Juniper's heart was heavy. Her eyes trail Eren as he wandered around the courtyard. Juniper knows Levi put him up to some kind of chore and Juniper wasn't allowed to help him. Levi has this deep feeling that Juniper's grown too attached to the boy and he wants to help Juniper see that attachment. It won't do Juniper any good, because what happens if something bad happens to Eren? What if he dies right in front of Juniper?

Levi won't know how to deal with Juniper's trauma. He wants the best for Juniper, so maybe getting her away from Eren will help her open her eyes more. Maybe she won't adopt him and his friends. But, Levi knows nothing is stopping Juniper from doing that. She's an adult, she can make her own decisions. And Levi knows Juniper definitely wants children of her own, so having Eren and his friends around are the closest thing to children Juniper will ever get.

Juniper stands, her eyes focused on Eren. She wants to talk to him, but she's too distracted by many things. Her impending doom; is this how she will die? Trying to retake Wall Maria? Her feelings for Levi, where are they going to last forever? Was she going to spend days feeling like this and then suddenly, she won't? Juniper doesn't know what her future looks like. She spends every day living her life like it's her last.

Juniper shouldn't doubt herself or her squadmates. Especially not Levi. She should never doubt Levi.

"Oi," Levi's voice calls out to Juniper. She turns her head, spotting the short captain who stood in the shade beneath a tree within the courtyard. Juniper quirks an eyebrow as Levi gestures her over. Her shoulders slump and Juniper drags herself over to Levi, not really excited to hear what he has to say. "You've grown attached to the brat." He points out to Juniper, stating his thoughts.

Juniper frowns and crosses her arms over her chest. "Okay, thanks for point out the obvious."

Levi frowns, "Tch, I'm trying to help you out, here. You can't get attached."

"That's wise, coming from you," Juniper counters, "you're attached to people too!"

"Who?"

Juniper feels a bit dumb. She jabs herself in the chest, "me? I thought that was obvious?"

Levi's frown grows deeper. He shifts back and forth on his feet. Juniper feels a bit uncomfortable. She's never really openly admitted to her deep, dark, feelings for the captain, it's something she'd rather hide and ignore. But, technically, she wasn't the one who admitted the feelings she felt deep in her stomach, with withering caterpillars begging to blossom into butterflies. It was almost like Juniper was daring Levi to take the first step.

He doesn't.

"Whatever. Get ready to leave," Levi mutters, a dark look appearing across his face.

Juniper huffs, wiping the back of her hand across her forehead and turning around, leaving Levi to sulk on his own. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Juniper doesn't know why she set that up; she did that, and for what? What was the fucking reason? Did she really want to be confessing her unknown feelings to Levi this early in whatever was happening to her? What if it was merely a passing feeling? What will happen then?

Ignoring the ignorance bubbling within her chest, Juniper looks on the bright side. Today, she'll be able to see Erwin again. He always brings a sense of comfort to Juniper. She kicks a stone across the courtyard with a bright smile on her face. She watches Eren out of the corner of his eye as he helped her friends with their horses, obviously another chore from Levi before they all left to go back to civilization.

The happiness stayed on her chest throughout the entire ride back to civilization. Juniper remained upfront with Levi, Eren paces behind them. Juniper was desperate to see Erwin, her heart was practically pounding out of her chest and once they got within the Walls, Juniper's desperation shows. Riding fiercely through the streets, streaking ahead of Levi. Juniper wants to see Erwin more than anything ever.

"What's the sudden rush, Juniper?" Levi says as they come to a stop outside the headquarters for the Survey Corps.

Pure jubilance was displayed on Juniper's face as she turns to Levi. "Erwin!" She grabs his wrist out of happiness, squeezing it lightly. "I get to see him!" Night had fallen, so it was hard to make out Levi's face. Juniper wishes she could see his face right now, with her touching his wrist. She wonders if he'll let her hold on for a little longer.

He doesn't.

"Don't leave my side, Juniper," Levi tells the girl, brushing past her. The disappointment Juniper felt was replaced with hot, red, turbulence rumbling through her chest and stomach. She wants to hear Levi say that once more. She pivots on her heel and follows Levi into the headquarters, leaving Eld and Gunther up to babysit Eren. She'll come for him later.

Levi opens the door and Juniper throws herself into the room, pushing past Levi and hugging Erwin harshly. "It's been too long!" She complains, "why can't you be with me, instead of Levi?"

"You were there that day in court, June," Erwin responds, amusement tainting his voice.

"Whatever. Just come and see us soon, okay? I can't bear these long, dark, and humorless nights with Levi. He bores me, Erwin!"

Erwin smiles down at Juniper, their embrace now gone as Erwin acknowledges Levi. "June, you have always been bad at lying."

