Silver lining

"This is garbage! I was in there helping them and somehow I'm the bad guy?!" I yelled angrily in front of Darius Zackly and all the other superiors. I don't usually burst out like this, but I hate it when this kind of thing happens.

"Miss Grey, you did threaten to kill the Commander of the Military Police." He cleared.

"You even went on to help the survey corps which you had no jurisdiction in doing so!" Nile added, guess he's still pretty pissed about pointing the gun on his head. Tch, what a bunch of babies.

"What am I supposed to do? Let my friends die?" I said mockingly. I'm really not liking any of this, after everything that happened in Stohess, a titan rampaging to the city, they decide to suspend me?

"Captain Grey, we appreciate what you did. But we asked you to train Eren, that was it. You did overstep in our mission." I heard Erwin's authoritative voice that made my blood boil inside of my body.

"Overstep?" I repeated bitterly. They were the one who asked for my help, and now He's throwing me under the bus?

"Is that what you really think Erwin?" I asked fiercely and not bothering to call him Commander anymore. I glared, waiting for his next words.

He looked me in the eye. "Yes. And I do think you need to be suspended for your actions." Erwin answered.

I stood firmly and backed away from their table. "Fine." I nodded bitterly as I glanced at Erwin, he didn't budge.

If this is how you want to play it Erwin Smith, then I won't stop you.

The superiors breathed deeply once I've calmed down and discussed the terms of my suspension.

"You are not allowed to work on any case or do any bust while you're suspended. You're also not allowed in any Military police grounds, or talk to any of your officers about any case." Darius said and stamped something on his paper.

I exhaled furiously and grabbed his prized glass clock and threw it on his window out of anger.

"Raven!" Erwin raised his voice as the glass window shatters. He glared at mw because of my actions.

Then, I finally lost it.

"You know since day one I've done nothing but help your regiment. I helped Hanji with their weapon, train Eren, I turned my girlfriend in, hell! I was even in your grounds when my station burned in to pieces and this is how you repay me?" I yelled to Erwin's face. This time, he was the one who avoided my gaze as he shakes his head in disbelief.

As if I care what he thinks. He just messed with my job, I don't care if this angers him.

"This is not helping your case Miss Grey." Darius warned.

I ignored them and opened the door and saw everyone waiting for us. I was about to go when I heard Darius called me, again.

"Miss Grey." I turned my head and glared at him.

"You also have to surrender all your weapons." He added to his list.

I closed my eyes and mentally groaned as I marched towards his table and took two guns from the holster on my waist and placed it on his desk, not without making a loud thud.

I was about to turn my back on them when I heard Erwin let out a fake cough.

I exhaled sharply, I took the knives from both of my arm holster, two knives on my thigh, and stomped my foot on the chair and took my boot knife and placed it all on the table.

"What the--" Their eyes widened looking at the weapons that flooded Zackly's desk. And finally, I took the last spare gun that rested on my back holster and threw it on his desk. It didn't bother me, I have a lot more at home.

"Satisfied?" I said sarcastically before pouring Erwin a last glare and stormed out.

"What was that? I heard glass breaking." Hanji asks in a worried tone.

"Yeah, The tension was so high it reached here." Jean asks curiously and looks at me.

"Is everything okay? What happened?" Hanji asked concernedly. I just took a pad that I know they always keep in their pocket and a pen.

"Well let's see, I helped you took down the female titan, and in return I get suspended." I said with a fake enthusiasm tone as I wrote something on their pad.

"I'm sorry, Raven." Mikasa even tried to comfort me.

"What the hell? And Erwin agreed to that?" Hanji asked.

"There must be something behind it. Erwin wouldn't do anything lik--"

"He said I deserved it." I cut Levi off that shocked him. Even Levi didn't know why Erwin would do such thing.

"You're suspended? What about our drug case? We have a bust tomorrow, we need you." Nate said in distress.

"Well thanks to Erwin Smith, you're gonna have to figure that out on your own." I said sarcastically and shook my head in annoyance.

