A/N: New fandom, new fanfic.
All of the other fanfics I've been working on are pretty much discontinued (This only applies to the Glee ones. I just can't write for that anymore. I'm out of the fandom for good and as much as I still love Kurt/Chris and Sebastian/Grant, I just can't.) Rhythm of the War Drums is…at a snag. I really fucked up Pet around that time, and I don't know how to fix it. So if you read this story, and also read Rhythm, ideas are welcome as to how I can fix it up (it's at the point of Chapter 2 of Pet)
This little fic here is… different. It takes place during and after the attack on Trost, and contains some of A Choice With No Regrets, but goes pretty A!U after Levi's capture. Isabel and Farian were free to leave after Levi joined the Scouting Legion and he told them to go because he did not want to see them die or have them see him die. I can't really say much more without spoiling the whole fic.
Pairings: JeanMarco, ErenArmin, one-sided BertMarco, LeviPetra, SashaConnie(More of a 'friends who act like a couple but aren't' thing), ChristaYmir, ReinerBert, Past!AnnieArmin, and a few others.
MAJOR WARNINGS/TRIGGERS: Dark themes (As expected, I mean SnK/Attack on Titan is pretty damn dark in canon.), gore, mentions of suicide and self-harm, murder, mentions of implied rape, drug use (both recreational and medicinal), mentions of other sexual abuse, corruption of government/military.
Small warnings: Criminal!Marco, Insane!Bertholdt (Living up to his last name, Fubar, which is actually a code for Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition), different!Jean (some people would call him slightly insane, but would you really be the same after finding the body of your boyfriend half eaten? Even though it wasn't Marco's body here…). Language of course, sex scenes (CONSENSUAL SEX. NO RAPE SCENES.)
Summary: Marco over heard something that he would very much want to forget, something that someone plans to make him forget, forever. His life on the line, he fled to the one place he could be safe. Half-dead and less than healthy, he runs into two unlikely allies. Marco, Farian, and Isabel, the new top gang of the underground, uncover a buried secret that could save mankind, or bring it to ruin.
OK LET'S GO. And since this was so short when I typed it up, here's the Prologue and Chapter 1! (It's still short, but the other chapters will be longer. There's just not much going on, and I can't add in anymore without giving away too much. I want to save at least some of the good stuff for later chapters!)
Walking In Shadows Prologue: I swear to you, I'll never speak of it again.
The roaring that felt all too close sounded quiet compared to the fast thrumming of a beating heart and the heavy footsteps of two people running.
The hole was sealed, Trost was theirs once more. It was all over.
Oh how he wished it was all over.
"You idiots! If you had just kept to the original plan this wouldn't have happened!"
He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He listened just a little too closely, saw just a bit too much. And now he was to pay the price for it.
"If you had just waited to break the damn wall it would've been easier! Now look!"
The blood on them had just disappeared into steam, the deep wounds healed all too quickly. And he had just stood there.
Marco had been shocked to the core at what he witnessed, what Annie had blurted out so readily. He could have easily called it a set-up; that she had meant to say it loudly, that she had wanted him to overhear.
But the speed at which she was catching up to him made him think otherwise. Why would she want him to hear, only to kill him hours later? And with no way to defend himself- his maneuver gear somewhere down another road, it was too bulky and would slow him just enough for Annie to catch him with a well-aimed attack- all he could do was run.
She had already gotten too close a few times, the marks on his face and shoulder giving proof to that. He was bleeding, desperate, and scared.
Damnit! His thoughts were racing. If this keeps up…she'll kill me like she did Samuel! Marco had no time to dwell on how Annie had managed that so quickly without it being noticed. He had enough trouble just getting away from her.
The unfamiliar city of Trost was confusing him, and the blood loss he was experiencing was not helping. I should have went with Jean when he offered to show me around…damnit. His own hesitance was hindering him now.
Marco gasped in surprise as pain erupted in his neck. Annie had gotten too close once more, and the shallow laceration added to the blinding hurt. He reeled back as she moved in front of him, side stepping into a narrower alleyway. She had no way of reaching him with the Maneuver Gear on. But it would not take her long to get it off and give chase once more. He had to move fast.
Pressing his hand to his neck to try and keep the blood from flowing, he looked around. His breath was coming in gasps, his mind whirling all too much. Jean…everyone…I'm sorry. I don't think I can make it. He leaned back against the side of one of the buildings. His balance was off, and his legs were protesting what little weight they were holding. At this rate… He screwed his eyes shut. It would do no good to think about what would happen.
Standing back up, he began to move down the alleyway again. With one hand on his neck, the other supporting his arm, it was tough to get through the narrow path. His vision was faltering more than his footsteps, getting darker and darker from the ground up. It was not until he stumbled to the ground that he realized, it was not his vision getting darker, but the ground itself. Almost like- does it lead underground?
