The Universe In Her Eyes • Levi Ackerman

28 • evening tea

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As soon as the new recruits arrived to the HQ of the Survey Corps their training began.

The next expedition was already being planned, and the soldiers of the 104th Cadet Corps didn't lose a minute. They had one task before officially becoming scouts —survive the first expedition outside the walls.

Commander Erwin Smith was determined to take the first step on their way to Shiganshina in a month time, so the soldiers were introduced to the long-range scouting formation he had devised on their very first day. The new recruits were to be stationed in between the recon support team and the supply wagon escort team, mainly to ride alongside the spare horses and relay messages.

Eva studied carefully the detailed drawings they were given, only to find out that Levi, his Squad and consequently, Eren, were nowhere to be found.

Eva knew perfectly well Erwin Smith was not naive enough to think they would make it to Shiganshina on their first try, and moving from the East instead of Trost. So the objective is something else, she thought to herself. Something Erwin did not want to reveal just yet.

The blonde thought her habilities would be wasted in the position she was given, but she believed in Erwin's judgement. If that's where he thought she should be, then she was not going to argue. Contrary to popular belief, Eva did not have a problem with following orders —only stupid orders. And Erwin was far from stupid.

Thus that first day at the Survey Corps was mainly focused on theory and strategy. They were told that only the next day they would be assigned to a Squad and the veterans of the regiment would give them a master class on 3DMG —to say Eva was excited was a complete understatement.

She also was waiting to meet her brother, and truth be told, also another member of his squad, who she had yet to encounter after arriving to the HQ.

But that changed rather quickly.

As the new recruits were passing by the stable on their way back after training, the voice of her brother was heard.

"Hey, Mikasa! Eva! Armin!" he called them, making them turn abruptly.

"Eren!" Mikasa shouted back, almost refraining herself from crying due to her intense emotions.

"It feels like it's been forever!" he spoke, "well, not Eva, I've seen her enough."

"I love you too" the blonde girl gave him a fake smile.

"Eren, did they do anything bad to you?" Mikasa was extremely worried. "Did they examine you all over? Did they psychologically torture you?"

"Nothing like that" he reassured her.

"That midget bastard crossed a line" now the black-haired's tone irradiated intense anger and fury. "Someday, I'll make him pay for it."

Eva's heart sank, realizing how much Mikasa really hated him. It hurt. She knew Mikasa had a point, but Levi did also, and she hated to be in the middle of their feud. But she would have thought that Mikasa would at least try to tame her hatred even if it was just for her sake.

Nothing of the sort.

"You don't mean Captain Levi, do you?" Eren questioned, incredulous.

"Yo, Eren!" Connie joined the convesation just on time to not allow Mikasa to answer.

"It's been so long!" Sasha hugged him.

Crista, Ymir, Bertolt and Reiner approached them as well, effectively surprising Eren.

"What? Everyone's here?" the titan shifter could not believe his eyes. "But if you're all here, then... Doesn't that mean all of you joined the Survey Corps?"