Promise me [Levi Ackerman x OC]

XIII: The light

After lunch, Flagon announce his whole squad that it was their turn for cleaning chores, he divided them in teams and assign the place. The underground trio were in the stables team, the only one enjoying herself with the horses was Isabel, she talked to them the whole time she was cleaning the dirty thatch and replacing with new.

"This guy is messing with us" Furlan along with Levi were carrying the new piles of thatch from the storage room to each stall.

Levi went for a new pile of the grass to the storage room that was outside the main barn, every time he went out he took a quick look at Hazel who was by the field over a bench while explaining the training. This time he looked longer getting sight of her enjoying the company of the people surrounding her.

He growled at the scene of Erwin approaching with other two men: his captain and the tall man who recognize as the one who put him against the dirty floor when the scouts caught them. What was happening in there was confusing, he didn't understand why the tall one was sniffing her making him want to go there and cut his nose, but then she patted his head. So she is okay with this?

Flagon looked ashamed while it seems the other was teasing him and suddenly the crazy woman from the lunch appear next to Hazel hugging her possessively and making her giggle. Erwin turn his body to face the group and reassure them. He looked at her with such a tender face making Levi remember how Declan used to looked at her.

The group was leaving the spot and he was about to get back to the main barn but then Hazel stop Flagon to talk. He couldn't hear the conversation but he could see her bright smile across her freckled face. The closeness of them make him feel uncomfortable and jealous? He controlled his face to not show how troubled he was. It was just like the time Furlan give her a kiss in the top of her head many years ago while sharing their wish of being out of the underground.

Levi follow Flagon with his sight as he left her and then he looked at her again, she turned her face to the stable in that precise moment and catch him looking at her. They locked eyes, embarrassed he started to blush and quickly went inside ignoring her wave.

⟿

For the evening, Hazel was scheduled attacking tactics with Erwin's cadets, she was out in the field up on a bench to allow the cadets to see her explanation with the wooden swords. The passion with which she explained the tactics inspired the cadets and everyone who saw her. Once she ordered them to pair up and practice, the other leaders went to supervised the training.

While she watched them from the bench, some higher ups appear next to her to check on the trainings. They all were taller than her, but in the bench she almost were at their heigh. Erwin was arms crossed above his chest, furrowed brows looking at the cadets. Miche, Squad Leader, was doing the same, and for the last, Flagon was more casual with his body language.

"Good afternoon, sirs." All of them nodded at her.

"They are improving, good job Hazel." Erwin congratulate her without taking his gaze from the field.

Suddenly, Miche started to do his weird habit of sniffing. "Spearmint and lavender. New perfume?"

"Thanks for noticing, a present from Jaeger family." She smiled at him and patted the top of his hair.

"I bet you want to smell her, don't you Flagon?" Miche was teasing him, giving a slap in his back to make him stepped closer to Hazel. Flagon blushed and looked at the floor after pushing off the man's arm.

"This one is mine, go find your own girl. Damn you are right, she smells good." Hange has joined them now hugging her by the waist and sniffing her neck making her giggle by the tickles.

"Leave the poor girl alone." Erwin came closer to the group, his face was more relaxed even with a light smile enjoying the moment.

They left to keep checking other cadets and their training. "Flagon." She called him before he could left, jumped off the bench and face him. "Hey, I'm really sorry for what I said in the mess hall. I didn't like how you talked to them and I got angry but that doesn't mean I had to tell you that. I can assure you, I would never regret saving you or anyone else. That's what we do, right?" She gave him a reassurance smile and put her hand over his shoulder.

"Right" he smiled back and mimic her putting his hand in her shoulder. "It was also my fault, maybe it wasn't pleasant for me to see how bond you were with those thugs." She furrowed and crossed her arms. "Sorry, those cadets. Speaking of...I'm going to supervised their work at the stables."

"You give them barn chores? You are a mean one." She tried to look angry but failed starting to laugh.

"Yeah I know, I was still mad. See you at dinner, Haze." she nodded between giggles and saw him leave. 

She took a look over the stable and find Levi at the distance looking at her direction, she waved him with a faint grin but he just turn around to keep working. If she wouldn't be that far, she might advert Levi's blushing cheeks for getting caught. "Well I guess we are not in the best of terms." She sighed before going back to her bench.

⟿

"Why me? She will tell you anything, you should be the one going, and she will be glad you finally spoke to her."

"I would go if any of you want to do it." Isabel was full of confidence.

"It would be suspicious, Isabel. I can't go myself because..." He wasn't ready to face her, the words he told her back then still burning in his head. Hazel's nature will forgive him, he was sure, but he couldn't allow that because once again he will leave her after the job it's done and she will not go with him.

After weeks of living in the barrack he notice how well appreciated she is around the whole staff, higher ups, cadets, her comrades. She brings light to this place just like she did when in the underground. He would not take this happiness from her.

"... I'm not good at words. Besides, it would be also suspicious, you are the one who's always talking to her."

"Fine then." Furlan was defeated. He knew how much hurting were Levi and Hazel going through.