Birdie (Levi x OC)

fifty-six

The pale gold light of a setting sun slanted low across the courtyard of headquarters, stretching the shadows of the surrounding trees into long, dark spears. The air was cool, carrying the familiar scent of damp stone and the faint earthy smell of pine.

I swung my legs out of the heavy transport carriage, the relief of solid ground immediate and profound. I stretched my arms far above my head, working the deep, painful tension out of my neck and shoulders. Sitting in the wagon had made my body sore, and the brace straps felt like hot iron against my stockings. It had been nearly a week since I'd left Survey Corps headquarters.

Levi stepped out of the headquarters door. He must have been waiting. He made quick work of the steps, his usual diligent stride eating up the distance between us as he walked toward me.

His face, though neutral, was etched with a new layer of exhaustion, reminding me that the political chaos was far dirtier than the dust I'd been fighting in Grandpa's study.

He didn't speak when he reached me. He simply stopped, his gaze quickly scanning my face, then dropping to my brace before meeting my eyes again. He lifted a hand and, with a precision that was entirely his own, hooked a finger under my chin and tilted my head towards him.

"You look like you need a bath and two days of sleep," he observed, his voice low and devoid of greeting, yet laced with all the concern he wouldn't allow himself to voice.

"I feel like I need to murder a carriage driver," I admitted, reaching up to gently grasp the wrist of the hand holding my chin. "You know I don't sleep well when you're gone."

"I know," he said, the admission clipped. He let go of my chin only to move his hand and brush a strand of hair behind my ear. "We brought the Marleyan soldiers in today."

He grabbed my bag from beside me as his fingers trailed down my arm until his hand settled firmly around my wrist, pulling me toward the entrance. It was the only physical acknowledgment of the past week, and it was enough.

"Allies, huh?" I said, matching his pace. "Who are they, and what are they after?"

"They call themselves the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers," he stated, his voice flat with skepticism. "They shot their captain. They claim they want to help us rebuild our civilization."

"And you believe them?"

"I believe they want something," Levi said, his eyes narrowing slightly as we mounted the steps.

People from the outside world. Not invaders, but defectors. The things they must know.

"I'd like to meet them," I stated, almost briskly.

"You will," Levi retorted, though he looked wary. "Not until after you get a good night's rest, though."

"Fine by me," I squeezed his hand as he laced his with mine. "How was Eren? The rest of the squad?"

"Fine," Levi said tersely. "Same as usual. Alive."

"Hmm," I knew that was all the information I was going to get out of him. "I'll check in on them in the morning."

Levi shot me a glare. "I said they're fine."

"Your definition of fine and my definition of fine are entirely different, my love," I replied, my voice dry.

Levi said nothing, just sighing deeply as he guided me to our room. He was walking briskly, almost urgently. I raised my eyebrow at him as we stood in front of the door. He made quick work of the lock before walking inside, his hand resting gently on the small of my back. He shut the door behind us, the sound echoing with a resounding thud that sealed the world out.