Village of Smoke (Connie x Fem Reader)

Chapter 9; The Wait

The time following the devastating findings in Ragako sure did its best to keep Connie busy and moving. He was quite literally forced to focus on other much larger happenings, such as safeguarding Eren and Historia as a part of the new 'Levi Squad', retrieving them after their abduction and cutting down the enormous titan of Rod Reiss. One would think such monstrous tasks would unfold with months between each other but it all happened within as little as a month.

Though he'd most times be distracted, whenever Connie would be alone or the others were being too quiet, his mind would drift off to his mother back in Ragako, and the many memories of you and the rest of his family who didn't make it at all. Not that the state of his mom wasn't as bad; with their current knowledge she was as good as dead. No one had any clue of how to turn her back, other than having someone with titan-shifting abilities being fed to her. That they learned thanks to the whole secret royal family scandal and their tradition of passing down that very power. The only thing stopping the military from ordering her assassination was the fact that she couldn't move an inch.

Connie sure didn't lose hope of finding some cure though. He was aware it was a long shot, but somehow, someday, his mother would be back. He didn't dare believe anything else.

"Come on Connie, Levi said we have to complete ten whole sets before we can retire for the night!", Sasha yelled from somewhere amongst the trees. Connie shook his head, suddenly realising where he was as well as catching himself frozen still atop a branch,- once again thinking of his mother. It looked to be happening more and more the closer they got to the retaking of Wall Maria. It seemed unfair in his eyes that things were going back to normal everywhere else, while the tragedy of his hometown would stay the same. It's not that he didn't wish for the succeeding of that mission or joyed for this possible victory for humanity. It was just hard to accept the fact that his was beyond saving.

He just needed to think of something clever; yearning to plan out something that would help fix whatever had a chance of being fixed. His mother was the very last thing he had.

"Connie!", he heard Jean's voice call out after some time, and this time he shook himself out of it for real. Leaping off the branch, he manoeuvred his way through the trees towards the source of the voices.

"What happened?", he asked once Connie finally joined the pair. Connie shrugged, putting on a smug smile.

"Nothing. Just taking it easy since the whole reason we're here is because of Sasha"

"What?!"

"Connie, you also tricked Armin into smashing Levi's favourite cup the night of the celebratory supper after the Rod Reiss attack", Jean said with a cocked brow.

"No I didn't"

"Yes you did! You two told him smashing the cup would help easy any pent up stress without telling him whose cup it was"

Connie just looked at him as to question what was wrong with that statement he just shared.

"What? I'd say that really got the par-tea started", he smirked while wiggling his brows, making Jean roll his eyes and Sasha struggling to hold back a giggle. "UGH, fuck man", Connie exclaimed pained, rubbing his head after Jean gave it a good slap.

"Stop being stupid. The only reason we're here in the middle of the woods, in the middle of the fucking night doing manoeuvring exercises instead of relaxing inside the warmth of the HQ, is because you guys can't stay serious! I didn't even do anything, Captain just assumed I had something to do with it since I sat on your table when he came to scold you... I should stop hanging around you two"... "I always get dragged into your bullshit", Jean added lowly in a frustrated mutter. Sasha and Connie had looked between each other and Jean throughout the whole rant with wide eyes.