Under the Same Moon | Levi x OC

Chapter 1 - Clouded Hearts

Anastasya

Birds rocketed from the trees as a booming explosion shook the air. Seconds later Anastasya 'Anya' Morozova, along with her best friend, Hange Zoe, only added to the clamouring chaos with whoops of celebration as they danced around the debris and twirled through tendrils of smoke.
"That was the best one yet!" Anya exclaimed.
"I know!" Hange replied, maroon eyes bright as she pushed her glasses up onto her head.
"You were right; this really is therapeutic."
"Hey, Anya, do you think this is what other people do?"
"Hell no, they-"
"Literally no-one does this! Neither of you are at all normal!"
Anya scowled and turned to watch Flagon and Moblit jog towards them from where they'd dived for cover moments earlier. She'd almost forgotten they were there.
"Section Commander Hange! Anya! Are you okay? You really shouldn't-"
Anya held up a hand.
"Nuh-uh," she said, shaking her head. "Stop right there, Moblit. It was you two that insisted on coming with us. This is meant to be girl time, so either join in or stay quiet."
"If we hadn't insisted, you probably would've blown yourselves up by now," Flagon muttered.
"Don't be a spoilsport, Flagon."
"Don't be such a crazy, out-of-control princess!"
"Oh, don't start with that horseshit again!" Anya snapped, marching over to glare up at him.
Despite the fact that Flagon was almost a foot taller than her, Anya wasn't intimidated by him in the slightest, and he knew it. He was also technically her superior, being a Section Commander like Hange, though Anya had spent far more years as a Scout than both of them combined. She'd also been offered the position on numerous occasions only to refuse it each time, and it was a well-known fact in the regiment and beyond.
Anya tensed, ready to make a move. Winding each other up was fast becoming their favourite hobby. A smirk pulled at Flagon's lips.
"That's not very princess-y language."
Anya darted forward like a viper and grabbed one of Flagon's arms, twisting it up behind his back before pressing a booted foot into the crease of his knee. Flagon toppled to the ground with a yelp.
"Not again...!" Moblit fretted. "Section Commander, what should we do?!"
Anya didn't bother to listen to whatever Hange replied with. She was having far too much fun humiliating Flagon. She ruffled his messy, dark blonde hair.
"Is this you kneeling because you think I'm a princess?" she teased.
"Get off me, woman!"
"Is that any way to talk to a princess?"
"I don't think an actual princess would be this damn heavy!"
"What?"
"You heard me! Ow!"
"Hey Anya, want to set up the next bomb?" Hange called.
Anya sprung up from Flagon immediately, only to be pulled back down as he grabbed her by the wrist and yanked. She rolled and landed on the ground with a loud thump, cursing herself for forgetting how fast he was. Before she could move, he'd pinned her firmly in place.
"Get your ugly face the hell out of mine," she growled.
Flagon, in fact, was by no means unattractive, but Anya was loath to admit it.
"Make me."
"You sure you want that?"
"Anya... Please don't!" said Moblit.
"What is your problem?" she asked Flagon.
"You are. Why do you keep doing all these crazy things? It was just last night that I had to stop you from getting into a fight with some Military Police bastard!"
"Fun," she said, not allowing herself to even think of the real reason.
"Yeah, right."
"Are you going to get off of me, or do I really have to make you?"
He sighed, regarding her with his steady, hazel gaze and, for a terrible moment, she thought she could see pity in his expression. However, before she could speak again, Hange leapt onto his back.
"You're interfering with our fun!" she yowled.
Anya sat up, unable to restrain her laughter.
"Moblit, get your section commander under control!" Flagon cried, trying to shake Hange off.
"Hange! Be careful!" cried Moblit.
Anya pushed up to her feet and joined Hange's attack, whilst Moblit looked on in despair. Anya was determined to enjoy her day off. However despite her best intentions, it was not to last.

