*Reader's POV*

Feeling guilty that Levi was getting no explanation about what was going on yet, you gestured for Emery to follow you and started making your way back through the winding streets of the city. You didn't have destinations in mind, yet, just goals of what you needed to get done. Levi was following from a distance up above–you could hear the ODM gear working a fair distance away as he tried to stay upwind and keep you in view. You'd explain things to him before doing anything, but right now you were wary about leaving Emery alone, so Levi was going to have to trust you and wait.

"What's that noise?" Emery asked, sounding skittish and ready to bolt.

Shit, it seems Levi was close enough to be heard by Emery, too, despite how new and inexperienced he was. As long as he stayed far enough away Emery didn't smell his blood, they were still okay.

"Don't worry about it."

"It might be the Garrison soldiers though," Emery started to panic.

"It's not, they're with me. Just in case there was trouble," you informed him, keeping an eye on the road ahead of you. "He's probably trying to figure out what the change of plans are."

"Why don't you just tell him?" Emery asked, head on a swivel trying to spot the source of the ODM noise. Levi sure as hell knew how to stealth. If you weren't vampires you wouldn't even be able to hear the ODM, and the younger of the two of you couldn't spot him even when he knew he was there.

"Because I'm not comfortable with you getting too close to him. Physically. Not yet, anyway. It could end badly, and he's already got trepidations about this, I doubt almost getting attacked would help."

"Attacked...he's human?" Emery asked in shock. You weren't sure if it was shock that your chosen backup was human, that a human was keeping track of and largely stealthing around two vampires, or that you kept company with someone human and they were likely aware of what you were.

"Yes, he is. Then it's understandable why I'd rather he kept his distance, no?"

Actually, no, Emery still seemed a little confused...which could be explained by the fact he hadn't caught wind of Levi's blood. Not yet, anyway. "It's hard for me to keep from biting him sometimes, and I'm used to being around him and have several years on you for experience controlling my bloodlust. I'm not comfortable with him being around you. Not yet, anyway," you clarified, hopefully before he could take offense.

"You don't want me to attack him," Emery said in a quiet voice. You were suddenly painfully aware of the blood on his shirt–you both were. He wasn't wrong, it was what you were trying to avoid.

"You're right. I can't take that risk right now. You don't have the control to be around him. But we'll work on that. Among other things. First, we need to get you cleaned up, and find you somewhere safe to stay. Then we'll talk about lessons and helping you...adjust."

"You're planning on taking me in as some kind of student?"

"I don't know what to call it, but I am going to help you. Take you under my wing, so to speak," you finished in a murmur, ducking into an alley that had laundry hanging low between the two houses. You fisted one of the shirts to see if it was dry, pleased to find that this line, at least, was. "First...something clean to wear."

"These are someone else's clothes," Emery said in befuddlement as you skipped past the dress, nightgown, and blanket to a button up that looked large enough to fit him, pulling it off the line and looking for a pair of pants that seemed the right size, or at least something he could tie a rope around to make fit until you could get something else.

"Well, there's not exactly a store open at this time of night, and the first thing you need is out of those bloody clothes, before someone sees...and we should probably burn those, too, so there's no bloody clothes just lying around for someone to find. Catch."

Emery was surprised, but apparently still had enough of his wits to catch the shirt you threw to him, and then the pants. You were moving quickly, for the briefest second feeling like you were back Underground as you moved through the tight alley with darkness above you, stealing to survive–or in this case, help someone who was in a tight spot.

"Don't change yet. We're going to go down to the river, find a quiet corner out of immediate view, and you're going to get cleaned up first. Wash all that blood off, change into the new clothes, and we'll burn the old in a barrel or something. I'm going to talk to him while you're cleaning up, and then we can have a serious discussion afterwards. That's as far as I've got planned right now, since we're doing this by ear."

"You don't have a plan?"

You scoffed at his surprise. "How could I? I didn't even know what I was getting into. Come on, no, lingering."

You led the teenager through a maze of alleyways in the direction you knew the river to be, able to hear that ODM gear always at a measured distance, but following you as relentlessly as it would if you were a target. Eventually, you managed to reach stone steps leading into the river, gesturing for Emery to go into the water and wash off in the shadows where it would be harder to see.

"Don't rush–we've got a while, you need to make sure you get it all off, and I need to have this talk...and I don't know how long it will take. I'll be back," you said in a low voice. Glancing around the darkened home windows to make sure no one was obviously awake to witness this midnight meeting, you made your way back the way you'd come just a little ways before you shifted your cloak and used the ODM gear to get to the roof of the closest building and meet Levi halfway. You weren't disappointed, as it only took him seconds to land on the roof in front of you, eyes stormy even in the moonlight.

"Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on here?" He asked, irritation saturating his tone.

"I'm going to help him–"

"I figured out that much. Why's he covered in blood, Y/N?" Levi asked sharply.

You hesitated for a second, which was enough to make Levi's expression darken. "You're not going to like this...and Erwin isn't, either," you said reluctantly.

Several emotions flashed through Levi's eyes. Tension, frustration, even a bit of dismay at the news that this could make Erwin upset, which could impact you. He stepped forward, mouth in a hard lined frown.

"Y/N, you don't beat around the bush, and I like that about you. Don't start that shit, now. Tell me," Levi said, his voice firm but his hands that gripped your arms encouraging.

You bit your lip, still hesitant just because you knew he wasn't going to react well. But he did need to know, so there was no avoiding it.

"There was a...thief or something, I don't know what exactly, but...they were running from Garrison troops. And they were bleeding, apparently got hurt in some kind of scuffle. They ran right into the place he was hiding, and...he couldn't resist the spilled blood. He said he hadn't fed in weeks. The Garrison troops that had been chasing the criminal or whatever they were came across the scene, attacked him, and he killed them in a blood haze. He came to in the aftermath of what he'd done in his frenzy. That's when he ran, and likely when he sent the note."

Levi's expression morphed to one of pure exasperation as he stared at you, then with some flashes of frustration, even some anger as his shoulders tensed and he processed the same implications and possibilities you had come to earlier.

"The Garrison is going to be after him," he said in a low tone of voice.

"I know."

"Hunters, too, no doubt."

"Most likely."

"This doesn't sound smart, Y/N. If you're linked to him and he gets caught...and what if it happens again? What if you get caught in the crosshairs of his mess?" Levi asked, the strain in his voice hard to ignore. He was really worried about this, wasn't he? Well, so were you, but you were more worried about the other people who could get caught up in this situation. Levi seemed solely focused on you.

And even with the danger, you had to try to help Emery, he deserved that much. You'd craved at least a little help. What kind of a person would you be if you turned your back on someone in a similar position to what you'd suffered through, wishing you'd had help or someone to turn to.

"He needs help, Levi."

"It's too dangerous–" Levi started to say firmly, the grip on your arm suggesting he was ready to start dragging you back to Scout Headquarters.

"He's a kid. A kid, Levi, he was only sixteen when he was turned. He's only seventeen, now, he doesn't even know he's not aging, yet. He's scared, and confused, and lost, and he needs help before he gets worse, or he gets killed."

Levi's expression was blank, a guarded look in his eyes that refused to let you see what he was actually thinking. "We can't help him."

"Yes, I can. It's got risk, yes, but there's still something I can do, and I can't ignore this, not when I know how it could end." You looked back in the direction you'd left Emery, sympathy gracing your features. "I think he might have the potential to be a ripper, if something isn't done soon. It would be in everyone's interest if that was curbed before it festered anymore."

"A ripper?" Levi asked in trepidation. It just kept getting worse and worse in his eyes, didn't it? You hadn't explained–or had the need to explain–this kind of vampire to him yet.

"It's what I call a vampire that's particularly vicious with their bloodlust. They don't feed so much as massacre, they have no control of their bloodlust, and I call them rippers because they tend to literally rip apart and tear into their victims." At the wide eyed expression Levi was giving you that suggested he was about to protest your involvement again, you quickly continued. "He's not one, yet. I just said he has the potential to become one if someone doesn't interfere soon and help him adjust to and control the bloodlust. But what he described for what happened with the Garrison soldiers...the potential is there, yes. It doesn't help he's been avoiding human blood for a year straight and doesn't know how to control his bloodlust, and just got copious amounts at once in a blood haze..."

