Light in the Night Sky [Levi/Rivaille x OC] (Heavy Editing)

Chapter 14: Conflicting Emotions [Expedition Pt.6]

Slumping down next to a broken stone column, I watched discouragingly at the red-headed girl as she hungrily wolf down her piece of bread, freshly stolen from the town’s local bakery. My shift for today was done. 

“Slow down Clara,” My demanding voice turned into a muffled one as I placed my own portion in my mouth, “You’re gonna choke if you eat like that. I can’t help you then.”

The last portion of the staple food was saved in a paper bag, which crinkled in my grasp as I shuffled my body into a comfortable position. It was a hard thing to do when your ass was seated in the rubble of what used to be a priestly church.

My tired figure slouched down, leaning against the crumbled rock pillar which once maintained and kept up the holy structure. Now this entire place had resulted into abandoned grounds as nature slowly retook its land once more. My eyes outlined the invisible barrier where the wild grass grew, which met and slightly overtook the wooden lanes of what seemed to be the stage of the timeworn church altar frontal.

I quickly drew my attention back at the front hollow entrance of our sanctuary when my hearing ability picked up the approach of a third presence. Immediately, I reached out for my machete and signalled for the eating Clara to keep still. My hunting eyes scanned through the grass as I slowly tread through the familiar grounds, the meadow of wild grass nearly reaching up to my knees.

“Oi, Hazel. Calm down, it’s just me.” I lowered my weapon in relief as the regular voice of Ruth reached my ears. My eyes gazed down at the bag gripped tightly in the arriving girl’s hand.

“How’d it go?” My hand reached over and offered the paper bag in return where the last piece of bread was kept safely. The girl with mocha brown hair known as Ruth smiled and grasped the bag from my grip, responding in awe as she peered into it.

“Garlic bread today?” She immediately reached in clawed it out with two fingers, “Been a while since I’ve had something like this.”

“If you like it, we could get more of it every so often.” I looked towards Clara who just finished her last bite, smacking her lips to the miraculous taste. Her Caribbean blue eyes widen in happiness and relief as she greeted Ruth.

“You’re back!” She beamed happily, hopping off the column she was sitting on.

I broke out a gasp when my head rotated back around to Ruth; meeting the sudden pouch the rowdy girl had hastily thrown at me. Instinctively, my hand jerked up and halted the bag from hitting my face, gripping onto it tightly along with the unknown contents inside.

 “Ooh… what did you get this time?” Clara curiously observed and poked at the bag in my lowering hand. I swiftly tore the buckles open and examined within, my heart hopeful for something useful inside.

“Just the usual silver I managed to nick off the merchants... and oh!” Ruth’s face was pulled into a recalling expression as she reached into her jacket and pulled something out. Clara squealed in excitement, completely in contrast to my scowling appearance as we watched Ruth yank out a pile of papers.

I shook my head, a smile revealing itself at Clara’s childish reaction to the comic books that Ruth had revealed.

“What is that? Pornography?” I crossed my arms, smirking at the colourful pages that Clara was flipping through.

“Yeah, totally. Like I'd be so fucking into shit like that.” Ruth rolled her eyes sarcastically as she sat down in the grass with the garlic bread sticking out of her mouth. Both me and Clara joined her in the grassy meadows, eating and talking and flipping through the comics Ruth scraped off the local shops.