Chapter 51
Eren
Hannes surprised them all by contacting them sooner than they expected. The man dealt with all the formalities in three days. Eren wondered if it was because Armin had impressed him with his courage and by trying to hasten their departure at all costs… Either way, it was their last evening in Trost. Quite coincidentally, it was the day Levi was supposed to be on "duty" to keep them safe, so they spent time with the detective, making veggie casserole together, and then playing board games at the wooden table.
Armin and Levi were the best at them, winning almost every game. Eren didn't focus much on the game, nor did he have the appetite. He enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere though, smiling as he listened to his friends' jokes and watched Ackerman's focused face as he was fully absorbed by the game.
Eren sensed also that Levi was deeply irritated by the current situation, after all he was suspended once again, and this time it had to be Grisha's job. The detective had already appeared at one interview, during which he was questioned again in detail about the evening during which he was kidnapped by Zeke, as well as about his stay at the Yaeger mansion, and the escape itself. The agents who interviewed him found many gaps in his story that Levi could only fill with his own testimony. The interrogation was to continue in a few days.
On the bright side, they got the news that the investigators had searched the warehouse where Eren confronted Grisha. The older Yaeger's car was seen there by the fire department who had come to extinguish the fire. The firemen were called by the security guards patrolling the neighboring factory. Eren guessed they must have heard the explosion. The presence of Grisha in such a place and the suspicious contents of the magazine put the man in a bad light. Small steps, as they say - but this time it wasn't Levi's team making those steps. They couldn't officially deal with the investigation, they heard only rumors.
Eren was glad to see that Levi could focus on something else that evening. He tried not to think about the fact that soon the detective would be alone... and it would be their last evening they had spent together.
"Okay, I give up," Levi muttered at one point, shoving his green chips towards Armin, then reaching for the little booklet that was included with the game and contained instructions. "Are you sure you know how to play this?"
"Someone here can't accept their defeat," Eren teased the detective a bit, folding his arms on the table and giving Ackerman an amused smile. "You must know that you have no chance against Armin."
"That's an exaggeration!" Armin laughed, then began packing all the cards and chips into the box. "I was just lucky..."
"Don't be so modest," Mikasa joined in, smiling at her friend. Suddenly she couldn't help but yawn. She covered her mouth with her hand, then added, "You know what, I think it's time to end this and go to sleep. We have to be up early in the morning."
"Are you okay with your bandage?" Jean wanted to know, looking at Eren. The boy nodded. The doctor changed his dressing before they started to play, so there was no need for that so far.
"It's okay. Thanks."
Jean and Mikasa got up from their seats and said goodnight to the company, then went to the bedroom they shared. Armin put the game box down, then glanced at Eren and Levi, who had just exchanged affectionate glances. Arlert lifted the corner of his mouth, then quickly rose from his chair.
"I'm going to bed too. Tomorrow is a big day."
Armin nodded to the two men, then walked away to his temporary room.
Eren reached out and took the detective's hand in his. They sat in silence for a moment, leaning against the table top, in the twilight illuminated by the pale light of a lamp standing in the corner of the room. The space around them had been thoroughly cleaned beforehand, Eren and his friends wanted to leave the place in the same condition as they found it.
"Do you want to go upstairs?" Eren finally asked. Then leaned towards the detective and rested his head on his shoulder. He snuggled into the hollow of the man's neck and inhaled his scent.
"You know I'm here to watch over you," Levi replied in a gruff tone which sounded like there was actually a chance to convince him to change his mind.
"I need you today," Yaeger whispered, lifting his head to meet the gray-blue eyes that narrowed slightly. He leaned in even more and touched the detective's mouth with his mouth.
He heard Levi inhale, then purr softly. He felt the man's arms around his neck, which pulled him closer. They exchanged tender kisses, and as the caresses began to get more and more passionate, Eren got to his feet, took Ackerman's hand, and dragged him with himself.
They hurried up the stairs to the second floor and crossed the threshold of the bedroom, where Eren was recovering in the last few days. Long-haired man closed the door behind them, then turned to face the detective. Levi stood next to him, breathing rapidly.