You were starting to ramble now, starting to slip into your contemplations on the situation and Emery, and you had to shake yourself out of it as Levi's hand tightened on your shoulder again, likely as he was about to try and snap you out of it and try and reclaim your attention. You blinked owlishly as you came out of it, focusing on Levi again with a sheepish glimmer flashing in your gaze.

"Sorry, I'm still...figuring out what to do."

"That's not reassuring me about your insistence to do this, Y/N," Levi stressed, holding your gaze this time, grip still unrelenting as if he was trying to keep you grounded in the present instead of wandering off into your busy thoughts.

"Levi," you said in a much softer voice, taking a step closer and surprising him by gently cradling his face in your hands, palms on his cheeks in a reassuring gesture. He tensed up in his usual reaction when you did something unexpected and new, especially given the current situation. "I know you're worried about me, and I appreciate that, but I want to do this, and I'm going to do it. And I'm going to do this without you."

Levi grasped the hands on her cheeks, starting to pull them away but taking another step closer in the process. "Y/N–"

"No, I'm serious," you said in a firm voice of your own, lowing your hands that were still held by Levi so that they were at your sides. "Emery–the kid–he's in a vulnerable and volatile state right now. I don't want him anywhere near you or the Scouts right now, for everyone's safety. Especially you. I'm worried just the scent of your blood, even unspilled, will be too much for him to resist, that he won't be able to to control himself around you. I could restrain him if I needed to, but...I'd rather just avoid the situation. This will be something I have to do on my own time, without your help. And it definitely won't be something that clashes with the Scouts, I won't even have him near headquarters, I don't want to risk anything with Emery endangering the Scouts, either. It will be my own extracurricular activity."

He looked torn between arguing and giving in, able to see how determined you were to do this, how much it meant to you, but painfully aware of how dangerous this all was, especially if you were going to do this alone. "I still don't think it's wise."

You smiled slightly at him. "I'm not asking for your approval, Levi. I'm telling you I'm doing it, and what I'm thinking and planning right now. Especially since you're going to have to go back and tell Erwin how this meeting turned out."

For a fleeting moment, Levi grimaced, clearly loathe to be put in that situation. "If this endangers you or the Scouts–"

"Like I said, I'm going to make sure to keep this business with Emery completely separate from the Scouts–I'll make sure he's set up somewhere far away from headquarters so he's not even physically close."

"There's still the threat to yourself, Y/N. You can't forget you're a valuable asset to the Scouts, too. And that Erwin's going to have things to say about endangering yourself for a chance in hell to help someone that might be doomed."

"Not necessarily. He's not beyond help, Levi, I believe as much. And who knows, maybe a few years down the line when he's got a better control of himself, he might be willing to help the Scouts. Then the turnaround could be well worth the risk. If you want to get technical about this." You squeezed Levi's hands that were still holding tightly to yours, leaning in to rest your forehead against his and closing your eyes. "Levi...please, accept that I'm going to do this. I can't turn my back on him, it's too much like turning my back on who I was, when I first turned. I have to try to help him. I'll accept the consequences and results, whatever they may be, but I have to at least try. I owe my past self as much, and this kid deserves someone to be willing to give him a chance in hell to not become just another monstrous vampire lurking in the shadows."

Levi's grip tightened on you for a second into something closer to a death grip. "I don't like it, and I'm not changing my mind about this being a bad idea...but if it's what you want to do...that's your choice."

You smiled slightly, turning your head just slightly to kiss him lightly on the cheek, letting your lips linger for a few seconds before you pulled away. "Go back and report to Erwin. I'm going to talk to Emery for a while and see what we can get arranged tonight, then I'll come back and fill Erwin in on anything new we decide while we talk." Levi's grip wasn't lightening, and that reluctant look on his face growing a bit more in prominence. "He's much younger than me, Levi, I can handle him if something bad happens for whatever reason. Besides, there's no point in keeping you around for a conversation you can't even get near for safety's sake. Go report to Erwin. I'll be okay."

Levi sighed, pulling away and moving towards the edge of the house, pulling his hood up before turning back to look at you. "Be careful."

With that, Levi stepped off the edge of the roof, using the ODM gear to control his descent before walking back towards where the two of you hitched the horses.

With Levi updated and on his way to report to Erwin, you could finally do what you needed to and turn your full attention to Emery. Taking a few moments to gather yourself, you got ready for the coming conversation and stepped off the edge of the roof, landing gracefully on the street below without ODM assistance.

Your approach towards the river was a silent one, and you followed Levi's example and raised the hood of your cloak to make sure if anyone looked, they wouldn't be able to recognize you or note distinguishing features without getting close enough for you to see or hear such an onlooker.

You came close, but not within view of Emery quite yet, lingering nearby just in case he wasn't finished, yet.

"Are you all set?"

There was a slight splashing of water, and Emery's head peeked out from around the corner of the steps into the water. It looked like he'd washed off all the blood and was simply staying in the river to think–though even getting used to the temperature of the water, he shouldn't have been in there long. It was midnight, and likely freezing in the river at the moment.

Not that the cold temperature would do any kind of damage, but you were worried nonetheless.

"Ah, no, not yet it seems. I'll just turn around and give you a few more moments," you said, turning around entirely so your back was to the river, hearing the water splash around as Emery scrambled to get out of the river.

"Sorry, I was just–I got caught up in–" he started to stammer, seeking for a proper apology.

"No need to apologize, it's fine, I was just checking," you said with a slightly dismissive wave of your hand, looking up at the stars, clouds, and moon up in the sky as you waited for him to get dressed again, turning around after you heard him nervously clear his throat. He was still fairly sopping wet and shivering, the stolen white shirt see through and sticking to him and see through, but he was no longer covered in blood, and the rest would dry. Plus you knew he wouldn't get sick–just be miserable from the cold for a little while.

Maybe you should try to find somewhere warm to talk. Though, that would likely require figuring out where he was going to stay, and that part you hadn't figured out yet. Perhaps if you just sat down and tried to work out the other details an idea would come to you.

You wanted something that wasn't anywhere near the Scouts, but was close enough the two of you could reach each other if there was an emergency–not the easiest thing to come up with when you also needed somewhere he wouldn't be disturbed, and he had to avoid sunlight entirely, and it needed to be near whatever his hunting grounds would be.

Yeah, this was going to get tricky..

"Come on, let's find somewhere to burn the old clothes and talk. We've got a few things to cover tonight before we do anything else," you murmured, grabbing the bloodied clothes left in a pile on the steps before you led him back into the city, admittedly wandering aimlessly as you sought out a discreet corner that no one would notice a little fire in.

Emery caught up to you, falling into step just behind you and practically vibrating with barely restrained energy. It didn't take a genius to know he was dying to ask some of the questions he desperately wanted answers to, and you were hoping he would at least have the patience to wait until you–

"How do you walk in the sun?" he asked abruptly, picking up his pace just enough he could look you in the eyes.

So much for patience. Then again...he'd gone this long without answers, or someone to provide them. It made sense if he didn't have the patience to wait any longer.

You glanced sidelong at him, a slight frown on your lips. "I can't answer that."

Emery took a few steps back with a slightly huffed sigh, though his words suggested he might back off. "Sorry. I suppose that's a trust thing, and we just officially met–"

"That, and I don't have an answer you'll be satisfied with. So I won't be telling you anytime in the near future...since I don't know when I'll possibly get a satisfactory answer," you murmured.

Maybe that was something you could approach Hange for. Surely she'd have some fun finally being able to run some experiments with your vampiric nature, even if it was something as little as duplicating the effects of your necklace.

"You...don't know?" Emery asked hesitantly.

"It's complicated. And a bit advanced for what we need to get out of the way. It seems, from what I've observed, that you're missing some basics. But this is hardly the place to talk about these kinds of things...and the first order of business is definitely to find you a safe place to lay low in the daylight hours. Somewhere with the least chance of someone stumbling across you...something close to a good hunting ground–"

"Hunting ground?" Emery asked nervously, cutting off your musings and reminding you that, unlike you, Emery had only had animal blood, up until recently, and very obviously had qualms about killing to survive.

You did, too, but you'd come to your realization that it was going to be necessary for your situation, and for the safety of those around you (ironically). It seemed blood was going to be your first topic of conversation.

