Jean and Armin were working together to lay the cloth-covered corpses of their fallen comrades onto the wagons. They would be taken back to the Wall where they could be properly buried and have a send off with their families.
Everyone was defeated. Their faith in the Survey Corps dwindling after almost half their forces had been wiped out in a matter of hours.
"This is the part of our job I'll never get used to." Jean mumbled, his eyes glossing over as they scanned the countless limp bodies.
Armin agreed, he too wearing a solemn expression, "You're not alone in that."
"Seems like death's just everywhere. All I can think about is how it'll end. Which one of us is next and whether it'll be me." Jean admitted.
But Armin wouldn't let him plague his mind with such terrifying thoughts, "Try not to obsess over it. Only thing that train of thought's good for is breaking your nerve. Belive me." He smiled gently, hoping to give the taller boy some comfort. "Push it out of your mind."
"I s'pose you're right." Jean responded before taking a moment to really think over Armin's words. With a sigh, Jean agreed, "Nah, I know you're right."
Armin's smile softened as he walked over to the end of the wagon to help Jean lift the body. But as he bent down, something in the close distance caught his eye and he halted his movements.
"Armin? Hey, help me lift this." Jean furrowed his eyebrows, noticing the concentrated, distant expression on the blondes face.
Armin squinted his eyes, trying harder to focus on the figure walking towards them. But that's when he noticed it was less of a walk and more of a stagger. Their legs tiredly dragging underneath them as they almost limped closer. That's when the unmistakable green of the Scouts cloak came into view along with a head of long, messy raven hair. "Oh, god..." Armin gasped, the words spilling breathlessly from his lips as his eyes widened in shock.
"Armin?" Jean questioned more sternly, "What the hell's gotten in to--" but Jean too froze, his eyes widening even more than he thought possible as he turned to the direction Armin was staring in.
"Is-- is that?" Jean asked incredulously, tilting his head as he squinted his eyes to see better under the blazing sun.
"Get the Captain and the Commander." Armin orderd as he quickly jumped down from the wagon and already started making his way over to the figure.
Jean slowly nodded his head, still not believing what his eyes were showing him. "Uh-huh. Yep." Before quickly jumping down and sprinting off to find Levi and Erwin.
Armin jogged closer, the unmistakable blood red eyes coming into view as he neared her. "Team leader?" He called worriedly, noticing the way she swayed slightly.
Arden looked up, her chest rising and falling quicker than it should've as she parted her dry lips, "Armin?" She managed to croak out, blood red orbs landing on the blurry outline of a bandaged blonde head. She was happy to see he was alright, despite being injured.
Waisting no time Armin raced up to her, carefully grabbing her arm and wrapping it around his shoulder as he supported her to the camp. Eyes widened like saucers as he took in her blood soaked appearance, her once glossy raven hair was now painted in streaks of marroon. Splatters and smears were etched onto her face and her uniform was now red, not green. "Team leader, are you okay? What happened? Everyone said you disappeared and we couldn't find you?" The questions worriedly poured from his mouth as he tightened his grip to support her.
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.
All the watching soldiers gasped, waiting for the moment Arden would be punished for touching the Captain.
But Levi stood there stunned for a few seconds, his mouth slightly agape as his eyes blinked rapidly. He couldn't tell if it was real, if he was just hallucinating having her so close to him or if it was really happening.
But as a sigh of relief left her lips, her face nuzzling into the crook of his neck as her warm breath fanned his skin, he knew it was real. He knew it was her.
So he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body as close to his as he could. The warmth of her body pressed against his heated his cool skin. He didn't want to let go. He wouldn't. In that moment, he didnt care about the surprised, curious stares of the Scouts, he just cared about her. Levi rested his cheek ontop of her head, feeling the dry crunch of blood from her soaked hair. But even through the stale, metallic scent of blood he could still smell her citrus shampoo, and it was like ecstasy.
"You're here..." He whispered breathlessly, still not entirely sure if he was just hallucinating her or not.
"And you're okay." She whispered back, her breath causing goosebumps to rise on his neck. The relief swelling in her chest filled her with happiness, the people she was worried about were safe. The demon hadn't got to them. And being in Levi's arms felt like all her worries could melt away. There was no guilt for making her brother feel scared of her, no despair from the deaths of her friends and comrades and the burn of her wounds had faded away. It was like by just being there, Levi had healed her.
Levi scoffed humorously, "Why wouldn't I be okay? I should be saying that to you, brat."
