Don't Call Me Angel, Jerk [ Levi Ackerman ]

Chapter 63 - My Angel

The low voice of Commander Hanji caught her off guard. Her heart stops right there, but all the tears continued trickling down to her knees. Eyes not leaving the floor, she tried to speak in a blunt voice despite the hitches in her breath

"H-how long have you all... b-been standing there" She grits her teeth

She didn't look up, but she knew the faces of the people staring at her with their widened eyes. It was the same group of people before

"W-we heard everything," Airiness filled her quaky voice "I-it's you...."

Before Hanji was able to get any closer, she yelled "Y-you're right! I-I'm Vien Smith. I just couldn't hide it anymore... it's too much"

"Zeke and Bertholdt used another body and faked my death that day, I found out that they b-brought me to Marley when I woke up in a cell. They told me that the news of an island demon being in their town already spread, and I-I would probably die the moment I stepped outside. So I did everything they told me to, and it took years for me to finally gain the trust of those people. But I felt like I was helping Marley more than my own people, so I started infiltrating their offices hoping I could find any useful information" She quietly sobbed

Hanji, the cadets who stood behind them, and Levi couldn't believe what she was saying. It was all too much to process - this, this girl right here was the girl they thought who died years ago. Vien was back

"W-why didn't you try to escape? Y-you could've sneaked on to their boats and come back" A tone of panic was heard in Hanji's voice, she didn't realize that a tear fell out

"They were planning to attack this island years ago!" She exclaimed "I had to do everything I can to stop that from happening, that's why I endured staying there for years..."

"Y-you were the one sending us their battle plans for all these years?" Jean weakly mumbled

Her forehead pressed on her knees that faced the ground "I-I'm sorry for not coming back sooner, but I didn't have the power to stop their Captain. I couldn't sit still when they were planning to attack in surprise. Marley has all sorts of weapons and strategies up their sleeves, if they were to attack out of nowhere again, a lot of people could've died. I did everything I could to warn you about it. Even if it meant I'd be executed once they all found out it was me all along"

Hanji knelt down beside her "You should've revealed your identity to us so we could get you out of there"

"I-I can't do it... I w-wouldn't have the courage to face everyone once you found out I was the cruel and monstrous Lieutenant they storied"

Covering her eyes, the sounds of her breathing became audible to them. All of them were rooted to the ground, stunned and completely out of words. Vien was alive, suffering under the enemy's treatment and forced to be shaped into one of them - even ordered to slaughter the very people she loved

She wanted the ground to eat her up, and disappear from the world. They already knew who she was, the Dr. Vien they knew was now the Lieutenant who slaughtered hundreds of Marleyan's enemies. She didn't know how to face them

The silence began to scare her. What were their reactions - disgust, anger, fear? She was dying to know their expressions behind

Suddenly, she felt weighed being put against her balled figure. Were they nudging - no, wait. Were they hugging me?! The weak sobs emitting from her came to a stop when the cadets began to hug her, arms draped around and heads laid on her back and shoulders. She didn't know whether to feel comforted or guilty, but the faint sounds that came from the weeping cadets made her speak

"Stop crying, and please don't hug me" She muttered "You know how people describe me, the person I've become over the years. I'm not the same anymore, I couldn't go back"

Hanji held Vien's head, trying to speak clearly despite being in a pool of tears "No matter how cruel they see you as a person, you're still Dr. Vien of Survey Corps - and still my girl. And if that Vien is long gone.... I won't stop till she returns"

"You've done a great job enduring the pain for all those years," Hanji smiled "Thank you for putting your life on the line to help us Vien, I'm sure Erwin would be proud of you"

"We missed you" Armin cries lowly

Jean, pressing his forehead on her back as he bawled out "I really thought you're gone for good, don't you dare leave us again Dr. Vien...."

"I-I'm sorry for calling you a scum Dr. Vien!!" Connie cried, hugging her tighter "I'm glad you're alive"

"V-vien.." Levi's brittle voice calls

His feet felt bolted to the ground, unable to move. His eyes stared at Vien like she was the only person in the room. A feeling of numbness spread across him, paralysing the muscles in his mouth - Levi couldn't speak. This girl in front of him, her presence did things to his heart. Things he never thought he could feel again. But it came back

She came back

The cadets, also Hanji, pulled away from Vien- Although Connie had to drag Jean away, his only focus was Vien and Vien only. His eyes never strayed from her crying figure that faced the ground. And like a red puppeteer string, it began drawing him towards her. The years-long gap between their souls was closing once again. He came nearer

Slowly kneeling down in front of her, Levi sensed his hand shaking as it extends towards her chin. He brought her face up, seeing Vien's eyes red from tears, and the faint sound of her crying that held onto her pride. He spoke "Look at me..."

In his line of view, the girl's eyes fluttered open, and he gazed at it like it was the most beautiful thing he saw in years. Vien sniffed discretely, trying to speak "I-I'm-"

He cut her sentence midway as he pulled her into his embrace. With her chest pressed against his, she could feel his unstable breaths. It felt like his heart could burst its way out any moment now. Levi brought her head to rest on his shoulder - right hand on her hair, the other one clenching the back of her shirt tightly. The amount of force he put into his actions was harder than usual, but it was because he didn't want to move. He was scared of letting Vien go again

Why wasn't he talking? She could hear his breath hitching, and she sensed the back of her shirt getting soaked. It was his tears that broke into a continuous stream - many fell, yet he wasn't saying a single word. Only she heard it loud and clear, his silent screaming in the form of faint sobs. Levi's eyes welled up and his lips made a smile

"T-thank you.. for staying... alive"

The pain in his voice impaled Vien through her chest, causing tears to roll out once again. She tried to stop them from falling by closing her eyes. She clenched his shirt, and quietly sobbed on his shoulder

By her hug alone, it was like she was telling him that she would never leave his side again. His grip loosened, pulling away to hold her face with one hand. When his lips met her cheeks, he felt happy. In a sense where his withering heart was pounding with life once again

Levi closed his eyes, chuckling in happiness as their foreheads pressed against each other. In a tremulous voice, he whispered

"I... missed you.... angel"

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A/N:

Hi how's everyone doing today? I hope you're all well and healthy <3