Chapter 11: Talent

Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin

Previously: Petra starts training on the stationary gear. She tells Levi about her history with her father and he shares some details about his past.

Petra nodded, a neutral look on her face as she listened to the two men before her. Internally she rolled her eyes at their childishness. Sometimes she couldn't believe how adults could bicker over a small sum of money, that even a child wouldn't cry about if lost, and needed an authoritative third party to sort it out.

After settling their dispute, she slumped back against her chair once the two left the table and exited the room. "They were the last ones," the butler told her, eyeing her lazy posture with disproval that she ignored.

"Thank the goddesses." She stood and stretched.

Petra stole a bowl of strawberries from the kitchen, eager to stroll through the garden and let her mind relax. It was a beautiful day and she soaked in the sun, letting the peaceful atmosphere soothe her.

There was a bench in front of a small white fountain and she took a seat. Sunlight glinted off the gems on the ring on her left hand. Petra held up her hand and giggled to herself, happy and smug, recalling the look on her uncle's face when she thwarted had his plan to undermine her. According to her cousin, he was only licking his wounds, biding his time. Eris doesn't think he has given up yet. Petra was inclined to agree.

But there was still one little thing that could jeopardize her position as the head of the family.

When Levi found her, she was a frowning, deep in thought. Sitting beside her, he stole a strawberry from the bowl. "How'd it go?"

"Hm? What?" Petra said distractedly.

"Was there some complicated matter you couldn't resolve?" It was a Sunday, which meant his wife spend some time of the day with occupants of the land, to resolve any issues they might be having.

"Oh, no, that's not it."

"What were you thinking so hard about?"

"Our kids."

"Well." He stole another strawberry. "That shouldn't be too much of a problem seeing that we don't have any."

"Exactly. My uncle's been silent since our engagement was announced. He hasn't tried anything."

"That's good, isn't it?" With the head of the family married and healthy, Levi couldn't see what he could possibly kick up a fuss about.

"I just got thinking about the one thing he could still kick up a fuss about," Petra said, almost like she read his mind. "Kids. I still need heirs who'll succeed me."

"I thought that was taken care of already," Levi said warily. "Weren't you going to name Eris or someone else the heir?" What if she had changed her mind? Had she told her family about her plan and they refused to accept it? "Are we going to be pressured into having a kid?" He was not prepared to have children.

"No need to make that face." Petra looked mildly offended. "Is the thought of sleeping with me that disturbing to you?"

"I only agreed to this on the condition we wouldn't have kids," Levi began seriously. While he couldn't separate from her and she couldn't force him into having kids, they still had a business relationship. She helped to fund the Corps but it was her prerogative to refuse. And there was no way of compelling her because their agreement mostly covered the limitations of their relationship. "I—"

"Relax," Petra said, noticing him getting worked up. "Don't have an aneurysm. We have a good year or two before they start 'subtlety' dropping those hints. Well, make that a year considering your profession. But no," she said as she waved her hand, "it's not what I was thinking about. It just got me thinking about something else and that's what was I thinking so hard about."

Levi exhaled and bit his strawberry, feeling a bit foolish for jumping to conclusions. "Thinking about what?"

"When I thought about kids, I started thinking about names, specifically yours. We never looked too deeply into the man who had told the wedding card vendors and the newspapers about your last name being Ackerman." Since it was already out, they hadn't bothered to take action, too caught up with the wedding preparations and juggling the whole charade. As a result, the investigation had fizzled.

"Nothing's come of it, though," Levi pointed out. "Whatever reasons the Ackerman family was persecuted for haven't come back and landed on me, on us. Might have been some random asshole looking to stir up some drama. Could've even been a reporter who spread it so he could sell more papers."

Humanity's most famous soldier, who also happened to be a commoner belonging to a disgraced family, marrying a noble lady, Petra could see the draw in that. "I was thinking about sending someone to have a sketch made of this man, the one who had spread the lies but it's been months and if your theory is true..."