"You fucking help their regiment and this is what you fucking get. I can't even fucking work a single case for a whole fucking month." I muttered to myself in annoyance that made them silent.

"-What are you writing?" Hanji asks just in time I finished.

"Your thunder spear formula." I said and furiously shoved them the pad. I didn't mean to act like this but I was fuelled with too much anger that I have to direct it somewhere.

"Wait you're not gonna do the test with me--"

"That's it." I said sternly as I looked at every one of them.

"I'm done with all of you." I scoffed and marched off while the two Military police tailed behind me, not daring to say anything that will annoy the shit out of me.

I mean it. This is the last straw. I'd protect Christa and focus my mission on the Devil's lair. That's all that matters now.

I shouldn't have tried to be nice to him. Look where that fucking got me.

-

Third person's POV

"I can't believe she just gave me the formula without even making a prototype. That was supposed to be our baby....." Hanji whines sadly while looking at their pad.

"That's creepy, Hanji." Levi says while looking at them weirdly.

"I've never seen her that angry." Jean says to himself that was heard by all of his friends.

"It was scary." Sasha added that made all of them agree since none of them ever saw that side of their friend before.

"Captain, can I ask the reason why Commander Erwin would suspend her?" Eren turned to Levi confusedly.

"Yeah, I mean, she did helped us take down Annie. Why was she punished?" Armin asked as they all stared at the two veterans infront of them.

Hanji and Levi looks at each other at the same time, figuring out what to say to their soldiers. Because even they have no idea why Erwin would suspend Raven.

"Uhmmm, we, Ah," Hanji mumbles trying to think of something.

"It's none of your businesses now get out of here. Take a day off or something." It was the only thing Levi could think of that would get rid of them for a while.

Eren and the others didn't had a chance to say anything since it was an order from their Captain. There was nothing they can do but follow.

"What do you think happened between Erwin and Raven?" Hanji started to wonder. Even them were curious why Erwin would do that, he was the one who spoke so highly of Raven, that's why it is more confusing.

"Did Erwin say anything to you?" Hanji asked to Levi as the both of them walked towards Erwin's office.

"No. But we're gonna find out." He said as he opened the door on Erwin's office without knocking.

The blonde man looks at the two of them in a calm manner as if nothing infuriating happened earlier. Levi looks at him coldly and spoke.

"Erwin.."

"What the hell happened Erwin! We were making real progress with our weaponry and you managed to drive away the one--"

"Hanji, calm down." Levi said cutting them off.

"I know what this is about." Erwin says as he places both his palm on his desk.

"Oh really? Care to share it with us?" Levi said sarcastically.

"There's no easy way to tell you this..." Erwin's tone changed that confuses Hanji.

"Wait Why do you sound so serious, just want to ask about Raven's suspension." Hanji says and adjusted their glasses.

Levi felt that Erwin will finally tell the whole truth, on why he's acting differently towards the girl.

Erwin exhaled sharply before saying his next words. "I know she did help us a lot, even from the military police. And seeing her fight that titan, made me feel something I never felt before."

Levi's eyebrow raised. "Erwin Smith are you inlove with Grey?" He asked in a threatening tone.

"What? That's not what I mean Levi." Erwin glared at him while hearing Hanji's laugh.

"Crap, Levi are you jealous?" They teased.

"Shut up shitty glasses." Levi said until Erwin coughed to get their attention back.

"Sorry, serious talk going on." Hanji apologised.

"I've seen her fight, and it worried me." He said truthfully. Hanji and Levi looks at him, in confused of what Erwin is saying.

"She had the skills, and I'm afraid that if we keep doing this, asking her favors, she'll drain herself until there's nothing left. I don't want that to happen. So yeah, it may sound extreme but I'd rather drive her away and hate me than for her to be in that danger again." Erwin continued. It left the two with much more bigger questions.

"Erwin, there's danger everywhere. Even if she's not helping the survey corps, her job alone is facing criminals." Hanji explains.

"You still didn't tell us why you're that protective of her." Levi cleared.

