Your P.O.V
The moment I regain my consciousness my head throbs uncontrollably and I clutch at it to desperately rid myself of the pain. I take little consideration when getting myself ready, too consumed by immeasurable sickness to care. I walk, a demonic aura consuming my being, into the mess hall and slam my tray unknowingly against the table. The loud crash causes my ears to ring. I grunt with dissatisfaction and I notice Jean recoil from my intimidating and dark persona. The dark circles under my eyes invocate all the others need to know about my well-being. I look up and notice Corporal Levi staring at me from across the room.
His stare isn't intense, it's the observatory glare of an attentive on looker. "Why is the Corporal staring me down. Is he upset because I refuse to sit at the Special Operations' table?" Eren and the others give misunderstanding glares as I question them with all seriousness.
"You mean you don't remember what happened last night?" Mikasa prods me and I shake my head to communicate my lack of recollection. The others wheeze uncomfortably and refuse to educate me on the matter. Their silence is enough to tell me that I would be best not knowing. Eventually I speak up, recalling a dream I had.
"I remember having the strangest dream last night. I think the Corporal actually smiled." I mutter with uncertainty and Jean along with Eren and Armin burst into laughter.
"It most certainly was just a dream then! The Corporal never smiles!"
"What was it like to picture?"
"I bet it was awkward as hell!" They continue to bark questions at me and I answer as nonchalantly as I can. I find it unbearably hard to focus, feeling as if someone's eyes are constantly on my figure. Breakfast continues in monotonous fashion until Erwin emerges. His face carries the same undead expression as mine. The bruise coloured bags under his eyes defy his confident farce.
"All members of the Special Operations Team are to make their way to the briefing room, now." He hollers and the few members remaining stand to exit the hall. When we arrive, the briefing is fairly self-explanatory and takes little time to complete. Erwin speaks with urgency. His throbbing headache is persistent in his speech as he attempts to finish as quickly as possible. "A handful of spruce trees were discovered East of the breech. The root systems are large enough that once inserted they cannot be pulled out from the opposing side. Eren will use his titan form to lodge the trunks into place, while the rest of us defend his position. The Special Operations team will defend the perimeter directly around Eren's feet as the final line of defense."
After Erwin's address has concluded we begin to exit the briefing room. The Corporal grabs my wrist, imploring me to remain. Suddenly, we are left alone in the room together. I stand, impatiently awaiting his commands. I am surprised when I find him staring at the ground shyly, his cheeks glow a light dusting of pink. "Tomorrow during the Expedition, I want you to stay by my side at all times. You are reckless and always willing to throw your life away in the face of danger. I don't want to see you get hurt. That's why I want you to be where I can see you, so I can protect you." His words pierce me like a knife and I touch my heart with affection. For the first time I do not have the desire to refute his words. I feel the strong urgency to follow them because I, too, want to stay by his side. I smile warmly to myself and reply to his order with glee. With respect, I offer him a solid salute.
"Yes Sir, Corporal!" His eyes light up at my response and I feel as if I can see the world in them. Instead of being an icy and intimidating steel, they shine a sparkling and brilliant blue.
"Levi... It's just Levi... Cadet." And with those words, the memories of the night before come flooding back to me like a storm. This is what it feels like to have a home, to have a family, to have people to cherish and cherish you. My insides burst with jubilance and I feel my skin tingle with electricity.
"You can call me (f/n)." I mumble and blush a heavy crimson. Then, I race from the room out of embarrassment, slamming the door shut behind me. The last thing I remember is Levi's hand reaching out towards me, begging me to stay. The last memory I have of Levi is his heart-melting smile playing over and over again like a broken record in the back of my mind.
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With the violent lowering of Commander Erwin's arm, my second expedition has commenced. I ride by Levi's side, never faltering in my pace. Every few seconds he glances at me in an overprotective fashion. I try to maintain a focused demeanor but my being shakes with uncontrollable doubt. For the first time, I fear death and destruction.
