Aubrey hurried through the corridors of the castle, anxious to inform Levi of her success. Erwin had placed his trust in her and then sent her back to training after mumbling something about getting back to his paperwork. Aubrey giggled as she remembered how flustered he'd been after she'd embraced him. Apparently, the Commander of the Scout Regiment wasn't used to hugs.
Aubrey smiled as she broke out of the confines of the castle and into the dying sunlight of the day.
The sun was dangling above the horizon and Aubrey realized that training would be ending soon. Hoping to catch Levi before everyone headed for the Mess Hall, Aubrey increased her speed.
Her feet padded against the worn dirt and Aubrey went over a small hill as the training field came into view. However, the smile that had been there just seconds before quickly faded to an expression of aggravation and irritation.
Just below, Flagon was visibly yelling at Levi, though he was still too far off for Aubrey to be able to make out his words. But whatever he was saying, it wasn't good. Levi's muscles were coiled and he looked like he was about to pounce.
If anything, Aubrey was annoyed by Flagon's arrogance. A part of her hoped that Levi hit him, just to make the Captain shut up. But, Aubrey couldn't let that happen. If Levi struck a superior officer, even she couldn't protect him.
Taking off at a brisk walk, Aubrey approached Flagon from behind. Levi saw her coming and she shook her head, signalling to him to ignore Flagon. However, just at that moment, Flagon opened his mouth to spew even more hateful words, along with a raised fist.
"You ignorant punk! Listen to me when I'm speaking!"
Aubrey's eyes widened as Flagon's fist sailed through the air, headed straight for Levi's left cheek.
Frantically, Aubrey leaped forward and gripped Flagon's forearm, bringing his swing to a stop mid-air.
"Captain." Aubrey voice was low and threatening, obvious warning in her tone.
Flagon whipped his head to the side, finally noticing Aubrey's arrival. He was speechless, his mouth opening and closing hopelessly. Aubrey eyes held all the malice in the world and the crushing grip that she held on Flagon's arm was enough to make him stumble back, half out of pain and half out of fear.
"W-What do you want?!" Flagon finally found the courage to speak and attempted to nonchalantly rub his aching forearm.
Aubrey crossed her arms over her chest, her features a mask of cold stone. Heat raged through her body and tightness coiled in her muscles. Flagon had been about to hit Levi and the very idea of the stupid Captain laying a finger on him made Aubrey's bones quake. However, she couldn't allow her fury to erupt: that would only cause more problems. Instead, she put on the emotionless mask that she had perfected over the years. Lately, it had been coming in handy quite often.
"Captain, I suggest that you lower your voice and take a look around you."
Heeding her words, Flagon glanced around him. Several of the other groups had stopped their training to watch the fiasco before them. Many of them had shocked expressions and some were whispering to each other under their breath.
Realizing that his own reputation was at stake, Flagon did as Aubrey had advised and quieted his voice.
"Fine. But you should be in just as much trouble as these three thugs. You ran off against my orders." Flagon was hissing under his breath, his displeasure seeping through with every word.
Aubrey raised a disinterested eyebrow. "I'll have you know that I just went to see Erwin. He's decided that the recruits are to be given a warning with no punishment. They are not familiar with the Corps rules yet and they were sick this morning. They didn't know that they were required to report their illness."
Sore disbelief flickered across Flagon's face before he scoffed. "Going straight to the top, eh? I'll never understand the kind of influence you have over that man. You must be real good in bed, Aubrey."
Aubrey froze. Ice ran through her veins and roots sprouted from her feet, cementing her to her spot. Was that what Flagon thought of her? Was that what everyone thought of her?
Ice turned to flames in an instant and suddenly Aubrey didn't care about the consequences of hitting a superior officer. Flagon was going to get it.
Yet, before she could pull her feet from the roots that held her, Aubrey saw a seething Levi rush past her. Without time to comprehend what was happening, Levi was gripping Flagon's collar, yanking and pulling so forcefully that he was nearly lifting him off the ground.
"What did you just say?" The boiling hatred in Levi's voice was enough to make the hairs on the back of Aubrey's neck raise. She'd never seen anyone so… furious. Levi's eyes were wide, his usually steel colored irises glinting a wild blue in the sunlight. His lips were curled back, exposing those blindingly white teeth that Aubrey had been admiring no more than an hour before. Except, this time, Levi was most definitely not smiling.
