Brewed to Perfection: Quiet Tea | LeviHan | Levi Ackerman x Hange Zoe | FalBi

Chapter 18: Tea Festival

The morning arrived with the crisp promise of chaos. Levi stood behind the counter, staring at an official-looking letter that Onyankopon had just handed him. Gabi and Falco peeked over his shoulder, their curiosity palpable.

"It's from Oliver," Onyankopon said, grinning. "He's inviting us to the tea festival. Remember his big idea?"

Levi's eyes narrowed as he read. "'Tea festival,'" he muttered. "Sounds like a nightmare."

"A fun nightmare," Onyankopon corrected.

"Hard pass," Levi said, slapping the letter onto the counter.

"But, Levi!" Gabi whined, grabbing the letter. "A festival means crowds, and crowds mean more people falling in love with our tea!"

"Or spilling it everywhere," Levi muttered, already picturing the mess.

"And snacks!" Gabi added, her eyes sparkling. "There'll be snacks!"

Falco, ever the voice of reason, hesitated. "I mean... it might help the shop."

Levi glared at him. "Don't encourage her."

But Onyankopon wasn't about to let Levi's stubbornness win. "It's good exposure," he said. "Plus, it'll annoy Oliver."

Levi considered this for a moment, his lips twitching. "Fine. But no gimmicks, no stunts, and no 'tea performances.'"

Gabi gasped in mock outrage. "Do you not trust me, Levi?"

"No," Levi replied flatly.

Gabi and Falco dove into the festival preparations with all the subtlety of a Titan smashing through a wall. They hung banners (crookedly), tested decorations (mostly glitter-based), and argued over which tea to highlight.

"We should do a live brewing demonstration!" Gabi declared. "With dramatic steam effects!"

"You're not setting anything on fire," Levi barked, cutting her off.

"It's called flair, Levi," Gabi replied, rolling her eyes.

"It's called arson," Levi snapped.

Meanwhile, Onyankopon was busy coordinating the logistics, ensuring they had enough supplies. "I got us a prime booth location," he said, pointing at a map of the festival grounds. "Right across from Oliver."

"Great," Levi muttered. "Front-row seats to his circus act."

By the end of the week, the shop was ready-or as ready as it could be, considering Gabi had insisted on glitter-covered tablecloths, which Levi banned immediately.

The festival was a bustling, colorful spectacle. Booths lined the square, showcasing everything from intricate teapots to elaborate tea blends. Quiet Tea's booth was understated in comparison, with neatly arranged tins, teacups, and a single banner that read: Good Tea, No Nonsense.

"It's perfect," Levi said.

"It's boring," Gabi countered, adjusting her glittery headband. "We need pizzazz!"

Falco, standing behind the counter, nodded to the first customer with a shy smile. "Would you like to try Resilience Brew?" he asked, holding out a sample.

The customer took a sip, nodding appreciatively. "This is lovely."

"See? No pizzazz needed," Levi said, glaring at Gabi.

Meanwhile, across the square, Oliver's booth sparkled like a golden disco ball. Staff in matching uniforms handed out mocktails garnished with edible flowers and clouds of swirling steam.

"He's putting on a magic show," Gabi muttered, glaring at Oliver's booth. "We can't let him outshine us."

"We're not competing," Levi replied.

"Oh, we're competing," Gabi said, grabbing a tray of tea samples. "Watch and learn."

What followed was an hour of Gabi's loud, theatrical attempts to draw attention to their booth. She shouted slogans ("Best tea in town!"), handed out samples with flourish, and tried to juggle teacups before Falco stopped her.

"You're going to break something," Levi warned.

"I'm winning hearts!" Gabi shot back.

"Or concussions," Levi muttered.

Midway through the day, Oliver himself strolled over, his smirk as golden as his booth's decor. "Well, well, Captain Ackerman," he said, eyeing the setup. "Minimalist, as expected."

"Functional," Levi corrected.

Oliver chuckled, plucking a sample cup from the counter. "Let's see what all the fuss is about."

He took a sip, paused, and gave a begrudging nod. "Not bad."

"That's the highest compliment you'll get," Levi replied dryly.

"Enjoy your little moment," Oliver said, turning to leave. "It won't last."

"Go trip on your flowers," Gabi muttered under her breath.

Disaster struck when Gabi, in her infinite enthusiasm, knocked over an entire tray of brewed tea. The cups tumbled like dominoes, splashing tea everywhere and narrowly missing Falco's shoes.

"GABI!" Levi roared, his face a mask of barely contained rage.

"I'll clean it up! I'll clean it up!" Gabi stammered, grabbing napkins and making the mess worse.

Customers nearby looked on, amused, as Falco scrambled to salvage the situation. Onyankopon quickly stepped in, offering fresh samples to distract from the chaos.

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something about "brats" and "wasted tea."

Despite the hiccups, Quiet Tea's booth attracted a steady crowd. Customers praised the simplicity and quality of the blends, and even a few of Oliver's supporters wandered over to try a cup.

By the end of the day, the team was exhausted but triumphant. Gabi flopped onto a chair, her glittery headband askew. "We did it! We're legends!"

"You spilled half the tea," Levi said, wiping down the counter.

"It was a strategic spill," Gabi countered. "Kept things exciting."

Falco shook his head. "Let's just call it a team effort."

Onyankopon grinned, clapping Levi on the shoulder. "Admit it, Captain. It wasn't so bad."

Levi looked around at his team-the glitter-smeared Gabi, the exhausted Falco, and Onyankopon's ever-present grin. His gaze lingered on the crowd dispersing with satisfied smiles and full teacups.

"Not bad," Levi admitted, though his tone remained gruff.

"Quiet Tea wins again!" Gabi declared, raising an imaginary trophy.

Levi rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the faint smirk tugging at his lips. For a day that started with glitter and ended with spilled tea, it hadn't been the disaster he expected.

And maybe, just maybe, he was starting to enjoy the chaos.