Prompt: Respect
Characters: Auruo, Petra and Eren (slight AU where the Levi Squad didn't die)
Rating: K
"C'mon, you pathetic greenhorn, you should know the drill by now," Auruo rolled his eyes in annoyance at Eren's question regarding the upcoming recon mission, "Do I really need to show you this again?"
Eren's eyebrows scrunched and he frowned, his eyes dropped to the grass and his shoulders hunched as he took the scolding in silence.
"I...I'm sorry, Auruo, I just can't seem to get the hang of it," he said quietly, apologetically.
Auruo sighed heavily and shook his head slowly.
"I swear to god, kid," he muttered and nodded his head towards the makeshift training area Eld and Gunther had set up. Eren followed a few paces behind, his head hung in shame at having to ask Auruo to show him this maneuver for what was likely the twentieth time since he'd been assigned to the Special Operations Squad.
Auruo took his starting position near a group of dummy "Titans" and scowled over his shoulder at his eager, yet silent spectator.
"Now pay attention this time," he snapped, "If you can't figure it out then I'm done wasting my time with this shit!"
Eren nodded and Auruo let out a "tch" worthy of Levi himself before he started off at a run, launching himself up and onto the first dummy's back. He used the taller dummy's "back" as another launch point and flung himself skyward above the smaller dummy, backflipped at the right moment and hit the gas at the top of the arc as he released his right grappling hook from the previous dummy and used the left to guide his very rapid descent towards the large dummy's nape. He twisted at the perfect moment, turning right side up and swinging almost at the exact same time, cutting a deep gash in the padding. He released the other grappling hook and grabbed onto the Titan's hair, coming to a stop on its shoulder.
"At this point you can ride it down as it falls if you cut deep enough, or you can hook into a solid surface and swing down." And he did that since the dummy was not designed to fall, he landed gracefully and shook his shaggy ash-blonde hair out of his eyes as he sheathed his blades.
Auruo made it look easy, like it was nothing at all to perform the feat. Eren felt himself tense up as Auruo walked back over to him, looking bored and smug as he usually always did.
"Your turn, kid," he said, jerking his thumb back at the dummies, "Show me you're not completely incompetent."
Eren bit his bottom lip as he approached the spot where his teacher had started off from, he ran the maneuver over and over in his mind as he stood there and prepared to run at the first "Titan". Right...lock on, launch off the first Titan's back and use a bit of gas to get enough height, let the momentum of the wires to pull you back into the arc, unhook one hook, gas again and twist on the way down so you're ready to strike when you reach the dummy. Don't follow through your descent and remain on the Titan's back. Got it.
And off he went! He threw himself into the air and shot out his grappling lines to the taller dummy and swung up, feeling good about doing it right this time! One way or another, he was going to get it down and show his comrade that he wasn't a failure! As he went up into the arc, he felt his heart leap in excitement, he was getting the arc right this time and he released his hook and hit the gas...but he knew as soon as he started to descend that he hadn't started to twist in time.
WHAM! Eren's body collided loudly and painfully into the padding of the dummy and he slid off the side, dangling by one line with his cloak falling over his head. He scrambled helplessly and attempted to push the material out of his face so he could figure out how to get down. But he froze when he heard the disappointed sigh of Auruo right in his ear and his stomach clenched nervously when his cloak was lifted off his face and he could see his squad mate shaking his head as he held the material in his hand.
"Kid...that was the worst I've ever seen you do," he said, sounding grim, "I don't know how it's possible but you get worse every time you do this instead of better. You should give it up, you just don't have the knack."
He pushed the release on Eren's line and had the kindness of heart to at least catch the kid in his arms and let him down gently instead of just letting him fall on his back in the grass, then he shook his head and turned to walk away. Eren watched him go and felt almost like he wanted to cry...he would never manage to impress Auruo Bossard.
Petra had seen the whole thing from the window of the castle that she was shaking the rugs out through, and she heard ever word that was said...and she did not approve.
Laying the rugs aside for later, Petra ran down the stairs to meet Auruo coming up. She was seething and when she saw the grin on his face when he realized who he was meeting on the stairway she felt the urge to punch it off his face. She resisted and, instead, grabbed him by the front of his shirt and shoved him into the stone of the wall. His utterly shocked expression made her feel a little better...
"Geez, Petra," he said with a wicked grin, "We can't do this right here on the stairs, Eren is gonna be coming in at any..."
