Up to Speed

Once I was settled, Mikasa and Armin set to work at getting me up to speed on what I'd missed. After Mikasa had ran away, she ended up living with Armin and his old man. I'm glad she was safe, even if I missed her.

Apparently, Armin and her had stumbled upon this place when there was only five people and then it just kept expanding. a safe place with other people and plenty of resources... I really don't see the appeal. I asked Armin about his old man but when I saw the haunted look in his eyes, I quickly changed the subject.

I told Armin about my time on my own and all the traveling I'd done. Most of our childhood, his old man had told us about his travels while he was a minister. Like his old man, Armin wanted to travel the world and I promised to be by his side. Well, I did until dad forced me to stay away from my friend and his "ideals".

"Did Erwin explains how ranking works here?," when I shook my head Mikasa continued, "There are four squads, decided based on skill and age. Squad A, our squad, is young adults and teens. Squad B, is the children and older people. Then, Squad C is the remaining adults."

"What's the fourth squad, then?" I ask.

"Oh yeah! The fourth squad is the elites with the most zombie kills under their belts. They are our supply runners, as well. Every squad has a Captain and a Commander, but their group even outranks them. Erwin is the commander of his squad, but he also commands the others too. Same with the Captain of the elites." Armin states excitedly.

Geez, with the pep in his step, he is like a walking energy drink. Oh how I miss energy drinks. Maybe I can get that elite squad to look out for some on their next run. I know it's not super important, but it's worth a shot.

Wait, I've met my comrades and Captain Crazy Lady, but what about our Commander? Who are they? I hope they aren't as loud as the Captain. I honestly don't think my ears could handle two obnoxious people.

"Hey guys, who's our Commander?"

With the reactions I got from Mikasa and Armin, I didn't know what to feel. Why were they looking at me with pity and anger? Did I say something wrong? I look up when Armin clears his throat and shuffled awkwardly.

"Well... Eren there's something we gotta tell you.. The Commander—"

"Well hello there, new recruit. Why don't you and I go on a tour and I'll give you the jist of life with us, hmm?"

My whole body tenses to the point of almost snapping when I hear that disgustingly fake voice with the southern drawl I know so well. Standing up stiffly, a million thoughts of how I could kill him before anyone could stop me run through my head. Yes, a million! I can get VERY creative...

"Commander, we were just about to take him on a tour, so you really don't have to." Armin says quietly.

"No need, Armin. It's the Commander's job to show any new recruit the ropes. We'll be on our way." and with that he grips my wrist tightly and drags me off.

Once we're far enough away from the others, I yank my wrist from his disgusting hold. I thought he'd be zombie fodder for sure, or at least a corpse shambling around. Why did he, of all people, have to survive? By now you've probably figured out what's going on, but I'll tell ya anyway.

I turn around and look at the man who raised me, who tortured me, who broke me. His greasy brown hair fell limply at his shoulders and those eyes that always burned with rage. His muscular build and calloused hands. The same hands that had broke my fingers a few years earlier.

"Hello Eren. Long time, no see..."

"Yeah, I left as soon as I turned eighteen. Wish it could have happened sooner, though." I said in a voice devoid of all emotions.

This was the only thing I was afraid of. This man. No, this monster! But I wouldn't let him see my fear. He chuckled darkly and started showing me around the warehouse, without another word. I walked quietly next to him and observed my surroundings.

The downstairs was a whole bunch of sleeping bags and blankets spread out around the room. Each squad had their own designated area to sleep. Most of the windows were blacked out with paint, aside from two near the entrance. Grisha showed me to a back room where there were tubs of extra clothes and necessities such as; soap, razors, and toilet paper. He skipped over the other back room, though.

Then he led me upstairs where there were lots of training mats and a few more windows, not covered in black paint. In the back corner, was a few sleeping bags and some blankets, which was where a squad slept, I'm guessing. Grisha explained that this was one of the places they held training and that the people keeping watch, usually the elite squad, would stay up here. So that was what the sleeping bags in the corner were for.

"Any questions?"

"Yeah, actually? How, in the actual fuck, did you survive? Why would these people house a cretin, like yourself?" I ask sarcastically.

I feel a hand wrap around my throat and drag me to a corner, out of view. Though my airways are cut off, I stare at him impassively. This was another one of his past torture methods. He found creative ways to cut my air off, to the brink of passing out, then he'd let me breath, before restarting the process over again.

I know harsh, right? When I hear someone complain about their parents giving them a 12 am curfew, it makes me laugh. Not to be insensitive, but how in the fuck is that whine-worthy? Sorry to go off on a rant. You probably want to know what happens next.

