Elsie let her head roll back, enjoying the feel of the summer sun on her cheeks. A sigh of contentment filtered from her parted lips, blonde wisps of hair flying across her nose with the gentle breeze. She sat on a rolling hill of grass, completely alone with her thoughts, the tranquility of nature comforting her.

All the eye could see was sharp blades of grass swaying to the beat of the wind, a beautiful sound that no orchestra could replicate. She must have sat there for hours but the sun didn't fall, the wind didn't let up, and Elsie felt no need to move. There was nothing for her to do except sit back and enjoy what she was experiencing.

"Hey, Els! Stop being lazy and come play!"

Elsie couldn't fall back asleep. She stared at the wall below the window, imagining the faded face of someone she'd grown up with. All she had was memories, ones she couldn't recall as easily as eleven months ago, but the voice had rung high and confident. It echoed in the room, a small comfort that it sounded so real.

She sat up, Levi pulling his arm back and returning to usual back position. He was awake, watching her move to the bathroom to change, returning with her hair in a high ponytail and jogging clothes.

"Don't kill yourself," Levi grumbled when she headed for the door. "Erwin will cry."

"Ha ha."

Elsie ran laps around the castle until the sun rose. She took a break at the pond she and Eld had sat at, barely over a month ago now. She was panting, sweat dripping down her hairline, but it felt good to be moving again. It was frustrating that just ten days had affected her so much.

The grass didn't have anything on her dream. She scanned the horizon, perhaps hoping that a hill that resembled what she'd seen would justify that it was only a figment of her imagination and nothing more. No hills of beautiful grass, it was all in Elsie's head. She leaned back, stared at the rising sun, and had an imaginary conversation with everyone she was missing.

Chatter broke her revere, making her sit up and turn. Hange and Hibolt were jogging side by side, animatedly talking, more focused on each other than who was around them. Elsie slid further down, sighing once the scientist had left. She understood their excitement but it hurt that Hange had so readily tattled on Erwin to get her way.

It's not like Elsie wasn't going to talk to them, anyway. Well, now with this pissing match with Erwin, she wouldn't directly inform them. No, she needed Ymir to be the middle man.

Levi was in the shower when Elsie returned. She grabbed the book and a quill, sitting on her side as she began to underline words that she would need. Ymir was without a doubt more fluent, probably would have a snide remark on Elsie's hand writing and butchering of the words, but it was all fun and games for the shifter.

The door opened and Elsie spun, "Did you let Eren talk to Annie?"

"And she's back to work," Levi grabbed his belt. Elsie decided that was her favorite thing for him to use, either sliding it through his belt loops with quick fingers, or at the end of the night when he snapped it off. "No, I wouldn't let that idiot go near her with a ten foot pole."

"I'm not working," She was. "How's that going for you?"

"Fantastic. Hange has a lot of material to work with."

"Has she found anything with the skin?" Elsie asked distractedly, trying to remember how to spell hardened skin in German. Sadly, the book didn't have those exact words for her to copy.

"You mean with the healing? Yeah, she heals faster than Eren can."

Elsie grinned, "Nope. There's something else. I'm sure if you let him talk to her you'll find out."

"Eren? You really think that dipshit can do it?"

"I told you," Elsie closed the book and shoved the paper in her pocket. "Annie likes him."

"Of course he would attract the lunatics."

Elsie grabbed a change of clothes, patting Levi's arm as she passed, "And I'm not working, I still quit."

"Tsk. Fine, I'll pick someone else to have your spot."

Elsie pivoted, "Excuse me?"

"I can't put you on my squad if you're not in the army." Levi was lacing his boots but she could hear the humor in his voice, his own taunt to get her to relent.

Elsie scoffed, "I'm on your squad, asshole. I just need Erwin to agree with me."

"I'm getting annoyed with repeating myself," Levi suddenly snapped. "He's not going to put you in Hange's squad."

Elsie stuck her tongue out, "I'm proving a point."

"Do that childish thing again and I'll cut your tongue out."

"Then who would you talk to?" She mocked, hiding in the bathroom.

There was no choice but to sit with her new friends at breakfast. Eren and Jean bickered like siblings, the most subdued fight she had the honor of seeing, and Connie had been roped in with some snide remarks. Historia tried showing Elsie how to fishtail braid her hair, which was left looking like a mess that Elsie quickly undid and put in her usual tight bun.

