Chapter 10: The Night the Bonds Deepened
As the night deepened, the waves crashed softly against the shore, the salty air growing
cooler as the moon began to rise higher into the sky. The scouts had set up a small
camp on the beach, the flicker of firelight casting long shadows over the sand. The
earlier tension from Mikasa's outburst had mostly dissipated, but the weight of what had
happened still lingered in the air.
The sirens, now resting comfortably alongside their chosen mates, had grown quieter as
the night wore on. Even their usual playfulness was subdued as the rhythmic sound of
the ocean seemed to lull them into a more relaxed state. Still, their connection to the
sea pulled at them. The ocean was where they drew their strength, where they would
need to return to rest. For now, the moonpool awaited them.
Luna, standing tall beside Eren, glanced out at the water, her gaze calm and thoughtful.
"It's getting late," she said, her voice steady. "We need to return to the sea. The ocean is
where we rest and gather our strength."
Eren didn't say much, but he gave a subtle nod, his expression unreadable as always.
Aria, lounging nearby with her usual flirty smirk, gave a soft sigh. "Do we really have to
go now?" she asked, glancing at Levi with a playful gleam in her eyes. "I was just
getting comfortable."
Levi raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "You need the sea to recharge, don't you? You'll
be useless otherwise."
Aria pouted, though there was still that teasing light in her eyes. "Oh, Captain, you're
always so practical. But I suppose you're right… I do need my beauty sleep." She
batted her eyelashes at him one last time before stretching lazily, though she clearly
wasn't in any rush to leave.
Meanwhile, Bria was in a very different mood. She was still sprawled across Floch's lap,
her arms wrapped around his neck, refusing to let him go. Her lips were locked against
his, her hands tangled in his hair, and she didn't seem to care that the other sirens had
begun to talk about heading back to the sea.
Floch, despite his usual cocky attitude, looked completely overwhelmed. His face was
flushed, and he was clearly struggling to keep up with Bria's unrelenting affection. Every
time he tried to pull back to catch his breath, Bria pulled him right back in, her kisses
growing more passionate by the second.
Jean and Connie exchanged glances, trying not to laugh at the sight. "Man, Floch really
doesn't stand a chance," Jean muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
Connie snickered. "She's not letting him go anytime soon, huh?"
Bria, between kisses, whispered against Floch's lips, her voice sultry and filled with
playful affection. "I'm not ready to say goodnight yet, Floch. I want more…"
Floch, barely managing to catch his breath, stammered, "I-I don't… I mean—"
Before he could finish, Luna sighed softly and glanced at the other sirens. "Bria, we
need to return to the sea. It's time to rest."
Bria, clearly reluctant, groaned in frustration but didn't stop kissing Floch. "Just a little
longer," she muttered, her hands still roaming over him. "I'm not done yet."
Aria chuckled, watching the scene unfold with amusement. "You're insatiable, Bria. You
know you'll see him again tomorrow."
Bria pouted, her lips still brushing against Floch's as she reluctantly pulled away, just a
fraction. "But I don't want to wait until tomorrow," she whined, her voice dripping with
playful frustration.
Floch, his face still bright red, tried to speak, but Bria kissed him again, her lips soft but
demanding. He let out a muffled sound, clearly unsure of what to do as the other scouts
looked on in varying degrees of disbelief and amusement.
Finally, Luna stepped forward, her voice firm but not unkind. "Bria, that's enough. You'll
have plenty of time with him later. For now, we need to rest."
Bria sighed dramatically, her eyes filled with longing as she finally pulled back from
Floch, though her hands remained firmly around his neck. "Fine," she muttered, clearly
unhappy about it. "But I'm coming back for more tomorrow, Floch."
Floch, still too flustered to respond coherently, nodded quickly, his voice barely a
whisper. "Y-yeah… sure…"
The other sirens, already preparing to return to the water, exchanged knowing glances,
clearly entertained by Bria's antics. Caspia and Solara giggled softly, while Melody and
Sera shared a quiet smile.
"Come on, Bria," Aria teased, her voice light and playful. "We all need to rest. The
ocean's calling."
Reluctantly, Bria finally stood up, though not without giving Floch one last, lingering kiss.
"Goodnight, Floch," she whispered, her lips brushing against his ear. "Dream about me."
Floch nodded, still looking utterly dazed as Bria sauntered back toward the water,
joining the other sirens as they began to wade into the sea.
The scouts, now left to themselves, watched as the sirens disappeared beneath the
waves, their shimmering tails flashing briefly in the moonlight before they were gone.