***

Erwin

Erwin had just finished a meeting with Commander Sadies when he spotted Anastasya, Hange, Flagon, and Moblit returning to the Scouts' headquarters. They didn't notice him at first, and for a moment he simply watched as Anastasya laughed and enjoyed herself for what felt like the first time in months. However she was, as always, the first to notice his presence. As soon as her stunning, amethyst-blue eyes met his, her beautiful smile disappeared like the sun behind gloom-laden clouds. He was unable to keep the frown from his face as he walked over to the group.
"Erwin," said Flagon, doing his best to feign ignorance as to the tension. "How are you?"
"Fine, thank you. It looks like you all had a good day."
"Oh, we did!" said Hange. "We blew up-"
"Did you need something?" Anastasya interrupted.
"As a matter of fact, yes," he replied. "I need to discuss something with you, but it can wait if-"
"No," she said, briefly lowering her gaze. "I have time now." She faced the others. "Save me some dinner. Or I'll draw on your faces while you sleep."
"So bossy," Flagon remarked, though Erwin didn't miss the concern flicker across his features. Anastasya turned and looked up at him again, arching a dark, perfectly sculpted brow.
"So?"
Erwin led the way into the castle the Scouts called home and up to his office, doing his best to ignore the daggers Anastasya was shooting at his back. As soon as he unlocked his door, she wasted no time in flouncing over to one of the two sofas. She draped herself across it and stretched with feline grace, yawning shamelessly. Erwin sighed and shut the door, before taking a seat on the sofa opposite.
"Dare I ask what it was you and Hange were blowing up? We could hear it from here."
Anastasya waved a dismissive hand in the air.
"What is it you wanted to talk to me about? I'm tired."
"I need you to go to Mitras," he said, deciding to get straight to the point considering her volatile mood.
"Urgh. Why?"
"Someone is working hard to withhold funding from the Scouts for our Expeditions. I want you to find out who, and why, and then collect evidence to use against them."
Anastasya sighed and sat up, regarding him with her frosty gaze.
"Any theories?" she asked, suddenly all business.
"No."
"You've given me a great place to start, then. 'Someone is working against the Survey Corps'. That's hardly anything new."
"You're right, but this is serious. If we lose our funding, that's it. No more Expeditions, no opportunities to test the new scouting formation, no-"
"Yeah, I know; no chance to push forward with discovering the truth."
Erwin could've sworn the temperature in the room plummeted. He suppressed a shiver before continuing.
"Yes. Can I count on you?"
"Always," she said softly.
The subtle, quiet sorrow tinting her voice made something in his chest twinge painfully, and he lowered his eyes to the floor.
"Anastasya..."
"When do you want me to go?"
"Tonight, if possible."
If she was annoyed at the inconvenience, she didn't show it. Instead, Anastasya got to her feet and headed for the door.
"I'd better start getting ready, then. Does Commander Sadies know about this?" she asked, pausing to turn and glance back at him.
"No," he replied, approaching her. "I'd like for it to be kept just between us for the time being."
"Right... So you'll cover for me if I don't make it back for my duties?"
"Yes."
"Good."
"Anastasya," he said, unable to stand it any longer.
He grabbed her by the wrist to stop her from fleeing and she flinched, dropping her gaze to where his skin made contact with hers.
"What is it, Erwin?"
"Are you all right?"
She paused, seeming to search the rug beneath their feet for an answer.
"I'm frustrated," she said, meeting his eyes again. "The person I always go to when I have something on my mind, when I'm upset, is you. Yet this time, you are the cause of it all."
Her honesty was a slap to the face. Erwin relinquished his grip upon her. Anastasya was right, of course, yet he had to believe in his decision. He had to believe that she'd thank him for it, in the long run.
"I'm sorry."
"I know. If anything, that makes it worse," she said, huffing out a laugh. "I don't want to feel like this anymore, Erwin. What do I do?"
He'd done this. He was the reason she now looked so lost, so unsure of herself. He was so close to breaking, to begging her to forgive him and to take him back, that it took him a moment to compose himself.
"Do you want to leave the Scouts?" he asked, despite being terrified of the answer.
"I won't lie and say I haven't thought about it but... No. I want to stay. We were friends before we were anything else and I fully intend for that, at least, to continue. You, Hange, Flagon, everyone... You're all the family I have left. I'm not going to abandon what I have here. So I'm just going to have to accept your choice and move on, I suppose. Just like you want me to."
Erwin was fully aware of how closely she was watching him and he knew she was looking for a spark of remorse, just a hint that he was going to change his mind. He forced himself to keep his expression neutral, praying that she wouldn't see through it.
"It's for the best," he said. "I promise."
"So you say."
Anastasya's shoulders sagged as she struggled to hide her dejection. She recovered quickly and straightened up, her trademark glacial mask sliding into place. Erwin had witnessed her use it countless times throughout the years they'd known one another and yet, until recently, she'd never once used it on him. It hurt like a blade to the heart.
"Anyway," she said, "I should leave now if I want to reach Mitras in time. As it is, they'll probably have closed the gate to Ehrmich by the time I arrive."
"Are you sure you don't mind going?"
"It's not like I've got anything better to do. I'll see you tomorrow; maybe the day after if I find something good."
She opened the door and slipped from the room without a sound, and without looking back. The sudden emptiness caused by her absence was a punch to the gut, as though all the air had disappeared from the room. Erwin knew he was being cruel, pushing her away and yet praying she'd stay by his side, but it was for her own sake. If it meant that she was safe and happy five or even ten years from now, it would all be worth it. It had to be.