Chapter Text
Her earliest memory about the military wasn't a good one. Petra can vividly recall the shouting match that had transpired that night. She was about nine years old, her older brother Ettan, at 14, right beside her, both peeking by the door frame just in time to see their mother drop to her knees to hug her eldest son.
"Oskar, what has gotten into you! Please rethink this decision!" Petra's mother half-wailed and pleaded. She could see how her mother, a strong and caring woman, bore the weight of the world as she crouched in front of her son, hugging him by the waist. Oskar just turned 17, his ginger stubble barely showing, having just announced his intention to enlist in the military, particularly the Scout Regiment.
He talked about each time the Scouts would return from the walls, dragging along their dead and the injured, yet their conviction to fight for humanity remained. He described how each time he, Ettan and Petra welcomed the returnees, he felt their passion through their pain, how they sacrifice their lives for the peace and happiness of others. He wanted to honor the soldiers who marched off into battle to keep those within the walls safe, that it was his duty to his family to make sure that they live long lives inside the walls, protected.
"You raised us to understand the world, to be caring and compassionate, to put humanity first. That's what I'll be doing."
"But what about us?" Petra had managed to step forward from the door frame, timidly asking his brother about the family he would leave behind. Despite her age, Petra knew the weight of the situation, the dreary feel of the air as her mother continued to silently weep, her father by the window staring at the street.
Oskar, his young face handsome and his ginger hair tied back in a low bun, knelt down to hug his mother, and assured him he will do everything to return each time, alive and well. He looked at his father and tried talking reason - with the salary he could earn from the military, Petra can finally go to school along with Ettan. The family wasn't too poverty stricken, but with their father only breaking even selling vegetables by the market, and their mother unable to work due to a sickly disease, only Ettan went to school while Oskar helped in some of the farms and Petra helped with the housework.
Petra tugged at her brother's sleeve, Ettan quietly following behind him.
"I'll be back always. You remember that. When the walls open and the scouts come home, you'll see me by the middle, and I'll smile and wave."
And Oskar fulfilled his promise. Years went by after her brother's training and Petra grew up amidst stories from her school books and stories from her brother beyond the wall. He'd talked about his adventures, his first titan kill, his squadmates and the unbelievable bond they had. Like a family, he said.
Not long after that, Petra found herself bidding goodbye to her brother Ettan as he went off to join the Scouts too. And each time the bell would ring its three-tone charm, Petra would drop everything she's working on ("Petra, be careful!" Her mother would chide) and dash through the streets to find her two brothers in the middle, sitting side by side atop their horses, Oskar waving, his eyes with that familiar twinkle. Her quiet brother Ettan would be at his side, nodding at her with a slight smile forming his lips, and she'd run back home to tell the family they're back and to prepare dinner.
---
One time, the letter had reached them first.
"Mr. and Mrs. Ral,
With heavy heart, I, Noel Archaeus, 11th Commander of the Scout Regimen, hereby write to you that Staff Sergeant Ettan Maximus Ral..."
She wasn't finished reading when her father had already folded the paper and placed it at the desk in front of him. She glanced back at her mother cooking dinner and saw how her father had tapped her gently from behind, and from a single look and a hug, her mother started to cry.
The following morning Petra had heard the three chimes of the bell signalling the scouts’ return. She bothered to put on a coat over her night gown but forgot to change her slippers in a hurry to rush to the gate. Peering amongst the dwindled group of Scouts she found her brother Oskar in the middle, not waving, not smiling, and Ettan wasn't with him anymore.
Petra was just 14, and Oskar had just written in his last letter before Ettan's demise about how he was to be made captain effective their next expedition. Not bearing the guilt of surviving and not being able to protect his younger brother, Oskar soon followed Ettan to the grave.
What followed were years of quiet in her family. Their house which used to be filled with her and her siblings' banter, had started to become more eerily silent, quieter even from after her brothers started leaving. Sometimes, Petra was sure she'd forgotten how to laugh, but seeing how her mother tried to continue to hum when she braided Petra's long hair, or how her father would hug her even tighter as he left for the day, a semblance of normalcy started to creep into their lives.
