ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴍᴇʀᴄʏ {ʟᴇᴠɪ ᴀᴄᴋᴇʀᴍᴀɴ}

You Call This Team Bonding?

{Levi's POV}

    I stared back at my squad's curious eyes as they stood before me and waited for an explanation as to why I called them all together on their day off.

    "I have a mission for you all," I announced which sent half of them slouching forward.
    "It's our day off," Connie groaned while Sasha nodded her head tiredly.
    "I know," I began and took a deep breath. "It's not mandatory, and would be more of a.. favor."
     "Let me guess," Jean scoffed, "You want us to clean something?"
     "Ugh, are you gonna make us clean the stables again?" Sasha moaned as her head slumped forward.
    "I said it wasn't mandatory, you brats," I snapped which made them quickly perk up.
    "W-Well, what's the favor?" Armin asked weakly. "I'm sure we'd be happy to help."
    "Yeah," Mikasa added, "Just tell us what you want done."
     I looked at all of their expectant eyes and froze.
    I felt so nervous to ask them to help Mercy find a dress for the banquet. Not only was it out of character to ask a favor at all, but I was also going to be announcing that I fancied Mercy and I wasn't ready for the backlash from my team.
    I figured they'd ask me a million questions, or make elementary level taunts. They all might've even been stricken with heart attacks on the spot if they knew I possessed real emotions.
    "Spit it out, old man!" Jean shouted as my thoughts quickly dissipated and my eyes snapped to him.
    "Jean, shush!" Armin pleaded as I took a step closer to the group.
    "Yeah," Connie laughed, "Last time you raised your voice like that Captain Levi kicked your ass."
    "I don't care," Jean mumbled and crossed his arms over his chest as he tilted his head toward Connie. "It's my day off, and I don't want to spend it waiting on him to ask a damn fav-"
     Jean quickly shut his mouth as his eyes scanned to mine and could see the intensity behind them. He quickly gulped the rest of his sentence and took a deep breath.

    "I need volunteers to escort Mercy to the Inner City," I said firmly which resulted in the group quickly turning to me.
    "Wasn't she like... kidnapped?" Jean asked with a raised brow.
    "Yeah," Connie chimed, "We heard that her friend Shannon got beat up and some mysterious men took her."
    "Where'd you hear that from?" I asked.
    To my knowledge, the only people who knew about Mercy's situation was me, Mercy, Hange, Shannon and Ed. I assumed that Hange would have kept it on the down low as well as Shannon.
     "Section Commander Ed Houser," Mikasa said blandly and I felt my chest tighten with anger. The last thing I wanted was for questions to be raised about Mercy, because suspicions would fester and make everything more complicated. Not to mention a whole different target would be on her back.
    "Good to know," I said as I rubbed my eyes.
    "Is she okay?" Armin asked intently and I nodded my head.
     "She was retrieved through the night," I announced. "She has quickly healed from her injuries and is okay."
     Everyone let out a sigh of relief, but Sasha tilted her head.
    "Why was she kidnapped?" she asked, and I felt myself growing nervous.
    I couldn't tell my squad the whole truth and was going to have to continue spinning my lies. I hated it, but it was to keep Mercy safe.
    "Sex traffickers," I said as I rubbed the back of my neck while Mikasa quickly looked down. "She's not in danger anymore... Anyway, who is willing to escort her to the Inner City?"
    "If she's not in danger then why does she need an escort?" Connie asked dubiously.
    "Yeah," Jean added, "And why are you asking us? You removed her from the squad and she's on Ed's squad now. Shouldn't he be finding her an escort?"
    "Why does she need to go the the Inner City?" Armin asked.
     The group continued their fervent questions until I had no choice but to drown them out.
I should've known this was a bad idea, I thought to myself.
    They continued to chatter amongst themselves and ask questions until my head spun. I always forgot that my squad was complied of antsy sixteen year olds.
    "Enough," I demanded sternly as I quickly raised my hand and halted their chatter. "Enough with the questions. If you guys don't want to help then-"
    "Tell me why she needs to go to the Inner City and I'll consider it," Jean asked skeptically.
    I couldn't postpone the inevitable any longer.
   "She... needs help finding a... dress..." I trailed off as I rubbed the back of my neck.
   "She needs help finding a what?" Sasha asked with a raised eyebrow.
    I straightened my posture and dropped my hands to my sides. I told Mercy I wouldn't be embarrassed to ask them, and I wasn't about to go back on what I said. I had to own it with my whole being.
    "A damn dress," I said firmly. "I'm taking her as a guest to this year's banquet and she needs one."
    They all seemed to blink in unison as they stared at me with widened eyes.
    Jean took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
   "Sorry, Cap," he said awkwardly, "I think I'm going to sit this one out."
   "Yeah... Me too," Connie said slowly as he and Jean began to walk away.
   "Oh, no you don't!" Sasha quickly grabbed the back of their shirts and pulled them into the circle once again as her arms laid on their shoulders. "We're all going and it'll be fun!"
    Connie and Jean couldn't hide their looks of disgust but quickly accepted that their day off was going to be spent dress shopping as they let out disheartened sighs.
    Eren, who had been quiet the entire conversation, finally seemed interested in the situation.
   "So..." he began, "Are you and Mercy, like, a thing?"
   Armin looked over to him but quickly snapped his head back to me as they all waited for an answer.
   "Y-Yeah, I guess..."
   Sasha squealed with joy while she choked out Jean and Connie with her enthusiasm. Armin was smiling from ear to ear while Mikasa offered a small smirk and Eren's eyes were wide with surprise.
    I knew that the excitement of my announcement would dissipate quickly, and the brats would either poke fun at me or ask me a million questions, so I knew I had to send them on their way.
    "Go find Mercy and report back once the mission is complete."
    "Yes sir!" my team exclaimed in unison and quickly filed out the doors as I realized they would aim their excitement at her.
     "Oi!" I called and they quickly stopped at the doorway. "And go easy on her with the damn questions. She had a hell of a night."
     Everyone nodded and filed out the doors while Jean possessed a raised eyebrow and a mischievous grin as he peaked from behind the door.
    "Oh, I bet she did, Captain," he shrugged his eyebrows quickly, but I wasn't amused.