The clattering of Maneuver Gear hitting the ground behind him forced Marco to try and collect his thoughts. His vision straightened out just enough for him to see clearly, it was underground! He had found a tunnel! And if Titans need sunlight, why would a titan shifter be any different?! He shakily stood, glaring back at the figure getting closer and closer.
"Not this time Annie. I won't be another one of your victims." He bit out, taking the few steps that would hide him in the darkness. Just as he thought, she stopped before the shadows overtook her, blue eyes blazing with fury, desperation, regret, and- he could have sworn- relief.
She could not reach him. He was safe.
From her, at least. But it took no more than a few seconds for him to find one misstep that had him tumbling down. His shoulder hit solid ground heavily, making him wince. He did not care though. He was safe.
For how long would it last though?
What about the others? The thought was heavy in his mind. The others, his friends…
Resignation filled his eyes. There's no way I can go back with her there. They'll just- that's it then. They'll believe I'm dead. Or maybe she'll tell them I went rogue. Either way, I may never see them again.
That thought made him sigh, resting his head down when it got to be too much effort to hold it up. Jean…I'm sorry. He could feel himself relaxing into welcoming darkness. Jean…I love you. Was his last thought before the darkness claimed him.
Chapter 1: Isabel and Farian, the original Squad Levi.
The steady dripping of water was what Marco awoke to. He fought the hazy darkness that drifted in his mind, calling him back to sleep. Something was different. The last thing he could remember was falling down the tunnel, and there was no water around when he fell. Shuffling of clothing made him freeze in his attempts to wake fully. There was someone else with him.
Keeping his eyes closed and his breathing steady, he listened. The water was hitting something solid and shallow, possibly a bowl. The shuffling had stopped, but the sound of boots against a hard floor had replaced it. He could hear his own heart, beating stronger than ever even with how close he had been to death's door before. Someone had saved him.
There was something warm covering him too. His fingers brushed against silk, much like the silk of the cloaks all soldiers wore. Had the Garrison Regiment found him? Or one of his friends? No, if they had, he would not be alone. He was sure Jean would be adamant about not leaving his side.
So, who had saved him? There was one way to find out. He slowly opened his eyes, realizing the only light in…wherever he was, came from an opening in the high ceiling. So he was still underground then. The light was soft, almost nonexistent. He realized that he was pretty far underground.
The other person shifted again, noticing Marco waking up. He looked up to find a man with light blond hair looking down to him.
"So, you're finally awake then? It's taken you long enough."
Marco studied the man with curious eyes. It seemed like they would be about the same height, the man was maybe a bit taller. His eyes were a bright green, reminding Marco of the first leaves in spring. He wore the same uniform Marco did, even the harness and 3DMG, but one thing was different. Where Marco's jacket had the Training Corps badge, the man's jacket had no badge.
When Marco moved to sit up, the man's hand laid flat on his chest to push him back down. "Woah, don't get ahead of yourself. You're still injured. I wouldn't try getting up yet."
"W-" Marco cleared his throat. "Where am I? Who a-are you?" His voice was scratchy, like he had not used it in a while, and his throat felt dry. The man could see his discomfort and pressed a small cup of water to his lips.
"You're underground, as you could probably tell. My name's Farian, it was Isabel and I who found you. What were you doing in that tunnel? Get lost during the attack?"
Marco frowned. "Not exactly…how'd you know about the attack?"
"News travels fast when there's a titan helping humans." Farian said. "What's your name kid?"
"Marco."
Farian blinked. "Funny, your name was on the list of the deceased."
"How about we keep it that way for now?" Marco grimaced. So she told them nothing about him then?
"Hidin' from someone?" Farian grinned at Marco's nod. "Makes three of us then. Isa and I have been hiding low from the Military Police. Last thing we need is for them to call in the Scouts again. Who you hiding from?"
"Traitors who didn't want me finding out their secret." Marco mumbled. Farian was…different, it was the only way he could explain the man. He had practically admitted to being a criminal, but there was something about him that Marco found familiar and comforting.
"Well whoever they are sure did a number on you. It took us forever to get that infection down. They really wanted to kill you." Farian sat down next to Marco.
"Yeah…she did." His voice was a whisper. Annie really wanted him dead, only to keep her secret safe. Marco barely understood the secret himself though. Were they really titans like Eren? Why did they not help out then?
Because one of them is the Colossal Titan. His mind chastised. How could he forget what Annie said? 'If you had just waited to break down the wall.' One of them did it! He felt sick just thinking about it. One of them, one of the people he trusted, he trained with-! One of them betrayed their whole group, all of mankind!
But what if it was all of them that betrayed us? Marco was thankful Farian forced him to lie down. The sheer thought of all of them being traitors…it was enough to make him dizzy. His heart was pounding a steady beat in his head and he could tell his breath had quickened. Farian's voice seemed far away when the startled man started talking to him.
"Hey, Marco you ok? What's wrong? Hey! Just take some deep breaths! Um…close your eyes?! Shit, I don't know!"
