Tainted (Levi x Reader)

Chapter 13

Am I... dead?

You felt arms wrapped around you, your head laying on a lap. Trees stretched up as far as you could see. A face suddenly leaned into sight.

You smiled as you recognized it. You raised a hand weakly to touch it. "Ilse..."

"Hold still! We might've dodged that kick, but the landing wasn't exactly smooth."

You were jolted into reality, pain setting into every bone in your body. As you regained your senses, you squinted hard at the girl tending to you. "You're... not Ilse?" But she looks damn like her. Straight, dark brown hair, a little longer than Ilse's as it came to her shoulders. The same build, skin-tone, and freckles. Except this woman's face was more slender, and her eyes were a murky green instead of the bronze that Ilse's were.

"Who the fuck is Ilse? I'm Joan." As she spoke, 'Joan' lowered your head to the ground and stood, loading an emergency flare and covering one ear as she shot it skyward. "Let's pray someone sees that."

You both waited a few minutes. Nothing.

"Alright. We got two options. Lay down and die, or high-tail it after the wagons. We can still catch up if we hurry." Joan holstered the flare gun. "I have a horse still nearby, but you're not going to like the trip there or trying to get on it. So suck your teeth and bear it."

Before you could argue, she scooped you up with shocking ease and started sprinting. You held on with a death grip, trying hard not to scream as every step she took sent a shockwave of agony through you.

"I know it's tough, but we're so close. Hang in there," the girl grunted as she ran. Just as you were slipping back into unconsciousness from the sheer pain, Joan reached her horse and laid you over it. She climbed up and positioned you sitting upright, slouching against her back. She removed and used some of your belts, fastening you to her securely before whipping the reins and taking off.

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"Whoo hoo! I see some wagons!"

You were startled awake by Joan fist pumping the air, jostling you as she did so. Judging by the sun, it couldn't have been more than an hour since you'd left the forest behind.

Picking up the pace even more, you both easily caught up to the belabored wagons.

"Holy shit! It's (Y/n)!" Jean shouted, standing up in the back of a wagon where he had been sitting gloomily beside Armin.

You closed the gap, Joan pulling up beside the still moving wagon as the walls became visible in the distance. She started unstrapping you from her so you could be passed to a cart where Eren lay unconscious.

"Thank you," you managed to say to Joan as she prepared to rejoin the main ranks.

She looked surprised but pleased, giving you a firm nod. "Be seeing you, (Y/n)."

You were laid down on the other side of the wagon from Eren. You heard the dull thump of boots, followed by a hiss and a muttered curse, as Levi maneuvered from his horse and into the wagon.

His silver eyes were wide as he made his way over and sat against the edge of the cart by your head. He carefully pulled you toward him and laid your head on his leg so he could inspect the cuts that riddled your face. "When they couldn't find you, I thought you were dead," he whispered.

Suddenly it all came rushing back. The fear in your comrades eyes as one by one, they were killed ruthlessly by the female titan. The sight of their mangled bodies as you prepared yourself for the same fate. Joan. She saved my life. But... how was she there so quickly?

You didn't realize that you were crying until you felt Levi wiping the tears from your face. You looked up at him, seeing the grief you felt reflected in his eyes. Ignoring the ache that the motion cost you, you raised your arm and took ahold of his hand. His gripped yours back firmly as he pulled you up more, laying you against his chest so he could hug you and be hugged by you. Neither of you spoke, as if you didn't know how to anymore.

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Back at headquarters, Levi took you to the infirmary and sat with you after the doctor had finished stitching up your cuts and splinting a break in your leg, as well as a couple in the fingers of your left hand.

"I have to go to the capital in a few days. We've been ordered to surrender Eren," Levi said quietly, some of the first words he'd spoken since you'd reentered the walls.

You squeezed his hand comfortingly in reply.

"You're not in critical condition, so you could go with me, let me keep an eye on you. I don't want to leave you here," he admitted with his head down.

You briefly let go of his hand to reach over and tilt his head back up. "Already burying yourself in that head," you echoed his own words from what felt like forever ago. Levi sighed, tilting his head more so that your palm cupped his cheek. "Either way, I can't go to the capital. It's too dangerous for me there. I'm safest right where I am."

"You're safest right where I can see you," Levi murmured, placing his hand on top of yours as he closed his eyes and leaned in even more to your touch.

"You'll only be gone a day or two at most. I'll be okay."

He lifted his head and shook it. "I'm sorry. I know how you feel about the capital, but I can't afford to leave you unprotected. You're especially vulnerable because of your injuries. I can make it an order if you'd like."

Eyes wide, you drew back your hand and crossed your arms. "Seriously?"

"(Y/n), I can't lose you too." He reached out and placed a hand on either side of your face as his eyes gazed intently into yours. "I'm injured too, so I won't be involved in much action. I'll be able to stay with you the whole time. I will keep you safe."

"Levi," an edge crept into your tone. "What action? Is Erwin... planning something?" Who am I kidding? Erwin is always planning something.

He only leaned forward and left a kiss on your forehead. "The beginnings of something so far. Nothing I can't protect you from."

You felt your hands begin to tremble. I know he means it, but... it's been at least six years since I've been to Wall Sina. The horrors I both witnessed and committed in the shadows during my time there... what if someone recognizes me? If my father gets word that I'm on his home turf, he'll jump at the chance to capture me. "Th-the... my father's people. They'll know. Somehow they always do."

"I won't leave your side. Please," Levi said the last word almost too quietly for you to hear.

Your gaze snapped up to study him, wondering if you had only imagined it. Maybe he's right. My father knows my whereabouts, so HQ is just as unsafe as Sina. In my condition, it'd be near impossible to fend them off on my own.

"Okay, I'll go."