"What do you think we'll do today?" Sasha asked on her third plate.

"Clean, train the horses, clean more." Jean moaned, resting his head on the table.

"What have you guys been doing?" Elsie was curious.

By now the Beast titan should have showed its face, Sasha and the others should be trapped in a tower, and Levi would have Minister Nick with Hange. It seemed that she had changed the corse of events with the death of Reiner and capture of Annie.

"We were supposed to find out who our Squad Leader is but since you were more important, everything got pushed back. We've been doing group trainings, mostly, and avoiding Captain Levi." Ymir lamented.

"They had Hange doing all sorts of experiments on you," Armin was intrigued with this conversation, blue eyes wide. "She compared your blood with Eren's and strangely enough, you have the some blood type and abnormalities in the cells. If we didn't know better she would've thought you were a titan."

Ymir had a strained voice, "All from the blood?"

"Yeah, crazy, huh?" Armin didn't break Elsie's gaze. "No one knows exactly what happened. We heard a bunch of shouting, you were covered in blood-"

"I saw!" Sasha eagerly inputed. "I was in the hallway when Hange ran out to get the commander. You were throwing up blood and the captain had to knock you out to stop it!"

"-and they took you upstairs. They had Squad Leader Miche ride out to get medical supplies, and Erwin was pacing like crazy. No one saw Captain Levi for at least two days, and at that point with all the leaders distracted, we couldn't start our squad training." Armin finished with a rude look directed at Sasha.

"So? What happened?" Eren encouraged Elsie, who had sat stone faced through the replay.

Elsie shrugged, "I don't know. Hange's running experiments."

Armin was the only one who didn't deflate at the news. Elsie wondered if there would be a time for her to tell them all about herself, if maybe it was okay to do it now, but the hall suddenly silenced, much like it had yesterday when an unwanted person had walked in. Elsie wasn't shocked to see Levi in the doorway, taking in the table where they were huddled.

"Eren, Mikasa, Jean, Krista, Sasha, Armin, and Connie, with me."

They looked at Elsie, expecting her to stand with them. She happily finished her spoon full of porridge, not the least bit concerned that she wasn't in their squad. Ymir, on the other hand, was gaping at her slowly standing girlfriend, insulted that she hadn't been called.

"He's going to kill us," Jean hissed in Elsie's ear. "You better come."

A shadow loomed and a striking pain came over her head. Elsie spun, scowling and ready to attack, "What did I do?"

"You're making my squad late." Levi narrowed his eyes, daring her to act like she had with Erwin.

Of course, Elsie would never. She bit her tongue and turned back, her expression as dark as Ymir's as they watched their friends shuffle out of the room.

"Did he say squad? What the hell, they're on Levi Squad?" Ymir was enraged. "What about us?"

"Well, I quit. I don't know why you're not in there."

"That's an insult! I am by far better than Connie and Armin! Connie can barely dust right, and he wants him?"

"Erwin picked them." Elsie pushed her plate, finished.

"My poor His-Krista, ugh," Ymir sighed. "He'll destroy her."

Elsie smiled wide, "Want to join Levi Squad?"

Erwin and Hange were in her medical room discussing something to do with titans. Hange had a piece of perfectly squared skin on a slide, poking at it with tongs as she explained something in medical-jibber that went over Elsie's head. They looked up at the sound of the door opening, an identical look of surprise at Elsie in the doorway. It was peaked when Ymir stepped in, taking in the vials and body parts laid out on the desk.

"Have you changed your mind?" Erwin asked, continuing use a farce tone of indifference.

Elsie held up the paper, pulling it back when Hange scrabbled towards her to get a closer inspection. She wagged her finger, finding joy in her small pay back.

"Put me and Ymir on Levi's squad and I'll tell you the worlds secrets." Elsie bribed.

Hange snatched it, cheering at her success, and hurried to Erwin's side. They bowed their heads, eyes scanning the document for a hint, and only finding German. It was useless without a translator. Which, Elsie could supply.

Erwin scowled, "Levi Squad is at full capacity. The best I can do is put you in Hange's or Miche's. I'm sure you wouldn't want to join Klaus."

Another thinly veiled threat. Elsie shrugged, clasping her hands behind her back, "I'm sure Hange can translate it."

