You've Always Been My Freedom

Chapter Four - Surfacing Feelings

Still four years earlier

Later that evening, Rayne was doing her usual patrolling of the hallways of HQ. Because it was a Friday night, with no excursions planned as of yet , the cadets weren't under such strict orders to get to bed early tonight. But that didn't mean things could get crazy, that's what Rayne was there for, to prevent that.

Most of the cadets were either spending time in their bunks, the library rooms or enjoying the warm summer evening outside. The hour was late though, so most of them had already retired and gone to bed.

Rayne entered into the mess hall to check no cadets had found the stash of alcohol and gotten any ideas, like in previous years, and she almost jumped out of her skin when her eyes scanned the seemingly empty hall, and landed on the candlelit silhouette of Levi sat on the table the furthest away.

He was hunched over, his back to Rayne. She frowned, walking over to him.

"Ackerman, shouldnt you and your pals be off chasing trouble in town somewhere?" she said with a smirk, and he turned to glare at her, before turning back to whatever he had in his lap. She approached him. "Hey, Ackerman, come on, I have to lock up--what are you doing?"

She glanced down into his lap, where he was holding his cravat, with a needle and thread. There was a small rip on the seam of the fabric which he was trying, and failing, to repair. "Uh, do you want some help with that?"

"No." He grumbled, standing up. "I can fix it."

"Are you sure? Cos you're kind of butchering it, if you ask me." Rayne gave him a kind smile. "Look, I know we haven't exactly seen eye to eye, Ackerman, but that thing is obviously important to you, I never see you without it. And to be honest, I'll dislike you even more with the mood you'll be in after you ruin it if you carry on. So, I can help."

He seemed to think it over for a second. She reached out her hand for it and he almost seemed to pull the cravat back, terrified that she'd steal it.

Then he looked her in the eye. It was the first time they'd locked eyes with each other without some sort of distain or anger and Levi...Levi didn't want to look away. He was captivated by the color of her eyes; such an intense shade of blue that he'd never noticed before.

He handed over the cravat. She smiled and took it from him and their fingers brushed each other. As cheesy as it sounded, her touch gave him goosebumps. He sat back down again opposite her as she rethreaded the needle and began to work. She leant over the table, trying to get close to the candle light, and Levi caught himself staring at her.

"Y'know, as much of a hard time as I give you...you're actually incredibly talented," Rayne spoke softly, and Levi was hypnotised by the way her eyes sparkled in the candlelight. "I guess I can see why Erwin picked you and your buddies up."

"Have you been drinking?" Levi snarked, immediately cursing himself as he did so. What a stupid thing to fucking say, dumb ass...

Rayne laughed, the sound echoing off the exposed stone walls and floors.

"I wish. Then maybe I wouldn't be spending my precious Friday night sewing up some street rat's clothes."

Levi let out a dry laugh.

"What, like you have other shit to do around here?"

"More shit than you do," Rayne smirked, pulling the thread through a final time and cutting it off with her pocket knife. "Don't you know I have to babysit you Cadets and make sure you can wipe your asses unassisted, Ackerman?"

He took back the cravat with the smallest smile on his lips, tying it back into his collar.

"Thanks," he muttered. Rayne nodded.