Headache

Drums? That was all she could hear, the deep constant beat. They never changed rhythm or volume, only continued to pound away. "It's blinding." Elle moaned as she flattened a hand against her face and closed her eyes. The thumping headache was so severe she was sure the pressure would push her eyes from their sockets.

Niki looked to her with a carefree shrug, "Well, you had to piss off Ozan." She stated, unsympathetic as usual.

With another groan of pain, Elle let her bag slip from her shoulder and brought her other hand to her face. There was a small relief brought as she covered her eyes and saved them from the harsh light of the day.

"It's not hard to piss him off," She then muttered, "He kicked a cadet in the face a few weeks ago because the kid sneezed after he'd ordered everyone to be quiet." She started to dig her finger tips into her forehead, kneading away at the raging headache banging away behind her skull. "The man is unhinged!" She declared and she did not hear anyone approaching, she could barely hear herself over her pounding head. "Then again," She restarted as she let her hands drop away from her face and squinted to see in the brightness once again, "He's so tall, the air up there must be too thin for him to breath." She shook her head lightly before her bleary eyes finally brought Niki into focus- and the auburn haired woman's slow head shake.

She was telling her silently to stop.

"Is. That. So!?" Came the slow, gruff response from the mountain of a man himself.

With her brows raised Niki shared a quick knowing look with Elle, telling her she was in trouble with only her expression as she then slowly turned and left her friend to it.

It wasn't fear or dread that came to Elle, just annoyance at herself. She had successfully dropped herself in trouble when she didn't want to be, but still she accepted her fate.

With her head hung low Elle gave a slow pivot, her eyes finding Ozan's feet first. They were like boats they were so long. She then made a real meal of lifting her gaze to meet his, biding her time as her eyes climbed his great frame till finally she came to his face.

She was stunned a moment as she looked at him. She had been expecting him to be as he normally was. A broad structured face of steel bones.

Instead his impressively square jaw that jutted out a little further than the rest of his face and usually set stern was now a limp in defeat. His thin lips that stayed in a constant sneer were now puckered with swelling and his broad nose oddly sat more to one side of his face with a great gash to decorate it. His seething blue eyes that were deep in their sockets and a little too close together on his face were less intimidating when one was forced shut with great puffy lids that were a brilliant mix of purple shades. He was battered.

Elle had never seen the man with a bruise and the sight before her was some what wonderful. Too much in fact, because try as she might she could not stop the smile that started to creep onto her face. "Ooh, he got you good." She basically praised, openly showing how shocked and pleased she was over it.

Again his bare scalp came alive with a brilliant red as his anger flared, "Do you ever learn to shut your mouth?" He near growled, forcing his words through grit teeth as he brought a great hand down and gripped the top of her head.

He pulled all hair free of her face and showed off the great bruised lump that sat on her forehead, ignoring her discomfort his heavy hand brought. "If you're going to try and teach me a lesson, I'd rather you not," She fixed him with a glare, "It'd just just be a waste of my time."

There was truth to her words because there was nothing he could teach her that she didn't already know and there wasn't any way he could hit her, that someone hadn't already done but harder.

"Do you have a death wish?" He threatened, looming his battered face closer to hers.

She flicked a single brow up, ignoring the twinge of pain it caused her swollen forehead, "Obviously, I'm in the scouts." She answered back.

Ozan's brows twitched a moment as they were released from their deep scowl to show his surprise. He had never understood the woman, she'd never been afraid of him, no matter what he did. It was odd for someone who lacked so much in self defence skills be so fearless when threatened. "What are you?" He pondered.

Ozan couldn't question any more as the presence of another interrupted him. Normally the bulky man couldn't be stopped once he started on an insubordinate but he'd learnt the hard way to listen to the short male when first called.

"Honestly," Elle started, unknowing of the Captain's presence as her attention was fully on Ozan, "I'm nothing but a waste of space." She sounded casual as she spoke but still she felt that to be true and as Ozan's one good eye came back to her in shock he could see in that empty glare she believed it.

He released her with a shove, causing her to take two paces back to catch herself, "You're a glutton for punishment is what you are!" he grumbled loudly in distaste, lifting a beefy finger to jab towards her in a point to further press his words as he then lumbered past her.

"Nothing I don't deserve." She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. She was mildly surprised she hadn't been hit yet and chose to take Ozan's moment of calm to pick her bag back up instead of re-igniting his anger.

"Captain." The larger man greeted, passing a nod to the shorter male but not stopping.

Elle perked at the title, turning just in time to catch the great beast of a man leave before she looked to Levi. It made sense now. The reason Ozan's anger suddenly simmered down was because of his presence.

Having a knife thrown at her was nothing in comparison to how those sharp, coal eyes flashed to her. The cold dread that pierced her chest from that look alone was worse than any stab from a blade. "Sir." She greeted with a salute.

