Shadows of Truth and Deception (Levi • OC)

CHAPTER 40 - Deception

deception /dɪˈsɛpʃn/ — the action of deceiving someone

     Pain. That was the first thing Levi felt when he awoke from a dreamless sleep. A stabbing, burning pain in his temples.

     He forced his eyes to open, squinting against the light streaming through the cabin window. The pillow beneath him was crumpled in his grasp, his bare chest pressed against the cool sheets. He blinked, disoriented, trying to piece together how he got back there. He couldn't.

     He rolled onto his back, reaching instinctively for Reinae on the other side of the bed. She wasn't there. He raised his head to scan the room. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips when he saw her. She was sitting in the old armchair by the window, staring into the morning fog.

     "Nea," he called softly, his voice rough with sleep.

     She turned. He went rigid, the expression on her face causing his heart to drop. But a moment later, she smiled, the darkness disappearing from her eyes.

     "Hey," she replied, uncurling from the chair and walking over to the bed. He thought she winced as she moved, but it was so subtle he thought he had imagined it. "How are you feeling?"

     Levi blinked, his brows furrowing at the pain in his temples. "Confused," he said, looking around the room. "How did I get back here?"

     Reinae chuckled, sitting beside him. "You don't remember?" she asked, her hand reaching to brush some strands from his forehead. Her touch was light, fleeting. "You got pretty drunk, Levi. I never saw you like that before."

     Levi frowned, his confusion deepening. "I can't get drunk," he countered, searching her face for a different explanation. "I've never been drunk in my life."

     "Well, you were yesterday," Reinae mused, tilting her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "I was at­—at Charlotte's with my squad and Theo, and you appeared there after Erwin's hearing, grumpier than ever. Downed a whole bottle of rum in about twenty minutes."

     He blinked again. He did remember being pissed off after the Military Police decided to detain Erwin for further questioning, displeased by the answers he'd given them. But he remembered nothing about coming to the famous pub, let alone Reinae being there.

     "Why were you there?" he asked, his eyes narrowed.

     "Theo wrote to me," she explained calmly. "Franklin's men came after him, and he's hiding at his sister's place. We ended up drinking and talking—Aiden and Jasper hadn't seen him in over a decade. We were already pretty wasted when you appeared."

     Levi sighed, sinking into the pillow, rubbing his eyes. "How can I not remember anything?" he groaned, the unfamiliar sensation unsettling him. "I don't like this."

     Reinae bit her lip to refrain from grinning. "Poor baby," she giggled. "First hangover, huh? Must be tough." She laughed when he glared at her. It didn't reach her eyes. "It's probably just the morning blackout. It might all come back to you in a few hours. I've had nights I couldn't remember for weeks."

     He was still doubtful. The idea of losing control in such a way was foreign to him. "But I never drink," he spoke his thoughts aloud, more to himself than to her.

     Reinae shrugged, standing from the bed. "Maybe that's why you blacked out, Levi. It's a sign you should drink more often."

     He unwrapped his legs from the sheet, standing to walk after her into the bathroom. "How are you so chipper, then? You must've drank a lot, too."

     She turned to face him, leaning back against the sink. She smirked when he caged her between his arms. "I have a lot of practice. And we were drinking beers. I'm used to handling whiskey."

     Levi leaned closer to her, his eyes on her lips. "Yeah, you handle it a little too well. Made me think you're a highly-functioning alcoholic once."

     "Just once?" she teased.

     "Maybe more than once," he muttered before capturing her lips in a kiss.

     Maybe it was the hangover, or whatever Reinae called it, but the kiss felt different. Her lips, usually so soft and inviting, felt distant. The kiss was returned, but it felt... restrained. And when his hand traveled from her hip up her body, she hissed—from pain. Levi pulled back immediately, concern flashing across his face.

     "Sorry," she muttered, avoiding his eyes. "I think my lifestyle is catching up to me."

     "What's wrong?" Levi asked, studying her appearance as if he could see through her clothes.

     "It's nothing. I'm just a bit achey. Jensen landed some good punches a few days ago, and that, combined with our previous night..."

     A shade of guilt came across his face. He reached for the hem of her shirt, but she stopped him, pulling his arm around her neck instead.

     "Don't feel guilty," she said, her voice quiet. "I'm not complaining, am I?"

     Levi's gaze darted between her eyes. He couldn't help the cold unease creeping up his spine. There was something in her eyes, something lingering in the depths of the deep green that hadn't been there the day before.

     "But—"

     She silenced him with a kiss, one that he couldn't help but return despite the frown furrowing his brows. She pulled away before it could deepen.

     "Let's get you some water and tea, big guy," she said, slipping away from him.

     He watched her leave, his brows wiggled powerlessly as he tried to grasp what had changed within her in a day. It was still her, still his Reinae, but something under the surface made her eyes darker, her smile less broad.

     Maybe she's just tired, he reminded herself. She's been through a lot lately.

     Deciding to push the unease aside, Levi returned to the bedroom to get dressed. He pulled on a pair of pants and a white shirt, then glanced around the room for the jacket he'd worn to Erwin's hearing—the dark grey one that Reinae liked. It was draped over a chair by the bed. As he reached for it, something caught his eye.

     His nose scrunched, and he rubbed the dark spot on the front of the jacket. I really must've been drunk to have stained it.

     "Ready?" Reinae's voice came from the doorway.

     "Yeah," he murmured, still focused on the stain. "I just have to find a different jacket. That's one's dirty."

     As he turned to rummage through the closet, he didn't see Reinae stiffen. She walked to the chair where he'd left the grey jacket. He turned to see her fingertips ghosting over the stain. She was pale.

     "It's just a stain, Nea," he said with a chuckle. She looked at him, the haunted expression drifting from her face as she relaxed.

     "Yeah," she sighed, her voice faint. "Shame. It was my favorite."

     Levi reached for her hand, squeezing her fingers gently, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "We'll get it out," he promised, pulling her toward the door.

     Reinae's other hand clutched the fabric, her grip tightening until the drop of blood disappeared between the wrinkles.

     "Some stains are impossible to fight," she whispered as she dropped the jacket on the bed and followed him.

     Levi did not hear her.