"You are in no position to talk to a person, in my position, like that. I am one of Erwin's advisors so it'd be wise to not piss me off, or I might just tip him off that you're dangerous. Your scrawny ass will be out of here in the blink of an eye." he whispers lowly.

He lets my neck go and backs away, giving me time to get my breathing back under control. I was nowhere near close to passing out, but my breathing was still labored. He's right though. I'm new and Grisha's been here for awhile so he has credibility. I should just leave so Grisha can't hold a threat above my head.

"What's stopping me from just leaving and never having to see you again? You can't threaten me with that if I do."

"Go right ahead. If you leave, I could just kill you and no one would know what became of you."

He had me pinned and we both knew it. I had no doubt in my mind that he'd kill me if I didn't do as I was told. Grisha is a businessman and a businessman only does what benefits them. If I won't do as he asks, I'm no use to him, so what is it that he wants from me now?

"Listen and listen well, brat. You are going to get yourself on the elite squad. Then, I'll tell them you're my son and it will give me more of a chance to get close to Erwin. And if they ask why I said nothing of it before, I can just say I didn't want any favoritism."

"How am I even supposed to get into the elites? What's your plan?" I ask lowly.

"Glad we're on the same page! The elite squad, also known as the Levisquad, is always watching. They aren't looking for members, but if they see the way I taught you to fight, then you're in. We train most days up here, so don't hold back." he growls out before walking off.

Sliding to the floor, I put my knees to my chest and rested my head on them. I was so happy when I was old enough to leave. With money saved away, I wouldn't have to stay any longer. I moved to a town near Shiganshina and made a career out of what I loved doing, drawing.

It wasn't hard to forget Grisha and everything that had happened, but sometimes nightmares of those events would still hit me. When that happened, and it happened pretty regularly, I'd throw myself into my work, finishing projects weeks in advance. Energy drinks became my friend, because I didn't want to see Grisha ever again, even in my sleep.

"Are you ok, sweetie?"

I jerk up into a standing position at the soft, feminine voice. This is the second time someone has snuck up on me without me knowing it. That was something I was gonna have to work on. The girl who had asked the question looked to be a few years older than me, with hazel hair and amber eyes that almost looked gold.

Her face was soft and she was smiling at me, with dimples indenting her cheeks. She looked nice enough, but looks can be deceiving, as you saw with my father.

"Leave the brat alone, Petra. He shouldn't be up here anyway. Scram kid!"

The owner of the voice was a man, looking about the same age as the girl. He was tall with a slightly more muscular build than myself. What caught my attention though, were his eyes. With ivory skin and black hair that fell in his eyes, it was hard to see, but his silver-blue eyes peaked out whenever his hair shifted.

Both were looking at me, one with a smile and the other with a frown. They looked like polar opposites and I would have found it funny if I wasn't already drained from my encounter with Grisha. Normally, I wouldn't let someone call me names or talk to me like that, but I didn't have any fight left in me.

Sending the girl, Petra I think her name was, a forced smile, I walk back downstairs to my squad. Armin and Mikasa are looking at me with sympathetic looks, while the others just talk amongst themselves. Good, I'm not here to make friends. You're already my friend, so you're safe from my shit list.

While I was gone, my friends had found another sleeping bag and a blanket and placed them next to theirs'. Armin lightly grabs my arm before I can lay down. I look at him with a questioning look. Why can't I sleep off this awful migraine already?!

"Let's get you cleaned up and a change of clothes first, alright?"

I nod and follow behind him quietly. He doesn't question what happened or why I was so silent, because he knows not to. Though Mikasa saw a glimpse of my father's true colors, neither of them truly know what he's done to me. The saying, "It's easier to fake a smile than explain what's wrong." is so true.

I'm taken back to that back room to go through the tubs of clothes and find a suitable pair. Armin then leads me outside and farther away, before we reach a forest. Now I like sightseeing as much as the next person, but the forest is a big no no.

I force myself to continue walking, staring straight ahead. I hate the big ass trees and the tall grass, a perfect hiding spot for a predator. This is a different forest. I'm safe. We walk farther in and I'm able to hear the running water before we even reach it.

A huge lake, with crystal blue water and softly moving waves. We both strip and get into the cool water. Once we're both finished cleaning ourselves, I change into the pair of sweats and sweatshirt that I had grabbed from the tubs. I was more comfortable in the jeans and hoodie that I was wearing when I got here, but Armin promised I'd get them back once cleaned.