Jean let out a long breath, shaking his head. "Well, that was… something."
Connie grinned, clearly still amused by the whole scene. "Floch didn't know what hit
him."
Armin, though quieter, couldn't help but smile. "They're… different. But I guess that's
what makes them so interesting."
Levi, ever the pragmatist, gave a small sigh, already turning his attention back to more
practical matters. "We should get some rest too. Tomorrow's not going to be any easier."
The scouts, still reeling from the day's events, slowly began to settle into their camp for
the night, the sound of the waves lapping at the shore lulling them into a tentative calm.
The fire crackled softly as they gathered around it, each of them still processing
everything that had happened.
The moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale glow over the beach, while the gentle
sound of the waves provided a backdrop to their thoughts. The sirens had disappeared
back into the sea for the night, but their presence still weighed heavily on everyone's
minds.
Jean, always one to break the silence first, let out a long breath, leaning back on his
hands as he stared into the flames. "So… are we all just going to pretend none of this is
weird? Because I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that we're supposed to
'bond' with sirens." He shot a glance over at Floch, who was still red in the face, clearly
not over the intensity of Bria's affections.
Connie snickered, nudging Floch with his elbow. "Yeah, Floch's already well on his way.
You've got it bad, man."
Floch groaned, running a hand through his hair, clearly flustered but also trying to
maintain some semblance of composure. "Look, I didn't ask for this," he muttered,
though his voice wavered. "Bria's… she's just a lot."
"A lot?" Connie laughed, his grin wide. "She's all over you, man. I've never seen you like
this."
Jean leaned forward, his expression serious, though there was a hint of amusement in
his eyes. "Yeah, but are you okay with it? I mean, it's not just about her being into you.
We're talking about bonding with sirens, becoming stronger… becoming different."
Floch hesitated, his eyes flickering toward the sea before returning to the fire. "I don't
know," he admitted quietly. "I mean, the idea of getting stronger, of becoming better—it
sounds good. But it's… a lot to take in." He shifted awkwardly. "Bria's intense. She
knows what she wants, and she doesn't hold back. It's kind of overwhelming."
Jean nodded, thoughtful. "Yeah, that's what I'm worried about too. Solara's… well, she's
something. But this whole bonding thing, it's more than just physical. It's a lifetime
connection, right? I'm not sure if any of us really understand what that means."
Connie, who had been unusually quiet for a moment, glanced at Jean, his grin fading
slightly. "Yeah, Caspia's been flirty and fun, but… I don't know, man. There's something
more to it. I'm just not sure what that is yet. It's like they know something we don't."
Armin, always the voice of reason, sat with his knees drawn up to his chest, his brow
furrowed in deep thought. "The sirens aren't just picking us randomly. They see
something in each of us—something that makes us the right choice for them. But we're
still learning about what that bond really means."
Jean crossed his arms, his face tight with concern. "And that's the part that's hard to
figure out. What do they see in us? And why now? I mean, we're in the middle of a war.
How are we even certain that bonding with these sirens will help us win in the long run?"
Armin shook his head. "From what we know, the bond makes us stronger, faster, and
more capable in battle. The sirens want protection, and in return, they make us into
better warriors. It's a symbiotic relationship. But it's not just about the physical
power—we'd be connected to them emotionally too. We can't forget that."
Levi, who had been sitting in silence throughout the conversation, finally spoke up, his
voice low and calm. "It's a commitment. You bond with them, and you're tied to them for
life. It's not something you can walk away from."
Aria's flirtations clearly hadn't gone unnoticed by him, but Levi's practical nature kept
him grounded. He didn't get swept up in emotions easily, and that made him a harder
target for Aria's charms. Still, even Levi seemed to recognize the gravity of what they
were being asked to do.
"So, Captain," Connie asked with a grin, "what's it like being chased by Aria? She's
been all over you."
Levi shot him a look that could have cut through stone. "It's annoying."
Connie laughed, but quickly sobered. "But seriously, what do we do? Are we supposed
to just go along with it? It feels like we're walking into something big, and we don't even
know the full story."
Eren, who had been quiet for most of the night, finally spoke, his voice flat and devoid of
emotion. "It's not about what we want anymore. The sirens picked us for a reason.
We're stronger with them. That's the reality."
Jean frowned, looking over at Eren. "You sound pretty sure about this."
"I am," Eren replied, his eyes cold. "Luna isn't lying. She sees strength in me, and she'll
make me stronger. I don't need to know more than that. What we're doing now, what's
coming next—it's all that matters."
