Chapter 40

Eren

Eren climbed the stairs to the top and stopped in front of a familiar door. He couldn't remember the last time he had been in this place. Months had passed.

He raised his hand to knock, but before doing so, he hesitated. This was the second meeting he had feared. Surprisingly, the conversation with Levi went surprisingly smoothly, and his fears turned out to be unfounded. He didn't want to have too high hopes, but he had the feeling that things had never been better between two of them… The memory of his last meeting with the detective, especially the moment Levi had kissed him goodbye, warmed him from the inside and gave him strength.

But Eren had no idea if his friend would be able to forgive him as well.

Yaeger knocked on the door, which opened after a short while.

Armin looked at him from behind rectangular glasses, and then without a word he moved to the side, so his guest could enter the place. Eren was a little surprised, but he stepped over the threshold without any hesitation. He looked around at the well-known interior and immediately noticed that there had been some change in here. After a while he realized what had changed: the apartment was neatly cleaned, the pile of clothes disappeared from the hall, so did the dirty dishes, which were always standing everywhere. Eren mentally stated that Levi would certainly be proud of this state of affairs.

Yaeger glanced at Arlert, who stood beside him, arms crossed over his chest. The blond stared at the unannounced visitor and raised one eyebrow, apparently waiting for Eren to speak.

"Armin..." Eren began, returning his friend's gaze and trying to choose the right words. "I know you're angry with me. I want to apologize to you for everything that happened recently, for me cutting you off like that... For leaving without saying a word. And for punching you back then, at that stupid party. I'm sure you already know about Mikasa, so please, at least forget about all of this until we find her. I need your help. Then I'll leave you alone."

Arlert listened carefully and when Eren had finished, he sighed softly and adjusted the glasses on his nose.

"I'm only upset that it took you so long."

Eren blinked in surprise.

"What now?"

"I thought you'd show up sooner," replied Armin with a shrug. "Annie told me everything. About what happened to Mikasa and why. We're two days behind, but I already have some ideas. The most important question is, have you contacted the detectives yet?"

Yaeger stood motionless for a moment, unable to believe his ears. He widened his eyelids, realizing that Armin was waiting for him, moreover, he really wanted to help him and apparently had no regrets towards him. They had to focus on finding Mikasa.

"Yes, I spoke to Levi yesterday. We discussed everything between us and we're returning to the previous terms of cooperation."

"That's great to hear. Then all we need to do is figure out where Grisha may be holding Mikasa and how we will retrieve her. And of course, what will happen next", Armin narrowed his eyes, probably reflecting on the strategy. Suddenly he looked back at Eren, his face softening. " First things first. Are you hungry? I made pizza".

Eren couldn't hold back any longer. He quickly walked to Armin. He hugged his friend, embracing the blond's neck and closing his eyes. A great weight fell from his chest, and he felt incredible relief at that moment. He also realized how much he missed this man.

"Oh," Armin blurted out. The boy reflected and returned Eren's gesture, also hugging his friend. "How nice. Does that mean the old Eren has returned?"

"He was here all the time," Yaeger replied, stepping back to look closely at Armin and smile. But there was a sense of guilt in his eyes. "He just wanted to do something on his own for once, but it didn't work out... Armin, I'm sorry, really. I'm sorry if I hurt you, I didn't mean it. I wanted to protect you."

"I know. If you hadn't punched me then, Zeke would've done it for you," Armin nodded, returning his gaze. "I have no regrets about it, so we're cool. And... Sincerely? This plan of yours wasn't entirely bad. It was just one of the options we had. But it was too risky. You didn't assume that at some point you would have to choose between the two sides you chose to protect. Either Mikasa or Levi. I guess it must've been a terrible feeling, being faced with such a choice."

Armin put a hand on his friend's shoulder, and Eren raised his eyebrows slightly. He was terrified sometimes by how much Armin could guess.

"Well... Now we have to try something different," Arlert said, lifting the corner of his mouth slightly. "Like I said, I have some ideas. I know you will definitely won't like it, but again, we have no choice. If we do that, everything will change. I'll tell you about my proposal while you can eat, how about that? You look like you haven't eaten in days."

"I'd like that," Eren confessed, also smiling a bit. They walked towards the kitchen, arm by arm. Armin adjusted the glasses on his nose and began to speak.

Mikasa

A sound woke her.

