Shorter Than Me

10 Ecyn

Hanji introduces herself to me. "Hello, I'm Hanji." She has a big smile.

"I'm Ecyn Guiin."

"It's nice to meet you, Ecyn."

"You too."

There's a short, awkward pause before she jumps into what I assume is the real reason she started talking to me. "Isn't this whole thing exciting?"

"I'm actually really scared."

"Don't be. You're surrounded by people here to help you and protect you. And Captain Levi is more than capable of saving your life."

I know he is. I remember the time the captain caught me when I was falling. The memory leads me to think of when I had to catch him, and I shiver at the thought. That was the most awkward thing I've ever had to do. "Yeah."

"And I wouldn't hesitate to kill a titan to save you."

"Thanks."

"I wonder if I could lift a titan. Or if it landed on someone, would they get crushed? How do titans make such a loud sound when they walk if they're so light? Or do they get light when a limb is severed or when they die? I wish we could communicate with them." I can see her wide eyes reflecting the moonlight. I tune her out, mumbling an acknowledgement every few minutes.

"Shut up or I'm going to give you a worse headache than the one I already have." Captain Levi's voice comes from ahead of us.

"He doesn't appreciate my passion to understand all there is to know about titans," Hanji pouts.

"He doesn't really appreciate anything." I'm glad she's stopped talking about titans.

"It's tragic."

I give her a confused glance before remembering she can't see me. "How?"

"His life. Something sad made him this way." She gets an excited tone in her voice. "I really want to know what it is."

"That would be hard to find out."

"I've been trying for years."

Suddenly, the moon slips from behind a cloud for almost two seconds. In that flash of light, I see a glint of moonlight on metal right in front of me. Hanji is flipped upside down and hangs by her legs. Her ankles are held in the firm grasp of someone. I don't see his face but I know it's Captain Levi because of what Hanji screams a second later.

"LEEEEEEEEEVIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!" Her voice echoes and dies away. She screams again, this time from much farther away. "LEVI, LET GO OF ME!!!!" I assume the captain is flying around so fast she can't get her bearings. "I'M TELLING ERWIN!!!!!" More screams of "LEVI!" echo around the forest until one to my left is cut off. The moon comes out again and I see him nearing me from my left. Hanji is next to him. I can't see their expressions very well in this light, but I can hear them.

"-disgusting. When was the last time you ate?" He sounds angry. More angry than usual.

"I got hungry while we were riding!" She also sounds mad.

"You're not supposed to eat food on expeditions."

"You're not supposed to grab people's legs and drag them around a forest for no reason!"

"I had a very good reason."

"What was it?"

"You were annoying."

"And you wonder why I throw up on you!" They move parallel to me, pretty much oblivious to my presence.

"You got my jacket messy."

"Just the sleeve. The cuff of the sleeve."

"It's wet, it's smelly, and worst of all, it's warm."

"Serves you right."

I remember when Captain Levi held me upside down. We had the same boot size. Also, when he let me borrow his cloak, it was the same size as mine. "Captain," I start tentatively.

"What, shortie?" he snaps.

"I-if you want, you could wear my jacket. It's clean and I wouldn't mind the sleeve being a little disgusting." I regret saying anything because of the look he's giving me, but it's already done.

Hanji gasps. "That's very nice of you. Accept it, Levi," she orders.

"Why would I accept the shortie's jacket? It's probably too small."

"But you're both shorties."

"Shut up." He moves away.

"Captain!" I call after him and follow him. I fumble with the clasp at my neck and drape the cloak over my arm. I get out of the jacket and shiver.

"Captain!" I maneuver to be next to him. "Please. In return for when you gave me your cloak."

He seems to ignore me as we pass under the shadow of a tree, but when I can see him clearly again, only five seconds later, his cloak is off. He removes his jacket and hands it to me. I give him mine, and he puts it on quickly. He puts his cloak on as well.

Then he zips away so fast the only thing to hear my whisper is the darkness. "You're welcome."

Awwww. I love Hanji. And Ecyn. Okay, fine. And Levi. This was really fun to write. XD Thanks for reading! There are so many reads!