Armin glanced at Eren, concern flickering in his eyes. "But Eren, this isn't just about
becoming stronger. There's more to this bond than just power."
Eren didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the fire, his mind clearly elsewhere.
Jean sighed, leaning back again. "This is all happening so fast. One minute we're just
trying to fight Titans, the next we're being told we're supposed to bond with sirens and
become some kind of super soldiers."
Connie grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, at least we've got some of the most
beautiful women in the world picking us, right?"
Floch groaned. "That's not making this any easier, Connie."
The group fell into a comfortable silence after that, each of them staring into the fire, lost
in their own thoughts. The night had brought more questions than answers, and though
they had agreed to the sirens' proposal, the weight of that decision was only just
beginning to settle in.
The bonds they were about to form would change them—forever. And none of them
could say for sure what that would mean in the long run.
As the scouts sat in their contemplative silence, the flickering fire casting shadows over
their faces, Jean happened to glance at Floch who was fixing his collar. He did a double
take, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Uh… Floch," Jean said, trying to stifle a laugh, "are you aware that your neck is… red?"
Connie turned to look, then burst out laughing, his voice echoing across the beach. "Oh
man! You've got hickies all over your neck! She really went to town on you, didn't she?"
Floch's face flushed deep red as he instinctively reached up to touch his neck. His
fingers brushed over the marks Bria had left behind, and he winced slightly, his lips still
feeling sore from the onslaught of kisses. "I… it's not like I had a choice," he muttered
defensively, trying to pull the collar of his jacket up to hide the evidence. "She's…
intense."
Jean shook his head in disbelief, leaning forward to get a better look. "Intense? That's
one way to put it. It looks like you barely made it out alive."
Connie was practically doubled over in laughter at this point. "Bro, she ate you up! Look
at those marks! You're like a chew toy!"
Floch groaned, his face still beet red as he tried to shrink into himself, clearly
embarrassed by the attention. "It's not funny, okay? She's… persistent."
Armin, ever the more thoughtful one, raised an eyebrow but couldn't hide the hint of
amusement in his voice. "I've never seen someone leave so many… uh, marks in one
night."
Jean couldn't hold back his grin as he continued to poke fun. "Man, if this is what
'bonding' is like with the sirens, I don't know if I'm ready for it."
Floch shot him a glare, though his flustered expression made it hard for anyone to take
him seriously. "You're laughing now, but just wait until your siren starts getting that
clingy."
"Yeah, but none of us are wearing our battle scars like you are," Connie added, wiping a
tear from the corner of his eye.
Even Levi, sitting quietly to the side, couldn't entirely suppress the brief flicker of
amusement in his eyes. "Next time, try to defend yourself better."
Floch let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck where Bria's marks were most
prominent. "I tried. Believe me. But when she gets going, there's no stopping her."
Jean chuckled again, shaking his head. "Well, if this is what we're in for, maybe we
should be worried. Bria looks like she could take on a Titan with how she's handling
you."
Floch mumbled something under his breath, clearly too embarrassed to respond.
Despite the teasing, the scouts couldn't deny that Floch's experience with Bria had
given them all a glimpse into just how intense their relationships with the sirens might
become. The playful banter was a welcome distraction, but underlying it all was the
realization that the bonds they were forming went far deeper than mere attraction.
Armin, always one to bring the conversation back to a serious note, glanced around at
the others, his voice soft but thoughtful. "You know, what Floch's going through… it's
more than just physical. The sirens are attaching themselves to us emotionally too. This
bond we're talking about isn't just about what happens on the surface."
Jean nodded, his earlier grin fading as he considered Armin's words. "Yeah. And once
the bond is formed, we're in it for life, right? We're not just getting stronger—we're
getting tied to them in ways we don't fully understand yet."
Connie, finally calming down from his fit of laughter, nodded in agreement. "It's not just
Bria and Floch. They all seem… really invested. Like they've chosen us for something
more."
Floch, still rubbing at his neck, sighed. "I'm starting to realize that." His tone was a
mixture of awe and nervousness. "She's not just interested in me. She's serious."
Levi's gaze sharpened as he looked at each of them, his voice low but commanding.
"You should all be prepared for what's coming. These sirens aren't just playing games.
They're after something real. And once you bond, there's no going back."
The gravity of Levi's words settled over the group, and the fire crackled softly in the
background as they all fell into a more somber mood. The bonds they were forming with
the sirens would change them—not just physically, but emotionally, and perhaps in ways
they couldn't yet foresee.
