Chapter Text
Yet again you were sat in front of the large mirror, the woman who you considered a strong friend as well as a member of staff fussing around you, sorting your hair and touching up your make up. There would be another of your father's grand dinners this evening and you had to look your best, be put on display once more. The dress you wore was intricate and uncomfortable, a sensible length with sleeves to your elbows, neck high so as not to show anything below your collar bones. Sequins and lace combined in a maze of patterns, the dark fabric shimmering with every breath. A necklace was placed around you from behind and with a tut it was removed, another coming into view quickly.
"Hange, I can dress myself you know." The woman huffed and carefully clasped the delicate diamond item in place.
"I'm aware of that, (F/N), but let me have a purpose in life, yea?" You smiled at her reflection and she frowned, sorting out some errant strands of your hair before standing back, meeting your gaze in the shiny surface. "There. He won't be able to keep his hands off you tonight. About time you did the deed." Her suggestive expression made you scowl, throwing an arm round to slap at her.
"Who says we haven't already?" Playful eyes met yours as you turned to face the woman and she placed a hand on her hip, emanating your mother when she had still been alive.
"Because he told me, (F/N)." Dammit. What was he doing telling her shit like that for?
You'd been dating for nearly three months and he was nothing but a gentleman, courting you the proper way and not even attempting to suggest anything lewd. It was sweet if a little tiresome; you were a grown woman who lost her virginity long ago, not some fragile little flower who couldn't handle a man's touch. But, he was being correct and didn't want to risk your father's wrath, being that the man was responsible for your relationship.
Making your way down from the second floor, half of which was entirely yours, you carefully tackled the immense marble staircase with sensible steps, aware of the set of shoes behind you. Being that there would be nearly a hundred guests tonight, security was tight and your detail for the evening was following a few paces behind, electronic earpiece telling him everything he needed to know. You didn't recognise this one, not your usual, but it wasn't surprising. Extra help had been called in due to the amount of high profile attendees.
The house you lived in was vast, a show of money and superiority that came with your family's history, a veritable who's who of the political world and elite aristocracy, along with prolific members of the military. It was situated in a foreign country, your original homeland miles and miles away, but you barely remembered it. The job your father held meant lots of travel and it was quite a treat to have been stationed here for the past three years, giving you some kind of stability. All the staff were from your place of birth, giving a sort of semblance of being back home.
Your upbringing had been strict and intense, educated to a high level, fluent in five languages and you possessed the finest etiquette skills. It was becoming harder to maintain the exterior, though and in recent years you'd let the facade slip on a few occasions. In order to escape the drudgery of this kind of existence, you found yourself seeking thrills more often. Anything you did wouldn't be considered extraordinary by a layperson, just normal life. Things like drinking in a bar, attending concerts in small, sweaty venues and meeting new people in the nearby town. Which is where you should be tonight. A band was playing and you desperately wanted to go, but this banquet clashed brutally with your plans. You'd found a flier announcing the event in amongst your mail the other day and planned on sneaking out as usual, but you hadn't realised the day it fell on. It made you feel like a teen, not a woman who wasn't that far off 30.
Cursing your bad luck, you walked perfectly across the hall to meet your father, a kind looking man who was loving but also married to his job. It wasn't surprising, he had a demanding role, keeping the peace and maintaining a cordial relationship with everyone around. Whilst tonight was called a dinner party, it was far more than that. The amount of politicians and heads of state that were invited meant it was a golden opportunity to network, bring people together and discuss how to solve the problems of the world, all over nibbles, wine and rich food.
He smiled and held his arm out for you, nodding at the man behind you in the dark suit. Taking the offered limb delicately, you breathed deeply, ready to face the evening. As the doors were opened by waiters, all eyes turned to watch the two of you enter, casting their gazes over tonight's hosts. The conversation didn't abate, but it changed slightly and you heard snippets - women discussing your dress, men commending your father's choice of menu. But you were oblivious. Your stomach jumped as you saw the man in front of you, his smile warm and light brown eyes flashing at you from beneath his similarly coloured hair. Pride swelled in your chest as you glanced at his uniform, medals hanging in lines of gleaming metal.
