Hesitation 18+🔞

Chapter 18: Ghost

Intricate patterns paint the room as the sky begins to darken, forcing you to contemplate when you will light the lantern on the table. If Levi wakes up in this room while pitch black and discovers he's not alone, he might kill you. You aren't trying to startle him like that. You decide to move now while there's still some light left, doing your best not to make any sound. The second you shift your weight, Levi's eyes open and lock onto you.

"I didn't mean to wake you, captain. Sorry."

"Well you did." He grunts as he sits up, grasping at the side of his leg.
He feels strange around you, almost guilty. It wasn't clear at the time, but you weren't in your right mind when he indulged in your brattiness, you made him feel needed at a time when he felt useless. The situation makes Levi feel as if he took advantage of you, even though that wasn't the case. He's been genuine in his attempts to help you but he's not going to impose his charity onto you. While you picked up on his uncomfortable energy, you were determined to push away your previous awkward encounters.

"Levi, I want to apologize. I'm sorry for... well, everything. Thank you for helping me."
His face remained expressionless, but he was taken back by your confession. Throughout his life, not many people admit to their wrongs. He didn't want to accept that you did wrong him, but you were kind of a jerk. He scoffs before pulling himself up, readying to walk out.

"Wait, please don't leave. I want to show you something." You hope that by sharing the art on your arm with him, that maybe you'll land on his good side once again. Maybe he'll let you play the piano once more.
He sighs and turns around so you can get up and show him your arm.

"I did this today.. for Eld."

He raises an eyebrow and inspects your arm, taking note of how precise your line work is.

"Nice."

"Thank you, I feel better now. It's like my own reminder that I carry them all with me."

He stares at you with dead eyes, already bored with the conversation.

"I want to ask you something.. I was wondering if I'd be able to play the piano again."

"No."
Your heart sunk, you hate that word.
He turns around to descend down the stairway, leaving you alone in the loft. This tiny many is incredibly frustrating, why is he doing this to you? You know what, you can't take this personally. You just woke the man up, the last time he's slept was god knows when.

The remainder of the week goes by uneventfully, you've been participating in mandatory training and your hands are practically healed. Levi and the other superiors have been busy with a lot of meetings and documentation, so you've been giving your captain a ton of space. You haven't shown anyone else your tattoo yet, and now that the outline is healed, it's a good day to begin the shading. You'll have the weekend to recover so you don't hold back, planning to finish the shading all in one sitting.
You've been sitting for hours already, it's almost 11pm and you're still not even halfway finished. You've been invited to hangout with the group by a bonfire, Hange even brought some moonshine but you had other plans for your Friday night. You head down to the kitchen to make some tea and take a break from the chess piece on your arm. Levi stands over the stove, waiting for the kettle to boil as you approach him.

"So, you're making tea too?"

"So what if I am?"

"Care if I join you?"

"No."

"No as in, you don't mind if I join you? Or as in you don't want me here?"

He hands you the teacup he had set out for himself, reaching in his bag for another one.