Yaeger took his face in his hands and kissed him again, hard and greedily. Then he pressed Levi pressed against the wall with his body. Eren was still passionately caressing Levi's lips with his. After a while he descended with kisses lower on Ackerman's neck, then he suddenly heard a soft sigh, escaping from Levi's mouth. Impatient fingers moved to the buttons on the detective's shirt, quickly unbuttoning them and parting the fabric of the dark shirt. Eren ran his hands over the cool skin that warmed at his touch. Then he dropped lower, he knelt in front of the man and reached for his pants.
Levi gently widened his eyelids and took Eren by the wrists.
"Are you sure you can...?" Ackerman asked the question doubtfully, but stopped when he caught sight of Yaeger's determined gaze.
"If something will be wrong I'll let you know," Eren whispered, then resumed his activity. He unbuttoned the detective's belt and pants, then slipped his underwear off his hips. He felt a hot flush on his cheeks as he saw the hard cock in front of him, waiting for a caress.
He reached out and wrapped his fingers around the heated manhood, immediately feeling it pulsate under his touch. He raised his head to look at the face of the man who stood motionless over him, letting him do anything he wanted. Eren felt his own insides ignite as he saw the ravenous, lustful expression in Ackerman's eyes.
Levi reached out and stroked his cheek. His naked chest rose and fell rapidly. Eren swallowed, remembering that he was supposed to take action, so he began to move his hand, concentrating fully on the activity. He heard the detective's murmuring groan, so he gave his movements even more power and precision to give the man even more pleasure.
Although he was in a rather uncomfortable position, his wound hadn't bothered him so far. He leaned forward and wrapped his lips around the man's dick, slowly taking it deeper and deeper into his mouth. He moved away after a moment to take a breath and gaze back at the detective.
Levi's eyes narrowed, and his face was filled with delight. This made Eren continue the caress in the same way. He took the hot cock into his lips again and began to move his head, listening to the soft moans and sighs.
At one point, when the man's breathing quickened, Levi threaded his fingers into his hair and gave the caress its own rhythm, slightly moving his hips. But he was also incredibly gentle, as if he was afraid that he might hurt Eren.
As this intimate moment started to linger, and the first drops of sweat began to drip from the detective's forehead, Eren felt Levi desire to withdraw, but Yaeger held him close. He felt the man's sweet and salty taste in his mouth as he climaxed. Only then did he move away from him to take a gulp of air. Levi grabbed his hands and helped him to his feet. He immediately snuggled into him, then directed their entwined bodies towards the bed.
They fell down onto the soft mattress, immediately joining their lips together in a kiss. They took off the rest of their clothes in a hurry, being careful only when Eren was taking off his t-shirt, so as not to damage his dressing. Yaeger felt the detective's naked, hot skin against his and he hugged the man even closer, as if he wanted to cling to him so tightly that he would never let him go. Levi, in turn, stroked Eren's body, kissed his lips, cheeks and neck, as if he wanted to remember the taste of his skin forever.
After a while, Eren was on top, continuing to caress his lover's body, preparing it for the moment of intercourse. When they were both ready, he pressed their bodies together, sighing softly, because every time it was an equally extraordinary experience for him.
Levi clenched his fingers on the skin on Eren's back. He brought his other hand to his face, stifling a groan that was trying to escape from his mouth. He obviously didn't want to be heard by others in such a situation. But Eren guessed that his friends were rather aware of how he was going to spend the evening with the detective. Finally, they had the last moment to say goodbye.
Suddenly he felt a painful twinge, somewhere inside, at the thought that tomorrow he would be far away from this place and this man. Ever since they had entered the bedroom, he had tried to forget the whole world, to push that unpleasant awareness away from him, but it was damn hard to do.
He hugged Levi tighter, pressing his trembling body closer and entering him more vigorously. He closed the man's parted mouth with a kiss and laced their fingers together.
When he was just about to reach climax, he rolled onto his back, dragging Ackerman with him. He began to fuck him in this position, staring at his face, through which a spasm of ecstasy passed after a while. Eren felt it as well, that incredible thrill, that fire burning everything in its path. He pulled the detective close to him and groaned softly against his neck, trembling with delight overwhelming him.
They laid still, still tightly entwined and listening to each other's breathing. Eren closed his eyes, his heart slowly calming after sex.
