Oh lordy, I haven't updated in ages...

I guess the novelty has worn off for me now and I am realising this is really hard. Still, I hope I can keep writing this and re-find my enjoyment in doing so. Please continue to give me feedback, it really helps!

I could hear the music from the other end of the hall. People were singing on the tables in a rowdy chant, the sound bounded off the stone walls and hit my ears as I opened the door to the mess hall. It was chaos. The vast space was crawling with scouts of various levels of dignity. Some were avidly chatting at the tables, gesturing in animation to their friends. They looked harmless enough. There were the wallflowers, who honestly looked like they'd rather be anywhere else, and then there were those that were already staggering and shouting.

'Oh great,' Levi grumbled. He was right next to me, and was scowling at Hanji, who was talking at a million miles an hour about titans to some poor young man who couldn't get away. I recognised the boy as Ferris – a fairly new scout.

'Poor kid,' I said in sympathy as we wove our way through the crowd. People actively stopped their conversations to stare at me as I passed. It made me uncomfortable. For once, I cared that they thought I was some kind of low-life, I didn't want that label on me. As we scoured the party, Levi nudged me.

'Oi, look.' He pointed to a group in the corner. They kept looking over their shoulders as if they didn't want to be seen.

'I'll check it out,' I muttered.

Levi cocked his head to one side, motioning that he couldn't hear me over the sound of Hanji's cackling laughter. Scary thing was, she was sober.

'I'll go and see,' I leant into his ear. I could feel the warmth radiating off his neck, which made my skin tingle. He nodded and I broke away, diving through the group of people. I tried to look casual, but as soon as I got close to the group, they slunk off through the back. I jogged to the door they disappeared through and stuck my boot in the way to stop it from closing. They were less huddled up out here, since no one else was around. With my back pressed against the wall, I strained to listen in.

'…Ten quid?! Are you kidding me? That's a rip off,' one of them whined.

'This stuff is class 3, mate. The high lasts ages.'

'Oh don't listen to him, it's not worth your money,' a girl piped up.

'Saikei, for god's sake! This is my business!'

'You conniving bastard.' The girl laughed.

'Anyway, you want it or not?'

They were definitely dealing, but I didn't know what drugs they were dealing exactly. It might not be… Whatever I took. I was extremely naïve when it came to drugs, I couldn't even name any if I tried.

A couple of minutes later, they went quiet. Peering through the crack in the door, I could see them all lounging around, some smoking, some slumped against the wall, giggling and staring around in a daze.

LEVI

I already had a headache from Hanji alone, and thought I'd do my duty to protect humanity and shut her up.

'Oi Four-Eyes.'

'Yes Levi?'

'Fight me.'

She deadpanned. 'Err… What?'

I dumped a tankard in front of her. 'First one to stumble loses.'

Her mouth hung open. 'Well, I can't possibly turn down such a challenge, can I?' A fair few scouts were crowded around us in excitement. Someone ran off to get us a load of beer. Hanji gave me her best competitive grin, and I gave her my best "fuck you" scowl in return.

'3, 2, 1, GO!' Someone yelled. I lazily started downing my first tankard-full, repeatedly scanning the crowd for Novalie. She was hard to spot, considering she was so small.

We stood at either ends of a table, the crowd around us getting thicker. People began to chant. I stood on my toes and craned my neck, spotting Novalie with her ear against a door at the back of the room.

Hanji laughed lopsidedly and staggered backwards.

'I win,' I said boredly.

'You are still sober Captain?' Eren gasped.

'I have a high tolerance.'

'Oopsie,' I said sarcastically. 'You are drunk, wouldn't want you to cause trouble, now would we?'

At last I had an excuse to whack her around the head and knock her out.

I glanced back at Novalie. The door was swinging open – and she was gone. Immediately, I shoved my way through the throng of scouts and slipped after her. She was nowhere to be seen.

NOVALIE

They had seen me and run for it, and I had kicked the door open and immediately given chase. They darted around the side of the castle, and I skidded after them, almost falling on the gravel as my boots shoved it to one side. I felt like I was clawing my way through the air, I was so desperate to get to them. I. WILL NOT. LET YOU. TAKE MY HOME FROM ME. My heart leapt as I lost sight of them. My head darted back and forth, I couldn't let them get away! This might be my only chance to find out who did this to me. Like a hunter, I caught a flash of movement in the distance, and burst into a sprint again. My heart was pounding so hard that it hurt. As I turned another corner, I was yanked backwards. Strong hands shoved me into the wall, knocking the breath from my lungs.

'You, what the hell do you think you are doing?!' It was one of the people I was chasing. I struggled under his grip, but of course, I couldn't do much.

A girl came around the corner. 'You want some? Is that what this is?'

If there was anything I had learnt from my time with Elias, it was that the truth wasn't always the smartest option.

'What have you got?' I replied, still breathless. She narrowed her eyes at me, unfurling her palm.

It's the same ones! 'Haluji right?'

The man pinning me against the wall scoffed. 'Obviously.'

'Wait,' the girl shoved the pills back into her jacket pocket and took a step back. 'You are Levi's chick, aren't you? Always sucking up to the Captain.'

My fists clenched. How dare you. 'No, I am not,' I protested. Our eyes boring into each other as if trying to kill each other with our gazes alone, we simply glared at one another until she threw her hands up.

'Listen you, if you tell anyone, we will personally make your life hell. You got that?'

I nodded.

'And we aren't selling to the Captain's girlfriend, end of story.' She flounced off, calling to the other man, who let me go and drifted after her.

Captain's girlfriend? I'm not… We're just…

Whatever, it's not like it matters.

As they stalked off, I wracked my brains for a plan b. I had not seen either of them before, and I couldn't prove that these are the people that planted them on me. For all I know, they might not even be the ones I am looking for.

Dead end.

Peering around the corner, I watched their retreating backs and considered stalking them. Oh, the lengths I was willing to go to-

The hair on the back of my neck prickled. A shadow was cast over me, and I had the overwhelming feeling that someone was right behind me. Swivelling, I realised it was Levi, and – woah – he was so close to me. Why does he always stand that close? I felt my face get hotter.

'You find them?' He murmured.

'Um…' My brain had snatched my capacity to speak right from me, and was laughing in my face. My gaze drifted to Levi's neck, and stayed there, since I couldn't look him in the eye. He was so close… Not close enough…

'Novalie?' His hand waved in front of my face. Blinking, I finally found myself some words.

'I found some people with the drug, I don't know if they had anything to do with me though… And they know we are…'

LEVI

'…Close.'

Close. We were. Right now. I was completely disregarding the notion of "personal space" right now… But I couldn't bring myself to step away. My body was tingling, as it usually did around Novalie. It's like she emitted some kind of strange aura.

The jaunty piano from inside was louder than it should have been. The breeze felt warmer, the air felt thicker… Everything was louder, brighter, clearer.

'What now then?' I said.

'Well,' she shifted on her feet, tucking her hair behind her ear. 'I am at a dead end really. I don't even know how to prove this in the first place… I am going to end up losing my job… aren't I?'

What the hell do I say to that?

'You'll figure it out.' I stood back a little and folded my arms. That's not helpful Levi. 'Anyway, I'm tired of all these idiots running around with their alcohol.' I turned on my heel and marched back to the door, glancing behind me momentarily. Novalie was a few paces behind me, her shoulders hunched, her arm crossed over her chest.

I swear to god, if she ends up getting fired…

I don't even want to think about it.