Summary: Canonverse. Levi and Petra’s first time, after the crowning of Queen Historia. Based on @citri-nate’s lovely artwork!
Maybe it’s the fact that she’s nearly died twice now. Or the way the candlelight is bouncing off her hair as she makes small talk with other members of the military but she still manages to catch his gaze from across the room. Her smile grows then, nearly blinding as she tucks a lock from behind her ear and excuses herself to meet him.
“Captain,” she nods, and she surveys the ballroom. “Did the kids appreciate your gesture?” Petra giggles and procures two drinks from a waiter. She hands him a glass—champagne by the looks of it, and small bubbles dance to the top.
Levi gives a wry smile and sips. “I dunno what all the fuss is about, but I can’t say no to the queen.” He downs the whole glass and places it on the table. Chewing the inner side of his cheek, he asks, “Wanna get out of here?” He doesn’t mean for his voice to sound so husky, or to whisper into her ear to make her blush.
Levi returns from the war, suffering a severe head injury that impairs his memory of Petra and his child with her. Petra works with him day and night to help him regain his memories.
Rating: G
I could write a whole one shot of this, but I hope this suffices 🥺💕
A knock at the door startles Levi awake. Vision blurry, it takes him a second to clear his throat, take in his surroundings, and then answer, “Come in.”
The door opens slowly. Pensive. Then a ginger bob pokes her head in with a small smile and a tray with food. Toast with butter and a piping cup of tea make Levi’s mouth water, and his eyes are drawn more to the food than the woman. His stomach rumbles, unable to remember the last time he ate, and he sits up a bit straighter as she plops the tray onto his lap.
“The tea is hot, so you might want to wait a bit. You always prefer it on the cooler side.”
Petra. That’s her name, the beautiful and enchanting woman who is apparently his wife. He doesn’t remember much of anything besides his name and a few blips of his childhood, having lost his memory in the war. His body has also seen better days; currently, he uses a wheelchair and there are stitches across his eye and face. Petra’s shown him pictures of what he looked like before, and the image is both familiar and unknown.
“I was on your squad, we were friends first before we…” A blush paints her cheeks, and even though Levi doesn’t know her, he swears he could fall in love if he could elicit a reaction like that.
She’s biting her lip and Levi has the insane urge to kiss her. He wants to remember, but the doctors told them it might take some time. A concussion, head trauma, there are too many medical terms for Levi to make sense of, but Petra took diligent notes and distilled the information for him.
They’re staying in an old barrack. Petra tearfully tells him their house was destroyed in The Rumbling since their home was tucked on the outskirts of the city, just by the Walls. Flashes of images and screams sober Levi until his throat bobs with fear. Gently, Petra takes his hand while she gives a furtive smile despite the ring on her finger. A matching one is around his neck—gold—and he isn’t sure if he should put it back on with the missing digits on his left hand.
It’s only been a day since they settled in and Petra pads around him like a wounded animal while she adjusts his pillows.
“Did you have a nice nap? The doctor said you need lots of rest.”
There’s something off. Levi can’t tell what it is; he gets the sense he isn’t great with people by his clipped tone, but Petra’s kind nature has him wondering how he managed to land her. There’s apprehension in her eyes like she wants to say more than pleasantries.
He scoots to the side of the bed, which is big enough for two, and he asks if she’ll be joining him tonight.
Petra stiffens and an adorable yelp escapes her while she smoothes out the nonexistent wrinkles on her skirt. “I don’t want to intrude. The couch is fine.” She waves her hand to the hallway where a dusty set of furniture awaits her.
He can’t help but tease her with a smirk. “I thought we were married.”
“We are,” she says quickly. “But I understand if you don’t want a stranger in your bed—“
“Petra, if I’m going to remember anything, I think having my wife nearby will help.” He means it even if he enjoys catching her off guard and his voice softens. “Can you sit with me and tell me about our life? I want to hear about our wedding.”
A girlish smile escapes Petra and she sits at the edge of the bed. Too far away for Levi’s liking, but she takes her time as she traces patterns into the sheets, her voice laced with honeyed nostalgia.
