Chapter Seven: Beneath the Siren's Smile
The sun rose higher in the sky, casting a warm glow over the beach as the scouts found
themselves in an unfamiliar, awkward situation—talking with sirens, creatures they had only
learned about a few days ago, creatures that now wanted to bond with them for life. There was
an unease that hung in the air, a tension that none of them could quite shake, but the sirens
were at ease, moving with the same grace they had in the water, as if this were all perfectly
natural to them.
Aria, in particular, seemed to relish the strange dynamic between her and Levi. From the
moment she had stepped onto land, her lavender eyes had been focused on him, studying
every small movement, every shift in his expression—or lack thereof. Levi, in his usual stoic
fashion, didn't give her much to work with, but that only seemed to encourage her more.
She had positioned herself close to him, not too close to invade his space—she seemed to
know that Levi wouldn't tolerate that—but just enough that he couldn't easily ignore her. And
ignore her he tried. Levi, standing with his arms crossed and his eyes scanning the beach, was
determined to maintain his composure, but Aria wasn't making it easy.
"So, Captain Levi," Aria said, her voice carrying a playful lilt as she leaned slightly toward him,
"do you ever smile, or is the scowl just permanently glued to your face?"
Levi didn't turn his head to look at her. "I smile when there's something worth smiling about," he
replied flatly, his tone clipped and uninterested.
Aria's eyes sparkled with amusement, completely unfazed by his cold response. "Oh, come on,"
she teased, a smirk playing on her lips, "surely something has made you smile before. You're
not made of stone."
"I'm not here to entertain you," Levi shot back, his voice cool as ever.
Aria grinned, clearly enjoying the challenge. "Oh, I don't know. You're doing a pretty good job of
it."
Levi finally turned his head to give her a sidelong glance, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Annoying," he muttered under his breath, though it was clear by the way Aria's smirk widened
that she had heard him.
"Annoying?" Aria repeated with a mock gasp, placing a hand dramatically over her chest. "You
wound me, Levi."
Levi rolled his eyes, turning away again, but Aria wasn't done. She stepped closer, her presence
as inescapable as the ocean breeze. "You know," she continued, her voice dropping into a more
flirtatious tone, "most men would kill for my attention. You're the first one to act like I'm nothing
special."
Levi didn't bite. "Good for them," he muttered, his voice dry.
Aria laughed, a light, musical sound that carried over the beach. "I knew there was something
different about you," she said, her lavender eyes gleaming with interest. "Most men can't stop
staring at me, but you… you barely even glance my way. I like that."
Levi let out a soft huff of irritation. "Don't get too excited."
Aria's grin only grew wider. "Too late."
The scouts nearby couldn't help but overhear the exchange, and though none of them dared to
comment, it was clear that Aria's relentless teasing was not going unnoticed. Jean, standing a
few feet away with Solara, exchanged a glance with Connie, who was awkwardly chatting with
Caspia. They both raised their eyebrows, trying to stifle their smirks at the sight of Levi—the
man who never let anyone get under his skin—dealing with the persistent flirtation of one of the
most beautiful sirens in history.
Connie, unable to resist, leaned over to Jean and whispered, "I think this might be the first time
I've ever seen someone get under Levi's skin like that."
Jean chuckled quietly. "Yeah, I almost feel bad for him. Almost."
Meanwhile, Aria continued her playful assault on Levi's patience. She walked around him slowly,
her movements deliberate and teasing, as if she were testing the limits of his tolerance. "You're
a hard one to crack, Levi," she said, her voice laced with amusement. "Most men crumble under
my gaze, but you just stand there like a stone wall."
Levi's jaw tightened, though he kept his voice calm. "If you're looking for someone to fawn over
you, you picked the wrong person."
Aria laughed again, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, I'm not looking for that," she said, her
tone turning more sincere for a brief moment. "I'm looking for someone who doesn't care about
all this," she gestured to herself, "someone who can see through the beauty and deal with the
real me."
Levi raised an eyebrow. "And you think that's me?"
Aria's gaze softened just a little, though the playfulness never left her expression. "I'm starting to
think so."
Levi met her gaze, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You don't know me."
"No," Aria agreed, her voice quieter now. "But I've been watching you for a long time. I've seen
how you carry yourself, how you lead your team, how you don't let anything—or
anyone—distract you. That's rare. You're not like the others."
Levi remained silent, though he was clearly listening. Aria took a step back, giving him space,
though her eyes never left his. "I like that you don't treat me like some untouchable thing," she
said, her voice sincere now, the teasing tone gone. "You don't put me on a pedestal. That's what
I've been looking for."
Levi didn't respond right away. He wasn't sure what to make of her words, but there was
something in the way she spoke—something genuine—that gave him pause. He had spent his
entire life surrounded by soldiers, death, and the constant threat of war. Trust was something he
rarely afforded anyone. And yet, here was this siren, someone he should be wary of, speaking
to him with a strange honesty.
Aria, sensing that Levi wasn't going to push her away just yet, smiled softly, her usual playful
energy still there but tempered now by something more real. "I know I'm annoying," she said,
her voice teasing again as she gave him a wink. "But you'll get used to it."
Levi scoffed lightly. "Doubt it."
But as the day wore on, and as Aria continued to hover near him, teasing him with her relentless
flirting and sharp tongue, Levi found himself begrudgingly acknowledging one thing—she wasn't
like anyone he'd ever encountered before. She was as persistent as she was beautiful, and no
matter how much he tried to ignore her, she refused to be dismissed.
And despite himself, Levi couldn't help but respect that.
The rest of the scouts, still getting to know their own sirens, watched the interactions from afar,
exchanging glances as Aria worked her charms on the unmovable Captain Levi. But even as
they chuckled quietly amongst themselves, there was a growing understanding in the group that
this—whatever it was—wasn't just about beauty or power. The bonds forming between the
sirens and the scouts were deeper, more complex than any of them had anticipated.
And as the sun began to dip lower on the horizon, casting long shadows across the beach, it
became clear that the path ahead, with these sirens by their sides, would be unlike anything
they had ever experienced before.
For better or worse, their lives were changing.