AN

Sorry for the long wait. I had a rough couple of weeks. My mental health and work took over most of my time. I wish I could promise that updates will be regular from now on, but that would probably be a lie. Just to hopefully put your mind at ease a little bit - the story is thought out to at least the halfway point. It will eat me alive if I don't finish it now, so it's gonna come out sooner or later. And yeah, it will be a slow burn. Because I prefer to wait for my cake before eating it.

Also, I'm looking for a beta reader. If there is anyone willing, don't hesitate to PM me.

This chapter is on the shorter side, but I'm going to compensate with the next one, I promise.

Verity

"What the fuck is that?"

I flinched at the rude comment and shifted behind Kenny, only half-caring that I was being a coward again.

"My protege. Any problems with that?" Kenny questioned, and the room went quiet, putting me on edge. His voice, no matter how lazy and careless it sounded, sent a threatening thrill along its way.

"Why is your protege here then? We are going to discuss sensitive matters," the man insisted. Blood drained from my face upon his scrutinizing gaze.

"So?" Kenny eyed the man, disinterest marking his face, as he moved passed him into the room, taking a seat closest to the door. I followed him on pure instinct, feeling safer in his presence. I took place behind his chair, shifting uneasily on my feet.

The man challenging him didn't reply, but I felt his blazing gaze on my back, making me feel tiny and weak. How I hadn't felt in months.

And boy, did I hate it.

When I glanced at him behind my shoulder, he only scowled, forcing his lips into a tight line. I refocused at my feet, only half-hoping it would make me invisible, and listened close to the rustling of clothes and thumping of steps. People sat around a long dinner-like table in the middle of a spacious room with floor-high windows. Crimson-red drapes were kept half open, letting weak morning sunlight into the room.

A loud whisper caught my attention.

"Who is she really? You've never brought anyone to these meetings", Kenny didn't reply, staring the men down with his cold gaze that usually made me run.

"Alright, shall we proceed with the discussion we'd left untouched last time?" asked the men that had issues with my presence before, taking place at the head of the table. I peeked at him, trying to stay unnoticed at the same time.

"What exactly is the point of this meeting again?" asked Kenny, carelessly leaning back in his chair and throwing his feet onto the table.

"Famine, of course," exclaimed the older man in exasperation. Kenny sighed dramatically, not trying hard enough to hide the smirk twisting his lips.

"And what do you propose we do with it exactly? Kill another quarter of the population just to gain some leverage in supplies?" A few chuckles sounded, only quieted by a stern look from the older man leading the meeting.

I examined him, analyzing his stance and figure. The military police charm on his chest solidified my belief in his position. He had to be at least a captain of some sort to command the room that easily. I wondered why Kenny wasn't scared or at least felt an urge to respect him. Chewing on my lower lip, I glanced around the room, making sure I didn't miss anything.

Seven people sat around the table, excluding Kenny and me. The leader, whichever his name was, stood at the head of a table, his piercing eyes restlessly shifting between his companions. When his gaze met mine, I held it, refusing to be portrayed as weak.

"I do not propose anything. The meaning of this meeting is to discuss military costs and potential cuts to them. Starting with Survey Corps, of course," the old man finally said, his voice stern.

Kenny snorted, and all the eyes turned on him. The smirk on his lips told me that it was precisely what he wanted. "Survey Corps at fault again, huh? What'd they do this time?"

"Lost more than half of their manpower. Nothing new, really. I do believe this is bad for the military overall. Not to mention the general population. We should stifle that stupid faith in the future beyond the walls. There lies only death. We need to make sure people understand it. They need to work together with us to survive."

Yeah, right. Like you and your family ever gonna know what starvation is.

"Any proposals then?" asked the men sitting right in front of Kenny and me. He somehow seemed different; his sun-kissed complexion and thin figure made me like him instantly. No matter how wrong it was to like someone based on similarity. I felt stupid for just thinking that right there and then.

