"Okay, so this list is for the armory… and which one was this again?"
"That's for the Commander's office. Erwin's stuff, in other words."
"Ugh, I feel like I'm completely mixed up already…" Rosa let out a deep sigh. As she had expected, Erwin had denied her plea to be assigned into a new team— Instead, she was ordered to assist Section Commander Hange for the time being. The tasks she was given were simple enough, but the fact that she was now stuck with such a menial job grated at her nerves. "So, this is my life now… being an errand girl." Her brow furrowed as she examined the shopping lists Hange had just handed to her.
"Oh, by the way, could you buy these things while you're at it? I know, sorry, I didn't realize that I was running low on all of these..!" Hange chuckled, patting Rosa's shoulder apologetically.
"Sure…" Rosa stared down at the papers in her hand, her shoulders sagging. "How did this even happen?"
"Oh, right, I totally forgot…" Hange, who was already about to make her leave, halted as she remembered something. "Those lists need to be approved by either Erwin or Levi— Before you head out, make sure you get those papers signed."
"W-what?" Rosa stuttered in disbelief. "But I-"
"Alright, see you later!" With that, Hange rushed away, leaving Rosa alone in the corridor.
As soon as the Section Commander disappeared around the corner, Rosa's knees buckled. She slumped against the wall, the amount of work ahead pressing down on her like a boulder. Her eye flicked to the list on top of the pile, the handwriting on the page barely legible. Her mind began racing, a million questions swirling in her head. Was it really her fate to become a mere errand girl for the rest of her days? Would she ever be able to return to the front lines again? The mere thought caused her stomach to clench. She knew she wouldn't survive another expedition, not in her current state. But how could she accept the reality that had been presented to her? A low sigh slipped past her lips.
"Ugh, fine… Let's just get this over with…" Rosa muttered under her breath. She forced herself to stand up, her hands clutching the shopping lists. "So, either Commander Erwin… or Captain Levi." She'd rather avoid meeting Commander Erwin for the time being. Not because he was the one who had appointed her to these menial tasks, but because out of shame for her own behavior; When discussing her future in the Survey Corps, she had let her frustration and anxiety get the better of her. Lashing out at the Commander wasn't something she was proud of.
"So, Captain Levi it is."
A few minutes later, Rosa found herself in front of the door to Captain Levi's office. She hesitated before raising her fist to knock; Captain Levi was quite an intimidating character, so she had always tried to be in her best behavior when around him… except the last time. "I just had to go and snap at him, as well…" Rosa's shoulders sagged at the memory of herself stumbling on the ground and cursing in front of him; She had been a mess, and the thought of appearing before him again didn't sit well with her. But, she couldn't turn back now. With a deep breath, she finally gathered her courage and knocked.
Levi looked up from the report he was writing, a subtle frown settling between his brows at the sound of a knock on his office door. He let out a low sigh. Who the hell could that be?
Rosa knocked once again, her knuckles tapping against the wooden surface.
"Come in."
"Um, hello." Rosa said, stepping into the room. Her eye flitted around the room, taking in the sight. The space was immaculately clean, everything arranged with a precise order. Her attention shifted to the man sitting behind the desk, and her chest tightened.
"Can I help you?" Levi's voice pulled Rosa back to reality.
"Huh? Oh, yes." Rosa stumbled over her words. Her grip on the shopping lists tightened, and her heart pounded in her ears. "I... I've been assigned to run some errands. Section Commander Hange said you should review the lists first."
"Oh, is that so..." Levi leaned back in his chair. His pale blue eyes studied her for a moment, and Rosa could instantly feel the weight of his stare, his gaze sending a chill down her spine— She couldn't help but to wonder how someone's eyes could be so expressive and yet so unreadable at the same time. "So, hand them over, then."
Levi picked up the lists that she had brought in, his eyes carefully scanning the papers. As the seconds passed, his expression shifted into one of mild annoyance. Rosa couldn't blame him, though; Making any sense out of Hange's scribbles was quite a task.
"Well, this is certainly something..." Levi muttered under his breath, a sigh following his statement.
Rosa couldn't help but to crack a faint smile. "Yeah... Section Commander Hange isn't exactly known for her neat writing."
Another moment of silence passed, the quiet in the room making Rosa's skin crawl. While waiting, her gaze kept trailing back to the man behind the desk— Her curiosity was growing stronger, and she couldn't stop her eye from wandering across his features. His dark hair was parted neatly to the side, a sharp contrast to his cool, pale gaze. The crease between his brows was ever-present, his expression stoic and his posture rigid. Unlike the other times she had seen him, he wasn't wearing his jacket today; The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up to his elbows, exposing his forearms. His skin was pale, a hint of the underlying muscle visible, and a vein trailed across his forearm. Rosa couldn't help but to feel a sense of awe for the man, not only for his looks but also his status as the humanity's strongest; His aura was imposing, his mere presence radiating authority and power.
The longer she secretly admired him, the memory of their encounter at the training yards loomed continuously more heavily in her mind; She'd have to come up with something to say or she felt like she'd suffocate..!
"Uhm… Captain?" Rosa began, her voice wavering— Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, and the nervousness made her throat tighten. If she wanted to make amends, this was her chance.
Levi glanced up from the paper, his gaze fixed on her.
"About the... um, the other day..." Rosa could feel her palms beginning to sweat, the nerves threatening to take over her. She took a deep breath, and continued. "I want to apologize. I'm sorry for... well, you know, acting like a fool and all that."
"You don't have to apologize." Levi said, his tone matter-of-fact.
"But I do, and-" Rosa protested, but then the rest of his sentence sunk in, and her mouth snapped shut. "Wait... I don't?"
"No." He repeated, his eyes locked onto her. "You did nothing wrong."
"Huh." Rosa's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Her gaze lowered, a faint tint of pink spreading across her cheeks. "T-thank you, sir."
"Don't mention it." Levi's gaze softened, and a subtle smile curled the corners of his lips. Rosa couldn't help but to notice the warmth in his voice, and his eyes that held an unmistakable sparkle. There was a hidden tenderness, a kind of gentle humanity that she had never noticed before, and it was captivating.
For another short moment, Levi studied the lists in silence. Then, he looked up at Rosa again.
"What is it, Captain?" Rosa inquired, her gaze flicking between his face and the paper he was holding.
Levi's expression hardened, his brows knitting together. "Well, just one thing..."
"Tell me." Rosa said, her interest piqued.
"Hange's writing is impossible to read."
"Ah." Rosa couldn't help but to chuckle, his blunt comment taking her by surprise.
"I don't have time to sit here all day, trying to decipher Hange's scribbles…" Levi let out a sigh, collecting the papers back into a neat pile before handing them back to Rosa. Then, to her surprise, he stood up and grabbed his jacket. "Let's just figure it out while we're at it."
Rosa could only stare, dumbfounded. "W-what?"
"You were supposed to do some shopping, right? Let's go." He said, gesturing towards the door.
"O-oh..! Okay..." Rosa mumbled, her gaze flitting between the door and Levi.
"Well, let's not waste any time, then."