Elsie listened to Levi snore peacefully against her ear. In his sleep he'd shifted closer and pulled her beneath him, using her as a body pillow. She ran her nails up and down his forearm, at first keeping her eyes closed before staring blankly at the fabric of the hammock. Waves and snores filled the bottom of the boat and with Levi beside her, she'd assumed a peaceful night of rest. Surely she'd taken enough throughout the day for her body to be tired enough to succumb to sleep.
Freyja refused to let it happen. Her mind replayed the bloody death of Willy and wondered if Sif had ever been found. What was Catharina doing? Had Maggath sent a ship after them? She wanted to wake Granfer then wondered if he shared a hammock with Sasha. How they became friends... Their plot to kill the Lady Seer raising anarchy in Marley. Would Levi have attacked if he hadn't seen her face? What had been their true intention in Tybur Manor? What had Zeke grabbed from her workshop? Eren...
Elsie eventually gave up on sleep. She pushed the fabric of the hammock down so she could swing her legs out. Instantly two arms wrapped around her stomach, keeping her hostage. Levi blearily blinked, confused, "Where are you going?"
"Bathroom."
He slapped his side of the hammock down so he could look beneath, "No cadet trying to sneak you away?"
"Promise. Just the human urge."
Levi relented, returning to relax as she clambered out. She grabbed her pants, sliding them along her legs when she heard a sigh of distress before the fabric yanked downwards once more. Levi tumbled out of the hammock, scratching the back of his head and turning to take in who was still asleep within the group.
"You don't have to come," Elsie scratched the side of his arm, watching him bend to wiggle his combat boots on. "Sleep in."
He snorted, "Yeah, I definitely sleep in."
"One day I'll make you stay in bed past six," She teased, catching his arm as they walked through the row of sleeping soldiers.
"I'm sure you'll find a way to make it happen," A mirthfilled grin appeared at the thought of Elsie tying him to bed. Elsie's smile held a promise, a twinkle in her eyes when they stepped into the hall. Anticipating the moment they were well and truly alone.
"Did you make Eren clean the bathroom? It's unusually pristine for a crew's bathroom."
"No. Jean," He shrugged casually. "He made an odd joke that didn't make me laugh."
"How has it been? Just you and them?" Elsie tried to sound innocent. She didn't think she hit the mark. Levi glanced at her.
"Manageable," He leaned against the door when Elsie entered. She had no use for the toilet but tried anyway before washing her face in the basin. When she stepped into the hallway, Levi filled her space. "Shiganshina was a shit show. Dealing with the capital after revealing Ymir was the worst. I was trapped in a conference room with them for five hours."
"I am so sorry you had to go through that," She rolled her eyes. "Where's the kitchen? I'm parched for a cup of tea."
"You haven't lost your annoying streak of being completely helpless," Levi grabbed her elbow, leading her further down the hall.
"Figured it was something you missed about me," The kitchen held little of impressment. A wood stove and icebox. A beaten silver container pushed to the side of the rusted counter filling one half of the wall.
He eyed her exposed midriff and said, "Among other things."
She toyed with the lid of the icebox, "One more day until we reach Paradis. I really hate sharing a room with everyone," Levi filled a kettle and placed it atop the woodstove. He bent to stack wood and lit a match, cupping the flame to ensure it caught. He jerked in surprise to find Elsie standing at his side, intently watching him work. "Are we going back to your castle?"
"It's not my castle, it's the governments. And no, we'll be staying by the ocean. We're not exactly welcomed within the Walls right now," He muttered.
Close enough, he couldn't say anything she wouldn't catch, "I assume there's trouble with Historia and Kenny's squad."
Levi froze, thinking, before turning to meet her playful gaze, "I get you're a Seer and it's part of you to know things but it's weird as fuck."
"I'd think you'd be used to it at this point," Elsie rolled her eyes. "What's happening with Kenny?"
"I don't get why that Commander would say that you're a stand-in Ambassador," A full three-sixty in conversation to avoid speaking about his abandonment issues.
Elsie tensed, immediately losing her smile and playful nature. Her lips stiffened when she quickly said, "Yes, that was the long-term plan. For me to be Ambassador so Willy could step down."
"Fuck, Elsie," He leaned against the counter, shaking his head in disbelief. She stayed in her position, worried about whether he was mad at her or the situation. "Damnit, I fucking wanted you to go home so you wouldn't have to be put in the middle of fucking murder and kidnapping."
"The safest place I can be is with you," Elsie instantly said, knowing this fight, having been here months at a time. She grabbed his crossed arms, leaning into his bubble, breaking his need to push her away whenever things became difficult. "There's no going home, Levi. Not once has it been an option, even when we tried all that time ago. There's only dealing with what we have now."
"It's fucking shit, I'll tell you that," He sarcastically grunted, turning to take the whistling kettle from the flame.
"Not anymore," Her buoyancy returned. Elsie skipped to his side. "I'm back. Time to bring some fun in."
"Don't start getting frisky with Erwin."
She quirked an eyebrow, focused on how he poured the boiling water into his teacups, "Hange would be the first I'd go for."
"Ha!" Elsie jostled her cup, spilling hot water across her thumb. She stared at Levi laughing, eyes crinkled and lips cracked. "Four eyes? That's the type you'd go for?"
"What? I'm a sucker for dark hair!"
"Tch," Levi bumped her shoulder with his elbow and her smile hurt her face. She swayed from his power. "You're shallow."
"I digress," She leaned into his touch, ignoring her tea in favor of his alluring lips. Black hair pushed messily over his forehead, sleep shirt askew on his shoulder. He left his shoelaces untied, either forgotten or chosen to ignore in favor of Elsie's hypnotizing hazel eyes growing closer.
"Ah! Lady Seer!" Booming Granfer entered the little kitchen. Elsie and Levi tensed, refusing to shift and turning to watch Granfer meander towards the icebox. He chose to leave his shirt in his hammock with low sleep pants hanging on the swell of his hips. Levi huffed and took a gulp of his tea. It burned his throat, that's why Elsie chose to patiently blow on the steam.
"Good morning, Granfer. I did not miss your loud voice so early," Elsie drawled, serious and curt with the Captain.
He turned with bright teeth flashing through his beard, "And how I missed your gracious attitude in the mornings. That is if you found yourself in time for breakfast."
"You guys ate breakfast together, fucking fantastic," Levi said plainly, unwelcoming of Granfer's presence.
He kept his distance, staying next to the icebox as he drank a cool flask of water, "Aye, at Willy's table every morning. We arrived in Liberio the same day. She's the one who gave us the plentiful brandy that's been getting your Squad Leaders through the trip."
