Funny enough the first thing Krista ordered after becoming Queen was giving Lyla free access to the kitchen along with sugar, flour and any other ingredients that were needed to bake cookies. Everyone in the Special Ops Squad tilted their heads when they heard this from Hange.
"That's… very unexpected," said Lyla.
"I personally asked Krista to give that order," Hange said proudly. Everybody's expression puzzled even more. Hange explained with a large grin.
"You see, Eren was absolutely blabbering about your cookies so I had to have one. But I figured that the circumstances were a little difficult to bake. So I fixed that."
"Uh-huh," Lyla slowly nodded and looked at Eren. He just had to go on talking about her cookies to everyone. But then again, it would be nice to bake again.
"Let's go then!" Hange said suddenly and pulled Lyla along with her. Lyla looked at her with wide eyes.
"Go where?"
Lyla was floundering to keep up with Hange's fast pace. It was already hard enough to match Hange's pace when she was walking normally considering her much taller height and long legs, and when she was walk-running, Lyla had to practically jog which was a little bit difficult when Hange was holding her in a headlock and dragging her.
"To the kitchen! We have some baking to do!"
Hange's jolly voice rang through the compound the whole squad followed them including Levi who was sporting a deep scowl. He didn't say much but when they entered the kitchen and Hange started to take out the equipment he took her by the shoulder.
"You and I need to go see Erwin."
"What? No… I want to bake cookies with Lyla," Hange whined. Levi clicked his tongue and said,
"Stop being such a brat."
"Do I need to go too?" Lyla piped up.
"No, you can bake or do whatever you want with the brats," said Levi. He dragged Hange by the collar and disappeared.
"Okay, then I guess it's only us. Let's get started!" said Eren eagerly. He started to tie an apron around his waist. Lyla smiled helplessly and tied one herself.
"I guess baking it is then. First, all of you wash your hands and wear an apron."
Lyla then proceeded to sanitize all of the cookeries as she knew a certain midget wouldn't eat the cookies if they weren't. She then started to measure the ingredients. All of the squad members gathered around her and watch her mix the ingredients in amazement.
"What? Don't just flock around me. Go heat the oven," said Lyla. Eren and Mikasa went to get the wood while the rest cleaned out the oven.
When the dough was done Lyla each gave them a spoon and showed how to shape it into a cookie. Eren seemed to be very proud of the fact that he already knew how to do this simple task and slightly showed off to everyone. Lyla smiled and shook her head. Sometimes he could really be like a child.
"I like this," Mikasa said softly. Lyla turned her head towards her.
"It's like the old times before we joined the military. It reminds me of the happy times," said Mikasa with a rare smile. Lyla smiled too and patted her head.
"It certainly does."
She was quiet for a moment when a sudden ruckus broke out. She lifted her head and saw Eren and Jean fighting. Bits of dough were flying around and dirtying the floor more than needed. Lyla let out a heavy sigh as she found out by the bits of words exchanged that they were fighting over 'who made the more good looking cookies'.
"Cut it out!" she said sternly, "And Sasha, do not eat the cookie dough. I know it tastes sweet but it's still raw flour and eggs and butter with sugar."
Sasha stopped in her tracks and Lyla pulled Eren and Jean apart.
"Really, how old are you? Are you guys fucking three-year-olds? You brats."
Lyla huffed out and started to make her own tray of cookies which she did not let anyone touch. She wanted these cookies to be perfect and perfect they shall be.
Eren and Jean continued to make cookies while shooting each other equally heated glares while Connie mumbled how the captain 'rubbed off on her'.
"Did you hear how she spoke to them?" Connie said while pointing his chin at Eren and Jean. "She actually called them 'brats'."
"Yeah, it's scary how people take after each other when they fall in love."
At Armin's words, Mikasa scowled.
"I don't approve."
"Approve of what?" Sasha butted in.
"Captain and Lyla," said Connie.
"Oh," Sasha said in a tone indicating that it wasn't a big deal.
Soon enough the cookies were finished and Lyla took her own plate of cookies to a certain Captain's office.
She gently knocked on the door. Surely Levi would be back by now and in no doubt Levi's voice sounded from the other side.
"State your name and business."
"It's Lyla, sir."
"Come in."
Lyla slowly opened the door. Levi was currently looking at a paper with a deep frown. He didn't even give a glance towards Lyla's direction. Lyla thought this weird. She tried to figure out what was on his mind but came up empty-handed.
"Is something bothering you Captain?" she asked. Levi quickly shook his head.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes,"
"Okay then."
Lyla put the plate of cookies on his desk and Levi's eyes instantly focused on the plate. He raised an eyebrow.
"So, you've been baking with the brats?"
"Yes, and I thought you would like a taste so I brought a plate."
"A whole plate is a lot for just a taste," said Levi. Lyla didn't know what to say to that. She shuffled awkwardly. Levi smirked and said,
"Go get tea."
Lyla prepared two cups of tea. After taking a sip, Levi picked up a cookie.
"So these are the cookies that the Jaeger brat was fussing all over with. He was practically handing them out to anyone he met for the last 30 minutes."
Lyla buried her face in her hands in embarrassment. Levi smirked at her then took a bite. His eyes widened in surprise. It actually tasted really good. And very nostalgic. Levi took another bite and a little girl with raven hair flashed through his mind.
"Well?"
Levi looked at Lyla who was smiling expectantly. He ruffled her hair affectionately.
"It's good."
Lyla placed both of her hands on her head with wide eyes (Levi found her expression rather cute). Well, that was certainly unexpected. Levi silently nibbled down his first cookie but when he picked up his second one he tilted his head.
"Why is this one shaped in a heart?"
