Eren made nothing else for a two-month stretch.

Food was a necessity, good food was a luxury, and as soldiers they were expected to maintain comforts, not consume them. Rain once again proved to be an enemy nearly as fearful as the titans. When the wagon carrying their latest allotment of blades overturned, the resulting damage to the vehicle and horses meant that the blades themselves were exposed to the storm six hours longer than they should have been. Blade design allowed for some leeway—titans had to be fought in the rain too after all—but ultimately metal rusts, it warps, and when the crates eventually arrived at the castle their contents were entirely useless.

The note from Erwin arrived two days later: the loss had seriously cut into their budget. Funds for replacement blades could either come from clothing or from food.

Boiled potatoes it was then.

Winter was nearly upon them and they needed to avoid freezing more than they needed spices. Still, Levi drove all the damaged blades into the ground, sharp side up, creating a grisly semi-circle outside the castle's entrance. Stony-faced over dinner that night he encouraged everyone to utilize their imaginations—those blades were spikes and the useless MP's heads adorned them.

"I'm hungry."

The human body really didn't need much more than potatoes and vegetables.

"I'm so, so hungry."

Not to survive at least.

"Sweet Maria…"

The spirit, however, was another matter entirely.

Sasha was collapsed over her horse's neck, drooling into his mane. She might have remained there, moaning, until she became a meal herself if Mikasa hadn't pulled her up by her hair. The sudden motion encouraged Sasha's stomach to give a loud, unpleasant gurgle.

"Stop bitching," Mikasa instructed. "We're all hungry. We'll get to eat when we stop."

"But when will that be?" Sasha wailed. The others members of the 104th squadron all exchanged similarly frustrated glances.

"I'm not asking again," Jean muttered.

Two hours ago he'd approached the adults up ahead, daring to ask when they'd be stopping for the night. He'd gotten only a glare from Corporal Levi in response. On a research mission to observe, not engage with the titans, they'd spent the morning riding hard towards the forest of "big ass trees." They'd made it there without any casualties—a miracle in and of itself—and they were already deep inside. The further they went the denser the trees became and thus it became harder for anything the size of a titan to move. Thus the deeper they went the safer they'd be. Hence the relentless pace.

Hence no food.

"We should send Krista," Connie suggested, rubbing his own stomach. "She's sweet looking. Maybe Erwin will pity her."

"No." Ymir said. Krista blushed.

"Armin?" Connie continued hopefully. "Think you can convince them this is a good place to stop?"

Armin blinked. "But's it's not."

"We could just take it!" Sasha whispered. "Only a little. It's right there!" She reached a shaking hand out towards the mare carrying duffle bags full of food. Mikasa growled and started tethering her horse to Sasha's.

Jean blew out a breath. "Oh for fuck's sake. Just send Eren!"

"Huh?" Eren glanced towards them for the first time, coming out of an exhausted doze. He crossed his arms, reins and all, when he realized it was Jean addressing him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

Jean rolled his eyes. "You blind, Yeager? The Corporal dotes on you. All you've gotta do is whimper a little—" Jean scrunched up his face and exaggeratedly puffed out his cheeks, rocking in mocking earnest. "—'Corporal sir! Corporal sir! I'm so hungry. Can't we stop for a bit? Oh please, Corporal sir."

"I don't do that!"

"—and we'll be eating before you know it."

Sasha made as if to latch onto Eren, babbling entreaties, but he just managed to dodge her. Determinedly, Eren pulled out of their alignment to get his horse closer to Jean's.

"Take it back," he hissed, saddle to saddle. "Make fun of me all you want, but not Corporal Levi. He'd never place his men in danger and certainly not because I asked him to!"

Jean snorted. "Uh huh. Spin me another yarn, Yeager."

"He doesn't!"

"Well then if you really believe that then you're fucking blind—"

"Take it back, horse-face!"

"Make me, titan!"

By this point everyone was snickering, well-versed as they were with these twos' 'fights.' (Would they risk the mission and potentially, truly harm one another? Never. Happily bloody each other's egos? Hell yes.) Everyone snickered, that is, except for Mikasa. She moved her blades a smidge closer to her dominant hand and her eyes didn't leave Levi's back.

