Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

FORTY-EIGHT

'The selflessness of the lover is something truly beyond this world. To be so consumed in love that you would give it up freely... there is nothing natural about it. And yet, it is the greatest and most tragic sacrifice many have ever known.'

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

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FORTY-EIGHT

Wall Sina, Interior, Mitras, Royal Palace

It was the next day— 0600 hours. The meeting was fast approaching— the one that would prove the beginning for Lorelai and Erwin... or become an untimely end. Lorelai, of course, had been up all night trying to delay the inevitable.

Levi was going to check on her now. Erwin had just finished briefing him and Hange on the situation. He was now painfully aware of the hardships she would be facing right about now. He came to offer any support he could.

He knocked on her door, having learnt his lesson about barging in last night. That was an awkward moment he didn't plan on repeating.

"Come in, Levi," he heard her call from inside. He walked in to find Lorelai sitting at her desk, pen in hand, with eyebags for days.

"Good morning," he greeted plainly. He had brought the tea he had stolen last night with him in the hopes of finally getting to try it. "You look like shit."

Lorelai raked a hand through her dishevelled hair. "Well, today is going to be a shit show, so I'd say I look the part."

"Been up all night?"

"Yup."

"Doing what?"

"Drafting this bullshit." She waved around a document that appeared to be some sort of formal plea. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, noticing the tea. "I can't believe you actually stole it," Lorelai chuckled.

"I think you need it now more than ever," he replied. "Fancy a cup?"

"Please," she nodded, watching Levi get up to begin brewing it. "Are you feeling alright, sweetheart? Is your cold gone?"

Levi blinked, taken aback by the question. He didn't expect Lorelai to be worrying after him with all she had going on. "Yeah, it's gone." He placed the cup of fine tea before her. Its aroma was rich and sweet. "What about you, huh? Feeling alright?"

"Pretty shit, actually. I'm so tired of goddamn politics." She sipped the tea. "Wow, this is delicious," Lorelai mumbled.

Levi also sipped his tea, and it did indeed live up to its reputation. He picked up the document Lorelai had been drafting. It was a formal plea to take the next step in Havasian-Walls cooperation, such that would ultimately lead to relationships like hers and Erwin's being normalised.

As Levi read her work, his eyes widened a little. Lorelai was an incredible wordsmith. The way she phrased everything was so particular and decisive. Her metaphors swam and merged so naturally, like tributaries to a river, leading each point to a clear conclusion.

It was almost like reading poetry, a rigid, unyielding form of poetry.

"This is incredible, Lorelai. If this doesn't convince them, I don't know what will."

She chuckled to herself lowly. "It's funny. People will believe anything if it sounds pretty enough. It's not about what's right or what's real; it's about what sounds the best."