Aubrey could have sworn that she felt her soul leave her body several times before training ended. She had been right about the atmosphere being awkward. Flagon had done some strange mixture of barking and mumbling when he gave orders and Levi's stony exterior would occasionally crack to reveal the death glare that he was hiding from the Captain. These incidents would result in Aubrey giving him a warning glance and a light touch on the shoulder which were almost always followed by some sort of teasing comment from a very entertained Kate.
Isabel and Furlan had kept their mouths shut for the most part but Aubrey would periodically catch them staring a hole into the back of the Captain's head. However, she wasn't quite so worried about those two… they seemed to have a pretty good grip on themselves.
As for herself, Aubrey couldn't deny that she felt somewhat trampled and humiliated. Flagon's mention of her supposed influence over Erwin had left her feeling mortified and confused. For the rest of the day she had been left wondering if that was the opinion of the entire regiment. Somehow, she didn't think that could be the case. Aubrey got along well with nearly all of her fellow soldiers and she liked to think that she was generally respected. She always did her best to be upbeat and kind, even if it went against her instilled nature. And while Aubrey didn't have many close friends apart from Erwin and perhaps Hange, she considered all of her comrades important. She knew everyone's name, where they were from, how long they'd been with the Scouts, and what squad they were on. People said hello to her in the Mess Hall and always seemed happy to have the occasional chat. Because of all that, Aubrey just couldn't picture her comrades assuming she was sleeping with their Commander. Surely, if that were the case, she wouldn't receive the inherent respect that she had become accustomed to.
Aubrey was broken from her thoughts when a deafening and familiar ringing filled the air.
The dinner bell.
Aubrey flinched as the sound bounced against her eardrums. It was so obnoxiously loud that she had sometimes considered breaking it in the night in order to force Erwin to find some other kind of signal. She never did, though; she wanted to avoid giving him any extra work.
Even if the cacophonous sound usually caused Aubrey to frown in disgust, today it signified the end of an eternity of torture. And for that reason, she grinned.
"Alright! Pack it up and get outta here!" Aubrey heard Flagon call out the order from somewhere behind her in the forest but she was already on her way to the treeline, flipping and spinning through the dense woodland with a sense of glee. The idea of getting away from Flagon made her heart soar with relief.
Though, perhaps she had been a bit too excited because Aubrey quickly remembered the set of three recruits that she had neglected to escort out of the forest. Slowing her pace, Aubrey glanced behind her. Yet, to her surprise, Levi was right on her tail with Isabel and Farlan trailing closely behind. Another smile graced Aubrey's lips. She'd momentarily forgotten their skill with the 3DMG. It was no wonder that they could keep up with her.
Turning her attention back forward, Aubrey broke through the treeline and gracefully landed in a patch of dying sunlight. The sky glowed a blazing orange, trails of gentle pinks pressing against the pattern of clouds on the horizon. The air grew crisper by the second and Aubrey breathed it in, relishing in the icy feeling that cleared her lungs. After a long day of stress, humiliation, and anxiety, a glimpse of the setting sun was a welcome distraction.
Finally, after a long pause to take in the beauty before her, Aubrey tore her gaze away. Looking to her right, she was surprised to find a familiar trio at her side. All of them looked to be enraptured by the sight before them and Aubrey thought that she could make out just the slightest bit of awe in Levi's features. Isabel appeared as if she were on the verge of tears and Furlan was staring open-mouthed. It was almost like they'd never seen the sun set.
Aubrey's lips turned down and into a deep frown as a crushing realization hit her. It may very well have been the first time any of them had seen such a vivid sunset. Guilt and remorse swept over Aubrey like a tidal wave that never ended. She had never and never would understand the kind of life that the Underground City offered. She could only begin to imagine the shock and adjustment of joining the world above. Aubrey's frown deepened even further. She should have been more aware of this aspect of their adaptation. No wonder Levi was so enamored with the pond.
