Shorter Than Me

8 Ecyn

The week after the assessments are finished starts getting colder. The first day, the sun isn't seen at all and the second day, it rains. We still have to train, and I'm glad for the practice and experience even though it's very cold and wet. Captain Levi keeps me out for hours until my feet, hands, and nose are numb. I can barely control the maneuver gear with numb hands. Getting back is a relief because they have a fire in the huge fireplace and blankets we can huddle under. There's also scalding hot tea and coffee that burns my tongue and does nothing to warm my feet. Almost all the Scouts huddle together near the end of the day and those that don't sit at tables where it's still warm. I feel at home and safe during these times. My best friends are huddled under blankets with me and we laugh and talk into the night. Sometimes we even fall asleep in front of the fire until the rain wakes us up or the cold of the dead ashes does. Then we have to run through the rain to the dormitories to get changed for breakfast, the remnants of the previous night still warming our bodies.

That paragraph makes me feel warm and happy.

It's one of those nights where the sun would have set an hour ago if it weren't for the relentless rain pounding on the roof of the building that I receive a folded note. Briine reads it out loud.

"Guiin, your presence is requested immediately at Captain Levi's office."

"Great. I get to run in the rain," I complain.

"Hurry back." Dren laughs.

"What if he makes me clean? Or patch a hole in his ceiling that's dripping water on his floor?"

"Good luck fixing it in this weather." Lenden laughs.

"Thanks." I reluctantly stand and retrieve my cloak from a long line of them hanging on the wall. Mine is the shortest. I take a deep breath before opening the door and running into the wind and rain. The hood barely protects my face, and I reach the door, which was only twenty feet away, soaked and chilled to the bone. I slam the door behind me and shiver. I clutch the wet piece of paper in my now numb hand and twirl my hair into a bun as I walk sown the hall. I stop suddenly. I actually don't know where the captain's office is. I glance at the labels on the doors.

The door opens and closes behind me, sending a gust of freezing wind through the hall. I turn and see two people standing with their heads covered by the hoods. They're taller than me- that's the first thing I notice. They remove their hoods and I see who they are. Eren Jaeger and Armin Arlert start walking down the hall toward me. I've never actually met them in person, only seen them from a distance and heard a lot about them.

"Hey, have you seen Mikasa?" Jaeger asks me.

"No, sorry," I reply.

"It's alright," he says. They keep walking down the hall past me.

"Wait!" They stop. "Do you know where Captain Levi's office is?"

"It's right here." Arlert points to a door beside them.

"Thanks." I walk to it.

"We've been called to his office," Jaeger explains.

"Me too," I say. Arlert knocks.

"Come in." Captain Levi's muffled voice travels through the door.

Arlert opens the door for me and I walk in. Mikasa Ackerman stands off to one side and the captain sits at his desk, facing away from the door. I notice the temperature in here is significantly colder than the hall. It might have something to do with the window that's open barely a crack. I walk farther in so Jaeger and Arlert can come in. I stand awkwardly a few feet from the other three.