-Kaisa-
"Eren!" I scream from atop of a hill.
Hanji is pushing him too far this time and I am not going to let the poor kid suffer through another one of her chaotic and painful experiments. I rush towards the titan that is laying on the ground, steam coming out of it. I use my ODM gear to get closer to the exhausted cadet and hear Hanji scream from underneath me.
"Kaisa! Don't do it! We can maybe figure out something more if we just let him sit there for a while!" She tries to convince me.
"Are you fucking crazy, four-eyes?! This is a child! You're going too far and I'm making the executive decision to get him out of here." I yell at her. It's rare that I ever use my status to overrule other decisions, but I can't just stay silent on the sidelines watching Eren suffer so extremely for humanity.
I run up the side of his arms and the heat underneath me slightly stings but I ignore it, running up to the large titan's nape. I place my hands on the back of his neck and feel for the perfect place to slice him out of there with non-invasive injuries. After pinpointing the location, I carefully slide my blade into the steaming flesh, slowly carving Eren out of his titan body, linking my arms with his while pulling him out. He's sweating profusely and his face is still, probably exhausted from all of the hard work he's put in working with Hanji and her crazy stunts.
I tug our bodies backwards a bit further, letting the both of us slump on top of the decomposing titan body, him resting against my chest. I hear footsteps approaching from the same arm I just climbed so I pull Eren closer to my chest while withdrawing a blade with my free hand.
"Don't. Don't come any closer or I won't hesitate to hurt you." I seethe with anger.
"Kaisa, you know we need this information in order to win. You want to win, don't you?" Hanji sighs.
"I don't give a single fuck about winning if it means putting an underage boy through hell and back. Look at him! He's been doing this day after day willingly just to help humanity. Don't forget that he's human too, he needs to rest properly!" I chastise.
"Eren will not be doing anymore tests for the rest of the day." I command.
"But Kais-"
"No. This is inhumane. This is barbaric, we are better than this, we will not stoop down to that level as long as I'm here." I scold. "The second we start treating each other like this is the day we are no better then those hideous bastards." I sneer. I bunch up part of my long sleeve in my hand, gently wiping off the residue of blood on Eren's face.
"Also, clean the mess you made earlier today, a special message from our favourite clean freak." I throw another jab at Hanji.
Eren continues to rest silently against me as I hold his body weight up away from the crackhead scientist. I'm so sorry, Eren, I think to myself. If I knew this was going to be the way they were going to treat him, I would have fought to ensure better precautions than whatever they have going on here. I place the young cadet down on his side before laying next to him, grabbing an arm and a leg to wrap around my back as I push up to be on my hands and knees. Here, I wrap the other arm and leg around my waist and neck before standing up, carrying him on my back as I shove past Hanji and the other soldiers back to the castle. I can feel his shallow breathing against my neck and my heart hurts for the poor kid—he's doing everything he can to figure out more things about his power but, at what cost?
The sun's heat beats down on us and Eren's body weight isn't helping my fatigue at all. The fields have a slight incline with no designated path, but with plenty of flowers and greenery instead. I recognize a lavender coloured flower hiding between the large grass next to the dense grass we used as a trail, and decide to pick it up since its appearance seemed familiar; it wouldn't hurt to bring something back.
I open the door to the building and carry the cadet downstairs towards the basement where he's been sleeping in case anything dangerous happens. I don't really see the need for it anymore, but it was one of the conditions that needed to be met in order to keep Eren alive and away from the Military Police. The stairs creak underneath our weight, but what scares me more is the darkness which consumes the room. I'm not scared of the dark, but this is just plain creepy.
I light a match next to the candles inside of the room and bring vision to eerie room while opening the blinds, letting the windows bring in the natural bright light from outside. The room feels more comforting and welcome now that I can actually see where I'm going.
I adjust Eren's slumped posture over my body, trying to get a good grip on him before reaching into the inside of my jacket to pull out a set of keys. I place the designated key into the keylock to Eren's cell, or bedroom, and slide the bars to the side, letting the both of us through. I walk over to Eren's large bed and sit down on it before slowly untangling his limbs from my body. I still hold on to one hand before turning around, holding the back of his head carefully and lay his body down softly against the mattress. His body sinks into the soft bedding underneath him, and I place the back of my hand on his head, feeling his temperature.
