Despite having retired to bed quite late, you found your eyes opening right at dawn. You rolled over in your bed, burrowing yourself back under the covers in an attempt to catch that tiny thread of sleep that drifted away from you. It slipped teasingly away from your grasp. The lumpy straw mattress beneath you became increasingly more uncomfortable and the threadbare pillow rubbed against your cheek. You sighed and tossed back the blankets. It would be better to ready yourself for the day instead of just lying there in discomfort.

As you dressed, you made the decision to venture out to the castle 's garden before the heat of the day had the chance to settle over. There had to be something salvageable in there that you could use to help restock some of the inventory. Considering the numerous jars that had once rested on the infirmary 's shelves, you figured the garden must have sourced at least some of its supplies.

And so you found yourself picking your way through the overgrown garden just as the sun began its creeping ascent past the Walls, casting the sky in brilliant hues of orange and violet. Mist wrapped around your ankles with every step. Dew dripped from leaves. Thorny plants snagged on your clothes and scratched at your skin as if they were angry you had entered their domain. You kept your eyes trained on the ground, wary of any animals that might have made a home in the shelter of the overgrown vegetation.

When Gunther found you a few short hours later, you had been kneeling in the wet soil of the disarrayed garden, dirt caking both the knees of your trousers and the palms of your hands. A book laid open beside you, a thick tome entitled

Wall Rose Flora and their Properties

, borrowed from the castle 's modest library. You had been picking through the overgrown weeds that had taken over, trying your best to identify what was

supposed

to be there. A basket you had stolen from the kitchens sat beside the book, its bottom already covered with the various plants you had managed to scavenge. According to your book, the petals, leaves, or roots of what you had collected would likely provide some use to you in the coming days. Valerian for stress and sleep, celandine for upset bowels, St. John 's wort for wounds and anxiety, and monkshood for fever, pain, and slowing of the heart were just some of what you had pulled.

When you heard the sound of footsteps, you looked up to find Gunther on the garden 's edge, his elbows resting on the rusted gate. 'I saw you from the window, ' he said. 'You 've been up for a while? '

You bookmarked your place in the encyclopedia with a fallen leaf. 'Since dawn, ' you said, standing and hooking the handle of the basket onto the crook of your elbow. You dusted your hands together, then slowly made your way back towards the gate, vegetation crunching underfoot.

'Find anything good in there? ' he asked as you approached.

'I think so, ' you answered. 'I 've worked with a few of these plants before, but not all. They 'll be good to have on hand, though. '

'I didn 't mean to pull you from your work, ' Gunther said as he opened the gate for you. You passed through with a murmured thanks. 'I just came down to see if you needed help. ' He followed behind you as you made your way back to the castle 's main keep.

You smiled over your shoulder. 'No worries. It 's starting to get hot anyway, and I got what I needed. '

'Well, that 's good then, ' was all he said in return.

The draftiness of the keep 's stone walls helped cool your neck once you stepped back inside. You walked the halls with Gunther in companionable silence. It was nothing like the tense awkwardness you had felt with Levi the other day when he had shown you to the infirmary, and then when he had visited to question you later that night. No, if anything, you found Gunther 's silence to be rather comforting and stoic. There was no pressure to fill the air with idle talk with him, nor did he feel overbearing - despite your suspicion of him keeping an eye on you per a certain captain.

When you turned the corner of one of the halls, you found Eld leaning against the threshold of a door leading out to the bailey. His arms were crossed and his attention was on something outside. He looked over when he heard you and Gunther approach.

'Morning, ' he greeted.

'Morning, ' you returned, peeking past him curiously. You saw Eren at the nearby stables, feeding the horses their breakfast.

'Captain Levi left him in my charge for the morning, ' he explained.

'You make it sound like you 're babysitting a child, ' you commented.

'We technically are, ' Gunther said from behind you.

