𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐒 | 𝐋.𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍

𝟓𝟑 | 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭

*

WITHIN TROST DISTRICT - (Levi POV:)

With soldiers piling back in after a long night, it was no later than about three in the morning, as the air was colder than before.

 Though many men strayed back in tiredly in exhaustion, the silence was quite distant and rather cold. The atmosphere was rather off, not feeling an ounce of hope, even though Eren was retrieved. It wasn't new to me. I know that feeling all too well, after every expedition if nothing was changed.

Currently ordering a few men here and there to accompany a few wounded, I noticed a few nurses rushing towards the wagons with haste. My eyes flicker from a few soldiers, to the wagon again wondering what was going on.

I hear the sound of someone's horse approaching, as my head tilts to see Lena coming to a halt beside me.

She swings off her horse and walks up to me, seeing a solemn expression rest upon her exhausted face. With me eager to know Akira's status, whether she was brought back, she sighs rather heavily.

"Shes...........she's in need of a lot of rest," She breaks the dreaded silence. "A few burns, bruises and maybe fractures....we don't know much. However she's well, so she's not gonna die........thankfully."

A wagon rolls in before a few men rush in, making my gaze steadily watch Erwin being pulled up. Taken back by the condition he was in, he was passed out from the amount of blood loss, as his head flops forward. From afar I couldn't make out what had happened, but all I could see was red.

"Captain, please don't worry yourself?" Lena pleads gently, even though she seemed to be on the brink of exhaustion. Everyone else was, but I knew Akira all too well that she fought like hell out there. "She's gonna be al--"

"I can't.....you know that," I say firmly, refusing to loosen up and relax. "Where is she?"

Before she could reply, my eyes meet a pair of familiar ones, as I saw her standing up slowly like she just woken up. Relief washes over me, as I slowly made my way over seeing her take a few steps. Her hand rests against the wagon for support, while she held a pained expression trying to ease the tension gnawing at her.

"Akira......"

Her eyes slowly lift up to meet mine, as her expressions shifts from pain to a sense of longing in her eyes. A mixture of relief and anguish soon settles, but she slowly steps towards me cautiously. It was as if I was an illusion, seeing her hands finally settle around my face seeing if I was real.

My heart tore into two, seeing her like this.

"Levi......tell me....am I home?" She asks, seeing her vulnerable side all over again. "Tell me...."

Her eyes were glazed over with fresh tears, threatening to spill while searching into my own eyes.

Without hesitation I slowly pull her in my embrace, realising she was trembling. What really happened out there, to cause her to react this way? I know we've fought for so long, enduring the painful trauma's we've faced. So what really happened? Was there something, that she truly fears? 

Pulling away slowly, what caught me off guard was seeing that smile again.

"I'm home..........am I?" She whispers, while I slowly brush the strands of messy locks from her tired eyes, to cupping her rosy red cheeks. Wiping away the strays tears with my thumb, her cheeks were a darker hue with sweat aligning her forehead.

Nodding I inhale and exhale deeply, "Yes........you're home,"

Though she tried to put up a tough facade, I could see right through she wasn't okay. Right now, she's emotionally and physically exhausted and rest was in order for her. Seeing the state she was in, her shirt was completed ripped leaving only her chest and half her torso covered. Her hair messily fell, resting upon her shoulders.