Chpt 7: The Maiden Shuts The Beast
When Roy said he introduced him to a potential client, Levi knew there was more to it than it seems because he is Roy Mustang, a mastery of trickery, just like Loki. Either that or I'm watching too much Avengers, which explains why Levi is sitting at the same table as his ex-girlfriend, Rico Brzenska, the bitch who dumped him for Ian Dietrich because he is richer.
Wrong tense now, he snickered mentally. He liked Rico before, but after seeing her dump him for money, he was eternally grateful to Ian because he will not spend the rest of his life together with a money-digging wench whose hands cannot stay away from his wallet. Now that Ian is as rich as a beggar after his business failed, Rico abandoned him for greener pastures. I just hope I'm not next on her list.
Seated with the posture of a lady, taking small sips of her earl grey tea with while holding the cup with her pinky raised, Levi could only think of one word: Faker. Why on earth would she even engage me to be her lawyer when Mike is just next door? Right... Maybe because Nanaba looks more intimidating than Petra, especially when she doesn't smile.
Finally putting her cup down, Rico looked up at Levi with a small smile on her face.
"It's been quite a while hasn't it, Levi?"
Not long enough for me, that's for sure is what is on his mind but his mouth decided it's not worth the trouble so he said, "Yeah. Long time no see."
"As you have heard from Mustang, I'm engaging you to help me settle my divorce papers with Ian. I knew this day would come but he lasted longer than I expected. What a relief."
She levelled up her 'Bitch Mastery'.
"Shall we get down to business then, Ms Rico?" He asked formally.
"Levi, please. Don't treat me so formally. Just 'Rico' would be sufficient."
Are you fucking dense or what? Can't you tell I do not want to be anywhere near you?!
"Alright since that's what you prefer." Levi complied, not wanting to make a fuss over something trivial and give her another topic to drag around.
While discussing 'business', Rico wasn't as cooperative as Levi hoped she would be. She kept trying to shift topics unrelated to her case and probing Levi about his personal life which he absolutely hates. Because one, he hate nosy-parkers; two, it's his PERSONAL life and he isn't obligated to share it with someone he deems unworthy of knowing; three, this is a business setting, not some lame gathering or useless reunion party where you catch up on how much shit they have been passing out each day.
Grabbing the chance to escape when he heard Rico mentioned a meeting after this while she was on the phone, Levi bid her farewell and brisk-walked out of the restaurant. This was worse than having a meeting with Inocencio because Inocencio is only a wimpy little asshole who could be mistaken for a nine year old brat, but Rico was on a whole different level. That wench's manipulative skills are out of the norm even for someone as hard-headed as him. Even back in high school, it wasn't surprising to see her sleep with three dicks at one time even when she was officially dating Ian at that time.
Disgusted, Levi shuddered at the thought, wondering what compelled him to ask her out. I was out of my mind. Either that or I lost a stupid bet with Mike.
While Levi stopped at a traffic light, he sent Petra a message meet me downstairs at the driveway in fifteen minutes. Tapping the wheel while his speakers were blasting T. M. Revolution's Flags, he sped through too many yellow lights and just drove through one red because he didn't want to keep Petra waiting for too long plus there wasn't any camera at that junction.
Petra saw Levi's car drove in, wondering what he needed from her since he didn't ask her to bring down anything. Before she could open her pretty mouth, Levi winded the window down and told her to hop in. Petra got in even though she was puzzled.
"Your looks, attitude and taste in music are galaxies apart."
"I'll take that as a compliment." Steering out onto the streets and down the road, Levi said, "Hope you haven't eaten lunch yet because I've not. My appetite was thrown out the window the moment I saw Rico sashay her way into the restaurant in that 'skirt' of hers."
"I was just about to call for some nasty takeout before I saw your text, and Rico? You mean the client introduced by Roy?"
"I'll will kill him the moment it's legal to murder someone." Levi scowled.
"Why the sudden surge in animosity? Don't he always piss you off?"
"He bloody hell knows the reason why, that bastard. I hopes he gets constipated for a month, filled to the brim with shit until it spills out of his foul mouth." Levi curses.
While Petra scrunched her face in disgust, Roy sneezed quite loudly elsewhere.
"Are you coming down a cold?" Riza asked.
"Nah," Roy waved mindlessly. "I'm certain that it's just someone missing me. Hopefully a beautiful lady."
Riza rolled her eyes and resumed eating.
Just when dessert was served, the cute couple walked in, not noticing two pairs of hawk eyes were onto them; at least not until Levi's inbuilt 'Idiot Alarm System' was set off. Sweeping his eyes across the restaurant, filtering faces through his 'Moron Sifter', dark sapphire met obsidian. Levi was about to turn tail and find another place to eat but Petra made her own plans. Poor Levi was dragged unwillingly because he just can't say no to his lover, not out loud anyway.
"Hello Riza, Roy. I hope I'm not interrupting your lunch date." Petra greeted with a smile.
"Of course not, my dear. I always welcome a lady to my table, especially one as beautiful as you." Roy gave his signature wink.
While Petra continued smiling because she knows of Roy's harmless playful nature, Levi wasn't having it at all. The moment Roy said dear, Levi shot a glare so piercing, Riza was quite impressed. Levi knows Petra is beautiful, the most beautiful women in his life; exquisite, graceful, charming, dazzling and a lot more adjectives that wouldn't do justice to her being, but he still doesn't like other men paying compliments to his woman. That and another issue.
"Roy, step outside. I have a score to settle."
Levi headed out before Roy had a chance to refuse. Petra and Riza looked at Roy, expressions of what have you done this time and Roy shrugs as though he really doesn't have a clue of what's going on – which they obviously do not believe. "Have my seat, Petra, while I discuss man business with shorty."
