Be Kind (Doctor Reader x Levi Ackerman)

Chapter 9: Trauma

Chapter 9 - Trauma

You woke up to a familiar scent enveloping you, a clean and fresh detergent-like smell with hints of black tea leaves. Mixed with blood too, you later realised.

You opened your eyes to see a green cape blanketed over your body, and Levi sitting on a chair. The room was dark, the only source of illumination came from the faint moonlight outside. You looked down at the cape again, and wondered if this was Levi's.

"It's time to go," Levi said to you after noticing that you had woken up.

The sun had set, and the Titans should be inactive at this time, and now the two of you are going to begin on your dangerous journey back to the walls. After gearing up and scanning the area outside the hut for Titans, you two manoeuvred to Jungfrau who was waiting patiently at the bottom of the base hut.

Levi helped you up on Jungfrau, being extra careful with your injuries, and climbed up behind you. Levi insisted that he sat behind you just in case you felt dizzy and fell off the horse, and also, he simply felt better having you within his field of vision.

Having his arms around you made him feel like he could protect you better. Once again, you were in a close-up situation with Levi and you couldn't ignore his presence behind you. You could feel his warmth, and his chest would rub on your back occasionally due to Jungfrau galloping.

He pulled the reins and directed Jungfrau to start running, and you both rode quietly in the dark. You felt anxiety crawling in your stomach like a virus, afraid that a Titan might suddenly emerge in the darkness and engulf you whole. Levi was quick to notice your anxiousness though.

"Is your wound hurting?" he asked behind you. You glanced back to look at him and shook your head.

You eventually made it out of the forest, and into an open area. The iridescent moonlight shone in the night sky, and there was a strange sense of tranquillity in the atmosphere, the only noise coming from Jungfrau galloping and the fluttering of your green cape. Levi's was missing, you realised. Was this not yours?

With cold fingers, you tighten your grip around the green cape on your body, and draw it closer to your face. It smells like him. If Mike were to smell you again upon your return, he'd definitely try to start something again.

You thought about Mario, wondering if he was safe in the Walls and if he was worried about you. You hated thinking about how anxious he must be.

"I really hope the Titans are inactive," you muttered, trying your best to stay alert and look out for any strange movements in the distance.

"We'll make it back. I'll make sure of it," he says, and he means it.

You spotted the walls in the distance after a while.

"Captain, we're close," you told Levi. "Should I fire a smoke signal to alert the wall guards?"

"Yes, but do it after we get a little closer," he said.

–

Wall Rose, Wall Guards Eastern Post.

"H..Hey! There's someone out there!" a Garrison soldier on top of the wall stammered, blinking his eyes and looking into his binoculars once more.

"Is it a ghost? I've heard stories.. This is why I hate night shifts!"

"You must be seeing things."

"No, you idiot, I saw a smoke signal! Wait.. There are two soldiers!"

"Give me that!" the other soldier snatched his binoculars to see for himself, only to gasp when he saw the fast-approaching figure.

"Scouts? It's—it's Captain Levi! And that Military Doctor!" the Garrison soldier shrieked. "The Scouts reported them missing this afternoon, they're back!"