Chapter 2

As new recruits start to join the Scouts, it seems life has been poured into the once quiet barracks and HQ of the Scouts Regime. Unlike the time when Rosaria first joined the ranks, months had passed by and it seems the building was always bustling with activity now.

"Aim for the head or the heart, cadet! Your enemy will not go easy on you in a war!" Levi yells as bullets fly all over the range. Paper cutouts of figures stood in rows as lines of fresh cadets shot with pistols in their hands. The sounds of bullets flying across the range are an unfamiliar sound. For what seemed like a lifetime, Rosaria had always been training to fight monsters called titans. Now, she was training to fight humans. Humans with families, friends, comrades and people they love.. Just like her.

Rosaria aimed at the heart of the paper cutout. She pulls the trigger and it goes through right across the heart. There are gasps of amazement coming from the neighbouring cadets.

"More practice and less gaping you shits." Levi yelled. Rosaria looks up to see Levi standing behind her. He is dressed in the standard scouts uniform and a face of boredom across his features.

Corporal must be bored. He's used to fighting on the front lines and training only his special ops squad. However, with the lack of manpower and upper ranks in the Scouts, Levi has had to join in on the training program for all Scouts as instructed by Hanji.

"Would you like me to prepare a cup of tea, sir?" Levi perks up at the mention of tea. He nods and Rosaria gives a small smile. She hears Levi's continued shouts as she leaves the firing range, finally allowed some fresh air and silence. Rosaria walks towards the office building, already an expert in the directions towards Levi's private office. It's right opposite of Hanji's and next to her's; since Rosaria was now the third highest-ranking member of the Scout, after Levi. She walks into his office and finds an oak cupboard filled with different variants of tea leaves, teapots and teacups. She picks the Jasmine tea leaves and sets it on the counter.

As she boils the pot of water, her mind wanders. There were many duties she needed to oversee as squad captain. She had her own squad now, so that meant she needed to design and train her new squad members to work together as quickly as possible. Aside from her own squad, she was in charge of welcoming new recruits with speeches and a smile; all Levi's idea apparently. She also had to attend strategy meetings for their next steps in preparation for war. And oftentimes, she had to take over Levi's duties on short notice as he was occupied with Eren and Levi Squad.

As the pot squeaks with steam pouring out, Rosaria turns off the fire and pours the contents of the hot, boiling water into the teapot. She adds in two teaspoons of Jasmine leaves and takes out her small watch from her pocket.

"For Jasmine leaves, it needs to sit for three and a half minutes. Anything longer will result in a bitter taste."

Rosaria recalls Levi's instructions in her head. After her request to be taught how to make tea, Levi obliged to teach her his passion in all things tea. Now, Rosaria has become the one and only "Levi-approved" tea lady in the whole Scout.

She puts the teapot and teacup onto a tray, holding it carefully as she walks back to the firing range. When she walks through the front doors, she finds Levi standing next to a fresh cadet twice his height.

"Cadet, is it just me or has your aim been shitting itself?" The cadet pales, pistol aimed shakily at the paper cut out miles in front of him. "The only thing you've managed to hit is air, cadet. If this was a real war, you'd be fucking dead by now." The cadet gulps. "I have no use for dead soldiers. Now, fucking listen to my instructions. You aim for the head as carefully as you can, and pull the shitty trigger." Rosaria walks in, hands still steadied on the tray.

The cadet pulls the trigger nervously and three bullets fly. One in the leg of the paper cutout, the second in a stack of hay, and another hits a glass window; a sharp pang erupted in the air as glass shards flew all over. Some glass shard's trajectory ends up directly at Rosaria and she immediately crouches down, guarding herself as the tray topples to the ground.

After moments, Rosaria opens her eyes to find the teapot broken on the ground, its contents leaking. The next moment she hears Levi strangling the poor boy who was easily twice his height. "Cadet, did shit happen to be in your eyes? Because I don't fucking understand how you can break a window instead of aiming for the shitty heart on a paper cutout." Rosaria puts her hands on Levi's shoulder, trying to get him to calm down.

"C-corporal, i-it was a rookie mistake! He's just a cadet!" Levi clicked his tongue and shot a menacing glare at her. "A cadet that could have killed you with his rookie mistake, Captain." Rosaria now had her hands on top of Levi's, where he was shaking and lifting the poor boy up in mid-air, choking him. "C-corporal!" Rosaria hurriedly grabbed Levi's iron grip away from the poor boy's throat, hearing the cadet breathe in desperately. When Levi grunted, Rosaria wrapped her arms around Levi's waist with an iron grip and shifted her entire weight downwards to the ground, making it impossible for Levi to take another step.

