Tasteful - Levi x OC (Attack On Titan)

The Reunion

Arden tried to gulp to wet her throat but it was so dry from her trek through the woods that it was like she was swallowing sand. "Water."

The single croaked out word was enough to bring Armin back to his senses. "Yes!" He called, helping to sit her on a large stone that was shaded by the leaves of a tree. He immediately pulled out a leather waterskin from his belt and handed it to her.

Gratefully, Arden took the waterskin, quickly bringing it to her lips and dumping its contents into her mouth. She immediately felt better as the cool liquid ran down her dry throat, allowing her to feel like she could finally breathe. She drank half of the waterskins contents, gulping it down like her life depended on it.

Her legs were aching and her muscles sore. Her back had thankfully healed but she could still feel the phantom pain of every single break and crack. Usually she would be completely unaffected by any of this, but the wound from the changeling had significantly weakened her. Every breath felt like it was stretching and tearing the puncture wounds. Her stomach and back on fire with even the smallest of movements.

She readjusted the green cloak around her torso, making sure that Armin wouldn't be able to see the very blood soaked white shirt underneath.

"Should I get your brother? He's been so worried about you and would want to know you're safe." Armin suggested, his ocean blue eyes full of sympathy as they never left the Team Leader.

Arden shook her head, "No. I want nothing more than to see Kain right now but--" painfully she pushed herself upwards off of the stone, rising to her shaking feet.

"Wait!--" Armin called, frantically reaching out to support her.

"There are Titans approaching and we need to leave." She stated simply, surprising Armin with her confidence as a soldier.

A string of gasps could be heard as the two looked up to see a crowd of soldiers watching them, more specifically Arden. She was truly a sight, covered almost completely from head to toe in mostly dry blood and a blank expression on her face. But she ignored the mutters and gasps, she had to push forward. Armin speaking about Kain meant that he was alive and okay. And because Armin didn't seem absolutely distraught she could guess that Eren was alright too. Now that just left one person.

"Out of the way, brats." And as if fate had planned it, the stoic man himself came pushing through the crowd, his steel grey eyes widening slightly as they finally landed on hers. Steel grey on blood red. And Levi felt like he could finally breathe. Like everything was finally in place and right where he wanted it.

But his heart sank taking in her appearance, she was propped with one arm over Armin's shoulders, her face and uniform stained with blood, a crimson painting of a thousand horrors. But in her eyes, there was relief. And that confused him.

"You--" Levi shook his head, taking slow, limping steps towards her.

Slowly, Arden unhooked her arm from around Armin's shoulders and started approaching Levi. A purposeful stride in her steps as she attempted to hide her slight limp. Blood red orbs never leaving his.

Levi sucked in a breath, his eyes narrowing as he continued to slowly approach her, "What the hell were you thinking?! You abandoned your post and disappeared without a word?! No one could find you! We all thought something happened to you! I thought--" He was cut off by two arms tightly wrapping around his neck as Arden practically collapsed against him.