“It was a quick one. We had it the day we came back from discovering the ocean. It was just Hange and the kids, but it was special. Our honeymoon without worrying about Titans was probably my favorite part.” She giggles then, coughing into her hand, but her eyes harden into solemnity.
“Levi, there’s something else you need to know.” She faces him, her amber eyes like the north star in the light. “After our wedding, I got pregnant.”
And like shattering glass, he feels a part of his heart open into an ache he didn’t know he was missing. Petra is next to him now, her hand atop his into a beautiful smile. “Kuchel is waiting for you. She’s with my parents and she knows you were in Marley. It’s a lot for a three-year-old to handle so I didn’t want to bring her right away or overwhelm you, but it felt strange not saying anything. I don’t expect you to do anything—“
“I have a daughter,” he says in disbelief, his eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar.
“Yes,” she affirms. “She’s beautiful, baby. She has your eyes and my hair and you’re her favorite person in the world. She misses her papa.”
Levi sees her, then. A small infant, his world becoming right in a breathless second, and moments of crying and gurgling hit him like a hurricane.
Prompt: Petra doing a lapdance during their wedding like one of those viral tiktok vids 👀
Word Count: 600
Levi had never been drunk in his entire life. Maybe it was an adverseness to being sloppy and clumsy, or whatever gave him superhuman reflexes also translated to his metabolism, but if Levi could bet any moment where he would be drunk, it was his bachelor party.
Well, a sort-of bachelor party. When Petra went through the invitations for their respective last nights as a single man and woman, they quickly realized their guest list was exactly the same. Petra considered her male friends like brothers, and Hange wouldn’t be able to choose which to go to, so they settled on a combined bachelor and bachelorette party.
After Petra’s death, Levi imagines her as a bride if they would have had a romantic relationship (also, her father’s words to him appears in his mind imagining it)
happy friday, here's some angst!
word count: 900
Rating: G
“What do you think about a fall wedding?”
“Tch. You really want to get married when everything is dying around us?”
She whirls around, and her cheeks puff into a petulant scowl that he adores. The golden rays of sunset catch every lock of hair, her freckles prominent in the heat that just died down. He can’t say no, not to her, never to her. So he sighs while Petra swings her legs over the bridge.
“If that’s what you want,” he concedes and takes her hand. “But when we’re old and celebrating our anniversary with leaves and frost, remember that I told you so.”
She pinches his thumb and her smile is blinding. “It’s settled, then. Mid October, right after the expedition. That way we can go on our honeymoon. You’ll ask the commander?”
He grunts and peers to the horizon. “I owe Erwin another Titan capture for a week off.” Then his voice lowers while he smirks, his lips ghosting the shell of her ear. “But it’ll be worth it. You, me, a cabin in the woods alone.”
A shudder washes over Petra, her breath hitching as her legs press together. “That sounds amazing,” she whispers. Levi traces a line from her ear to her cheek, then captures her lips in a kiss. Sixty days. Only sixty more days until they will be husband and wife. Levi never thought he’d be the one for semantics on a piece of paper, but he proposed first. He wants everyone to know that she was his.
And maybe in this shitty world, maybe a declaration of love is daring.
Petra always dared.
Fate had other plans, though. Levi didn’t plan on coming back to the old barracks — a lifetime ago, with the ghosts of comrades in the stray socks and personal items strewn about. He supposes after Stohess, he wants to decompress, and he finds it hard at an inn. There’s comfort in the routine; his tea, the roaring fireplace, where you hang your laundry.
No one talks about the company, though. All of these things are haunting as his footsteps echo the empty halls of the once vibrant Special Ops Barracks. Dust lines every corner, and streaks of light pour through the open curtains. One of Eld’s hair ties is on the sink even though Levi told him to put it away. Gunther’s comb remains in place under the mirror. Oluo’s lotion that he swore by.
Petra’s things aren’t here. That’s in his bathroom after she unofficially moved into his bedroom.
There’s a rap at the door that shakes Levi from his memories. Frowning, unsure of who could be visiting while the Scouts were put on temporary disbandment, he opens the door, his eyes squinting in the sunlight.
