"How could you?
"What do you mean?"
"You made me...end her life."
"Yes I did."
"But why?"
"Revenge."
"Hey," Mikasa says, causing Levi to return back to Earth again. Mikasa blinks and is unsure of what to say to her cousin. He may have gotten rid of Annie once and for all, but the teen certainly wasn't too happy about it despite all that she had done. She didn't want to ask why he did it. Changing the subject felt safer to do than forcing him to give her a plausible explanation. So she just sighs and tries to shake off the immense weight off her shoulders. "I was wondering."
"What is it?" Levi asks as he walks back inside the apartment. Mikasa clears her throat and follows him, shutting the door behind her.
"I know you... want to protect me and all... but I think I'm ready."
"Ready for what?" Levi is confused, and Mikasa tries to come up with words to say.
"I think I'm ready to use a gun so that I can defend myself." Mikasa tells him straightforwardly.
"Wait. So, you're telling me that you are perfectly capable of using a weapon?" Levi asked.
"Basically."
"No." Levi turns away from the girl to look for something and she scoffs.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not going to let a kid run around with something dangerous... hell, you have the privilege to use a knife and that still worries me."
"You don't trust me," Mikasa shakes her head. "Levi. I am fifteen years old... I am not a child. And I am truly capable of defending myself."
"I don't give a shit whether you're five or fifty- I don't want you using one." Levi replies.
"What's going to happen when we're out there fighting?" Mikasa asks again. "You're just going to shield me the entire time? What if you get hurt?"
"Mikasa, why don't you try to fit in my shoes for once."
"The world doesn't revolve around you," The girl tells him, and Levi stops what he's doing. "Look... I know I'm not the greatest person in your eyes... And I know we only have each other. I get it. But you can't protect me forever. Besides... you needed my help. I'm willing to help you, dammit! I'll even prove it to you."
Levi just sighs and walks up to Mikasa. The girl doesn't say anything as he places a hand on her head. "You don't need to prove anything to me," He tells her. "If you're serious about this... then fine. I'll trust your judgment. But this isn't a game. Remember that."
"I understand." Mikasa replies.
"But don't come crying to me when you get caught with an unlicensed weapon."
With this, Mikasa smiles and adjusts her shirt. "Sure thing," She adds. Levi raises an eyebrow, wary of the teen's actions. He then notices a small lump on her side and immediately raises her shirt to the point to where he could see what it was. It looked like a toy, but it was in fact a small handgun. Levi snatches it and holds it up. "Where did you get this?" He wanted to know.
"My friend gave it to me," Mikasa adjusts her shirt again, annoyed that he had to do such a thing. "For protection. Emergencies, too."
"You never stop, do you?" Levi was disappointed with her, but he saw the reasoning behind it all. So he let it slide. "Whatever. But from now on, no more secrets. We tell each other everything."
"Got it. No more secrets." She raises a hand as if it were an oath. Levi rolls his eyes and tells her to wait there. He goes into the bathroom and dials a number. He listens to it ring, until it goes to voicemail and decides to leave a message.
"Hey asshole," He begins. "I have what you want. I'm coming very soon, so be prepared or get your ass kicked."
Upon entering the train, the duo was welcomed by stares. Some of the people inside the train whispered to each other. Some tried to ignore them and move away. Some even discreetly took pictures of them to later poke fun at the photo. And it wasn't like nobody had ever seen anything weird on a train before- there were plenty of times where bums began to preach the end of the world, while arguments turn into fistfights over an expensive watch. If someone wanted to watch a circus, a train they will go.
Yet they were not staring at the cousins because of how weird they seemed. Sure, Mikasa looked like she came out of a heavy metal concert, while Levi looked as if someone he knew recently died. But it wasn't about looks. Not for these people on the train at least.
Mikasa and Levi listened to all the comments they made- every single one of them.
"Isn't that the guy who led a gang?"
"That must be the little girl who watched him kill his mother!"
"The poor thing had to suffer in foster care because of him!"
"That guy shouldn't be out and about like this!"
"He's insane."Although she was uncomfortable, Mikasa glanced at her older cousin who felt the same way and placed a hand on his arm. "Don't listen to them," She said. "Let's find a seat."
"That sounds like a plan." He replies, following her to find some place to sit. But how could he not listen to them? It was clear that he caused much pain and fear. So much that people hated him and wanted him dead. When he had gotten arrested, it was as if all their wishes had come true. Nobody forgot his face. And whoever did forget his face, never forgot the horror they endured after learning what happened.
Mikasa and Levi managed to find an empty seat between a few others and sit down. They felt a little squeezed against each other, especially with the heavy, bulky gym bag Mikasa had to carry on her lap. The lady sitting next to her looked at the teen in suspicion. "What?" Mikasa asks. The lady blinks and turns away without saying a word.
