Just for Yeager

The Encounter, Pt.1

There were no sure indications of his interest towards me when we first met, but I knew for certain he was a particular breed of strange whom I wanted to uncover. Like myself, I carried my curiosities in covert, paying mind to not draw too much attention to my objective. Down I went, tucked in my hood, snaking my way pass oblivious trainees in an open field. It seemed their Omni Gear training session just ended, and Eren, pinned to a wall of brick stone, was defeatedly trying to catch his breath. That one companion of his stuck to him like a leech; was almost as suffocating as what little he knew on the impending ultimate test of survival. I had learnt most of their names a while back, and if I remembered correctly, she was one of the more talented rookies, Mikasa Ackerman.

She smothered his space and I had no angle in approaching him. I didn't want to seem over eager, but the longer I lingered, the more impatient I became. So, I bulldozed my way in, so to speak.

"Pathetic performance. I think your decision in joining the military was overzealous." I stripped my hood off, two pair of eyes ogling me in confusion, and possibly a dash of shock. My arms fell crossed, and I continued to address him, "you're in way over your head if you can't even balance yourself in an aerial assault."

Eren gasped, erecting himself promptly. "Ca-c-captain Levi!" He stood with a firm salute, and Mikasa followed with a sharp glare.

"You didn't come all this way to belittle a rookie, did you?" She unhesitantly questioned me, my title no warrant for her to hold her tongue. Hmph, those bold types always did entertain me. And she seemed fearless, protective...

I kept my eyes on Eren, a frown now surfacing my face. "I would like a word with him, alone." Ackerman loitered before she finally made her exited, only a few short meters away mind you, but enough distance for me speak with Eren privately.

"So you know of me? Then I can save the needless introduction. Yeager. Eren Yeager, am I right?"

He dipped his head in an almost pathetic display of embarrassment, his timidness swooning me closer to him. I pressed his back against the wall with my assertive front, and slammed a fist over his head. I anchored myself over him, his eyes so submissive, I slipped a grin in delight. There was a near instantaneous chemistry between us I couldn't deny as a blush colored his face red. At that moment, I wanted nothing more but to test that attraction, the butterflies in my stomach motioning me closer to his innocence. But I couldn't forget my place, merely whispering in his ear, "Are you not afraid?"

He flashed me a blinking stare before shifting his eyes over my shoulder. Suddenly, I felt a heat of abhorrence from behind me that forced me too to look his direction. I scoffed, turning my focus to him again and questioned, "Is she your body guard?"

"Ugh, uh, no. No she isn't."

"It looked like you were begging her to come over."

"I, I wasn't!" He stuttered, stumbling on his words with quaking lips.

"What is she to you, then?"

"Mikasa? She is just a friend."

"How reassuring." I bridged a distance between us, giving him a glassy expression. "Don't expect this friend to hold your hand through this. And if by some miracle chance you make it to the force, rely on only yourself to save your own ass. Because out there, they'll pluck you out the sky before you can cry out for help. And then, take your friend out too."

"Y-yes sir!"

"If you don't stay focused, you can lose more than just your pride out there. I heard about your backstory, and your die-hard mission to slay every last one of them. Don't let that get over your head. Vengeance can fuel an incredible spark inside people. Keep them striving with stamina. But it can also leave you dead."

"I know what I'm getting myself into, Captain."

"Do you? Do you really?" I cupped his chin, my eyes coursing over his body in lust. "Would be such a shame too... "

I jerked up, a strong grip snatching my shoulder as I veered over to his bodyguard at my side.

"Break's over. We need to go now."

Deeming back at our first encounter, it became harder to accept the idea that she may have played a role in Yeager's death. But I have learned to never rule out any possibilities, no matter how improbable. I rode towards the training hut with one mission in mind; to expose her for the killer she was. But what I needed to do was affix myself to no bias, somewhat of a hard thing to do when she couldn't even bring herself to his funeral, or his death site. This, so called close childhood friend; was it truly that difficult to bare his demise that she couldn't see him one last time?

Something told me she would be here, if not home, the cemetery, nor with Armin. I tied up my horse before motioning to the wide window panel to notice I was right. I found her venting amid combat garb and gym equipment. The door behind me slammed hard, but she continued to punish the punching bag in the ring with merciless swift blows of fury. No doubt she knew I was coming.

It seemed she was alone in this large scale exercise venue, and my voice called out to her in a booming echo, "Ackerman... "