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After passing through the towering metal fences of their school and making their way towards the building, Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie, Marco, Sasha, and Connie ventured into the depths of the night, drawn by whispers of a recent ghost sighting on campus. Rumor had it that a mysterious janitor roamed the hallways, sending chills down the spines of anyone who crossed his path. Some dismissed the tales as mere superstition, while others claimed that his eerie presence was very real, having caused more than a few students to faint at the sight of him.
Eren, gripping his flashlight tightly, aimed the beam into the dimly lit hallway, scanning the area for any signs of life—or the supernatural. The others trailed closely behind him, a mixture of excitement and trepidation in the air. Mikasa, however, clung to Eren like a koala, burying her face in his shoulder. Softly, she murmured assurances that she would protect her dark knight from any malevolent spirits lurking in the shadows.
Not far from them, Annie had latched onto Armin, not for protection but seemingly out of concern. The poor guy appeared visibly shaken, his body trembling slightly as he peered into the darkness.
"Bwah! They say he’ll appear at night after midnight!" Jean declared, exhaling sharply as he crossed his arms over his chest, eyes narrowing as he glared down the hall. Marco, amused by Jean's bravado, flashed a smile at him before turning back to Armin, who was flicking through notes on ghostly occurrences and the reasons behind them.
"Maybe it’s just an urban legend?" Bertholdt interjected, raising an eyebrow skeptically. But Jean was quick to retort, irritation etched on his face.
"We didn’t just sneak through the metal fences to sit around here and debate if it's real! Look at bald head over there; his pants are ripped!" He pointed accusingly at Connie, who was trying to cover up the evidence of his unfortunate wardrobe malfunction.
"Hey!" Connie exclaimed, his hands instinctively protecting his dignity as laughter erupted from Sasha, who stood beside him, clearly enjoying the moment. "It’s not that big of a deal!"
“Shh! You guys, keep it down!” Eren hissed, stopping in his tracks and turning to give them a warning look. His heart raced as he scanned the foreboding hallway, anxiety bubbling just below the surface. The night felt alive with possibilities, and as hushed whispers filled the air, they all wondered what—or who—might be waiting for them in the shadows.
A jarring, metallic clank echoed through the air, resonating with a deep, unsettling quality that seemed to send ripples of unease through the group. Moments later, the abrupt sound of a plastic bucket rolling across the cold, hard floor shattered the silence, sending an electric pulse of anxiety coursing through them.
Instinctively, they froze in their tracks, hearts thundering in their chests, each individual grappling with a tumultuous mix of trepidation and curiosity. Yet, amidst the rising tension and palpable fear, Annie and Mikasa stood resolute, their expressions steely and focused, narrowing their eyes as they peered intently into the looming shadows that swallowed the corridor ahead.
Jeans, adrenaline surging through his veins like wildfire, playfully nudged Reiner forward, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes. "Come on, you’re the strongest one here! Why don't you take a peek? You're practically made of muscle!" he teased his playful tone a stark contrast to the heavy atmosphere, clearly an attempt to lighten the mood.
Reiner’s expression flickered momentarily as a shadow of unease crept across his rugged features. "Just because I'm built like a tank doesn’t mean I'm fearless, I am softie." he admitted quietly, his voice lowering to an almost reverent whisper, tinged with an unexpected vulnerability. The last part of his admission caught the attention of Sasha and Connie, who exchanged bewildered glances.
Eren, feeling the suffocating weight of anxiety knotting his stomach like a tight coil, reluctantly flicked on his flashlight, the beam slicing through the oppressive darkness as it illuminated the obscure corners of the lengthy hallway. To his surprise and burgeoning relief, the source of the earlier noise revealed itself—a small, scruffy black cat. The feline paused in mid-grooming, licking its tattered fur with a nonchalant demeanor, only to cast a brief, irritated glance at the group. With a swift flick of its tail, the cat darted away, vanishing into the shadows as swiftly as it had appeared.
A collective sigh escaped the group, tension momentarily lifting as they exhaled the breath they hadn’t realized they had been holding. Breaking the silence, Jean let out a nervous laugh, the sound cracking slightly in the stillness. "I thought for sure it was a ghost! I was ready to spill that ridiculous rumor about the short one!"
Eren turned toward him, bewilderment etched deeply across his face, disbelief radiating from his every pore. "Ghosts? Seriously? Short ghosts don’t exist!" he scoffed, glancing warily over his shoulder, half-expecting to see a spectral figure ominously materializing behind him. However, their light-hearted banter quickly escalated into a more heated exchange, reigniting rivalries like sparks hitting dry Tinder, and in no time, Eren and Jean found themselves bickering.