I sigh and decide to head back upstairs to grab some items to bring down to help Eren heal faster. The past four days have been quite impactful on me, and I'm starting to see him as what I guess people would call a younger sibling. I don't know what it is, but, the kid is so compelling—something about Eren drew me to him. In a weird way, he inspires me to be more than what I am, and his unwavering, unconditional trust in my abilities is incredible. t was just too much to see him put himself through so much strain for the betterment of everyone else, so, I guess for the rest of today, I'm taking care of the cadet.
"Hey, Cap!" A familiar voice calls out behind me.
"Hi Eld! You don't need to call me that when we're at home, yenno?" I gleam at the tall blonde next to me.
"A woman like you deserves the respect she's earned." He smiles softly down at me. I can feel my cheeks burn up at his smooth comment and he lets out a small chuckle.
"You're so cute when you blush, did you know that?" He compliments.
I'm still trying to comprehend the words before I smirk slightly and give him a slight push, going back to preparing some tea for Eren downstairs.
"You're such a jokester, Eld!" I giggle, grabbing a cloth from the cabinet.
"Hey, I'm just telling you how it is." He puts his arms up in defense before leaning back on the counter, both hands resting on the edge. I give him a side glance before shaking my head, letting another laugh slip. I turn on the faucet and let the water run to get colder before letting the liquid pour into the bowl.
"Who's the special treatment for, hmm?" Eld leans over my shoulder.
"Oh-uh, this? It's for Eren. Hanji went too far today in training and the poor kid is knocked out in his bed now." I clench the cloth in my hand before shoving it into the bowl.
"She's always pushing the boundaries whenever she can. I'm surprised Levi hasn't killed her yet especially since he has to be around her all the time." He snickers.
We share a few more laughs about random things before the tea is made and ready to take downstairs. Eld accompanies me to the basement door before placing a hand on my head, giving my hair a light ruffle which draws a pout from me.
"Must you do this every time?" I complain, looking up at him through my eyelashes.
He leans down slightly and brushes the hair covering the front of my face out from my vision back to behind my ear and quietly responds.
"Sorry, I can't help it when you look at me like that." He effortlessly breathes.
My face blushes at the sudden acts and words of affection coming from the second in command after Levi in the special operations squad. I look up at him with a surprised look and he laughs pulling back when I hear Levi call from above.
"Eld—don't you have something better to do than annoy Kaisa?" He stands stoically at the top of the stairs.
"I wouldn't say that I was annoying her, rather, just making acquaintances, isn't that so, Kaisa?" His eyes dart from Levi down to me, giving me a sly smirk.
"U-um, y-yeah, just...acquaintances." I stumble through my words, still trying to process everything that's just happened. This has never happened to me and I can't help but feel my heart flutter at the attention I received from Eld.
"Tch, get back to work, you're wasting time standing there like a dysfunctional rat." Levi says before getting back to his room to do what I guess is paperwork.
"You heard the Captain, I'll see you later, Kaisa." Eld smiles, giving me a wink before leaving the castle doors. I'm frozen in my spot, unsure on how to recover from whatever just happened. I hold the tray of tea and other items firmly now that Eld is gone and head downstairs to tend to Eren's wounds.
By the time I'm at the bottom of the stairs, I see that Eren is sitting upright in his bed with his head in his hands. My heart slightly cracks at the sight of the young cadet.
"Eren..." I gently call out to him before rushing to his cell, placing the tray down on his bedside table. His head raises to see my concern-filled one, yet still manages to give me a small smile. I pull a chair up next to his bed to check over him, making sure that he was good.
"Eren, how are you feeling?" I ask as my hands gently cup his face, softly brushing my thumb across his scuffed cheeks. His face slightly tints red, but he responds, shifting uncomfortably underneath my touch.
"I-I'm okay, just a bit tired." He answers as my fingers continue to brush across his face, checking for any signs of discomfort or injury before finally placing the back of my hand against his forehead like I did earlier. Next, I check his shoulder blades, giving a small massage with my fingertips as I did so, checking for any bruising.
