Ehhh, so here goes nothing guys! My very first published fanfiction. This is a Reader X Levi story, which is actually the first reader insert I have ever written. I was not interested in them before, but given that they are growing in popularity I thought I could try my hand at one.

I hope you enjoy!

(ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO HAJIME ISAYAMA, except for the insert character)

A forest of high-reaching trees? Hmm, they must have been here for centuries to have grown this much. If I stay here forever, maybe I can be free of those bastards. Or maybe, after years of conflict and an eventual treaty, we could be friends instead. I'd invite them over for dinner and we could sit and laugh and drink tea together. What a sight that would be. They'd definitely smash my teacups to bits with their monstrous hands.

"Oi."

What on earth-

"Oi."

Bugger off, let me sleep.

"(Name)! Up, now."

"Eh..?"

You awoke to a stern voice and the harsh nudging of your boot. From what you could tell, it was morning. The cloud cover was especially thick around the tree where you perched along with the Lance Corporal and your squad. The other trees, which had vanished into the haze, almost convinced your sleep deprived self that you were trapped on this lone structure with your comrades. Weren't you trapped though? Slowly, but surely, you began to piece together your memories from the night before.

Well damn, I was hoping this was a stupid dream.

"Morning already." You yawned, prompting the others to do the same.

Your leader scoffed at your obvious statement. You pretended not to notice his gesture while filling your lungs with drenched, muggy air. Blinking away the last bits of fatigue from your eyes, you made your way slowly to the edge of the tree that supported you and your companions. Looking down into the seemingly infinite abyss, you remembered.

Right.

The events from the previous evening consisted mostly of fleeing from a group of abnormal types. It was a rare occurrence to be pursued by more than one at a time, but it was not unheard of. Lance Corporal Levi led you fearlessly, though it seemed he was getting more lost than what he had intended. He had to adjust to the situation accordingly, trying to put as much distance between your group and the titans as possible. Unfortunately, doing so also involved travelling in the wrong direction. It was not a route that he would have calculated in an ideal situation but it was the right choice for a time where everyone's gear was running on fumes.

I wonder what he's thinking right now. No plan survives first contact, but I don't think anyone could have planned for this.

Your squad could not be a group that was caught unprepared for anything. You were an elite set, poised at killing titans and handy in tough situations. Others would marvel at how you always returned alive -mostly unscathed- after venturing beyond the wall. Performing death defying feats, swinging hundreds of feet into the air at unimaginable speeds and slicing up the necks of titans were all things you could do efficiently and still make it home in time for dinner. Indeed, you were a talented bunch. However, you could have never guessed that you would meet your end at the hands of a cold, empty gas tank.

Finally arriving at a cluster of tree limbs high above the surface, you were ordered to stop. The Lance Corporal had resolved that your group would stay there for the night. An argument was made to go as far as your gear could allow, but it was dismissed almost immediately. The fast and awkward ascension of the canopies was enough to drain the toughest members of the Scouting Legion. You were not exempt from that fact and welcomed the much needed rest. Though, sleeping in a tree was tricky business. One could not tie themselves to the tree for security. Should a titan actually be intelligent enough to climb or jump at you, it would not be possible to release yourself in time to get away. There was also the threat of rolling off and plummeting to your death in your sleep. Without functioning maneuver gear, dying was almost certain.

Although, dying in your sleep would have to be better than being gnawed on by some big, stupid cannibal, right? That's what you liked to think.

If it comes to that, I'll starve up here or jump first. There's no way I'm going out like that.

And so, here you were, miles from what you considered your home with people that you were barely even acquainted with.

Your shadowy-haired leader was pensive the whole time you reminisced, most likely trying to think of a way to get everyone home safely. Whatever he came up with, it would no doubt be a difficult choice.

"Our options are limited, as you can see." Levi said, as he began to pace around the relatively reserved space.

Everyone was at attention now, knowing their fate depended on what came out of his mouth. He didn't sound worried though, almost as if he was more at ease in a complex situation. He stopped and adjusted his arms so they were held neatly behind his back, in a stance that radiated the stoical nature of a leader.

"There's no way we can all go at once, of that I am sure. The only solution I know that could benefit all of us is to pool the remaining gas and send one person ahead."