Juniper scowls and drops back to Levi's side. "How did the recruitment go?" Levi asks, straight down to business.

"Good. I didn't know what to expect, so what we got far exceeded my expectations. I'm happy with what we got." Erwin says, a futuristic look passing over his face. "I'd say, we've got a chance." Hope bubbles and surrounds Juniper, she was simply alight with optimism as she stood beside a brooding, pessimistic captain.

"Good." Levi says shortly, "we'll need all the help we get."

"That is, if we, Squad Levi, die." Juniper says brightly, "otherwise, we can handle this expedition easily."

"Your cockiness will be the death of you, Juniper." Levi says darkly, "control your emotions."

Juniper rolls her eyes. She's seen her fair share of death. It doesn't scare her anymore. "I can control when I die, Levi. Stop worrying."

"I'm not."

"Well, stop being concerned, then."

"I'm not."

Juniper glares and Levi glares back.

Erwin clears his throat. "Juniper, the more blades we have out there, the higher chance of success. Put your faith in me and the rest of the Scouting Regiment. We're going to take back Wall Maria. You have my word."

"If I must," teases Juniper.

"Juniper," Levi grounds out, annoyed.

"Alright, fine, I'll be sensible. I've never not had my faith in someone else other than you, Erwin. You're the hope of this nation."

Erwin smiles. "Thank you, June. Your words mean a lot."

"Anything for my Commander," winks Juniper, adding in a finger gun at the last minute. Beside her, Levi scoffs and rubs his forehead. "Go away, Eren probably wants to spend time with you," Levi tells Juniper. She shrugs and reaches for the doorknob, "at least I have more than one friend."

As the door falls shut behind her, Juniper hears Erwin say, "he has me, June!"

Juniper and her soft footfalls approach Eren, she smirks evilly and places her hands on Eren's shoulders, making the younger boy jump out of his own skin. Juniper cackles loudly and places a comforting arm around his shoulder. "Hey, hey, hey! It's just me! You're favorite Survey Corps member!"

"I'm beginning to doubt that," Eren mumbles. Juniper pretends she didn't hear him.

"Let's take a walk, shall we?" She gestures to the dark path in front of them. Eren looks up at Juniper. "Seriously?"

Juniper shrugs, "we'll be here a long time. Levi and Erwin have a lot to catch up on. God bless their souls, I don't know how they talk about Titans and formations and killing things for hours on end. It bores me, really." Eren and Juniper walk alongside each other, their footfalls just as silent as the street.

"Why are you friends with them, then?" Eren asks.

Juniper shrugs. She's never asked herself that question before. Maybe it was because she was in desperate need of a friend when she joined the Survey Corps, or maybe because they were the first people Juniper had ever fully trusted with her heart, despite the memory of a man with a ring in hand occurring in Juniper's dreams. Perhaps it was because of a vow she and Levi spoke to each other, or the debts Erwin and Juniper promised each other.

"Because," Juniper says, staring up at the sky, wondering about what happens to stars when they die. The pause after Juniper's beginning word was long and drawn out, sighing heavily, Juniper turns back to Eren. "I got nothing."

Eren chuckles slightly.

"Trust me, I wish I knew why I was friends with them both. It just happened, I suppose." Juniper wonders loudly, her eyes shining beneath the twinkling stars that lit up the night sky. Being within the Walls during the night was oddly satisfying. Juniper couldn't wait for the day when she and everyone else on the Survey Corps avenge their fallen ancestors. She can't wait to rid the world of Titans once and for all.

"What about you, Eren? Do you miss your friends?"

Eren glances over at Juniper, a slight smile covering his face as he recalls his time in the Training Corps. He recalls Mikasa and Armin, Sasha, Connie, and Jean, Reiner, and Bertholdt, Krista, and Ymir, and Annie. He remembers the promises spoke, the words of declarations spoke, he remembers the late nights. He remembers it all. "Yeah," Eren admits gently, "all the time." Juniper doesn't know what compels her to do so, but she does it anyway. She draws Eren close to her, her arms wrapped around his torso. She was hugging Eren, and he didn't mind it.

Eren rests his cheek on Juniper's shoulder. He felt warm, he felt safe, he felt needed. It's been years since he's had a source of comfort, the ideas and ways of destroying the Titans who destroyed his parents had been taking up the longing for warmth and safety spaces that fit perfectly in his heart. He didn't mind Juniper hugging him, he felt like he was hugging his mother again. A hand running through his hair, arms encasing his torso. It was like a dream to Eren.