There’s a courier with a large white box in his hands.
“Delivery, sir!” the courier says, dropping the box carefully at Levi’s feet. He holds a clipboard out to Levi and procures a pen from his pocket. “Sign here, please.”
“I didn’t order anything,” Levi protests, but lazily scrawls his signature.
“Well, someone did. And we have specific instructions it needed to be delivered by September first. Good day.” He tips his hat and is off before Levi can inquire further.
Levi brings the unlabeled box to the dining room. Cobwebs weave the sconces together, and he viciously bats them away while striking a match to the nearest oil lamp. The box is too large and light to be gear, and all packages like that go through the admin office first. No, this is personal, and a sick feeling of violation churns in his stomach. Whoever’s this is, he can send it to their family, one last gift.
Opening the lid, the air knocks from Levi’s lungs. Vision dizzy, he steadies himself on the table, his palm slapping the wood. It’s bad enough that she haunts his dreams, but seeing this—
It’s Petra’s wedding dress.
He recalls the day she went into Trost with Nifa and Nanaba. Giggling, with coy smiles and puckered lips, she teased him about all the outlandish accessories she was going to buy just to embarrass him.
“You’re embarrassing yourself by marrying me, no amount of gaudiness is going to compare.”
He’d forgotten all about it. She mentioned the seamstress said it would take a while and between Trost and Eren, the only reminder Levi has is her ring around his neck.
Holding the dress out, he can see her form. Her height, just a few inches shy of him. The pink ribbon around the waist, how she admitted to wanting a romantic wedding with roses everywhere. Embarrassed by the fact, Levi assured her no one would lose respect for her over a couple of flowers.
“Go fucking crazy. Get them in your hair. How many times in your life can you order a ton of flowers?”
The veil is simple, and Levi’s throat tightens at the image of roses creating a crown over her. More like a halo now, and he tightly holds the dress to his chest. He closes his eyes.
“I still think she’s a bit young to get married…”
Every father would say that. Levi wasn’t old-fashioned enough to ask for permission, but Petra was overjoyed at the prospect of her father walking her down the aisle.
“He never thought I’d get married with my commitment to the Scouts.” She bats her eyelashes at Levi. “Who would’ve thought I could have both?”
He sways to an aimless tune as he holds the dress. He imagines Petra’s smile, how she would’ve cried and he’d tell her she’s being too sappy even though he’d feel the same way.
The fabric is soft beneath his fingers and he thinks how white is fitting for a bride.
Levi with other upper rank officers were sent to attend a charity event with the nobles. Just Levi kept on comparing those noble women were nothing more compared to Petra. Like how their eyes colour are not like hers, they didnt act like her etc and that moment he realised his feeling for her and rush back to the clueless Petra😂
Rating: G
Word Count: 1.8k
thank you, anon! I have two other drabbles planned for this week (Rivetra rival tea shop owners is what I'm excited about lol)
Even though Levi might not look it, he was a big fucking softie. He donated nearly a third of his paycheck to Underground efforts, also known as liberation fronts, and the other to local orphanages. He had more than enough to sustain his simple lifestyle. Always anonymous, never breathing of it to any soul, he would donate his entire paycheck if it meant avoiding socializing with nobles of all people.
This is exactly what he told Erwin when all upper-rank military officers were invited—no, ordered— to attend a charity event funded by the government. Charity was a loose word, with Levi questioning where the money was even going, to which Erwin replied to refugees from Wall Maria.
Hm. Levi couldn’t exactly say that wasn’t a worthy cause, but certainly donating the money instead of throwing some lavish and ridiculous event would be more cost-effective. Still, Levi wasn’t the type to disobey a direct order, no matter how much he wanted to rip his skin off and disappear. He was expected to mingle, encourage funding from the Scouts, and if he got lucky, more recruitment. Erwin was best at that, he couldn’t fathom why his presence was required, but Erwin chuckled, mentioning that his reputation was far more impressive than Levi thought.
