The Pain Made Me Strong ~ Levi x Reader

Chapter 21

Y/n's POV-

     We all woke up early that morning and got ready to get help out the Garrison in Trost with cannons and what not. Eren convinced me and the others to get into town early enough to see the Scouts return, I had planned on it, but now everyone was with me.

     We stood out in the crowded main street, people with happy faces cheered loudly as the gates began to open. Years ago this crowd would have been demanding their sons and daughters back, demanding to stop funding the Scouts, but the closer they get to Maria, the more excited the crowd becomes.

     Commander Erwin lead the group on horseback as they entered through the gate, his face stoic as always with this, as to not reveal the outcomes of the missions to the crowd.

     The crowd yelled and welcomed everyone back, but I just gave Erwin a gentle nod when he looked at me. 

     Suddenly we could hear a loud, "Look! There's Captain Levi! They say he is like an entire brigade unto himself."

     I looked over to see Levi, alive and well, his face read of "Spare me please."

     Suddenly the man standing beside the other who had yelled out to Levi said, "What about that one girl, the cadet they say matches Levi in strength? I don't see her out there."

     "She didn't go on this expedition, but boy would I like to see her in action, imagine all of Levi's moves, but with a girl, it would be much more of a show, if you know what I mean," the first man said with a wink to the other.

     I felt disgusted by their conversation, I looked over to Levi and he looked pissed. He looked as though he wanted to get off his horse and fight someone right here, but instead I saw him let out a breath and scanned the crowd.

     Levi eventually locked eyes with me, I gave him a sympathetic look and he returned it to me, knowing I had just heard that man's whole conversation. I mouthed, 'See you soon,’ to him and turned away, heading towards where I was stationed with the Garrison, not in the mood to be out in that crowd any longer.

     As I walked away, I felt as though someone was watching me. I turned around and saw that the same orange haired girl who I saw during my first expedition had been glaring daggers into the back of my head. 

     I turned around and continued, not wanting to think too much about why this girl obviously hated me. Eventually I arrived at the cannons atop Wall Rose and sat, waiting for everyone else to arrive so we could begin.

***

     We were all given instructions to help fill cannons with gun powder, readying them to be shot at any incoming titans that would threaten the security of the wall. Eren and I had been stationed on the same cannon, and next to us was Connie and Mina. 

     Connie looked really flustered as he turned to us, declaring he would, in fact, be joining the Scouts rather than the Military Police. This came as a shock to both Eren and I, as Connie had been the most apt to join the MP’s of them all, he talked about it since the moment he arrived at the trainee camp.

     “What? What the hell do you mean you’re joining the Scouts? What happened to the MP? That was your whole thing!” Eren yelled. 

     Refusing to face us, filling his cannon, Connie responded, “Don’t worry about it! A guy’s allowed to change his mind, okay?”

     “I think your speech yesterday lit a fire under him,” Mina said.

     “Ain’t nobody talking to you! His temper tantrum had nothing to do with it,” Connie shouted, face flushed with obvious embarrassment.