-June-

It wasn't just that it was hot outside. That little issue wasn't even really what made the late afternoon the worst part of the day, oh no. What made it unbearably shitty in this town was the goddamn humidity. 100 degrees Fahrenheit is not fun by any means, but add 100% humidity and you get an unfuckingbearable steamy soup of air. Air that sticks wetly to your throat, and somehow manages to pool your sweat in the most obnoxious and unspeakable places.

'You could cut the air with a knife.' Levi thought with a deep frown, and slumped further down on the counter. He would kill for some air conditioning at this point. Why was he in here sweating and miserably hot? Oh yes. The whole living thing. The needing money to succeed in the living thing. He really wished Erwin had more than a single fan to keep the air moving in the whole store.

It was one of those stupid fans that was designed to look like a boat propeller. It hung over him menacingly, wobbling worse and worse every day. He decided not to inform Erwin. Honestly, he couldn't wait for it to finally give up its pitiful hold on the ceiling and fall and brain him.

He let his eyes wander around the shop. What a dump. He'd cleaned the shop countless times since he'd started working here, but there was only so much a human being could do. Old and grody was an understatement.

The windows had so many scratches that they looked clouded and dirty, but since they were the expensive type that could withstand hurricane force winds, he was not about to pay out of pocket for new ones. No matter how insane it drove him that they appeared filthy. No matter how insane it drove him that Erwin paid a ridiculous amount for renovations. Fuck him and his money, anyway.

The whole place looked like it might as well have been built out of colonial ships. The wood was so old and grey in places, that it looked downright ancient, not to mention the antique 'still-lit-at-night' gas lamps that still hung from the ceiling…along with antique fish netting lining the top portions of the walls. What the fuck was this place? A haunted lair for a pirate Scooby Doo villain?

He could practically hear Erwin explaining and scolding him (not unlike a child) about his attitude towards the décor. "It's atmosphere, Levi! You know, for the tourists and such. It's supposed to be fun." This was a weak defense case for the fire hazard 'gas lamps a la shitty ghost ship' look, in Levi's opinion, anyway. Erwin claimed fun.

Levi claimed a life insurance policy.

It wouldn't have been necessary, really, he wasn't about to try and save the store if it caught on fire. Well, he wouldn't have had he not now been living over the top of it in the world's shittiest studio flat (If you could call it that) in the loft. At least the dinky little hovel upstairs had AC. Added, the window wasn't as dirty…Yep. The window. Not 'windows', plural. He had one window to peek out of upstairs. It was about a foot and a half in diameter, and of course it was circular, like a porthole. It overlooked the sound. He had to admit, though, watching the sun rise and set over the water was pretty fucking sweet.

If only he didn't have to share the view with the spiders. The stubborn bastards refused to move out. No matter how, (Levi had made it goddamn clear) unwelcome they were.

He really should be paid more, this shitty job not only required him to clean the dirty old store, but also stock, be the cashier, and finally make/dispense the lemonade from the long suffering little juice machine. He was almost always the only one working in this crap heap.

Mikasa was still in school, and honestly, he wanted her to make something of herself and have a bit of fun in life. Hell, she was still his baby cousin. He didn't care that she was 22, she'd always be his little 'Kasa. Whenever she showed up to help with stocking or whatnot, he'd usually shoo her off halfway through. She wasn't being paid, and it really wasn't fair to her. He was pretty sure she had an on and off girlfriend '…or was it a boyfriend?' …'who the fuck cares.' She had people to see and things to do, school to get through, since Uni was not and is not a walk in the park, he really felt it deserved her attention.

He recalled the face she'd made when he'd told her about getting this stupid job in the first place.

-Three Months Prior-

"You're gonna be working down at the Garrison Store?" Mikasa had cornered him on their uncle's boat as he was getting his crab trap set up.

He fixed her with a pointed look. "Looks like it." Who the hell told her he was gonna work for Erwin? Goddammit.

She grimaced and fixed him with an equally pointed stare from her beady, dark brown eyes."I thought that little place closed down years ago when we were kids." She was annoyed and it was obvious to no one but Levi. Her cool demeanor would fool most others, but he could pull her out of her shell, and unfortunately, pull her wrath out, too.

Levi smirked as he closed the bait in its little section of the cage. He'd take this easy and slow. "Tch. It closed back in '94, but Erwin decided to reopen and fix the place up. He's got the cash, he bought it out from the old owner a few months ago. He told me the renovations were gonna be done next month. Plus, he offered me living space above the shop." Levi flicked the left snakebite in his lower lip. " I can't keep staying with Kenny. You know how much of an asshole the old fuck is."