Apparently, everyone has specific jobs to do daily. He said that Hange would assign me with a job in the morning. When I said it sounded like a military camp he told me that Erwin and Levi are the only ones who have military experience.

"I know who Erwin is. He's the blonde guy that showed me in, but who is Levi?"

"Oh, I forgot that you haven't seen any of the elites yet. The elite squad consists of Commander Erwin, Captain Levi, Second-in-Command Eld Jin, Petra Ral, Gunther Schultz, and Oluo Bozado."

"What kind of name is Oluo?" I ask, Making us both bust out laughing while walking back.

We were still laughing when we had reached the warehouse, holding on to each other with dried tears on our face. Erwin was outside with the black-haired man from earlier, talking softly, until he saw us approaching.

"Looks like someone had fun." Erwin said with a chuckle.

His eyes were on my giggling friend, with said friend staring back at Erwin. Someone has a crush, someone has a crush! Armin never had eyes on anyone when we were younger, while I was a closeted gay kid. My father beat the shit out of me when he found out his son was a "fag". There goes my good mood.

The smile leaves my face and I remove Armin from my side. He pays it no mind and starts conversing excitedly with the blonde Commander. As I'm walking inside, I feel a presence next to me.

"I didn't properly introduce myself earlier. I'm Levi, but you can refer to me as Captain."

He walks off after saying that, leaving no room for an argument, if there even was one to begin with. So that was the infamous Captain Levi that Armin was talking about. That douchebag is an elite? What a load of crap.

I stuff my knives and gun in my sweat pockets, before throwing my clothes in the dirt laundry tub. I'm quick to get to my sleeping bag and slip my gun into my duffel bag. They didn't even ask to search my bag when I got here, so I couldn't tell whether they were stupid or if they just didn't care.

Zipping the bag up, I use it as a makeshift pillow and then wrap the dark green quilt around myself. My hand makes its way to my pocket as I grip the knife firmly. I'm safe. No one is going to hurt me. It's hard to believe those things when I'm sleeping under the same roof as that monster again.

I close my eyes and just lay there, waiting for sleep to find me. Shifting next to me announces that Armin and Mikasa had both gotten into their sleeping bags, as well. Knowing that they were there with me eased my mind enough to fall asleep.

————————————————————————

Remember when I said that I'm a light sleeper and it's hard to sneak up on me. So take that into consideration and then picture that everyone had already left and were doing their duties. Not only that, but Hange decided that my "duty" would be helping the Levisquad with whatever they needed.

Apparently no one wanted that job, so I was the lucky contender. Figures. So all of this should tell you what comes next.

Feeling hands grab my shoulders, instinct takes over yet again and my knife is out of my pocket, pressed against the person's neck in an instant. I open my eyes when nothing happens and quickly remove the knife from Levi's throat. I hate being touched and I hate being snuck up on even more.

"Sorry."

I don't offer anything else and push him away from me, making him stumble slightly. After stretching, I yawn and turn towards the man's impassive face. He doesn't look angry or surprised, just bored. Welcome to the club, buddy!

"Get changed and then meet me outside." he orders before walking off.

A man of few words. Fantastic and annoying as hell. After getting a different pair of clothes from the tubs and changing, I stick a knife in each pocket and go outside. Levi is waiting with, what I assume, the rest of his squad. The girl from before is there too and then I remember one of the names Armin mentioned. Petra Ral is an elite.

The sweet girl that asked if I was okay was an elite that outranked the other squads in skill. See, I told you looks can be deceiving. When she recognized me, that dimpled smile reappeared on her face and she walked up to me. And then she hugs me. I know I've already said this, but I hate being touched.

My muscles tense and I stand completely still, not hugging back. Can't this be over with faster? She must have noticed how tense I was, because her arms left me quickly and she smiled at me sheepishly.

"Umm, sorry about that... You just remind me of my brother. I'm guessing your blonde friend told you who we are, so what's your name." she asked excitedly.

She reminded me so much of mom, with her soft voice and happy personality. Her hair was a little lighter than mom's but was the same length and cut about the same. The familiarity made me relax some and relieve some of the tension I had caused.

"I'm Eren Jaeger and I do know who each of you are, like you said. Nice to see you again, Petra."

I smile lightly at her when I finish speaking and it doesn't feel as forced as before. Maybe these people aren't all that bad. Well most of them, I think, looking at the glaring raven-hair Captain.

"Enough chit-chat. Erwin wants us to move the cars in the parking lot to form a barricade at the front and sides of the warehouse. We don't want little rats to be sneaking around our home." he says, staring pointedly at me.

