Attack on Titan: Bloodline – Chapter 31 (March 13, 2021)

The newly-formed Levi Squad arrived at the small cabin just as the sun began to peek through the trees, sprinkling light over the tranquil woodland. Levi jumped off his horse, stating sharply, "Dismount and take your things inside. We're camping out here for awhile. No telling how long we might be here, though." Jean walked over to Lorraine and took her waist as she swung her legs around to the one side of her horse, lowering her gently to the ground. Levi continued, "Today, your task is going to be to clean this cabin from top to bottom. I expect that shouldn't be too hard for you brats, right?"

Eren said confidently, "Yes, Sir."

Levi grabbed the reins of his horse and said, "I'll be out with Hanji preparing for our experiments later. Now, get to work." As Levi walked off, Lorraine sighed, taking the reins of her own horse and following Eren, Armin, and Mikasa. Sasha and Connie both went inside, leaving Jean to take care of their horses while they made the first trip inside the relatively small cabin. The Scouts untacked their horses inside the stable that was conveniently located next to the cabin, Armin stopping to help Lorraine, whose arm was still tied up in a sling to prevent her from moving it too much. He took note of her red and swollen eyes.

He wondered, "Has she been crying again?" He let out a soft breath, concerned for her wellbeing, though he realized that there wasn't much he could do to help her right now, so he continued on with the day's tasks.

They managed to bring all of their supplies inside and got to work on cleaning the cabin, which had been abandoned for quite a while. Eren, experienced with the Captain's cleaning regiments, took charge and made a list of what needed to be done. It wasn't long before the Scouts were working up a sweat, making short work of the mess created by years of neglect. Lorraine had volunteered to help clean the kitchen and was scrubbing away the caked-on dust and grime with her free hand. She looked up from her work, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek as she looked outside and saw Historia and Mikasa gathering and chopping firewood.

"Connie," Jean shouted from a different room, heading outside, "Make sure not to break the windows. I'll be back." Lorraine sighed. She looked down at her arm, then grimaced, returning to her work, scrubbing at the counters. Eren walked in, broom in hand, a white cloth wrapped around his head like she had seen Levi do before.

"Lorraine?" he asked surprisingly softly, "Lo, are you alright? You're in here all by yourself with one arm. You really should have someone-"

"I'm fine," she cut him off. He watched as she scrubbed harder. She turned her head away from Eren sharply, moving on to another spot in the kitchen. Eren gripped his broom and said, "Alright. Sorry to bother you." Lorraine gripped the rag in her hand, listening as Eren walked out of the room.

Armin and Jean walked in, carrying more of their bags of supplies, followed by Mikasa and Krista, holding firewood. He called, "We're back." Eren snapped at them, "Hey! Did you all wipe your feet before walking in here?!"

"You're joking," Jean barked, "Did you not see all the stuff we're carrying?!" Lorraine, hearing the commotion, walked out into the entry, still holding the rag in her hand.

Eren said sternly, "You really think an excuse like that will fly with Captain Levi?!" He visibly shuddered and continued, "It's bad enough I had to make your bed for you-"

"What are you, my mom!?"

Armin stated over the arguement, "Mikasa, I told you, you shouldn't be chopping firewood! You got grabbed by a Titan!"

Mikasa said nonchalantly, "Gotta stay in shape somehow."

Armin and Eren both sighed. Eren said under his breath, "I caught her doing sit-ups earlier. It's a waste of energy to try and stop her." Sasha walked downstairs with Connie, helping the others to unpack a bit more.

Jean shouted at Eren, "Oh, so you're a nag and a spy! Real nice!"

Armin said, running after Mikasa as she went to put the firewood away, "Mikasa, you're only human, you know!"

Sasha said, "You know what? It kind of feels like we're back in the Cadet Corps, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Armin agreed, "It's kind of chaotic. Makes me wonder why we were the ones chosen for this new Levi Squad." He sighed, looking at the ground, "We may be running under the guise that we're running tests with Eren, but I think it's more likely that we're gathered here to protect Eren and Historia. But why? It's such an important mission, so why choose us?"

"Must be because we're so talented," Sasha said, her hand moving swiftly into her bag. Armin looked up at her.

"What did you just shove into your bag, Sasha?"

"Something that is definitely not bread."

Jean groaned, "Really, Sasha? What did I tell you about stealing food?"

Connie said, "Come on, put it back!"

Eren said, "Guys, we need to focus here. We have to finish cleaning before the Captain gets back!" As if on cue, Captain Levi, dressed in a neat, black suit, walked into the cabin. Lorraine and Historia just stood by and watched as he sauntered over to the bickering group, placing his hand under the table. The room went silent. Levi looked at his fingers and scoffed.

"I'm quite certain I gave you all plenty of time."

He sighed and continued, "Never mind. We can discuss your utter failure at a later date. Eren. Hanji wants to get on with the experiments." Eren gave a strong salute and Levi added, "You're all to come with us. We'll be stationed at various points around the testing zone. Everyone get your horses ready and let's go."