"You're still set on feeding off animals, aren't you?"

Emery paled now that it was obvious what you'd meant, shaking his head slightly in disgust at where the conversation was starting to go. "I can't. Not from other people. It's–it's–"

"Wrong? Believe me, I've been there. But you're going to have to find your own way to make it work and learn to live with it."

"How can you say that?"

"Because I had to learn the hard way how to survive and keep from becoming a full fledged monster at the same time, without any help. I found my balance, everyone has to. And I know you think right now feeding off animals is the way to go, I'm afraid it's not. It's only going to make you far more dangerous when you fall off the wagon–and a far easier target for hunters and other vampires when that's all you've got to sustain you." You paused to turn and look at him fully, planting your feet in front of him. "Listen, Emery–I know you have qualms about feeding off people. I had them, too. And heaps of guilt to go with it, not to mention blood to wash off my hands. But I'm doing my part to do that now, and as ugly of a thought as it is, you have to embrace that bloodlust and learn how to tame it if you're ever going to safely blend into humankind again. Denying it constantly and feeding off the second worst source of blood we can get isn't going to help your control, it's going to make it much, much worse. And I'm worried from your story you have the potential to be one hell of a monster if you don't learn control."

Emery was paling more and more as you explained this to him, but you had to give it to him straight if he was going to understand that you weren't telling him to feed off people because you were a monster trying to create another monster–you were telling him because it really was the best way you knew how to make him better.

You stepped forward and reassuringly put your hands on his shoulders in a similar way Levi had just done for you not too long ago. "I'm not going to sic you on innocent people, if that's what you're worried about. My cardinal rule has always been not to harm the innocent. Hell, I even acted as a protector for the innocent from the shadows for years underground."

"I'll still be killing people," he said quietly, voice barely cracking into a speaking tone a few times as it flickered and wavered like a flame about to go out.

"Yes," you said honestly. "There are ways to look at it to help you carry that burden, though. For me, it was rationalization, and my standards. The rationalization that it was the only way to be strong enough to defend myself and do what I needed to do, that I couldn't leave the people I fed on alive or they would run screaming vampire to others and I'd be in grave danger, that by killing the people I targeted, I was protecting so many more innocents that would have fallen victim to them."

Something flashed in Emery's eyes, and he narrowed them at you. "You kill criminals."

"I used to. In the Underground. Nobody bats an eye when people go missing down there, as depressing as the thought is. And I learned to tell the difference between the criminals just trying to survive in a hellhole of a city, and the truly bad people who did it because they wanted to, or because they couldn't stop themselves and would only continue to hurt people."

"That's some fucked up vigilantism," Emery remarked.

"It's how I survived. How I learned control, so that I could be where I am today. Part of the Scouts, and able to withstand and ignore copious amounts of spilled blood so I can try and help humanity instead of just taking life to survive. It's also how I'm washing the blood off my hands from my past."

"But you still have to kill people to survive. How could you possibly think you're washing blood off your hands if you're regularly staining them with more blood?" Emery challenged.

"Because I eventually reached the point of control, I can keep myself sustained by feeding frequently on a single willing person without killing them, to keep myself sustained and strong without having to lower the quality of the blood I'm drinking or kill anyone to cover my tracks." You raised an eyebrow at him, feeling like you'd made your point based on the glimmer of hope in his eyes. "It's a lot more alluring of a prospect when there's an eventual end to the body count, isn't it? That's what I was working towards. Hopefully with help, it won't take you as long–and it won't be as rough of a road. Though only time can tell for that."

Hesitation returned to Emery's gaze, and he stared at you warily, rooting himself in place as if he refused to move a step further unless you answered whatever he was about to ask.

"So...what exactly are you offering here? And what do I have to do in return?"

"I am offering...to teach you how to control your bloodlust instead of it controlling you. To be able to drink the blood that will properly sustain you and make you stronger without losing yourself or control of yourself. To eventually get you to the point you won't have to kill anyone to survive, provided we're lucky enough to find you a donor. I'm offering information about what we are, as much as I can tell you as someone else who was left to stumble blindly in the dark trying to figure this all out on my own. I'm offering an ally in a world bigger and darker than you're aware of, safety and shelter–as soon as I decide where a good place to start looking may be. Perhaps even a purpose down the road, if you find yourself interested."

"And in return you want...what from me?" Emery asked, still cautious.

"That you try. That you listen to what I tell you. Understand that this might take some time, and you will need patience since it won't happen overnight. And that you try your damndest never to harm an innocent," you answered, holding up a finger for every condition you added.

Emery seemed dumbfounded that you didn't want anything but, apparently, genuine effort on his part, seeming to disbelieve what you were telling him. "Why...why are you helping me if you don't want anything from me?"

You gave him a small, sad, sympathetic smile. "Because...I've been where you are. And if I can help someone find an actual path instead of stumbling blindly like I did...I want to help them. I feel like I have a duty to, and I can't ignore them."

Emery was speechless after that, and you even saw a glisten in his eyes that you were just helping him because you wanted to and it was right, that you didn't expect anything from him except that he try.

"Though, if you would like a more logical or rational response, as I'm used to having to follow up the emotional with, it also protects the good left of humanity in the walls if I can keep even one vampire from going down a dark path. And I'm sure you would appreciate not having any more run-ins like you did with the Garrison."

Emery stiffened, his breathing halting for a second and his eyes gaining a faraway gleam as he stumbled back against the wall, hanging his head low and starting to cry, and then struggling to repress sobs, at the mention of what he'd done. For a second, you were taken aback by how quickly his moods and attitudes were changing, until you reminded yourself of how new he was, and what that meant for his emotional and mental state. Gently, you reached out to touch the young man's shoulder.

"I see you're still struggling with the amplified emotions, too," you observed gently, coaxing him forward and to follow you as he struggled for control of himself. "Come on–we'll find a nice quiet place in the forest to talk about vampires and discuss what we're going to do. After I do this, of course," you added, spotting a barrel that was empty near the back of a stone shop. At long last you threw the bloodied clothes inside, then withdrew the small book of matches you brought with you–in case Emery had been dangerous and the meeting ended in you needing to burn a body. You lit the match and dropped it into the barrel with the clothes, lingering long enough to make sure the fire would catch before you continued showing Emery towards the edge of town and out to a forest that rested not too far away.

You would have to come back to retrieve Zephyr, but you didn't mind the little inconvenience. It would be quite some time before you headed back to the Scouts, anyway.

You and Emery had much to discuss.

********************************

*Levi's POV*

"I can't believe you actually left her alone with him."

Neither Erwin nor Levi could sit while they waited for Y/N to return and give her report on what happened after Levi left. Neither of them were a person to pace, that was more Hange's department, but by their standards, they were both restless as they waited, frequently shifting positions, occasionally passing by the window as if they would be able to spot her coming, though they both knew that she was more likely to sneak back into Headquarters when she arrived. Levi had given Erwin what information he had when he left, and to say Erwin was unhappy was...putting it mildly.

To be fair, Levi wasn't happy with the situation, either, but it had been Y/N's decision, and he was going to respect it. For now. If he felt like it had reached the point of an err in judgement that might cost her life, then he would intervene, but right now, she was persuasive, he felt she had a point, and he didn't have anything besides mistrust and general concern to keep him from agreeing with her at least trying to help the kid. And she really wanted to help him, he could see it in her eyes.

And he wasn't fucking heartless. Hearing her plead with him, reiterating that the young man covered in blood was just a scared kid in a horrid situation did tug at the heartstrings, but he still had his priorities, and Y/N was his responsibility to look after. It was his job to question and push and prod and make sure she was actually ready, to make sure that she was confident with whatever course she took, to make sure he was a voice of caution and reason when she was letting her heart lead her a bit more than it probably should have, in place of where they should have been a bit more logic. He was here to nudge her in the right directions, keep her in check where it mattered and make sure she thought the more dangerous things through before jumping in headfirst. He was here to make sure she was safe, as much as she could be in this world. To try and help her avoid unnecessary risks that could get her or others killed.

Erwin, of course, was trying to plan and prepare, playing out a chess game in his mind that no one else could see as he tried to work around the fact his newest asset was tying herself to someone who'd just killed Garrison soldiers brutally enough they were actively looking for the culprit, despite everything going on right now. Not to mention it was bringing back the risk of hunters–which was still a sore subject since Levi hadn't fully recovered from that attack quite yet–and there was this new information about ripper vampires, and how this kid could potentially be one.

