Never Let You Go ▶A Levi Ackerman X Reader◀

Chapter Twenty-Nine

When we get back from our vacation we have a lot of work to do in preparation for our next attack.

Levi had a conversation with General Pyxis and they're going to test me and see if I'm skilled enough to fight. If not I'll stay behind and prepare to help treat wounded recruits. I know I haven't had nearly the amount of training as everyone else, so it's unlikely I'll be able to, but part of me is hoping that I'm good enough to join them.

"Hey, (Y/n)," Levi says, leaning against my doorway. "Gear up."

I peer over at him. "Gear up?"

"Don't ask questions. Put on your gear and meet me down in the training yard."

"What's going on?"

"What do you think? Come on, I'll help you get your ODM gear on."

"What's going on? Are they testing me now?"

"No, no. We're going to do some last-minute training."

I climb off of my bed, setting my book down on my pillow. I follow Levi through the building and downstairs. We go into the equipment room and I find my gear. He helps to strap me in. His hands skillfully adjust the straps and buckles, and in little time I'm ready to go.

"Are these tight enough?" He asks as he tugs on the belts, seeing how tight they are.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Okay. Let's go get your air tanks and blades."

I attach the metal box of blades onto my belt and then add the air tanks. Then I follow Levi outside.

We pass a ground of recruits, their eyes turning away from us as we pass.

The evening air is crisp. The ground is littered with fallen, miscolored leaves. Fall is coming quickly.

"What all do you remember?" Levi questions, pulling my attention away from my gaze on the grassy path.

"Hm?"

"About your ODM gear. Haven't you been listening?" His voice has a hard edge. He is in Captain Ackerman mode.

"Sorry, Sir." I respond quickly. "I was looking at the leaves."

He is quiet, clearly waiting for a response for his previous question.

"I remember most of it."

"Well, if you are to survive out there you must remember it all. Otherwise, you won't be able to fight."

"Yes, Captain."

"Now, what do you remember?"

I wrack through my brain, mentioning all that I can remember about the technique and how to use the blades while I'm soaring through the air.

"Right. And what about staying balanced while you're preparing to slice the nape?"

We reach the clearing and Levi enters the wide walkway. I follow closely behind him. Our boots sound loud against the pavement.

He takes me through some basic lessons, refreshing my mind. And then we head into the woods to do the real training.

In various spots there are large wooden figures, supposed to represent Titans. They are 2D, but with the setting sun behind them, only their silhouette is visible and they look terrifying.

"Take down the 4 meter Titan." Levi instructs, pointing at a smaller wooden figure.
I shoot the hooks out of harness and they attach into the wood. I draw my blades and fly toward the figure. I steady them. When I'm close enough I dig my blades into the wood and slice where the neck is.

"Excellent." Levi calls, standing on the large branch of a nearby maple tree. "Now take down that 14 meter."

I jump off the 4 meter and sail through the air, attaching onto the 14 meter. I race forward, the cold wind blowing my hair back. I drive my blades into the nape, cutting through the wood.

"Remember, your technique means nothing if your blades are dull! Don't forget to change them."

Levi's POV

She is graceful when she dives through the air. Her hair and clothes rush back, giving her almost a ghostly appearance as she soars through the darkening sky. It's beautiful, in a peculiar way.

"A 20 meter is rushing forward!" I call, following along behind her in my own ODM gear. She attaches to the wooden figure before shooting forward, her blades slicing cleanly through the wood.

When she lands, I stop beside her on the grass.

"That was excellent. Good work, cadet."

She grins, clearly proud of her achievements.

I go to the next wooden Titan and use a piece of chalk to draw a line across the base of the knee.

"If a Titan is being difficult you can cut their legs off to make things easier. Give it a try."

Her technique is excellent and you can tell she's worked hard in training. I know she will pass tomorrow. But something deep within me wants to prohibit her from fighting. A more fierce, extremely protective side of me wants her to fail so she would be safe. If something ever happened to her I don't know what I'd do. She's the only source of happiness I have in this world. She means everything to me. What if she dies?

For the first time in a very long time I feel the cold grip of fear clutch my heart.

Suddenly her hand is on my shoulder. "Levi, are you okay?"

I instinctively ​pull away from her touch. I just nod, swallowing hard.

"You look... Afraid. And that scares me. Levi, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing​. Now, where were we?" I begin to quickly walk away, hoping to draw her attention elsewhere and continue her training.

I see another 20 meter ahead. "There are still Titans. There is no time to talk."

"Right." I hear her mutter from behind me. And then she's soaring through the air.

When she tries to attach into the wooden figure, her hook gets tangled in a large tree branch. When she's pulled forward, she loses her balance, her body smashing into the large tree trunk. I hear her cry out in pain. Then she dangles from the branch, her body now upside down and her legs above her head. She swings back and forth.

I race over to her, using my pocket knife to cut her free. I notice blood running down her face from the bridge of her nose, which is split open. Hanji can take care of that.

"Are you okay? Is it just your nose that's hurt?"

"Well, that's all I'm noticing right now." She groans.

I go against all my personal morals and use the sleeve of my shirt to dab up some of the blood that is flooding down her face.

"Let's get you to Hanji." I say.

We walk back to HQ, getting some stares along the way. Hanji finds us before we find her.

"(Y/f/n), what happened to you?! Why are you bleeding?" She exclaims.

"She was training and she hit her nose." My hands feel sticky from her blood. It makes me feel vastly uncomfortable.

"Okay, hurry up and follow with me. That'll probably need stitches." She says, a hint of an insane tone edging her voice. She grins maniacally.

"This is my girlfriend, not your science experiment, four eyes. Don't forget." I mutter.

"Of course, Captain. Whatever​ you say."