Shadows of Truth and Deception (Levi • OC)

CHAPTER 2 - Mischief

mischief /ˈmɪstʃɪf/ — playful misbehaviour that is intended to tease or create trouble

     What remained of the night for Reinae to get some sleep was not enough to feel even slightly rested in the morning. It was nothing new, though, since a regular sleep schedule was only wishful thinking for anyone in the Corps.

     "What's up with you?" Mila's cheerful voice reached Rei as she dragged herself towards the mess hall for breakfast.

     "I didn't sleep much," she groaned, forcing her eyes more open.

     "Uu, busy night?" Mila suggestively wiggled her eyebrows.

     Reinae scoffed, her mood only getting grimmer.

     "I wish."

     Mila stopped in her tracks, her blue eyes narrowing on her friend with suspicion.

     "Did you two fight again?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips like a scolding mother.

     "We didn't," Rei said, rolling her eyes at the protective little woman. "I just barely get to see him."

     With the preparations for the upcoming mission, Levi and Rei struggled to even find time for their training. She'd come to his room one night in the past week to find him sleeping—a rare occurrence for her captain—and she didn't have it in her to wake him up. So the days when they could not get their hands on each other turned into weeks, much to Reinae's displeasure.

     "Oh." Mila relaxed immediately, then hooked her elbow around Rei's, dragging her to their table. "I haven't had sex for almost 2 months, so don't even dare complain."

     The woman with big, strawberry-blonde curls became a close friend of Reinae's. If someone had told her a year ago she'd willingly spend so much time around Mila's constant yapping, Reinae would have laughed in their face. But Mila was the only one who knew about her and Levi—had known before Rei herself had figured it out, and having someone to keep one secret less from meant a lot.

     "Morning," Aiden groaned from where he was resting his head on the table beside his plate of porridge.

     "Gods, you look worse than me," Reinae said to her brother with a disgusted impression.

     "Thank you, sister, you're too kind."

     "He was drinking again," Jasper chimed in, calmly reading a book beside his black-haired best friend.

     "Again?" Rei raised an eyebrow at Aiden. "What's gotten into you?"

     "He met a woman," Jasper replied instead, closing his book. "Who happens to like to drink."

     "Can you stop snitching?" Aiden growled at Jasper, shooting one of those murderous looks he and Reinae had in common.

     "Stop getting wasted days before a mission, idiot," Mila said, clicking her tongue disapprovingly.

     "Yeah, let's all gang up on Aiden, go on," Aiden said, glaring at each of his friends, who exchanged looks, biting back a laugh.

     "Rei!"

     The call came from Eld, pacing towards their table with worry.

     "What's up?"

     "Hurry, hurry," he ushered her to stand from the bench and started to drag her out of the mess hall.

     "Hey, my breakfast!" Rei whined.

     "Never mind that." Eld's brow was furrowed with worry. "Oluo's in the infirmary."