I'm afraid to say it, don't wan't you to think I'm playing. My mistakes take the pretentiousness down like I'm standing naked. Hear the crowd; and I sorry I know that I'm wrong, yeah, I'm wrong. If I could I'd go back; I'm exposed give me back my clothes cause I just can't take it-. But look at you, loving a fool, making it easy. (..) You don't mind them flaws, you've already seen them all.
Auruo slapped the cards on the table, spread them out, "I'm all in."
"The game hasn't started yet," Erd said, reaching to slap his hand down on the cards. "And I spent 5 minutes stacking that deck, and you ruined it in a second."
"Just because you can't find humour, doesn't mean you have to be an ass."
They scuffled over ownership of the cards, until she stepped in, collecting them to her chest, and sitting back beside Levi, sorting the card deck. He watched, lips crooking in amusement at her abilities, and Zoe ignored that, card shuffling speed increasing. If nothing, she'd gotten far better at card handling in the Military Police. Maybe not a choice skill, but, fuck it.
Gunther clapped as she set them down, and Zoe felt her face warm, ducking her head. It wasn't that impressive, was it? She could only do that portion in the large expanse of card games, so it wasn't much to clap about. And frankly, she felt it wasn't really; shuffling cards wasn't something she would list voluntarily next to her other skills. Though, card shuffling was one of her more social abilities, and further down in life, she might list the skill, but for now, she'd keep the knowledge to only a few.
Levi was pulled away from them, walking out after Ness, frowning at whatever his attention was being brought to. Zoe looked over her shoulder, saw him glance back as well, the door closing soon after him. Abruptly, it opened, and Levi stepped in again, pointed at her, lips pressed into a tight line. She stood, walked past, the door shutting behind her, Levi remaining close to her side, arms crossing over his chest as the moved.
"What?" she asked, making to turn, but his hands were abruptly at her hips, keeping her forward, tipping his head just enough to direct her attention to a couple of Central Military Police.
She frowned, catching sight of Nathan and Edmund (who usually went in place of Jay when needed), loitering on the ground, next to their respective horses, quiet. That tidbit of information usually applied only to Jay, who wasn't there, as Nathan was talking to someone if he was in a group, especially near Edmund, didn't matter to him if it was someone he'd just met. Just the thought of being that social made her cringe, attempting to stop, and not get near them, but the men had already caught sight of her.
The larger Central MP snapped her name, doing a similar with his fingers, which was just enough to spoil her mood, tieing with the fact that her stitches hadn't set properly, and were straining at the worst possible times. Levi had caught sight of her flinching, and had veritably cornered her, sat her down, had the regiment medic look at her. She'd heard him muttering from the stool, fingers drumming on the nearby table, glaring at her while the medic listed the reasons why this had happened, as well as how to prevent it from happening.
She jogged quickly down the stairs, ignored Nathan's glare as she came to a halt in front of the man who'd snapped in her direction. Contrary to the man's first insistence at moving this confrontation along, he suddenly decided to talk about the weather, pondering over the lack of rain. Zoe gazed off to the side, not amused with this, and being snapped at in the first place. A little respect, maybe; it's not as if she really asked for it many times.
"You do know not to tell?" The man suddenly shifted to business, clasped a hand too tight on her shoulder.
"Of course not," she said, pain zipping through her.
"Not even Levi?"
Zoe shook her head, "no."
"Good," He squeezed harder, voice dropping to a hardly audible whisper, "because we'd kill him, yes? If you tell him out there, you shouldn't even bother coming back inside the walls. The both of you."
She stared at the ground, nodded her head, unable to do much more. The man swung back up on horse back, though not before giving her a less than kind pat on the back, painful as the grip he'd had on her shoulder. Zoe didn't even know his name, and he was threatening her a ways from Wall Sina, deciding to add Levi to this list. Not that he could kill Levi singularly, as Zoe was very sure that it would take fifty men and a serious handicap on his end to do that kind of damage. Towards her, she wasn't very sure, though she could at least match Levi when it came to hand-to-hand combat, due to her tussles with Jaz, mostly over who was going to do the chores, and other silly things like that.
Levi waited until Nathan's head disappeared over the hilly horizon, before he strode towards her, picking up a jog, grasping her wrist, jerking her back into the foliage. Zoe tripped over a root, but he caught her waist instead, bundling her further back into the forest, finding the closest tree once they were a goodways in pushed her against the trunk. He let his hands flutter down her frame, checking her over, breathing out, huffing in annoyance every time she said she was fine.
"What?"
"Why do you insist on getting me worked up?"
She shook her head, gazing at him, hoping her sarcasm carried, "Oh, are you?"
"Yes."
"It's nothing."
"You look dumb when you lie," he said, an eyebrow ticking up.