It wasn't a good sign. She preferred silence, even if it seemed to last forever. Anything was better than people who showed here once in a while.

Kruger was the most frequent visitor. He always brought a new tray of food with him and took the previous one, all to the accompaniment of indifferent glares and colorless expressions, as if she were an animal to be kept alive. Marcel or Porco visited her a couple of times, bringing her a change of clothes and forcing her to change in front of them. She was lucky that neither of them had touched her yet.

Grisha placed her in this room, but he hadn't visited her even once. Apparently, he was too offended by her behavior to bother himself in this place.

Mikasa looked around. The room consisted of a small bed, table, toilet and sink. The room had only one narrow window, but it was too high for her to reach and see outside. She had no idea where she was.

If her calculations were correct, it had been five days since she had been here. She didn't know what would happen next. Since Grisha hadn't gotten rid of her by now, maybe one day he could forgive that she tried to kill him. She didn't care about it at all, but she needed this to see Jean again… and to convince Eren to work with the police again.

Footsteps in the corridor grew louder. After a moment, she heard the clang of keys, the door swung open and one of Grisha's bodyguards entered, a tray in his hand. Mikasa pulled her knees to her chin, huddled on the bed. She hoped the man would leave soon.

The man walked over to the table and set the tray on it, then looked in her direction.

He had short, brown hair and curved stubble under his nose and on his chin. The girl widened her eyes as she recognized him. It was the same man Levi incapacitated while the two of them were escaping from the Yaeger's mansion. She had pretended she twisted her ankle, in front of him, so Levi could attack him from cover.

The man watched her silently.

"You remember me, don't you?", He asked in a low voice. "What you did wasn't cool. But that's fine, let's forget about it. Grisha didn't kill you, so apparently he needs you for something".

The girl didn't answer. She felt her pulse quicken with nervousness.

"You've hardly eaten anything since yesterday," he said flatly, and then took a few steps towards her. Mikasa frowned as she saw the mean smirk contort his lips. "You should take better care of yourself. You're all alone here... Don't you feel lonely? I can keep you company. You've seemed quite friendly lately."

As she saw the man's gaze slide over her body, she tensed her muscles and jumped to her feet, wanting to be prepared for the attack. When the man swung to strike her, she dodged, then plunged her elbow into his stomach with all the strength she had.

The man grunted softly in pain, then grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her back on the bed. Mikasa gasped in surprise, trying to get up, but she felt a strong blow to her face. The man slapped her. She wanted to fight him, but he was bigger and stronger. He pressed her body against the mattress, locking her hands. She kept fighting. She knew she would fight to the very end.

"If you stop struggling, I'll do it quickly!", The man growled, reaching for his pants, which only made the girl fighting even harder.

She screamed in anger and felt a cool hand cover her mouth, muffling a scream that tried to escape from her lungs. Mikasa shook her head, still struggling to free herself. Tears streamed from her eyes. It couldn't end like this, it just couldn't...

And then something strange happened, the man froze, then rose to his feet. Only after a while Mikasa realized it was not she who had led to this, but the fact the door opened and someone had just stepped on the threshold. She shivered at the bored face of Zeke Yaeger.

"Zeke!" The stranger drawled and smiled. His voice, however, took on an oddly squeaky tone, he obviously was expecting no one. "Good to see you! Grisha sent me to bring her food and I thought I'd have some fun. Want to join?"

Zeke raised an eyebrow, it was the only change Mikasa saw on his face since he appeared. Then he glanced at her. The girl huddled on the bed, breathing quickly. Yaeger must have noticed her crumpled clothes, her cheek all red from a hard slap, and the tears in her eyes. After a moment, he shrugged.

"Fun? Hm, why not. I have nothing better to do anyway."

"That's the spirit!" the man called, turning back to Mikasa. "Where were we?"

Zeke stood next to the brunet and reached for something in his pocket. Mikasa shivered as she spotted the folding knife in Yaeger's hand that he had just unfolded. His gray eyes, hidden behind round glasses, flashed with unusual sensation. So that's how it was supposed to end. Zeke was here to get revenge on her...

The man standing next to Zeke also noticed a weapon.

"Oh", the man stammered, blinking in surprise. "I don't think Grisha wanted to kill her yet, so...".

