Tea Time - Levi x Mikasa

One summer night, Levi went to the roofs of their HQ to have a break. It was definitely hot inside, and his mind was so disturbed that he could not sleep. He supposed he would be alone. Better that way, though : he became rude when he was tired and annoyed. That is to say, even ruder than he usually was. It would be bad that he came across some poor innocent trainee and began to throw his anger over him.

The corporal reached the top of the roof, ignoring the splendid landscape offered to his eyes, and inhaled as much air as he could. During the process, he smelled a fruity fragrance. That was strange, on a night like that one. But he imagined that those were the smells of the kitchen, down there, and didn't allow it many importance. He walked a little, surrounded by the luscious smell of tea and fruits, feeling a little annoyed and curious, when he heard a noise. And then that cold voice :
"Corporal ?... I thought I was the only one who came here."
He slowly turned to face her. A wild breeze made her hair float, forcing her to keep it out of her face. She was wearing a night gown and a cardigan, and walked with bare feet. He would never admit it but, after getting used to see her with her uniform and red scarf, he was surprised to see her in such a light dress. Actually, he could hardly refrain himself from glancing at her bare legs, at her neck or at her shoulders. She seemed a lot more feminine and almost pretty. 'Almost', because he wasn't supposed to think this way about one of his subordinates : even wearing a night gown, she was a soldier, and he mustn't forget that. He also noticed that she was holding something in her hands, a teapot maybe. The fruity, sweet smell of before was probably her drink's.

"I thought the same, Ackerman. What are you doing here ?"
"I should ask you that question too." She was as cold as always, yet her eyes glanced at him with a new look. "I just couldn't sleep, so I made tea and I came here until I'm sleepier."
"I would have expected Blouse to sneak into the kitchen at nighttime, not you." She grinned at the mention of her glouton friend.

"Actually, she comes too when we both can't sleep. You weren't so far from the truth."
There was a tiny, very tiny tone of amusement in her voice, which made him relax. After a short silence and a staring-match, she offered him to have a cup of tea with her. He didn't reply, following her with mixed-feelings. She wasn't that nice nor generous usually ; or, well, she wasn't with him. He had hitten Eren, after all, and she would never forget that. She couldn't make him pay for that, due to his superiority, but she allowed herself to shoot daggers at him with her eyes. He, on the other hand, considered that she was being too overprotective : he wasn't her child, and not even from her biological family.

Moreover, was he worth all her devotion ? Certainly not. The last time she had saved him, he didn't even thank her, or look grateful. Levi knew he wouldn't have Mikasa's pacience : he would have left him in his problems until the little brat ask him for help. But she was too nice towards him. No matter how ignorant and reckless he was, she would be his guardian angel. But her superior felt that she was hurt, and he almost had pity for her. 'Almost', because she was one of the toughest soldier of the whole Human Army ; he could never pity such a strong woman, that would be disrespectful.

When he saw her sitting near a chimney, his eyes narrowed. "Dust, smoke, ashes... Disgusting." She probably read his mind since she sighed and, taking off her cardigan, she left him sitting on her clothes. He found himself smiling at her thoughtfulness, and muttered a short "Thank you, Ackerman" while she filled two cups with tea. She grinned back at him and replied :
"Your welcome, captain. I should have guessed that you would never sit on a roof like that."

She drank slowly her tea, and he heard her sigh a little. Levi wondered if she wasn't cold now. After all, it was nighttime, and even in summer, it wasn't so warm without a jacket. But she did no complaint about the weather. Small talk would be ridiculous, they both knew. Small talk was something people in the streets could do, but it wasn't something for the two strongest soldiers of mankind. They have seen, felt and lost so much that complaining about a windy winter or a rainy summer would sound ludicrous. They were pretty much like each other : orphans, skilled fighter, with a cold gaze and a burning heart. They had both thought, at one determined moment of their lives, that noone could have suffered as much as them. But they were wrong : they were at the same level of pain. Broken muppets, glass-eyed dolls, porcelain hearts. They could break at the first pain, at the least hit. And yet, they miraculously lived.

Humans are frail creatures. They need someone to live for. Even the poorest souls, the most damaged ones needed a reason to live : a friend, a family, something to protect, something that's worth it. Mikasa had Eren and, in a least measure, Armin ; Levi devoted himself to his soldiers ; Eren lived to exterminate titans. They lived because they had a goal. Most of those who died had a goal too, much they weren't strong enough to achieve it. Levi and Mikasa Ackerman had strengh enough to avenge them all, to make their dreams reality : discovering the outside world, conquer the Wall Maria... It was a weight on their small shoulders, but they had no other choice than to deal with it.

"I've heard that the expedition for the conquest of the Wall Maria would be ready soon", Mikasa said suddenly.

"Yes. In something like a month."
"Hum... And that you would be responsible of the serum that changes people into titans."

"Yes. I'll have to choose to who I must inject it, if necessery."

Short silence. They drank more tea without speaking. The subject was much more serious than anything they had expected to talk about. But after all, they were soldiers. They could hardly talk about... well, common things.

"I've noticed something... You're not as rude as usually." Levi raised an eyebrown. "You're actually pretty nice, 'en't you ?"

"Little brat."
"Ah, I knew it wouldn't last. Shorty."

They glanced at each other, while throwing insults in a polite tone. It was a game of who would last the longest. They had plenty of ideas of how they could hurt the others feelings, but actually they stopped soon. It was unfair : Levi wasn't responsible for being short, and neither Mikasa was for being stubbornly devoted to Eren. As he realized that, the corporal managed to say :
"You really would do anything for him, wouldn't you ?" She nodded slowly, avoiding his gaze. "To be honest, I don't think he deserves so much. You worth more than that child."

