It Started With Cadet Training (Reader/Levi/Erwin/Hange/Mike)

Insomnia

The scout barracks were lonely at best. Apart from you, Erwin, Hange, Levi, and Mike, there were less than a hundred scouts, not counting their three captains and the Commander. You sat on the bunk next to Levi, shooting him an apprehensive look as the five of you surveyed the room.

You could tell from the expression on his face, he was thinking the same thing you were "where is everyone?". It was unnerving to see so few scouts, even as they jostled each other with their elbows, laughing as if it was their final hour.

With a sigh, you fell back on your bunk, staring up at the top bunk that Hange had claimed. Mike was tucked underneath an empty bunk across from yours, with Erwin underneath Levi on the bunk to your right. The bunks were close, shoved together with barely any legroom to walk around in the mornings. You could hear Mike sigh from here.

Turning your head, arms tucked underneath you, you lost yourself in your thoughts. You'd made it to the scouts, yet in a twist of fate, you'd broken your promise to yourself. Somewhere along the line, your training squad had turned into your friends, enough to convince them to join you in the clearly suicidal task of being a Scout.

After hours of turmoil, your mind sinking deeper into the pit of itself as it tries to decipher this friendship you had now found yourself in, you catch a glance of Mike. He looks so peaceful, a smile on his face as he curls up around a pillow that is far too small for him, yet is clutched as tight as possible to his chest.

A thought whispered into your mind as you stared at him. Wrapping around your mind, you found yourself replacing the pillow with your own body in your imagination. The warmth of his heartbeat against your chest lulling you to sleep, the security of having someone next to you.

You caught yourself, shaking your head as you looked back up at the top bunk.

"What's wrong with you, Lance," you grumble, sitting up in bed and staring at the floor as you tugged on your boots. You weren't going to get sleep any time soon, so getting some fresh air might clear your mind of these thoughts.

Unfortunately, you hadn't been as observant in your sleep-deprived state as you'd like to admit. You'd failed to notice Erwin stirring next to you as you put on your boots.

Trudging through the barracks to the back alley was a difficult task, finding yourself nearly getting lost in the maze of the scout's base. Eventually, you stumbled out to the ledge where you could see out through the whole city. It glittered with small lights in the night, just dim enough to see the stars above.

With a sigh, you slump down to the steps and stare up, trying to force the bubbling thoughts that kept surfacing about unprofessional interactions with your "friends". You tried to take your mind off it by focusing on seeing beyond the walls and killing titans, however, your mind kept reminding you. Eventually, their smiling faces snuck into your mind as you sat around a campfire outside the walls.

You'd been so lost in thought you hadn't noticed the click of boots against stone as someone walked up to you, sitting down next to you.

"What's keeping you up?" you nearly jumped from your seat as the voice of Erwin snuck into your mind. For a moment you swore you'd imagined it before you turned to see the blond sitting next to you.

His hair was a mess, fluffed up from sleep, as well as a wrinkled white shirt and sloppily adjusted pants. He was smiling though, leaning against the stairs as he looked at you with interest twinkling in his eyes.

You gulped, turning away from him out of fear your face had gone beet red.
"Why do you care?" you grumble, staring out at the city.

"I know we're not in training anymore, but you'll always be our captain. Isn't that enough?" he muses, looking up at the stars.