"(Y/N)! (Y/N) wake up! What the hell are you doing sleeping out here?"

You stirred, opening one eye and blinking slowly. Slowly you sat up and blinked, yawning and stretching dramatically. You looked up at your visitor finding a concerned ginger head to be facing you. Beside her she had the tools you assumed were to be used for cleaning the stables.

"Oh, good morning Petra. What can I do for you?" You asked.

"How about answering my question? What are you doing out here with the horses? You know Captain Levi is out for your head right now! He's convinced you've made a run for it."

You growled under your breath, rolling back and propelling yourself up awkwardly. You ran your fingers through your hair tiredly and sighed, collecting your things silently and looking back up towards the castle. "I can't blame him. I'm pretty much feral in his eyes I think."

Petra tried to stifle a laugh proceeding some stunned silence, but failed. You couldn't help but smile with her. She seemed oddly optimistic to be in Levi's squad, but perhaps it was her good nature that kept everyone happy? Regardless, you welcomed it as a sweet alternative to the others treatment of you, sans Erwin of course. "Is there still some food I can nab? Do you know?" You asked as you began to stretch.

"There might be, but don't get caught. Look in the kitchen." Petra stepped away from you, allowing you the space to pass easily. You took a wide stride forward, the thought of a roll making your mouth water before quickly stopping. Turning back, you smiled sheepishly towards your company. "Um, sorry to be a bother, but where exactly is the kitchen? I don't remember..."

Petra stared at you before grinning gently. Resting her tools, she took your wrist in a firm grip and started to lead you away. "I'll just show you. Though I advise you learn the layout here quick. I won't always be around to help you."

With that she led you through the halls effortlessly, chatting with you as you found the food haven to silence your yearning tummy. As she opened the door to the kitchen, you could practically feel yourself drooling over. The kitchen was spotless amazingly, though smelled of salt and warm bread. A few random tools were collected neatly on counters alongside cutting boards and arrangements of pans. A bushel of carrots sat clean on the slab, awaiting a sapient thumb-ed being to come dismember it. You moved through the room, having fallen silent, to another door. As you opened it, the scent of bread wafted over you. You couldn't contain your gleeful sigh. "Wow this smells good." You cried.

Reaching into the cupboard you snatched two rolls, closing the door behind you. Petra seemed mildly entertained as she watched you scarf down the first, then taking your time with the second. As you finished you patted your stomach and smiled. "So, what's next?"

Petra cocked her head in confusion. "What do you mean? Don't you have your own orders from Erwin?"

You laughed, puffing out your chest dramatically as you flexed. "Oh hell no, good ol' eyebrows can't boss me around." You chimed. "Not the little gremlin of a captain either. I ain't scared of either."

Petra giggled, raising an eyebrow at your jest. "Eyebrows? Gremlin? You're a glutton for punishment aren't you?"

"What?! No! I'm not some sadist I'm just confident!" You deflated, leaving only your smirk as you walked to the kitchen door and held it open behind you. Petra followed you through, then leading you once more.

You chattered back and forth, miraculously easy too. She seemed to be full of life and emotion as she vented to you and advised you against your rebellious manners. However, even with the chiding, she had a soft motherly-ness to her that made her comforting. You couldn't help but smile in her presence, even if you weren't truly happy. Almost an obligation.

"Anyway, I'd go talk to the Captain if I were you. If he catches you slacking off he won't be happy." Petra nudged you slightly. "And try not to be too hard on him. He's had it rough too, just not eaten by a titan rough. He's really not too bad once you get to know him."

"I think I'd be more concerned if he had been eaten by a titan. Isn't he one of your best now?"

"He is our best." Petra corrected. "Kinda awesome being hand picked to be on his squad. I'm pretty lucky."

You patted Petra's back before drawling out in a lazy manner, "whatever you says Petra."

She sighed, shaking her head with a small smile. "Whatever, you'll see."

"You'll see what?" Once again, you jumped at that same damned voice.

Both you and Petra turned rapidly to find the pristine pressed Levi, glowering as usual. Petra stiffened next to you, her face flushing red as she saluted. You, still holding your things, didn't follow suit. Both Petra and Levi looked at you, seemingly surprised by your lack of respect.

"Cadet, why aren't you saluting?" Levi snapped.

"You ain't no Captain of mine." You sang. "Nor am I any cadet of yours. I'm just a body in your eyes, like a corpse on a string."

He seemed repulsed by you as you laughed, imaging the exact thing you said in your head. Grumbling to himself, he turned on Petra in annoyance. Her face flushed a deeper red, something you took note of. Looking at Levi, was he a tad bit red as well? "What about you?" He growled. "I seem to remember asking you to clean the stables. They're absolutely filthy still!"

"Sorry sir, I was directing Ms. (L/N) around sir. She is still learning the layout of our base."

"Yep! Showed me the kitchen because I missed breakfast and I need food." You added. You turned and bowed to Petra, grinning. "And thank you for that. I suppose I missed the rush of sound as I slept outside."