"Yes, sir!"

Several long hours passed. Eren transformed again and again. Many of the Scouts were positioned on horseback and equipped with their ODM gear. Lorraine and Historia stood with Levi on the cliffside nearest Eren, medical kits at the ready, should they need to patch Eren or anyone else up. The Titan's roars echoed far through the forest, shaking the ground and the trees and leaving the Scouts mildly deaf after each round. The sun was just beginning to dip lower into the sky as Eren sunk his teeth into the base of his thumb, breaking skin and creating a huge shockwave as his Titan form materialized in an instant. This was the fourth transformation in a row and each time, the Titan's form was different. This time, it looked skeletal, but not weak. The muscle mass was much more complete and it looked like he was ready to attack. He let out a loud bellowing cry. Hanji stood on the nearby cliffside next to Levi, holding a notebook.

"Alright, Eren," she shouted, "Set your mind on hardening! Try! Come on!"

Eren's teeth had grown sharp this time around. His eyes scanned the area and he snarled, steam shooting out of his nose and through his teeth. Sasha gasped and shrieked, "Get away from him! Something's wrong!" Eren whipped his head around to look at the girl. Levi's eyes darted around the field, beginning to worry. Eren wasn't charging after him, but Sasha was known for her sharp instincts and observation. Hanji drew her blades said, "Alright, time's up!" She used her ODM Gear to swing down to his level, but Eren swiftly dodged, swiping at her.

"Damn. I can't get close," she said, landing back onto the cliffside. She continued, "Everyone scatter!"

Connie, Mikasa, and Jean separated, but Armin had tugged on the reins of his horse a little too hard, the combination of the hard tug and Eren's feral form spooking him and causing him to rear up and throw Armin to the ground. Armin landed on the ground hard, knocking the wind out of him. Eren's body tensed up and his eyes emitted a light, ice-blue glow, just as they had in Stohess District. He turned his attention towards Armin, who tried to stand up and run. Armin backed away quickly, but he tripped over a stray rock, falling back to the ground.

"Damn! Armin," Mikasa shouted, realizing that he hadn't followed, "Hold on!"

Eren screeched loudly.

Armin curled up and held his head in his hands as Eren stormed closer.

"Eren! Stop!"

Mikasa had come to a full stop. Sasha, Connie, Jean, and the other Scouts stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed at Lorraine. She had leaped between Eren and Armin, her good arm held firmly out in front of her, staring him directly in the eyes as he skidded to a halt, sending dust and dirt into the air. Lorraine's chest was heaving up and down, but her eyes were unwavering as she shouted at him.

"Stop right there!"

Moblit dropped the notebook he was holding in awe. Levi stared at her in disbelief. Eren growled and let out another shriek, charging at her, but she stepped forward.

"Hey! I told you to stop! Come on, Eren! Snap out of it!"

Eren growled and crouched low to the ground in submission, his Titan's muscle mass dissipating, leaving him thin and weak. Hanji took the opportunity to slash through Eren's nape, stopping his rampage in its tracks. Mikasa and Hanji pulled Eren out of his Titan, his face being ripped off in the process. Lorraine let out a heavy, shaking breath and fell to the ground, her entire body trembling. Armin stood up and stumbled over to her.

"Lorraine! What...? Are you...alright?"

She looked up at him as he knelt down to help her up, her heart pounding in her head. She looked around at everyone, seeing a mixture of surprise, gratitude, and fear in their eyes. She looked down at the ground, unable to speak. Armin helped her up, draping her good arm over his shoulders to help her to her feet.

"What the hell just happened?" she thought as Armin walked her back up the hill, "Why did I just jump in front of him? I wasn't even armed, so why did I do it?" She looked back and noticed Hanji patching up Eren for the ride home alongside Historia and Mikasa.

Levi sighed and said to Armin and Lorraine, "Not exactly the outcome we'd hoped for. We're still a long way from using Eren's Titan to seal up the walls. Lorraine." She looked up nervously, still leaning on Armin for support. He said, "We'll talk later." She nodded.

"Understood, Captain."

When they got back to the cabin, Historia and Lorraine both took turns checking on Eren every hour to make sure he was recovering properly. That night, Historia and Lorraine sat on Lorraine's bed, re-wrapping Lorraine's injuries. Lorraine sat in her light blue dress with the top part pulled down to her waist, letting Historia silently and gently check, clean, and wrap her now scabbed-over injuries. Lorraine held the armour shard in her hands, letting it rest in her lap while Historia reached over and around her torso, tying the bandages tightly around her.

"Krist- Historia...?"

Historia looked up. Lorraine said, "Why did you hide your real name?" The blonde sighed. She said, "It's a really long story. I...I will explain, but...when Eren wakes up." Lorraine nodded as Historia finished tying off the bandages. Lorraine pulled up the top of her dress and threw the armour shard cord over her neck.