As they sat in the firelight, the marks on Floch's neck and the swollen state of his lips
served as a reminder that their lives were about to be altered in ways they hadn't
anticipated.
The fire continued to crackle and the scouts exchanged banter, Connie's eyes
wandered across the group, his grin widening when he spotted something that made
him snort with laughter again. "Oh no way… Reiner!" he exclaimed, leaning forward, his
voice filled with mock disbelief. "Don't tell me Rue's been all over you too!"
Reiner, who had been sitting quietly off to the side, stiffened visibly at Connie's
comment. His usually stoic expression betrayed a hint of embarrassment as he shifted
awkwardly, rubbing his neck with one hand. The glow from the firelight revealed it
all—swollen lips and a few faint, but unmistakable, hickies along his collarbone and
neck.
Jean, catching on to Connie's discovery, raised an eyebrow and leaned in. "Reiner too?
Man, I didn't think Rue was that intense."
Connie burst out laughing, pointing at Reiner's neck. "Looks like Floch's not the only
chew toy around here! Rue's been working you over, huh?"
Reiner's face flushed a deep shade of red, though he tried to keep his expression
neutral. "It's… nothing," he muttered, his voice low and gruff. "She's just… persistent."
Jean's laughter bubbled up again. "Persistent? Dude, she's a firecracker! She's been all
over you since the second she laid eyes on you. Looks like you didn't stand a chance."
Reiner shifted uncomfortably, glancing down at the sand as if he could avoid the
attention. "She's… intense," he finally admitted, his voice quiet. "She knows what she
wants."
Connie grinned wide, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "Yeah, and
apparently she wanted to leave her mark on you. You're practically glowing with those
hickies."
Reiner winced slightly, rubbing the back of his neck where Rue had left the most
obvious marks. "I didn't think she'd be that… forceful."
Floch, still dealing with the aftermath of his own encounter with Bria, gave Reiner a
sympathetic nod. "Trust me, I know the feeling. They don't hold back."
Levi, who had been listening quietly, glanced over at Reiner with a critical eye. "Rue's
small, but she clearly knows how to get what she wants. Looks like she's already
decided you're hers."
Reiner let out a low sigh, rubbing his swollen lips. "She's... relentless," he muttered, his
voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and confusion. "She's been after me since the first
time we saw her. I didn't know she'd be like this."
Connie, never one to let an opportunity for a joke pass, chuckled. "Come on, Reiner, it's
not so bad. You've been fighting Titans your whole life. You can handle one sassy siren,
right?"
Reiner gave him a tired look, his usual stoic demeanor cracking just a little. "It's
different."
"Different?" Jean grinned. "That's one way to put it. She's practically got you wrapped
around her little finger."
Floch, still trying to cover his own embarrassment, chimed in, "At least Rue's, uh, not
shy about what she wants. Bria's like that too. I guess we're all in the same boat."
Connie was clearly enjoying the teasing, but Armin, always more thoughtful, tilted his
head as he considered Reiner's situation. "It's not just about the physical side of it. Rue
chose you for a reason, Reiner. There's something in you that she's drawn to."
Reiner frowned, clearly conflicted. "Yeah… I get that. But it's just—"
Before he could finish, Connie interrupted with a wide grin. "Just what? Too much to
handle?"
Reiner sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "It's not that. She's just…
different from what I expected. I didn't think she'd be this forward."
Jean smirked. "Well, she's a siren. They're not exactly subtle."
Reiner shifted uncomfortably, his eyes narrowing as he thought about Rue's boldness.
"Yeah, she doesn't let up. She knows exactly what she's doing, and she doesn't care
who sees it."
Levi, leaning against a nearby rock, crossed his arms. "That's the thing about
them—they don't hesitate. They're not playing around. If Rue's decided you're hers, you
need to be ready for that commitment."
Reiner gave a small nod, though his expression remained conflicted. "I know. It's just a
lot to process."
Jean chuckled, giving Reiner a playful nudge with his elbow. "Well, looks like you're
going to be processing it with a few hickies to remind you."
Connie couldn't resist getting one last dig in. "Maybe Rue's just making sure everyone
knows you're off the market, huh?"
Reiner rolled his eyes, clearly done with the teasing, but even he couldn't completely
hide the small, reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Despite everything, there
was a part of him that seemed to appreciate Rue's fiery determination—even if it had
left him with swollen lips and marks all over his neck.
