Off The Beaten Path

Foxtrot, Non-Stop

LEVI

"Hm?" His eyes narrowed as he pinned the thin man.

Oluo shifted visibly, uncomfortable before straightening and pulling on his facade. "Nothing." He flipped his hand carelessly, dropping the food from his fork as he did so.

Petra scoffed at the man, "Quit trying to act like the Captain, Oluo. It's not cute." She crossed her arms and turned her head with a sniff.

Levi didn't miss the quick glance she made his way, nor the slight blush that graced her features.

"It was a terrible joke anyway." Hange insisted, leaning heavily on the poor kid sitting next to her.

Already she was drunk, her face flushed as she shoved a large bite of fish into her mouth. "D-did you know-" she hiccuped, "Did you know titans are basically air and sunlight?!"

The table groaned. She'd been discussing this topic on and off with varying degrees of intensity for the last twenty minutes.

"Hange," Levi growled, "No one cares." He sipped from his own cup of ale, his eyes dancing around the restaurant.

It was a force of habit, one that had saved him multiple times as a civilian and as a military man - though now he had more discipline, more control. He knew how to assess a threat and watch or dismiss it. Something he hadn't had before, not so finely tuned anyway. He had trained his mind to remember details, small specs of information with nearly 100% recollection accuracy; from the color of someone's hair to the style of grain in the crown molding. It was a surprise to him, then, when the sounds of children broke the quiet din of adults eating. His gaze moved to the sound and stayed trained; alert and aware to asses the potential patrons and filed them away. His eyes narrowed to see Ezra and Gabriel fighting behind the waiter in smart matching outfits. Behind them trailed Lisa holding Jennifer, wearing matching burgundy that made the two the most fetching pair in the eatery. Jennifer with her deep red curls looked like a perfect English doll in her mother's arms, enhancing her mothers more exotic beauty.

It wasn't until Bernell stepped into view that he felt his throat constrict. Something in him became angry as she moved proudly through the crowd; head up, eyes forward. Her hands tightened around Terra, her shoulders were tense. The blue striped dress was oddly fitted in some areas, a tad too tight around her hips and chest, a little too long hem. His eyes narrowed as Bernell smiled absently at a gentleman she had met gazes with and moved on towards their location. Irrationally his heart sped. She didn't notice the heads that turned to look at her. He felt the growl rise in his throat, covering it quickly by coughing. She looked so... normal. His eyes slid to her again as they took their seats. His agitation increased when she smiled at the handsome young waiter. The boy flushed as he moved away, a stupid grin on his youthful face.

Levi didn't fool himself, he was too old and too practical for such things. He was attracted to her. He was jealous of the attention she fawned on other men but never him. Hell would have had to freeze over before she would send a decent word his way. Up until seeing her in civilian clothes he had thought he'd dismissed his impossible one-sided crush.

His eyes found their way to her again, her back was to him. He didn't mind. Her hair had been swept up in such a way that the soft skin of her neck was revealed. The fine hairs escaping the soft curls only accented how gentle the curve from her neck to shoulders was. The back of her neck sported a discolored patch, no doubt from sun exposure, as well as a mole right at the base, just above the collar of her dress. The fact he found such traits even more compelling was ridiculous. He scolded himself, trying to become angry when he caught Lisa's startled gaze. Something in the depths danced in recognition. His inspection was interrupted with a sharp pain to his leg. Quickly he shot a glance over the inhabitants at the table and gestured across the way. Petra was glowering at him, the table was silent, their gazes following where he had been looking.