Training was slow and agonizing. To Aubrey, every second felt like an eternity and even the feeling of the summer breeze in her hair didn't grant her a reprieve. Today was standard 3DMG training and the endless drills of formations and battle tactics had Aubrey's mind wandering to more important things. Or maybe just one important thing.

Aubrey had spent the entire morning distracted and her peers had started to notice. Kills that were usually done flawlessly were just a bit on the shallow side and responses to commands were just a bit delayed. Kate had been the first to address Aubrey's inattentiveness but Aubrey had simply brushed it away, muttering something about having a headache and not getting enough sleep.

After the endless amounts of flipping, dodging, jumping, and drilling, lunch time finally arrived and, for the first time in a very long while, Aubrey felt scared. Levi had yet to show his face or grace her with his presence and Aubrey had grown really and truly scared for his well-being. He could have been hurt, dying, bleeding. Or maybe he had run away and she would never see him again. Or maybe he was really just being an idiot and ditching training. No matter what the real situation was, it didn't change the fact that Aubrey could feel a gaping hole in her chest. Her fear of the unknown was eating her from the inside out and she could feel both her energy and her patience draining with each passing minute.

Aubrey inhaled deeply, focusing on patching the pit in her heart. She needed to find Levi. It was now or never and if it was going to be now she needed to be focused and centered.

Closing her eyes, Aubrey allowed herself one long pause to ground herself. She needed her emotions gone. The hole in her chest just wouldn't do and in a situation like this, her childhood lessons would come in handy. Feelings were messy, subjective, and in some situations, such as this one, unnecessary. At this moment, Aubrey had a clear mission with a clear goal. She would count to three and when she opened her eyes, she would have only her objective in mind and nothing would be clouding her judgement. She would be logical and clear, but most of all she would be emotionless.

One.

Two.

Three.

Aubrey inhaled and snapped her eyes open. Her feet moved forward immediately and she moved through the crowd of soldiers precisely, avoiding bumping any of them as they made their way to the Mess Hall for lunch. Aubrey vaguely registered Kate calling after her but she kept her eyes straight ahead. The dark-haired girl was the least of her concerns at the moment.

Aubrey's steps were determined as she made her way to the most obvious location that Levi could be hiding in. The place to start was the barracks. Aubrey didn't really give a second thought to entering the male dorms. Everyone was at training, so it wasn't like there would be anyone to stop her.

Aubrey moved hurriedly but meticulously along the dirt path and stopped only to throw open the door of the wooden building. She scoffed. No one had even bothered to lock the door.

Aubrey stepped in, following the route to Levi's room that she had taken only once before. She'd taken care to memorize the way last time. She had figured it might come in handy to know where the troublemaker resided and she had been right.

Easily navigating the twists and turns of the hallways, Aubrey finally came upon the room she had been searching for. Without hesitation, she reached for the brass knob and turned it, flinging open the door with enough force to make it smack against the inner wall with a loud crack.

It didn't take long for Aubrey's eyes to land on the two people within. Furlan was sitting on the bed to the right, the sheets perfectly folded without a single wrinkle except for the ones that formed around where he put pressure on the bed. On the other side of the room, Isabel sat in nearly the exact same position, the only difference being that she had one foot propped up on the knee of her opposite leg. Aubrey took a moment to notice the bucket of suds in the corner as well as the strong scent of bleach in the air. They'd been cleaning.

Aubrey strode into the room and turned to address Furlan first.

"Where is he?" Her voice was apathetic and monotone and her question was almost more like a statement.

"Huh?" Furlan, who had previously been too shocked to react to Aubrey's dramatic entrance, stood abruptly and stepped toward her. He towered over her small frame but Aubrey didn't waver in the slightest as she reworded her question.

"Where is Levi?"

Furlan's expression twisted from one of confusion to one of anger and annoyance.

"Now, look here. You don't just get to come barging in here and demand to kn-"

"He went for a walk."

Both Aubrey and Furlan turned to look at Isabel who was still in the exact same position but had added a disinterested stare to the mix.

"He left this morning after telling us that this room had better sparkle like the stars by the time he got back. But being the butt that he is, he didn't mention when that would be or where he was going, so I can't help you there."

