Always Be With U [Levi X Petra]
Kart (24)

...• • •...

"Hey, where am I going?"

"Follow them, Petra-san."

"Eh, Eren? Are you there too?"

Petra is now being led by three men, none other than Oluo, Eld, and Gunther, and Eren who is also with them. After Eren learned of his incident from Oluo, he decided to take part in this apology event.

Since this morning, right after the Rall girl opened her eyes, the door of her room was knocked by Eld. Petra was told to prepare as usual and join his squadmate on condition that both eyes should be covered with cloth.

"Well, it's here! Now you can open the cloth."

Petra slowly opened the strands of black cloth that closed her eyes earlier. A second later he was shocked by the sighting before him.

"Th-this.."

There was a set of pastel-colored mats of food on the grass in the front yard. In a set of food that could be said as well as breakfast, there was a medium-sized chocolate cake that attracted the attention of the hazel girl from the beginning.

"Who's birthday today?" petra asked confusedly.

"No one, Petra. This is. for you," Eld said.

Petra frowned confusedly. "Huh? What-eH mean?!"

Petra was taken aback by Oluo and Eld who suddenly prostrated themselves before her as they said, "I'm sorry, Petra!"

"You guys.."

"I'm sorry for what we did yesterday. We know it was a very stupid act. We've hurt you. Please forgive us," concluded Oluo and followed by a few nods of Eld's head.

"Hey, stop. I've forgotten that. I feel bad for you guys" Petra replied, embracing the two men to wake up.

"We feel guilty about you. We. apologize."

"me too. Sorry, I was too much yesterday." Petra smiled slightly.

"Well, I can finally see your beautiful smile again-AAAWW!!" goda Oluo, who then immediately got a hard pinch on his left arm.

"You're gonna lose your tongue, stupid Oluo!"

The small quarrel invited booming laughter from Eld and Gunther, while Eren was seen trying to hold back his laughter seeing the behavior of his two seniors.

...• • •...

"I didn't think you could make this delicious fish soup. Where did you learn from? Didn't I ever teach it?"

"Hey, are we just gawking when you're cooking? Of course we also learned silently," grumbled Eld.

"It's your favorite food, right?" ask Oluo.

Petra chuckled while scratching her non-itchy nape. "Yes, thank you."

"Oh yeah, I haven't seen Captain Daritadi. Where's she?" ask Gunther.

"Captain told me, this morning he went to the border to check things out, and met Hanji's squad for something" Petra replied, bribing a spoonful of cookies.

"Well, the guts are always big huh. Does he have no fear?" timpal Eren who immediately replied Oluo by rolling his eyeballs while clucking. "Don't the Titan, the sky's afraid of him."

"Oh yes, Petra. By the way, what did you do with the captain last night?" ask Eld.

Petra immediately stopped her chewing event, surprised. "W-what?"

"Yes, I accidentally saw you guys in the kitchen last night. I woke up wanting to go to the bathroom."

Oluo screeched, again while imitating the style of his captain. "It looks like you two have been approaching lately. You like the captain, don't you?"

"Huh? Wh-what do you mean?"

"Oh, be honest. Your behavior is clearly visible to us."

Petra was flirting, "T-no. Me and the captain are just superiors and subordinates.."

"We don't see it that way, Petra." Gunther then spoke up. "You look like.. his wife?"

Petra flabbergasted, "Huh?! What do you guys love!" And Petra's face ended up red as a boiled crab.

"I'm disappointed in you, Petra. You should be my future wife. Unfortunately you have not met the standards-ADUH! SICK KNOW!"

"Stop talking or I'll cut off your tongue!"

Gunther closed his mouth, holding back a laugh. "Look, even the way you speak is becoming more and more similar to him." 

"You guys!" Petra snorted in annoyance while turning her face away.

"A-ano, Petra-san.." Eren interrupts, making everything turn his head, including Petra.

"I-that's. The scar on your neck. What.. still sick?" ask Eren.

Petra immediately touched his neck with a rope-choking scar from a previous incident. "Ah, this is yes.."

"Sorry, I only realized when you looked up."

"Petra, I also just realized!" exclaims Oluo while looking at it, as well as Eld and Gunther.

"Ah, this is no longer painful. It's just a little bit of an ache when I hold it" Petra replied with a smile.

They all fell silent for a moment, recalling the fateful incident that almost took Petra's life that time. "I'm sorry we. We couldn't protect you then. If only we were -"

"If you hadn't come, I might not be in front of you now. I should be thanking you guys" Petra said cutting off the sentence in the name of Eld's guilt.

Silence struck between them. Focusing on Eren further drowning his face, still feeling guilty. Had he responded quickly to the threat letter, he would have been able to prevent it.

"You..'ve got threatening letters from them, right?

Oluo, Gunther, and Eld are shocked to hear Eren's words. "Is that true, Petra?"

Petra nodded slowly. "Yes.."