Pulling away, Juniper places her hands on Eren's shoulders. "Eren, you're the hope of this nation. You give me hope. No matter what happens, I'll always be there. Whatever I've promised you, I'll keep those promises. The promises of you not dying, the promise of protecting you from Levi, the promise of just protecting you. Have faith in me Eren, I can get you out of this hell we're living in." Hesitantly, Juniper places her hand on Eren's cheek. A familiar, foreign word comes to mind, tugging at Juniper's brain. Images flash brightly and Juniper tenses, "l'espoir." The foreign word slips from her mouth, an image of her mother teaching her different languages filters through Juniper's mind.

"Juniper. Eren," Gunther's voice cut through the air. "Captain Levi's finished, we're leaving now."

"Alright! Be there soon!" Juniper calls back, her hands falling from Eren. She turns back to him, a look of determination settling across her face, making a home within her features. "I'm going to fight for your survival Eren, will you place your faith in me?"

There was no hesitation in Eren's words. They cut through the night air fiercely. "Yes. You have my faith, Juniper."

It was there, within the Walls, beneath a starry night sky, Juniper dedicates her heart to Eren Jaeger, and in return, Eren places his faith in Juniper Arrowheart.

◾◾◾

The months pass by quickly. Juniper's attachment ——as Levi calls it——grows for the boy, but it wasn't as one-sided as Levi hoped. Eren's appreciation for Juniper grew each day as the months pass by. He had no friends entering the Squad, and now he had found a friend——and a mother-figure——within Juniper. Because of this, Juniper relentlessly teased Levi by calling him Eren's father. It was another thing from Juniper's mouth that Levi disagreed with.

"Go do your job, Juniper," Levi demands.

"Of course! Anything for the Father of Eren." Juniper grins, bowing slightly.

Levi scowls and turns on his heel, Juniper grinning as she watches the Captain walk away from her, an air of annoyance decorating his aura. So far, everything was going well for Squad Levi, everyone was getting along and Hange dropped in often, fawning over Eren and conducting weird experiments that left Juniper fretting and fussing over the boy when he was in and out of his Titan form. And there was nothing Levi could do to stop Juniper.

The day of the new recruits fell upon them all and Juniper was itching to go out and greet them. She turns to Levi, abandoning the window, which looked out over the courtyard where she had watched her new comrades walk through, and places down her teacup on the table. "I'm going to greet them."

Levi's eyes hold Juniper in her place. "No," he utters, "you will do nothing of the sort."

Juniper challenges his stare, "why not?"

"You'll just scare them off," Levi tells Juniper bluntly.

"How would I do that?"

"With your personality——and your face."

Juniper scowls and picks up her teacup, flinging it across the room. Levi easily dodges the teacup, letting it smash against the wall behind him. He stares at the shards of glass on the floor, and then over at Juniper. "You're cleaning that up." He stands and leaves the room. Juniper makes a fact and grabs a boom, muttering profanities under her breath. Although rage fills Juniper's chest, it doesn't stay there for long because how could Juniper ever be mad at Levi?

For the rest of the day, Levi keeps Juniper busy and away from the new recruits. It annoyed Juniper to now end, but she knew Levi couldn't keep her away from Eren's friends for long. She was bound to meet them, even if it was against Levi's orders. It was well late into the night when Levi gave in and told Juniper she was finished with her chores. (If you could even call them chores.)

Juniper wanders around the abandoned building searching for Eren and his friends. There was quite a lot of walking involved, but eventually, Juniper found the new recruits. They were all grouped in a darkened room, their new survey corps capes were hung around their shoulders, watching a tall, bronze-haired, boy talk loudly. It seemed that he was doubting Eren's abilities. Juniper creeps into the room, silent footed. She stands in the shadows, watching the group converse between themselves. Her heart pounds, whether it was out of nervousness or excitement for meeting her new comrades, Juniper didn't know.

Eventually, Juniper made her way out of the shadows. "Hey, hey, hey!" Her voice booms into the dark room, all eyes turning onto her. Juniper's eyes sought out Eren's. She smiles and winks at him, walking further into the group and draping her arm around Eren. She beams her radiant, welcoming, smile at each of the faces as they stare at her, some had awe in their eyes, some had confusion in their eyes and some had. . . Was it fear? Juniper couldn't tell.

"I'm Juniper Arrowheart! I consider myself Captain Levi's right-hand man——well, actually right-hand girl——but he'd never admit that to anyone."

Looks were shared and finally, some smiles appeared on her new comrades' faces. "Don't worry, if Levi is ever rude to anyone, tell me and I'll straighten him up. He sometimes lets his title of 'Humanity's strongest soldier' get to his head."

"It's true," Eren spoke up, "she was on his back, yelling at him after my trial in Wall Sina."

