A droplet of sweat rolled down Elsie's sunburned neck, a feeling that demanded her attention, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Levi. She was aware that the rest of the squad stood around her, all watching Levi and Eren stand off and that this was a serious moment but shit did Levi have to look so good yelling?

Elsie and Oluo had been joking around as they cleaned the ODM gear in the grass, enjoying the heat and lack of training that they had to do for the day - which was uncommon as of late - when Eren came storming out of the castle doors. The wooden planks banged against the stone, exentuating his anger, and caused Oluo and Elsie to look up and watch in wonder. The teenagers face was stressed, red in the cheeks, and shaking with restrained anger. Elsie could only imagine what had happened before Levi, small in stature but large in fury, stalked down the stairs.

It wasn't that Elsie hadn't seen Levi angry before, God had she been on the receiving end one too many times, but it was that he wasn't in uniform. It seemed that he had just gotten out of the shower and had only had time to put on a wife beater before Eren had distracted him. His hair was wet on his head, dangling in his eyes, his biceps on clear show, and something about him crossing his arms when Eren turned to stare him down just ended it for Elsie.

Her mouth was dry and her eyes were locked.

"I just don't understand why I can't get a room!" Eren bellowed.

Were they really fighting about this again? Oluo groaned and shook his head, easily returning to wiping the tanks and using the propane tank to put more gas in. Elsie tried to get her hands to work again but she couldn't tear her eyes off the look of Levi. It wasn't everyday she saw him like that, she told herself, as her eyes drifted to his pale lips and furrowed eyes.

"It's orders-"

"But you all told me you trust me now, I don't see why that doesn't mean I can move out of the basement."

"Eren, it's only a couple more nights." Petra, the angel, teetered from behind Levi. Her soft demeanor usually calmed the men.

"You don't have to sleep down there, you don't know what it's like." Eren snapped, his red hot eyes landing on her. He scoffed and with a hand to the wind, he turned and stomped towards the stables. The squad watched as he angrily grabbed a pitchfork and began to shovel hay into the horse pens.

Levi shook his head and met Elsie's eyes, raising an eyebrow, "Are you done cleaning, you fucking sloth?"

"Does it pass your test?" She asked, raising the glimmering tank. It sparkled in the sunlight and she could clearly see the silhouette of her face through it.

"Do it again, shit for brains." Levi snapped, turning on his heel and heading back into the castle. Elsie stuck her tongue out and kicked a rock. Sadly the rock did not hit the back of his head like she had hoped.

"Bastard." Elsie growled, taking the towel out of her lap and harshly running it over the tank.

Oluo chuckled, "He just wanted your attention, kiddo."

"Shut up. He wanted a foot up his ass." She grumbled.

Oluo smacked his lips, "I see the way you look at our Captain."

Elsie tried her hardest to fight the heat rising in her cheeks, "You don't know when to shut the fuck up so I doubt you can even see that." She snapped, standing straight and letting the las tank fall to the dewy grass. Elsie gave Oluo a withering look that hopefully conveyed just how over she was with Oluo pushing her and the Captain together. He kept saying he saw the way they looked at each other, how he couldn't find one without the other, and it was just plain annoying.

Although, what she was annoyed with, was that Oluo saw it before Elsie had. She started to pick up on how much her day revolved around Levi and how no matter what she was doing Levi made a short appearance. She didn't go thirty minutes without talking to Levi - and she knew this because she had kept time one day. It was the truth, Levi and Elsie couldn't function without each other.

"Off to see your boyfriend?" Oluo taunted.

Elsie blinked before lunging at Oluo. He toppled back, falling off the log he had used as a chair, and a hiss of air fell out of his was childish in the way she hit, her fists balled and pathetically wailing on his face. He held his arms up in defense, making a weird croaking sound every time a fist collided with his skin.

"I don't have one!" Elsie growled, pushing off of him when she began to get bored with it.

Oluo laid spread out, his hair frazzled, "You beat up an innocent man, you monster?"

"Innocent my ass." She tutted and walked towards the castle, already feeling better.

The castle was cool and felt refreshing on Elsie's warm skin. She took the stairs by two, heading to Levi's office. Their day was calm for Levi's standards, and it was going to be for the next three days until the new recruits arrived. Eren had been on edge, worried about who would jain after the battle of Trost, and was letting his emotions out by getting angry over the smallest thing. Everyone was on edge around him, and yet he always seemed to find a way to turn on Levi. The two had been at each other's throats the past two days and the squad was well over it.

Levi's office was closed and it didn't deter Elsie from turning the knob and boldly walking in, "Captain."

Levi was pulling on his white button up and looked at her through his eyelashes as he buttoned them. His eyebrow raised, "What do you want, brat?"

"Oluo was being a pest." She pouted, slumping into the couch and feigning rubbing her eyes tiredly. She was trying to wipe the image of Levi from her mind, hating how badly he was affecting her today.

