Cost Of War (Pieck x reader)

57th Expedition (Part 4)

Y/N Pov

"Brat. Who are you?" Levi asked me as we zipped forward.

"I'm Y/N L/N, sir. 104th cadet class. I came here because I heard Eren's Titan roar. I was there at his first transformation." I explained but Levi didn't seem to care. 

"Did you see anyone fleeing the area?" Levi kept questioning me. Makes sense. I need to gain his trust. Somehow.

"Yes. I saw this scout with their hood up. He seemed to be fleeing towards the horses." I explained as Levi looked at me again.

"Captain, you can trust him." Mikasa added. Thank fuck Mikasa. Saved my ass. Probably just because Eren likes me. 

"Okay. Keep your guards up and swords ready then. He could be anywhere. I assume he is that armored titan. Though, we never knew the titan could make things out of whatever that crystal is. Better report that to Hange." Levi mumbled the last part as we moved. Now they think Reiner can form things. Great. But that does keep me in the green for now. Luckily. 

-----

We met up with the rest of the formation as we rode, Eren being in a cart. More scouts were around us, as we headed back for the walls. Annie... get back safe. Please.

"All scouts! Halt!" Erwin ordered out as we stopped moving. Scouts all around us started moving towards us, bodies on their horses or tied to their backs. They laid out the bodies of all the scouts they could recover. It was a lot... But they're all devils. They deserved it. Fuck... did they? They were just doing their job. Fuck! I shouldn't think like this. After a while, we were ordered to load up all the bodies of the scouts onto the carts so we could head for the walls again. 

"This is the one thing I'll never get used to..." Jean said as he laid down another body with Armin.

"I doubt anyone could."

"How many comrades are gonna die... How I'm gonna die... That's all I start to think about..." Jean said as he stared down at the bloody bodies wrapped up.

"I try not to think about it at all. Because if I started picturing my own death, I'd lose the ability to fight." I said as Jean looked down at the dead bodies, walking to the edge of the cart.

"Yeah. You're exactly right."

-----

"We're moving out now!" Our squad leader yelled as we mounted our horses, getting ready to depart back to the walls. It's been 1 hell of a day. 

We rode forward, me being stationed next to the cart Eren was in.

"Titans!" A scout yelled as we looked back, 2 titans running towards us. 2 scouts were riding away from them.

"That's... Dieter!" Our squad leader said as he looked towards the two scouts, one of them being Dieter with a body hung over his shoulder. So our squad leader shot off a red flare. The titans had caught up to the 2 feeling scouts, taking 1 while the other Titan ran closer to us.

"It's about to catch up to us!" Armin called out as the Titan ran closer and closer.

"We're gonna have to fight!"

"ODM can't accomplish much on flat ground. Plus, look. They just keep coming!" Armin said as more titans came from a different direction.

"Then what do you suggest we do?!" Jean yelled as we rode, Armin not answering, but he was staring at the bodies. I think I know what he's thinking. Captain Levi fell backward, ordering the scouts to do something, which was obvious. They opened the edge of the cart, starting to drop the bodies off. Allowing us to escape unscathed. But without the bodies of our fallen comrade- why do I care?! What the fuck!

-----

"We leave as soon as we've confirmed our positions! Stay sharp!" Our squad leader passed down the instructions from the top as we made another stop. 

"Let's move out!" After a very short amount of time, we were ordered to move again. The sun was starting to set as we started the ride hom- to the walls.

"The walls are in sight." Armin said as the walls came over the horizon. Safety.

"Yeah. Just a little more. Then..." Jean spoke as he looked down. We all were thinking the same thing. Shame. When we got back, we would be shamed. Another failed expedition. More dead sons and daughters. More dead soldiers. Just adding to the pile. And without proof this time.

"Is it me, or are there fewer than this morning?"

"A lot fewer."

"Another bad one..."

"They left this morning shouting and roaring, and now they're already back? What did they even leave for?"

"Beats me. But from the brooding look on their faces... I'd say they succeeded in pouring our tax money down the drain." The people muttered from around the area. Mocking us. Shaming us. We failed. We lost. Then the yelling started.

"Commander Erwin! Please answer us!"

"Were the gains from this expedition worth the number of lives lost?!"

"Do you honestly believe the soldiers died without regrets?!" The yelling increased slowly, all targeted towards commander Erwin. But he was just taking the brunt of it. It was directed towards all of us. This was the worst the scouts have done ever. The most soldiers lost in 1 operation. We would lose Eren to. It would be impossible to capture him now. We have no chance. Or... do we? I know I'm relying too much on Annie but... she might be our only shot at this. If my plan would work that is. It... risky but the only chance we have. At getting home if they're gonna move Eren to the interior. It's crazy... but just crazy enough to work. 

A/N

Hey guys! Sorry for not posting earlier, but I wanted to get a chapter out for labor day but got caught up in family shit. So expect a chapter either tomorrow or the day after. This chapter is mainly set up and very short, so sorry for that but get ready for next chapters! Thanks for supporting this shit show and goodbye.