- Wait -

Chapter 10

I took a deep breath as I steadied myself on the rooftop, I was close enough to watch the fight and intervene if necessary.  I readied my blades and watched intently, trying desperately to ignore the hell we'd brought to this city.

Eren looked to be almost glowing, his titan animalistic and wild as he brutally attacked the female titan, it was almost hard to watch. I resisted the urge to look away as Eren bit into her, her screams made the ground shake so I quickly moved to a more stable building closer to them so I could see more clearly. The tables suddenly turned and she threw Eren back into a building which crumpled around him like it was made of paper. She quickly started trying to scale the wall, clawing and dragging herself up it in sheer desperation. She pushed Eren off when he tried to stop her and he came crashing back to down. Shit. We can't let her get away. This can't be for nothing.

I stood up, clutching my blades so tightly it hurt, ready to intervene but a familiar red scarf beat me to the punch, sending her crashing back down to earth. Well done, Ackerman. Erens wild titan was on her in a second, brutally attacking her once again. Too brutal, her head was off but Eren wasn't in control anymore. He'd lost himself somewhere, it was going too fat. Shit. This brat.

I launched of the roof top and whirled towards him, he bit through her nape and I sped up, being frivalous with my gas now I was running out of time. A white flash followed by a strong wind pushed me back, what on earth was going on here? I flung myself towards Eren's nape, putting my body weight into my blades and cutting through effortlessly.

"It's not a good idea to eat our key evidence, you idiot," I snapped coldly but I wasn't sure he could even hear me. I pulled him out quickly, keen to get away from the scalding steam of both his and the female titan. The city suddenly seemed to die, the adrenaline of the situation started to fade and all that was left was the sickening smell of blood. I glanced down at what was effectively just child in my arms, what were we doing? I handed him over to a worried Ackerman before heading to Hanje, as the dust settled around us and the titans began to disappear all that was left was destruction. Buildings shattered like glass, countless dead and Annie has sealed her self away in some sort of cocoon. What was the point in all this? What did we have to show for it?

A metallic bang rang out across the now eerily quiet city as Jean tried to desperately to break through whatever Leonhart had encased herself in but only succeeded in snapping his blade in two. He shouted angrily at her, echoing everyone's thoughts but this was achieving nothing. With a sigh I walked towards the young cadet, I placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him swinging at her again.

"That's enough, it's over." I said simply, his hand dropped as he shook his head silently. I'd seen the scouts united in their grief before but never to this extent.

"Someone get me a wire net! This thing belongs deep underground!" Shouted Hanje, springing into action as she stared at Annie. Her order was met with a chorus of 'understood' as several scouts, eager to get away from the carnage no doubt, ran off to fetch it.

The sense of hopelessness had settled across the scouts like a blanket, the stench of blood had filled the air and the sky had been stained a foggy grey from the smoke. The silence made it worse somehow, when we arrived the city had been bustling and alive and in the matter of hours it was nothing but silent. I was used to the smell of blood, to lives lost but it was so very different when it was innocents dying and not scouts. It hadn't been since the reclamation of Trost that any of us had seen this carnage and at least then it hadn't been our fault.

I spotted Erwin, his gaze fixed on me while the MPs around him tried to make sense of what we had just done. I walked towards him, not taking my eyes off him. The closer I got the more noticed an anger behind those blue pools but still he stood there, as immovable as ever. I paused just past him, trying to think of what I could even say at this moment.

"Well, it was a valiant effort, can't win them all though right?" I said, sarcasm coating my words. It was reminiscent of the attitude Erwin had shown when on that first expedition and he needed to follow his own advice, he didn't have time for regrets now. The capital would want someone to blame and he couldn't let it be him.

"Right. At the very least the scout regiment has been exonerated. Sure by the skin of its teeth, but still." He replied calmly.

"Let's hope the brass agrees,"

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I cradled a cup of tea as I waited, perched on the edge of his desk. I sipped it, trying to calm my nerves but I could barley taste it. My mind was running with possiblities of what could be happening right now, had they decided to pin all the blame on him and execute him? It was well within their power. I hadn't seen him in two days, they hadn't let anyone near him. What of he died before I could see him again? I was angry and cold the last time I'd seen him. That couldn't be the end.

My hand shook slightly causing the tea to spill over the edge of the cup, burning my hands. I took a deep breath closing my eyes, he was okay. They couldn't kill Erwin, the scouts would be lost without him and they know it. Without the scouts there will be no one to reclaim the outer walls and the strain of food and population would lead to civil war. I placed the cup of tea on the edge of the desk and got up, wincing slightly at my leg. I shouldn't have been in gear, I'd pushed my recovery further back but I couldn't stand idly by, it wasn't in my nature.

Just then, I heard footsteps by the door and muffler voices on the other side.  I looked up as the door swung open to reveal a tired looking Erwin. His eyes widened in surprise as the met mine.

"Levi?" He asked, an unevenness in his smooth voice as he shut the door quickly behind him. He looked surprised to see me, idiot.

"They let you go?" I asked quickly, moving towards him.

"Yes, we've been charged to watch over the girl, day and night." He replied. I stopped just in front of him, staring up in nothing but relief. He was okay.

"Don't you ever do something so reckless again, you got that eyebrows?" I demanded icily, sending a quick hard to kick to his shin. He recoiled, chuckling softly and I smiled lightly at the sound. Stupid bastard.

"I distinctly remember telling you that you weren't to be involved, captain." He challenged, eye brow raised at me.

"Did you ever believe me?" I retorted.

"No, not really," He replied, smiling down at me. His large hand stroked the side of my face and I moved into his touch instinctively, closing my eyes and letting a small smile settle on my face.

He picked me up like I weighed nothing more than a doll, and we were eye to eye again. I stared at him, it felt wrong to feel the way I did after what just happened. To feel so... I don't know. I didn't know how I felt. I just knew I didn't want to leave him. He kissed me but there was something different this time, it was so different. It was soft, gentle and almost loving. Before we'd always been passionate but this was entirely different, in a way that I've never felt before. His touch was like lightning as I kissed him back, my hands in his hair as I pulled him closer.

When he did finally pull away, he smirked at the pout that snuck its way onto my face. He set me down on the edge of his desk and took in a large shakey breath and ran his hands through his hair, he looked at me intently and I met his gaze brazenly. He looked at the floor, smiling slightly. I drunk in the sight, the golden afternoon sun was peaking through the windows and it made him almost glow.

"Your so beautiful," I mused outloud, smirking at a now flustered Erwin.

"I was just thinking the same about you."