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✖ action ✖ oo2 ✖ fourth wall ✖ ( kanto, route 11 )
( Levi, save for his height impairment, is not difficult to spot while he's pacing a small patch of grass on Route 11. In an effort to better understand his existing collection of Pokémon (read: all two of them) he'd been doing a great deal of reading through his Pokédex; initially he possessed little interest in researching outside the scope of Pokémon he already had, but his attention was drawn to one within the many listings. One, due to its (albeit not very detailed) description, that he desired to obtain. (Also, there was a freshness to the air outside that he could not get enough of -- though he wasn't exactly going to admit that).
It was for this reason that Levi now stood, eyes narrowed and brow furrowed, in front of a patch of grass on this particular route -- where he'd been told to go by his research. There was an underlying problem in the man's plan, however; that being that he'd never actively attempted to capture a Pokémon. As fate would have it, the only ones he did in fact own had been graciously given to him.
He did not know where to begin. Levi was not a man accustomed to being new at shit, and even being in this place did not change that fact. He was waiting, then, at the edge of the grass, as he watched his Purrloin watch him. )
Well? You can find one, can't you?
( Yeah, he's showing pictures of the Pokémon he wants to his Purrloin right now. This is it. This is as low as it gets. He could ask someone, but who the fuck does that? Nope, he's sending his cat brigade on a fucking recon mission in some grass instead, with little idea how to actually capture what he wants if and when it appears.
Nobody tell him that his cats aren't even the appropriate level. )
It was for this reason that Levi now stood, eyes narrowed and brow furrowed, in front of a patch of grass on this particular route -- where he'd been told to go by his research. There was an underlying problem in the man's plan, however; that being that he'd never actively attempted to capture a Pokémon. As fate would have it, the only ones he did in fact own had been graciously given to him.
He did not know where to begin. Levi was not a man accustomed to being new at shit, and even being in this place did not change that fact. He was waiting, then, at the edge of the grass, as he watched his Purrloin watch him. )
Well? You can find one, can't you?
( Yeah, he's showing pictures of the Pokémon he wants to his Purrloin right now. This is it. This is as low as it gets. He could ask someone, but who the fuck does that? Nope, he's sending his cat brigade on a fucking recon mission in some grass instead, with little idea how to actually capture what he wants if and when it appears.
Nobody tell him that his cats aren't even the appropriate level. )
omg he'll just die but at least they won't have 2 have ~the talk~
It comes to him that he really does need to tell her, if he's got any chance of explaining their current situation. He's not concerned that she'll freak out—not that he'd know how to tolerate that, exactly—but it's becoming evident that explaining this to her will perhaps uncomplicate things. He hopes.
When he opens his eyes again, his expression is stern, yet thoughtful. ] Yes, a month ago. But it's been longer than that—since I saw you last; you were dead. [ His tone is unforgiving, knowing it can't be helped, but there is a sympathetic glint in his eyes—he doesn't want to tell her this, but at this point he's thinking it's probably for the best. Purrloin's eyes have widened; yeah, she caught that, and she just quietly moves to sit at Petra's feet and curl up. Shit's fucked up, man. Too fucked up.
Levi is about to open his mouth to answer her further questions, but he stops himself. Yeah, no, he needs to give her some time after that one. He does, however, take a step slightly closer to her; a very slight concern evident in his movements. ]
omg, levi,no you're not allowed to die :| others can die for u,,, ooops tl dr wall
What? That just raises more questions because how could he have seen more than that a-- ...
Well. Fuck. He knows. Oh, not just that! He just said that he saw her being -- you know, dead. So, he wouldn't miraculously happen to find them in time and somehow help them away from that situation, then? Yeah, she didn't think he would, but one can always hope. Not like they even had time to scream or send signals or anything because everything went straight to hell so fast.
Petra swallows and looks very sad, fighting against some tears (not like she hasn't cried in front of him before, but anyway.) and she's just going to pet that Purrloin. Hello kitten, welcome to be a great distraction.
He had seen the boys too, then. She obviously has no idea how she or Oluo are going to
dielook after they're dead, but that doesn't really make any difference to the fact that she wouldn't want anyone to see it. Especially not him, that's too cruel.]...Yeah, that... Happens in less than 2 seconds if I go back, I guess. [How do you make math about how soon a psycho titan will reach you?] ...I'm sorry. [it can't be helped but she could have helped it by not going into that hysterical panic mode back home, where she couldn't do anything right.]
Did Eren get out of there? [Alive, she'd add but uh, that one is obvious.