"Shut up," she tried, then reached for him, pulled him close, knowing she didn't always make the first move like this, especially when it came to relationships, though she hadn't had any to hold a candle to this. He just; it was very contrary to the popular opinion as she thought over the feeling here. Zoe was comfortable with him, didn't know how, or why, because he was possibly one of the most difficult people to get along with. Just terrible.
"Silly," he mumbled, and she shifted back enough to catch his eyes.
He didn't elaborate, just tugged her back to him, held her there. She felt safer with him like this, at least to an extent, wished that she could tell him what was happening, but she wasn't going to risk him getting hurt. Even though he worried enough for the both of them, and was strong enough for the same purpose, she wasn't going to risk anything.
He collected her a bit closer, hand slipping under her shirt, along her spine with the same general covert nature he usually started with. Levi ducked his head, bent enough to kiss lower, lower, catching her knee before she could move it out of range, hitched it at his waist. She muffled her gasp, the noise mostly brought of surprise, and a rush of something akin to happiness.
Someone shouted for him, and he twitched for only an instant, casting a look behind him, before he turned back to her, stepping forward enough to push her harder against the tree. Zoe wound her arm over the back of his neck, other used mostly to steady her as his pushes became shoves, caresses more insistent, kissing her to leave bruises that tingled just like soft kisses. His hands dropped to her ass, shifted her to him again, changing his mind as well as the direction of his hands, went back to her belt to press under her pants.
His name was called again, but he didn't turn, his nails digging tight into her skin as she attempted to answer the person, said, "Swear if you call them over, Zoe," he looked to her, though he pressed his forehead to her collarbone, focusing down, "I'll do something."
"Yea? Finally going to try and order me around?"
He gave a tiny scoff, "Maybe."
"I thought I was a higher rank. So shouldn't I do that?"
"No."
"No?" she knew she was almost cooing to him, watching his hair unfold, slip through her fingers. "Are you sure?"
Another shout for Levi, Auruo's heavy footsteps following, and Levi sighed, sagged slowly in front of her, arm sliding under her knee. She started to laugh, waved to Auruo, but then Levi lifted her, as he'd done the day she'd came back to him. Zoe managed a squeak of indignation, grasping at his back, especially as he tugged her shirt out of her belt, and she swore she heard him smirk. Of course, that was ridiculous, but still.
What an asshole.
LEVI
You keep on forgiving, rewrote all my wrongs in pencil. When you stay it makes me forget that I'm down, now it's all so simple. Till the end, even when, I look dumb like I do when I lie. Feels so good letting go I'm exposed, you can have my clothes cause I'm not afraid. But look at you loving a fool, making it easy. I guess it's cool naked with you already seen me.
He ducked his head, watched her shift awake, pushed this event further by tipping his head, hair brushing along her skin. Felt her muscles shift under his lips, hands, the tiny mumble of his name, made him smile, happy he could have her like this again. Would say sorry as many fucking times as she wanted, his hands squeezing tight at her hips as he thought about it, listened to the sleepy moan she gave, legs shifting around him, sheets at his waist.
"I want you," she began, little yawn breaking her off and he nipped at her skin, didn't want anything to interrupt him.
"What do you want?"
"First, I wouldn't mind to give you orders."
He groaned, forehead going to her skin, rocking forward slightly, said, "are you still on that?"
Didn't really want her to, because he'd do anything she asked. He'd never bent to orders well, respected the hierarchy to an extent, but Zoe; to hell and back if she wanted. Would make a good start on eradicating Titans if her order granted further physical prowess. Levi didn't want to show how disgustingly malleable he was to her words, convince her in more terms that he loved her.
"I just want-"
Levi cut across her, "Fine." looked up to her, saw that she was very much awake now, hand propping her head up.
"What?"
"Tell me what to do."
"Never thought I'd hear that."
He shook his head, but kept his place, saw her lips crook up, a little smirk resting there, pretty pink lips tilted up, the indent similar to a bow. Levi moved where she told him, didn't think she'd go any farther, till she caught sight of the cuffs he'd been cleaning last night. Though Levi made an attempt to argue, very proud of the way they shined, because it did enforce Eren's direction, as well as piss off the girl who was something of a shadow to him.
And her, set above him like this, unable to get his hands on her. That she moved where she wanted, though he could've wrapped his legs around her, gotten out of the cuffs with a bit of pain, pin her down. But no. He liked this, her soft hair brushing over his skin when she moved back up; he thought it was very nice. Except when she decided that she'd tease him.
She'd attempted that a few times, one time in the beginning, still in training. Levi had shown her then that he wasn't afraid in the slightest to risk the semi-public idea, though he was sure that no one was venturing near the area he dragged her aside in. The next, in some meeting, and he just-she didn't tease him much anymore, just a little resistance here and there, then she'd melt, and he lived for that.
