Reminder: Hey guys, just a reminder that Hange is non-binary so it's up to you, the reader, to decide what gender you would prefer Hange to be.

It was past lights out by the time I got back to the dorm, all the girls, aside from Sora, were already asleep as I crept in through the window. She bombarded me with questions while I quietly changed into my pyjamas. I tried to answer as best I could without breaking the oath of secrecy I had sworn, and eventually evaded her persistent badgering by claiming I was exhausted. But the information Levi had told me kept me restlessly tossing and turning.

I was sluggish the next morning from lack of sleep which made training extra difficult. While waiting for the signal to commence an ambush on a fake titan, I had fallen asleep. Ezra had to slap me awake which caused me to fall out of the tree we were hiding in. Buck gave me 100 laps as punishment. But my troubles didn't stop there. I missed out on lunch because I'd been running laps, accidentally walked in on a senior officer's meeting about classified information and Klaus didn't even have to try when it came to my fighting abilities. To top it all off, Blair, Sora and I had to play wait staff for Levi and two other officers.

"Ugh, someone bring me more black tea." Levi groaned as a captain with a mess of chocolate hair tied in a pony tail, and glasses, whom Levi had oh so affectionately nicknamed Four Eyes, gushed on about titan behavior.

"Hange, I really don't think this is the suitable time to be discussing this topic." Commander Erwin Smith said gently as he glanced at me and Blair trying to blend into the shadows of the room. Levi waved his hand dismissively at the Commander's comment,

"I doubt they can even comprehend what we're talking about." he said giving us a side-long glance, "Besides, if anything leaves this room that shouldn't, they'll have me to deal with." Beside me, Blair gulped under Levi's cold stare. I was too tired to care about his threat so I just stayed slumped against the wall.

"If you keep threatening people, no one will like you."

"Four Eyes, when I want your opinion I'll be sure gauge my eyes out before I ask, but until that day I won't have any problems shoving your opinions up your ass." Levi replied turning his cold eyes on the Captain. I chuckled quietly to myself, earning a sharp jab to the ribs courtesy of Blair. However, in a small, silent room, even breathing sounds loud so the three senior officers heard my laugh. Hange looked at me with a curious yet kind smile, whereas the stern expression I received from the Commander made my hand shoot to my mouth.

"I thought you'd died back there, Ares, since you've been so quiet." Levi commented with his back to me.

"Ares?" Hange asked with raised eyebrows, "So that's the kid you- Ouch!" Levi gave Hange a violent kick in the shin, shutting the captain up instantly. I stared at Levi's back - he had absolutely no regard for the chain of command. It was completely shocking, yet they let him get away with it. Sure he was the best soldier humanity had, but even he shouldn't be exempt from military law.

"That really hurt!" Hange complained violently rubbing the sore area. Erwin sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose,

"When will you two stop acting like children. You're both adults for Christ's sake." He muttered just as Sora returned with a fresh pot of tea and three cups.

"Finally! I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost." Levi remarked as Sora went about pouring.

"Sorry, sir. I couldn't find any black tea." she said softly, her hands shaking as she tried to pour the steaming liquid into his cup, but she managed to do it without spilling anything. Levi blew on the steam before taking a sip, his face contorted in an ugly expression.

"What the hell is this?" he asked spitting the tea back into the cup.

"Um...tea, sir?" Sora replied unsurely and wringing her hands nervously.

"Tea? You call this tea? This tastes like watered down horse shit." he said coldly, "Go back and make it again."

From my slouching spot, I could see the tears well up in Sora's eyes as she took the tray back, china clattered noisily as she continued to shake. Pursing my lips I decided that I would save her from Levi's temper and pushed off the wall. Blair swiped at my wrist to stop me but I shook him off.

"Here." I said snatching the tray from a terrified Sora, "I'll make the damn tea."

"N-no, I messed it up. I'll do it." Sora said meekly as she tried to retrieve the tray I'd stolen.

"Don't be stupid. You're shaking too much to even carry this, just go stand with Blair." I said as I shouldered her out of the way. I felt a burning sensation as if someone was staring at my back as I left, but I ignored it and went to the kitchen to make Levi's stupid tea. I sighed as the water boiled, I knew that I had been a bit harsh when talking to Sora, but it would have been far worse if she came back and Levi still didn't like the tea. I could take his criticisms, she couldn't.

When I returned with a fresh pot of steaming black tea, Hange was babbling animatedly about titan research while Erwin tried to look interested. Blair and Sora were standing to the side, heads nodding drowsily. Levi, however, looked openly bored with his eyes closed and cheek resting on his hand, reclined back in his chair. Actually, in his current position, he looked kind of handsome. Quickly, I shook the thought from my head as soon as it arrived.

