Chapter Eight: Discovery

Gasping for breath, Eve bolted upright in her bed. It took several long moments for her to adjust to being awake. Sasha was hovering beside her, standing on one of the rungs of the ladder that led up to Eve's bed. Her eyebrows were knitted together and she wore a small frown. "Are you okay?"

Eve nodded. Using her sheet, she wiped away the sweat from her forehead. The intense feeling of fear and the adrenaline coursing through her veins were both still present, but she couldn't remember the nightmare that had caused the sensations. Rubbing her eyes and running her fingers through her loose hair, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"You alright?" Hannah, the only other girl in her newly-formed squad, was sitting up in her own top bunk across the room. The girl below her slept like a rock, though, and continued to snore softly.

"Yes, sorry," Eve muttered. Hannah grunted and flopped back over on her side. Hannah's snores soon filtered into the background noise. Sasha climbed up onto Eve's bed, sitting across from her towards the foot of the bed. Eve curled up, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her forehead on her knees for a moment.

"Wanna talk about it?" Sasha asked. Eve angled her head to look over at her, then shrugged lightly.

"I don't remember it," she answered. Burying her face in the tops of her knees once more, she sighed. "I always remember my nightmares… I don't understand this one."

"Maybe it's a good thing?" Sasha suggested. "It might just be stress. You do have the exam in a few days."

"Yeah," Eve whispered. She wasn't sure if that was the real reason, but it seemed to fit well enough. She felt like she could almost remember a specific image of someone familiar, but the thought vanished when she tried to focus on it.

"We should go find a snack!" Sasha suggested brightly. "Eating a little something always helps me go back to sleep after a nightmare."

"I'm not hungry," Eve said softly.

Sasha frowned at her. "You're still too skinny," she said, poking Eve's slender arm. "Eating a little more would do you some good."

"Then I'd get fat and I wouldn't be able to move so fast," Eve shot back with a smirk. They shared a chuckle. "I'm sorry I woke you up, Sasha. We should probably get back to sleep, though." Sasha agreed and climbed back down to her own bunk.

The next day, Sasha ended up falling asleep in the middle of doing the laundry. Sixteen sets of linens were found half-frozen in a pile around her, stuffed into wicker baskets that sat on the ground. Unfortunately, Eve found her just as she was kicked into wakefulness by an extremely disgruntled Captain Levi. She was promptly banned from attending the trip to the market, joining a rapidly growing group of people that included Connie, Jean, and, to everyone's great surprise, Mikasa. Connie and Jean had been officially caught smuggling the alcohol Connie had procured as they moved it from the supply closet to a hollowed out tree trunk. No one knew exactly why Mikasa had been punished, but the rumors had begun to flow and included every possibility from being caught in Eren's room after dark to disrespecting Commander Erwin in various ways.

The excitement that buzzed in the air baffled her. She didn't see how a simple trip to a market could produce such a charge in everyone's energy- especially so early in the morning, when most of her new companions were complaining about the hour, the weather, and everything else. There were no complaints to be heard from any mouth this morning, only a quiet and electrified hush.

The chill of winter had finally settled over the world, and she was freezing. Osten stamped his hooves into the frozen ground impatiently as she readied his saddle. With a soft chuckle, she stroked his nose to calm him. Everyone else had mounted their horses already. Armin trotted over to her side.

"Ready?" he asked. Even Armin seemed to have caught the fever of excitement. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were almost sparkling. It could have been the icy wind stinging his face, but she doubted it.

"Yes," she sighed, adjusting one final strap. She climbed into the saddle and tucked her cloak around herself as well as she could. "I don't see why everyone is so hyped up."

"We've been stuck out here at headquarters for a month," Armin answered with a shrug. "Technically, everyone's break begins today."

"Not mine," Eve sighed. She reflected back to the nightmare and wondered why she still couldn't remember any details. The examination was tomorrow. She still had no details about it- not even where it was to be held.

"But today is a small break, and once you're done with the test tomorrow, you'll be allowed to return to your people."

"And what about you?" she asked as they took up their places at the rear of the formation that had just begun to move. "Where will you go for your day off?"

Armin shrugged and looked down at his horse's mane. He stroked the rough brown hair, but said nothing for a long moment. "I don't really have anywhere to go. I usually just hang out with Mikasa and Eren."

