Hellfire • L.A.

Forcing Emotion

"Connie, please give me the cracker back!" A cadet by the name of Sasha is whining over another cadet stealing her beloved food. For a girl so tall and thin, she eats way more than one would think.

"No way! You can't just not share your food. We've been out here for hours and I'm starving."

I smile to myself at the front of our group. Erwin decided to have me lead a group of newer recruits on a patrol so they could learn hands-on more of their duties as scouts, and for myself to become more knowledgeable of the area.

Connie, the shaved-head kid that stole the cracker, was right. We had been out here for a while, and I have to admit I was getting hungry too.

I whip the reigns on my horse slightly so the stead hurried up a bit, and pull her to a stop and turn around to face the group of young kids.

"Alright, we still need to cover a bit more land before we can head back to HQ. However since it's been a while since breakfast I think we can stop and eat. Thirty minutes should be long enough."

The obviously hungry kids all nod and dismount their horses. I dismount as well and find a nearby tree with a branch low enough to secure the reigns on. My beautiful black horse whinnies, nudging at the bag on the ground in front of her.

"Alright, be patient." A tiny giggle escapes me while I reach down and pick out an apple from the bag. Axelia happily bites into, almost eating the whole thing in one munch.

"So, you're from the underground?" A quiet but stern voice comes from behind me and takes me off guard. I turn around to meet steely-gray eyes of a young, black haired girl.

"Yeah. Word of the tattoo got around fast, huh?"

The girl shakes her head no. "I was there when Krista pointed it out. It's very pretty."

Part of my heart seems to swell up. My dear sister would be so happy to know people think she's pretty. I know that the tattoo isn't actually her, but it's symbolic.

"Thank you. It took a while for them to do it, but I'm very happy with it."

The girl stares back at me with an expectancy, like she wants me to tell her more about it. I want to change the topic, so I decide it's time for introductions.

"I'm Captain Lux Elton, as you probably know by now, but I don't know who you are cadet."

"My name is Mikasa Ackerman."

"Ackerman? Like Corporal Levi Ackerman?"

At the mention of the captain's name anger flashes in Mikasa's eyes. "No. Or at least I don't think so. I hope not."

A sigh pushes out of my lungs and turn back to my horse, stroking her long neck.

"Not a fan either, huh?"

"No, captain. It might be disrespectful for me to say that, but he's an irritable man."

I snort at her observation. She's not completely wrong.

"Well, you're absolutely right. He has his good moments, though."

"Like when?"

My mind drifts back off to three nights ago when I told Levi about the constellation. He was so quiet then. The bright moonlight illuminated his face perfectly and I could see almost every scar and freckle. Even though he was a little short when speaking to me, he didn't hold the same hostility that he has been.

"If you catch him late at night normally he'll drop his cold demeanor."

Come to think of it, I haven't sat around in the kitchen in a while. Despite the fact that he could be an insufferable git most of the time I rather enjoyed Levi's company. Something about him seemed calming. He was an intelligent person as well. Most of the time our conversations, though short, would be about the world. He had a lot to say but he didn't say it often.