Mikasa leaned back against the ladder to the top control of the boat. "I was just thinking, you could do better, or whatever." She tucked a loose strand of her short black hair behind her ear. "You've been to school, you got your degree over ten years ago. Why not keep looking for more work in your profession? I mean, you've got the fucking experience to rule your field." She looked downcast."I don't know, why not work in the Environmental Scouting Legion? You know, with Erwin instead of for him. It's what you specialize in, anyway."

He piqued an eyebrow "Language, dingus, it's unflattering for ladies to swear."

She rolled her eyes so far back in to her head he only saw white for a creepy moment. "I'm not a lady, Levi. I'm just me. Besides, I learned from the best."

He cracked a small smile. What a great influence he was.

The hair she had tucked back flopped in to her face again. She huffed at it through the corner of her mouth. "But really. I know you're just dodging my question. So, I'll repeat myself. Why not keep looking?"

Levi sighed and lowered the crab trap under the water. "It's not like I'm not looking, ok? There just aren't any jobs open around here for me right now, but while I wait for a position, I can't just sit by idly. I can't afford to fucking sit here twiddling my thumbs. So I gotta work in the mean time, no big deal. It's not forever. You don't have to be all mother hen about my job life." The submerged crab trap buoy bopped dully. He glanced at his cousin. Her move.

"I'm not being a mother hen or whatever." She puffed again at that annoying lock of hair. She flicked his head with her index finger. "You're such a fuckhead, you know that?"

Shots fired.

His eyes narrowed. "Oh, I'm a fuckhead, huh? Really?" He stood up, starting to get just a smidge irritated. He realized with further irritation that he had to look up at her. Curse his height anyway.

It was as if she could read his mind, "A short one, glaring at me from way down there." She sneered a bit. He had indeed taught her well.

Something in him broke. Faster than she could react, Levi swung his body low and forward, scooping Mikasa up on his shoulder like a board.

"Hey!" She wriggled. "Levi, come on!"

He started walking down the boat ramp towards the edge of the pier.

Mikasa really started to panic. She used her fists to cuff his back, probably leaving bruises. She was pretty strong. "Levi, no. Come on, cuz, no!" Her normal composure broken. "Oh, no!"

Oh yes.

Levi had reached the edge of the pier. "Any last words?"

She had gone limp. No longer fighting him. "…You're the worst."

"Yep." Levi then flipped her over and ungraciously dumped her into the chilly, March water of the sound.

At first nothing, then a split second later, it was like a small explosion had gone off in the water. "FUCK! LEVI! FUCK YOU! FUCKING SISSY LITTLE GIRL! I'LL RIP THOSE STUPID GAUGES OUT OF YOUR MIDGET EARS!" Cold droplets flew everywhere. She thrashed furiously and grabbed a hold of the ladder. "JESUS CHRIST, LEVI! YOU DESERVE THAT STUPID JOB. I'M GLAD ERWIN CHOSE YOU FOR THAT CRAP HEAP!"

If looks could kill, he'd be in the morgue in ten minutes, cold, and on a slab.

Levi leaned over the pier and let a lazy smile make its way leisurely across his face. "By the way…when it closed? That was not when WE were kids. I was a kid in the 90's, 'Kasa. You, were a snotty, baby brat. Respect your elders n shit, got it?"

Mikasa climbed out of the water. She looked like a cold and bedraggled, wet cat. She shivered in the cool air. "Man, lay off…" Her teeth chattered. "You win! Happy?" She gestured towards the boat. "Just get me a towel."

Oh my god, she was just like a younger him, she didn't even say please. It was too much. He started laughing.

"Are you serious?" Her expression was venomous. "You fucking asshole. Stop being a smug pos and get me a towel. It's too cold for this shit!"

"Hey, language! Christ, you're so fucking vulgar."

The irony was not lost on either of them.

Mikasa's rage filled look calmed a bit and she smirked a little.

Levi ceased his chuckles and wiped a tear from his eye. He pulled her in for a hug. "Here, Kenny doesn't have shit for towels on that stupid boat, but I'll keep you warm for a minute till I run and get you one from my car." He'd held his little cousin like that for a few minutes before jogging back to his car and getting her a towel.

That evening had been one of him inviting her over to Kenny's shitty apartment for movies and cocoa while he was out on the oil rig. They'd both showered off the water from the sound, and after cleaning his car with some wipes, he'd lent her some sweats and a t-shirt that Hanji had left laying about for months until he'd snapped and washed them.

His mission to cool her off: success.

-June-

He'd heard no more mothering crap from her on the job and life matters. Which, really, was very good. He didn't her telling him what his stupid conscience did all day, every day.

A car pulling up and a subsequent crash outside brought him out of his temporary reverie. Great. Customers, and based on the noise, he knew exactly who it was.