IMMORTALS • Levi Ackerman

chapter fifty six

056: slip away

No matter how much I toss and turn, it was still futile. Sleep came harder to me these days. The amount of load I had to shoulder after the retake of Wall Maria was countless. Maybe the adrenaline hasn't worn down yet.

Or maybe it's because of him.

Whenever I do get a chance to drift to slumber, I get these dreams. Visions of fallen comrades, smiling. It makes the hair on my arms stand when I think about it. They weren't nightmares, but they did bring a sense of wariness to me. They weren't terrifying, but they were neither relaxing. Other times, I keep revisiting the darkness inside a Titan's mouth. Terrifying.

I sighed. Looks like a long night again.

It's been a week since Levi slept in our room. I had no idea where he even resides at the moment, nor did I care. It's been three days since that embarrassing encounter at the hall.

What was that even about?

Was he about to kiss me? Was I about to kiss him? Were we about to kiss?

Screaming into my pillow, I flailed my arms around, physically trying to rid myself of the humiliation I felt when recalling the memory.

At this point, maybe I should request for a separate room from Hange. That seemed to be the only solution at this point. Even if I was annoyed, pissed, and bothered by Levi, I still worried about his disposal. He's clearly evading any enclosed space that I exist in, so I guess it was time to call off the roommate facade and move forward.

It wouldn't be impossible. With the regiment reforming itself after the major loss of members in retaking Wall Maria, room occupancy was large. The barracks was basically barren.

I should open this up to Hange tomorrow, maybe by the next day I could start hauling up my things. By then, Levi can finally relax without having to be so cautious of anyone else.

Somehow, that thought hurt me too. I was beginning to think I was an exception to him, clearly I had assumed beyond the boundaries established.

A small breeze sweeps inside the half opened window. My attention turned to the wind, feeling the cool it brought. The black box that sits atop the desk by the corner caught my attention.

I haven't even opened it, up until now. I kept pushing it back of my concerns.

Because I wanted to open it with Levi.

Clearly, the man had a different idea. He's nowhere here. He seems to want nothing to do with me. Why should I bother then. We haven't seen each other for the past three days, he was avoiding me, and I, whether consciously or not was doing the same as well. I didn't know if I had the shame to hold him in such a regard when we see each other again.

Gratefully, there wasn't any big scale assignments for now that demanded us to be together. I can still gather up a few of my dignity left and train my face to collect the courage to stand up front to him again without having to falter.

Levi had a very distracting face.

I cursed again. Standing up, I headed to desk to examine the box. Why don't I just open it now? What difference does it make.

A small creak elicited from the door, slow, but not careful. Why do the people around here not know how to knock? Scouts needed to learn manners. Before I could glare at the perpetrator to scowl, my frown got cut short when I saw who it was. Life was really testing me at my limit.

He looked perplexed. Levi blinked, and he blinked numerous times, as if he was trying to decipher reality from illusion. The way he tilts his gaze downwards and stares at me like I was a figment of his imagination almost made me laugh.