He had recently been promoted to the rank of major in the army of this country, having returned from combat overseas victorious. The conflict was ongoing, but the amount of headway and land retaken by his command was monumental. He planned to enter service again, but for now he was posted at home, training and selecting new recruits and honing the most elite to become effective and intelligent fighting machines. A natural leader, he had caught your father's attention and it quickly resulted in a blind date between the two of you. The language barrier was no issue, as he had been educated well, his family wealth similar to yours and you spoke each other's native tongue. Often, you would hold conversations in both languages, switching from one to the other seamlessly, confusing those around. It made it your own little thing though and you liked having something unique.
A hand was offered and you placed yours in his, a small kiss left on your knuckles. "Evening, (F/N). You look amazing." His eyes lit up once more and you giggled quietly.
"Thanks Jean, not looking too bad yourself." It was odd. In here, in front of everyone, it was kept formal and official, but when left alone you were playful with one another, sharing stories and jokes, laughing light heartedly. But you knew how it went, you had to keep up appearances. Leading you away with a gentle grip, he nodded to those he knew, as did you and a few comments were offered, mainly around how both of you looked. The materialistic views of some of those gathered was infuriating, but you kept quiet.
Not before long, the meal began and you sat in between Jean and your father, eating delicately and sipping at your drink. In reality, you wanted to gulp it down to dull the pain of the evening, but that could come later, once you were left alone. Conversation was light, the important stuff yet to occur and you glanced around. Security men lined the room in dark suits, trying to be inconspicuous and a few members of the media were allowed in to take pictures for tomorrow's news, show the world how their leaders could play nice. It was all a farce though, as you knew there would be arguments in the adjoining drawing room later.
Anyone who was not involved in the political debate would remain in here, people such as spouses, offspring, plus ones. That included you. Your father had given up long ago at trying to get you involved and would be taking Jean in instead, moulding him into the next big thing, no doubt. It didn't interest you in the slightest, you had wanted a career in science as it was your favourite and highest scoring subject in education. Something like a criminal pathologist, carrying out autopsies and tests to determine cause of death and catching murderers. But all the moving around made it impossible to commit to any kind of internship, until now.
It might have seemed that you were selfish, living off your family's money, not bothering to make anything of yourself. In all honesty, if you were to leave now and follow your dream, that would be the most selfish move you could make. One of the main reasons for the change to a more permanent position here was your father's inability to cope with the death of your mother, which had happened just before the decision was made to come here. Even now, three years on and he was still fragile, clinging on to you as his only surviving relative like it was the one thing keeping him alive. Often you spent quiet evenings together, chatting and reminiscing about her or playing chess. You had never beaten him, not once and you probably never would, even when he was drunk. However the nights started, it would usually end up in his tears and you shouldered his burden with the determination to be strong. And that was why you stayed here despite your angst at being cooped up and shielded from the world.
To pass the time, you usually helped out around the place. You'd always done your own cleaning, laundry, cooking when you could and enjoyed spending hours with the members of staff who were friends to you, not servants. The chef had taught you some amazing recipes and techniques and you assisted the gardener with the topiary and vegetable patch, not in the least afraid to get messy. It kept you sane and grounded and the people you had met were interesting and friendly. And then there was Hange. A crazy, over bearing woman that you loved dearly. She had been with your family for seven years and you saw her as a sister, maybe now a mother figure. Not that she was much older than you, but she acted in such a protective fashion that she took the role on herself.
The dinner was over and you heard a soft voice in your ear. "Don't wait up, (F/N)." You knew your father would be in that room for hours and you smiled at his tired tone, giving his hand a squeeze.
