Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

FORTY-TWO

'The notion that one's loved ones are never really gone is a two-sided theory. On the one hand, it's comforting to know that those we have lost are always beside us. On the other, it means those we might want to forget still linger. Love freely and without constraint, but remember, love is permanent.'

-An extract from the book 'Evolutions' written by philosopher Adette Briggs.

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FORTY-TWO

Wall Sina, Interior, Mitras City, Royal Palace

Lorelai strode from the conference room and down the corridor, ascending marble staircases. Several nobles looked to her for conversation, but she walked straight past; there was only one person she wanted to see.

Levi was standing before a grand window at the end of the corridor, gazing blankly out into the city. He heard her footsteps and turned to see her, smiling softly.

"Hey, what happened down there? You-"

Lorelai launched herself forward and pulled him into a hug. The hug caught him off guard, and they tripped and stumbled backwards a few paces.

"Thank you for speaking for me. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there."

Levi sighed contently, gladly wrapping his arms around her. "I was happy to do it."

"You really saved my ass back there."

"Yeah, well, what else is new?"

"Jerk."

"Dumbass." With a final squeeze, Levi pulled back to look at her. "But what happened back there? You froze."

She sighed, brushing his hair out of his eyes a little. "I was caught off-guard. I didn't expect anyone here to be related to Briggs."

"...You're scared of that family, aren't you?"

She nodded slightly. "I'm both relentlessly angry... and completely petrified. I'm just glad you were there, so I wasn't at le Blanc's mercy."

"Right," he nodded. "And what about those tunnels, hm? You didn't think I should know about that?"

"Well, you know me," Lorelai winked. "Ever the flair for dramatics. Though, I still need to figure out how I'm actually going to get down there— I guess I'll add it to the list."

He huffed. "Yeah, alright."

"What about you, hm? I don't think Erwin's going to be too happy at you coming to my rescue."

"To be honest, I don't give a shit." He met her eyes. "You needed my help, and all these nobles have too many goddamn rules for my taste."

She smiled. "Still, I don't want you messing up things for Erwin on my account."

"Alright, fine. So, what's next?"

"We see how the next few days go."

<>

Soon enough, the next two days of the political convention had passed. The two meetings held nothing of much importance to either the Survey Corps or to Havas— trade, stocks, and whatnot.

Levi was so bored as the nobles argued over whether they should tax a sack of grain one copper piece or two, he almost dozed off once or twice. He couldn't understand why Lorelai was so fascinated by it. But, then again, that was why she was the politician, and he wasn't.