The man stopped talking, which was the understandable reaction, because Zeke had just stabbed the blade into the man's skull, with one quick move. Blood spurted from the freshly inflicted wound as the knife was immediately pulled from it.

"You have exceeded the limit of your own privileges", Zeke drawled, staring at the man's face with strange fascination.

The bodyguard grunted, then fell to the floor. His body shuddered slightly and then stopped moving.

Mikasa was sitting on the bed, breathing in terror. She watched as Zeke bent over the man, studying him for a moment, then stood up and straightened. He glanced at her briefly, his expression blank, then strode to the door without a word.

"Why..." she blurted out before she could stop herself. She didn't want to ask him this, she didn't want to owe him any debt, but it was too late.

Mikasa saw Zeke turn to look at her.

"Isn't it obvious? You are family after all," Yaeger muttered with a quick shrug. "Only family can hurt you."

Then he left the room. Mikasa watched him in shock. She also heard him dial someone's number and say something about cleaning a corpse out of her isolation room.

The girl glanced at the dead body of the man who wanted to hurt her. She felt no sympathy towards him.

She turned on her side and closed her eyes as she tucked herself in the rough blanket. The girl didn't even think about the food the man had brought, she lost her appetite. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to imagine that she was far away… somewhere warm. Somewhere where the sky is blue and cloudless, and all around one can hear the sound of the waves and the joyful cries of seagulls.

Levi

The car stopped. The driver's door swung open, a tall blond-haired man got out of the vehicle and walked slowly towards the building where he lived. Just then, Levi emerged from the shadows and blocked his way.

Reiner's eyes widened, and the bag of groceries he was carrying almost fell out of his hand.

"Ackerman," he stammered in surprise, stopping to stare down at the shorter man. "What are you do-..."

"I'm going back to work tomorrow so I can move freely. As for you… I'm here for one purpose only, and you know perfectly well what's that," Levi muttered, stopping two steps ahead of Braun.

He could see Reiner's lids widening even more. There was a sudden realization within them.

"You met with Eren," Braun whispered, with the strange relief in his voice. The corners of the man's mouth curved up into a gentle smile. Ackerman didn't reciprocate, his gaze turning from hostile to lethal. Levi narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw as if he was barely refraining his body from throwing himself at the taller man. Reiner, seeing this, quickly realized something else else. "And if so... You already know everything."

"Yes," Levi drawled, folding his arms over his chest and clenching his fingers around his arms, imagining his grip on Braun's neck. It was a beautiful vision, but its realization would get them nothing but selfish, grim satisfaction.

"What are you gonna do with me now?" Reiner asked resignedly.

Levi sniffed the air, then looked to the side.

"We won't tell Shadis for now. We need you. However, you can be sure that justice will eventually get you."

"I know that. I'm ready for it," Braun replied in a low but oddly sincere tone. Ackerman looked into his eyes again and saw no falsehood or hesitation there. "I'll do whatever you think is right."

"Great," Levi muttered, then turned sideways to the man. "I will consult with Erwin and Hanji, then we will determine what the next steps will be."

Braun nodded. The men stared at each other for a moment longer. Finally Reiner moved, shifted the bag from one hand to the other, and sighed softly.

"I know you'd like to cut me into pieces right here and right now... I know that it's difficult for you and I just want you to know that I'll try to atone for what I did as much as I can."

Levi frowned and pursed his lips, answering only after a moment. His voice was low and saturated with resentment.

"I won't deny it."

Reiner lifted the corner of his mouth, and similar to his previous smile, this one had more sadness than mirth.

"Hey, you've got my fate in your hands now", Reiner confessed with a shrug. His face was emotionless. "You can cheer yourself up at least with that. We're even now."

Levi narrowed his eyes.

"No, Braun," the detective muttered, then, without warning, took two steps forward, coming close to Reiner. He grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt with one hand. He clenched his other hand into a fist, swung it and struck it in the man's face, causing it to jump to the side. The blond gasped softly in pain. "We're still not close to being even, but that's enough for me for now."

Levi stepped back and rubbed his wrist. Meanwhile, Braun grabbed his own cheek, but he didn't seem nervous, quite the opposite. He looked at Ackerman calmly, as if the blow had brought him some kind of respite, a strange relief.

"I'll do what I can to help."

Levi said nothing to that. He turned on his heel and walked away before he could lose his temper again. He got into his car and drove away, followed by Reiner's gaze.

