Mikasa, with her face partially hidden through the fabric of a red scarf, that Levi had never seen her without, smirked slightly in taunting amusement, but instead of directly responding, she turned to Levi with a large smirk.

"Afraid to admit you need my help, shorty?" she asked with a slight edge of venom to her words which caused Levi to snarl in anger and the whole atmosphere to intensify considerably. Eren, seemingly oblivious to this and to the two's growing hatred, turned to Mikasa with a large grin before speaking joyfully, "Yeah! Thanks so much for helping us back there!"

Mikasa immediately turned towards the small boy and smiled sweetly before Levi, seething in rage, grabbed Eren and turned to leave whilst shouting over his shoulder.

"We're leaving!" he snarled as Eren, surprised from the sudden movement, remained still in Levi's tense grasp.

"Wait," Mikasa's commanding voice stopped Levi before the man could even attempt to walk a few more steps. Levi, surprised by the sudden intensity of her voice, turned to look at her questioningly.

"If it's the gun you want back, I can return it to you," he said calmly, but Mikasa merely continued to stare at him with great vigor. Her hair slightly covering the dull shade of black in her eyes.

"You must understand that I am not in the underground business as much as I used to be," Mikasa started with her voice steely calm. "For me to have heard you, of all people, were babysitting a child, is big news."

Levi paused in hesitation, before asking in a soft voice, "How did you come across that information?"

"Everyone with even the slightest ties to the underground know, Erwin made sure of that."

Slowly, very slowly, Levi began to put Eren onto the ground. The boy looking at Levi in confusion, his face contorted into that of puzzlement. As soon as Eren was safely on the ground, Levi pulled out the glock from his back pocket before pointing it at Mikasa's face with his eyes rigid and cold.

"So tell me, Mikasa. Did Erwin send you here to kill me?"

Mikasa opened her mouth, most likely to deny the claims, but Levi gave her no time to react as the man darted forward and crushed Mikasa's back to the brick wall of the alleyway with unimaginable force before pointing the gun directly to her head. The cold barrel digging into her skin as Levi snarled angrily in fury and mistrust.

"Don't even think of lying!"

Mikasa, not even slightly fazed by the sudden action, remained still as her eyes stared at Levi, searching for something before she carefully swallowed and answered.

"Yes, yes he did."

Levi didn't even hesitate as he was about to pull the trigger of the gun.

"Stop! Please stop!" a voice shouted as arms turned to grab Levi's leg and pull as harshly as they could although Levi wouldn't deny that he barely felt it. Eren, with his stuffed bear forgotten, was crying while clinging onto Levi with as much strength as he could. His fingers trying to dig into the fabric of Levi's pants but ultimately failing to do any damage. "Please don't hurt her!" Eren shouted again which caused Levi to hesitate.

"Eren ...," Levi said stiffly although he still did not look at the boy. "Let go, now." But Eren refused as the boy continued to cry and sob.

There was a slight pause as Levi was beginning to seriously debate kicking the brat before Mikasa spoke softly.

"I want to help you."

Levi raised his eyebrow at her sudden declaration. "Give me one reason why I should trust you."

Mikasa said nothing but her hands began to move almost unconsciously. Levi watched her wearily in case she decided to pull out a gun or even attempt to punch him, but instead, she merely reached upward to grip the red scarf that remained partially hidden among the folds of her black jacket.

"I want to help," she spoke confidently again. "Anything that defies Erwin, I will gladly help in."

Levi paused, his eyes staring intently at Mikasa, searching for any hints of lying, in which he found none. Her intense gaze fill with so much hurt and hatred at the mere mention of Erwin's name.

"The scarf," Levi spoke quietly. "Who gave it to you?"

Mikasa said nothing, her eyes misting with unwanted tears that she refused to shed, especially in front of Levi.

"Let's just say Eren reminds me of him," she whispered softly before adding in a remorseful tone, "and Erwin killed him."