Chagara - Chaos in the Darkness (Levi x OC Fanfic / AttackOnTitan)

60. "I'm here, Bird!"

Walter left a dripping trail on the way to the common room. Despite the downpour, they had continued to train. As so often in the last few days. Wet uniforms hung everywhere in the headquarters of the Scout Regiment. Over clotheslines tied from bed to bed, over benches and chairs in the corridors and even in the washrooms, shirts, panties, socks and uniform trousers hung from the towel rails. Walter himself only had one dry underpants and one shirt left. In this outfit, he opened the door to the common room. His last hope: There was dry firewood again, so that this room was warm and he could dry the clothes he had brought with him and warm himself up. "Or will I actually have to train in a wet uniform tomorrow?" He exhaled with relief as he saw a flicker in the fireplace and felt the warmth. "I wonder if the roof of the firewood storeroom has been repaired as well," the young soldier pondered, pausing in his movement. Only soldiers from Peter's former team were sitting in the common room. Was he interrupting? Did they have something to discuss? Was he allowed to be here?

"Walter," Ron said. He was playing cards with some comrades. "Come in and close the door. It' s getting cold."

The boy obeyed and headed for the fireplace. But when he saw Chagara sitting at one of the tables, he stopped again. He was standing in his underwear in front of his female team leader. So far, only his mother and younger sister had seen him so scantily clad.

"Don't panic, boy," Tim said, who seemed to have guessed his thought. "Chagara is used to worse. She even had to save Steve's naked butt once on a mission. His trousers had burst. And the Titans seemed to think he was a real treat. Three of them ran after him drooling."

"Hey!," grumbled Steve, putting down his pen. "The pants were old and all worn out already." But his words were barely audible over the resounding laughter. Chagara herself was not interested in the boys. She looked out into the pouring rain with a worried expression, drumming her fingers against her cup of chamomile tea. "If she doesn't have a problem with it, I guess I can stay here,"  Walter thought and looked for a free spot for his wet clothes, because his older comrades were also using the fireplace to dry their uniforms. The clotheslines were full and the first row of chairs was also completely covered. As he was about to spread his clothes over a chair in the second row, Louis offered him a cup of tea.

The boy looked up to his elderly comrade. "Thank you." With raised eyebrows, he watched as Louis sat back down at the table and - like Tim - darned a sock. "Why is none of them sitting in one of the armchairs?," he wondered, yawning as he let himself fall into the pillows.

Peter's former team members always stood out. If trainings were extended, they did not grumble. If the trainings went on despite the rain, they didn't even wince. If they had to run ten laps or more around the training ground with full equipment, they had already completed one lap, while other soldiers were still trying to negotiate with their team leaders. They were more disciplined, usually stronger and fitter, and at a higher level in combat. And yet none of them were arrogant or inapproachable. Walter liked them.

The door opened and Gustav came in with his arms full of wood. Walter frowned. "Are those ...?" Yes, the single chair leg Finn carried under his arm confirmed his suspicion.

"Which one of you is actually going to explain to Erwin that you burnt furniture from the Scout Regiment?," asked Peter calmly, cutting a thread. He was sewing buttons on a shirt.

"Steve," Finn explained briefly.

"What?" Again the doctor dropped his pen. "That was Ron's idea."

"Yeah," Ron agreed, tossing a card into the middle of the table. "It was my idea. But that doesn't mean one of you has to carry it out."

"Unlike us, the Commander can't rip your head off," Gustav began.

"Exactly. You're a doctor. Commander Erwin needs you," Finn added, throwing a wooden leg into the fire. "Ordinary soldiers like us are easily replaceable."