Aubrey nodded toward her as a sign of thanks and stepped away from Furlan. The blond man now seemed to be frozen in place in a dumbfounded shock as he stared down his friend. His eyes screamed betrayal and Aubrey knew that Isabel would be getting a firm talking to the second she left. Unluckily for Isabel, that didn't take long. Aubrey turned on her heel and exited the room just as quickly as she'd entered it, the clack of her boots echoing through the hallways of the barracks as she continued to think.

A walk, huh? Could it really be…?

Aubrey had an idea and she wasn't wasting any time starting the next step of her search. Aubrey found herself once again on the dirt path that weaved through the Scout Regiment campus. But this time, she didn't take the obvious road to the castle and instead veered off for an all too familiar detour. She headed for the treeline, moving briskly and decidedly, her mind set only on reaching her destination as efficiently as possible. The weeds whipped Aubrey's ankles as she stomped along the overgrown trail that led deeper into the forest.

After a few more minutes of trekking through countless forms of greenery, Aubrey finally stepped into the clearing she had been so adamantly searching for.

It didn't take her long to find what she was looking for.

Levi was sitting on the grass of their peninsula, the wind ruffling his charcoal hair and pushing the strands into his eyes. He had one arm extended to the side and pushed into the ground as it propped him up and into his seated position. His legs were stretched out and crossed effortlessly in front of him while his other hand held the very same book that she had caught him with a few days before.

For just a moment, Aubrey felt her mental state falter. He was so gorgeous that she could hardly take it. He was wearing his military uniform but the 3DMG straps were absent and his jacket had been splayed out underneath him like a blanket separating him from the dirt beneath him. The light grey, long-sleeved shirt that he wore clung to his torso and put his hardened muscles on display. And as if that wasn't already enough, Levi's skin glistened in the patches of sunlight that made their way through the branches of the trees and he had an almost ethereal glow.

Aubrey felt her breaths coming faster but she quickly reeled herself back in and returned to her emotionless state. She had a mission to complete. It was absolutely necessary that she get Levi back to the training field and come up with a valid excuse for him before Flagon could get carried away and report to Erwin. Aubrey was going to get him back to the castle even if it meant she had to drag him there.

Aubrey continued her walk forward and rapidly approached Levi. She was sure that he was aware of her presence by now but he didn't show it. He simply stayed perfectly still, his only movement being his eyes scanning the pages of his book.

When Aubrey reached him, she didn't hesitate. Reaching down, she wrapped her hand around Levi's wrist and yanked, pulling him up from the ground and his book falling to the earth. Immediately, she turned, still gripping his forearm, and began hauling him back in the direction she'd come from while fighting against his grunts of resistance.

"Oi!" Levi finally acknowledged her existence and began trying to get her attention through words.

However, Aubrey didn't respond. She was still in her detached state and his yell went in one ear and out the other. She could hear him but his protests did not even register in her brain.

"Hey, brat, let go of me!"

Again, Aubrey disregarded his defiance and continued. She had to admit though, she wasn't making much progress. Levi was physically stronger than her and her attempts to drag him were failing horribly. Even with all of her might, Aubrey could only get him to take the occasional step forward.

"Oi, what is wrong with you?!"

The words rang through the air and suddenly a chill crept across Aubrey's body. She felt something break within her. Her hard facade cracked unexpectedly and suddenly a pained and hurt expression covered her face.

Aubrey unintentionally loosened her grip on Levi's arm and he snatched back his wrist in an instant, rubbing the spot where Aubrey had left a red mark. Levi stared down at the hand-shaped imprint on his skin and vaguely wondered how a girl of Aubrey's size could have such incredible strength. Even when she had been dragging him, he'd had to fight back with all his might in order to avoid being taken against his will.

However, his awe was interrupted when he noticed the look on Aubrey's face. Her features were scrunched up and twisted as if she'd just been suckerpunched. Levi felt panic rise within him. Was she hurt? Had he hurt her? He didn't remember doing anything that could have caused her pain. He'd only snatched his hand back.

"Everything."

Levi observed Aubrey, confused. Her shoulders were slouched forward and she'd spoken so softly that he wasn't really sure she'd spoken at all.

"What?"

Aubrey continued to speak just barely above a whisper, her tone broken and lost. "Everything is wrong with me."

Levi paused, processing her words. When they finally set in, he grimaced as he realized his mistake. He'd hurt her, but not in a physical way. Levi reached out to her, intending to lay his hand on her shoulder but his plan failed when Aubrey came to him instead. Gently, she took his left arm into her hands, twisting it ever so carefully and examining the mark she had left with a sad expression.

