Chapter 25 – Someone to protect

Luminous moonlight cast a silver hue over the moving dark clouds; the forest underneath rested immobile. Cool breezes passing between the verdant foliage left the leaves rattle gently. Tonight is especially cold. A few chirping crickets hid between the fresh grasses. Surrounded by this otherworldly beautiful forest is Survey Corps' stone castle headquarter.

Inside one of the rooms sat Corporal Levi with his arm resting on the back of a bench. Clad in a simple white shirt and trouser, he had no particular expression on his face. Everyone is already fast asleep. Yet, whenever he shuts his eyes, dead faces of his subordinates appears to him. Then, he remembered Farlan and Isabel. Levi clenched his teeth, "tch. One after another, my comrades keep dying before me. I couldn't protect any of them."

*Farlan and Isabel lived in the underground with Levi and joined the Survey Corps together. The two were killed by Titans on their first expedition when the weather drastically changed. Levi couldn't save them and he was crushed.

A sudden noise of doorknob twisting snapped Levi out of his lamenting thoughts.

"You're still awake, Levi?" Erwin Smith opened the door and noticed the Corporal in the empty meeting room lit by flickering candlelight.

"Erwin." Said Levi unenthusiastically. He didn't turn around.

"How's your injury?"

"I have no trouble walking."

The Commander's eyes observed the melting candlesticks. The hot wax had already flooded out of the silver plate underneath. "How long have you been here?"

There was no response.

"Is it about your subordinates?" The blond man asked directly.

Levi cast an indifferent glance at Erwin, and said briefly "yeah," not wanting to elaborate.

"Without you today, the Female Titan would have taken Eren too," said Erwin. "You have my gratitude."

"Tch. Don't thank me, you are giving me the creeps." Levi muttered with a dull face.

"Hmph." Erwin smiled. "You need to rest now. We have done everything we can, yet the fight isn't over. Eren will be handed over to the capital in three days, I'm currently deducing a countering plan. We will continue the pursue of the Female Titan; the death of your men will not be in vain."

"That goes without saying..." Levi answered.

Erwin turned around and walked back to the door. He paused his steps and said rhetorically in a volume almost only audible to himself: "what does it mean to be a soldier?"

He continued, "by putting ourselves at constant risk, our life can end in any second. As I said before, most of us can't stay on the battlefield for more than four years. Levi, if you want to defy the unavoidable, then grasp and hold tight those who are important to you. Protect them with your life."

Levi's eyes widened a little. Someone's image flashed in his thought that very instant.

Erwin left.

"Erwin's actually right..." Levi quietly said to himself after a long silence, raising his gaze to the ceiling. "Death is a thing of the past; they will never come back to life. I can only do everything in my power now to ensure those who are still alive won't share the same fate."

He got up, ready to go back to his room for the night. "What was that Erwin up to at this hour..? He was still wearing his uniform."

While passing by other soldiers' rooms in the dim, torch-lit corridor, Levi stopped by Freya's door for a moment before moving on.

"Protect them with your life...huh." He murmured what Erwin just said.

The next day

I woke up to a streak of bright sunlight directly shinning on my face. Micro dust floating in the golden sunlight room was visible to my bare eyes. "The new day feels so peaceful as if I'm living in a Utopia... Yesterday's expedition seems so out of place now."

All of a sudden, out of nowhere my subconscious mind replayed the scene when I wrapped myself around Levi to get down that big tree. "Arrrrggg it's so damn embarrassing to think about it afterwards!" I started to slam my palms against my cheeks to soothe my bashful outrage.

"Arrggg..!" I annoyingly grunted again.

Finally I got a hold of my emotions and idly sat up with a slouching back. I rubbed my bed hair while dragging the cover off. My hands stretched over to reach the wooden crutch leaning by my bed frame. My leg was well treated after getting back from the expedition and I feel great.

Someone knocked on my door: "Oi. Freya are you still sleeping? You already missed breakfast!"

That voice... Jean!? Damn it I'm not sure if I locked the door last night, what if he just walks in?! I'm not even dressed properly!

"D-don't come in...yet!" I shouted in fluster.

"HA?"

An awkward silence followed. I heard no footsteps outside, Jean must still be standing in that spot.

"Hurry up and get the door, Freya!" He yelled while pounding the door again. "Or else I'll come in on my own! Your lunch will get cold!"

My stomach growled as loudly as it could right after Jean said his last word. I literally froze in great embarrassment. Indeed I was starving! Then behind the door came his muffled laughs as if he got his mouth covered with his hand. He heard it! Now I'm so red my face is ready to emit steam!

"Urg..." I facepalmed and used the crutch to stand up. "I'm coming!"

My eyes examined the doorknob as I walked closer: it's not locked after all. I was so careless last night! I opened the door; the first thing I saw was a food tray in his hand. My face tilted up a little to see Jean visually exploring me from head to toe.

What the hell Jean...

It didn't take long for his face to redden like mad. He swallowed hard and stared back at me right in the eyes. "Hey..." he said, "that night dress looks really good on you."

I stayed still like an awkward statue, not knowing what to do or say. The hotness under my cheeks felt ready to erupt! I'd rather hop into an abyss of darkness to escape!

That's Jean for you alright, always blunting out what's on his mind regardless the outcome.

"That's why I told you not to come in yet!" I complained in a matter of fact tone with a hint of annoyance. "You kept nagging outside so I came out as soon as I can, duh."

"I see..." muttered Jean, while rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Anyways," he tried to sound more serious in an effort to change the atmosphere. "I'm here to bring this tray into your room. It's a little difficult for you to walk with a crutch and carry something at the same time, so..."

"Ho?" I teased, "Jean you're my maid now?" Deep down I'm actually happy to see him being considerate.

"Oh s-shut up!" He madly blushed again and looked away; an awkward drop of sweat rolled down his temple. "You seem to be in an awfully good mood for someone who broke their leg!"

I smiled in amusement and moved aside to let him in. As Jean stepped in and walked by, the food he carried wafted a delicious aroma across the room. I don't recognize anything in our menu with a smell like that; seeing me sniffing the air, he smirked. He's up to something!

Jean set the food on the table and walked back to the door. His face turned halfway around with averting eyes, blush tainted on his cheeks.

"Jean, are you lea-"

"Just hurry up and eat it. Or else your injury won't heal."

*The sound of door closing*

He left.

"What the hell was that?!" My eyebrow raised out of extreme bafflement.

"Geez." I sighed and sat down in front of the table. "What's this?" The food that kept steaming deep aroma was a big fat omelet. "This must be a new addition." The rest was our regular: a fresh glass of milk, soup and bread.

In the mean time, Jean had his ear glued against the door, listening for any noise. Nervousness and anticipation written all over his face.

I cut open the omelet, more steam and appetizing smell furiously emitted into the air. I took my first bite.

*Chewing*

*Chewing*

"This is delicious!" I exclaimed with a mouthful. "Who ever made this a master chef!"

"Yessss" Jean secretly held up his fist in a victory pose.

Note to readers: It's the Kirschtein family's omelet passed down for generations :p It's not a new addition like Freya had thought. He made that just for her. Hehehe