A thought suddenly occurred to him… which was ironic because he promised himself not to try to think too much tonight. He wondered what their life together would look like. If he could stay in Trost and live with Ackerman… it would be a dream come true for him. He could find a job, help Levi run the house, look after his floral collection, he could even learn how to cook by his side. They could spend evenings together, watch interesting movies or just lie in bed or on the couch together, sipping tea and sometimes wine.
Eren suddenly squeezed his eyes shut, and unwanted, treacherous tears rolled from under them. He needed to calm down. He didn't want Levi to remember him like that. He quickly wiped his cheeks and swallowed.
Eventually, Ackerman got off him and lay down beside him, brushing strands of Eren's hair behind his ear. If he noticed the sadness on his face, he didn't comment on it. He shifted his gaze to Eren's chest, checking his bandage.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked softly, staring at his face. Eren saw Ackerman's flushed face and his eyes, still glistening with fulfillment. He couldn't help but smile broadly, with tenderness.
"Yes, it's all right," he replied, touching the man's cheek and looking back at him. Levi looked reassured as he leaned closer, their foreheads touched.
"I'll have to wash these sheets when you leave."
Eren chuckled softly, then gently rose on his elbows. He and Levi looked at each other and they went silent for a moment. The silence hit them, along with the awareness of the topic they finally had to bring up. Though they talked to each other normally and joked as they always did, each word and gesture carried an echo of what lurked between the lines.
The detective stood up and reached for the towel that was on the back of the chair. He wiped their bodies, then sat back down next to the boy. Eren was surprised to see the detective reach out and take his hand. He looked him straight in the eye, with deadly seriousness.
"I told you once that I hate long goodbyes, remember? That's why I don't want to drag it out. Let's say goodbye tomorrow normally and shortly, without any drama. If there's anything you'd like to tell me before you leave, feel free to tell me now. I'll do it first. Okay?"
Eren sat still, trying to form the sudden words in his mind. Levi was right. If they wanted to say goodbye effusively, they should do so today, not tomorrow, in front of the others.
"All right," he said softly, not moving.
"Then..." Levi sat up straight, not taking his serious gaze from him. "Wherever you go, I want you to take care of yourself, so that for the first time in your life you only think about yourself, no one else. What you've been doing lately, it was mostly for your friends, so promise me that it's over. You've done enough. Now you have to take care of yourself mostly, okay?"
Eren chuckled softly, but nodded obediently.
"Your every wish is my command," the boy whispered, lifting the corner of his mouth and seeing the detective's face twitch slightly at this comment. Levi, however, quickly returned his thoughts to the previous track.
"I'd like you to take care of your passions, and if you don't know if you have any, try to discover them," Levi continued, squeezing Eren's hand in his hands and still staring closely into his eyes. "Don't think too much about your previous life and don't feel sorry for yourself. You were doing what you had to do. I told you once that you're a good person and I still think so. Never think otherwise."
Eren looked down, to glance at their clasped hands. The detective's words soothed his tormented soul, but at the same time burned an inexplicable, painful stigma in it, for he knew that these beautiful words were also a goodbye. Levi reached out with one hand and cupped his cheek. Eren looked back to the gentle eyes of the man.
"And sometimes, when you'll have a moment ... you can think of me. I will be thinking of you."
The boy pursed his lips in a sad expression and quickly lowered his head again, because he immediately felt more unbidden tears under his eyelids. Levi, however, took his chin and gently lifted his face to meet his eyes again. Eren blinked as tears ran down his cheeks.
"I love you," the detective finished, leaning in and placing a tender kiss on the young man's lips. Yaeger returned the gesture by moving his mouth. It took him a moment to collect his own thoughts. He couldn't believe how skillfully Levi was with choosing the right words, each time hitting the most sensitive chord of his soul. No one had ever had such power over him, and Eren guessed that no one would ever have. He breathed softly, then looked up at the detective.
"I'm not as great with speeches as you..." Eren began weakly, so he cleared his throat quickly, wanting to sound a little more confident. "All I'm saying is, I'd like you to quit this damn job and find something less dangerous. And yes, I know you won't do that. I'm just gonna be worried about you all the time. Even if you arrest Grisha, someone else will eventually take his place, who is as dangerous as him, and history will repeat itself, over and over again. I wish you would free yourself from it all. But… you chose this job yourself, and I'm no wife of yours to tell you what to do. So just take care and don't get into anything dangerous. When you hear a suspicious noise, don't go." Levi listened to Eren's speech with a soft smile on his lips. He didn't interrupt him, he held his hand, staring straight into his eyes.