Armin, ever the peacemaker of the group, adjusted his glasses with a determined glint in his eyes and cleared his throat in a bid to defuse the escalating tension. "Actually, you two might be surprised," he interjected, striving for an authoritative yet calm tone. "Ghosts can take on various forms, often depending on how they died. So yes, short ghosts could very well exist."
As Armin’s thoughtful words settled like dust within the group, the argument between Eren and Jean began to lose its heat, their curiosity rekindling like flickering embers. They cautiously resumed their advance down the dimly lit hallway, skepticism creeping back into their thoughts with each hesitant step forward. Yet, just when they rounded a corner, a sudden, distant metallic click reverberated ominously through the air, sending an icy hand of fear curling around their spines and forcing them to freeze in place, breaths hitching tightly in their throats.
Nervous glances flitted between the group members as Eren gripped the flashlight with a desperation that turned his knuckles a pale white. With determined urgency, he flicked the flashlight back on, but to his dismay, the beam flickered erratically like a dying star, casting ghastly shadows that danced across the walls.
"What?! It’s dead? You didn’t bring any extra batteries, did you?!" Jean's voice rose in a panic that cut through the tension like a knife, his eyes widening in disbelief. Eren gave the flashlight a desperate shake, willing it to come back to life, but it sputtered one last time before extinguishing, leaving the group shrouded in a chilling darkness.
At that moment, a figure began to emerge from the shadows—a janitor clad in a striking bright blue uniform, his attire complete with goggles and a mask that concealed his features. He held a skull in his gloved yellow hands, emanating a peculiar blue aura that bathed the area in an eerie, ghostly light. The scent of antiseptic mingled ominously with the low grunts emanating from the figure.
With panic erupting like a volcano, their terrified screams filled the air, Jean’s piercing shriek rising above the rest. "It's real! It’s too real!" he yelled, scrambling onto Marco's back in a frantic bid for safety, his limbs flailing erratically.
Reiner immediately sprang into action, swiftly scooping up Bertholdt as if he were a child, while Annie deftly hoisted Armin onto her shoulder, her grip firm and unwavering. Mikasa, every muscle tense and alert, carried Eren like a protective fortress, their frantic pace accelerating as Sasha and Connie fell into tears, their distress amplifying with every echoed footstep as they raced ahead, united in their horror. The haunting reality they had dreaded loomed closer than ever, the shadows of their worst fears confirmed in that terrifying moment as they fled from the menacing figure, the echo of their own panic trailing behind them like a specter in the night.
"Eh? Why is there screaming?" You stepped out of the dimly lit laboratory, wiping the sweat from your brow and removing your mask and goggles after thoroughly cleaning the abandoned space. The nostalgic scent of old chemicals still lingered in the air as you bent down to retrieve your flashlight, which had rolled away after you accidentally knocked it over. Its blue beam flickered as it illuminated the dust motes dancing in the stale air, finally landing behind Levi.
"They shit themselves, that’s why," Levi replied with a scoff, shaking a skull that he had just found among the clutter. After removing his own mask, he blew the dust away, letting out a groan of mock frustration. "Can you believe this skull just fell off? Now I have to pick it up."
You punched him lightly on the shoulder, shaking your head. "Levi! They did not shit themselves. That’s a bit harsh; you scared them off again."
"Well, I didn’t scare them off," Levi shrugged off your concern with an air of indifference. "Those brats really need to learn their lesson about wandering in here just because a 'haunted' janitor is said to roam the halls at night."
You couldn't help but laugh at his playful arrogance. "Janitor? Well, maybe they were referring to you. After all, I’ve heard you’re quite the short one."
Levi shot you a glare, the playful sting of your words clearly getting to him. "Short? Who says I'm short? I’m not that short!" His attempts to defend his height only fueled your amusement.
"Yeah, you are," you teased, a chuckle escaping your lips as you began to pack up your cleaning supplies, helping Levi store them away neatly in the laboratory before closing the door behind you. This nighttime routine of cleaning the less frequented parts of the school had become a routine for the two of you.
"I’ll cook tonight," Levi announced, his tone suddenly softer as he intertwined his fingers with yours. Leaning in, he brushed his lips gently against yours, a light kiss that made your heart flutter. "You helped me out even though you were feeling under the weather today."
"Aw, that’s sweet," you replied, a smile spreading across your face as you playfully nudged him. "Does this mean you’ll cuddle me even if I am sick?"
"Not gonna happen," he huff, shaking his head in mock horror. "Your nasty virus will be all over me!"