She was gambling, and Erwin was certainly a gambling man, but even Erwin was trepidations about this one and the fine line she was walking to help a kid, keep one ripper off the streets, and maybe in the future add another vampire to the ranks without creating more, if that was what the kid wanted.

If.

At this very moment, Erwin was more upset that it was unsupervised, just in case there were still foul intentions lurking somewhere beneath, or hunters showed up, or anything else went amiss like that. But again, she'd made good points, and Levi wasn't much use lounging around waiting for her to finish talking to someone, his presence was a risk if the wind shifted the wrong way, and he could be taking care of half the report instead.

"She didn't want to risk me getting attacked if the wind shifted or something, especially since they were on the move. And it's not going to be a short conversation, either–the kid doesn't know anything, from how she was talking. And his control is shit, so if he caught wind of me..."

"I know, it would end in a fight," Erwin murmured, though the frown didn't lessen after the agreement.

"If you're worried about it, making sure her activities with Emery don't affect the Scouts seemed to be the first thing on her mind," Levi remarked after observing the tension in Erwin's shoulders.

"That doesn't mean she'll succeed in that endeavor. And none of us want a repeat of the last ambush attack by vampire hunters."

Levi's expression darkened slightly. "You can't blame her for that one–the situation was entirely out of her control, from the hunters finding her, to them attacking, and me getting between them to save her life. It shouldn't count against her."

"Whether she intentionally does it or not, the agreement was that her presence couldn't endanger the Scouts," Erwin said pointedly. "And I just had this discussion with her not long ago at all, too."

"At least let her try. She's going to be careful about this, cover her tracks, take precautions, especially with how fresh the last time still is. She said to consider it a personal matter entirely separate from the Scouts, that it wouldn't overlap and she would make sure to carry out her business with Emery in her free time and not Scout's time."

Erwin raised an eyebrow at Levi's comments. "I was under the impression you didn't approve of this arrangement, either."

"I don't like it, no, I think trouble of some kind is guaranteed with her going through with this. But it's her choice, and no one's going to change her mind. She's going to go through with it no matter what we say or do. The most we can do is prepare just in case something does go wrong, and offer advice."

Erwin's gaze lingered on Levi, who was highly sensitive to the fact that Erwin was currently examining him intently. "You've gotten quite soft on her, haven't you?"

Levi gave him an appraising look, trying to figure out if Erwin was making this a disapproving comment or just a conversation starting observation. "She's an awe-inspiring individual."

Erwin hummed and nodded slowly, making his way towards the window for his turn to watch and wait for her arrival. "Just make sure that awe doesn't blind you."

Levi sighed. He should have supposed this conversation was inevitable after Y/N mentioned Erwin pulled her aside to have one with her. "I'm well aware of the bigger picture, Erwin. I haven't forgotten it."

"These kind of things can make what we do here messy," Erwin said, the briefest flash of something deep and knowing flickering in his eyes as his expression darkened for a single moment, quickly covered up by the stern look he was keeping for his lecture at the moment. "And what we're doing here is bigger than any two individuals."

Levi turned to face Erwin more fully, arms crossed over his chest and gaze sharp. "Y/N and I already had this conversation, Erwin. The Scouts come first. We're not about to get too caught up to remember that."

"You're walking a thin line for that right now," Erwin said pointedly, and Levi's expression darkened, partially because he knew Erwin had a point. Maybe if he wasn't so close to her he would have shut this down back in Sedalia instead of taking the risk at all, maybe this wouldn't even be on the table because of all the risk it posed. But the fact of the matter was that it was happening either way, and he'd already backed Y/N on this. His only option now was to take responsibility for any fallout.

"If there's an issue, I'll take care of it. I'm not letting this harm the Scouts, if it comes to that."

"Don't forget you said that."

The conversation stopped after that, a bit of tension lingering in the air as they continued to wait for Y/N to finally return. It took more than Levi would have liked to admit to avoid shifting around in discomfort after Erwin's apparent concern that whatever was going on between Levi and Y/N would cloud their judgement. But he meant what he said, and he had a bit more of a clear conscious knowing that Y/N agreed–the Scouts came first.

Now they just needed to make sure that their actions matched their words.

Neither of them saw her come up the the building, predictably, but they were both at full attention when they heard a knock on the door, Levi crossing the room in a few strides to open the door and reveal Y/N standing out in the hall.

"Oh...I wasn't expecting you to wait up tonight–it's late," she commented as she stepped inside, gaze lingering a few moments on Levi's still-tense disposition.

"What else did you expect?" Levi returned in an almost challenging tone, shutting the door behind her and making sure it was locked as she moved deeper into the room.

"Levi filled me in on what was happening. Emery, was it?" Erwin asked in a deceptively measured voice. Y/N had no idea what she was in for.

"Yes, he's...shaken, a little messed up after what happened, but he'll be all right, given a bit of time to adjust. It took a while to find a suitable place to hide him, but I settled on something on the west side of Wall Sina, on the Rose side of the wall. That area where the wall is a little higher than everywhere else cause it's placed on the slope of a mountain, we managed to find a well hidden cave after a few hours. He actually found it by managing to hear bats flying around and squeaking in one of the deeper chambers, it was quite impressive...." She trailed off, becoming aware of the mood in the room. "Not that you're here to get a play by play vampiric analysis of him, my apologies."

"We can get to logistics after we clear up some serious concerns, starting with the massacre he was apparently a part of," Erwin said lowly, taking a seat at his desk.

Right, this part. Levi had plenty of trepidation about bringing the boy on simply knowing he'd killed a handful of people, most of which had been soldiers. Apparently it had been a bit more than two or three people killed in that highly scrutinized incident.

"I got a report about it the day it happened, as well as orders to kill on sight and a partial description from someone who apparently saw him fleeing the scene as soon as night fell," Erwin said seriously. "He killed two civilians and five soldiers. The initial civilian that had been running after stealing an extra ration, the two soldiers that had been chasing him, three more who were stationed nearby and heard the commotion and saw the first two soldiers go inside, and a woman who had been passing by when the three went in and tried to discreetly make sure the silence meant the incident was resolved, based on where they found her remains trying to hide behind warehouse goods. They were ripped apart, particularly around the upper torsos and neck areas, throats ripped out or heads nearly separated from the bodies. Which certainly matches the description Levi gave me of what you call a ripper vampire."

Levi kept his gaze on Y/N, watching as a look of sorrow and pity filled her eyes, which made indignation stir in his gut. He expected anger and repulsion, like Levi had reacted with after hearing about the murders, but she was reacting with pity, and he had a feeling it was directed at the inflictor, not the victims.

There was a slight beat of pause in the conversation, which prompted Y/N to open her mouth to speak or plead Emery's case, but Erwin had only been allowing her a moment to soak in his words before continuing.

"All branches are supposed to be keeping an eye out for him after what happened, it's a top priority. Everyone is looking for him right now. And I promise you if it's this hot of a case among the military, your hunters will be looking high and low for him, as well. Not to mention, the risk he seems to pose for anyone passing on the street, and what it could mean for the Scouts if you're in some way connected to him, or the Scouts are." Erwin interlocked his fingers together and peered at her over his knuckles now pressed to his lips. "You're going to have to do better than, 'it's the right thing to do,' for me to abide by this investment, Scout L/N."

Y/N glanced at Levi, who only raised his eyebrows at the look on her face. He wasn't going to help her out of this, this was her project that she had to defend to Erwin, especially since he had already made it known he wasn't all for this plan of hers.

"He's young," she said, and Levi inwardly winced at the fact she was starting with excuses for Emery's actions. "He doesn't have the control that I've been able to develop over the decades–that comes with intense practice and time. Of course, I didn't have anyone to help and teach me–he will. For one, it will stop incidents like that from happening over and over until he's caught, without having to kill him. Right now he has no way to control himself and stop that from happening for sure, but in the future, that could be fixed entirely. And with me getting involved, I can help him manage himself enough that those incidents can be avoided entirely until he gets control of himself–outside the wild chances of someone stumbling across him at the worst times."

"And how, exactly, do you plan on 'managing' him?" Erwin asked.

