Tainted (Levi x Reader)

Chapter 26

This isn't goodbye. I'm not going to die in this shithole, you thought as you leaped off the wall alongside Armin. Armin hooked into one side of Bertholdt's teeth, you into the other. But your hook wasn't as far in, just on the edge of the Colossal's jaw, where the teeth began.

Shit, shit, shit! It was too late to get a better grip. The Colossal had already begun to exude steam. It's okay! I'm not supposed to stay as long anyway. Armin told me to go check on Eren if Bertholdt realizes the trick we pulled.

The intense heat began to eat away at your clothes and flesh. You let out a scream in an attempt to give yourself courage.

Just as Armin predicted, the Colossal was rapidly losing muscle mass. Suddenly, your hook slipped. The full force of the heat wave hit you like a ton of bricks, and then you actually hit a ton of bricks.

You plummeted down, managing to hook again into the miraculously standing steeple of a church. But it wasn't enough. You hit another building head on, crashing through the brick wall as if it was made of paper. Your vision grew hazy as all you could do was watch Armin still up there, rapidly getting scorched by the heat.

You tried to sit back up, but you leaned over and coughed up some blood. You fell back once more, head smacking the ground with a dull thud.

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More exhausted than he'd ever been in all his life, Levi made it back to the wall. He looked down to see Eren on one of the rooftops with Bertholdt and some unrecognizable corpse. He was facing off with the man who was the Beast Titan as the enemy was riding on that other quadruped one.

Levi half slid, half jumped down, falling toward them. Even this was enough to send the two running for the hills. He landed and immediately turned to Eren for gas and blades, when a faint cough from Armin made both of them freeze. "Armin!"

He shook his head to clear it, one thought in his mind much more prominent than any of the others. "Where's (Y/n)?" Levi demanded as Eren rushed to his friend's side.

Eren put his head down and clenched his jaw as anguish washed over him. "She went with Armin to distract Bertholdt. I... I don't think she made it!"

Levi's eyes widened as a pain like a thousand daggers stabbed his heart, making him stumble and drop to his knees. I promised her I'd keep her safe. Images of days past flashed through his mind. Your smile that he loved so dearly as you looked over at him, the mischief in those captivating (e/c) eyes. The feeling of your hand squeezing his. The comforting smell of your hair as he held you. She told me she wouldn't go anywhere. She told me we would have more time. And I never really got the chance to say how I feel. How she makes me feel.

Levi was forcibly pried from his grief by Mikasa landing on the roof and joining Eren in a plea for the injection he was in charge of. In a daze, he dug the case out of his pocket and began handing it to Eren, when the clang of metal hitting the roof interrupted them. It was Floch, with the unmoving shape of Erwin strapped to his back. Suddenly unsure, Levi retracted his hand, holding the box to his chest as he struggled to organize his thoughts.

He laid Erwin on his back and checked his breathing. "He's...alive." Maybe I don't have to lose everyone I care about today... Levi pushed himself to his feet. "I'm using the injection on Erwin."

He was immediately met with opposition from Eren and Mikasa, the former of which tried to grab the box from Levi.

As Levi plainly told Eren to keep his emotions out of it, guilt struck him. For a brief moment, he had considered seeking you out and using the injection on you if it wasn't too late. He knew he wouldn't have the heart to do otherwise if presented with the choice. He would've revived you over a hundred Scouts, even though he knew how wrong that would be, how wholly selfish.

Even so, Levi punched Eren away. Mikasa instantly leapt at Levi with an enraged screech, knocking him to the ground and holding a sword to his throat. In his weakened state, and her blind desperation, Levi knew he didn't have the strength to fight back.

He was eventually saved by Hange arriving and pulling Mikasa off of him. As Mikasa struggled and screamed in protest, Hange spoke to her in a low voice. "There are people I want to bring back, too. Hundreds of them. I've had to say farewell since the day I joined the Scouts. But... you know, don't you? No matter who it is, there comes a day to say farewell."

Levi gritted his teeth against what felt like his heart being ripped in two, his hands shaking as he readied the syringe and listened to Hange's words.

"I know it's impossible, but you have to accept this. There will be days you can't keep your sanity. It's tough. Very tough. I know. Even so, we have to keep moving forward."

A hand suddenly grabbed Levi's ankle, making him look down into Eren's desperate eyes. He tried to mask his own overwhelming pain as Eren spoke in a sob about the dream he shared with his now dying friend. I know that feeling all too well. Isabel, Farlan, my squad... (Y/n) is very likely dead, Erwin himself is nearly there. I don't know how I'm going to live after this. I don't know if I can. There's no avoiding the pain I'm going to feel. But maybe I can help ease that pain for someone else. What would (Y/n) have done? He looked up at the sky as his heart cried out.

Levi ordered everyone to leave. Screwing his eyes tightly shut, he then made the decision: He would revive Armin. Levi retreated to the roof beside Eren, Mikasa, and Hange as titan Armin devoured Bertholdt.

Once Armin was safely on top of the wall and recovering, Levi commenced his search for your body, feeling as if his throat was closing up as he tried his hardest to keep his composure. He searched and searched the broken buildings around the area with no luck, his hope running out with every step he took.

He turned at the sound of someone approaching on their 3DMG, his hope flaring back up.

Connie landed nimbly and shook his head. Hange followed close behind him. She hadn't found anything, either.

"Shit!" Levi cursed, kicking a piece of wooden debris at his feet. It hit the side of a building so hard it sent the rest of the structure crumbling. I at least wanted to be able to take her home!

"Captain, look!" Connie gasped. Levi followed his gaze to where an arm stuck out of the building that had just collapsed. As he watched, one of the fingers twitched.

Levi sprinted toward it and started uncovering the body. There wasn't very much debris on it, thankfully. He couldn't hold back tears as he wiped the dirt and blood from your face, pulling you out onto a clear patch of ground.

Hange hurried over with bandages at the ready. The back of your head was crusted with blood, along with many other minor cuts all over. Much of your clothes were burnt away, and your skin lightly seared. Levi removed his cloak and carefully wrapped you in it after Hange finished dressing the wounds. He fixed it to keep you covered and stood up with you in his arms.

Connie and Hange moved out of his way as Levi hooked into the wall and brought you to the top, laying you down on a mat not far from Sasha and Armin. On his knees, he stroked some hair from your face and kissed your forehead with trembling lips. Tears managed to spill from the corners of his tightly shut eyes. He opened them to watch the gentle rise and fall of your chest, that sight alone sparking inconceivable joy and giving him strength.

Levi pressed his forehead to yours as he whispered, "Didn't I tell you to not go wandering off, brat? Don't scare me like that. I still need you." He tucked the cloak tighter around you and adjusted it to better cushion your bandaged head. "Armin is already awake, so we're going to go see the basement," he murmured. "It kills me to leave you again, especially like this, but I'll be back." With that, Levi reluctantly stood and met up with the others.