A short shower, a cup of his favorite tea and then flipping through his notes - his evening looked exactly like this, after Levi came home from meeting Braun. His mood lightened a little. The mere fact of being back in his own apartment was comforting for him. It was here that he felt the best, the safest.

Shadis didn't quit his supervision. There was a car in front of his house, in which were two policemen, sent to monitor his safety. Levi, however, agreed on it without any trouble, the most important for him was that he was back at home. In his own area.

Hanji and Erwin were supposed to be at his place after nine, so he took time to prepare a simple dish. He couldn't remember the last time he cooked for his friends. Probably, it was when they were still meeting with Eren, a couple of months ago...

Suddenly, a signal came from across the room, announcing the arrival of a new message. Levi's eyes widened. He immediately thought of one particular person.

Eren!

The man put his tea down on the table and walked briskly across the living room, pausing in front of the sofa. He reached for the phone that was lying on the low glass table. He read the boy's message.

"I met with A. today. I don't quite like his plan, but that's all we have... Are you okay?"

Levi felt a twinge of triumph. So Eren finally talked to Armin! Apparently everything was on the right track. Ackerman figured out what Armin would propose, and if his conclusions proved correct, everything would fall into place. He wrote back to Eren quickly.

"Thanks. Everything's fine. I talked to R. I'll wait for your contact ".

The detective put his cell phone back in its place and wanted to move, but suddenly the phone announced another message. Levi raised his eyebrows. Has anything else happened? He looked quickly at the display. He blinked several times, staring blankly at the text. He sat down on the sofa, completely awestruck.

"I miss you."

Levi couldn't take his eyes off these three words that appeared so unexpectedly in his world. He stared at the dark font, at the simple, uncomplicated letters, trying to understand how his life choices had led him to that point in space-time where his informant had sent him this kind of a message... He should put the phone down and forget about that text. After all, these phones were supposed to serve them only for one purpose, they couldn't use them for personal conversations.

He knew it perfectly well, but he decided that he needed to make it perfectly clear with the boy. He quickly typed a reply.

"These phones are for official purposes only. Don't cross the line."

Levi sent a message, but for some reason he didn't move. He was still staring at the display, waiting for an answer, mentally cursing himself for this weakness. He couldn't help it, but his heart skipped a beat as a new notification flashed across the screen.

"Sure".

Ackerman took this message with calmness. He decided not to answer to that, they should limit contact after all. He was about to turn off the display and put down his cell phone, but a new message popped up on the screen.

"I'd like to hug you so much now."

Levi froze, staring at the phone with wide eyes. The composition of these few innocent words made him still hold the device in his hand. How could he be indifferent to such a confession? Feeling subconsciously that he would regret it, he wrote back what first came to mind.

"What else would you like?"

It wasn't until the message was sent that he realized what he had done. Instead of cutting this game down, he just encouraged this stubborn boy to continue participating. He should be smarter! What the hell had been going on with him lately?

In his mind's eye he saw Eren, who must've just received his message somewhere far away from here. Levi lifted the corner of his mouth, thinking about how the boy would react to his question. He would be surprised for sure. Levi stopped wondering about it when a new notification arrived. Ackerman opened the message without delay. He widened his eyes.

"I'd like so many things... I would like to lie next to you now and hold you tight. I would like to put my face in your hair and inhale your smell. I would like to look at you for hours, to be able to kiss you and to touch you, if only you would let me. I'd like to fall asleep and wake up right beside you."

As Levi was reading the message, he felt he was getting out of breath. He was afraid his heart was going to break its record for maximum beats per minute. He read the message several times. He couldn't withhold a soft smile that lit up his face. When was the last time he felt this way...? So idiotically happy?

"You have a really extraordinary imagination."

The detective sent a message and the reply came almost immediately.

"And U? What would you like?"

Levi sighed and leaned against the headrest of the sofa. He closed his eyes, contemplating about this question. Eren's vision was tempting, but to be completely honest, he himself could think of only one answer. The detective lifted his eyelids, typed a message, and sent it with a melancholy expression.

"I wish you were safe and happy."

He would have given a lot to see Eren's face the moment he saw his answer. All he could do was wait for his response. It came very quickly, as usual. Levi parted his lips, seeing the words sent by the boy.

"I feel safe and happy when I'm with you."

