Equanimity » Levi Ackerman

14 | 𝔅𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔢𝔯 𝔬𝔣 𝔟𝔞𝔡 𝔫𝔢𝔴𝔰

𝕹𝖔𝖙𝖊: there's a flashback in italic!

· · ─────── ·𐂃· ─────── · ·

The ride to the Capital had been quiet. Maria stared out the window. The two gentlemen across from her had been silent, but she could feel their eyes on her. Especially Erwin's.

"Are you comfortable? We'll be on the road for at least a few more hours." The blond man spoke.

Maria still felt the pain, but she did not speak of it. Even when the MP's helped her to the carriage. Her leg was killing her, and her bruised ribs still made it hard to breathe. Maria had confiscated one side of the carriage, in a half-sitting position. From time to time, they would ride over some road rubble, making the coach jolt. The honey-blonde did her best to push away the urge to cry out in pain.

"I'm fine Erwin." Her response was quiet, but there was a bitter tone in her voice when she spoke these words. She was mad at him, but Maria wasn't going to let it get to her.

"Erwin, wait." The blond commander turned to face Levi. As the two of them waited for the others to leave the room, the black-haired male made eye contact again. "Maria's awake." Erwin remained silent for a mere moment. "How is she?"

"Well- she's alive," He began. "Aside from badly bruised ribs and a missing leg, Maria has known better days." Levi scoffed.

"Hanji told me you want to bring her with us to the Capital." Levi hummed in response while he crossed his arms. "You've talked to her I assume, is it wise to move her now?" "We're leaving in two days; it will be enough time for her to re-strengthen at least a little."

"Alright. I suppose it's a good decision to leave her in the care of the Capital. There isn't much we can do after that."

"Where the hell are you trying to get at?" "We have to consider she isn't going to be of use anymore now she is missing a leg." Levi frowned. Erwin's selfishness shone through again, only thinking in his own interests. Dismissing a cadet from the Survey Corps was rare, let alone an individual of a higher rank.

"Missing any other limb would have been fine, but she won't be able to use 3DM gear now, which mea-" "Which means you want her to leave the Survey Corps." The raven-haired man finished his sentence.

"We can't help her; she'll only be a burden." Levi's eyes turned dark as he stared back had his commander.

"Erwin. What happened to offer up your hearts for humanity. You took her in five years ago. She agreed to be on my squad. You can't dismiss her without my damn say." The tension in the room began to grow.

"You can take her with us to the Capital, but I will have to ask you to tell her before we leave."

"So that means I'm going to be the asshole to deliver this fucking message. You want me to tell her she has to quit?" "Yes, and that's my final say in this." Levi uncrossed his arms, letting them fall to his side while he clenched his fists. "Tch."

He brushed past Erwin, leaving the room, needing to think for a while.

· · ─── · ·

When Levi entered Maria's room, his eyes met with two brown ones, but not those of his Lieutenant. The young male next to the bed narrowed his eyes as anger overtook him.

"She was awake all this time, but you decided to keep it to yourself?!" Levi did not react to him at first. Maria sighed. "Calm down Jean, I told you it was my decision. He just did what I asked him to do." "He could've just told us, I would've waited..."