You looked up at Eld. 'Any news from Hange? ' They had left the headquarters after you had finished your conversation the previous night, stating they needed to return to Commander Erwin. Hange had also promised they would send news the moment they heard anything regarding the deaths of their Titans.

Eld shook his head. 'Nothing. We 're no closer to discovering the culprit of the murders. Inspection of ODM gear came up empty. '

You saw stress lined between his brows. You looked behind yourself and saw the same expression on Gunther. Clearly they shared your suspicions that there was a malicious force behind those deaths, rather than just someone acting from a sense of duty or ignorance. Someone didn 't want Hange studying those Titans, and to see the supposedly best team of all the Scouts stressed and worried, it certainly didn 't bode well for the current state of affairs.

You suddenly became intensely curious of what Captain Levi thought of all this. You wondered if it would be in your place to ask for his opinion. Surely not, though. If his team was clueless, then perhaps Levi didn 't know much more, or simply wasn 't in a position to tell them. You thought of how the captain had accompanied Commander Erwin for Eren 's trial. Considering his rank, Levi had to be close with Erwin, at least professionally. It certainly wouldn 't surprise you to learn that the commander shared what details he did know to the captain. In which case, Levi would then be purposefully keeping information away from his team.

The benefit that would provide, you had no idea.

You hardly knew how the politics of the Survey Corps worked, and you didn 't want to discover them by putting your nose where it didn 't belong. You would keep your mouth shut for now, and let the people who knew what they were doing do their jobs. And you would do yours.

'Hot tea! ' you said, smiling. They both looked down at you. 'Doctor 's orders. I even found valerian root this morning. It 'll help, I promise. ' You lifted the basket on your arm.

Eld returned the smile. 'Tea sounds nice. '

'I 'll take one, ' said Gunther as he gently brushed past you both. 'Oi! Eren! You want tea? '

Eren looked over in surprise, clearly pulled away from whatever thoughts were buzzing around in his head. 'Oh. No. Thank you. ' He picked up a bucket and walked to the well to fill it.

'I 'll be back then, ' you said, turning to leave. Eld merely nodded in response.

When you pushed open the oversized, heavy door of the kitchens, you were greeted by Oluo who was already there. He stood at the large hearth, wooden spoon in hand as he stirred a pot of what looked to be very bland mush. A burning smell was coming from it.

'All we have, ' he explained quietly as you joined him, looking woefully down at the disappointing breakfast.

'Better than nothing? ' you said, putting a kettle of water onto the iron rung beside it to boil. You peeked down into the pot. It did look quite 'unappetizing.

' 'Suppose, ' he mumbled.

'How 's the bum? ' you asked as you washed your hands. You pulled the valerian root from your basket and began preparing it for the tea.

Pink speckled the tops of his cheeks. 'Better, ' was all he said.

'Good. If you need more of the salve, I 'd be happy to give it to you. '

'You won 't make me drop my trousers again, will you? ' he said, swinging the porridge back over the fire.

Your lips twitched upwards. 'No. You would be able to apply it yourself. '

'Well, in that case 'maybe I will, ' he said.

Once the tea finished steeping, you poured three mugs, leaving one for Oluo before returning to Gunther and Eld in the bailey. Gunther grunted his thanks while Eld gave you a shy smile as he took his. A stomach rumbled loudly, but you weren 't sure whose.

You gave them an exasperated sigh. 'You should have told me before you were hungry. I was

just

in the kitchens. I could have brought you two something to eat as well. '

'Sorry, ' they both mumbled into their mugs.

You shook your head and stepped back inside. 'I hope you don 't mind burnt porridge. '

As you entered the kitchens for the second time, you chewed on the thought of why you had volunteered to even get their breakfast. One of them easily could have gone and gotten it for themselves. But as you pulled down two bowls from the shelves and ladled Oluo 's pathetic porridge into them, you came to a realization that made you pause. Were you already starting to care for these people not as a doctor, but as their friend? You just may have been. You couldn 't help but smile softly at the thought. You were curious if they felt the same about you; if they were getting over their initial wariness and were starting to trust you. You hoped so.

