Yesterday's Enemy [AoT]

SIXTEEN

'Lorelai,

I hope this letter finds you in high spirits.

I just completed my first week of training in the Cadet Corps. Though the work is tough, the superiors are tougher. I missed you and the old man for the first few days, but I think the girls here helped me to feel a bit more at home.

You're probably spitting fire as you read that last sentence.

You'll probably kill me if I tell you your nurse friend Thersa Bergman from Islet also joined up, and we've been getting along. If you know what I mean...

I'm kidding— don't kill me.

In all seriousness, Romero really hasn't given me a break about the whole 'womanising' thing; and I told him it's not womanising! It's not my fault Walls girls like me...

...

It would be nice to hear from you, Lorelai. I hear there's some fiasco going on involving what happened at the hospital, so you're probably busy.

Just a few words would be fine. Though, you're not usually one for brevity.

Yours 'respectfully' (since you're technically my superior),

Gabriel.'

-An extract from a recent letter addressed to Lorelai Bervik from Gabriel Hyde.

<><><>

SIXTEEN

Wall Maria, South Region, Noaks Survey Corps Base of Operations.

Levi was listening to the birdsong just outside the base.

It was 0500 hours, a time he had once avoided in the pursuit of a lie-in. But with Lorelai's arrival, he always found himself awake as early as she usually was.

What a pain, Levi thought.

He was currently waiting on Lorelai before they set out for Trost, and Levi still didn't understand why he had agreed to any of this in the first place. Pity? Was that it? Somehow, he doubted it. All his life, Levi had had a knack for getting involved in other people's problems. Perhaps it was a curse.

Still, though, there was peace in the early morning. Not so long ago, Levi had never experienced the dawn like this, stuck in the Underground City. He shuddered at the memory.

Curious, he stole a glance at what baggage had been loaded onto their carriage. For taking down a bandit organisation, Lorelai didn't plan on taking many weapons. Most of her rather excessive number of bags were full of clothes. Rich girl, he reminded himself.

Levi sighed irritably, checking his watch. She was twenty minutes late. Either Lorelai was getting revenge for his one incident of tardiness, or she was still sleeping.

After another five minutes passed, Levi was half inclined to bang on her door and demand she hurries up. But then, Lorelai emerged from the building, clad in a thick brown coat and her hair stuck up at a funny angle.

His suspicions had been correct. She'd only just woken up.

Still, she shamelessly sauntered over and even had the gall to ask, "Wait long?"