Fallen [Levi Ackerman]

Chapter Eight

A chance? Me? I couldn't follow Erwin's words, couldn't understand them.

The hell did he mean by me giving us a chance? Could my obnoxious tantrum really change Zachary's mind? Even Levi had a hard time understanding Erwin.

I could tell by the way his shoulders stiffened that he was staring hard at Erwin. Like that would gain us an answer.

"I don't follow.  . ." I mumble with a frown. "I didn't do anything special. All it gained me was a too hard of a slap from you."

Erwin uncloaks that hard facade of his finally. Only around us four could he do such a thing. The coldness in his eyes disappeared, replacing it with some odd mysterious gleam in them.

His body relaxes and he even made for one of the chairs on my right. Settling down, Miche closes the door before leaning against a nearby wall. Levi clicks his tongue and sidesteps out of my vision. I waited for Erwin to speak, but it wasn't his voice I heard.

" 'Course you did!" Hanji exclaims, hooking an arm around me. "You did what no one else could! Throw a fit!"

My eyes widen in exasperation with my jaw slacking a bit. Seeing my shocked expression only made Hanji grin wider. Even I heard someone snicker beside me. I had to resist the urge to throw a glare at Levi.

"I—I didn't throw a fit!" I breathe. "I just said what needed to be said!"

"Exactly!" Hanji proclaims with a hearty pat. "You acted like a child for us!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was twenty-one for God's sake. How could they see me as a child? I look at everyone in the room with a flabbergasted expression. None met my eyes except Hanji.

"You've got to be kidding," I gasp. Sure, I have my moments, I admit. But that doesn't mean it's expected of me to act like one! Who else was going to tell Zachary off anyway?

"See?" Levi crosses his arms before gesturing his head at me. A bored look crosses his face. He pushes his bottom lip into a frown. "You were acting like a shitty brat."

"But I was just stating the obvious!" I defend. I shake out of Hanji's grasp before looking at Erwin. "You saw how he was out there! Why didn't you speak up? It's like you gave up!"

"I didn't give up." Erwin corrects with a smirk. "I simply allowed you to handle it."

"Allowed me?" I repeat in disbelief. "Clearly, you don't remember how it all went down. Since you decided to, allow me to handle it you slapped the shit out of me."

"Precisely." Erwin nods with a devilish smirk. It only dragged out the blind anger raging inside me. Though before I could snap, Erwin beat me to it. "Without that little act of yours I wouldn't have been able to state how right you were despite your tantrum." He finishes with ease. "Nor would Zachary reconsider our position."

I hesitate on biting his head off. Even Levi seemed more than on edge on Erwin's words. He flexes his jaw, his brow raising just a bit.

I crinkle my nose as I process Erwin's words. My act? Wait—was he hoping I'd act that way in order to gain some sort of high ground?

I locked eyes with him again, he didn't add more to it. He wanted me to figure it out. But judging from the gleam in his eyes and the way the corners of his lips turned upward, I knew I was on right path.

"Don't tell me. . ." I begin with a snicker. I drop my hands dramatically down at my sides. "This whole thing—the way you acted in court, it was all for show?"

Erwin smirks in answer. "Of some sorts—yes."

I release a well-deserved scoff. "And don't you think that slap was a little much?"