"Your efforts will be futile or you'll be stonewalled if not lied to outright." While Levi, too, wanted to know who had started the lie and why, he couldn't see the point now. Especially since it hadn't come back to bite them in the ass. Trying to stir up a sensational story was the only motive that made sense to him and he said as much. "Far too late now. Any potential leads would've gone cold."

"You're probably right," Petra admitted. "So, when do I get to move on to the 3D gear? I've mastered orienting myself."

"Tomorrow."

She perked up. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I can't wait!"

Levi himself couldn't wait either. His wife's success with the 3D gear continued to astonish him at every turn. Everything he taught her she picked up faster than Mike had told him trainees usually did. To his surprise and awe, he was completely convinced she would've made it into the top ten had she gone through official training. Not that he was ever telling her that. It would only swell her ego. Really it was his way of making sure her head didn't get too heavy for her neck.

"I really get it to wear it and use it?" Petra was so excited. She couldn't wait to know what it felt like and was already imagining it in her head.

"Yes. I've asked the servants to buy a shit ton of safety nets and have everything set up where I usually train in the woods." The trainees often went through more rigorous training before moving up and there were so safety nets for them. Or so he had heard. But I can't risk her breaking her pretty little neck.

The following afternoon, he watched her strap on the gear and take off. It was unreal.

Levi wondered about the many nobles and rich men and women in the Walls and how many of them held the same potential for excelling at the 3D gear like Petra. It was a bit of a waste when he thought about it. Even if they bothered to go into the military though, they'd just join the MPs in the end.

Up in the air, his wife laughed, flying through the trees with ease.

Her turns were smooth and her movements precise, avoiding unnecessary use of gas and not wasting precious seconds correcting herself midair, a mistake many Scouts made, losing their lives as a result. Petra landed not too gracefully before him, cheeks flushed with delight. Well, maybe she could still use a little bit of work.

"What do you think?"

"Not bad."

She nodded. "I need more practice."

"Why?" Levi couldn't understand it. He had honestly thought she would let this go by now. "You've learned how to use the gear. What more do you need? Why not just quit, now that you know how to use it?" There was no point. None that he could see, anyway.

Petra placed her hands on her hips. "Because I don't do things halfway. It's not in my nature. If you're going to put in so much time, effort, and money into something, you should at least do it well."

"Alright. But you're still not allowed to touch the gear unless I'm present," he told her sternly.

"Yes, sir!" Petra replied cheerfully, executing an awful salute.

Levi snorted, tapping his finger on her chest. "It's supposed to be above your heart." She looked down and he retracted his hand. He knew what was coming from the playful glint in her eyes and the smirk on her face.

"If you wanted to cop a feel—"

"Let's head back now." He turned and walked away.

Petra wasn't going to let him off so easy, matching his quick pace. She loved teasing her husband too much to let such a golden opportunity slip away. "What's the rush? Isn't the quiet forest better? We'll have more privacy here," she said suggestively and giggled.

"Maybe you should find yourself a new boyfriend if you're so horny you're flirting with me."

"Horny? Me? You're the one who tried to grope me."

"I wasn't trying to grope you. My finger slipped." Levi winced on the inside. His finger slipped? Really? Why had he touched her at all? He hadn't even thought about it and simply done it.

"Whatever you say, Mr. I-Have-Perfect-Control-Over-My-Body." Her words had her mind running to the bedroom. So maybe he wasn't entirely wrong about the horny thing.

"Shut up."

Petra continued to tease him, but he refused to stoop to her level and ignored her the rest of the way back. Eventually, she gave up. For now. She fully planned to bring it up later. "By the way, you know the pond by garden? I'm having a gazebo built there. They started a couple of days ago."

"A gazebo?"

"Yeah, we'll be able to sit outside and watched the stars and the moon at night, and enjoy the sun in the afternoons with a nice cup of tea and relax. Doesn't that sound amazing?" Petra couldn't wait.

"How much is it going to cost?" Levi asked. When she told him the price, he thought about how many meals he could have bought with that money in the Underground.

