"What?!"
Aubrey couldn't wrap her head around what Erwin was telling her. It didn't make any sense! Why hadn't he consulted her? Why wasn't he giving her an option?
"You can't do that!"
Aubrey didn't remember when she'd stood up but now she was directly in front of Erwin's desk, her hand slamming against the dark wood.
Erwin didn't seem surprised by her reaction. In fact, he looked like he'd been expecting it. His face still held its dark expression, but he was keeping calm. Slowly, he stood from his seat, his tall form towering over Aubrey.
Despite his intimidating stance, Aubrey held her ground. She was determined to get the answers that she felt she deserved. Even if she was Erwin's subordinate, she had the right to an explanation.
"Erwin, I am not switching squads!"
"Yes, Aubrey, you are. As I said before, this is not negotiable."
Aubrey slammed her hand on the desk again. "Why? Why so suddenly? And just after we discussed me keeping an eye on the new recruits! How do you expect me to keep an eye on them when we're on completely different squads?!" Aubrey's voice had risen in volume and she was practically yelling at this point.
Erwin stared down at her, his blue eyes piercing through her heart. Aubrey felt betrayed. He'd made a vital decision without even asking her opinion.
"Aubrey, I know about what occurred during training today."
Everything came crashing into place. If Erwin knew what Flagon had said, it was no wonder he was taking her off his squad. But how had he found out?
"Who told you?" Aubrey's voice had fallen to barely above a whisper. Tears were starting to form in her eyes, the humiliation and embarrassment of the day's events flooding back in an instant. Plus, it didn't help that Erwin was now looking at her with some kind of pity. No… pity wasn't the right word. It was more like guilt.
"It was Kate."
Aubrey's eyes widened. Kate? Had she even been near enough to hear the argument do down? When Aubrey had spotted her, she'd been at the treeline, much too distant to have comprehended what was being said. But, then again, that had been after the disagreement was practically over. Kate easily could have been hidden within the endless faces of the regiment. Aubrey was far too distracted at the time to be picking her out of the crowd.
Aubrey scoffed. Perhaps Hange wasn't her only new friend. Kate wasn't the type to stick her nose in other people's business. If she'd gone to the trouble of reporting to Erwin, she must've been concerned for Aubrey's wellbeing.
"I'm sorry, Aubrey. Our friendship has led to you being ridiculed and humiliated in front of your comrades. I should have been more careful to conceal our relationship."
There was the guilt. Aubrey sighed and slouched over. The fight had gone out of her. Erwin knew about the very thing she'd been trying to hide and now there was nothing left to do but discuss it as calm adults.
"Don't blame yourself, Erwin. You've done nothing wrong. You shouldn't have to 'conceal' anything for my sake. As the Commander of the Scout Regiment, you can do as you please."
It was Erwin's turn to sigh. "Still, you have been outrageously disrespected and I have half a mind to put Flagon in his proper place."
Aubrey waved her hands in front of her, panic rising in her chest. "No! Please, don't! That will only make things worse. If you did that, those three would be subjected to endless hours of needless toruture. You know he'd take his anger out on his squad."
Erwin nodded solemnly. "Yes, I do, which is why I am solving the problem in a different manner. Instead of reprimanding him, I am transferring you to Saru's squad. No one will suspect that it has anything to do with the incident. It was only a matter of time before you joined them, anyway. This way, I get you away from Flagon and you don't get any of the fallout."
Aubrey understood his reasoning and she was touched by his concern, but she wasn't ready to give in just yet.
"I appreciate what you're doing, Erwin, I really do. But… what about Levi? Isabel? Furlan? I can't just leave them to deal with Flagon's wrath. And what about me keeping an eye on them? Like I said, I can't do that if I never see them."
Erwin shook his head. "Forget about keeping an eye on them. It was too much for me to ask that of you in the first place. Even if he isn't the most astute, Flagon will keep them from doing anything too out of line."
Aubrey squeezed her hands into fists in an attempt to maintain her composure. "Okay, so Flagon keeps them out of major trouble. So what? You know he'll provoke Levi. Flagon is an asshole and he's proven that fact time and again. You should hear some of the shit he's been saying lately, Erwin. He hates those new recruits. He'll do anything to get them kicked off his squad."