"Oh Gods, Hange," Elsie whispered, imagining her drinking Liberio's finest brandy on the trip. She couldn't wait to see how wild the Squad Leader got later that night when tension was considerably lower.
"She loses the idea of personal space, make sure to stay away," Levi warned.
Granfer nodded, "Terrifying, actually. But, how do you all know each other? I had no idea you had such close friends in Paradis, Lady Seer."
"Elsie," Levi corrected with sharpness. Granfer blinked with surprise. "Her name's Elsie."
"I'm giving up the title," Elsie lamented pathetically to ease the tension. She hated that she suggested coming down for tea in the first place. "I never saw myself becoming a Seer, not really my life goal." Her gaze caught on Levi, lost in the swoop of his hair and the slope of his ear.
"I recall you saying that you were a soldier. I did not consider you to be a part of this regiment," Granfer appraised Elsie. He possibly saw her as more than the bookworm she'd played herself as. "It is quite lucky that I ran into your squad then, Captain Levi."
Levi sipped his tea without a remark. Elsie said, "Extremely. I am most curious about how you and Zeke became separated from each other, though. How did you manage?"
"Funny story," Granfer's nose twitched. His bare foot wiggled and he leaned against the wall, taking a chug of his flask before clearing his throat. "It is one thing to be told what to do. I dropped Zeke at the sandy beach and said my farewells, had the men ready the boat for Hizaru as was our middle point. I was to return in two weeks' time to see if the man had survived and if not send a search party. I... I must admit it never sat well with the crew what we were doing and perhaps it was morals or human kindness, but we decided to stay and stop it. Whether it ends relations with Liberio and the major cities, we did not care."
"Changed your mind a little too late," Levi gruffly remarked.
Elsie glared daggers. He remained unphased, sipping at his tea in his unusual way that made her heart soften.
"It was our third day in the land. I left the group to hunt for food and aimed for a rabbit," His pink lips quirked beneath his beard. Elsie wondered if she got that look when she talked about Levi. "Before I could shoot another arrow came from the bush. A wild woman appeared from nowhere and took my rabbit! I could not let such an act go unanswered so I chased her down," Granfer laughed. "She had a wire machine that made her fly through the air! Before I knew it, she had me hanging upside down with a sword in my face. It was Sasha who introduced me to Captain Levi and the others. Of course, we did not get to names until after a couple of punches."
Her breath releasing was one of wow, really? No surprise there! Levi's was one of fond memories, huh, yeah, I do remember that. Good times.
"Yes, that is the Scout's usual welcome ceremony. I'm sure it gave you and Eren something to talk about," Elsie finished her cup and swashed it through the basin of water. With her back turned she worried about Levi's expression. He sure knew how to make a threat with eyes.
"The kid's got a lot on his shoulders. If I had known... I had no idea that he planned to sneak out and destroy Liberio. He had said he was going to lay down, a headache had come on, and no one thought it strange. I did not think he could do such a thing," Granfer's sentence patters to a saddening end.
Elsie exhaled and dried her hands, swiftly turning and painting a calming smile upon her lips, "It was a lapse in judgment, that's all."
"A lapse in judgment? Are you fucking joking?" Levi snapped, slicing the calm in half. Elsie refused to back peddle, her lips pursed and clasping her hands in front of her. She watched his eyebrows furrow with annoyance. "Eren's fucking lost his mind."
"I'm more than positive that Zeke had something to do with it. He wouldn't have thought of such a horrible thing himself," Elsie wished he wouldn't think of her, an innocent lost girl whose first idea was to kill the shifters herself. She prayed he didn't see what she saw. "Have they... Have they discovered they are brothers yet?"
Levi refused to look her in the eye, "Yes."
"Damnit," She cursed. "I need to speak with Eren." Elsie could change things now. Maybe she had influence enough to overrule Zeke.
"You're not a commanding officer so that won't happen," Levi harshly reminded her. His patience seemed to evaporate. Granfer anxiously shifted before lowly saying he heard someone awake. He made a fast retreat, leaving little Elsie to deal with the viper. "You have no reason to be involved anymore. Do what Connie and Ymir do - shut the fuck up and take fucking orders."
Elsie's frustration bubbled. She pushed it down, wanting to enjoy his company without the stress of outside forces. She relaxed her shoulders and pressed into his tensed forearm, jostling his half-drunk cup of tea.
"You're right," She whispered into his shoulder. If he looked into her eyes would he know she was lying? Did he know her as well as she thought?
Levi shook her away. Hurt stabbed her in the heart, bewildered as she watched him clean his mug. She finally gained enough courage to speak, opening her mouth. Levi turned and pointed a dangerous finger, instantly snatching the words from her throat.
"You constantly lie. I told you to not visit Annie and you did. I told you to leave Caven alone and you didn't. You go anywhere near his cell, I swear," He stepped dangerously close. Her breath caught, his gunmetal eyes challenging her to go against him. "You'll wish you went back home."
He didn't have to spell it out for her. Levi would leave her. He wouldn't let her wiggle her way back into his good graces with kisses and hand-holding in bed. With his lack of cursing paired with his deadpan voice, she knew he was nothing but serious. He'd forget Elsie as soon as he got her. Panic drummed against her chest.
"Levi," She breathed, scared for the first time. She wasn't scared of fighting Reiner or killing Willy. She wasn't petrified when facing a titan. She couldn't move now, her fingers numb and her heart paused to process his threat. Scared to lose him. "I won't. I promise."
Elsie timidly reached for the hem of his shirt to bring them together. She felt her words were a pathetic testament to how serious she took him. Hard, cold, he stayed strong and still as she slithered into his chest. Her fingers slowly weaseled their way to his neck and he finally, finally, allowed his muscles to lose their tightness and relax into her hold.
"I promise," She whispered against his cheek. "I swear, Levi, I won't lie to you." Was this why he came with her in the first place? Did he think she was sneaking away to speak to Eren? Her eyes squeezed shut to hide her disappointment in herself. She never thought she'd lose his trust.
"Did I scare the shit out of you?"
She chuckled without humor, tucked into him. She desperately needed him to hold her a while longer, "Worse than a titan, Levi."
"Good," He kissed her temple.
He refused to break their embrace, holding her just as tight as she clung to his shirt. The fabric twined between her knuckles, and she knew her heart would never let Levi go. She'd release her control over Eren to keep this man in her grasp.
Levi forgot to mention how they change on the ship. Roused by shining light through the portholes, the majority of the Scout regiment began to shift along with a few stragglers from Granfer's crew. Sasha freely slung her sleep shirt into her hammock, stretching with her sports bra as Connie yawned and rubbed his eyes a meter away. Mikasa easily slid her pants off, her uniformed tan ones waiting for her on the hammock so she didn't have to bend. Jean kept his back to her, changing without lifting his eyes from the ground.
