Sacrifice For You (Hange Zoe x Female Reader)

8: Questioned Memory

"[Y/N]? Are you alive? Hellooo? [Y/N]?" A hand waved around in front of blurred vision, and I focused my eyes. Hange was looking at me carefully, their face plagued with confusion and worry. I shifted in my seat, blinking a few times and looking back at the dirt path silently.

They frowned at my lack of response and leaned back in their own seat. We were on the wagons again, and no one had said a word - other than Mikasa and Eren, who were exchanging brief whispers now and then - in what felt like hours. We had left Pastor Nick behind as well.

When I had met back up with the others, eyes swollen and red, Armin had asked me what happened. Hange had noticed as well, and I noticed their posture tense as they looked at Levi - who had exited after me. They'd also been watching me ever since we'd gotten back on the wagon, on our way to castle ruins in hopes of figuring out where the breach in Wall Rose was.

"What did Captain Le-" Eren had begun, but got cut off when I looked up at him. Mikasa stepped forward, and Armin's attention had also been drawn in by their reactions. I sniffed, pressing my lips together in an attempt to preserve my last bit of dignity.

"[Y/N], what happened?" Mikasa asked, her eyes slightly wide. I pushed past the three of them, grabbing my hood and settling it over my shoulders. Quietly, I brushed any stray tears from my cheeks with my sleeve.

"We need to go locate the breach," I coughed, refusing to look back at them and gauge their reactions. I handed off my horse and made my way back to the wagon. Armin ran up and placed a hand on my arm, which I swiftly pushed back to his side.

"[Y/N]?" Hange looked at me from a few feet away with a troubled expression, and then to Levi - who had just walked out of the building and was making his way toward us nonchalantly. I watched them stretch out their hand as they quickly connected the dots, debating to do something.

"Let's go, Section Commander!" Moblit must've noticed their hostility when the short man walked past them, nervously grabbing the tall brunette by the shoulders and leading them to the wagon before they could object.

The pounding in my head had yet to subside, feeling like I had also just finished training considering the dryness in my throat. All I want to do is sleep. I don't want to think anymore.

"I can see it in the distance," Armin piped up. Just over the trees, the tip of ruins of stone was visible. Thankfully, the moonlight lit up the area well. After a few more seconds of riding in the wagon, it slowed to a stop, and we switched to our horses.

I kicked my leg over the saddle of my plain brown horse, gripping the reins tightly. Commander Erwin had stationed himself at the front, and we began riding down the hill we had stopped on momentarily. "Be prepared for anything!" The tall, blonde man barked.

Dirt flew up behind me as I pushed forward, and I felt a presence beside me. "Hey, [Y/N]," Hange had appeared beside me on their horse, and I looked over at them. Their cloak was whipping around in the wind, and their glasses were pressed firmly to their face.

"You aren't supposed to talk while on a horse, Oluo, you'd think you would know this," I replied stalely, and it took me a few seconds to process what I had just said before my eyes widened, and my face flushed. "I meant-"

"I know what you meant," they replied quickly - obviously trying to diffuse my immediate concern. Looking over at them, to my relief, they offered me a sincere look, "we need to talk when this is over."

I shivered from a mix of the cold air and panic, still reeling from the fact that I had messed up aloud like that. What Levi said must be fucking with me more than I intended it to. I swallowed and nodded, too occupied with a barrage of other thoughts to anticipate what they could want to speak about.