"I'll be thinking about you too. And I love you so much it hurts," Eren confessed, gripping the man's hand tightly and not taking his sad gaze away from him. Levi nodded. Their lips touched again, and this time they connected with each other for a long moment. Ackerman pushed him gently against the pillow, leaning over him and kissing him slowly, without rushing. Eren had no idea how long it took, before they finished kissing. His head was spinning, and the damn butterflies were flying in his stomach. He hadn't expected what falling in love could do with a human.
Levi lay down beside him, embracing him and stroking his hair.
"Will you stay with me today?" the boy asked, staring into Ackerman's eyes without blinking.
The detective nodded.
"Hanji and Erwin will be here in the morning. Together we'll take you to the meeting spot. Now you should get some sleep."
"In a moment..." Eren whispered, taking the man's hand and pressing it to his cheek. He closed his eyes, sighing softly. He began to relax and calm down. He knew Levi would be with him until he fell asleep.
At least tonight.
Levi
As Eren fell asleep, Ackerman covered him with the blanket, then dressed and walked down the stairs, trying to be quiet. When he was downstairs, he left the house. He briefly checked the area.
There was no suspicious car along the length of the street. The neighbors' houses were a short distance away, so a car standing close would immediately arouse his suspicions. The neighborhood, however, was quiet. He didn't notice a single cloud in the starlit sky. There was silence all around, the air was warm, windless. Levi was amazed how much the weather and the atmosphere around him differed from his mood. There was a storm inside him and an excruciating sadness at the thought of tomorrow morning.
He returned to the bedroom where he had left Eren and lay down next to him. He studied the sleeping face, thinking about how much the boy had to go through, to finally be able to free himself from the vile life he had been stuck in practically from birth.
Levi wished he had managed to save him from all this much faster. His heart ached at how much Eren must have endured to finally experience a little peace and safety. Fortunately, his carefree life was about to begin... Ackerman was glad at the thought, there was no doubt about it, but at the same time he wanted so much to be a part of this life.
Suddenly he moved closer. He couldn't help himself, not tonight. He put his arms around Yaeger and hugged him. Eren shifted in his sleep, muttered something incomprehensible. Levi knew he could wake him up, but the need for closeness was stronger for him.
He stared at the sleeping face, not disturbed by nothing and no one, trying to remember every shape, every part of it. At some point he finally felt a hint of fatigue, so he closed his eyes. He managed to fall asleep and had very restless dreams that he didn't remember. He was used to the fact that the nights could drag on forever, but this time, out of spite, it was different. The morning came surprisingly quickly.
They arrived at the appointed place with two cars. Levi drove carefully, glancing in the rearview mirror every now and then, gripping the steering wheel with his fingers when he had an impression that a car was following them. Fortunately, a suspicious car was quickly disappearing, which gave Ackerman a surge of relief. To his surprise, no one followed them actually, no one prevented them from reaching their destination, and the ground didn't part in front of them… on the contrary, everything was going according to plan. Admittedly, this happened quite rarely in their lives.
Hannes was already waiting for them, leaning his back against a large truck marked "Removals". He finished smoking his cigarette. As they approached him, he tossed the cigarette butt to the ground and stamped it with the toe of his shoe, then looked at the four of his clients attentively. The young folks looked at him uncertainly, rubbing their sleepy eyes.
"Why do you have such sluggish expressions? A new life begins for you!" he called, laughing softly, then opening the back door of the truck. The detectives also took a few steps towards the big car.
Hannes jumped in, walking between the furniture and cardboard boxes scattered around the inside of the truck, making it look like he was helping someone move. At the very end of the trailer, in the rear wall, there were two storage compartments that Hannes had just opened. They saw tight hiding places, one at the top and one at the bottom, each containing two pillows, two bottles of water, a flashlight and a blanket.
"I know it looks neither cozy nor safe, but you have no choice. Until now, I have never transported four fugitives, so I had to improvise. They can control us at the border, it's better that nobody could see you. So what, are you ready?"
Eren, Armin, Mikasa, and Jean nodded.
"A trip in these conditions is nothing compared to what we've been through," Armin said, then looked at Hannes with a twinkle in his eye. "We're ready."