Levi mad-eyed Erwin and Miche as Elsie pulled her shirt off and buttoned her white blouse, somewhat relieved to wear it again. A part of her, a spiteful part that she thumbed down, missed Sif dressing her in a comfortable yet lavish gown. She pulled her own pants on, shaking hair out of her face to catch sight of Levi's raised lip of annoyance. Miche talked casually to Hange as they pulled their shirts on, perfectly unaware of being half-naked.
"Hurry up," Elsie said, fixing the uncomfortable straps against her thigh. She paused when she saw her ODM gear neatly sitting beneath her hammock. Deciding it wasn't time to deal with Hange, she deftly wrapped it between her shirt and tucked it safely in their cot.
Absently she adjusted her straps as Levi pulled his shirt over his head, his abdomen flexing when he bent to pluck his shirt for the day from a small case they shared. He glanced at her, "Can't handle straps anymore, princess?"
Her cheeks flushed at the endearment but she smartly said, "I did them too tight."
Levi yanked at her strap and she tumbled into his side. He grinned, "Seems fine to me."
She wiggled to relieve the wedgie he gave her, haughtily turning away. Levi turned her by the strap, refusing to let go, "The pants fit you better than any dress could."
"You have a thing for women in uniform," Elsie teased.
"I prefer you naked but it definitely gives me a preview."
"Oh, so you stare at my ass all day? When do you have time to work?"
Levi shrugged, "Your ass is my concern."
"That's definitely what Erwin expected when he said to protect me."
"Good man," Levi finished tying his boots and jutted his chin for them to leave. Miche and Hange spoke as they did their belts and straps, more than comfortable to take their time.
Elsie wanted to ask Hange how it went with Eren. She wanted Levi to lead her straight to Erwin so he could find his own answers. Instead, as if reading her mind, Levi led her towards the upper deck to set a table for the food. Granfer's chef, Pawkins, created a hash casserole in the mornings and it was the rest of the crew's job to clean and prepare for their day waiting to reach Paradis. Granfer stood at the steer, chatting amicably with the man who held the wheel. He adjusted every few seconds, for a reason that Elsie couldn't sense.
"How close are you with Captain Granfer?" Levi asked. He crouched to open a wooden crate nailed to the floor. He handed Elsie two mason jars full of utensils and grabbed a stack of plates. "Put them in the middle. Fuck my day if they go flying when a wave hits."
She smiled at his knowledge of the ocean. A little forlorn that she hadn't experienced it with him, hadn't been able to put her toes in the water and stare at the passing clouds, and have a moment that they could share forever. It was something he shared with his squad, and that was okay and meant to be. It fucking sucked for Elsie.
"Well," She cleared her throat, remembering he'd asked a question. "He stayed in the Manor until he left with Zeke. Once I found out he was well versed with traveling, I made sure to get to know him."
"Didn't get you on the ship in the first place," Levi quipped, downturned.
Elsie pushed from the table and into his personal space, "That was Commander Maggath. I might have pissed him off the first time we were introduced."
"I'm sure that was your mouth's fault," He finally looked up. No trace of humor.
"One hundred percent," She itched to kiss him. Drag him below deck while everyone ate. But she also wanted their own alone time without a worry.
"Elsie!" A holler from behind made Elsie check herself and step away from her Captain. Hange skipped happily in their direction, swinging a wild arm around her neck. She jerked. "What's the plan for today? Bugging shorty here?"
"Pretty much. I have a lot of catching up to do," Elsie laughed. "What about you?"
"Nagging at Eren until he speaks. The kid has chosen to play the silent game. I am great at this one," Hange chuckled mischievously.
Elsie hummed to ensure Hange she was listening. She turned from Hange's grip to fix the utensil jar as if it moved an inch in the second she looked away. Levi's warning glare burned the back of her neck.
"He hasn't talked?" Levi asked carefully. "I know how to change that."
"Seems our only choice at this point. I have no idea what got into his head," Hange exhaled heavily. "The kid had potential."
Elsie wanted to say that Eren only made a mistake, it didn't condemn him. But their trust ran thin within the Scouts and Eren caused a war they weren't ready for. Either Maggath convinced the new Ambassador to attack Marley, or to come after Eren. It leads to Marley coming for Paradis Island in a month's time. Elsie tucked her shaking hands into her pocket, deciding to sit and wait until Pawkin's brought his infamous casserole out. Slightly missing that would be no more fighting titans if war struck.
"What about the shit eater?"
"Zeke is unconscious but I used my last concoction this morning. Erwin plans to question him later. I'm sure he'll talk once he realizes how trapped he is," Hange cocked her hip. "Teaches him to mess with us little island people."
Eren. Her eyes caught on the stairwell leading below deck. She wanted to talk to Eren more than anything. He was probably scared and thought he'd done the right thing by Zeke. Mikasa, chin tucked into her red scarf, appeared with sunken-eyed Armin short of her elbow. Better yet, she could find more from the younger cadets. There wasn't a doubt in Elsie's mind that Mikasa didn't have an inkling of an idea of what went through Eren's head.
Don't look too eager, Elsie reprimanded herself. She toyed with the handles of the forks as she waited very impatiently for Mikasa and Armin to come to the table. Sadly, Levi instantly called them to his side to dish out orders for after eating. Elsie huffed in her fist and sulked in the chair.
"Lady Seer," Granfer eagerly called out, making her turn in the chair. Levi's neck snapped to stare angrily at him, instantly reminding Granfer. He raised a hand as he approached, the other busy holding a bottle of brandy. "Sorry, Elsie. Bit weird, innit? Figured you could use a glass," Without asking he procured two from the crate Levi opened. He filled the clear cup to the brim and handed her the glass. "It's nice to have a familiar face around. I have to say they're a hard lot to impress."
Elsie eagerly took a gulp before Levi could say anything. She exhaled and leaned back in her seat, energized in a way that coffee used to make her feel. She said, "Believe me, I know. Your best luck is feeding them."
"Learned that one pretty fast," Granfer took a seat across from her. Successfully distracted from their conversation, Levi chose to stay with Hange. His eye never strayed far. "They're not the island devils Marley believes them to be."
"Neither are the Eldians in the internment camp," Elsie swirled her cup before taking another refreshing sip. With the smell of the ocean, salty air sticking to her skin, and the taste of her long-missed brandy, she couldn't have found a better morning. "Sadly no one believes it. Even after controlling them to their willpower."
"How long do we have until Commander Maggath comes after the boy?" Granfer asked, deep-toned and holding her gaze hostage.
