Elena was midway through [i]’The Growing Season of Wheat’[/i] chapter of her textbook when she heard her fellow scouts at the table heatedly discussing who they thought was the strongest amongst the Survey Corps. “It’s obviously Mikasa,” said one of the newer members, a boy named Jean. Some people had taken to calling him, ‘Horse-Face’ which Elena thought was a mean but strangely accurate moniker. 

“N-No,” answered Sasha, struggling to get the words out around a mouthful of food. The handprint on her cheek still bloomed red against her olive skin. “It’s Captain Levi. Everyone knows that.”

“I think it’s Sara,” added Mark. At the mention of the white haired woman Elena couldn’t help but perk up, abandoning her book completely in order to invest her full attention to the conversation. “You should have seen her at Trost. She cut through those titans like they were nothing!” he exclaimed. 

“She looked like an Angel,” Elena said to herself, but the others at the table seemed to have overheard her. They all stopped talking and stared directly at the redhead, causing her to face to heat up in embarrassment. “I just mean, um, the way she flew the air and stuff. And, y’know, her hair is white and it looks like a halo almost, when the light hits it.”

There was silence at the table while everyone continued to stare. Then Jean’s lips turned up slowly into a smirk that could only be described as mischievous. “You got the hots for Reinhardt, Elena?”

“W-What? N-No!” the redhead stuttered out, face flushing full on crimson at this point. “I only meant that--well, when she was using her omni-directional gear it looked like she was flying, like really soaring, and it was prett--,” Elena cut herself off when she realized she was only making it worse, her teeth clinking together audibly as she shut her mouth.

“Sure, Sure,” said Jean, sly smirk still ever present. “Reinhardt and Ral, sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-I~” the other scout sang, only to be interrupted by Elena lurching across the table and slapping her hand over his mouth to shush him.

“Shut up!” she hissed, glancing around wildly to make sure no one heard him. Jean chuckled before pushing her back, raising his hands in surrender.

“Alright then, Red, prove me wrong,” he challenged, pointing across the mess hall to where Sara was nursing her own cup of tea. “Why don’t you go talk to her? If you can make it ten minutes without blushing then I’ll admit I was wrong and take your next bathroom cleaning assignment. What do you say?”

Well, honestly, who could turn down a chance to get out of latrine duty?

“You’ve got a deal,” Elena replied with conviction, slapping her hand against the other scout’s outstretched one. As she pushed her chair away from the table and stood up, however, Elena could feel her heart beating faster than before. [i]’Calm down,’[/i] the girl told herself as she crossed the room to where Sara was seated alone at her table. [i]’What’s the worst that could happen?’[/i]

“Hello,” Elena said in a surprising even voice when she finally reached her destination. Thh redhead could smell the dark, soothing notes of the other girl’s tea. “Do you mind if I sit with you, ma’am?”