IMMORTALS • Levi Ackerman

chapter fifty three

053: empathy

Groaning, I reeled my head back against the headboard of the bed.

Enjoying the only form of entertainment I had, I peered outside the window, watching the folks and passersby about their day. The room was too quiet, too boring and too stuck up. Everything outside seemed to be buzzing. 

Being cooped up inside such a monotonous room within Mitras was tedious. The service was none less than excellent, thanks to Historia's given privilege though, so that made up for it.

Taking a look at the papers sprawled on the table beside my bed, I sighed. Reading the reports about the expedition, the casualties involved, the truth about Eren's basement and his father's books and even Eren's memories or more so his father's through the Attack Titan was hard to digest.

Not to mention, the queen's approval of publishing the truth of the world unfiltered. Society was in a heap of mess, but I figured... this was what we were fighting for in the beginning anyway. 

The truth about the world.

Erwin...

Somehow, it made me feel better about staying indoors for now, before inevitably going on and continuing the usual soldier works. Sure, there was guilt in it, in being able to rest with this luxury, but I felt like I would deal with all of what was left later on anyway.

A sudden knock at my door interrupted me from my reverie. I had half expected it, and it made me smile. Everyday, since our return, and since my bed rest I've always had a visitor. Hange on the first day, Eren and Mikasa the next, Jean the third day and Zachary yesterday. It was weird having a visit from the Supreme Commander, though it was short. Armin never missed a day of visiting me. 

"It's me, Y/n-san." Armin's voice rung.

He opens it and smiles dearly, but I could see a sense of caution from him, it was palpable ever since we've returned. I think I knew why he was like that, but had just never addressed the issue. I didn't want to be to rash about it.

"Hey." I smile. 

Armin was holding a flower bouquet in his right arm and a scented candle in his left. He smiled bashfully. "These are for you." 

"Thank you, that's very sweet of you." I nod and he proceeds to place the things on the bedside table. 

"The flowers are from Milo, by the way. He heard about what had happened in the newspapers and came straight to the headquarters earlier and brought these flowers. He wasn't allowed in the headquarters so we picked it up for him." Armin explains and hands me the small note that came with it. 

Dear Y/n,

I've heard about your expedition. Thank you for the brave works of the scouts in retaking our lost land. You've fought hard for the sake of humanity. Please get well soon, and if you can, please visit us the shop. I hope you like the flowers. Take care.

Sincerely,

Milo

I smiled before placing the note back down the bedside table again. Armin carefully arranges the flowers in the empty vase before sitting down on the padded chair next to me. 

"Has Captain Levi visited you yet?" he starts the conversation.

Shaking my head, Armin almost looks shook at this. 

"We haven't seen each other after we came back... but it's fine, I bet Hange is using him to rags now that she's the Commander." 

It been days since the expedition, and ever since our return, Levi has not yet shown his face to me in these quarters. It felt... odd, not seeing him so long. Something that had made my  heart cave but I had dismissed it. He's a captain, I had to remind myself, and now with ranks moving up, it only got busier for the Scouts in realigning our order again, of course he would be busy. Even then, he always had been. It's not something new or our of the ordinary.