I would like to take the opportunity of this update to wish everyone a happy Christmas and many beautiful things. And also thank you all, from the first to the last, for following my story.
A kiss!
When I grow up I want to be persuasive.
"Is this the house?" Elizabeth asked, leaning against the wall with one shoulder.
Levi watched her for a few moments, before returning his attention to the closed door of the house, which should have opened in moments.
"Captain, Elizabeth, are you sure it's here?" Oluo asked with his bag on his shoulders, arranging it better so that it did not fall.
"Yes." answered the captain coldly. He still couldn't understand how Elizabeth had managed to get him to go with them. She wanted to make sure that Hange was okay, having found her very upset by the last expedition, and he understood that very well, but it was something she could have done even when the squad leader returned to her office...
"Oh there she is, I think she's coming out." Petra noted, raising a finger in the direction of the house where the front door was actually opening by the hand of the one they were looking for.
Elizabeth gave her teammate a light push, pushing him forward in the direction of the team leader.
"Um, Hange..." Oluo murmured knowing that he should have apologized, but he considered it unmanly and downright embarrassing.
"Have you followed me here? It's not polite." Hange exclaimed rolling her eyes to see a particular blond head that she knew was the author of everything. She wouldn't have been surprised if one day she'd seen her in Zackly's place as well, as persuasive as she was.
"I'm sorry for the last time, had it not been for my mistake we could have captured him and we would have helped humanity. If I had to give my life for this it would not be too high a price. " Oluo lowered his head in apology, snatching a sweet smile from Elizabeth as she pulled away from the wall to approach Petra and watch the scene with her, shoulder to shoulder.
Hange took it from the knot he had made on his chest to hold the green bag, then lowering her face to place it at the same height as his, who began to tremble in fear.
"No, I'm the one who should apologize. I was going to kill you. I'm sorry. But don't ever say your life is cheat again, understand?"
"Hange..." Liz reached out to them, noting that Bossard was not only bleaching but also starting to choke.
When even the squad leader realized it she dropped it to the ground, raising her hands.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"I don't think someone lays on the ground and choke for fun, you know..." Elizabeth murmured moving her hands and head in an eloquent gesture that had the power to make her friend smile, upset until that moment.
The squad leader set off with them, secretly giving some mischievous smiles to Levi, who was walking alongside Elizabeth. It was strange to see them so relaxed, even if it was not noticeable in him at all; they didn't look like them but two ordinary people who enjoyed each other's company, without problems or duties.
"However Erwin must make a decision." Levi asserted to the whole group, bringing the topic of conversation back to Hange's greatest desire.
"I see..."
The squad leader seemed to think about it for a while before jumping happily, infecting the other two girls with his cheerfulness. "Hurray!"
"Her good mood is back." concluded the blonde smiling, giving Levi a hidden wink. The Captain shook his head as he realized what his woman had in mind; when she got an idea in her head she was really capable of anything, even going straight to Erwin.
And it was precisely in this way that that same afternoon Elizabeth asked to be able to speak with the Commander, obtaining special permission in a moment of pause between his commitments.
The Commander had already guessed what she wanted to talk to him about but he was intrigued enough to listen to her and at least give her the privilege of doubt. However, he was convinced that he would get her out of that room with a negative answer.
"So Elizabeth, what brings you here?" Erwin asked, leaning his back against the back of his chair, waving his hand to invite her to sit down. That gesture was completely new to her, and it took her a few moments to realize its meaning.
He was making her feel comfortable and he hadn't even done it when he asked her to participate in a special mission. That would not have been a simple negotiation.
"As I mentioned some time ago I believe I have come to a conclusion about the particular desire of the squad leader Hange to capture a titan alive. I am fully aware of the risks involved and the losses that have occurred so far, believe me, but I have worked hard on what could be a viable method of capture. If you allow me, I would like to show you the project, build it and test it. "
Straight to the point as always.
Erwin listened to her with extreme attention, now definitely intrigued by her words and the way she pronounced them.