"Other than talking people out of believing in shit, I'm out of ideas," proclaimed the old man, making me wince at the foul language he unexpectedly used. "We need more information on the matter. We need to understand what the Survey Corps is doing and why. If we have this sort of intel, then we can debunk it and use it against them. Crush those stupid beliefs. We need eyes and ears. We need control."

"I have a solution," Kenny said. His voice made the hairs at the back of my neck stand up. A bad feeling twisting my insides and making me nauseous rocked me back and forth as though I knew everything before he voiced it. "How about we infiltrate a spy?"

"Her?" the older man scuffed. The look of resignation he gave me made my stomach painfully twist. Unwanted memories clouded my mind like a hoard of bees. I jerked my head away, fighting the bile rising to the top of my throat.

"For instance," Kenny drew out. And I watched as his right hand moved to the holster on his belt, fingers playing with the clasp. "It will take time to train her, of course. But give me a few months, and you will fail at finding someone more fitting for this position."

I stared at the back of his head in disbelief.

Did he just… compliment me? Did he believe me capable? Was I, really?

I had to bite down on my lower lip to stop it from trembling from the unexpected wave of pride and something akin to devotion bursting in my chest. Not only did he save my life and get me out of that horrible place, but he also decided to train me. He chose to trust me and gave me a chance to prove myself. But even more than that – he believed I could do it. If he thought so, how could I fail him then? Ignoring the fact that I had promised him my loyalty before.

I didn't have a family, not since my parents died, protecting me. But even then, I was too small to remember how it felt. Could this be it? Trust mixed with just a teaspoon worth of unease. Only a pinch of fear and a load of gratitude. Feeling safe and trusting someone, yet somehow waiting for the worst to happen at any time.

It felt like the first time I'd jumped off a cliff, clenching the sword handles of my ODM gear. The world suddenly disappeared from my feet, and I was falling into the unknown. My heart galloped in my chest, and the next breath I took felt hollow. Yet when it finally passed my lips, everything sturdied. I clenched my fists at the newly made decision, my skin prickling.

I would repay Kenny for his kindness.

I would do everything, no matter the task.

And I would be great at it.

Levi

Bullshit, I thought.

"Bullshit," I proclaimed out loud, staring Erwin down. This was a mistake, and I had to point it out. I couldn't stay silent on this.

Erwin sighed and took a sip from his teacup, wincing and reaching for a sugar bowl. I had to bite my tongue to stay quiet as he dipped his spoon into the white crystal mass and poured a good mouthful of it into the tiny cup. I frowned at him, stirring his ruined tea.

"You will do it," he claimed, his voice steady and oh-so-annoying. I bristled, feeling white-hot anger spike underneath my skin at the stupidest shit I'd ever had to hear coming out of his mouth.

"You can't be serious. This must be a ruse."

"Indeed. But I can see the full picture hidden behind it," He leaned closer to the desk separating us, crazy sparkle shining in his eyes.

How I fucking hated that sparkle.

I sighed and turned away, staring at the side window of his office. The skies were clear, and the early morning sun shone bright annoying me even more with its sheer presence. I hated this day already.

"Please, tell me you are not putting her on my team," my voice sounded strained even to my own ears. Erwin scowled at me, and, sighing, he got up to his feet. His hands slammed onto the hardwood of his desk, drawing my attention to the cup of tea full to the brim. The liquid splashed, almost spilling over the edges.

"This is exactly what I'm doing. Who is more capable than you of taking care of a fresh transfer? Especially such a questionable one."

I glowered at him, my irritation taking the better of me. This was a horrible idea, and he had to know it. Military police asking for a transfer of one of their subordinates? Bullshit. To the Survey Corps? Double Bullshit. A woman with a perfect backstory and excellent academy marks? Triple bullshit.

I didn't know how dumb MPs believed us to be, but this was simply embarrassing.

"Did you hear me? This is an order."

"Why?"

"I understand your worries, but I've got this. You must trust me. All I need from you is to watch over her and tell me if there is anything out of the ordinary. Anything you find suspicious."

I scuffed, and the 'tsk' sound left my mouth before I could catch it. Erwin raised one bushy brow at me and drew a long breath as though he was about to give me a speech when a knock sounded. He turned his gaze toward the door, a puzzled expression taking over his face.