He turned more to face her. Face stoic but eyes deadly as he regarded her. She looked almost fearful but he wasn't sure what of. It most definitely hadn't been Ozan and she didn't seem to be too scared of him either, but still he could see a fear in her.

He'd heard what she had said about herself and he was in some mind to address it. He couldn't deny he was curious about her but it was obvious the talk of where she'd gone and what she'd been up to would be hard to get out of her. "Do you want to saddle your horse some time today!?" He clipped at her. He chose to let it slide for now. He had time to get answers out of her.

With an obedient nod Elle gripped her bag a little tighter, "Yes, Sir." She bowed her head a little as she walked towards him, continuing on the path she was taking to the stables. He stopped her.

With out a word his hand reached out and gripped onto her upper arm, stopping her at his side and neither of them turned to look at one another. "Don't get into fights you can't handle ever again." His tone was threatening. It was almost like if she went against those words then he would be the consequence.

"I'm not yours to protect." She bit back in the same tone. She didn't know where the anger came from but she knew it was misplaced when she directed it at Levi.

She didn't need anyone to jump to her rescue, nor did she want it- but there was something else. Elle didn't want anyone risking their safety for her, no matter how minute it may be. If she couldn't save herself then that was her problem. Her stomach churned with sickness at the thought of someone getting hurt to protect her- especially him.

With nothing more to be said she pulled her arm from his hold and continued on her way.

Elle's furious thoughts did her already battered head no favours. A wince seemed constant on her face and so she thought of how to distract from the blinding headache.

"Hey, this one's yours!" Martyn called with a jab of his thumb once he spotted Elle, "The horse is a right bitch, so it'd match you perf- S-sir!" He stuttered to stop himself and salute. He'd noticed too late that the Captain was tailing behind Elle.

Martyn's reaction raised a small snort of a laugh from Elle. She guessed he was going to be the best distraction she could find and was some what thankful for his idiocy.

"Hey Four!" She greeted the chestnut mare. She was unaware of the side eyes she'd received from both Levi and Martyn, too engrossed with running her hand up the brilliant white blaze on the horse's face.

"Four?" Martyn questioned. He had to.

"What?" Elle turned to look at him over her shoulder.

"The horse is called Four?" He shook his head, sandy brown hair shifting with the motion.

Elle lifted her shoulders in a shrug and shook her head, "I don't know what she's called," She answered honestly, "I just call her Four."

Silence filled the stables for a moment, Martyn's mouth opening and closing before he found his words, "That's because you're supposed to name your horse!" He shook his head, speaking to her as if she was stupid.

She narrowed her eyes at him, she'd received enough tones today, "And I've named her Four!" She mimicked his tone back.

Again silence fell and Martyn's mouth gawked about for an answer. "W-what? Why!?" he had to get to the bottom of the odd name.

Elle hung her head back with a sigh of annoyance. Perhaps Martyn wouldn't be a distraction, just another headache? "Because she's the fourth horse I've ridden!" She clipped at him like it was the simplest thing to understand.

From where he was leaning against the stall holding his own horse Levi's eyes narrowed a little as he assessed her answer. It was an oddly distant thing to do.

With a shake of her head, Elle went about dressing the mare in it's tack. She ignored Martyn's droning about her choice of name and managed to completely block his voice out. She only came back to the conversation when Niki waded in.

"For fuck sake, Martyn!" The auburn haired woman scolded in irritation, "Not everyone wants to name a bastard animal and get attached only to watch it's head get caved in by a fucking Titan's foot!" she hissed, easily swinging herself up onto her horse and giving it a rough kick.

Elle watched with raised brows as Niki went from the stable, not needing to look at Martyn to know he had a face of wide eyed shock.

"Hurry it up already!" Levi then spoke up as he lead his horse from it's stall and out the stables. He'd taken in everything he had heard and saw in the exchanged between the three and came to the quick conclusion that the male was the odd one out in the group.

Wordlessly Elle fixed her bag to the back of the saddle while Martyn mounted his horse. She gave the mare another quick smooth before she too pulled herself up onto the saddle.

There was no running away now, only working to be a failure so Levi would send them back. Yet as she kicked her horse into a walk to catch up with the group she couldn't help but feel she wanted to do better.

Elle thought of everything she didn't do in order to preserve her invisibility and how that had been for nought. She knew she couldn't make a huge difference, but she could help. She wanted to help, but she came as a team with Niki. They were in this together and Niki put only one person above herself- for what ever reason. Erwin.

Elle had never jumped to save Niki and vice versa. They both agreed to work together but to look after their own backs. They had an understanding- don't risk each other's lives and don't risk your own life for another.

That's how they survived.