The Difference Between You And Me

Expeditions and History

Eren has his titan hair in this fic and Levi isn't captain yet. Just so you know. Levi is also around 24 and since titans age differently, Eren is of a similar age. Maybe even older. Its unknown exactly oow old because eren never counted the years or knew what years were. Please forgive me for the terribleness of this chapter.

Sincerely,
Shado_on_nanoko.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Get used to it I did.

Everyday he would be waiting for me outside and would send me back in, with a towel he had brought, if I hadn't washed myself. We spent the days exploring the forest (my territory. It wouldn't do to run into another titan.) with him teaching and explaining things to me. He taught me that the words he likes to say a lot, the ones I don't understand, are called swear words.

His eyes seemed to laugh when I had begged him to teach them to me.

He taught me something called manners and how to make fires, skin animals and which plants could be eaten. He nearly kicked my teeth in the first time he saw me tackle a dear, kill it and tear it apart with my jaws. He said something about raw meat being bad for people. So, he took to cooking everything (much to my displeasure) and swatting at me whenever I tried to sneak a piece of raw meat. This lead to very uncomfortable moments after he left where I would shove my fingers down my throat and cough up the very unappetizing meals of that day.

I could talk better now. We have conversations from time to time and, even though most of his replies are various grunts, I feel like I'm getting to know who this little human is. He's rude but can be very gentle. He's strong but I see glimpses of something fragile underneath. His features show only displeasure but there is kindness in his gestures. The human is wonderful. Just like I dreamed that they would be. Just like that small village of humans. Kind.

It was nearing the end of the day. I sat by the fire that I lit, all by myself, and let my mind wander as I stared into the flames. The human sat beside me on a fairly clean rock, legs elegantly folded underneath himself and a barely perceptible frown on his face.

"I'm going on an expedition." He said softly, almost unwilling to break the peace and quiet of the moment. He turned to look at me, frown deepening. "Tomorrow."

Expedition? What does that mean?

He sighed, shaking his head.

"Your thoughts show on your face, shitty brat. Going on expedition means that I'm going to leave the safe zone to explore the surrounding area, to find new places where we can camp or set up another headquarters and secure the place. It means that a whole bunch of idiots, my squad and I will go riding around with no real purpose other than to look at fucking trees, rocks and more trees while risking our lives fighting shitty titans."

I stare at him. Might not come back?

"Does that mean you're going to die? Not come back?" He nodded. I quickly pushed myself to my knees and shuffled towards him, eyes wide. "Then don't go! Don't leave! You can stay here if you want. Its always fun when you're here." He didn't react to my outburst, as if he was expecting it. He lightly shoved at my chest but knew that there was no way I would calm down after this revelation.

"I'm a soldier, brat. Its my job to do this. I have to follow the orders from the higher ups. I can't just choose to stay behind." His face was impassive as he spoke. No emotion on it at all. It was scaring me. "But-"

"No." He growled, cutting me off before I could start. "I'm going and that is final. I just thought that you should know just in case I don't cone back, because I've got a crappy feeling that you'll wait for me for so long that you'll die from exhaustion or some other weak ass thing."