"Maybe. But he's the very last thing I can protect. He saved me as a child and his family picked me up when I was alone. He gave me a reason to live in this merciless world. I think that if I leave him alone, he'll die and... I would be alone again... That's idiotic, I know."
"Kind of. But I can understand." She finished her cup of tea and he saw a drop of the hot infusion holding onto her lip. He raised a hand to catch it, and she jumped when it touched her lower lip. Her pale cheeks became pink as roses, as well as his heart began to beat faster. "There was something on your lip", he explained, embarassedly. "What do you think ?..."
"N-nothing. Nothing..."

They came back to their first topic, that is to say the expedition. Mikasa confessed that she really hoped that everything would turn out fine, on the contrary of what happened during the 57th expedition out of the walls. They must conquer Wall Maria, and put an end at the domination of the titans. But she also wondered what cost would they have to pay : how many friends would die in those expeditions ? how many would loose their fights ? how many would come back to their home ? Levi said nothing, but the picture of his last squad, of his four dead friends, made him greeth his teeth. He could never promise that everybody would come back, with no injuries. He could neither protect his comrades, or at least not all of them. There would be sacrifices anyways.
But as he looked at Mikasa, he promised himself that he would do his best for her to live. It was kind of sad to think that such a young girl had so many scars, so many injuries that would never totally disappear... In a world were titans were only a myth, things would be different. She would have plenty of time to discover the world, she wouldn't have to protect Eren from anything -except maybe from other men ? She would shine like the sun and live happy, without having to doubt about the future, the incertainity of their fate. Maybe, he could... No. It was better not to think about future. After all, they could die so easily. Human beings are such weak creatures...

"May I ask you something, captain ?"
"You already did. What is it ?"
"Eren... Would he be part of your squad again ? I know you're usually in the safest position of the formation, that's why..."

"Yes, he will. We must keep an eye on him. I suppose you wanted to stay with him."
"It's alrght... I know he'll be safe. After all, you are the strongest soldier of mankind. I just wanted to be sure." He was surprised to hear such a compliment from her. She wasn't as fast nor as strong as he was, but she hadn't so much experience either. For a young soldier, she was pretty efficient. "On my part, I'll do my best to protect my side of the formation. This time, there will be no Female Titan against us... I still wonder why Annie did that. We weren't friends or anything, it's just... I would never have thought..."
"No one did, that's noone's fault."

"Yeah, perhaps... But still. I always end up wondering why I am alive and not the others." She interrumpted herself. "Sorry. I had forgotten about your squad... You probably feel bad about that, 'don't need me to...-"
"It's alright, Ackerman."
They paused for a while. He thought of his comrades : Gunther, Eld, Petra, Auruo. They had all died because he had left them against that Female-form Titan. The worst was to think that, after that, he had stopped her, with Mikasa's help. She had been so desperate after Eren's capture that she would have dealed with anyone to save him. She always has to save his ass. She was a good warrior, but her feelings blinded her ; she could have died for being reckless or acting boldly. Still, things would have been different for the squad if she had joined them before. For Eren's sake, she would have killed the Female-form Titan without a doubt. Without caring of herself. In a way, Levi was happy that she hadn't been there. Happy that she wasn't dead like Petra, and the others. Happy that she could still fight and talk. No matter how traumatising her life had been, she never gave up. That simple thought made him grin a little.

"Hey, Ackerman, you should go to sleep now. You must be ready for tomorrow."
"Is there anything special, tomorrow ?"
"Sure. It's a new day. Maybe the last one. If we had only one month to live before the expedition, we should all enjoy our last moments. Don't you think ?" She stood there quietly, not knowing eactly how to reply. He yawned. "That's an order, soldier Ackerman. You must sleep."
"But..." She saw him wearing a strange expression of tiredness and empathy. Something she had never seen before. Arguing would be useless. He was her captain, after all ; no matter how short, clean-freak and old he was, she had to obey him. He knew better than her what was the right thing to do. "Very well. Good night, sir. Remember to sleep, too."
"Yeah, yeah..." She saluted him and turned her back on him, not feeling his gaze on her skin and hair. He got up and took the cardigan she had forgotten. Without a word, he followed the young woman, and covered her shoulders with the cloth when she was about to leave the roofs. She jumped a little. "There you are. You shouldn't let your clothes around."
"Because they might got dirty ?"
"Because you'll catch a cold. Leave me the teapot and the cups, I'll take care of it. Now, go to sleep."

She sighed, half-annoyed and half-thankful. The hint of a smile passed on her crimson lips, before she left Levi.

Later on that night, he walked noiselessly into the corridors, unnoticed. He found her room's door easily, he had once seen her entering in it, and remembered that Sacha Blouse and Christa Renz -or well, Historia Reiss- slept in the surrounding rooms. After a long, long hesitation, the captain opened the door to listen to the silence. If she was awake, she hadn't noticed him. If she wasn't... He stept in, quietly. Came closer to the bed. Gazed at the beautiful woman sleeping into the sheets, holding onto her scarf and cardigan. Caressed her shoulder-lengh dark hair and her blank face. Carefully kissed her forehead, making her shake a little. She didn't wake up, much to his relief. He regarded her peaceful face for a moment, wondering why he felt so peaceful when she was close. That night with her was the closest to happiness he had felt those last months. He could have forgotten the threatens of the people, of the titans, of Death itself, just by looking at that neutral expression. He would allow himself to cry or leave his emotions take control of himself as long as she would be there.

Because that night, Levi Ackerman understood he would always have someone like him. He would no longer be alone.

There it is ! I really wanted to finish with this before I left France for the holydays. Of course you can ask me if you have favorite couples or any ideas. I will write a Annie x Armin drabble as soon as possible.