Silent Love, Silent Pain [Levi x OC]

45. Back and forth

For the next few days Scouts were busy cutting trees and bringing logs of wood to their HQ. They had to replenish their reserves if they wanted to survive the winter without freezing. Erwin ordered all members of the unit to take care of that matter quickly, before the snowstorms would come to Trost. He let them work with whoever they wanted to much to Sophie's appreciation, because of that order she didn't have to deal with Levi's squad yet. It was so stupid of her to avoid official introduction. It was nothing like her. Yet, she couldn't help it. When it came to Levi and everything or everyone that surrounded him she was a different person, much more insecure, more anxious of her behaviour. She just wanted things to be perfect. Perfect as he was. Stupid, isn't it?

"I'm so done with this," Farrah said after an hour of walking. They were too late to catch a cart, so they were forced to take the logs that they found on their own. "I just want to go and eat something. Maybe read a book in peace"

"Hange would agree with you" Sophie giggled.

She was glad that she was spending her time with Farrah. There weren't many people that she genuinely liked in this unit nor were close with. Farrah was one of those people who could proudly say that she trusted them, taking her place in that respectable circle along with Hange, Nifa, Moblit, Erwin and of course Levi. If only she could she would gladly work that day with him, but he chose to supervise Oluo's performance. She wasn't ready to spend time with him, even though she was drinking with him before. Maybe that was another reason why she was afraid of joining Levi's squad officially? She was so drunk whenever they were going out together. She had a feeling that she was embarrassed. She didn't want to cause Levi's squad to respect him less because he's close with a drunkard like her.

"Hange seems great. And she's a scientist" Farrah said dreamingly.

"I didn't know that it's interesting to you"

"Now you know," she laughed.

"Have you ever thought of joining her squad? There's one left place since I transferred"

"I...I didn't think that Hange would pick me, to be honest"

"Why not?"

"I don't know" she shrugged her shoulders, causing logs that she was holding to almost drop on the ground, but Sophie helped her support them.

"I can talk with her about it if you want to"

"Really?" her eyes widened and the corner of her lips curled up in an involuntary smile.

"Really" Sophie returned the gesture. "Now hurry up, I don't want to freeze my butt here"

They finally arrived at the HQ and placed logs that were gathered by them next to the huge pile of other logs brought by other Scouts. The carter was there as well, it seemed that they collected enough wood to keep themselves warm till the spring, at least they hoped so.

"It's a lot, but we still need to use it responsibly, right?" Mike said, he was responsible for heating and supplies this year. "I suggest moving some beds to one room. It would make us save lots of firewood if we were only using it heat a few rooms rather than every single one"

"Good idea Mike" Erwin commended him. "And those of you who don't have a fireplace in the room at all, should move to comrades that have one, at least for a winter, alright?" he asked and all of them nodded.

"We won't have trouble with that" Sophie heard a whisper next to her ear and recognized the voice immediately just like his scent. She turned to face Levi and smiled at him. "You're staying with me" he decided.

"I don't know. You're a real clean freak" she teased him to which he replied with a roll of his eyes and discontent grimace on his face. "Joking," she chuckled.