"Yes, he has the tendency to do that." Levi snickered.

Elsie let her eyes land on the cracking ceiling, "What happened with you and Eren?"

"The little fucker was yelling at Hange about his mistreatment," She listened to his boots walk across the floor. "I told him we could stop feeding him and he started yelling about love and respect, some stupid ass shit."

"He'll be fine when the recruits get here." Elsie hummed, allowing herself a glance at him. He was dressed now, standing at his desk and flipping through pages.

"How many are there?" He asked.

"Not enough." She rubbed her cheek, refusing to spit another number out.

Levi glanced at her and nodded in understanding, "Shit for brains has some friends then."

"Some." She murmured. Her thoughts flickered to her own friends, wondering what they were doing and if they missed her. She barely thought of them anymore, so consumed in her new life.

Levi sat beside her, leaving space between them, and crossed his legs. He rested his chin on his hand and stared blankly at the wall, "Do you know about the basement?"

"Yes. It's in his hometown, buried under a rock. It'll be difficult to get to." She sighed, thinking of who died and who survived that battle.

"Not like this was supposed to be easy." Levi muttered.

"No. It's never going to be easy." She agreed, sorry that she couldn't make it better.

"That titan shit," Levi cursed Eren. "Did you finish all your duties?"

"Yes."

"Good, go clean the dining room. It's dusty in there, you fucking animal."

Elsie sat on the steps of the castle as the carriage rumbled to a stop in front of the doors. Her heart slowed as she watched the characters she watched through the screen step off the wooden carriage, nervously taking in the large castle and herding close together. They murmured low, eyes graced with dark circles that meant none had caught a good night's sleep since the attack. It was hard to believe that it had only been three weeks ago that the attack on Trost had happened. Time at the castle seemed to move slower than that.

"Introducing your new cadets!" Hange grinned maniacally, her hair messily put into a pony tail that hung over her face. She hopped off the carriage, scaring the horses, and clapping the new kids on the shoulders as she passed them. "Where's Captain Levi?" She asked, stopping at the foot of the stairs to look expectantly at Elsie.

"The horse stables. He's taking Noir out." She answered, her eyes drifting back to Mikasa. The teenager gave her a blank look. She appeared to be in a different world, obviously not listening to Hange and Elsie.

Hange stomped over the dirt, "Follow me, children!"

Elsie's eyes met Reiner's and she felt her stomach drop in disgust. She barely kept the sneer off her face, following him until they disappeared around the corner. Those assholes were going to meet every single person they were going to kill. The special operations squad... she wanted to throw up at the idea of Petra shaking their hands. They were going to tell them where Eren was, they were going to lead Annie to them. Her hands balled into fists and she let her gaze drop. What could she do?

"What are you doing?" Eld kicked her back, scaring the shit out of her.

She looked up through her lashes, "Questioning life. You?"

"We gotta' prep these new kids and show them their rooms. The next expedition will be in two days so we'll also have to show them how to properly pack for it," Eld frowned and crossed his arms. "So much work."

"Alright, I'm assuming that's your way of asking me to help." Elsie giggled, standing and leading the two down the stairs. Over the past week she'd gotten more comfortable with Eld and preferred his company over anyone else's. He was a silent companion, something she liked at the end of a rough day.

Eld grinned and slid past her, leading her to the carriage. By the time they had lugged off the suitcases in and sacks into a careless pile and had tipped the driver's for their help, Hange returned with the cadets. Eren stood between Mikasa and Armin, refusing to leave their side after being reunited.

"Don't just stand there, grab your stuff and they'll show you your rooms." Hange ordered.

The new Scouts hurriedly searched for their belongings, jumbling over each other to grab a bag. Mikasa breezed past the chaos and deftly picked out two bags, returning to her friends to stand in silence. Reiner shouldered his companions, riffling carelessly, while Bierthodlt stood behind him. She spotted Connie and Sasha waiting for the others, standing uncomfortably close to each other.

"Follow me." Eld said once everyone had a bag slung over their shoulders.

The castle had never felt so loud as they walked in. The new voices echoed off the walls, their feet sounding like an elephant stampede. Petra was in the dining room eating a pear when she spotted the new kids, waving happily at anyone who made eye contact with her. They stomped up the stairs, pass Levi's closed door, and to the end of the second floor where numerous closed doors were. Each room had two single beds to house the new recruits, a step down from the Special Squad's single bedrooms on the third floor. She wasn't shocked to see Armin try to room with Mikasa, only to be stopped by Eld shaking a warning finger at them when they tried to slip into a room.

"I think you should pick outside of your friends," Elsie spoke over their chatter, the recruits silencing to listen. Her eyes landed on Reiner and Bierthodlt, insinuating that they shouldn't be left alone. "You are a team now, it wouldn't do you harm to know one another."

