Author's Note

Everyone is playing so much 4D chess that this is almost turning into a Queen's Gambit AU

Sophie dropped on her knees, surrounded by the darkness of the cell. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. She punched the stone floor in anger, liberating all the emotions she had repressed during Levi's visit. As a result of the reckless strike, she moaned in pain and looked at her trembling, bruised hand. She crawled to the back of the cell and rested on the cold, musty wall, pressing her legs against her chest.

She had always known that day would come; when she would finally have to face her crimes, and her reputation as a powerful and dedicated engineer would crumble. What she had not expected was that Levi would be there to witness it. She couldn't have anticipated that he would return and regain her trust after all those years. But he had, and she had fallen for him once more as unexpectedly as he had arrived at her manor that night.

You can still do the right thing here.

His words were engraved on her mind. The way he had looked at her with those imposing grey eyes. How he had come back over and over, despite her lies and deception. How he had tried to protect and understand her, and how everything had faded so suddenly.

He would never know how much all of that meant to her. How he had mended her guilt, loneliness, and heartbreak with his gaze. How, despite Asbel's doctrine, he had shown kindness in a world that had not been kind to her. How his touch had quieted all of her fears and distress. How she had tried to become a better person, fix her mistakes, and do the right thing. Just like he said.

He would never know because she couldn't tell him either, and given the outcome of it all, it had probably been for the best. The only regret she had was leading him on for so long, following her reckless feelings rather than the duty she had promised. A promise that had arisen solely because of his words at their reunion.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching the cell. She lifted her head and distinguished a cloaked figure, observing her. The stranger retrieved a small bag from the inside of the cape and threw it to the Police officer guarding her cell. The content of the bag jingled during its trajectory. The officer swiftly caught the sack mid-air and left the scene, in silence.

"Much better like this," whispered the stranger with a male murmur. She instantly knew who he was.

"Took you long enough, Asbel," she said. Sophie stood up and walked towards the gate, trying to look as imposing as possible given the circumstances. Asbel removed the hood of his cloak and stared at her with reprobation.

"Look at you. How disappointing."

"Thank you," she scoffed. "Now cut to the chase and get me out of here."

Asbel burst into a loud laugh, breaking his stoic presence for the first time in ages.

"You are out of your mind," he said, shaking his head.

"If I fall, you fall. That was the deal, right?"

"We are way past that deal."

She blinked in surprise. She had counted on Asbel helping her if their plans fell apart. Otherwise, everything would've been for nothing. She could still do the right thing; she just had to convince him that she was worth saving.

"Come on, Asbel. I know you love playing the knight in shiny armor. Why else would you marry an outcast like me and turn her into a lady, if not to parade how great and powerful you are? Getting me out of this cell would be a similar proof of your influence. That's everything you've always wanted, right? To be reckoned with."

"That's what we wanted, but you weren't willing to pay the price."

"Because people died! My people!" she screamed. Even if she tried to act fierce, her charade faded away when she remembered everyone who had lost their lives because of her.

"The same people that would not hesitate to kill you for a bag of food," he said, crossing his arms. "Freedom, power, success; all those things come at a high cost. You always failed to understand that. And it was my mistake to think you could, even if it did benefit me in the end."

Sophie wrapped her hands around the metal bars forming the gate, trying to get as closer and menacing to Asbel as possible.

"You need me. You will lose everything if I open my dirty Underground mouth and let go of all your secrets."

He scoffed, "Oh really? Enlighten me, what will you tell them?"

"How you used me as a pawn to manipulate the Government. How you forced the people from the Underground to be your slaves. How you took advantage of my rank to benefit your business. How you made me sign those papers."

"You see, that's the thing. You signed those papers, not me."

"I have proof," she screamed, tired of his aura of superiority.

"Oh, dear. I thought you were smarter than this. Can't you see it? You've been played."

"I have not," she said, clenching her jaw in anger.

He approached her with a piercing gaze like he had nothing to fear.

"Did you really think I would let you join that Survey Corps nonsense? That I would let that stunted Captain protect you while you threatened everything I've worked for?"

