Restart | Levi x Reader

17. Capture: a step forward

The loneliness I had felt for the many years of my life returns to me and settles itself in the deep of my chest. My stomach felt hollow and I felt heavy.

My listlessness was soon broken by a burst of light and a sudden weight causing the ground to shake. I struggled to gain balance and turned my head to see the familiar female titan.

Annie.

She...really is the traitor.

I immediately turn to the action as Annie destroys her surroundings in an attempt to kill the soldiers. I felt my legs shake at the thought that I might just die. I mentally slapped myself and was about to charge when a soldier held me back.

"What?" I looked at him.

"Don't do anything unnecessary!" He says.

"Huh?! Who are you?"

"Captain said so." He says. "This morning."

Levi. Damn, Levi again. He acts cold and then suddenly he's worried about my wellbeing? He's hot and then suddenly cold the next second. I don't even know how to respond.

I relaxed my body and kept a close watch on Annie.

"Alright." I said. "Tell Captain thanks for me."

I watched as Annie kills more people so easily. As time passes, there was then another one of those lights and that ground shaking weight. I turn to see Eren finally emerging in his titan form. He charges at Annie as they battle it out. They crash into buildings, killing many people in the process. I watched as kids walk among the blood stained streets with eyes of tears from horror and pain. I came in and swooped her off her feet as a boulder comes crashing down. I wiped her tears as I carried her to a safe spot. My heart clenched at the sorry state of Stohess as I wished for this to be over.

I fixed myself and quickly flew using my maneuver gear to where Eren and Annie continues fighting in an open area. Eren's titan form was fuming and I could feel the tension from far away. I watched as Eren squishes Annie's face before she breaks away and attempts to run by climbing the walls. Mikasa swoops I'm so quickly onto Annie's fingers. She slices them off and mouths something to Annie as she falls.

The fall to the ground was soon followed by another raging fit from Eren. He finally slows down and falls over Annie as both of their titan bodies began fusing together in the steam.

"They're fusing!" I shout as I try to make it in time.

Before I could make much progress, Levi comes in even faster than Mikasa and slices Eren out of his titan body. Armin, Mikasa, and I both ran towards Eren.

"Eren!" Mikasa shouts.

"Eren." Armin says.

"...." I ran behind them with a worried expression.

I wanted to ask Levi about his bad leg, but given how we are right now, it was awkward. I kept my mouth shut as I glance at him before giving my attention to Eren. Levi stood there with his brows furrowed, showing no signs of weakness like usual.

Annie has encased herself in a crystallized state. The crystal is extremely hard that our swords could not pierce it.

When I turned to Levi, I saw his expression. He looked at Annie with pain in his eyes. Annie, the one who had slaughtered his whole squad, is right there in front of him, but there was nothing more to be done.

In that moment, I so desperately wanted to comfort him. Be the one to help him like he did for me. But I gripped my hands and decided against it.

"She's a coward." He mouths.

I looked upon Annie encased in her crystal. She looked beautiful yet fragile.

I looked forward at the state of Stohess. Smoke and collapsed buildings. People and bodies. Among the bodies was the body of the soldier who had held me back.

The mission is a success.

______________

Annie was kept deep underground and her custody was handed over to the Survey Corps.

The discovery of humans being capable of turning into titans was a great step forward for mankind. However, the mystery of the titans deepens and for mankind to realize what they're being caged by, more time and sacrifices were still needed.

The path remains long. The moment when freedom finally comes is unknown. Will it be this lifeline for the next? Or possibly the one after that?

Regardless, we fight on with this life of ours.