She had a certain way of behaving for every occasion: if in front of the assembly she was rigid, refraining from what to say and what not, at that moment she was slightly more relaxed but her two-colored eyes shone with a different light. In the green one, in particular, he could see all the hope she was placing in that sheet of paper she was now handing him.
She had kept them folded in her pocket with particular care to prevent them from ruining, they were written in an orderly and precise manner, everything they illustrated was explained in detail, with all the necessary considerations.
Erwin was amazed by the work done and couldn't help but wonder when she had found the time to do it and, above all, how long she had been working on it.
"How can I be sure that my men's lives will not be put at risk?" he asked once he finished reviewing the paper carefully.
"I can't give you a hundred percent rate sir, that's obvious. But I can assure you that I foresee a loss of men at least fifteen percent less this way. "
Elizabeth's calculations had also extended to probability and survival in action. And Erwin was more and more amazed. He was almost unsure whether he was speaking to Elizabeth herself who until recently had entered his office angry at the lack of trust in her.
It was also true that he had promised her not to doubt her abilities anymore and it was really hard to doubt something that, apparently, was already giving you all the answers.
She was good, she had to admit. She had taken care to write everything down in order to convince him.
"Fifteen percent less is a lot." he examined Erwin by bringing his back forward, then resting his elbows on the desk. He was silent for a few moments, continuing to look Elizabeth in the eyes but without scrutinizing the slightest doubt or the slightest desire to back away.
"We can make a deal, what do you think?"
Elizabeth cocked her head slightly to the side, swallowing some saliva as she heard the words of her commander.
"A deal, sir?"
"Yes. I give you two weeks to build this thing together with Hange and the appropriate men, while you... "
The commander's hesitation at that very point made the blonde shiver, who tried in every way not to let him see it.
He wouldn't send her on another mission, would he?
"When you and Hange told me about that experiment they did to you as a child, I struggled to understand the reasons why you tore the pages out of the notebook. Then I thought it was just to keep Zackly from finding out too. Correct me if I'm wrong. "
"Not sir, you are not wrong." Elizabeth answered paying close attention to all the words he was using. It wasn't a mission he wanted, she would have put her hand in the fire.
"But you are not only this. More than once you have shown that you have a cool head and a great determination to carry out your task to the best of your ability and this, believe me, does you honor."
Erwin paused, letting Elizabeth analyze his every word as he was sure she was doing.
"Thank you sir but you haven't told me yet what I can do for you in return."
"Your capabilities also extend to the military, tactics and strategy and this model is the ultimate proof."
And Elizabeth was sure she understood what he wanted from her.
Perhaps she was beginning to prefer another mission but Levi would never forgive her. And she didn't really want to take another trip to the underground.
"I'm going to promote you Elizabeth."
The blonde wasn't sure she wanted to hear him say those words. She wasn't meant to lead anyone, she wasn't capable of it, and she didn't even want to learn it. It was already difficult for her to be with her captain, let alone take on a bigger role.
"What do you mean, Commander?" Elizabeth asked only because she knew she had to. Erwin hesitated at every word, studied her every reaction as if he already knew what she was thinking about it and was not surprised by her hesitation on the subject. He was testing her, knowing full well that this was the only way to make her give in and get what he wanted. If he had asked her in a better circumstance he would have gotten a straight 'no' and if he had ordered it it would never have been completely consensual for her. The only way was to push her to the point of accepting and also feeling proud about it.
"I want you to become a sort of official strategist of the Survey Corps from now on. You will manage each expedition and each reconnaissance as you think it is best, showing me your plans and arriving together at a winning solution." Erwin stated calmly, noting how shocked the girl was by that request.
True she wanted more trust but she didn't expect that kind of trust...
"Also, as far as Special Ops is concerned, I won't be taking part. Consequently I will have to assign other people. And I think you already understand what you have to do."
"Yes sir, I get it." she answered unable to look at anything other than the Commander's satisfied eyes. He had won.