"You're welcome to come with me," Eve said with a noncommittal shrug. "I'll probably just be playing with Leonardo as much as I can. Though there might be a fight with Rosa."

"Are you sure?" Armin asked, a note of hopefulness in his voice. She glanced over at him with a slight smile. She caught his face for just a split second, noticing the wide eyes and lips slightly parted in surprise, but he dipped his head low, looking back down at his horse. "I don't want to be a burden."

"Yes, I'm sure," Eve said softly, her smile growing and softening from her usual smirk. "My people like you." Armin looked up at her once more with his own smile, bright and cheerful. They rode on with little more conversation aside from a few remarks about what they were going to purchase and where certain roads they passed led to.

They reached the city only a few hours later. Tying their horses up at the Garrison's stables, they set off on foot. Eve was instantly overwhelmed by the crowds. The dozens of soldiers that had come from headquarters vanished amongst the bodies. Paranoia made her jumpy and she flinched every time someone brushed against her. She tried to keep up with some of the others as they darted around the maze of stalls and shops, but she quickly fell behind. If it weren't for Armin, she was sure she'd have been lost. Keeping her eyes peeled, she focused on the various goods for sale as she walked, but it was hard to concentrate with the feeling of so many sets of eyes on her. She didn't fit in here, and it had become painfully obvious to her in this moment.

-0-0-0-

"Come on, Eve!" Armin shouted from a few meters ahead, waving his arm high so that she could spot him through the throng. Disgruntled and annoyed, she shoved her way through two wealthy-looking women- if their big fancy hats said anything about them at all- to make her way closer to her companion. He showed her around most of the little shops and outdoor stands that made up the market, but she hadn't found what she wanted for Leo. Armin gave her a bright smile as soon as he spotted her again. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand and tugged her along. She was tempted to break his hold, but with only a little reluctance, she grasped his hand tighter.

"Where to now?" she asked once she'd caught up. He still hadn't released her hand, but there was another portion of the thick crowd approaching. It made her less uncomfortable to hold his hand than she imagined it should have. She felt herself become less noticeable, and the sensation of paranoia began to fade. He just looked over his shoulder and winked. With a slight pout and a huff as she puffed out her cheeks, she jogged along behind him. The brisk winter air had settled more fully upon them, each of their breaths white clouds in the chill air. The simple black scarf she'd purchased just an hour ago was wrapped securely around her neck, but it did little to keep the cold from sinking down into her bones. She cursed herself internally for forgetting her only winter coat back in her village.

The cloak wrapped securely around her shoulders coupled with the thin leather jacket were keeping her from freezing, but as Armin darted around the marketplace, she kept her eye out for a coat. She'd need one before they left for her first expedition as a member of the Survey Corps. Peter had finally allowed her to resume the daily physical training, but while she was still extremely far behind the others, she didn't feel quite as depressed about it. She knew she could handle herself on the other side of the Wall. Her only concern was trying to protect the others in the squad she'd so recently been assigned to.

Alik, the young, dark-skinned boy who was supposed to be on the same level as Levi and Mikasa, was the youngest member at just fifteen. Hannah, a bright, yellow-haired girl with an annoyingly optimistic attitude, was only a year older than Alik. Usef, at seventeen, stood taller than anyone Eve had ever met before- dwarfing Eve by 60 cm (~two feet, making him just under 7 ft tall). Her squad leader, Daniel, had only been with the Corps for two years, but he was intelligent and Eve found that he didn't take offense when she challenged his decisions, only explained his reasoning behind his choices. She thought they were all nice enough, but Alik was the only one who'd ever seen a Titan before, and that had been from a distance. There was a certain uneasiness that settled in her belly each time she thought of them leaving the safety of Wall Rose.

"Look!" Armin stopped abruptly, and Eve smacked into his back. Blushing, she was about to apologize, but he pointed to the small stand to her right. Her eyes went wide and her mouth fell open a little. There were toys of all kinds spread out on the old wooden table. Eve stepped closer and her fingers instantly went to a small wooden carving of a bear.

"My husband just carved that one yesterday," the crone behind the table said with a toothless grin. Eve gave her a half smile and dipped her head in a nod. "You seem so young to be a mother- and in the Survey Corps no less!"

