Chapter 8: Pulling an Erika

Kiev wasn't sure of how long it had been since he had set himself to slay as many titans as he could. When the legion clashed against the horde of titans that was heading their way, he and Levi shared only a few moments together before it became convenient for them to split up. He had to admit, having new blades made things much easier to him compared to when he had to make do with Erika's blunt blades in the past. He had danced his way around the battlefield easily getting rid of anything not human that stood in his way. Eventually he found himself face to face with a mesmerizing scenario.

Levi wasn't as fast as Erika but he looked twice as deadlier and thrice as invincible. When Levi hoped onto the titans' bodies he'd slice them up and make ruby red blood drops waltz in the air like sparkles before he'd finally cut their napes. He'd stand on top of the fuming corpse, looking like a very handsome hero, and then he'd go on to slay his next victims. It was a sight Kiev wasn't quite sure he had to pay so much attention to, a sight he actually couldn't do anything but admire while he simply stood in the middle of the battlefield looking like a complete idiot.

"OI! Kiev! I saw what you did there! You're in a life or death situation! Move your butt!"Erika decided to interrupt Kiev's train of thought making the red eyed man snort and shake his head.

"Fine! Let's just roll and clear the way for the legion" Kiev told himself more than Erika and went on to maneuver his way to a titan's neck, killing it in a single shot.

"Eren!" Kiev immediately turned his head to face where the brunette boy lay immobile on top of the half Asian girl Mikasa. The girl had said Eren's name in an attempt to wake him up he figured.

"He's hurt! Kiev we have to do something!" Erika was screaming in his head and begging to be passed control to.

"Listen, he's fine. See?" Kiev knew better though, Eren's body was fuming and seconds after his remark the boy was up and helping Mikasa get on her feet herself.

"Dammit Kiev I was talking about the titan in front of them!" Erika said and Kiev sighed annoyed.

"They'll be fine you dimwit, now let's go and—" Kiev felt a sharp pain run through his head before he coughed up blood and fell to his knees.

"What's going on? Kiev what is it? You're not healing up? Kiev!" Erika was trying to get answers from the red eyed man but instead got a nasty "shut up" from him.

He turned his head back to Eren and cursed. He knew what that terrible sound was. It was a sound what was running through his head, not pain.

"Hey you incompetent soldier, what are you doing here on your knees it's time to run" Levi had come to his aid apparently, to which he was flutter hearted welcome.

"Oh leave me be, I killed a hell lot of titans on my own so stop being such a—" He would enjoy being able to end his sentences without something happening to interrupt him.

The ground shook and Kiev felt a chill run down his spine.

Everything turned into slow motion, and the only sounds he could hear were his heart beats, his breathing and the oncoming stomps. He stood up and looked behind them to find the armored titan a few meters away.

Levi had realized the things proximity far too late to properly assess the situation. One thing was on both their minds: they were going to get squashed. Sure they had their chances to escape, they weren't doomed, but they couldn't think rationally enough with their need to make sure the other would be fine at all costs.

Levi was first to act.

He had thought up many ways both of them could get out of this alive, yet his body wasn't really paying attention to his brain. Although his rational self told his body to deploy his gear, grab the unresponsive Kiev and get out of the way, his body had decided to grab Kiev and, using all his adrenaline powered strength, push him far away from harm's way.

"Get him out of the way! You can't see her die again, you can't see him die at all!" That's what pushed Levi's body to act against everything he believed in.

Once the deed was done he looked up, the foot was making it's way down. He closed his eyes and hoped all of this wasn't in vain, he hoped that Eren would get out alive, he hoped his surfacing stupidity would only be remembered by the man who forced it to surface.

CRUNCH!

Levi opened his eyes as he felt himself get pushed down the ground beneath him turning to crystal as Kiev had placed himself on fours over the Corporal. They were encased in crystal, Kiev's body was part of it only his face remaining in the flesh.

"What fucking bullshit do you think you were trying to pull there Levi?!" Kiev exclaimed his voice rough and giving away how much pain the red eyed being was going through right now."I can't fucking get killed by a foot stepping on me you fool! Next time stop trying to be like Erika and save yourself!"

"Fuck dammit Kiev! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Levi normally didn't lose his cool over stupid issues like getting his ass saved, this time however he was pissed off at his savior.

"This is nothing, I'll be fine! Stop being such an emotional wreck! I like the cool, cold, humanity's strongest soldier Lance Corporal!" The words slipped past his lips, Kiev wasn't expecting having the armored titan remain still on them for the amount of time he was so the moment and therefore his weird emotions remained over him long enough for him to think up and spat out the words.

Levi just stared at Kiev not so sure of whatever had spilled out of the other's mouth, it had been far too confusing for him. He wanted to ask "what" so he could get a repeat and properly process the string of words but instead he said "fuck". Kiev chuckled at his own attitude before he grunted and gritted his teeth as loud cracking sounds could be heard coming from his body. His bones as well as the upper part of his crystal shell were breaking from the pressure. That meant the weight was changing and that lead on to the conclusion that soon they wouldn't be under a foot anymore.

Effectively, the armored titans foot went back as the titan was forced into retreat for whatever reason. The crystal around Kiev collapsed and quickly enough Levi got up, grabbed Kiev, who couldn't move due to all the damage his body had taken, and ran away whistling for his horse. Lucky enough for them the horse came to the call and Levi managed to get himself and the blond man on it.

With Kiev in front of him and secured by his left arm, Levi rode his horse towards the retreating legion. He looked around and was impressed by what he saw. The horde of titans that had been so focused on eating all of the scouts were now chasing after the armored titan. Luck or not, there was no second guessing he was grateful they'd all gotten their chance to leave with no further deaths thanks to that.

"You okay there Kiev?" Levi asked as his horse was a few minutes away from catching up to the rest of the Legion.

"Peachy…I just need to rest for a while…I'll be alright" Kiev replied weakly, his body was fuming a little. It worried Levi it wasn't as much as when he found him in the dark the other day, but he knew there was healing at least.

"We've escaped the cluster of titans so you can rest now. You and Erika did an excellent job today, you both deserve a good rest."
"Aye aye captain" Kiev chuckled and dozed off his body starting to fume more.

That relieved Levi and soon after that Hanji came by on her horse.

"Levi! Well it's a relief you're alive! Erwin's gonna give you a stern talking to when we get back for disobeying orders by the way, don't think he was gonna let it slide…is she alright? What happened to her?"

"He sorta stopped the armored titan from squashing us, almost turned to crystal completely"

"She can harden her skin?!"

"Only in her titan form, right now she's a he by the way"

"He'll be fine once he heals up right?" Hanji stared at the fuming body with curious eyes, she was fascinated by the odd shifter and couldn't wait for a chance to speak to her after this.

"He's been fine before, he'll be fine now" Levi replied knowing it for facs but also hoping. Kiev seemed too beaten up this time and something deep down told the Corporal this was a dangerous situation. "Let's just get back to the Wall"

/ /If they had worked on tag team basis the fight would have ended faster and Levi would have probably ended up hurt :D Kiev's an idiot and Levi is a baka. It was a short chapter but the one that follows promises to be a bit longer/ /