"Levi… I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you…"

For a moment, Levi found himself unable to speak. The expression on Aubrey's face was enough to tell him that his careless words had struck a deep nerve, and yet, she was only concerned about him. She was now stroking the angered patch of skin on his wrist with a tenderness that Levi had never experienced before and it left him breathless. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to comfort her or how to apologize. He wasn't even sure if saying sorry would make things better or worse. Very few times in his life had he ever felt the need to comfort someone. But seeing Aubrey so beaten and broken made an ache form in his chest.

"Oi, you're not the one who did the hurting, here." Levi spoke as strongly and surely as he could and slowly moved his free hand to capture Aubrey's wrist, effectively stopping her intensive inspection of the mark she had left.

He pulled her closer until he could feel the heat emanating off her skin. He tried to catch her eye but Aubrey had glued her gaze to the ground. Using his free hand, Levi placed a finger under Aubrey's chin and gave a gentle tug, silently asking her to meet his eyes. At first, she resisted but when he asked again, giving the soft pull on her jaw, she gave in and raised her stare to meet his.

Levi looked down into Aubrey's somber eyes. They quivered under his scrutiny and he felt as though he could see her spirit being crushed within her. Levi opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He was at a loss for words, but then again, he'd never been good with them in the first place. Instead, Levi figured that he would use his strengths to his advantage. He'd always been good with actions, so that's what he would try.

Carefully, Levi dragged his hand up from under Aubrey's chin and cupped her cheek. At first, she looked a bit shocked but her widened eyes and parted lips quickly melted into a more hungry expression as she pressed her head against Levi's palm.

Now it was his turn to be shocked. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but Aubrey's positive response left him feeling a little caught off guard. He didn't really know what to do next but he tried to allow his instincts to take over. Hesitantly, Levi brought Aubrey's captured hand to his chest and then continued to wrap his now free arm around her back, pulling her into an awkward embrace. He'd never been big on physical affection and this was the best he could do.

Levi was sure that Aubrey could hear the pounding of his heart against his ribcage as she pressed her face into his chest. Trying his best to move slowly and softly, Levi removed his hand from Aubrey's cheek and placed it on the back of her head, holding her to him and allowing his fingers to tangle into her silver strands. After exhaling deeply in a feeble attempt to calm his racing heart, Levi lowered his head and allowed his chin the rest on Aubrey's hair.

Oddly enough, the fire wasn't quite as intense as he would have expected it to be. Rather than flashing its all-consuming bursts of electricity it was dull and low. The previously ravenous fire had turned to a low pulse, almost an ache wherever their bodies touched. Which was almost everywhere.

The two of them stayed there for a long while, neither of them really knowing what their embrace symbolized or meant but not really caring enough to figure it out. Both of them were simply happy to have the contact, the support, the care of another human being.

Aubrey listened as the warm breeze rustled the leaves of the ancient trees around them. The calming sounds of the swaying water and the chirps of the summer birds were enough to begin to bring her back to reality. She had let her past come forward. Levi's words had broken through her barricades and walls that she had spent so much time and effort to build. What is wrong with you… Aubrey felt another pang of pain as she repeated the words in her mind. If only he knew…

The warmth of Levi's embrace held her together and she began clutching at his shirt desperately, afraid that, without him, she would fall to pieces. Oddly enough, Aubrey held no feelings of contempt against him. His words hadn't been aimed at hurting her necessarily, it had just been his strange assholey manner. There was no way that Levi could have known the effect his speech would have on her. She didn't blame him for her pain, only herself. She'd let her barriers crumble so easily and just because it was him. She had let herself become too vulnerable and now she was paying the price.

"Aubrey..." Levi's smooth voice broke Aubrey from her stupor of self-hatred.

Suddenly, Aubrey felt Levi begin to pull away from her and she realized that she desperately needed him to stay. The support of his arms was the only thing keeping her from shattering on the ground. She needed him to hold her, to hold her together.

"Wait!" Aubrey's voice was low and breathy but the urgency was clear as she yanked on the cloth of Levi's shirt, trying to pull him back to her. "Please… don't let go yet…"

Levi was a bit stunned and a bit bewildered but he listened to Aubrey's request. He was in no position to deny her. As gently as he could manage, he retightened his arm around her back and let his chin drop back down to her head.

Just as Levi was beginning to think about how he should put his apology into words, Aubrey spoke up, her voice muffled as she continued to rest her cheek on Levi's chest.