Holding in a sad sigh, Aubrey waited. Soldiers flowed past them, chatting and giggling as they made their way to the Mess Hall for dinner. Seconds ticked by one after another until Aubrey was sure that the four of them had been standing there for longer than ten minutes, admiring the dying light. Aubrey was determined not to speak: she had no right to take even a single second of that sunset away from them. If she had to, she would wait all night.
"Oi, let's go in." Levi's voice broke the prolonged silence and Aubrey raised her gaze to glance at his face. He looked distant, his eyes somewhat clouded but becoming clearer by the second. She wondered what had finally brought him back to the present.
Aubrey saw Isabel visibly shake her head and Furlan blinked a few times before snapping his half-open mouth closed.
"R-Right." Furlan struggled to form a single word and Isabel only seemed capable of slightly turning in acknowledgement.
Aubrey angled herself toward Levi, who was now staring right at her. His eyes no longer held any of the muddiness they had just a moment before and a chill panged in Aubrey stomach. Those steely eyes always seemed to go right through her.
Not really knowing what to do or say, Aubrey decided to just do as Levi had said. Slowly and hesitantly, she took a step forward. Then another. And another. After a few agonizingly heavy seconds, Aubrey heard footsteps and knew that her company was following.
The four of them continued on quietly, nobody bothering to speak. The chirps of the summer crickets were beginning to fill the air and the breeze rattled the branches of the scattered trees. Aubrey found herself appreciating the feel of the earth beneath her boots for the first time. She'd always taken it for granted.
The silence stretched all the way into the corridors of the castle until finally the clink and clatter of the Mess Hall could be heard. Just before entering the Hall, a question ran through Aubrey's mind. Would she choose to sit with Levi or would she take her usual route and eat with Erwin? Both seemed necessary. She'd been neglecting Erwin recently and after placing his faith in her earlier, she at least owed him dinner. And yet, something told Aubrey that she shouldn't leave Levi alone with his thoughts right about now. Not to mention that wandering farther than ten feet from him caused some sort of magnetic pull in her chest.
But, before Aubrey could mull over her options any longer, a strong pull on her arm knocked her off balance and left her stumbling to the side. Wildly, Aubrey glance up from her now crouched position. There stood Hange, a giddy look in her eyes as she stared down at Aubrey like she was some kind of meat.
Aubrey's stomach dropped to the floor. She'd completely forgotten about her promise to tell Hange her secrets. Her face flushed as she remembered the particular incident that Hange would be prying at.
"You'll sit with me, right?" Hange's voice was maniacal and a shiver ran down Aubrey's spine. Now that she was in Hange's clutches, there was no getting out of the interrogation that was to come.
Sighing, Aubrey gave in. "Yes."
"Yay! Let's go! I already have a table saved just for us!" The light left Aubrey's eyes as she was dragged away but she did her best to shoot Levi an apologetic glance over her shoulder.
Before she knew it, Aubrey was being shoved onto a bench, the old wood creaking under the force. A steaming plate of food was already prepared for her and Hange promptly took a seat beside her, sitting a bit too close for comfort.
Attempting to ease her own anxiety, Aubrey reached for her fork and poked at a few green beans. Hange watched her every move with intense scrutiny and Aubrey found herself becoming more wound up with each passing second. If the tension didn't break soon, she would.
Finally, Aubrey couldn't take it any longer. "So, why didn't I see you at training today?"
"Hmm?" Hange was so lost in her own rampant thoughts that she didn't immediately register what Aubrey had said. "Oh! Commander Erwin gave me special permission to do some research today."
Aubrey's face crinkled in thought. "Research?"
Hange nodded vigorously, obviously excited about whatever topic she had been diving into. "Yes! The Garrison Regiment reported a couple of particularly strange abnormals and I was given the go ahead to take a trip to the wall and observe their behavior."
Aubrey lowered her gaze and nodded. "I see. Did you find out anything interesting?"
Hange's face fell instantly. "Unfortunately, no. There was nothing I could discern from just watching."