His expression was blank, not really caring whether or not the others would accept his gamble at freedom from this cursed forest. The others waited for more details, trying not to speak should Levi have anything else to say. There was nothing. Only silence followed the delivery of his plan.

"W-w-well what are the rest of us supposed to do? Sit up here and twiddle our thumbs while we s-starve to death?"

The daring reply came from a man with grayish-blonde hair and a relatively frightened expression on his face. He went by Auruo. Scared as he was, this did not stop him from speaking out against Corporal's idea. You were curious now. If you let this guy test the Lance Corporal, you were more likely to figure out what you could get away with in the long run. It's not that you expected to give your superior trouble in the future, but at least you would know how lenient he was willing to be.

This guy was handpicked by Levi himself. We all were, so why does he look like he's about to shit his pants?

"There are no other options. One person will go ahead, the rest will stay."

Auruo shot up to protest, "You can't expect us to-"

"Like it? Tch, that's not what you're here for. If you wanted luxury and the superficial comfort that comes with guarding wall Sina-" the Lance Corporal said as he put himself in Auruo's personal space, "then you should have joined the Military police. Are you trying to tell me that you're wasting my time and the time of your allies?"

Levi's steely glare was enough to put even the most hardened people on edge. Though this was not your first time witnessing it, there was something eerily… attractive that you remarked about it this time. He did not demand respect or presence, he commanded it.

"N-N-No sir…"

Auruo shrank to his initial cross-legged position, defeated. He was no match for Levi. In his current distressed state, there would be no further arguments from him. You were glad for this; Auruo's childish demeanor was an annoyance. Your current feelings were no reason to hate the poor guy though. Everyone was afraid. His way of communicating it was just a little more troublesome.

Levi was quiet, suggesting that perhaps he felt a little sympathy. He didn't dwell on it for any more than a few seconds though, because his cold demeanor had returned almost instantly.

"I don't expect any of you to trust me right away. We have a lot of work to do." His gaze passed around the circle of distraught soldiers. The younger girl of orange hair and golden eyes gulped and hugged herself, electing to go with the only ray of hope that the Corporal could offer up in exchange for destruction. She was nervous. Whether or not Levi's words were able to push past her fear, you did not know. What you could understand however, was that she was going to trust him.

"I'm asking you to put your faith in my experience. No matter the situation we are in, I hope you can all let my actions speak in my stead."

After a short period of awkward silence and some looks being passed around, your comrades were beginning to hear reason. A quiet decision was reached, all would follow the plan and there would be no protest. What other choice did they have?

You liked to think you were different than them, stronger, more refined. The fact was, you weren't. You were just as worried, using your cynicism and judging of others to hide it. You felt awful for this. How could you act so high and mighty while you were suffering just the same? You'd have to work on that, you decided.

There was a brief moment where everyone got up to leave, as if it were back at headquarters and you could return to your room when all was said and done. They were hesitant though. There was nowhere to go, and on top of that, one very urgent question remained. It had slipped your mind during your little self-reflection.

Levi tried to leave too, sensing everyone's immediate curiosity.

He doesn't want to answer.

"Who's going to go?" You found yourself asking out loud.

He stopped with his back to you, face turned only slightly so you could see his look of deliberation. This sent chills down your spine. Choosing would be no easy task. There had to be a balance of loyalty and skill in his candidate.

"I'm still deciding." He turned his head away from you. "I'll inform you all of my decision when the fog clears away from the trees. Everyone would do well to get some rest before then."

And with that, he was off. You watched as he descended carefully onto the lower limbs, just far enough where he could have some peace and time to think, yet close enough where he could respond easily should danger present itself. Agile and confident in his athletic ability, it made you wonder:

Does he even need maneuver gear?

Your thoughts turned sour just then, when you heard the moans and thumping of the flesh-eaters below. They were invisible to you, but they were most certainly there.

With nothing else to do, you decided perhaps that it was time to get to know your colleagues a little better. After all, it would be nice to know who exactly would be guarding your behind in the events to come.

Soooooo, I hope that wasn't too brutal. If you notice any spelling/grammar errors, let me know and I shall fix them.

Thanks for reading!

:D

EDIT: (12/10/2015) I have gone through and thoroughly edited this chapter. I think that the changes I made helps the flow of the story. Looking back, I may have over-"engineered" some parts when I first wrote this story, leading to some awkward rhythm.