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

Chapter Twenty Seven

"Oi, woman, be gentle," Jean cries out, swatting at my hand currently dabbing at the wound at his temple. 

"Well maybe if you weren't stupid and wouldn't have gotten yourself hit in the head, I wouldn't have to do this. Literally one centimeter over, and you might've been dead," I chastise the sandy haired man as he looks away in embarrassment at being told off.

"Yeah, well, I earned some respect from Captain Levi, don't you think?" He gives a small grin, as if that makes up for almost losing his life.

My eyes roll for about the hundredth time. "Actually, I think his exact words were, 'I think it's an improvement on his face.'"

"See? Progress."

My rag smacks him across his uninjured cheek, and he grabs it from my hand, the playful expression dropping from his face and suddenly becoming serious—intense. "El, I haven't seen you this playful in a long time. I've missed it." His hand comes out to rest on my knee, squeezing it in a comforting way, something Reiner used to do and the reminder makes me sad. Since the blond brute had outed himself and ran off, Jean became a closer friend than ever, but a part of me will probably always miss Reiner. If Hange would've let me go on the mission that day and get closure and actually see them change, it would've been different. Even when they took Eren, I was still preoccupied with rescuing my father that it didn't sink in that it was Reiner. Maybe it'll never sink in. 

Not until he's dead.

"Oi, horse face. Get your hooves off my wife." We jump apart as if we were caught in the act of cheating, but Levi doesn't look bothered. Still, he tends to hide his expressions well, even from me. "It's time to go use our Military pigs for scouting." 

We follow Levi through the forest, Jean splitting off from me to join Mikasa off in the distance. We stop at the outskirts when we spot a Military Police checkpoint

"That, over there, is probably the least manned checkpoint around," Marlo says, looking out at some drunk soldiers milling about. They look worse than the Garrison soldiers in Shiganshina. 

"Alright. We'll handle it ourselves," Levi says, turning to the two Military Police. Their eyes widen at being dismissed so easily. "Get back to your squad before it gets suspicious."

"Yes, sir," Marlo says, and they start to walk away. 

"Marlo, Hitch," Levi stops them and I look at him curiously, my gaze leaving the checkpoint momentarily. "We're grateful." 

Those two words seem to have made their whole world, and I'm uncertain if Marlo will cry. If he does, Levi will definitely kick him, so I hope he doesn't. Instead, they both salute the Captain. "Sir!" 

Levi looks back over to the rest of us. "Let's go! It's our turn to pick a fight!"

Finally. I can get my anger out and maybe get back to that El Jean misses. 

We climb into the back of a wagon, except for Jean, Connie, and Sasha who are in the front. The three in the front all let out war cries as the wagon goes full speed downhill. We all stumble, Levi steadying me, Mikasa catching Armin. 

"I'm going to find the Interior Military Police soldier," Levi tells me, his short form gone as soon as we leave the wagon. I stick close to Jean, noticing that the rest of the squad had taken buddies as well: Sasha with Connie and Mikasa with Armin. In no time, the checkpoint had surrendered. After tying up the ones not incapacitated, we retreated up the hill for a vantage point. A noise startles us, and immediately guns are pointed on a dark haired man dragging another male.

"It's me," Levi says, and I breathe out a sigh of relief, lowering my weapon. His eyes immediately look me up and down, probably looking for injuries. I realize I'm doing the same on him.