Tainted (Levi x Reader)

Chapter 20

Nighttime. You and your squad lay in wait for Sannes and Ralph, the two MP officers responsible for the torture and murder of Pastor Nick.

Their sheltered wagon pulled up, and Sannes' head peered out through the curtain. It was immediately greeted by the butt of Jean's rifle.

The pair were dragged into the secluded old cottage where they had been lured, and were taken down to the basement. Ralph was locked up in a squalid cell, while Sannes was bound to a chair in a big, empty room with two barred, rectangular windows high up in the back wall.

Screams echoed from the basement as everyone but Levi, Moblit and Hange sat together upstairs. You struggled to focus on what Armin was saying to the others as you leaned against the wall near Mikasa, those screams entering your ears and echoing around the emptiness you felt inside.

Several long moments of silence stretched out. The heavy wooden door to the basement opened, revealing Moblit.

"Anything?" Connie asked anxiously.

Moblit shook his head, pursing his lips. "(Y/n)." All eyes turned to you as you looked up. "Um... Hange asked me to fetch you."

Your only reply was walking past him through the door and down the steps. You felt a numbness creep into you.

Hange met you in front of the cellar door. "I think you know why I asked you here." Their brown eyes bored into yours. "We've gotten nothing from Sannes. That said, I've been looking into your past for a while now, what little people are willing to speak about. You used to be an interrogator." You felt them place something cold and heavy into one of your palms. A pair of pliers. "The fate of humanity could rest on this, (Y/n). I know it's unfair to ask of you, but please. We're running out of options."

"I understand," you whispered, unable to look them in the face. You simply pushed the door open. Inside, Levi stood with a brown leather apron and black gloves that came up to his elbows over his usual clothes. The apron was noticeably stained here and there with blood.

"Damnit! I told shitty-glasses to leave you out of it!" he hissed as he turned toward you. "I told them I would eventually get him to talk."

"We don't have that kind of time. Leave." You took the scalpel from his hands and set it on the table.

Levi's eyes widened. "Don't tell me you agreed to it!"

You fixed him with an warning stare. "Leave."

He reluctantly handed over his gloves and apron for you to put on. He quietly exited, the door groaning shut behind him.

You finally turned your attention to Sannes. He was glaring back defiantly. You stroked your fingers over the few instruments on the small table beside you, noticing his glare falter as fear set in.

"You know me," you remarked simply as you picked up and examined a hammer, testing its weight distractedly in your hands.

"Everyone does," he whispered hoarsely, not even trying to act brave anymore.

Your eyes flickered to him, making him freeze up like a cornered mouse. "Seems they already got all your nails. Too bad. It'll make what I'm about to do so much worse." You forcefully grabbed his wrist, flattening his palm on the armrest of the chair and lining up his index finger. He shut his eyes tightly as you raised the hammer. You paused to lean in close to his ear. "Sannes, are you really going to make me do this?"

He quivered, mouth opening and closing like a fish as he struggled for words.

You pulled away and smiled, smacking the handle of the hammer into your palm. "I was hoping you'd say that." You once more lined up the head of the hammer, bringing it up and down as you took aim.

"P-p-please!"

"Please what?" you asked with a hum.

"I'll tell you what you want to know!" Sannes yelled, voice cracking. "Just g-get away from me, you crazy bitch!"

"Hm, I don't like your tone." You raised the hammer.

"No! I'm sorry!"

"Good. Now, tell me everything, and I'll decide if it's good enough to save those ugly ass fingers of yours."

________

You slid off the gloves as you wordlessly exited the chamber. You were covered in blood. Sannes had spilled, but you'd given him a proper beating just for good measure. You had wanted every little detail.

Levi waited some ways down the hall. He watched you hang up the bloody coverings. Neither of you spoke. You were sure he and Hange had heard everything Sannes had confessed. That piece of human garbage had been screeching every word.

As you went to formally report to Hange, Levi stayed put. Unbeknownst to you, he had been watching the whole thing through the barred window of the door. Sannes had withstood hours of beatings and his nails being peeled off by Levi, but less than a minute with you was enough to put the fear of god in him. You didn't even have to hurt him to get him to start talking in the first place. Just how gruesome must your reputation be? I've known for some time that (Y/n) has done some bad stuff, but I've never considered exactly what that might entail.

Levi went into the chamber and stood before Sannes. "I want to know more about (Y/n)."

"What, your girlfriend more of a monster than you'd realized?" Sannes spat.

"If you know something, just tell me."

There was a long pause.

"She's her father's daughter. That's all you or anyone needs to know, and that's enough." Sannes burst into a violent coughing fit.

"She didn't want to do this. She is disgusted by it," Levi snapped.

The MP laughed. "She doesn't want to want to do it."

Frustrated, Levi simply exited the room and headed upstairs. He found you in the bathroom, bent over with your elbows on the counter, head down and hands balled up in your (h/l) (h/c) hair. You started as you heard him come in and close the door.

He approached and wrapped his arms protectively around you, pulling you to him. He sat down on the floor, back against the wall opposite the sink as he held you in his lap.

"I'm horrible, aren't I? Being able to inflict such pain on others at the drop of a hat? It doesn't matter who the orders come from or why I'm doing it, torturing as I just did is wrong," you murmured as you stared down at Levi's hands clasping yours.

He tilted your chin up and brushed the hair from your eyes. "Listen to me. You are not horrible. Thanks to you, we now know where Eren and Historia are, and we can go rescue them. It won't be easy, and there's no doubt we'll have to kill. I need you with me, (Y/n). No one stands a chance when you and I are fighting together."

You laid your head against his chest and nuzzled in. "I know. I'll do whatever it takes to be of use." You stayed like that until your eyes grew heavy and you fell into a troubled sleep. Levi stood up and carried you out, down the hall to a vacant room. He sat on the bed, still holding you.

I wish I could take it all away, the bad memories and the pain. But all I can do is try to make her feel safe again. As soon as this thing with Eren and the basement is over, I'll end every single bastard who subjected her to that. Every one that stood by and let it happen. I mean, who trains a child how to kill? Who brands their own daughter? He clenched his fist. I'll make them suffer, that's for damn sure.