Grumbling, Levi was about to leave the Special Ops barracks dressed in his finest; a black suit with coattails, an ivory cravat, and a matching vest. He spotted Petra reading by the fireplace, curled up with a blanket, completely engrossed he didn’t even notice his footfalls from the stairwell. A serene smile was upon her lips, her civilian clothes were loose, with the top button of her shirt undone while gray socks peeked from the knit blanket.
He coughed, alerting her, and she looked up in surprise.
“Sir!” she greeted cheerfully. “Heading out now?” Levi already griped about the ball to his squad, bemoaning that he would be alone with Eyebrows.
‘You’re all elite, why didn’t any of you get invitations?’ he asked, hanging his head.
‘Well, not all of us are Humanity’s Strongest,’ Eld teased. It was unlike Levi to complain, and the squad enjoyed poking fun at their nearly unflappable leader now and then.
“How do I look?” He felt ridiculous and he tugged at the collar of his dress shirt.
“You always look impeccable, sir,” Petra said, closing her book, but left a placeholder with her thumb. “I hope you have a good time!”
He scoffed, “If I’m lucky, we can leave early if Erwin gets all his schmoozing done before midnight.”
Giggling, Petra tucked her feet into the blanket and tilted her head. “I’m sure the Commander has his reasons.”
Levi sighed, then looked at the table where she made herself some tea and a half-eaten biscuit sat. “No plans for you? It’s Saturday night.”
“You know me, sir. I like a quiet night.”
Envious of his subordinate, Levi gave a half-smile. “I know. See you around, Ral.”
Petra gave a wave and immediately returned to her book as Levi walked out. The ride to Mitras would take a few hours, and with nothing to do than entertain Erwin’s battle strategies, he daydreamed of amber eyes and black tea.
—
If someone called Levi’s name one more time, he would not be responsible for any damage incurred tonight. Grip tight on the wine glass, Levi finished off his third drink—unfortunately, not tipsy in the slightest—and set it on a waiter’s tray while he went to sulk in a corner.
‘Tell us all about the Titans, Captain!’ the nobles said, swarming him as he entered the ballroom. ‘You simply need to describe how vile those creatures are! Oho-ho, we’re so lucky to be within Sina. Have you thought about retiring here?’
Levi, with all his delicacy and grace, replied, ‘Have you ever seen your friend’s head bitten off? Or know what blood smells like after it has clung to you for nearly twelve hours?’
Rendered silent, he excused himself, knowing he crossed a line, but Erwin wasn’t around to tell him off. He didn’t usually lose his composure, but something about the atmosphere of being around nobles, and not a single friendly soul in sight sent him reeling. Sure, there was the Garrison, but he only exchanged pleasantries with Pyxis and his second in command seemed to rotate based on whoever was willing to put up with his drunken antics.
Levi always hated contrived politeness. Used to bullshit, he didn’t understand the purpose of dancing, drinking to get drunk, or talking someone up only to go behind their back later. It was headache-inducing, keeping up with the social politics of it all, and Levi knew he didn’t belong in this world.
He liked his quiet nights with tea, paperwork, and looking at the stars. He’d read if he was feeling particularly bored, but stories never seemed to keep his attention. Petra always regaled her books to him, mostly when they were in the kitchen together, and he’d listen to her melodic voice. It didn’t matter if it was informational, fiction, or his least favorite, romance, he just liked to hear her and her boundless enthusiasm for the make-believe.
Then there were the nights they’d sit upon the roof, in amicable silence, and she’d fall asleep, not wanting to leave him alone. It was wordless between them, with her shoulders usually covered in a blanket, and he’d carry her back down while she pretended to be asleep. She’d wake in her bed and make him breakfast the next morning, not mentioning it, but the warmth of her smile was like a hidden secret.
God, he wanted to do that now. With the musicians playing another upbeat song, he just wanted silence, and with a maddening thought, he looked around. Erwin was talking to a woman, leaning closer than just for business, and Levi took that as his cue that their duties were fulfilled. Erwin could take the carriage back, he preferred to ride. He rode his way back to the barracks with a military horse, not looking back as the night air whipped around him.
It was as if he’d never tasted anything so pure and fresh before. Cheap perfume suffocated the ballroom, and the murmur of the crowd felt like a Titan roar. Out here, alone, Levi knew peace, as tumultuous as his life was.