For the first time in days, Arden smiled. And Levi could feel the rise of her lips on his skin, causing a small smile of his own to creep on the corners of his mouth as he held her tighter.
He readjusted his grip, holding her comfortably but still pressed against him as he peered over her back and down at her burst gas cannisters. The metal completely indented and then a cracked, gaping hole. He furrowed his brows as he asked, "What the hell happened to your cannisters?"
"I must've hit my head and got dizzy. Lost control and hit a tree. Then I think I blacked out." She whispered, lying easily despite the guilt that rose with every word. Sure she wasn't completely lying, she did hit a tree and blacked out, but she couldn't tell him about the changeling or her no matter how much she wanted to.
"You blacked out?" Levi asked incredulously, pulling apart just enough to see her face.
Arden's eyes were closed as she continued to rest the side of her head on Levi's shoulder. "Yes... When I woke up I walked here." She whispered.
"You walked?" Levi repeated, the concern starting to rise in his stoic voice.
Arden nodded her head before pulling away from the embrace, much to Levi's disappointment, "And luckily I managed to sneak by the Titans but it won't be long until their on our assess. We need to move." With that, her expression blanked as she walked around Levi, ready to find a horse to start the journey back to the Wall. All of the soldiers had also started to find their horses or climb into the wagons, they were preparing to leave.
But just as she passed him, Levi gently grabbed her wrist, spinning her back around and pulling her a step closer to him, "Arden." He called softly, brows furrowed slightly upwards as he brought his hand to her head, softly stroking her hairline before bringing it down and caressing her cheek. His steel grey eyes scanning worriedly for any wounds. But all he saw was blood, dried and crusted across her perfect, porcelain skin.
Realising what he was doing, Arden looked down and gulped, a bitter expression on her face, "It's not mine..." She whispered somberly, eyes fixated on the ground below.
Levi stopped and rested his hand on her cheek, his face softening as he understood what she meant. "There was a soldier... and I didn't get there fast enough..."
The scene of the changeling ripping the soldier apart flashed before her eyes. His wide, frightened eyes haunting her memory. She imagined them as the eyes of her friends, her family. What she would've done and felt had the changeling gone after someone she cared about. But the changeling was only following orders. The real enemy was the greater demon who was taunting her. A greater demon powerful enough to conceal its minions presence from her. That left her on edge, worried, paranoid.
When Levi gently grabbed under her chin and tilted his head so their eyes met, Arden woke from her thoughts. And instead all she could see was him. And it was like nothing could hurt her, like by just being with her, Levi could rid her of her worries.
"You did everything you could." He whispered, his eyes gazing into hers as he comforted her.
He kept his hand there, thumb rubbing gentle, smooth circles across her chin. Levi glanced down, his eyes landing on her pink, slightly dry lips and he wondered how soft they'd feel if he ran his thumb over them.
As if in a trance, Arden also glanced down, Levi's lips filling her vision. Heart pounding faster as the breath hitched in her throat. It felt like her stomach was doing flips. And it all just intensified when Levi tilted his head, steel grey gaze still fixated on her lips. It was a gentle yet dominant gaze, one that sent flutters throughout her whole body.
She felt lightheaded as she unconsciously leaned a little closer, every inch of her screaming to just edge that tiny bit more forward. Whole body tingling with anticipation.
But she swiftly leaned back, gulping as her eyes fluttered open and close numerous times to wake herself from the trance. Titans could be ontop of them any second and she was too busy doing... whatever she was doing with the Captain. She couldnt get distracted.
"We should get going." She said quickly, blood red orbs taking one last glance at Levi's lips before meeting his eyes.
Levi nodded, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes that he swiftly blinked away. He too seemed slightly surprised as he cleared his throat before the two walked off side by side.
As she glanced over at him, she noticed the slight limp in his walk as he kept his stoic expression. Her brows furrowed, "What happened to your foot?" She asked, her tone clearly worried.
Levi turned to her with a brow raised and a small smirk tugging at his lips, "Why? Are you worried?"
"Yes. Now tell me what happened." She instantly responded without having to think about her answer.
Levi's smirk grew as he internally chuckled. Watching Arden with her hands ready to grab him and support him was something he found adorable. "I sprained my ankle when Mikasa and I saved Eren. It's fine, don't worry about it." He assured her.
But Arden didn't look convinced, biting her bottom lip softly as she stared worried. He had to tear his eyes away from her lips to stop himself staring.
"How is he?" She asked referring to Eren, knowing that Levi wouldn't let her press on about his sprained ankle.