"Well then, say goodbye. and we're off. Believe me, we have a bit to drive."
The man turned on his heel and began checking something on one of the tires. Meanwhile, the four young people walked back to the detectives standing at a distance.
Armin was the first to come up to them and put his hand out in their direction, first looking at Hanji as befits a gentleman.
"Thank you for everything."
Hanji hugged him briefly, and her companions shook the blond's hand with affection. Likewise, they said goodbye to Mikasa, who also thanked them for all their help. Levi exchanged a gentle smile with the girl, and she paused by him for a moment longer, squeezing his hand tightly.
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be standing here today," the girl said softly.
"So we're even," Levi replied, lifting the corner of his mouth. "Are you sure you want to leave? We could really use your help in our department."
Mikasa laughed softly. Jean was another person to shake hands with detectives, as did his friends, thanking them for their support.
Eren approached the three officers at the very end. He looked very uncertain, as if he had to do something he wasn't prepared for.
He extended his hand to Hanji, but the woman embraced him, lifting the boy up for a moment. Eren widened his eyes, but quickly laughed out loud. Zoe set him back on the ground, but didn't let go of him from her arms.
"I remember the night we spoke for the first time in Levi's apartment," Hanji said, finally stepping back a little to look at Eren. She smiled, and a tear glistened in her good eye. "Thank you for trusting us then."
"Thank you for trusting me..." Eren replied, whose voice also sounded like he was deeply touched. "Thank Moblit from me. I hope no one saw anything..."
"Cool, it'll be okay," Hanji patted the boy on the shoulder, then took a step back.
Erwin walked over to Yaeger and gave him a soft smile. The boy also smiled gently and extended his left hand towards the man. Smith took his hand and shook it slightly.
"I agree with Hanji. I also remember perfectly well the evening you came to us. I thanked you for that then and I will thank you now."
Eren nodded, and then withdrew his hand. Apparently he thought Erwin wanted to end their goodbye with this, but Smith put his good arm around the boy and gave him a short hug.
"Take care of yourselves and never get into trouble again," Erwin said tenderly, then stepped back, still looking at Eren. "Mike would be jumping from joy right now, knowing you succeeded and escaped."
Levi saw Eren's green eyes widen, his face changing. He saw the surprise appearing on his face, and then the boy looked very moved. Apparently, he was speechless. He just nodded, unable to answer such a confession. He looked at Smith gratefully.
Erwin stepped back, a signal to Ackerman that it was now his turn to make a farewell gesture to the boy. He walked over to Eren, feeling as if his legs were made of lead, each step had taken him a lot of effort. Finally he looked up at the young man's face.
Eren apparently didn't know how to act himself. Nervously, he stretched out his right hand in front of him this time and fixed his despairing gaze on the detective.
"Take care, Levi," the boy whispered, his eyes glazed over.
Ackerman ignored the outstretched hand. He wrapped his arms around Eren, pulling him closer and hugging him tightly. He felt Yaeger's body tense slightly, he didn't seem to expect such a gesture on his part, not in front of everyone. However, Eren quickly stretched his arms out in front of him and embraced the detective, returning that tender hug. Levi had no idea what Erwin and Hanji would think, he wasn't the type to express his feelings in such a physical way. This time, however, he didn't care.
He wanted to say goodbye to Eren the day before so as not to drag it until the last moment. He explained that he didn't like long goodbyes. In fact, he was afraid of something else. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to let Eren go, not a second time. He'd done it before, and he would regret it forever.
After a moment he released Yaeger and took a step back. He saw tears in the boy's eyes, as well as an announcement of an overwhelming longing.
"Take care of yourself, too. And don't sneak into houses of strangers anymore because it's dangerous. You never know who you may come across to."
Yaeger laughed shortly, with perfectly audible sadness.
"I'll remember it".
"Hey, hey, it's time for us to go!" Hannes suddenly called from the truck.
Mikasa and Jean have already packed into one hiding place, they were lying inside, right next to each other. The door had a latch on the inside, so they closed it. After slamming the door, the rear wall of the truck looked very ordinary.
Armin, who had climbed into the second, higher stash, made himself comfortable, then looked at Eren.
Yaeger started toward the open truck door. Levi stared at his back, struggling to refrain from uttering certain words or making a gesture that he would regret. There was no other way. He had to let Eren go. He did it once, but this time, it was the right choice to do.