He already had one foot out the door when he dropped the horse off at the stable, letting the stablehand take care of it, a luxury he usually liked to indulge in. But like a magnet, his feet guided him back to the barracks, and he swung the door open with fervor, immediately looking to the fireplace.
Petra was asleep, her book about to slide off her lap, and the fireplace was dying with its last embers. Levi shook his head, a tender smile filling him as he bent down to set her book aside and pulled her blanket up.
“Goodnight, Petra,” he murmured, stoking the fire, and took her empty plate and teacup.
Levi and Petra are close enough so that she can access his bedroom and pick up the clothes he wears. One day, she finds a ring box in his closet and she starts to panic, trying her best to hide it !
Changed it up a bit 😘
Rating: G
Petra knows Levi prefers to do his own laundry. Not just prefer, but rather, he would become irate if he knew anyone touched his things without his consent, whether it was a sock, cravat, or jacket. The exception is, of course, Petra.
Dating for nearly two years, a secret to the Scouts but not to the squad, their relationship at a glance was one of companionship. Sitting near each other, exchanging quips of inside jokes that only they were privy to, the most romantic thing one could glean was Levi making two cups of tea. One for himself, the other for his girlfriend while they sat in pleasant silent, the latter reading a book, the former completing paperwork.
It was only behind closed doors that the two of them exchanged intimacies, both physical and emotional, with the terse captain murmuring sweet nothings that Petra locked away in her heart. With how tumultuous their lives are, Petra never expected anything more than what they have. Levi was first and foremost devoted to his work, and she as well, though if her work happened to involve Levi, she’d be lying if he wasn’t her everything.
Today is an ordinary day. Their next mission is a month and a half away; far enough to not feel the endless bouts of trepidation, but close enough where focused training is essential. Levi was in a meeting that was running late, and Petra thought she’d do him a favor by doing his laundry with hers.
Throwing his pants into the bin—oddly placed on the bed separate from the rest of his clothes—a wooden box falls from a pocket and clatters to the ground. Petra freezes, hoping she didn’t break anything, and at further inspection, the gold clasp holding the clamshell together lost a screw. Tiny as a needle, Petra immediately sinks onto the floor and tries to find it, but the task is impossible as she determines that it slipped in between a floor board.
Cursing, Petra fiddles with the clasp, wondering if Levi will notice, but he’s so damn observant, she’s sure she’ll just have to tell him. Maybe there’s fancy tea leaves inside, or perhaps some cologne, his newest hobby. With one eye shut, she opens the lid, praying there is no more damage.
Her heart stops.
Inside is a gold ring. Simple, thin, and pristine, Petra instantly knows it’s hers. While they’ve never had a conversation about it, she’s sure Levi knows she would want something that wouldn’t get in the way of fighting. It doesn’t matter if they don’t have a fancy wedding or ceremony. This means that they belong to each other.
The thought makes her heart well up with joy.
Footsteps fall down the hall, and Petra recognizes that it’s Levi’s. She snaps the box shut, attempting to stuff it back into his pants pocket, but she can’t figure out which pocket it was in. Before she can throw the whole thing aside and feign ignorance, Levi steps in.
“Oi,” he says, not accusatory but filled with affection.
“Hey.” She attempts to smile, but her face is scarlett, her left hand is full with his pants, and the box is….
In her other hand.
Levi sighs and shakes his head. “I remember I left it there this morning. You peeked, didn’t you?”
Indignant, but the flutter in her stomach churns with excitement. “I was doing your laundry.”
He notes the bin and smiles, closing the door behind him. “Better just get it over with, then.” He falls down to one knee, his eyes brimming with hope. “Petra Ral, will you marry me?”
Hi Emily! I’m a big fan of your rivetra works so much idk I really write how you write then even in various AU! I wonder if you have upcoming fics in nearest time, I would be thrilled to read them soon! Bless you💖
Aw thank you so much for your kind words 🥰 I try to post drabbles weekly and I just finished a longer one shot (rude awakening)!
I didn’t promo it much on my tumblr but I also just finished a Kindred Spirits side story!
