Helloooooo readers of Rina Hazura! Thank you so much for making it all this way to the beginning of Chapter 95! As well as to a long pause and irregular updates of Banter of the Strongest. I do sincerely apologize as this will most likely be one of the longer breaks - due to real life priorities and the wait for the next season of the anime AoT. But DO NOT FEAR, Hazura is not gone! I will be writing on the side (unfortunately even less than I do now) but still continuing of Hazura's journey through her life in the Corps. I guess it made sense for the pause to take place when Historia took the crown - a brand new sparkling white page, as it were. Continue to re-read through her story again (I'll also do the same with edits etc.) because it is supeeeeer long and honestly, I personally love reading through what Hazura has been up to. When I return, I can assure you it will be full guns blazing, chock full of awesome new chapters and events! As well as a sprinkling of Levi and Hazura semantics :P

As always, enjoy!

After Steve went off to prepare some supplies for our journey to the Trost district, I stayed in the corridor a bit longer, alone with my thoughts. We had been split from the rest of the crew for a few weeks by now. God forbid that something terrible happened to them. However, with little information to go on, the only path forward was to go and investigate ourselves. That way, we had a fighting chance of finding where the rest of my squadron had disappeared off to.

My fists tightened as I thought back to how I had left them. Sophie and Brian were fully armed and trained, but both Linda and Jack were injured, not to mention that the Doc didn't have any weapons on him. Add to the fact that the MP had been scouring the district for us. What if they got to them?

"Argh!" I threw my hands onto my head, as it began to pound with an incoming headache.

"It's unlike you to think so much, Hazura."

Funnily enough, the monotoned voice calmed my nerves and the threatening migraine ebbed away. I let out a shaky breath of air, one that I didn't even realise I had been holding.

"I know. You usually think enough for the both of us." I retorted, glancing over at the Survey Corps Captain. We fell into a silence and the only sound was of Levi's footsteps approaching me.

"So? What news from Trost?"

I paused and gathered my thoughts. My best friend stopped by my side and gazed out of the window as he waited for my answer. I guess it was better to rip the bandage off than sugarcoat it.

"Nothing. They're gone."

A hand reached out and gripped my arm, tight. They were his old squad after all.

"Gone?" his voice, although controlled, was coarse with worry.

"They've disappeared, Levi, and I don't know where. Fuck! I should have went to Trost myself the second Reiss was gone-"

"Shut up, Hazura." The Captain turned, grabbed onto both of my arms and jerked me to face him fully. My eyes widened involuntarily while Levi's glared daggers. His close proximity was nothing compared to his almost-angry expression.

"You need to stop questioning what you should've and could've done and focus on what needs to be done. The five are missing. There's no way you could've known that would happen but it has. Now you have to focus on how to find and get them back. Don't worry about anything else."

Any more frustrated and Levi would have killed me by the looks of it…but he didn't. I guess I did have a habit of thinking the worst. I sighed and gently moved from Levi's shocking grip. His arms dropped back down to his side as we both relaxed.

"Ok, ok. You're right. I get it. Steve is gathering our supplies as we speak. He and I will be leaving as soon as we can."

At this, Levi's face softened from his frown.

"Today?"

I nodded, gauging his reaction. "Most likely. As soon as we sort ourselves out."

After a pause for thought, Levi nodded back. "Good idea. Every minute counts."

We then fell silent again, now that the conversation about Trost was done. I looked at the ground, my thoughts still swirling in my head. Even with Rod Reiss gone, there were still so many things to deal with. My sympathy for Erwin increased a little as I wondered on how much he would have on his plate.

"Walk?"

My head flicked up and I saw Levi to begin moving back to the main corridor. I followed his footsteps, absentmindedly running my fingers along the wall.

"Erwin has plans to begin recruiting to strengthen the Scouts before sending out word that we're heading to Shiganshina."

"Shiganshina?" If I wasn't paying attention then, I definitely was now. "We're going to claim it back?"

"Erwin believes it's time. With a new government being led by Historia and Eren's new powers, a little training would give us enough leverage to claim back what we lost years ago."

"Don't leave without me." I teased, nudging my friend in the side. He didn't budge and simply glanced over at me.

"We wouldn't think of it. Don't kill yourself now, I won't be there to save you."

I scoffed and wave a hand. "I have Steve, and I can take care of myself, thank you very much. Speaking of saving…"

I stopped by a window and turned to face it as I felt the tips of my ears heating up. God, just the mere thought of it was enough to turn me into a tomato. I must have stayed quiet for longer than I thought, as Levi let out a sound of annoyance.

"Hazura?"

"Ah, right." Startling me out of my daze, I blinked back into reality. Steeling my mind, I turned and faced him square on. The Corporal had his arms crossed, an eyebrow raised. My fingers began to fidget and I quickly shoved them behind me back.

"Back when you saved me from Wall Sina and I was out for 2 days, so on so forth."

