orders || levi x oc

twenty four.

Winter: December 24th

If Hange hadn't told me that his birthday was tomorrow, I would have never known. I didn't have much time to go during the day. So, I went into town during supper.

I accompanied the squad up until the doorway to the mess hall. Each one of them coming to a stop as I continued walking toward the barracks.

"Hey. Paradis to Emelie, dinner is this way." Sasha snapped her fingers from behind me before pointing a thumb over her right shoulder toward the mess hall.

I gave her a wave of my hand. "I... I have a few things to check in my quarters."

The hesitation lacing my voice did not go unnoticed by a few of them.

"Aren't you hungry?" Conny asked, pursing his lips together to stop him from drooling at the thought of dinner.

I shook my head as I pushed him and Sasha to the mess hall, the two who were already being pulled toward the wafts of soup. Leaving Jean, Mikasa, Armin, and Eren behind, each of them giving me a look of suspicion.

Eren's eyebrows creased together. "Where are you really going?"

I let out a sigh, stopping to figure out how exactly to phrase my thoughts. "Trost. It's Levi's birthday tomorrow, I wanted to get him something."

My eyes widened once his name left my mouth. Although, my casual nature and informal spill of his first name was not what drew any attention.

"A present? He's not turning five, Emelie." Jean snorted as Armin elbowed his ribs.

Eren squinted over at Jean before tilting his head at me, his eyes changing and filling with concern. "Are you sure you want to go by yourself?"

I nodded right away before I heard a sigh beside me.

"It's not daytime, Emelie. You need to be care—" Mikasa began scolding before I put a hand on her arm.

"Don't worry." I gave her and the guys a look of reassurance.

Mikasa shook her head at me. "You know he's going to wonder why you weren't at dinner..."

My lips curved into a small grin at her comment, fully knowing that she was one hundred percent right. Levi was, in fact, very observant.

"That... I'll deal with later." I let out a chuckle as did the others.

Jean looked through the entryway of the mess hall. "Great. Sasha's eating all of the soup." he let out in an aggravated scoff before him and Eren sped over toward the usual table we sat at.

Armin and Mikasa began in their trail, stopping at the doorway and back at me.

"Don't save me anything, I'll be fine." I said to them before we parted ways for the night.

—

Mikasa wasn't kidding. It really was dark outside of headquarters, the only light being the lanterns outside of the storefronts. I bundled myself further into the long cloak over my scout uniform as I walked through the brisk streets of Trost.

It was hard trying to think of something to get Levi. He didn't seem like one who would need extravagant things. Let alone take the time to even celebrate his birthday.

Down one of the little streets I found a quaint tea shop. Luckily, still open.

As I entered, the chime of a bell echoed lightly and yet again as the door shut behind me. There was no one inside expect me. I rubbed my hands together in effort to generate heat before taking off my cloak and draping it over my arm. My eyes caught my reflection in the mirror by the entrance, only to find a reddened nose and flushed cheeks from the cold.