Not asking the same about him since he just confirmed it himself before by saying that it's been longer since he last saw her. And that's great! ...that Levi's alive, not that he saw... yeah.]
oh got there's no way to avoid tl;dr w these guys p sure ;_; lmao levi.. the gary stu martyr...
His eyes glaze momentarily as he's bombarded by the familiar image of her corpse; a haunting vision, all of his soldiers, reckless as he was in letting them fly into the gaping maw of their own deaths. No regrets. No regrets. "We don't know what consequences our actions will have"--he's reminding himself of this in chants, mantras, letting it overwhelm his mind for a split second. After all, you can't go back and change the past. But what if you could? What would Levi do, if he knew--if Petra knew--what waited for them back home? Could they change it, here? Would they? Would it be right, to do such a thing?
He almost doesn't hear her question about Eren. He has to snap back to reality (if he can even call this place his reality) and meet Petra's gaze again. He watches as she pets Purrloin; thankful, for a second, that his weird purple cat creature is there to act as a warm distraction from both of their thoughts. For a moment, he smiles a bit; thinks of her father; her father's words to him upon his return from that fateful expedition. Petra, here, doesn't know what Levi knows, does she? She's no idea what her father will say to Levi, a few days -- no, hours even -- into her future. Would she be embarrassed? Would her soldier's demeanor dwindle with the knowledge that her father had such audacity as to suggest they marry? It's enough to take his mind off of that image of her death, anyway.
Come on, Levi. Take advantage of this while you have it. While you have her here. Levi clears his throat to speak. ]
Yeah. Eren got out of there. Not without getting his ass eaten, though. He's fucking great at getting kidnapped. [ He doesn't know why he's telling her this; distracting himself further, really. Teasing Eren is a great distraction, after all, even in Eren's absence. ] Shit never stops happening, really.
[ Then, his voice is still stern. ] Don't apologize. It isn't something to apologize for. [ He's thought about it a lot, you know. Apologizing for your own death--no, your sacrifice, which was brave in and of itself--don't ever apologize for that. ] Your sacrifice... was an important piece of the puzzle that saved our asses. It was necessary. You did your duty more admirably than many soldiers I've known, Petra. [ Yeah, he's using her first name again. Because he's intensely serious in his words. ]
hey, did you order a crushing blow with that tag? you're going to get it.
She's trying not to freak out while he looks surprised of how well she takes it. She's not taking it well, she's just trying to not to think about -- it. That shit is going to fucking hurt like hell and there's nothing she can do about it. Sorry, Purrloin, her hands are shaking really fucking lot, but she really appreciates the distraction anyways.
Or she could look at Levi, which she in fact does, just in time to see that smile on his face. That takes her by a surprise, but it also makes her smile too. It's a sad smile though, and she's not even going to ask why Levi has that on his face. It's just really great to see his smile. ...For one last time, a thought that makes her smile almost fade away. She'd never see him or her family again. Well, unless she could stay here but randomly appearing in the middle of nowhere to this place? Is that how this works? It seems weird, but not entirely impossible.
Levi's answer about Eren returns that sad smile with a tiny laugh too.]
Maybe you'll find a way to stop all that kidnapping from happening to him, eventually, corporal... [Or then not. But it sounds like he's from somewhere far ahead and that Eren is trying to be as busy with getting kidnapped as ever.] You'll make it stop at some point, especially if you can make Eren stop getting kidnapped...
[See, you still have her full trust in everything.]
[ummm, yes it is something to apologize for but that sure makes her amused-ish face fade away. She won't say anything to it though, but she clearly looks like she disagrees with that. It's not like she wanted to die that soon after writing those words to her father... Welp, she was supposed to be there for a long time.
So they managed to at least play a lot of time there, is what she's thinking of his words. Good, that's good. Eren surviving from it was the most important thing anyway and he did, so-- so---
It's amazing to hear those words him, but you know, at the same time it's pretty horrible considering he wouldn't have to say them if -- if things hadn't gone as they did.
oooops, she was trying so hard to not lose it here despite being pretty horrible at withholding tears when shit gets this serious. Now she just ... starts crying, yup, this sure is a breakdown. Sorry, kitten, Petra stops petting you and instead she's just going to bury
wow, self words choicesher face into her hands.]oh noooo my heart omfgfjlskj
He doesn't know what to do. He doesn't panic--Levi has long exercised his inhibition in the face of anything that should make him feel anxious, worried, or in danger; however, his own inability to identify and quantify his emotions puts him in a terrible place for being, well, comforting.