"Oh I'll be in bed in about, let's see, half an hour?" He knew of your dislike of these things and also was well aware of why you still lived with him. He wouldn't complain or tell you so, he'd miss you dearly if you left. Jean then spoke up from your other side.
"See you tomorrow, yea?" He gave you a chaste kiss on the cheek and you patted his arm.
"Sure. Don't let them bully you, Jean." It was his first time and you were acutely mindful of how heated it could get. He was unfazed and shot you a wink.
"I can hold my own, (F/N)." They stood to leave and as the shuffle of chairs sounded out, you shot up.
Taking advantage of the sudden crowds, you slipped expertly through them, hearing the string quartet begin to play and made your way to the ornate wooden door. Pushing through, you strode down the deserted hallway with purpose and opened the white, swinging door that led to the kitchens. It was a flurry of activity, plates being stacked in industrial sized dishwashers and sweet treats being prepped for later in the evening. You fully intended on not being around for their unveiling, planning instead on grabbing a bottle of wine from in here and retreating upstairs. Many faces looked up and you waved at those few you knew, presuming agency workers had been called in to assist with the scale of the affair tonight. The chef caught your eye and smiled knowingly, aware of where you were going. He was ex-army, as were a lot of the kitchen staff and you found it amusing how serving hundreds in a tent in a desert could be turned into supplying fine dining for stuck up humans.
Giving him a quick salute, you hurried out the back door into the warm evening air, quickly shuffling around for the hidden package that laid beneath a series of well positioned rocks. With expert movements you rolled the perfect cigarette, lighting it and breathing in the deliciously soothing nicotine. "Naughty." The voice didn't startle you, in fact you'd expected it and threw the box to him. This wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last that you shared a smoke. Tossing over the lighter, he caught it and sparked up, speaking once more with sarcasm as he exhaled. "What would people say if they saw you right now?" Not caring, you turned to face the man by your side, delivering your response.
"Fuck off, Levi. I'm trying to relax."
He was assigned as your personal security detail and had joined just before you moved here. You knew little about him, only that he was as smug as he was strong and distinctly annoying, having a knack of knowing when you were up to no good. The fact that you had seen him in action, along with how the head of security had recommended him made you accept his irritating presence. The first time you saw his skills was not long after you made this your home and some fanatic had approached, full of hope and ideas that they could speak to your father and bring about world peace together. You'd been pottering about in the garden and wanting to avoid any kind of Mark Chapman situation, Levi had been there in a flash, taking the man out with one decisive move. He didn't call for back up or draw his fire arm and his small stature certainly did not mean he was weak. So, yea, you trusted him with your life.
"Don't fucking talk to me like that, (F/N). Such a shitty mouth." Scowling, you shook your head at the hypocrisy. He was the only one who got away with speaking to you in that manner, anyone else would have been reprimanded by your father, or Jean, but for some reason, Levi was allowed. It was just who he was. You didn't care, it was nice not to be molly coddled, refreshing to have someone who didn't walk on egg shells around you. But all the same, he grated on you at times and mostly you just bickered. Sticking up your middle finger, you let him know what you thought of his outburst and continued with your smoke.
"Tch." It was his standard response to anything he no longer wished to discuss, or wouldn't grace with a response and you changed subject.
"Didn't think you were here today." It wasn't a question, more of a statement and you watched as he stubbed his cigarette out on the wall with a small sigh of boredom.
"I obviously am, so that's a great fucking conversation piece, (F/N). Anyway," he said, gazing around with disgust. "I've got to go stand in a room full of fat fucks who want to get into an argument." His black hair and equally dark mood swept away and you started to sort yourself out. Perfume was pulled from the package, along with mouth spray and having sufficiently masked the odour of smoke, you made your way back into the waiting crowd.