Hange made it clear she could not, stepping back and putting her hands up. She had tapped out of Erwin's pissing contest at the chance of getting answers, "Elsie, I'm sorry about yesterday. I should've given you some time, I was overly excited with the prospect of learning more about Marley."

Erwin slapped the paper onto the table, his back hunched as he considered.

Check. Mate.

"You can read this to me?" Erwin asked without looking.

"No but she can," Elsie pointed to the silent Ymir, who was not pleased when Elsie had informed her that she would have to reveal knowing the language. "Her parents had a few secrets up their sleeve. They were teachers, right?"

Erwin was intrigued, eyes flashing as he examined Ymir. Elsie knew his father had been a teacher and killed for his knowledge, there was no way he could deny that another person had been on the right track.

"Yeah, they taught me some weird language, said it would come in handy one day." Ymir played along, knowing that it was either this white lie or expose herself.

Erwin slid the paper to the edge of the table, "I'm assuming you both want to be on Levi Squad."

Elsie skipped behind Erwin, fixing her uniform as they wandered past the stables and to the training area. Levi sat on a stump, critiquing the forms of his squad as they dueled. Historia was thrown over Mikasa's shoulder; Jean had Armin in a head lock; Eren backpedaling from Sasha's wild swings.

"Captain Levi!" Erwin's boom halted all movement, the squad turning and saluting with their fists.

Levi stood, impassively watching as Elsie appeared at Erwin's elbow, Ymir on his other side. Historia eagerly stood, smiling wide and waving. Jean gave a thumbs up, his one wish made.

"What'd the shithead do now?"

Elsie feigned insult but couldn't hold it for long, her lips twitching at the restraint to keep from smiling. She glanced at Erwin, wanting him to say it, just so Levi would know that Elsie had won. She had out smarted Erwin.

Erwin had his best poker face, "Ymir and Elsie will be joining your squad."

Levi's eyebrow rose, "Nine to a squad?"

"I know." Erwin had more remarks that were muttered under his breath, finished with swallowing his pride and having a pep to his step as he returned to Hange.

Elsie clapped her hands, joining the others, "So, what are we doing?"

"That's not fair," Sasha whined, leaning on Elsie's shoulder. "How did she do that?"

"It's Mikasa, are we shocked?" Elsie panted, dabbing at her sweaty arms.

They stood behind Mikasa and Levi, holding their breaths as they watched the two Ackermans duel. Levi was fast, he was using strength and a ferocity that he'd never used against Elsie. Mikasa dodged, she twirled, she kicked, and she lasted longer in the pit than anyone else had. But, as it always went, Levi got the upper hand, holding her by the shoulder as he threw her to the ground. Mikasa was tired from the six hours of training - they all were, the others having chosen to run laps instead of fighting Levi to end their day. She had been the brave one to Eren's awe but she'd still lost.

"Way to go, Mikasa! You did great!" Elsie crowed, leading the round of applause.

Mikasa wiped her nose, not impressed with herself. Levi straightened his shirt sleeves to be identical, "That's enough for today. Go clean yourselves, you reek like shit."

Connie and Sasha sprinted up the hill, the others on their tail at the realization that there was only one bathroom and so little hot water. Levi shook his head at them, muttering under his breath about brats or something. Usual Levi comments.

"We're doing training in the morning. Jean shouldn't have been able to knock you down." He said in greeting once he'd reached her.

Elsie shrugged, "I figured. What do you think of Ymir?"

"Has she been here the entire time?"

"Levi," Elsie scolded but couldn't keep the tone, laughing. "She's Historia's girlfriend."

"Fuck me," Elsie would but she kept that promise to herself. "Not only do I have Mikasa chasing Eren's bitch ass, now this? You're trying to kill me."

"Only trying to spice things up," She laughed. "Your old age will get you before I can."

Levi scoffed, "You're not that far behind me."

"Oi, don't say that out loud. They think I'm their age." Elsie hissed, punching his arm.

"They're blind. Can they not see the grey hair?" Levi picked at her baby hairs, Elsie scowling and swatting his hand away.

"It's blonde! You'll show first."

"Doubtful, it wouldn't dare," Elsie imagined Levi giving a stern talking to his hair, demanding it never grey, and she couldn't help but laugh. "They are the youngest squad I've had, they're going to be a handful."

"Yes but they'll keep you on your toes."

Levi grouched, "I need a vacation."

"We'll take one," Elsie grinned, daydreaming of when they found the ocean, in the distant future. "Do you know how to swim?"