Eren walked past Hannes and was about to get in the truck, when the man suddenly grabbed his arm.
"Hey... What is this?" The photographer asked, pointing to the pendant on the boy's neck.
"Oh..." Eren raised his eyebrows, reaching for the medallion. "It's a gift."
"What did I say about personal items? You have to leave it, I'm sorry."
Yaeger stood still for a moment. Then he suddenly pivoted on his heel and looked at the detectives, or rather at one particular detective. Levi felt a twinge of unease. He could have sworn he heard Eren's brain work frantically, processing information as if analyzing some problematic issue.
The boy suddenly moved and headed towards him.
Levi watched in amazement as Eren stopped right in front of him. Yaeger reached out to the detective's face and touched his cheeks. He pressed their lips together in a tender, desperate kiss. Ackerman stood completely still for a moment, unable to move. Eren caressed the man's lips with his own, pressing him tightly against himself. Levi finally regained control of his own body, raised his hands and embraced the taller young man, hugging him and kissing him back. They pulled away from their mouths to look at each other. Eren didn't wait, he reached for the silver pendant and took it off his neck. Then he grabbed the surprised man's hand and gave him the item.
"What are you doing…?" Levi raised his eyebrows, completely shocked.
"I can't take it with me. It has served you as a memento of me before, so be it this time," Eren explained calmly, even smiling a little.
"But... it's your gift..."
"Exactly. That's why I can do whatever I want with it. Anyway, maybe we'll meet again someday and you will give it back to me one more time...?"
Ackerman opened his eyes even more, staring at Eren silently. They both knew it was impossible. Even so, the boy smiled wider. He leaned down and hugged him one last time, then turned around and ran to Hannes, who was impatiently pattering his foot on the ground.
"Well, you keep us waiting, dear boy," the man muttered, watching as Yaeger was packing into the hiding place, where Armin was waiting for him.
Arlert slammed the door shut, hiding them from the outside world. Now the interior of the truck looked all the more ordinary and inconspicuous. Hannes closed the door of the delivery truck, looked at the detectives, and gave them a short nod. Then he got behind the wheel and drove away.
Levi's fingers tightened on the cool pendant in his hand. Only then did he remember that he was not alone, that his friends were here with him. He cursed mentally, realizing what they had just witnessed.
He gently turned his head to the side and, as expected, saw their surprised faces, but for some reason they didn't seem as shocked as he would have thought.
"That explains so much!" Hanji suddenly blurted out, clearly unable to stay silent.
"So much…" Erwin admitted, grabbing his forehead and shaking his head.
Levi frowned and turned his back to them, staring away at the end of the street where the truck had disappeared moments ago. For some reason, the world around him suddenly lost its colors, everything seemed ordinary and gray. The first rays of the sun were visible on the horizon, but even those rays seemed cool now.
"I forbid you to ever talk about it," he muttered, feeling something appear under his eyelids that betrayed all his emotions. He pursed his lips as he tried to contain the feeling, this inexplicable weakness.
Suddenly, a warm hand appeared on his shoulder. Levi glanced to the side and saw Erwin standing next to him, also staring at the distance. Hanji stopped on the other side. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed softly, glancing at her friends.
"We only have one thing left to do, huh?"
Levi and Erwin nodded in agreement.
Ymir
She stopped the car in the parking lot of the motel she had lived in from the previous night. She looked at Historia sitting next to her. The blonde put her sunglasses on the top of her head and smiled fondly at Ymir. Frieda was dozing in the back seat. The trunk was filled with bags of the most necessary equipment.
"I'll just grab my things and we can go," Ymir said, leaning over to Historia and pecking her on the lips. The girl kissed her back, then nodded.
"Come back soon."
Fritz jumped out of the car and headed for the wide stairs that led to the built-up floor. She walked down the empty corridor and stopped in front of the right door. She unlocked the lock with the key and stepped inside, immediately heading for the metal safe where she kept the cash she had received from Eren.
It was the last stop on their route, just before leaving the town. And then, leaving the country. Soon her old life was about to end. A new, better stage was about to begin. She felt that she was finally ready for it and that it could really work.
