A/N: Oh, hey team! As promised, here is a bonus chapter since I will be away this weekend and back at university next week, so time will be tough as balls. Hopefully this will suffice for now.
Side note - I'll be attending Oz Comic Con this weekend! Woo! I'll be dressing as both Ran-Mao from BB and Zoe Hange...I just need to figure out how to put those darn straps on because the instructions are in another language! Persevere. Any c'c is appreciated - I am always happy to write back with a response.
P.S. I will start to add a music list at the top of some chapters as some songs actually influenced outcomes in this story, so it'd be nifty if you guys could experience that too :)
Chapter 7
"Intergration."
The next day, I woke to Hange and Petra already up and preparing for the day. They explained they would have some duties to action but I was allowed to tag along and get a feel for the area. I agreed because really, what else was I going to do? Petra brought me out into the sunshine and the warmth felt pleasant on my face but the warmth was interrupted almost instantly. I could hear whispers coming from a few feet away. A couple of cadets stood by, awkwardly gawking and whispering. Contemplating my options, I decided to hold their stare and respond with a wink. The male gulped, embarrassed to have been caught out. The female pursed her lips, eyes glaring at the male. If this was going to be a regular occurrence, I was going to make sure I didn't let it get to me. If hitting back with a reaction that was not usually my jam, meant catching people unawares, it was no skin off my nose.
Petra showed me the area, educating me of the dynamics of the levels of authority, important people and the culture of the community. I soon learnt that the entire area was broken into three main sections with large walls separating each location, followed by outer cities that had in recent past, suffered attacks from titans. She touched on the farming lands, markets and different social status' and levels of people, mentioning that the Scouts resided right on the cusp of an outer city. Petra didn't try to sugar coat it in any sense – they were not rich folk.
After a short while, discussions turned to interest in me. She asked a few questions about my life; did we have modes of transport, what did we do for fun and were there titans? I answered them honestly; we had the metal contraptions know as cars, which ran on motors and fuel, along with other machinery which allowed to transport large groups of people. As young adults, I told her about going out for lunch with friends or going out to get immensely drunk sometimes.
Petra laughed, "We do that. We aren't always on duty – we have a rotating roster, so there is always time for us to unwind. They just make sure that we are prepared should something occur while some of us are off-duty."
"Where I am from, we don't have titans," I went on to explain, "but, people fight each other all the time. People of different cultures, beliefs, religions. Sometimes even people who just hate people. There is always someone trying to kill someone else. Thankfully, where I am from, that doesn't really happen. Just in other parts of the world."
"Wow," Petra stared at me, eyes wide, "I won't ask anything else. I'll wait until the reports come out. Your world seems so interesting."
"Yours is a lot more interesting, believe me."
Petra had taken me down to the stables. We passed many people of varying levels of training. A small group of cadets were running laps, another few were enabling hand-to-hand combat whilst others were running daily chores such as cleaning. As we strolled through the compound, I gradually noticed several soldiers with different crests on the back of their jackets. Some people had wings on their jackets, others with roses or what looked like a unicorn?
Why would you want to wear a jacket with a unicorn on it? Doesn't seem very badarse.
"Juno, do you want to learn how to ride a horse?"
Oh, man.
The next day, I decided to speak with Erwin. Several topics hung heavily on my mind and after spending a quiet night with Petra and later, Hange, the distractions didn't quell those topics in the slightest. More so, they were little topics – things that weren't of great importance, however, if I was going to tag along on this misconstrued adventure, I at least wanted to be comfortable. I found him in his office, head lowered as he read through some papers. When I knocked, he gave me an approving nod and I entered the room.
"Am I going to stay here or the other place?" I asked, "It's just, I don't have any of my items or clothing here."
"I haven't decided yet," Erwin rose a brow, "but we will likely stay here for several days due to tonight and graduation. What did you need?"
"Just normal things – like clean clothes. And has Sasha gone back with my dog?"
"She has gone back, your dog is fine," Erwin lowered the papers, "Hange should be able to help you with clothes."
He must have seen the concern on my face, having spent more time with the unstable Hange. She was fine one minute and wailing the next.
"Don't worry, she has calmed down. She'll be down stairs."
"Thanks…Do I call you by your first name or sir…? I just don't know how I fit into all of this."
He smiled, "Erwin is fine."
After leaving the office, I padded quietly down the stairs. Erwin was right, Hange was downstairs in a spare room. Her face was pressed up against a magnifying glass, eyeing what appeared to be my iPod. Although I had entered quietly, I made sure to close the door a little loudly as to not startle the already volatile woman.
"Juno!" She greeted loudly. "How are you?"
"Good, and yourself?"
Hange sighed, "Okay. They didn't find out who killed… them."
"Oh, well, maybe they'll discover something later. Stay positive." It was an attempt to seem genuinely compassionate, but I couldn't understand the disdain and pain she was suffering. All in all, my go-to was to remain there for her if she needed me.
