Can I Get a Hell Yeah For Petra-TSD [Another Rivetra AU]

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Moving one of her hands to play with the ends of his hair a second time, she bit her tongue slightly to stifle a yawn that threatened to escape. While her body told her to sleep, her mind was on a completely different track, her mind bouncing between thoughts of the previous expedition and her impending trial. Petra adjusted herself to get comfortable against him as they stood, blinking when he returned the answer to her question. She was just as reluctant to pull away as he he did, returning the small kiss he gave her before moving to go to her side of their now shared bed. The woman didn't waste any time laying back down, watching her lover sit on the bed as she pulled the covers back over her.

Her eyes looked up at him at his sudden question, meeting his eyes with a look of mild confusion. She didn't question further, waiting for him to continue when he laid back down. Levi's next words allowed a look of realization to cross her features, Petra taking note of something other than the usual indifference in his eyes as he spoke further. What he was referring to flooded back to her head, the woman shifting closer to the man and took his hand in hers. "I was hurt more than I was pissed that morning." Petra said, her voice still soft and quiet. She didn't know why this was being brought up now of all times; she had almost forgotten that it had even taken place. "I don't really recall being... too overly mad about it." She adjusted their hands to intertwine their fingers, her thumb absently running the back of Levi's hand as she spoke.

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Fingers squeezed tightly to hers as he watched her. An unwelcomed sinking feeling coiled in the pit of his stomach when he heard what she said, his lips forming a hard line. Levi took to watching her thumb stroke his hand, another squeeze coming shortly after "I think I've gotten better." he grunted. Watching her for just another moment he shifted closer to the woman, with the dream still fresh in his mind, and needing comfort he would never admit, his face now inches from hers. Levi thought for a moment, his expression having little to no change within it. "I think about it a lot." he admitted suddenly, hand once again tightly squeezing her's "I shouldn't have done that to you.."

//:~*~:\\

Levi exited the commanders office, as he had so many times just in the past week alone. A folder for his next assignment was gripped firmly between his fingertips. He read it over several times in the office to make sure his information had been right. It was a minor expedition just outside the walls, to Levi it was hardly an expedition at all. An abnormal Titan had been continuously been reappearing and disappearing, which was concerning enough to send the Survey corps out, which Levi soon found out was code for Erwin to send him and a small group of soldiers. The corporal sighed to himself, passing soldiers that were too eager to salute him or too scared not to, either way he hardly acknowledged the gesture anyways. His mind calculated who he would bring with him, knowing he could fully and easily handle it himself but it was protocol to take a small group and he was not one to diverge from orders.

He knew the first soldier he would contact, though he had some reluctance when the name came to mind. Petra Ral. Levi cleared his throat as he walked, gripping the envelope just that much tighter. Her skills were undeniable for the quick mission and he had experience working with the woman. Though recently he avoided her like the plague. It was one night, or more so suppose to be one night. He had gotten weak and allowed the young soldier into his private quarters. Levi's frown worsened, his attraction to her was there, even still but it didn't make his wrong any more right. She ranked lower then him, she was far younger then him yet they spent the night together. What made him so reluctant to talk to her now was how he handled it the morning after, he more or less kicked the woman out simply waking her from seemingly peaceful sleep, ordering her to get dress and out the door she had went. It had to be done, Levi was sure of it, he made a mistake as much as he had wanted it he shouldn't have acted on his deepest thoughts. The corporal made it a point not to get attached, to devoid himself of all sentimentality with his soldiers, the man would fight for any one of them but that's where he believed the relationship needed to end. It became vastly different with Petra, quickly, and his attempts to fix it by making the woman no doubt loathe him had to be done. Levi was saving her the trouble, in their line of work nothing was set in stone, he would rather her hate him then mourn for him. It was simple as that or so he thought.

Turning the corner he entered the large mess hall, long tables dotted with Survey Corps soldiers as they ate on their breaks or before training. He passed down a line, getting some salutes again which again went ignored. Grey eyes searched over the tables for one in particular till he landed on hazel eyes. Levi continued his brisk pace to the woman as his fingers flipped the envelope open to pull a slip of paper out containing the mission brief. "Petra." he greeted, the name was sweet, he wished he didn't have to make it sound so bitter. Levi waited to get her attention, before holding the slip out "Your skill set is essential for this, I don't think you'll find it difficult, We leave today so make your preparations." taking a step back from the table his eyes were as hard as ever "Don't be late. Do you have any questions?"

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She hid it and she hid it well, that's what mattered. Her expression may have been a little harder, her eyes not as soft when she wasn't with anybody, but she hid behind her usual caring smile around other. Not that many would notice how forced it looked for the most part. Petra didn't want to think about it, but her thoughts without fail would seem to drift back to the corporal and how oddly gentle his touch seemed to be.

But she was stupid.

Petra should have known it was almost too good to be true; she should have expected it from being a soldier. In the Survey Corps, no less. And still she crossed the boundary between professionalism and personal relations. She should have known a man like the corporal would have kicked her out and pushed her away, but still she was attracted and all she could do now was avoid him as much as he was doing the same, refuse to meet his gray eyes if they crossed paths in the barracks. It wasn't the fact she was angry; she was in fact far from that. She had thought, despite how scandalous it was, that there was something else there besides the professionalism. And dammit, she was an idiot for thinking that. She was hurt and under that, she felt used. And the more the days dragged on, not meeting his eyes or exchanging words, she was beginning to feel regret.

Petra took a small sip of the water that sat in front of her, barely poking at her food in thought. To her it felt like a slow day; there wasn't much going on around the barracks and now she was taking a break from training with a soldier she had began talking to not that long ago. She listened to what he was going on about, his words barely being caught but just enough to seem like she was listening. The blonde she was with talked about his lover back in the Karanase District, and each little thing sent her biting reminders of what would never be.

Her head picked up when she heard her name, but it wasn't the voice that made her look. She met Levi's eyes momentarily, a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach until a slip of paper he held out caught her attention, her eyes shifting to look at that instead. She slowly took the slip, skimming over the mission details on the paper. Petra listened to whatever else he had to say, her eyes shifting back to him for another short few seconds before setting down the paper. She did have questions, but they weren't related to the small expedition she was to go on now. Instead she shook her head. "I have no questions, corporal." She said, blinking as she turned back to face the table.