His features are twisted into a sort of pained frown. Purrloin is making a distressed sound momentarily before she sits up and begins to rub her face against Petra's hands and legs--anything she can reach, really, in an attempt at comfort. What is happening?? Did Levi make you cry? Why is this guy so bad at social interaction??
Levi swallows. He takes a breath and his eyelids flutter as he works to consider his options. After a moment, he's moving closer to her, as though he realizes that's Step One of Human Interaction. Purrloin doesn't lift her head from Petra; all of her attention has shifted to the woman, now, even as Levi is reaching out to place a hand on Petra's shoulder. He's silent--he doesn't know what to say, and he has a brief moment of clarity that grants him the realization that yeah, you'd probably fuck this up more if you tried to open your mouth.
So instead Levi is moving to get closer to her in his effort to help her with her tears in the only real way he can presently come up with--he's trying to dismiss his own discomfort so he can focus on hers, but it's difficult. There's a second at which he hopes he's not just made her worse off and his fingers tighten slightly against her shoulder. ]
Hey.
[ Should he hug her? he wonders. That's what people do, right? This is a rather exceptional circumstance, after all. You don't often get the opportunity to speak to someone whose death you witnessed -- whose own death they're now trying to cope with. Levi's still frowning, even as he reaches for her other shoulder with his opposite hand. He grasps her shoulders a bit tightly and he pulls her forward to close the distance between them as Purrloin hurries to move out of the way.
Levi slides one arm around Petra's shoulders as he tries to abruptly pull her close in a momentary hug. It's stiff and awkward; he never does this, really, so it's not like he's had any practice. Situations have never called for it until this moment, if he's honest with himself. His voice is still stern, strained but sincere, when he speaks. ]
It's fine. It's all right.
adjdjskjdjskl, what are you doing to my heart?!! ugh, next wall is about calming down, promise
Sorry, kitten, it's not like Petra doesn't appreciate the efforts of comforting her -- in fact, she really really does -- but she doesn't really pay any attention to the Purrloin right now.
She's trying to calm down. She should calm down, right? Elite soldiers, or any soldiers, are not supposed to lose to their raging emotions! Levi had said it himself, just some time ago today, after that sound grenade. Yet, here she is, completely losing herself to that hysterical panic, again, and acting like a huge crybaby. That's a thing now when Petra has time to think about the whole situation and hear those words from Levi, or even see him again.
Speaking of the man, whom she devoted her whole life for, she doesn't notice him coming closer. Hears it, sure, but since she's really not paying enough attention to him right now while she's trying to calm down... Welp. Petra is almost ashamed of this breakdown, almost. He'd understand, sure, but it's still not okay if you ask her! What kind of an Elite Soldier just breaks down like this in front of the corporal? Well, apparently she does today and she's not fine with it. She should calm down!! She knows that. But she can't, like, at all. Super sorry, corporal, it's not like she doesn't understand how you're probably feeling about this. She does get it quite well after following him for so long and getting to know him while she's been there for him.
So since she doesn't quite realize that he's coming closer, it takes her by a surprise when Levi puts a hand on her shoulder. Petra startles. It's just really surprising, that's all. It shouldn't be, she's seen him deal with injured / dying / comfort needing soldiers before, like that one time when he grabbed a comrade's hand even though it was soaking in blood. She had been crying back then too, hadn't she? Well, back then she controlled her crying well, today is not the same situation at all. She's shaking. And she shakes her head to his 'Hey'. ... No wait, head shake is no good. She'll nod after it. She'll calm down, just watch it!!
...Yeah, it's not actually happening, though she loves his gesture to bits and pieces.
He's trying to help, calm the fuck down! is what she tries to tell herself, but that's not really helping either.]
...Sorry...
[Really? Really really? Is that the only thing she can say today? Okay, no but she's really sorry for losing it like this and making him feel really uncomfortable with her ridiculous crybaby behavior. Also she's sorry for dying, even if one shouldn't be sorry for their own death, but you know, this girl and her priorities. Someone, who's been hand-picked by Levi to an elite squad shouldn't have panicked in any situation, but she did back home. And she'd die because she made that mistake and that's really not okay. She's not okay with that. That's not -- when she said she'd devote her whole life for him in the war against the titans, she kind of expected that her life wouldn't be so short.
Wait, what is going on? Why is he putting his other hand on her other shoulder? I-Is that like telling her to calm down even more than he was with just one? She's trying to, it's not working. Today is the worst day of her life, she needs a longer moment to cope with it. She feels his grip tighten, then she's really not sure what is going on when Levi suddenly pulls her forward. Petra would ask Corporal, what are you --, but she can't get her voice to work in the seconds, that she is even more surprised by his actions.
