"I don't know why we should care some fuckin' titans are dead," Jean scoffed, mouth full of breakfast. "That's literally our job."
The scouts had awoken to the bloodcurdling cries of Captain Hange, wailing in the steaming remains of their 'children'. They clutched what appeared to be a giant sternum to their chest, babbling on about not being there to protect them.
"Not these titans, Jean," Armin explained, exasperated. "Section Commander Hange had explicit permission to capture and study them to further our understanding, didn't you pay attention?"
"No," Connie jabbed, sly smirk painted across his face. "He was too busy gawking at Mikasa."
While Jean and Eren duked it out right there across the breakfast table, Winnigan was detached. Pietro's wings of freedom hadn't left her hands since Levi had given it to her, and her mind hadn't shut off, either. Why had Erwin held onto it after all this time, instead of delivering it to the Morgan estate? Typically, if anything could be salvaged from a casualty, it was returned to the family. Winnigan had been left to assume there was nothing to recover, since all her parents received was a vague report and condolences from Commander Erwin Smith. She figured his death had just been so gruesome, so unsightly, that it couldn't be put in a letter. So, why did she receive his patch now, of all times? Erwin certainly did not benefit from having it for all this time, so the reasoning behind this circumstance was beyond her.
And of course, there was the issue of Captain Levi's ominousness. Not that it was a new issue, it just certainly did nothing to help the situation. To make matters worse, he had virtually ghosted her since that final interaction the day prior. Their evening session consisted of her running her ODM drills in silence, and she had received a message to the barracks later that night cancelling their morning meeting. And presently, at breakfast, the man was nowhere to be seen. A preparatory cup of tea— likely gifted by a new recruit trying to make nice— went cold in the empty seat next to Hange.
Winnigan switched the patch to her off-hand and twirled her charcoal pencil between the fingers of her other hand. A page beneath her teacup, snagged from her journal upstairs, had various symbols and lines representing her own tentative battle plans. A strategy she had been cooking up ever since her training began, an idea she needed fully fleshed out before Erwin would arrive that evening. Hange explained that Levi had left long before dawn to accompany Erwin on his travels here, for his safety. Since taking on Eren, Erwin had made himself a target to the other military branches, and rumors had begun to surface of possible powers at play. On long journeys leading up to the following expeditions, Levi would protect Erwin at all costs.
"You know, Levi once tried to kill Commander Erwin," Hange said absentmindedly, undoubtedly unaware that they were partaking in gossip, possibly even sharing classified information. The scouts literally leaned into the edge of their seats, waiting expectantly for Hange to continue. Apparently, that's all Hange had to say. They took a long sip of their green tea and whipped out a book to read.
"Section Commander Hange?" Reiner urged from the end of the table. Winnigan's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't heard his voice since she first considered him a possible suspect of being a titan shifter, and guilt plucked at her heartstrings.
"Oh!" Hange exclaimed. "Whoops! Yeah, someone had actually hired Levi in the Underground to take Erwin out! Clearly that didn't work, seeing how those lovebirds are today."
"Lovebirds?" Reiner gagged, a couple confused exclamations and giggles echoing under him. "They're gay?"
"What is it with you guys and being grossed out by gay people?" Ymir teased. "First Sasha, and now you!"
Sasha choked on her fried potatoes, sputtering and clawing at the table like a madwoman. Connie hesitantly patted her on the back. "I didn't say that!" She exclaimed desperately. Hange only chuckled and shook their head.
![Underneath the cherry blossom tree [shoji x reader]DISCONTINUED by thefantasticone0](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/253639877-80-k725013.jpg)
"Damn kids."
Winnigan felt an unexpected disappointment at the news. Obviously, seeing her nonexistent past with Annie, she had no issue with such ordeals. So why in the world did it matter to her over whether or not Captain Levi liked women?
"But to answer your question, Cadet Braun, I was just making a joke. Levi's too much of a hard ass to love anybody."