"Yeah, maybe." Hange lifted her eyes back to my face, pushing her sadness away. "Is there something you need?"
"Erwin said I have to attend tonight as well as some graduation ball tomorrow night. I don't have any clothes –"
"Don't worry about that, kiddo!" Hange moved quickly across the room to a large, draw-string bag. "I got one of the cadets to retrieve some of your belongings."
Taking the bag from Hange, I felt a little wary knowing that some random person had gathered my personals and stuffed them into a bag. They definitely would have looked at my clothes, shoes and maybe even my underwear! A part of me hoped it was maybe Sasha or another female.
"The walk to the showers is pretty far away, so feel free to step behind that curtain and use the wash basin."
Deciding the wash basin was a likely option, I stepped behind the curtain and began to clean up. I had regularly bathed since arriving to this unknown land because it was what I normally did back home – showered every day and washed my hair once a week. Something I had noticed, was that I rarely saw people entering the showers. Was water hard to come by? I had had gallons of water to drink, so it didn't seem to be an issue. Maybe bathing wasn't a huge cultural requirement here? Either way, I was fine bathing using a basin. At least this lowered the odds of running into Angry Midget. I pulled my hair into a messy bun on the top of my head and adored the sensation of clean clothes against my body.
"Juno!" Hange shouted, a huge grin on her face.
"What?!"
"That undergarment makes your breasts look amazing," Hange planted both her hands on my chest, causing me to step back into a chair with absolute shock. "I went ahead and replicated the design. I haven't tried it yet."
Pursing my lips and trying my best to remain as composed as possible, I slowly removed Hanji's hands from my chest. "Well, thanks. I think. Maybe don't grab them like that without asking next time…Why don't you try it on?"
"I'm thinking of trying it tomorrow night. They'll be a dance, so it'll be worth having the girls strapped down."
Deciding not to linger on her wandering hands, I chuckled at her comment. Spending time with Hange was always interesting and with every moment, I was learning more about Hange as a person. She was kind, talkative and cared a great deal about the people around her. A part of me felt honoured to be considered as one of those people. Hange did need to work on what was appropriate and what wasn't, but it was a topic I didn't see myself being too concerned about.
Evening came around and soon, the courtyard and small stage were lit with lanterns and fire totems. I had spent the remaining day time with Hange, who went on and on about her titan experiments. It was surprising that someone could talk so much about one subject, but it was also nice to see someone so engrossed in a 'hobby'. There was no expectation for Hange to work as hard as she did, especially because she was only a Squad Leader. No one asked her to study the titans or tend to the wounded, yet she did it with ease.
I hadn't seen Levi or Erwin all day. In fact, I hadn't seen any of the people I knew besides Hange and Petra. The little red-head had spent meals with us, discussing how excited she was to learn who would join the Scouts. She remained positive, suggesting that quality over quantity was essential. It was a good way to view a grim situation, but from what I had observed, quality AND quantity was needed based on how small the regiment was.
"Where are the others?"
We were heading to the side of the small stage. Boo tagged along next to me, her curiosity lifted at all the cadets lined up on the lower ground. Sasha had returned a couple of hours ago with the pooch, having needed to drop her off with me so that she could join her comrades in the ceremony.
"You mean Levi?"
I didn't answer. Instead, the grimace on my face answered.
"He's out on patrol with Eren, Eld and Gunther. They'll be back soon." Petra stopped off to the side of the stage. I stood slightly to the side and behind Petra and Hanji. I could feel eyes on me.
"Don't worry," Hange rested a reassuring hand on my shoulder, "everyone will get used to you and the staring will stop."
It was surely something that would pass, but if someone or someone's stare long enough, you start to feel paranoid. Not the type of paranoid that makes you wonder if something is on your face – the type of paranoid that makes you think of a stalker. Several other people joined us and the surrounded feeling did taper the feeling of paranoia a little bit, until I felt something brush along my hair Spinning quickly, I was met with a tall, solid man with ash-blond hair and slight facial hair, sniffing around my head.
"What the hell are you –"
"Oh, that's Mike," Hange interrupted, moving slightly out of the way as I leaned further and further into her, "he greets people like that. Don't worry, he's harmless."
"Mike, want to explain why you're smelling me before I do something I might regret later?"
Mike took one more inhale, a fraction of a smile tugging at his lips. "You smell sweet."
"Um, thanks, Mike." Blinking several times at the inanely tall man, who had now straightened and tucked his hands behind his back to hold a regal and poignant stance, I decided I would move closer to Hange. If he was going to smell me again, at least it would be obvious if he closed the gap.
Erwin took to the stage, his tall, broad figure sending an even larger shadow across the back of the structure. Hundreds of eyes shot forward and I was now free from the curious stares. His speech was demanding, strong and honest. I suddenly learnt a few things – the things that had happened in the last two weeks. Lives taken, walls damaged and people living in forced poverty. I now understood – the Scouts were the ones who fought the titans, who kept the beasts at bay. The Scouts had the highest mortality rate. The Scouts were the reason communities and towns were safe. And when Erwin had Petra and Mike hold up a map, explaining a future mission that needed to be completed in a month's time, I watched the faces of the cadets change. Fear ran through their spines.
