Chains [Levi Fanfic]

Chapter 7: Romeo & Juliette

After three long hours and my wrinkled fingers begging me to stop submerging them in soap and water, I was finally done. I took one last look at the cleaned dishes and utensils that are now neatly placed on the drying racks, before scrubbing down the sink. As I do so, I checked every nooks and corner of the place to see if I've missed anything. God knows what punishment the upper ups are going to give me if there was a rat infestation due to my negligence. As soon as I finished up my work, I did a quick stretch before leaving the premises to join the others for training.

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It was closed to the afternoon, which means that it was Horse training for my squad. It will also be the first time the new recruits get to train with horses. I'm sure there were none at the place they used to live in. I wasn't that all too excited to ride today because of the bruising. Usually, horse riding is something I look most forward to since I have one of the best stallion in our corps. 'Romeo' which was the name I had given to the horse, is a black beauty. Everyday, I would go to the stable just to maintain it's hooves and mane and would spend my non-training hours riding him to make sure it gets its exercise. Romeo is a diligent horse but it doesn't like to be handled, unless that handler is me.

They say that he's a wild horse, found outside Wall Maria - the third wall that separates us humans from roaming titans. They spent years trying to tamed it. Erwin was somehow the one eager enough to keep him for that long when everybody else have given up on him. To this day, I've wanted to thank Erwin for that. When they were about to put down the horse as they can no longer house it and it has overstayed its days as an untrained foe, I entered the corps. When I first joined the Survey corps, I remembered Captain Flagon telling us to not to go near that 'thing' unless we want to be stomped to death. But when I saw it again for the first time, I knew that it was my horse, My Romeo. I remember the look on everyone's faces when I instinctively walked towards the horse. I could just hear Flagon's faint scolding in the background.

"What are you Doing? Don't go near that horse!"

and amongst other's warnings but I was too drawn to it. My legs continued to march forward as I stared at that animal longingly. I couldn't even blink for a second. It was as if unlocking a memory that I once hold so dearly. Romeo too, looked up and I didn't know if he'd recognised me or if he, just like what Flagon had said - 'wants to stomp me to death'.

... my poor boy... as I walked closer and closer to him. My eyes starting to notice small details of him that resembles his old self, yet everything else just made him look so fragile and pathetic. His tough body that was once stout and toned was now frail and anorexic, showing his protuding rib-cage as he slumps by the side of his small enclosure. His twinkling eyes that were once used to watch me grow up as an adolescent, are now sunken and empty. He even had deep swollen wounds that have yet had the time to heal itself and bald patches to the once long-stygian mane.

"Gosh look at you..." I whispered as I shook my head in disbelieve. I couldn't help the feeling that was welling deep inside me, causing the tears that were pooling in my eyes to spill over and staining my face.

Never was I ever this angry. To the people that had caused him harm, to the people who'd let him out there in the first place, and most importantly... me. I was the reason he was here. Did father bring him here? To this Island?! Was father here....?

Father...

As he saw me approached him closer, his then tired and frustrated eyes have changed almost instantly. His body that was leaning as if it needed support before was now being straightened as he rears and paws his front legs which made him look like he was almost dancing. I could just make out his dark pupils dilating as his lids fluttered up. Seeing this, almost immediately I jolted myself towards his stable, muting myself from all the shoutings of my captain and squad members. Flagon followed suit and rushed towards me to try and stop me from getting closer to the horse.