Survey Corps HQ (Inside Wall Rose)
Your POV
Everyone from last night gathered in the conference room to discuss a new strategy. We all sat around an oval table brainstorming ideas.
Erwin spoke up first, as usual. "So (Y/N), why exactly was your friend unwilling to help?"
"I honestly should have known he wouldn't talk, it was more of a shot in the dark. He said that kind of information is for MP's only and trying to take back wall Maria is useless."
"So I guess we're back to square one?" Hange asks.
"Yeah basically. Maybe on this upcoming expedition we can thoroughly assess the damage done in Shiganshina, I didn't have much time to when I was there." A shudder ran through my spine as flashbacks of Carla's death and titans rampaging through the city flood my mind.
"Okay we'll go with that, (Y/N) if you think of anything else let me know."
I salute, "Of course Commander."
We spent the next hour going over formations and squad assignments. One of the reasons Erwin was promoted to Commander so young is because of his strategizing skills. He developed a way to utilize color-coded smoke signals to communicate while out in the field. This way, we can focus on evading titans instead of always fighting them head-on.
Hange's squad and mine will be located in the front center column, along with Erwin's group. Our goal is to just ride to Shiganshina and inspect the walls and gates. On our way we'll look for any remaining survivors as well as retrieve important documents from the Garrison HQ located in the city.
After being dismissed Hange and I walked back to her lab to start preparing medical bags. I just recently passed my medical exam, so now I'll be our squad's acting Captain and medic. Normally, all medics are supposed to stay with the supply wagons, but Erwin didn't want my combat skills to go to waste. I also convinced him to start allowing all squad's to have at least one medical bag with them, something as simple as compression gauze can mean life or death.
We reach her office and I start pulling out all the materials when Hange starts talking, "I'm so excited we're finally hanging out, it's been so long since we've had some girl time!"
I roll my eyes, but also smile. "Hange we're working, now isn't the time to gossip... but this is nice to talk, just you and I."
"You know I'm always for gossip... so how are things with Levi? Don't think I didn't notice him walk out of your room this morning." She ended her sentence with a wink.
"Oh my walls Hange, no. He slept on my couch because he was worried about me after what happened, that's all."
She let's out an exaggerated gasp, "How come you didn't invite him to bed with you? Gosh (Y/N) you're a terrible hostess."
I would be lying if I said I didn't consider it. Not in a sexual way or anything, it just seems nice to not be alone for once. Even after everything that happened, I'm starting to miss the way I felt in his arms. But I push those feelings away, not wanting to get hurt again or have to face the guilt. I shake my head at her, "I don't think it would be very professional for a Captain to be sleeping with her Lieutenant."
"Nonsense! Professionalism isn't stopping Moblit and I! Do you know the number of times we've done it in my office?" She cackles and twirls around.
I look down at the workbench I'm situated at and back up at her, "Please tell me you clean up afterwards? Also I had a feeling you're banging Moblit, you have that man wrapped around your finger."
"Of course we clean up!" She taps her finger on her chin a couple times, "Well, at least most of the time anyways... sometimes we forget, oopsie! But back to you, are you ever going to pursue a man? Or a woman, I don't judge."
"You know dating in the Scouts isn't a good idea, plus I really don't have the time." I turn my attention back to the med kits.
"Oh come onnnnnn," Hange wines out, "You and Levi are totally into each other, you used to always talk about him and get excited when you would hang out. I see they way he looks at you, how concerned he'll get over you."
I let out a sigh, "May I remind you we almost killed each other. How can I date a man who left me for dead?"
She crosses her arms, "You're being unreasonable."
I am shocked. Captain Hange Zoe, a crazy, titan-loving scientists who tends to disobey orders and intentionally chase titans is calling me unreasonable. "I'm sorry, how am I unreasonable?"
"Seriously? So what you tried to kill each other big whoop. He had a good reason it's not like he wanted to, and that's in the past. Can't you see he's trying to make it up to you? Also he's still grieving the loss of his friends, the guilt is eating him alive."
I hate to admit it, but she's has a point. These past weeks he's always there for me, checking up on me, getting anything I need. He cleans my office, which is more of his own personal choice even after I tell him he doesn't have to. And lately I've been trying to have him open up about Isabel and Farlan, but every time he brushes me off saying he's fine.
"Hange listen, I understand you're trying to be supportive, but a relationship between us would not work. We both agreed on that."
She looks up, bewildered. "And when did you guys talk about that?"
Oh right... I don't think I ever told her about our little make out session or our late night conversation on the roof. "Umm, yeah about that, you see before the last expedition... Levi and I kissed... like a lot and - "
She cuts off my sentence by slamming her fists on the table. "WHAT?! You guys kissed and you never told me?! How was is it? Is he good? Did you use tongue? Was there any other fun going on?"