"What the hell Rosa-" Rosaria glared at the remaining cadets. "Get him out now! That's an order!" Rosaria yelled, struggling to fight against Levi as he tried to push her weight off him. The cadets scrambled and ran to pick up the poor boy at the speed of light, dragging his body away from the fighting range. When their backs could no longer be seen, Levi's elbow punched into Rosaria's face and she trembled downwards to the ground.

"Try this again Rosaria and you'll be getting more than a bloody nose." Rosaria paled at the threat. When she was warned of Levi's temper, she did not expect it to be worse than the rumours. "S-sir I-" Rosaria's words were cut off when Levi had already stormed out of the firing range. She sighed, looking down at the broken teapot and the cold tea on the ground.

"What's this I hear, Levi? You choked a cadet and gave your Captain a bloody nose for stopping you?" Hanji frowned as she looked up from her mountain of books. Levi clicked his tongue.

"I didn't successfully choke him and Rosaria deserved the bloody nose because she was opposing her direct commanding officer, Hanji." Hanji shook her head in disappointment. "Are you hearing yourself, Levi? I understand that you haven't gotten used to the new additions to the Scouts, but this is going too far, Levi!" Levi sipped on his tea and grunted. "Don't shit yourself, Hanji. The cadet broke a glass window and almost killed Rosaria. He should be glad I didn't break his bones." Hanji sighed as she took off her glasses.

"What's going on Levi? You've been easily agitated lately." Hanji asked, concern in her voice. Although she was often on the receiving end of Levi's violence, she was still his oldest, living friend and comrade. The two undeniably had a mutual understanding for each other considering the number of people they each lost throughout the years. Levi didn't say anything.

"Are you… horny?" Levi's teacup was thrown directly across the wall as Hanji dodged the attack. The next thing she knows, Levi's hands are on her collar. "It's nothing to be ashamed about, Levi. I mean, studies have shown that men tend to get horny even in their 30s-" Levi yanked Hanji's collar with full force.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, shitty four eyes."

Levi crossed his arms as he walked across the barracks. The halls were silent and only a few candlelights illuminated the path. He was furious. He couldn't decide if he was madder at Hanji's words or the fact that two sets of teacups were broken today. Two! He was going to have to make a trip to his favourite china supply store in Wall Sina soon.

As he walked down from his private office, he couldn't help but stare into the dimly lit office next to his. Rosaria's office door was closed, but he could tell there was a faint light inside. He clicked his tongue, trying to tell himself to walk away; but somewhere in his heart, he knew he needed to see her tonight and apologise for what happened. He sighed, his heels turning directions. He opened the door without knocking, never bothered for military formalities anyway - but was met with an empty room. Papers were scattered on the desk and a single candle was lit, but no sign of the long-haired captain.

As Levi was about to turn his heel and call it a night, he heard movement from the table. Swiftly, he turned his head but found nothing amiss. He raised an eyebrow. He slowly walked towards the wooden table, already reaching out for his switchblade from his back pocket. Then when he charged forward, he was met with…

A puppy. Black fur covered the small animal with black pupils and short floppy ears. Its paws were big, signs of a big bred dog that had yet to be grown to its full size. Levi cringed, shock in his features. The puppy tilted its head and wagged its tail at Levi, hopping towards the Corporal. Levi dodged like the veteran soldier he was, leaving the puppy to crash into the wall. When Levi was wondering if it was hurt from the impact, it barked at Levi and wagged its tail again.

"Dirty piece of shit- do not follow me!" Levi yelled at the top of his lungs, running and dodging and jumping on furniture to make sure the animal would not touch him. Who knew what kind of dust and dirt it had been rolling on? As Levi started to wonder how a puppy got into military barracks, he heard the door open swiftly.

"Were you hungry bud-...dy….?" Rosaria's chirpy words were cut short when her mouth gaped open like a fish out of water. What greeted her was Levi balancing on top of a stool with one leg and the puppy she was taking care of secretly biting on the leg of the stool. Silence followed for a few seconds before Rosaria casually stepped back towards the door where she came from. As she was about to open the door, a sharp yell erupted.

"Rosaria Suede, stay where you're shitty boots are!" Levi's command was clear. Rosaria paled. Levi jumped towards her and grabbed her by the collar, then pushing her towards the wall with all his force. "Explain, Captain!" Levi's face was only inches away from hers and radiated fury. Rosaria gulped. "C-corporal I-i can explain!" The grip tightened on her collar. Now she knew what Hanji felt like on a daily basis.

"Then explain." His words were sharper and laced with venom. Rosaria opened her mouth to speak but instead, she found herself cringing her nose as she smelt something weird. Levi cast his eyes downwards, only to realise the puppy was urinating on Levi's boots. As the only sound of urine was being released from the puppy erupted, Rosaria felt blood rushing to her head as Levi's grip on her collar was now on her throat.

Oh god, I was going to die.