They weren't happy about it but they did as they were told. She was pleased to see Reiner slip into a room with a dark haired boy who looked ready to puke. Bierthodlt smiled at his new roommate, a freckled brunette, as they slipped into their rooms. Eld nodded and gestured for her to leave them be, leaving them with orders to come to the dining room when they're situated.

Elsie just wanted to slit Reiner and Bierthodlt's throats and call it a day. She stopped mid step; could she actually do that? Her heart raced at the idea. She could slip into their rooms at night and do it, they wouldn't be expecting it. Or she could do it now, she doubted she would get in trouble if she told Levi that it had to happen.

"Are you going to move or just stay there?" Eld asked from behind her.

Elsie flinched as she came back to sound thought, "Sorry."

She could do that. Her fingers twitched at the idea of having a knife in her hand as she envisioned Reiner sleeping, his throat open for slicing. She was once more knocked out of her thoughts when the castle door swung open, Levi walking in with Gunther behind him. He met Elsie's eyes, dark and soulless. He would help her. He's killed before, he would know what to do. She had to bite her tongue to remind herself to not blab to Levi in the middle of the hallway.

"The chefs have been informed of our count, sir, and all scouts have chosen their rooms." Eld caught up Levi.

"Very well, guess we have to feed the shits. Tell them to hurry up, I'm starving." Levi pushed past them to the dining room.

Elsie bit her tongue and decided to plot murder over soup.

The squad and Eren were the first to sit at the table. They had added three more long oak tables to seat every one, random chairs found around the castle tossed in. Elsie had snagged a plush red one, happily dragging the wailing chair as she looked Levi dead in the eye. His eyebrow twitched in annoyance but he kept his control, turning his grey eyes to his food. Elsie situated herself as the new recruits entered, wide eyed and clustered.

"We don't bite." Petra teased with a bread in her hand.

They were silent as they sat, the chairs barely squeaking and no speaking. Eld comfortably ate his food, slurping loud in the room. Levi sighed and leaned back, tea in hand, and sightlessly looking at Eren. Eren himself seemed to be stewing in his seat with eagerness; he barely kept his eyes from looking at his friends.

Elsie waved her hand as she leaned forward to pull her bowl into her lap. She used her spoon to draw a path between Eren and the others, "Go sit with your friends, Eren, leave us big kids alone."

Oluo chuckled to his lap.

"R-Really?" Eren was standing before he thought to look at Levi for permission. The older man nodded faintly and Eren was gone, food in hand and large smile on his face. Elsie couldn't help but watch them reunite in a relaxed environment. They hugged and clapped each other's backs, huddling around Eren like a life float. Their gleeful chatter spurred the rest into conversation, the room soon picking up a loud roar.

"Nice to have more people around, huh guys?" Petra asked, her cheeks red from the ale she'd been drinking.

Oluo nodded in agreement, "Now I have more people to talk to other than your ass."

"Oi!" Petra's cheeks puffed in anger, crossing her arms. Elsie giggled at the hilarity of Petra drunk. "That's not nice, Oluo!"

"When have we ever been nice?" Oluo leaned back in his chair, victorious at seeing Petra upset. Elsie wondered if they ever considered each other friends. Although, their relationship did remind her of her own with Captain Levi.

At the thought of him, she turned to his conversation. Which was not happening. Gunther was shoveling food down his mouth, blabbering gubberish that was obviously disgusting Levi. The Captain had a sneer on his face, his eyes horrendously watching his team member eat with his mouth wide open. To her amusement some of the crumbs had caught in his goat tee. Eld sat pristine across from him, watching the animal eat with fascination.

"Are you fucking kidding me," Levi snapped, slapping his hand on the table to keep Gunther from hoveling a loaf of bread in his mouth. "Have you never fucking eaten before?"

"Um... Sir?" Gunther swallowed.

"Fucking disgusting. Your shit clogs these pipes," Levi stood with his tea, walking towards the exit. "I'm going to my office."

Elsie burst into laughter the moment he left sight. Petra was leaning on Oluo to breathe, his face beginning to match her inebriated red one. Eld held out his hand, waiting for their money to fall into his palm.

"That was two minutes." He stated.

"I really thought he would flip out three seconds in." Gunther muttered, frowning as he handed his coins over.

"He lasted really long this time." Elsie agreed, her eyes watering from the laugh. The squad had brought her into their bet of how long it would take for Gunther to gross Levi out. It was a small joke, one that they all needed before the expedition.

"It's cause the new kids are here," Gunther said, wiping his face. "He tires to make a good impression, doesn't want them scared, ya' know?"