I also felt uneasy. Although I didn't know the full extent of the situation, it sounded like he was trying to make people willingly sign up to…a death wish. It didn't seem like a good idea to be a Scout – not in the slightest. Sure, it was incredibly brave to do so, but at what cost? Your life. My throat tightened and I realised I wasn't seeing the bigger picture. It was an ongoing fight for humanity – similar to the soldiers from my own home and land. The difference was that they rallied together to fight titans, whereas people fought people in my world. And when the time came for them to choose, only a handful remained. Faces I recognised – Jean, Connie, Sasha and some cadets I had seen the day before when we arrived.
A little blond lady was crying. The tall brunette next to her snapped at her sharply, but she didn't respond. Sasha and Connie were whimpering, watering eyes glancing at once another. My gaze fell upon Jean, his jaw clenched and eyes falling onto my face.
"This is a genuine salute, soldiers!" Erwin bellowed proudly, "Together, we give our hearts!"
I felt sad.
Gradually, everyone broke away. The remaining cadets, who were now Scouts, hung around, talking to one another in desperate whispers. I could see the strain in their faces, watery eyes and whimpers. Others appeared void of emotion, as if they couldn't comprehend the decision they had just made. Walking with Hange, we peeled away into the main building, passing many other cadets and soldiers. Some were fine, whilst others were dealing with their nerves. Eyes fell upon my face, some people whispering to their companions, others blatantly not attempting to be discreet.
"Like I said, it'll get easier," Hanji whispered from next to me as we filtered through the people, "everyone is super high-strung at the moment, all their years of training has ended and they have to sign their lives away. Their staring is only a way to distract them from the situation."
"Look, Captain Levi is back!" A hushed voice came from the crowd.
Turning my head towards the voice, Levi had entered from the opposite side of the corridor, where we were heading towards. He breezed past the cadets lingering by the door, ignoring their comments. Eyes firmly planted on both Hange and I, Levi appeared not only disinterested, but irritated.
"Oh my, he's so handsome." A female, a girl, giggled from behind me.
"Shitty Glasses. Juno," Levi eventually greeted as he paused in front of us. "How many did we end up with?"
"About a dozen or so," Hange replied. "More than last year."
"Hm," Levi ran a hand through his hair. The ebony locks caught in his clean fingers, bundling together in strands before framing his face once more. "Are we staying here or returning to the old headquarters?"
A girl, possibly the same girl, giggled again from behind me. Daringly, I glanced over my shoulder. There was not one girl standing by, but a horde of them gathered in the archways, watching us converse. Bemused, I watched as some of the young women giggled, others whispering to one another whilst some were shy beyond belief, only daring to peer warily from behind the pillars.
"Levi, looks like you have a fan base," I said with amusement. "You're famous." Levi let out an exasperated sigh, flickering his eyes to the girls who erupted into giggles. Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to Hange.
"I'd assume we'd stay here. No point heading back tomorrow, only to have to come back here for the graduation ball," Hange suddenly turned to me, eyes glittering, "oh, Juno! We'll need to find something for you to wear."
"I have clothes."
"It's a ball. You need formal wear, idiot," Levi deadpanned, that familiar crease appearing between perfect brows. My own expression knitted at his comment, turning my attention in his direction. "They let us wear formal civilian clothes. They'll also have waiters serving food and music."
"Because it's funded by the higher-ups, they'll be a lot of people from the MP's, the Garrison and Scouts attending," Hange excitedly danced on her spot, "it'll be a fantastic time to try out the undergarments!"
"And, I'm done." Levi had already stepped around her, cloak fluttering from the sharp movement. I rose my brows with mild amusement as the Captain sauntered away. As he passed the group of girls, they burst into little whispers and high-pitched giggles. He didn't acknowledge them.
"Is he popular with the ladies? Those girls were losing it." It was more of a conversational question than anything, as the young ladies chitter-chatter and giggles were echoing down the corridor.
"Levi is popular with men and women," Hange said with an emphasis on her words. "He has had more than one public encounter with fans of both sexes, which left him embarrassed and very stand-offish because they just threw themselves at him. I don't think he's ever been in a relationship, to be honest."
"Are soldiers allowed to be in relationships or get married?"
Hange sighed, pushing the door open to allow us to enter our sleeping area. "Yes, we are. But because of the high mortality rate, many Scouts don't even try to have a serious relationship. But, it does happen. And humans need to blow off steam, so…"
Humans fraternize, was what I took from her answer. I didn't push the topic any further because it wasn't necessary, but it did make me wonder about protection or pregnancies. What did they do? Did it mean immediate dismissal of your service? In some ways, this entire world was advanced. But, I hadn't seen or heard any mention of safe sex. In the same retrospect, it wasn't exactly a daily topic. Still, it felt a little sad knowing that because these people had signed their short lives away that they didn't feel it worth having to experience love.