"I'm sorry, Levi."

Levi felt another rush of alarm and annoyance go through him. He obviously hadn't been clear enough that he was the sorry one.

"Oi, my arm is fine. You need to stop sayi-"

"I'm not talking about your arm, Levi." Levi was caught off guard by her interruption and he picked up his head to look down at her.

"What do you mean, brat?"

Aubrey sighed and Levi felt her body quiver in his arms. Her breaths were shallow and he could feel her leaning on him for support. He was worried, he realized. Aubrey had always come across as so unshakeable, so resilient, and he had never imagined he would see her like this.

"I'm sorry that I do this… I-I… I never thought that I would… lose control."

Aubrey's stuttered sentences weren't helping Levi to understand in the slightest. If anything, he was only getting more confused.

"You're not making sense, Aubrey."

Aubrey inhaled deeply and took a moment before lifting her head from Levi's chest. She wanted to look him in the eyes while she spoke to him and she was starting to feel the pieces of her soul fuse back together. She would still need Levi close, but she could stand on her own now.

Taking a step back, Aubrey allowed her hands to fall to her sides and Levi followed suit. He looked somewhat relieved but Aubrey didn't know why. Perhaps he was just happy that he didn't have to hug her anymore?

"Listen, Levi." Aubrey gathered her thoughts and spoke with a sureness that she didn't know she possessed. "We keep doing whatever this is and it's not helping either of us. I don't know about you, but I'm confused, I'm frustrated, and I'm angry, but most of all, I'm vulnerable. Something about you in particular has thrown me through a loop and I can't seem to unwind myself. Every time I'm around you, hell, every time someone even mentions you, my brain goes haywire. I can't think straight! I get mad when someone insults you, I get excited by your touch, and then I have a breakdown in your arms! What is that, Levi?! Because I don't know and it scares me!"

Aubrey took another deep breath. Her heart was pounding as her emotions twisted around within her, but she wasn't done yet. "We need to sort this out. Now. Because… I don't think I can take it much longer." Aubrey wrapped her arms around herself, squeezing the ache in her chest. She was starting to shatter again, but this time she would hold herself together.

Levi was dumbfounded. He'd never pictured Aubrey going on a rant, but then again, he'd never really pictured her having a breakdown, either. His brows furrowed and he tried to calmly think about where to begin. Whatever he did, he knew he had to speak soon. Aubrey was shivering but he knew it wasn't from the warm summer air.

After a slight pause, he finally spoke. "Well then I guess we should start with what happened yesterday. But first, sit your ass down. You look like you're about to fall the fuck over."

Aubrey shot him a dazed glance but, to Levi's surprise, she followed his orders and folded her legs underneath her on the grass. Levi wasn't far behind as he reluctantly set himself down on the ground, very aware of the dirt and filth beneath him. He faced her, staying close just in case she couldn't support herself even in a sitting position.

Aubrey eyed him. "Talk."

Levi felt his own eyes go cold. He wasn't comfortable with this sort of thing at all.

"Tch. I'm… sorry that I left you in the hallway."

Aubrey arched an eyebrow. "That's it?"

Levi sensed an angered flush cover his cheeks. "Well what the fuck do you want me to say?"

Aubrey returned his sentiment with a frustrated speech of her own. "Goddamn it, Levi! You tried to kiss me yesterday and I want to know why!"

Levi had started fuming. He was feeling such a flurry of emotions that it was becoming very difficult for him to keep his usually stoic expression. He could feel blood rushing to his cheeks in what he thought was embarrassment and frustrated fire swirled in his chest. He clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palms in an attempt to control himself. Apparently, it worked because he managed to speak without an overwhelming amount of bitterness in his tone.

"I already told you why."

Aubrey's mind flashed back to the last time they had been at this very same pond. The memory seemed like it was from weeks ago rather than just yesterday. Just yesterday, Levi had told her that he "liked her", though Aubrey didn't really feel like that was the answer she was looking for. Liking someone was different than pinning them against a wall outside the Mess Hall and liking someone didn't mean avoiding them for the whole morning afterward.

Aubrey sighed, trying to find a way to iterate what she was thinking.

"Levi, why did you miss training this morning? I was really worried about you…" Perhaps Aubrey would find some answers in his reasons for his avoidance.

Levi leaned forward, bringing one of his knees up and laying an arm out to rest on it. His head turned downward as he prepared himself to speak. He had been expecting this question eventually but the thought of answering it made the knot in his chest grow tighter.