His grey eyes snapped open as soon as he smelt the bitter, smokey scent of the tea, and he leaned forward expectantly. Carefully I poured the dark liquid into a cup; Hange's chatter had quietened as everyone's attention was drawn to me and my tea skills.

Levi inhaled deeply before blowing on the steam again. I saw Sora in my peripheral vision clutch her chest tightly, praying that Levi wouldn't go all crazy. I watched him quietly as he took a sip, and then another, and a third.

"Valentin," he said placing the cup back on the saucer, "congratulations. You're in charge of making tea."

"Oh joy." I replied sarcastically before rejoining Blair and Sora. Soon enough the three senior officers went back to talking about things we trainees shouldn't know about. Blair took the opportunity to lecture me on my attitude towards Levi.

"He doesn't care." I shrugged slouching against the wall again and crossing my arms. Blair shook his head, chestnut hair falling into his eyes,

"It doesn't matter. He's a Lieutenant, you should treat him with respect whether he cares or not." he chastised. I glared at the floor becoming irritated. I know Blair was trying to keep me out of trouble, but he knew nothing about this.

"Blair, I'm only going to say this once," I said ice in my tone, "Stay out of it."

Blair took a step back, shocked that I would talk to him like that, but kept quiet. Neither Sora nor Blair spoke to me for the remainder of the night, even after Captain Hange and Commander Erwin had left.

"Remember, none of what you heard tonight leaves this room. And if I find out that one of you has been forgetful, you'll have more than titans to be afraid of." Levi warned us, "Valentin and Snow, you're dismissed - Grey I want to have words with you."

I didn't hesitate to leave, I knew what Levi would be talking to him about and, quite frankly I was too tired to wait any longer.

Blair looked worse than death the next morning, obviously the discussion last night had left him the way it left me. While taking a break from being beaten by Klaus I decided to check on him.

"You look like shit." I remarked lightly as I crouched in front of him, "Didn't get much sleep?"

"No. Is this how you felt yesterday?" he asked as he drew circles in the dirt. I nodded and blew the sweaty strands of hair out of my face,

"So I take it he told you the same thing he told me? About the...graduation?"

"Yeah...I still can't believe it. I really didn't think they'd do this kind of thing so early on. We've only been here not even a year...He said that there was others, do you think they'll pick Ezra as well?" he asked looking up and squinting from the sunlight. I shrugged and looked over to where the tall bean stalk was sparring with another member of our squad, Red Wallace. Red was your typical attractive, insensitive, jerk who deeply over-estimated his abilities.

"To be honest, I haven't given it much thought." I confessed, "I guess I hope they don't..."

"Yeah." Blair agreed as we watched Red throw Ezra to the ground. After giving Blair a reassuring pat on the shoulder, I decided it was time to go back to Klaus. He was talking to someone, his back to me, as I made my way over to him. I was about to ask when I felt a warm and uncomfortable heavy wetness on my neck.

"Well if it isn't the scary Titan Slayer." Red said, his voice husky and dripping with sweetness, "You know, I've been thinking..."

"There's a first." I muttered shrugging his arm off me. Red clutched his chest melodramatically and scoffed,

"I'm hurt."

"Not yet, but keep talking and you will be." I warned him. Red just laughed at my threat and jogged to keep up with me,

"That's what I like about you, Valentin. You act so tough, but I bet underneath that," he flipped the corner of my jacket up teasingly, "cold exterior, you're desperate to be touched."

I stopped walking and looked up at him. Red gazed down at me, his gold eyes glimmering suggestively. I had never paid too much attention to him before as I found people like him, who thought everyone was lower than them just because of certain circumstances, pathetic however it was hard to ignore the sweat gleaming on his tanned forehead at this proximity.

"Instead of that pretty boy, why don't see what a real man's like?" he continued when I didn't reply.

"A real man is defined by his actions not his words."

Red frowned and turned to see who the mysterious eavesdropper was while I dropped my head to hide the small smirk that had appeared on my face, I didn't need to see his face to know who it was.

"My father said a real man is the one who gets what he wants, no matter what," Red replied arrogantly however his cockiness only earned a snide scoff in response.

"You're father is an idiot, and you are more ridiculous than he is if you believe that bullshit." Levi replied, "Wouldn't you agree, Valentin?"

"Couldn't have said it better, sir." I replied stepping out from behind Red. Levi gave us a nod and turned to leave. An idea suddenly formed in my head as I watched his back - a stupid, brilliant idea.