"He's going to take my old diet, under my supervision. Give him an area to operate in, and work on getting him on a fairly regular schedule. Teach him little by little to resist spilled blood, find out what technique works best with him. Teach him how to use food and such to help curb cravings. Keep him busy even when he's in that cave by giving him projects and skills to work on, train him in very, very basic hand to hand so he can defend himself but he doesn't know enough to be too much of a problem if the worst happens."

Levi interrupted before Erwin could ask another question, tension making his shoulders ache as he stepped forward. "When you mean your old diet, you're including location, aren't you?"

Y/N turned just enough to look at him, and for a second, it unnerved him how calm and steady her gaze was on him for what she was saying. "Underground? Yes."

"No. Not happening," Levi said immediately, and Y/N turned all the way around to face him as she addressed him.

"It's the best place for a vampire to lay low, Levi, you know that. It's got the greatest concentration of people that fit into my requirements, and no one will bat an eye at another body. If there's anywhere for him to learn control, it's down there."

"I thought I made it clear that you weren't going down there ever again after last time," Levi returned in a sharp, low voice.

"It's the way it's going to be, Levi–"

"There's too much risk–too many hunters and other vampires down there. If you get targeted again, you might not be so lucky. You can't risk it–especially with a loose canon like him."

"Levi, I lasted forty years down there, I know what I'm doing and how to handle the hunters down there, and how to avoid them."

"Yet you were still caught and tracked by those hunters last time–"

"It's not unavoidable, Levi, there will be run ins, it happens, but I know how to avoid them for the most part–"

"I'm not letting you go down there, again–"

"That's not your decision to make. And you're not coming with me, either, before you try to offer. You're a walking feast for any vampire that catches a whiff of you, especially down there. Not to mention I'm going to be training a young potential ripper how to control his bloodlust and properly hunt and cover his trail. If he picks up on your scent at any moment during those hunts, you'll be in grave danger. I can restrain him if push comes to shove, but it sure as hell won't be pretty."

"She's not going. It's not worth the risk," Levi said stubbornly as he turned his attention to Erwin instead of her. She was right, it wasn't his decision, but if she was going to try and go back Underground, that he wasn't going to support, which he knew would sway Erwin's opinion.

Erwin's gaze was slowly going between the two of them, brows furrowed, mouth set in a hard frown. They certainly weren't making this easy for him. She'd already started and was clearly bound and determined to go forward with it, but Levi had serious reservations about her doing this, and was now completely denying a part of her plan...despite also being the one to say that she was going to do it and there wasn't much they could do to stop her.

If anything, that argument in front of Erwin was just further proof to that earlier statement of his.

Erwin's gaze lingered on Levi for a moment before he set his hands down, looking displeased with the situation they were presenting him with. "If he attacks people like he did the other day even one more time, my blind eye can't extend to him."

"I think with me keeping an eye on him, the only chance of that happening would be cruel twists of fate and chance," Y/N said calmly, holding Erwin's gaze.

"Levi thinks this is a terrible idea. Why shouldn't I be convinced he's right?" Erwin said, even pointing at Levi for emphasis.

What, was he trying to cause turbulent waters between the two of them? He supposed the smooth sailing was only going to happen for so long before they hit a bump of some kind.

"Because if I can pull this off, which I think I can, the benefits far outweigh the risks. For the general populace because there won't be a ripper preying on them in the shadows, and for the Scouts if Emery decides to try and join the Scouts as well."

Erwin's gaze slid back to Levi again before he leaned back in his seat, considering the options for a minute or two longer before he finally came to a decision. "If he messes up, has one more massacre like he did a few days ago, I'm shutting it down, and you're severing all ties."

Are you fucking kidding me, Erwin?

Beside him, Y/N let out a relieved, barely heard sigh, while he started to stew in barely suppressed anger that she was actually going to go through with this. He'd been willing to back her choice as her choice until she pulled the Underground stunt, and now he firmly believed it was a terrible idea. He had every reason to feel like she was going to get herself killed. And Erwin was going to back her play?

Levi was scowling as he moved back deeper into the office, leaving Y/N to stand center stage in front of Erwin's desk, alone.

"What's your plan so far? You said you had him up near the Sina wall?"

"Yes sir. Just north of Krolva, there's that mountain that starts to incline on the Rose side of the wall and peaks on the Sina side. We managed to find a small cave system along that incline where he's going to be staying, since it's out of the way, close enough to Sina that trips underground won't be a hassle, but still in Rose so that he's fairly nearby if something happens. We already talked about some basics for vampires–weaknesses and strengths, I even gave him some exercises to practice honing his senses until I see him again. Most likely in about a week's time, I'll take him to the Underground for his first lesson. It's going to be more focused on picking targets and staying on target, but...we'll get there. I won't say it will be something that happens in a year or two, but eventually, I think he'll be safe to be around people again. But really it depends on him."

Erwin hummed. "And this is going to be in your free time–it can't interfere with your duties as a Scout."

"I know, sir. It won't."

"Good. Then you're dismissed."

"Yes, sir," she said, giving a quick salute before she turned and left, sparing Levi a glance on the way out, though Levi was busy staring back at Erwin.

After the door shut, Erwin sighed and pulled the last few reports he had to go over for the night to the center of his desk. "Let her at least try. But we'll cut it off the moment it proves too much of a risk."

"She shouldn't go back into the Underground," Levi said flatly.

"Are you sure that's coming from a professional worry, Levi?" Erwin said without batting an eye. Levi bristled.

"Erwin, the last time she was down there, she almost died. And then the hunters tracked her back here. It's an unnecessary risk."

"It would be an unnecessary risk if she was trying to switch back to that diet. She has a point, though–it's the best place to teach her new charge control. And she did last forty years living in the Underground without help. And she won't exactly be alone."

"No, she'll be with a kid that hardly knows her and will possibly put his own survival over hers. What's to say he won't bolt if they run into trouble, or that he'll even be able to hold his own against whatever they're faced with."

"Then it's a good thing he has a teacher that knows what she's doing." Erwin looked up at Levi. "We'll at least let her try. And keep an eye out for trouble."

Levi bit back a scathing complaint, nodding his head sharply. "I'll trust your judgement, then, Erwin," Levi said stiffly before making his own exit from Erwin's office.

****************************

*Reader's POV*

The next few days were...tense, and rather lonely. After your declaration that you were going to be going into the Underground regularly, again, Levi pulled away, giving you the cold shoulder treatment whenever the two of you saw each other, and no longer seeking out those extra chances to run into you. You still brought his meals to him, but he didn't reciprocate any small touches you gave him, pulled away from them, even, and rarely looked at you. Even the rest of the squad noticed the abrupt cold shoulder Levi was giving you, occasionally sending nervous glances between the two of you at mealtimes but not daring to bring up the subject to either of you.

It stung, honestly, especially since you two had still been tentatively exploring the budding relationship between the two of you. But you also knew exactly where the cold shoulder was coming from. Anger–for taking unnecessary risks in his eyes, for doing something that could possibly get you killed if the wrong sequence of events happened, how much danger you could potentially be putting yourself in for a stranger, how you could also potentially risk your stance with the Scouts, depending on how bad things got.

You understood that, you did. But it wasn't for him to decide, and even if he didn't like it, he was going to have to figure out how to accept it, because like he said, it was your choice. The fact he knew that was probably the only reason he wasn't trying to force you to go back on your plans, though this cold shoulder attempt to punish you for doing it, or because he hadn't accepted it himself, wasn't going to change anything, either.

Honestly, it was a bit like dealing with a pouting child...which was a fair analogy, since he was a little more than half your age, if you wanted to look at the technical side of things.

But again, you understood where the anger was coming from, so despite how much it hurt, and how it felt childish to you, you still backed off and gave him some space to think over and come to terms with things himself.

With much of the time you usually spent with Levi suddenly free, you ended up spending a lot of time instead with Emery, doing some of the training you'd promised the young man of the basics–the speed, senses, strength, basic hand to hand–or with Hange, working on a variety of things, but at the moment focused on one specific goal that was more in line with your goals as a Scout.

Perhaps your insistence to focus on it had been in part as a peace offering to Levi and Erwin since you didn't want them to feel like the Scouts weren't getting the attention from you that they normally received, that Emery was distracting you from the bigger picture goals. Focusing on this project with Hange meant that you were still giving the Scouts your all, still giving them the attention and effort they deserved, still focused on the bigger picture.