"No. It's pointless."

"I'll teach you."

"Pass."

"Levi!"

Levi Squad was in high spirits over dinner. Training hadn't been as terrible as they had thought, to Jean and Sasha's utmost relief, and they were excited to be called the new Special Operations Squad. Eren was pleased that his friends had joined him, clasping Elsie on the back when she'd sat on his other side, the usual stoic girl taking the other spot. They bantered over fighting styles, stroked Mikasa's ego over the fight, and gave Sasha preemptive warnings to not steal food.

"Attention!"

Dead silence. All heads turned as Erwin led the war lords towards the front of the hall, their first true meeting as Scouts. Miche stood to his left, looking like he'd rather be any where else, while Erwin's right-hand woman was bouncing with unleashed information. Levi folded his arms and leaned on the wall, disappearing into the shadows as Erwin's voice filled the anxious hall.

"We have seen a lot this past month. We successfully captured the Female titan, otherwise known as Annie Leonhart, and have gained immense knowledge of titans through her. She has refused to speak, however I am under good authority that if Eren Jeager is to speak to her we will learn more."

Hushed whispers broke out, eyes on the surprised teen. He grinned at Elsie, knowing full well that she had gotten him in.

"I will be traveling to the inner wall to speak with King Fritz about our next mission. It is planned to head straight for Shiganshina, the childhood home of Jeager where necessary information is trapped beneath a rock. The goal is to have Eren transform, lift the rock, and extract as much as we can. This will not be our easiest mission, in fact I am certain that this will be the most difficult task that the Survey Corp will have to face. I know all of you, I have trained with you, and I have faith in our success."

Erwin stepped back, head bowed. Elsie was impressed that in the short hours she'd given information they had set a plan in motion. She cheered with the others but her chest felt heavy, scared of what would happen when they left the safety of Levi's castle. Either they would run into the Beast titan there or on their way, but it seemed that he was still going to make an appearance.

Elsie sat on the counter of their bathroom, feet in the sink as she had her side turned, attempting to replicate the fishtail braid. She was gradually growing frustrated, taking a deep breath and bowing her head.

All she wanted was a braid. She couldn't kill the Beast titan, she couldn't force Ymir to come forward, and she couldn't warn anyone of the hell that waited for them in Shiganshina. It was horrible, what awaited them, and she was scared. She would be a part of the soldiers racing towards the Beast titan throwing rocks. She would be-

"What are you doing?"

Elsie jumped, "I thought you were going to be late."

"Erwin wanted to pack, there was nothing else to talk about." Levi leaned on the doorway, watching as Elsie turned back to her hair.

"What does he have to do with the king?" She frowned and tried again, meeting his gaze through the mirror.

"Explain what we're doing, ensure to him that we're not using Eren to kill them all, useless shit."

"Hmm. He should be back soon then."

"Three days. Tch, what are you trying to do? It's not the usual rope you do."

"Something Historia showed me," Elsie dropped her hands, pouting. "I should just cut my hair. It's too long now."

Levi pushed off the wall, gathering her hair and separating it into three pieces. With ease he did the braid Elsie normally did, tightening it gently just how she liked it. There was something serene about another person doing her hair and her head lulled back, closing her eyes as he tied it off at the base of her spine.

"Don't."

Elsie slowly opened her eyes, his penetrating grey stare meeting hers in the reflection. He finished and placed it over her shoulder, his fingers dragging across the nape of her neck, sending her hairs on end.

"I won't," Elsie hummed, pleased with the small compliment. "Have you always known how to braid?"

Levi placed his arms on either side of her, fingers spread on the counter as he caged her between him, "Isobel. She used to have long hair and the idiot couldn't get it straight, bugged the shit out of me."

"She was pretty."

"Pretty annoying. All she did was talk shit."

"Sounds like you."

Levi grinned, "I probably had a hand in it."

"Oh, I'm sure."

A knock echoed from the room, breaking their eye contact and drawing their attention to the doorway. Elsie frowned, wondering who would come to Levi's room so late, and he had the same expression. They didn't move, Elsie most definitely not wanting to leave the comfort of his arms and talk of old friends. The knock came again, louder, inciting a grunt from Levi as he pushed off the counter to open the door.

If Erwin was surprised to see Elsie peering over Levi's shoulder, he didn't show it. He closed the door, Levi stepping back to press his back against the wall beside Elsie.

