I Have An Objection! [ Levi x OC ] [ Moderate Editing ]

Ch. 15: Familiar Faces and Friendly Strangers

The days prior to the sixth, dubbed "Gardening Day" by some colleagues and myself, was accompanied by a string of empty cubicles, offices stripped bare of their possessions, and the booming voice of Erwin as he lead people aside and disclosed to them the unfortunate case of their unemployment. Mira and I milled around aimlessly, watching as the broken-hearted individuals packed up their belongings and attempted to blink away the tears.

Levi strolled into the picture later on, hands in his slack's pockets like usual and a dreadfully bored expression on his face. "This is so damn depressing," he muttered, blinking his dark lashes and shifting his cobalt gaze to my slightly trembling form.

"A shame, really," Mira breathed, crossing her arms under her moderate chest. "Most of 'em were great people. They deserved better."

"It's unfair," I joined in, exhaling a dissatisfied puff of air. "Look at us; we're completely safe from this tyranny, and all we can allow ourselves to do it study these pitiful beings. It's--no, we're . . . despicable."

Levi draped his arm across my shoulders and yanked me closer to him in a reassuring gesture. "At least we still have each other, Roxanne, that's all the really matters."

"Yeah, there's no need to get that sentimental, Roxy," Mira consoled in her normally chipper tune. "Erwin's being a generous man to keep the three of us, so let's make the most of it and accept our rewards, alright?"

I nodded solemnly, Levi sighing at my robotic reaction. "It'll be okay," he said, planting a subtle kiss to the top of my head. "It'll be okay, just keep reminding yourself that."

Levi's encouragement earned a smile from me, and a snicker or two from Mira, who was unbelievably surprised at the fact that Levi could be anything close to considerate. Apparently, the two had known each other since Levi began working for Brightfield five years prior, and Mira was barely a month or two into her career as Erwin's secretary. 

A dynamic duo was what some of the senior associates had described them as, never seen without spilling catty gossip to the other or revising certain cases for either Erwin or Levi himself. Back then, Brightfield wasn't known by its present title, since the partnership was between two other individuals who bore the name for the law firm. Meaning, Levi, Erwin and Mira were "survivors" of the "divorce" between the partners, resulting in one gaining full authority over the remainder of the offices.

Thus, Brightfield entered a new reign under the command of an older woman named, not surprisingly, Beatrice Brightfield, or Beebee as her closest acquaintances knew her as. I remembered her name floating around the firm every so often, yet I was never graced by an appearance from her, let alone an acknowledgement of her existence aside from the tales I overheard from various co-workers.

"So, Erwin, Mira and you were regarded before I applied as Erwin's accountant?" I asked later that night, using Levi's right bicep as a pillow while we indulged in a little aftermath cuddling.

"Pretty much," Levi answered, heaving a spent sigh. "Erwin and I used to tackle so many cases together. The only thing weighing him down was his lack of knowledge for financial involvement." He tapped the tip of my nose with his left index playfully. "But then you showed up and made us complete."

I tilted my head back to view his dimly-lit features. "Oh, please, I was only nineteen when the two of you began working together. You say it as though I was there all those years ago."

"Well, I kinda wish you were," he confessed. "I mean, Erwin sucked with money, and it was pitiful to watch him figure everything out. He was great lawyer--and he still is, but not-so-great in the investing department."

"Is that the only reason you wished I was there sooner?" I teased, tickling the underside of his chin.

"Gimme a break, Roxanne, you know damn well there's a much bigger reason than Erwin's idiotic problems." Levi cocked his head to the side, resting his cheek on my cocoa locks. "If you were there sooner, I would have snatched you up before Erwin got one glimpse of you."