Chagara - Chaos in the Darkness (Levi x OC Fanfic / AttackOnTitan)

20. "I don't like chocolate."

It was the last day of March. The air smelled of warmth, of hyacinths, of spring. Levi watched – leaning against a house wall – the hustle and bustle of the market traders while Hanji ran from stall to stall: from the cheese stall to the butcher, from the fruit traders to the vegetable sellers and from the blacksmith's shop to the soap maker. He himself still felt like a spectator, even though he had left the underground world years ago and was legally allowed to stay on the surface. Would he ever feel that he belonged here? "And what flowers does Chagara like?" Levi's gaze wandered over the flower stall on the other side of the alley. A saleswoman was picking out the prettiest among the yellow, orange, red, pink and purple tulips and making up a bouquet for an elderly lady."Tulips? Daffodils? Violets? Hyacinths?" Did she even like flowers? Erwin sauntered through the bustle towards him, smiling.

"Tch."

"What?," asked Erwin.

"Isn't this a waste of time?"

"An afternoon off is necessary from time to time," replied Erwin. The Scout Regiment had returned late the previous day. Levi had sat down directly at his desk to do the paperwork that had been left lying around and to write the required report about the expedition. When he had finished, he wanted to knock on Chagara's room door again. She had not been there in the evening. "If she was training?," Levi had pondered. "Or... was she not at headquarters at all?" It was a thought that led to pain. 

But just as he was about to leave his room to see Chagara, Erwin was at his door. And Hanji was next to him. The commander insisted that they escape from headquarters for a few hours and visit the market. The next few days would be exhausting enough. Erwin had received an invitation. He had to go to the capital. Such invitations never boded well.

"Should we buy Mike an apple?," pondered Hanji aloud. Mike was lying in the infirmary. With a bruised shoulder and a few bruised ribs, the vice-commander had been very lucky. And the other soldiers who had to go to the infirmary after the expedition had not suffered any serious injuries either: bruises, minor cuts, broken fingers. Unfortunately, five soldiers had not made it home alive. At this point, Moblit and Nanaba informed their families. The fallen comrades had only joined the Scout Regiment the previous summer and thus had been not a lot experience in real fights against Titans. When would Levi have to visit the families of the fallen soldiers of his Special Operations Squad? Levi hated the thought. He didn't want to send anyone to their deaths, but he couldn't always be by his team's side in a fight either. There would be moments when everyone has to fight alone.

"Here." Erwin handed Hanji several coins. "Buy several apples for the wounded and the medical team. And hurry, we need to get back."

"That means we have a meeting in the evening?," asked Hanji.

"You have no appointment. But I have," answered Erwin.

"Why? What is it?," wanted Hanji to know, while Levi just furrowed his brow.

"Peter is here too. He has been already here for a few days. I'll meet him later. I need to talk to him about the invitation. He will probably accompany us," Erwin explained.

"Do Peter and his team actually have any information for us? What was it about that bird that Paul, Ron and Chagara were following?," asked Hanji curiously. But Erwin just kept walking. "Hey, Erwin. Tell me," Hanji called out and ran after him, leaving Levi alone.

If Peter was here, then Chagara was here too. A warm feeling spread through his chest at this thought. But as quickly as it had come, it disappeared. He had to sincerely apologise to her for everything. For his violent behaviour towards her at the beginning of the year and for the ugly words he had yelled at her when they had ridden side by side outside in the snow. Was she angry? But then would she have hugged him the last time they met? Levi smiled, lost in thought. He had liked that feeling. And he wanted it again.