Beneath The Flies • 《 Levi × Reader 》

《 Chapter 17 》• The Truth Is A Lie

Spring passed by.

Summer was knocking on our doors.

We had returned to HeadQuarters a few weeks back, leaving that rusted cabin behind and returning its old name of abandonment.

We couldn't stay there as long as we pleased.

Despite not having titans to deal with anymore, we were still apart of the military. This meant we had responsibilities that we could not completely disregard. No matter if it was something as simple as paperwork, we were still expected to play our part.

We had our fun, and now it was time to return to reality.

I had to say, though, that returning to my room in the barracks has never felt so good. The room in the cabin was nice, but it seems that I've grown overly attached to my original home.

Most people in the Scouts had homes they could return to the days we were not preparing for expeditions. But I, on the other hand, did not.
I lived here more than half my life, ever since I was just sixteen years old.

I lived here the first day I joined the Scouting Regiment, I lived here the day I went on my first expedition outside the Walls, the days I met my comrades, the days I felt both happy and sad. I lived here the day I met Levi, the day he became Captain, the day he and I declared eachother enemies. I lived here through thick and thin, throught it all.

This place was my home, a shell that represented who I was.

A Scout.

A soldier...

No matter how hard it was to swallow that title, it was true.

And that was the role I would always have to play.

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《 Chapter 17 》• The Truth Is A Lie

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I stepped down the hall of HeadQuarters that led down to the Mess Hall, an old book tucked snuggly under my right arm.
When I entered the room, it was empty as always.

After Wall Maria, we had lost a great amount of our soldiers in the death charge.

Very few people have been recruited since then, and none stayed holed up in the HeadQuarters the ways I did. They only stopped by every now and then for training to keep up on their skills, and otherwise returned to their homes.

So, unlike in the past, the Mess Hall was always unoccupied.

Or so I thought.

My eyes caught glimpse of Hange and Levi sat at a table in the back, discussing something incoherent as I neared.

Hange spotted me, but did not coax me over.

I told her upfront that I'd really rather not speak to Levi, so she's been laying off the forceful groupings, thankfully.
Ever since the river, I've kept my distance more than ever before, and I'd like to keep it that way... For now, at least.

So I just took a seat at a table far from them, ignoring Levi's hard stare that burned into my back, burying my eyes in the words of the book I'd brought along with me.

Honestly, I couldn't focus.

Not only was Levi's staring ticking me off, but also the hoard of many questions that prospered in my heart.