Silent Love, Silent Pain [Levi x OC]

32. First attempt to retake Wall Maria

All of the Scouts were anxious about the upcoming expedition. They were usually doing them outside all three walls, not limited by anything. Now it was different. The expectations were also way bigger than before. People got used to them going outside, exploring the land and not making any visible progress. Some of them even joked about their unit, laughed at them for being fools, naive, dreamers and many more names. And they were right. They never achieved something meaningful. Although Erwin greatly disagreed with that opinion.

"We don't know how big this territory is. We don't know where it ends, if it ends at all. We know nothing, that's true. But each expedition makes that nothing a little less, you know? We're trying different routes, we're checking different places. Everytime we stumble on something else. Who knows? Maybe one day we'll destroy titans entirely and will be able to check the whole land?" he said the night before the expedition when they were all gathered in the canteen.

"Now that's a nice dream, isn't it?" Sophie chuckled and grabbed the cup of tea that Levi made for her. When no one looked she crunched half of the pill that she got in the Underground and put it into her cup. That way it wasn't as strong and she was hydrated, reducing the unwanted effect of taking it, leaving only the good one which was the ability of spending time around Levi without the anger or sadness, no strong emotions, just calmness. And she needed that for sure, especially before leaving the safe headquarters to fight with titans.

This expedition seemed a lot harder, the struggle was written on most of the Scouts' faces. The stake was way higher. Now all of those people that made fun of them or demanded to cut their finances were cheering for them, putting faith in them to retake Wall Maria. It was the biggest proof of how desperate those people were. Wall Rose couldn't fit most of the refugees from Maria, there wasn't enough space. And the government seemed to didn't care at all. They didn't take any of them inside the Wall Sheena. They didn't provide money for their new homes. They gave less than the most sceptical people expected from them, hitting the new bottom.

They all just expected them to retake the wall. Easy work for them. But it wasn't that easy. Other units almost shitted themselves when Shadis at Erwin's suggestion proposed them to join them in this job. They refused. The burden was only on Scouts' shoulders.

"Dream or not, it's worth taking a leap" Erwin smiled at her, making her blush.

"Well your dream seems to drift away" Levi interrupted their conversation, joining it brusquely. He hated to see them talking like this - with wide smiles on their faces and heart-shaped eyes. He has seen that before. He didn't like it back then and he didn't like it this time as well. He needed her. He wanted her. He didn't want anyone to take her from him. "Now that humanity had to retreat to Rose" he rolled his eyes.

"It seems like this, yes" Erwin nodded, the smile that was previously on his lips faded away, his eyes became absent as he got deep into his thoughts.

It made Sophie frown a little and she nudged Levi with her elbow. He sent her a questioning look and they seemed to share a silent conversation just using their eyes. Their connection became stronger these days, uninterrupted by her mood swings that she prevented with taking those pills. Connection that they felt the need to build up since the dark clouds of expedition gathered above their heads. They didn't know what was going to happen there, during the mission. That's why they spent every hour together that wasn't scheduled with training or briefing.

Hange observed them, smirking slightly. She seemed to be more invested in the building up drama between these three than her own, new squad."C-captain Zoe, would you like some tea?" one of her new subordinates mumbled as he put the mug on the table.

"Thank you...Moblit, right?" She looked at him briefly and got back to observing Erwin, Levi and Sophie.

"Yes, captain"