The Devil is Watching You

•35•

(NOT EDITED)

"Let them go," you warn rather viciously.

"Stop," Gabi begs quietly. "Not Falco."

"What is this boy to you?" Niccolo glares down at Gabi. "He took the hit for you. Do you care about him? I cared about someone, too! An eldian! Spawn of the Devil! One who loved my cooking more than anyone! She saved me from this shitty-ass war! She taught me that I like making people happy with food! Her name was Sasha Braus! She's the girl you stole from me!"

You get it now... it all clicks. Gabi killed the girl Niccolo loved. Of course he'd be acting this way. Although I feel for him, I can't allow him to hurt those kids. They're my family.

"People I cared about were killed, too!" Gabi shouts back at him. "They were shot by your Sasha Braus! That's why I got revenge! She killed people first!"

"Who gives a damn who killed first!?" Niccolo screams and holds the knife closer to Falco.

You move forward, only to have your wrist grabbed by Armin. You struggle in his grasp, but ultimately give in as he holds you against his body.

"Open your eyes! You're a marleyan soldier! That Devil woman bewitched you! Don't lose to the devils!" Gabi pleas.

"Gabi!" You warn and her face snaps back to you. "Stop this!"

"But they're the enemy!" Her scared eyes meet mine.

"Don't you see the situation you're in?" You pull away from Armin, but don't make any other moves. "Gabi, you killed Niccolo's love and these people family. That mans daughter. Cant you see why they're doing this?"

"But—" she starts.

"Niccolo, hand me the knife," the man who you presume to be Sasha's father speaks up. This causes us all to freeze up, even shocking Niccolo. "Come on."

Niccolo does as he says and places the knife into the mans hand. You clench your fists, getting ready to protect the kids.

The man steps up beside Gabi and you lock your legs. If he makes one move to hurt her or Falco, you'll be ready to take him out in under a second.

"Don't do it, Mr.Braus," Hange steps forward. "Please put down the knife."

"Sasha was a hunter," the man holds the knife up by his face, his fingers playing with the blade. "Even as a wee girl, she shot varmints in the forest for us to eat. That was just our way of livin'. But I knew there would come a day we'd have to give up that style of life, so I sent Sasha away from the forest. She went into the world, became a soldier, shot people far yonder, and got her self shot. In the end, though she left our forest, the world is a great, big forest where everyone's fighting' for their life."

The man hands the woman the blade and she sets it on the table behind her. You let out a shaky relived breath and let your body relax just slightly, but you're still on guard.

"I reckon Sasha died 'cuz she wandered in the forest too long," the man looks at Niccolo. " We've got to keep the younguns out of the forest. Otherwise, ain't nothin goin to stop it from happenin again. That's why it's up to us adults to shoulder the sins of the past."

"Niccolo, let Ben go," the woman requests. Ben must be the fake name Falco went by.

You watch niccolo take in a weak breath and shake as he stares from Falco to the woman, like he's contemplating. He then slowly lowers him to the ground, careful of his head.

"Good, Lisa. Slowly, now..." the man tends to Falco as Connie and Jean hold onto Niccolo, bringing him to the floor.

You take the free moment to rush to Gabi's side, looking at her bloody face as the fear in her eyes falters as she recognizes you.