"Very well. Then we have an agreement. "
"I am infinitely grateful to you Liz." murmured Hange as the two checked that an early test hook worked perfectly and didn't give way.
"Don't even say it. I'm glad I was able to help you. " Elizabeth answered giving her a sincere smile. The team for that particular task was made up of only five people, all of them in charge of general maintenance of the 3DMG and, consequently, experts in the sector. In the end it had taken her even less than fourteen days; at the end of the ninth the first prototype was already completed and ready for testing.
"You were brilliant."
Elizabeth waited for a man to finish hooking the net while the squad leader studied the hook to check its stability, one particularly large and hanging high.
"Hang yourself up there."
"What?!" asked the blonde who was helping tighten some bolts.
"We have to see if we have put it well otherwise the test is incomplete." Hange explained calmly, trying hard not to smile.
"And do I have to do it myself?"
"Please."
Hange folded her hands in front of her mouth and she couldn't say no.
With a snort she rolled her eyes and approached the hook by jumping to reach it, given her small stature, and hung on it with hands and feet in a single leap, as agile as a cat.
"How the hell does she do it?" asked one of the men on the team as he saw her always move so easily everywhere.
Hange laughed a bit as she realized that she had been hooked well and that hilarity immediately caught the blonde who, bringing her head back and closing her eyes, allowed herself a liberating laugh. Their task was difficult, each time they brought back many dead and what they could celebrate was only their own survival but they tried to cling to every flash of joy that was granted to them. What they did not expect was that the Commander and the Captain decided to join them at that moment to check the progress of the works.
"What the...?" Erwin murmured, pausing as soon as he saw her dangle over there laughing.
Levi clicked his tongue on the palate so as not to indulge in laughter or jokes. They were in public and he couldn't afford it but, he had to admit, the scene was ironic.
"Commander." she greeted him politely as soon as Erwin entered her field of vision, getting off the handhold with a quick gesture and getting to her feet.
"Always the same."
Levi shook his head without showing any emotion but Elizabeth had to be careful not to laugh; by now she knew him and was able to distinguish every facet of what he decided to say.
The men were turned away to prepare the nets and grab hooks, allowing the Captain a few more words without being heard by the rest of the group.
"You chose her." Erwin murmured to the Captain, still looking ahead as if he wasn't talking about personal things. Levi just looked at him out of the corner of his eye keeping the same face and taking a moment to observe Elizabeth and Hange, ahead of them, who were finishing what it took to finally show the two superiors the hard work of the blonde.
"I took the soldier, the crazy part came later."
Having obtained the consent, it did not take many more days for the Commander not to personally communicate the events to the rest of the Survey Corps. Elizabeth herself, while Erwin spoke, was called to join him, just behind him and with her hands clasped behind her back as he revealed to all the others what he had agreed with the blonde, obviously leaving out the aspect of the agreement itself.
"Special Operations will not involve me directly. However, it must be added that, while Hange will be in charge of captaining the operations, Elizabeth will direct the tactical aspect, so it is to her that you will have to answer. That's all."
Elizabeth remained impassive as the Commander walked away with Levi to speak privately and the rest of the team approached her with a smile on their face.
"Damn Elizabeth, I'm so happy for you!" Petra murmured, smiling at her. Erd beside her shone with the same happiness and pride in him, while Elizabeth didn't want those responsibilities in the slightest.
"Our Liz is good."
"Are you already starting to rise through the ranks without us?" Oluo asked jokingly, but then granted her a small smile. The last one to approach her with the same expression was Hange who gave her a small pat on the shoulder for encouragement.
"I really don't know how to thank you Elizabeth."
"Don't do it. Really, don't do it. Just see where it took me... "the blonde answered before being called aside by Levi, with a serious voice.
The captain didn't bother to say anything and turned, walking away from all those ears.
"Everything will be fine. And then it will only be for Special Operations. For the ordinary ones you will limit yourself to the tactics right? I wasn't ready when I became Captain, you know; you will be very good."
