Sorry for the long(?) wait, real life is a real bitch. I think this chapter turned out a lot more angsty than I originally planned. Also, there is some gore in this chapter. Nothing major, but you can never be too sure.
"How do I know you're not a reaper?" Levi asked suddenly as they were walking toward Hachiko. Eren stopped in his tracks.
"What?" asked Eren, who had never even considered the thought, and definitely didn't think anyone else would, "I have a player pin!"
"Anyone could have gotten their hands on one of those," Levi said accusingly. Eren looked at him incredulously. Levi guessed he was going a bit far, but...
"Are you fucking kidding me," Eren looked astounded, "Wouldn't I have weird black wings if I was a reaper?"
Well, he had a point. Levi tried to hide his embarrassment by not answering and looking the other way like he was still considering the fact that Eren might be a reaper. He heard Eren huff and had the strange feeling that he had fucked up, which felt strangely similar to regret. Eren looked fucking pissed. And he was. Couldn't Levi have a little faith in his partner?
The statue appeared in their sight a few silent minutes later. As they approached it, Levi began to wonder just what this "curse" was. The statue looked fine.
"I don't see any noise," Eren said, putting away his player pin. Levi never saw him get it out. Levi scanned as well. There were no noise, like Eren said. He thought he could see Eren roll his eyes.
"It doesn't make sense," Eren got closer to the statue, "What could be wrong with it? Now that I think of it..."
"What?" asked Levi impatiently. Eren shot him a dirty look.
"It looks different from when I last saw it," Eren explained despite his obvious agitation toward Levi. Eren returned to the statue.
Levi examined the statue. Now that Eren mentioned it, there was a purple smudge on the statue. Levi inspected it closer, wiping his finger along where the purple smudge was. Eren moved behind Levi to get a better look, nearly pressing against the other's back.
"Look," Eren said excitedly, all anger forgotten in his joy, "This stuff comes off!"
Eren swiped his entire hand across the statue. A lot of gray dust flew away, making Levi cough. He made a mental note to wash his hands later.
Levi looked through the crowd, making sure no one was staring as Eren busied himself by wiping away the dust on the statue. It was embarrassing, but it wasn't like anyone would see them, unless they were players or reapers. Levi didn't know how many players there were, or how many reapers.
"It's weird," Eren said in a hushed tone, "Even though I'm cleaning it, the statue is just getting more purple...?"
Levi turned around. Sure enough, the purple color had spread, and was now mixed with some black and blue. Levi narrowed his eyes and wiped off some dust with his own hand. The dust flew away to reveal a very blue hue underneath. Levi couldn't remember anything, but he was pretty sure Hachiko wasn't blue.
"What the fuck," Levi cursed softly. He really needed to wash his hands.
As Eren was finishing his cleaning job, which he had done because it was the only lead they had, he heard growling.
"Hungry, Levi?" Eren teased, his anger fading. He was less angry and more disappointed now, although he wouldn't show it.
"That wasn't me," Levi said defensively. He covered his stomach just in case.
Eren's eyes widened and he slowly turned toward Hachiko. His hands were still on the dog, but now it was a noise. A really scary looking noise.
"Shit-" Eren jumped away and landed on his ass, hissing in pain. The noise jumped down from the stand in anger.
Levi pulled out his pins and began attacking, followed soon by Eren. They were in sync again, even though Levi had kind of been an ass. The wolf snarled and attacked Eren's shoulder, biting down. Eren yelped and tried to kick the noise off him.
"Eren!" Levi shouted, sending some fire his way. He could try to distract the noise and possibly catch Eren on fire, or Eren could lose his shoulder.
Thankfully, the noise turned on Levi and began attacking him. Eren got up slowly, clutching at his wounded arm, which hung limply at his side. Levi finished the noise off with one last slash upwards, sending the noise up into the air, and then hitting the ground with a loud thud. Blood was streaming down Eren's arm as he limped over to Levi, who quickly checked for a timer. The timer was gone.
"Ow," Eren grit his teeth against the pain. Levi had no clue what to do. This was unlike anything he ever had to do before.
Eren reached into his pocket with his good arm, pulling out what looked like soda. His hand was soaked in blood. Eren opened the soda shakily and drank it. Levi's eyes widened as the wound on his shoulder nearly vanished.
"You would know about this of you had stayed behind to talk to Jean and Marco for a little longer," Eren's tone was joking, but his words were accusing.
"Sorry," Levi said it so quietly Eren almost didn't hear him. But he did. Eren didn't comment, but Levi could see the gratitude in his eyes and decided that apologizing once in a while wasn't so bad.
"Shit," they heard quiet cursing near them. They both turned around to see the reaper they had seen the other day. Levi was about to turn and run, but she spotted them.
"Oh, you again," she said, sounding unhappy. She was frowning.
"Yeah," Levi said cautiously.
"I'm not having such a great day," she said conversationally, twisting her brown hair on her finger and looking irritated, "Wanna help me out?"
"No," Levi said quickly. No way in hell was he falling for that again.
"Really?" she asked, pouting, "Not even for a prize? A really good one."
"No," Levi repeated, helping Eren up and sliding an arm under his in order to support him.
"How sweet," she said in monotone, "But you still have to do it. Oh, well. Defeat these noise, now!"
It wasn't like they had a choice. The noise came at them, at least five colorful frogs attacking them. Eren fought poorly, as he was still healing. The noise attacked him mercilessly, and he was a mess by the time Levi got rid of them all.
"That's no fun," the freckled girl tsked, "How about another game? This one will be really fun, I promise."
"I said no once already," Levi said angrily. Eren was out of that magic juice stuff he used earlier. He was looking ragged. He needed help.
"But this will be really fun," she said happily, "If you do it, I'll let you out of the game."
Out of the game? Could she do that? Levi hesitated. Eren was struggling to his feet, but all Levi could do was stare at the freckled girl in shock. If there was a way out of the game...
"...What is it?" Levi asked wearily. The girl smiled.
"Levi, are you serious?" Eren asked, his voice shaking, "She tricked you last time!"
"Here we go," the girl smiled cruelly, "You have fifteen minutes to erase your partner. If you succeed, I'll let you out of the game."
Kill his partner? The words struck Levi like a blow to the gut. She was asking him to kill someone. Even if that someone was Eren, he couldn't do it. He didn't think he could bear to kill someone like Eren, or anyone at all, really. Maybe he was just soft, but he was pretty sure it was illegal to kill people.
"Levi!" Eren shouted, his voice hoarse, "Don't!"
"Oh, and I need to mention," freckles twirled her hair again, "He's been spying for the reapers. Reporting for us. Excellent work, by the way."
"Shut the fuck up!" Eren nearly screamed, and was reduced to a coughing fit, "No way in hell did I do that! Are you really going to believe her, Levi...?"
"The phone," Levi said harshly as the seeds of doubt were planted in his chest. He began approaching Eren, "Why were you always on your phone? What were you doing?"
"Levi, I was-" Eren tried to explain, but had another coughing fit. He wouldn't be able to defend himself if Levi decided to kill him. No, when Levi decided to kill him.
"Tick, tock," freckles was smiling. How could she smile at a time like this? Even though Levi had his doubts, he still felt like crying.
"Levi..." Eren's voice broke with unshed tears, "Don't kill me."
Levi grit his teeth. As if he had a choice.
He bent down and wrapped his hands around Eren's throat, successfully cutting off his air. Eren gasped and grabbed at Levi's hands, trying to pry them away. Tears were streaming form Eren's face, and probably from Levi's as well.
Could he really do this?