Aubrey could sense the pure, unadulterated enmity radiating off Levi's being and it unsettled her. She didn't like seeing him so overwrought.
"L-Let go of me!" Flagon was struggling, grasping and ripping at Levi's arms but Levi didn't even seem to notice. His attention was focused solely on Flagon's face, searching for something invisible to Aubrey.
"How dare you spit such absolute shit." Not an ounce of malice had slipped from Levi's voice and his grip on Flagon's shirt tightened even further.
By now, there were more than just a few whispers in the air. The atmosphere was buzzing with gasps and hushed conversations. Aubrey's eyes shifted slowly as she spotted a single figure making her way through the crowd, looking for the source of the action: Captain Saru.
A flurry of curse words ran through Aubrey's head. Captain Saru was a reasonable woman but it would be hard to explain Levi's death grip on Flagon's collar.
Ripping her feet from the grip of shock, Aubrey pushed herself forward. She approached, frantic on the inside, but doing her best to maintain a calm exterior.
Aubrey placed a firm hand on Levi's chest, pushing gently. "Levi, let him go. He's not worth it."
Levi's fiery eyes shifted to Aubrey but his grip held firm. "Did you hear the shit that this-"
"Levi, please." Aubrey interrupted before he could say something that would only put him even further in the hole. With a bit more force, Aubrey pushed against his chest again, silently pleading with him to let their Captain go.
Levi hesitated. He really didn't want to let Flagon down. He deserved to be beaten to a pulp for what he'd said. And yet, Aubrey's eyes implored him to step away, to be merciful. Her hand on his chest was like a cool pulse, calming his fury and his tense muscles.
A final glance at Aubrey's features was all that Levi needed to make himself step back, grabbing Aubrey's palm with his now free hands and pulling her close to him. At the moment, no invisible boundaries were going to stop him from keeping her at his side.
Though he had released Flagon from his grasp, Levi was still fuming. Aubrey could feel his body shaking next to her and his grip on her hand was a bit too tight to be comfortable.
Throwing their 'rules' out the window, Aubrey moved in front of Levi, blocking his view of Flagon. Aubrey weaseled herself out of Levi's clutches and brought her hands up to place her palms on both sides of his face. Gently, she pulled his forehead down to meet hers. Fire erupted where their skin touched but Aubrey found it a welcome distraction from the disaster around them.
"Levi… calm down."
Levi's fists clenched so tightly that his nails broke the skin of his palms. "How can I be calm after that?" His words came out as a low and breathy growl.
Aubrey sighed, flipping one of her hands over to stroke Levi's cheek. "This is not the time to be angry. You can do that later. For now, trust me and calm yourself."
Levi's breaths shuddered in and out as his mind churned. Every fiber of his being told him to push Aubrey behind him and pummel Flagon to the ground. But Aubrey was asking for his trust… and something about the trust between them was becoming unbreakable. He couldn't fathom denying her and so, reluctantly, Levi nodded and began steadying his breaths.
"Oi! What's going on over here?!" Captain Saru's powerful voice rang through the field and demanded the attention of all who heard it.
Giving Levi's cheek one last stroke, Aubrey turned herself around, pressing her back against his chest.
"Saru! Get your ass over here and help me with these-"
"We had a simple disagreement, Captain. I am sorry for the turmoil it has caused." Aubrey cut Flagon short before he could continue his blind rage but it only shifted his attention to her.
Stomping over to close the short distance between them, Flagon leaned down close to Aubrey's face, his breath hitting her skin.
Sensing what was coming next, Aubrey reached behind her and squeezed Levi's arm, asking once again for his trust. He tensed and Aubrey heard him grunt angrily, but he didn't make any sort of movement.
"Listen here, Aubrey. Your little boyfriend, or whatever he is, just assaulted his superior. Now, I don't care how much influence you have with Erwin, he can't let that slide. I'll be reporting this incident to him immediately and then we'll see who has the real influence." Luckily, Flagon was speaking quietly, his voice low and threatening. While his intention was probably to be more intimidating, Aubrey was just happy that he couldn't be heard by anyone else.
"And will you also be reporting to Erwin that you implied I am sleeping with him? What about the part where I had to stop you from striking a subordinate over a silly argument?" Aubrey raised a mocking eyebrow and Flagon's face paled. The idiot hadn't even thought about the consequences of his own actions. "Back off, Flagon. If you do that, nobody gets any punishment."
