Sacrifice For You (Hange Zoe x Female Reader)

19: Decision

The hallway inside of the chapel was stuffy and hot, dimly lit by old lanterns that emitted a golden light. The walls were also made out of a foreign substance, structured to a square shape with wooden beams. Various sizes of crates littered the floor as well, and I nearly tripped over one.

"Are you ready for this?"

"Are you?" I countered.

"No. Definitely not," Sasha admitted softly, so as not to alert the others to her apprehension.

"You're the best shot here. I wouldn't worry too much," I reassured the brunette girl, grinning contently at her. In reality, though, my heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. It would've been nice to be drunk off of my ass as a Garrison soldier right now.

"And if I miss?"

"You don't. You never have."

She took a deep breath, nodded, and gained her composure. Stepping forward, the girl stood beside Connie, jostling him slightly. It was only a few seconds before I felt another presence fill the air next to me in her place.

"Don't do anything too heroic, please?" Hange hesitantly joked, nudging me softly- as if to see how far they could go. I bit back a humorless laugh, craning my head to the side and peering up at them. They wore a genuine, surprisingly soft expression.

"Do I look like the type to self-sacrifice?" I tilted my head slightly, tone dripping with sarcasm.

They only responded with a smile, but it soon faded and their mouth morphed into a thin line. The corners of my lips turned downward at the sudden change in demeanor, and I deliberated for a moment.

Grabbing their hand with my own, I gently intertwined our fingers, swallowing hard. I'd turned away before they could see the way my face heated up and squeezed their palm comfortingly.

Levi, Mikasa, and Jean were stationed at the front of the group, each with a barrel in front of them. "Is everyone prepared?" the short, dark-haired man asked. He turned around briefly, earning a nod from each of us. I straightened my back, trying to even out my posture and release the tension that was building.

"Sasha, light the arrow on my command. Once the barrels hit the end of the stairs, you'll only have a few seconds to shoot before they do," the Captain explained. I watched the brunette a few feet away direct him a thumbs-up, to which he only looked at with a questionable expression.

"That's when [Y/N] and I set off the smoke signals, correct?" Armin chimed in, clearly intent on making sure that the plan was executed as perfectly as possible. Levi nodded at the blonde boy.

Reluctantly loosening my grip on Hange's hand, I watched as Armin appeared in front of me, handing me a flare gun. I turned it around with the pads of my fingers momentarily, observing it. My shoulder was still healing to an extent, meaning I'd only be using ODM gear if necessary.

Such great timing for an injury.

"Now or never, I guess," Jean spoke up with a nervous wobble to his voice. Then, finally, the plan was put into action. Mikasa reeled back her leg, sending a kick into the rotted, wooden door. It immediately broke into pieces, revealing the inside of the underground chapel.

The three wasted no time throwing the barrels down the staircase, and I spared Hange one last glance before running forward with Armin and Sasha. A large cavern greeted us, decorated with crystallized blue pillars that seemed to give off their own light. The floors and walls were made out of the same material and looked as if they were glistening.

"Now, Sasha!" Levi shouted, and the girl did as instructed. She held the wooden bow firmly in her left hand, positioning it in front of her torso with ease. Reaching behind her with her opposite hand, she grasped the feathered end of an arrow and loaded it into the shaft. Armin quickly lit up the front of the arrow with a match.