It was early in the morning. The sunlight filtering through the trees, the clouds drawing fluffy figures across the blue sky, the wind gently caressing his face. Eren took a deep breath. While listening what Auruo had to say, he felt like he was being watched from behind. Unlike himself, the Captain didn't even bat an eyelid when he turned and their eyes met. Why? What was going on? He thought Levi would have lost interest in him by the time he turned around for the second time, but he continued to stare at him. Awkwardly, Eren lowered his gaze.

"Oh, Captain, give him a break, please" said Petra in a compassionate voice. "The poor kid had faced so many traumas in so little time already… don't you think is a little mean to give him another thing to worry about?"

"What do you mean? I haven't done anything."

"Of course you have. You keep looking at him. Sorry you have to hear it from me, but you possess quite a scary glare, Captain."

"If he can't handle such a stupid thing, he doesn't deserve to be part of the Corps."

"Come on, Captain, relax. Look, aren't these threes a wonder?"

Eren heard the whole conversation and could only feel bad about it. Did Levi truly despised him that much? Maybe he was just trying to prove him. He should have been used to it by then to begin with. A sigh came out of his parted lips. But instead of letting this discouraged him, he found himself wanting to double his efforts. He wanted to be worthy of wearing the wings of freedom as his insignia.

Levi didn't want to bother Eren just for the sake of being an asshole. He was trying to see what he had seen before, when Eren had said he wanted to kill as many Titans as possible. Only that Levi didn't care if he got caught in the exercise like a regular person would. So for the rest of the trip, Levi kept his eyes on Eren. As creepy as that could come across.