Attack on Titan: Survival and Dedication - Male Reader

CHAPTER TWO - PART ONE

BEHIND THE WALLS

Year 849
A few days later
Survey Corp logistics base
100 kilometers Southeast of Shiganshina

  "Did you hear? Looks like we're heading home."
"Yeah, I heard the snow's gonna be pretty bad."
"Utopia's already covered at this time of the year. But I wouldn't want to risk it."
  Y/N listened in on numerous conversations going on around him. The Scouts were surprised by their early departure, some even reluctant. But as charismatic and crazy as Erwin was, he couldn't negotiate with the weather. Every little bit helped and leaving the wagons behind wouldn't help the next expedition.
Mornings were usually more calm during off-hours. Chores could be delayed and mostly everyone slept in. The people Y/N listened to now were lookouts, early birds, and those who couldn't sleep.
Y/N mindlessly twirled an empty can of food. He didn't have much to say or think of. The Scouts would provide food and a place to sleep, so the approaching downtime was more of this, sitting around with nothing to do. He was grateful for some much-needed rest but also dreaded it at the same time.
The walls weren't any safer than the outside. One would argue the MPs were even bigger monsters than Titans and the cult beside them acolytes. Though, the thought of a comfy bed, hot food, and ale almost overshadowed the aforementioned division. It was another gamble.
"Good morning." The sound of Petra's voice didn't spook Y/N as much anymore. He couldn't see it but she was proud of the fact. "Mind if I...?" Her tray of rations pointed to his. Y/N took the hint and slid it aside.
"So..." He could imagine the smile on her face already, the one that always made him a little uneasy.
She must be crazy. She has to be. Y/N thought as he continued to twirl his empty can.
"About what happened the other day." She took a bite of her bread, making the outer shell crumble and pepper her tray with crumbs. "Where'd you learn to do all that? I thought you weren't trained."
"I was." He said. Someone hadn't closed the door all the way, leaving it cracked and allowing the sound of early morning nature to come flooding in.
"Wait, really?" Petra asked with a sip of water washing down the bread. "Was it with Mike and his squad?"
Mike. Y/N had met him a couple of times beforehand, first before the start of the expedition and last when delivering letters earlier in the month. He hadn't realized Mike was of this much importance.
  "Anywho..." Petra chuckled with a forced smile. The long pause made the air between them awkward. "What you did was amazing. I never thought a courier would have so much experience handling Titans."
Petra didn't want to assume anything. Y/N was new, he distanced himself. It would be wrong to just say he wanted to be left alone for a variety of reasons. Whatever the reason it may be, she wasn't persuaded yet to understand it.
"That time when I asked if you were okay... Did you mean it?" Her voice lowered and became soft. It was clear now that she spoke to him, the man under all the dirt and grass.
The empty can stopped under the pad of his finger. His gaze grew tired and distant. And as quiet as the sounds of nature were, he was quieter.
"Yeah." He took the can and set it down, leaving it to sit with the rest of his trash.
  His voice was empty, a robotic tone that was finished with just a dash of professionalism. The most worrying thing was how fast he was to respond. It seemed automatic more than anything.
"Give it up already, Petra." A new voice entered the fold. The newcomer was immediately fixed with a glare, weighing them down with the heavy disapproval from Petra.
"No one was talking to you, Oluo." Petra said rather harshly.
"What?" Oluo, a member of Levi's squad, was perplexed. He shrugged as if her words went over his head. "He obviously wants to be left alone. Look at him."
The empty can under Y/N's hand started to move again, taking up the majority of his attention.
"Yeah, and you want to put him in his place." Petra had a look of disgust about her. Whoever Oluo was, she certainly didn't like him. "Wet behind the ears? Green? Noob?"
"Yeah, exactly!" Oluo stated proudly. He propped a hand on the table and fluffed his ascot with the other. Y/N wasn't sure if he tried imitating Levi or was from deep within the walls. Both were very likely.