"Because she's my sister, well, Half-sister." Erwin finally let out the truth. Both Hanji and Levi stares at him in surprise.

"I've heard my dad talk about her. He actually took me to see her but when we were a mile away from her house, he backed out. I don't know why. I just saw her once, but I never knew her name. That's why I immediately recognized her when she first join the training cadets."

"What?! Does she know?" Hanji asked. Erwin just shook his head.

"I don't think so, And I would like to keep it that way. The important thing is she's safe, and faraway from the survey corps as possible." Erwin stated.

"You do realize that she's capable of making her own decisions, right?" Levi said on behalf of Raven.

"Yes, but I don't think she'll go near us after what Erwin did to her." Hanji tells Levi.

"I know. But if she'll distance herself from the survey corps, it should be because of her own decision, not because you manipulated her into hating you so you can keep her safe." He scoffed.

"Levi..." Hanji couldn't believe what they just heard from Levi, and not just them but Erwin too.

Erwin avoided his gaze, feeling a bit guilty. He didn't want to admit this to anyone, Levi was right. But he just want to keep his sister safe. He figured, after all these years of his absence, he owed her that much. Erwin knew about her eversince he was a kid. He wanted to meet her and talk to her, but when his father died, it slipped out of his mind, and his mission was replaced by freeing humanity.

He didn't even know what her life was like before she became a cadet. And that struck a guilt directly to his chest.

"I know you'll make the right choice Erwin. You always do." Levi said before he left.

-

"Okay, when I said 'I was done with all of you', I meant the survey corps. Not you guys." I cleared and kept my fingers on my belt as I looked at all of them, cornering me just as I got out of the room where I was staying.

They're still furious at me after I left the HQ without saying anything to them. Three days later, they're here, at my place.

Jean looks at me while his arm still crossed, they all had the same glare. I just couldn't point my finger at it.

"I didn't abandon you, if that's what you're thinking." I said, trying not to sound too concerned.

"Did you just say you care about us?" Sasha raises her eyebrows suspiciously.

"I did no such thing." I answered.

"Yes she did! Raven, I didn't think you'd care for us like that." Eren said and was about to hug me when Jean stopped him.

"Eren what are you doing, we're still furious at her for storming away from us like that." Jean said and kept a stern expression, Eren backed away and acted angry, again. I rolled my eyes at them.

"You should've talk to us instead of leaving us there thinking you're done with us." Mikasa said in a calm tone.

"Alright, alright. Next time. I will tell you. Happy?" I said plainly, but it painted a smile on their faces.

"Not enough." Jean says.

"Okay, uhm, do you guys want to go eat? I'll pay. " I suggested. Jean was about to say something when Sasha interfered.

"You are a hundred percent forgiven!" She says and jumped to hug me. As usual, I kept my hands in the air not touching her body, but then all of them started getting in for an embrace.

"Oh good lord." I cussed as they all crushed me with their hugs. They couldn't stop laughing.

"Alright! Where are we gonna go?" Connie asks excitedly as we headed downstairs.

Jean silently sneaks up on me and placed his arm around me. I usually am not comfortable with people touching me, but I do give exemptions to people who are extremely close to me, Like Jean. I furrowed my brows at him, I though he was pissed at me.

"What's this? I thought you were angry?" I said sarcastically. He just laughed.

"Nah, the others were just jealous that we've been spending time together every month without them. So I told them to pretend to be angry." He says as we watched all of them rushed to the street vendor outside and stuffed their mouths with food. I didn't think they'd eat this fast. Sasha even waved at me with different kinds of food on both her hands.

"So you did all that just to spend time with me. I don't know if that's manipulative or sweet." I shook my head as I heard him laugh silently.

"They really missed you." Jean says and glances at me. "How's your head?"

Eren suddenly ran past us with Armin and Mikasa, breaking Jean's arm from me in doing so. "Stop yapping and let's eat!"

I just chuckled at their behavior. I didn't know being suspended would have a silver lining like this.