"Because I can't be close to you."

Aubrey attempted to meet his gaze but Levi kept his eyes plastered to the ground. His body language had taken a complete shift. His back was arched and slumped and his head curved down. He looked defeated in a sense.

"What do you mean?"

Without moving, Levi replied. "I can't afford to care about you. It's simply not an option. I have enough shit on my plate as it is. I can't do this."

Levi managed to finish without revealing his inner turmoil; his voice had remained steady. But he knew that the battle wasn't over yet. He sat still, patiently awaiting Aubrey's response, which was destined to be one of hurt or offense.

"I feel the same."

That had not been what the answer he was expecting. Levi's eyes flashed up to meet Aubrey's. To his surprise, she didn't look upset at all. In fact, she looked relieved. Levi's eyebrows furrowed. What he'd said hadn't exactly been uplifting, yet Aubrey looked as if she'd had a huge weight taken from her shoulders. Her green eyes shone with a new sense of reprieve and her posture had relaxed into a casual position with her arms extended behind her, supporting her frame.

"What?"

Aubrey shot him a gentle smile, attempting to ease his racing mind. "I feel the same. I also can't afford to care about you and I also have enough shit on my plate."

Levi continued to be stunned. He didn't know what to think, let alone say and so he just ended up staring at her, mouth slightly agape.

Aubrey chuckled. His reaction was quite amusing and for a moment, his scrunched face brought a smile to her face. However, her joy was short-lived as she realized that Levi would be expecting some kind of explanation for her words. A frown graced her lips as she began to speak.

"Levi…" Taking a deep breath, Aubrey gathered her thoughts and finished. "I've… lost people… in the past. They were everything to me and I… I failed to protect them. So, when it comes to you… I can't afford to let this happen. Because, if I do, and I lose you, I don't think that I'd be able to come back from it again."

Aubrey lifted one arm from the ground behind and brought it to her chest, holding her heart as she felt physical pain shoot through it. Just the mention of her former friends was enough to make her eyes sting with tears. But the thought of Levi joining them in being only fragments of her memory… it was enough to cause her whole body to seize up and cower in fear. She had to stop this now. If he died now, it would have a detrimental effect on her. But if she let it go further, if she let this become more than it already was… if she moved to make him hers, she was sure that his death would leave her crippled beyond recovery.

"Tch. You'd never lose me. At least, I'd never die at the hands of those man-eating shitholes if that is what you're referring to?"

Aubrey's eyes swiveled upward to meet Levi's. His gaze was sure and steady, not a sliver of uncertainty anywhere in his steely stare.

"How can you be so sure? You've never been out there, you've never seen what those things can really do." Aubrey gave him a serious stare. He was underestimating the strength of the monsters that lay beyond the walls.

"I've survived too much just to get eaten."

Aubrey watched as Levi's eyes took on a sheen of sorrow. As Aubrey had suspected, he'd seen more of the darkness in the world than the light.

"Hm… if only it were that easy." Aubrey glanced up and toward the sky where she examined the fluffy, white clouds that graced the sky.

"It is that easy, brat."

Aubrey sighed and closed her eyes but kept her face toward the sky. The sunlight felt nice on her skin.

"Well, what should we do then?" Aubrey spoke softly and quietly, whispering into the passing breeze. "We can't be around each other and yet, I don't think I can stay away from you, either."

Levi scoffed at his predicament. As much as hated to admit it, he felt the same way. Letting her get close to him wasn't an option but the thought of letting her go was equally as torturous.

"Well, I can think of somewhere in the middle."

Aubrey finally turned her head back in order to see his face, her silver hair tumbling down and around her shoulders.

Levi inhaled sharply. The sun was flickering across her features, casting shadows and contours across her face. She was mesmerizing.

He barely managed to choke out his offer. "Friends?"

Aubrey giggled and flashed him a blindingly bright smile before nodding. "Friends."

A/N: OooOOooO! How do we feel about the supposed "friend zone"? Considering the fact that this a love story, I can assure you that we'll move past it eventually but hOw abOUt thAt CONVERSATION? The truest form of romance is a good convo. Mmmm hm. Anyway, I'm sorry that this chapter went up a bit later but it ended up being longer than I had anticipated. I really hope that you enjoyed reading and PLEASE leave a comment! I have been LOVING interacting with all of you. Thank you for all of the support!