Enemy to Lovers

Chapter 4: In Vino Veritas

The next morning came and thought neither Mikasa nor Levi couldn't sleep a wink but they both attend to work anyway.
Mikasa showed up and when she dropped off her lectro she noticed Levi's lectro on the other side.
All memory of last night that she tried her best to forget rushed in her mind and turned her all red.
She was hesitating to leave the parking that Eren and Armin arrived in Eren's soliar. When they saw Mikasa standing and just staring at Levi's lectro he sneaked behind her. They both thought Mikasa would notice them but since she was drowned in her mind when he clapped her shoulder she jumped.
Mikasa- Oh Eren it's you. Good morning, Armin...
Eren- Hey are you alright? You never get surprise like this.
Mikasa only nodded and they head to the elevator. There Eren looked displeased but Armin was the same, sweet and calm as he usually has been.
Eren- Why didn't you call last night?
Mikasa- I...I did, you didn't pick up.
Eren- Then why you didn't try calling Armin?
Armin- Eren! We talked about this. Sorry Mikasa we should have called you as well bu...
Eren didn't let him finish and shouted "Where did you spent the night? Where is your scarf? I clearly remember you had that stupid scarf again!"
Mikasa was shocked, though she just remembered the loss of her scarf and how she lost it but wondered, he has never been prejudice toward her affair and he's never bothered himself to ask about the scarf! All she could say was "Why it bothers you anyway? Weren't you the one to say I should let go of it?" she felt guilty of losing it and not wearing it but to think the one time she actually was about to let go of her attachment to him he got mad, she thought she was his tool all this time.
Eren- I can't care less about it but where were you? Found someone interesting to spend the night with? Maybe someone I know! Is that why you forgot all about me, us?
Even Armin felt bothersome over his reaction this time. Eren was the one to say she has to change the way she is, at least until the last year of college he did.
When they were still in college Eren and Armin took their chance in persuading girls at college specially Eren who would get in trouble for it, even now Eren had some mysterious girl to visit from time to time and no one ever bothered him because of it.
She was hurt to see Eren scolds her for something he was always ignorant about and it didn't even make any sense! She jumped out of the elevator with no other word and left Eren for Armin to handle.
"I'm gonna kick that shorty's ass for taking my scarf! He better not lost it!" She thought. She was stomping on the floor with her boots. "I'll put my stuff in my room and then I'll go kick his ass for taking my..." she stopped right at her door as she noticed the neatly folded scarf resting on her desk. She was no longer mad or hurt. She even forgot her harsh thoughts of scolding Levi over it. She walked close to her desk and reached her hand to take it and wrap it about her neck again but...
"Why you keep wearing this scrappy scarf?" Levi's voice echoed in her head.
"I'll stop wearing it starting from now!" she picked it up carefully to keep the fold and put it on top of her shelf next to her precious books.
*Late October*
In the last ultimatum Kiyomi gave Mikasa she couldn't stop thinking of a solution to dodge the mission. Levi also kept thinking about "Give you another two months" that Kiyomi said. "What is going to happen in two months? Why she's not doing anything? Why she's working so hard to benefit the company and why she's not digging for info while she has the open access to it?" he had many question going on in his mind and the most annoying question was "If you wanna kill me then why you don't take your many opportunities you had and get this over with?!"
Every night she stayed longer than usual and she was the last to leave the breech. She would show up in silence and quit in shadows. All these early entrances and late leaves Levi was waiting for her to show up and either kill him or tell him the truth. Yes, he was waiting for her to tell him everything and he was willing to do anything to get her out of the mess she was struggling in but she kept her distance and avoid any unnecessary encounters. She stopped reporting daily schedule and other stuff and just handed them to Erwin.
Hange and Erwin figured something strange happened between them at the banquet and other staff also could see how weird they act since then and yet no one dared to ask about it from them
Erwin did a favor to her and gave all the filling works to Mikasa and that made her stay at her office even more. She barely walked out of her office since then and not even for lunch time she wouldn't come out. Occasionally Sasha or Armin would go and sit in her office, keeping her company and also Jean and Connie might have stopped by to do the same but Eren distanced himself as much as she did it to Levi.
Mikasa didn't touch the folded scarf even once and she would ask of Eren's wellbeing from Armin. Once Armin asked "Mikasa you seem to loosen some weight and you're paler than usual, is everything aright? What happened that night with president that makes you like this?"
She was insanely looking for a way to chase away Armin and Eren, even if possible Sasha, Jean and Connie so she could tell everything to Levi and the true reason of being there, working at the breech. Kiyomi's words kept spoiling the vague yet dreamy image of her dance with Levi. That was another subject to keep her awake during nights and distract her in the day time.
One day she finally came out of her office to have lunch with others. She was quiet even more than before but her presence allowed them to ask her of the banquet and her recent behavior.
Jean- Hey Mikasa, good to have you with us again here.
Hange- Yeah Girl, we missed our Levi double at the lunch time!
Hange has always been bold and kept telling everyone about Mikasa and Levi's similarities, at first everyone would have flinch and jump off as she mentioned them but eventually they considered it as a joke. Though Erwin and Hange could guess what happened between them, an argument or an embarrassing moment, but they played along with other.
Still no one dared to ask her of the dark aura around Mikasa and Levi but the stupid Connie did!
Connie- Hey Mikasa, you didn't say what happened between you and president that made both of you like ghosts?
