Birdie (Levi x OC)

five

A few days had bled into one another in the quiet of the workshop. I hadn't seen much of anyone; Hange had effectively vanished into her own grief after Sawney and Bean were killed. I'd run into Moblit once during lunch, looking frazzled as he carried a tray up to her room. He'd told me she just needed rest and was obsessively mapping out the next phase of Eren's training.

I'd been left to the silence of the old classroom, working until the metal felt like an extension of my own hands. The plan was simple: once the prototype was functional, the small circle of officers who knew Erwin's true agenda for the 57th Expedition would move into mass production. Tonight, I was finally turning the last few screws, hoping to be ready for field testing by sunrise.

"Hi, Birdie!"

The voice echoed off the high ceilings, and I looked up to see Hange standing in the doorway.

"Hange!" I smiled, a genuine wave of relief washing over me. I'd missed her frantic energy. "How are you doing, really? After...everything."

Hange offered a quick, practiced smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'll manage." She didn't linger on it, immediately crossing the room to hover over my worktable. She pored over the notes on the chalkboard, her eyes darting across the blueprints. "This is fantastic! You've nearly got it finished."

"Almost. Just a few adjustments to the trigger and I can start testing."

Hange nodded, still engrossed in the machinery. I leaned back against the desk, wiping a streak of grease from my forehead. "So, what can I do for you, Hange? Just checking in on your favorite engineer?" I gave her a tired wink.

"Actually, I was wondering if you were up for a break today."

"A break? I don't know..." I looked wearily at the half-finished weapon. "This thing isn't going to build itself."

"You deserve it, Birdie. You've been cooped up in this tomb for days. Besides," she leaned in, her excitement finally bubbling over, "I want you to come oversee the experiments with Eren. I spoke with Levi, and he finally agreed to let him attempt a transformation!"

I let out a soft laugh, the prospect of fresh air finally winning me over. "Well, if you put it that way, how could I say no?"

We met up with Moblit, grabbed our gear, and rode toward an abandoned farm near the old headquarters. The centerpiece of the field was a deep, stone-lined well.

As we dismounted, I saw Squad Levi already waiting. Hange hurried over to the Captain to discuss the parameters of the test. I took a moment to smooth down my uniform and adjust my collar, trying to shake off the "workshop" look and appear like a functional soldier.

As Hange finished her animated briefing, Levi's gaze drifted past her, landing on me. His expression was as impassive as stone, but the clinical speed of his assessment made me feel suddenly exposed. In a single, silent second, I felt like he had cataloged every stray hair and smudge of soot I'd missed in the mirror. He didn't say a word, simply shifting his focus back to the task at hand.

Eren was standing nearby, looking nervous. I couldn't blame him; the weight of the entire Corps was resting on his ability to turn into a monster on command.

"Hi, Eren," I said, walking up to him with a reassuring smile.

"Oh, hi, Birdie. What are you doing out here?"

"Hange dragged me out. I desperately needed a break from my work," I replied, stretching my arms high above my head until my spine popped.

"Work?" Eren asked. "What kind of work?"

"Just helping Hange brainstorm new ways to capture Titans," I said, offering a half-truth. "Since Sawney and Bean...well, she's itching for more subjects."