"Don't get killed yet. The bill has not been settled." Riza offhandedly said.
"Instead of worrying for my life, you worry about the bill. I'm hurt." Clutching onto his heart, Roy limp-walked out the restaurant. Good thing nobody noticed what a bad actor he was.
The moment Roy stepped outside, Levi was this short of hurling him onto the streets and let him get rammed by all sorts of vehicles out there, thinking he will enjoy the sight of his guts spilling all over the road because he won't be the one cleaning up the mess.
Not one to beat around the bush, Levi got to the point. "What the fuck were you thinking when you introduced me to Rico? You bloody hell know I had a leg with her when I was dumb. And don't deny it because I know your memory is way better at remembering stupid stuff I said when I'm drunk than remembering all the time Riza saved your ass and polished it until it shines like a monk's head."
"Calm down, bro. Don't fly off the handle so quickly. It wasn't me but Riza who recommended you. I tried to refuse but you know Riza has her ways with me and I couldn't tell her your secret because it's not mine. Don't give me that look; Yes I can keep secrets, thank you very much."
"Why me?!"
"Everyone knows you're the best at this in our company, and I may have accidentally let slipped that you two know each other and she may have thought that I will put through this request of hers to you and I may have purposely omitted Rico was your potential client and you may be having homicidal thoughts right now." By the end of his 'explanation', you could probably only hear vehicles honking away or the bustling of pedestrians around but unfortunately for Roy, Levi has excellent hearing.
"Damn right. I'm going to buy '101 ways to cover up evidence' after this." After a short silence, he continued quietly, "Petra doesn't know and doesn't need to know this."
"Oh. Ok. Zip it is. Not even to Riza, I swear." Roy did the air gesture of zipping his lips and Levi half wished he could personally staple it shut instead.
While walking back to the restaurant, Roy decided to lighten up the mood in his own Roy-ish way.
"So, finally got into her pants?" He smirks.
"I don't need to talk to you about my sex life. And Petra wears more skirts than pants."
"So you do have a sex life! Congratulations, bro! " Patting Levi's back with a little more strength than intended, he got elbowed not too gently for it.
Clutching his stomach while managing to wheeze out, "Have you tried it… on your… office table?" Levi flipped him the finger, ignoring his words but entertaining his suggestion.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Levi said while slipping into the booth.
"I take it everything went well since I see Roy is still in one piece, albeit clutching his guts."
"I bet he deserves it." Riza commented.
"He deserves more than that."
"You can do more to him once he has paid the bill."
"You people have no compassion for the injured." Shooting a pleading look to Petra, "Oh sweet Petra, wou– OW! What was that for?!"
Levi pretended to be busy looking through the menu, refusing to meet Roy's eyes and tell him that his balls were the intended target. Riza and Roy took their leave after paying the bill which Roy was complaining to because Riza sucked him dry this time. (To those who are thinking too much, stop, before you reach the point of no return)
Lunch was peaceful, small talks only when they aren't busy chewing; they think it's disgusting when you are able to see all that chow being grinded and on display for the entire world to see, classy. Levi updated Petra about the unfruitful meeting with Rico and another client, Petra told him what happened while he was out, he told her how terrifying it is when people's EQ and IQ are depleting faster than natural resources, Petra complaining about her balding landlord increasing her rent and how bills are on the rise.
"You should move in with me." Levi suggested.
Petra looked up in surprise with her mouth hanging open, letting Levi see how her lunch looks like after being chewed five times while he looked at her in disgust. Shutting her mouth and trying to swallow quickly without choking herself, she stumbled, "W-w-what did you just say?!"
"You should move in with me." Levi repeated slowly, making sure he enunciated his words as though Petra was a five year old kid.
"What I meant was, why would you suggest that?" Petra's prominent blush is making its comeback.
"Because you're my girlfriend and I don't feel you are safe living by yourself; almost all of your neighbours have a dick below the belt. Imagine how worried I would be if something happens and there is no one around to help you. Also your rent is ever-soaring. Didn't baldy increased it three months ago?"
"Yeah he did, that jerk. Just because there lesser tenants now, he's pushing his expenses onto us. I hope all of his hair falls off by the next morning." Her cheeks are no longer red from shyness but from anger. Who the fucks increases the rent so frequently?! The apartment was acceptable but there are occasions where the pipe leaks or the electricity get cut off for a short period of time. Complaints go unheard and even if the landlord promises to fix it, the serviceman takes forever to reach. What, did they have to take a shuttle from Pluto to Earth with a few stopovers to get to her house?
"So, just move in with me. I'd rather wake up seeing your sleeping face exhausted from a nigh–mmmmh!" If Levi was the type to frail his arms around, he would, but he isn't so he opted to stare at Petra who has her palm over his mouth.
Petra was scanning her surroundings with frantic eyes, afraid that anyone overheard their about-to-be-M-18 talk. When she's certain no one's eyes are wider than what she thinks is normal, she turns to Levi and harshly whispers, "What were you trying to do?!"
Removing her hand away, "Just trying my best to persuade my girlfriend into moving in with me." The corner of his mouth tugging slightly even though he doesn't want it to. "I'm only pointing out the pros which I'm more than willing to divulge."
"Shut it before I decide to reject your generous offer. I'll think about it when I get home."
Petra was about to put another spoonful into her mouth before she thought of something and smirked, "For all I know, you only want to know my bra size."
Without missing a beat, Levi said with a straight face, "Trust me, my hands already has that memorised months ago. And also, they have grown. Perhaps you should buy one size bigger next time."
The food Petra spluttered out flew past his handsome face, what a waste.
A/N 1: This is my longest chapter yet – 23xx words excluding author's notes.
A/N 2: Levi and Petra didn't tell each other about their past relationship(s) because they don't see the need to.