"That guy is a Lieutenant? What a joke - hey, Valentin, where are you going?" Red called as I jogged past him. I ignored him and caught up to Levi, standing in his way obnoxiously.

"I really must stop doing things out of the kindness of my heart when it comes to you." Levi sighed and giving me an annoyed glare, "It's becoming a bad habit..."

"Train me?" I asked suddenly, surprising him and the trainees there happened to be near by. Levi raised a dark, fine eyebrow at my request. I stood firmly as the trainees began to whisper to each other.

"What?"

"I want you to train me...sir."

I was in a large green field lying on my back staring up at the white fluffy clouds. I couldn't recall a time where I felt this peaceful and calm. Something warm enclosed my right hand, I looked over to see Felix grinning widely at me; his tousled brown hair had grass and leaves tangled within it's curls.

"Felix..." I whispered making my younger brother smile more and giggle silently. His big green eyes, so full of wonder, slid from my face to focus on something behind me. I followed his gaze, my heart stopping when I saw the lazy smile and kind eyes of Isaiah. Falling against his broad chest I clung to my brother tightly, afraid that if he would disappear should I let him go. I felt him sigh as he patted my head comfortingly. Felix tugged at my shirt and pointed to a nearby hill where two figures were approaching; my father with his wide smile and my mother with her kind eyes. My brothers, who looked so much like our parents, ran to meet them leaving me on the ground still.

"Kid..." a voice whispered on the wind. It was a voice I recognized, a voice I loved, "You know you shouldn't be up here."

"Kitcha? Where are you?!" I cried as I frantically searched for him. My family was here, so why wasn't Kitcha?

"Ares..." the wind called, "Wake up."

"I don't want to." I pouted childishly. My happiness was here, how could I possibly leave it?

"Too bad." the voice began to change, growing louder and deeper, "You wanted this, remember?" I frowned, I had been positive that Kitcha had been talking to me seconds ago but this voice didn't belong to Kitcha. Images began flashing before me, images of blood and fire and death.

"Stop it." I pleaded covering my eyes with my hands as an attempt to block out the images, but it was useless. The terrible images were in my mind and I was powerless to escape them. They got faster, memories of my parents and brothers mixed in with the violent, horrific scenes, I could hear screaming and crying.

"Stop it!" I begged again falling to my knees, my hands clutching my head. But still the images got faster. Huge human-like creatures, and a young looking man with a crescent scar on the right side of his face smiling sweetly at me were added to the movie in my head. I didn't want to see this again, I didn't want to remember. Not again. But this world had other ideas. The earth underneath my knees opened into a great chasm and I was soon falling into it. The images that ravaged my mind were being displayed on the earth's walls as I fell. Something warm and strangely comforting wrapped around my shoulders, it felt as though I was being pressed to something hard.

"Valentin, wake up. It's just a dream." the mysterious voice ordered firmly. Just a dream? I was falling through the world, seeing my family die all over again, and it was just a dream? Some dream...

I opened my eyes but all I could see was darkness, but it was warm and safe and smelt like soap, caffeine and the hint of tobacco. It was a scent I knew but just couldn't figure out, perhaps because I was still shaken from my dream. My face felt damp and hot, my arms and legs were still numb from sleep but my eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness. It was a person who was hold me, a male, wearing a white shirt and brown jacket. I could just make out the Wings of Freedom insignia on the left breast pocket which meant this was someone from the Survey Corps. Someone who smelt like soap, caffeine and...

I gasped, my mind waking up straight away from the shock, as I pushed out of his hold.

"L-Lev-" his hand shot to my mouth, muffling my cry of surprise.

"Shut up, idiot." he hissed quietly, "I can get in serious shit for this." I just blinked at him, thankful that there was no light in the cabin so he couldn't see my bright red face.

"Get dressed and meet me outside." he ordered removing his hand and standing up. He looked back down at me before shaking his head and sighing,

"Don't make me regret this."

I did as I was told and quickly dressed before sneaking outside. Levi was leaning against the side of the cabin, arms folded over his chest, waiting for me. I hesitated for a moment at the edge of the light; I had asked him to train me but now it was actually happening, I was having second thoughts. What if, despite his efforts, I just was physically inept or worse?

"I could be sleeping right now, Valentin, yet here I am waiting for your pathetic ass, so if you're having second thoughts don't even bother about wasting my time anymore." Levi's voice was the push I needed. Shoving all my fears into the back of my mind, I readied myself for a whole new world of pain and took the first step towards the future.