Even though it was the answer Aubrey had been expecting, she still felt disappointed. Nobody had ever been able to discern why some titans were abnormal and others weren't. They truly knew next to nothing about the monsters that threatened their existence.
Changing topics, Aubrey decided that she'd rather throw herself into the fire than wait to be pushed. Gathering all of her courage, she took a deep breath and asked the question that would take her to her death.
"So, Hange... what did you want to ask me?"
Instantly, Hange's head snapped up, her glasses glinting in the light and a crazed look entering her eyes. Apparently, the disappointment of her fruitless "research" had been overridden by her interest in Aubrey's situation.
"Ah, yes… Thank you for reminding me."
The tone of Hange's voice made a shiver slip down Aubrey's spine.
"Let's see… where to even begin?"
Aubrey took a deep breath. There was no reason for her to be so nervous. She didn't have to tell Hange anything she didn't want to.
"Well… I'll go with the obvious question first. What had you so overwhelmed that I found you on the floor and unable to walk?"
Aubrey inhaled calmly. She'd been expecting that one. Easy.
"I had an… intense exchange and it left me feeling a bit dazed."
Hange raised a curious eyebrow. "Exchange? With who?"
Aubrey had been expecting that one, too. Although, Hange was coming closer to the kind of question she really didn't want to answer.
"With Levi. We had an argument."
Hange's lips broke into a mischievous smile. "Oh, trouble in paradise, huh?"
Aubrey couldn't help the blush that flared on her cheeks and she leaned away. "What? I don't know what you're talking about. He just… said something rude. That's all."
Allowing locks of her silver hair to fall down, Aubrey attempted to hide her obvious embarrassment.
Hange giggled in her characteristically manic demeanor but her face suddenly fell, revealing a stony and serious expression. Aubrey recoiled a bit, surprised and unsure of what the sudden shift meant.
"Well, I'll leave that alone for now… I have more pressing questions."
Aubrey's eyes widened and alarm ran through her veins. 'Pressing questions'? What could she possibly mean by that? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. Aubrey was surprised that Hange would let go of the Levi conversation so easily.
"Why don't you have a roommate?"
Aubrey's blood ran ice cold. The idea that Hange would ask about her past had crossed Aubrey's mind but thinking about answering such questions was too painful to even fathom, and so, she hadn't prepared herself.
Aubrey cast a cool glance at her friend. Hange had joined the Scouts no more than a month after Aubrey had lost it all. Though, nobody would have been able to tell the pain and trauma that she'd been experiencing on the inside. Aubrey had never had a mourning phase, instead pushing forward and returning to work and training as soon as she possibly could. However, back then, she'd been attached to Erwin like glue. When she wasn't on the training field, she was in his office, eating with him in the Mess Hall, helping him with paperwork. Wherever he was, she was. In the first month or so after that expedition, Erwin had served as her own form of life support. Without his constant presence, she surely would have crumbled to pieces.
Yet, things had begun to change upon Hange's arrival. The young woman had burst into the regiment as a lone recruit. Hange had chosen to join the military at an older age than the standard twelve and was therefore always ahead of her younger peers. Because of her advanced level, she'd been allowed to graduate early and she'd promptly joined the Scouts.
After Hange's addition to the regiment, she'd quickly shown herself to be a scientific genius. Particularly because of her analysis of Aubrey's skills. After noticing Aubrey's obvious affinity for titan killing, Hange had insisted on performing "experiments" in which she could analyze Aubrey's technique in an attempt to better train the rest of the regiment. However, Hange had never been able to determine any specific traits that could be applied to other soldiers. Aubrey's skill appeared to boil down to natural talent. In spite of this, Hange had continued to monitor Aubrey through her use of periodic "evaluations".
Through the process of it all, Aubrey had found herself with the desire to get to know another person for the first time in a long time. Apart from Erwin, Aubrey had lost all interest in forming new relationships after her loss. And yet, something about Hange's unapologetic and crazed personality had drawn Aubrey out of her shell. In no time at all, she'd found herself with a new friend.
