The Olive Courtyard restaurant - Wall Sina
.
.
Evan Frei jiggled his leg under the table his boss had reserved for their lunch, anxiety building with each minute he didn't see his superior walk through the restaurant's front doors. Where is she? I hope Major didn't get pulled away into an emergency meeting at the last minute.
Then again if she had, there was nothing he – a lowly Private 1st Class – could do about it.
His mind drifted back to their spar in the courtyard not mere hours ago. Shivered as he recalled how close the Major had come to decapitating him during their match.
If that'd been one of the King's attack dogs, you'd be dead before ya could blink. They're that damn good.
He hadn't properly digested Major Wolf's statement because he'd been too busy trying to catch his breath and thanking God his head was still attached to his body. Now that he did have time to reflect, it struck him as odd.
The most trainees knew about the Interior when they signed up to join the military was the King lived there, an easy life awaited the lucky few graduates who made the top ten, and it was the Military Police's job to protect him. That was the extent of their knowledge and why competition was fierce among the cadets during training.
Nobody wanted to deal with the titans head-on or spend their days polishing cannons and running crowd control. But many cadets didn't have a choice. It was either the Scouts or the Garrison and many ended up choosing the latter if they couldn't secure a spot in the coveted top ten. He'd chosen the Scouts because he wanted to prove to his family humanity was worth fighting for. That freedom from the walls that kept Paradis from the rest of the world would one day be possible.
But they didn't believe him. Of course, they didn't. Both served behind the walls after all. So what did they care about their son's drive to push past the stifling grey monoliths that kept them locked away from the vast expanses that lay beyond their immediate surroundings?
He'd gotten a taste of that freedom while riding with Commander Smith during their risky charge to save Eren Jaeger from the Armored and Colossal Titans. And he found himself wanting more-
"-ir? Excuse me sir?"
Frei willed his leg to stop jittering long enough to answer the harried, balding waiter speaking to him, notepad in hand. "I'm sorry sir. Could you repeat that?"
"Are you ready to order?"
Frei shook his head. "Not yet."
"Something to drink then?"
"Water with lemon slices, please."
The man scribbled down his customer's drink on his notepad, trying to conceal his pity. It wasn't the kid's fault his party had stood him up even though he insisted it was a work superior. "And your date will be here soon?"
Frei barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he scanned the front entrance yet again. "My superior officer isn't my date, sir." His tone was firm but polite, hoping the man got the hint and stopped pestering him about the Major.
The waiter nodded as he pocketed his pad. "Of course. My apologies, sir. One water with lemon slices, coming right up."
Frei felt his shoulders sag in relief. He knew the man meant well, but it really wasn't his place to pry into his private life. And if the Major was here, she'd have sent the waiter back to the kitchen with his tail between his legs and head hung in shame-
A small gust of wind from the restaurant's opened front door signaled the arrival of new patrons. He glanced up to see who had come in, and his mouth dropped open.
Major Wolf was here. But it was the presence of the man next to her that made his throat close up. Captain Levi? What…what's HE doing here? The reservation was for two-
"Ayo, Private. Hope you weren't bored waiting for us."
Frei snapped to attention, feeling his fist thump his chest in an instinctive salute.
"No. Not at all Major."
Sierra rolled her eyes as she waved off the kid's display. Levi tsked, teeth on edge at the brat who actually dared to stand next to the she-wolf. The memory of the intimacy that transpired between them was very fresh and he didn't feel like sharing her, not even over a simple lunch.
Jesus, Ackerman. All she did was give you a hand job and you're acting like a jealous bastard.
Maybe it was the bite mark on his neck that was raising his protective instincts.
Maybe it was the fact Sierra actually took the initiative and touched him in ways he never thought in a million years would happen.
Or maybe it was because he'd been so focused on advancing humanity forward, he gave little to no thought about a life beyond the fight. In their line of work there really wasn't time to contemplate getting too overly attached to one person. It hurt too much and the last time he dared to take the plunge-
"Captain? You okay?"
