Underground (Levi x Reader)

Hate

"Oi, Jaeger." Levi called out to the boy, who was mounted next to me. We both looked in his direction and he raised an eyebrow at us, irritation lacing his voice as he said, "Let's get going already."

We traveled in silence for an hour, until we finally reached the gate into Wall Rose. Jaeger rode forward and waved up at the guards on the wall and they motioned back, disappearing for a few moments to set the gate into motion.

With a loud, creaking, clanging sound, the gate began to raise into the air, giving us enough room within a few moments to ride through and back into the city.

I took in a deep breath of the city air as we entered in through the gate. I had never been happier to smell the scent of tightly packed humans and various food aromas wafting toward me on the breeze than I was in that moment.

We had made it.

A tight hand took a hold of my beating heart at the thought and a large lump suddenly appeared in my throat, making it hard to breathe.

Well, some of us had made it.

I rode through the city, keeping close behind Levi, some of the townspeople stopping in the middle of their business to watch the scouting troop as we wove our horses through the packed streets.

The barracks came into sight and a feeling of dread came into my stomach as we reached the stables, and the cadets jumped down from their horses.

What in the hell was I going to tell Mory?

Miller appeared in front of me, grasping my mare's reins in her hand as she glanced up at me. "I can take your horse, Corporal. I'm sure you have other more pressing things to attend to."

I gave her a slight nod. "Thank you, Miller."

I jumped down from my horse and landed lightly on my feet, as Miller pulled the mare and her mount after her into the shadowed innards of the stables. I waited until she was out of sight before I let out a quiet groan under my breath and bent over slightly, putting a hand to my injured ribs, which were throbbing from the ride back to the city.

I took in a deep breath, wincing slightly as my ribs screamed at the movement, and straightened, just as I heard a voice call out my name from across the commons.

"(F/N)-san! You're back!"

My heart skipped a beat as I glanced over and saw Mory running toward me, her blonde hair streaming out behind her as she ran, a grin lighting up her features, Hange close on her heels.

When the little girl reached me, she threw her arms around my legs and beamed up at me, her cheeks red from the cool evening air. Her blue eyes were like two dark pools in the advancing twilight as she said excitedly, "(F/N)-san! I was worried when you didn't come back! Are you okay?"

I crouched down in front of her, ignoring the protests of my aching ribs, and took her hands in mine, giving her a slight smile as I met her eager gaze. "I'm fine, Mory. Just a little tired is all."

She gripped my hands tightly in her small, warm palms and leaned forward, giving me a soft kiss on my cheek before she pulled back and said, "I'm so glad you're okay. I knew you would be. You're so brave."

I opened my mouth to respond to her, when Levi walked by us, calling out to Hange as he passed me, "Oi, four-eyes." She shot him an exasperated glare and he flicked his fingers to where I was still crouched beside Mory. "(L/N) fell in the woods yesterday. I'm fairly sure she hurt herself, even if she won't admit it. Make sure you take a look at her when you're done here."

I shot a glare at his back as he continued to walk away, back toward headquarters, probably to give his report to Erwin. I was halfway pleased he had remembered I might be injured, but also halfway annoyed that he felt the need to look out for me when he didn't even like me.