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Hardly giving her a nod, no other words not even a glance back to the woman. He was so sure of his own plan, he made a mistake, he knew that. It was his own selfish desires that he brought Petra down with him. This was the only way, his mind was set despite what he felt. That was irrelevant, it always was. So Levi didn't turn around to look at her again, not to flash her a look or say something off color the man only hesitated for the slightest moment before he walked away, he knew he couldn't stop. Even if he wanted to.

Throughout the day the Corporal was busy locating soldiers for the short expedition he would head. Most he had never worked with, other then Petra but their stats were what earned them their place. Each had been willing and eager to serve or impress, there was a fine line between the two and neither affected Levi in the slightest. His mind had been elsewhere. He wasn't dwelling on the situation, of course not. He was simply examining it. Constantly. Levi always was the first to question his own motives, to go over each possible outcome before he made a choice. That choice was almost always final. That was it. Done. The man didn't look back on it because he had worked out all of the possible outcomes to the one of his liking. But this was different it left him slow moving the past weeks, his responses were slower and his orders lacked a sense of his usual strictness. He was his own worse critic and the fact that this affected him as much as it had bothered Levi. There was a night, earlier in the week when he had left Erwin's office, it was late and he had spent the most of the night discussing battle strategies. He had passed the sleeping quarters of the soldiers that stayed in the barracks regularly, most were in their casual ware talking about things Levi had lacked to care about. What caught his attention was that he seen her, she stuck out to him in any situation even in a crowded room he could find those bright Hazel eyes. She didn't notice him staring though, he doubted she noticed him at all he was sure to make himself scarce as he briskly passed the rooms. The fact that he still remembered the moment irritated Levi, he wanted to hide the man through the soldier but this was making it a whole new challenge.

Dull eyes watched the gate ahead of him, his horse shook its head with a snort as the sound of chains echo'd signalling it's opening. He sat military straight, giving a glance back at the soldiers he selected before he turned back around, more then aware he had caught those hazel eyes again. He positioned himself at the front, they were in a small traveling formation, his plan was travel to the location the abnormal Titan had been spotted most frequently and avoid any other Titans at all costs. He had a scribbled map marked in his own scrawl in one hand as well as a description in the other. "You all know your target." he spoke outwardly to them, not looking back at the troop "We make this quick and efficient with no unnecessary stops." he ended his orders there, digging his heels into the sides of his horse once the gate was opened.

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She stared ahead, not going back to her meal or turning back to the blonde for more conversation. Her eyes shifted to the paper detailing the expedition, her eyes narrowing as she read it over. Why had he chosen her? She was even surprised he approached her so readily, but she supposed it was because they were back to the typical corporal-subordinate professional relationship they had before that night they shared alone. Petra frowned, standing up and grabbing the paper in her hand to leave the mess hall to prepare for the mission. She had to make sure her maneuver gear was in working order before leaving outside of the walls. Muttering a goodbye to the table's occupants, she turned to leave the room to the sleeping quarters.

Petra barely remembered the first day she was addressed by the corporal. By name. It sounded almost idiotic coming from her. But it was well known throughout the Survey Corps that Levi only remembered the names of the soldiers that left an impression on him. It came as a shock to her when the one she admired most remembered her name, when she barely thought she was qualified despite her graduation rank. Now she wondered what she previously saw in him, even though she knew well what she saw, even if she held regret for it now. And still, she wasn't mad at Levi. She was only mad at herself for allowing herself to get attached from one night alone with the man. There was an inkling of a chance, but it was wiped away by the morning.

Her eyes were set forward, only focused on a point ahead of her. It happened to be the gates, the chains rattling as it was pulled open in front of them. The maneuver gear attached to the straps crossing on her thighs was an odd comfort to her, the grip on her reins tightening when she had noticed, out of the corner of her eye, the corporal turning back to look at the small makeshift squad for the mission. Her hazel eyes narrowed slightly, the woman looking off to the side to avoid meeting his eyes to any extent. She felt like a child who didn't get her way in a game, and she hated it. She turned forward again, hearing Levi's orders from the front of the squad. Adjusting herself accordingly, she spurred her horse to move forward, the animal whinnying before taking off at a gallop behind the corporal.

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As Levi had planned the ride to their destination had went smoothly, the walls were still visble and no Titan other then their target had been spotted. What had happened next was a blur to the corporal, most of his battles were but this one was in particular. The Titan was found around the spot he had on his map, not exactly which had irritated him but it wasn't far off. Just as the description had said it had no interest in them when they road up, it continued walking to some unforeseen destination. He slowed his horses gait, turning to the troop to give his orders, all of the soldiers he had picked were more then capable of taking out the Titan. He stayed back, watching the advance from a distance as well as survey the surrounding field. He would take care of any stray Titans that would be attracted by their presence which there was one or two, both of which he dispatched.

After the second Titan had been taken care of an eruption of steam came from the soldiers direction which was initial what gained his attention, what held it was one had been downed. From his vantage point he could only see a body, the others were quickly coming to the fallen soldiers aid. He stepped off the Titan he had downed, quickly making his way across the field, eyes trained on the body, though his pace doubled when he focused on the warm colored hair he had noticed time and time again. A curse slipped passed his lips as he approached the group, two of them moving quickly out of the way as one was already knelt down beside Petra. "Don't touch her." he stated sharply, the soldier's hand recoiled as if it had been bitten. Levi stood over her for a moment, hard eyes examining what he could make of the damage. "you're suppose to be watching each other's asses, what happened?" he demanded, looking at one of the soldiers behind him, who stammered a jumbled and nervous reply. It was going to be difficult transporting her, they had no wagon she could lay in un-moving and he was sure she had multiple broken bones the way she was favoring her side. "Support her head." he nodded to the still knelt soldier as he in turn leaned forward to gently lift the woman up the best he could without much jar. "She'll ride with me. When we get close to the gate one of you ride ahead and have a Medic waiting." He turned as one of them had gotten their horses, and with assistance he adjusted her in what he attempted to be the least painful position he could manage but he was still clueless on what had been broken. "Level your breathing, Petra" he spoke softly, the grip on her tightening.

