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

Fight For You

The room blurred around you as your feet raced towards him. As you crash into him, he falls to his knees, wrapping his arm around your back as he rests his head in the crook of your neck.

"I thought we lost you," you whisper quietly, clutching him tightly as someone sits down next to you.

"I'm sorry, I thought I lost as well," Erwin murmurs as a third set of arms wraps around the two of you.

You burry your face closer to his chest, letting the fear and exhaustion of the last three hours run out of you as you sob. Relief washed over you as the others settled down around you, holding each other tightly.

"Don't ever do that again, old man," Levi grumbled, clutching Erwin's shirt.

"I won't. I promise," Erwin replies, pressing a kiss to the top of Levi's head.

For a brief moment, you'd found your peace. There on the floor, surrounded by the four people you loved, you knew peace. Until life came calling once again.

Despite the coup, the battle was not yet won. There was still the matter of Shinishaga and wall Maria. You were barely allotted a moment of peace as you were swept into the planning and training for the reclaiming of the wall. With the incorporation of the Garrison into the Scouts, you had more people to train and larger strategies to plan.

You spent hours in Erwin's office, with Nile, Pyxis, Mike, Hange and Levi, gathered around the desk. Occasionally, a few of the kids would wander in with Petra or Moblit to bring snacks and remind the seven of you to take breaks. It was the worst two weeks of your life, the relief washing over you as you saw your kids at the end of the day, reminding you why you were doing this.

So here you stood, bent over Bertolt's bed as you tucked him, Reiner and Annie in for the night. You were dressed in your uniform, with your ODM gear around your waist. You were leaving soon... and you didn't know if you'd make it back.

"Sleep tight you three," you whisper, pressing a kiss to each of their foreheads.

"Where are you going, baba?" Reiner asks sleepily, rubbing his eyes as he peers up at you.

"I have midnight patrol, I'll be back before long," you lie, swallowing the lump in your throat that's slowly been building up.

"Stay safe, baba," Bertolt murmurs, opening his mouth wide from a large yawn.

"I will. Goodnight," you whisper, forcing a smile on your face as you shuffle towards the door.

Once the door clicks shut behind you, your legs give out and you slump to the floor. Resting your head in your hands you stare at the wood panels, trying to calm your emotions. A choked sob escapes your lips as you take in a shallow breath. What if you didn't come home? What if you die to save them? What if your last words to them were a promise to stay safe?

Swallowing your pride, you stand up, your hands shaking as you walk down to the courtyard. Your surroundings are a blur as you mount your horse with your squad, waiting for Erwin to give the word. You can hear people talking around you, excited to reclaim the wall, to see their home again.

All you could do was stare ahead as Erwin gave the signal to get going. Your horse was an extension of your body, following after the others as you raced towards the gate.

As the wind hit against your face again, the signal that was so used to meaning freedom, it stung. The cold air nipped at your nose as you fought back tears. Taking a shaky deep breath, you ordered your horse to dash as your squashed formation broke out into a larger travelling one.