Clearing

Chapter 14

After we had eaten, all of us walked out into the courtyard to start our training. I had been surprised when I had first joined the survey corps, as the routine for scouts was strangely similar to what we had to do when we were cadets. Missions weren't as frequent as I had originally suspected, and there was normally only one every month or so, which was apparently more than there had been before wall Maria had fallen. Still, we had to complete exercises and train, just like we had done in the cadets.

I hadn't been in the same cadet group as the rest of my friends, but they had all accepted me quickly into their small circle. I was one of five members of my branch who had decided to join the scouts, and the others who joined with me hadn't lasted as long as I had. I still went to visit their headstones sometimes, although I had barely talked to them before.

Mikasa and I stood quietly beside Armin as Eren made his way out of the door. He hadn't been at breakfast, which I was strangely relieved by, knowing that the teasing regarding my limp would have been far more severe if he had been there. Now I just had to make sure he didn't clock onto it whilst we trained.

Captain Levi stood in front of us as we waited for Eren to stumble over to the group, and the boy looked absolutely terrified about the fact that he was late.

"I'm so sorry, Captain!" He shouted, tensing into a salute. "I had to eat in the infirmary, Sir! And the nurse had to check everything was healing!" I had to stifle a laugh at his fear. "Sir!" He quickly added onto the end, squeezing his eyes shut.

Levi looked at him with nothing but boredom in his expression, and then turned around, ignoring him. Eren nearly collapsed onto the floor in relief.

Mikasa's lips curled slightly upwards as she looked over at him, and I nudged her in the ribs.

"Go get your man." I whispered, pushing her forwards. She blushed a little, but moved towards him, asking if he was ok.

Armin and I watched as the two of them followed Levi, who had began to walk forwards to the frames that we used to start our 3DMG practice.

"We will warm up with these today." He said as we all approached. "You're going in pairs, one on the equipment, one handling the levers and making sure the other doesn't break their own neck."

We all shouted "Yes, sir!" before moving to pair off, but Levi halted us with a hand up.

"I will choose the pairs." He said. "Pairing with the same person every time does nothing to develop your skills as a fighter or your relationships with the rest of the squad." He glared across at Sasha and Connie at that point, who shuffled on their feet. The two of them were practically joined at the hip.

"Mikasa and Connie, Eren and Marco, Sasha and Armin..." He listed off the pairs, and I noted that he was purposefully putting people together who he knew didn't spend as much time with each other. I tensed as I guessed exactly where this was going.

Sure enough, there I was a minute later, stood underneath the wooden frame, with Jean behind me, his arms folded across his chest.

I shuffled uncomfortably on my feet. That coldness that had always been between us had returned, only now it was decidedly one-sided. I didn't allow myself to look over my shoulder at him.

Levi stood in front of us again, his green cloak wrapped around his shoulders.

"Now, check the harness and turn the lever." He said.

I winced as Jean stepped towards me to clip the hooks onto my waist, but he said nothing. I grimaced. This new silence was so much worse than the years of bickering. My legs braced as he stepped away and I prepared myself to be hoisted into the air.