Petra continued to talk about the gazebo's structure and color, oblivious to the resentment Levi felt at how easily she could drop so much money over something so insignificant.

It made him feel guilty, too. His wife was a wonderful person. She had never judged him for being born into poverty or looked down on him. Who was he to judge her for being born into nobility? It's not like she's entitled and snobby like the others. Quite the opposite, she put a lot of her riches into other good causes. Levi glanced at her as she kept talking animatedly. She has a pure heart. That was what mattered the most in the end.

"The way you're staring so intensely at me it's like you're undressing me with your eyes."

Okay, so maybe she wasn't as pure as he was making her out to be.

"When are you going to teach me another move?"

"When I say so."

"But I've already mastered the other boring moves you've taught me."

"There's one thing you still have to fix first."

"What?" Petra asked eagerly. After realizing she was pretty good at using the military equipment, she had grown confident in her abilities. There was no doubt in her mind she could overcome whatever it was that was holding her back.

"Your attitude."

Petra complained the whole way back to the manor.

"...good to go for the expedition," Erwin finished. "That is all. Dismissed."

Most of the squad leaders took their leave.

"Everything is going so much smoother with Lady Petra backing us up." To Erwin's delight, a few merchants looking to curry favor with her, hoping to increase their chances of creating a business relationship with her, had started helping out a little as well in forms of either marked merchandise or small bits of donation money. "Your position is a real boon, Levi, it's making our lives easier."

Across the table from Levi, Hange grinned suggestively. "Yeah, Levi, keep Lady Petra satisfied so she'll keep doling out the cash."

"Can you not word it like that? Makes it sound like I'm whoring myself out."

"How're the lessons going?" Nanaba asked. "Is she making progress?"

"Yeah, she's really good," Levi replied. They nodded. "I mean it. I think she's got real a knack for it."

"Is that so?" Erwin said interestedly. "Praise from you is rare. She must be very talented."

"Honestly, if she had formal training, I'd go as far as to say she could rise to the level of one of our best soldiers." Amazed looks crossed all their faces. For some reason, Levi couldn't help but feel an odd sense of pride at his wife's ability with the 3D gear.

"Whoa, hearing you say that makes me wanna watch what she can do," Mike said.

"Are you serious, Levi?" Hange couldn't believe it, looking impressed.

"If that's true, what a waste of potential. Any chance of her renouncing her title and joining us?" Erwin asked jokingly.

"No." The answer shot out of Levi's mouth before he could think.

They nodded. "As is expected," the commander agreed.

They conversed a bit more about the upcoming expedition before splitting ways.

On the way to the stables, Levi thought back to his immediate rejection at Erwin's words. Petra, in military uniform, 3D strapped to her waist, it was an unsettling—no, upsetting image. Levi much preferred the image of her in fancy clothes, nose stuck in a book, welcoming him home with a kiss. That was a far more comforting image. Nobility suited his wife better. Fewer chances of her ending up dead.

Because his brain could be a real sadist at times, he pictured her lifeless body, lying in a pool of blood, and it sickened him. That's not happening. Ever.

Mike found him an hour later, brushing his horse absent-mindedly in her stall. "There you are."

"Need something?"

"A new class of trainees is graduating soon."

"Yeah, so?"

"There'll be new blood in the Corps. If you don't want other squad leaders snatching them up—"

"No," Levi told him flatly. "Did Erwin put you up to this? I already told him I don't want a squad." He turned back to his horse, combing the stiff brush through her beautiful, dark-brown hair.

"You should consider it. Even for people with our skills, flying solo isn't the best option. You, too, need people watching your back out there."

"So that's why Erwin sent you? You're the only one who comes close enough to me in terms of combat abilities. My mind's already made. I don't want a new squad. And I especially don't want some snot-nosed brats who just graduated."

"Yes, I suppose that makes sense. Maybe you should wait to see if they survive and continue to improve their Titan-slaying skills. No one would say no to serving under you."

"That's not what I meant."