"Shut up, you jerk," Petra snapped, not in the mood for his snark. He at least had the presence of mind to realize she was serious because his expression went from teasing to serious in a split second. "I heard everything you said to Eren out there on the practice field."
"How the hell did you hear me?" he cocked an eyebrow and looked doubtful.
"I have VERY good hearing and I had the window open," Petra informed him quickly, not wanting to get off subject. Auruo had a tendency to make her forget her original agendas all the time with his deflective attitude. "Auruo, the things you said to Eren were terrible!"
"Huh? But, Petra, did you even see him out there?" Auruo defended himself quickly, "He was terrible!"
Petra gave him a furious shake and then released her hold on his shirt. He smoothed the scrunched material down and gave her a curious look as he waited for her reply, mentally preparing for her angry words...but her face no longer looked angry, she looked...oh god, she looked...disappointed. He HATED disappointing her!
"Petra..."
"Auruo you make me so mad sometimes," Petra said quietly, "Why do you do this crap?"
"Huh?" What was this?
Petra's head hung and she sighed unhappily.
"I know you better than anyone else on this team, Auruo," she said softly, "I've known you a very long time and I know this isn't the real you."
"I don't..."
"The Auruo I used to know would never tear down his team mate like you just did," Petra continued, not letting him speak, "You need to stop trying to copy Levi because it's making you into an asshole...like worse than ever, Auruo! When Levi says blunt things to us it comes off as encouraging us to improve and letting us know we are capable of better...but you just sound very cruel and hateful."
Auruo, to his credit, remained silent and his brow furrowed thoughtfully and Petra knew she'd struck a chord...now she had to hit it home while he was in this vulnerable state of mind, out from the shadow of his Levi facade.
"I...probably shouldn't tell you this but...Eren spoke to me recently about you," Petra hated to betray Eren's statements made in confidence, but she knew Auruo needed to hear this. "He told me that he feels at home in our squad with everyone except you. He said he feels like you really dislike him and that nothing he does will ever be good enough."
Auruo looked like she'd slapped him in the face, he even visually recoiled from her words.
"But I don't..."
"Shhh! I'm not done!" Petra chided and he started chewing his tongue in an effort to keep himself from speaking, "Remember after the run in with the Female Titan when we were refilling our tanks in the trees? You got up on the branch above Eren and I and stood there all cocky and you told him "Make it back alive and I might be persuaded to respect you"...well he remembers that and he asked me what he did wrong to make you dislike him so much. He is doing everything he can to earn your respect, Auruo."
They both sighed and Auruo looked like he wanted to sink into the wall behind him.
"You know that Eren knew all about us before he was even assigned to our squad?" Petra threw out her final card, "When Levi mentioned the Special Operations Squad he said Eren already knew all our names and our kill counts, solo AND assists. We...we were like his heroes! We still are in a way. He looks up to us all and I know for a fact that he looks up to you the most."
"Me? Why me?" Auruo managed to get in before she could stop him.
"Because you two are very, very much alike!" Petra replied like it was the simplest thing in the world, "You are both determined and stubborn and impetuous and in love with Levi."
"I'm not in lo-...!"
"You both REALLY look up to Levi, ok?" Petra corrected her mistake and continued, "You both take great pride in taking down Titans, it's your entire goal in life! The only difference is he fights for revenge and you fight to protect. Why do you think Eren asks you to show him your moves, Auruo? He wants to learn from you because he thinks you're the best. You've killed almost 50 Titans on your own, you're in the Top Five of the entire Survey Corps for solo kills!"
"Only after Levi, Mike, Hanji and Erwin," Auruo puffed up slightly.
"And only because most of them have been around longer and Levi is just...no one can compare to his kill count so it doesn't matter," Petra found herself praising him before she could stop herself, because she had to admit he was impressive and she couldn't deny that she was as much of a fan of his as Eren. "But the point is...Eren knows this and he wants to learn from you because he wants to fight like you do. Your tricks have kept you alive and he sees that. He's trying so hard to gain your approval and you keep saying stuff like that to him and it's really making him feel like it's pointless to try and impress you."
Auruo rubbed his eyes with his palms and groaned.
"That's...I..."
"Auruo...how often do you even use his name instead of some derisive rookie term?" Petra drove the final nail into the proverbial coffin. "Now go and end that poor boy's misery."
"I can't just march up and tell him I respect him, Petra," Auruo grumbled, "He'll know you told me all this shit. He's not stupid. Look...you're right, about all of it, and I'll fix this, I promise."