Levi stiffened, pupils shrinking as his face flushed red. You smirked mischievously as Petra's eyes softened slightly. "You slept outside?! Wait, why didn't you just sleep in one of the spare bunks?"

You shrugged dramatically, hugging your belongings and sighing. "Oh. I just got turned around is all. Couldn't find my way around this big ol castle, especially so late at night. And I was so tired from questioning too. I didn't want to bother anyone awake just to ask."

Petra glanced between you and Levi, a conflicted emotion on her face. Levi however seemed livid with you. He released a deep breath before looking at Petra and pointing to her. "Go finish the chores I assigned to you, now. They better be spotless."

She shook her head with a firm "sir." Before turning on her heel and darting away. As she disappeared behind a corner Levi grabbed you by your collar and yanked you forward. Your cheeks curled like that of the Chessire Cat as you looked at your angry little toy.

"What the hell was that?! You will not undermine me in front of my cadets like this. Do you understand? That was absolutely childish." He sneered.

"Technically I never said any names." You responded tactfully. "And I didn't really blame anyone but myself either."

Levi roared with anger, grabbing your forearm roughly. "I really can't fucking trust you can I?"

"You could if you wanted to. But I don't advise it as I plan on leaving so... you know... not reliable."

Levi shot you a venomous look before snapping his head forward. He marched you higher into the castle until you recognized the hall as the one where you'd been abandoned the night prior. Levi pulled you harshly towards a door before stopping. As he released your wrist, you rubbed it sorely and stepped back. "What's this room?" You asked, sounding obviously annoyed.

"This is your room." He said bluntly. Opening it, you instantly began to cough. Yes, it was a spare room as promised. However, it was a small, dust caked room with a small cot and almost no space to actually put things. Had you been a child it would be a fine size. "It hasn't been cleaned yet. Today, that will be your task. And if it's not cleaned to my standard you'll do it again." He ordered.

Next, Levi pointed his finger across the hall where an open door looked in on the corner of a desk. His face not flickering from stoney annoyance, he continued. "This is my office. You will be in my sight the entire time, so don't even think about trying anything. Am I clear?"

You lowered your gaze with an annoyed growl. "You know if I'm such a hassle, why not let me leave?"

"That doesn't answer my question."

His stare was severe, almost chilling you to the bone. You threw your hand with a groan. "Fine, I'll clean this closet. I won't promise not to do anything though, not when you make it so entertaining."

His eyes flashed with anger. You flinched as he lifted a hand sharply to slap you, stopping himself before he could swing his hand down towards you. You watched his fingers flex back and forth, itching to swat your face. Instead, he took your collar once more, shoving you against the wall.

"Listen to me brat. I get that you don't want to be a solider again, and I get that you spent a lot of time alone to change your views or whatever, but guess what, no one cares. Your little vacation from civilization is over. You can't really tell me you want to be back in a region where you can't be safe anywhere."

You knit your brow together, looking at his fist balling up your shirt. Placing your hands on his chest firmly, briefly noting how solidly built he was, you shoved him with all your strength. He stumbled back, looking at you with anger in his every molecule.

You stamped your foot down, shoving an accusatory fingers directly into his chest over his heart. "Do you think I'm a fucking idiot Levi? Of course I don't want to live in the midst of titan country. But ya wanna know something? Living with the rest of humanity isn't all that fucking great either. You don't think I didn't have anyone to come back to? You don't think I hadn't considered coming back for the longest time?"

"If I came back to the gates, they wouldn't risk infiltration for one, crippled soldier. Because you know what, our whole society here is based off the cowardice of survival! The bravest die in titan country. What I learned, what I saw getting while being swallowed alive, was that being the bravest doesn't mean shit. Nothing we do fucking matters, so why waste the rest of my life as a soldier fighting for a useless purpose or a housewife in near poverty among a population terrified constantly. So yeah, while I don't like it, at least outside the walls I can live knowing that of everyone, at least I'm not living the life of a coward."

For once, Levi had no response for you. No sneer or remark, only stunned silence. You retracted your hand, resting it at your side. It felt as though you were drained of motivation in seconds. You turned and looked at your new room, the thick layers of dust already making your nose itch.

Wordlessly you walked in and removed the linens from the cot. As predicted, dust plumes into the air, prompting you to cough. You opened the small window to ventilate as much as you could. When you turned to the hall, headed to exchange your bedding for a clean replacement, Levi's door was closed.

You couldn't help but sigh as you stepped into the hall and closed it behind you. You walked throughout the castle, collecting and exchanging cleaning supplies as you went before bringing it all back to your room. As the day tracked on, you slowly swept, wiped, tucked and polished the entire space. After clearing garbage and reorganizing a bit, you found you had more room with the door closed. And having the enclosed space to yourself might be a blessing in disguise, even if it did come at the price of being neighbors with Levi.

You wiped your brow, throwing your dirty water from the window and finally lifting your old clothing from the bed. You looked at the shelves, placing it gently, before collecting the cleaning materials in the now empty bucket.