Elizabeth grinned, feeling lighter since that morning had begun and Erwin's announcement had been made.
"Who said you are good?"
Exactly two weeks later the first expedition set out with the only purpose of capturing a titan alive.
Levi stood at the head of the column, mounted and proud, with Elizabeth on his left and Hange on his right, a little behind him, followed by the rest of the team.
The horses ran at full speed to the point where they knew they would have at least one specimen on the loose but found only green and silence.
"It's all too quiet." Elizabeth murmured skeptically, looking around. Her carefree air, as every time they had to carry out their task, had given way to a rigid and serious air that had the power to intimidate many. Elizabeth had suggested not to take many soldiers with them and to focus on areas where too many giants were not usually seen, so that they could work undisturbed.
With an exact number of nine, the mission officially began.
"Set the trap and stay alert." exclaimed Hange turning to the three soldiers charged with managing the method of capture.
After a few hours that seemed interminable, the team was able to capture one alive for the first time, hoisting it on special wagons to be able to transport it. Everyone's help was needed but in the end it turned out that Elizabeth's idea was a winner.
What no one expected was to see that, during the attack on the giants, she had strayed too far and never returned.
A group of five giants had attacked them and found themselves forced to kill almost all of them, leaving only the one specimen alive that had come close enough to the trap, remaining stuck on the ground.
At the time of their return Elizabeth was no longer seen.
Levi clenched a fist, approaching the chariot where the titan had been hoisted to climb onto it and kill the beast in case it somehow managed to free itself, even if no one believed it possible.
A strange and terrifying silence rose between them as some lowered their heads and closed their eyes, knowing they had to go back without her.
The Captain had stopped responding to anyone, he didn't want to hear their voices and he didn't even want to see anyone. Hange was the first to sense this and gave the order for him to go back.
They all got on their horses: the three soldiers in front of the huge chariot that supported the giant, to take it where they could experiment on the beast, the rest of Levi's team on the sides to control the titan, Hange to lead them all and Levi behind, strangely for the role he held, but using precisely the excuse of having to be ready for a possible failure to be able to take a moment in silence.
He felt his heart stop beating as the cold, detached armor he had built in life began to surround his main organ again. She had been the only one to make room in that armor and now she would never let anyone else. The titans had taken her too.
And with those thoughts in his head, initially, he did not notice that there was another titan who had started chasing them.
"A titan!" Gunther yelled as he prepared to fight, while Levi preceded him and drew the blades even faster than him. But somehow he noticed that there was something beyond their appearances and his heart started racing and not from the adrenaline.
The creature's head blew up before anyone was even ready to move as all eyes widened to see a certain blonde exploit the gas of her 3DMG, hooking it first to the back and head of the titan and then letting it go. forward to the Captain who stretched out his hand to grab it.
Levi took the hook in his hand with extreme precision, giving her the necessary grip to reach them faster, without forcing them to stop.
"Oh my God..." Erd managed to mutter, sighing as he saw her alive.
"Thanks for waiting for me." she exclaimed as soon as the hook was withdrawn, her feet were firm on the wagon and the Captain's hands held her steady by the hips, with a firmer grip than usual.
Elizabeth took a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline drop from her body and give way to the desire to be held in Levi's arms.
But she knew he could not do it, there were still too prying eyes to look at them and it was not her teammates, although the three were ahead of them and had their vision completely obscured by the size of the titan.
"Never dare to do such a thing again." he whispered approaching his face to hers and increasing the tightness on her hips a little more until leaving a slight mark under her clothes.
Elizabeth felt guilty, even though she had only done her job. She could only imagine the fear it caused him but she found herself immobilized by two titans who wanted to attack the group and if she didn't do something she would be killed for real. At that moment she hadn't thought about it, she just acted. Only now did she realize what he might have felt in never seeing her come back.
What did not escape the four next to them was the look that, in silence, the two exchanged. And after that mission, as soon as it was just them, the rest of the 'Levi team' was also made aware of the relationship between the two.