After the family meeting, everyone left the room, but Levi and I stayed behind to see if Pixis actually wanted my help or if I was just imagining it earlier. After the last few people left Pixis gestured for us to follow him as he followed Shadis and Nanaba out of the room. We followed him down to the meeting room. Levi and I took a seat and across from us Pixis, Shadis, and Nanaba sat down.

"So after hearing a little about the layout, what's your thoughts?" Pixis asked.

I just froze up. "I don't know," I mumbled. The last time I made a plan it didn't end as expected. The ideas in my head are spiraling. I can't get a coherent plan together without trying to overthink it. Each plan is not even half thought out before another one pops into my head.

"Stop panicking," Levi whispered in my ear, "your plans are amazing. Overthinking won't help anything."

He placed a hand on mine and I felt a wave of calm rush over me as he used his power. My thoughts slowly stopped spiraling until they were coming through clearer.

"It's okay I know we are asking a lot of you," Pixis said with an understanding tone.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I gave myself a moment to think first before nodding and opening my eyes again. "Okay," I said looking up at Pixis, "I know we were planning on raiding both camps at the same time, but are you planning on having the recon missions at the same time too?"

"No, recon missions will be done separately. I figured it would be easier to do those separately and that both groups would need Erwin to get in and out," he answered. That makes sense. God, I'm asking stupid questions.

"I had the same question," Levi said to Pixis but made sure to look me in the eyes to let me know that my question wasn't stupid. I could practically tell what he was thinking. He was telling me to stop beating myself up over little things.

"Well, I need to know more about the camps before I can think up a plan that could help."

Pixis just nodded and pulled out some notes. "We got as much information as we could, hopeful it's enough." He looked through his notes before looking back up at me. "The Mountain camp has cliffs and forests nearby, so there's some cover for the recon team. The desert camp might be a little harder to find cover since the only cover if you can even call it that, are cactus, dead bush, other various small plants, and maybe a boulder or a ditch."

"I think we can make it work. We would just need a smaller team to go in. The fewer people for that mission the better."

"Alright, which recon mission should we plan first?" Nanaba asked.

"Well, we should plan the desert one last. It requires a smaller team, but more planning," I said.

"So mountain recon mission it is," Levi finished.

"So who are you thinking?" Pixis asked. I felt another rush of panic run over me and I could tell Pixis saw it. He quickly added, "We're just spitballing ideas, nothing permanent, just brainstorming."

I nodded and took a deep breath to calm down. "Okay," I breathed, "well, we need to figure out whose powers would work best for recon in that environment. However, we definitely need Erwin for sure."

"Yeah, Erwin is guaranteed for both teams," Pixis nodded.

"I know Armin and Ymir will probably be added to each team because their powers are best suited for gathering information," Levi added.

"Yeah, so basically all we have to figure out is whose powers are best suited to protect and keep the team safe while they gather information."

"Basically," Pixis nodded.

"And who can help defend them long enough if shit goes sideways," Shadis added.

"Not helping," I heard Pixis mumble giving Shadis a glare.

"Last time our powers were the best fit because of the cover the trees provided for our powers, but the desert mission doesn't fit our powers very well so I think it would be best if we stayed behind on that one," Levi suggested.

"Yeah, I think we would have better luck helping with the mountain mission," I added.

"Makes sense," Pixis nodded, "both of your powers would easily work with the cover provided in that environment."

I took a moment to think about who else we could have on the team to either gather information or help cover our teammates. "I think Hanji's power could also work well with the mountain recon mission."

"Oh yeah that's good, she can help provide cover really easily," Levi agreed.

"Okay, so our brainstorm for that team so far is, Both of you, Hanji, Erwin, Armin, and Ymir," Pixis said looking down at his notes.

"Maybe we could also add Marlowe?" Levi asked.

"And Thomas?" I added.

Everyone looked to Nanaba for her okay since they are her team. "If they agree to it it's fine with me, just make sure to keep an eye on them."

"Okay, so, for now, we will leave it at that and come back to it when we get to the planning stage, we can still switch people around if it doesn't work out, but that's just our outline for the moment," Pixis said, trying desperately not to stress me out. He didn't want anything to sound finalized because he wasn't sure how I was going to act, and honestly, I wasn't sure how I would act either.

"Okay so for the desert mission any ideas?" Nanaba asked.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes letting myself think about everyone's powers and how they could work in this situation. Limited cover means a smaller team, and this environment isn't fit for Levi and my powers, but as it stands right now we have 3 people who are for sure on the team. Ymir, Armin, and Erwin. With all three of them doing recon no one is left to defend them which means we would have to have someone else to protect them. However, everyone else's power would stick out like a sore thumb without cover. Hell as it is they will be out in the open... Unless...

I opened my eyes and opened my mouth to speak. I closed it again as my eyes fell down to the table. That's a stupid idea it would never work.

"I think it works perfectly," Levi said putting a hand on my back, "go on tell them," he whispered.

I took a deep breath and kept my eyes glued to the table. "Well, I know we were supposed to keep the team small because of limited cover, but I think I actually found a way around that. I'm not sure if it would work or not though."

"Well, let's hear it, remember we're just spitballing ideas," Pixis said.

"You mean he's just spitballing ideas," Nanaba corrected, "I don't think we've been much help so far.

"Hey we make good moral support," Pixis shrugged. "Well most of us," He said before side-eyeing Shadis.

"Hey, I'm trying my best," Shadis mumbled.

