Sparring practice had always been a favorite of Airi's during her time as a trainee. Nothing gives the same adrenaline rush as trying to sock someone in the face. When she joined the Survey Corps she expected that sparring would be stricken from the laundry list of things to do on base but to her surprise, it was something done at least once a week.

"With all the negativity from the civilians, we need to know how to fight just in case an altercation breaks out," Eld joked with her as they sat around the training yard waiting for the rest of Squad Levi. Gunther rolled his eyes.

"We keep up sparring because we help out the Garrison with patrols every so often," Gunther told her.

"Why? The Garrison has a shit ton of people in their ranks. Why do they need our help?" she asked.

"Around this time a lot of Garrison soldiers transfer to the Military Police so they're short-staffed. At least, they have less people than usual and need to adjust slowly," Eld said. "Although if you ask me, it's just to make sure we have a strong bond with other military branches and not really helping them out."

"Well, you're not wrong," Captain Levi interjected as he approached his squad, Petra and Eren trailing behind him. "Sorry for the wait, Hange kept us later than we originally planned. Let's go ahead and get started. I'll be sparring with Petra and Oluo today. Everyone else, split up into groups." Naturally, Eld and Gunther picked each other and immediately started started exchanging blows. Airi glanced over to Eren. Although he had just gotten out of titan training, he seemed to be fine. Awesome, no holding back, she thought.

"Are you ready to get your ass kicked, Eren?" she teased him as she pulled a wooden knife from her belt, flashing him a grin. He smirked and put his fists up.

"I should ask you the same question," he said. His leg swung at her, but she'd sparred with him before. She knew his moves. Airi quickly stepped out of the way and kicked his leg out from under him, sending him to the ground. He coughed, brushing the dirt off of his shirt. "You could have at least let the match last longer than a few seconds," he complained. She laughed and sat on the ground with him, fingers ruffling his chocolate hair.

"If I did that, you wouldn't learn. As your older and wiser friend, I need to teach you that you can't repeat moves with people who know your moves well. Not to mention I'm older and my instincts are more honed than yours," she said affectionately.

"Really, Himura? You're going to spew that crap?" Airi and Eren looked over to see Levi glaring at them disdainfully. Both Oluo and Petra were on the ground in front of him, clutching their stomachs. Clearly, Levi hadn't spared them.

"Well it's true!" she replied defensively.

"No, it's not. It's bullshit. Age doesn't have anything to do with sparring skills," he said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"I'd beg to differ. The older you are, the more experience you have. It's just plain logic that someone who's older is more experienced at fighting," she explained. Is he trying to start a fight?

"I don't like what you're implying. How about we settle this? You're sparring with me," he said.

"I'm not going to spar with you. Hell no," she said, putting her hands on her hips.

"What, are you afraid of getting your ass kicked?" Levi taunted her. Bastard. She gritted her teeth and gave him a cold glare.

"I'm not afraid of anything," she retorted.

"Good to know," he commented. "Then spar with me."

"No!"

"Captain, Airi, let's settle down. Let's talk this through." Petra was in between them, looking at them both pleadingly.

"Stand down, Petra," Levi ordered her quietly. She gave him a sad look but obeyed, stepping back and standing with Eren. "Himura, how about this: if you beat me, you don't have to do chores for a week. If you lose, you do chores and you have to help me file all the expedition paperwork." Airi gave him a dirty look. Sparring with him wasn't something she wanted to do. She'd seen the way he'd taken down anyone he sparred with. But there was a lot to gain and lose. If she didn't fight, she'd be submitting to him and like hell she was going to back down. And if she fought him and won, she wouldn't have to deal with his stupid cleaning assignments.

"Fine," she spat at him. "I'll spar with you." He smirked and took a wooden knife out of his pocket, a dangerous and smug light shining in his eyes. I have to knock him down a peg. I'll never hear the end of it if I don't. It's time to take down Captain Levi, she thought.

Faster than the wind, he lunged towards her. A mistake. Airi sidestepped him and went to punch him straight in the back. He turned around, his fist coming into contact with her face with a hard crack and a sharper pain spurring through her nerves. His fingers grabbed her wrist and threw her onto the ground and before she could land any kind of hit he was on top of her, wooden knife pressing into the hollow of her neck. Airi could feel his legs between hers and his arm was right beside her ear, caging her against the ground. And although she knew how incredibly inappropriate it was, she couldn't help but think of how this position wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't outside, he hadn't punched her, and his knife not digging into her skin.

"Ugh!" she spat, hands roughly pushing him off of her. Her blood was boiling under her skin and she knew her face was red from embarrassment.

"I hope you learned your lesson. And that you like paperwork," Levi said smugly, getting to his feet.

"Whatever. I'm going to go get this cleaned up," she retorted and before he could say anything she was gone, hurrying towards the castle. Hell no. Hell fucking no. I can't believe I lost! I can't believe I have to do that asshole's paperwork and I can't believe I fucking thought about that during our fight. I'm going to hell. I'm so going to hell now.