However, Hange had never asked about Aubrey's past or even mentioned it. Aubrey had always suspected that one day the topic would emerge and she would be forced to explain her history with the Survey Corps. And yet, somehow, even after all this time, she still didn't feel prepared.
"Aubrey?"
Hange's concerned voice chimed in Aubrey's ear and she realized that she'd been staring blankly at her plate. Blinking, Aubrey returned to the present.
"S-Sorry, Hange. I guess I got lost in thought."
Hange smiled, not noticing the sadness hidden behind Aubrey's eyes.
"That's alright. But, um, are you going to answer the question?"
Aubrey's breath hitched but she forced herself to respond. "Well, the Scout Regiment is generally short on soldiers. I guess there's just been enough empty rooms that I haven't had to take a roommate."
Aubrey felt fairly satisfied with her answer. It was true that there was a surplus of rooms in the barracks, so she hadn't exactly lied. But, her ability to avoid a roommate had more to do with the grace of Erwin. At Aubrey's request, he'd instructed Captain Saru to avoid assigning a second person to Aubrey's room.
"I see… " Hange looked down at her lap, he eyes clouding with indecision. She hesitated for a moment longer before she spoke again, pushing her luck. "But… that doesn't explain why half of your room is covered in dust."
Aubrey's heart skipped a beat. Hange was too curious for her own good. Her questions were going too deep and if Aubrey wasn't careful, her wounds would begin to show.
Aubrey steeled herself, trying to cut off the slew of emotions that flooded her mind. She was going to spit it out. Hange was determined to find the answer she was fishing for and wouldn't back off until she got it. Aubrey's best option was to bite the bullet.
"Well… I used to have a roommate."
Hange's brows furrowed in understanding. "Used to?"
Aubrey nodded, swallowing hard. She was going to finish out her explanation. "I used to have a roommate. She was… killed-" Aubrey choked on her own words and pounded her chest before continuing. "She was killed on our first expedition outside the walls. I've never been able to bring myself to move her things."
Genuine sadness flashed in Hange's eyes. She'd figured that whatever Aubrey's explanation was, it wouldn't be pleasant, but she hadn't considered just how painful it would be for her friend to revisit.
"I'm very sorry to hear that, Aubrey. Forgive me if I pried too far."
Aubrey slapped on a fake smile and squeezed her fists beneath the table. "Don't be. I promised to answer your questions and that was something I should have told you a long time ago."
"Right…" Hange trailed off, hesitating before she worked up to courage to speak again. "Well, do you mind if I ask you one more thing?"
Aubrey smiled even wider, the muscles in her face straining. "No, of course not. I'd rather you ask me everything you want to know right now than keep it bottled up in that head of yours. You'd go mad creating your own explanations for my endless mysteries." Aubrey forced a false chuckle.
Hange appeared to notice the contrived tone in Aubrey's voice because her brows furrowed even further. But, this was her chance to address something she'd been questioning for quite some time and she wasn't about to miss it.
"Daremo isn't your real last name, is it?"
Bad.
That was all Aubrey could think. Bad. Had Hange discovered her secrets? How much did she already know? If she knew that 'Daremo' was an alias, did she know Aubrey's true name? If she did, did she know the meaning of it?
No. Aubrey had to stay calm. Freaking out wouldn't do her any good. On the off chance that Hange didn't know her real name, or even if she didn't know the meaning of it, Aubrey couldn't afford to reveal her internal panic. That would only prove to Hange that there was, in fact, something of import and interest in Aubrey's name.
But, how should she answer? If she denied it and Hange already knew, she'd be in even deeper trouble. She would become suspicious and look even further into the matter. But, if Aubrey admitted to her deception, it would leave her vulnerable to further questioning.
Aubrey's heart started pounding in her chest. The walls were closing in around her and she could see no escape. To lie or to admit? To trust or to hide?