When they were closer to the walls, the soldier had done what he was ordered and road quickly past Levi and into the gate. The corporal had kept his horse's gait slow, the difficultly of keeping her steady against the natural rock of the galloping animal but he managed. There was a Medic waiting once he had gotten through the gate with the rest of the troop, a small crowed had gathered as they usually do which for the most part went ignored. Levi was assisted with getting her down off his horse, he carried her slowly to a cart waiting to take her back to the Survey Corps barracks to be worked on. Setting the woman down as carefully as he could managed, he watched with hard eyes as the Medic began to work on her. Levi followed it, his dull grey eyes switching from the medic to Petra's reactions with seemingly cold indifference. Despite his tightly balled fists. The cart and company had went into the medical building, where Levi was left standing and watching for a moment, he turned slightly, ordering the rest of the soldiers to write their reports and have them in by morning before turning himself to wait in the mess hall.

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Petra kept her hazel eyes forward, her gaze only shifting every so often to keep note of their surroundings. Trees dotted the open field occasionally, but it wasn't like she could stop to appreciate what lied outside of the walls. Maybe one day she'd be able to, but when they rode to the Aberrant Titan detailed in the mission brief, it was only a reminder of why. She turned her head to listen to what orders were given by the corporal, only nodding and drawing her blades to begin the advance with the rest of the small squad. It was already a large risk with the lack of trees in the area, but as she moved to ready herself, there wasn't much of a chance for failure today.

But naturally, it had happened. Whether it was her lack of timing or proper coordination, she didn't know. She almost pulled the release on one of her blades, one of her wires lodged into the Titan's shoulder to allow a soldier to take the killing blow, but there was a sudden pull on her wire, hard enough to stop her and sharp enough for her to gasp in sudden pain. She bit her tongue to stop herself from screaming, barely hearing her name being called by another soldier The woman had felt something break on the pull and she was sure her collarbone was broken, and her side was feeling a similar burn. She heard an eruption of steam from the Titan being cut open and she turned her body, pulling the trigger on her blade to shoot out a wire into the falling Titan. Her move was risky, but there wasn't many options at this point. Steam pushed her closer to the ground, the woman pulling the release before the Titan could fall completely.

Petra hit the ground harder than she anticipated, but it was better from falling a whole 30 feet as the force sent a biting reminder to her injuries. She didn't move, only turned to lay on her side that was injured, swearing under her breath. Her temporary squad moved around her, one kneeling down to attempt to assess the injuries. "I think... my collarbone..." She managed to say, gritting her teeth as she shifted slightly. Her eyes shifted up slightly when a sharp order was made, recognizing the voice immediately when she noticed Levi looking at her to examine her injuries. She could only listen to the exchanges between the soldiers, her eyes returning to look at nothing in particular when she felt herself being lifted by Levi. Wincing from the shift of positions, she swore quietly as one of her hands moved to rest on her collarbone. Already she knew the action wouldn't do anything for the pain, but it gave her a sense of comfort. Her gaze shifted again, focusing her hazel eyes on the corporal when he spoke. She barely noticed her breathing was more ragged than it was previously, her hand balling into a fist against her collarbone.

She didn't move on the way back to the walls, if only moving with the natural rock of the horse. Petra winced occasionally from the movement shifting her bones, her gaze set on the back of the horse's neck. Only looking up again when they were back in the walls, they had stopped to move her off of Levi's horse, the shifting only causing her to flinch. She felt limp in the corporal's arms as she was carried to a cart to take her back to the barracks, the woman looking back to Levi as she was placed on the cart. She blinked before giving a weak smile, her hazel eyes looking up at nothing. "I'll be fine, corporal." The soldier muttered, shifting uncomfortably as the medic began to work on her injuries, her small falling upon entering the medical building.

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The other soldiers watched the corporal through nervous looks when he thought the man wasn't looking, though he noticed nonetheless. He had an unusual look about him, one where no other soldier would want to talk to him, he sat in the back of the mess hall, elbows on the table, hand clasped together covering half his face, completely lost in thought. Levi's mind was on the wounded soldier, what she had said to him before she went into the medical building, she reassured him she was fine. Petra was the subordinate, injured on the field, yet she was the one offering comforting words. Despite how he had treated her. The idea of acting on his feelings were absurd if not fantastical, he attempted to cover himself and devoid himself of these sort of thoughts but he couldn't. He had made the wrong choice from the start.

The Mess hall had cleared out, he sat lone in the back as he waited, it was well into the night when he finally stood, his expression staying just as ridged as it had been. Levi walked around his table and back towards the exit, the night was cool against his skin. His own thoughts had brought his body temperature up and made him uncomfortable. The medical building was still lit through the windows, from the outside he could see Medics bustling about inside working on several different soldiers at once. The corporal moved briskly, his sudden presence in the building went un noticed for the most part for side glances or respectful head nods. Stopping for a moment he noticed the medic from earlier, he pulled the soldier aside, questioning about Petra. The medic gave a hurried point to one of the rooms down a narrowed hallway before he bustled away, leaving Levi to blindly follow the rushed directions he was just given.

He paused, staring at the shut door for a moment, waiting for the distinct tightness in his gut to pass before he tightly gripped the handle, his other hand coming up to give two short knocks to announce his presence before he walked in. It was a dark room, lit with candles mostly which caused him to pause to adjust to the dim lighting. His grey eyes searched the room before he stopped on the woman in the cot he lingered on her for a moment before stepping forward. "Petra." he started, walking halfway into the room as he reached for a chair on the far side. Clearing his throat he sat, leg crossing over the other as he stared at her with no real intention in his eyes. "is it bearable?" he knew asking if she was alright was ignorant, it was clear the way they had her laid up. He stared at the damage, his jaw tightening at the idea this had ended on his own orders. "Your squad members are at fault here but you should have been more focused to avoid it." he said suddenly, his eyes taking on a cold stare "Learn from this if anything, or you'll just fall on your ass again." his tone was dull, finishing as abruptly as he started as he stood from his seat. Badgering her on her on how the mission had went wasn't his original intention, the thought tugged at his mind as he turned and headed towards the door. He should have kept walking, go back to his quarters for the night and rest off the day. But Levi stopped in mid stride, his hand had been on the door handle, he had left it open but now he slowly shut it in front of him.

