Levi wasn't controlling at all. He kept order in his house and Ducky followed those rules. He gave her a key and let her sleep on the couch until she got the gear, which after living with him for three days, she managed to receive without much bloodshed.

Levi stared at the gear, confused but eager to learn. "So, Moppet, how does it work?"

He hated calling her Ducky, so he called her Moppet. It didn't bother Ducky in the least. It helped her trust him more knowing he cared enough to call her something he believed she deserved. She was happy to teach someone since she had been pretty much useless when she was in training. Levi got the hang of the equipment quickly, learning exactly what everything could do.

"I'm not against killing people, but why on earth do they need blades like these?" Levi asked as he looked at the flexible blade on his hilt.

"It's for the titans," she replied, never looking up from the book she was trying to read. "Levi, I don't know what this word is."

He walked to her, taking the book from her hands as she pointed to it. "Pseudonym. The 'p' is silent."

"What is a soodenim?"

"Pseudonym," he corrected.

"Pseudonym," she repeated slowly.

"It's just an alias, like Ducky Kelley or Moppet," he explained as he handed her the book. "What are you reading?"

"I don't know," she replied. "It keeps using weird words like biting, piercing, and other stuff, but I don't think it's about murder since it's talking about love and stuff."

"That is called a romance novel, and if you don't know what's going on, you shouldn't read it." He took it from her, placing it on the table by her to enunciate his point. He walked around the couch and looked at her as if he was really seeing her for the first time, running his fingers through her hair to keep her bangs from being in her face, "You're just a child. Do they allow children to join the military?"

"Yeah, at twelve," she replied as she leaned into his cool touch.

"You're only fifteen?"

She shrugged, "I don't know what day it is, so I might be sixteen."

He sighed, "Cmon, help me with supper."

This had become routine, and Ducky enjoyed it. She was sleeping better than she ever had, even if it was on a couch. She did enough throughout the day to wear herself down until all she could really do was turn pages in a book or help Levi with something simple.

"Someone's at the door," she told him as she carefully chopped some small carrots she had grabbed earlier that day.

A scowl appeared on his face, "He's early."

Since his debt had been paid, people were coming to Levi with jobs and paying him for the various crimes. He was starting to earn respect again, something he had evidently lost in a nasty gamble.

He washed his hands before heading to the door and opening it. It was the large man from before, only this time he was smoking a cigar and had a scar on his face. Ducky noticed how clean his suit was while his shoes were covered in mud. Levi was not going to be happy.

"Your salt wasn't enough," the man grinned wickedly. Greed was such a disgusting thing. "Look at that over there," he whistled as he stepped in, ignoring Levi entirely. "Tell you what, Levi, I'll take her off your hands in exchange for your freedom."

"I don't owe you anything, so you can shove it," Levi spat. "Get out of my house."

Ducky paused in her chore, looking at the small scuffle that had started as Levi forced the man out of the house. He slammed the door, forcing the lock, something that rarely happened. She could tell he was mad, but he had gotten to where he didn't express his emotions as much. He wasn't cold, just not as animated. On occasion, he would crack a smile or chuckle, but he mostly kept a neutral face.

When he got angry like that, he always had to take a shower to calm down, a small habit of his that made Ducky smile. It also left her with finishing dinner and getting him tea. She didn't mind these things. She wanted to be a girl for once, and this is what she was raised to do back in her village. The only thing she hadn't done was spread her legs for any and all visitors back then, it was forced, and Levi had no interest in it whatsoever.

Sighing, she stared at the varying teas Levi had collected over time. He liked all of them, though preferred some to others depending on his mood. She was having a hard time finding it, and it started to make her panic that they may have run out. Finally, she found the ever so rare guava tea. Rumors were the King couldn't even afford the delicacy she had stolen from some over priced vendor in the market.

She sighed as she stretched, pulling the boiling pot from the stove and placing it on the counter, doing her best to make enough counter space for the soup as well. The unfortunate realization of needing to move to a bigger home was heavy on Levi and Ducky's minds. The house was in bad condition and only getting worse with a second person living there. They were saving up for a new home, though. If they couldn't buy it, they were going to take it over. It certainly made things easier.

While the food cooled off, Ducky started washing dishes. Levi had poisoned her mind with his cleanliness, though it still wasn't up to par.

"You're doing it wrong," Levi said as he stood behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder as he forced the dish out of her hand and washed it himself.

"What's wrong?" She asked as she took the dish from him and began cleaning it the same way he had.

He sighed heavily as he wrapped his arms around her waist, an intimate position he only had when he was truly exhausted. "I don't know if I've paid off the debt. There were three ounces of salt in that bag, but it wasn't enough."

"Three ounces of salt can buy half the underground. It was more than enough," she assured him.

"How do you know?" He asked weakly.

"Because I made the mistake of giving you an item rather than money. I'll deal with him next time he tries anything."

He tightened his hold around her, gently nuzzling his cheek against hers. "I'm sorry that you're in this situation."

"Don't be," she smiled. "We might both be dead if things hadn't fallen into place."

He gave a small, tired nod before releasing her, "Guava?"

"You looked like you needed it," she replied as he headed to the teapot where the tea bags waited to be used.

She watched as he reached for it, but quickly stopped him when she realized how shaky his hands were. "You're tired," she told him as he glared. "If you try to pour it, you might drop it or spill it."

He released the iron pot allowing her to make it for him. She took it to the table, putting it down, not really trusting him to do it alone. After she grabbed some of the bland soup she had made from the pot and taken it to him, she noticed his frown.

"I got there late," she explained. "It will be better tomorrow."