Ackerman sighed softly, then let his eyelids droop again. He couldn't define his feeling towards Eren right now, or maybe he was too afraid to describe it. At first he thought he just had a soft spot for him. At some point, however, it turned into a real affection. He had no idea when it changed. It was possible that he felt it for the first time when Eren kissed him, during their conversation at the car workshop. Though perhaps he had felt it much earlier.

They were now one step away from taking this relationship to a whole new level. Levi had no idea what would happen after that. In other circumstances, he would probably have reached for what Eren wanted to offer him without hesitation, but in this case he was unable to do so. He cared about the boy and he didn't want to hurt him... And for some reason he felt that if they would keep doing what they were doing, he would hurt him eventually.

However, he had to remember that Eren was an adult now. He was responsible for his own decisions. Either way, he felt they should talk about it face to face.

"It's getting late and I have work to do. Let's finish this conversation another time. Sleep well."

Levi sent the message and waited a moment for an answer. He didn't have to wait long.

"Sweet dreams."

The man held the phone close to him for a moment longer. Then he turned off the screen and put the device back on the table. He got up from the couch and went back to the kitchen to finish making the snack. If he and other detectives were going to work all night, they must have had the strength to do so. He reached for the chopping board and knife when suddenly he heard that a new message arrived.

Levi frowned. Was Eren not giving up?

Ackerman quickly walked back to the glass table. He widened his eyes, seeing that it wasn't a message but an incoming call. The numer was private. Levi hesitated for a moment. Then he picked up his phone and answered the call.

"Hi," Armin's voice announced from the receiver. Levi blinked in surprise, then smiled in relief. "It won't take too long. Or, maybe it will... Do you have some time?"

"You bet I do," Levi replied, walking over to the table where his laptop was placed. He sat down on the chair and opened some documents. "Did Eren tell you what we agreed?"

"Yes, and the list of possibilities is frightening," Armin sighed, his voice exhausted. "Grisha could have put Mikasa in a place none of us know. It can be literally anywhere, and we need to find her quickly before they even know you're on their trail."

Ackerman frowned. Suddenly he rose from his seat and nervously circled the living room, scanning the space around him. He was focused, trying to come up with the one specific lead he needed... and then a thought occurred to him. Levi stopped and narrowed his eyes.

"Armin... is there any place that is in some way connected to Zeke?"

"To Zeke?" the boy's voice was slightly surprised, but it sounded like he wasn't excluding the possibility that Levi had mentioned. "Give me a minute... I'm not sure, I'd have to check the locations where they used to live before... But... Well, there's a mansion that Zeke inherited from his mother. It belonged to her parents, but the Yaegers don't visit this place very often. It seems to me to be completely unused and neglected. Do you really think Grisha would choose a place like this?"

Levi listened to Arlert's speech with an adrenaline rush. He liked these moments. Every time he hit a trail, he felt as if reality was jumping forward in some way, he could almost hear a soft click in his head, as if a piece of the puzzle had snapped into place.

"Yeah. That'll be it."

Eren

He pushed the door and walked briskly over the threshold, entering the cabinet.

The meeting started without him, which didn't surprise him at all. Eren glanced at the figures sitting by the table, saw Yelena and Magath on one side and his father on the other. Kruger stood against the wall, as still and threatening as ever, and when he saw Eren, he didn't move, merely gave him an indifferent glance.

Grisha glanced at his younger son from under a frown. Eren's arrival made him interrupt his speech. As the boy sat down to his right, the man cleared his throat softly before continuing.

"As I was saying, I understand you may have felt insecure recently, but I assure you that we're in control of the situation," the man said, looking calmly at Yelena and Magath. Then Yaeger looked reluctantly at his son. "Am I right, Eren?"

The boy nodded. He sat up straight, his hands folded on the top of the wooden table.

"Yeah. I can vouch for Braun, he keeps us informed of everything that is happening at the moment. Despite the fact that Ackerman has returned to the team, he can't trace us. There is also no evidence that Grisha was responsible for his kidnapping. He only saw me, Zeke, Mikasa, and some of our men."

Yelena and Magath exchanged glances. Eren could feel the change of mood.

"If things get worse, we'll have to get back," the woman confessed, clasping her hands in front of her. "Each of us must first ensure peace in our own backyard. We thought you had it under control."

"We can handle it," Eren rushed to reply, seeing his father's arms tense with anger. "Give us some time."