Erwin exhaled loudly and once again took his seat. "I will ask Kate to keep him off their backs. You know that she is plenty capable. That is the best that I can do. I will not have you on his squad, Aubrey. That is final."
Beginning to accept her predicament, Aubrey, too, made her way back to her seat and dropped down onto the couch. Everything was silent except for the crackling of the fire that was lighting the room with a flickering light.
Aubrey's mind reeled as she sorted through everything she'd just been told. Erwin knew about Flagon's outburst. He was moving her to the Special Operations Squad. She was no longer responsible for Levi. Kate would watch out for the recruits.
Everything was happening so fast but she would have to take it in stride.
Taking a deep breath, Aubrey found the strength to speak.
"Fine. I will join Captain Saru's squad. But… I have one request."
Erwin raised an eyebrow. He was genuinely surprised to hear Aubrey acquiesce. He'd thought that he would have to fight her every step of the way. "Yes?"
Aubrey raised her gaze, her green eyes boring straight into Erwin's with a blazing intensity.
"I will not take a room in the castle."
Erwin's features scrunched in confusion. "A room in the castle?"
Aubrey nodded. "Yes. I know that members of the Special Operations Squad are given rooms in the castle but I refuse. It's a stuck up privilege. Everyone else in the regiment thinks it's ridiculous and I would have to agree."
Aubrey swallowed nervously. It was true that she thought taking a room in the castle was unnecessary but she also couldn't picture herself being able to clean out Tika's things. She wasn't ready for that kind of change.
The room remained silent for a short while before, to Aubrey's surprise, Erwin's light laughter filled the air.
"Well, I think I can grant you that request. Feel free to continue staying in the barracks."
Aubrey nodded, pleased that she hadn't had to do any kind of convincing.
"Thank you."
The silence returned and both parties sat still, looking ahead to what the future held. Aubrey couldn't believe she would be joining the Special Operations Squad. Erwin had asked her to become a member of Saru's team several times in the past but she had always refused.
Captain Saru herself was fine. In fact, Aubrey kind of liked her. She had no problem putting her soldiers in their proper place if they ever got out of line and she was very clear-cut. Were it not for Saru's aloof personality, she could see herself growing quite fond of the Captain.
But, if Aubrey was being honest, she wasn't a big fan of the other members of the Special Ops Squad. Most of them had egos that surpassed the size of the walls and weren't afraid to rub their status in others' faces.
Plus, Aubrey had always been reluctant to leave Kate. Since the last expedition and loss of most of their team, it had just been Aubrey, Flagon, and Kate. It didn't make sense to remove soldiers from a different squad that they were already familiar with just to even out the numbers. So, Aubrey had been hesitant to switch squads or even start her own squad as Erwin had suggested multiple times. She couldn't just leave Kate alone with Flagon as her only companion. That would be hell for anyone.
And now, Aubrey had yet another reason to resent her squad transfer. Even if she'd told Erwin that she didn't want to leave Flagon with the power to provoke Levi, she knew that there was more to her objection. She really was concerned that Flagon would push Levi over the edge if she wasn't there to smooth things over, but she also wanted to stay for selfish reasons. Aubrey loathed the idea of being away from Levi. She knew that during training, she'd only be able to think about what he was doing, how he was feeling, what he was thinking. And, worst of all, she knew that the magnetic pull would be yanking her in every direction. Even now, she felt the tug on her heart, pushing her to seek Levi out.
Aubrey felt a pressure come over her and she finally broke the silence, hoping to relieve her worry.
"Erwin, please make sure that Kate takes good care of them. I just… Levi will get angry and it won't be good and the other two don't deserve Flagon's shit and their skill is truly amazing and a valuable addition to this regiment and-"
"Aubrey." Erwin cut off her rambling speech with a calming tone. He gave her a gentle smile in an attempt to soothe her obviously frazzled nerves. "I will tell Kate to report directly to me if Flagon so much as insults Levi's shoes. Please, calm yourself. I know you care about their wellbeing but at the moment, I am more concerned for yours. Go to your room and get some sleep. You're probably exhausted after today."