Still, Petra would secretly watch as Scout members returned from their expeditions. Silently and wordlessly weaving into the crowd, settling in her usual spot where she used to wait for her brothers, she'd watch the soldiers return, numbers dwindling each time, but she could see in their grief-stricken faces that their resolve never faltered.
It was one particular morning that she heard the bells signalling the Scouts arrival. In the guise of bringing her father the lunch her mother had prepared, she set out into the streets and took a detour to the gates, ambling for her spot. She doesn't know why she kept returning, knowing that she won't see Oskar and his bun bobbing up along the ranks, waving at her. Nor would she sight Ettan's jet black hair, smiling slightly as they caught eyes. But yet, Petra was drawn to these soldiers. It was as if the pain in their faces intensified their determination to recover, return to the walls, and make sure the lives of their comrades weren't put to waste. At least, that's what she felt most of the time.
So when she caught the eye of a young man she had previously never seen before, with a shortly-built stature, black hair that fell to his eyes and a scowl resting on his face, she can't help but wonder if the intensity he felt in his gaze met the same intensity she had in heart. For humanity, for peace, for her brothers, she thought, she would want to fight.
---
Levi Ackerman was known by the scout regimen as someone who shouldn't be messed with. Grouchy, blunt and obsessively clean were just some of the choice words the soldiers would describe him. Nevertheless, he was a fierce fighter, a capable leader and a loyal comrade in the battlefield; anyone would feel at ease knowing Humanity's Strongest was fighting alongside them, having their backs and ready to carve a titan's nape if it meant no one would be lost in that day's expedition.
It was a hot, summer's day, and the Scout Regiment was on its one of the many expeditions outside Wall Maria to establish a supply base outside the walls. The base would serve as a checkpoint, a place where scout groups from future expeditions could reconvene, restock supplies, and take a breather from the night, provided that titans don't usually wander when the sun goes down.
It was already midday from when they left the wall early morning, and perched on top of a tree, surveying the distance of their journey, he could barely make out the outline of Wall Maria anymore. He's not sure where the Commander is planning to place the garrison base, but he sure did think they were far enough.
"Captain!" He heard Eld Jinn's voice ringing from a tree just below. "The left flank has been cleared of titans, and Commander Erwin gave instructions to guard the perimeter while Scout soldiers and recruits start the base!" The dirt blonde haired solder shouted. Resourceful, loyal, and with good initiative, Eld was part of Levi's squad, also known by the regiment as the Special Ops Squad.
Levi actually had no intention of rising through the ranks within the Survey Corps. Upon Erwin recruiting him and the loss of Isabel and Farlan, he was content on making sure their sacrifices and the countless soldiers before them will not be in vain. He wanted to make sure each choice he’ll make will be the least regrettable, and he brought this mantra each time they would journey out into the wall, blades in hand, ready to become humanity’s eyes. As Erwin and the other section commanders had gotten word of his skills and witnessed them in the field, he found himself leading his own team during expeditions, and was tasked in forming an elite squad of his own that the Commander and the regiment could rely on tough missions.
"Gunther and Oruo?" He asked as he levelled with Eld on the branch below. Gunter Schultz was a quiet yet formidable soldier whom Erwin had recommended to join his squad. His tanned skin had shown proof of his hard work and strength back when he worked in Trost as a laborer, and his force was a great addition to the regiment and Levi's group.
"Gunther was coming from the right flank, sir. His area converged with Squad Mike and they cleared their titans in a few minutes. He's coming over here too," Eld had started to wipe the sweat of his skin. "Last I saw Oruo he had just bit his tongue again before cutting the nape of this ugly ass titan." Eld smirked to himself, and Levi remembered how he found him too humorous for his liking sometimes.
"Good. Reconvene at the base Erwin is forming. If you find them, tell them this, I'll be going ahead."
"Yes Captain!"
Levi checked his ODM gear once more before he set off his hook to a nearby tree branch. He'd seen the billowing smoke of a likely campfire that the scout recruits and other soldiers had already started in the middle of the forest, where the base would most likely be constructed. Smart, he thought. Of course, Erwin would've thought about it. The huge trees would serve as cover from the harsh sun, the rustling leaves would warn of any movement from meters-tall intruders, and the various zigzag of looping branches would mean good use of their manoeuvring gear, providing them with key vantage points for scouting and patrol as well as quick escapes for danger.