Her distraction allowed Sasha to escape.

"Eren." She came between him and Jean, nearly causing them both to topple off their horses. Having finally caught him Sasha latched onto Eren and wouldn't let go. "Can you really convince them to give us food? Can you?"

"No! I—" Suddenly Eren quieted. His eyes strayed to a seemingly identical stretch of forest, but as they continued on his head turned to follow where they'd just been. He smiled.

"Eren?" Mikasa asked.

"Actually, I can do better." Eren turned to Jean, his face growing serious. "Can you guys keep quiet for a minute?" He nodded to the commanders up ahead.

"Yes." The answer came immediately.

"Good." Eren turned, weaving through Sasha, Krista, and Connie. Mikasa made to follow but he shook his head firmly, not wanting to draw attention. Armin, however, at the very back of the group, was able to sneak off as well. Keeping a low profile. Being invisible. What had once been characteristics that brought him shame were now proving terribly useful as a soldier.

Armin pulled up beside Eren.

"What are you doing?" he whispered. Unnecessary, considering that the commanders were too far ahead to hear and their own group was pulling farther away by the second.

"Getting us food."

Eren quickly hopped off his horse, giving him a comforting pat. Armin following suit, casting frequent glances behind him as they both crouched in the underbrush. Gently, Eren stroked the leaves of a small plant growing at their feet. To Armin's eyes they appeared wet but Eren's fingers came away dry.

"Oh. I've seen this before!" Armin suddenly cried. Eren nodded.

"You've drank it too," he said. "Moonweed. Get's its name from the leaves' white, waxy texture. Mix it with your tea and it reduces a fever. Crush it and the oils can help sooth muscle aches. Dad used it a lot, but it's hard to come by."

"Because it grows far outside the wall. Like here." Armin supplied.

"Right."

Eren began plucking the leaves, stacking them and pressing them between a bit of cloth. He slipped them beneath his cloak. When the stems were bare he began tugging them up, knees bent and feet braced.

"What people don't generally know though," he grunted. "Is that the roots—are—also—

edible!" With a great heave Eren went tumbling backwards. In his hands he held a cluster of roots that were far longer than the shoots suggested.

"Here," Eren was eager. He brushed the dirt away, broke a bit off, and shoved it into Armin's mouth before he could protest. Armin's eyes popped.

"It's cool! Crisp. Like chewing fresh water," he mumbled.

"Uh huh." Eren bit off his own piece and hummed happily. He laughed as Armin tried to snatch more.

"Go to hell, Yeager!"

They both jumped at the shout—it was faint though. Jean. His subtle way of telling them to get a move on without the commanders knowing. Indeed when they looked, the green cloaks were nearly lost among the trees.

"We'd better hurry," Armin said. Together they pulled up an armful of roots, letting the rest of the leaves flutter away. Within minutes they were on their horses and galloping back. Armin offered to share his water so that Eren could use the rest of his to clean the food. By the time they were back beside Mikasa there were plenty of snacks to go around.

"Eat them slowly," Eren suggested, beginning to pass them out to eager hands. "The longer you take to eat something the more full you feel." He gave his friends two each, hesitated, put one aside for himself, then gave three to Sasha. She clasped his hand with reference and wouldn't let go.

"You're a saint!" Connie moaned, foregoing the 'eat slowly' rule. Ymir and Krista shared a look.

"I think I've been replaced as 'God.'" She whispered, watching as Sasha bent to slobber on Eren's hands. It was probably meant to be a kiss but, you know, she was still chewing.

"All good?" Eren asked when he'd finally escaped. Jean nodded.

"I kept up our 'argument.' Lazy bastards didn't even bother turning around." He nibbled at a root and tried to swallow his pleased reaction. "Huh. You're resourceful."

"Don't sound so damn surprised," Eren drawled.

"Oh, but I am. You sure these won't poison us?"

"Get eaten by a titan already."

"Right back atcha."