Aubrey sighed. She knew Erwin was right. She needed to get home and try to relax, even if she wouldn't be doing much sleeping. With all of the thoughts swirling in her mind, Aubrey doubted she would even be able to close her eyes. And that didn't even take into account the inevitable nightmare she would have if she did manage to drift off.
Nevertheless, Aubrey nodded, agreeing to his suggestion. She would go back to her room, take a shower, and try to blow off some steam before starting with her new squad in the morning.
Standing, Aubrey reached for the tea set. She'd take it down to the kitchens on her way out.
"Leave it. I'll get it myself." Erwin's voice was warm and soft behind her and Aubrey set down the cup she'd just picked up. He was too kind.
Aubrey made her way to the door but paused as she placed her hand on the knob. There was still something that she needed to address, even if it would be awkward to discuss. Taking a deep breath, she slowly began to speak.
"Erwin… I have to tell you… I think I'm too far gone. I care for him too much, especially when you take into account how short of a time I've known him. And… eventually… I don't know if I'll be able to maintain our arms' length agreement. I know he is dangerous and I know that there is more to this story than I understand but… the time will come when those things won't matter to me anymore."
Aubrey released a shuddering exhale and squeezed the doorknob in her hand. Erwin didn't respond and so she looked over her shoulder to see his face. He was staring straight at her, his expression hard and stony, a shadow cast over his eyes.
Aubrey swallowed hard. It took all of her strength just to meet his gaze.
"I know that isn't what you want to hear but I thought I should tell you." Another silent pause filled the room and Aubrey turned her head back forward, unable to see Erwin's frigid expression any longer. "I'll do my best to maintain my composure until after the expedition, as I assume whatever quarrel you have with him will be resolved by then. But… after that… I can make no promises."
Aubrey ground her teeth together. Talking so openly about her feelings for Levi was causing something intense to swirl in her gut.
Quiet filled the air and Aubrey waited anxiously for Erwin's response. Would he be angry? Upset? Disappointed?
"Thank you, Aubrey. I am grateful for your honesty. Now, please, go get some sleep."
Aubrey gaped at the door in front of her. Erwin's voice hadn't sounded angered or upset in the slightest. If anything, he sounded understanding.
Even if he didn't seem mad, Aubrey didn't have the courage to look back at his expression. So, instead, she nodded her head and turned the door knob, muttering a goodnight on her way out.
When the door finally squeaked shut behind her, Aubrey exhaled in relief. She'd been tensing her entire body without even realizing it and now her muscles ached and groaned.
Slowly, she began hobbling through the hallways of the castle, making her way back to the barracks. For now, she would focus on putting one foot in front of the other. When she got back to her room, the real struggle would begin and she would allow her mind to go through as many rampant thoughts as it liked.
After a slightly slower than average walk across the grounds, Aubrey arrived at the back of the barracks. Feeling relieved to finally be home, she flung open the door, quickly stepping into the peace and silence of her bedroom.
By now, only the faintest glimmers of the dying sunlight shone in through the window, leaving Aubrey in close to complete darkness. Feeling along the wall, she found the familiar form of the switch and flipped it on, filling the shadowed room with light.
Once glance of the now visible space was enough to make Aubrey cringe. She really needed to clean. Or at least straighten. Her "dirty" pile had grown to an unacceptable size and her "clean" pile consisted of just one clean pair of uniform pants and a shirt, plus a set of casual clothes. Apart from all that, the sheets of her bed had been kicked into a rumpled mess and the desk in the corner of the room was piled high with books, letters, papers, and any other kind of junk that one could imagine. And if that weren't enough, Tika's side of the room sat still with its thick layer of dust covering every surface. Aubrey sighed. She'd get around to cleaning things up one day… but not today.
Aubrey meandered her way over to her "clean" pile and picked out the remaining set of casual clothing. After gathering the other items she would need for her shower, Aubrey stepped out into the hallways of the barracks, making her way to the bathrooms. She took hurried but quiet steps. Most of the regiment had already retired for the evening and Aubrey was fairly sure that she would be the only one taking a shower at this hour.
Finally arriving at the bathrooms, Aubrey quickly started the water and began washing off the grime and dirt of the day. She'd been right about being the only one in the bathrooms and she definitely didn't mind. Being alone gave her the ability to freely think without interruption.