He reached for her, but she pulled back, let him strain, face the reality that she wasn't melting anytime soon. And then someone knocked on their bedroom door, some recruit, maybe, sent to interrupt them in place of a squad leader. Intelligent move, due to the fact that Levi hadn't been this pissed off in a few days, mostly because he was distracted with Zoe. He'd heard Hanji say something snippy about it, but he could deal with four-eyes later.
"Are you fucking serious?" he barked, jostling her on the bed, listened to her laugh. "What time is it?"
"Sir-" the voice said, but a crack split it off, allowed him to shout instead.
"What time?"
"...7:30."
"And what time did I prominently post on the number of doors leading to this area that would give to an interruption of any sorts?"
"8:30."
"So, it's somewhat confusing as to who has a death wish alongside the hour I seem to be lacking."
"Hanji."
Levi's face screwed up, growling the common misnomer associated with that name, and he jolted, cuffs following him, along with a piece of the wooden headboard. Zoe watched him dismantle himself, and Levi muttered to himself, allowed the metal instruments to clatter to the floor. She scoffed, glared in his direction, sitting back on her heels, sheets twisted around her instead, still naked. He leaned back in when he was dressed, tried to coax the frown away.
She patted his face away, but he wound his arm quick around her waist, dipped as his kisses did. "Stay here," he mumbled, stopped her as she attempted to move from the bed, "yea? Naked, gorgeous." Levi moved to the door, looked at her for confirmation.
"I hate you," she huffed, pouted from her position, and he walked back from the door.
Levi rested a knee briefly on the bed, kissed her hard enough to distract himself. Started to play with the idea that Zoe was sneakier than he gave her credit for, but then. No.
"You don't," he said.
A short sigh, then, "No. But I swear you're the worst. The handcuffs are supposed to work, Levi."
"Opps."
"Don't oops me; you owe me."
"Actually, Zoe, I'm fairly sure you owe me something." He stopped at the door again.
"Really? What?"
"I mean, how many times did you ease off?"
"ease off? Oh, oh; I forgot, you don't like being told no. That you can't cum until I tell you. Things generally around that area."
"And losing."
"Didn't know there was a competition."
"You're usually in second place."
"My nephew finds that second is the best."
"They're the first loser."
"Hush."
He moved from the door again, wondered if he was going to make it out, because she looked so fucking gorgeous; just wanted to promise her the world. Considered...the expedition in two days, decided that he'd make four-eyes wait a bit. Just a little.
Zoe waited in the atrium, shifted slow in the light streaming from the windows, looked down at her hands as they twisted together, began to bounced on her toes. Fidgeted. Walked by books and paintings, stopped at one, turned to him briefly, held it up with a tight smile.
Levi walked forward, stood by her side, looked at the people standing, sketched almost, a few colors used to brighten it up, but simplicity held. It was nice, he supposed. Not bad. Especially complimentary as he caught sight of Zoe, the mess of curls very similar to her brother's, though she managed to look more unruly, despite the line up among them. He flicked a more obvious mess up away, turned the frame to the back, saw the date; 836. She must've been 11, maybe 12 here, so this, this was something to hold onto. Wondered who'd saved it.
"My parents," she broke off, tapped her finger on the picture, tried again, "my parents are buried around that land. Behind Wall Maria. Somewhere on the outskirts. I wonder; maybe my brother made it out there. At least to the farm, you know." Zoe chest rose and fell faster. "Maybe he didn't feel that overwhelming fear that some of us do. Didn't have to watch anything bad happen to Mya, his friends. Chose another way. Maybe." tap, tap on the photo. "Maybe, no."
He set it down, choosing to wrap his arms around her midriff, squeeze her to him for an instant. She needed this kind of comfort, he knew this from experience; she wasn't like him, to the point of not desiring contact. With family, and her up bringing, she was more emphatic. Mostly, he believed she wanted the contact to serve as a base, build up her strength and resolve close to it.
So Levi didn't pause to ponder anything darker, morbid, frightening; held her without thinking for one of the first times. She was the spark for all he'd done the past month, years, and he refused to entertain the idea that this trip might snuff it out. He led himself to think farther ahead, the few seconds he held her stretching out, contemplating their relationship developing. Wanted to know what she thought, but he'd never ask her.
She turned to him once he let go, tipped up after a lull and kissed him. Her lips tasted similar to the sweets Isabel used to steal; broke his heart, no matter how much he'd managed to fortify it over time. Made his breath ragged as she pulled away, framed by light, reminding him of the painting hanging over the hearth in a house long forgotten, depicted some heavenly being, and he'd seen someone pray to things similarly shaped. Levi might bend to Erwin's accusation that he was something of a romantic as he gazed down at her, thought to tell her she was the only shape he'd pray to. Sparks, and light, he supposed.
