The Captain - Levi Ackerman

Chapter 58

Dedicated Chapter Song: Take Me To Church - Hozier

Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins, and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life. 

      "Anna's wearing a long-sleeved sweater?" Hanji gasped playfully over dinner as Anna leaned herself up against one of the wooden support beams. There was a specific reason she decided not to take a sit. Innocently, she sipped at her cup of tea that she'd held between her hands. "I got cold." she lied. 

      Hanji put her hand to Anna's forehead. "You're still burning hot." Hanji furrowed her eyebrows. "Well, that's because I'm in the sweater." Anna pulled her hair forward, trying her best to cover her neck. At least Levi was lucky enough to have his cravat to hide the marks she'd left on his neck. She wasn't as lucky and had to keep her hair down and wear a tight sweater to hide the scratch, bite, and whip marks that had yet to heal. "Uh-huh...sure..." Hanji winked at her.

      Anna's face went red as she innocently sipped at her tea again. Rose sauntered in, tossing her jacket onto one of the chairs. "Thank god I'm not staying here. Half your squadron are lunatics." Rose shook her head as she approached Anna, straightening out her white tank top and her harness. "Especially that Sasha girl. I was trampled for a damn potato."

      "Yeah, Sasha really likes food. But she's a great soldier." Anna nodded. "Very skilled with a bow. Plus I think her and Connie are a thing." Rose snickered. "Everyone is just together in this squadron, aren't they?"

      "We're more like family here. Though, we are closer than any other squad out there. Not even the MP is as tight-knit as us." Hanji grinned proudly. "That reminds me," Rose turned back to Anna. "You're coming with me to the interior tomorrow."

      "What? Why?" Anna furrowed her eyebrows. "Several reasons. One, I need you to help assist my vanguard with a secure route to HQ. Second, we're going dress shopping. Third, there's word of a Titan in the interior," she turned to Hanji. "Which is where you come in. You'll be assisting us in all three events."

      "Woah, woah, dress shopping?" Anna laughed. "Please tell me you're not serious." Rose crossed her arms across her chest. "I'm very serious. You can't tell me that you're bearing hickey marks that mean absolutely nothi-"

      "SHHH!" Anna placed her hands over Rose's mouth as a few soldiers walked in to grab their meals. "Not so loud." she hissed. Rose amusingly arched her slender brow. "So, you and him truly are frolicking about during free time." she mumbled behind Anna's hand.

      "It's... it's not like that." Anna sheepishly said, taking her hands off of Rose's mouth and hiding them in the floppy sleeves of her sweater. "You act all tough out there on the battlefield but when it comes down to talking about the Lance Corporal you get all flustered." Rose snickered.

      "Shut up." Anna mumbled into one of her sleeves, blushing a bright red as she glanced at the door. It swung open, allowing the 104th and the Vets inside. "There she is!" Sasha rushed over to Anna. "Is it true, A?! Are you really getting married?!"

      "Uh- no- I-" Anna stammered. "Of course she's not." Mikasa stated. "She'd tell us if she were. So would Levi." Jean snorted. "But they both neglected to tell us about their secret relationship." Anna bit into the fabric of her sweater. "It was none of your business in the first place." Rose smiled simply. "Jean, correct?"

      Jean suddenly became flustered. "Uh... yeah." he rubbed the back of his neck. "So, you're the one who mastered the ODM gear." she observed. "Yet you're quite the insufferable smartass with a hair-trigger temper, which is why you ranked under Eren Jaeger in the 104th Cadet Corps."

      Jean's face went red and he tried to defend himself. Anna shook her head and turned to Hanji as Levi stepped in. "Now what am I supposed to do?" she whispered. "Go talk to him." Hanji pushed her forward, making her stumble a bit into him. "Hanji!" she hissed back at her friend, then glanced back at Levi. "Hi."

      "Evening..." he mumbled, walking past her. She let out a sigh of relief, looking anywhere but at him as everytime she did her heart would start beating faster and faster. "What's with the sweater, Anna?" Eren asked.

      "Just got a little cold earlier," she mumbled. Eren smiled. "Yeah. I heard it's going to start snowing next week." Anna glanced over at him, suddenly bringing him into a tight hug. "Stay innocent forever, Eren."

      "Mmph... Anna..." he mumbled into her hair. "Anna, you okay?" Anna nodded. "Just sick of the questions." she let go of him. "Never grow up on me, Jaegar-bomb." she ruffled his hair. "Heh... I'll try not to." Eren smiled at her. "I'm officially adopting you."
    
      "You can do that?" Eren furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm like a century older than you. Of course I can do that. Now go play with your friends." she pat him on the back. Eren laughed and headed over to his friends. Everyone was laughing about and having a good time. It made Anna smile just to have moments like this.

      Her heterochromia eyes flickered over to Levi as she saw him nod his head to the door. She glanced around to make sure no one noticed as she slipped away with him. "Hey..." she smiled upon seeing him. "You're doing well hiding the obvious." he stated flatly.

      "Well I don't wear a damn cravat like you or pink bowtie like Rose!" Levi pushed her hair back and observed his work on her neck. "They still haven't healed." he glanced up at her. "Do you not want them to?"

      Anna bit her lip. "I dunno... I kinda like having it. Just kinda makes me feel like I belong to you." she nervously pulled her hair back over it and sheepishly smiled at him. "Thanks to your friend Rose the gate to Shinganshina is already three quarters of the way finished." he changed the subject.

      "In one day?" Anna grinned. "I knew Rosaline could never let me down. Her elite vanguard isn't nearly as strong or soldierly as us, but they work harder than anyone I've ever known. To be able to rebuild the gate while half of them fend off Titans, it's a miracle."

      "In three days you'll be transported to Shinganshina along with Eren and Rose in an attempt to rebuild the Wall while all being in Titan form. I don't think I need to tell you how incredibly risky and dangerous this plan is." he said stoically.

      "As long as you hold up your promise, everything will be fine." she sadly smiled at him. "What if I can't do it?" he asked. "You will. I trust you." she reminded him. "Also, you've really got to tell Rose there isn't a wedding actually happening because now she's forcing me to go dress shopping tomorrow."

      "Why?" he leaned against the brick wall. "Because everybody seems to think we're engaged and no one is listening anymore. I'm sick of having to lie or stretch the truth just to get them to shut up." she didn't quite notice how close he'd gotten to her in a split second. "Why lie?" he asked, his silver eyes suddenly seeming full of life.

      "You mean-" Anna didn't even have time to react as suddenly they were flipped as she was pressed up against the brick wall. "I want you. Marry me, Anna." Levi said, making her heart pound faster and faster by the second. "I... I... " Anna stammered.