It was now just her and him. "I fucked up." the statement was abrupt but easy traveled over the small quiet room. The corporal turned then, staring at her with his usual indifference but his eyes quickly found something else to stare at. "I thought I was doing the right thing by avoiding you. It was a shitty ass attempt to protect you from this, from me." arms crossing tightly over his chest he returned his gaze back to Petra with a sigh. "I made a mistake. I thought it was letting you in that night" he let out a long sigh, still watching her "My actual mistake was kicking you out." letting his hands fall he slowly walked closer to her bed, standing just short of the edge now not taking his eyes off of her. Levi then did something he seldom did, he saluted the woman, hard eyes finally softening in the slightest. "..and this is my shitty ass excuse of an apology." he waited, jaw tight and form ridged.

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Petra's eyes focused on nothing in particular, her own words echoing in her head. The only reason she gave him those short words of comfort was for him to not worry. She didn't want him to potentially worry about a situation that could have been worse. Despite the pain she was in, she would be fine and she knew it. When she was placed into her temporary room in the medical building, she was finally given something to ease the pain, as well have her leather harness, boots and jacket removed.

She was left alone in the room after she was properly treated, her arm in a sling and her shoulder bandaged under her shirt. Her eyes were staring at the wall in front of her; she had to remain in a sitting position for who knows how long. Any small shift of her right arm and shoulder sent a biting reminder of her collarbone, and her inhales were met with a small pressure in her chest due to a broken rib. Whatever she was given earlier still dulled the pain, but it wasn't gone completely. And to put it bluntly, she was bored. So, so bored. Usually she'd have a book to keep her company, or another soldier to talk to. But time dragged on slowly in the empty room, the woman occasionally taking to playing with the blanket on the cot, her thoughts drifting back to the corporal.

Her head turned slightly when she heard two knocks at the door, tensing slightly when she noticed who it was. She watched him carefully, only giving a small nod when he said her name. "Corporal." Petra returned, watching him take a chair to sit down not too far from her bed. Her eyes returned forward, giving a small nod. She had to remember their relationship was nothing more than surbordinate and corporal now, that he was likely just checking on her condition rather than her. "For the most part, it is. But like I'll said, I'll be fine." The soldier glanced at Levi, and she should have expected his next words. She held her tongue; the woman felt like a trainee being reprimanded for a simple mistake again. Her hazel eyes looked forward again, only giving a curt nod. "Understood. I won't let it happen again." And she should have expected him standing up to leave afterwards, but maybe part of her wished for simple words of 'I'm glad you're safe,' from Levi. But again, they were nothing more than subordinate and corporal once more.

Her gaze only returned to Levi when she heard the door close, his words causing her to stare with a mildly incredulous look. Their eyes met shortly until the corporal only shifting his gaze to look at something else in the room as he continued. She blinked, absently returning to playing with the blanket in between her fingertips. Petra didn't return her gaze back to the man, only listening to his words carefully. Her chest tightened when he admitted his mistake was kicking her out instead of letting her in. Hazel eyes focused back on Levi, her gaze softening when he walked closer to the bed, shifting to stand in a salute. She stared for a few seconds; admittedly, it was odd to see the man salute. He very rarely did and for him to do that for her specifically, she gave a short nod. "Le-...Corporal, I...I forgive you. I wasn't mad and if you think I hate you, that's... far from the case. I guess... I don't know, it hurt. I felt like there was something more that night and... I got attached." She looked down at the cot, carefully shifting over to give Levi room to sit if he chose to do so.

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The salutes always made him feel foolish and out of place, which is why he hardly ever did it. He never meant it. This time he did. The corporal dropped his arms when she began to speak watching her carefully he was surprised that she actually forgave him even if he had hurt her. Levi remained ridged, he took time to look an her injuries from the position she had to lay in to the bandages that wrapped around the upper half of her body, or at least what he could see of it. Holding the silence after she was done speaking he grunted, returning his eyes to her's "You don't have to address me by my title. Its Levi to you." he corrected, watching with mind interest when she moved over on the cot. The corporal hesitated before turning and slowly sitting in the room he was given on the bed. Making sure not to jar the woman any more then needed.

Levi was not the kind of man to discuss his feelings, in fact he preferred to keep them locked away, their world had no room for the heart, only the sword and he had thought he convinced himself of that long before any of this. He was wrong. Turning his attention to the woman he met her gaze again, this was as close he had gotten to her since that morning. The idea of her presence gave him an odd sense of relief and now of all times he wasn't going to question it anymore. "There was something more there. That's why I acted the way I had." he assured, crossing his arms tight over his chest. Levi never had to explain himself to anyone, he was finding it difficult to place the right words "There's..still something more there. I attempted to ignore you, my goal was to make you despise me in a sense" Levi looked to the opposite end of the room where the door was, focusing on that while he thought "We live in a hard ass world Petra, the idea of this is nothing short of ridiculous..I..wanted to protect you from the outcome." he looked back at her for a moment, his eyes noting her bandages "My attempt was shit." looking back towards the door he allowed his eyes to close for a moment as another sigh escaped him. "the only thing on my mind the past weeks..had been you. After what happened today, I realize I went about this wrong. I'm tired of denying it." His eyes flicked open as he adjusted slightly on the bed.

He surprised himself with how easy it was to admit guarded intimate thoughts to Petra, she forgave him but the fact if she would accept him as..what ever foothold they had established was another idea completely. His apology could easily be too late. "I want you. Petra." his tone of voice hadn't changed, his seemingly cold rigidness was still there but he slowly turned to look at her with an intensity just past his eyes. It took him long enough,but Levi finally understood the true meaning of life being too short, he chose to live a life without regret and Petra was not going to be one of them.

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She watched him, blinking when she was corrected by him about what to call him. Petra nodded, watching him as he sat down on the cot, although she caught the hesitation he had before sitting. "Levi, then..." The soldier muttered, looking forward at the wall again. Again she shifted from the dip the cot now had from Levi's added weight. She forgave him. Easily. In any other circumstance, nobody would forgive actions such as Levi's. Anyone else would call her ignorant for doing it. But still she forgave him easily. She continued to play with the edge of the blanket, pursing her lips in thought.

She didn't look back at him until the silence was broken again. Her hazel eyes looked back at him, only listening to what he had to say now. Taking her hand away from the edge of the blanket, she moved her hand to rest in her lap. His words about the life they lived spoke true; life was almost too short in the line of work they did, the ones who took the risks to be humanity's hope against the Titans. Any expedition could be their end, but still they fought. And it was probably that one specific thought that made her realize life was too short for them to do nothing with it. Her hand clenched into a fist in her lap but relaxed only seconds later, the woman still keeping her eyes on Levi even as he switched from looking to the door and back to her. She slowly moved her hand to rest next to Levi, holding it open in an offer if he chose to take it. Petra learned long ago to appreciate what she had and to keep it close while it was there.

