Tainted (Levi x Reader)

Chapter 27

When you came to, the Colossal Titan was gone. Despite the pain radiating through every inch of your body, you smiled faintly in drowsy relief. You shivered as a harsh wind blew over your face, trying to snuggle deeper into the cloak wrapped around you. Hold on..!

You sat up quickly, wincing as you did. Not far off, Sasha was unconscious beneath her own cloak, while Armin, Jean, and Connie sat on the edge of the wall together some distance away. Is this all that's left? Something suddenly occurred to you, leaving you utterly desolate. Or...am I dead? I must be. There's no way Armin survived that with not even a hint of burns. I saw him get scorched to a crisp. Tears fell freely from your eyes as you squeezed them shut against a wave of grief, hanging your head. And Levi will have to go on without me...

Jean noticed you first. He nudged the others and they hurried over. Just as they reached you, you heard the whirring of wires. Levi landed on the wall in front of you and stood looking down. The sun was behind him, so you had to bring a hand up and shield your eyes.

Levi crouched and pushed you back so you were laying down again, his scowl failing to mask the relief in his eyes.

You immediately sat back up and wrapped your arms tightly around him, catching him off guard. "I guess neither of us made it, huh?"

Levi pulled away to hold you at arm's length, the most adorable puzzled look on his face. "Wha-" He shook his head and pushed you down again. "We're not dead, dumbass. And stop moving. You're covered in injuries right now." Muttering, he fixed the cloak blanketing you and fussed over you in general.

You laughed, secret relief washing over you. "You act like such a mom."

You heard strangled bursts of laughter somewhere off to the side, quickly silenced by a sharp side glare from Levi. "We went to the basement," he informed you with a sudden nonchalant air to his tone.

Your eyes widened and you propped yourself up on your elbows. "Well?"

"Are you deaf? I told you not to move," Levi growled, making you lay back for a third time. "We found three books. I'll tell you about it on the way back if you promise to just sit still."

You gave him a gentle smile. Levi raised an eyebrow, having expected more excitement like what he'd just seen. Your eyes flickered to Hange, who was gathering up supplies nearby, and briefly met hers. She gave you a small nod.

You took a breath and returned your attention to Levi. "I have something to tell you, too."

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You laid in the back of the only remaining wagon, your head on Levi's lap as the small band of Scouts made haste for Wall Rose. His metallic gray eyes looked expectantly to you as the decaying sunlight played on his handsome features.

You cleared your throat. "The night before we left, Joan intercepted me." His hand froze from where it had been gently stroking your hair. "You were right about her, Levi. She was a spy for my father. Probably even the one who chased me on a horse all that time ago. She explained this to me." You shook your hand free of the folds of the cloak to reveal the X branding on your wrist. "She said it's a bounty."

Levi's eyes darkened dangerously. "That bitch. I'll-"

You sought out his hand, finding it and clasping it tightly. "Let me finish." He grudgingly nodded. "Joan was basically acting as a messenger for my father: surrender or die. And if I run, he'll start going after the people I care about, too."

"Let him. I won't let you go back to a monster who brands his own kid. You're delusional if you think I'd allow that."

You slipped your hand from his in order to cup his cheek. Your eyes gleamed with affection. "Dumbass. If that was my plan, I wouldn't be telling you any of this in the first place. I'm not going to give in. I'm going to kill him."

Levi's initial shock instantly gave way to a tiny, relieved sigh. It was barely visible, but you could see the approval in the depths of his eyes. He was too cautious to let himself be happy about it yet. Saying you are going to kill someone is easy. Doing it is rarely so simple.

"I was thinking," you went on as you studied the passing sky with a pensive stare, "I'll start by gathering information. It'll be hard. Those under my father's control are well under his control, especially the ones he trusts enough with any sort of information. I'd be foolish to operate using what outdated info I have."

"But what you have is a start," Levi pointed out, his gaze straying to the rapidly passing hills around the wagon. "And the sooner you relay it to me, the better."

You nodded shortly. "I'm letting you guys help, but I'll be the one to kill him. It has to be me," you warned him. You didn't know how to express it, but a fire burned in your heart that made it so you could accept nothing less.

"Alright," Levi agreed, pursing his lips into a thin line.

Satisfied with that, you continued. "Here's what I know. My father's business includes trading goods, almost all of which are illegal. Drugs, weapons, humans, you name it. He has stakes in the gambling industry too, as far as enforcing the demands of and protecting the people who run that show. But the whole basis of his empire is loaning out mercenaries. Lots of people want someone dead or want information, but don't want to get their hands dirty."

Levi was quiet as he processed this, so you went on.

"There's really no 'headquarters.' He moves things around a lot in order to keep from getting caught. The only truly stationary base of operations was this building in Stohess, a hotel. If you ask the keeper specifically for a room on floor two, you'll be granted an audience with whichever one of my father's reps is on duty, and can request to hire a mercenary."

Levi frowned in thought. "Right above the Underground, which provides a place to escape to. And those rich pigs who are interested would never come to buy if it was actually in the Underground."

"Correct. Stohess is strategically the best place for sketchy dealings. No interference from all the corrupt MPs, a close escape route, far enough into the walls that only those with the money to actually buy could make it there."

"We go from there, then. We need to first find a place to hide you, and then come up with a plan."

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Sorry this update took so long! I've been drowning in school work. But have this portrait sketch I drew of Historia in my math notebook <3

Thank you for your patience!