Shorter Than Me

23 Levi

I first saw Petra the first day she joined the Scouting Legion. She looked like a girl who wouldn't like to get her hands dirty, but it didn't take long for her to disprove that theory. She was obviously passionate about the Scouting Legion's goals and was a determined Scout. She earned my respect on her second expedition when she dove into a clump of ten titans to help a Scout that was about to be eaten. She didn't succeed in saving him, but I saved her when she was trapped. She threw her arms around me and thanked me before stepping back and turning as red as a tomato. She mumbled a "Sorry, sir," before hurrying away.

I ignored the fact that she had just hugged me until we were back and she wouldn't look me in the eye. Her face flushed whenever our eyes met for the tiniest second. I didn't try to talk to her. Commander Erwin always seemed to assign me somewhere near her during expeditions. I grew used to seeing her there and was able to watch her get better and more confident.

Then one time I was going to be working late one night and I wanted a cup of coffee. My mind told me I wanted her to make it. I was surprised, but I had her make me coffee. It wasn't bad, so I asked again two weeks later. Then it became more frequent. Once a week, then twice a week, then five times a week. She started staying a few extra minutes each time because my mind came up with little things for her to do. I asked her to organize some files, which I always had to reorganize when she left. She was more talkative than me, but she didn't mind.

Eventually, she asked me to help her improve her skills. We went into the forest once a week and I gave her some tips to improve. She was grateful. She didn't spend any of her spare time with me other than to improve her skills. Our relationship wasn't even a friendship yet. It was more of a mutual toleration, on my part at least. She was always the one who prompted the time we spent together except for when I asked for her assistance. And even then, she'd volunteer to organize some files, which she was getting better at, or bring me coffee without me asking. Sometimes she'd even make herself a cup so I knew she was going to stay for a while.

I ended up looking forward to our time in the forest, though I didn't really pay attention to the feeling.

It took a while, but after some time, we became what some people would call friends.

But people saw us together. People asked about us, namely Hanji. So I cut her off. I became too busy to help Petra's skills. I asked her less and less for coffee or other things. She would give me questioning glances and try to talk to me, but I'd brush her away. One night, she knocked on my door.

"Come in."

She walked in. I didn't turn around, but I knew it was her. It was her knock, her footsteps. "Captain, I made you coffee." She set it on my desk next to me. She always called me captain because I always called her Ral.

I glanced at her in response.

"Is there anything you'd like me to do for you, sir?"

"No, there isn't." I didn't look up.

"Alright..." she trailed off awkwardly and turned to go. She paused at the door. "Sir, did I do something wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"It just seems like you've been avoiding me and I didn't know if it was something I did."

I set my pen down and twisted to face her. "No, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Then why..." she looked away.

"An officer of the Scouting Legion should not be getting overly familiar with those ranked under him."

She looked offended and hurt, but that was why I said it. After a long pause of her avoiding my gaze, she said to the ground, "So you won't be wanting me to bring you coffee any more?"

"No, I won't."

"Yes, sir." She started to turn back to the door. "Goodnight, sir."

I didn't respond, just kept with my work.

This was short and all, but I thought I'd fill Levi's POV with something interesting rather than boring or creepy "I watched her train Elles" stuff. So tell me what you think of his memories. Thanks for reading. :D