𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐀 | 𝐋. 𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐍

𝐈.𝐈𝐕

The one she wished she'd never hear again.

Hesitantly, Valen spun on her heel and met her uninvited guest in the eye, greeting him with a slight raise of the eyebrow. He responded in kind, arching an eyebrow, too.

The Captain. Valen's eyebrows furrowed. Wasn't he supposed to be training his squad in some castle deep in the woods? What was he doing on the grounds?

Bigger question was, what was he doing in the gymnasium?

They shared a look before Valen swiveled around to resume practicing. "It's going to be alright," she dismissed, adjusting the dummy.

"Mind your tone," Levi advised. Valen landed a punch on its right shoulder. "Also, it's etiquette to salute your superiors when you see them." She puffed through her lips as she rolled her wrists. "I'm speaking to you."

"I'm listening."

"It's hard to believe you're listening when you're punching a dummy."

"Well, I'm listening."

"Well, people usually face each other during conversation."

"What do you want?"

"For you to turn around so we can talk properly." Valen huffed and did as she was told, turning around to speak to him. "Trust me, I have things to do, too, and truth be told I couldn't care less about what you do in your spare time. But Erwin's suggested I come down here and have a word with you."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, and this conversation was long overdue." He crossed his arms. "Is this all a fucking joke to you?"

Valen's considered him strangely, confused by his sudden display of anger. "Pardon?" she questioned.

"Don't play stupid, you scored honors on your academic courses in training." Valen blinked—she'd graduated less than a month ago, yet she'd already forgotten about her exams. "Back in Trost, I was already getting a feeling that something was going on. And I was right. There was something going on."

Valen finally realized what he was going on about, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "And what was that feeling?" she asked.

"That you're a selfish, egotistical woman who only does things to advance herself," Levi sneered, "even going as far as to join the branch with the highest mortality rate to fuel her pride."

"You say that as if I'm supposed to be ashamed," Valen said. "You have your values, and I have mine, and if you think a single conversation is going to change things, you're wrong." She diverted her focus to the dummy again. "If all you're going to do is admonish me, then I'm no longer interested in this conversation."

"Oh, I don't think so," Levi said, spinning her around. "My men did not sacrifice themselves and everything they had for you to be sauntering around, acting like the world's revolving around you. They sacrificed everything they had so we can one day eradicate the Titans and live beyond the Walls." Valen stayed tight-lipped. "You lived in Shiganshina when the Fall happened. You witnessed them firsthand—"

"I am not what happened to me," Valen interjected. "I survived the Fall and adapted to my circumstances. And it worked. I graduated top of my class and scored honors on all my academic exams. I am not a victim."

"You're right. No victim would join the Scout Regiment to cushion their ego. But I have something on my mind." He drifted closer. "Since you're such an accomplished woman, I have a proposal for you," Levi said.

"A proposal, you say?" Valen asked, leaning in too.

"Yes," he answered quietly, his breath ghosting over her ear. "You and I spar right now. You win, you secure a place on my squad. If you lose, though, you agree to transfer to the Garrison and never come back to the Scout Regiment." He pulled back, eyeing her intensely. "What do you say?"