For a moment she just stands still there, in his arms, too surprised by Levi's action to move at all. A hug? From the corporal? But he never -- Ohh, sure, be even more amazing than ever today, as if she doesn't think highly of him even before this. She was definitely NOT expecting to get a hug from a man, who she adores!! The girl literally thought it would be just the hand on shoulder thing and that's it, because he's always so distant. Petra swallows.
What is she supposed to do now? She's certainly not new to hugs, she's a very approacble, hugger-type person, who could hug everyone often. But this is new... Very new to him too, probably and she should take that into consideration --]
No, it's not -- [She shuts up, not wanting to disagree with him on that because it will be fine.]
[Do you need hugging lessons, Levi? Uh, even if your answer is no, well -- the girl, realizing he's still there and really, really there and so close doesn't really consider her actions at all. Instead Petra just kind of literally throws her arms around him/ his neck. Hello, did you expect this to be a short and awkward hug? Think again, Levi! She'll be clinging to him like it's the only action, that's going to fucking stop her from going back home right now.
Meanwhile her heart is racing like it's about to go insane. Hear that? She's very much alive right here, even if that's kind of obvious from the fact that she's not even dead back home in her time yet.]
aaaahhhhh u///u levi was so unprepared for this
It takes him a moment to register her words as he's adjusting himself from one foot to the other for a second—reaching with one hand after a few more seconds and patting at her back gently. That's what one does, right? Fuck, it's been a long enough time since he's deliberately stuck around someone who's begun to cry. Petra is not someone he's going to walk away from. ]
Ral. [ He uses her last name only to try to break her out of whatever cycle of thought she's trapped herself in; it's not quite as harsh as it could be when it comes from his mouth. Still, he's being awkward as all fuck. A+ comforting skills, Levi.
After a few more moments, as though in an effort to reassure her that he's not entirely angry with her reaction—she can't help it and he knows that, but his own discomfort manifests itself in irritation much more quickly than it winds its way down into logic—he's reaching with his other arm to wrap it around her and hug her properly in return. ]
Are you disagreeing with me?
oooooops, sorry for not being sorry
Hearing Levi use her last name startles the crying girl. It's surprisingly serious, though she can make a good guess ( or rather, knows ) why he uses that instead of her first name.
Really? What is she doing? Making him feel all weird with this clingy hug, that's pretty sure. Letting her mind go into some fucking state of her raging emotions instead of listening to him? ...Yeah, and she knows she shouldn't do that, she really shouldn't... Soldiers should always stay calm.
The proper hug from Levi is the most comforting and calming thing ever. She probably shouldn't have let him become the only person, who could calm her down from (hysterical) panic mode, but somehow it had happened while she's been under his command. Not that she regets it and now she's just relieved that he's not angry.
Does she disagree with him? Petra shakes her head.]
No, sir. I would never disagree with you, corporal.
[She is definitely calming down as she's clinging less and hugging more like it's normally done between friends. A+ skills in calming this girl down, Levi!]
I'm glad we were able to help so much, though I should apologize for panicking at least... [which is like apologizing for dying, but shhhh.] And for leaving you alone [EVERYONE NEEDS FRIENDS! Or at least it's good for everyone to have friends around, esp you and your serious face, mister. She gives the tiniest laugh after that.] -- but I guess you're not alone with the 104s around too. [+ commander and hanji and everyone else too but anyway.]
awww yeaaahh don't ever be sorry w this girl she's too cute for my heart ;_;
For a second, he realizes then that it wasn't entirely what he'd done that calmed her, so much as perhaps her own feelings for him. Damn it, Levi. You're probably still shit at this. Humanity's Worst Cuddle Buddy, right here.
Still, he pats her back a second time, since this seems to be working—and even with the knowledge that maybe it's not entirely his deliberate doing, he's still slightly proud of himself. He must have done something right at some point to land himself in this situation, with someone so fond of him. He rubs her back, once, then, before he's shrugging against her. He wants to ask her not to cry on him, but he realizes she's trying—excellent, she has some sense left in her, he believed it! ]
Yeah; I'm not entirely alone. [ As though he's then hit with some miraculous moment of clarity, Levi frowns at himself. Alright, that didn't come out exactly how he'd wanted it to. ] Well. Here, I am. In this fucked up place. So, sure, I'll accept that apology.