All the events of that night passed through her mind, she had a blank expression yet somehow fearful and angry. From the humiliation she for announcing her as Miss Ackerman, Kiyomi's scowls and threats, their dance, to the very last moments of their parting ways in front of her apartment. Obviously she had nothing to say so she only got up her seat and said "Sorry I just remembered I should report some matters!" before she could turn to go a voice attracted everyone's attention.
Levi- You have nothing to report while I'm here gloomy brat.
He was at the entrance and he wasn't talking in loud voice but his unique tone could be heard where ever he was and he also had a very good hearing skill even if they were whispering!
Everyone turned to see their one and only president coming to the mess hall. Though everyone thought and believed it's Erwin the chief of the breech but no one feared him as much as they feared Levi!
No one stopped her from leaving, specially Eren wanted to stop her to hear about all that happened but, they restrained themselves when Levi showed up. Mikasa ignored him wasting her excuse and turned to leave. While she was passing by him her arm hit his as if it was intentionally.
Levi- Watch it Ackerman...
She was desperate for an opportunity and a trigger to get back at him for embracing her in the banquet. She spanned and grabbed his collar and buttonholed him by slamming his back to the wall.
Everyone gasped, all the people in the mess hall even some of them stood straight while their chairs hit the ground. Beholding the sight of someone actually so something such as that to Levi Ackerman was as rare as sun rising from west!
Jean was only surprised and jealous of Levi getting cornered by Mikasa, Armin watched them unbelievably and hoped to have stopped her earlier and Eren was mad and even he couldn't tell why, was it because he cared for her or just he didn't want them to get together? "They must not develop any feeling for each other...it ruins everything"
Hange and Erwin on the other hand were trying so hard not to laugh. Hange kept poking Erwin's side by her elbow, covering her mouth. Although what all of them could see was completely different from what was going on, on their side. Mikasa had Levi's collar and his famous cravat in her grip and he was almost at his toes. Their faces weren't that far apart; they both could feel each other's breathing. She smelled like apple juice as he smelled like soap and cleanness mixed with the tea he had right before coming there. They both had their gaze unstoppably at each other but after a while it switched between one another lips and eyes. None of them could say a word, just staying like that for 2-3 minutes. Not to mention everyone still were watching them!
Levi- What the fuck is this about Mikasa?
He could tell she was getting back at him, just didn't know what for?
Mikasa- So you're aware that you can call me like this way?!
He was confused "Did I say otherwise?" he was feeling people's gaze at them and he was getting embarrassed for it, though nobody dared to bring it up to his face. Mikasa dragged her face closer to reach his ear and her humming breath tickled his nape "It ends here shorty!" and she finally let go of his collar and smoothed his coat and fixed his cravat and he just stared at her face. She turned and left the hall, let everyone hang there in the shock of what happened.
That mostly was how the first month of her ultimatum passed; nothing special except the mess hall incident and the next month wasn't that exciting either. Mikasa knew she had to come up with a solution before her deadline, their deadline, and Levi only waited patiently for her to do something, anything...
*November*
It was very rare and unusual to have party or even small gathering at the breech but Hange was so persistence over this particular one. To make Levi accept and cooperate with her plans, she agreed to only inform very few selected staff. She only informed 15 of them and obviously Mikasa, Eren, Armin, Jean, Sasha and Connie were part of it.
Levi asked about the occasion from Hange "What the fuck is this all about four eyes?"
Hange wrapped her arms around Erwin's shoulder, again cause he was closer and he wasn't Levi! and said "You really don't remember?"
Erwin smirked toward Hange and said "Well even I had no idea about it Hange, you're the only one remember these stuff"
Hange- But why? It's about you two idiots! How could you both not remember it!?
Levi- for fuck sake Hange spit it out already.
Hange- Huh...it's the 4th anniversary of the day Erwin and I joined the Breech...
***
Erwin and Levi's first encounter would go way more back than only 4 years. Their first time meeting each other was the day Levi lost Farlan and Isabel. The day he finally awakened his Ackerman power.
That day, Levi, Isabel and Farlan were about to rob one of the richest family facility's in Zone NO6. They have planned for Levi go forward and check security system. Yes, there was security system even in their perfect world because you can never change human's nature doesn't matter how much you control them.
When Levi left them behind to do so they were smothered to death by some strange wires, not long after he arrived at their dead bodies he found himself surrounded by at least 30 men, all in black with a pair of wings surrounded by a crown sing on their chest. He felt the stupid amount of strength surge through his body and after a moment or two all those men were dead. He was there grieving over his friends body when Erwin and his squad arrived, he was just a minor member at UPG (1) back then but he was smart enough to figure what happened there, Hange was there too. That's why Erwin and Hange covered for his crime and let him go but they kept in touch for 7 years when finally, Levi took on the Ackerman business at year 2159.
***
Levi-Tch...is that a reason to celebrate?
Hange- Of course it is! I know you got emotional right now, why you act like a stick over it?
Another "TCH" was his answer
Sasha and Connie were in charge of the foods. Eren, Armin and Jean helped Hange to prepare hall for the gathering and Jean specifically was set to provide good drinks.
Although Mikasa didn't have much to do to help but she helped everyone a bit anyway.
The iceberg between Mikasa and Eren melted away and somehow they managed to go back to their old behavior.
On the other hand, though she hadn't come up with any solution to solve Kiyomi's matter but Hange's party was her last chance to tell Levi everything, from her real reason on joining the Breech to her relation with Kiyomi. The only real conversation between Levi and Mikasa was the one at the parlor and up to the party they had even less encounter than before. They didn't know what to tell each other or how to act around each other.