Flagon gritted his teeth and set his jaw, animosity flaring in his eyes. After another pause of consideration and hesitation, he finally acquiesced, stepping back and crossing his arms over his chest. Aubrey scoffed. He looked like he was pouting.
"I asked what was going on here?"
Aubrey turned to see a now very near Captain Saru. Her face held a disinterested expression and her hands were placed on her hips. Dark circles hung under her eyes and her lips were set in a slight frown. The poor woman looked exhausted. For a brief moment, Aubrey forgot her anxiety and felt sorry for her. As Captain of the Special Operations Squad, she had nearly as much paperwork as Erwin.
Shaking her head clear, Aubrey returned to the present and answered her superior. "As I said, Captain, we had a silly disagreement. It has been resolved now. Thank you for your concern." Aubrey bowed her head and gave a firm salute.
Saru sighed and shifted her focus to her fellow Captain. "Flagon, is this true?" Her voice was bored and drained.
Aubrey held her breath. Flagon's answer would determine the outcome of this entire situation.
"Yes. These shitwadds were late getting back from lunch and I gave their asses a good talking to."
Saru raised an eyebrow. "Is that all?"
Aubrey could see distrust hidden in her eyes but apparently Saru didn't care enough to pry any further. "Well, fine then. Less work for me."
Saru turned on her heel and walked off, back to wherever she had come from.
Aubrey released the breath she had been holding. The majority of their fight was over. Now she just had to hope that nobody in the crowd ratted them out. Most of the regiment had seen Levi grab Flagon, but they had also heard Flagon dismiss it in front of Captain Saru. Aubrey hoped that would be enough to deter any tattle tales.
Stepping forward, Aubrey addressed the final tension in the air. "Flagon."
Flagon shifted his stance just enough to send her a cold glare. "What now?"
Aubrey sighed. "Whether we like it or not, this is still a squadron. Because of that fact, I am willing to forget what you said earlier."
"Aubrey!" Levi's angered voice rang out behind her and Aubrey turned, raising a finger in a silent request for him to be patient.
Levi shifted his stance and muttered something unintelligible under his breath, but made no move forward.
Aubrey returned her attention to her Captain. "But… from now on you will treat these three with the utmost respect. They are members of this squad and no matter how you feel about them, they offer this regiment a considerable amount of strength. So, for once, try thinking before you speak and be civil."
Flagon was too astonished by Aubrey's bold words to answer and so she took the opportunity to restore the oxygen to her lungs with a deep breath before continuing.
"As for me… if you ever disrespect me in that manner again, I will personally see to it that you regret it for the rest of your days. No Erwin involved. Understand?"
Aubrey did her best to maintain her calm facade but she sensed that her anger was beginning to seep through the cracks. Waiting as patiently as she could, Aubrey watched as Flagon's expression flickered from one to the next. Aubrey was fairly sure that it was mostly just a roundabout of anger, humiliation, and possibly fear, but eventually, Flagon arrived at a stopping point. With a huff, he turned and grunted.
"Whatever. Just get your asses back to your training."
Aubrey sighed, feeling the embers of her fury melt away. That was truly the best she would ever get from Flagon.
Relieved that Flagon hadn't objected to her orders, Aubrey returned to Levi, eyeing him in an attempt to read his feelings. However, Levi had put on his familiar cold mask and his features were set into hard stone. Isabel and Furlan, on the other hand, had a mixture of expressions. Aubrey realized that the shocked look they usually held after she touched Levi was no longer quite as prominent, but their faces held plenty of other emotions. Both of them looked angered yet somehow calm, as if they were feeling their fury totally but holding themselves back. Their gazes were trained solely on Levi, awaiting his response.
Aubrey shifted her attention back to their leader. Levi was staring her down, his gaze smoldering and intense, his eyes being the only part of his face that gave away any kind of feeling.
Aubrey faltered. Should she reinstall their boundaries? The thought caused a twinge of pain in Aubrey's chest. She knew it was for the best and yet she still couldn't bring herself to be happy about their separation.
Scanning Levi's features one last time, Aubrey decided she would allow herself one last indulgence. Then she would go right back to the rules. Besides, Aubrey thought Levi needed some serious reassurance before he snapped someone's neck.
