Fire And Ice

Chapter 3

"Petra?" A soothing voice called from the doorway as the door slowly slid ajar, sending a light creaking sound through the room.

Petra stirred and turned over on her bed, moaning in acknowledgment,

"Petra?" The voice asked again. Petra slowly awoke this time. She sat up in bed, propped up on her elbow, and looked to the doorway, blinking her eyes as she tried getting them adjusted to the lighting. The room was dark but the hallway was somewhat brightly lit.

"Levi?" She asked in a tiresome voice.

A short, dark figure entered the room and sat at the foot of Petra's bed. Petra sat up against the headboard and pulled her knees closer, wrapping her arms around them.

"Levi, what time is it?" She asked him, rubbing her eyes.

"A little past 10." He replied. He was looking down at the floor, his arms resting on his legs and his hands folded.

"What?! Ugh. We didn't go ice skating." Petra frowned.

"It's fine." Levi dismissed it with a small wave of his hand.

"No. You know what?" Petra practically jumped off the bed. "We're going skating right now."

Levi stood up after her. "Petra, it's like 34 degrees out." He tried reasoning with her.

"I don't care. We're going. Fuck what the weather has to say about it." She looked at Levi up and down, noticing what he was wearing. He was wearing a black v-neck t-shirt, gray sweatpants and socks. "Go put on jeans and your boots." She walked quickly out of the room before Levi even had the slightest chance of stopping her.

He sighed heavily and exited the room, following after Petra. He walked back to his room and slid on a pair of jeans and his brown boots and exited, walking to the front door. Petra was already standing there sliding into one of the coats, her boots already on her feet.

"Ready?" She asked him while buttoning her coat, noticing him from the corner of her eye. She tossed back her auburn hair after buttoning the top button.

"Yes." Levi replied. Petra grabbed the second coat from the closet and handed it to him. He put it on and started buttoning the buttons as she grabbed the two pairs of skates. She slid on a pair of light blue earmuffs as well. Grabbing a dark brown pair as well for Levi. He took them into his hands and slid them over his ears.

Petra opened the door and stared into the winter night sky. A light yet strong wind was blowing to the west.

"Well, come on then." Petra said cheerfully and bounced down the porch steps and onto the snow covered ground. Levi let out another heavy sigh and followed her down the porch steps and into the woods, walking along the same trail they had taken yesterday to the lake.

They had been walking for only a few minutes when Petra asked, "Levi?"

"Yes, Petra?"

"What did Hanji talk to you about?" She asked him curiously.

"You." He said blankly.

"What about me?" Petra's voice had softened and quieted.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it. It was nothing terrible." Levi dismissed the subject. Petra frowned again after looking down at the trail that they were walking on. The arrived at the lake only a few minutes after their conversation.

Petra was amazed by what she saw. The moonlight shone over the lake. The ice sparkled back up to the moon. The snow glistened. Petra was frozen in place. Levi shook her arm.

"You okay, Petra?" He asked.

"What?" Petra asked, a little startled, "it's just beautiful." She looked over the scenery that lay before her again. "Very, beautiful." She emphasized the word very. She couldn't stop gazing at it.