Juniper grins down at Eren, leaning her head onto the top of Eren's head. "I always knew I could count on you to back me up!" She surveys the room with her keen and sharp eyes. "So, you are the group who chose to be a Survey Corps member?" There were various nods of the head and Juniper smirks, "you have a lot cut out for you then. It's not gonna get any easier now that you're on the frontlines protecting Eren." She squeezes the mentioned boy on the shoulder.

"If you have any problems, talk to me, I'll decide whether I should care about the problem or not. Don't ever speak to Levi unless spoken to because I'll probably get reprimanded for letting you all talk to him, not like I care, it's always fun arguing with Levi! He gets this weird look on his face and then storms off——but it's funny because he's so short as well."

"You're both the same height," Eren mumbles.

Juniper pretends she didn't hear him.

"Alright, any questions?"

Multiple hands shoot up in the air.

Juniper frowns. She thought she was good at explaining things, but she's decidedly not good at explaining things by looking around the room. Frowning, she crosses her arms over her chest. "Alright, you, horse-face." She points at the bronze-haired boy who was doubting Eren's skills earlier.

He lowers his hand and sneers at Juniper, "are you even qualified to be in Squad Levi?"

Grinning, Juniper responds, "yes! Alright, who has another question?"

Juniper spies a red-headed girl and so she points at her. "What's the meal schedule like? Is there meat with our meals?" She holds her stomach and makes a face, earning a chuckle from Juniper. She dreams of meat often, Juniper wonders what she'll feel like when she bites into meat, letting the juice drip down her chin.

Shaking off the feeling, Juniper smiles widely, "sorry to disappoint, but even though you're now a part of the Survey Corps, we don't get any meat."

The now sad red-head frowns, her eyes becoming misty and Juniper's eyes widen. "It's nothing to cry over! Please don't cry!" Juniper rushes over to the red-head, wrapping her arms around the girl. Juniper was terrified someone would walk in and see Juniper hugging a girl she made cry. Oh god, Petra would never stop teasing Juniper about this moment.

"What's your name?" Juniper asks gently, pulling away to look at the girl.

"Sasha Blaus."

Juniper smiles at Sasha, "I can get you a snack before you go to bed, how does that sound?"

Sasha peers up at Juniper, a soft smile overtaking her face, "that sounds awesome!"

Satisfied, Juniper brings her hands together, earning attention from all of the new recruits. "Bedtime! Come on everyone! Let's all get a goodnight's sleep!" There were a few complaints from voices Juniper couldn't identify, but they followed Juniper's orders nonetheless. Juniper reaches Eren's side once more as she takes them through the kitchen, allowing Sasha to steal a small snack, before herding them down the hallways and into their rooms.

Juniper smiles at his two companions, Armin and Mikasa. "It's my pleasure to finally meet you both, Eren spoke highly of you both." She ruffles Eren's hair affectionately, returning his grin. Armin grins back at her, while Mikasa's face remains impassive.

Once they were all safely in bed, Juniper trails down to her own room, down the dimly lit hallways. She thought of everything she couldn't think about while Levi had put her to work. Her feet were begging for a rest, her eyes fought to stay open. A door opens, revealing Levi. Juniper knows Levi has insomnia, although it's something he doesn't like to admit. Pausing in her steps, Juniper stares back at Levi.

"You finally got them to bed," he remarks.

"Yep," Juniper responds shortly, stifling a yawn. (She did so by placing her tongue onto the roof of her mouth. Some weird myth she picked up when she was younger —— it actually works!). 

Silence hangs between them. It hung between them like a curtain blocking out the sun on a hot day, like a curtain blocking the view of the moon on a cold night. Juniper could no longer see the moon standing in front of her. Levi could no longer see the sun standing in front of him.

"Good," Levi says. His hand tightens its grip on the doorknob. His eyes assess Juniper's figure sharply as the strikingly cold doorknob holds Levi in place. This was his reality. His true reality. "You should get some sleep, I can't have you falling off your horse again."

"That was one time," Juniper groans, rubbing her eyes, "and it was your fault!"

"That's a shitty excuse," Levi responds, leaning against the door frame.

"It's not an excuse if it's true."

"Whatever. Goodnight, Juniper."  His sharp gaze burns through Juniper's soul. A part of her longs to stay here with Levi but a part of her longs for the warmth of a bed, the closing of eyes as her mind pulls Juniper off to a happier place. Her longing for the latter wins.

"Goodnight, Levi."

author's note,

uhhh...hey lol!! long awaited update <3 but look at how cute eren juniper are!!! and she also got to meet the rest of her kids <33

i am so excited yay we are getting into the good parts <3

levi and juniper omg angst arc?

(also sorry for the rlly bad chapter)