Twist of Fate {LeviHan}

Chapter 6: My Truth

Levi's POV

Eh... pizza? Perfect. I made- well, bought cupcakes just in case. All of them was vanilla flavored and had chocolate and vanilla icing. Sprinkles with them too. She had a sweet-tooth, and I knew that. So... pizza and cupcakes... I have some ice cream in my freezer, just in case if she wants to have more sweets.

Thankfully, I didn't need to worry about her in my apartment. It was all nice and tidy. And I prepared the bedroom, in case if she needed a place to crash tonight. I don't plan to sleep in my bed- when do I ever sleep there?

3 knocks came onto the door:

Knock...

knock...

knock...

The horror... just like me calling Hanji for the first time... I never knew if she was gonna pick up or not. But now... I wonder if she really did come...

Slowly, the animosity kept building as I walked over. When I peeked through the peephole... my heart slowed down as I saw her there... "Hanji..." Without a second thought, I unlocked my door and opened it. "H-Hey there..."

She wore a short, black skirt and a regular gray blouse. I told her... not to wear anything fancy at all! But... she looked cute in that... o-outfit... "Heya!" Her arms wrapped around me and I felt suffocated by her presence... but I knew that I was just blinded and embarrassed to have a girl here.

"H-Hanji... y-your outfit..."

"I had a meeting earlier... sorry about that..." She chuckled nervously. "I didn't want to change... the only change of clothes that I have is my pajamas. Unless you want me in them-"

"N-No! It's not a problem, Hanji... it's just... I never expected this..." I sighed, letting her inside the house. "Um... I got regular pizza- plain cheese. I didn't know what you wanted on your pizza... so... sorry if it's so bland. Um... basically, that's it."

Hanji giggles softly. "Any drinks?"

"D-Drinks?" Oh crap... that slipped my mind. "N-No... sorry about that." 

Once more, she seemed to giggle loudly... and it was cute. "That's alright. I didn't expect alcohol..." But then from her bag, she pulled out a small bottle. What was that? "I bought the cheapest thing here... sparkling apple cider."

"A-Apple cider?"

She chuckles softly, "It's sparkly! Heh... it's one of my favorite drinks- close to alcohol, but it's not. Wanna drink?"

I smile softly, making my way to the kitchen for glass cups. "Sure. I don't mind at all."

*   *   *

We spent a majority of the night just talking, laughing, and knowing one another. But as every hour passed, I feared about not being able to tell her. I told her that I would explain to her practically everything... and I felt I was running out of time. Whenever I wanted to talk to her about it, Hanji came up with something amazing, and I didn't want to bring the mood down. Hey, at least I care about the atmosphere.

It was near midnight when Hanji took a bite of her ice cream. "Levi... I've been talking too much, you know... can you tell me?"

I nodded, scooting closer to Hanji. My heart pounded whenever I could smell her strawberry scented hair, and this time, I enjoyed smelling it on her. Instead of making me nervous, it made me calmer and wanted me to make Hanji my lover. "Where do you want me to start?"

"The very beginning..."

*   *   *

It was a completely normal day with my friends, Isabel Magnolia and Farlan Church. We were living in abandoned places, and we didn't care... as long as we had each other, we were living care-free. Want to know who they were?

Fine. Isabel was like a little sister to me... happy and cheerful. Depending on her mood, it affected all of us. If she was on those specific days during the month, she tends to get... hostile. Either way, you get it, Hanji. If she was playful, we all got playful and into the mood to mess each other up with various pranks we had up our sleeves. That's where I got the idea to have a list of Erwin's embarrassments and mess-ups. To use as a prank. She was also the young one... too young... around 18...

On the other hand, Farlan was a bit... less than me. He was like the middle child. Trying to be a boss when I truly was. He was always trying to be the best person out there... helping others out before helping himself. Always had a huge heart... made me open up to getting Isabel onto our team. Now him... we were the longest of friends.

Then, you get me. You could say I was the oldest sibling. Even though I seemed so far and distant, I truly cared about my friends... and they truly felt like real siblings to me. If someone laid a hand on Isabel or Farlan, I wouldn't let them go without making them pay. I was an enclosed person... and I didn't give a damn in the world about anything else. But they were family to me.

One day, we were just walking and Isabel was talking about her wildest dreams: the one about her flying alongside with the birds. Soaring high above the clouds and the thought of her not being chained down to the ground. We were talking about how wild it was until a man approached us.

He wanted to give us a job. I refused to take it, but when he mentioned about large sums of money and a chance at a better life... I took it. I took it so Farlan and Isabel could live a better life than the streets. I hoped they would enjoy it. After all, what does an older brother do? They take care of their younger ones.

The job was simple: to take down the CEO's successor. Turns out, it was Erwin Smith.

Between the life for my family and the life of someone else's... I had to do it for my family. They deserved a better life. And besides, if we get caught, I'm the only one who can get arrested. They had no ties to the crime I would've committed.

Anyways, I took the job. I was ready... and so was the CEO. He gave Erwin multiple bodyguards... and soon, Isabel and Farlan... they got involved. I was pinned down by so many bodyguards, and they simply wanted to try and rescue me from the mess I got myself in. 

I couldn't... I-I couldn't do a single thing. I shouted at them... trying to get them to get away... but it was too late. They got in the cross-fire. They didn't suffer... but I blamed myself for taking the job. Perhaps if I hadn't... they would still be alive. 

Erwin Smith saw how torn I was... and used that to get me onto his side. Promised me he can provide me a life... and give Isabel and Farlan a proper burial instead of being burnt to ashes. And I knew the perfect place.

A hill deep within a meadow... and under the oak tree... that was how we all first came together. We enjoyed the fresh air away from the city... and the first time we truly saw each other as we were: family. I had Erwin bury them there. Their names engraved on stone and never fading. That's how it should be. 

I've always been afraid that... if I opened myself up to others... they would end up like them. Farlan and Isabel. That's what I hide. That's my truth.