While the other scouts continued to laugh and banter about Floch's and Reiner's
respective situations, Bertholdt sat quietly off to the side, staring at the fire with a blank,
almost dazed expression on his face. His tall frame was hunched over slightly, hands
clasped together as he tried to process everything that had happened with Sera earlier.
The siren had been the quietest of them all, so shy that she barely spoke above a
whisper. But when she did, her voice was soft and warm, pulling Bertholdt in like the
gentle lull of the ocean. Her presence had been comforting in a way he didn't expect,
but there was one thing about Sera that had left Bertholdt completely unprepared—the
way she looked.
Sera's shyness was almost disarming, but her body was something else entirely. Curves
that seemed to defy reality—wide hips, thick thighs, and a figure that made it impossible
for Bertholdt to know where to look without feeling guilty. The whole time they had been
together, he'd been a flustered mess, unable to focus on anything she was saying
because all he could think about was how close she was standing and how
embarrassed he was for noticing.
Sera, for her part, had been incredibly sweet, her teal hair falling over her shoulders as
she spoke to him in soft, careful tones. She didn't pressure him like some of the other
sirens seemed to do with their chosen mates. But even with her shyness, Bertholdt had
felt the intensity of her presence, the way her large eyes always seemed to study him
with a quiet curiosity. And whenever she'd shift slightly, or her hips would sway just the
tiniest bit as she moved closer, Bertholdt had to practically fight the urge to look away.
"Bertholdt!" Connie's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, the teasing grin on his face
making it clear he wasn't going to let Bertholdt sit quietly on the sidelines any longer.
"You've been awfully quiet over there. Sera got you all flustered or what?"
Bertholdt immediately stiffened, his face flushing bright red as his eyes darted up from
the fire. "N-no, it's not like that," he stammered, his voice shaking as he tried to find the
words to explain. "She's just… really… um…"
Jean, catching on to Bertholdt's discomfort, smirked. "Shy? Sure, I get that. But man,
she's not just shy, right? You looked like you didn't know where to put your eyes the
entire time."
Connie leaned in with a wide grin. "Yeah, Bertholdt, I noticed you were having a hard
time making eye contact. She's got you all twisted up, huh?"
Bertholdt's face went from red to crimson in an instant, and he struggled to find a
response. "I… she's really… nice. She's quiet. It's just—"
"Nice?" Jean snorted, shaking his head. "Come on, man. You couldn't stop staring at
her! And not because of her personality."
Connie nudged Bertholdt with his elbow, clearly enjoying how flustered the normally
stoic soldier had become. "Hey, I get it. Sera's got those curves. Don't worry, it's not like
any of us didn't notice."
Bertholdt's embarrassment deepened, and he looked down at the sand, his long frame
tense as he muttered, "I wasn't… I wasn't trying to… It's just…"
Jean chuckled, leaning back. "Don't worry, Bertholdt, we're just messing with you. But
seriously, Sera's, uh, something. She might be shy, but I think she's got her eye on you
for sure."
Connie grinned wider. "Yeah, I mean, with a body like that, and the way she keeps
glancing at you? You're in trouble, man."
Bertholdt rubbed the back of his neck, still too flustered to form a proper response. It
wasn't just Sera's appearance that had caught him off guard—it was how her presence
seemed to completely unnerve him in ways he hadn't expected. She had been so kind,
so gentle, but at the same time, there was something about her that made him feel like
he was under a spotlight.
Levi, who had been sitting quietly but listening in on the conversation, finally spoke up.
"You're overthinking it," he said flatly, his voice cutting through the teasing. "Sera picked
you for a reason. If she wanted to push you, she would. But it sounds like she's letting
you figure it out. Don't make it more complicated than it is."
Bertholdt nodded, though he still couldn't quite shake his awkwardness. "I… I just didn't
expect her to be like that. She's so… quiet."
Jean grinned. "Yeah, but once she gets comfortable, I bet she's going to open up. She
might be shy now, but those sirens—none of them are shy about what they want."
Connie laughed, nudging Bertholdt again. "And it looks like Sera knows exactly what
she wants from you."
Bertholdt let out a nervous laugh, still blushing as he thought about how close Sera had
been earlier. "Yeah… I guess so."
The group continued to chuckle and joke, but Bertholdt's mind kept drifting back to
Sera—her soft voice, her shy glances, and the way her curves had made him feel more
flustered than he'd ever been in his life. There was something about her that left him
completely off-balance, and he wasn't sure how to handle it.
