Birdie (Levi x OC)

twenty-nine

It was still dark when we reached Orvud District, well ahead of Rod Reiss's creeping titan form. Moblit, who had joined Commander Erwin's group on the road, looked visibly worried and stressed at the sight of Hange's shoulder wound. Hange, Moblit, and I were immediately directed to the military barracks for her injury to be treated. Captain Levi and Commander Erwin, however, wasted no time and promptly left to consult with the Orvud Garrison.

"Are we going to evacuate the city?" I asked Hange, gently cleaning the open gash on her shoulder, which was still slowly seeping blood.

"I'm not entirely sure," she winced as I carefully stitched and cleaned the wound.

I inhaled sharply. "Are you sure we can't get you to an actual doctor?"

"And have them tell me I'm on indefinite bed rest?" she huffed. "Absolutely not. Besides, you have a knack for this."

I eyed my uneven stitches skeptically. "I doubt that," I muttered under my breath, then carefully wrapped her shoulder in clean linen.

Moblit, still looking concerned, gently placed a hand on her uninjured shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay, Hange?" he asked, his voice tight with concern.

She looked up at him from her seated position, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Yes, you worrywart. This is nothing," she reassured him, though her wince earlier suggested otherwise.

He grimaced, his gaze flicking to me for confirmation. I just eyed the two of them warily before shrugging, knowing how futile it was to argue with Hange when she'd made up her mind.

Suddenly, yelling from outside the barracks cut through the air. "That titan will be here by dawn!" an unfamiliar voice boomed, its words echoing off the walls. Hange, having just pulled her shirt over her newly stitched shoulder, gestured for me to follow her outside.

We stepped out to find Commander Erwin and Captain Levi in a heated discussion with a Garrison member. The officer, visibly distraught, grabbed Commander Erwin by his collar. "You're telling me not to evacuate the citizens?!"

I instinctively recoiled, surprised to see someone confront the Commander so directly. Captain Levi quickly stepped in, standing eye-to-eye with the frantic officer. "If we don't deal with this titan here and now, it will tear through this city and these walls before heading straight to the capital."

Commander Erwin gave Captain Levi a grateful look. "We will do everything we can to protect the citizens, but they must remain here, or that titan is heading straight for the royal city."

The Garrison officer protested, "I can't allow this to happen."

Erwin let out a heavy sigh. "Tell the people of the district that an emergency evacuation drill is being held. Depending on the situation, we can make arrangements to move them quickly out of Orvud. But you have to let us try to stop this titan first."

He huffed, his face distraught, "I guess if we have no choice."

Commander Erwin placed a hand on his shoulder, "The cannons on top of the wall will be extremely effective against this titan. It's slow and can't walk properly." He cast a sideways glance at Eren. "But if it's not enough, we will use the full force of the Survey Corps."

~

Dawn was breaking, and with it, the looming threat of Rod Reiss's titan. I stood atop the wall, positioned behind a battery of cannons that Moblit, Hange, and I had been assigned to. Just three of us—a small squad for such a monumental task. I shook my head, pushing away the haunting thoughts of my fallen comrades. Get through today, Birdie, I urged myself.

Levi's squad was nearby; I could hear the Captain's voice, raised in argument with Historia. I glanced warily in their direction, not wanting to involve myself further in whatever was unfolding there.