Especially since what you had requested you and Hange spend time planning and working on, was the plans to capture Titans so you could learn more about them. Honestly, it involved spending hours in her office drawing up schematics and planning strategies, making sure you honed each possible play and idea as much as you could at the drawing board before it reached field test status. You were able to come up with several different plans for different environmental situations with various supply limits. Most revolved around your involvement in her trying to capture Titans, but the two of you also drew up other plans that could be used with Levi's squad, or regular Scouts. You had quite an impressive array of plans to choose from with the time you were suddenly provided with to work on these plans, and you felt good about what it would mean when you brought the plans to Erwin.

Which was actually what you were doing, today–diagrams and all. You were holding the drawings and schematics, Hange some of the maps and movement diagrams, as the two of you walked towards Erwin's office. You got a little jittery walking past Levi's office along the way, which caught Hange's eye.

"You two still not talking?"

You sighed, momentarily aggravated by her perceptive eye. "No. He's mad about me going Underground to help Emery and giving me the silent treatment."

"Tough break–Levi's notoriously good at the silent treatment."

"So I've gathered," you murmured.

"I'm sure he'll get over it eventually."

"It's already been four days."

"I don't think that's long enough, Y/N."

"I know, but...I just hate the timing. I feel like this came too soon."

"O-ho-ho, are you about to talk to me about the relationship you two deny exists that we all know is actually there?"

"We're not in a relationship," you mumbled, cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

"Two people who kiss and dote on each other are in a relationship."

"It's more complicated than that, Hange."

"You're with Levi, how was it going to be anything other than complicated."

"You're missing the point."

"Right, yes, he's pouting, you're giving him space, it's only been a few days but he's already going to win the Silent Treatment game because you're ready to crack."

"I'm not changing my mind about Emery, Hange."

"Of course not."

"He's going to have to accept it."

"Mm, but can you hold out that long if you're already getting squeamish around four days?"

You huffed, looking away. "Forget it."

"No, sorry, my fault, took the teasing a little too far, I'll admit it, that makes me at least a bit better than Levi in your books right now, hey? Maybe you should date me, instead."

"Hange!"

"Sorry! Look...give shorty some time, and he'll suck it up. Maybe when you're about to go do something dangerous he'll forget his silent treatment in favor of keeping an eye on you and making sure you're safe. He's too much of a softie to let you do the stupid thing on your own–especially you–no matter how upset he may be that you're doing it."

"Well...I was kind of hoping it wouldn't take life or death situations to make him accept it."

"It's Levi. He's not exactly the best at opening up to people, in case you haven't noticed."

"I suppose you're right..."

"Of course I am. And it's a good thing you're accepting that, now, because it's time for our presentation," Hange said cheerfully, bringing you both to a stop in front of Erwin's door.

Right...presentation time.

It was still mind boggling to you how Erwin Smith could make you nervous and self conscious, or like you weren't the wisest one in the room, even though you were the seventy-ish year old vampire and he was the thirty-something human Commander.

Well, he did have one of those presences...even experience could cower in the face of a presence like that, wielded properly.

Putting idle thoughts about Erwin Smith and his presence aside for another time, you stepped through with Hange, hoping that you plans would be enough for one of the people who'd been turning down Hange's requests for many, many reasons.

Hopefully these plans and your involvement would change his mind.

**********************************

"I understand what you're saying, Hange, but we don't have any expeditions granted by command yet. Believe me, I've been trying, but they won't sanction them on any grounds, no matter what I try. Not yet, anyway."

"Have you told them this would be a Titan research exclusive expedition?" Hange returned, but Erwin was unfazed.

"Yes, after I heard you were going to be making plans, but they won't have it. Even if it means tactical advantages in coming disasters, they don't want to risk the soldiers right now. There's concern of revolt if the situation in the walls continues to decline, and they want all soldiers on hand at all times just in case. Not to mention, we just don't have the supplies to spare to support an expedition right now. The strain on the budget and food supplies...it's only getting worse. There's a reason the Scouts have been stagnant recently, focused just on training and preparing for when we eventually go back out."

Well...it made sense, as much as you hated it. The Scouts already had to fight for the right to keep going on expeditions beyond the walls, of course they would shut them down when the situation was as strenuous as it was.

Hange hesitated. "I know the military is the second to last group to feel the effects of the rations, but I haven't been to the refugee camps in a while to see how bad it's gotten for myself..."

Erwin sighed. "They're down to half-loaf rations. There was a whole silo of grain that was exposed to that storm a few days back because it wasn't properly sealed, and a whole farm's crop was infested with pests to the point that there's hardly anything salvageable. It's getting bad. Anyone with a full loaf or two pieces in the camp is immediately set upon as a thief...even if the two pieces came from splitting a half loaf in half once again. They're asking for more volunteer troops to try and keep the refugees from getting into fights and killing each other."

You knew that the rations situation was getting worse, but this was news to you. With everything going on, you hadn't been down to the refugee camps in a while like you normally did to see how bad it had gotten. Though now that you thought about it, portions were getting gradually smaller in the mess hall...you didn't notice with your food cause you already ate so little, but now that you thought about the plates you'd brought to Levi recently...You'd been too distracted by his cold shoulder and trying to avoid intensifying the stiff awkwardness when you brought him his meals without any of the usual doting on each other to accompany it to notice the slowly shrinking portions, but now that your attention was drawn to it they were getting slowly, marginally smaller. Even the officers were being affected, then.

You gave a nod of acceptance after Erwin's explanation for why the two of you were being turned down for now, and started to gather up the diagrams you'd been sharing with him to explain the plans. "Of course. Until the rationing issue is solved and we can go out on an expedition, we'll continue to refine and tweak our plans. Maybe even get drills going for them so Scouts are prepared for a capture mission."

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll be sure to tell the drill instructors each week to make room in the schedule for your drills."

"Thank you, Erwin," Hange said, though she was still clearly upset you couldn't go catch a Titan yet. However, since she understood the situation, she was willing to let it go. For now.

Well...at least you knew what you were filling some of your sudden extracurricular time with.

********************************

"So...why aren't you and Captain Levi talking?"

You paused in the middle of your gardening to look up at Petra with a slightly startled expression at the unexpected question. Recently, you'd been spending even more time than usual with the other members of the Scouts, as if trying to make up for the suddenly cold and unresponsive presence in your life with many, many others that weren't of a relationship anything close to what had started blooming between you and Levi. Of course, the other people in your life were important, too, and in different ways, and this was also something of a blessing since it meant you got to spend more time making sure your other connections didn't wither. But you were still wishing that you could be somewhere else, doing something else.

Right now, though, you had been rather content in your busywork with Petra, until she brought up the root of your current problems. The two of you were busy tending to your ever-growing tea garden, planting a couple camellia sinensis shrubs along its borders in the hopes that you could make at least Levi's Squad's tea supply even more self-sufficient. You'd recently discovered, with a bit of dread, that tea was up on the chopping block for things to have cut back on the budget with even more cuts that the Scouts were having to make with the current rationings. Of course, that meant less if any black tea for Levi, and wanting to try and head that off to avoid the man getting any crankier than he already was with current events, you were hoping that it wasn't too late to plant the very shrub that black tea leaves came from and be able to shore up a bit of your own stores of black tea leaves to make up the difference before winter hit and your garden was rendered not that useful anymore. You already felt like you might be too late on planting it, but it was at least worth trying. Maybe it wouldn't survive winter, and maybe if you were lucky the plant would at least be able to recover and bloom again come next spring.

After telling Petra about the coming ill fortune, she'd volunteered to help you do some planting and possible rearranging in your garden to make sure everything was set, none of the plants were getting overcrowded, the ones that needed support amongst other plants still had it, the white sage wasn't overtaking anything...

The help came after the daily sparring with the others, the two that had sparred with her today–Eld and Oluo–returning to their quarters to lick their wounds and nurse their bruised egos. Ever since Levi told you not to go easy on them, no one had been able to beat you in a spar, as was supposed to happen if you hadn't been hiding anything from them earlier. They were learning things, though, and they were getting better. They just had the misfortune of being up against a vampire, unfortunately. Today, though, Petra sparred with the rest of the squad, and therefore had the energy still to help you with your little project.

