Chagara - Chaos in the Darkness (Levi x OC Fanfic / AttackOnTitan)

83. "A cactus?"

Connie jogged through the streets. Normally he preferred to run along the old training grounds of the Scout Regiment. But today he didn't have too much time. He had to get up early tomorrow. He had to ride to two farms and he wanted to look for Sasha's grave. Her birthday was soon and her family always visited her on that day. Connie wanted the grave to look neat by then. Sure enough, it was full of weeds again.

"I don't believe it," he heard a man's voice say in amazement as he turned into a small alley. The day had not been as hot as the past ones. That was why there were more people sitting outside the pubs with their after-work beers than in the dark rooms. Connie let his gaze wander over the guests sitting at small tables or standing by the large wooden barrels. Suddenly his steps became slower.

At one of the barrels stood Heichou's daughter, playing poker with four older gentlemen.

"You seem to be a natural," one of the gentlemen remarked, putting tobacco in his pipe.

"I think I'm just lucky," Natsuki replied with a smile, collecting the money that lay in the middle of the barrel.

"Let's see how long your luck lasts," a bald man with a hat challenged Levi's daughter.

"Yeah, we'll play another round," another replied, moving his glasses closer to his eyes and pulling out his wallet from his jacket.

"If you say so," Natsuki said innocently, watching the bald man shuffle the cards.

"She's underage," it came to Connie's mind. But another thought made him far angrier. "She's playing with them. Embarrassed smile. Flutter of eyelashes. Modest posturing." It was clear to the former soldier. "She's cheating. But how?"

As the cards were dealt, Connie noticed that Natsuki was more interested in the older gentlemen's cards than her own. Slowly, he approached the barrel. Without moving her head, her eyes flitted over the backs. Connie frowned. He couldn't see any kinks. "How does she do it?"

It was Natsuki herself who unconsciously told Connie her trick. She stroked the corner of one of her cards several times, causing little dots of light to start dancing on the dark barrel lid. "Pierced with a needle. In several places. A pattern," he noted. As Natsuki was about to slide her money into the centre of the barrel, she looked up, startled. Connie had put his hand over hers and was scowling at her.

"You should be home by now. Have you forgotten your parents?," he threatened her.

Hastily, Natsuki nodded and wanted to take her money, but Connie pulled her away.

"Did she play with her own money?," he wanted to know from the gentlemen who were looking irritated at the two young people.

"No, we lent some to Natsuki," the bald man replied. "But this is all hers now." He pointed to the coins and banknotes lying at Natsuki's place. "She earned that honestly."

"Honestly?" repeated Connie, smiling at Natsuki. Levi's daughter was getting nervous. Would Connie expose her? "Yes, she's like that. But she certainly didn't want to go home with your money. Right, Natsuki?" He had whispered her name menacingly in her ear.

Hastily, the girl shook her head. "No, no," she stammered.

"We have to go home," Connie added. "Have a good evening."

"But Natsuki, your cards?," the gentleman with the pipe called after her.

"Feel free to keep them. You might find a substitute here," Connie replied, pulling Levi's daughter behind her.

Natsuki was stumbling behind Connie through the streets. And slowly she began to realise it. "He's really going to take me home," she thought in panic. "Do you really have to tell on me to my parents?," she suddenly shouted, trying to break free from his grip. Connie whirled around so that Natsuki was looking into his scowling face. "I don't have to do anything," he growled at her. "But do you know what you were doing? That was illegal," he yelled at her. "You're underage. You cannot be in a pub. And certainly not with marked cards. HAAH!" Connie let go of her hand and tried to calm down. "Were you really going to take their money?," he asked after taking several deep breaths. He shook his head in disbelief. "I really expected more from Levi Heichou's daughter," Connie said disappointedly, watching tears form in Natsuki's eyes. "Did she just now realise what she'd done?," pondered Connie.