For future plans, I have a beauty and the beast/hades and Persephone long fic coming out, but it’s still it be drafting phase! I’m hoping to have the first few chapters out this month. Also hoping to get some canon stuff in like It’s Always Sunny in the Survey Corps, but that’s if the muse strikes!
Summary: Canonverse. When Levi awakens after his encounter with Zeke, he finds himself enchanted by a woman who agreed to take care of him. Although shy and a bit clumsy, her cottage is the first thing that feels like home in the last five years. [Canon!Levi x Cottage!Petra]
Word Count: 5.3k
A/N: Edited this half asleep, forgive any mistakes 😂 I’m going to go back and edit it, but I wanted to get it out of my system since this was supposed to be PWP but turned into some weird stream of consciousness/writing exercise.
Tag list: @citri-nate
When Petra left to pick strawberries this morning, she didn’t expect to help the runaway Commander of the Scouts, or that Levi Ackerman, Humanity’s Strongest, would be sleeping in her bed. But here she was, preparing a soup from the fresh vegetables of her garden and the rabbit that she trapped at dawn, with Captain Levi sleeping soundly, wrapped in bandages.
canonverse Levi and cottage!Petra incoming for a quick smutty prompt 👀
When Petra left to pick strawberries this morning, she didn’t expect to help the runaway Commander of the Scouts, or that Levi Ackerman, Humanity’s Strongest, would be sleeping in her bed. But here she was, preparing a stew from the fresh vegetables of her garden and the rabbit that she trapped at dawn, with Captain Levi sleeping soundly, wrapped in bandages.
This month includes the homage to old comedy show Green Wing where pt1 partly got its name! This is from the chapter where our fav squad are given a bunch of green cadets to train for a week, and it naturally turns into a dumb competition...
April
“First things first. What’s this?” Oruo spoke haughtily, removing a blade from his blade box and holding it up so it shone in the morning light through the equipment shed’s small, high strip of windows.
Eld raised his hand,
“A blade.” He said flatly.
“Not - you-” Oruo huffed, already a little flustered, “Yes, clearly it’s a blade you blockhead, I meant what kind of blade is this?”
“That’s not what you asked.”
“Yes it is.” Oruo said, a vein moving in his temple.
The cadets began to titter and Eld could see that Petra was biting her lip in an attempt to remain professional. Gunther looked less than amused.
“Well I meant what type of blade is this.” Oruo bit back, “Anyone? Well not anyone - not you Eld.”
Eld put a hand to his chin, “Hmmm. No, I dunno.” He replied, smirking. The cadets were outwardly giggling now.
“I said not you!” Oruo raged, “And how can you be second in command if you don’t even know what kind of-” He stopped, taking a deep breath to try and calm himself, a finger and thumb pressing into the bridge of his nose.
“It’s a segmented flesh-paring blade made from the highest quality ultra hard steel. It has low density, meaning it can break easily if it comes into contact with something too hard, but it’s lightweight and perfect for use against the titans when two are used together.” Gunther said evenly, “Now, please get on with it.”
Petra and Levi pretend to be dating each other in order to get a very expensive type of tea for free.
hehe, this was cute, thanks for the prompt!
Rating: G
Captain Levi, first and foremost, was a professional. Despite his dour attitude, his colorful choice of language, and his rogueish appearance, he valued the rules.
One of which was Erwin’s very strict policy: no couples allowed on the same squad.
It made sense and Levi supported it. He never had an issue with his squad given that the only female was Petra, Eld was taken, he was pretty sure Oluo had a crush on him, and the jury was still out on Gunther. Levi valued his harmonious squad, even if they could be knuckleheads sometimes.
Which is what made this particular choice difficult. Because while Levi was a professional, he also had one vice in life: tea.
It wasn’t a secret. The squad gifted him a teacup as an out-of-the-blue thank-you gift, and he was rather touched. Once in a while, Erwin dropped off some fancy leaves he’d get from his family in Sina. And he’d be lying if he didn’t fall prey to Hange’s ‘unique’ blends, even if his mouth suffered the consequences.
