The Negotiator

A LITTLE BACKSTORY

Author's note:

So... I've noticed that I've been spelling Hange's name wrong, so I'll be spelling it right from now on... I might eventually go back and fix it but right now I'm too lazy...

~END~

I sighed as I stood up from the floor, wiping the tears away from my face. It was so stupid of me to feel this way when there was nothing to cause it. I walked over to the desk that was centred in the room and sat down on the chair that was facing the door. I had just arrived back at headquarters and I already had a mountain of paperwork to complete. I groaned in annoyance and began to fill out the bits of paper. Apparently when you transfer, there's a lot of paperwork to go with that. I was also correct in my earlier assumption that Hange had lied when she said it would only be for the next expedition, all of these forms stated that I would remain within these headquarters indefinitely.

I must've sat there for at least an hour, filling out boring form after boring form when all of a sudden, there was a knock at my door. There wasn't many possibilities of who it could be. The only ones were the three people who brought me here in the first place.

"State your name and business," I said in a monotone voice, not taking my eyes off of the current form I was filling out.

"Levi," an equally monotone voice called back, "bringing you tea."

I frowned slightly, he didn't seem like the kind of person to display acts of kindness, especially to someone who he had just met the night before.

"Come in," I answered and the door opened for me to see Levi, holding a tray with two cups and a pot.

He closed the door behind him before walking calmly over to the desk and sat the tray down, sitting down without an invitation. Without saying a word he poured tea into the two cups, pushing one towards me and taking the other one, holding it by the rim as if he was scared to break it.

"Why did you bring me tea?" I questioned, narrowing my eyes slightly.

He shrugged. "You missed dinner, I figured you could at least use some sustenance."

I frowned before turning around to look out the window, and sure enough, the sun was almost completely set. I sighed, turning back and ran my fingers through my wavy black hair.

"Well, thank you," I muttered, picking up the cup and taking a delicate sip of the black liquid, "I guess I've been filling these out longer than I thought."

He glanced down at the papers. "What are you filling out anyway?"

"Transfer papers. There's a lot more than you would imagine. Especially considering I'm sure my father didn't want me back here in the first place. Maybe this is just his way of torturing me," I smiled slightly.

He scoffed. "Why would he need to torture you. From what I've heard from Hange, you're one of the regiment's strongest soldiers. Surely Erwin would love to have someone like you out on the field."

I hesitated. "My father would rather I not be near him. I think it's harder for him to not feel any guilt when I'm around as a constant reminder."

"Reminder of what?"

Damn it. He's curious now. Erwin told me not to tell anyone of what my real reasons of staying in Wall Sina were and now I've gone and given hints to one of his highest ranking officers.

"Let's just say that Erwin Smith is a man with many mistakes. I'm the biggest mistake he ever made, and I guess that with being that, the mere sight of me reminds him of everything wrong he's ever done in his life," my eyes became cold and I swear I saw a small frown grace Levi's face for a fraction of a second.