One of the first faces you saw was a kind one and you rushed over, his smile warm and inviting. He was well respected, one of your home country's sharpest minds, and despite the fact that he was retired, he still attended these gatherings. A lot of that was to do with how he and your father were good friends, but also because when it came to political debates, he was an expert. Giving him a strong hug, you didn't care if anyone thought it crass and grinned as he squeezed back. Leaning away, his golden eyes gleamed and the gentle smile on his lips extended all the way across his wrinkled features.
"I thought you'd be in there, sipping brandy and setting people straight, Dot?" He laughed, a warm sound and patted your shoulder.
"Couldn't go in without seeing my beauty of a niece, could I?" You weren't blood related, but he was in your life so much growing up that he was the closest thing you had to an uncle. He knew you had little time for these gatherings and when you were younger he used to pass you his hip flask to make it more bearable.
"You're a charmer, that's for sure. Good to see you again." Leaving him with another embrace, you watched as he walked off rather unsteadily to the drawing room, giving you a glimpse of the inside as he opened the door. It seemed good natured for now and Jean looked around and caught your eye, sending another wink your way, giving you goosebumps.
An hour later and you had become totally fatigued with the small talk, the comments on your dress, new man and of course, how these people were blessed to have been invited. It was all false, smiles plastered on and you could see that they were here purely for status. Making an excuse, you slipped back out to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle and a glass, no one stopping you. Going a different route, you made your way up from the ground floor via a side stair well, one hidden from the main entrance hall that also had an external door. Passing the first level which housed the living quarters of most of the staff, you continued and reached your floor. This wing was yours, bedroom, adjoining bathroom and study. The rest of this level was guest accommodation, four rooms for anyone staying over. Above was where your father's area was, including that of the live-in security. Only the ground floor was a communal space, the public face of the house.
Shutting the door, you sighed and placed your items down, kicked off the uncomfortable high heels and made a strange movement to reach the zip of your dress. Target acquired, you pulled it down and let the garment fall to the floor. Once you had removed your jewellery and underwear, you went to wash the make up from your face and shuffled back through to find your pyjamas. Sitting on the window seat, you stared out as you gulped at the wine, packet of cigarettes nearby. Before you could light one, a knock sounded at the door and the person on the other side didn't wait for an answer, just came in.
"Hange, I might have had company!" She rolled her eyes, own glass and bottle in hand, knowing full well what you would be doing.
"Don't be silly, (F/N). I only heard one set of shoes up here. What happened?" She settled herself beside you, looking sad at the fact you had returned alone. Sighing, you raised your drink and knocked it back.
"Dad's got his claws into Jean. They'll be in that room all night. So no fun for me, in other words." Rubbing your leg in sympathy, your friend smiled lightly.
"I'm sure it won't be long. You're going out tomorrow, right?" A lunch date had been agreed with Jean, but it wasn't exactly the alone time you would prefer. Levi would, of course, be there in the background. Almost reading your mind, Hange spoke in low tones. "Ditch the midget, go back to Jean's, sorted." Laughing, you wished it was that simple and wondered if there was ever going to be a chance to get him alone.
"I'm going to have to sneak out, aren't I?" Serious eyes met yours, and the older woman frowned.
"No, (F/N). You know I hate it when you do that. It's not safe. Just bring him up here when it's quiet, don't let him leave until he behaves like a real man." Quiet. That sort of thing didn't happen often around here and you began to think you'd be celibate for the rest of your life.
~~~~~~
The next morning arrived, sunny and bright and you set about getting ready. You selected some blue jeans and a light top for today, wanting to keep casual and applied a small amount of makeup. Satisfied with your appearance, you rushed downstairs for breakfast. Sunday mornings always signalled a hearty selection, the chef not allowing you to come in and cook it yourself like you usually would. As much as you might have eaten like a lady last night, this was no time to hold back and you dug into the hot food on your plate with enthusiasm, sitting in the smaller dining room with your father. Some of the staff were here too, chatting and mingling, own breakfasts attacked with similar gusto.
