𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐲 | 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐢 𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

✥𝚃𝚁𝚄𝚃𝙷𝚂 𝙰𝚁𝙴 𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙳 𝙿𝙸𝙻𝙻𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝚂𝚆𝙰𝙻𝙻𝙾𝚆✥

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How many more times would she have to sit across Zeke and stare at his gods damn face?
Violet, quite frankly, was getting sick and tired of it. But yet, here they were, Levi and herself, sitting across Zeke as he explained the atrocities he committed against one of their very villages. Ragako.
The loss of that town was still a very sore sport for everyone, regardless that it has been years since it happened. Nevertheless, the pain was still there. More so than in others.
Violet was one breath away from punching Zeke, her fists curling at her side as words spewed out of the blonde's mouth. So much was her fury that she even brushed Levi's hand away when he went to hold it when he sensed the anger fuming from her.
Zeke just seemed so nonchalant, so unbothered, when he explained what he did. How he stole those people's lives for his mere benefit. "It's called a 'gas weapon'. The gas contains some of my spinal fluid. Breathing just a slight amount makes Subjects of Ymir freeze up." Just when they thought Zeke Jaeger could not get more disturbing, more disgusting, he ended up proving them wrong. Levi's hands, too, were curling at his side. Maybe it was a good thing he had not grabbed his wife's hand. "They can't control their bodies and lose consciousness. On my command, I send the power of the titans to the coordinate via paths. That's why the people of that village obeyed my orders."
"It's not 'that' village. It's Ragako." Levi growled. His face was starting to betray his emotions, his anger and disbelief. His forehead showed the wrinkles that only showed up when he was pissed beyond words; and there was a vein clear in his forehead that was ready to pop if Zeke Jaeger said one more atrocity like the one he just said. "Don't forget the name of the village you slaughtered, you bearded shit."
"Well, I didn't want to do it. But if I hadn't, and they found out I was sided with Eldia, I couldn't have brought hope to this island."
Violet scoffed. "Forgive me for finding that hard to believe, Jaeger."
"You know, I told you all this when I landed on this island. Why do you keep doubting?"
"You don't have a shred of guilt in you and it shows," Levi said. Just when Violet had thought his voice couldn't get colder, couldn't get more monotone and empty, it did. "You may or may not want to save Eldia, but those lives meant nothing to you."
Zeke groaned. "You can't have been popular. You think you know everyone's feelings. I don't know how Violet Grey could've come to love you. Much less marry you." He spitted out.
Levi averted his gaze away from Zeke. "I do know. And I was popular enough."
To say Violet was vivid was not giving her enough credit. She was vivid and ready to tackle that bearded mother fucker to the ground. "You are seriously hard to like, Zeke Jaeger."

"Well, ain't that great? So?" Zeke's voice went up two notches. "When will Eren and I begin the test?"
"It's not up to us. We're waiting for HQ." Violet said.
That made Zeke frown. "They may think they have time to spare, but they don't."
"I'm with you there," Levi said before a cadet came rushing their way.
"Captain Levi! Captain Grey!" Violet's eyes followed the cadet as he came up to Levi and whispered some words, she got closer to get a better understanding.
"What? Are you serious?" Levi exclaimed, looking up to the cadet.
Violet got up from her seat. "Follow me."
She didn't wait to see if they obeyed, but the crunching of the grass behind her told her that they did. But the question still remained in her mind, what the fuck was going on in Headquarters?
She only stopped walking when they were a good foot away from Zeke, finally turning around and looking at the cadet as she crossed her arms against her chest. "Explain, cadet."
"You are needed back in Headquarters, Captain Grey." The young boy started. "Things are going south in Headquarters and they need you there. Premier Zachary was killed and---"
"Zachary was killed?" Levi asked.
"Yes. The Jaegerists effectively control everything in the walls. We think it's all part of some plan Zeke put together using Yelena and Eren."
"And?" It was Levi the one to ask again.
"Soon, the Jaegerists may bring Eren to see Zeke like they've been demanding. This is why Captain Grey is needed there."
Once, she may have been flattered by their urgency to have her. But not now when it meant leaving Levi behind with the mastermind behind this ass plan. "And Pyxis? Is he letting this happen?" She asked.
The cadet turned to her. "As you know, the commander can be quite stubborn."
Levi's pupils dilated. "He's gonna make sure Eren gets eaten...by our own hands." Shit.
"That's right." Shit. Shit.
"Such bullshit. It's not even funny. There's another shithead we should have eaten." Levi sighs. "Leave, cadet. Leave me alone with Violet."
"Yes, sir." He said and bowed his head.

As soon as the cadet was gone Levi started to talk, not even giving her the chance to ask him a single question. "I've saved Eren, over and over--- each time, more comrades dying. All because I believed he was the hope of humanity. And look--- this is where my beliefs got me." He cradled his face with his hands, something she had never seen the man do before, and Violet had to stop herself from going over to hug him. To comfort him some sort of way, because this level of vulnerability was something he had not displayed before; not even once, regardless how close and honest they were with each other. But that's not what he wanted right now. Levi did not want comfort, she knew that much. "It's like some awful joke. What the hell was the hope that we saw? All that struggle for a farce like this?"
Words were always hard to find, but never had they been as hard to find than right then.
What words could she offer him, what comfort, when she had thought the same thing as him? Had had the same stupid faith and hope as him?
Once, not until not long ago, she had also thought Eren Jaeger as their salvation. As the way to end this madness once and for all. She had placed her utmost faith and devotion to him, had not hesitated to follow his lead, because Eren Jaeger was the breeze of fresh air that sang with hope. He was everything the world needed, was looking for; yet, here they were.
Eren Jaeger was not what they had thought. Not with this that he had so tediously planned and created. This was not the plan towards saving the world that she had thought of so many nights in a row, when hope was a prominent thing in her heart. It was the complete opposite of it.
And knowing what she now knew, and with everything going on, it made her truly wonder why she still followed his lead? Why she still held on to that hope that was slowly simmering away? Why she still obeyed and did what he said?
Was it some sort of curse? Was it because of the connection between them two that made her obey whatever it was Eren Jaeger demanded?
She didn't know. She only knew that following his lead without a single ounce of disobedience was new ground to her. And that did not sit well with her. "Levi." Here she'd go. "You were not the only one who misplaced their trust on Eren. We all did. We all thought that he was truly the end of this. And because of that, we took the decisions to make that happen. To give him everything so that he could help us. But we were wrong." She paused. "I know the lives we gave can no longer be regained. I know it seems they were sacrificed for a lost cause, for a farse, but they, too, gave their service willingly. So all we can do is carry them in our hearts, to honour the cause they laid everything for. No matter that the cause may be taking a different course.

"You can't blame yourself for anything that happened. It is not your weight to carry." She placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it, hoping that the touch expressed everything she probably couldn't verbally. "All we can do now is finish what we started and pave the way for that future we thought Eren could give us. It is our turn now to be the beacon of hope that was long lost, okay? You're not alone in this. I'm here with you, to the end of times."
"To the end of times..." He said back, a whisper even in the dead silence of the forest.
To the end of times...That's all she wanted.
She sighed. Better to change the topic than to keep seeing him dwell on something that was beyond his hands. "Help me pack? Apparently, I am desperately needed there."

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