Her eyes drifted to her hand before they looked back up, looking up to Levi at his final words, noticing something in his eyes that wasn't in his voice. She gave another short nod. "And...I want you too. Like you said, we live in a hard world. But..." She gave a sigh, glancing away for a few seconds before looking back. "Our lives are short, Levi. We both know why. And... I know there's no way to sugarcoat it." Petra shifted against the pillows behind her, leaning back into them. "I learned to appreciate what I have, to keep it close while it's still there. Because you never know when it's going to be taken from you."

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He cursed himself for how ridged he had been. In all honesty he felt more comfortable with a blade in hand and a Titan under him then talking about his thoughts. The feelings and the thoughts he had were foreign to him and his only response was to act coldly. Levi shifted again, though carefully when he noticed her hand had inched closer to his, watching, he brushed his fingertips along her palm in an out of place gentleness, for him at least, entwining their fingers finally. His eyes stayed on their hands as she spoke, the tightness in his jaw seeming to ebb as he adjusted to being open, at least for the time being.

She was right, he had been blind before or at least too selfish and guarded over his own emotions but now he understood her point. "You're right" his voice was low as he looked to her then, searching for her eyes "I realize that now. Late as it may be, and the cost of it" his eyes hardened as he glanced to her bandages. Second only to unnecessary death he loathed unnecessary injuries that could have been avoided..or he could have prevented it himself. "It could have easily been worse, we hardly manage each day.." He paused for a moment, his eyes falling to their hands in a grunt before he looked to her, leaning closer to her with a slight creak of the cot. "I'm..glad you're safe" Levi said finally through the silence.

He was hardly comfort in a situation that called for it, he didn't see the point in fawning over something. Apologies and kind words were not going to make a wound heal faster. Actual things such as medicine and treatment would. Petra had received all of that already, he had seen to that But he had hurt her in a way he was unfamiliar with, not a physical wound that could be mended or given treatment for. Despite that she had forgiven him, and for Levi, especially in their line of work, forgiveness was a precious gift even for a undeserving hard man as himself. With his one hand still tied to hers, he watched her eyes before he leaned further into Petra, the proximity of the woman to him flooded back the feeling of the night they spent together. The feeling lured him closer to her "give me a reason to appreciate what I have." He muttered just before he met her lips just as he had wanted to countless of times earlier.

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She returned her attention back to their hands, her hand giving his a small squeeze when he finally intertwined their fingers. Had she not been injured and been told to stay propped against these pillows, she would likely be closer to the man, closer to clinging than anything. Petra had him back, and despite the line of work they did, she wasn't prepared to let him walk away again. But she decided that his hand in hers would be close enough for the time being.

The soldier looked back up when Levi spoke in response to her words, absently rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb. She stole a glance down at her bandages when she noticed Levi had done the same, frowning slightly. Petra was going to hate being on medical leave for this; she hated sitting around doing nothing and because of her injuries, it was likely going to be a while before she'd be back out on the field. Her attention shifted back to Levi, giving his hand a small squeeze as he leaned closer and a small smile at his words. "Like I said, I'll be fine. It could have been worse and we should be grateful it wasn't." She shifted again to get a little closer as she spoke.

And she was grateful it wasn't any worse than it already was. If it had been, they might not be having this conversation at all. Her bones would heal and she'd be back to her usual strength eventually. Even then, she was feeling better than she had been in the past few weeks. Whatever negative vibes they had between each other were now gone and she was grateful for that. Blinking, she watched his eyes as well, but she stayed still, mostly because of her injuries as Levi leaned closer still. She wished she could wrap her arms around him and keep him close, but it wasn't the case. His words seemed to echo in the silence and she squeezed his hand another time as she felt his lips on hers, the woman pressing her own against his to return the affection. "I'm with you; I hope that's reason enough." She muttered against his lips, shifting again to get a little closer.

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There was a noticeable relax in his shoulders when he felt Petra meet the kiss, what felt like heavy weight was finally lifted off his shoulders. There wasn't going to be this unseen stigma between them now, though it originally had been put into motion by his own doing though he pushed that to the back of his mind, barely catching what she had said. Levi leaned back in the slightest, only to return pressing his forehead to hers, hand lightly squeezing between their entwined fingers as his thumb rubbed over her knuckles. "That's more then enough." other then the 'good of humanity' as he had heard Erwin shout about on more then one occasion, that was all Levi had to look to protecting. The soldiers who fought under him and humanity. The corporal never had any qualms about that, it was what his duty was, his purpose no matter how cold he seemed to it. Petra was a different idea entirely. It suddenly all became more personal and focused. Levi had something specific he suddenly felt the need to protect and the feeling didn't go unwelcome.

Staying still in the comforting silence that had been created, his unchanging eyes took to watching the movement in her features when she shifted the cot to get closer to him. Leaning back he sighed, shooting the woman a stern look. "Stop moving." he demanded, glancing to take notice how far she had scooted from her propped up pillows, if only slightly. Letting go of her hand with a light squeeze, Levi carefully moved his hand to rest on the other side of her, giving him room to lean closer to Petra with another sigh as he adjusted himself on the cot "The work they did on you will be for shit if you keep fidgeting" he scolded, coming to her rather then she come to him. His scold was almost lost as he found her lips again, lingering longer then the last kiss.

Though his tone of voice and eyes were cold, his actions said otherwise as he reached up with a free hand, carefully placing the palm on her cheek though carefully to not give the woman any more discomfort then she already had. "Relax. You need rest." he had gotten as close as he could without any actual pressure on her, still weary of the bandages. Levi's lips moved faintly over her's and across her cheek, following the path of her jawline to her neck with a careful movement, willingly surrendering himself to the woman with no more hesitation.

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She felt a smile tug at the corners of her lips, moving to press her forehead back against his when he leaned away from their kiss. "I'm glad, then." Petra leaned forward again to press her lips against his shortly, leaning back just quickly. To say she was happy now was an understatement, even if their relationship was going to be kept just between the two of them because of their ranks in the military. Had she not been a soldier, or if they weren't in such a war, maybe their situation would be different. Just maybe.

