Chapter Text
"Erwin! to your left!"
The blonde man looks over his shoulder, noting the large titan approaching. He turns his horse to face the large humanoid, his hands firmly grasping the ODM gear.
With a flash he's off in the air, flying towards his target with muscle memory. In an instant the titan's dead, and Erwin skillfully lands back on his horse.
He catches your gaze and gives you a thankful nod.
You and your team are in some deep shit. What started off as a survey mission got out of control and now, chaos reigns.
"Can you believe it Y/N!?" You glance to your right and see your glasses wearing friend beaming.
"Look at that one!" Hanji points towards a smaller titan excitedly. "And this one! Y/N! Look! Are you looking?!"
The casualties on this mission are already catastrophic. With a hushed breath you send a prayer off with the smoke signals. Your prayer a simple one.
Let me live.
"Y/N! Get down!"
You hear the command and drop off your horse; just missing a surprise, large hand reaching to grab you. Your horse continues to run, and you're left on the ground with a dislocated arm.
The pain is sharp and instant, causing you to be disoriented on your back.
"ON YOUR FEET PRECIOUS!" Miche reaches down from on top his horse. He grips your collar, bringing you to your feet with ease. The horse he's riding gets spooked, he releases his grip on your collar, circling you while trying to regain control of the animal.
There's blood in your mouth; you're missing a boot and... you're scared.
You can't call your horse. The only way you know how is with two hands, and one you can't move.
"Get Y/N! She's down!" you hear someone scream out in the chaos. Miche is the one who reaches you again with a determined face. "Grab on! And you better not miss!"
With his assistance you're able to mount his horse. You grab on tight with your good arm, the pain from your bad making you nauseous.
"How are you doing back there precious?" Miche yells through the screams around you. "Hey? Y/N!? Stay awake!"
You nod and try and steady your breathing.
"MICHE!" Nile warns behind you. The horse you're riding gets spooked again, this time bucking hard and throwing you back on the hard ground. Nile jumps off his horse, running as fast as he can towards your grounded body.
"Hey, Y/N... Look at me.... Shit." He checks your pulse, and sighs smiling. "You're lucky."
The colored signal to retreat flashes in the sky. The new mission is to make it back home alive.
"BACK TO THE WALL SCOUTS!"
The command is loud and clear from Commander Keith Shadis. Erwin rides up to you and Nile, who's gentle carrying you over his shoulder.
"Let me take her." Erwin offers. "Call your horse so we all can get out of here."
Nile nods, and hands your limp body to Erwin.
"Is... she ok?" Erwin asks concerned.
"Yeah, she just bonked her head." Nile responds, bringing his fingers to his lips to call his horse back.
The unique piercing whistle reaches his horse moments later.
Erwin is already on his way back towards the wall, with Hanji and Miche close behind.
The ride home is quiet.
It's always quiet.
We're always shocked after a mission, never imagining it could go worse than the last.
"Hey, slow down Erwin, I think Y/N is waking up." Hanji mentions, noticing your facing a new direction. The group slows down to a stop and Hanji hops off their horse.
"Take her down, I want to take a quick look at her."
Erwin nods and leans to the side so Hanji can catch you. Miche rushes over to help Hanji get you off the horse. His tall 6'5 frame making it easier for everyone involved.
"Open those eyes Precious." Miche whispers, gently tapping your cheek with his large hand. Your eyes flutter open and see the sandy blonde man smirking.
"I... hate when you call me that." you mutter.
Hanji pushes Miche aside, their hands cupping your cheeks. "Let me look at you Y/N."
"I'm ok... just a little headache." you try to shoo Hanji away.
"Mmmmm... a little concussion huh?" They say to themselves, "Anything else?"
Before you can say a word Miche comes up behind you, grabbing your dislocated arm. You inhale sharply to scream, but he pops it back in the socket.
A weak hurt sound comes out along with fresh tears.
"You... Ass." Your shoulder is indeed back, but it's throbbing.
"That's a weird way to say, 'thank you'." Miche quips his arms folded. Nile has caught up to the group at this point. Relieved he wouldn't have to ride back to the wall alone.
"I thought you left me behind!" he whines stopping his horse.
"Never." Erwin says firmly, "We just had to get Y/N out of there." Nile nods taking in your appearance.
"You know, the rest of the unit stopped about 30 minutes back." Erwin stands walking closer to his dark-haired friend.
"I didn't want to be bothered by everyone else. We know how to take care of our own Nile." He pats his firmly on the shoulder, then faces the rest of the team. "We leave in five."
"RIGHT!"
A chorus of affirmation rings through the group. Hanji makes quick work on your injuries. They wrap your head in gauze and sling your arm.
"Ride with me Y/N?" They ask softly helping you to your feet.
You shake your head, "I can ride! I just need..."
"We don't have time for you to call your horse!" Erwin says mounting his own. "Ride with someone." He positions his horse in front of you and reaches his hand out.
"No fair Erwin! I asked first!" Hanji pouts grabbing you towards their stead. "You can't always be the hero in EVERY mission!"
You look back and give him a sympathetic look.
Erwin retracts his hand smirking for a moment before getting serious again.
"LET'S GO!"
The team is off in a flash again. You cling tightly to Hanji the entire ride back. They speak to you the entire time to make sure you stay awake.
"When we get back I have so many new ideas for sketches! Y/N you still awake?"
"Yes friend."
"I was thinking about asking this new kid I met Molbit."
"Who?"
"Molbit! He just transferred to the survey corps and he's so good at drawing! Really knows how to capture those unique titan faces!"
"Mhmm..."
Miche rides next to Hanji's horse, "Keep those eyes open Precious! We're almost back!"
Twenty minutes pass and you feel the horse slow down. You made it back to the gates.
Back home.
The guards see us below, and call to open the gate letting us in. This is the worst part of the mission.
Coming home to unimpressed faces and whispers from the crowd sneering at your arrival.
"Look at them, all broken..."
"There's always less and less that come home...""
Why even bother leaving if no one hardly comes back..."
You bury your face in Hanji's back, trying to hide from the folded arms and nasty remarks.