The Struggle

The moment they stepped out of the clinic, Audrey found that the temperature had dropped a few degrees. Levi shoved his hand to the back of a vase beside the front door, retrieving a jacket and a cloak. Noticing the dusk, he frowned and made a few light pats before folding. He wasn't planning to wear them on their way back, the wings would be too eye catching.

There were fewer people out on the street compared to when they first reached an hour ago, only a few street lamps silently lighting their way. Even if it was darker and quieter, she somehow felt safe.

As they both walked side by side, she looked at him from the corner of her eyes. Like usual, he was wearing that expressionless look. After the incident tonight, she seemed to know a little more about this man called Levi. She always thought that she knew what kind of person he was, but every time they met he never failed to surprise her with another side of his personality. The first time they met, he showed her that defining others through stereotype was never always accurate. He then further broke that stereotype as he risked his life to save her mother. When she thought that he was just a nice guy who happened to be social quiet, he then went around and got violent with some refugees. She knew fighting those men was part of his duty, but she did not miss the ruthless expression on his face when he almost kicked the soul out of the man. Just as she was gonna settled on believing that he was a foolhardy gangster, he once again proved her wrong by showing how observant and sophisticated he was.

Quiet, kind, short-tempered, brutal, sophisticated, and strong.

Definitely strong.

(And perhaps a little overly persistent when it comes to cleanliness...)

Her past experiences made her wondered if there was still another part of him that she had yet to discover.

Levi stopped when they passed by a shop, he told her to stay outside and went into the building. Audrey took Victoria from her back to check if the baby was okay. The little girl slept quietly in her hands, ignorant to all the challenges and worries in the world. Audrey couldn't help but felt a little jealous of her.

However insignificant it is, she has me as her protector.

But who do I have?

The doorbell rang and Levi stepped out right at the moment, breaking Audrey from her train of thought. He handed her a small packet, it was then she noticed that it was a bakery shop he just entered. A tempting smell rushed out from the small paper wrap when she opened. To her surprise, it was actually a sandwich. Not the butter sandwich that they sometimes were fortunate enough to eat in the refugee camp, but a sandwich that was stuffed with meat and vege. Audrey stared at him in confusion.

"The doctor said that you need to eat, didn't he?" He deadpan. "You won't get any food back there, so just eat when you can."

Holding the sandwich, a mixed feeling rose in her. Perhaps he had a scarier side that was yet to be revealed. But he was, undoubtedly, a kind man. Well, at least he was kind to her. A part of her felt that she could somehow rely on him. But another part was warning her about something she was constantly trying to ignore.

He was so kind to her, yet she was hiding something from him.

All of a sudden, she was very aware of the little I.D. book that had been quietly lying in her pocket. It was the I.D. book printed with the name of Victoria's biological mother. Even though Bob told her that the last two people Levi called family had died a year ago outside of Wall Maria, but she had never confirmed with Levi himself.

Because she did not dare to.

What if he really was Victoria's father? Did it mean that she would have to give up on Victoria? She didn't know. She didn't want to find out either. She was tired and scared of being alone, with nothing else but death to look forward to. Victoria was the last thing she had.

She was her key to live.

"Need me to hold the brat?"

She was startled when Levi spoke. Seeing that she was staring the sandwich for a good long time, he must have assumed that she had trouble eating and holding the baby at the same time. Eyeing his outstretched hand, Audrey tried hard to hide her wariness.

"No, I can handle it."

She quickly put Victoria at her back. Although it was not like Levi knew anything, and there was a huge possibility that he was not Victoria's father, the idea of letting Levi held Victoria was somehow unsettling.

But could she really handle her current situation? That was a huge question that she could not ignore. If it was not because of Levi, she wouldn't even be able to reach the clinic tonight. Not to mention that she got the medicine without having to pay a penny. It wasn't like she was proud of it, but she knew that the golden ring would come in handy in the future. In this world that everything had fallen apart, her own survival was already a challenge. Would she be able to provide Victoria the resources and protection she needed?

The answer was clear, although she didn't quite want to admit.

Biting the sandwich, she let out a heavy sigh. The sandwich was so good, but she had somehow lost the appetite to enjoy.

"I'll try and see if I can sneak in food sometimes." Levi suddenly spoke out of the blue, he then added with an afterthought. " But no guarantees. Those Garrison pigs are masters when it comes to loafing around avoiding serious shit, but they are also pretty good at picking my fault. Especially those from Wall Rose."

To his confusion, she cried.

It was a quiet sob, she was looking upwards, trying and failing to stop the tears from falling, they just came out like a broken water tap.

"Oi, does the sandwich taste that shitty?" Levi frowned a little, he had no idea what was going on. He would rather fight ten abnormal Titans at the same time than having to handle a crying woman all by himself. Seriously.

"Why? Why do you have to do this to me?" Audrey Kept wiping her face with her sleeves. "No one asks you to help, I can handle my daughter all by myself." She continued sobbing, the fact that she wasn't looking at him made him wondered if she was actually talking to herself. "If you can just be a horrible jerk...then I can convince myself what I am doing is right, I won't have to feel so guilty!"

Frowning, Levi decided that he had zero clues of what this woman was talking about. It wasn't like he had no experience not understanding what woman said. E.g. Hanji Zoe (alright, perhaps this example was beyond gender). He understood what she just said as much as he understood one of Hanji's unearthly titan theory.

"Oh I am sorry Levi!" After a while of sobbing, she finally gathered the courage to look straight into his eyes.

Able to handle Victoria alone? Who am I even kidding?

Deep in her heart, she knew that she had kept Victoria not because it was best for the baby, it was more because she needed her.

How selfish.

But she would be even more selfish if she still kept her after knowing that there was someone who could better take care of her. Someone who was more capable of survival.

Taking a deep exhale, she dug her shaking hand into her pocket, retrieving the I.D. book that she should have shown Levi long ago. If he knew the woman, it would be the end of her motherhood. Meeting his puzzled eyes, she hand him the small book.

"Do you know her?"

A/N:

This chapter was not supposed to end in a cliffhanger. But I had no enough time to finish everything before my last summer road trip, and I just had to post since I already wrote it, so here's what you got. We're a step from the truth!

Let me know what you think about my OC. Or Levi. Or anything in this story that catches your eyes.

Fall semester is starting soon, so I am not sure when will the next update be. Till next time!