"Aunt Zoe!" a child squeaked, bounding out of a cellar, apron almost tripping him up, but Zoe dipped fast, swung him into the air, no matter the fact that the 8 year old was almost as tall as her. "Why are you here?" the boy looked to him, eyes widening, peering over Zoe's shoulder. "Is he in the Scout Regiment?" he looked to Zoe, "Is that-That's so cool, you are in the Scout Regiment aren't you?" The child reached, swung to do something, waved instead of grabbing onto him. "You get to go out into Titan country, right? Maria now; I was four, I think when it went down. Wasn't I, Z-Z?"
Levi was somewhat amused by the nickname, as well as the quick shift from subject to subject by the chatty boy. He knew his name as well, just due to the fact that Zoe grumbled about the lack of originality in naming him after her brother. She didn't seem to mind anymore, hugging the boy into silence, smattering kisses, and pinching his cheeks.
Jaz squirreled out of reach, tugging his apron off, folding it quickly, said, "I have to show you something, I'll be right back!" He patted at his cheeks as he ran up the stairs, the old apothecary official walking down, giving them a brief hello and waving Zoe's offer of money away.
"He's like a son now, Commander Roth. And business is picking up, now that you made Sjeh promise to visit us as a primary medicine outlet. Though, if he continues to go through aprons like that, there might be an issue." She nodded, shook his hand before letting him down into the cellar, the door closing after, "ANOTHER EXPLOSION?! How many things does he have to blow up, I know I threw that away; I'm going to have a heart attack, never mind the fumes."
Zoe shook her head, laughed into her hand, as Levi inspected the folding job done on the apron, "I suppose the inability to fold runs in the family."
"Hush," she said, nudging him as Jaz sprang out of the stairwell, resembling a flying squirrel for a brief moment, and Levi caught the both of them.
Somehow, he got stuck with holding her Nephew's items, displaying them as he was instructed to turn them. He only got this level of bossy from Erwin, and then at points Zoe; but the real offender still was Erwin. And this kid.
When Jaz got his name from Zoe, he did one of Hanji's circles before he gazed up at him in something akin to wonder, tugging Zoe's hands to bring her closer. "Why is he with you, Z-Z?"
"I came to tell you I was going out on an expedition soon. Almost tomorrow. And since he's in the Scout Regiment, he came with me."
"Are you two together? Like my mom and dad? And Mr. Joss says that when the regiment comes to the capital, Mr. Levi goes to you."
Mr. Levi. No, he wasn't into that. Not that many people knew his last name, but.
"Does he now?" Zoe glared towards the cellar. "He's something of a gossip, isn't he?"
"And Ms. Sjeh complains about him as well," Jaz beamed around, happy to be a fountain of information, "says stuff like, your Aunt is silly for going with him, sleeping with him. I didn't know you could share a bed; is it fun?"
Levi shook his head, frown threatening to waver, highly amused with this innocent view, knew Sjeh hand said something more adult, and gotten questioned. Thus, he assumed Jaz had gotten misinformed, which was somewhat sad, but still. Funny. Especially to hope that Sjeh had to make up a excuse, admit she was wrong.
"Sure," Zoe said, elbowed Levi as he started to smirk.
"So cool that you get to hang around my Aunt, isn't it? She's nice."
Levi shrugged, and got another elbow in the side for that, decided to be nice, stuck out a hand, "Hey, I'm...with your aunt. Levi. Sometimes people call me Rivalle. Dunno why. Maybe lost in translation."
Jaz shook his hand, looking positively overjoyed, "So I can tell people I know you? Ah man, I bet no one will mess with me now. That'll show them."
"Who messes with you?" Zoe was down on his level in an instant, crouching to grab her nephew. "Who?" She didn't let him answer, snatched him up, "Where?"
Jaz attempted to wriggle out of her hold, bending crazily in her arms. Levi got back up on horseback, and followed them at a good distance, tugging her horse along after his. She finally got the information out of Jaz, mostly because the boys started laughing at him, the two tucked away in the next alley.
Levi still moved slow after them, appearing behind them, very annoyed with Zoe's insistence on dragging this time out. Also, she wasn't very threatening, so; limited effect on the boys there. When he moved behind her, blocking the alley, the starting argument fizzled quickly, the young children just gazing at him.
"Zoe, come on," he dipped, grabbed her nephew as he said it, swung him up next to her.
"Is that-" one of the larger children said, gaping like an idiot.
Jaz reaffirmed suspicions, and switched gears from scared, to proud.
In the end, Zoe was happy. And so was her Nephew. Essentially, he was in her good graces, despite the expedition weight.
Cause nothing moves in the warm air, And words that once would cut like a knife, They just hang in the cloud and you're, pushed by the lord, but you're pulled by the crowds and, you're overboard, you're overboard. Oh my God, she's overboard. My love she's overboard