As the conversation continued, Bertholdt glanced out at the sea, wondering what
tomorrow would bring—and how he was going to manage the next encounter with Sera
without turning into a complete mess again.
As the scouts continued their banter around the fire, Levi sat quietly on the edge of the
group, his sharp eyes flickering toward the sea where the sirens had disappeared for
the night. The others were still reeling from their encounters, sharing laughs, and
teasing each other about swollen lips and hickies. But Levi's mind was elsewhere,
focused on the siren who had made it her life's mission to invade his personal
space—Aria.
She was nothing like the others. At least, that's what Levi told himself. Where the other
sirens seemed to bond through quiet moments or intense physicality, Aria had a
different approach. She was relentless. From the moment she'd locked eyes on him,
she had been determined to get under his skin—and despite his best efforts, she had
succeeded in more ways than Levi cared to admit.
Aria was bold, with her lavender hair, glittering iridescent eyes, and teasing smirk,
always lingering a little too close, batting her eyes with that mischievous gleam. Every
chance she got, she'd throw in a flirtatious comment or slide into his personal space,
acting like she belonged there. Levi had never been one to let others get too close,
especially not women who seemed to enjoy toying with him. But Aria? She had ignored
every single one of his cold responses, every icy stare. She was undeterred, always
coming back with a witty remark or a flirty gesture, like the constant wave of the sea
against an unyielding shore.
And somehow, that frustrated him more than anything.
Levi was used to people respecting his boundaries—he commanded that respect, and
most gave it without question. Aria, though, seemed to take his cold demeanor as a
challenge. She smiled every time he shut her down, as if it was a game to her. Levi
hated games, but there was something about the way she carried herself, so
unbothered by his dismissals, that made him pause. He hadn't met anyone who could
push his buttons so deliberately, yet without seeming malicious.
He thought back to earlier that day when Aria had been watching him train, that smirk
on her face as she observed every one of his movements with that same relentless
focus. She hadn't said much at first—just stood there with her arms crossed, tilting her
head like she was enjoying a show. It had annoyed him, the way she stared, that playful
glint in her eyes, like she was waiting for him to slip up. But no matter how sharp his
words had been, no matter how cold his responses, she hadn't backed down.
He could still hear her voice in his head, light and teasing. "You're tough, Captain. I like
that."
Levi frowned, his fingers tightening slightly around the handle of the cup he was holding.
He didn't like that Aria seemed to know exactly what to say to get a reaction from him. It
wasn't that he was interested in her—no, it wasn't like that. But she had a way of
pushing him out of his comfort zone, out of the rigid control he had built around himself.
And that, more than anything, bothered him.
Aria wasn't just a flirt. She was smart, too. He could tell by the way she watched him,
how her eyes followed his every move, always calculating, always studying. She was
reading him in ways that no one else had dared to try. And that made Levi uneasy.
He didn't have time for distractions. Not with everything that was happening—the war,
the Jaegerists, Marley. Levi is fine with the others forming their siren bonds to gain
power, but he doesn't need it. There was no room in his life for whatever game Aria
thought she was playing. But as much as Levi wanted to believe that, a small part of
him couldn't ignore how persistent she was. She had already gotten under his skin,
whether he liked it or not.
As the other scouts continued their conversations, Levi's mind wandered back to the
moment Aria had brushed up against him, her lavender eyes sparkling as she teased
him. "You don't scare me, Captain. I've decided you're mine."
Levi had brushed her off, of course. He wasn't the type to fall for playful banter or
flirtation. He had faced far worse than a flirty siren. But the way she had said it, with
such confidence and certainty, had stuck with him. Aria wasn't just playing a game—she
had made her choice. And Levi knew that when she made up her mind, there was little
he could do to change it.
He let out a quiet sigh, his gaze still fixed on the dark waters beyond the campfire. He
wasn't sure what Aria's endgame was, but he wasn't going to let her—or
anyone—distract him from what needed to be done. He was a soldier, and he had a
mission. The sirens, with their powers and their seductive nature, were just another
complication in a long line of problems he needed to deal with.
But as the night wore on, Levi couldn't shake the feeling that Aria wasn't just a
complication. She was something else entirely. And whether he wanted to admit it or
not, she was slowly chipping away at the walls he had spent years building.
Levi scowled at the thought, his fingers tightening around the cup in his hand. He wasn't
going to let her win. Not that easily. But the question remained—how long could he keep
her at bay?
Because if there was one thing Levi knew for certain, it was that Aria wasn't going to
give up. Not now. Not ever.