Aware of a gaze, you glanced up, mouth full. Grey eyes stared into yours and a sneer was on the lips of your security man. Levi had no food, just a cup of what you knew would be tea and he flicked his eyes down to your chin, looking like he was about to explode. Picking up a napkin, you quickly wiped what you presumed was sauce from your face and smiled. All you got in response was a roll of the eyes and you turned back to the plate as your father spoke. "You meeting Jean today, yes?" Nodding, you made sure to finish chewing before answering.
"Yea we're going for lunch, be nice to spend some time together. How did he get on last night?" Your dad smiled and sipped his coffee.
"He's good. Very persuasive, a pure heart."
Smiling, you leant over to pick up the newspaper that had been left half read on the table, folded midway through with an advert shining out. In two weeks time, there would be an event at an old abandoned castle, music, dancing and drinking. Some DJ's would be providing the entertainment and apparently the place was supposed to be haunted. Your eyes lit up and you memorized the details, planning on sending a text to the friend you had made a year ago at a gig. She'd be well up for this, you thought and wondered if Jean would want to come too. Finishing off your food, you said bye to those gathered and took the plate out to the kitchen and carried on upstairs. Fishing out your phone from the nightstand, you sent a message to your friend, telling her the time and place. Not waiting for a response, you walked back out and down to help clear up the dishes and cups.
~~~~~
Strolling along, you had totally blocked out the man in the white shirt and dark jeans behind and walked hand in hand with Jean. Somehow, despite your massive breakfast, you had managed to demolish lunch too and you twined your fingers into your boyfriend's, swinging your arm and enjoying the warm summer sun. People milled about, lazily shopping and drinking in the heat, some laying back and tanning themselves on the grass square that sat in the middle of the town. It was serene and you smiled up into brown eyes, thoroughly content. "Shall we go back to the house, watch that film?" Sunday afternoons should be languid and you felt distinctly tired now that your belly was full.
"Sounds lovely, (F/N)."
As you walked up the gravel driveway, you saw the staff lounging around, as this was pretty much everyone's day of rest. Obviously, some work needed to be done, but for the most part it was a calm affair. Hange was sitting sipping at a drink, feet up on a sun lounger, large hat flopping over her face. She grinned over as you walked past, a look of mischief that you chose to ignore and finally you were aware of Levi leaving you in peace, strutting off somewhere, probably to hide from the sun. How else would he have that almost vampiric appearance, his pale skin suggesting he never tanned. Ever.
In the main entrance hall stood your father and his personal bodyguard, a huge blonde giant of a man who was also the head of security. "Afternoon, (F/N), Jean," he said with a friendly smile. Your boyfriend nodded and you waved over.
"Hi Erwin, going out?" Your dad answered you, gesturing to the bag in his hand.
"I want to visit the art shop, see what the man makes of this piece. It needs repairs and what better day to do it?" It was a lovely afternoon, granted, but you always felt nervous when he went out. You gave Erwin a serious look and pointed over.
"Take care of him, ok?" A strong nod met your request and you said your farewells, making your way upstairs.
The film was one you had wanted to watch for a while, but as you snuggled up on the small sofa that you had in your room, your mind was on anything but the television. Shifting, you sat up a bit and placed a kiss on Jean's lips, gently moving and trying to deepen it. He leant back and looked down into your (e/c) eyes, saw the lust within and you trailed your touch down his chest, feeling the muscles beneath his white t-shirt. "Everyone's out." Your whispered words meant much more than what they were and you moved further down. Before you could reach his belt, your hand was taken and placed on your knee. Frowning, you glared up at his brown eyes, waiting for an explanation.
"It wouldn't be right, (F/N). I don't want your father to think I'm taking advantage." Rolling your eyes, you sat up and crossed your arms, outright sulking.
"Jean, I'm a grown woman, I'm not drunk, I am fully aware of what I want to do, so how is it taking fucking advantage?" He winced and shook his head.
