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"Wait, you haven't said where we're going!"

"To the bar."

"Why the bar?"

"Use your brain, Rogue. It's the only place we haven't inspected, unless you fancy to barge into the rooms to check again-"

I slapped him on his bruised back, hard, and he jolted in pain. The tease was unmerited, supposedly unbecoming, however it did manage to lighten the mood as we both ended up cackling - our inappropriate humour complementing one another.

"And... we're here." he dramatised, gesturing towards the counter in a tilted physique, bowing even.

I giggled again at his absurdity.

My eyes flitted towards the bar. Amongst the many men lingering around, there was only one female, asian, with clear raven locks swimming from her scalp, and eyes the same shade as the hues of her hair. She bore a corset fittingly, binding her waist to the brim, but the white renaissance dress underneath flowed with freedom. The woman worked with diligent cadence, committed to prepare the drinks for the guests. She was indeed, my mother.

"Mom!" I let out a long awaited wail.

She's safe, what a relief.

"Mayuka? Is that you?" she asked, mystified at the sound of my voice.

Engulfed by the dim lights, her complexion polished over with bronze as she rushed out to get a better look on me. There was a loud silence, her eyebrows quirking up due to disbelief. Several heads began to turn and stare at us, wanting to bend an ear on the reunion before them. Levi's shadow crafted a tingling sensation up my spine. I could tell he was attempting to shade us from the prying eyes.

"Oh honey," she sighed, her face dropping tenderly, "it is you."

"Why are you here?"

"To find you, of course! Hell, I thought you were working as a prostitute for this filthy place."

She let out a soft chuckle.

"I wouldn't do that to myself, would I?"

I soaked myself into her warm embrace, savouring her mellowness. I missed mom, and even though we live together, I barely got to see her as she was always working.

"Are you going to let go now?"

I hadn't realised I was practically suffocating the shit out of her. I quickly released myself, static in awkwardness, and so was Levi. To be honest, this conclusion was far more anti-climatic than I had expected, especially since it took me long enough to trespass into Wall Sheena. The journey itself was harder to swallow than the conclusion. Never thought it would be this way.

"Well I've got business to attend to, honey. You should return home," mom advised, "it's not safe for a young girl like you to be alone around here."

"But I've come all the way here to meet you! And plus I've got him, a friend I met along the way." I pointed towards Levi, who waved and gave a sheepish smile. I batted my eyes for extra persuasion. It always worked with mom.

"Fine, stay for a short banter. That's all you're getting."

"Okay!"

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We hung around the bar, I leaned over, nearly spitting out my iced tea - the only non-alcoholic drink available.

"I'm studying to become a historian. I'm especially interested in finding a date."

"God! Even my dad has more relevant lines than you, and for your information, I hate my dad."

"I heard that!" mom shouted from across the noisy ambience.

We both laughed it off. Somewhere during the past hour Levi and I held a pick-up line contest; we ended up cackling instead of feeling impressed, defeating the whole purpose of it.

"You'll make me think of those words every time I study history now.'

"You like history?" he asked, one eyebrow raised, one hand swirling his glass.

"Yes, I do in fact. I love geography and philosophy too. I want to get to know the world better."

"Do you want to get to know me better?"

Now that, was smooth.

"Good for you, it looks like you won with you kindling line." I confessed, distracting myself by chewing my straw, unable to accept that I felt something.

"What about you? What do you like?"

"Ah I see, so you do want to get to know me better." he winked. In exchange, I rolled my eyes.

"I don't have any particular interests really, but I guess you could say I have dislikes. I hate the Military Police, always chasing me up with their ODM gear because I have a pair of my own. They're never able to catch me though."

"You say that like I should be proud of you or something."

"Hey, at least I'm alive!" he excused, "Oh, and I also hate dust."

"Could tell, and same. I have a sensitive nose so it gets on my nerves."

We nodded in understanding, then the air became tense again. Probably been the umpteenth time that this ticklish, fuzzy feeling had dawdled upon us, thick like walls.

And out of nowhere, mom came from behind and teased, "You sure he's just a friend?" She nudged me off my balance whilst she's at it, and obviously, I had a tumble face flat on his lap. Déjà vu.

Cringing, I gradually lifted my head a little by little, catching up with Levi's face before me. We were inches away from each other, blushing, jaws rigid from the closeness. I pretended to divert my attention to my mother.

"Mom!"

She giggled, only for it to die out like withering leaves, and now she is shaking her head sternly. No. I knew what she meant, blinked some doe eyes in her direction again, hoping it would work.

"Nope, no exceptions anymore. Out you go."

Unfortunate. I couldn't say no to mother even if I wanted to as guilt would fill me otherwise, just like how she is with me. Time flew by so rapidly with Levi around.

"Well then Sir Ackerman," I added, adopting a posh voice, "will you escort me to the entrance?"

"Anything for you, milady." he consented, kneeling and kissing the back of my hand as he did so.

Chivalry.

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We had walked in an awful silence. Levi was expressionless, but his eyes told me that he was thinking through something, something that was nowhere near positive.

"So, this is it." he finally spoke.

"Will I ever see you again?"

"To be fair, I'd prefer it if you don't." he gave a wistful smile, tossed his jacket so casually over his shoulders, as if it held absolutely no sentimental value. It's like he didn't care, at all. Perhaps he even thought of me as a fling.

What a great switch up.

"Then what was that back there?" I called out, desperately. Did he pretend to be interested?

"I used you to pass time..." and I could tell he wasn't lying, even if it wasn't the full truth.

I stood there blankly, watching his silhouette drift further and further away from me. Impetuously, I turned around, clenched my fists, and fought to not change directions.

This was all happening so fast, but it wasn't out of the blue.

"Just walk straight and forget about him." I muttered to myself.

I didn't want him to see that his words impacted me. I didn't want to acknowledge that I felt disappointed, or that I thought he'd come running back to me. I didn't want to carry this unnecessary weight for some stranger I had just met today when honestly, I feel like I just got stabbed in the heart. This was our grand parting, I guess.

"Farewell, Levi." I bidded, but he didn't hear me.

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i'm hiding my pain as i write this

also, behold the second chapter i have decided to publish today
alike last week, ur author here is far too impatient,
and wants the story to progress asap 😭