'Don 't take all of it for yourself now, ' said Oluo, sipping from the tea you had given him and pulling you from your thoughts. He now sat at one of the long tables, his own bowl of breakfast half-eaten in front of him.

You grabbed a third bowl for Eren and filled it just in case he was hungry as well. 'As tempted as I may be, I think I can find it in me to share, ' you replied. Thinking of Eren reminded you of your conversation with Hange and the plans you had drawn up. Now would be a good time to get that saliva sample from him.

After you found a tray and placed the bowls of porridge onto it, you then rummaged through one of the kitchen 's chests in search of something you could use to collect his spit. You found an empty, clean vial towards the bottom. Perfect.

You pocketed the vial and picked up the tray before heading back up the stairs from the kitchens.

Just as you reached the top landing, you heard the sound of approaching hoofbeats through a nearby open window. You curiously looked outside just in time to see Captain Levi ride in. He stopped before Eld and Gunther and called for attention. Eren ran over to him.

You blinked in surprise. You hadn 't even realized the captain had left. You figured he was just doing whatever it was he did around here while Eld watched him.

Did he not get any sleep at all the previous night then? He certainly didn 't look any more tired than he usually did, at least from this distance.

You turned back around and descended the stairs once more to the kitchens. If he had departed before dawn, he was likely to be hungry, as well. You suspected he didn 't eat anything on his way out.

'Geez, woman, how many more times are you going to come back? ' drawled Oluo from his seat, mug still in hand, the bowl before him just as full as it was before.

'I just can 't seem to get enough of your wonderful personality, ' you said as you spooned another serving of the porridge from the pot into a bowl. You pulled down another one of the mugs from the shelf and filled it with the tea you had brewed.

'There is such a thing as too much of a good thing! ' Oluo warned.

You couldn 't help but laugh as you left once again. 'I 'll keep that in mind. '

Tray a bit heavier now, you carefully made your way back outside. But when you reached the threshold of the door leading out to the bailey, you stopped dead.

The area had been completely deserted. You looked towards the stables and noticed three fewer horses poking their heads out of the stable.

You looked down at your feet and saw two mugs of half-drunk tea abandoned on the steps.

'You have got to be kidding me, ' you said. You sighed heavily, balancing the tray with one hand as you leaned over and picked up the mugs left behind. You placed them carefully onto the tray before stepping back inside.

