Past doesn't matter (Levi x OC x Erwin) AU/modern +18

Chapter 38: Beacon of Hope Pt. 2

Their P.O.V.

It took Levi longer than usual to shower. What was normally done within five to ten minutes now took more than forty minutes! Levi repeated all the steps in washing at least three times. Wash the hair, the body, and then the face. He felt so dirty that he would have loved to stay in here until the warm water ran out, but after he finished the fourth wash, he finally felt like a normal person again. At least on the outside.

He still felt dirty inside, and no soap or detergent in the world can remove that stain. The bathroom was filled with a thick fog and Levi quickly got to dry and get dressed. The clothes Mikasa had brought him were a bit too big, but that was not important. All that mattered to him was that these clothes were clean, and as soon as his own clothes were washed and dried, he would finally be able to leave, get his things from Erwin's penthouse, and head to the next bigger town, out of this place, out of all this agony that reminds him with every look, with every breath of what ate him up inside.

Maybe he can avoid Mikasa long enough to escape the threatening interrogation. Not that Levi had high hopes, but it was worth a try. He didn't want to have to tell everything again. Especially not to Mikasa. He just wanted to leave everything behind and forget about it as quickly as possible. Everything.

Nina has Erwin now, so Levi was not needed anymore. That's how it always was and always will be. Why had he even believed for a moment that he would be granted a little luck?

Another ten minutes passed in which Levi just sat in the bathroom and stared out the window. He could do this all day. Since he broke up with Nina, it happened more and more often that Levi just sat there and stared into the nothingness, his eyes glazed and empty, but he knew he couldn't hide forever from the inevitable. Sooner or later he would have to leave this room.

Not that Levi was scared. He was simply following the deepest and most rooted instincts of humanity: avoiding things that cause pain and discomfort. Can you really blame him for that? As reluctantly as Levi could, he got up from his seat, opened the window, and left the bathroom. With his back straightened, his head upright and proud, he marched down to where Mikasa was certainly waiting for him. Even if he didn't feel the same way inside as he showed on the outside, it was in his nature to never show weakness, not even towards his cousin. The only exception ..... was one special person that is no longer part of his life.

"I'm here, Levi." Even before Levi reached the end of the stairs, Mikasa called out to him from the living room, and with a deep sigh, Levi changed direction, crossing the door frame and aiming directly towards Mikasa, who was sitting in her armchair with a serious, tense posture, a teacup clutched in both hands.

Without a word of reply, Levi sat down opposite on a red couch. The stark, eye-catching color completely stood out from the otherwise rather dark interior, but despite the strong contrast, the couch fit surprisingly well into the overall picture.

Silence filled the room.

Just the sound of the leather as Levi leaned forward to take his teacup from the table, fingertips elegantly holding the edge of the china.

Neither of the two black-haired said a word while Levi sipped his tea, eyes closed and his free hand laid casually on his lap, Mikasa staring at him from the corner of her eyes with a death glare.

"And? Don't you want to start explaining or do I have to squeeze everything out of you? " she snapped at him, tapping impatiently with one foot. Mikasa was out of patience for this shit!

Erwin was clearly more cooperative than Levi, but it was only one side of the story. Levi's version was missing from the whole picture, and Mikasa had made the decision to put an end to this stupid argument.