"He's… adopted," Eve muttered half-heartedly. She felt guilty for even saying that much. She wasn't a large part of Leo's life. Over the last week, she'd realized just how absent she'd been even in just the few short months he'd been alive. Browsing the other wares the woman had presented, Eve found another gift for Leo. It was a stuffed bear, made of soft brown canvas with black-thread lumps for eyes and a nose. She held up both objects with a small smile. "How much?"

After setting aside a large portion of her wages to go to the care for Leonardo and purchasing the scarf and toys, Eve had very little left. She didn't have a real concept for the value of money, but Armin was helping her with little notes of "too expensive" or "that's a good price". Stuffing the toys into the canvas bag at her hip (she'd found it in yet another supply closet in the castle and was told she could keep it), she let Armin grasp her icy hand once more and followed him around for a while longer.

Tomorrow was the examination. She'd learned very little of what was expected of her or what she'd actually be doing, but she wasn't worried. Perhaps it was Armin's over confidence in her, but she felt that whatever they threw at her, she could handle it. The day after, though, she would be allowed to spend with her people. Since their new village was only a few hours' ride from headquarters, she was hoping she could finagle her way into staying the night. A small, yet happy, smile crossed her face.

"You must be thinking about Leo," Armin said softly, coming to a gentler stop. She glanced up at him and nodded. "Well, let's get something to drink, shall we?" He tugged her into a small but crowded little shop that smelled like cinnamon. It was easy to spot the other soldiers present- Corps or not. She was certain that a certain crop of short black hair on a tall, stocky frame belonged to that of Oliver, one of the soldiers from Mercedes' squad. She gave him a slight wave and an even slighter smile as they passed the table he was seated at, but didn't stop to speak. Armin was ordering something for the both of them while she looked around for a table in the cramped, but warm, shop. She spotted one at the front and darted over to it to claim it as her own before someone else got to it.

"Thank you," she said softly as Armin sat a steaming mug in front of her.

He grinned. "This will warm you up." She sipped at it and sighed as the burning-hot liquid sank down into her stomach and spread through her body. "Do you like it?" At the second sip, she considered the flavor. It was sweet, almost bitter, but had a flavor of cinnamon and something else she couldn't name. After a moment, she nodded.

"I think all I need is a coat and a pair of gloves," Eve remarked. "Do you think I can get those with what I have left?"

Armin nodded. "We'll just have to look a little harder. I wouldn't worry about gloves, though. We've got some back at headquarters."

She gave him a flat sort of look. "Do you really think any of them will fit me? I'll need some made for a child…"

He chuckled and nodded. "I guess you're right. We'll see what we can find today." His cheer and good mood were infectious. She couldn't help but smile back at him just a little.

She'd often shared tea with Otho, but it had never been in such a cramped and warm place with so many unfamiliar people around. They'd rarely laughed together, and they'd never shared a lazy day strolling around a market of any sort. The thought sent a sharp pain through her chest, but she pushed it away. She was no good for Otho- nor Armin, she knew- but at least with Armin, she didn't have to worry about unfulfilled desires and promises she couldn't keep.

They did not linger in the little shop. Armin was returning the mugs while Eve waited just by the door. She was content to stare out at the people who didn't seem to see her at all. Not having angry stares and unspoken demands glaring her down at every turn was a nice change of pace. She'd thought, once, that she'd hate being among so many unfamiliar faces. Chuckling at how wrong she'd been, she glanced over her shoulder at Armin. He was pushing through a group of six or seven giggling girls dressed in richly colored furs. Her gaze wandered back out to the street.

Eyes lighting on a short dark-skinned figure, she frowned. His black hair was a little too long, brushing the tops of his ears in tight curls. The way his black eyes were narrowed, cutting into everything around him with a certain sharpness, belied the smile plastered on his long, narrow face. She shoved her way forward, feeling Armin's fingers just miss her own. Ignoring his calls, she darted through the street. She had to know…

"Aldrich?"

The figure stopped and half-turned to look at her. She felt her entire body go rigid. Her jaw clenched and her fists tightened at her sides. She went to take a step forward, but he spun on his toes and ran, slipping down a narrow alley. She shot after him, not caring if Armin was following her or not, though almost certain he was. Adrenaline was pumping hard through her veins, pushing her faster. Her fingers reached out, latching on to the dark green wool coat on his back. In a lightning-fast move, he'd slipped out of it and kept running.