Levi blinked out of the dark slip his mind inadvertently fell into. He cocked his head, narrowing his eyes at Sierra's human puppy dog.
Much to his satisfaction, the kid shrank under his cold stare.
"Sit." Sierra ordered as she slid into the booth closest to the wall. Levi wasted no time claiming space next to her on the padded bench. "I'm starved."
"Right." Smooth Evan. Way to make a terrible first impression on Captain Levi.
The three soldiers spent the next several minutes studying their menus, trying their best to ignore the tense current that had sprung up the moment Sierra and Levi entered the establishment.
This is stupid, Sierra thought as she scanned the menu without really looking at the offerings on it. Why did I agree to come here again? After what she and Levi had done in her room, the atmosphere would always be strange whenever Frei was around her and Levi wasn't.
Levi's face was closed, his usual bored expression firmly in place. The short man studied his menu with cool precision, tuning out the murmur of the restaurant's scattered patrons and the clink of silverware on plates. He gave no outward sign Sierra had intimately touched him not even twenty minutes ago.
He was very much aware of the bite mark on his clavicle that was just covered with his collar. It felt daring and very sensual. He wanted nothing more than to grab Sierra's hand and run out of the restaurant, leaving the Frei brat behind in the dust.
Maybe next time he'd do just that.
If there was a next time.
He hoped there was. If not, he'd figure out a way to make it happen.
Fortunately, the bald waiter bustling up to the table to take their orders broke them from their respective thoughts and they wasted no time telling him what they wanted.
Sierra cleared her throat, gaining the two men's attention.
"Hey, Levi. What's the situation with Eren? You know anything? Or is Erwin keeping ya in the dark again?"
"All I know is, the brat's somewhere in the city and undercover with some of his friends." Levi leaned his chin on his hand, mind working through what Erwin had told him the last time he saw him in his hospital bed.
"What do you mean Major? About Cadet Jaeger I mean." Both elites focused their gaze on Frei who instantly felt foolish asking the question.
"Let's get one thing straight, kid. Eren is not, I repeat NOT a cadet." Sierra raised the steak knife that'd been set next to her plate, pointing it at his face. "Hasn't been one for a while now. He's a valuable asset that many enemies want a piece of." She lowered the sharp utensil, and Frei felt his gut unclench. "Which means we've got our hands full trying to play keep away AND figure out how to keep moving forward."
"Not exactly ideal options," Levi grumbled. He was really, REALLY starting to hate Erwin's crazy-ass plan and sharing space with the she-wolf's human pup in this moment. Nothing was making sense anymore. He wished he could erase Hange's report from his mind and go back to when the Titans were just man-eating monsters without learning they were humans themselves.
"What fun would that be if it was easy?" Sierra's smirk and semi-teasing tone as she said that made his mouth go dry.
Thankfully, the waiter bustled up with their orders.
"Here's your food madam, sirs. Sorry about that wait."
Sierra took a long sniff of her beef and potato stew, blowing on the spoon before taking a big bite of the steaming dish.
"It's alright," Frei assured the waiter who stood by fidgeting with the trolley. "I'm sure everything's delicious. Thank you, sir. We'll call you if we need something."
"Hey waiter!" A man wearing an expensive three-piece suit and a loud, booming voice – with that distinct clipped, Sina accent – hailed the man from the other side of the room before he could answer Frei. "How much longer till our food arrives! We've been waiting twenty minutes!"
The man flashed a harried smile at the trio before bustling over to the table where a wealthy family of four sat impatiently.
"Apologies sir. Let me go check in with the cooks really quick then I'll be right back. Can I get you anything in the meantime?"
"No. Just our orders…" He peered at the waiter's name tag. "Otto. On the double!"
"Yes sir. Right away." Otto rushed as fast as his legs could carry him – causing the three soldiers he'd just served – to shake their heads.
"Filthy, entitled pigs," Levi muttered under his breath. This is why I hate the Interior. It's not just the Underground. It's also the rich hogs who live on the surface that make everyone's lives that's not rolling in money a living hell.
"Seriously," Sierra took a long gulp of water, cooling her throat after a particularly hot spoonful of stew. "Damn pig really pissed me off. Hurry up and eat so we can get out of here."
