Chapter 29: Levi's Silent Affection

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Kat's consciousness drifted in and out, a blur of sensations filling the void. She could hear muffled voices, distant and distorted, as if they were underwater. Her body felt heavy, the weight of her injuries pressing her deeper into darkness. Somewhere in the haze, she remembered Levi reaching out to her, his eyes holding a rare flash of concern. But before she could grasp his hand, everything went black.

Slowly, the world began to take shape again. The faint sound of dripping water echoed in the distance, and the musty scent of a damp room filled her senses. Her head throbbed painfully, and when she tried to move, a sharp ache shot through her limbs. She groaned, her fingers twitching as they brushed against cold, rough stone.

 She groaned, her fingers twitching as they brushed against cold, rough stone

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"Where... am I?" Kat whispered, her voice hoarse.

"You're finally awake."

The voice was familiar, low and edged with tension. Kat forced her eyes open and blinked against the dim light, her vision slowly adjusting. Levi stood in the corner of the small room, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. His usual composed expression was in place, but there was something off in his posture, a tension she hadn't seen before.

"Heichou..." Kat's voice cracked as she sat up, wincing at the pain in her side. "What happened? Where are we?"

"We're underground," Levi replied, his tone clipped. "Scout headquarters was attacked. You were injured during the ambush."

The air in the underground hideout was cold and damp, a stark contrast to the bustling surface world that felt galaxies away. Kat sat on the edge of an old cot, her eyes tracing the cracks in the stone walls around her. She had been in hiding for days now, with the threat of the military police looming like a storm cloud over her head. Word had spread through the city that she was a traitor, responsible for leaking vital information to the Titan shifters. The council had painted a perfect target on her back, and now the hunt was on.

Levi paced the small room across from her, his footsteps echoing softly in the confined space. His usual stoic expression was darker, his gaze constantly shifting toward the door, as if expecting an ambush at any moment. Outside, the military police were scouring the city, turning over every stone to find her, and Levi knew they wouldn't hesitate to storm the underground tunnels if they caught even a whisper of her location.

"They'll be tightening the perimeter soon," Levi muttered, stopping by the window to peer out into the dim alleyway. "We're running out of time."

Kat remained silent, watching him from her seat, the tension between them palpable. It had been like this since the ambush—since Levi had taken her side in a way that surprised even her. He had made sure she stayed hidden, kept her out of the council's grasp, but he had done it all while maintaining an emotional distance that left her feeling alone despite his presence.

"You don't have to stay with me, you know," Kat said quietly, breaking the silence. Her voice was steady, but the vulnerability in it was unmistakable. "You've done enough. If they catch you helping me, they'll put you on trial too."

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