✓ Blood Lust (Levi Ackerman - Attack on Titan) #wattys2021

Chapter Nine

"They're not broken," the doctor says, after having cut off my boots and wrapping my ankles. Just the bit of rest since coming back helped the swelling go down, so it's probably just sprains to both thankfully. As promised, Jean stayed beside me, holding new boots for me to put on, slightly bigger than my old ones so they could accommodate my wraps. I slip them on, wincing but continuing on nonetheless. The debris on the street would more likely kill me if I opt to not wear shoes.

"Get on," Jean says, pointing to his back. I balk at him. Is he crazy? Noticing my hesitance, he sighs. "Come on, you need to stay off of it and we need to find lodging still. You can't stay in the doctor's clinic. There's to many injured."

Breathing out a dramatic breath of defeat, I climb onto him, his hands grabbing out to my knees to help me stay on. "I'm not too heavy, am I?"

"No," he strains out, contradicting his words. We go out to the rest that came from headquarters with us. 

"Anything broken?" Bertholdt asks and I shake my head, readjusting my position on Jean. 

"For the love of God, come here," Reiner says in annoyance, picking me off of the shorter man's back and putting me on his as if I weigh nothing. Reiner is a bit of a bull, so I probably weigh nothing to him.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it, El." There's a flash, almost similar to that of the Colossal Titan, and we see smoke rising.

"They've breached the inner gate!" someone yells in our brigade, and a moment later, I'm flying through the air on Reiner's back. Annie, Bertholdt, and Jean follow, landing behind us shortly later. 

"What the hell is going on? This is..." Reiner starts, trailing off at the end in bewilderment. 

"Is that a Titan skeleton?" is my voice, looking on as the half-finished Titan body. It looks like the Colossal Titan but still different. There's a third freak?

Armin comes out of the rubble, negotiating, and that's when I realize, Eren is the third freak. The Garrison just tried to kill one of our own. Reiner hikes me up higher, as if he's going in for an attack. Maybe he will.

"Prepare to attack!" the Captain yells anyways.

"They're going to kill him!" I bite out, my hand squeezing into Reiner's bicep without meaning to. 

Armin salutes over his heart, determination on his face. "I am a soldier! And I have dedicated my heart to the restoration of humanity, sir! Nothing could make me prouder than dying for such a noble cause! If we were to use his Titan ability and combine it with the manpower we have left, I believe we can do it! We can retake this city! For humanity's glory, in what little time I have left to live, I will advocate for his strategic value!" Maybe Armin will actually pull this off, and sway the Captain. 

Then I see it, as if in slow motion. His arm raising up, then dropping to give the order to attack.

"Commander Pyxis," I breathe out, as if seeing a ghost. His hand stops the Captain, sparing the lives of Eren, Armin, and Mikasa. I hadn't seen the Commander is eight years, the same time I met Levi Ackerman. 

All seemed so long ago now.

"Smith, your skills are requested by Pyxis for the upcoming mission," a man from Garrison says, and immediately, I stand from my chair, saluting. 

"Sir, I'm injured, I'll slow you down—"

He cuts me off but not unkindly. "You and Mikasa have both been chosen, for your accomplishment retaking headquarters. You were injured then. We need you to back up Eren."