"Elsie, if you're not going to use your room let someone know so we can put someone else in there," Erwin said, not unkind, in fact, with a little humor in his voice. "I was knocking until Hange told me to come here."

"Oh, sorry. I'm not using it," Elsie flushed, glad that Levi wasn't looking. "Is something wrong?"

"I have a question, no, more of a theory that I need your confirmation on. Thank you, for the information about how titans came to be, it is everything I've wanted to know since I was a child. You did more for me, though, by making Ymir read the translation. She's one of them, isn't she? A titan?"

Levi cocked his head at this and Elsie smiled, nodding, "She's a little shy but she'll do anything for Historia. She's on our side."

"Historia, she is more than a name. While I'm in the capitol I'll get more information on her to know why the Interior Police is so interested," Erwin turned to leave, pausing before walking out. "I won't ask you a question unless you feel that it needs to be said. Thank you, Elsie."

Elsie grabbed her things from her room, the spare uniforms and sleeping clothes that she hadn't worn since before Reiner. She glanced at the twin bed, the IV stand still next to it, and a small sense of giddiness embraced her as she returned to Levi. He was at the dresser, handful of boxers being perfectly added to the second drawer. He stepped back, watching as she put her clothes in the freshly emptied top drawer, highly aware that she needed to fold them just right with his stare on her.

"Elsie."

She looked over her shoulder, "Yeah?"

He wanted to say something, she could see the turmoil in his face. His lips parted, as if to let her know what she already knew but he withheld, a storm in his eyes that made her want to step closer and let him unleash. Maybe her gaze was too confrontational, maybe he thought it wasn't the time, but the look disappeared as fast as she'd turned.

"You make me sick," He landed on, shouldering her aside to redo her drawer. "You color code this shit."

"What? No, I just fold it and take it out the next day. Come on, Levi, it's my drawer!"

"My room, my rules."

"Don't pull that shit on me," She pushed him aside, putting the tan back in front of the white. He was trying to make it so the colors faded respectively to black. "Look, I grab my pants, then my shirt, and see, way here at the end, is my night stuff- Levi!"

"White, tan, grey, black. That's the way, suck it up or you're sleeping in the hallway."

Levi found it easy to bicker. It was easier than changing things, and Elsie let him. He slammed the drawer before she could get her fingers in, blocking it with his body and a challenging glower. Elsie folded her arms, taped her foot, and bolted for it. He bent, lifted her over his shoulder, and threw her onto the bed.

"Rude!"

"Weak ass," He walked to his side of the bed, blowing out the candle. "We have to be up early."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you want to beat me up." Elsie huffed, flipping onto her side.

"It builds character."

Elsie reached behind her, none too gently yanking Levi's arm over her. He chuckled, having no objections, and rested his head on her pillow. In no time he was snoring and Elsie stared at the wall beneath the window, just as she had in the morning, scared to sleep. She wanted to see the face again, more than she wanted Levi to admit his feelings, but she didn't want the sadness that came with waking up.

She couldn't fight sleep for long, her fingers scratching Levi's forearm as she dozed off.

"Hey, Els! Stop being lazy and come play!"

Elsie turned on the hill to find her little brother at the bottom. He was waving, a healthy flush to his cheeks, freckles kissing his nose. He was smiling wide, holding his hands out as if to catch her if she fell.

Elsie took a step and felt sick, as if knowing it was the wrong direction. She looked back, seeing no one, but the sun felt warmer on that side of the hill.

"Come on, Els!" Tucker encouraged.

She loved Tucker. But... She was leaving someone behind that she loved in a different way. She couldn't leave without saying good bye. She had to see him one last time. Elsie's feet shuffled a step back, the sickness leaving, a caress of warmth on the back of her neck, a whiff of smoke and sweat in the air.

"Els?"

"I have to do something!" She called to him, the steps easier, less heavy as she continued to walk backwards. "I'll see you again, I promise!"

"Whatever makes you happy!"

Tucker had a crooked smile, floppy honey hair that was the perfect mixture of their parent's. He wasn't upset, he waved her off, smiling the entire time Elsie backed away. Elsie didn't feel turmoil over her choice, facing the sunny side and sliding down the hill.

Ya'll I can't wait for the next chapter! Thank you for all the reviews, I'm glad that we're all slow-burn fans haha!