Petra watched Levi lean back, about to ask if he was leaving so soon. But his demand caused her to purse her lips slightly, glancing back at the pillows behind her. Of course he was going to get on her case about shifting approximately two inches away from the pillows she was apparently supposed to be rooted to. She felt his hand leave hers, glancing down to see it move to her other side before looking back at Levi. "I'm going to be practically rooted to this spot for the next week, and you're worried that I'm shifting two inches away from my pillows." The woman retorted, though her hazel eyes held a twinkle of amusement.

She felt his lips back against hers, the woman pressing her own back on his. She fought the second smile on her lips, feeling his hand rest on her cheek gently. Listening to his short words, she only gave a small nod as she slowly moved her hand to his hair. She said nothing about him going to relax as well; she knew he wouldn't at the time, even if he needed it. Instead she moved her head slightly to give more room, although the action wasn't met without a small wince and a reminder to her injuries.

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Freezing when he felt the wince, the hand on her cheek fell in search of hers again, grabbing it lightly with a faint squeeze. His lips followed a hidden path as he gently covered the side of her neck with the lightest kisses he could manage without causing too much movement. The corporal gave little more then a grunt in response to her remark about the movement, his voice muffled now against her skin hardly was a tone to use to give orders but he attempted anyways. "Two more inches and you'll have your ass in this bed for two more weeks, I'll see to it personally." though he attempted his usual stern tone, as suspected it was lost as he brushed his lips at a spot just below her ear.

What they were attempting was not something encouraged by any of the branches as far as he knew, Levi never would of thought of himself to be in this kind of situation not that the idea would stop him, fingers once again intertwined with hers and his lips teasing her ear was enough proof of that now. The idea of being reprimanded for his actions with a soldier that was at a lower rank didn't threaten Levi, though he was a private man and it was something he would prefer between himself and Petra. It wasn't in the business of others as far as he was concerned. The only one he had to worry about was Erwin. The commander had an uncanny ability, it was something Levi loathed.

Gently he found her lips again, his usual dull eyes now had a softer gaze. "you do need rest, you've had a long day and i'm keeping you up" muttering against her lips followed by a slow kiss. His words didn't follow his actions as he was hesitant in moving. "I'll visit..if you would like me to, I don't think the visiting hours are daily" he paused as he thought for a moment followed by a grunt "we'll see about that." the corporal didn't see himself having trouble convincing the Medics to let him through. Levi had always thought of himself as disciplined until he had strained himself from something he truly wanted, now he found it difficult to part from the woman at all.

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She felt him freeze against her, giving his hand a squeeze in return when it returned to hers. Furrowing her brow and frowning slightly at what he had said to her, she glanced at him. His tone was hardly authoritative, like she expected, but that was likely due to his position. And God forbid she be kept in this bed for any longer than a week. The few hours she was sitting alone was almost mind numbing in its own way; she had sat alone with her own thoughts and even those had started to become annoying to her after a certain degree. But the corporal had a point, in his own right. If she continued to shift, however slight, she probably would end up staying in this bed for longer than she cared for. Which meant more time with her thoughts. "I'll stick to not moving now. I'm not overly fond of this cot. The beds in the barracks are more comfortable..." She gave her response, ignoring the slight hitch in her breath when she felt Levi's lips brush against a spot just below her ear.

Her attention was fully returned to Levi when he moved back, returning the small kiss he had given her and listening to the words he muttered against her lips. Returning the second kiss, she couldn't keep back the small smile that had surfaced at his offer. Surely, for a man as busy as Levi, it was likely a large offer. "Whenever you find the time. I know how busy you are." Petra gave his hand another small squeeze. "And maybe if it's not too much trouble for you, could you bring me a book next time? There's not much to do in here." She leaned in again to press her lips against Levi's, if only for a few seconds.

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Leaning back from her further, his eyes watched hers when she agreed to his offer, though it was followed by a grunt. She was right in a sense, he was usually busy, if hes not heading missions, Erwin had him in his office discussing some tactic or another. Then there was paper work, Levi loathed the paperwork and was often the first thing he would put off as much as he could. Returning the kiss, he lingered for a moment before nodding. "I have a right to check up on an injured soldier" he muttered, moving his hand from hers to gently rub up her arm. "I'd rather be here then writing a ton of paperwork" His hand stopped its rub when he heard her next question, glancing to the side in thought. "don't complain about the book I get you, I have shit taste in books" shrugging he leaned in again, his lips just brushing hers before pressing firmly with intentions of lasting.

A stark knock echo'd the room, alling for the corporal which made the man on the cot freeze. Another slightly irritated grunt passed his lips and onto hers as he blinked slowly towards the door. Slowly he pulled away from her, not by his own accord, before standing. Slowly his hand fell from her arm, as Levi moved towards the door the soldier behind it quickly rambled off what he had wanted, which only caused Levi's look to worsen. The man waited for the soldier to leave before he shut the door again, turning towards the woman in the cot. "There's some business I need to take care of" loosening the ascot just under his neck, he hadn't realized how warm he had gotten. Slowly he walked back across the short distance to the cot, leaning in to brush his lips against Petra's. "get some rest. I'll visit you when I can...goodnight Petra." turning he walked back towards the door, stopping just as his hand touched the handle "I'll see if I can borrow one of Hanji's journals for you." he glanced back with a glint of amusement in his eyes before he turned and left the room.

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Smiling when he agreed to get her a book the next time he visited, she gave a small nod. "That's fine, I don't really have much of a preference." She felt his hand leave hers only to rub up her arm, the woman returning the firm kiss he gave her. Petra closed her eyes slowly until they were brought open again, a sudden knock on the door breaking the comfortable silence in the room. Watching Levi pull away and stand up, she rolled her eyes slightly from the interruption. Of course something like this was bound to happen, especially when she had just forgiven Levi and was starting to get used to his presence again. She hardly listened to the words the soldier rambled off, but looked to the corporal when he spoke again. Slowly she nodded, watching him walk back and returning the small affection he gave her, her hand coming up to his cheek momentarily. "Don't forget to get some yourself." She gave him another small smile. "Good night, Levi." Her eyes watched him as he walked to the door, the woman beginning to shift back to her earlier, albeit more uncomfortable, position before Levi spoke to her again. Petra gave a short laugh, turning her hazel gaze back to Levi. "If she'll even let you near them." She leaned her head back as the door clicked closed, the woman turning her gaze back to the wall in front of her.

