Chapter 7 — When They Look to You
The night was thick with tension. Even the quiet halls of the barracks carried a weight that made breathing feel deliberate.
You had been awake for hours, checking supplies, moving quietly, listening. Something told you sleep would come later—if at all.
A sudden commotion echoed through the infirmary. You rushed to find Eren on the floor, faint and shaking, fevered from exhaustion and fear. Mikasa knelt beside him, panic sharp in her eyes.
"Stay calm," you said firmly, kneeling beside them. "I've got this."
Eren's eyes opened slightly, glazed with panic. "I—I can't—"
"You can," you said softly, taking his hand in yours. "I'm right here. Just focus on my voice. Breathe with me."
Slowly, shakily, he obeyed. Mikasa exhaled in relief, her rigid composure softening for the first time in days.
Outside the infirmary, Hange watched with wide eyes. "You—how did you do that?"
You shrugged. "I stayed."
Hange shook her head in disbelief, a smile creeping onto her face. "You're… changing them. All of them."
Later, Levi appeared, silent as always. His sharp gray eyes scanned the infirmary, landing on you.
"You saved him," he said bluntly, voice low.
"I didn't do it alone," you replied, glancing at Mikasa and Eren. "We all helped each other."
A silence stretched between you, heavy, unspoken. Then Levi stepped closer. Not aggressively, not formally—closer in a way that suggested he wanted to observe, to understand, to rely.
"…You should rest," he finally said.
You shook your head. "There's work to do."
A corner of his mouth twitched, almost a smile. "Tch. You never stop, do you?"
"No," you said softly. "Not when it matters."
He didn't respond verbally, but the acknowledgment in his eyes was unmistakable. Trust. Dependence. Something rare and precious.
By dawn, the ripple of your influence had spread further than you realized.
Sasha offered to carry supplies for you voluntarily.
Connie asked for your advice on patrol routes.
Jean admitted that he looked forward to your quiet guidance.
Mikasa left you a folded note: "You help us survive without fighting. That's stronger than blades."
Even Levi's approval, though subtle, carried weight heavier than any battle medal.
As night fell, you sat on your cot, thinking. The world was dangerous. Titans roamed. Death lingered like a shadow in every corner.
But tonight, the people around you were breathing easier. Smiling faintly. Leaning on each other.
Because you stayed.
Because you cared.
Because, without anyone demanding it, you had become the anchor they didn't know they needed.
And in this world, that might just be the greatest victory of all.
🔥 End of Chapter 7