Apparently, even though you'd been the one to approach her about this, she had ulterior motives for helping you, today.

Keeping your expression casual and controlled, you leaned back from where you'd been carefully securing a small, barely growing shrub into the ground with a healthy amount of rich soil and a bit of fertilizer to help it along, resisting the urge to arch an eyebrow at her question. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play coy. You and the Captain have usually been thick as thieves in recent months, but the past few days you've hardly even looked at each other. It's making dinner time quite awkward for all of us, honestly, not that anyone is brave enough to say anything when the Captain is sitting right there. What did you do, give him milk and sugar in his tea without warning him? Something caused the two of you to be fighting," Petra asked curiously.

You gave a heavy sigh, putting aside the small trowel you'd been digging with. "We're not fighting...Really," you said seriously when Petra gave you a challenging look. "Fighting would imply that we're mad at each other and it's mutual to the point we can't currently make up and move on. He's mad about a decision I made and am following through on, and I...get why he's angry, but am still choosing not to change my mind. I guess the cold shoulder is his way of punishing me for it, I guess."

Petra frowned, a doubtful glimmer in her eyes. "That doesn't quite sound like him. He's usually quite the advocate on people making their own decisions and nobody being able to change that."

"Yes, well, he's not doing anything to stop me or get in my way, so I guess technically he's following his rule on letting people make their own choices. But that doesn't mean he's happy about it, and he's definitely letting that be known without having to say anything."

"Well...are you going to change your mind?" You gave Petra a look, and she shrugged. "Well, it's a valid question. Clearly it's bothering you–I've seen how upset you are during those awkward meals, or coming out of Captain Levi's office after dropping off his meals–I'm impressed you've kept that up despite the cold shoulder, honestly. But if it's upsetting you, the next logical question is whether or not his tactics are working and changing your mind."

"No. I hate this...fit, he's throwing, and I hate how it's replaced what was a comfortable relationship between the two of us, but what I'm doing that's upsetting him is not something I'm going to compromise on. He's going to have to find a way to deal with it."

Petra nodded slowly, then turned back to the bush she had been planting. "In that case, I know you probably don't want to hear this, but you're just going to have to wait him out. Wait for him to realize that it's not going to work and for him to accept...whatever your decision is that's bothering him."

You smiled slightly and let out a mildly amused huff. "That's the plan, as difficult as it's proving to be...though I'm sorry you guys are going to be the awkward audience to the cold shoulder act in the meantime."

"As long as it eventually gets resolved, that's what matters. Preferably before we start going back out into danger on expeditions," Petra said in a deceptively matter of fact tone of voice.

Before going out into danger...you hoped for that, too. Though what Petra was unaware of was that for you, that was going to come much sooner than the indefinite date of the next expedition. As soon as it was time for Emery to satiate his thirst again, you were going to be in danger going Underground again. And yes, hopefully Levi would be able to accept your decision by then.

That was your hope, anyway.

***********************************

Despite Levi's distance recently, you were still keeping an eye on some of your usual spots together in order to keep track of his recovery, which was almost if not entirely completed. You didn't bother him or intrude upon most of the spots. You let him have his alone time at the stables, and stayed behind when you saw him set off on his morning walks. And, because you knew it would be the point he was fully recovered, you went to the clearing the two of you sparred in every day at the usual time to see when he'd start to show up for training again. Levi might be unhappy with your current decisions, but you doubted that meant he would slack on training, your or his. Once he was recovered enough to train, you were certain that he would return to the habit of coming to this clearing in the morning to spar.

For the first few days of tension, there was nothing. The only real challenge and exercise you were getting was your training with Emery, and even then, you were teaching him extremely basic self-defense and weren't really testing yourself. And of course you were still sparring with the rest of Levi's squad, and they were all exceptional soldiers, but...none of them were on the level that Levi was, the skill level you needed. So you were left wanting.

Thankfully, you weren't left wanting for too long. Well...not for a sparring partner, at least.

Several days after the...disagreement over Emery, just two or three days after your talk with Petra, you went to the clearing a bit later than usual since you'd been held up trying to come up with some alternative supplies of black tea to keep Levi satisfied until your garden could yield something–once the current supply went out, of course. It was a little more difficult, too, because now some of your reduced paycheck was going towards taking care of Emery in his hidden location–clothes and the like, though thankfully nothing like food.

Well...nothing that you could buy, anyway.

However, despite the fact that you were running later to check the usual haunt to see if Levi had finally made an appearance, he was still there when you eventually arrived. Already stripped down to an easy to move in shirt and hands wrapped, the rest of his uniform hanging neatly on its usual tree branch at the edge of the clearing while Levi stood moodily off to the side, gaze distant and cast downwards until he heard you approaching. At that point, the glazed over look in his eyes was erased, and he looked up with an alert and sharp gaze as you arrived, surprised to see him but glad he was here. Perhaps even a little relieved.

Since you had been well aware of how far along his recovery had been, if he hadn't shown up soon for the morning spars you would have gotten especially worried about how upset he was about your arrangement with Emery. The cold shoulder and distance was difficult enough to deal with, but if he'd cut you off entirely, it would have crossed into unbearable territory. Especially this early into whatever you two had tentatively started to cultivate.

You approached the clearing and shrugged out of your uniform jacket, draping it on the nearest natural 'hook' you could find. "I take it you're feeling up to putting sparring back into your routine. Are you sure you're ready for it?" You asked as you approached, a bit of concern that he might be pushing himself too fast leaking out despite the fact you knew now was not the time to be questioning his choices. He might take it as ammunition for the current disagreement between the two of you.

He didn't give you a verbal response, simply took up his usual starting point in the clearing, expression neutral but eyes stormy.

All right...he was still definitely giving you the cold shoulder treatment. So be it, just business it was, then.

Besides, it was important he get these vampire fighting skills refined and developed with you tentatively dipping a toe back into the wider vampire world, even if right now it was only through Emery. That could still stir up unexpected trouble–you half expected something to jump out of the waters in response to your ripples, since the vampire world was not something you kept one foot in and one foot out of. It had a nasty habit of sucking in anyone that got involved, and was normally ridiculously difficult to get away from or cut ties with. Even when you had focused on the Scouts and dedicated yourself to the cause, vampire things from the vampire world, not just your own personal issues, kept popping up.

It gave you peace of mind to know Levi was prepared and armed with vampire killing skills if something nasty ever got attached to you while you tried to flip between vampire world and the Scouts.

With a slightly put out sigh, you moved into position opposite him, sad to see the cold shoulder was still going strong, but taking Petra's advice to wait him out with your own resolve to do the thing he didn't approve of, anyway.

There were several long, tense moments where you both just stood there, holding at the ready positions, staring each other down. A lot of your spars started this way these days, both of you sizing the other up and attempting to make the first strike as effective as possible. Especially since one of the things you'd told him about vampires was to make the first strike count, if he could get it in.

He came in at you fast and sudden, causing you to step back and to the side using your own unnatural speed to avoid the incoming strike. There was no reprieve after that first movement, no backing up and resurveying the terrain, as Levi did something slightly unusual for your spars with him and instead came in with a relentless stream of attacks, refusing to back down even for a moment and constantly pressing you with attack after attack. Because you weren't expecting something so brazen from him, you were taken aback and put on the defensive at first, eyes widening slightly at the assault while his remained unchanged from the intense stare and fixed on you.

When you managed to stop the arm cutting through the air with a small blade gripped tightly in his fist, you would already have to move to block the other coming in from an entirely different angle, the arm you'd just blocked already pulling away as you were moving to block the second. He wasn't even fully pulling away after his attacks, just shifting enough to maneuver how he needed to get the next attack in, constantly in your space as he pressed, pressed, pressed.

He wasn't giving you any chances to breathe. The knife dropped from one hand into the waiting hand of the other, your hand barely managing to come down fast enough from the sudden upwards jab to keep it from plunging between your ribs. It also took your actual strength to stop his jabs, which he seemed to be putting his full strength behind as well.

That was new. Usually you were lecturing him that he needed to pull his punches less so that you could properly push each other and grow, that he needed to try to actually stab you since this was a little metal knife that wouldn't actually fatally harm you and you would be ultimately okay if he really stabbed you with it. Especially since his blood had you recovering fast enough that these kinds of injuries wouldn't even put you unconscious for a while–it would heal after a bit of pain and you could move on.