The dining hall erupted in laughter as breakfast came to a close. As each cadet grabbed their dishes, Winnigan circled the table to scoop up the neglected cup of tea in Levi's usual seat. His absence to accompany Erwin explained Levi ghosting Winnigan on morning training. Winnigan realized this with deep relief, as she had been convinced their conversation about Pietro somehow managed to scare him off.
As Winnigan approached the sink, where Armin and Jean were already diligently scrubbing dishes, Hange placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Morgan, I understand that Levi gave you the wings of freedom yesterday. Are you feeling alright?"
Winnigan choked back tears she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. Her hand instinctively covered her jacket pocket, keeping the last memento of her brother's memory safe. "I just wish people would actually tell me what happened."
Hange sighed, patting Winnigan's shoulder sympathetically. "Some of those stories are not mine to share, kid. Maybe if you help me deal with the new Sawney and Beane problem, I'll have some time to tell you what I knew about him."
Winnigan's smile lit up immediately. "For real? Absolutely!"
For once someone didn't keep her in the dark. For once someone who knew Pietro actually cared about Winnigan and her feelings. Sure, she had to work for it, but how was that any different than anything else?
Hange smiled warmly, their glasses glinting in the morning light. "Meet me by the training grounds outside. We've got some investigating to do." As they walked away, Winnigan clutched Pietro's patch tighter, feeling for the first time since joining the Scouts that she might finally get some answers.
The game plan was to begin within the ranks, looking for alibies, suspicious scouts, and figure out who exactly wasn't in their beds in the early hours of the morning. Based off of Jean's sentiments at breakfast, Winnigan feared finding a scout who actually wanted Sawney and Beane alive would be harder.
She figured Armin would be a good place to start her search, given his keen eye and analytical mind. As she made her way across the training grounds, she spotted him engaged in conversation with Mikasa near the equipment shed. The morning sun cast long shadows across the courtyard as other scouts began filtering out for their daily duties. With Armin, there was no need to be conspicuous. They were on the same side, and Winnigan had a feeling that Hange had charged him with a similar mission.
"Captain Hange's having me help check ODM gear," he explained outside of the equipment shed. Mikasa shared a cold glance with the two, turning on her heel to join the others with a curt nod. "Mikasa's spending today eavesdropping."
The consensus was clear: no one wanted the titans to live. But deeper than that, the scouts understood the importance of their existence. Winnigan realized that her insight into who was or was not in the barracks the previous night was limited, seeing she'd been drilling with Levi past curfew. When she had showered and finally stumbled to bed, she had no reason to notice or care about anyone being absent.
Armin's eyes lit up suddenly, an idea forming. "You know who might have noticed something? The guards on night patrol. They're required to log any movement they spot after curfew." Winnigan nodded eagerly – finally, a lead that could help narrow down their list of suspects.
A tiresome grilling of the scouts on patrol that night, as well as a deep sweep of the ODM check out logs proved futile over the course of several hours. Of course whoever committed treason against the scouts wouldn't advertise their use of the ODM gear. Winnigan shook her head with a scoff and went to consult Mikasa, who had just stepped aside from training to get a drink.
"Find anything interesting?" Winnigan asked, leaning against the water barrel. Mikasa took a long drink before responding, her dark eyes scanning the training grounds.
"Nothing concrete yet. Though I did notice Annie was acting strange earlier today - more withdrawn than usual. Could be nothing." She wiped her mouth with her sleeve and straightened up. "We should keep watching everyone closely."
Winnigan shook her head in disbelief. "What do you mean, Annie? She's with the MP's, isn't she?"
Mikasa nodded in confirmation. "Hange and Armin are checking the ODM gear of all soldiers who use gear. That includes some of the MPs."
"And you went with them?" A twinge of hurt pulled at Winnigan's heart. She never even got to say goodbye to Annie and was sour to miss the opportunity. Was Annie really acting strange, or was she just being herself?
Mikasa's expression remained neutral, but her eyes held a hint of understanding. "She seemed... distracted. Kept looking over her shoulder like she was being watched. But you know Annie - she's always been hard to read."
Winnigan kept her resolve. With tired resignation, she reminded herself that anyone could be a suspect, no matter how deeply Winnigan cared for them.