"You better," Petra warned, "And you need to drop this stupid act of yours while you're at it."
Auruo pushed away from the wall and gave her a wink before he took off down the stairs.
"One thing at a time, nag!" he called over his shoulder and made a beeline for the front door because he knew Petra would be coming after him once the words sunk in.
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Auruo hid out in the stables for a long time after Petra's rape chat in the stairway in an effort to work the problem out in his mind. He would never admit it, but the horses calmed him down and he could think freely surrounded by the soft nickering and the musty sweet smell of horse and hay.
After a while, he knew he couldn't hide out any longed and he exited the stables and realized he'd been in there longer than he thought...the sun was setting and the sky was streaked with pinks and reds. He knew Levi would chew him out for avoiding chores all day and he figured he would avoid that moment for a while longer so he turned on his heel and walked around the side of the castle instead of going inside. He was walking, but not paying attention to where he was going since he was looking up at the bright colored sky, so he didn't notice where he'd walked to until he saw the huge Titan dummies out of the corner of his eye...and a flash of green against the pink of the sky.
No...
Auruo quickly stepped behind the bushes he was next to so he could watch unseen. Eren was facing the dummies, his sides heaving as he sucked in air, his hand on his knees as he leaned over. He looked tired and discouraged and Auruo thought he might have heard a wet sniffling sound as the kid wiped at his sweat covered face. But then the shaking, clearly exhausted young man's head came up and he bared his teeth in a fierce snarl and let out a yell as he charged forward and threw himself at the fake Titans.
Auruo watched in amazement as the kid put his whole heart into the maneuver...and ended up twisting too late so his cut was barely a nick in the padding. Eren landed and looked up at the dummy with wide eyes and then he sat down hard on the grass and pulled his knees to his chest, wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his face behind them.
He's been...out here practicing all day...and he almost had it that time...if he would just twist at the right time he would have it down pat...
Auruo took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the bushes and walked towards the training field, approaching Eren carefully so as not to scare him. But Eren either didn't hear him coming or he didn't care because he didn't raise his head even when Auruo stood right in front of him.
"Hey, kid," Auruo kicked Eren's foot gently, leaning to one side with his arms crossed over his chest. Eren raised his eyes and the look of discouragement and shame almost made Auruo choke on his next words. "Saw you fail just now."
"I...I know..." Eren admitted sadly, "I'm trying, Auruo...I promise I am. I just...just..."
"Eren," the use of his proper name from Auruo's mouth made the boy suck in a sharp breath and his eyes widened in surprise, "I saw you fail but...you almost had it that time."
Eren looked incredulous, like he couldn't believe what was happening. Auruo sighed and sat down on the grass beside his comrade.
"Look, kid, I was really hard on you earlier," he admitted, "And...I know I've been kind of an asshole to you but that's because I don't believe in coddling, hard knocks are better to learn from and honesty is better than treating you like a baby needing to be spoon fed."
Eren let out a sniffing laugh and his eyes sparked with some emotion Auruo couldn't place.
"Thing is, kid...you keep surprising me. I figured you'd give up, go inside and have some tea and forget about this maneuver, but you've been out here all day, haven't you?"
"Yes," Eren admitted in a voice barely above a whisper, "I...I don't like to give up."
"I noticed," Auruo thought carefully about his next words before deciding it was the right moment, "And...kid, I really think you have amazing potential. You've done something not a lot of people can do...you've got my respect."
Eren's head turned slowly, his eyes wide and full of hope as he stared at Auruo in disbelief.
"I'm serious, Eren," Auruo added the icing on top of his admission, "You're not some ignorant greenhorn anymore, you're a Scout...and a damn good one."
They sat in silence for a long time, until the sun was completely set and the crickets started their night song then Auruo stood up and offered his hand to help Eren up as well, which the boy accepted.
"Tomorrow, I'll walk you through the move step by step and we'll figure out where you're messing up," Auruo said as they walked back to the castle, "Something tells me you'll get it next time."
"If not, I'll keep trying until I do," Eren said confidently, a grin spreading across his face, "Pretty soon I'm gonna catch up to your kill count...and then I'm gonna pass it and leave you in the dust!"
Auruo gave the kid a sneer...but he had a feeling it was the truth so he just rolled his eyes and let it go this time.
From the window above them, Petra looked down with a smile on her face.
"I knew you had it in you, Bossard."
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