But again...normally you were constantly lecturing him about that. He didn't just come out with his full strength from the start, normally if he reached this point it was at your constant coaxing during the spar. This was new, and almost alarming.

The blade flashed through the air again, and you knocked his hand aside with a sharp movement with your wrist, pushing it outwards from your body as you had to twist and step sideways from him to avoid the kick sweeping through the air. His foot came down still in your space, his body dropping as he tucked his shoulder low to barrel into you. Your hand clenched into the back of his shirt and followed his momentum as you tried to side step him again, but was still close enough his blade grazed across your skin, drawing blood before the minor wound healed a little slower than normal.

You hadn't fed in a while. It was showing in your healing speed, too. Great.

It was you who finally managed to put some distance between the two of you after that, reeling back with your vampire speed until there was enough distance between the two of you that you had a few moments to observe him anew and definitely a little closer.

His eyes were still stormy, intense–perhaps more than when you'd looked at him in Erwin's office when you announced your plans. So it was safe to say he was angry. Maybe also safe to assume that the intensity in this fight–spar–was coming from that anger, whether intentionally or not.

All right. You were going to have to take this even more seriously than normal.

Levi was coming at you again in a blur of motion, but you were ready this time, using the tree behind you as a springboard for one of your feet as you jumped around and slightly over him, forcing him to whip around as he swung with his knife to try and catch you with the blade, anyway. You grabbed the arm this time, pulling him closer by the wrist as you stepped in, your other hand raising to tap once under his arm just above the elbow to say "I'd break this arm in a real fight" so he knew not to use it. You heard a frustrated growl escape him at the contact, but you didn't release the arm, pulling further on the 'broken' arm as the hand that signaled the break reached a bit further towards his chest, starting to curl around him in what would be a dangerous lock if you got far enough into it. His other hand came up with his other knife to stop your hand, blade digging into far more sensitive muscle this time and causing you to wince, hiss, and pull your hand back and abandon the maneuver.

Blood dribbled down your injured hand, ignored as you tightened your grip on his 'broken' arm, shift so that your back was pressed against his body with feet firmly planted, and then threw him to the ground over your back and shoulder, causing him to land hard on the ground in front of you, sprawled with the air knocked out of him–though you were careful not to dislocated his shoulder in the process–no permanent damage, just temporarily knocked around.

As soon as he was down, you pounced on him, pinning him to the ground with your knee in his chest and a hand holding his 'unbroken' arm pinned to the ground while your mouth came in for the usual 'killshot' at his throat. His arm was pushing up against yours, and while he did succeed in some pushback, he didn't get it free before your lips were on his throat, signaling that you'd won the round. You pulled back as soon as you'd made the contact, a hand brushing placed on the ground next to him as you shifted off him quickly, trying to not hinder his breathing anymore as he tried to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him.

Once you were no longer on top of him, you reached out and helped him into a sitting position, crouching beside him and murmuring softly about how he needed to try and breathe deeply and slowly. He grimaced, looking slightly annoyed at himself until he finally managed to catch his breath and get back to normal breathing patterns.

"I'm fine," he said gruffly, getting to his feet on his own. You were going to say something, apologize for getting rough enough the wind got knocked out of him, but he was on his feet in a second, and back over to his usual starting spot the next, kicking his boot into the ground experimentally before looking over at you expectantly. "Well?"

Okay...round two it was, then. No breaks besides to catch his breath, and then back into it.

This certainly was the...tensest spar you two had so far. Far less conversation. And if things hadn't been weird between you two, you probably would have tried kissing him on the neck instead of mock biting him–you two hadn't sparred since your relationship changed, not until now, and of course it happened when things were rocky.

You shook your head, getting rid of the musings as you took up the spot opposite him since you were well aware he wasn't going easy on you this time. There was no space for distractions, not even the ones in your own head. Not with the way he was approaching this spar.

As you settled into your own at the ready stance opposite him, he gave you enough time to prepare for the spar, but was coming at you again just as fast as last time, faster, even, perhaps. You held him off like last time, for the most part going on the defensive as you sought out an opening to exploit.

When you finally found one, you took your chance, coming in tight and fast to try and knock him flat on his ass again. He hit the ground, but you didn't corner him, because as soon as you came in for another 'killing blow,' he grabbed a fistful of dirt and got you right in the eyes with it, causing you to lean back and him to wiggle away as you rubbed and blinked and tried to get the sand out.

"Gah...that's...a dirty trick," you complained, ears picking out his soft footsteps ghosting across the ground off to your right–something normal human ears couldn't pick up on, and you normally wouldn't if you weren't listening right now.

"Do you think anyone is going to fight fair when you have all the advantages?" Levi asked in that flat tone he'd been holding with you for days now.

Shit, this spar is still going on, you realized as you heard him rushing you from behind. You couldn't see him, or what parts of him were close, but you could certainly hear him and that strong heartbeat of his coming up behind you, so you were able to duck low and trip him with your body as you barreled back, causing the two of you to be momentarily entangled in each other's limbs. You latched onto him even blind, finding a leg, and able to grasp onto his arm based on the sound of him swinging the knife through the air again for another strike. It was a messy struggle this time, since you didn't have your sight until this blasted dirt was out of your eyes, and trying to pin down Levi Ackerman blind was like trying to catch smoke with bare hands. It wasn't going to happen.

While you were trying to figure out how to move in the dark for a spar ending strike, Levi managed to push you off in a moment of hesitance on your part and had scampered away again. You took a moment to rub vigorously at the dirt in your eyes as you got to your feet, unable to help the slight scowl on your face at his new tactics and approach to this. You had these things so you could both actually push yourselves and improve, but this was ridiculous.

Oh. Oh.

He was pushing you.

Well...your first observation was still right, you didn't doubt that. He was still angry with you, and he was definitely taking the opportunity to vent some of those frustrations. Which was also why this spar was still so off putting. But this was also pushing you to try harder, to really fight back, to think and push your limits again–something you would have to do if you ended up in a fight with another vampire, or perhaps hunters.

You needed to win every round of this spar, at the very least so you could prove that you would be all right going into the Underground without backup, that you would be able to take care of yourself if trouble reared its head. That's what was going on here.

Damn it, Levi, why can't you ever just say these things, it'd be so much easier. And less frustrating. It's far better than ending up pissed off at you for being so–so–ugh, dammit–

Your thoughts were cut off as you were finally able to get the dirt out of one of your eyes at the same time Levi was advancing again. Except this time you were wise to his game. As he approached, you darted off into the forest, disappearing from his view.

During your brief reprieve, you wiped at your other eye, getting the rest of the dirt out of your vision and ignoring the sound of his soft cursing in the clearing. Once your vision was clear, you jumped up into the trees with your vampiric athleticism, coming slowly closer until you had Levi in your sights again, crouching down and waiting a moment, two...and then pouncing, pinning him to the ground even though he spun and tried to get a hit in when he heard the air whooshing behind him as you fell upon him. He reacted fast, and the knife did slip just below your ribs, but it wasn't a shot that would stop or kill you if it had been wood, so by simply grasping his wrist and putting your lips to his neck, you had won the match again.

Pulling away, you kept him pinned and looked down at him with a slightly bittersweet smile. "Then don't expect a fight with a vampire to be fair, either," you said pointedly, holding his gaze and debating saying something while you had him here and he might have to listen to you.

Oh, Levi...I get what you're trying to do, I do. But nothing's going to change. I'm going down there, and I am going to be perfectly capable of handling myself. It'll be alright. You don't have to do this thing with the sparring and the dirty tricks...we can just be like we normally are, no need for flat tones and cold shoulders. It's going to be okay.

Of course, you didn't say that, because you weren't being given the chance. Levi wouldn't listen, and you supposed in a roundabout way this would give him a bit of peace of mind, so...you let him have it.

He'd have to realize it on his own.

So, you simply climbed off him again, brushing yourself off and heading back to your starting point in the clearing to get ready for the next round.

Fully prepared, now, for the anything goes tactics Levi seemed prepared to take today. And well aware that you would be wise to win every round today in order to give him the peace of mind he apparently needed.