Secrets (Levi x Reader)

Chapter thirteen

Reader

Everything was a haze of nothing. With no light in the cell, I didn't know when the day began or when it ended. I remained silent, not talking or moving for any reason other than when my body needed a release. But after a while, with no food or water, my body stopped needing those bodily functions. My eyes remained on my lap, the fire fluttering brightly causing shadows to dance patterns on my pants. With each shadow, I saw a face that I loved with memories of our time together. Hiro... Naoko... Mitchido... Levi. It didn't matter that I had forced myself to hate that man, to blame him for everything that had happened.

I still loved him. And I hated myself that.

Memories of our time together haunted me and when I wasn't concentrating I would wake from a haze of memories, smiling as I remembered a moment with Levi. My heart ached for him and yet I hated the man. I just wanted this nightmare to end.

Reiner sat beside my bed, his presence causing me to jump violently away from him. He held out his hands in surrender, showing me he wasn't here to harm me. In his lap, I saw a tray of food resting there and my stomach growled in response. The smell of freshly cooked bread and a tall cup of water made me lick my lips.

"I know you are hungry. I know you don't want to eat. But at this point, you'll kill yourself and I can't let that happen. Eat." Reiner murmured softly as he pushed the tray towards me and I shook my head, even though it was taking all my resolve to stop from demolishing the entire tray. "You have less than twenty-four hours till your trail and then less than twelve before you are put to death-" I blanked out as the words brought a tidal wave of relief through me. This nightmare was about to run its course and I couldn't have been happier. A smile crossed my face as I sighed, closing my eyes.

I'll be with you soon brothers...

"It's time (Y/N)." Commander Erwin's voice echoed through the walls, making it impossible for him to ignore. As I raised my head, he stood there in his uniform looking grim. The realisation of this entire endeavour must have finally dawned on him. How sad.

Reiner slides the door opened, the gates creaking loudly and I sighed as he held up a pair of handcuffs. "Commander's orders," Reiner spoke softly and he looked apologetic. Rolling my eyes I held my wrists up and frowned to see how thin my wrists were. As he snapped them on, I slowly got to my feet to find that my body wasn't responding properly. My legs were weak and my body ached from not being used properly in forever. As I struggled to my feet, my legs gave way and I fell into Reiner who was there to catch me with ease.

"I got you." He murmured and I shuddered a breath as he pulled me into his chest, cradling me there. I chested my head against his shoulder, closing my eyes as we began to make the move towards the daylight.

"Are you listening?" Commander Erwin asked and I jolted away, the room shaking around me. No, not a room but a carriage. Erwin sat in front of me, his arms crossed as he glared at me with annoyance. Shaking my head, I rubbed my eyes as I sat up. A cloak covered my shoulders and I looked down to see Reiner's scouts cape draped over me. I snorted a laugh at his kindness, shaking my head.

"All I asked was whether or not you were prepared to die for the Scouts?" Erwin asked, snapping my attention back to him and I slumped my shoulders as I leaned back against the wall.

"Commander," I breathed, my voice husky from not being used, "if by some miracle I escape this execution and am giving leave to go back into the Scouts, the first expedition we go on I'm going to get myself killed. Please understand this, my entire existence was my younger brother. The reason I got so good, why I strived to be the best, to make myself indispensable? All because I made a promise telling Michido that I would do whatever it took to save him. But with him being dead, that no longer applies. So don't waste your time and theirs as well as mine." I finished, turning my head to look outside. We were close to the courthouse now and I could feel a sense of calm coming over me. Erwin didn't say anything and I wasn't sure if I had stunned him into silence or he realised that this was a losing battle he couldn't win. Whatever the case, I was glad for the silence.