Days past, then weeks. Hael saw little of Levi and Levi saw little of Hael. Until one night. The soldiers had planned Erwin a big birthday dinner, and everyone was required to attend. That night, Hael was sitting with her friends; they were laughing and joking and just generally horsing around. Hael glanced up at her superiors, all sitting around a table on a dias.

Levi was slumped in his seat, elbows in the table, hands around a cup of something. He muttered something that made Erwin laugh and clap him on the shoulder. Hael sighed quietly into her meat and looked back up, just in time to catch Levi looking at her! Neither one looked away for several heartbeats, an involuntary smile crept onto Hael's face. There was no blush, no embarassment. This was a challenge. So they stared.

With all this anger and sadness that had been racing through her, Hael had forgotten who she was. She was someone who never backed out of a challenge. So they stared.

God, she looked gorgeous. Hael was wearing a loose, dark green dress. It was covering, but cut just low enough to make Levi look twice. She wore a leather necklace with some sort of charm on it, and and brown leather slouch boots. Her brown hair was pinned up, showing off her shapely neck and beautiful eyes. Those eyes are what caught his attention, the were big and deep and brown; not a sliver of the blushing girl who had been in his room was there. No, this girl was challenging him, and he didn't intend to step down. She was alert, slightly intoxicated, and without the slightest hint of trepidation.

So they stared.

Finally, Hael saw Levi smile the tiniest bit and shake his head, looking away. Hael grinned smugly and turned back to her friends to find them all looking at her. "Who were you staring at?" One of them asked, "It looked like Captain Levi!" Said another. "Look, I wasn't staring at anything!" Hael shouted, blushing again. Her friends chuckled and went back to their dinner.

Late that night, Hael was leaving. Although it was almost 2 am, she was one of the first to go. Walking down the hall, Hael was tipsey and leaning on a wall lightly when she noticed something was wrong.

It was too quiet; there should be other people around. Between each lit torch, there were two unlit ones, which was also suspicious. Had she been sober, she may have even noticed the torches that were out each surrounded a shadowy aclove.

Hael heard the slightest scuff of a boot on the stone ground, and a small, ornate, golden knife was out of her slouch boot and in her hand in a moment. She spun around and jabbed her knife upwards, pausing a hairs breath away from Levi's throat.

He had been waiting for an hour in that little niche. Couldn't the brat at least be punctual? He owed her a favor... or maybe a few. He had just the idea to pay her back. Finally he saw her walking, unsteadily, leaning on a wall. Levi stepped out, walking almost silently to her. Suddenly, her hand flashed down, then up with a glint of gold. Levi sucked in his breath as he felt the cool tip of the knife tapped his neck. She certainly was good... and fast! He found himself admiring that-- even with her nasty little weapon threatening to spill his lifeblood all over the floor.

Hael's eyes wideded. She snapped her hands into a salute, her fathers knife in the hand behind her back. "A respectful soldier would drop that, you know." Levi said, boredly.

"With all due respect sir, I have no intention of dropping my father's prized possession."

Levi raised one thin eyebrow, "Really? If I remember correctly-- and I normally do--soldiers are not allowed to have weapons on the grounds of the base."

"It--it's a means of self defense."

"Oh? And I'm sure that a pretty young girl like yourself, has no other way of protecting herself against the hands of her greedy, fellow soldiers." Somehow, Levi managed to say all of this without fluctuating his tone in the least.

Was it strange that all Hael could focus on as the fact he called her pretty? She just stood there thinking about that while Levi watched her, waiting for a answer. When none came, he said, "Anyway, more to the point. I believe I owe you a few favors, and I don't enjoy being in someone's debt." Hael blinked, a few favors?

"So, first, I'll let you keep your knife. Anyone else would have taken it... You're lucky."

Then, the strangest thing happened. Levi strutted forward, easily pushing Hael to the wall. His lips found hers, and Hael's oh-so-precious knife clattered to the floor. It was really happening! Could she have been wrong about Levi? Obviously she was!

Hael pressed closer to Levi, savoring the warmth and the feeling of his body on hers. She wanted more, more of him, more of this!

What the hell am I doing? Levi wondered. What happened to her being a liability, a weight? Levi had had a bit to drink that night, but not to much. And yet, all those worries just melted away at Hael's soft and hungry touch. She was warm, she was beautiful and tasted like wine. He wanted more, more of her, more of this!

Hael's hand snaked up his chest and to the ruffle on his neck tugging on it. Levi got the idea and broke away from her. Hael leaned in toward him, skin tingling where he had touched her. He turned and began walking away, was that it? He was just leaving her?

Levi pulled away from her, they couldn't do this here, even if every inch of him screamed to lean back to her. He began to walk toward his room, and then realized she wasn't following. Would he have to spell everything out for her? "Well. Are you coming?" Hael's eyes lit up beautifully and she chased after him.

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What's up guys? I hope you are enjoying! For all of you who have read this far and haven't given up on me, I really appreciate it! Spare me a star! ⭐️