"I see," Lorraine said, standing up. She grabbed her old, white button-down and put it on over her dress, trying to hide the bandages. Historia packed up her medical kit and Lorraine went downstairs to talk to Hanji, Moblit, and Levi.

"Sit down, Lorraine," Hanji said, lowering her voice and gesturing towards a chair next to Levi. Lorraine sat down next to her father and said nothing. Levi began their meeting, looking at his hands clasped on the table.

"Lorraine, we need to talk to you about earlier."

Hanji said, "How are you feeling, Lorraine? That whole ordeal seemed to take it out of you."

Lorraine nodded and said in a tired, monotonous tone, "I'm fine. It was just...shocking. I-I...I don't know what I was thinking."

Moblit said gently, "It's okay, Lorraine. We're not upset at you. There's no need to worry."

"We just want to ask you a few questions," Hanji continued. Lorraine looked up at her. Hanji smiled and said, "Right. You said you don't know what you were thinking, but there has to have been some reason you jumped into action so quickly. Think back."

Lorraine thought for a moment, then said, "I guess...it just felt like...like I knew it would work. I can't explain it, but it felt...instinctual." Levi glanced up at her, his eyes narrowing. Lorraine quickly looked down at her lap and said, "I didn't know what else to do."

Hanji hummed thoughtfully. She jotted down a few things in her notebook before asking, "Has this kind of thing happened before?"

"No," Lorraine said, "Not that I can remember, anyway. I've always...been so scared of the Titans, so I have no reason to jump in front of one unarmed. Even if it is one of my closest friends."

Levi grunted. Hanji said, "Well, then. Thank you, my dear. We'll have to ask Eren a bit more later on in regards to this incident, but I don't think it sounds like anything we need to worry about right now. I simply wanted to catch you while the incident was fresh in your mind." Lorraine nodded. Hanji said, "You're free to go, Lorraine. We'll keep our notes on what happened today, but really, don't worry. You saved Armin's life."

"I don't know," Lorraine said, "With all due respect, I think you're giving me too much credit. I...I don't know if Eren would have actually attacked Armin."

Levi said, "We may never know, but we do know that Eren listened to you. Still. It was very reckless of you."

"I know," Lorraine sighed, "Sorry."

Moblit said, "Hanji, we should get going. It's already dark out." Hanji and Moblit both stood up.

"Well," Hanji said, stretching her arms above her head, "Moblit's right. I'll see you guys later tomorrow. We have some work to do in the Interior." Lorraine and Levi nodded. The duo walked out, leaving Levi and Lorraine sitting in the dining room alone. Levi turned back to her.

"You look dead tired. Have you been sleeping?"

Lorraine shook her head and breathed heavily. Levi said, standing up, "Stay there." He walked out to the kitchen and started the fireplace, hanging a small pot of water up to boil, and grabbed a small teapot. He set it on the table and scooped a few spoonfuls of dried lavender into the pot. He said, "I'm going to make you some tea. I want you to drink it. You really need your energy for the next few days."

"Captain," Lorraine said, "I-I mean...dad." She shook her head and grabbed the armour shard that hung around her neck.

"How do you do it?" she asked, "How do you just keep fighting and pushing forward? Even after losing everyone close to you, you're still...you're still strong. You're unbreakable."

Levi sighed.

"I'm still only human. There are nights when the memories of the ones I lost haunt me more than anyone could ever know. It's sometimes overwhelming. It makes you want to give up. It makes you want to stop fighting."

He shifted a little.

"But, I have to keep pushing. Keep moving forward. Never stop fighting. I have to keep living so that I might bring them pride in what I've done."

He put his hand on her thigh and said, "Our situations are very different, but still. Keep fighting. Don't stop moving forward." Lorraine looked down at the table. He stood up and walked out to get the pot of hot water, poured it over the tea leaves, and returned the pot to the kitchen. There was a strong silence between them while the tea steeped and Levi grabbed two small cups. After a short while, he poured the tea and said, "Drink up, Lorraine. It'll help." She held the teacup in both hands, feeling the warmth of the lightly-coloured tea radiate through her body and breathing in the strong, relaxing lavender scent. Levi reached up and placed his hand on the top of her head and said, "And get some sleep." Lorraine nodded silently, staring down into her cup, tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes again. Levi stood up, grabbing his cup by the top rim and walking out of the room.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE 9/27/2021]

Hey, y'all!

Thanks for reading Attack on Titan: Bloodline up until now! I'm still writing the story from this point on, so uploads will most likely be VERY spread out. There will no longer be weekly uploads of this story, but if you like this story, please check out my other fanfiction, Yu-Gi-Oh! Love Selflessly! If you would like to stay in the know about everything related to ALL of my fanfiction works (including updates, artwork, questions/polls, and more), please check out my Discord server: /JVwvEDHjxu

Thank you guys so much for your continued support! I'll move this Author's Note to the final chapter each time I upload with the date that I upload the new chapter, just to keep everyone updated as they come across the story!

Love,

Astin (a.k.a. Blue)