Both men wasted no time tucking in to their food after that. There was hardly any talking.
Frei focused on chewing and swallowing. His pasta with white sauce and grilled chicken was delicious but the rude display he'd just witnessed made the last few bites of his meal hard to finish. Major Wolf was right. The Interior was a terrible place full of selfish, entitled wealthy elites who most likely didn't have to fight for scraps like those living in Wall Rose had to, since Wall Maria fell and Shiganshina had been overrun with Titans.
And this is the place Mom and Dad wanted me to live and work in after graduation? The more Frei saw of the Interior, he was convinced he'd dodged a major bullet. It was clear one's morality – as well as bribes – was traded as freely as the expensive wines and food listed on his menu.
He swallowed his final bite of pasta, washing it down with the last of his lemon water.
Sierra reached for her wallet, but paused when she saw Levi already had his out and signaled a young waitress who was passing by their table for the bill.
"You don't have to pay for m-" she started to protest but was silenced by Levi lightly pressing the tips of his fingers on her outer thigh surreptitiously under the table.
"I got it. Save your money." Relieved she didn't flinch at his touch, Levi let his fingers linger a moment or two longer before withdrawing his hand. Restraint, Ackerman. He commanded his errant thoughts to fall in line. Not here. The pup was watching and he was getting careless.
Finally, after waiting for what seemed hours – but really it was five minutes – the waitress came by with the bill.
"Sorry about that wait, sirs. Single or separate bill?"
Levi held out his palm and the girl's eyes widened when she saw who was gesturing for the receipt.
"Oh! Oh my God, Captain Levi-!"
He tried to silence her with a glare but the waitress slipped into fangirl mode. "It's such a pleasure to serve someone as elite as you sir! I can't wait to tell my friends that I was able to wait on the legendary and powerful Captain Levi-!"
Thump!
The starstruck waitress jumped as the table and everything on it rattled under the force of Sierra's fist striking it.
"Shut up, give him the bill and piss off!"
The poor girl's throat bobbed fearfully as she hurried to obey, unable to look at the fierce woman who practically growled the order from her seat. The second Levi handed over the money, the young waitress promptly fled to the safety of the kitchens.
Frei openly gaped at his boss' vicious outburst; his heart lodged somewhere in his throat. Suddenly, he felt very small and fear filled his bones at the hostility radiating off the Major in powerful waves. She scared the hell out of him and he wasn't sure how to process that.
Get it together Evan. This is what you signed up for. She's not like Commander Smith.
But she was already pushing back her chair and rising to her feet. Frei felt his breath re-enter his lungs as he took a moment to compose himself.
"Let's go," Sierra murmured to the men ignoring the stares she'd garnered for snapping at the waitress. "Eren's out there. Time to find him."
Wordlessly, they followed her out of the Olive Courtyard and into the bustling, sun-warmed streets. After walking several blocks Levi cleared his throat.
"Wanna tell me what that was all about?"
"Not now Levi." Sierra kept scanning their surroundings, making sure not a single alley escaped her sharp vision. Eren could be anywhere in this damn maze, she thought irritably, wishing she could've skipped the disastrous lunch at the Courtyard and went along with the 104th on their mission instead.
Now she found herself in one of the most awkward positions of her life: allowing herself to move closer to Levi while keeping Frei at arm's length. She sensed the kid harbored a crush on her much like Petra had on the dark-haired man keeping pace with her.
See, this is why I never bothered to socialize or form bonds. She thought as she peered down another shaded alley. Too much hassle. But for Levi, she'd make an exception.
Okay.
Fine.
Eren too. But that was all she was willing to give for the time being-
Sierra was so deep in thought she tensed when she felt her arm being grasped. Before she could jerk away, Levi stepped into her line of sight and pulled her into an alley nestled between a bakery and a clothing store in one smooth motion. Frei followed a step or two behind.
The alley was narrow but fairly clean. Since it was located in the heart of Stohess, the cobblestones were kept relatively neat. A far cry from the dim, dirty alleys from the Underground awash with trash, debris and disease.