"He's fine. Unconscious, but fine. He's one tough little bastard." He told her before reaching his horse and grabbing its reigns.
Arden nodded, feeling relieved that Eren was okay. She was going to ask Mikasa and Levi to give her more details about what happened when they were back at base. But right now she knew that the remainder of the platoon had to get away from that forest.
She watched as Levi gently stroked his horses snout, the ashen horse neighing in satisfaction at its owners gesture. But the trot of hooves behind her caught her attention. And as she turned around, she whinced at the pressure on the wound, but she made sure that her face showed no signs of pain.
There sat ontop of a tawny brown horse was Commander Erwin, a comforted glint in his icy, ocean blue eyes when he finally saw his long term friend. "Arden." He called softly, as big a smile as he could muster during the hard time of the expedition, "It's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back, Erwin." She responded, a smile on her dry lips as her eyes softened. Erwin nodded his head at her, a simple yet powerful gesture, one that she returned.
With another small upturn of his lips, Erwin glanced back at Arden before trotting his horse to the front of the platoon. Suddenly, another familiar horse cantered into view, its nostrils flaring in excitement as it almost charged at her.
"Zazel." She said fondly, a big toothy grin on her face as the horse neighed happily before nuzzling its snout into the palm of her hand. "It's good to see you, boy." She whispered to the horse, gently pressing her lips to his soft fur.
A familiar, gruff voice sounded from behind the horse and instantly Arden found her smile widened. "So, disappeared without a word for a few hours and the horse gets the first 'hello'." There was a mocking yet happy tone to the voice as an abnormally tall man walked into view. His light brown hair blowing slightly in the wind as a smirk tugged at his lips.
"Well, I've always preferred Zazel over you." Arden teased back lightheartedly.
Carlisle huffed but couldn't hide his smile. He was just happy to have his friend back. "Get over here." He gestured with his head for her to go to him, his arms spread wide.
She didn't waste a moment, walking over to him and wrapping her arms around his waist as she hugged her childhood friend: the man she considered a brother.
Carlisle sighed, peering down at the top of her head as he was almost twice the height of her, "You're one crazy bastard, you know that? I should've known Kain got it from you." His hand comfortingky rubbing her shoulder.
"How is he?" She asked breathlessly, pulling away from the hug but keeping a hold of his wrists.
Carlisle looked down, raising his brows as a humourless chuckle left his lips, "Losing his shit. He knows he'd never lose you but he still worries. He'll be okay, though."
She nodded her head, giving his wrists a gentle squeeze before letting them go. Zazel pushed his head against her back, lightly nudging her as she playfully rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I'm here." Stroking the horses nose.
"He came straight to me when we rode out of the forest. Horse is pretty smart." Carlilse added, reaching over and giving Zazel a firm pat to his shoulder.
But when he looked down to Arden, his cerulean blue eyes widened like saucers. A look of horror crossed his face as a short, breathless gasp escaped his agape mouth. When she reached for her horse, her cape had unwrapped itself from her body, her blood soaked shirt revealing itself to Carlisle. The once pristine white was now soaked in a thick, dripping layer of crimson red. The center turning a charcoal black from the 5 puncture wounds.
Swiftly, she pulled the cloak back around her, readjusting it so it wouldn't move again. Her expression suddenly blankened, as her tone was a hushed, serious whisper, "We need to talk when we get back to base. All of us."
With his eyes still wide, Carlisle slowly nodded his head. Mind spiralling with a thousand thoughts and worries, he'd never seen Arden bleed so much and that worried him. Just what the hell happened out there? He thought.
"Come on, we gotta go." Levi suddenly called out to the two, mounting the horse as comfortably as he could with his sprained ankle.
With one last serious glance at Carlisle, she nodded a single nod of her head. A simple gesture that spoke many words: don't mention this to anyone, I'm alright, we need to talk. And Carlisle understood.
His horrified expression quickly faded and he returned the gesture, cerulean blue eyes narrowing as he saluted his friend and Team Leader, and then his Captain. Before turning and walking to join the rest of the Elite Squad.
Arden mounted Zazel, biting down harshly on her tongue to stop herself from letting out a pained groan. She couldnt let Levi find out she was injured or anyone who wasn't her Squad. Afterall, with a wound like that she should be dead. And how would she be able to explain it in a few days when it miraculously heals as if it were never there?
"Survey Corps!" Erwin's booming voice commanded, "Return to Wall Rose!"
~•~