He looked back to see Eld resting a bit before preparing his gear to look for the others. They weren't supposed to completely detach from one another, Levi thought. His vision for his elite team is to be a tight formation of capable, smart soldiers, able to anticipate one another's offensive and defensive moves in time to defeat the common enemy. He remembers instructing them to take different flanks, Eld to the left flank, Gunther to the right and Oruo just behind him, but that didn't mean they should go and separate. He sighed and thought something must've happened, trusting them to make it back alive. He hadn't heard of any commotion after all. Despite knowing it's just been six months, Levi still expected his team to be more adept at teamwork than this, being elite and all.
He mulled over Erwin's comment during their last section leader meetings. Yes, all scouts are expected to be brave, expected to fight and to give up their lives for humanity. But it is also expected that a squad be tight together as to be able to be brave enough to lay their lives for their teammates, but strong enough to leave their bodies behind if it means the rest surviving or continuing the mission. Would his squad be ready to do that for one another? He knows he is, having had done the same during his first venture out the wall. He thought again that his squad is fairly new, companionship and camaraderie would take time to form. He sighed and thought he should bring them back alive before he could even think of them forming a good working relationship with one another. Erwin's voice loomed in his head again, "Why don't you try adding another teammate, a glue that can hold your squad together?" He suggested.
Levi was too lost in his thoughts as he vaguely noticed Eld zipping past him, Gunther in tow. The black-haired man turned his head slightly and gave the captain a nod as he continued following Eld to the base. Where the hell was that brat, Levi thought as he scanned the forest for Oruo.
He was just about to head to the right flank when he saw a black signal flare rise just a few meters to his left. The black smoke signalled an emergency, most likely the sighting of an abnormal titan. "I thought the left was clear?" Levi grunted at what Eld had told him before he dashed through the trees, reminding himself that titan attacks, especially abnormals, could be very random.
Zipping through the trees, his gear clunking through, the quiet rustling of tree leaves was broken by a scream from Oruo. He could start making out the outline of the titan, about ten meter long, but... it was lying face down? No wonder no one else had seen this monster and thought the area clear.
He kicked up his gear and fired his hook to the closest tree, preparing his blades when Oruo screamed some more. Inching closer, the captain could see that the man was being crushed to the ground by the titan's outstretched hand. How Oruo had managed to snag himself into trouble he didn't know, but the titan appears to be stretching as it is lying down, his fingers closing in as he stretches and Oruo screams some more.
Levi wasn't sure he was going to make it, and he was kicking his gear further to speed up when he saw a small fizz of reddish orange zip past in front of him.
A female scout soldier with ginger hair, moving rapidly across the trees had started to descend to Oruo. Her small build was helping her move quickly yet gracefully across the forest of trees, her ODM skill showing as she unfurled a hook to swing another. Oruo, still under the titan's enveloping hand, reached out his arm to try to reach her but… she zipped past him? Levi wondered as he sped up. He had not so much as blinked when he heard the familiar shing of a whirring blade making contact with titan flesh and the resounding hack and thud of a piece of nape falling to the ground. He saw the scout moving up to Oruo after making a clean-cut of the nape, and saw that she already had his squadmate free from the titan's grasp as he further descended into the ground.
"Oruo, are you alive?" He bellowed to him, the man clutching his stomach and lower body in pain.
"Captain! Yes, I think so!" He huffed laboriously before letting out a scream of pain as the ginger-haired scout touched his hip, "Ow, Petra that hurt!"
"Shut up Oruo! Let me see! Don't get up!" She exclaimed. There was an intense urgency in her voice, a mixture of worry and frustration. Petra, was that her name that Oruo just shouted? Levi had started walking, bridging the gap to them when his teammate tried getting his upper body up to stand and meet him before falling into a crumpled heap in front of the girl.
Oruo whimpered some more before coughing up blood and falling unconscious. Levi noticed how the scout, Petra began to gently lay him down and tried starting compressions.
"Give 'em to me," he muttered, noticing that the girl was already having trouble keeping the rhythm, having been winded from zipping through the trees where she came from and taking out the titan. Still, she didn't stop moving, and when Levi knelt down opposite her, he saw that she had started crying, not looking at him.