After having a short nap after Hange began a quick session where I told her about my family and heritage, we left the room and headed to the mess hall. The hall was loud and bustling; the new and older Scouts were all seated together whilst the other new members of regiments had also sectioned off in their own groups. The tension wasn't so thick now that people were able to sit and talk with their fellow comrades. Grabbing a plate of food – this time a baked potato, carrots, bread and a chicken wing – I sat down with Sasha, Jean, Connie and several other people I hadn't met yet. They introduced me to Armin, the youthful blond male and Mikasa, the quaint shoulder-length hair female I had seen the day before. Armin shook my hand, his eyes bright with curiosity.
"Eren told us about you, Juno," Armin smiled enthusiastically, "I hope the stares aren't so bad now."
I shrugged. "Yes and no. I suppose being thrown into a new world is a lot scarier than stares."
Mikasa gave me a small, sympathetic smile.
Shortly after, two tall men joined the table and I was then introduced to Reiner and Berthold. Both men towered over their fellow comrades, Reiner being rather solid in appearance, with Berthold slightly taller but still muscular. Something I had noticed amongst my observations was that almost everyone was fit and in prime health. Must be something in the water or perhaps all that training. Armin made small talk and I was thankful that now that I knew some people, even if they were rather younger than me, that I didn't feel so isolated. I was now able to talk about the things I had seen and heard, I had some knowledge about the different sections of military they had as well as general discussion about one another.
Looking away from the people on my table, I caught a few pairs of eyes but chose to ignore them. Hange gave me a warm smile from several tables away. She had sat with the Levi Squad, papers laid out in front of her. Some of the people on her table were reading these papers, whilst others, such as Petra and Levi, we're chatting. Well, Petra was chatting and I couldn't tell if Levi was listening or not. Petra was glowing as she chatted animatedly, while Levi ate silently. She had positioned herself so she was facing him, her back now to the rest of the table. Leaning forward as she continued talking, I realised something.
Petra liked Levi.
Looking away from her, my eyes connected with the Captain's silvery spheres unintentionally. I had intended to continue the movement of my eyes to survey the rest of the hall, but the sudden glance of iris' that shone like silver against darkness, forced me to stop in my tracks. Levi stared back at me, expressionless yet intense. He said something, likely answering Petra, but continued to observe me from a distance. Behind them, I could see some of the young ladies from earlier on, whispering loudly to get his attention. Tearing my eyes from his, I stared at my food and centred my attention in not drawing attention.
I mean, he is attractive. I think I heard someone say something about how he's the best soldier or something? Maybe that's why everyone's getting their panties wet over him -
"Juno, can I have a word with you?"
Startled and breaking my train of thought, I slowly brought my eyes up a stiff body, crossed arms and a familiar, hard stare. Levi stood at the end of the table. My entire table had been rendered silent, distracted by the Captain peering down at me. I had been so deep in my thoughts, I didn't even realise he had stood up and walked over.
"Sure." So much for no attention.
"In private." Levi added, turning and strolling towards the exit.
Putting my fork down and glancing from my half-eaten meal, then to Petra across the room, a pang rose in my chest. Her large, doe eyes glanced over, interest on her features. She gave a small, hesitant wave. Smiling in response, I stood and followed the trail Levi had taken. Meeting him at the door, we walked a little way from the mess hall door and out into the night sky.
"It's come to my attention that since Erwin decided to remove your head scarf, that you are receiving a lot of attention," Levi stated, standing square in front of me. "It's been one day and I have already had three Garrison soldiers approach myself and Erwin to ask who you are. One idiot went as far as to ask if you were married."
A laugh escaped my mouth and I quickly bit it back. "Sorry, I just didn't expect to hear that," I cleared my throat, deciding to look slightly to Levi's left and not directly into his eyes. "Look, I didn't ask for attention. Maybe everyone should learn some manners."
Levi rose a brow. "You think it's that simple? You've met Mikasa. The same thing happened when she joined the cadets. Even now, people still say things. The difference is that she can handle herself – you, I am not too sure about."
"What am I meant to do?" I asked with a growing annoyance. "You said it yourself, I can't be locked up in a room until someone figures out what to do with me. I certainly don't want to be on a leash when I go to this ball or whatever."
He shifted on his feet, eyes thinning as he said, "Erwin has made the decision that you will be attending tomorrow night with a bodyguard. He would rather you make a subtle introduction to gradually bleed you into the crowed so you aren't ambushed."
"Bodyguard?" The notion was the key point I took from his explanation. "That's fine and all, I guess. Better than being locked in a room. Who will be my bodyguard?"
Levi's face was shrouded by the shadow of his hair, the moon high above him as a glistening source of light. He was rather still, aside from another shift of weight. And then I saw it. His stoic expression wavered for just a second. Levi's lip twitched and his eyes narrowed.
"Commander Erwin has asked me to be your bodyguard."