~*~

Petra scooted a little closer to place a short kiss against Levi's lips, removing her hand from his to move and lay against him, her forehead resting against the crook of his neck. "You have gotten better, Levi. But don't think on it too much. It's in the past and..." She gave a light sigh, blinking a few times to keep her eyes open. "Look where we are now." The woman smiled to herself, shifted to get more comfortable in her new spot.

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A frown had found it's way onto Levi's face as he stared into the dark of the room, his mind in thought when he felt Petra's lips against his own. Returning the brief kiss, he watched as the woman moved from her spot closer to him. Levi accepted her without hesitation, arms slowly sliding around to further press the woman against him. The warmth of her body against his was welcoming now that the open window had left a chill in the room. A hand on her back took to a slow circular rub as he listened to what she had to say, his eyes further hardening. "I don't make a lot of choices I regret Petra." He started, watching the wall opposite, his voice lost slightly in her hair. "That's one I haven't stopped regretting, and with all this shit now.." A grunt escaped him, he didn't particularly like to bring it up for Petra's sake as it got closer to the date. "I was too busy being an ass, time I could have been with you that I sure as hell don't have now" his grip tightening on the woman.

He paused in his thought, letting the silence of the room, with his dream still heavy on his mind and these repressed thoughts coming to a head, he furthered his face in her hair. "I finally appreciate what I have Petra. What I have is you." There was a distance in his voice though he continued his rub on her back. "After this bullshit is over, we'll have time. You understand?" He asked firmly, leaning back enough to look at her directly, another light tug to keep her against him.

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Slowly she brought her hand up to rest against his chest, listening to what he had to say. Her eyes focused on nothing in particular, shifting to get comfortable against him again when his arms moved around her. It was true; she tried not to think of the time they had perpetually lost from how stubborn Levi was. But it still remained that even if they had that extra time together, they would likely still be where they currently were. Petra didn't resist when she felt his grip around her tighten, only moved closer to him instead. She knew, no matter how many times she could tell Levi to not worry about the past, he would continue to do just that.

She allowed the silence to fill the room, glancing up when Levi spoke again, trying to hold back the smile that threatened to cross her features at his words. Looking up as he leaned back to look at her, Petra moved her hand to rest on his cheek. "I'm glad, Levi." She brushed her thumb over his cheek lightly. "I understand. I know we'll get through this." She wasn't going to voice it to Levi, how her usual optimism wasn't there this time around. The woman didn't doubt her faith in her lover to get her out innocent; it was far from that. She knew he would try what he could, but the evidence was already stacked against her and with her arrest in only a couple of days, she was almost out of time. Leaning forward slightly, the woman pressed her lips against Levi's slowly.

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Levi grunted again at her response, eyes slowly glancing to her hand as he allowed his lips to momentarily brush along her palm. The idea of these kind of moments coming to an end with Petra un nerved Levi. Their time spent together on their leave was something he had to get used to, he was used to a constant strict and military setting, the rushed stolen seconds the two managed were a contrast to the weeks they had with just the two of them and Levi found himself enjoying it just being Petra and him. Waking up to meet hazel eyes, the way she sat on the bed to wait for him as he got ready, having a drink with her in the morning. Things Levi had been so used to doing on his own, mundane tasks that normally he would forget by the afternoon suddenly had a whole new sense of worth he couldn't explain. Petra's presence, the woman simply being there made a routine into a memory, even with the loss of his squad still heavy in his mind, the sense of partnership made it bearable. The idea of losing that brought back a familiar tightness in his gut.

Petra's lips making contact with his bright him out of his thought, his eyes glancing to her face before he leaned into the kiss, lips moving gently against hers as he leaned into the woman to deepen the kiss. There were a lot of things he could say but he would only be repeating himself, Levi allowed his affections to speak for him this time, to convey what was left unsaid.

~*~

It had been a quiet morning to start with, he felt as if he was a child through most of it constantly searching for Petra's hand or stealing a kiss. Most of it was spent in silence everything that needed to be said was already said, everything he should say he hardly had enough time to say it. He sat straight in his chair, dull eyes focused on nothing in particular as his one hand rested on her knee, the other thumbing the handle of his cup. Levi hated waiting normally but he never wanted minutes to crawl by more slowly though he attempted to not show it in his expression which remained the same, save fore the slight eye twitch every so often. His eyes slowly blinked to the other woman in the room, it was a blur for him when the squad leader had arrived though her presence didn't effect his closeness to Petra, or his hand placement Levi hadn't the time for trivial matters, secrecy was a luxury at this point and Hanji had mentioned once before she already knew.

Squeezing her knee he looked over to her with the same dull eyes though there was added weight to the stare. "Remember what I said, Petra." he muttered, leaning towards the woman with a noticeable sigh "You're not alone in this, don't forget that." he watched her for a moment, another soft squeeze as his thumb took to rubbing her knee. Levi attempted to continue when the door at the opposite end of the room opened, which left him shutting his mouth again. Two soldiers came in, which was standard procedure as far as Levi knew, but who followed caused his jaw to tighten. The commander wasn't far behind the two men, his eyes were on a slip of paper he seemed to study before he let it fall to his side once he entered the room. The corporal stood, not for the fact his commander had entered the room but more for the fact that one of the soldiers already took a step towards Petra. Erwin pursed his lips, walking past the two and more towards the center. "Squad leader Hanji, Corporal Levi...Petra." he greeted, nodding to each. "Commander" Levi's tone was hardly the same tone, as his gaze never left the soldier that moved, that of which was seeming to get progressively unsettled by the look. "I don't see why your supervision was necessary Erwin, what do you think she was going to do?" the corporal's eyes finally blinked from the soldier to Erwin with the same intensity.

The commander didn't seem phased. "I'm not here to make sure she doesn't do anything, I'm here to make sure you don't" the second soldier looked over to the taller man, who nodded slightly in response allowing them to approach. Levi was ridged, there was a thick silence and the sound of Levi stepping back towards Petra instantly caused the soldiers to stop again. Erwin sighed, shaking his head in response to the nervous soldiers "Don't make this harder then it needs to be Levi" Erwin seemed to be the only one relaxed though his tone was authoritative. Levi didn't move from his spot, only blinking once at either soldier before glancing back at Petra and holding his gaze.

