Living Together: Extras

Trip to the Vet

Rating: T (language)

--

"Mikasa," Levi beckoned from the kitchen. 

When she walked in, Mikasa saw him standing in a tank top, sweats and apron wrap snugly around his waist. He held a spatula in his hand, and was staring down at their cat, Revi, who laid on it's side on the cool tile floor.  

"What's wrong?" She asked. It was morning and she still had her pajamas on, hair disheveled, with a groggy look.  

"There's something wrong with the cat..." he grumbled. Levi lightly tapped the belly of the feline with the tip of the slipper. 

Mikasa's eyes suddenly flashed with a look of concern, "What do you mean?" she urgently replied as she paced to the cat. Crouching down, she smoothed her palm over the black fur.  

Revi in response only turned a short glance at her before closing his eyes again. It continued to lay there on it's side the tail barely twitching.  

"He's too lethargic, even for a cat..." Levi continued to mutter as he continued to make breakfast. 

Mikasa sprung to her feet, "We HAVE to take him to the vet."  

Levi gave her a glance, "We? I have work." 

"Call out off from work, I'm sure Erwin will understand." 

Levi picked off the two slices french toast from the skillet onto the small plate on the kitchen counter. The smell of sugar and cinnamon filled the air, "There's no need for the both of us to go. Also, calling in for the sickness of a cat doesn't count for a valid work excuse." 

"Of course it is!" Mikasa argued firmly, "Don't you remember the death of Mike's great dane, Alexander? Not only did he called off, we were all invited for the funeral, and everyone from your department was there. It was big deal because it is."  

"Mikasa-," He was cut off. 

"And it's not about whether be both "need" to be there. IT's about being there for Revi when he needs our support the most! He could be expressing symptoms for serious illness and we don't even know it! Are you really that heartless that you're going to leave for work, like it's just any other day?!"  

Levi placed down the spatula and turned off the stove, "Alright Mikasa, calm down. You're getting too worked up over this..." he saw her with a glare resembling a looming thundercloud, "... clearly you already are.." He mumbled more to himself.  

"I'm going to get changed," she said as she walked around him and out the kitchen. "Get yourself ready, I want to leave right away. "  

His steady grey eyes quietly watched her as she paced off. He then looked down towards the cat. 

"Oi, get up." The cat didn't respond. "You're not that sick... " he said more to himself for reassurance, "You didn't go through my detergents-did you?" He crouched down, lightly ran his fingers over the crown of the feline's head, "Nah, I doubt you're that stupid. You're fine, I'm sure you're fine..." His voice carried a twinge of concern. Revi blinked a bit, turning his head to try to nip at Levi's palm that touched him. Levi petted him more flatting it's ears, falling down to it's neck.  

"I need to find your collar," Levi whispered, "I think it's upstairs in the night desk."  

Mikasa appeared in the kitchen entrance way looking totally different form how she presented herself fifteen minutes ago. With a purse in one hand, and the kennel in the other.  

"You don't even plan on eating breakfast?" Levi asked in aggravated sigh. 

"There's no time, you can go like that-that's fine," she replied.  

"No, no, relax, Imma go change." Levi urged as he paced up to her. "Eat breakfast, while I fix myself up. For the time being the cat isn't going to die. You're getting me stressed out with your fretting." He gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze.  

Mikasa's eyes softened from their steely gaze, "He's my baby... that's why," she whispered softly. 

He found the concept ridiculous. 'Course, it's natural to care and nurture a pet, but way she, Mike and other pet owners would care for animal as if it were human being-it was way beyond his understanding; it bothered him. Personally he had been struggling to get out of a cold that kept nagging him since the Autumn chill started falling into place-and Mikasa hadn't even ask him about it, let alone make him a bowl of soup or something.  

It was always, 'the cat this', 'the cat that'.  

He didn't know what else to say, just only the usual, "It will be okay... Just have something to eat, alright?"  

She gave a small nod. She remain standing there, as Levi walked passed her. He looked back on her was he walked out. He sighed again and continued to head towards to stairs to reach his bedroom. 

- 

Levi sat in the waiting room of the vet's office with her, from the looks of it was a busy day. There were mostly other dogs, an iguana, and an umbrella cockatoo who was losing body feathers. Mikasa sat with the kennel at her feet. Revi was awake and constantly hissing.  

He recalled the last visit; they had to get the originally stray cat the necessary shots to keep as pet. Back when he was strict about giving it away. But Mikasa's stubborn will was a force to be reckoned with. Glancing over to her, Levi noticed how she kept looking down to the kennel talking down to the Revi.  

Only soft gentle words ever came out of her mouth, to address the cat. In spite of the situation, he couldn't stop the surge of envy-induced uncomfort that rose from within him. He snapped his head away from her direction and slightly sulked in the cushioned seat. The morning news played on the small overhead television screen. Checking his phone, he saw that Erwin eagerly text him asking for updates on the cat's condition. 

Of course he's asking about the stupid fuckin cat. What about my cold, goddamnit. I never take off unless I'm fuckin dying inside, asshole. 

"Thank you..."  

Levi jerked his head to the sound of her voice.  

She had a quiet look, her plump lips ghosted in a shy smile, "...for coming with me."  

In that split second his mind went blank. He wasn't expecting this at all-it seemed so out of the blue, so unlike her. He looked away again finally finding words. 

"Erwin's worried, just texted me saying to updated him..." he replied.  

"Really?" She smiled, "The people you work with, really are nice." 

An awkward silence.  

A nurse stepped into the waiting room, "Levi? Acker-man?" 

He quickly stood up, and Mikasa hastily followed up taking the kennel with her. 

- 

The door closed abruptly behind Levi as he arrived in the house. Fuming.  

"A furball! All he had was some stupid furball he couldn't pass up! For the love of fuckin god! I lost a day of work because of this shit."  

"It could have been serious!" Mikasa protested, "Plus, the vet says that it might be over licking because he has a shallow spot on it's belly-he's just stressed out because you treat him so badly." 

"Oh, so it's my fault? What? For not wanting a pet, I clearly didn't want in the first place?!" He retorted.  

"You're the worse!" she barked. With the kennel in hand still, she paced up the stairs deciding to release the cat within her room. 

Levi heard the door slam from downstairs and roughly sighed as he aggressively dragged his fingers through his hair.  

"Fuckin damnit..." He muttered. He walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water.  

Levi chugged it down, and leaned his back against the counter. In the silence of the kitchen he mind thought over everything. His own growing feelings for her, the situation and the cat. He felt his nose run on the left side and sniffed.  

"Che... I can't believe I'm jealous of a stupid piece-of-shit cat..." he muttered.

END