Had it not been for the way he stood so aloof, impassively gazing at me with stern eyes, maybe I would have been more relaxed. Instead, my body betrayed me and a nervous laugh escaped my lips.
"What's so funny?" Levi snapped, lip curling.
"Was that hard for you?" I asked, laughing more at his reaction. "I mean, you aren't asking me out on a date or anything, but have you seen the horde of people that lose their shit when you are around?" I had paused, seeing his gaze thin to slits and brow creasing with annoyance. "Man, they look like they need to sit on a towel – that's how excited they are to see you. I – I just thought you'd be more comfortable telling me this based on the fangirls and boys you have."
"Get out of my sight, idiot." Levi growled and turned away. I reached out quickly, grabbing his forearm. I hadn't thought to simply touch him, it had just happened before it registered I now stood, lightly gripping his arm. I could feel his muscles tense under the white shirt he wore.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled, clearing a lingering laugh from my throat. Instead of pulling him to face me, I decided to skirt around him. "I'm sorry. I'm all over the place. Nothing makes sense right now. I just needed to laugh."
His response was to return to his indifferent personality, peering at me with glowing orbs shrouded by choppy shadows of his hair. Now that he was facing the moon, it washed over his handsome features, turning his already nice skin into a flawless canvas. Swallowing, I pushed past the fascination of his aesthetic appeal.
"I accept your invitation to be my bodyguard," I said with a positive nod of my head. "Considering you stabbed me with a needle and I still have a mother of a bruise, you can treat me something special to make up for it. Got it?"
Levi took one step towards me and immediately, I tensed. Eyes wide, the air hitched in my throat instantly and I could hear the blood pumping in my ears. His face was only a few inches from mine, his hair falling over his iconic eyes as he studied my expression with interest. The scent of tea leaves wafted around my head.
"Be ready at 8pm; not a second later."
Returning to my table, my heart was beating like a horse on a race track. Levi was intimidating – that was a given. But, Levi had this weird way in commanding attention, without saying or doing a single thing. My brief encounter with him outside of the mess hall, had left me feeling somewhat awkward and hyper aware of my surroundings. My ears had become sensitive and every sound that vibrated in the mess hall, pinged at my ear drums. Warmth was running up my sides and I wondered if he saw me blush from the sudden closeness between us. It wasn't something I had counted on ever happening, but how was I supposed to react when an attractive male had made such a bold move? Half the people had left and I wondered how long we had been away.
Levi had returned to his table and Petra instantly attacked him with conversation. I dared to glance at the only two occupants remaining at that table, deciding to observe the interaction. Her lovely big eyes flickered to me for a moment as she talked, but quickly returned to Levi. He didn't reply to her as she chatted away, but rather sat back in his chair, one foot resting on his other knee, tea cup in his hand.
Was that jealousy? I bit into my tiny, cold chicken wing. I can see why everyone has the hots for him – he's dark, brooding, masculine and apparently, a good fighter. That whole 'bad boy – chip on the shoulder' thing. I wonder if anyone else has seen the ink on his back?
Frowning at my own thoughts, I decided it was wiser to look at this as simple visual pleasantries and nothing more. I had seen many attractive people in my life and Levi was just one of these people, with a huge issue with displaying emotions. When I stacked my dirty plates and cup with the others, I turned to see Jean jogging towards me.
"Hey Juno, can I walk you back to your room?"
"Sure!"
The young man slowed his pace and we exited the mess hall. I once again could feel eyes on us, but Jean didn't seem to mind. It was comforting to have someone such as Jean or Hange who could see past whatever interest in my appearance loomed over everyone else.
"How's things?" I asked him, sensing his awkward vibe.
"Good," Jean said quickly. "Um, are you going to the ball?"
I nodded, clucking my tongue at the memory of a recent conversation. "Sure am. Erwin decided it would be worth going along because now the Garrison think the Scouts are hiding something, which simply isn't true – hence why I no longer have my scarf."
"It'll be a lot of fun and you'll get to see a side of everyone outside of training." He rubbed the back of his head nervously.
"Yeah. I hope it'll be fun. I haven't snapped yet, however, Levi is going to be my partner for the evening so, that could change soon."
Jean's gaze rested on my face, his shoulders stiffening slightly.
"T-the Captain? Is going to be your date?"
We stopped walking just outside of my door. Sensing the sudden change in Jean, I chose to respond as casually as possible. "Yeah, he's going to be my bodyguard. Date is probably a bit of a stretch."
Jean forced a faint smile, blinking a few times and lowering his arm to his side. "Okay, well. I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Have a nice sleep, Juno."
"Good night, Jean." I said quietly as he turned quickly and disappeared around a corner.
"You knew he was going to ask you to the graduation, right?" Hange asked from her spot on the bed when I closed the door behind me.
I frowned at her. Hange wasn't that close to the door, however it had been exceptionally quiet and it wouldn't have been hard to eavesdrop. "You were listening to us? No and besides, I am a decade older than him."