But the local shop had acquired an extremely unique blend that could only be sampled in store. A flowering tea, a delicacy that nobles were usually only privy to was in stock, and it was best enjoyed in a glass teapot, another item that Levi didn’t own. Normally, he’d just cough up the money and say fuck it, but the price was more than he could justify. However, there was one caveat.
Couples got to sample it for free if they elected to go with the tea shop for their wedding caterer. And while Levi was a professional, he didn’t mind lying, especially if it was a white lie in the name of delicious tea.
This is what brought him to Petra’s bedroom door, looking pitiful as he debated on knocking. He already knew she liked tea, though not to the degree he did. She enjoyed a good pot now and then, and she was the best brewer besides Levi. They were good friends even outside of their professional bounds, with her knowing about his life in the Underground, and he, hearing about her ambitions and homely family within Wall Rose. She was amiable, even if her temper could be short, and he wasn’t about to fuck up their friendship over free tea.
About to turn on his heel back to his office, the door swung open, revealing Petra with a surprised expression.
“Sir?”
Now was the time to make up an excuse. Or run away if he was feeling cowardly. But instead, the words that tumbled out were, “Do you want to pretend to be engaged to get fancy free tea?”
Petra blinked. Once. Twice. And then she started laughing, doubling over while holding her stomach. Dressed in civilian clothes, she appeared ready for an outing anyway. She tossed a tote bag over her shoulder and looped her arm through his, a coy grin peeking from her lips.
“Is this one of Captain Levi’s famous heists?”
He poked her ribs. “Oi, we’re not stealing anything, we’re just taking advantage of a free deal. If anyone sees us, that’s our story.”
“What if someone says something? Everyone knows who you are! Honorable Captain Levi—”
Levi snorted and ignored the way his heart skipped a beat as she edged closer to him. “When it comes to tea, honor is off the table. You in or you out?”
Hand trailing down his arm, Petra threaded their fingers together and examined their hands with a thoughtful look. “We’ll need a ring,” she said, giggling. “And we’ll have to make up some sappy story to play it up. But not too extravagant so word doesn’t get out and it makes the papers.”
Rolling his eyes, Levi dragged her from the barracks, wondering if he was going to regret this. Mischief lined his eyes, his steps lighter than usual as he wrapped an arm around her waist and whispered into her ear, “Rule one of heists. Keep it simple.”
Petra fumbled, her cheeks blooming into a flame as she braced herself against her captain. “G-got it,” she stammered out, then remembered her composure. With a playfully wicked gleam, she gestured to town. “Shall we?”
—
Tea always soothed Levi. Whether it was the aroma, the cheerful clink of each step in the process, or merely sitting with a piping cup and a hot kettle, Levi felt relaxed as he leaned back in his chair. Petra, on the other hand, nervously fidgeted as she looked back and forth, her skin flushed pink. A glass teapot with a magenta flower inside sat between them and Levi gave her a sidelong glance.
“Don’t you want some? It’s good.” He picked up the card containing the tasting notes. Reading aloud, “Not just a drink, but an experience, one that will make timeless memories.” He gave a soundless grunt. “Tea leaves are bound with natural edible flowers and hand-sewn into heart-shaped tea flowers. Jasmine, Pomegranate, and Strawberry.” Handing the card to her, he grinned. “You like strawberries, don’t you Ral?”
Picking up a scone, Petra bit into it, mumbling, “Don’t tease me, sir.”
“I’m not.” Taking her cup, he poured a bit of the magenta tea into the white porcelain. “You came all this way, so you should try it. Here.”
She folded her arms. “No.”
Irritation grew like thorns and Levi narrowed his gaze. “Are you upset about earlier? I thought you were having fun.”
Blushing from the root of her hair to her neck, Petra groaned. “I was! And then you had to go and call me the love of your life to the waiter.” Looking at her shoes, Petra hung her head. “You can’t just go around saying that to someone, they might get the wrong idea!”
Smirking, Levi crossed his legs and took another sip of the delicious tea. “Oh? And what kind of ideas are those?”
Seconds away from throwing a scone at his head, Petra bristled. “The kind where you get a subordinate’s hopes up!”
