Shorter Than Me

13 Levi

I wake up when the sun rises. I get dressed and run my hands through my hair, combing it. It feels a little too long. I need to remember to cut it. I walk out my door and down the hall. No one is ever awake yet, so it's silent like always. I open the door and stop in my tracks.

Guiin stands with her hand out to grab the door handle. She stares at me in surprise.

"What are you doing outside?" I glance at what she's wearing. A dark, slightly large coat over what looks like a night dress and boots. "And why aren't you in uniform?"

"Sorry, sir," she stammers. "I was taking a walk."

"You shouldn't be up so early." I step out, forcing her to the side. "Don't be late today."

"Yes, sir." She hurries inside, closing the door behind her.

Why was she out here this early? There was some grass in her hair. She also had weird mark on her face, like the ones that come from having something pressed against it for a while. It looked like a seam or something.

I guess she was sleeping. But why would she sleep outside? Why would anyone sleep outside when they had a perfectly good bed inside?

I shrug and decide to forget about it. It's not like I care. She can sleep wherever she wants as long as she's not too tired to think and isn't too late.

I walk to where the maneuver gear is stored and put mine on. Then I saddle my horse, mount it, and ride into the trees. I push him to a gallop and ride until I can hear his labored breathing.

It seems weird to have a memory here and I don't know what to write so excuse my weird transition.

***

Training is just like the past few days. No one is late. I yell at Kerstien for messing something up. I direct them in where to go and what to do and which titans to kill. I could probably take down every titan in this forest alone, even if they were real. The wooden titans are good for improving agility, angles, strikes, and other things, but the real training is with actual titans. The only risk is your life. Everything rests on the maneuver gear and the individual's skill with it. Those that use it well can survive for a long time while those who can't use it well die. They get eaten, fall, accidentally stab themselves. I've seen it happen. One stupid cadet joined the Scouts and fell on his blade while practicing. I don't know how he even graduated. He was an idiot.

At least I've never seen anyone even remotely like him join the Scouts since. He was the only one. One of a kind. Original. Special.

***

I lift the scissors and pull some of my hair straight. With a clean cut, the tiny ends fall into the sink. I move on to the next section of hair. I stare at myself in the mirror and make sure the cuts aren't too long.

It reminds me of how Petra would like to cut my hair. I knew how to do it from years of cutting it myself, but I guess she liked touching my hair. I understood. I liked touching her hair too, though I never wanted to cut it.

I finish one side and am about to move on to the next side when a loud knock sounds on my door.

"What?" I yell.

"Captain Levi?" It's Guiin. I sigh.

"Go away!"

"Commander Erwin told me to ask you to come see him immediately, sir," she calls.

Perfect timing. My hair is half short, half long. "I'm busy!"

"He said it was urgent. Really urgent, sir."

I curse and slam the scissors next to the sink. I grab a towel and dry my damp hair hastily. I smooth it down and open the door. Guiin jumps back in surprise and her eyes find my hair. "Where is he?" I demand.

"In his office, sir." She keeps looking at my hair and I shove her out of my way. Maybe I pushed her a little too hard because she stumbles back and hits the wall, but I don't care. All I care about right now is why the Commander is making me walk around with an unfinished haircut.

I storm into his office without knocking and he looks up, slightly surprised. I glare at him when he smiles at my hair.

"Were you in the middle of something?" he asks.

I keep glaring at him. "What did you want, sir?"

"It could have waited a few minutes..."

"What did you want, sir?"

"I have to leave for a few days."

My mind goes in millions of directions, mainly remembering the last time he had to leave. He put Hanji in charge, which was a horrible idea. She made everyone call her Commander Hanji. She forced everyone to listen to a two hour lecture on the titan reproductive system- or lack thereof.

"I'm not putting Hanji in charge again."

I breathe an internal sigh of relief.

"You're going to be in charge."

I don't want to be the commander of the Scouting Legion. If I wanted to, I would be.

"I don't want you making everyone clean this whole place the whole time. You can a bit. The west wing is getting a little dusty, but I don't want everyone focusing their efforts on cleaning. I also want you to be lenient while punishing people. Very lenient." He looks me in the eyes while saying this. "I'm leaving tonight. That's why I said it was urgent."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner, sir?"

"I just got a letter calling me to a meeting with the other commanders an hour or two ago. I'll be back the day after tomorrow. Late at night."

I nod.

"Can you command the whole Scouting Legion for two days?"

"Yes, sir."

"Alright. That's all."

I turn and walk back out the door. I walk quickly down the hall, hoping I won't come across anyone- especially someone who will mention my hair. Namely Hanji. But I guess the luck in my life has run out. That or the Walls hate me.

"Levi!" Hanji's voice calls from behind me.

I walk faster.

"Levi!" she says more insistently.

I ignore her and just keep walking.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim...

"Why does your hair look like it got eaten and puked up by a titan?" She runs to catch up to me.

I ignore her still. I'm almost there.

"It looks like you cut it, but then stopped halfway." She laughs loudly. "Why would you do that?"

I open my door and step inside. I try to close it, but she sticks her foot in the crack. I could probably either break her foot or the door, but I'd rather not risk the door getting broken.

"Levi, let me in!"

"Hanji?" I hear another voice.

"What?" Hanji puts her arm through the crack and tries to open it that way.

"Commander Erwin wants you right now. He says it's very very urgent." It's Guiin.

"Really?" She pauses her fruitless fight with my door.

"Yes."

She turns back to me. "Levi, I will talk to you later." She pulls her foot free and I slam the door. I lock it and walk back to the bathroom to finish cutting my hair.

Yay! Levi gets to be commander! I decided to do it on the spot and it is definitely not my idea. Lots of people have done it before.

Thanks for reading! :D

(Sorry. I don't remember if I updated yesterday so if I didn't, sorry.)