"What?!"
Silver and dark grey orbs widened as they realized they'd asked the question in unison. The world fell away and for a moment, Levi and Sierra found themselves locked in a stare off that seemed to last forever.
"Sierra." Levi kept his voice low so as not to attract passerby attention. "What was that back there? You practically bit that poor girl's head off when I was paying for our-"
"She was fangirling over you, bastard," the woman replied through gritted teeth, eyes blizzard white as she recalled the embarrassing display. "And you did nothing to stop her-"
"I've dealt with worse." Levi bit out, tightening his fingers on the she-wolf's arm on instinct. Silently willing her to shut up so they could find Eren and the other brats before something crazy went down. "It was just a bill-"
"-with a fangirl attached to it."
"Sierra, STOP!"
She froze, a tiny gasp leaving her lips.
.
.
10-year-old Sierra reeled clutching her aching face, the john she was servicing drunk off his ass. She'd bitten him on the arm for being a little too rough and he'd promptly dragged her off his dick, fury written across his face at his impending orgasm being aborted and promptly slapped her.
"Hey slut! What was that for?!"
Sierra panted, trying to catch her breath. Her face stung. She knew there'd be a handprint there later. She felt dirty and disgusted at the pedophile's touch. "I told you to stop! Too rough!"
The john leered down at her quivering, naked form. "Too bad."
"It's not 'too bad' if I tell Ax you nearly raped me."
The tall man's depraved eyes darkened. "Bitch, you wouldn't dare-"
The young girl glared up at the predator. She was so done with this monster. There were other girls who were into the hardcore stuff, but she wasn't ready for that. At least not yet. She doubted she'd EVER be truly ready to surrender to the monsters disguised as humans.
"Get dressed, pack your shit and get out."
"What?! You can't tell me what to-"
"I SAID GET OUT!" She shrieked; her hands curled into fists as she fought to keep them from shaking.
Sierra wound up with two black eyes and a nasty bump on her head for her troubles. But after she reported the john's aggressive behavior to the Ax – when she was absolutely sure he'd left the Siren Song for the night – she was given the week off and told to put ice on her swollen face.
She never saw that particular john darken the door of the brothel again. Ax had taken care of business.
.
.
"-ey. Sierra. Hey!"
"Major?! You okay?"
She blinked out of her mini stupor.
Levi and Frei's concerned faces swam into focus.
Oh.
Shit.
How long did I space out this time?
She took a moment to breathe deeply.
You're in an alleyway. This is Wall Sina.
Exhale.
Levi and Frei are here. You're not back at the brothel.
Inhale.
You're on mission. Find Eren and his friends.
Exhale.
Levi watched the woman take slow, deep breaths, alarm at her sudden blank expression coursing through his body. What happened? She just froze. Worried he brought a careful hand up to her chin, gently cupping it.
"Hey," he whispered, every cell of his body and mind focused on bringing the she-wolf back from the dark quagmire of her own mind. Silver eyes met his. They were a bit glassy and he didn't like that. He'd seen this look far too many times in new recruits and cadets suffering nightmares and flashbacks. "You alright? You with me?"
Sierra nodded, a minute bob of the head before she gently removed his hand from her face.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go."
She glanced over to Frei who was white as a sheet. His body trembled and she paused to lay a hand on his forearm. His eyes flew up to meet his boss', mouth opening to say something. But she shushed him with a finger to her lips.
"I'm okay Private. Let's get to work."
She withdrew her hand, spun on her heel and marched out of the alley into the street. Time was wasting and they needed to locate Eren now.
Behind her, two sets of footsteps hurried to match her brisk pace. She hoped they weren't too late.
TBC…
A/N: Hey guys. I'm back. Sorry about the mini hiatus, but work and life got really busy the last few weeks and that takes priority over fanfiction unfortunately. Anyway, enjoy and don't forget to drop me a line in the comments!
Special shout out to the 128 reviews, 419 faves, and 507 likes. We're getting there. Slowly but surely, the story's coming along, lol.