"C-corporal, don't kill me!" The words seemed to fall on deadpan ears as Levi growled. "You're no use to me in the war if you don't even obey military protocol, Rosaria!" Rosaria could feel light-headed already. She reached her hands out to put on top of Levi's own. "C-corporal, l-let me explain…" Levi growled and let go of his hands. Rosaria gasped and breathed in a pang of fresh air. She looked up to see Levi glaring deathly at her and she smiled nervously.

The puppy jumps into Rosaria's lap, licking her boots. Rosaria looks down at the puppy, smiling. "Corporal, isn't he cute?" Levi scowled. Rosaria patted the puppy's head and looked at Levi. "The puppy was found by one of the recruits a few days ago. Apparently, the mother died. The mother was found with a stab wound." Levi felt a sour aftertaste in his mouth. "And you found it appropriate to break military protocol just because you took pity on an animal? Why don't you take pity on the countless orphans we have who lost their parents to Titans instead? You could open an orphanage instead of joining the Scouts if you're so keen, Rosaria." Levi's words were harsher than usual, even he could admit that. Yet, Rosaria didn't seem to be particularly bothered. "You're right, we live in a cruel world.. Corporal." She reached into her pocket. "But I believe that just because we live in one, it doesn't mean we can't try and make it a little bit better. I might not be able to open an orphanage or save orphans, Corporal…." Rosaria stared into Levi's eyes.

"But I won't ignore people who are in need of help when I can give it to them. Even if it's just an animal." Levi found confidence and determination in his subordinate's words. Rosaria had always seemed like the perfect Captain - calm, calculated, a peace-maker; someone who could dissolve his fiery temper. Now he saw a different side of her - a woman who would protect the things and people that meant to her, even if it would cost her life.

"I know full well what military protocol is, Corporal. I wasn't planning to keep it a secret from you… at least not forever anyway. I was just trying to finish "this" so that it would keep him warm in the coming winter." Levi raised an eyebrow at the words. Rosaria pulled out a piece of green fabric from her pocket, tying it around the puppy's neck as it bit and nibbled on Rosaria's fingers. The green fabric was a miniature version of the green cloak the Scouts wore, even down to the insignia with the wings of freedom. She then held the puppy in her hands and lifted it up to Levi's line of vision with the biggest, brightest smile. The puppy looked like it could fly with the green cloak on its back. Levi's eyes widened.

"Levi-Aniki! The bird flew!"

Isabel appeared in his memories. It was a small opening in Wall Sina that they had to pay just to cross the stairs and let Isabel free the damn bird. Levi could still see the image in his head, a beautiful cloudy blue sky - a view the three of them wished they could see every day. An image of what felt like lightyears ago reappeared in Levi's memories. A time when things were so much simpler. A time when Levi only had to worry about escaping MPs and earning enough cash to get by. A time when he still had the people he cared about in this world. Recently, the memories of his past kept creaking into his mind. Isabel, Farlan, Gunther, Oluo, Eld, Petra, Mike, Nanaba… Erwin. It was the reason why he was so on edge lately. Why he seemed to be having trouble keeping his temper in check. It's been almost a year since the original Squad Levi's death - yet Levi found himself all alone, buried in mountains of corpses, guilt and pain.

Will their deaths have meaning?

The puppy licked Levi's nose with an innocent smile. Rosaria expected Levi to choke her again but instead, he stood there, quiet, powerless - as if he was lost in another world. "Corporal?" Rosaria asked, confused and concerned. Levi didn't say anything, only looking down at the small puppy. When Rosaria was about to speak, Levi smiled. A smile so genuine, so real - something she never thought was possible on the Corporal's face.

A tiny runt wearing the cloak of wings of freedom. If only Erwin could see it today.

Rosaria blinked, then slowly smiling at the Corporal. Levi smiled, shaking his head. "Rosaria." Levi's voice came. "Clean up the mess this runt made. And my boots. I want to see them sparkling clean first thing in the morning." Rosaria saluted. "Yes, sir!" Levi looked back down at the puppy, now biting on his shoelaces. "And the puppy...sir?" Levi sighed. "You may keep it in the stables for now. It'll be hard for a puppy this small to survive in winter." Rosaria's eyes lit up like a child. She gasped and grabbed Levi by the shoulders, crushing him into an embrace. Levi tensed, his arms in mid-air. The younger woman was slightly taller and she had to bend slightly to get down to Levi's height.

"Thank you, Corporal!"

…..

Author's notes:

I personally think Levi is a dog person and secretly fed dogs in the Underground whenever he could. Not gonna lie, I get emotional just thinking about how the deaths of his closest friends have impacted Levi. I know it seems a bit slow and boring, but I'm hoping to build more of a friendship with Rosaria before any of the steamy romance scenes come in :)

As always, please leave a review!