This cruel world [Levi Ackerman x Neko reader]

7.

It's been two months already since I arrived here at survey corps base. Not many have accepted my presence, but the number of hostiles seems to slowly drop with each day.

Under captain Levi's instructions I have come back to my previous station - right next to his side. When he works, I go to Hanji since she's been doing regular check ups on me, and when it is time to train the soldiers - I join them, following Levi's teaching. However, when it comes to meals, resting or simple check ups around the place, I join his side.

After all this time I feel like I'm beginning to understand Levi more. He's an expressionless person, however, he still cares. Life must've been rough on him too.

I feel light morning's wind brush my (h/c) locks of hair. The sun is only beginning to rise, but I already feel woken up. Reddish colors roughly painting the clouds - this is the view I love starting my day with.

Part of me still can't believe that I'm able to be in such a peaceful place. My eyes trace back to my wrists - there's no more swelling from the shackles I had to wear in that  place. I raise my hand towards the bloody sky, watching as it paints my palm the same cruel yet familiar color.

I hope you're resting well, mother.

I finally stand up from my crouching position and look at the sun for the last time. A slight sting in the chest makes me flinch, naturally folding my hands into fists.

"I wish you could see this."

Taking in a deep breath I turn around, just about to jump off the tree branch I had positioned myself onto, when my eyes meet light grey diamonds, staring straight back. I immediately jump off, saluting.

"Good morning, sir."

"What are you doing here so early, brat?" his harsh voice reaches my ears, yet it doesn't disturb me at all.

"Watching the sunrise... sir" part of me feels taken aback, almost embarrassed that I had been caught doing something so useless. But captain's face doesn't show any sign of mockery.

"The sunrise.." he repeats my words, taking a look at the sky himself. I stand, awaiting his further command, yet he says nothing.

I follow his eyes with my gaze and here I see it again - the indescribable feeling we both seem to share and understand. I started realizing we had some parts of our mindset in common not that long ago. This feeling of agony, having the beauty of this world tainted with the worst colors possible.

Many would look at the sky and see the what's in front: the morning sun, the painted forest out there far away and the clouds, calmly moving on with their day, but I could not see that. The sky screamed freedom, freedom almost reachable by hand, yet tainted with such bloody colors and fake. The true view of life.

It takes me a while to realize that I had been lost in thought and had Levi staring straight back at me once again.

"Sir?" Out of confusion, I asked.

"Today we will have a visit with Erwin, be ready to move out in an hour."

A trip to the city.

Excitement immediately filled my lungs, as I saluted even with more energy than before.

 "Yes, sir!"

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Big doors opened up before our eyes as a big crowd of people welcomed us in. Survey corps seem to be popular around here. I clench my dark hood, pulling it down to cover my ears from the loud talking.

"Oi, brat, if you don't hold on, you're going to fall." Captain Levi's voice woke me up from this chaos caused by the crowed.

"Yes, sir." I put my arms around his waist, trying to answer strongly, but my voice came out more silent than I thought. I didn't know how to ride a horse so the only option for me to travel was either in the wagon or join someone on their horse. 

Since there was no reason for a wagon this time, riding a horse was the most efficient way for me to travel. I didn't feel that there was anything wrong with doing so, but yet...

Why is my heart beating so fast?

Unconsciously I grasp captain's waist stronger, almost as if I was trying to hide from everything. I felt him become more stiff, and so, thinking that I'm being a bother, I soften my clasp on him.

"I apologize, sir." I try to stay as calm as ever, but the loud heartbeat in my chest and this insane crowd makes it hard for me to speak with confidence.

"There is nothing to apologize for."

Even though I can't see his face, his words make me relax.

"We're here."

I immediately let go of captain, seeing him climb off the horse, and I follow soon after, gracefully landing on all four.

"Take care of the horse." captain waves off to other subordinate and immediately heads into the building right in front.

The guy does as said and I follow captain inside. We walk up to the second floor and stop right at the door of some office. I can pick up light voices inside and my hood shifts as I try to listen in, but captain's voice stops my attempts.

"Don't forget what I told you before." His eyes meet mine for a minute. Before we moved out, captain personally asked me to take on a mission. I was to take care that no one listened in, no one spied and no one attempted to assassinate neither captain, nor this person Erwin.

"In this city many want us dead, and many who are seeking opportunities to sell any information they can get from us." 

Those were his exact words. I was to take care of such necessary precautions as they talked over the business. Since I am not an official survey corp, I was surprised with the sudden mission, yet felt honored to be chosen - my unique physique finally had a purpose other than a selling product.

It is not a difficult mission - raise a hand, if there is a spy, show the estimated numbers, whether I would guess there is seek of harm and in such a case - protect. And yet once again it makes my heart beat faster.

I confidently salute, looking straight back at his grey eyes which seem colder than usual.

"Yes, sir."

I will do my best.