Elsie shrugged, nervous about the question, "Until he convinces the new Ambassador to follow. That or they worry about Zeke. It appears only my servants were aware of Zeke's brief return to Liberio."
"Pieck and Porco won't let Zeke go," Granfer finished his glass. Elsie finished to catch up to him, easily sliding it across the table for a refill. A pleasant burn began in her throat that spread joyous warmth throughout the rest of her limbs.
"It won't concern you. Are you off to Hizaru after returning us?" Elsie asked casually. "Maggath surely will believe your story of sending a search party and finding no one."
Granfer spun the glass before nodding his head, "I'm staying in Paradis for a while. See how things turn out." Resolved with his decision he nodded once more.
"Quite a humanitarian streak you have," Elsie teased, biting her bottom lip to keep from widely smiling. "It has nothing to do with the wild rabbit woman?"
"It has everything to do with her," Granfer admitted easily. Her smile disappeared. How casual he was with his feelings. "If I went on to sell brandy after this... I can't leave it to her. I have to make sure she makes it through."
Elsie drank, "Yes, I understand that."
He glanced sneakily at Levi before leaning closer, "So, Captain Levi, huh? Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him actually speaking to another person."
"You weren't lying when you said they're a hard lot to impress," Elsie giggled, half-finished with her glass. "Food doesn't work on him."
"You're a hard-working woman," Granfer raised his glass.
"I will cheer to that," Elsie said, grandly clashing their cups together. "Where is Sasha? Connie's mopping and Jean is... dusting the sails?" Jean hung from his ODM lines, dusting at the flapping sails. Constantly the material smacked his frustrated face.
"Your Captain has odd cleaning methods but the girl has never looked better," Granfer whistled, smoothing the polished wood of the table. She eyed the plates, grateful Levi had been abroad for the latest meals. "And my darling Sasha is probably annoying Pawkins with salivating over the food."
"Sounds like her," Elsie nodded in agreement. "I'm glad you decided to stick around."
He beamed, "I'm glad that these are your people, Lady Seer. There are no greater ones alive."
Sasha led Pawkins to the upper deck. Feeding time turned into a real dog pile, Elsie was surrounded instantly by reaching arms to grab plates and forks. She understood why Levi chose to stay standing outside of the ring of chaos. Elsie eventually managed to be left alone, munching happily on her hash and egg mixture and sipping on her third glass of brandy. She bit her tongue thinking of Sif. Took a sip to push that emotion down.
"Elsie," Erwin found her leaning over the edge of the banister in hopes of catching sight of a dolphin. Levi leaned with his back facing the water, inspecting Mikasa and Armin redoing the rope so that it fit his OCD standards. "We haven't had a moment to talk alone."
She pushed away from the dreams of seeing a dolphin and proving to Levi what they looked like. He'd snorted when she mentioned such a creature. Levi remained as uninterested as before.
"It has been busy," Although, as busy as it'd been, she hadn't found time to talk to the younger cadets. Levi ensured they stayed preoccupied and Elsie within reaching distance. He really knew her well. "I'm glad that you've met Captain Granfer, he's a good man."
"He's proven his loyalty," Erwin agreed. He leaned sideways, resting his elbow on the banister to peer across the waves. "You have proven your loyalty. Your word has been proven time and time again, and it appears that you have discovered the reason for your gift. I appreciate what you've done for us," His clear blue eyes held her attention. "I do not take for granted your time in a different nation and what you've discovered about your past. Is there anything that I should know?"
Levi stared straight forward, occasionally twitching his fingers to make a movement. Otherwise, Erwin's penetrating gaze held her. She said, "They'll come for Eren. Right now they're distracted by the loss of their Ambassador but by the end of the month, they'll make a decision. They have machines we are no match for."
"Who's to say they haven't found him, this Ambassador? That Commander sent a search party out, he could be alive and sending ships after us now," Levi plainly stated, remembering the conversation from Commander Maggath's office.
Elsie didn't look away from Erwin, "I doubt Willy's ability to survive such a situation. A month at most until they replace him."
"Anyone else we should be worried about?"
She bit her lip and admitted, "There's another titan, the Cart. Her name is Pieck and she's considerably fast on all fours. A real spider monkey. And Porco... He's in line to inherit the titan Ymir controls. They might try to speed things up to find Zeke."
"Zeke. The Beast titan. That makes a total of seven titans," His eyebrows remained straight when he asked, "You dealt with the Armored Titan, correct?"
"Yes," No hesitation. The gift of such a titan no longer existed.
Erwin grinned, "I see you are no longer inflicted with pain."
"You know everything now," She grinned. "Probably didn't need me in the first place."
Erwin cocked his head, "I wouldn't go far as to say that, Elsie."
She smiled, smitten with his small compliment, "That makes me feel better."
"Things have changed back home. The majority of Scouts who chose to stay are camped in the abandoned town outside of Shiganshina. The Crown has decided to smear our regiment in the papers and declare us public enemy for withholding Eren. The truth is they wish us to keep the secret of the ocean," Erwin frowned, facing the same problem his father did before him.
"They won't be able to hide once Marley comes for Eren," She envisioned a blossoming line of cannons aimed for the very village the Scouts hiding in. "I'll do anything I can to help."
Levi stayed silent when Erwin asked, "What happened to Eren?"
"I don't know. I think that Zeke told him something about their father," She shrugged, not trying to seem interested in the topic. "He'll talk eventually."
"Annie," Levi mentioned. He refused to look at them when they turned to listen. "He'll talk to Annie."
Elsie grumbled, "He must really like her."
"They've grown close with training," Erwin explained, eyes twinkling as he watched the two interact.
"Oh, training? I see that it didn't explode the world like you thought it would," Elsie mocked, cocking her hip to stare at Levi. "How's that going, good? Funny you didn't mention that part."
"It wasn't important."
She rolled her eyes, "Only because I was right and you were wrong."
"The twerp hasn't learned how to harden yet but go ahead, toot your horn."
"One day," She flicked her ponytail over her shoulder and beamed at Erwin. "That is great to hear, Erwin."
He huffed amusedly and pushed away, waving over his shoulder and calling, "Glad to have you back!"
Once evening rolled around, there was nothing to do on the boat. Hange visited Zeke and Eren and returned with a full plate of breakfast and a pathetic shrug that didn't make Elsie feel any better. Levi encouraged the idea of visiting Eren himself and Elsie mentioned helping Armin with his tasks. Strangely enough, Levi decided it better to stay above deck and make sure Elsie remembered exactly how he liked his bleach mixed. The others loitered around for the rest of the morning, dusting at pristine wood and kicking at boxes to maintain their straight structure. Before long the Captain ran out of busy work to keep them apart and grumbled they could break for the day.