"The next time you bite your tongue I hope you cut it off." Petra said. Y/N wanted to say she was bantering with a squadmate but her words were as cold as the weather.
"Hey." Another voice came around. The overload of information surrounding Y/N made him sigh.
"You've got better things to do than stand around." It was another member of the Special Operations unit, and he was by far the sternest. "If you want to pick on the new guy then maybe you forgot what your first expedition was like."
Oluo's eyes widened. Everyone knew what he spoke of but no one wanted to mention it. Strangely enough, Petra shared in his moment of fright.
"Come on." The stranger said. He backhanded Oluo's shoulder, effectively getting the message across.
"Dammit, Gunther." Oluo cursed before reluctantly following.
"Sorry about that. He's been like that ever since Titan kills became a way to inflate his ego." Petra gave a deep sigh. After just a moment of interaction, she seemed exhausted. Y/N wondered how their squad even functioned.
Y/N grunted, dismissing his fellow Scout's behavior. Raising a finger, he pointed to her empty can of greens, asking. "You mind?"
"Uh, no." She handed him the empty tin with narrowed eyes. "Where... did you learn to make something like that anyway?"
"The Engineering Corps." Petra nodded with a bit of enthusiasm. She could feel - or she hoped - him softening up.
"The Engineers?" She sounded both surprised and confused. "What are you doing all the way out here?"
"I dropped out." Y/N took his tray and stood, leaving. Petra was insistent on talking and quickly followed him deeper into the manor.
"I kinda find that hard to believe." She chuckled. She found herself walking a bit faster to keep up with his lengthy strides. "A weapon like that would be—well it would be devastating."
"Mhm." He replied in his usual voice. Some would confuse him to be grumpy or something along the lines of being displeased with anyone willing to bother him. Petra couldn't assume anything until he made it clear.
"What are you doing now?" She asked. He made his way to the cellar where Hange was hard at work with another member of her former squad. Petra knew him as Moblit.
"Ah, Y/N. Just who I wanted to see." Hange greeted. Her lips curled into a grin, an unsettling one at that when she handled a large, razor-sharp spike.
Y/N wasn't all that interested in what she had to say. He was busy diving into a barrel full of metal scrap. Whatever interested him he stuffed into the three cans he gathered.
"Section Commander." Moblit sighed. "Please be more careful."
"One sec, Moblit." Hange tossed the ruined spike back with little care for where it landed.
  Petra noted how easygoing the Section Commander was when it came to the mysterious courier. The most notable fact was how tolerant he was of her antics. Or maybe he was more attuned to her chaotic nature. Petra wasn't too sure.
"Given your experience," She leaned in close, her eyes staring into his own while he continued digging. "I was hoping you would have something to share about this little contraption of mine and its mishaps."
With a whole mess of ultrahard steel collected, Y/N was forced to a stop. Hange had blocked his exit.
"Well?" She leaned in with anticipation.
"Use the wire from your ODM gear." Y/N said. His reply was simple, easy to implement, and only required an increase in current supplies.
"That's exactly what I was telling Moblit!" She cheered. "And what of the spears? They failed due to the Abnormal coming loose."
"Serrate them. When they heal—"
"They'll dig in!" Hange cheered again. "If I had a few more of you around here we could figure out a way to seal the hole in Wall Maria by next week!"
Y/N brushed off her praise. Despite this, he lingered far longer than Petra imagined he would. It was a brief pause before he stepped around her with a wide birth, taking the scrap metal as another form of payment for his work.
"Okay, I'll see you later!" Hange called after him with an unseen wave.
Petra followed and watched. Her curiosity became as great as her desire to simply talk, however, both couldn't coexist. She watched as he packed her empty can with the jagged scraps of metal and poured powder in with it. Now with it all packed and sealed up, she grabbed one and held it in her hand, practically cradling it out of fear of it exploding.
"You ride in the supply wagon, right?" She asked with no visible or audible dispute. "What do you need these for? The odds of a Titan breaking through the formation are—zero."