When the meeting broke up a moment later and everyone began to leave the room, Eren blocked Grisha's way. The man looked at him with undisguised irritation. Since Mikasa's imprisonment, their relationship has cooled significantly. Grisha avoided him. In conversations he seemed to be terribly cut at him, as if the whole situation was somehow his fault.

"Father... I want you to let me see Mikasa. Only for a short moment," Eren confessed, staring into the man's eyes, but he noticed a silent hostility in them. Grisha wasn't going to agree to his request, but he had to pretend to be determined, that the man wouldn't begin to guess that Eren had a different plan. "Please. Let me do this, let me see her."

"It's too early, Eren," Grisha muttered, reaching out and laying his hand on his son's shoulder. "Mikasa needs to understand that what she did was wrong."

"But..."

"I think I made myself clear," Grisha cut him off in an icy tone, squinting at the same time. "Remember you have another friend, go see him."

Eren pursed his lips, but then nodded. His father's hand was heavy on his shoulder like unwanted ballast, and he could sense an unspoken threat in his words.

"Sorry. You're right."

"That's better," Grisha said, lifting the corner of his mouth, then patting Eren on the shoulder. He nodded at him, then walked towards the door. Kruger followed the man without even glancing at the boy.

Eren looked after his father with grim satisfaction.

Levi

Levi got out of the car and looked up at a small summer house, enclosed with a high fence. Its brick walls were covered with ivy and decorated with wooden shutters. An inconspicuous, charming place, located in a complete wasteland. It belonged to Zeke Yaeger. Smith got out on the other side of the car and looked around as well. The special unit van stopped behind them, and the rest of the police officers got out.

Ackerman and Smith walked slowly toward the gate, holding their weapons at the ready. The place looked deserted, but they were in the Yaegers' grounds. That meant trouble.

As they reached the gate, Levi pulled a pair of metal-cutting tongs from his pocket. He unabashedly dealt with the chain guarding the entrance. The gate was opened and the detectives entered the property.

They got this location from Armin. Levi decided that Grisha had to keep Mikasa only in some place connected to Zeke. Until now, the eldest Yaeger did everything so that he could not be personally linked to any serious crime. He wouldn't risk it either this time. This location previously belonged to the family on the part of Grisha's first wife. It was Zeke who had inherited this summer mansion, but it was clearly unused. Or at least someone wanted it to look that way. It was possible that it was used for completely different purposes than to spend a summer break.

The detectives walked briskly across the yard. Before breaking down the front door, they checked the entire area surrounding the building. The place didn't seem to be under any camera surveillance.

The interior of the building also seemed abandoned. Only some of the rooms were furnished, there were no personal items, details that would give this place a sentimental value. Levi and Erwin waited in the hall while the task force searched all rooms. When they finished, the squad leader shook his head. Just then, Ackerman's eyes fell on the door leading to the basement.

The Yaegers' basement.

Levi started in that direction. The door leading down, of course, turned out to be locked. A few kicks, however, were enough to break the lock and the entrance was opened. The detective walked down the stairs with the rest of the officers. There were several rooms at the very bottom. They checked almost every nook and cranny to stop at one point in front of the last, solid and slammed door.

Ackerman tried to break down this entrance as well, but the door was much more durable. They waited a moment until one of the functionaries brought battering ram. Only with its use, they managed to get inside. The door swung back, hitting the wall.

Levi quickly crossed the threshold, scanning the room. Erwin was one step behind him. Ackerman widened his eyes as he saw several furnishings, including a small bed. At first he was sure there was no one in the room, but finally he saw a small figure wrapped in a gray blanket.

Though she looked completely different from the last time they saw each other, he had no problem recognizing her face. Mikasa rose to a sitting position, eyes also wide open. She looked like she didn't believe her eyes. Her face was pale and tired, but at the sight of the police officers a flash of strength appeared in the girl's gaze.

Levi quickly approached her, feeling incredibly relieved. He bent down and extended his hand toward her. Mikasa looked at him, still somewhat reserved and incredulous, but she finally must've believed that what she was seeing was really happening.

"You're safe," Levi whispered and smiled slightly, while he took her hand. He saw tears welling up in her eyes.

Mikasa nodded, and it was only then that she realized the meaning of his words.

Levi felt the girl return the gesture and gently squeeze his hand.