Rivals (OC X Levi Ackerman)

Chapter 13

I sit up, and look around. I'm dizzy, and I don't recognise my surroundings. I'm on a rooftop. The people around me don't notice I'm awake - they're fighting. I see a man pinned to the ground by a girl with a sword. I look at their badges, and freak out. These are scouts.
I see the pale skin and the black hair of the man pinned down.

Shit, that's Levi Ackerman. I should help.

I slowly get to my feet, and charge at the girl, knocking her clean off of him and sending her several feet away. She's then restrained by soldiers.

Levi gets to his feet, and sighs.
"Freyja. You're awake."

"Captain Levi? How do you... know my name?"

His face falls.
"...shit."

"Hange, look after Freyja. Let me inject Erwin."

Hange rests her hand on my shoulder, and gives me a reassuring smile.

I watch Levi closely, and he kneels beside a blonde man, who looks like he's seen better days.

"Is that... commander Erwin?" I ask. I'm ignored. Just as Levi reaches to inject something into his arm, Erwin appears to use his last strength to push Levi's hand away.

Levi stares at him in shock, and takes a step back.
"He's tired. Let him die here."

Without wasting a further moment, he injects the burnt up body beside us, and kicks the body to the floor.

What...?

There's a crash of lightning, and as if out of nowhere, a 10 metre titan walks towards us.

What?!

I practically shriek, and put my hands on my swords.

Two strong hands stop me drawing them, and I feel him standing behind me.

"Don't. I know you're confused right now. It's ok." I hear Levi's voice softly say into my ear, and I feel myself go weak at the knees.

They allow the titan to pick up one of the young men, who was tied up.
"He's going to eat him. Do something!" I yell, and struggle to get to the titan.

Levi holds my arms and restraisn them by pulling them behind my back.
"Don't interfere. You don't understand."

"Get off me!" I scream, and kick backwards towards his shin.

He grunts in pain, but tightens his grip.

I watch in horror as the titan bites the head off that man, and stop struggling.

Jesus... what's going on here?

I try and stay tough, but after what I'd seen, I don't know.

I feel tears pour out of my eyes, and Levi loosens his grip on me.
"We need to get Freyja to a doctor." He says, and Eren sighs.

"I know. But priority is the basement."

Levi looks uncomfortable, but nods. He looks at me, and gives a quick nod of his head, signalling him to stay close to him.

For some reason, I don't question it.
"Stay close, you."

"I don't know where I am. Or how I got here."

"Shiganshina. Horseback." Levi replies, matter of fact.

"Horseback... where's Sigyn?!"

"Nearby. She survived the battle. Calm down for now. I'll take you to her soon."

I nod, and follow them around the didtrict. They come to a collapsed house, and open the basement, leading me in.

What is this?

Levi checks out the medicines in the office.
"Any pain, Freyja?"

I nod.
"Of course."

He takes a measured pipette dose of a clear liquid, and offers it to me.
"A painkiller."

I take it without question, and nod gratefully.
I watch his every move carefully. Why does he feels so familiar to me?
The pain in my head fades, and I listen as they discuss. I try and pay attention, but lose my vision, and I clutch my head tightly.

"Shit." Levi hisses quietly. "Eren, keep reading." He says, as he walks over to me, taking me arm and wrapping it around the back of his neck, holding me up. "I've got you." He mumbles, and I get butterflies.

I listen to Eren explain every detail of the origin if humanity in the walls, and I squeeze my eyes shut, my head already in too much pain to process it.

Everyone was in shock, myself included. Except Levi. Cool as a cucumber.
"If you're done, we need to move." Levi says, wrapping his arm around my waist and supporting me back up the stairs. We find Sigyn, and she whinnies like crazy when she sees me, and charges towards me, stopping last second.

"Hey, princess." I say, quietly.

Levi helps me mount her, but doesn't look convinced that it's safe. He gets on her, and sits behind me.

We make a long journey back to wherever the hell it is we came from.

Waking up later, in an infirmary bed, I look around my room.

"Morning."

"Captain Levi." I reply, weakly, and salute. He smiles slightly.

"Glad to see you're awale. Freyja, you have a head injury, causing amnesia. Your memory should return to you in time, however, it could also never come back to you."

"What am I doing on an expedition?" I ask him.

"You transferred to the scouts a week or so prior."

"I would never do that." I insist.

"I think we might have a contract somewhere." He replies, flatly, tipping his head back.
"What happened to my squad?" I question, worried, and he dismisses me with a wave of his hand.

"All fine. Inner wall."

I take it all in, and nod.

"Ok. I want to return home."

"I won't allow you to rejoin the MPs. But if you so wish to return to your home for a while, I can take you."

"Why would you do that for me?"

"Nothing too deep. Just feel I owe you one."

I nod.
"Ok."

I swing my feet to the side of the bed and try and get up. I'm a little unsteady, so Levi offers me his hand.

My head huets, and I see visions. No, they're flashbacks. Every time his hand has reached out to me.

I grab my head, groaning, but get past it and take his hand.

He lets go of me once I'm steady, and nods for me to follow him.
"Can you ride horseback, or no?"

"I should be fine."

"Good." He takes.my to Sigyn, and mounts his own horse.

"Lead the way." He says, and our horses head for the inner wall.

I think hard. My damn memory.

I see us sitting on the roof of the barracks, and leaning against him while we looned up at the stars.

I stay quiet. After some hours, with arrive at my parents house. I hitch Sigyn to a post outside, and pat her nose.

"Good girl."

Levi looks up at my family home and sighs.
"Nice house. I'll be outside."

"Levi."

"Mm?"

"Were we...?"

"Were we what?" He asks, leaning on one leg and folding his arms.

"Close?"

He looks worried about me for a moment, and sighs.
"We were close. You have to get close to attack me every day." He says, and I think carefully.

"Don't wait out here, idiot. Come in."