"Ahem," Levi cleared his throat.

"Sorry," Nanaba said quickly, "please continue."

"Um, well, as I was saying, I think I found a way around the cover issue, as well as the small team issue."

"We're all ears," Pixis said, wanting me to continue.

"Well, I was thinking about everyone's powers and I was realizing that there is one person who could provide the team cover. It's a longshot though."

"I think it will work, the hardest part will be convincing her to actually go on a mission," Levi mumbled.

We got confused looks from the others before I let out a nervous sigh and continued my explanation, "Well I was thinking that we wouldn't need to find cover if we could easily make cover," I said before taking a deep breath, "and the only person with a power that could do that is Petra."

"Oh no," Pixis mumble.

"That's going to take a hell of a lot of convincing," Shadis sighed.

"What why?" Nanaba asked.

"Petra is a pacifist," Shadis explained, "she helps us out here but missions are usually a no go."

"Maybe we will be able to talk her into it," Pixis said thinking out loud, "her only problem with missions is usually the violence, but in a recon mission there usually isn't any violence."

"It actually helps minimize the violence in a way. It stops us from going in guns blazing," Levi added.

"Well, let's just make two plans for that mission plan A if she agrees and plan B if she doesn't."

"Okay makes sense," I nodded.

"How would she go about making cover though?" Pixis asked.

"Well, I was thinking that she could do what she does here when we have a drill. Instead of walls, it would be the floor. She could turn part of the ground into gas particles Levi can move them over the top of the team and the team could be safely hidden underground with a few holes to breathe, of course, while the rest of the team does recon."

Pixis nodded and looked up at me, "that's genius!"

"So what would the team look like if she agreed?" Shadis asked.

"Well, Ymir, Armin, Erwin, Petra, and Levi. Those are who I have so far. We should probably add Marlowe too, they will need to know when it's safe to come and go and when guards are passing by there cover," I said.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Eren comes too," Levi said quickly.

"But my power doesn't fit for this mission," I mumbled.

"I don't care, I'm not going unless you go," he said and I looked at Pixis with an embarrassed look. Usually, when Levi and I go on missions we try to go together in case it's our last, however, recon missions never used to bother us if we were split up.

"Besides, we could use your quick thinking, not to mention your power would be handy in case shit did go sideways," Levi said and I could tell he was grasping at straws.

"I mean, if Eren wants to go he can," Pixis shrugged. "The team doesn't have to be super small anymore now that you solved that issue, and I think he's right. They will need your quick thinking especially since this is a higher risk mission."

"Okay, it seems I've been outvoted," I mumbled giving Levi a nod.

"Alright, now if Petra says no?" Shadis asked.

"Well if she says no then we have to stick with Erwin, Armin, Ymir, and one other person."

"Why do we need one more person?" Shadis asked.

"Because all three of them will be doing recon and no one would be able to watch Ymir and Erwin's bodies. Ymir will have to concentrate as the spirits zap her energy and Erwin will be unconscious while he's in astral projection," I explained.

The room fell silent for a minute before Pixis asked, "Well anyone have any ideas?"

"Eren does," Levi threw me under the bus.

"It's a bad idea," I whispered.

"Well any idea will do because right now we have nothing," Pixis nodded, waiting for me to say my idea.

"Well, Hitch's power can make the team invisible even out in the open."

"Well, yes she could, but it would definitely be cutting it close; they would have to be done within the hour or her power might start to backlash, and hour might even be pushing it."

"Well, that is the smaller camp so that should cut some time off right?" Shadis asked.

"Smaller, but has a heavier guard presence which might add more strain," Pixis said.

"We would have to ask her about her limits, but it's a good back up plan for now," Shadis nodded.

"We might need a backup plan for our backup plan," Nanaba sighed.

"Right now I think that's a good place to leave off. We have a basic team outline and we can plan the rest after lunch but right now we need to think about getting food. I'm sure everyone is hungry. Besides, it gives us time to talk to Nanaba and Hitch and find out if either of them are up for the mission," Pixis said standing up.

"Sounds good," I nodded and gave him a smile.

"Alright, Eren, Levi, and I will meet here after lunch with Petra and after we are done talking with her I will come grab you two and we will figure out our next step. Whether that be talking to Hitch or something else we will see."

Levi and I sat in the common area while they went to go pick up food for everyone. "Thanks for throwing me under the bus in there... multiple times."

"I didn't throw you under the bus, I just gave you a helpful nudge."

"Helpful nudge," I raised an eyebrow, yeah a nudge straight into oncoming traffic with a bus barreling towards me.

"Okay, okay, I threw you under the bus a little, but it worked out in the end. I just wanted your ideas to be heard. You were so worried that none of them would work that you were never going to get your ideas out there."

"Yeah, but still," I mumbled. I mean he's right but I didn't really feel like admitting it out loud. Don't you dare say anything Levi. I thought to him already seeing the smug smile form on his lips.

He just leaned in and placed a kiss on my lips. "I'm not going to say anything. Just that I love you."

"I love you too, even if you are a smug asshole."

"Says the nervous dumpster fire of a human being."

"Ouch," I mumbled, "well at least I'm not a shitty person who throws my own boyfriend under the bus."

"Yes you are," Levi laughed, "I've lost track of how many times you've done that."

"Well to be fair I probably had a reason," I shrugged.

"Yeah well so do I," he said.

I just nodded. "I guess we're even."