You returned to the kitchens for the fourth time.

~~~~~

The day passed quickly.

Petra had departed shortly after Levi and the others had, explaining she had been invited to attend the initiation of Training Corps cadets into the Survey Corps. Hange apparently would be there as well.

'I 'll be returning tomorrow with the new recruits, ' she said as she mounted her horse. You and Oluo stood outside the stables to see her off. 'Hopefully I 'll have a big group with me when I come back! ' She gave you both a bright smile and a wave of her hand as she steered her mount towards the gate.

'Now what? ' you had said as you watched her leave.

Oluo sniffed loudly, once. 'You tell me. '

And so you spent the entirety of the day with Oluo. To your surprise, he proved to be an excellent assistant in helping you finish tidying up the infirmary and preparing some of the various medicines you had collected that morning.

To your lack of surprise, however, the man never stopped talking. For hours Oluo was always rambling on about something as he worked. He talked more of his childhood, his time with the Levi squad, the Titans he had killed. He detailed what it was like to go on an expedition and gave you much advice on how to survive outside of the Walls. He speculated about the killings of Hange 's test subjects and cursed whoever was trying to slow down their progress of having a freer people.

At one point you had asked him about the kinds of wounds scouts frequently died from out in the field. He explained in great detail everything he had ever seen, from decapitated heads and mangled bodies to scouts that had not a scratch on them and looked as if they had just dropped dead.

You then had asked, 'Besides wounds from Titans, what 's something you scouts suffer from physically? Especially after an expedition? '

Oluo had paused from his task of stripping a celandine of its petals and looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. 'Soreness? Some missions cause us to walk stiff for a few days after we return. '

'Perfect, ' you replied, pulling a heavy mortar from the shelf and lugging it over to the table. You grunted softly as you lifted it and put it onto the table with a loud

thunk

. You then had flitted about, collecting supplies into your arms and dropping them beside the mortar. You unscrewed the lid of one of the jars that contained turmeric taken from the kitchens and sniffed its contents, verifying it was still good to use. You poured some into your hand. It seemed alright. You added it with others.

With Oluo 's help, you had managed to mix a healthy amount of salve that would help those with muscle soreness. You then showed him how to properly prepare and dose the celandine should someone come to you suffering from upset bowels.

By the end of the day, the infirmary was spotless and ready for proper use, bandages were stripped and boiled, the salve was stocked in neat piles on the shelves, and preparations were made for the herbal mixtures to help treat a variety of ailments.

The only thing left to do was fill your empty stomachs that begged for food. Similar to breakfast, the two of you had managed to make quite the sad batch of soup. Its broth was bland and the vegetables turned into a soggy mess. You both agreed you couldn 't wait for the first of the support supplies to arrive which would include better food. You brewed another pot of the valerian root tea just to have something decent to taste.

Levi and the others returned later that evening, their hair windswept and their clothes smelling of the outdoors. They all filed into the kitchens in perfect timing as you and Oluo finished preparing what you supposed you could call supper. Levi took the seat at the head of the table with perfect poise while all the others dropped into chairs with heavy sighs and exhausted expressions.

Before the opportunity evaded you again, you took the chance to get that sample from Eren. You uncorked the vial you had kept in your pocket.

'Spit, ' you demanded, holding out the vial towards Eren.

Eren looked up at you questioningly. 'What? '

'Trust me. Hange and I need it, ' you said, bringing it closer to him.

Eren leaned over and hacked out a wad of saliva. It hit the bottom of the glass with a plink.

'Disgusting, ' Levi commented. 'Can you not do that at the table? '

You ignored Levi 's comment, plugging the vial with its cork and dropping it back into your pocket.

Gunther stretched his arms over his head and let out a long, tired groan.

'Tough day? ' you said, returning to the kettle and pulling it off the hearth 's fire.

'On patrol all day and still came up empty, ' he said, frustration evident in his tone.

'You went on patrol without me? ' Oluo complained from the hearth, ladle full of soup paused in midair as he spun around to look at everyone.

'You needed to keep watch of the doctor and headquarters, ' said Levi. 'And get that into a bowl before you make a mess. '

Oluo hurriedly turned back around and dumped the ladle 's contents into a bowl.

You walked over to the table, cups of tea in hand. When you placed the first one in front of Levi, his lips parted slightly. He stared down at it.

You paused, taken aback by his reaction. 'What? Is something wrong? '

'No, nothing, ' he said quietly. 'Thank you. ' He picked up the cup from its top and took a sip.

'You 're welcome, ' you said hesitantly. How strange. You finished handing out the rest of the tea before taking the empty seat adjacent to the captain.

Oluo came up from behind you and began placing bowls of soup before everyone, serving his captain first. You heard him grumbling under his breath about not being included and having to be a babysitter instead.