[ Then, after a few more quiet seconds, Levi is pulling away from her just a bit—to try to get a look at her face, it seems. His own expression is still stern, rather flat, but not without a very slight edge of softness to it. He's not entirely heartless, all right? She did just end up having to cope with her own death. He can live with this closeness right now; she's got a good excuse—better than a lot of people have had before, at the very least. ]
But it is good to see you, Ral—Petra.
i'm glad you think so, ahahaha... ha.... haaaaa, omg my heart for this whole cr
She really loves everything about this moment -- errrrrrrrr, not everything like it'd be better if she wasn't about to die back home or breaking down because of that and other reasons related to that, but she loves every action from the corporal. The hug itself, being so close to him for once in her life (not like she'll remember it, but she doesn't know she won't) and the pats and other gestures. Those pats are definitely working, so no, Levi, you're not so bad at this even though the calming down thing might be mostly because of her own feelings for him and just for the fact, that she can see him once more here. And maybe this is just some weird dream, but he's being even more amazing than ever and that is kind of not helping with the breakdown thing but she's really, really getting enough of this crying and trying to calm down completely. Soon. The rub actually gets a smile from her and she's really not sure what she's supposed to do here herself. This is a new situation for her too because wow, it's a hug with the corporal and she was unprepared for a hug from him. Cuddling her cheek against his clothes is kind of like an automatic reaction, but she does it just once or maybe twice before she realizes what she's doing. Nope, not that. That's like... no.
Petra is right about to say something to him being there alone, when Levi pulls away. ...Eeeeeeeeep, why is he so close still? Not that she minds, in fact she really doesn't. Not that she'd ever even try to make a move on him even when he's so close but wow, her face kind of feels like she's flustering like a lot here. Of course he is not entirely heartless, in fact she thinks she's not much heartless at all, and it's getting clearer and clearer today. Also she's not crying that much anymore. She should probably dry those tears from her eyes and quit it very soon because she's almost as calm as ever now. Was, before Levi pulled away from the hug to look at her face anyway. Corporal, why?! No, this is actually really good and she's taking a good look at his face.
Wait, what? .... if the words about him being alone made her feel sad and really bad, then those next words actually get a smile from her.]
It's great to see you, corporal. [it always is, but then she's just a girl in love and a huge fangirl, who really wants to be there for him as a subordinate and (potential) friend!] And if I disappear from here, somehow, then I'll be back a-and then you won't be alone here.
[... petra, it really doesn't work like you can just decide that you'll come here.]
;___;
Yeah? Is that a promise?
[ He can't help his question, then, and his tone is teasing. He might as well try to cheer her up even slightly, although his own skill in speaking just makes it sound like a momentary command. Is he joking? This is one of those scenes where you'd hear some inevitable, awkward laughter from Eren or Hange; never entirely sure if he's being an asshole or just being terrible at being personable. Still, he's obviously trying. ]
;_____________;
Yes, of course it's a promise, corporal. [and she sounds
dead seriousvery serious about it.] I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it.[Not to you. Or to anyone else either, promises are promises and she likes to keep them. Eren and Hange should probably get to know Levi better, but at least this girl is better at reading him than those two. But the teasing tone makes her grin.
Well, she'd kick anyone's ass for even trying to take her away from here / him now when she's here and she has no idea how appearing here or disappearing works here but aaaaaanyway.]
;AAAAA;
Then I'm going to hold you to that, Ral.
[ Levi has started to turn to go, and his Purrloin is close by—although she hurries off toward Petra soon enough, rubbing up against the girl's legs and weaving between them for a second as if to try to encourage her to follow. Levi is too much of a clueless asshole to think to invite Petra along at first; duh, she's got nowhere to stay—but his Purrloin's actions bring his attention to that fact. ]
Follow me and I'll show you a place to get a shower and some rest.
;WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW;
Then I'm glad, corporal!
[Wait, where are you going? Can she follow? She's about to anyway, without orders even, because there's no way she's going to let him out of her sight now. The cat, who's rubbing her legs, seems to be saying the same message. She doesn't mind if Levi doesn't invite her with words, she can follow that kind of silent actions too.
Ehhh? Taking care of her like that now, are you, corporal? Petra opens her mouth. But what about the animals you were looking for - she could help look for them now, but no, that would be almost like disagreeing to go, so she shuts her mouth for that one.
Instead;]
Yes, sir, that sounds great. [She'd thank him later.]
[Now she just leans down to pet the cat for the tiniest moment because there's orders to follow but...] You know, just between you and me, I'd have followed him anywhere even if he hadn't said anything. [but these pets are still like a thank you to the cat before she straightens herself and is actually, really really ready to follow Levi anywhere. And yes, she knows that Levi probably hears those words, but that's okay!]