Shadows of Truth and Deception (Levi • OC)

CHAPTER 27 - Ambush

ambush /ˈambʊʃ/ — a surprise attack by people lying in wait in a position

     The building was quiet. Everyone who managed to surpass their anxiety about the next day's mission was sleeping, and since most soldiers were still exhausted from the recent failed expedition, that meant almost all. Even Levi drifted off on the sofa, his arm, still holding onto some papers, lazily hanging off the edge.

     Reinae was wide awake—partially because she slept through the whole day, partially because her racing thoughts wouldn't let her sleep. After memorizing the formations and maps to a tee, she didn't quite know what to do with herself. So she grabbed her pouch of Aterpethal leaves and quietly left the room.

     The night was warm, the sky clear of clouds. She made her way to the round balcony on the top floor of their base, rolling her herbs only to realize she had forgotten the matches. She sighed a curse, leaning on the stone fence of the balcony.

     "Need a light?"

     Reinae yelped and jumped, grabbing her chest when she beheld Erwin sitting on the bench by the double door. "Fucking hell, Erwin, you almost gave me a heart attack!" she whisper-yelled.

     The commander chuckled, putting his hand in his pocket as he approached her. He pulled out a box of matches.

     "My apologies," he said with a smile. He lit a match on the rough surface of the box and held it up for her. She glared at him but leaned forward with her cigarette in her mouth, inhaling deeply when the herbs caught fire.

     "Thanks," she muttered, still pouting a little, ashamed of how he managed to catch her off guard.

     She only then realized that Erwin was holding a cigarette of his own—the type they sold at stores that weren't easy to find. She froze, staring at it, then raised her eyes to his.

     "You're smoking," she said with slight disbelief.

     "I'm aware," Erwin said with a slight smile, bringing the cigarette to his mouth. He didn't offer any explanation, so Reinae narrowed her eyes.

     "Since when?"

     He thoughtfully looked up at the sky. "About ten years." Reinae almost choked on the smoke. "I don't do it often," Erwin quickly defended himself. "It's just when... things are too much."

     Reinae did the math—ten years ago, she had promised him death if she ever saw him again.

     "Don't tell me you started because of me," she asked quietly.

     Erwin shrugged innocently. "A friend told me it helps him relax. I had trouble sleeping after... what happened, so I tried it. It became a habit."

     "Right," she muttered. She couldn't judge him—not when she, too, had been abusing the herbs Kenny gave her for a decade.

     They smoked in silence before Erwin spoke. "I'm worried about you, Rei." His voice was quiet, soft. She turned her head to him. "I understand that you're in pain from what happened this past mission, but I've never seen you act like this."

     She puffed a smoke, not quite knowing what to say. "Like what?" she muttered, despite knowing the answer.

     "You... always handled things well," Erwin carefully started. "You were always strong, no matter how hard your life got—at least, that's how I've always perceived you. You kept your head... leveled. But now... Getting into brawls, fighting with your family... And I saw your attitude towards Levi... I'm just worried."