Tasteful - Levi x OC (Attack On Titan)

The Switch

Having quickly changed out of her casual clothes and into her uniform, Arden prepped to leave for the recovery mission. Though she was worried as she felt the ache and pains of her injuries from the changeling when putting on her straps. They still hadn't completely healed, and when she checked the bandage there was more blood than there should've been.

But she ignored it, not wanting to let it get in the way of her mission. Afterall, she was a soldier at heart.

"Do you have to go?" Kain whined for about the 7th time in the last 2 minutes. Staring at Arden with big hopeful, sparkles in his eyes. Only to pout in sadness when she gave him the answer 'no'. It had been the entirety of their conversation as Arden prepped her horse, Zazel.

Hearing this, Hange chuckled as she approached them, "Is he always like this?" She asked Arden. Kain too busy throwing a mini temper tantrum behind them; stomping his feet and exaggeratedly folding his arms over his chest with a pout.

"Surprisingly, no. I mean, he's never been this... extreme." Arden answered, both women examining his childish riot. Arden with a single brow raised and Hange with a mixed look of discomfort, disgust and confusion.

Then the brunette shook her head, wondering just how the red eyed woman was so patient. If it was her, she probably would've throttled Kain. Though as gently as she could as Hange was actually quite fond of the youngest Croix. They shared an interest in Titans and everything about them. Even if he didn't really understand some of her crazed scientific analogies or explanations, he still bobbed his head along and made witty, mostly murderous, quips.

"Well. We should get going. The 104th isn't going to save themselves." Hange added, reaching out to stroke Zazel's snout. Said horse pulling his head back before puffing a burst of air through his nostrils at the woman, Hange's hair being blown backwards in crazy directions.

Arden chuckled, grabbing onto Zazel's saddle and lifting herself up to mount him. Though halfway through lifting her leg up to swing over him, there was a sudden agonising tearing festering from her wounds, making her hiss in pain. The stabbing sensation causing her to instinctively grab at her stomach, her hands falling from the reigns as she fell backwards.

"Arden!" Hange called in distress, luckily catching the woman before she harshly hit the ground.

Arden sucked in a sharp breath, letting out laboured grunts of agony. It felt like her knees would give way beneath her. And if they did, she'd let them. At that moment, all she wanted to do was to crumble to the floor and curl up until the pain disappeared. On her stomach and back, it felt like someone had jabbed a knife into the already sore wounds then forced it to slash upwards, tearing the impaled points even more.

In a flash Kain was by her side, helping Hange to support her over to the nearby stone wall. She was grunting and hissing with every step, her wound burning in torturous pain that spread with every movement.

With her leaning against the wall, Hange asked worriedly, "Arden, are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"I-- I'm fine. Dont worry." Arden gasped out, leaning over whilst gripping her stomach. Eyes squeezed shut and face contorting into images of burning discomfort. "I just, pulled a muscle." She attempted to lie.

But Hange could see right through her. A pulled muscle didn't look as agonising as whatever she was going through. "That's no pulled muscle... I think you should stay here. You need to rest and get that checked out."