He tried to focus on the somewhat panicked words of the other man, hardly noticing when another voice joined in.
"Farian that's hardly going to help him. Marco, I want you to take a slow, deep breath ok?" A hand grasped his and Marco found himself calming with a few steady breaths. "There ya go. Geeze, of all the things I could've came back to…"
"Sorry about that." Marco withdrew his hand from the other's hold. Looking up, he realized it must be Isabel. Short blonde hair and amber eyes almost like his own, she was pretty. "Isabel, right?"
She grinned. "Yep! So Farian's been talking about me then?"
"He said you two saved me. Thank you, by the way."
"Eh, don't thank us yet." Her grin turned into a frown. "You haven't seen yourself yet."
It was then that Marco's attention was dragged to the small pain his right side. In the panic, he had not paid it much attention, but now that he was calmed again it stood out. His hand moved to touch his cheek, feeling something cool and sticky there.
"It's not much, but here underground, you gotta work with what you got." Farian noticed his confusion. "We had to get some stitches for one of the slashes on your arm, but the others on your face are covered with some herbs and clean cloth."
"I wouldn't try moving around too much yet." Isabel advised. "Just because you're healing doesn't mean you're in the clear. This place isn't like the surface, there's no telling what could set off an infection with open wounds here."
Marco nodded, his hand moving to rest on his stomach. He did not have much of a choice other than to trust them. They seemed to know what they were talking about, and it did not seem like they were going to hurt him. He wondered why they would help him though, and voiced his concern about it.
"You're just a kid. We may be criminals, but we aren't heartless." Isabel explained. "You were half dead when we went through the Trost tunnels, and things looked pretty bad up there. It was either help you or leave you out there for titans to get."
"There's something familiar about you too." Farian added. "Too familiar to just leave alone." He shook his head. "Enough about the 'whys' and 'what for's, what exactly were you doing in Trost anyway?"
"I was stationed there." Marco replied. "I am- was with the 104th Training Squad, we were guarding Trost when the wall was kicked in."
Isabel whistled. "So that's what happened, just like with the outer wall five years ago."
"Yeah." The brunette nodded. "Same titan too. I was going with my- a few friends to help reseal the wall when this happened."
"You're what? Let's clear this up right now, we don't care if you say boyfriend." Farian waved his hand dismissively. "Doesn't bother us. Anyway, how was the wall going to be resealed?"
Marco hesitated. Was he already telling them too much? No, it could not hurt. If they were underground, chances of them being shifters were slim to none. Besides, he seemed to be stuck with them for a while, may as well be honest. "They were using one of my friends, he- he could shift into a titan."
"What? No way!" Isabel and Farian gasped in shock.
"Shift? Into a titan?" Farian stared at him in disbelief. "And they used him to seal the wall?" Marco nodded. "And I thought things down here were strange…"
"It's a wonder Levi hasn't escaped and come back here with all of that crazy. It must be driving him mad." Isabel muttered.
"Levi?" Marco looked up at the name. "Lance Corporal Levi?"
"Lance Corporal? Man, Erwin didn't fool around when he got Levi to join did he?" Laughed Isabel. "I think we're talking about the same guy. Black hair, short, always looks pissed off?"
"Yeah, that's him. You know him?"
"Know him?" Farian smiled. "You're looking at the original Squad Levi."
Marco blinked in shock. The others would die to know the second-in-command of the Scouting Legion's an ex-criminal! "Why didn't you join the Scouts with him?"
"He didn't let us." Farian explained.
Isabel stayed quiet, her eyes studying Marco closely. "Farian…we aren't exactly a squad with just two of us now are we?"
"Huh?" He looked up at her and groaned. "Oh no, I know that look Isa. He hasn't even healed yet! Not to mention he doesn't have any gear, and he still has those badges!"
"That can easily be fixed." Isabel smirked. "You know Marco, if someone really is after you, it's unsafe for you to go above ground yet."
"Yeah?" Marco raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"And down here, you won't survive long on your own…"
"Isabel." Farian warned.
"So!" She ignored him. "How about it Marco? How about you join up with me and Farian? Start a new squad, a new gang?"
Marco gulped. They're not just criminals? He had overheard stories about underground gangs from the older soldiers. If he said yes…there was no way he could go back.
Levi joined the Scouting Legion. His mind argued. But Jean's probably in the Military Police by now. If I say yes…what if he's one of the ones that get called if we get caught?
But she has a point. Surviving down here on your own, without the maneuver gear? It would be suicide. He could not go back above ground, Annie would kill him for sure. He either joined them, lived, and faced the possibility of Jean arresting him; or said no, and tried to live on his own.
"Alright," he spoke up, "I'll join you."
"Great!" Isabel cheered. "Starting tomorrow then, we'll start showing you the ropes! I promise, you'll love it down here."
Her excitement brought a smile to his face. It was not exactly how he imagined things would go in his life, but it was better than what most expected.
