Chapter 16: bad beginnings

1.4K 35 15
                                    


The clearing was beautiful, the air was clean and everyone was quiet. My ideal expedition.

"Alright, this is where me and Hanji will be staying. It's the center of the woods so we should be easy enough to find." Hanji hopped off of her horse and tied his reins to a tree before taking off her giant backpack with a great sigh.

"Alright, moving on..." i called and we rode a little north to another smaller clearing.

"Levi, Eren, Mikasa and Armin. This is where you'll stay." We travelled to different clearings until all groups were situated.

I was all too happy to get back to mine and Hanji's camp. She already had her tent up by the time i got back. I dismounted and tied my horse to a tree before getting to work on my tent. 

Levi hadn't put up a fight, surprisingly. I stuck him with his least favourite cadets.

"Who do you think will fail first?" Hanji chuckled and looked up from the fire.

"connie, or sasha, as much as i'd like short stack to fail first, it's bound to be them." 

Once I was finished with my tent, I took a seat at the fire with her.

A cheshire grin filled her face as she looked at me.

"So, you saw Levi nak-"

"Nope!" She laughed as my face grew hot.

"Erwin said so! If he said it then it's true!"

"Damn it Erwin." I muttered and she giggled quietly to herself.

"It must have been weird since you like him~"

"Woah! Easy there, no way. No way in hell. I didn't even really remember him until I came back."

"You keep telling yourself that." She winked and flopped onto her back.

"Aaaah! Jean! Jean! Get it!" I jumped to my feet and Hanji sat up.

"I didn't expect this so early." I mused as more screams erupted to the west of us.

Jean, Reiner, Connie and Sasha.

I took off in a sprint through the woods jumping over logs and stumps in the process.

I entered their clearing and stopped dead in my tracks.

Reiner was lying on the floor with Jean wacking him on the back with a stick.

"What's going on? I heard a scream."

"Reiner caught fire, it's okay now though. I've got it!"

"See! We're surviving!" Sasha yelled from her seat where she was munching on blueberries and enjoying the show.

I sighed and turned. Well, better safe than sorry, right?

"Okay, be more careful around the fire next time."  I smiled slightly and made my way back to Hanji.

"We have to eliminate anyone?" She questioned with an excited glint in her eyes.

"Nope, Reiner accidentally set himself alight. Jean made sure to beat it out of his clothes." She seemed rather disappointed and stretched her arms behind her head.

"Looks like i'm giving Erwin some of my bread." She yawned.

"I'll keep watch for the first three hours." I offered and she nodded heading for her tent.

"Don't hesitate to wake me up if someone poisons themselves~" i chuckled.

"Shows how much faith you have."

"They failed the test, that's why they're here!" She chuckled disappearing into her tent.

"Psst." I rolled my eyes and pointedly ignored the voice and instead flipped through my foraging notebook.

"Oi" he called and I sighed.

"I'm not helping you Levi. You're here for a reason. Go back to your camp before I give you a strike."

"I'm not a dumb brat, I'm older than you."

"You seem to forget who's in charge of this whole thing. I can easily mark you-"

"I'm not here to argue."

"Oh?" I closed the book and faced him "who are you and what have you done to Levi ackerman?"

"I'm here to ask you move me." I snorted.

"Oh, you're here to complain. Thank Maria, i thought something happened to you." He sighed, probably rolling his eyes.

"So funny" i laughed at his sarcasm and he huffed.

"Seriously, Levi, you need to go back."

"Walk with me?" I sighed and stood.

"You afraid of the dark?" I questioned as we walked beside each other.

"No. I just miss intellectual conversation."

"So I'm smart now?"

"I want to talk to you."

"So direct." I joked but he just hummed. I rose a brow and tripped over the fallen tree.

"You're an idiot. You okay?" He chuckled and held out a hand, I took it gingerly and he hoisted me up.

Instantly, I let go if his hand. He let out a small noise of complaint but didn't try anything.

"Why do we have to have a corporal in our camp?! I mean he's so stoic and bossy-"

"Oi jaeger shit. You should be grateful your asses have me here because I can actually fucking read and i have my shit together. So if anything, i should be pissed to be stuck with an immature prick like you." I bit my lip and Mikasa stood.

"Oh for marias sake sit down you overprotective flake of a poodle." He grumbled and headed for a tent.

I rolled my eyes and headed back in time to switch shifts with Hanji.

The change from a bed to the floor was a strangely welcome change. It reminded me of my time beyond the walls. I slowly felt myself drift off.

*flashback*

I screamed as i landed hard on the ground with a bunch of apples landing around me.

"Wow, can't even keep qui-" i was interrupted with the thought of a Titan stomping over. I grabbed the apples and ran to my small hiding spot deeper into the woods.

I sighed and crawled into the burrow to find my old saddle and cape serving as a pillow and blanket. Not the most comfortable but it works. I set down my apples wrapped into my jacket before dropping to the floor.

"Some survivor i am. I don't even remember why I'm even here."

I sighed and grabbed my water satchel and took a sip whilst contemplating my past.

Maybe I was exhiled from somewhere? Maybe I got lost? What if this is a secret mission that I suddenly forgot?

I sat up to being shook awake.

"Y/n, it's urgent. You need to take Sasha to the infirmary." My eyes snapped open and I left my tent with Hanji to find Conny clutching the red sweaty potato girl.

"We- we thought they were black berries!" Working on autopilot, i lifted connie onto my horse before untying his reigns and mounting the saddle.

"I'll be back as soon as possible. Thankfully it isn't too serious. Read about the berries before you eat them." I warned and held onto Sasha and rode off to HQ.

Maybe this exersize wasn't suited to those who's first thought is food.

The Saviour (levi ackerman x reader) Where stories live. Discover now