Hange chuckled, disbelief in her eyes at my response. "He's a young man and you're new to the scene. Of course he would want to ask you."
I kicked my boots off and laid back onto my bed. "I've already dealt with the awkward teen years. I don't think I could do that again," sighing, I added, "Jean is a nice guy, but he's just a kid. I'm sure he'll find love someday, it just isn't with me."
Levi nodded to Petra's question. She continued, discussing her ideas for the next mission in a tirade of suggestions and theories.
Levi had not agreed with the request to be Juno's bodyguard. In fact, he didn't see why it was necessary until one of the Garrison soldiers stopped by Erwin's office. They had been reading through reports for the past couple of hours. Below on the ground level, they had seen Petra and Juno walking around. Juno was now sitting on a horse, Petra gently leading it in a brisk walk. Directly below the window, a group of soldiers watched from a seated area that was slightly blocked by a brick wall. Juno bounced on the horse, the slight wind causing her tunic to cling to her body.
"Ugh, fucking perverts." Levi grunted.
There was a knock at the door and a Garrison soldier entered. The young soldier strolled to the front of the desk, standing slightly away from Levi and choosing only to acknowledge the Commander.
"Commander Erwin!" The soldier took to a salute and Erwin nodded. "I come bearing a message from Commander Pixis."
"Go on, soldier."
Levi had turned his full attention to the soldier now. It wasn't often that the Garrison, Scouts or MP's really communicated with one another unless necessary. The soldier was wearing the standard uniform, the large rose symbol over his back. Upon his brown boots, were large scuff marks like a large cat had clawed straight up the sides.
"Thank you, sir," the soldier relaxed and brought forth a letter, handing it to Erwin, "Pixis wanted to extend his excitement in the upcoming ball. In addition to that, he wanted to inquire about the new guest who has been staying with the Scouts. He requests that he meet the young lady at the event."
"I'm interested to know how he learnt about our guest." Levi stated, sternly staring at the soldier.
"C-captain Levi," the soldier's voice broke for a moment as fleeting eyes moved from Erwin, to the Captain. "Some soldiers spotted her out at the old scout headquarters."
"Which soldiers?" Erwin asked, lowering the letter.
"Military Police, sir."
"Hm," Levi grunted with distaste. "Nice to see that the precious MP's still don't trust us."
"Tell Pixis that he is more than welcome to meet Juno," Erwin stated firmly, "she will be attending the event as Levi's guest."
Levi had buckled slightly when Erwin made that statement. The Captain had been under the impression that he would only need to make a brief appearance, not be the newcomers partner. The soldier was dismissed and Levi turned to Erwin, eyes narrowed.
"Were you going to ask me first or just force me to go?"
"Levi, we need to prove to everyone that she is of no importance. By integrating her into the community, people will soon realise that," Erwin said indignantly. "And if she is of some importance, no one can know. The only person who has the capacity of protecting her, is you."
Levi shook his head, unable to argue. The Commander wasn't wrong – that was a given. Levi knew with his skill and knack for suspicion, he was likely the better candidate. The only other person he could so much as assume would suffice, would be Mike. Mike was second in skill to Levi and likely just as respected.
Erwin picked up a pen and returned to his notes. The conversation was over.
"Captain Levi, are you excited about the ball?" Petra asked as he finished his tea.
"No, not particularly," he breathed, lazily lifting a brow. "They'll make us do that stupid dance, like they do every year."
"Oh, come on, Shorty!" Hange gave him a forceful pat on the back as she joined their table again. "How many times a year do we get to blow off some steam? Once? Maybe twice?"
"Squad leader, will you be providing the beverages?"
"Will I be providing the beverages?" Hange repeated back in disbelief. "What a silly question. Of course, I am!" She stood up with an air of confidence. "No one can make home brew like Four Eyes!"
Sighing, Levi leaned his head into his hand.
Cool hands ran up my sides, sending me into a wave of shivers. I could feel the callous on the finger tips, scratching lightly over my hips, then my stomach, then one hand grabbing my breast.
Hungrily, his mouth kissed and nipped at my flesh; a combination of need and desperation. A need to control me, a need to devour me. I arched into him, feeling his teeth graze on my neck. Aggressively, his arm wrapped around and under the small of my back, pulling me possessively against his body and his mouth captured my own…
"Juno?"
I shot up out of my bed, heart racing and eyes blinded by the sunlight entering the room. Gasping, I tried to adjust my sore eyes to peer around the room. Sitting on the bed opposite to me, Petra stared at me with concern.
"Are you okay? It sounded like you were having a nightmare."
Awkwardly, I pulled the sheet up to my chest and nodded. "Yeah, a nightmare."
"About the titans, I bet." Petra added with a knowing nod. Oh gosh, if she knew…
"Yeah," I blinked, hoping she didn't see the sheen of sweat on my face, "what time is it?"
"Breakfast will be in 15 minutes."