Unable to keep up, Eve slowed, panting hard. She stared after him, watching his back until he vanished into another crowd. The coat was still in her hands. She looked down at it and shoved her hands into the pockets, looking for any sign or clue as to what he was doing.

"Eve!" Armin shouted. She turned slowly, her hands shaking. "What's wrong? Who was that?"

"That…" She paused and took a deep breath. "I watched him die… It was Aldrich, though. I know it. I watched him die, Armin! How can he still be alive?" She was scared for a moment, terrified by Aldrich's appearance. She looked to Armin and she knew he could see her fear.

"Maybe… maybe it wasn't him," Armin suggested softly. She studied his face, holding herself back from snapping and yelling at him. There was confusion in his soft blue eyes and the way his brows pulled together. His hands were in front of him, raised just slightly. It wasn't an overtly obvious position, but he was on the defensive.

With a heavy sigh, she shoved her hand into another pocket on the coat, coming out with only a small canvas purse full of coins. With a smirk, she tossed the coat into the muddy alley and tied the little purse to her belt. "You're right." She had to pretend that it wasn't him. She had to convince herself that he'd just been someone who looked like Aldrich. "Ghosts don't go to the market."

Armin seemed to relax some, but he was still eyeing her with uncertainty. "Eve…"

"Don't worry about it," she shot with a little too much sharpness in her tone. She sighed and brushed a few strands of hair that had come loose from her braid out of her face. "I'm sorry. I must have mistook him for Aldrich…" She had to pretend that was the truth. She had to make herself believe those words. If not, she'd go crazy.

"Who's Aldrich?" Armin asked. She stepped around him and rejoined the crowd. He fell into step beside her, but did not reach out for her hand.

"An old friend…" she muttered. "He's the one who saved my family from the Titans when Wall Maria fell. I learned almost everything I know from him. He'd been in the Garrison for a couple of years, but he was already a squad leader. I watched him die. He was eaten by a Titan. Christophe had to pull me away from it… I was cutting it open, trying to save him. I had all of these blisters…" Armin remained silent for a long moment. "But he's dead. Has been for years."

They continued walking through the crowded streets. Eve's eyes were peeled for another sign of her ghost, but she knew she wouldn't see him again. It was almost impossible to keep him out of her mind, but she had to try. Aldrich couldn't be alive. She'd carved open the belly of a Titan to try to save him. He was dead. Thinking he was alive would only drive her crazy, and she knew she didn't need that headache- not before her examination, and not before she went to reconcile one last time with her people before she left on the expedition.

But then… who was that man? Why did he look so much like Aldrich? What made him answer to that name? Why had he run? She ground her teeth together. If that really had been Aldrich, then why was he behind Wall Rose? What was he doing here? Had he known they were all behind the Wall?

A sinking feeling settled into the pit of her stomach, but she blamed it on her paranoia and tried to redouble her focus on finding a coat and a pair of gloves. Armin was as helpful as always, and the money she'd outright stolen from the man she'd thought was Aldrich helped her to pay for the things she needed. After she'd slipped into the thick black wool that was a little too roomy, she thought about how Armin hadn't said a word about keeping the little purse. With the remainder, she bought a small notepad and a set of pencils to carry with her on the trip. The paper was the most expensive thing she'd bought all day, but she just hoped she could find something pretty enough to draw for Leo.

They headed back to headquarters alone. Everyone else had either gone to be with their families, returned earlier, or were staying for a few more hours. She had no desire to remain in that crowd. All she could do was search the faces for Aldrich. Her stomach was wound into tight knots of anxiety that did not begin to fade until they were nearly back at the castle that served as their headquarters and barracks.

Dinner was quiet. The majority of the Corps had gone to where ever they called home. Eve, Armin, Mikasa, Eren, the Captain, and a half dozen other soldiers whose names Eve couldn't remember were the only bodies seated at the dinner tables. With the events of the day combining with her anxiety for tomorrow, Eve had little appetite. As soon as Levi was done eating, she accosted him, determined to get some answers.

"What?" Levi snapped as soon as she was within arm's reach. Eve's scowl formed and remained in place.

"Where am I going for that exam tomorrow? When is it? You haven't told me anything about it." She darted in front of him to cut him off. He didn't stop, just sidestepped her and kept walking. She sucked her teeth, annoyed, but kept pace with him.

"As far as I know, you're to report to Klorva at oh-nine hundred," he grunted. "They'll explain everything else when you get there."

