The Pain Made Me Strong ~ Levi x Reader

Chapter 20

Y/n's POV-

     I wiped away the sweat that had been dripping down my forehead as I listened to my heavy breathing. I had just finished my last training session with Levi of my trainee years. 

     I wouldn't train again with him for a couple weeks, and by then we would be training with the rest of his squad back at headquarters. I was officially graduating in just a few days.

     It was nice to finish such an intense training session, but the feeling was bittersweet. I will miss this close one on one training, but I know over these last three years I grew to be a nearly unstoppable soldier alongside Levi.

     Most people from all regiments and even some civilians had heard of the young cadet who nearly matched humanity's strongest in raw skill. Over the last year I had accompanied the Scouts on a few more expeditions and there were always whispers in the crowds about me.

     Children and adults alike pointed at me, some children even looked at me as if I was some sort of form of royalty. It was nice to be looked up to, but the pressure was intense, and I now knew why Levi dreaded the crowds on expeditions so much.

     On top of graduation being only a few days away, tomorrow I was turning 18, yet such a seemingly important date felt so unimportant to me. It was just another day, signaling another year past. I suppose it is nice to finally be considered an adult, but does it really matter here in the military?

     I sighed at all these thoughts filling my head and turned around to face Levi as he landed behind me. "Good job out there today Y/n. These three years have really paid off. As you know, I am leaving tonight and won’t be here for your graduation ceremony. I have to do all the paperwork to allow you to join my squad as soon as possible and the scouts have an expedition as well in two days. 

     We will be back the day after graduation and that night I will be coming to take you to headquarters. While all the other cadets go about the waiting period before officially joining their regiment, you will be automatically joining the Scouts upon graduating so that you can begin training with the rest of the squad that next day. So be packed and ready to go.”

     I nodded in understanding of his statement and began to look around at the forest and training grounds surrounding me. I sighed and we stood in comfortable silence, taking in the training grounds that we most likely would never go to again together.

     “I know I had my doubts three years ago, but Erwin really hit it right on the nose with having me come here, I think it really did me some good. Never before have I ever felt like a part of a family. I have worked so hard for this moment, graduation, and now it is here and I think I’m actually going to miss this place, and my comrades who are going the Military Police and Garrison… Speaking of Military Police I wonder who else will be graduating in the top 10?”

     “What do you mean, ‘who else,’” Levi asked, turning to face me.

     “Well, I mean I will obviously be one of them…” I said, nervously trailing off at the end due to Levi’s seriousness. 

     “You won’t be in the top 10, you were clearly superior to all your comrades the moment you all got here, it would not be fair to allow you to take one of the spots. Plus, as you are legally required to join the Survey Corps, there is no reason for you to even have the option of joining the Military Police,” Levi explained.

     I don’t know why the words made me so upset, maybe I felt as though Levi was making it less of a deal than it was to me, but either way, I couldn’t hold back my anger, “So I have been working my ass off for three years here all for nothing? That recognition is all anyone here works hard for. I deserve to be recognized for my efforts!”