Sasha amused herself with Granfer, twinkling around his side and injecting herself into every conversation he began. They started to finish one another's sentences. Her adoration over the relationship easily changed to annoyance. Elsie hung around Armin and Connie, eventually turning into a roast when Jean tripped in front of them, but it didn't come as easy and their laughs weren't as happy. Eventually, Granfer's bottle made a round in the group, stationed comfortably around a lantern. Elsie took the time to steal a bottle for herself, casually pouring it into her cup as she chatted with Hange and Miche. They shared the bottle, ignoring Levi's darkening look as time continued and another bottle was brought.
"So you were raised in a hunting village," Elsie reiterated. Miche slowly nodded, eyes drooping to where she couldn't see his pupils. "Didn't someone have a theory about that, Levi? Levi?" She turned when she didn't see him.
Hange waved her off, "Probably to sleep. Better for me because jeez," She whistled and began to sway back and forth on her heels. "He's been a complete ass."
"Didn't even show up to his own birthday party," Miche jibbed, snorting and holding his drink a little too close. "Hange did everything she could to make it fun. Even bought tea when the rest of us prefer ale."
"Just keep him out of my sight for a few weeks while I recover," Hange shuddered, reflecting on a time Elsie wished hadn't happened.
She wouldn't have admitted it with a knife to her throat but her first thought was to ask Hange about Eren. Free of Levi, she could do anything. Mikasa and Armin spoke quietly against the banister, noses close and eyes scrunched in concern. They were certainly talking about Eren and Elsie yearned to be a part of that conversation. She could. She should do anything to get to know more about the Attack titan.
"I'm going to bed," She said instead, placing her half-finished glass on a crate. "See you in the morning."
Hange gave her a thumbs up, "Don't let him in my sight!"
Elsie went to bed. She tumbled into the hammock and elbowed Levi in the nose. He growled and smacked her away, roughly shoving her into her rightful spot against his right side. She hummed loudly and wiggled obscenely until she got comfortable.
"Can you fucking stop already?" He snapped.
Elsie breathed into his cheek as she rolled into her side, "Yes. I'm comfy now," She became the big spoon, wrapping her arms over his chest and holding him captive. "I missed you."
"You reek of alcohol," He began to worm away from her.
The hammock swung wildly when Elsie tried to follow him, "Levi, come back!"
"You're a parasite, fuck off," He elbowed her whenever she tried to cuddle him. Elsie pouted before placing her chin on his shoulder to stare at the side of his face. He exhaled deeply. "What?"
"I missed you."
Levi raised his hand, heavily smacking her cheek when it rested against her face, "I missed you too."
"Like a lot," She tried to read his eyes to make sure he understood how much she loved him. Levi chuckled tiredly and encouraged her to lay against his back. She curled into him. "I don't think I can sleep."
"You barely got any last night," He scratched the top of her hand, luring her into a sense of safety and security. The warmth of another body was well missed. She burrowed her nose into his shirt, inhaling deeply. He smelled like sea salt.
"I'll probably sleep good tonight," She murmured, already drifting. Her eyelids fought to stay open, to take him in, to fight the urge of darkness. Once she slept she'd know how Freyja felt. She'd finally face the consequence of leaving Liberio, she was positive of it. "Can you talk to me until I do?" She clenched his hand tighter.
No response came from Levi but he wasn't snoring. She knew he was wide awake and waited for a sharp no, a beratement for thinking he was a poet. The last she expected was for him to say, "There's a house between Shiganshina and the ocean. It used to be a farming town, I think."
"Were there cows?" Her words grew slurred against his back.
Levi lost his resilient tone, one that implied he was in control no longer existed, "No. I-I want you to see this house. There are wild tulips growing and-and a porch with a couple of broken steps b-but it's something we could work on..."
"You want to fix a house with me?" Elsie couldn't contain her tears. Joy wrecked her body, most certainly encouraged by the liquor she drank. "I want to fix a house with you." Levi saw a house and thought of them living there. Even while she was missing, possibly dead for all he knew, he still imagined them ending up together. She wiped her eyes hurriedly, trying to be nonchalant.
"Are you crying?"
She sniffled, "I drank a lot!"
Elsie lost control of her big spoon. Levi cradled her as she wiped her eyes and rambled endlessly about cats and gardens and he rubbed her arm the entire time. He didn't smile or add his own thoughts. Just listened until Elsie couldn't speak anymore, her voice raw and eyes heavy once more. She knew what her dreams would entail, this time not scared to sleep.
"Couple more hours," He muttered, voice lost to her unconscious. "Then we'll be there."
Rancid, stale air filled Elsie's nostrils. She gasped for a fresh breath but it filled her lungs, coating her tongue and making her taste spoiled egg in her throat. Her eyes watered. Confusion rapidly turned to understanding once she realized she was standing atop a Wall. Freyja stood with her back turned, flaming red hair still against her ivory spine. The Goddess' fingers curled at the sound of Elsie stepping closer.
Elsie feared the loss of Levi but standing in the presence of Freyja, her intimidation swept all notion of sense from her mind. This could be a dream but the fear, the smell, the sense of trepidation fluttering in the dark sky, assured Elsie that this could easily be as real as Levi. She stayed a safe distance away from the woman.
Talking to the Goddess was out of the question. When the rotten smell of the air became familiar Elsie felt comfortable enough to look over the edge. Hundreds of meters below laid a decimated city. Dark, ugly smoke curled above pulverized houses, whether from titan stomps or cannons, Elsie couldn't tell through the rubble. Blood smeared once tan, dirt streets and bodies laid crooked atop rocks or stomped still to the ground. Freyja stared at it all. Elsie refused to gauge the Goddess' reaction to a horrible view. She stared straight ahead, focusing on the outline of the Wall opposite the disaster.
The smoke curled towards the sky, towards Elsie, and she coughed before covering her nose once more. Her cough stirred the Goddess. Freyja jauntily snatched Elsie's forearm, bony fingers curling around her like a bracelet. Her skin burned from the contact although no rash broke beneath her grasp. Elsie coughed, her stomach aching from the force. Her lungs were suddenly becoming heavy as if filled with fluid, and she couldn't catch her breath enough to swallow. Freyja's watched without reaction. Unblinking as she observed Elsie.
Upset. Angry. Disappointed. She remembers the pond, Freyja's desire to have titans returned to her. A request Elsie didn't know she could fulfill. Freyja's fingers tightened, sensing Elsie's turmoil. There was no hiding how she felt. Freyja became a part of Elsie she couldn't separate.
"Land ahoy!"
