Wings in the Dark

Chapter 20: Gift

*Reader's POV*

You didn't spend all of your time with Levi, though recently, sometimes it felt like that. You still made sure to spend a fair amount of it with the other members of the team, making sure they didn't feel like--or more accurately, suspect--there was something formed between you and Levi that the others weren't privy to. At least, no more than normal. You figured with the new position in the formation for yourself and Levi's squad, it was clear there was something about you that they didn't know but Levi did, but you didn't want it any more obvious than necessary. You weren't going to be shoving it in their face by emphasizing the exclusivity between you and Levi--so you made sure to keep your ties with the other members of the squad as strong as you could. The dynamic had certainly shifted by now, considering it had been made clear that you were on a different level than they were when it came to raw talent, plus you had been on a few expeditions and were no longer green, though that didn't change the fact you were the newest of the group.

You still did some basic training with the others, but you had entered the role of a formidable opponent meant to test the skills of the others and make them work to expand them further. Namely in spars, where you finally put Levi's original advice into practice and didn't go easy on anyone, even if that meant they were repeatedly knocked to the ground in the process. You were also part of the group training sessions, of course, where you all worked on coordination with your different styles and approaches to using the ODM gear, coming up with some predetermined maneuvers and simply getting used to one another's styles astride your individual styles taking form. You also went out of your way to try and make sure your friendship with Petra was maintained, taking care to still set aside time to spend with the other woman in the group.

It was a nice break from always being around the boys, too. Yeah, Erwin wanted you working with Hange now to try and optimize your gear and do what you could to be at your best in the field, but that wasn't the kind of relaxed company you had with Petra. Hange was sharp as hell, and you felt like you were constantly balancing on a wire trying to make sure you didn't tip your hand too much and make her suspicious about you, like you'd done with Levi once upon a time. Again, the network of people who knew what you were was a net you wanted small and tight, not large enough to be catching twenty meter Titans in. So you were going to stay tight and careful with who knew what from here on out.

Unfortunately, that meant you were on edge more than at ease when you were with Hange, so it wasn't exactly companionable silence--though she was interesting, and every now and then you didn't mind listening to what she had to say about her theories and how badly she wanted to catch Titans again to run experiments and learn more about them. However, the whole 'trying to keep your vampirism on the down low' was making much of a relationship with Hange difficult--too much distance because you knew she was observant and smart enough she'd pick up on something possibly before the other two had. Or at least progress through the evidence a bit faster, especially if Levi and Erwin got cagey if she started asking them questions.

At the moment, though, concerns about revealing too much to Hange through your actions was the last thing on your mind--you were having an evening out with Petra at the moment, the two of you walking through town two days after you received your salary, a couple bags on Petra's and your arms combined, mostly holding replacement clothes after the expedition, or a couple personal purchases here and there like tea supplies, you bought a few new sketching supplies and some new plants for your garden, but besides that, you were keeping your purchases to a bare minimum.

You had other plans for your salary, plans that might take a couple months worth to actually make happen.

Seeing the store you wanted to get a look at up ahead, you told Petra you were going to head inside and make an inquiry, and that you'd be out in a few minutes if she didn't mind waiting for you. She looked a little surprised that you wanted to go in alone, but didn't argue, wandering to a small bookshop across the street.