Lyla almost choked on her tea. In the middle of the baking, Lyla made the point in shaping her cookies in hearts but soon thought it was ridiculous. So she reshaped them into circles but she must've missed one.
"Didn't think you would be the cheesy type," Levi stated. The corner of his lips twitched up while Lyla turned pink.
"How was the meeting with Commander Erwin and Squad Leader Hange?"
"Boring as always. Four-Eyes said she wanted to do some experiments with Eren since he got the hardening skills now. Oh, and I had to report to Erwin about your sudden… actions," said Levi. He didn't know how to describe the Lyla back then. It was like magic, but that seemed like a foolish word to use.
"He did seem to think about it but didn't comment more than to keep it a secret for now. He did say to try and develop it secretively with Hange."
"Is that so," said Lyla quietly. Silence filled the room. Levi sighed and said in a soft tone.
"Look. Don't try to think—"
He started to extend his hand to pat her hair but at that moment Hange burst in. She stopped dead in her steps.
"Oops. Did I do it again?"
Lyla looked at Hange with surprised eyes while Levi retreated his hand and instead decided to cross his arms with a scowl but as always Hange didn't seem to mind as she focused on the plate of cookies.
"Oh, are these Lyla's cookies?"
"They are," said Lyla and at the same time, Levi subtly shifted his position to protect his cookies. Normally nobody wouldn't notice but it was Hange. Of course she would notice.
"Oh Shorty, come on. One won't hurt."
Levi only glared at her. Lyla laughed and pulled out two small bags.
"Here, there's one for you and one for Commander Erwin."
Hange was overjoyed to receive a whole bag. She eagerly put one cookie in her mouth.
"These are really good!" she exclaimed. She happily munched on and soon the bag was empty.
"Okay, you finished your cookies. Now what do you want?" said Levi grumpily. His arms were still crossed.
"Oh, just wanted to borrow Lyla. You know, to experi— I mean, train her," Hange hastily corrected herself as she knew that Levi wouldn't like the idea of doing 'experiments' on Lyla. Even though he knew that Erwin had ordered it.
"Oh, okay."
All three of them went out deep into the woods and as always Squad Levi was waiting for them.
From there they started to try to recreate what Lyla did but every time it was unsuccessful. They kept telling her to try to focus, try to feel what she felt that time, hell she even tried singing as she was once singing when she used her unstabled power.
"What's the problem? What are we missing?" Hange questioned.
"I don't know," Lyla replied. "Maybe I'm not desperate enough? Like at that time I was really scared that someone might die so—"
"That's it!" Eren exclaimed. "Maybe that's the trigger! You need to be desperate enough. Like in a life or death situation."
"Lyla's is not risking her life for some stupid—" Levi started out but to everyone's surprise, Eren cut his words.
"Who said we're risking Lyla's life? Throw me off a cliff and Lyla would use her powers to make a slide or anything."
"NO!" Lyla shouted out.
"That's absolutely out of the question. I'm not going to let you commit suicide!"
"It's not suicide! It's making a chance for humanity to win!"
Eren and Lyla stared intensely at each other when suddenly Hange clapped her hands together.
"I think it's worth a try."
Despite Lyla's protests Eren got rid of his gear and stood in front of a cliff with Levi standing behind him. Lyla watched from below with a stressed face.
"This is a terrible idea."
"Don't worry. Levi will catch him if you're too late. You trust him, right?"
Lyla did trust him. But what if? Just what if he was late too?
Before Lyla could find the answer, Eren jumped off. He dived down toward the ground at an alarming speed and Lyla tried to focus. How did she do it last time? What did she do?
Lyla closed her eyes and started humming a melody. She thought she could feel something, a tingling in her hands but then a disastrous idea popped in her head. What if she hit Eren with her powers? What if she accidentally injured him instead of making a slide for him to slide down? Blood drained from her face and her hands turned cold.
She saw Eren freefalling and panicked.
"I have to do something, anything. I can't let him die but I can't do any— Hange! Oh no, god, please no—"
Lyla was on the verge of having a heart attack when Levi swooped down and caught Eren in one swift motion. He landed safely on the ground. Lyla's legs gave out and she crumbled to the ground.
Silence fell among the soldiers. Finally, Jean broke the silence.
"Maybe you weren't that desperate to save Eren?"
"SHUT IT KIRSTEIN!" Lyla gave a murderous look at Jean. "Eren is my brother. Of course I wanted to save him. I thought I was having a fucking heart attack."
Lyla was pissed at herself and Jean.
"Maybe the fact that Eren can turn into a titan made you unconsciously relax?" Armin suggested. "We could try throwing me—"
"No, throwing people off the cliff isn't the answer. Something's different," Lyla snapped.
That day's training ended on a heavy note.
...
...
That night Lyla couldn't sleep, again. She had many sleepless nights since she joined the military and this wasn't any different. Until she heard a voice. It was that voice. That exact voice she heard in the Underground Chapel. Lyla jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs.
'Who are you? Are you calling to me?'
She was about to run towards the woods when someone took hold of her wrist.
"And where do you think you're going?"
It was Levi.
"It's the voice. It's her. I must follow her. She's calling me. She knows something that I don't. I—"
"Hold on a second. Who do you mean by 'She'?"
"I…" Lyla looked completely lost. "Don't know sir."
Levi pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. "You need to rest."
They went back to Lyla's room. Levi declared that he will not leave until he saw Lyla actually sleep so Lyla just pulled the covers over her.
"Captain," she quietly called. Levi didn't show any indication but Lyla knew he was listening.
"Do you think I'm going mad?"
"…No."
A/N I wanted to write something fluffy but it ended on a heavy note anyway haha
