Captain Levi

Chapter 6

For a long time, they stared at each other.  Many times, Mikasa went to speak, but decided not to at the sight of Levi’s mood.  After about three minutes of silence, Mikasa broke the ice.

“I suppose you feel that I was out of line.”

“I do.  And I know you agree.  Why were you trying to get a rise out of me.?”

“I did no such thing sir.”

“Don’t lie to me.  Do you miss Annie, and her usual looseness with commanding officers, and now you plan to emulate it?  I know she slept her way to the top, but with your skill set, you don’t have to Ackerman, really.  I’d say you could do just fine without it, unless you are, of course dead set on this idea you seem to have.  Trying such a thing on me is rather amusing, and I appreciate your eagerness, though it won’t get you anywhere with me anyway.”

“You flatter yourself to much, Captain.  I have not the slightest interest in you, and it appears you have taken my logical explanation toward cleaning likewise wrongly.  Should I present a theory or idea that will perhaps question the foundation in which humanity is built upon, you welcome it.  When it comes to cleaning, you seem extremely closed minded, and unreasonable.  Why is this so?”

“Have you ever lived in poverty, Ackerman?”  She remained silent, recalling how she had been taken in by Eren’s parents in her time of need, instead of left for dead. “Well I have lived many years like this.  And it is not without great difficulty I must admit that I fear that lifestyle now.  Filth, never knowing where your next meal would come from, fear of what other’s might do if you fall asleep in the wrong alley of the slums.  I cling to this lifestyle now, but it appears that many are not able to appreciate what they are given.  Any meal could be our last, so I refuse to have it in the filth I was forced into tolerating for so many years.  Now that I don’t have to tolerate it, I won’t.  And neither will my squad.  If you don’t like it, leave.”

Mikasa took a moment, and then replied. “I see sir, I am sorry to have stepped on your toes.  Please forgive my impudence.”  Levi stared back at her.

“Why are you so persistent in crossing the line if you wish to forget about it just like that?”

“After the battle against Annie, sir, Commander Irvin spoke with me concerning you.  He has asked for me to report directly to him regarding your state of mind at all times, and to press you should I find that you are exhibiting unusual behavior.”

“What?”

“Well sir, as far as cleaning goes, I found it unusual how persistent you were that things must be clean, so I pushed the matter until you explained yourself.  Such an explanation you were able to give me was surely reasonable, and gives me no reason to believe that you are unstable, so I have nothing more to investigate.”

“He told you to monitor me?”

“Hai.”

“Why wait this long to tell me then?”

“There was no order to do so.”

“So he told you not to tell me?”

“…He didn’t really say that either.”

“So you ignored his implication to be discrete, and underhandedly broke his rules.”

“I simply followed a commanding officers orders, Sir.  Without direct and explicit orders from above, it is not my place to deny your questions toward me.”

Levi gazed at her.  So she thought it was wrong that she was told to do this, and simply managed a way to let him know it without defying orders… Hm.

“Well don’t worry so much about specifics then next time Ackerman.  You know you were defying his wishes, technically or not, you might as well have come out and said it.”  He responded.

“How else should I have gotten to speak with you privately, sir?  Eren and Armin both have more pressing matters to discuss.  I hoped to speak with you first.”

“I meant leading me on through the whole conversation.  You could have said it as soon as the door closed, why wait?”

“I may have, had you not insinuated that I was a whore.”  Levi sighed, realizing it was indeed his fault for making the comment rather sarcastically earlier.  None the less…

“Women…”

“I could say the same about your gender, sir.”

“I planned to make you sleep in the barn, but it seems that you were putting on a front about the cleaning issue just to get me here, so I won’t hold it against you.  At least turn in early so I don’t look like I’m going soft though. Dismissed.”  She nodded and moved to leave.  Just as she opened the door and was halfway out though, Levi grabbed her attention one more time. “And Mikasa? Thank you for telling me.”

And she left.