Petra had left, telling me she would meet me in the mess hall. It was seeming to be a regular place for me to see groups of people – the food wasn't always great, but the dull hum of people enjoying one another's company was pleasant. I went behind the curtain and quickly bathed myself with the warm water Petra had left for me. Quickly wiping the damp cloth over my face, I relayed the fragments of the dream. Was I with someone? Images of fleeting moans, rough hands and hips grinding flew past my minds-eye, forcing me to stiffen and gulp.
Right, so what the hell was that? Since when do you have hot-and-heavy dreams…Sheesh.
It was easier once I had left the stuffy bedroom. The air refreshed my mind and the images slipped away, as dreams sometimes do. As I walked down the corridor, Boo trotting beside me, I did notice that majority of the males I had seen were attractive. This may have contributed to my unusual heated dream. Like my previous observation, everyone had been trained as soldiers so, realistically, everyone was ripped with muscles. Both females and males alike, I had not seen an ugly person yet. Frowning as I continued to breakfast, it occurred to me that maybe these people looked at me and thought I was ugly? It wasn't important. Shaking my head at the vain thought, whether they did or didn't, it literally wasn't important. I was overthinking into a vortex that would keep me puzzled for hours if I didn't stop now. A dream was just that, a dream. I wasn't going to dig a hole over it.
After breakfast, Armin had invited me to spend some time with him and his fellow Scouts. I watched as they lined up by the stables. Squad Leader Ness called out, introducing himself and his mare. He gave me a quick hello and immediately started advanced horse riding. I followed along, not really saying much. Ness did let me know that he was aware I was to train with them in case I was ever in a situation, so he was happy to let me sit quietly in the background. He allowed me to pair up with Jean and together we made sure our horse was saddled correctly.
"Are you excited for the ball?" Jean asked, his head out of view as he pulled at a strap.
"I suppose," I mumbled I response. "To be honest, I haven't thought much more about it."
He stood straight again, glancing over the horse to meet my gaze. "I'd heard it's a massive piss-up," he sniggered, a facial expression I hadn't seen on Jean before. "They try to butter up the new soldiers before sending them on their way."
Blinking at him, I said slowly, "Maybe, just maybe, it's literally just a ball."
He stared at me, brow lowered and eyes studying my expression. Inhaling, he said with a sigh, "You're probably right. I'm sorry, that was out of character. I'm still shaken by the stupid choice I made."
"Choice?"
"To be a Scout," he said with a scoff, returning his attention to the saddle. "I joined the cadets because I wanted to be an MP. They get all the luxuries like regular time off, sick leave and never have to leave Sina."
"What made you change your mind?"
His movement stopped and Jean stood, gazing into the distance. Expression softening, his eyes glazed over and he said with remorse, "A friend who believed in me."
The sadness in his voice was contagious as his shoulders slumped and he lowered his gaze. Reaching across, I placed my hand on his arm as a means of comfort. Peering up after a moment, he blinked back his watery eyes and said with a smile, "No point worrying about it now. Can you pass me that?"
Soon after, we were brought into a class room. Once again, I sat in the back, not really wanting to draw too much attention to myself. The room was stationed like an auditorium – study desks rising into the back of the room, peering down upon the teacher who instructed and explained the formations. It was rather complex, hearing the movements and where the rookie's were meant to go, based on their teams. Armin scribbled his notes quickly, barely lifting his eyes to the board as he listened in on the instructions.
"Hey! I've been looking for you!" Hange linked her arm with mine and directed me down the walkway. I had just left formation class. "So, I've been playing with your amazing little music rectangle. I think I've managed to attach it to the old gramophone so that I can create louder music for the event tonight!"
"Do you know how to use it, though?" I questioned, raising my brows.
Hange scoffed at my question. "I haven't slept in 32 hours. I know how to use it."
"Wow," I mumbled, nodding in response. "Okay, so have you figured out how to make a playlist?"
Hange responded with an excited yelp. "Yes! And it's the best music list you will ever hear."
I responded with a small, warm laugh. Hange was a fast learner.
"Now, you know this is a semi-formal event, right?"
"Um, yeah. It was mentioned. What do you classify as formal wear?" I asked as she guided me past our sleeping quarters and to a room further down the hallway. Pushing the door open, we entered the largest walk-in-closet I had ever seen. Rows and rows of suits, corsets, gowns, dresses, shoes, boots, trousers, shirts and more. The clothes had been separated by gender and occasion.
"This is our clothing room," Hange announced proudly as I walked the room, eyeing the dresses and shoes, "we did a lot of undercover work over the years and accumulated a lot of costumes – well, they aren't costumes, but they are used for special occasions only."
"Is this available for everyone?"
Hange closed the door behind her. "No, just upper soldiers. And if you have the key."
Hange redirected me to a section of gowns. I ran my hands over the materials, a mix of cottons and a frilly material I couldn't identify. The materials were stock-standard, nothing I'd imagine a Queen would wear, but it was certainly a step up based on the clothing I had seen around the regiment. She indicated to the row of dresses she believed would fit me. I pulled out a black slim-line dress with as minimal frills and embellishments as possible. If I was going to an event, I was going to dress comfortably.
