Tainted (Levi x Reader)

Chapter 2

Guessing they were on their way to Erwin's office, you set off in that direction until you could hear them in the hall ahead of you. Peeking around the corner, you only saw Hange.

Two hands suddenly grabbed your wrists from behind, crossing your arms over your chest to immobilize them as the person restrained you with a strength greater than your own. "Sneaking around again, brat?" Levi growled close to your ear.

You instinctively lifted your foot and stomped on his behind you, catching him off guard. You followed up by butting the back of your head hard against his face, causing him to release you as he spat curses and held his nose.

Hange jogged over to you and Levi. "Stand down, Cadet! We only want to know why you were trailing us! Is it this?" Hange pushed Levi back and held something up for you to see: the book. Seeing it up close only increased your certainty, as well as your desperation to have it.

You nodded.

"We've already examined it. Tell us anything you know about it or its owner, and we'll let you read it for yourself." Hange's wide open eyes stared dead into yours as she offered you a grin.

Levi groaned as he shook off the pain in his foot and face. "See, shitty-glasses? I told you this shithead used to hang with Langnar. Damn annoying, creepy too."

You looked at your Captain in surprise, ignoring his insults. He noticed?

Hange straightened themself out. "I see. Now, tell us what you know, (Y/n)."

"Uh... here?" You gestured around at the hallway.

Levi sighed. "No, not here. We were going to see Erwin, but my office is a lot closer. Let's go."

Levi leads you and Hange down the hall a bit further and unlocks the door to his office, holding it open to let you pass. As expected, the interior was unsettlingly clean and organized.

Levi rounded his desk and sat casually leaning back in his chair, while you and Hange occupied the two seats facing his desk. Hange placed the sorry-looking journal on the desk in front of you, while they and Levi waited for you to speak.

Your eyes darted between them as you struggled to force yourself into sharing such personal information. "Spit it out already," Levi snapped, obviously still unhappy about your retaliation earlier. I should apologize for that later.

"Ilse was my best friend. We went through our training together, joined the Scouts together. I looked out for her, and she helped me through a lot. She could be a handful at times, a tad dramatic, but her devotion to humanity was unparalleled. She taught me... so much." You paused to compose yourself. "Ilse always had her nose in some book or another, reading or writing, said that someone needed to keep a record of us. Said that when we conquer those damn titans, we'll look back on how far we've come."

Your hands hesitantly reached out to softly graze the worn cover of the journal. You look over and meet Hange's unreadable brown eyes. "This book? She carried it everywhere. Filled up a few others just like it over the years. The cover and binding are handmade by her father." You carefully picked it up and flipped to the back cover to show them the small signature of Ilse's father pressed into the leather. You shut it and held it on your lap tightly. "When we returned to the wall, and Ilse wasn't with us... it was like no one else cared. Like no one even knew. Here was a soldier who gave her life, and no one but me even cared to mourn her. What the hell is that, anyway?"

Your angry question was met with a thick silence. You blew out a sigh and stood up. "Excuse me. I'll return this to you when I'm done, but it should ultimately go to Ilse's father."

Neither captain questioned you as you quietly slipped out of the office and made for your room. No doubt Petra and the squad will have left by now. I'll have to do something of my own tonight.