Vista - Attack on Titan x Reader

CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO: Drink Up

"S..Sasha...Down girl..!"

Even after having mentally prepared Sasha, she still went rabid over the feast our superiors had organised for us. In two days, we would be leaving for the Shiganshina expedition, so they wanted to treat us. Meat, alcohol, time off. We all needed that last one.

"You guys really outdid yourselves." I complimented, aware of Sasha's violent grunting as Connie and Jean tried to keep her from eating everything in sight. I was pretty sure I heard her try to take a chunk out of the copperet.

"Yes, well, everyone has worked hard to get us here. We agreed that this would be the best way to boost moral." Erwin explained, glancing to Hange as she raised her glass.
"So drink up and have fun, missy!" My eyes found their way to Levi, who looked bored beyond compare, and he glanced back at me.
"That was an order, girl. Just don't throw up."

Okay, if I drink, I need to stay away from him...

My stomach wasn't in any condition to deal with meat, so I opted to a bread roll and a bottle of wine, all to myself. It was a gift from Moblit, who urged me to use it wisely. All in one night sounded wise to me.

For a while I squatted beside Sasha, who had been tied to a support beam, tossing chunks of beef into her drooling mouth, then I gravitated over to Mikasa, Armin and Eren, who, for once, seemed to be relaxed.
"Care to join us, (Y/N)?" Had Mikasa just smiled at me? She had, and it took me a moment to recover from how adorable she had looked.

"I'm just floating around, but thanks." Returning the smile, although a little forced, I ruffled Armin's hair, choosing to lean on it instead of sitting down.
"I looked over the revised strategy plan." He mentioned. "You'll be acting as captain for one of the squads. That's really impressive."

Squishing him down a little as a joke, I tutted, tapping the lip of my bottle to his nose.
"Nuh-uh, this isn't the time to talk about that. But, yeah, I'm gonna be leading the first support squad, second to Eren's team. Levi needs to be ready to move on his own, so I'm stuck with the duty."

Don't think about it. I'm already terrified.

"You'll do well. You have the wit and experience, that's for sure." Mikasa stated, tapping her wooden tankard against my bottle, and I offered her a wonky smile in return. I knew I was going to drink far too much, but I needed some way to deal with the dread of what was quickly approaching.

"We were in the same graduating group. How the hell did you make captain rank so quickly?" A voice I hadn't heard before met my ears, and I turned to face a man with tousled auburn hair, who was giving me the stink eye. Squaring up, despite my inferior stature, I puffed out my chest.
"You are...who?" The man clicked his tongue, mirroring my pose.
"Floch Forster."

What a dumb name.

"Well, Floch Forster, I don't really know how, either, to be frank. I was pretty much thrown into battle the moment I got here, so I did my time, and the higher ups decided I was suited. Got a problem?" If it came to it, I was ready to resort to violence, but I was lucky enough to have my ragtag friends to back me up.

Mikasa, Armin, Eren, Connie and Jean all rose from their seats, and the scout shrunk back, retreating without another word.
"What a punk." Jean muttered, moving up beside me. "You good?" Nodding, I clinked my drink to his, throwing back a hearty swig and giving him a smile.
"Good as I can be. Drowning my nerves in..." I paused to study the bottle of wine in my hand, finding no label. "This stuff, whatever it is."

Laughing at me, Jean rested his arm on my good shoulder, nearly tipping me over into his side.
"I'm scared too, but try to enjoy tonight, okay? Look, everyone's having a great time." He was right, everyone was smiling and chatting, spirits high. I wished that I could get to that state, but my anxiety was keeping me just out of reach.