"Hey, I don't need you to check me, you know?" He scowls in irritation. He raises an arm to push mine away, but I quickly move my hand to stop his advances.
I ignore his attempt to shove me away and gently bring his hand down to the side of the bed before continuing my examination. He slightly winces as I brush over his right deltoid and my eyes open slightly from his reaction.
"Eren, take off your shirt." I demand as I turn back to the tray, grabbing a small pack of ice I made to help with any bruising and swelling.
"W-What?!" Eren exclaims.
"Take off your shirt, we better address those wounds quickly if you want to recover faster." I answer nonchalantly.
"I don't need your help! I can do it myself." He grits through his teeth, pushing my arm away from him.
"Take your head out of your ass and realise that you're too sore to actually move at all." I snap back.
"Take of your shirt." I ask again.
I hear shuffling from behind me before I turn back, holding the damp cloth. Eren's shirt is laying next to him and he has an arm behind his head, resting on his neck. I raise an eyebrow and see that the young cadet has improved his physical abilities as his torso is more toned than the last time we saw it when we had to carry him back to his room back at HQ.
"Is something wrong?" He asks nervously.
"No, I just see that your dedication to training has paid off significantly." I answer before placing my hand in the middle of his chest, pushing him slightly as to tell him to lie back down.
"W-what're you trying to say, Kaisa?!" He stumbles through his words. How cute, he's flustered.
"On a first name basis are we now, hmm?" I ask placing the cold washcloth over his warm head.
"N-no! I'm sorry, Captain. It's just that I-ah!" His body recoils at the feeling of the ice pack resting against his deltoid and upper pectoral. His face scrunches in frustration until he relaxes, understanding that it's for the best to comply.
"Distraction is a great thing, isn't it?" I smile at the perfect distraction I pulled on him.
"It's fine if you call me Kaisa here. I don't like the formalities too much unless some people are using it disrespectfully, which I know you're not." I reassure the cadet.
"Why are you down here anyway? Shouldn't you be helping Levi or something?" He squints at me.
"Levi can handle that stuff on his own, but we need you in your best shape for the expedition that's coming up, so it's best if I stay here." I answer.
"Plus, if I left you alone, who knows what that four-eyed beast Hanji would do to you once she notices that you're just alone and resting. She'd probably drag you back to hell." I mutter underneath my breath.
"Oh, is that why I'm here?" He inquires as I pour a cup of tea for him.
"Yeah. She was becoming too greedy with her research and I couldn't let you go through any more stress because you're still a kid." I shake my head in disappointment.
"I'm not a kid! I'm a Survey Corps soldier just like the rest of you!" He raises his voice slightly.
"In my eyes, you're still a cadet. Remember that you should never overestimate yourself and should be realistic when evaluating your capabilities." I remind him.
"You're still 15, what you lack in experience, you make up for with your titan ability, but you haven't mastered it yet. Until you've mastered it, you'll still be weaker than you think you are." I reply truthfully.
His eyes close in frustration and I can tell that his body is tense.
"Eren, stop stressing your body out, you need to let it rest." The familiar words flow out of my mouth.
"Kaisa, stop stressing your body out, you need to let it rest."
My heart swells up at the memory before Eren pulls me out of my train of thought.
"Oi, are you okay?" He asks, peering at my curiously.
"Y-yeah, just thought of something is all." I respond.
"Are you thinking of Eld?" He smirks.
"Eh?! What are you talking about!" I look down at the brunette with surprise.
"I heard everything from down here—seems like you got yourself an admirer, Captain." He drags out my name.
"What? No! Eld is just messing around, there's no way he's actually serious, is he?" I ask myself out loud.
"As a man myself," Eren begins, prompting me to raise an eyebrow, "I would argue that he was completely serious. Were you even listening, or are you that dense?" He chuckles softly before clutching his torso in pain.
"That's karma biting your ass for making such a ridiculous comment." I roll my eyes.
"Worth it." The cadet whispers underneath me.
