Chapter 12: Inside
On the next morning they get up early. The soldiers busy packing up and getting the horses ready. No titan is in sight, except the one sitting on a branch bathing in the sun with a very protective captain close by. Hanji would laugh when she hadn't seen the empty eyes months before that let her doubt to see her friend again. Honestly, she thought the day he went missing that Levi just stopped fighting, she feels bad about this thought but it is no denying that it happens sometimes.
Hanji is in the same area as Levi on their ride back. That gives her the opportunity to watch the little titan. She really wants to know everything about him and she really wants to touch his titan form. Maybe Levi will let her someday. Just seeing what the skin feels and how its muscle work and … ok she really wants a blood sample. How to get that is a big question mark. Especially when she feels cold grey eyes watching her how she watches the child next to him. Yes, Levi sees her and she knows that still. There is a human that can turn into a titan or the other way around and she really wants to know everything.
The sudden colour change of the signal pistols pull Hanji out of her mind. Titans. "Can I go and help." Her eyes follow the soft voice that is cuddled to Levi´s chest. Green innocent eyes shine bright as Levi nods and the boy doesn't wait a second. Just standing up while the horse is in full speed and jumps down. A bright light and a flash take away her eyesight for a second but there he is. The titan Levi brought them. Standing there where the boy had been and the titan starts to run over to the side where the other titans appear. She follows without thinking and sees Levi enter the fight as well. The two of them slay down the attacking giants in less than a minute and with a last foot stump the nape of the last titan steams and Levi lands on his shoulder.
Finding their horse close by I take it over to them. "LEVI." I shout up but what happens next is still a bit surprising. The titan puts his hand on his nap and Levi stands protective over the hand, blades drawn and ready to fight off any HUMAN attacker. "Just me, here is your horse." Hanji offers. She notices that she is the only one that is close up with them, it seems as if that fact let Levi relax enough to jump down and for Eren to break free of the titans body. "Oh you could have let me touch it at least." She whines but let him take the horse.
"Good job you two." Erwin appears from behind her. "Great teamwork, I think we can work out something." Levi ignores both of them to help Eren up on their horse again. A movement clearly unnecessary by the looks of the boy's abilities.
Surprisingly, that is the last titan they see until they reach the wall. Hanji sees how Levi pulls up his and Erens hoods to prevent anyone seeing their faces. "Why do I have to wear my wings like that?"
She sees the tiny smile that ghost over the captain's face. "So, no one will see that you are a child. There are no children in the army and we don't want anyone asking questions. Now stop pulling on the cloak brat." The ruff way he speaks to the child and sometimes with her doesn't bother the boy.
The gate opens and the first titan ever enters the wall. She should feel something, they let someone in that could be dangerous but another look at Eren told her all her worries are unnecessary. Eren points out the sparkling green stones above their heads and watches with big eyes his surroundings as they enter the city. Hanji can´t hear the world over the noises but Levi is constantly whispering into Eren´s ears. It seems as if he explains all the child is seeing for the first time.
They don't stay in the city, they enter Wall Maria and make their way to their headquarters. It isn't fare and they reach the castle before sundown. Levi says something about shower and disappear together with the boy who is holding onto his hand. The last thing Hanji hears from them is Erens curious voice. "Is showering like bathing?"
Erwin stands next to her and watches the pair disappear. "He will start cleaning his room. Good thing we didn't move his things. Imagine that." A small chuckle escapes the commandant, but he becomes serious again. "Tomorrow I need to have a conversation with Levi, without the child. Maybe you can find a way to entertain him. I´m pretty sure that you are the only one Levi can even imagine to let him alone with. Knowing that you would do experiments over killing him." Hanji looks at Erwin, he had also notice the overprotective and slightly co-depending behaviour Levi showed.
"Don't worry I will take the little titan and I won´t-" Is she really going to promise not to make any kind of experiments on him. She sighs, she wants their trust maybe they can work on this later. "I won´t do anything that will compromise this. Promise."