"Eren! Watch were you're going!" Jean yells and Eren just stick out his tongue in return.

"Hey don't you want to eat something?" I asked. He just shrugged.

"I'm not that hungry." He says.

"I'm surprised they picked this place. I was actually gonna take you to the tavern on the other street, they serve potatoes and meat a--"

"Take us to them!" I jumped when Sasha appeared in my face.

"Why would you even bring that up! You know how crazy she gets when it comes to meat!" Connie says while trying to stop Sasha from eating his food too.

"Alright, but first we have to go somewhere." I said and paid for their meals.

I know eating meat is a bit rare, considering the price.

"What where? Away from the food?" Sasha asks concernedly.

"Nope. We gotta have money first." I said as we made our way to a park. But it wasn't a regular park. It's like the ones in my village where civilians would go to play chess.

Just by looking at boards I'm remembering Erwin. I mentally groaned in annoyance. This is not a time to think about cutting him. You're spending time with your friends, forget about him for once.

"What is this place?" Armin asked once we reached the rows of table with painted chessboards on them.

"It's where I get money when I need it." I said as we walked by.

"So, a bank." Jean guesses.

"Nope. It's a chess match." I smiled.

"What? But isn't a bank more convenient?" Eren asks.

"It would if I had any money." I said. Their faces stsrted to get apologetic.

"Raven, you don't have to do this. If you don't have any money we can just eat soup again or bread." Mikasa says.

"Yeah, I mean meat is good but we just want to spend time with you that's all." Sasha says and gave me a warm smile.

"No it's fine, I do this all the time. Just sit back." I said, tapping her shoulder before I went to the table. All of them stood behind me as I sat myself on one of the stool.

"Ey! Cap'n you're back! It's been a while." Vinnie said and shook my hand as he sat on the opposite side.

"Well, I've been busy. "I said casually and arranged the pieces.

"Arlight well I'm sure you'll win this round like always but I'd still love to give it a try. Two minutes." He said and started the clock. Vinnie surely is a talkative hustler.

"I don't understand, what is going on?" I heard Connie asked Armin.

"It's speed chess. Commonly played in parks like this by chess hustlers. And they all play for money." Armin explains as all of them stood behind me and watched us play.

We moved the pieces in a quick pace, the punching of clocks were the only things heard. I was used to playing on my time but the speed surely gives me an adrenaline rush. Our game lasted for exact two minutes, I've won. But I know Vinnie,  he's gonna want to play non stop until he wins. We played for five more rounds of speed chess and the cash on the table on my side have started piling up.

"Holy shit." Jean muttered while watching the fast game of minds.

Once I had enough cash, I finally let Vinnie win. "Yes!!" He stood from his seat and while raising his arms victoriously.

"Congratulations." I said plainly and took the cash I've won. All of us headed out leaving Vinnie there rejoicing his win.

"You let him win didn't you?" Jean guesses with a grin.

"I had to. We have enough money." I said while looking at the cash in hands. Sasha rejoices like Vinnie and energetically jumps as she and Connie went to the meat vendor. I smiled and shook my head.

--

"God I'm so full. I don't think I can eat anymore." Sasha says while holding her stomach. All of us are still in the middle of our meal but Sasha decided to speed up eating her food.

"I'll finish that for you--"

"No!" Sasha yells at Connie while protecting her plate. All of us laughed at both of them when I decided to excuse myself.

"I'll be right back." I said and headed to the other side of the room where the barman was, cleaning the wine glasses.

After everything that happened with Annie and all, I figured I could use a drink. People think I don't care about what happened to her, but honestly, I do. A lot.

I'm not as heartless as they think I am. I did felt bad for manipulating her in to saving me, but like I said, I don't like traitors.

And I'd hate it even more when someone hurts my friends.

"Drinking alone?" I felt a man sat on the stool beside me and ordered a drink.

"Levi?"

--

A/N: Happy 800+ reads! Thank you! I love u all so much. And also, don't forget to vote/comment if you like this chapter💝💝 THANK YOU AGAIN!