Dead End(Erwin x Levi)

Chapter 3: Arrival

The rain had stopped at dawn.

It had rained all through the night and they were chilled to the bone. They were sore and hungry and weak. The sun rising cast a bright and yellowish orange colour over everything and Levi secretly loved the way it made Erwin's face glow with the warmness the light cast.

"We should stop and get some rest." Erwin said. It wasn't a suggestion, more of a demand.

"We need to keep going. I don't want to stop anywhere, it'll just waist time." Levi said. He may have been exhausted but he just wanted to get this trip over as soon as possible. That, and the ground was still extremely damp and he'd rather not sleep in a puddle. "We can rest when we get there." He suggested.

Erwin thought over the words in his mind and pushed around the idea before he hesitantly agreed.

Levi shoes were soaked through and he couldn't really feel his feet. It felt weird when he would walk because of all the water that his shoes held, a swishing sound that was heard with each step. Puddles were laying everywhere and neither of them cared if they stepped in one. Erwin was sure that the tarp did nothing to help and that his jacket was probably wet along with the bag. They had the option of changing but neither of them cared, even if it would have been a good idea. They had stopped to dig out a small portion of food that they shared. It still left them craving more but there was nothing they could do about it.

In the end, they were cold, exhausted, and sore by the time they made it to the wall that surrounded the city of Maria. It was the largest city out of the three, Sina being the smallest but best because only the rich and government elites got the luxury of living there. Rose was definitely a step up because it had remained mostly intact during the first few years of panic that came with the apocalypse. Maria could use some touching up though.

The sun was setting and they were practically stumbling everywhere they walked. If they would have leaned against a wall they probably would have fallen asleep there. Despite Levi not sleeping much at all and mostly doing patrols at the cabin, he often hated traveling. At least by foot. If they had a horse it would make everything so much easier. Levi had trouble sleeping most nights, a constant nightmare would reply every time he slept so he thought he should just not try. He would manage to get in three to four hours but other than that he never slept. It was too difficult for him. Erwin, however, had no problem sleeping. He had even slept in once.

They had spotted a convoy that they followed and when it stopped at the gate of the wall they had climbed into the carriage and hid under a white tarp. 'Soldiers' had walked around the convoy to inspect the contents but they ended up not looking at all. Levi and Erwin knew the soldiers well, they had been ones themselves. Levi remembered the scratchy shirts and uncomfortable blisters the boots caused. However he was not called a soldier. He was called a Scout. He went outside the walls and surveyed the land beyond and what it held. It was joining the Scouts that had led him to Erwin. Or rather, one particularly bad event that led him to meet Erwin.

The smell upon entering the city was disgusting. It was unnatural. A foul smell of death and decay that invaded their nostrils and left them cringing. When they were a safe distance away from the wall they had hopped out of the carriage and kept moving. All the buildings were broken down and beaten, windows smashed and doors hanging off the hinges. Old paper and rusted cars along with a few other pieces of trash were littered everywhere on the streets. Maria may have been the biggest city and it was crowded to match the title. Women and children and men walked everywhere and Levi and Erwin felt like they were suffocating in the crowd. They also stuck out like a sore thumb. Their heavy clothing looked so different from that of the normal civilians.

Their steps felt odd on the pavement as they walked in what they assumed was the direction of the market. Filth, Levi thought as they walked. People were pressed shoulder to shoulder the closer they got. The bustle and talking and shuffling and moving had irritated Levi. He wasn't used to so much noise at a time. He had gotten so used to the peacefulness that the forest held that when he entered the market he felt like someone had taken a blow horn and was blowing it directly in his ear. Shops lined the streets in rows and people of all ages were surrounding them. It was hot and even though the night had fallen there was still so many people there. Levi kind of wished that they'd all go away. They had put their hoods up when they were hiding in the convoy and Levi felt like everyone was staring at them. Piercing gazes and harsh stares ran through him, anxiety eating him like a corpse would eat rotten flesh.