Aubrey began to run through the events of the day. It certainly had been eventful. She'd gone from confronting Levi at the pond, to begging for his pardon from Erwin, to preventing a fist fight, to avoiding Hange's interrogation, to having one of the most awkward conversations of her existence with Erwin. To think it had all happened within the span of one day…
At this point, Aubrey didn't even know which event to dissect first. For a few moments, she scrambled, reliving flashes of the day in no particular order and with no particular meaning until she finally discovered that all of her feelings and thoughts went back to the same root. Levi.
Aubrey exhaled loudly and ran her fingers through her wet hair. Levi was too broad of a topic to digest in the time it took to take one shower.
Giving up for the time being, Aubrey turned off the water and dried herself off before slipping into her casual clothes. She had all night to think: right now, she would just focus on getting back to her room without collapsing from emotional exhaustion.
Luckily, Aubrey had no issues achieving her goal and she made it back to her room in record time. Quietly shutting her door behind her, Aubrey threw her now dirty clothes into their respective pile and padded her way across the wooden floor to the light switch. But just before her hand reached its destination, an unexpected sound filled the room.
Confused, Aubrey's features scrunched together. Someone was knocking on her door. The back door.
Who was looking for her this late at night?
With growing curiosity and a hint of caution, Aubrey transferred her hand to the nearby doorknob. Taking and anticipatory breath, Aubrey opened the door just enough to identify her late-night visitor.
"Levi?"
Aubrey pulled the door back all the way to reveal her full form. Levi was standing before her, his usual emotionless expression plastered to his face. Aubrey scanned his body to see that he was no longer in uniform and that he had also changed into a casual outfit.
Aubrey bit her lip as she took in the way that the loose fabric of his black pants hung around his waist. Even with baggy clothing on, it was easy to see that Levi's body was made of nothing but sculpted muscle. His white, long-sleeved shirt was a bit more fitted and clung to him while his pants had been tucked neatly into the pair of boots that covered his feet.
"Did I wake you?"
Aubrey ripped her eyes away from Levi's body. Very aware that he had probably caught her staring, she did her best to hold back a blush.
"Oh, um, no."
Aubrey tried to think of any reason why Levi would've come to her door and suddenly remembered a conversation they'd had quite some time ago. Back when Aubrey had brought Levi cleaning supplies for his 3DMG, she'd told him that if he ever needed to speak to Isabel, he could come to her door.
"Do you need me to get Isabel?"
Aubrey was surprised when Levi shook his head and answered, "No, I didn't come for Isabel."
Aubrey's brain was growing more twisted by the second. If he hadn't come for Isabel, then why was he here?
"I came for you."
A/N: Okay… can we PLEASE take a moment to appreciate the fact that I have updated TWO DAYS IN A ROW? What can I say? I am just a literal master of writing. (lol)
Anyway, this chapter came to me pretty quickly because I am SO excited to write the next one. What is Levi doing at her door? Hehe :))))))
Also, I'm not really sure if the AOT universe has electricity? I don't think they do because I'm currently rewatching the anime and I think they use candles and lanterns at night. But, for the sake of me not having to go back and edit the entirety of this story so that they use candles, I am going to make an alteration to this fic's universe and say that electricity has been invented :)
Question for this chapter: Are y'all down for smut in future chapters? Like, is that something that y'all wanna read? AND NO, THERE WILL NOT BE SMUT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER.
This fic is incredibly slow burn, obviously, especially when you take into account the fact that we're already at 70,000 words (CRAZY!) and Levi and Aubrey haven't even kissed yet… Can I even call this a romance?
Just as a side note, I've never attempted to write smut before and I think that if I did my face would literally turn as red as a tomato. BUT… if that is something y'all wanna see in this story, I will power through. (Low-key might do it even if people say they don't want it just because I think it's kind of necessary for the style of this story)
If I do end up writing smut, it will be tasteful smut…if that's even a thing. What I mean is that it will be used as a way to develop the story and the characters and not just as some kind of raunchy lemon (LOL).
Anyway, let me know what y'all think. Sorry if this is a weird question to ask but I wanted to get a feel for my audience, ya know?
AND Y'ALL KNOW THE DRILL WITH COMMENTS! LEAVE ONE OR ELSE :)