Oh come on! I wasn't trying to sneak around in the first place. I was just trying to make sure this place wasn't full, to the brim, with zombies. I cross my arms and glare at him, before we all get to work. No wonder no one wanted this job... It was hard work, not that I'm complaining, but I understand.

This is nothing compared to life with Grisha. I would take moving cars across a lot any day. The elites were quick and effective, with the way they moved each vehicle to form a circle around the warehouse. By afternoon, we had finished and were moving the remaining cars to reinforce the back end of the base.

"We got that done so fast! Great work guys, especially you, Ren!" Petra yells excitedly.

"Don't call me that..." I say lowly and head back inside.

Memories of my mom circle through my mind. That was what she used to call me when I was a child. She'd say, "Is my little Ren causing mischief again?" She'd ask me that every day, but it never grew old. The nickname always sent warmth through me when she said it.

I didn't want anyone else to ever call me that again. Not only did it remind me that my mother was dead, but it also just didn't sound right coming from anyone else. It lacked the warmth and love that my mother had when saying it.

Hange is waiting at the door with a bottle of water and a bowl of warm beans. I haven't had warm food in a very long time. It was easier to just eat it straight from the can, so that's what I had done. Can't be picky in the apocalypse. Grabbing the items she offered me, I go sit down with the rest of my group and eat.

A few of them make light conversation with me and ask questions, but I'm mostly left alone. The boy, Marco I think, sits across from me and we talk about games. It's nice and we have a lot in common when it comes to the games we play and the books we read.

"Remember that part where he bumps into the lady and pulls out a coin, saying 'What a COINcidence'?" Marco asks.

We both look at each other and laugh, until his friend with the horse face sits next to him.

"You nerding out again, freckles?" he asks with a chuckle

"Jeaaannnn! It's not like that! We're just talking about that book that our class had to read in high school."

Marco's cheeks had turned a deep red and he spoke in a whiny, embarrassed voice, making me chuckle. It was obvious that they are childhood friends, and it kinda reminded me of Armin, Mikasa, and I.

"What're you laughin' at newbie?" Jean asks aggressively.

Geez, one second he's teasing Marco and the next he's yelling at me. Talk about bipolar. He may be taller and have more muscles, but I'm not intimidated in the least. Maybe I'll tease him as payback for doing it to Marco.

"Oh, nothing... Just think that you couldn't make it more obvious that you have a crush on Marco."

I grin cheekily and take another swig off my lukewarm water. He gets up and picks me up by the front of my shirt, while I continue to sip my water. I told you I wasn't scared, so why should I care?

"What did you just say, you suicidal maniac?!" he says through gritted teeth.

"You deaf, horse face? I said that it's obvious you're crushing on Marco, over there. Violence won't impress a guy like him, so I suggest you let me go. You're causing a scene." I say monotonously.

Marco tugs on the back of Jean's shirt, so he drops me. I land on my feet and fix my wrinkled shirt. With a growl, he walks off, dragging Marco with him. So I was right... I suspected, but Jean's actions confirmed it.

"Are you okay, Eren?" a quiet voice asks.

I feel small hands rub my shoulders, but I don't tense up. Krista is a quiet girl with a very sweet and caring personality, so I didn't see her as a threat. I couldn't bring myself to push her away either, because I genuinely cared for what she thought of me. She had everyone in our squad wrapped around her finger, especially Ymir.

Speaking of—

"Krista it's polite to ask before touching someone. You're too nice to people..." Ymir says softly.

She may try to act as though she doesn't care, but it's easy to tell that she does. Krista is the only one Ymir seems to tolerate and they're always together. I can't tell what their relationship is, but they are close.

Krista lets me go with a squeak and apologizes. I just chuckle and pat her blonde head, before sitting down next to Armin. He's staring off towards the entrance and it doesn't take a genius to know what it is.

Turning my eyes to where Armin is looking, I see Erwin and Levi talking again. They're the two highest-ranking individuals in the group, so it makes sense. And if what Armin says is true, they might have been in the same Squadron in the military.

I haven't seen any of them in battle, so I didn't know the skill of anyone, but I would sit and observe when I could. One thing I learned while in that dreaded forest, was to observe your enemies closely. Look for any weakness and take them off guard.

These people may not be enemies, but the same rules apply.

"Since you're done eating, let's get back to work. We still have daylight left and cars to push." Levi says before walking outside.

This was going to be a long rest of the day... I follow after the raven and we all get back to work. By the time we were finished, only the moonlight was lighting our path. I changed and got into bed, falling asleep as soon as my head hit my make-shift pillow.