The sudden bellow makes Elsie scramble to alertness. She sat up, coughing wetly into her elbow. Levi pushed her lower back, muttering about germs spreading before pushing himself into a sitting position. Elsie ignored his comment to rub her eyes, choosing to ignore the sense of dread settling on her shoulders.
Levi pushed the hammock down so they could clamber to their unsteady feet. She strapped her ODM gear this time, yawning as she used her fingers as a brush to tame her hair into a ponytail. Hange raised her arms over her head, beaming wide as she rocked back and forth in her hammock. She'd found a way to make a swing to amuse herself while Miche and Erwin finished their shirts.
"Finally!" Jean groaned, shrugging his regiment jacket on. He pointedly faced away from Mikasa as she slipped her sleep shirt off. "I'm ready to sleep in a bed that doesn't move."
"I'll finally get a night without the smell of your stinky feet," Connie sighed blissfully, rolling his sleeping bag.
"Oi, it's not my feet! It's Armin!"
Armin strapped his satchel over his back, the first of the cadets to make way for the door, "The truth will always reveal itself, Jean."
Mikasa wrapped the red scarf as she followed her friend out. Jean and Connie bickered over stinky feet, not a meter short of them, and Elsie shook her head as the bickering echoed. Hange pushed to her feet, the rings above her hammock tinkling at being shaken so suddenly.
"I'm not going to lie, I'll miss this boat," She ran a hand over the hammock, smiling wistfully. "So long, my love."
"You'll have many more days with it," Elsie laughed, slinging her bag over her shoulder. A rasp rose with her giggle and she hid it in her elbow. Levi made sure their hammock was empty before turning to watch the women speak. Erwin bent to tie his laces, listening to the conversation as Miche ran his fingers through his hair. "If you ask Granfer I'm sure he'll teach you to sail."
"Oh," Hange's glasses glinted familiarly. "Did he decide to stay with us after all? I was under the impression he decided to continue on."
"He's staying," Elsie grinned, glancing at the door. "Sasha convinced him."
Miche held his hand out for Hange to dish three coins. The gold glistened in the faint moonlight through the portholes before he tucked them in his pocket, whistling innocently.
Erwin shook his head, "The need to make everything into a bet will dry your pockets."
"In my case make them full and shiny," Miche snidely said, turning to leave as Hange opened her mouth for a snappy retort. The bespectacled woman chased after Miche, disappearing up the stairs.
Levi fixed his cravat before speaking, "I'll escort the shit eater."
"If you insist," Erwin didn't look at Elsie but his tone implied surprise. Elsie too was shocked that Levi didn't feel the pressure to sneak away into a private room. She kept her face clear as she shifted foot to foot. "Elsie, you will ride with Hange and Captain Granfer. He may be a friend but we still need to keep an eye on him."
Elsie nodded, "Got it."
Levi and Erwin stayed below deck to gather Eren and Zeke. Elsie forced herself to walk straight, resisting the urge to turn her head in an attempt to see the titans. In the glow of lamps, the rest of the regiment stood at the edge of the deck. They leaned on their toes and pointed in dark directions, assuming that Paradis was before them. Eager to catch sight of their home. Elsie found herself joining them, excited to finally have returned. She inhaled, relieved.
She finally made it back with Levi.
"It's almost like seeing Shiganshina again," Armin softly noted, blankly watching the dark horizon.
Elsie nodded, "I don't think I'll ever be so happy to see a wall again."
He laughed in surprise, "No, not again that's for sure."
"So? What's changed?" Elsie asked, edging for an answer bordering towards Eren. She desperately wanted to ask about him. She needed to speak to him above all else but her promise to Levi made her lips tight.
Armin sighed, "What hasn't changed? We lost over half our force in Shiganshina and when we returned to the Capital they denied the idea of an ocean existing. They laughed at Commander Erwin. After that... The Commander's worry about Kenny's squad coming after Historia became true. They failed at kidnapping her and she's waiting in the ravaged village we discovered."
"Sounds like a lot," Elsie summed. She swallowed the urge to clear her throat, breathing raggedly until it dissappeared.
He nodded bravely, "Yep. I heard you were worshipped?"
"It was scary. I'm so happy to be back."
"We are too. Captain Levi... Well, let's just say we're all relieved you're alive," Armin settled. He smiled slightly and Elsie grinned.
"I'm glad I didn't have to overtake a ship. I had no idea what I was doing," She joked.
He rolled his eyes, "I can't imagine you trying to hijack anything."
The sun began to rise, slow, and over the span of minutes, the outline of Paradis appeared to the worn travelers. Armin and Mikasa exchanged nervous looks. When they landed what would happen to Eren? Elsie turned to see if Levi arrived with Zeke and was irked to see Zeke tiredly leaning against the banister, wrists chained. His glasses were askew, a bruise healing on his cheek in a dark green color. Blood dripped from his forearm which Levi cut to keep him from transforming. There was no sight of Eren or Erwin.
Hange animatedly spoke to Zeke. Her concoction made him woozy and hard to focus, blinking rapidly and trying to adjust to the motion of the boat. Elsie gripped the wood of the banister, turning when she felt Armin's gaze on her cheek.
"Did you know about Eren having a brother?" He asked.
She nodded, "I was going to let him find out through the basement. I couldn't tell him anyway, not at the time."
"What do you think of Zeke?" Armin dug further.
Elsie raised an eyebrow, "Don't trust him? Don't worry, I don't either. The man is diabolical."
"Your visions... Can you make them what you want?"
Mikasa finally turned her head. Dark, challenging eyes forced Elsie to look away. No matter how long apart, Mikasa always managed to make Elsie nervous.
"What are they going to do to Eren?" Mikasa demanded.
Elsie blinked, "Oh, I-I don't know. If he doesn't start talking then Levi will step in and we know how he'll handle it." She winced for Eren.
"Can you look?" Mikasa pushed into Armin's side, jostling him until his eyebrows furrowed with frustration. He huffed and stepped back so the girls could be close.
"I-I can try," Elsie swallowed thicklyed into her elbow, glad to have a reason to avoid looking the kids in the eye. Levi made her swear not to do anything involving Eren or Lady Seer. He really did know better than to let her speak to Mikasa and Armin. "I can't promise any results."
"Please. We know that Zeke must've threatened Eren with something," Armin said, full of belief in his childhood friend. "We can't let him go down for this."
"Of course not," Elsie worried for Eren too but her hands were tied. He was the one thing she couldn't get involved with.
"Men!" Granfer suddenly bellowed from the steer. "Ready the plank!"
"Aye, aye, Captain!"