I shake my head and let out a laugh, removing the icepack from his chest and the cloth from his forehead before pulling him to sit. I bring him the tea I've prepared for him and he takes a sip.
"Whoa! This is sweet!" His eyes open in delight.
"What can I say, I've found some sweet berries around the castle and decided to add them in for a fruity taste." I shrug my shoulders.
"You should make it tonight for everyone else! I'm sure they'd love it." He takes another sip of my new concoction.
"Maybe, if I feel like it." I answer, knowing full well I wouldn't.
"Anyway, do you even like Eld?" He asks, raising his eyebrows up and down.
"Tch, we're comrades, that's as far as it'll go." I dismiss his question, taking the cloth and cleaning the dirt off his chest with a clean towel. But he doesn't let the topic go too easily.
"Ah, I knew it." He smirks. I stop and look up at him.
"Know what, you cucumber?" I provoke.
"Hey, I'm not a cucumber! What kind of shitty insult is that anyway?" He lets the dumb retort slide by and lets out a soft chuckle before leaning forward slightly.
"You like Captain Levi, don't you." He smirks.
"I-what? No! We're just...we're just comrades!" I panic slightly, bringing the washcloth back into the bowl to grab more water.
"You sure look at him a lot for him just being your comrade." He nonchalantly answers.
I twitch and look up at him. "Is...is it that obvious?" I ask.
"No, but thanks for confirming my conspiracy." An evil grin spreads across his face. I want to die. I can't believe I fell for the same trick that Levi used on me.
I shove half of a potato I brought down into his mouth before standing up, wack the side of his shoulder, and begin gathering the stuff I brought downstairs. I can hear Eren's laughs through the vegetable and I'm so close to shoving it down his throat far enough to the point where he can't breathe. He pulls the food out and swallows whatever he managed to chew before speaking again.
"It's okay Kaisa, I think he likes you too."
I look back at him. "Yeah right, he treats me like a baby all the time even though 'I'm his equal'" I mock Levi's words.
"Have you ever thought and wondered why he cares so much about your safety?" He inquires.
"He worries about everyone." I dismiss his argument.
"True, but haven't you noticed that whenever you're hurt or injured, he's the only person who takes care of you?" Eren cocks an eyebrow while crossing his arms. "If you compare yourself to anyone else who has been hurt, you're the only person who has yet to be taken care of by Petra, Eld, or anyone else. Levi is the only person who gets to see you when you're not doing well." He finishes.
I stand still, but my hands are still moving, getting ready to leave.
"He carries you around and yet, you think that's normal? Give me a break." Eren lectures, grabbing his shirt and pulling it over his head.
"Oi, watch your tone there. I'm not afraid of breaking bones, Jaeger." I threaten.
"You even sound like him." He shakes his head. I ignore the comment and address his previous sentence.
"He only does that because he trained me. That's it. It's nothing more than that. If it was, he would have said something by now." I don't answer with complete confidence. Eren was right, the kid actually had braincells and made a convincing argument.
"For someone who has known Levi for so long, I'm surprised you think that Levi communicates with his words. I'd call you stupid but I don't wanna get punched in the face." He gives me a sweet smile.
"You just did." I glare.
"Did I now?" Eren plays innocent. "Anyway, recognize at the very least that Levi has more patience with you than anyone else. If I had been the one making the ruckus earlier today, I'd be stuck with cleaning duty for months." He yawns.
I finish preparing the tray and leave the cell before turning back to Eren who has fallen back in his bed, probably feeling the effects of the tea I brewed him. It wasn't sweet for no reason, the flowers I put in there induce sleep for quick recoveries. I got lucky finding the lavender petals on the way back, and I'm glad something I remembered how to make the tea. After all those years watching ladies on the street make the drink for those who were dangerously unhealthy, I finally was able to make the tea myself. Who knew that it would be relevant to me today?
Standing at the bottom of the stairs, I decide it's time to let the young soldier get some rest.
"Goodnight, Eren."
----
hi hey hello!
wow! this is my longest chapter yet (3500 words!)
i hope you enjoy this chapter :) i'd be glad to hear any feedback you guys have :)
much love and take care,
~cendiain
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