Freedom: Levi Fanfiction

| 10 cm apart

15

        The bar where they were at was lively yet full of testosterone. Everyone looked at the only woman who's a customer as she drank a few glasses of beer. A few barmaids looked at her, slightly impressed yet judgy at the same time. Levi smiled faintly. 


        "Who knew you'd be a drunkard?" he joked. Her wavy hair flowed with every movement. From the moment Iris raised her drink to the second her lips touched her glass, Levi questioned his intentions. She looked at him, brows pulled close together.


         "I hate you," she declared with no filter. The phrase didn't have the slightest effect on the raven-haired man. He only looked at her with one brow raised. Iris continued, "I know why you're doing this, Levi. So I'd tell you my true 'feelings', no?" Her mind began to feel hazy. If she was right, Iris would think that he was a dick for doing this. Why can't they have a normal conversation? They've had that before. Why'd he have to do this?


They both stared at each other for a few seconds. "Can't I just treat my friend with a few drinks?"


          "Liar." She pouted. "You're always blunt. Just tell me the truth."


The man sighed, his eyes gravitated towards the array of alcohol bottles displayed in front of him. "I don't know. I guess I don't really know how to start another normal conversation without pissing you off, so I thought you'd like to ease up with alcohol."


Iris leaned her head against her hand and looked at the alcohol swaying left and right. "Is that so? Or are you really just acting upon Erwin's orders? You hate me, don't you? " He disagreed with a frown. 


        "Do you think I'd have the patience if I hated you? Plus, that commander was obviously worried about you. He's just showing it in his own way." Her eyes widened slightly, tracing the rim of her glass bottle while she pondered. Their shoulders were only 10 centimetres apart, one small move and they'd brush against each other. Levi had a gentleness of some sort this time, he wasn't volatile nor was he acting like he normally would. He was there once for her when they spoke at the rooftop, Iris wondered if he'd do the same again. 


        "I don't even know Erwin anymore." She laid her head against her arm, her hair blocking her face. "He saved me back then which made me feel indebted to him. I went into the scout regiment angry and resentful. But as time went on, I realized that no amount of titans I'd kill could bring back my parents." She hid her face and sighed, her mind trying hard to stay sober. 


To her surprise, Levi grabbed her glass full of beer and chugged it down to its last drop. She gasped. "You said you hated alcohol, idiot. And aren't you a clean-freak?" He slammed the glass down and smirked. 


         "Just let me not give a shit about my problems for today," Levi reassured but the look on his face screamed just how much he despised the taste. So much for honesty. After a few seconds of regretting the choice he just made, the raven-haired man sighed for the millionth time. "This is all about you. So just keep talking and I'll lend you my ears." 


Iris's eyes turned glossy after hearing his reply. She then smiled at his actions. From one glass to another, Levi and Iris both let loose. For once, they actually felt like friends-- real friends. 


         "Erwin's dumb!" she complained wholeheartedly. Of course, she didn't mean any of the insults she had made but man, the effects of alcohol really were strong. "Sometimes, I hate how he doesn't even consider how Hanji and I feel. Doesn't he know that I have to carry a huge burden as well? That I also have to face our comrades' parents and tell them that their child is dead? It doesn't even feel like he feels guilty. But dammit, it's so hard to see him in a bad light when I've looked up to him for a long time."


Iris and Levi look at each other, their heads down and leaned against their arm as she complained. "He's right. I don't even know myself so how was I supposed to really know him?" 


The man raised a brow. "What do you really want in life?" he questioned. Iris thought long and hard about it. Revenge for her parents? No, she's killed many titans yet she didn't even feel like she's avenged them. To protect her family? Against what? The titans who could barely breach the well-built walls? Or to protect humanity? It's hard to be motivated when almost all of them looked down on soldiers like her. 


As Iris was deep in thought, Levi stared. At this point, he didn't even realize how much he looked at her. There was something captivating about this woman. Iris's lips were pink and soft, her light-blue eyes reminded him of the sky and her face showed even the simplest of expression. If she was sad, her eyes would show it and if she was happy... Iris would have the brightest smile.