It Started With Cadet Training (Reader/Levi/Erwin/Hange/Mike)

After the War

It took a village to raise a kid, and you had an army.

When the last mission came back home, you wrapped your arm around Hange, pulling them in close. They'd taken the final mission to survey beyond the walls and make sure that the titans were truly gone. It was finally safe to head outside the walls.

"You ready to head out?" Erwin asks, approaching you as you tie the last few bags down in the supply wagon.

"More than ready," you assure him, straightening up. At this height, you were just barely taller than he was.

"I don't know how we actually managed this," he muses, a smile on his lips as he stared up at the sky above.

"Because we're humanities strongest - that or we got lucky," you chuckle, reaching out and grabbing the collar of his shirt in your hand.

"I'd say I'm pretty damn lucky," he says, leaning forwards and pulling you down with his hand cupping the back of your head so your lips meet in the middle.

The Scouts were heading to Shinishaga. It was the first stop you had to make, setting up a base before heading to the ocean. You'd promised Mike long ago that you'd all see the ocean, it felt like a dream at the time and it still felt like a dream now. Yet here you were, under the summer sun, preparing to depart.

"I love you," Erwin whispers as the two of you pull back for air.

"I love you too," you say back, leaning back down to press a fluttering kiss to his lips before straightening upwards again.

"Ready to head out, or are you two going to spend the afternoon gazing at each other like the sun is something they made for you," Hange teases, coming up next to the wagon and passing you another crate to add to the supplies.

You and Erwin pull fully apart, your face going beat red. No matter how long you were together, you still felt the butterflies within your stomach when someone pointed out the obvious. Hange just laughs at your dismay as they set down the crate.

"Come on, don't hoard all the kisses," they say through chuckles, tugging the two of you down to their height by the straps of your ODM gear.

"How terribly selfish that would be," Erwin mumbles, pressing a gentle kiss to their lips.

They giggle happily, passing the kiss to your lips before walking off towards their squad. Leaving the two of you to stand there and watch them go.

"They're going to be the death of us," you joke, shaking your head as you grin after them.

"Wouldn't be a bad way to go," Erwin muses, patting your remaining forearm before walking back to the front of the formation.

You hop down from the wagon, heading over to where your squad was waiting with Mike's squad. The wagon in their charge held fifteen rambunctious kids, Sasha, Marco, and Connie's friend Jean was joining you as well, after getting permission from his mother.

"Everyone ready to get going?" you double-check, mounting your horse next to Mike.

"Let's see the ocean!" Armin cheered from the wagon, bringing a smile to your lips as the others start to chant 'ocean'.

"What do you think, Erwin?! Should we do a little sight-seeing?!" you call up to the front of the formation.

"I think we've earned it! Scouts, depart!" Erwin orders, kicking his horse into action.

As the Scouts trot through the city, people stand in the streets, waving you off. Many of them are from Shinishaga, many of them are aware that your departure means they can soon return home.

The kids wave and cheer, calling out to local shop owners that they know, as well as neighbourhood kids. Mike gives you a thumbs up as you glance over at him, letting you know everything was alright.

When the gate was pulled up and fresh air hit your face, even if it was the inside of wall Maria, you couldn't help but cheer. Your fist raised high in the sky as you beamed brightly, a triumphant yell escaping your lips.

You weren't alone as the voices of captains, followed by cadets and the kids, echoed yours as your formation started to race towards Shinishaga. You were free. After so long, you were finally free.

This was only solidified by wall Maria coming into view. As you grew closer and closer, your heart bubbled up in your chest. You were home, finally, after all these years, you were home again.

As the Scouts slowed to a trot, entering the city, you breathed a sigh of relief. Despite the ruined city, you found comfort in the familiar streets. You could tell that the kids did as well, thanks to the few of them pointing out familiar locations to their friends, chattering with each other.

You stopped for an hour to unload supplies and reorganize the squads. You found your way over to Levi as he glanced around, making sure that there weren't any titans left within the district.

"We're safe. There aren't any left," you say, walking up to him.

He nods his head slowly, turning back towards you.
"Doesn't hurt to check."

"Doesn't hurt to have some confidence as well. Trust me, we'll be okay."

"We've made it this far. I never thought I'd be back here."

"Neither did I, yet here we are. I wouldn't have it any other way."

He glances down to your missing arm, his gaze lingering. You didn't mind, there wasn't a way to change the past, and it didn't bug you most days.

"We can't change the past, Levi. I'm alive, and so are you, that's all that matters."

He lets out a small sigh, nodding his head as he looks up to meet your gaze.
"Right. We can't change the past even if we want to."

"All we can do is keep pushing forwards," you hum, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

He chuckles as you pull back, a rare smile on his lips as he stares you in the eyes.
"How did you change so much?"

"What do you mean?" you press, quirking an eyebrow up.

"I'd never be having this conversation with the kid I met in cadet training," Levi elaborates, drawing a chuckle from your lips as well.

"I could say the same to you. Maybe we didn't change, the world changed for us," you hum, cupping his jaw in your palm.

He smiles, tilting his head into your palm as he mimics you.
"Such mature words, Captain. Did you steal them from Erwin?"

"You're horrible," you snort, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose. "Come on, we should get going before they send Oluo to come to find us."

"Don't you dare jinx us," Levi grumbles, shaking his head as he pulls back.

"Oluo, Oluo, Oluo," you chant as the two of you walk back to the Scouts. Levi pinches the bridge of his nose, protesting in hopes that you'd be quiet.

Thankfully, no one hears your chant as you return back to the minicamp. Everyone's too busy paying attention to Erwin as he relays the mission plan to them. It was simple, reach the ocean and have a beach day. Something he'd read in a book Mike leant him.

You beamed proudly as you watched him give the lecture and dismiss the Scouts. You couldn't imagine a future without him, guiding the Scouts to freedom and coming home to the four of you at night.

As you mounted your horse again, you checked to make sure all the kids were there. After confirming they indeed were, you gave Erwin the signal to depart and the scouts took off towards the outside of the wall.