Promise me [Levi Ackerman x OC]

XXXV: Favorite

Hazel froze in shock for a few seconds, her friends looked at her after he passed through the door of the mess hall disappearing. She gulped knowing he was pissed for not hearing the news from her sooner and also broke again for another loss.

"I was waiting the right time to tell him, he was already suffering too much." She managed to said in low voice and without thinking she got out and tried to find him. The ones that remained looked accusingly at Miche.

Her firsts choices were the rooftop and his quarter, nothing. He asked some soldiers she passed by if anybody saw him. As she was getting out the building, Roger and Rose came across.

"Morning, is there any chance you've seen Ackerman?"

"No, Captain." Rose said firmly, with a furrow between her eyes.

"Okay, don't forget we need to prepare the garrisons for tomorrow." She dismissed them, Roger waited for her friend to anticipate her way and turned to Hazel.

"He's in the stable, but you didn't heard this from me, Captain." She grab him by the shoulders and gave him a really quick kiss in the cheek in gratitude before running off. "Good luck." He stood hypnotized touching his cheek watching her.

"Roger!" Rose screamed at him from the inside making him get down to earth.

Hazel made it to the stable and started looking for him, it seemed that no one was there until she heard a whinny from the farthest horse.

When she was feet away he looked out from behind the horse and rolled his eyes. "How long, Haze?" He was brushing carefully a shiny black stallion.

"Almost 5 years." She approached and began to caress the area of the nose of the majestic animal. "I was going to tell you, but I didn't know how." She came closer to him.

"He was also like a brother to me, he gave me a home and a family, something to care about again." He didn't turned his face at any moment, concentrated in his brushing. Hazel didn't knew what to say, she already knew how important Declan used to be for him. "I made him a promise, and I'm not intended to break it again."

"I'm sure you were Declan's favorite." Hazel put on smile to reassure him and then started to pet the horse all around until she was in the opposite side of it, in front of Levi.

"Tch. You're kidding, you were his angel down on earth." He was very busy brushing some knots in the hair of the horse, keeping him focused.

"And you are mine." She said it in a whisper. "Coming back from the expedition I will take you where he is, if you want."

After midday, the soldiers were all outside the main building preparing the things for the monthly expedition which would be the next day, checking the horses and the equipment for the ride, the ODM's for everybody and the garrisons to stay a night outside. Some uploading the things to the carts, others refilling the gas tanks, checking the sharpness and viability of swords, the wires, the hooks and else.

Hazel with Miche, were doing the inventory about everything supervising the cadets, who were in turn supervised by the leaders. While they rounded the area, he asked for an apology after Erwin had explained to him the situation.

"Also, I have to apologize for believing the gossips, I didn't know you've lived together and you were like siblings."

"We do live together, but I've never seen him like a brother." She rose an eyebrow with mischievous face. They got to where Erwin was supervising the whole regiment from the top stair of the main building.

Hazel made a meeting with the leaders of her section in order to make sure every detail of the formation were set. Everyone knew their position and what to do in every situation that could come. She reviewed every name of every cadet of each squad while walking with the lists all around her office a bit nervous for tomorrow, some leaders were at the couch, others standing beside the shelves, other two in the desk chairs and finally, Levi was in her chair like he owned the place with one leg crossed over the other, ignoring the critical look of the rest. He decided to sat there when he realized she wouldn't sit in all the meeting making laps all around the office.

"Everything is settle." She finally look up to all of them from the door taking a breath. "By last, I want to thank you all for all the effort you've put this month, even the testing ones, I think everyone have improved a lot with skills and leadership. Maybe I was very hard on everyone in training and stubborn with the formation, but I think this will give us all satisfaction at the end of the expedition."

Everyone was looking at her in silence, and then one of her leaders started to clap and the other after hearing him they joined him. She smiled almost tearing with the emotion of the moment.

"Thank you all. I want to tell a few words to the testing leaders. Marlene and Dieter, I'm very proud of you two because you grew your self-esteem at the time of leading your teams. Nifa, you really improved your skills at using the ODM, but remember you have a team that trust you to lead them, don't rush to yourself and act alone. That last thing, goes for you too, Ackerman. Even though you're skillful, remember to lead your Squad and don't be reckless. Prove that Erwin was right to give you a Squad. With all this being said, you have the rest of the day free."

They all nodded to her words. When they got to know that was Erwin's idea to give him a squad, some felt ashamed by the critics of the other day. Before exiting her office, everyone made a short salute and thanked her.

"That's my chair." She finally closed the door when everyone had gone and turned to walk in her desk direction where Levi stayed.