You took a sip from your own tea before saying to the captain, 'I hardly understand why I need to be watched. I thought we had agreed to try and trust one another. '

'We can 't have you alone, ' replied Levi evenly.

'I would like to point out that you

did

leave me alone most of the day yesterday, ' you said. 'Besides, what would I even do? Run away? '

'Precisely, ' said Levi. 'And it would be a pain in my ass to find you and bring you back. '

You set down your tea onto the table. 'Let me reiterate that I

didn 't

do that yesterday. '

'You weren 't alone yesterday to have even tried, ' said Levi simply. He took a tentative spoonful of Oluo 's soup and wrinkled his nose. He set down his spoon immediately. 'Never cook again, Oluo. This tastes like shit. '

Oluo leaned back in his chair. 'Not my fault we 've got nothing good to eat around here! When are the first of the supplies even supposed to come? '

'Tomorrow, ' answered Eld. 'It 'll arrive with the new recruits. '

'I wonder how that 's going, ' said Gunther, elbow propped up on the back of his chair. 'I 'm curious to see who decides to join. '

'Hang on, I 'm sorry, we need to go back a few steps here, ' you interrupted. You looked back towards Levi. 'What do you mean I wasn 't alone? '

Levi pushed his bowl away from him. 'I ordered the scout who had brought the news of Hange 's Titans to stay and keep an eye on you until we returned. '

You huffed in disbelief. 'You seriously believe I would try to run the moment you left? '

'I know you certainly wouldn 't try with me around. '

You raised your brows. 'Oh, you think so? '

'I know so. '

The others watched the exchange in silence.

What infuriated you more than him being so self-assured was the fact that he was justifiably so. After seeing his performance in the courtroom, which was ultimately done to

assist

Eren, you hardly wanted to be on the wrong side of him should you do something to upset him or others. You weren 't exactly eager to admit such, especially out loud to him.

But that wasn 't the only reason why you wouldn 't have attempted to run should you have realized you had the chance. No, you had committed to being here, and you weren 't about to go back on your word to them. You weren 't a deserter. You planned to see this job through.

Gunther cleared his throat. 'I suppose we should just be glad to know you didn 't try to run away despite thinking you were alone. I 'd say that 's pretty good evidence you 're here willingly. '

'Thank you, Gunther, ' you said. You swiveled your gaze back towards Levi. 'I 'm not so much of a coward to leave at the first opportunity, Captain. I gave you and Commander Erwin my word when I enlisted to help you all, and I plan to keep it. '

'Good to know, ' Levi replied, taking another sip from his tea.

You sat back in your seat. 'You don 't believe me, do you? '

'I believe you don 't completely understand what you 've gotten yourself into, ' he said.

'Because of my lack of military training? '

'Because of your lack of common sense. '

You sat in stunned silence. He proceeded to sip his tea as if hadn 't just rudely insulted your intelligence. But there was something else about his comment that caught you off guard, something that hinted at something else. You thought over everything he had said and about the situation at hand.

You leaned forward towards Levi, propping your elbows up onto the table. 'Why don 't you tell me what this is really about, Captain? You aren 't worried about me deserting out of fear, but rather for a different reason, aren 't you? '

Levi didn 't answer, opting instead to take another drink from his tea.

You narrowed your eyes, ignoring the stares of the others. You didn 't care what they heard. You had nothing to hide. 'Oluo spoke to me today of everyone 's suspicions and fears around the murder of those two Titans, ' you said. 'How there 's people on the inside, people with access to ODM gear and training who easily killed those two Titans. They did it to purposefully stop Hange 's research, didn 't they? Someone doesn 't want us to know about Titans. There are traitors in your ranks, aren 't there, and you can 't figure out who. '

Levi 's heavy gaze went to Oluo as you spoke. Oluo shrunk in his chair, avoiding his captain 's stare and suddenly finding his soup to be quite delicious. Eren began mumbling under his breath about something.

'You question my presence here, I know that, Captain, ' you continued. 'And should I run away, knowing what I know of Eren and what I 'm to find out with Hange, you wouldn 't suspect my motivation to be fear, but treasonous. That 's why you want someone watching me at all times, isn 't it? So I 'm not feeding information to others, so I 'm not betraying the Scouts. '

'You 've only just joined, ' Levi said, turning his gaze over towards you. 'You have yet to prove your loyalty to us. Until then, wariness is only normal. '

You refused to shrink back as Oluo had. Tension roiled in the air between the two of you. 'Whoever was involved in those murders did it to

stop

the research on Titans. I 'm here to help

progress

it with Hange, ' you countered.

'You could easily skew or lie about the research 's results, ' Eld said. You glared over at him and he raised his hands. 'Just playing devil 's advocate. I 'm not saying I think you would actually do that. '

'Well, I wouldn 't, ' you said with finality. 'Nor would I disclose any information about Eren to anyone. ' You looked over at Eren then. 'I promise you I am here to help you. Being my patient comes first and foremost. '

'Just remember you 're also here because of Erwin and Hange, ' Levi drawled from behind his cup. 'It wouldn 't be wise to spit in their faces after the trust they 've instilled in you. Or mine. '

