Konoha's Chef (Gaara Love Story)

21: Hanji...no

Author's POV

"Akimi, make some dinner, alright?" Armin called, coming into the kitchen with potatoes and carrots, a wonderful addition from their prosperous gardens. Also, their livestock had grown tremendously compared to the first time the war started. Several chickens and a few cows were like a miracle for the cadets. Fresh milk and plenty of eggs were a welcome treat for them all. Not to mention Eren (the current chef for the Survey Corps thanks to Petra who taught him how to cook) could utilize those ingredients, as well as spare some flour and sugar to make pancakes.

"Sure thing," Akimi said, grabbing some potatoes. She started making a creamy potatoes soup, knowing it would be nutrients for the body. Bread was baked, and even some salted butter was laid out for the cadets.

Salt was procured either by going to the market and wasting money, or boiling a ton of salt water and wasting time. The soldiers monthly boiled salt water. In fact, they even made a three day holiday out of it, because boiling salt water to get salt took a lot of time.

"Akimi, do you need any help?" Christa asked, bringing in a basket of eggs.

"Nah, I'm good. Leave the eggs over there, and I'll have dinner in no time."

"Okay!"

"Uh, how are the Titans?" The substitute cook asked.

Christa shook her head. "They're still asleep. Mikasa, Sasha, and Connie are watching them now."

"Got it."

Minutes later, the cadets were seated at the table and ate dinner, while Levi swapped places with the guards and watched the Titan Shifters himself. Hanji wobbled back, her glasses smashed to bits, but she still was smiling her normal self, mumbling incoherent words about her experiment.

"I hope they're alright," Akimi muttered, digging into the stew. "This isn't bad at all."

Suddenly, Levi busted into the room, wordlessly grabbed a bowl of stew, and left. As the cadets chatted aimlessly among themselves, Akimi felt something was wrong. 

Exactly three hours later, Marco, one of the current three guards of the Titan Shifters (since Levi still had annoying paperwork), came running from the room and into Hanji's lab. "Squad leader Hanji! Come quick!"

Marco and Hanji ran to the room and found Sasha and Christa in a room full of little Titan Shifters. Little Bertholdt had woken up, and was sitting on one bed, looking confused. Reiner, Ymir, Annie, and Eren were now little children.

"They're little kids! Cute!" Hanji screamed, grabbing Marco's shoulders and began squeezing them.

"Squad Leader, please let go!" Marco was released, but Reiner was swooped up quickly by Hanji.

"You guys are adorable!" Marco took that as his cue to find Captain Levi. Perhaps he could provide more helpful orders than Hanji.

Seconds later, Levi came storming into the makeshift nursery. His silver eyes scanned the room for Eren, spotting the child safely away from Hanji who had Annie in her grip. In one solid stroke, Hanji was on the ground, yelling at Levi who had kicked her down. The other five kids huddled behind Sasha and Christa, away from Hanji.

"Take her out," Levi ordered to Molbit. "She is not allowed to be alone with any of these brats."

"Hai!"

"Noooooo!"

"Heichou?" Levi looked down to see Eren looking up at him curiously. His eyes softened as he picked up the younger boy, stroking his soft hair. At least he's alright.

"Get them to the mess hall," Levi ordered the other sharply. "We need to have an urgent meeting."

"Hai!"