"Give 'em to me!" He shouted a bit too loud, motioning for her to let him continue compressions. The woman looked up, as if shocked to find another person there, her amber eyes already brimming with tears before she hastily removed her hands and brought up her sleeve to her eyes.
"Captain Levi!" Her hands went everywhere, and Levi wasn’t sure whether she was trying to form them into a rushed salute but couldn’t due to uncontrollable shaking.
"Petra, is that your name?"
"Yes, sir." She started checking his pulse again, tears still streaming her eyes despite just wiping it seconds ago.
"I feel him breathing. He's unconscious but still with us," Levi breathed a sigh of relief. The girl was still fidgeting about, but her movements were calculated.
"Are you a trained medic?"
"I took classes, sir." She sniffled, feeling Oruo's legs and his waist to check for broken bones. Levi followed suit and felt some cracks, but nothing too serious.
"He'll be fine. Stop fidgeting him too much and go get help," he said.
"Yes sir, I'm sorry sir. Let me just compose myself," she sat up straight opposite him and started fixing her gear. With one last sniffle and a wipe from her eyes, she glanced at him as she stood up, "Please watch over him sir. Please, he has a brother and sister waiting back home, sir," she almost whispered, holding the Captain in her intense, teary gaze before zipping up into the trees.
Levi was puzzled. Then he was amused. He found it funny that a subordinate had ordered him to watch over his own squadmate. But as he tried to stifle his smirk, he remembers the intense amber-filled stare the young scout held, as she muttered something about Oruo's family. He looked at the man and saw that he started breathing more, albeit more shallowly, and he's reminded of what Erwin said about teammates having one another's backs, and he figured maybe this girl Petra could just be the new addition that would bind his squad together.
---
It took a while for Petra to calm down after pacing back and forth the small medic tent wherein the nurses kept Oruo. The expedition was a success, with most soldiers having returned unscathed (except for some unlucky ones like Oruo), and soon the regiment was back to their base at the wall before the sun had fully set.
She glanced at her friend and co-soldier who was lying on the bed, bandaged from the waist down. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw Oruo breathing more evenly, looking like he’s going to pull through. She sat down on a chair opposite him and started rubbing her temples, a headache starting to pulse through from her previous worry. Oruo came from the same hometown as her, a tiny town by the eastern gate of Wall Maria. His mother sold candles across her father’s vegetable shop, and she remembered how she and Oruo and his siblings would play together on the neighboring field after school. Despite being close friends, Petra found it irritating when she saw Oruo at the same cadet class as her, knowing he would relentlessly tease her during their trainings, more so when she saw the man donning on the same green cloak on the day that they’ve chosen their regiment specialties. It has been three years since they graduated, and looking at her friend now, she let herself relax knowing that his siblings would get to see a recovered, normal Oruo a few weeks from now when they get their rare off days.
She had just finished calming herself when she faintly remembered something embarrassing.
“Oi, Petra, fancy seeing you here by my bedside,” Oruo mumbled, a cheeky grin starting to form on his bruised face.
Petra stood up, hovering over the man, a mixture of relief and friendly banter on her voice. “Ugh, finally Oruo you’re awake! You gave everyone quite the scare! Did you know you’re the only one who got severely injured this round? It’s a Scout record, I bet it is!”
“Hey why are you saying it like it’s a bad thing! Better no one else got hurt, right?!”
“Yeah, but what does that make you?” Petra giggled teasingly. Understanding dawning on his face, Oruo puckered his face and made a scowl.
“Oi, with the ruckus you’re making, I see you’re finally awake.” The medic tent door flapped open and a familiar black-haired man entered, his presence filling the room. Petra sat back down, before standing up again and forming a salute with her hand. Finally, you got it right, Petra. She muttered to herself. She hoped the captain would forget her embarrassing lack of respect the last time they saw one another.
“At ease,” said the captain as he moved over to glance at Oruo. The medic nurse and doctor entered the tent and started conversing with Captain Levi, giving Petra the opportunity to sit back down.