Fritz entered the code and opened the safe door. She was about to reach for a thick bundle of bills... when she suddenly saw a tall silhouette reflected in the silver metallic surface. Someone stepped behind her and apparently just raised a hand.
Ymir rolled to the side, immediately hearing the muffled, though quite loud, shot of the pistol. Her eyes widened as she saw Kruger, wearing a black jacket and pants, who shot her a scowl. He wanted to shoot again, but the girl pushed the chair in his direction and scuttled further into the room, hiding behind the kitchen wall. The Owl fired at her, but missed.
Fritz was breathing fast. She reached back, pulling her gun out from behind the fabric of her pants, and unlocked it.
"Kruger, I have a gun too! If you really want, we can kill each other! Leave me alone or else..."
Ymir dove under the kitchen counter as the Owl emerged from behind the wall and renewed his attack. The girl jumped up after a while and wanted to shoot him, but something happened to her gun. The weapon jammed, causing Fritz to splash in a cold sweat. She heard Kruger snort under his breath, but she gave him no chance to attack again. She threw her pistol at him, hitting the man right in the temple.
Owl grabbed his head and rested his back against the refrigerator, dazed for a split second. But that was enough for Ymir. She caught up with him, twisting his wrist and knocking the surprised man to the floor.
They started to fight each other, but Kruger turned out to be stronger. After a while, he landed on top, pinning her to the cold floor. His fingers tightened around Ymir's neck. Kruger was staring at her with wide eyes. The girl tried to break free, her legs kicked desperately, but Kruger's pressure was too strong. He choked her and waited patiently for her to pass out.
"Let her go!"
Kruger and Ymir seemed to be as surprised to see a tiny blonde who suddenly appeared in the room. History swung the frying pan in her hand and slapped it in the man's face.
The Owl growled softly, for though the impact wasn't that hard, it certainly irritated him. However, Fritz didn't give him the opportunity to react.
She took advantage of the momentary gap in his offensive. She grabbed his shoulders, pulling him against her and sinking her teeth into Kruger's neck. She bit into his skin, then tore it apart, along with a violent tug on her head to the side. Blood spurted out of the wound immediately.
Kruger rolled to the right, grabbing the neck and trying to stop the bleeding. He looked completely surprised, and there was terror in his eyes as well.
Ymir sprang to her feet. She grabbed the kitchen knife from the counter, then caught up with Kruger and stabbed him in his chest several times. She stopped doing it only when the man's body stopped moving and his bulging eyes became empty.
Fritz tossed the knife aside and looked at the blonde standing next to her.
She saw fear in Historia's eyes, which didn't surprise her at all.
She suspected that Reiss would start screaming, or maybe take a few steps back and run away. After all, not every day a man witnessed such a brutal murder. Historia, however, quickly got under control. Though her face still looked pale, the girl quickly grabbed Ymir's hands and pulled her towards the kitchen sink.
"Quick, you gotta wash it off!"
By "it", Historia meant blood. The blood of a murdered man. Fritz turned on the sink and washed herself with cold water, then wiped her face with a kitchen cloth. Meanwhile, Historia knelt in front of the safe. She packed the cash into a bag, then returned to Ymir and tossed a clean t-shirt at her, which she had found in the woman's backpack.
"Quick, change your clothes. Let's run before someone comes here... Frieda is alone, we must return to her immediately."
"You know... Maybe... You should run alone, without me," Ymir whispered, tears suddenly appearing in her eyes. "Take the money and run. What you just saw... I didn't want you to see it. I…" Fritz paused as Historia raised a hand and slapped her. It wasn't a strong blow, but it was very unexpected.
"Snap out of it! I'm not going anywhere without you!" Reiss exclaimed with firm determination in her voice. "You killed this guy without thinking, now you have to get us out of here in the same way! Is it clear?"
Ymir looked at the shorter girl in disbelief. However, she quickly brought up her characteristic smile on her face. She grabbed Historia's hand and pulled her towards the exit.
"Are you sure you know what you're getting into?" Fritz asked as they ran down the stairs. Reiss was holding her hand, her other hand clutching a bag of money.
"Why are you asking? Should I slap you again?"
"Maybe in different circumstances," Ymir joked as they reached the car.
They left the parking lot with the tires screeched before anyone could see what had actually happened in the hotel room.
When Kruger's body was found half an hour later, they were already out of Trost.