Elsie smiled and looked at the stairs. Levi understood the fear the kids were going through with joining the Scout Regiment and having an expedition two days later. It was scary, especially after the attack on Trost, and arriving at a castle with the Captain who beat up Eren, they were right to be a little scared. He tried to be in their presence to let them know he was there, same as them.

Elsie grabbed her bowl and Levi's, ignoring the whistles she recieved as she skipped out of the dining room. She used her elbow to bang at Levi's door, her palm beginning to burn from the heat of the soup.

"What?" Levi yanked the door open, annoyed.

"I brought you dinner. And me." She brushed past him, setting the bowls on the table. His paperwork was put in a straight pile to the right, signed and folded envolopes on top. His quills were in a pristine white cup, the ink covered and shining in the firelight. His large black chair, the one she had never sat in, was open for her taking. She grinned and fell into the lush felt, smiling at him from his desk.

Levi stil held the door open, eyebrow raised in question. He sighed in resignition and closed the door, walking over to grab his bowl and sit at the couch.

"You're not going to yell at me?" She asked in shock. Elsie had prepared herself with readied comebacks the moment she decided to sit.

Levi shrugged, "Not tonight, brat."

"Why?"

"Does there need to be a reason?" His tone darkened but he kept his face calm.

Elsie sunk down, "I guess not."

They ate in silence, spoons scrapping the bottom of the bowl and munching. Elsie's foot twitched with nerves, her thoughts returning to the idea of killing Reiner and Bierthodlt. It would solve everything; why hadn't she thought of this earlier?

"I can hear you thinking from over here, it's annoying. Just say it." Levi drawled.

Elsie felt her mouth go dry, "I think I have a way to fix everything but it's going against my morals."

"Morals? Those are good to have." Levi nodded in agreement.

"That's no help."

"Stop being a cryptic piece of shit and just spit it out." Levi demanded.

Elsie bit her lip, "Murder."

Levi moved to sit at his desk, "Saying it is a lot different from doing it. Do you think you could slide a knife across someone's neck? Into their heart? And look them in the eye as you do it?"

Elsie flinched from his voice. His tone had changed to the point it was raising goose bumps along her neck, her hair standing on end. His eyes were dark and unseeable, as if lost in his own thoughts. She knew he had to fight growing up but she never took the time to wonder if he actually killed. He held the aura of someone who could kill you, someone who would have a short talk before slicing your neck. Elsie felt like a child who couldn't do harm even if she tried.

"I don't think I can, Levi," She whispered, feeling guilty for asking. "But it'll save so many lives."

Levi's eyes seemed to shine in the lamp light as he returned to the room, "It's one of the four, isn't it? You want to kill them?"

"Yes."

His jaw clenched and his knuckles turned white from holding the edge of the table so hard. He swayed back and forth and Elsie couldn't recall when she'd seen him so human. He was showing signs of stress and it shocked her; besides the dark eyes she couldn't tell if Levi was having a bad day until she spoke to him and got a nasty remark. But standing in the moonlight, his hair flattened from the day, clothes rumpled, his eyes flickering as he thought, he looked like a man run weary by the world.

"I shouldn't have asked, forget it. I'll figure it out." Elsie wanted to leave it in the past. She stood and headed for the door, avoiding his eyes.

"Elsie," She didn't hear him walk across the room and when she went to grab the door handle his hand shot past her ear, pushing it shut. "Just give me a name, a hint, anything. I can help you."

Elsie sighed. She knew it, she knew if she went to Levi he would help her. But seeing him so affected by the question, by thinking of it, she didn't want him to do it anymore. He's done enough in this life, and so much more was to come, why would she want to add to it? To avoid it? Possibly?

Levi's other hand came to rest on her hand, pulling it off the doorknob and turning her around. Elsie's chest constricted from her lack in breathing, her nose almost brushing Levi's in a butterfly kiss. His hand left her's to grab her cheek, rough and stern, making her look into his grey eyes. Her skin tingled, something in her stomach burning all the sudden.

"You're so young and so innocent. Don't ruin yourself when I'm here," Levi whispered, the only sound the wind brushing against the window. Her eyes flickered from his cheeks to his cracked lips, to the way his hair got in his eyes. "Let me help."

"I'll figure something out." Elsie licked her lips, her fingers shaking as they grabbed the door and pulled it open. She felt it hit his foot but she left without checking, scurrying down the hall to her own room.

She quickly fell into her bed, fully dressed, and buried her face into her pillow. She wished she was in the blackness, without the stress of their lives on her shoulders. She didn't want any life to be in her hands but damnit, she couldn't help herself from thinking how killing Reiner would solve everything. Or at least, save Levi Squad. There was no way she could bring herself to part with her friends, and the notion of killing someone and bloodying her hands for them didn't sit as heavy on her heart as she thought it would. If Levi would do it than she knew it was the right decision.

Elsie rested her cheek on the pillow so she could breathe and stared out the window. She would have to kill Reiner.