I lay next to her. "But nothing stupid."
"Stop being my dad!" This confident Petra was interesting. She'd never really mocked me, or anything of that sort.
"Am not."
"Just kidding." I knew. She turned over and hugged me. It felt weird - hugging her sideways, in my bed. I'd wanted this. I hugged back. We lay there in each other's arms. We fell asleep.
The next morning, we lay there. Petra woke up in front of me. There was a quick look of confusion which darted across her face. "Morning Levi." We kissed. She began to get up. "Don't move if you don't want to." She lay back down.
Over the week, the days and nights passed similarly. We got to know each other and I got introduced to a completely new Petra. Petra was confident, witty and even more charming than the reserved one. I loved this Petra even more. That was the most intimate we'd dare to get.