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It was left on her desk, with the assumption that he would find it at some point after she was gone. What it was was a letter that she had written on and off in the time she found between getting ready in the mornings. It wasn't too long, nor was it too short, only detailing what she felt she wouldn't have been able to convey in their borrowed time together. She should have told him, but she didn't. And perhaps she regretted it, but she didn't have the time to worry about it now. A short sigh escaped her, her eyes focused on the mug on the table in front of her. The woman barely paid any attention to the other woman in the room, but her presence was acknowledged when she did enter.

Petra turned her gaze to Levi when he spoke, giving a short nod and moving her hand to rest on top of Levi's. "I know, Levi." She, too, was going to follow up with something else but stopped when the doors on the other side of the room opened. Her eyes watched carefully, two soldiers walking in for her arrest but the third party with them didn't surprise her all too much, whatever his motive was for being there. She watched Levi as he stood, but her eyes returned to the commander shortly after. She only gave a curt nod in acknowledgment. Hanji barely moved from her position, but slight confusion was clear on her face. "...Erwin." The squad leader muttered, her eyes glancing to Levi at his remark about the commander's presence before returning her gaze to Erwin.

Petra stayed seated, even as the soldiers were ordered to step forward. Looking up, she frowned slightly at Levi's actions of moving to stand in front of her. "Levi..." She muttered before standing up herself, hesitantly putting her hand on the middle of his back. She hated her own thoughts, but they were all she could think about. "Don't prolong the inevitable." Her hand balled into a fist against his back before she dropped it, moving to step around him.

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Levi stood his ground even still, his gaze leaving Petra to again stare down the soldiers who had hesitated in their advance. Both of them looking from the corporal to the commander for some sort of order. The gaze from his hard eyes blinked back towards Petra when she had said his name which caused the man's intense look to soften. He should have known as much, she would have wanted to go quietly, he would have done something or at least attempted to. Block out the soldiers, the conviction, the pain for her. Protect her. That had always been his agenda from the start. This was simple proof he couldn't do that. His body was ridged when he felt her hand on his back, though he relaxed slightly from her touch, the man's grey eyes returned to their original hardness when she passed.

The soldiers hesitated again, waiting for her to get closer to them and further from Levi before they advanced on her. One of them stood in front of her, reciting the charges and the reason for her arrest. The other quickly, and more roughly then Levi would have liked, positioning Petra's arms behind her back, the shackles followed being tightly clasped to ensure no give on either cuff. Levi's shoulders were straight and ridged, his eyes never once now leaving the back of Petra. Taking a deep intake of air when the final click was made, which caused both soldiers to nervously look towards the corporal. It was the commander who broke the thick silence, his stature nor his expression showed any signs of being uneasy as his eyes fell back onto the paper he had originally been reading. "Take her out to the carriage, the back is already unlocked." The soldiers nodded, though there was another intake of air from Levi, as his eyes narrowed further. Saying nothing he quickly walked across the room, opening the door to the courtyard in a rough motion to look at the transportation they had brought. A hiss came from the man as he looked towards the commander then back to the carriage with the barred windows that sat in the front of the headquarters. "Erwin this is ridiculous." the corporal muttered as his attention turned to Petra again. The commander watched as the soldiers left the way they came. "I've stated before Levi, shes a prisoner. There is no exceptions for the accused. I was given orders and I followed them, and I suggest you do the same. Corporal."

The two men exchanged a stare before Erwin looked down at his paper once more "The trial starts in the middle of the upcoming week, you'll have time to visit your Squad Member between now and then. I'll send papers on the details of the trial to both of you." Levi didn't say a word, watching out the opened door as the soldiers and Petra came into view again as the loaded her into the back. The last remainder of softness left his eyes once the carriage door shut with her behind it. Erwin watched the other man though the corporal made no moves to show he was going to take his attention off what was outside. Glancing to the remaining woman in the room, he spoke directly to her "Keep an eye on him for me, hes been too distracted lately." The commander left then, giving a final look in Levi's direction for following the way the soldiers had. The corporal watched when the commander came into view next as he climbed up next to the driver. The dull eyes never left the carriage as it turned out down the road it had come, still not moving until it was completely out of sight. Finally he closed the door, walking slowly back across the room, glancing to the other woman for a moment before taking a seat with his cup in front of him. Slowly he reached for Petra's mug, slowly bringing it closer as he stared at it. "Do you have anything on the female type titan that can work for Petra in all of this." he asked the squad leader, though his eyes never left the mug.

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The woman kept her eyes down, only looking up again when one of the two soldiers began to tell her, or more remind her, of her charges and reason for rest. All of it was wrong, though. She didn't do anything, but she couldn't say a word to try and prove herself innocent. Wincing as her arms were grabbed and pulled behind her, she otherwise made no attempt at resisting. There wasn't a reason for her to resist anymore, although the shifting of her broken arm made her move them to get more comfortable as she was cuffed. Her eyes were still set forward, although she did note the sharp intake of air from Levi, glancing at the soldiers as they tensed up. She sighed lightly, shifting her arm again. There was still a dull pain now from her arm being shifted and she knew whatever recovery it had taken was likely going to take longer. Her hazel eyes turned to the commander at the orders for the two soldiers.

Still she didn't resist, her legs moving to walk as the soldiers took her out to the carriage in the courtyard. Her eyes barely shifted to Levi again, barely catching his words about the mode of transportation. She snorted slightly, wanting to agree with him. But she remained silent, barely paying attention now as she was loaded into the carriage, the doors closed behind her. It was darker than she had anticipated, blinking several times to get used to the lack of light. She also realized it was considerably colder in the carriage, for some odd reason. Words on the outside were muffled now and she bit her lip, allowing tears she was holding back to flow down her face. She didn't want Levi to worry, even though he surely was already. Leaning against the wall for the carriage, she slid to the floor, a broken sob shaking her body.

Hanji didn't move or react much to Petra's arrest; more or less she hid her worry for her friend. But she did watch attentively, and there seemed to be a perpetual frown on her face, though not as intense as Levi's usually was. Her gaze shifted to Erwin at his simple order, but she brushed it off mentally. There wasn't any use of keeping an eye on Levi, and no point on top of that. She agreed with him, that Petra was innocent. She gave a sigh, watching Levi sit down at the table and ask her about the female-type titan, but not look at her. "...Nothing yet, no. I can go through my notes and do whatever else I can to find something, because there is a detail being missed here." She responded, glancing at the mug Levi had pulled closer to him.