~~~~~

The physician was only partially right, but Levi wasn 't about to admit that any time soon. It was better to let her think there was only one reason behind watching her. It was better to have her nervous of him rather than the other, more likely threat in this situation.

Conversation sparked back up between the others. Idle talk was exchanged about the day 's patrol and those Eren knew in the Training Corps.

Levi refused to look over at the physician who had grown quiet beside him and instead continued to sip at his tea, his tension easing with every swallow.

While there

was

the slim chance she was in contact with those who wished to stop Hange 's research, Levi didn 't really think this to be the case. And though Levi suspected she hid crucial knowledge about Titans and the doings of Grisha Jaeger, knowledge that would help their cause, he hardly thought her motivation for being here was to double-cross them. She lacked the tact needed for such deception, anyway.

No, Levi was more concerned she would become the next target alongside Eren. Once whoever was responsible caught wind of what she and Hange were up to, of what she potentially knew about Titans, it would be her capture or death by them next.

Levi sighed inwardly. Whoever 'they ' happened to be.

And so Levi wasn 't about to take any chances by leaving her or Eren alone.

Erwin had put them both in his charge, and Levi was determined to see this job through. He had put on quite the pompous show in front of the premier and the Military Police, and he refused to embarrass himself or Erwin by immediately failing after all that grandiosity. He wouldn 't fuck this up.

But Levi also knew the moment he admitted his suspicions out loud to her, the moment he promised her protection from those who were likely to harm her or Eren, would be the moment he damned the both of them.

While Eren had his wild ambition and only a few years of training under his belt, Levi knew the boy was more than capable of taking care of himself should something happen. Worst comes to worst, Eren could always transform and handle matters instinctually.

But what did this doctor have? Medical training and a sheltered life in Wall Sina. Her life experience was contained to a sickroom rather than the real world he and his team faced every day.

Levi felt a small tinge of guilt for roping someone like her into all of this. For more than likely signing off on her death warrant.

So instead of admitting his suspicions, Levi let her believe what she wanted while he made a tentative promise to himself. A fragile little thing he was sure to regret. Levi would do his best to ensure not a single hair on that pretty little head of hers was harmed. Not only did he need her alive for Erwin 's sake and the sake of the wounded, but for his own selfish reasons as well.

Levi saw this as an opportunity to test his influence in the world; to see whether he could defeat that greater force that constantly condemned so many people around him to death. This would prove to himself that change could happen despite how futile or forlorn matters could seem; that he could make more of a difference in this world other than just cutting down an endless spawning of Titans.

That he could maybe influence the hands of fate.

That he could keep at least one soul tucked away safe. A soul that could help bring about change also.

Levi looked over at Eren who was talking animatedly with his team, then towards the doctor, her face downcast yet lovely.

A small ember of hope sparked in Levi 's chest. He was wary of the feeling, but he allowed himself to feel it. At least for now. Just for a little bit.

Levi thought back to the other day when they had recruited the doctor.

'While it would be better to have the old man, I think she 'll do just as well, ' Erwin had said to him in the carriage after they had departed from the cramped hospital. 'Hange will certainly be happy. '

'And you? ' Levi had replied, looking out the window. The familiar smell of Erwin 's shaving oil had helped relax Levi. He hated sickrooms. Even if that one might have been empty, he was still glad to be out of there.

Erwin glanced over. 'Me? Oh, I am very hopeful indeed. '