Colossal Confessions

Chapter 1: Not-So-Tranquilitea Tuesday

"You're late." Levi remarked moodily, as his eyes darted from his watch to Jasmine.

"Well, hello to you too." Jasmine teased as she fell into step with her stoic friend. The sun lit the way as Levi and Jasmine meandered towards the quaint little teahouse tucked away in a sleepy alley just outside of the Trost District, within Wall Rose. Their footsteps fell into a familiar rhythm on the cobblestone as they approached Tranquilitea - their regular haunt. The two friends met here every second Tuesday almost without fail. It had been a longstanding tradition, but neither could quite remember how it came to be. Jasmine's dark eyes sparkled in delight as she took in the sight of the hydrangeas dotting the outside of the shop – their hues of pink, blue and purple blushed delicately under the comforting rays of the afternoon sun. She always enjoyed spending time with Levi, and though he'd never admit it, he found himself checking the clock more often on those Tuesdays, in silent anticipation of their teahouse tryst. 

Jasmine turned her head surreptitiously to look at Levi – his sleepy grey eyes stared straight ahead, and his mouth was fixed in its usual scowl. Most people would find Levi off-putting but she'd always been drawn to his cat-like disposition.

"Stop staring at me." Levi demanded causing Jasmine to startle – she hadn't expected to be caught in the act. She felt a flurry of butterflies stir up in her stomach and did her best to stifle her nerves. She'd been psyching herself up all week and now D-day was finally here - it was only T minus God-knows-how-many-minutes before she dropped the bomb.

Levi pushed open the charming white door to the tea shop and a little brass bell chimed in greeting, signalling the arrival of new customers. As they crossed the threshold, they were enveloped by the calming aroma of bergamot laced with cinnamon and a hint of clove – the scent danced in the air enticingly. The teahouse was prettiest at this time of day – sunbeams waltzed along the walls, bathing the entire shop and its old shelves lined with trinkets and tchotchkes in a golden hue. Behind the counter stood Mrs. Aiko - an elderly lady with a hunched back and a shock of white hair neatly drawn into a bun. She smiled warmly at the pair, her wrinkles smoothing out across her face as she did. 

"Hello, dears." She greeted the familiar faces. Levi nodded politely – he was never one to show emotion. Jasmine, on the other hand, wore her heart on her sleeve and beamed back broadly. 

The gentle song of murmured conversations punctuated by the clink of china rose to meet them as the two made their way to their usual table in a cosy corner at the back of the shop. 

"Dibs the cushion chair." Jasmine announced suddenly, dashing in front of Levi to steal the coveted spot. Levi felt a smile creep across his face at her antics. He let her have it without squabble, watching in amusement as she plonked herself down, almost toppling the chair in the process. As he settled into his own chair, he was reminded of why they always fought for the cushion chair – this one had a foot that was slightly shorter than the rest, causing it to rock angrily anytime he moved. They could sit anywhere in the tea shop, and yet they always opted for this spot, wobbly chair and all.

"I dibs it for next time." Levi declared coolly. Jasmine scowled.

"You can't make dibs in advance." She argued as she crossed her arms across her chest in defiance. 

"I just did." Levi replied nonchalantly as Jasmine rolled her eyes at him, picking up a menu. The gesture was futile – they never ordered tea off the menu; they preferred to sample whatever new blend Mrs. Aiko had gotten in. 

The cosy atmosphere of the tea shop was a stark contrast to the shadowy remnants of the Battle of Trost – painful memories from the past few weeks still loomed at the forefront of their minds. When Jasmine closed her eyes, she would see the faces of once dear friends though their features grew hazier as the days passed. Levi would often stay awake through most of the night – his attempt at quelling the inevitable nightmares that would haunt his sleep. Although they had ultimately been victorious, the death toll didn't allow for celebration, and they were left with more questions than answers. The last few days had been taxing enough, but now they had to deal with Eren Jaeger, a new recruit who could shift into a titan at will. The Survey Corps had endured an intense court battle to gain custody of Eren, and after a bout of arguments and theatrics he was now Levi's responsibility. Though the outside world was filled with bitter truths of fallen comrades and the horrors of war, here in this teashop it was just Levi and Jasmine, lost in their own little dream world.