Secret Life

The Meeting, pt. 2

"I believe we all need a bit of a break," Pixis suggests to break the tension brewing thick. "I would like to try the refreshments the ladies made."

"Here you go, sir," a nurse-in-training (I'm assuming) says placing a medium-sized plate of meatballs covered in red sauce, small balls of fruits, and what looks like little bread pockets. "Do enjoy our mozzarella-stuffed meatballs in marinara sauce, assortment of melon balls, and pastries filled with mango chutney and fig-onion jam." The other nurses-in-training puts plates in front of us before moving on to serve everyone else. As I pierce a meatball with my fork, I watch Kitty place Eren's plate in front of him and whisper in his ear. His brows knit the way I remember while he listens; I slowly cut it in half as I discreetly watch him whisper back. As she walks away, he catches me looking and smirks, winking quickly before he tucks into his plate. I quickly stuff half a meatball in my mouth to give myself an excuse for having a red face, in case Shitwin gets too nosy.

"These are delicious," Erwin says between mouthfuls of pastries. "You've gotta try'em."

"Tch, at least chew with your mouth closed," I say after swallowing my food.

After he swallows, he continues, "This has turned out quite interesting."

"Indeed," Oluo interjects, "though I wonder if either of them really knew about the brat's account."

"What makes you think that?" Erwin asks curiously. I have the feeling he was thinking the same thing.

"Well, the looks they kept giving each other and how he rushed her out of here. I think they both thought it was some leftover account or somewhere to put extra branch funds until recently, for Dok at least. The poor woman was blindsided," Oluo conjectures while stuffing his face with melon balls. I check the last page of Miss Leukothea's stack for the affidavit he mentioned. Where is it? Do I not have it? Unless...

Erwin nods. "That seemed to be the impression I got as well, but I am curious..."

"About?"

"What all he really knows. I feel this is all tied to something he was involved in before joining the Survey Corps. Maybe you could get him to talk, Levi," he suggests. "After all, he's still in your care."

"Tch. You really think he'll tell me anything about what he'd done then?" I ask angrily. Besides, I still need to talk to him about that box. "By the way, did you look at the affidavit attached?"

"Mmghn, not yet," Erwin says. He wipes his hands and looks through his stack. Should've wiped his brows too the way he dove into the plate.

"Huh, I don't think I have it, unless I'm overlooking it," he says after flipping through the entire thing twice. "Oluo, check yours."

"I don't have it either."

"He can be quite cunning if need be, loyally vicious when warranted," Pixis comments clearly savoring the meatballs. I look toward the shitty brat and his nurses deep in conversation. I catch Shitty Glass' attention and mouth, "Where's the affidavit?"

"There is none," she mouths back smirking. So he bluffed a confession... Damn. I look at him again and smirk.

"What's the smirk for?" Erwin asks, his gaze switching between me and Four Eyes. Hopefully his eyebrows don't fall off when I tell him.

"He bluffed and struck gold," I say finishing my plate. These pastries are good, and there went his brows.

"They're still arguing," Petra says sitting down. "She's livid." I look around wondering if it's okay to ask for more when a nurse-in-training replaces my empty plate with a full one.