"Don't curse, it's not nice." You gaped, but expected nothing less and stood to fetch your cigarettes. He knew you smoked but didn't like it and right now you were doing it to spite him. At the open window, you sat and breathed in deeply, aware of his eyes on you. His self-righteous eyes. Any feeling you had for him last night was dampened by the annoyance you now held and you stared outside.
Your room mainly faced the back of the grounds and you saw the nearby large outbuilding that housed the gym, mostly used only by the security staff. Watching closely, you saw Levi stride out and he stopped. Turning, he looked up and met your gaze, towel in hand and you saw him smirk. He started to walk towards the house again and in a gesture that matched yours from before, he stuck his finger up at you. Huffing, you crushed out your cigarette and sat back on the sofa, heavily flopping down. "You shouldn't smoke, (F/N). And you shouldn't stand so close to the windows, you never know who's out there." He was being protective, but right now you still found him aggravating and just stared at the screen.
You remembered the newspaper from this morning, and turned to the guy at your side. "There's a party in the castle in two weeks. Fancy coming?" Even if your advances had been knocked back and you had been scolded like a child, you still liked this man and wanted to spend time with him. Although not in a fortnight, it would seem. The look on his face was one of disdain and he spoke incredulously.
"You want me to go to a rave? Me?" He pointed at his chest, disbelief at how anyone of his standing could possibly go somewhere like that. "And you shouldn't go either. What if someone recognised you? It could ruin your father." You doubted it would, but it was interesting he was more worried about appearances than your safety.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in silence and not long after the film finished, Jean had left, giving you a small kiss and a winning smile. It was hard not to reciprocate and you grinned despite yourself. Within seconds of him leaving, you were by the window, cigarette in hand and from round the corner you saw him walking importantly down the drive. Hange jumped up and scurried inside, hat flapping as she went and it wasn't long before she was bursting in again. "Ok what happened? Tell me everything!" You sighed and shook your head.
"Apparently it would have been taking advantage. I feel like such a fucking idiot."
She sat with you on the window seat and gathered you up into a hug. "He's only being nice, (F/N). Not many gentlemen left in this world, try not to take it as rejection, more of a nice gesture." Squeezing back, you grumbled into her hair, the embrace making her glasses tilt against your head.
"Nice is all very well and good, but I have needs, you know." Hange laughed and rubbed soothing circles on your back.
"Yea I know, I know only too well. Hey, listen," she said, pulling back and letting you continue to drag on your smoke. "Why don't you stop thinking about it, hmm? Or maybe, don't force the issue, but let him see what he's missing? A different scent on your neck, lower cut tops, those tight jeans that make your ass look like a peach?" Now you laughed, loving how her solution was to drive the man insane with seductive clothing.
"I don't think that would work. Dad's hardly going to let me walk around in a boob tube is he?" She waved your dismissal away and carried on.
"No, be subtle. Make your eyes stand out more, bit of lip gloss to accentuate that pout. Be smooth, (F/N), don't throw yourself at him." Now you felt like a horny fool, trying to seduce someone but failing miserably, and you sighed again.
"Why am I trying so hard, Hange? Can't I just be happy with the way it is?" She shook her head vehemently, pointing at you to rid your mind of any loathing.
"No, you're adults, that's what happens. Usually. Hang on."
The woman stuck her head out the window, looking for prey. "Hey short stuff? Get up here. We need a man's perspective." You slapped her on the arm and pulled her back in with a shout.
"Hange!" Outside, Levi stood staring up and just shook his head as he prowled away to god knows where, ignoring the request. There was no way in hell he was going to put himself in that position willingly. But he did wonder what the subject of conversation was and what might have happened with that pompous military jock that was currently dating you. With no good reason why, he secretly hoped there were problems in the relationship. Coming to his senses, he tried to ignore it and pushed his stupid thoughts away, concentrating instead on yet another work out. But he couldn't shake the idea of you and that man breaking up and he let out his frustration at himself on the punching bag.