"Late? That's unlike you."

"I ran into a friend of mine from the Training Corp," she said with a smile. "He told me I would have placed fifth in the top ten. He said he would pass on the word to Erwin I was still alive, and he wanted to meet again tomorrow." She ran her fingers through her hair, "I'm going to need the blades from your gear."

"Why?"

"Marcus didn't graduate, but he got into the MPs by spilling information about me. I know they'll be planning an attack, but I don't know where. It took me a while to find an empty home that was far away from here, but we're going to have to start moving soon. I'm not exactly average looking."

"So you plan on killing them?"

"I plan on breaking their gear to where they can't keep up with me."

Levi didn't move when the door suddenly broke in. Ducky as already on her feet, gun drawn and waiting. She lowered her gun with a frown, "Farley, what are you doing here?"

"Everyone is looking for you," he told her, worry clear in his voice. "When Marcus showed up to graduation and you didn't, Erwin told me where to find you. They're planning to ambush you tomorrow and take you to the King for execution. Ducky, you need to leave."

"Stanley told me," she replied, though she was starting to get anxious, "I'm not leaving Levi."

He went quiet for a moment, looking at the man behind her for the first time, "You sure do move fast."

"I never had a relationship with Erwin," she replied bluntly. "Thank you for the warning, Farley."

"You don't understand," he argued, "They're sending the Golden Force."

She crossed her arms over her chest, unamused, "The elite group of soldiers that come from the titan experiment community? Yeah, I'm from there."

He swallowed hard, "We-we-were...you..."

"One of the abnormals, yes," she confirmed. "And make no mistake, if I have to kill the police, I will. For me to choose to live down here rather than return to that village should speak volumes of how they treat women there."

Farley smiled slightly, blushing as he looked away, rubbing the back of his neck, "Now that your hair has been fixed, you are very pretty."

She smiled, "Thank you, Farley. Unfortunately, the Military Police are searching for you now, and I must ask you to leave."

He fired off his gear, flying away from there leaving Levi and Ducky to deal with their broken door. "He broke the door," Levi said, hinting his anger and annoyance.

She smiled at him, "Don't worry. We can push it up and put the couch in front to keep it up. I can still sleep there."

"No, you're sleeping in my room," he told her.

He was blushing, unable to look at her for the simple demand. She had only been there a month, but this wasn't the first time Levi had asked something like that from her. "Alright," she agreed. "Let me get everything cleaned up and take a shower, then I'll be in there."

Levi put the door back in place while she cleaned the dishes and got everything put away. After a freezing shower, she started to head to the bedroom when she saw the mud from the man that had rudely entered. With a yawn, she grabbed the broom and began sweeping. The process would have been easier if Levi wasn't so nitpicky, but she had to make sure it was absolutely clean before she went to bed.

Finally finished, she headed to the make-shift bed he had made. When she got to it, she froze finding Levi asleep in her spot.

She reached for him, but stopped when she saw his hand was under the pillow. Last time she had woken him up, he stabbed her in the shoulder. She hated to follow through with her actions as Levi slowly began to levitate off the ground, getting placed in his own bed, the knife following him and sliding under the pillow. The sheets pulled over him, and his body relaxed.

He was self conscious around her. When she had first arrived, he had been sleeping without shirts but when she had slept in there, he wore a long sleeved shirt that she could tell made him uncomfortably hot.

With a yawn, she got on the floor, curling into the bedding she usually used on the couch. She smiled at the new smell, guava tea. Somehow, Levi always managed to smell like the tea he drank. It was comforting and light, like a summer breeze. Unable to fight sleep any longer, she drifted off, hoping no one would bother them.

First thing in the morning, she was woken up by Levi roughly shaking her.

"What?" She asked groggily.

Before Levi could even answer, she was on her feet, standing at attention, her salute still and absolute as she stared ahead, "Sorry, sir!"

"Stop that. You look like an idiot," Levi replied, his annoyance still in his voice. "Why was I in my bed?"

"Because...it's your bed?" She answered skeptically, his eyes only narrowing in response.

"You were supposed to sleep there," he told her.

"Levi, why did you want me in your bed?" She asked.

"So you would have one," he answered as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I have one," she argued, "It's just holding up the door right now."

He shook his head, "You get the bed until we get the door fixed."

"I don't want your bed," she explained. "I'm fine with the floor. If it's dirty, you won't be able to sleep."

He sneered slightly, but agreed with her logic. There was no way he would be useful after sleeping on the floor. "You're smart for a kid," he said as he ruffled her hair.

She shook her head, "No, I just know you. Smart people can read and write without help."

"You're getting there," he encouraged. "You haven't asked in three days. Pseudonym would be a very hard word for someone who's only been reading for three years."

She allowed a careful smile, "Thanks."

He suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her head against his shoulder, almost like she would disappear or be taken from him at any moment, "Ducky, I need you to come back."

She nodded as she took a step back, "I'll be back. Don't stay here, though. Pack what you can and hide what you can't carry in the bathroom. There's a hole by the shower that drops a good four feet. When they burn the house down, it won't reach that stuff."

She placed her hand on his cheek, examining him to remember him. She would miss her dear friend. She would miss his black hair that hung in his face and sometimes covered his sharp eyes that reminded her of her titan slaying blades. She would miss the small man that still stood taller than her and his superior attitude that showed up when others came around. She would miss their walks through the markets as she stole items while walking nonchalantly by.

But she would return to him, just not in this house. She would return to his smile and clingy exhaustion. She would return to her dear friend. He was by no means Erwin, but he was certainly close. No, she would return to him, but she knew she wouldn't be the same.