They encounter a group of bandits not 10 minutes from the walls.

In some ways, this is fortunate, but in others it is the worst possible scenario.

It's fortunate because Levi can finally drag his thoughts from a certain member of his personal staff.

But, it also means that the situation outside the walls has gotten worse.

When Levi first took command of the army, bandits were a rare problem stumbled upon by the far-reaching parties of the scouting legion. They tended to stay clear of the walls, what with the army base so close by. They were safe. Cautious.

They've gotten braver lately, though. Levi is frustrated, because he knows that the army was never a real deterrent. All along, it was a figurehead, just enough to scare the lowlives back into the uncharted territory, scurrying back into their holes like so many mice.

Now, they're smarter. They know that the cat is weak, corrupt, lazy.

He rises from his crouching position in the shrubbery and silently makes his way back to his squad.

They are mounted, holding his horse's reins, ready to ride at the slightest signal.

"At least 25," Levi snaps in response to their inquiring gazes, "We can't take them. Move out."

Erwin nods, letting him know he's made the right choice. Well, he might not be a 16 year old novice scared shitless anymore, but Erwin's approval always makes him feel secure in his decisions.

The old man's never made a wrong decision in his life, Levi would swear by it.

He swings a leg over his saddle and taps his horse's rumps with his heels to get her moving.

They ride out in a wide arc around the bandit camp, wedge formation, with Erwin at the point. Hanji – Lady Hanji, he thinks sarcastically – is on his left, Levi on his right. Petra rides behind Levi to the right, dark green hood pulled up over her distinctive orange hair. Auruo is in the same position behind her, with Eld and Gunther occupying the same positions on the left. Captain Mike Zacharius rides at the back of the wedge, in the middle, directly behind Erwin.

It's efficient, well-practised and safe. Even so, Levi doesn't fully relax until the gates of the Karanese external army base are creaking shut behind him.

And then he has to deal with Nile Dawk's overly planar face with its pathetic little moustache.

Nile's forehead furrows into a deep frown at the sight of Levi. Despite this, he turns to Erwin.

"Erwin! Glad to see you made it safely," he calls with false cheer.

Levi bristles. As Crown Prince, he should have been addressed first. He doesn't particularly give a shit about his title, but there are certain people from whom he demands… respect.

Not surprisingly, Nile Dawk holds the number one spot on that list.

Well. He'll be the bigger man, and overlook the deliberate slight.

"Oh, and Levi too! Sorry Levi, I didn't see you down there just now!"

So much for being the bigger man.

"Dawk," he snaps in greeting, "Your face gets stupider with every visit."

As the words leave his mouth, he can't help but think that it's a very Eren-like reaction. Maybe the brat's rubbing off on him.

Levi surreptiously brushes down his cloak at the thought, all the while glaring at Nile.

The man is smiling once again, taking their little altercation in his stride. Although, that might have more to do with Erwin's pointed look towards Nile, and his heavy hand on Levi's shoulder.

"Well, lets get you settled then," Nile claps his hands, "Leave your horses, the stableboys will take them. Your regular rooms are ready, if you'd like to go clean up before dinner."

Levi jolts at the mention of stableboys, instinctively picturing an enthused, irrational stableboy back in Maria.

As they walk up to their rooms, he wonders what the brat is doing. Probably pestering those friends of his – the mushroom and the girl with the scarf – or flirting shamelessly with the cooks.

He unpacks his travelling bags methodically, clothes folded neatly in a drawer, toothbrush in a cup exactly that far from the edge of the sink. He remakes the bed to his standards, knowing that Nile still wouldn't have bothered to tell someone how to do it properly.

Once he's done, he's still got the better part of an hour to idle away before dinner. He collapses on the worn fabric of the couch, boots up on a footstool.

But an idle mind is the devil's playground, if the devil has beautiful red hair, or white, or startling green eyes, so Levi hauls himself back off the couch and hunts for his handkerchief.

That is how Erwin finds him half an hour later – sleeves rolled to the elbows, white handkerchief tied over his nose and mouth, on his hands and knees scrubbing at a particularly stubborn stain on the floor.

Cleaning has always been an outlet for him, but he hasn't been this in need of one for a long time.

Erwin only sighs and crouches down beside him, having long become accustomed to Levi's habits.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he queries.

Levi sits back on his heels, putting down his bleached rag and removing his handkerchief.

"No." He replies without inflection, grey eyes tired but not giving anything away.

Erwin nods, and Levi is eternally grateful for how much understanding is in his friend's eyes.

"We won't be here long," Erwin says softly.

Levi slumps. He knows. Erwin always knows.

There's no point in hiding it anymore. He stares at the stain on the ground, willing himself to stay calm.

"I hate coming here," he whispers, "And especially now, when I should be training my new servant." If his voice is a little ragged, Erwin ignores it. The Karanese base has always been a place of anguish for Levi.

"Just a week, Levi. We'll be going out plenty, you won't be stuck here the whole time," Erwin murmurs.

"We're going out first thing tomorrow, in fact," says a voice from the doorway.

Hanji bounces into the room, losing a little of her exuberance at the sight of Levi's cleaning supplies.

Levi sends her a half-hearted glare, just to keep up appearances.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" he grumbles.

Hanji clasps a hand to her chest.

"Levee! True friends have no need for knocking, no need for doors!"

Levi chooses to ignore this entirely fictitious statement, instead hauling himself to his feet and looking down at Erwin. Which is a nice change, he has to admit.

He packages all thoughts of Isabel and Farlan and buries them in a mental chest, locking it and hiding the key.

He wants to do the same for Eren, but he can't bring himself to erase the idiot from his mind. And he doesn't have to, Eren's not dead, not like Isabel and Farlan, Eren will be waiting for him when he gets back from this futile expedition.

He's long passed over the stage of denial and is now firmly set in acceptance. Denial was when he ran from Eren the night he got drunk. Denial was the uncontrollable fear at the thought of opening up to someone again, blinding rage at his weakness, bitterness over the losses he'd suffered already.

Acceptance is good. Acceptance is less demanding than denial, the constant censoring of thoughts, fighting against the human brain.

Acceptance is bad. Acceptance is more demanding than denial, the constant battle to concentrate on the now, fighting the urge to give in to his daydreams.

Distractions are good. But scarce.

He knows he can't give in. Acceptance is one thing, action is another. He knows he won't be acting on his desire for Eren anytime soon. He knows the interest is mutual; a blind man could see it. But he will continue to refuse himself, because he can't bear to see Eren hurt.

Erwin is looking up at him, years of grief and sorrow and Levi etched into his face. How many of those lines has Levi put there himself? Erwin will never tell him.

Erwin will tell him that he won't be hurting Eren, that Eren is safe, that Isabel and Farlan weren't his fault.

He'll say that Levi's been shouldering the blame for too long, and that his family – the only family he ever had – would want him to be happy.

And Levi will listen, for a time, and forget his guilt, throw away his burdens.

"Come on, old man, we're going out," he says.

Erwin's gaze is assessing, evaluating, but he nods anyway.

Hanji squeals. "Yippeee!"

Maybe for a little while it'll be okay to forget.

A/N:

About the longer chapters...

hahahaha IM SORRY :( I know I'm really late with this one

I'll try harder for the next one, but exams soon

Thanks to everyone who fave/followed/reviewed :)