"I did all of your dirty jobs, followed your goals of power and richness. I kept quiet and endured it for years, and now you want to play the resented husband?"

"Yes," he replied without a doubt. "It will be an easy part to play now that the Commander has found all your documents." Sophie gasped at his words. Not even she knew how the new Government had found out about everything. "What? You thought that was a coincidence?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, increasing the force of her grip around the bars.

"That one-eyed freak wouldn't stop meddling…What else was I supposed to do? Wait until you broke down and told them everything?" He shook his head and took a step forward, approaching Sophie with a threatening expression on his face. "No. I've come too far to let you ruin it. Not even the alcohol was enough to keep you quiet, so I made sure they found all the evidence they needed to arrest you at the Reiss's archives."

"Keep me...quiet?"

"You loved being rich and powerful but hated me for my business. Alcohol was the only way to soften your daily condemning looks, to make you more docile. You got addicted to it rather quickly I must say, probably because of that filthy Underground blood of yours."

She remembered everything in an instant. How he had always been there, at her worst moments, offering her a flask or a drink. She had always blamed herself for her weakness, for not being able to handle the grief like everyone had expected her to.

She should've devised that he would double-cross her. However, a part of her had hoped that, deep down, he still cared enough to tolerate her.

"You said I was special. That we could be happy," she cried.

"We could've if you had remained silent and diligent. But you had to go around trying to hurt me because you couldn't handle the truth behind your success. You were never special, just gullible and dedicated enough. That's why I chose you for this."

"You used me..." She tried to say it out loud, but only a whisper came out of her lips. He didn't hear it.

"If you try to pin it on me, who will they believe? The drunk, unfaithful crazy woman who signed the papers that killed and betrayed hundreds of people? Or her afflicted husband, who has shown nothing but truth and devotion to their marriage vows?" He wrapped his hands around her wrists, still holding the metal bars. She tried to move away, but his grip was too strong, causing her to moan in pain as she attempted to escape. "Even if you don't get hanged, the prosecution will be too much for you to handle; you'll end yourself just fine," he whispered.

"I have proof," she repeated.

In a burst of anger, Asbel pulled her towards him with fury. Sophie groaned as her head hit the barred door. He stared at her, analyzing her hurt expression and searching for the truth behind her words. She was petrified, realizing that had been the first time she had seen Asbel losing his temper.

"No, you don't. Otherwise, you would've done the same."

She remained silent. All kinds of emotions revolved in her head, but she was unable to transform them into words. When she could get a glimpse of what she wanted to say, her broken voice wouldn't reach him. That was worse than death. He had ruined her.

Asbel scoffed, releasing his grip and turning around. He knew he had delivered the killing blow. The sight of his trembling, miserable wife was enough confirmation that there was nothing left to say. He walked up the stairs when Sophie gathered the courage to ask him one last thing.

"Did you ever love me?"

He stopped and replied without looking at her.

"Did you? Or did you just hold on to the one person that gave you a chance?"

His words rumbled through the room. For a moment, she could feel as if time had frozen and there was no air left in the world. She couldn't breathe or think. She could barely feel her heartbeat, whereas he had left without regretting any of his words. Shortly after, the bribed Police officer came back to resume his guard.

She returned to the back of the cell and dropped herself on the floor, defeated. He had promised her happiness and power when she had nothing left. She had recklessly followed those ambitions to fill the void in her heart, and her foolishness had cost hundreds of lives—including hers. All for a glimpse of wealth and recognition that she didn't truly deserve. There was no talent or genius behind her success, just an influential man. Both inside and outside, he had always portrayed himself as a savior rather than a devil. No one would bother to listen to her truth.

Now everything had ended like it started; with loneliness.

"Just like you said, Erwin," she mumbled.

Levi had slept less than usual, spending the night making sense of everything Hange had said. The Commander's words at the meeting had inevitably brought back all his memories with Sophie. Everything felt like a hazy, torturing fever dream.