Excitement rattled the ship. Sasha appeared from nowhere, thunking her boots against the railing when she climbed to get a better view of the slowly approaching island. She held her arms out, tilting her chin back, her wild mane of brown hair billowing in the wind.
"We're back!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
Mikasa winced and Connie called out, "Damn right we are!"
Elsie laughed and joined Sasha, hollering in cheer as the crew stared wide-eyed at them. Connie joined, pumping his fist and shaking his head with his lips formed in a large 'o' as he yodeled with them. Jean clapped half-heartedly when he realized that Mikasa wouldn't be joining in the festivities. Sasha lost her voice, took a large gulp of sea air, and swung a strong arm over Elsie's neck. Their cheeks squished uncomfortably together. Elsie couldn't believe she stood here with the squad.
"And they say things can't go our way! Suck it, world!" Sasha gave one last holler to the rising sun.
Armin groaned loudly, "Sasha, don't provoke karma!"
"We'll kick karmas ass!" Connie karate chopped the air.
Elsie laughed, hair in her face, struggling to support Sasha as they leaned dangerously close to the edge. Mikasa scoffed and walked away, not one for the exhilarating feeling of returning when Eren's fate teetered to doom.
"Oi, tits for brains! Get down and shut up!" Levi ordered. He shook Zeke to release his anger. The man's head bobbled before nearly tumbling forward, losing his balance at the sudden movement. Last-minute, Levi pulled Zeke straight.
He spoke to her so she didn't find a problem with leaving the cadets. She leaped from the railing, holding back the urge to cough and ignoring Sasha's plea to stay. Levi's eyebrows furrowed in warning at her approach, his lips straightening and knuckles turning white over his grip on Zeke's chains. Zeke grinned, struggling to keep his head straight.
"Lady Seer!" He greeted jovially.
Levi rattled him until the taller man nearly tripped. Elsie gasped and held her hands out in worry. Levi dragged him further away.
"Her name is Elsie," Levi snapped. "And she's fucking off."
"Elsie," Zeke slowly repeated. "Is this necessary? Let's have a civilized discussion."
She shrugged, enjoying the shackles on his wrist and bruised face. He always kept a smitten little smirk on his face when he spoke to Elsie. It tickled her to see him under Levi's control.
"She's not in charge, fuckface," Levi's dark voice instantly warned Elsie to back off. She turned to watch the boat approach the shoreline, a long pier freshly built to allow the humongous ship to dock in deeper water. "How about explaining how Eren got the idea to walk on your people like ants?"
"It's a sensitive topic. I'd rather not," Zeke drawled. Even while watching the white waves crash against the side of the boat she could hear the grin of humor in his voice.
A resounding slap of skin made Elsie turn. Zeke crumpled to his knees with a moan of pain. Dark red blood leaked from his right nostril, a river of blood slinking over his parted lips. His wide blue eyes stared up at Levi. She waited for him to raise his leg and repeatedly stomp onto Zeke's head, wincing at the idea of more blood spewing on her dress.
"Snarky comments won't get you anywhere," Levi explained in a controlled, clipped tone. He yanked the chains until Zeke scrambled to his feet, following the lead of his arms being raised. "Unless you want to talk about Eren I don't want to hear your whiny voice."
Once upon a time Levi had tied Elsie's wrists together and made her suck his dick until spit ran down her chin. It wasn't appropriate to think of him naked when he'd just punched Zeke. But fuck, did her thighs clench and she wanted to ask Levi how long it would take to find the Scouts' hidden camp. Her eagerness to reach land suddenly couldn't be contained when the ship was so close to reaching the pier.
"Eren!" Mikasa gasped, drawing attention. She released Sasha's waist, the girl swaying with a nervous yelp on the banister. Connie quickly replaced the ravenette's place, keeping his best friend dry and onboard.
Elsie couldn't tear her gaze from Eren. Erwin towered over the hunched boy, possessively holding his forearm. They treated him no differently than Zeke. His wrists hung heavy with chains, embarrassment flushing his cheeks when Mikasa stumbled to a surprised stop before her Commander. Armin joined Mikasa, trying to read Erwin's face while she desperately tried to make Eren meet her eyes.
"Can we talk to him?" Mikasa pleaded. It was the most emotion Elsie had seen. "Eren, everything will be okay."
Erwin remained unphased and urged Eren past his friends, "Once everything has been handled I'm sure there will be time for you to talk."
"Just tell them everything, Eren," Armin doubled his steps to keep up with the taller duo. "We can help you no matter what."
His dark hair covered Eren's face, blocking his friends from seeing if he heard them. If he actually cared for his future. Mikasa bit at her bottom lip, raising a shaking hand to play with the frayed end of her scarf. Erwin looked no more surprised than Levi at his silence.
"I want to throw the rope this time!" Sasha's piercing wail stole the attention from Eren. She dashed to one of the men, eagerly reaching for the anchor.
"Sasha dearest," Granfer skipped down the stairs, leaving his man to steer the ship closer to the pier. It remained empty of life, a shore of sand, and an intimidating cement wall. Elsie stared dauntingly at it. "Why don't we leave it to Frederic? I'd love for you to assist with the plank."
Granfer wrapped his arm around Sasha's waist, guiding her as if she were a dog to a gate built into the side of the boat. Two men heaved the plank from its side, holding it over their heads and waiting for Sasha to swing the gate open. She huffed at the easy task and stepped back, grumpily watching the men slide the plank into place until a grand thunk signaled it hit the pier.
It wasn't so long ago that Zeke and Pieck dragged Elsie over this very wall. She didn't feel the same sense of horror in the pit of her stomach at seeing it. She wasn't lying when she'd told Armin she'd never been so happy to see such an ugly thing.
Elsie turned her chin to catch Levi's attention. Once he focused on her, dull stare and straight lips, she quirked an eyebrow in challenge.
"Race you to the camp?"
"Orion, really, I don't think you understand the importance of potatoes," Sasha agonizingly dragged the conversation about food for a solid thirty minutes.
Elsie dropped her head back until she watched the clouds lazily swim through the blue sky. Early mornings in Paradis weren't as chilly as it was in Liberio. The silence of nature and twittering of birds brought a sense of nature she missed. No longer did she see paved streets and rumbling automobiles. Returning to the basics of human life refreshed her, igniting purpose and reason within Elsie. Merely being on a horse made her want to race over the rolling hills to reach their destination. She'd complimented Miche's order for the Scouts in the area to feed a stable of horses until they returned. Elsie painfully missed Suni when she mounted a random black stallion.
But Erwin didn't want to risk being seen. Titans were no longer a problem outside of the Walls, not with the Scouts having been banished and having to live on the outskirts of Shiganshina. Hange reasoned a majority of them had been called into the area when Zeke released his scream all those months ago, making it easy to round the remaining titans for slaughter. The only worries they had were being seen by humans.
