The mess hall had become chaotic that evening - they were celebrating the scouts victory and the place was full of food and wine.
I smile as I see squad Levi cheering and having a good time. I really like those kids. I sit on an empty table in the corner of the room and watch them. It was truly a sense of normality and I didn't want it to end.
"Not drinking?"
I look to my right and smile at Hange. "You look well. Last I saw you looked half dead."
"You too." She replies and offers me a mug of wine.
I think about it. Don't know if that's smart. Fuck it.
I take it and nod gratefully.
"I hear you're joining us. We'll all be glad to have you." She says with a grin, and I laugh, almost nervously.
"Probably not all of you." I say, glancing over in Levi's direction, who was sipping tea and watching the kids from the other side of the hall.
"He's a complex one." She says, looling down and laughing to herself. "But he's the most emotional of all of us."
"Well, I find that hard to believe."
"I don't doubt it. But his tone of voice aside, listen to his actions, listen to his eyes."
"I'm not interested in understanding him ." I reply, flatly.
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"Oh?" She smiles and tips her head. "You coulda fooled me!" She playfully says, as she taps me on the back and returns to her own squad.
What the hell did she mean by that? Ugh. I chug my wine, and place the empty cup beside me.
I look over at it moments later, and fill it up again. And chug it. And fill it up again. And so on. Suddenly I feel happy but I'm sure it's unrelated.
A small blonde girl pulls me into the crowd of people playfully. I decide to let myself go and dance with the rest of them. I soon take a break for some water, and I sit on a table again.
I pour another mug of wine, but it's snatched before I sip it.
"You've had quite enough."
Ugh. Levi.
"I've only had one." I protest.
"You've had 4. And you're already a mess. I don't want your vomit on the floor."
"You're counting my drinks? God, you really are bored. It's a night to celebrate. Maybe if you let loose and had a little fun, you could smile once in a while and everyone would stop thinking of you as uptight."
He tuts, and drinks my mug of wine himself. "Stick to water now, princess." He says, and gives an almost smile as I glare at him.
"This princess will be the last thing you ever see."
"Is that right? You'll have to get stronger then."
"Did you come over here just to annoy me?" I hiss at him, and he looks up at the ceiling to think.
"No. Just making sure you don't cause trouble."
I sigh heavily, and sip my water.
"Sometimes I feel so damn responsible for them. Like I'm their father." He says. Well, that's unexpected.
I turn to look at him, thinking of what to say. "I suppose in a way, you are. They're young, far from home, and you look after them. Teach them what they need to survive."
"Mm." He responds, looking down at the floor. Wow, vulnerability? Let's take advantage. "Someone mentioned you had a rocky past. Care to tell me about it?" I ask him.
"Does it matter?" He asks me, seeming irked.
"Not really. Always fun to learn someone's darkest secrets, though."
"Worry about your own life." He says, before getting up and walking away.
"Wait, Levi..-" but he's gone.
Ah, shit.
(Author's note: this story is super new so please vote or comment so I know you're here, thank u xo)