"Still, you should at least consider it." Even though he was one of the few people not even remotely intimidated by Levi, Mike knew he had to tread carefully now, regarding what he was about to say. "You've been going at it alone since your old squad died. But it's been almost a year already."

Levi wanted the conversation to end already and used a reason Mike couldn't really argue with. "My subordinates will have to be better than even our most experienced veterans if they are to keep up with me. It's a waste of my talent to be stuck on babysitting duty during expeditions."

"I guess," Mike admitted, albeit grudgingly. "Still, keep an eye out. Who knows? You might be surprised."

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A sigh.

Petra sat in the large window sill of the library, staring outside to the front of the manor. When is he coming home? She was excited to spend the evening with him, complaining about everything that had annoyed her and sharing the good stuff that had happened, wondering what he had been up to and how the expedition had gone.

When the carriage finally appeared, she perked up, heading out to meet him. It was clear from his expression the expedition didn't go well. Petra decided to forgo the usual greeting kiss and physical contact altogether. "Hey," she said gently. "The gazebo by the pond in the garden is done. It's very peaceful and beautiful. Want me to bring you some tea there?"

"Yeah, sounds nice." Levi's feet led him to the spacious backyard and toward the pond. The gazebo was white and green in color with a brown bench for seating. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed the peace and quiet, interrupted a few minutes later by approaching footsteps and the swish of his wife's skirt.

Petra placed the tray to the right of her. The set was white and bluish-purple with beautiful golden design and trim, a favorite of her husband's. She poured him a cup. "Here."

Levi sniffed it curiously. "Lavender?"

"Yes." She took a sip from her own cup. "How bad was it?" Petra asked after a minute.

"Bad."

Her fingers brushed the skin below a small scrap by his forehead. "What's this?"

"Just a scratch. It's nothing, really."

She offered him an apple strudel. His favorite sweet to eat with afternoon tea, she knew. Normally Levi preferred scones with his morning tea and something saltier or drier with his tea in the evening. But right now, she had a feeling he could use something sweet to eat. He accepted the small treat and ate quietly.

"Do you want me to leave?" Petra knew some people worked through their grief better in solitude.

"No. Stay."

Petra didn't say anything else, only remaining a constant, steady presence beside him.

A few minutes later, Levi broke the comforting stillness that had fallen between them, reaching into his jacket's inner pocket and pulling out some bloody patches. "I took 'em off the bodies."

"Keepsakes?"

"Sort of. Sometimes," Levi said quietly, stroking the patches, "with the men and women I know, if we're unable to retrieve their bodies it's the only thing I can give to their grieving families or loved ones."

"Is it just you?" Petra was a little surprised, and he tilted his head in affirmation. It was such a sweet gesture on his part. She hadn't really thought he was the type to go for such sentimental actions. It was a softer side of him she hadn't seen before and brought a tender smile to her face.

"I'll go tomorrow."

"I can come along," she offered.

Levi considered that for a moment and declined, "No, it's my responsibly. I'm a soldier, an officer in the Corp." Somehow it didn't feel right bringing her along, especially since she wasn't even military. "You're an outsider." It wasn't something she could understand.

Petra knew him well enough not to take offense, understanding what he was trying to say. "You're right. But, you can't carry everything on your shoulders. You'll get tired."

"This part is something I choose to burden myself with."

"Okay. You know," she said after a pause, looking out into the beautiful evening sky, "you can be just Levi with me. Forget about your title and rank and all that." He eyed her curiously as she scooted closer, patting her shoulder. "And I'm your friend, your wife, too, so feel free to lean on me, whenever you need."

Levi was taken back by her words. Leaning on someone else, for support and comfort or just because he could, was something foreign to him. At least in the sense his wife was implying. He trusted his comrades and relied on them to an extent. Although never in an emotional way. Not how Petra was telling him he should with her. Such vulnerability wasn't really part of his nature.

But he felt very content with her next to him and wished for her to remain there. "It's fine. Just stay by my side," he told her. That was more than enough.

"As you wish."

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