The first time Petra saw Captain Levi was in her induction ceremony into the Survey Corps. It was night time, and Commander Erwin had just finished giving his inspiring speech. Unlike the other commanders who droned on how their regiment was the best, the commander, with his sullen yet firm tone had regaled the cadets of stories of the scouts’ ventures beyond the walls, bringing forth countless sacrifices made by devoted soldiers who previously stood in the spots they stand, and how joining the Survey Corps would continue to give meaning to these sacrifices, how their choices as cadets would determine that humanity can keep its peace, and at the end of the day, that was what’s most important. She remembered that she had long dedicated her heart to join the Survey Corps and thought to wonder if the people standing beside the Commander did the same from when they were recruited. That’s when she saw the familiar black hair, the short stature, the almost blank face that held nothing to reveal, and she realized that Captain Levi was the same soldier she saw that day a few years back when she waited for the Scouts’ return.
Throughout the course of her three years in the corps she’d saw him in just a few instances, either in training or on the field. He held the same expression most of the time but she’d see a glint in his eyes each time they were on an expedition, and she’d remember how he was always by the medic’s tent wanting to hear of causalities and injuries after each mission. His reputation preceded him as always, and Petra had grown to admire him the most among all of the Survey Corps leaders (except maybe Commander Erwin). She knew it wasn’t just her actually. She once heard from a couple of new scout recruits that some of their batchmates, male and female both, only joined the regiment to see Captain Levi in flesh. Nevertheless, Petra knew that the man was human, and when Oruo joined his squad, having someone she knew work closely with someone she admired from afar further cemented in her that the Captain was just a fellow soldier, albeit an especially skilled one at that.
Still, Petra is struggling to understand why she was so uneasy, having Captain Levi in the same room as her. It was because you made such a fool of yourself in front of the Captain, idiot, she thought. She didn’t know what went up her mind when she ordered, (ordered!), the Captain Levi to watch over Oruo when she went and get help. She knew it was just because of the intensity of the situation hitting close to home, but at the moment she wants nothing more but to bury her reddening face in her hands.
“How did you even manage to get pinned by that damned abnormal titan?” She heard Captain Levi’s voice talking to Oruo.
“I’m not really sure, captain, hehe,” Oruo smiled sheepishly, lifting his arm to scratch his head, but the captain didn’t seem amused.
“It’s a good thing this soldier here got to you before I did or I would’ve left you there.”
“I know you wouldn’t do that to me captain,” Oruo joked some more as the captain managed a “Tch.” while walking up to face her. Petra stood up and gave her firmest salute once more.
“Petra, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, sir. Petra Ral, sir!”
“How did you manage to find Oruo, where were you stationed?”
“Squad Mirane was one of the teams tasked to secure the perimeter sir, and I was on my way to the edge of the trees when I heard this dimwit scream out of nowhere –“
“…Dimwit?” Levi had cut her off. Petra could see how the man’s thin black eyebrows rose and started to blend with his hair. She could feel her cheeks reddening again, internally kicking herself for her awful choice of words and even worse first impression she’s making.
“We’re hometown buddies sir!” Oruo chimed from his bed, not seemingly against being called dimwit. “We were also cadet mates from the 99th Training Corps!”
“I see. That means it’s been three years since you joined the scouts?” Levi continued to stare at her, as if eyeing her from head to toe.
“Yes sir!”
Petra couldn’t breathe. At least, she felt like she was struggling to. Her hands were still in salute formation, as the captain hadn’t told her to be at ease yet. He was still in front of her, forehead curling as if in deep thought. At least his eyebrows are down now, she wryly thought. She didn’t know what was on the captain’s mind, but she was intensely battling hers. She knows what she has for the captain is a harmless admiration, like what she has for most of the squad leaders, but why is it that she’s having trouble meeting his gaze? She’d focused on the bridge of his nose, and as the captain’s forehead unraveled to smoothness, she hadn’t thought that Captain Levi was also as handsome as reputation speaks of.
“Good work.” Before she could properly exhale, the Captain had already turned around and started to make way for the tent flap. “And Ral,” he turned sideways before cocking his head to the man on the bed. “Make sure he doesn’t get into any more stupid situations.”
---
Levi made his way to Erwin’s tent, relief surging through him. He’s glad that his subordinate was going to make a clean recovery, but he would be lying if he said that what Oruo did didn’t irritate him at the slightest. Not only was he the only one that got severely injured during the mission (due to him most likely not following his instructions, he mulled), but he wasn’t even sure on how he got himself into that situation. Luck seems to favor him though as the scout Petra Ral was attentive enough to hear his screams and rush to his safety when she was merely passing by. He should be grateful for the help that his cadet-mate provided him.
