𝕮𝖆𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖘𝖎𝖘 - [𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙞 𝙭 𝙢𝙪𝙩𝙚!𝙛𝙚𝙢!𝙊𝘾] { COMPLETE }

𝐂𝐡 𝟖: 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐲 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬

Several days had passed since Levi and Eren nearly tore each other to pieces. I had never imagined that having those two in a room together could get so chaotic, but it did, and the sparks of hatred that were exchanged between them were unmistakable. They would have ripped each other's flesh off if Hange, Erwin, and I weren't there to stop them, so now they were both confined to a room. Levi had the luxury of staying in his quarters, but Eren was forced to stay in the dungeon beneath the castle. Guards were posted outside his confinement area as well, and considering four days went by without any casualties, I deduced that Eren was behaving well enough down there that Hange deemed it okay to experiment again. However, after all the shit he put me through, I didn't dare volunteer. Instead, I took turns with a handful of cadets to cook for Levi and deliver his food.

Hange had since repaired my SMT, so when I knocked on Levi's door with a plate stacked with food in hand and was asked the usual 'state your business and who you are', I was actually able to answer this time.

"It's Artemisia. I have your dinner."

I heard shuffling noises from the other side and understood that to be my queue. I took out the key and unlocked the door before slipping in and locking it behind me. Levi was sitting on the edge of his bed, wearing an all-white outfit plus his usual cravat. The clean slate of color contrasted nicely with his dark hair and focused eyes. Those eyes belonged to someone keen, intelligent, and driven—someone respectable. I couldn't believe they belonged to the very same person who wanted to drill his thumb into a cadet's eye socket.

"Here." I handed Levi an ice pack. "For that bruise of yours."

I immediately turned away from him and set the plate of food on the nightstand. I was preparing his tea when his raspy voice cut the silence. The gentleness of his tone was a refreshing break from his usual flatness.

"Talk to me."

He wanted me to talk to him? And say what? He tried to beat the shit out of Eren—twice!—and landed feet-first into a nice, cozy house arrest. There was nothing to say.

"Oi, did you hear me?"

"Yes," I signed curtly before continuing the tea prep.

"Then talk to me. I need to know you're okay after... what happened."

What is that even supposed to mean?

"Two spoonfuls of honey or three," I retorted, my back still turned to him so he couldn't see the annoyance on my face.

"Three."

I swirled the honeyed spoonfuls as instructed, making slight clinking sounds as the spoon hit the side of the cup.

Clink, clink.

"Well?"

Clink.

My silence elicited a defeated sigh from Levi.

"Listen, I know things got out of hand the other day, but I was just trying to protect you. What he did was unforgivable and I was trying to make things right."

I was shocked, so shocked that for a split second I thought that I was imagining something.

Levi was trying to protect me? Why? Why would he do that? Levi Ackerman doesn't ca-

"Levi Ackerman doesn't care about anyone."

The words cut through my thoughts and shocked me even more. I turned around to bring Levi his tea and found myself staring at a remorseful expression.