In Between The Ends

Chapter Twenty

Jean straightened as his considered Levi's proposal.

On one hand, the thought of sparring with the captain was enough to give him a ripple of fear down his spine, even in his compromised state. He had witnessed Levi's abilities firsthand more times than he could count, and he wasn't keen on being on the reciprocating end of it.

On the other hand, this offered a unique opportunity for both him and Connie, and for the recruits he had dedicated so much time into training. Arya was exhausted and Levi was still handicapped by his brace and rehabilitation; that would certainly make this easier, wouldn't it?

Jean turned to the cadets watching captivated from the sidelines.

"Fall in, soldiers." He cried, turning back to face Levi and Arya with a wry smile. "This right here is a once in a lifetime opportunity to face off against one of humanity's best; let's not waste it." The cadets remained stationary for an uncomfortable amount of time, though eventually four of Jean's recruits stepped forward, looking incredibly nervous.

"Alright captain, you've got yourself a deal. Even these odds still tip in your favor, but I hope you don't expect us to hold back given your current... afflictions."

Connie was shaking his head frightfully at Jean's words but held tight despite the overwhelming desire to turn tail and run in the opposite direction.

Levi nodded. "I would expect no less."

Their standoff began anew; Jean, Connie and four other soldiers against captain Levi and captain Arya.

Arya tried to remain focused on the task at hand, but she couldn't stop her mind from spiraling. Their relationship might have warmed since that day under the oak tree, but why had he felt the need to step in and defend her? Did he see her as weak, someone in need of protecting, or was it something else that drew him to her side? She didn't understand his presence beside her, not until Jean and his forces began racing confidently towards them not a moment later.

In that brief pause of time before contact Levi shifted his gaze to hers, and that simple look told her everything she needed to know. Somewhere between the friction of their meeting, the anger they had felt toward one another, and the release they had from their discontent, a connection was born. As impossible as this might have seemed not 3 weeks prior, here it was staring her in the face. These were not enemies they faced, but the truth behind it remained the same: he would fight for her, just as she had fought for him.

Arya closed her eyes as the attacking team approached. Seconds before they connected with their intended targets her eyes shot open; reaching out to grab Levi's already outstretched hand. Using his body weight as an anchor point to swing out in a semi-circle in front of them, Arya activated her compressed gas to create a ring of dust that effectively blocked their opponent's line of sight. Jean and his team glided to a stop just as Levi and Arya leaped over them, diving into the center of the group. They all broke rank and scattered, missing their blades by inches.

Connie tumbled to the ground and rolled over, narrowly avoiding Arya's boots as they came down hard near his head. They were both grinning widely at each other, Connie leaping to his feet and charging just as the recruit named Quinn joined in beside him. Parrying back and forth they were able to slowly push Arya backwards from the center of the training field and away from where Jean and the remained cadets were trading blows with Levi.

His movement was still rigid, and certain motions sent a sharp pain through his knee and into his hip, but Levi held his ground just the same, deflecting the cadets blows with ease. Jean was unquestionably skilled, but the presence of his subordinates was distracting him. It was clear he was trying to make this a teaching moment, which had him barking out commands more than fighting. The recruits weren't half bad, but it was clear they were lacking in practical application of what they had learned.