The ride by horseback is long and undeniably painful. My hips ache with a searing fire. Levi insisted this was the most practical method for keeping his watch over me and I agreed involuntarily. Finally, the outskirts of wall Maria come rushing into view. An eerie unsettledness rises in my chest and I look towards Erwin in distain. Not a single titan has pounced for the attack. They all remain out of sight, disinterested in our unnatural presence. Erwin continues to stare intently forward, devoid of any concern. We arrive at the breech in Wall Maria and assume our defensive positions. Shortly after, Eren is instructed to transform. Levi insists I remain facing in my ordered direction, but my curiosity locks me into a disobedient hold. Swiftly, I turn around and observe the spectacle before me. Eren sinks his teeth into his thumb and a flash of lightning pulses crisply through the air. After the blinding light has subsided, a titan stands towering before me. Without hesitation he quickly begins uprooting trees and using them to seal the breech.
This laborious process continues for tens of minutes in an unnervingly quiet fashion. Not a single disturbance has shaken our forces. The tension begins to rise over the battlefield as unrest settles in the hearts of our soldiers. As if on uncanny cue, the ground begins to rumble beneath our weary feet. In the distance buildings are ripped from their foundations and crumble into a disheveled mess. The titan that approaches is different from the others we have faced. A hardened outer shell coats its body. As it bounds forward, countless soldiers are trampled beneath its feet. I watch in horror as my comrades meet their unnecessary demise. I clutch at my chest as it burns with horrific venom. The pain that accompanies my inability to save my friends cripples my focus. Despite it's rampage, the armored titan has no interest in feasting on mortal flesh. Even the most insolent of souls could determine its objective; Eren.
Erwin shouts and the command is delivered to retreat. A feasible plan must be drawn before we instigate the perpetrator. I latch my grapples into the nearest building and evade with seconds to spare. The titan's foot threatened to flatten me into inadequate dust. I assume a position perched atop a building in close radius to the ongoing battle. Eren manages to deal several blows to the armored titan's physique, but to no avail. The match quickly comes to a crippling end, Eren falling to the ground in a limp, lifeless heap. The armored titan stalks forward and bites deep into the nape of Eren's neck. The skin shreds into strips of ragged flesh and is torn to the side like sullied trash. I watch as Eren's human body flails desperately, attempting to escape the holds of his titan bonds. The air thins around me, the battlefield erupting into a stagnant atmosphere. The figure of a boy, attempting to defy death, echoes through my mind. Suddenly, a colossal hand reaches out, aiming to capture Eren in a futile grasp. That is when I react. I furiously press switches, anchoring myself to a building across the square. In a burst of recklessness, I fly forward and drop my shoulder. Before I know it, I have collided with Eren's side and send him tumbling frantically to the ground. In the next second, my world is encased in black. The pressure around me builds to unfathomable force as the armored tightens grip secures around me. I feel his muscles tense as he tightens his hold. My eyes begin to water, not out of fear, but out of guilt for a disobeyed promised. "I'm sorry..." Is all I can mumble in inaudible cries.
Levi's P.O.V
The armored titan's unexpected appearance has sent our forces a fluster in uncoordinated directions. I quickly evade the monstrous step of the foul beast and fly to safety on one of the surrounding rooftops. A few second later, Erwin joins me to recollect his thoughts. I immediately turn to him with pleading eyes. "Where's (f/n)?" I question with malice. In hopes of recovering her position, I comb the square desperately. My eyes catch the flutter of an adamant scout's uniform at the last moment. I watch in horror as a lurid hand wraps around the girl I vowed to protect. Her muted screams ring in my ears as I fall to my knees. It is already too late. I failed again. I failed to protect those who I cherish. First Isabel and Farlan, now (f/n). A pathetic excuse for a man such as myself is not worthy of the affection of praise or others. My heart will forever remain a closed entity in this cruel, relentless world.
YOU ARE READING
Beyond These Walls (Levi x Reader)
Fanfiction"We wanted the freedom to love. We wanted the freedom to choose. Now we have to fight for it." For 15 years you survived outside of the walls on your own, until one day the Scouting Regiment took you in. With a troubled past and an unnervi...
