LIfe's Too Short

Chapter 10

Levi woke up early as usual and got dressed, going downstairs to eat an early breakfast like all the time.

Petra wasn't supposed to leave until about noontime, so they at least had a few hours to spend together before she left.

Spend together?

He wasn't quite sure how he felt about Petra, in terms of more than comradeship. Especially since after the 57th expedition. Most of the time when people came back from missions they came back missing limbs, fellow soldiers, and sometimes even sanity. It never occurred to him that these things would bother Petra. Of course, when he got the report from Dr. Marlene about her experiencing constant flashbacks, he realized that she'd have to leave. Someone like that would get herself and possibly others killed outside the walls. But despite her current condition, he still cared about her and wanted to keep her safe and inside the walls for the time being.

He began to eat breakfast when Petra came down, dressed in a simple button-up shirt under a brown sweater and a darker brown skirt. In her hands was a stack of neatly folded clothes that was her uniform. A plain bag containing her belongings hung from her elbow. She smiled, somewhat less happily than normal, then saluted him when she entered the room and set the clothes down and began to prepare coffee like she used to do. She poured him his coffee and placed it in front of him wordlessly for the last time before she left. He thanked her and took a sip, remembering the day when he had first tried the bitter drink.

"What's that?" Levi asked his mother, who had a strange cup of steaming brown liquid in her hand.

Her bright eyes glowed as she laughed and allowed him to smell some.

The warm steam drifted up into his nose and filled it with a pleasant scent.

"Can I try some?" he asked.

"You might not like it," she warned him. "Besides, this is your father's."

"Just a little sip?" he persisted.

"Ah, fine," Julia smiled, pouring the coffee into a mug. "Be careful. It's really hot."

Levi took the mug into his small hand and eagerly took a sip.

His expression immediately soured.

"It tastes... bitter," he said. "It smelled a lot sweeter."

His mother took the cup back and said, "I warned you, didn't I?"

Levi looked down in embarrassment.

"Yes," he said.

Petra took a seat at the table and ate silently, her spoon clicking against her bowl of mushroom soup.

After they finished eating, Petra volunteered to wash the dishes and brought them over to the sink.

Why isn't she talking?

"Petra, sit down," Levi told her after she had finished.

She did as she was told and sat down next to him.

"You're supposed to stay at home for at least a few months, and Dr. Marlene will visit every week to check on you. As soon as you're stable, you'll be permitted to rejoin the Survey Corps."

"And if I don't become stable?" she looked down.

He pursed his lips. "You won't be able to."

"I see."

She fidgeted with her hands nervously.

"I'm glad, though," she smiled slightly. "I'm glad I won't be a burden anymore."