Looking back on it, Oruo did seem too grateful when Levi heard their voices through the tent, bickering like an old couple. It figures though, he wondered, since they did come from the same hometown. Even so, Oruo should do well than be distracted with love and women, especially so when he’s making plans to recruit the bright and agile scout into their team.
Petra Ral, he repeats. He hadn’t heard much of her name, but she did hold a familiar face to him. Levi had made a habit of guessing who among the new scout recruits per year would come back from their first expeditions. It wasn’t some sick game that he just thought of – in hindsight, it was actually good way to weed out those who joined the scouts for the fun of it, and those who joined the Survey Corps with the guts and the will to serve. And if these scouts who joined for fun would manage to return from an expedition, he could point out them out and have them assigned to a squad that could work with what they have, to make sure they would survive again.
He tried to recollect seeing Petra’s face amongst the line up of scouts about three years ago. They weren’t a lot in actuality, it was just three short rows of cadet soldiers that signed up from the night before. He remembered seeing Oruo’s face and thought he looked quite old for his age as a new recruit. He recalled seeing one tall kid looking a tad too douchey and proud for his taste, and true enough, that boy didn’t return from the first expedition. Lastly, he remembered seeing this short girl, with straight, ginger hair up that flowed to her waist in a ponytail, amber eyes looking steady ahead, the knuckles on her hand showing as she tightened her salute. With hair like that she’d most likely get eaten first, he had thought bitterly.
But when he saw her come back that day from the expedition, a bit bloody and wet from the waist down, her hair a tangled mess, he started to think maybe he misjudged her. He saw her again the following month on another expedition, this time her ginger hair now up to her chin. And she returned to base for each expedition, for each month, for the whole three years.
How then did he not notice her before? If you’ve made it to a year within the Survey Corps, you’re already considered a veteran. She most likely possessed the skills he was looking for his Elite Squad if she’s been surviving that long.
Levi had now reached the dark green tent that housed the Commander, and he opened the flap and went through.
“Ah, Levi, how is your soldier doing?” Erwin was seated behind his desk, eyes peering from the paperwork he was skimming.
“Fine. He’ll live.”
“And what brings you here? The squad leaders meeting isn’t for later today. Do you have something in mind?”
“Yes, actually I do.” Before he could continue, the tent flap had opened once more, and a stocky woman with brown hair to her shoulders had entered. She gave a firm salute to the Commander and Erwin had nodded her at ease when she spoke.
“Captain Levi, Vanz had told me to meet you here at the Commander’s tent? Is something a problem?” Squad Leader Mirane spoke with worry as she faced him, her kind eyes contrasting against her strong facial features.
“Yes, I wanted to ask you about Petra Ral.” Levi saw Erwin stop skimming the paperwork and laid them down on the desk, folding his hands together and resting his chin on them. He seemed to wait for their discussion to continue.
“Petra Ral? Why, did she do anything wrong?”
“I was just merely asking for your opinion on her.”
“She’s a formidable soldier. Agile with her ODM gear, quick-witted and able to think on her feet,” Mirane explained, her tone urgent and fierce. “I have been her Squad Leader ever since she joined the scouts, and I can attest that with her help, we have yet to lose members on our team seeing as how she is loyal and ready to help anyone in danger!”
Ah, it was pride. Levi had noted that the woman’s tone in front of her was brimming with pride for the young soldier.
“I don’t know what report you may have received, but it’s wise that you asked me first about her before jumping to conclusions,” Mirane huffed and placed her arms against her chest.
“I see that Petra Ral is an excellent soldier then,” Erwin piped in, catching on to Levi’s plans.
“Yes, she is sir, I firmly believe that!”
“I take it that that is your official recommendation?” Erwin had started to pick up his paperwork again, a grin starting to form at the corner of his lips.
“...Recommendation? Sir, I don’t seem to understand,” Mirane asked.
“Thank you Mirane. Starting next week, Petra Ral joins my squad for training. She’s now part of the Scout Regiment’s Special Operations Squad.” Levi smiled. Maybe Erwin was right. An additional soldier could serve as the glue that could hold his squad together.