"That's it?" Eve demanded, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to spin to look at her. He lashed out with his fist, but she ducked under it and rolled her eyes as she straightened. "You're just going to throw me to the fucking wolves?"

"How am I supposed to know how they're going to test you?" Levi clipped, stepping away from her. The way his fists clenched and his posture tightened did not escape her. Whatever was eating at him didn't have anything to do with her, but she was aware enough to realize that her presence was only pissing him off further. He'd moved just far enough away so that he couldn't quite reach her. "Haven't you learned anything here? Figure it out on your own!"

Eve stopped and he stomped away again. "I don't know what crawled up his ass and died, but he seriously needs to do some excavating." She heard a chuckle and spun on her heal. Armin was standing with a bowl in his hands.

"You didn't eat anything earlier," he said, holding out the clay dish full of a thick soup. She wanted to tell him no and shove him away, but with the coming test of her skills, she knew she'd regret not eating later. "You have to be in Klorva at nine?"

"Yeah," Eve sighed, plopping down on the closest bench. Armin passed her the bowl and she accepted it. "I don't even know how far away that is or how to get there… Where can I find a map?"

"You really think we're gonna let the new girl go galavantin' all over the countryside on her own?" Eve smirked and turned her head to look at Peter. He was grinning with his hands on his hips. "No way! I'm comin' with ya. Their medics will probably have their hands full already, so I volunteered to help out."

"You just want to be there to gloat if I end up chopping off one of my legs," Eve remarked after swallowing her first mouthful of soup. Peter shrugged and sat on her left as Armin took the place at her right.

"True enough," Peter grinned. "Wanna come, Arlert? You won't be able to watch, but I'm sure they won't mind you waiting back at the barracks. Alois goes first, then Eve- just to make it fair."

"Where is Alois, anyway?" Eve asked. "I haven't seen him all day…"

"In the stables," Armin piped up. "I spotted him riding in just a moment ago." Eve dipped her head in a single nod, but all of her focus was on the mushy carrots and smashed peas in the soup. It didn't taste very good, but it was food. "I'm sure he'll do fine."

Eve allowed her smirk to form for just a brief moment. She thought it was uncanny how Armin knew what she was thinking so often. "I know." She did have confidence in Alois doing fine on the exam, but she was worried about the possibility of injury. Whatever sort of test it was going to be, she knew that it would be physical.

"Well, Marks, Arlert, you two should get to bed," Peter said, standing back up. "I'm getting my things together tonight. We leave before dawn." Eve groaned a little, but nodded. At least she had a proper winter coat to keep her warm.

"My room is empty tonight," Eve sighed. She shoveled another spoonful of soup into her mouth, then turned to Armin. "Make sure I'm awake, alright? Sasha usually gets me up…"

Armin blushed a little and dipped his head low. "I can't," he muttered. "We aren't allowed in the girls' barracks."

Eve rolled her eyes and scoffed. "In case you haven't noticed, there isn't exactly anyone around to punish you- much less care." She elbowed his arm lightly, her smirk growing. Armin sort of shrugged, but he still wouldn't really look at her. "Fine then, I guess that just means I'll be borrowing a bunk in your room tonight."

His head snapped up and she laughed openly as the flush crept up his neck and joined with that on his cheeks, turning him almost entirely tomato red. "W-why?"

"Because I won't wake up in time otherwise, and sleeping in a real bed sounds better than sleeping on one of those damn cots in the infirmary. Not to mention, if I sleep down there and Peter wakes me up, we will probably lose our field medic." Armin looked a little confused. "I'll kill him because he'll do something stupid."

"Oh," Armin muttered. She could tell he was still stuck on her announcement at sleeping in his room; it was hilarious. His innocence was cute and a little refreshing compared to everything she'd lived with back in her own village.

She stood and grabbed the mostly-empty bowl. "I'm going to shower and pack," she stated. "I'll find your room when I'm done." She left him with a smirk that was a little too mean-spirited. It was entirely too much fun to tease him, though, and she didn't regret it.

A/N: This chapter feels a little rough and choppy to me, so I apologize if anything doesn't really flow.

I hope you enjoyed my Eve/Armin shipping going on! It's so much fun to write...

Please review! It really does mean the world to me.

Also- I really love character discussions, so if there's something you'd like to ask about, please feel free!