"I'm going back out today." She finally heard him say.
"But... we're leaving tomorrow." Worry was visible in her eyes and it became apparent with her voice. "We can't just leave you here."
His quiet and methodical movements ceased. The trickle of powder was quiet but filled a white noise his room was lacking. The silence became tense and worrisome.
Realizing her words were met with a metaphorical wall, Petra tried a different approach.
"What's so important out there? Can't it wait?"
"No." Y/N continued working. He packed another bomb, setting it aside to have three in total.
"What—?" She frowned, her eyes boring into the side of his skull. Something caught her attention and it didn't add up. "What did you see out there?"
Petra didn't have the authority to demand an answer, no one did. And frankly, he didn't want to tell her. He shook his head, realizing his reluctance. He didn't have time to think, he needed to leave.
Grabbing the bomb in her hand, he paused again. Petra had a firm grip on the packed can. She wasn't backing down for anything. This confused Y/N.
"Slavers. Human traffickers." He said. He gave the can a good tug, freeing it. "They had a wagon. I'm going to go see what was in it."
"A wagon?" Petra nearly yelled. "You're risking being left behind for what could be in a wagon?"
"Yes." He was halfway through packing the last bomb and there was hardly a hitch in movement. All Petra saw was raw determination written upon his face.
He was done talking. His voice felt weak and his throat dry.
He opened the drawer to his dresser and pulled his uniform free. It smelled clean with a hint of mint on its green fabric. It wouldn't last for long.
"I can't let you do this." Petra made a stand and blocked the door. "Even if you do get to that wagon, what will you do then? Carry it all back?"
Never mind the fact that they were all stolen goods, what Petra was most concerned about was him. He didn't know why, of course. They weren't friends let alone comrades. They shared a handful of words, that was it.
He pondered it for a few seconds. Maybe Petra was concerned because she wanted to be. And yet even that didn't make sense. In her eyes, he was a courier, a nobody. They were hardly acquainted and the most he knew about her was her name.
At the corner of his eye, he spotted the movement of the shadows. It was hardly noticeable and an inconvenience but Petra was making him uneasy.
"Take it up with Erwin." He grumbled before squeezing past.
"H-hey!" Petra shouted after his retreating form. Without a second thought, she marched upstairs and knocked on the Commander's door. On the other end was a muffled sound granting entry.
"Commander, sir!" Petra addressed her superior with the utmost respect. However, the urgency she expressed made Erwin cock a brow.
"Petra." Erwin greeted. His writing hand stilled as he put his work on hold. "Is something wrong?"
"It's Y/N, sir." The mere mention of his name visibly changed Erwin's demeanor. "He's planning to go back out."
"Is he now?" Erwin held his chin in thought.
"Ugly bastard's smart, I'll give him that much." Levi, who up until this point enjoyed his usual cup of tea, scoffed. "I would've done the same thing."
"Levi?" Petra said, evidently in disbelief.
"Where is he now?" Erwin asked.
"Just outside, sir. I think he's gathering supplies."
A short glance from the Commander made Levi sigh. "Traffickers. If they're this far out then they must've had quite the haul. Or found something valuable." Levi sipped his tea before adding. "Can't say it's easy luring an Abnormal in the middle of nowhere either..."
"Y/N must think the same." Erwin mused. "What could be in that wagon could be of great importance. If not, then value."
"What should I do, sir?" Petra was eager for an answer. Unfortunately, Erwin gave one she didn't want.
"Let him go." The Commander practically ordered. "He handled himself well enough on his own. I'm sure he'll find his way back to us."
"Sir, I don't think that's a good idea!"
"Petra." Her Captain called out to her with a stone-like gaze. "Let him go."
An argument rose and then immediately died in Petra's throat. Her concern was understandable but their combined wisdom outshined it. Whatever they thought was going to happen or could happen was practically set in stone. Y/N turned out to be more of a mystery than she had thought.