"Juno, you'll need to add a corset to that," Hange threw a black, leather-material corset in my direction, "proper social events require corsets. Oh, and heeled shoes!"
"They don't have to be big heels, do they?" I hesitantly asked, my arms now full of clothing.
Hange shook her head. "No, not at all! Just a small heel – they'll be a lot of higher ups present and us Scouts need to at least try to make an effort."
Shortly after playing around with the clothing, Sasha and Mikasa entered the room. They had received permission to borrow gowns for the event as they did not own any of their own special occasion clothing. I soon learnt that personal possessions were mainly necessities; not luxuries.
"Do you guys use make-up?" I asked as I watched Sasha try on another gown.
"As in products for your face?"
"Yeah. Is it called make-up? You know – a bit of colour added to your lips, eyes, cheeks."
Sasha stumbled and I held my arm out so she could gather her balance again. Straightening up, she looked at herself in the mirror. "We do – but we don't call it anything. You call it make-up?"
"I think it's called make-up because you 'make-yourself-up' with it when you want to," I pondered. "It's rather common from where I am from, but not really necessary."
Hange chuckled. "Makes sense! In that bag, on the shelf."
Hesitantly, I pulled out several small vials, compacts of cream and powdered products and a small case of black soot. Sitting on the ground, face close to a small mirror, I suddenly felt a little more alive; I was about to do something I had done since I was a teenager. I took some of the black soot and carefully applied it around my lash line, smudging it a little bit in the crease. I then took the small brush it came with, wet it with water and rubbed it in the soot. Carefully, I applied it to my lashes. Next, a pat of rouge on my lips.
Turning to the other women, they stood gaping at me.
"You guys need help?"
Jean as well as the other Scouts had not seen Juno, Hange, Sasha or Mikasa for several hours. They last saw Sasha and Mikasa enter one of the rooms on the lower corridor some time ago, but they couldn't possibly be in there still. Could they? The first half of the day had been training with Squad leader Ness, Hange and Captain Levi. After lunch, they were dismissed and allowed to spend their afternoon as they pleased until the graduation event.
"Armin, have you seen Mikasa?" Eren asked as the pair headed to the showers, "It's not usual for her to be away from us for this long."
"I haven't seen Sasha for hours as well." Connie added.
Upstairs, Levi stood in his own private room, staring at the suit hanging from his bed frame. Frowning with distaste, it had been months since he had needed to wear it and it wasn't something he liked doing. The last time he wore something other than his uniform or civilian clothes was to an official event held at the Kings palace within Wall Sina. He had been forced to go, ensuring to make an appearance amongst the higher ups so they knew Humanity's Strongest was in fact, a real person. Whilst Erwin mingled with powerful men, Levi stood away from everyone, a powerful brown liquor in his hand.
Pulling the black trousers on, followed by the black button up shirt, Levi rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and inspected his appearance again. There was no way he was going to put on dress shoes, so he wore his combat boots. Lastly, he added a steel grey cravat to his collar.
"Tch."
Juno had returned to her shared room. She was due to be ready in the next half an hour. Thankfully, she didn't need too much time. She had combed her long hair straight with a part in the middle. Sasha had commented that it was unusual to see such straight hair and that she had only even seen one other person, Mikasa, with similar style. Next, she pulled on the long black gown. It clung tightly across her chest and waist, then lightly fell over her hips in one long sweep down to her feet. Black as the night sky, a leather corset hugged at her waist. Lastly, the dress had two small off-the-shoulder sleeves that hung over her upper arms, slightly covering a portion of the large tattoo.
She had been concerned about the tattoos. Besides accidently seeing the tattoos on Levi's back, she hadn't seen anyone else with ink.
"It's not common but also not unheard of," Hanji had explained, back in the closet, "it's more of a fashion for the Underground City."
"So…should I hide it?"
"I think it looks nice with the black dress." Mikasa had said with a warm smile. "People have tattoos here, it's just they don't see it necessary to put themselves through the pain."
Giving herself one more once over, Juno looked at the dozing Boo, seeking a second opinion. The dog tilted her head, expecting the human to perhaps say a command.
"Great, thanks Boo."
Peering out the window, she could see people walking across the court yard and towards the mess hall. Juno had overheard soldiers talking about how they removed all the tables and chairs from the large hall and turned it into an events room. They would line the walls with tables of food and drinks. More people crossed the courtyard, bearing the different emblems of other regiments. Swallowing her dry throat, Juno pondered what was expected of her at the event. She was already informed of some sort of dance, but Juno was certain she wouldn't need to be a part of that. Was it a sit down dinner? Probably not, as they moved all the furniture to allow for movement. Was she expected to stay by Levi's side? Juno frowned, shaking her head at the thought. It wasn't a good idea to think about Levi. Instead, her thoughts drew to her iPod.
I wonder how Hange is going to pull off the music…