Eren eyed their superiors up ahead and then moved off to rejoin Mikasa. "Thanks, man." He called. Jean saluted with his roots.

"Like I said, Yeager. Right back atcha."

That night when they camped—two-thirds of the group on guard, the rest taking their turn for food and sleep—no one seemed to notice that the 104th squadron didn't leap upon their dinner quite as forcefully as they normally would. The only one who seemed suspicious was Mike, who sniffed at the pocket that Eren had stashed the Moonweed in. But then again, Mike was always sniffing something. They were good.

At least Eren thought they were, until Levi sat down.

"So. I'm a 'lazy bastard' am I?" He asked. Eren froze like a rabbit. "You know how well sound travels in this place, brat?" Levi continued. "Big ass trees must reverberate or something. For example, you can clearly hear two fucked-up idiots galloping back to an even bigger group of fucked-up idiots. Funny how they were separated in the first place..."

Levi growled, tugging hard at Eren's hair when he tried to escape.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow—"

"Tell me, Eren, did Hanji scramble your brains in her last experiment or were you always this clueless? For fuck's sake, brat. Do you want to get eaten?"

"No, Corporal!"

"Really? Then you must want to screw over the human race by destroying the best weapon we've got, shitty as it is." Levi snatched Eren's left hand, pressing down hard on a bite that hadn't fully healed yet. "Is that it then?"

"N-no, Corporal!"

"No? You're sure? Huh." Levi's other hand was still in Eren's hair, gripping it painfully at the roots. He tugged hard again and Eren yelped. "Then explain it to me, shit for brains. What was so fuck ass important that you and that Arlert pansy decided to risk your lives for?"

"We were hungry, sir!"

They were mostly separate from the rest of the group, sitting at the very edge of the fire, but as Levi had said, sound traveled here. The rest of the 104th had looked away as soon as Eren's interrogation began. Only Sasha looked over now, nodded sternly in his defense because yes, being hungry was definitely a good enough reason to risk your life. Connie had to stuff bread in her mouth to shush her.

Levi stilled. "You were hungry," he said, voice even blander than usual.

"Yes, sir. Really, hungry. See, there are these roots that—OW!"

Levi had never actually hit him—not since the courtroom—but this particular brand of stupidity seemed to warrant a shove at least. Eren toppled off of the log he was sitting on and landed ass-up in front of the Corporal. A boot immediately nudged against his side.

"You really are hopeless, aren't you? Well fine. You want to get eaten by a titan for the sake of these idiots? For roots? Whatever. Go right ahead. You think I give a damn, you shitting brat? I don't."

Eren spat, trying to clear the dirt from his mouth. "Really, sir?" He caught sight of Jean sitting a few yards away and thought about what he'd said— about Levi 'doting' on him, which was still ridiculous to even think about, but still…—and determinedly twisted his neck to stare up his superior. Eren swallowed the rest of the dirt.

"I mean, cause, Corporal. It kinda sounds like you were paying real close attention, right? Like you were… listening. To me—or both of us! Not just to me. But listening for if we needed help is what I'm saying. Or, you know. Something."

For a second Eren thought he'd gone too far when the boot pressed deeper against his ribs. But then Levi relaxed. He didn't respond—certainly he didn't admit to anything—but his body continued to loosen until he slid, leaning over Eren until they were nearly nose to nose. They stared at one another for a long, drawn-out moment.

Abruptly, Levi stood.

"I changed my mind," he said, hands curling into fists. "Suicidal or not, don't you ever fucking run off like that again. That's an order. Understood, Yeager?"

Levi didn't wait for him to respond. He stalked off and Eren was left giving his answer to a retreating back. It came out a little shaky but more than loud enough for the whole camp to hear.

"Y-yes, sir!"

At the end of their mission—thirteen lost—Eren couldn't tell if the tension in his Corporal's shoulders was from sitting in a saddle all week, losing a handful of men, or even—just maybe—if a little came from the odd exchange they'd had six nights before. Like maybe the Corporal had really been worried. A tiny, selfish part of Eren hoped that he had.

Regardless, he slipped some Moonweed into Levi's tea and yearned for that to be enough.