You know, where I was teasing you before you grabbed my hand in the gentlest way and melted my heart into a puddle. The way Linda mentioned that we had apparently been dancing around each other for ages. And that it seemingly was only us two that were oblivious to it.

At this reminder, his eyes hardened the slightest, either in anger or guilt, I wasn't sure. Still, I had already started down this track.

"We – uh – agreed to put a certain…incident to the back of our minds until it came to a day where there were no – um, immediate dangers."

"You're stammering, Hazura."

Shit, pull yourself together, Rina!

"Well, I'm talking about – uh, the day that you…and I…"

"Spit it out."

"What would you call this…thing between us, Levi?" I exclaimed, giving up at his insistent prodding. "This need in me to tease the hell out of you just so I can glimpse a little smirk? The feeling of comfort when I always find out it's you who has my back? The pounding in the back of my head whenever you go off and do something that could get you killed? The absolute relief I get every time I see you come back, safe and sound? Sometimes, it drives me nuts!" I threw my hands up in the air in frustration.

Then I registered the expression on his face and my rant goes from 100 to 0.

My arms dropped to my sides. My head instinctively bowed to face the floor, so I could hide the overwhelming embarrassment that was washing through me.

"I mean, do you even…?"

It's like the whole building had gone silent. I would have thought I was alone, if not for the noisy crowd still outside. Wall Maria, I felt like an idiot. Maybe I was wrong and this was just a one-sided temporary crush I had. Maybe Linda was wrong in saying that we were dancing around each other. Maybe-

"I do."

I choked on the air and straightened. Although he was staring intensely out the window to avoid my gaze, a hint of a pink flush gave his true answer away. His fists were tightened so much his knuckles were turning white. I guess this was as uncomfortable for him as it was embarrassing for me.

"And…do you?" His gaze peeked at me from the corner of his eyes. I smiled in amusement and waved a hand in the air, indicating to the rant I just had.

"After all that?"

This pierced the tense atmosphere and Levi rolled his eyes, his hands relaxing at the usual jab and his head twisting back to face me.

"You know I do." I answered. We didn't even need to clarify what we were talking about. That was just how in sync we were.

"So what now?"

I shrugged, running a hand through my hair. "I don't know. Best if we figure out any finer details when I come back from Trost."

"I thought you wanted to talk about this?"

"Ackerman, please." I sent him a flat look, to which he just smirked in amusement. "I just needed to get this first part off my chest. Besides, it's not like I was planning to go into Trost straight away."

At this, his expression grew grim and he turned away from me again, gripping the window pane in front of him.

"Are you sure they're missing?"

"If you're asking whether I have to go, then yes, Levi." I sighed and moved closer, leaning against the pane right by his hands. "The infirmary had been abandoned and Swan even spent a few extra days trying to track them down, with no luck. Most of the corrupt MPs have been detained but what if some of them are still out there? I won't be able to rest easy until I at least get word that my Spec Ops are ok. Who else better to find them than Steve and myself?"

"With me."

"Don't be ridiculous – you have your own squad to take care of here. Besides, Erwin and Hanji will need your help with all this political government shit. I'm gladly staying away from that stuff."

"Tch. Enjoy it while you can. You and I are doing paperwork the second you get back."

I chuckled and stepped back, saluting.

"Yes sir! Looking forward to it."

"Hazura!" Steve flung open the hallway way doors and stopped abruptly when he saw the Corporal. We both looked over to him at his outburst.

"We're good to go?" I asked, ignoring Steve's slack jaw. My team member quickly recomposed himself.

"Yes sir. I've informed Commander Erwin and he agreed that an immediate response is best. As long as we keep him posted on our progress, we have no time limit."

I smiled gently, thanking Erwin for his understanding.

"All right then. Give me a second and I'll be right out. Meet me by the stables."

With a nod of acknowledgement, Steve retreated, quietly closing the doors again.

"No time limit? How long do you expect to be gone for?" Levi mused, intently staring anywhere but me. I scratched my head.

"No idea, but hopefully not long. I don't want to the squadron to be forever hidden but finding them safe and sound is my first priority."

"Don't be reckless, Rina."

I laughed. "Of course not, I have Steve with me. But yes, I will be careful, Levi." I raised my hand and patted him on the shoulder in reassurance before squeezing it gently. "And I will come back."

"You better." The Captain lifted his own hand and placed it gingerly on top of mine. After a second, his fingers tightened around my own.

As a man of little words, that gesture was enough to have my heart swelling. Truth be told, I did not want to leave Levi again. Not after that stunt in the Military Police but with 5 members of the Survey Corps missing, I (again) had no choice. Gritting my teeth, I breathed in deeply before pushing off the window and pulling away. As my hand slipped from his grasp, Levi called out the last three words that I would hear from him for a while.

"That's an order."

Despite the situation, I couldn't help the wistful smile that made its way onto my face as I walked away.

"Yes sir."