"I trust this on you," he said, his eyes shifting toward me one last time. "I know everything you are thinking of right now. But I need you to be on my side. You must always be on your watch, hear everything she says, watch everything she does. I need you to see through the deceit and stop a potential spy within our midst. This can be either the downfall of Survey Corps or just another stone on the path upwards to freedom and beyond the walls."

I rolled my eyes at his speech. The shits I could give about what he thought of my reaction were long lost somewhere in my past, possibly in the Underground. I tasted something bitter as I nodded, nonetheless accepting his order even though I couldn't make myself agree with his decision. Deep-rooted trust that I couldn't shake forced me into believing in Erwin's wits. The corners of his lips turned upwards, and he shouted for soldiers to come in.

The door opened, and a voice announced that a recruit was waiting. I moved to the side, turning my back to the ceiling-high bookshelf and leaning on it. I crossed my hands over my chest and looked at the entrance, fully expecting to hate the shit out of the next person to come through that door.

The girl who entered was short and skinny, her steps light and uncertain. Her uniform seemed too big for her frail form. She walked in, her dark gaze skipping around the room and meeting mine for only a second. I scowled, taking in her appearance and tentative stance. She looked half-scared, out of place. A weak little thing not made for the scout's job.

Her features looked uncommon. Eyes were round and slant upwards, heavy-hooded and dark as the night itself. Her cheeks looked hollow, and her skin tone yellowish, as though she didn't get enough sunlight and nutrition. Long dark hair was braided into a simple braid, falling behind and almost touching her waste. Her small, slightly curved nose and thin lips only added to the picture of innocence.

I didn't buy it.

She shifted on her feet and met Erwin's gaze.

"Verity Berger," she slammed her left hand on her chest in salute with unexpected and unnecessary force. "New transfer from Military Police, sir."

I peeked at Erwin, half-expecting him to scoff, but he only smiled and stepped around the table, offering the enemy his hand. I had to bite my tongue yet again to keep my sarcastic remarks down.

"I'm glad you've decided to join our ranks," he claimed, shaking her hand. When his glance shifted to me, I couldn't stop from tsk-ing again. I pushed off the bookshelf and took one step forward. "This is Captain Levi, your new commander. You will join his squad, and he will take personal responsibility for your training."

I fought off another eye roll. A spy from MP under my wing? Walls spare me. If Erwin had some sort of sick belief in all humanity – it was his shit to deal with. I knew better than to trust people I knew to be my adversaries. She was a spy, and it was clear as day. Why let her in, if we both knew it – was beyond my understanding.

Narrowing my eyes, I looked at the girl.

"Are they letting kindergarteners into the MPs now?" I felt Erwin's disapproving stare, but I didn't turn to acknowledge him, keeping a close watch on my new subordinate. She didn't flinch from my words as I had expected. Instead, she straightened, lifting her chin high in the air as though that could make her appear bigger somehow. Her eyes landed on me, and a barely noticeable smirk touched her mouth when she said:

"Can't tell. I graduated it a few years back… Sir." The way she said the last word would usually irritate me, but I only felt surprised at her unexpected comeback. Perhaps, she had a bite in her after all.

Erwin coughed, catching my attention, and I glanced at him from the corner of my eye.

"All right then, I am glad you've decided to join our ranks. Survey Corps is always in need of people." He said, slightly inclining his head.

"Why, by the way?" I asked, crossing my hands again.

Verity stared at me, her eyes cold and steady, more than I could say for her stance at that moment.

"Because I want to save humanity," she said, face devoid of all emotion. I narrowed my gaze, studying her features. A deep unsettling feeling took root somewhere in my stomach.

I didn't trust her. I didn't trust shit coming out of her mouth. She was an enemy.

Taking a deep breath, I turned my face to stone as well. I was adept in hiding emotions, but underneath my skin, acid churred. The burn of it telling me to look out. Same as every time I faced a titan.

Same as if I'd faced an enemy.

I only had to prove that to Erwin.