"Why didn't you tell us?!" asked Eld in a slightly firm tone.

"I-I just don't want to make you anxious and even think. It was also my fault for thinking it was just an anonymous message. I'm sorry.."

"Petra, next time don't do that. It applies to everything too. Always report something bad." 

Petra took a breath. "So, two days before the incident.Just when I finished my turn to stand guard and go to the room, I was surprised when I looked at the window. There was a piece of paper stamped with red ink that read 'Levi and the elite troops will be crushed in our hands!'"

Oluo grimaced softly, "If I were you, I would also definitely think it was just an anonymous message from the side that hates the surveillance forces."

"But Petra-san, I can't believe that your recovery from the incident was quick. Your body's endurance is very strong. Thank goodness."

"Hey, Eren, that woman must be strong! I must be strong too!"

"I thought you'd lay down for months."

"You wish I were like that?!" petra said to Oluo, making the man crackle immediately. "Are you always sensitive to me?"

"Hey hey, that's it. We better get ready for training. You guys want to be greeted by the Captain's scolding later?" The words of Eld who mediated them successfully made them immediately shut up while shaking their heads.

"It's good that you stop. Let's prepare! Eren, you also just in case be prepared!"

"Well, Eld-san!"

...• • •...

"Petra."

Petra turned her head, diverting her attention from the activity of cutting and cutting two carrots. Yes, the girl thought of making a warm vegetable soup for her captain. The two of them had a chance to argue about the impromptu cooking show, but Levi finally relented and let Petra do what he wanted.

"What's up, Captain?"

Levi immediately stared at Petra's neck. "That wound. Does it still hurt?"

Petra then immediately groped his neck. "Ah, this rope? It doesn't hurt anymore, but it just hurts a little bit if I hold it." 

But instead of that answer, Levi captures the girl's trauma. Both of these drinks imply sadness. The girl in front of him seemed to tremble a little with both hands squeezing the apron she was wearing. Levi held onto Petra's shoulder, spontaneously making the girl jump.

"Don't remember. Forget it, Petra."

Petra nodded faintly while smiling slightly in response. There was a long pause between them, but finally the sapphire man opened his voice again, while staring with sadness, but it was clearly very attached.

"Why..did you protect me back then?"

Petra again smiled. "Because it's been my desire to protect you."

Somehow hearing that answer, Levi's heart felt stunned as if there was something stuck to be said. That sentence really has a lot of meaning. Levi could not conclude it with just one glance.

"Why do you have such a wish?" Levi asked again. His tone sounded like he was curious, but still, humans seemed to be good at being flat as usual.

Petra was silent for quite a while, trying to assemble the right words in her head. He does not have the courage to express his feelings.

Haven't. Not-time.

Let her hold that one-sided feeling for longer.

"Maybe I'll answer you next time, Captain." Petra again threw a smile, but this time it felt softer and more sincere.

It seemed like the smile this time was unable to make the captain feel calm, instead feeling dissatisfied with the answer. Petra could guess it from the face of her captain who looked unrelieved, despite appearing flat.

"You always avoid, Petra," Levi said at the end.

"Sorry captain, you mean?"

"If you have something to say, say it."

Silent. Petra doesn't know what to answer for now. Now, the two of them could only look at each other silently. Until another voice called his name..

"Petra-san."

"Petra-san."

"Petra-san!"

Petra instantly regained her senses when Eren patted her shoulder hard enough. Ah right, he is preparing the 3D Maneuver Gear for training.

"You okay?" ask Eren.

"It's okay, Eren. I was just a little daydreaming."

Why do I keep thinking about the awkward atmosphere last night with the Captain? petra Mumbles.

The atmosphere last night ended by coincidence because their focus was both turned to the water that had been turbulent and finally Petra resumed the show making soup.

"Gunther-san has already called us daritadi. Come on!"

Petra nodded in agreement to Eren's invitation, and they immediately ran small towards the front of the base.

...• • •...

"Captain, what's the condition around the border?"

"Enough guarantee. We can come back tomorrow."

The answer from Levi made everyone sigh in relief. They finally returned to the city. It is even a great gift if they make it home safely.

"Everybody's getting ready to train, except Petra."

Petra was confused by his captain's statement. "Didn't the Captain say yesterday 'you' ?"

"I didn't say 'all of you'."

"But I also want to train with them. I'm already fine. Please, allow me," Petra politely asked.

"Petra, it's okay. You rest yourself first. You also just finished your recovery," said Eld.

"Really, I'm fine. I don't want to mess up the formation later. Please, Captain!" Petra immediately bowed her body pleading. It didn't matter if the captain would consider him a stubborn boy.

Levi sighed in annoyance, stubborn as he was.

"All right, you can come."

Sontak Petra smiled widely, not forgetting to immediately give salute. "Thank you very much, Captain!"

"We're headed for the forest south of base."

...----------------...