He kept staring at the outside of the Corps HQ from the window in his room. Hange had advised him to not go to the trial if he didn't want to, but he needed to hear Sophie's truth. He needed to hear a confession escape her lips. It would be the only thing that would stop the madness of past, present, and wishes of future that he had inside his head. His soldier persona had taken over, waiting for Sophie's sentence to indicate that his duty with her was over. Only then he could renounce his feelings for once and for all, just as he should have the first time he had seen that wicked woman at Ehrmich. He should've exposed her as Reiss sympathizer once he found the bullets, instead of playing her twisted games.

He walked towards the wardrobe. As usual, his hand wandered through all of the corporate jackets, stopping at the one at the end. He caressed the black and soft fabric of Erwin's coat. He shook his head and removed the clothing from the hanger with one swift, bitter movement. He put it over his shoulders, remembering the former Commander's face before leading the recruits to their deaths, taking on the role of a devil for the last time. He reminisced their final look before he had decided to let him rest, freeing him from being a slave to his dream.

He slipped his arms inside the sleeves, smirking at the difference in length between his body and the clothing. He stroked the fabric, wondering where everything had gone wrong. Perhaps it had been when they had found Sophie in the basement. Or perhaps at their reunion on the surface, after the deaths of his friends and comrades. No matter how much he tried to move past that, the memories and regrets kept coming back.

Instinctively, he slid his hands into the pockets of the jacket. He frowned when his fingers touched a paper on the right side, carefully wrapped. He took it out and undid the folding, feeling his heartbeat accelerate in anticipation. He dropped himself on the bed as he read the content of the letter.

Dear Levi,

If you are reading this, it means that you were right, and I've perished at Wall Maria. I apologize for my stubbornness. I hope you can forgive all the pain I must've caused you.

When Sophie told me about you, I could not believe that one man could make such an impression on anyone. She was fascinated by you. I did not understand that at the time, but when I met you in the Underground, I could see why her eyes lit up every time she said your name.

You are strong, empathic, and caring. You are not only the most skilled soldier of the Corps but also the person dearest to me. It has been a pleasure to have you by my side, for better or worse.

You've always fought well, perhaps for far too long. I regret there is one last thing I want you to do.

For the past months, Sophie Lhant has been providing me with important information regarding Asbel Barnes's ties with the Reiss Government and other illegal operations. Asbel is like a spider in a very tight web; once something disturbs it, he knows exactly where and who it was. Therefore, I asked Sophie to keep her involvement completely secret from anyone else.

In case our plans did not succeed, I told her I could not guarantee her protection. She understood this and was willing to sacrifice herself, compensating for her silence through all these years. However, I know she is important to you, and you are important to her. I feel remorse for having taken so many dear things from your life, so many lives lost. I want you to feel fulfilled when you don't have to fight anymore. I trust that she will be by your side when that happens.

Please, tell her that the gears have been switched. I know you and Hange will be able to figure things out from there.

Yours truly,

Erwin Smith.

"Oh, you sick bastard…" whispered Levi, folding the document and wrinkling his face in anger. "Instead of surviving, you just left me a stupid letter." He covered his face, trying to make sense of it all. The letter didn't prove Sophie's innocence, only her cooperation with Erwin regarding Asbel's business. But at least, it meant that he was also involved, that she had been trying to fix her mistakes. Both of them had admitted to their truths, but Levi had failed to see it.

Erwin's words from the meeting at his office completely changed meaning, despite having been stuck in Levi's head for so long.

Do you trust her?

It had not been a question. It had been a test. Erwin had been testing whether Levi would be willing to continue helping Sophie if he died in Shiganshina. He felt defeated, realizing all the things he had gotten wrong; she had not gotten close to him to investigate the Corps. Just like Erwin had said after the Uprising, it had been a simple act of redemption. And Levi had chosen to believe a couple of papers and a crook husband over her.

He reminisced their last night at Ehrmich; a promise she could not break, something that didn't allow her to be honest with him. All the hazy thoughts from his head started to fall into place like pieces in a puzzle. He still wasn't sure whether Sophie had truly committed those crimes, but if Erwin trusted her, so did he. He clenched his jaw and groaned, remembering the spiteful words he had said at her cell.

"I will make this right," he promised to himself.