I roll my eyes again at her. "Oh my gosh Hange you are are so immature for your age... But to answer your question, yes we kissed, and we enjoyed ourselves. And before you ask again, no, nothing else happened." Very slight butterflies float around in my stomach as I reminisce about how we explored each other's mouths while ours hands grabbed the other's hair. I begin to think about the hours we spent swaying side to side, and how whenever he went to kiss me again his cheeks flushed a light rose color. He was so gentle and timid, which contrasted his blunt demeanor.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me, you're a terrible friend." She crosses her arms and looks away from me.
I snicker. "Now you're the one being unreasonable."
-----
The next days go by as usual, wake up, eat, train, attend meetings, fill out paperwork, and of course, yell at my squad.
"Oh come on Aris you almost have a whole foot on Meena and she still managed to flip you over like it was nothing." I stand with my hands on my hips looking down at a disheveled Aris as she lay outside of the fighting ring while Meena beams with joy.
"I-I'm sorry! It's just she's so much faster than me! I could barely land a punch. Plus height doesn't matter when it comes to fights, I've seen you and Lieutenant Levi spar with others." She instantly slaps her hand over her mouth and Chris bursts out laughing that she just indirectly insulted her two superior officers. Or I guess more of a delivered a backhanded compliment.
I reach my hand out to her and help her up. "You're right, height doesn't matter, but still you need to learn to hold your ground more."
"But why do Scouts need to know fighting skills anyways? Our enemies are titans not humans."
Oh honey... you are so so wrong.
I give her a stern look. "Because Jones, it's more than just beating each other up. It's about improving your reflexes, strengthening your muscles, increasing your reaction time, and more. So quit complaining and get back to practicing." She groaned and stood up, getting back into the circle.
The rest of the day goes by normal and I end it by finishing all my paperwork. Damn Erwin and his stupid performance appraisals and request forms. I swear you can't do anything in the military without having to sign a piece of paper.
My right hand continues to glide the quill across the yellowish paper, while my left hand is clenched in a fist. No matter how much I train my squad, I still fear it wont be enough. I know they all have experience and if you live through your first expedition, your survivability as a Scout increases dramatically.
But still, I'm a Captain now, which means I call the shots and if someone dies because of a decision I make... I shake my head, I need to stop thinking about the worst, they'll be fine. They have a (L/N) and an Ackerman as their leaders for walls sake. Thinking about this brought my mind to the conversation I had with Kenny. I'm curious as to how Levi found out about his name, and if he knows anything else.
I continue to fill out that last few papers, and then I'm done for the night. The sound of my door creaking open makes me lift up my head, Levi walks in with two cups of tea in his hands. "I had a feeling you would be swamped with paperwork again, here I made your favorite."
The aroma of green tea leaves with a hint of honey fills my nose as I inhale before taking a sip. He knows how to make tea perfectly, in fact I never cared as much for it until he started making me some. "Thanks Levi." I take another sip and he nods in response.
He looks over at my stacks of paper and one seems to have caught his eye, before I could stop him he yanks it off my desk. "Is this my performance eval?" I reach out to grab it but he just puts me in a strong headlock and starts reading off his scores. "You gave me a 4/10 in teamwork?! I work fine with people! ... Well most of the time."
"Levi you can't read that! It's for higher ups only."
He ignores my request and continues to the part I don't want him to read: his psychological evaluation. But it was too late, his voice trails off after the first paragraph and his grip loosens. I break free and when I look up, his grey eyes pierce through mine. "What the fuck is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? And what do you know about my mother's death." He throws the paper at me and squints his eyes while crossing his arms defensively.
"Listen, I know it sounds bad -"
"Bad?! I'm not mental, (Y/N). You've known me for less than three months and you think you have me all figured out. Well you don't. I'm not a clean freak because I have 'childhood trauma and triggers'" he says in a mocking tone, "I do it because it's my way of relaxing, and I DONT have anxiety." His hands were clenched tight at his sides, his knuckles turning a stark white.
I scoff, "Oh yeah? Fine, we'll test it out." I walk over to a shelf and grab a potted plant, shaking some of the dirt onto the floor. "You have to go the whole night without cleaning this up."
His lips form a frown and I can see his left eye twitch in the slightly. "You know what, that'll be easy, because I'm going back to sleep in the Lieutenant's quarters, where I should be anyways."
As he storms out of my office I call out to him, but I get a door slamming as a response.
-----
Author's Note: OMG, I had INSANE writers block when writing this chapter, I apologize for it being short. I'm really struggling with how I want this plot to go now that I'm veering away from the regular AOT arc. I know what the ending will be, but figuring out everything in between is proving to be a bitch.
Anyways, what's you opinion on (Y/N) and Levi's relationship? Should we take Hange's advice?
ALSO, there is a certain line in here that can be interpreted in different ways and 1000% foreshadows future events, can you guess which one?