"Something doesn't feel right," Levi says to himself, and she hears him.
"What do you mean?" Mikasa asks.
"It's quiet. Almost too quiet..."
"I think that's how everyone is on trains- Quiet and observant."
"This is different." Levi replies and looks around to make sure that no one is watching them. He doesn't find anyone in particular, until Mikasa is startled by a strange man who entered the train, for the doors were still open. "You!" He says, smiling. "Is there treasure in that bag of yours?"
"Um, no... and this isn't for sale." She replies.
"Please trade it with me!"
"No! Now get away from me, creep!" Mikasa shoves the man away and he frowns. Suddenly, he grabs the bag and tries to take it from her. Mikasa pulls on the thing to take it back, but he was somehow stronger than her. "Give it back, you damn Crackhead!" Mikasa yells.
"We never get what we want, so why should you?"
Mikasa swiftly takes a brick out from the bag and bashes it against the man's head repeatedly until he is unconscious on the floor. This shocks everyone including Levi, yet Mikasa doesn't care. She breathed heavily and put the brick back in the bag.
"Mikasa." Levi finally says but she puts a hand up. She decides to face everyone.
"Is this what you wanted to see...?" She began. "Is this what you all wanted to see?! Well, you got your wish! Are you happy now?! If you all have the balls to talk shit, then go ahead and call the cops! Be my guest! Surely we'll be better off rotting in jail!"
"Mikasa!" Levi scolds, grabbing her arm. "Calm down and sit. Now." The girl pulls away from him but does what he asks, saying nothing more. Everyone just stays in silence and minds their business now after that little outburst. Levi asks her of what that whole thing was about, but she refuses to answer. Although being in jail numerous of times for misdemeanors in the past, Mikasa feared it. She hated being alone. She hated being judged. And she mostly hated being misunderstood by others, especially from her family and friends. So they don't talk to each other- from the moment the train started moving, until it finally arrived at their stop.
They sped past the crowd of people leaving the train and went up the stairs which led to the surface. Despite carrying a loaded, heavy bag, Mikasa was pretty quick for her age and carried the thing like it was filled with feathers. "Where is this place at?" She asked. The area they arrived in was a bit close to the outskirts of the city, so there wasn't as much activity as they expected. Plus, finding Hanji will be a breeze since everything was close together.
"Most likely down the road. I can see the parking garage from here." Levi tells her.
"How do you know its the one?"
"I'm currently tracking where they might be."
"Might?" Mikasa stops in her tracks. "Make up your mind, Levi! Do you know or not?"
"What is up with you?" Levi didn't like her tone, and she shakes her head. "You're acting like a baby."
"I'm fine... I just want to get this over with."
"If you want to wait here, then that's okay. I'll go myself-"
"No." Mikasa stops him. "We already made a deal... we're a team." Although the air was chilly, she wasn't shivering from the cold. Mikasa looked to the ground, hiding her face beneath her black hair.
"You don't have to face him," Levi finally says. "If you are afraid of what he'll do... then you don't have to be there to witness it."
"No." Mikasa says again. It was then when he realized that she wasn't shivering from fear. She was shivering in anger. "What you say would be cowardly of me. If I was still a girl... I'd probably run away... but now that I'm older, I'm ready to do what we came here for."
"You want revenge. I get it. But you don't have to see him." Levi tells her. Mikasa suddenly looks back up at him with a dark face. After that horrid event at the house years ago, she vowed to never forget what she saw until the culprit was arrested... or even worse. "I want to," She adds. "I'll never move along if I don't join you... but I'm ready, Levi. And if we die together... then we stay family for eternity. "
The girl smiles and begins to walk again before Levi could say anything else. He sighs, glad that she wants to move on. And he did too- after everything he had been through.
They were ready to take Hanji back and go home feeling like they can live normally again.
"Where is he...?" Hanji thought, looking around. Men stood around the the top of the abandoned parking garage, waiting- the Boss however, grew impatient. He knew Levi would come early instead of two days later, but this time felt different. He was itching to kill the woman tied up to the chair. Hanji tried to untie the rope behind her, but she stopped when he walked up to her. "You're boyfriend is running out of time here. And I'm getting real tired of looking at your face."
Hanji narrows her eyes. "Go fuck yourself," she said in her head for the tape on her mouth prevented her to speak. She wanted to jump out of that chair and grab his neck and squeeze it until she feels a pulse die away. She was angry at Levi, but all she wanted to do was to see his face again. Suddenly, as if her wish had come true, the men moved out of the way after alerting the boss for someone had arrived. Hanji's eyes widened in suprise when she saw Levi in the distance, a young minor beside him. "Levi," The boss greets. "Speak of the devil! You made it!"
Levi just scoffs, and Mikasa just stares the guy down with immense hatred.
"I did," her cousin replied. "Its very nice to see you too. Erwin."