Aubrey reached out and grabbed one of Levi's hands, lacing his fingers with hers and bringing their hands up into the small space between their bodies. Gently, Aubrey raised her other hand to brush stray strands of ebony hair out of Levi's glinting eyes.
"I can tell that you are upset but now is still not the time to show it. We have training to get through. It's only a couple more hours… then you can go… break something or whatever." Aubrey gave a sad laugh at her choice of words. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't picture stone-cold Levi taking his anger out on a poor, inanimate object.
Levi remained silent except for the firm squeeze that he gave her hand. Aubrey gratefully returned the pressure, acknowledging that it was his way of agreeing. She gave him a small smile that quickly turned to a frown. She would have to let go now.
"I'm sorry, Levi. I don't seem to be very good at adhering to our rules. I'll stop now."
Reluctantly, Aubrey stepped back, pulling her fingers from Levi's grasp and leaving one last gentle stroke across his forehead. If she weren't sure that her mind was playing tricks on her, Aubrey would have sworn that Levi's body moved forward as she pulled away, his hand twitching to grab her retreating one. But just as quickly as the movement had come, it was gone, and Aubrey was left with a cold and icy feeling wherever her previously burning skin had been touching Levi.
Pushing aside the hole that was forming in her chest, Aubrey plastered on a fake smile and spoke to the three recruits. "Right, well, I'm very sorry about the Captain. He was out of line and his actions were uncalled for. Please accept my apologies on behalf of the Scout Regiment."
Aubrey received nothing but blank stares from all of them and so she awkwardly continued.
"On a better note, I spoke with Erwin and he has pardoned all three of you. Though, you probably already figured that out…" Aubrey rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly and let her eyes fall to the ground. Attempting to lift the crushing atmosphere, Aubrey gave a lighthearted laugh. "So that means no stable duty for you! Anyway, we have to get back to training so we should go…"
Silence hung in the air and Aubrey suddenly became very aware that most of the Regiment was still watching her every movement. No one was speaking or whispering anymore, just staring at her with awe. She figured that it probably had something to with the fact that she had just publicly told off and threatened her Captain in addition to the fact that she had just given such a display of affection to the scary new recruit. But it wasn't the attention itself that bothered Aubrey, it was the gnawing worry that someone would report the day's events to Erwin. She really didn't want to have that conversation with him.
Luckily, at the moment, it didn't seem like any superior officers were in the vicinity. Saru had retreated back to her squad and promptly entered the forest and the rest of these soldiers were meandering underclassmen hoping to buy time before getting back to training after lunch.
"Let's go then." To Aubrey's surprise, it was Levi who broke the tense silence. He covered the short distance between them with a few confident strides and gave her a reassuring nod. "Lead the way."
Aubrey's smile shifted from fake to genuine and she did her best to send him a thankful glance before nodding back. Pivoting on her heel, Aubrey followed in the direction that Flagon had left. She could see him sulking next to a bored looking Kate in the distance. Aubrey sighed. It would be awkward for quite a while but it was necessary that they get through it. Eventually, everything would go back to normal, even if normal wasn't all that great.
Steeling herself for what was to come, Aubrey hardened her gaze and prepared for what would seem to be the two most life-sucking hours of her existence.
A/N: OKAY, Y'ALL. I FEEL MY MOTIVATION TO WRITE STARTING TO WANE SO PLEAAASSSSEEE LEAVE ME A COMMENT. Nothing motivates me more :) I'm currently rewatching AOT to try and get some inspiration but COMMENTS NEVER HURT. PLEASE, I AM A COMMENT PIG.
Okay, moving on to the actual chapter. This was kind of a transition chapter but I think that the next couple of installations will be JUICY so get hyped. Also, I have a question for you guys… Do you think that Levi is out of character in this fic? I've been writing him as a bit more "loose" and "hot-headed" than he might be portrayed in the anime but that's because of the time period. Levi is still very young here and probably hasn't matured to be quite as stoic as he is in the canon AOT universe. Also, he has yet to go through many of the traumatic experiences that will have happened to him by the time he reaches the canon AOT time period. Anyway, I genuinely wanted to know if you think that he's out of character? I'm trying to make this fic as well-written as possible and an unrealistic version of Levi is NOT what I want. Let me know what you think. It would be greatly appreciated :)