"Aubrey."
Feeling her thoughts halt, Aubrey recognized that the deep voice behind her had not come from Hange. A strong hand had clapped onto her shoulder and Aubrey tilted her head back to see a familiar face. Erwin.
"I hope I'm not interrupting, but do you mind if we take our tea a bit earlier tonight? I have something I'd like to discuss."
Aubrey's eyes widened. In her mind, Erwin was practically a glowing torch in the pitch dark. Scrambling to the safety of his light, Aubrey turned her gaze back to her tablemate.
"Do you mind, Hange?"
Hange most definitely minded but she couldn't really refuse a request from the Commander.
"N-No. Go ahead."
Aubrey felt a crippling weight fall from her shoulders and she rushed to get up and out of her seat.
"Thanks so much! Do you mind getting my plate for me?" Aubrey hurried her words, anxious to get away from the question that still hung in the air.
"Sure, I'll get it. Have a nice night."
Aubrey was already walking away as she called over her shoulder. "Thanks, Hange. I appreciate it."
Erwin stayed at her side, unaware of the relief that he had just granted her. Aubrey did feel a bit bad for leaving so eagerly, but she was just glad that she was able to avoid such a painful question. However, her current reprieve didn't mean that Hange wouldn't ask again. When that happened, Aubrey wouldn't be allowed to dodge the darkness any longer. She would have to come up with some kind of strategy before it came to that.
Aubrey lost herself in the crevices of her own mind and before she knew it, they were already halfway to Erwin's office.
"Oh! Erwin, I forgot to get the tea!"
Erwin chuckled at her. "Don't worry. I've already asked for some to be prepared and brought up."
Aubrey tilted her head and scrunched her brows. He'd had it brought up? That was new. Aubrey had always been the one to prepare their tea. Plus, Erwin prefered when Aubrey was the one to make his drink. He'd always told her that she made the best tea inside the walls.
"Oh. Okay." Aubrey didn't see anything wrong with having tea brought up. It just seemed… odd.
The rest of their walk passed quickly and they arrived at Erwin's office, quickly taking their usual seats and locking the door behind them.
Aubrey reached forward and began pouring the already prepared tea that had been awaiting them. It still irked Aubrey a bit that she hadn't made it herself but, nonetheless, she delicately made two cups, adding milk and sugar to Erwin's in just the way he liked it.
Aubrey stood and placed the cup on Erwin's desk before returning to her seat and taking a sip of her own tea. Her face scrunched in dislike.
"Hmm. Definitely not as good as mine." The tea was too strong and bitter. Whoever made it had steeped the leaves for too long.
"Aubrey."
The air ran cold as Erwin's voice dropped low and deadly. Aubrey shot a glance his way only to find that his expression was grave and dark. For some reason, she didn't think it was about the tea.
"Yes?" Aubrey did her best to keep her tone lighthearted but Erwin's expression was putting her on edge. He looked… angry.
"I am about to give you an order that is not negotiable."
Aubrey gulped. Erwin had never spoken to her in this way before. What had she done that had earned her such a stern talking to?
"I am taking you off of Squad Flagon."
Aubrey nearly dropped her tea cup.
"What?!"
Erwin's brows lowered even further over his eyes.
"Starting tomorrow, I will be assigning you to Saru's Special Operations Squad."
A/N: You guys left so many comments on the last chapter! The general consensus seems to be that Levi is IN CHARACTER in this fic, so that makes me very happy :) As for this chapter, we're still in a transition phase but I think it had some juicy material. Sorry for not so much Levi in this chapter but there will be more next update. I promise.
And, another question for you all… Do you like Aubrey's character/personality? I feel like a lot of Levi stories pair him with someone who has a very similar personality (cold, stoic, expressionless, etc.) and I wanted to switch that up with this fic and do a more upbeat character. Do y'all think it's working?
Thanks for reading and LEAVE A FLIPPIN COMMENT BECAUSE I LOVE THEM :)