Chapter 01 | Nuts.

Krista Lenz entered the large, darkened common area to get some time alone. During the day it was usually busy and there were always a few members of the survey corps talking or drinking. But when it got late – it was usually empty and she had found it a great place to come so she could sit quietly to be alone with her thoughts.

But tonight was different.

Oh my… someone is already here. But – who?

She could just make out the person sitting at a far table, he was facing the wall. There was a small kerosene lamp on the table next to him but the flame was too low to make out what he was doing. The activity was happening on the table in front of him and was creating was a slight hissing, rattling sound. Her brow knitted as curiosity slowly and quietly propelled her forward. Krista crossed half way through the room to pause behind a large wooden support beam. She peeped around the post to get a better view and her eyes grew in surprise as she realized who was performing the mysterious activity.

Levi was spinning something on the table. With a quick, fast twist of his nimble fingers he powerfully twirled something rapidly on the smooth surface of the table in front of him. It was a small, pale brown spherical object and as it spun it made a slight, hard rattling sound until it found its balance point and then became almost silent.

She watched as it spun for several moments, then as it began to wobble and chatter on the table, Krista realized she might be intruding on Levi's privacy and quietly turned to leave.

"Stick around Krista."

She gasped and wheeled to face him, but Levi was still sitting with his back to her. As he picked up the object and spun it again on the table in front of him. It rattled then found its balance point and whirled in silence on the table before him.

"I… o-okay."

She walked over to where Levi sat and as she reached the table he snatched the spinning object up, concealing it in his hand. Then as if his leg moved with a mind of its own, he slid a chair out towards her.

"Have a seat."

Krista sat down stiffly next to him. Her eyes stared straight ahead watching the small flame dance in the lamp. She reached for the key to turn the flame brighter.

"Leave it."

She pulled her hand back as if the lamp had suddenly become red hot and continued to sit in silence next to Levi as he stared at the empty spot at the table in front of him. He was so focused on that space before him that Krista felt her eyes drawn to that spot as well. She began looking there interestedly along with her commander.

A few minutes passed.

Then Krista broke the silence. Though she was nervous, there was still a touch of cheery optimism in her voice as she looked up at the high ceiling and around at the shadowy walls in the dimly lit hall.

"So! Th-this is… nice…"

Levi put the hand that held the mysterious object on the table in front of him. He spread his fingers and rolled it gently under his palm as he agreed with Krista. His voice was tired.

"Yeah… sure… nice."

After another minute of awkward silence… Krista had a question.

"H-how did you know it was me? You never turned around."

Levi looked up from the table and turned to fix his deep penetrating gaze on the person next to him. He looked deeply into Krista's eyes. It made her uncomfortable – like he was seeing too much and she began to look back to the table, then to her hands fidgeting on her lap as he answered her question.

"Easy. Eren, Reiner, Connie and all the others just barge in chattering away as if everyone is interested in whatever happens to be percolating in their tiny brains at any given moment."

He rolled the mysterious object under his palm against the table. It made a hard crunkly sound. Then Levi lowered his voice as he spoke more slowly, thoughtfully as if he was working this out as he went.

"But there are a few who are more – subdued… wary. That would be Mikasa, Armin… and you."

Krista's brow furrowed slightly as she watched his hand rolling the hard object under it.

"So… you guessed between the three of us? And… and got lucky?"

"No. I never rely on 'luck' for anything. Armin is a baby and needs his sleep. He wouldn't be up this late. And Mikasa is too quiet. She never would have made the clumsy clumping noises you did… So you were the only choice."

Krista's lower lip slid out as she scowled slightly, but only for an instant – then her sunny disposition returned.

"That's amazing – you really pay attention to details!"

"It keeps me alive."

Then suddenly Levi changed the subject and held the object he had been spinning up for Krista to see. It was a large walnut. Krista wasn't sure what to make of his gesture and only stammered.

"A… a walnut?"

"No." He held it a little closer so she could see it better. It was clearly a walnut.

"I… it's a – I mean – I think it's a walnut?"

Levi repeated his earlier response then provided more detail.

"No Krista, it's not. It's a titan."

Krista slid back in her chair slightly… she was concerned her leader had gone slightly mad.

"Uh… I don't – I'm not sure I underst-."

Gently but firmly, Levi placed his finger over her lips.

"Ssshhh."

At the contact, Krista felt a hot rush of energy run up her spine to her head causing her to flush slightly. Then Levi leaned forward and continued to speak quietly.

"Watch – listen."

With a surprising amount of power he used the thumb and forefinger of his delicate hand to crack the shell open. It split cleanly in two and then carefully tapped the nut out into his palm. He held it out to show Krista.

"Some titans have tasty little nuts inside of them…"

He popped it in his mouth and as he crunched it up, he reached for a bowl that was sitting in the shadows at the edge of the table and pulled out another walnut. This one was a little darker around the edges and seemed old.

"While others…"

He placed the old nut on the table in front of him and smashed it open with his fist. The sudden crash startled Krista but she kept her vision fixed on Levi's fist. When he removed it – the shell was broken open to reveal nothing but dry dust.

"…contain nothing."

Krista whispered almost to herself as she began to understand.

"Only the shell remains..!"

Levi looked up from the fractured shell and the rotten powder on the table in front of him. He was glad that Krista had picked up the point he was trying to make.

"Right. If a nut stays in the shell too long, it dissolves and all that is left is the shell."

"A shell devoid of purpose…" Krista added. "Hollow – empty…."

They stared at the pieces on the table for a few moments and Levi began to run his finger through the bits making little curlique patterns as he spoke choosing his words carefully.

"Yes. And while I'm curious about what used to be contained in those empty shells, what I'm more concerned with is – who among us are nuts."

Then carefully brushing the debris off the table into his open hand, Levi got up and deposited it into the trash and exited leaving Krista to ponder what they had just discussed.