The formation zigged and zagged for an hour through sparse terrain. Elsie kept to her word and stayed with Granfer and Hange, which of course included Sasha's insistent need to fill the silence. Hange actually kept her mouth closed and did more listening than explaining the biological background of a titan. Elsie found that she had nothing to say because Sasha wasn't curious about her. The eighteen-year-old cared for nothing but Granfer.
Elsie wanted to nag her own infatuation but he jerked Zeke along behind his horse at the back of the caravan. He objected to Zeke being allowed to ride on a horse but understood the groups' urgency to reach home. Levi's eyes couldn't turn a shade darker with rage. He stewed atop a brown mare, Zeke's leash roped against the saddle. Whenever an annoying thought crossed he tugged the rope to remind the Beast titan who was in charge.
His sour mood didn't keep Elsie from demoralizing him in her mind. She imagined the moment they stepped into a room with a door and four walls. She planned to rip his cravat and toss it far away so he couldn't find it. His clothes would be easily forgotten once she got her hands on his tight, muscled abdomen. She knew he'd lose his mind if she dropped to her knees and tilted her head back to meet his eyes. She'd try to tease him, kiss the thighs she'd missed so much, and run her hands over his scarred skin, but her own eagerness would get the best of her. Seconds would pass before she pulled his pants down to get a taste of him.
"We're close!" Hange interrupted Granfer explaining a popular dish in Hizaru. She sat straight in her saddle, raising a hand to block the sun from glinting in her glasses. "At least three more minutes. It's an abandoned village outside of Shiganshina. They must've supplied most of the meat in the earlier days."
"So we all get our own house?" Elsie excitedly asked, practically bouncing in her seat. What a delight! Is this where the house was? The very one Levi wanted to live in?
Hange's smile wasn't very innocent, "Yes. And thank goodness because I would not want to be anywhere near you and shorty tonight. I'm surprised we didn't hear anything happening on the ship."
"We have more control than teenagers," Elsie scoffed. Secretly she was proud of their control. He could've taken her the first night in the shower. No one would've been the wiser.
"You can tie him up," Hange teased. "We'd all be grateful for a break from him. He's been a real grouch since..." The humor left. "Elsie, everyone told him you died. It was like he made himself survive by telling himself you were out there. Not for one second did he think that he lost you. Not gonna lie, there was a moment we thought he went insane."
Dark, stained brick appeared over the top of the hill. The horses neighed and a response echoed through the meadow. Dozen of houses, some tumbled from old age, blossomed into existence. Elsie searched for wild tulips and broken steps.
"He knows that I wouldn't go down without a fight," Elsie absently said. She didn't want to think of the pain caused by their separation. She wanted to rejoice at being returned. "I think I went a little insane too."
A whistle came from the houses. Shouting, excited, bounced from the center, "They're here! They've returned!"
Granfer, leading the pack with Sasha, waved happily as he trotted to a stop at the beginning of a pathway. The grassy meadow continued into the village but was walked over so much that it began to crinkle and die off. Almost a dozen soldiers survived the attack on Shiganshina. Dressed in their off-duty uniforms, they bunched into a tight group to await news. Instantly she spotted a tall woman cutting through the crowd, thin brown hair tied back to expose harsh eyes.
"I'm sure you all missed me," Granfer grandly called as he hoped from his steed. "I proved you wrong in believing I'd betray you!"
"Hange!" Hibolt broke from the crowd, smiling wide at the sight of Squad Leader. His fast steps faltered the closer he got, staring in surprise as Hange and Elsie dismounted. "Elsie?"
"Hi!" Elsie waved awkwardly, laughing at herself. Her stallion kicked at the ground, impatient at suddenly being still after riding for so long. "It's been a while!"
"Y-You're supposed to be dead!"
Hange clapped Hibolt on the shoulder, leaning close to his ear to say, "Surprise! We found her in Liberio and decided to bring her back."
"How sweet of you," Elsie joked, rolling her eyes and opening the saddlebag to grab her satchel. She shrugged it over her back and checked on Levi, watching him jerk Zeke past the line of horses and towards the group of people stalled ahead.
She matched his pace, joining him when he passed Granfer and Sasha talking to Shira and Fumio, two people Elsie recognized from Eren's class. They double looked at the sight of her blonde head beside Levi, their eyes widening and jaws dropping.
"Elsie?" Ymir stood before the group. Impassive eyes meant for glaring and insulting were wide with disbelief. For once her arms weren't crossed in disgust.
Elsie smiled and quicked her pace. Ymir opened her arms and pulled the blonde into a hug rivaling Levi's. Her toes lift from the floor and Elsie squeezed, laughing in pure delight. She'd forgotten the one true friend waiting for her. Ymir and Elsie had grown so close, talking about Historia and the only one who she spoke to Levi about. Ymir physically touching Elsie without trying to slit her throat held deep meaning.
Ymir broke the peace with a solid punch to the arm, "You ass! I thought you were dead!"
"I'm sorry! It's a long story that I'm sure Erwin will tell you," Elsie wiggled backward, keeping up with Levi as he steadily led Zeke further into the village. "We'll catch up later, okay? I missed you."
Ymir rolled her eyes, "Two days on a ship and still going at it?"
Elsie laughed at the insinuation and wished it were true. Soon she'd get her dirty hands on Levi without distraction. She licked her lips in anticipation. She told herself not to push his buttons before. She stayed a good distance behind Zeke and Levi.
She waited to see a house with tulips. Nonesuch existed the way they headed. Her fingers twirled uselessly behind her back, noticing a trend for dark brick within the development. The further they walked, the less she could hear the chatter of the regiment. Levi yanked Zeke's chains to the right, leading them towards a beaten house with broken windows. The wooden steps creaked as they ascended the porch, a depilated door hanging onto its last hinge the only barricade.
A crunch of boots alerted Elsie of Erwin's arrival. Eren refused to lift his head, no longer the yappy one she'd seen in Liberio. Did his actions finally hit him? The steps groaned in pain at Erwin's weight and Elsie stepped into the house to get out of his way.
"This shall do," Erwin evaluated the open sitting room. Barren of furniture, dust comfortably settled on the stone floor. "We'll nail some chains into the floor and have an around-the-clock guard. Hange timed their healing time, we'll have scheduled cuttings to keep them from escaping."
"You really got me," Zeke commented dryly. His casual His wrists were far from healing but Levi slid his trusty dagger from his belt. Without hesitation Levi made the cuts deeper, having the taller man wincing and flinching from his side. "Fuck, man. Brutal hospitality."
"You've killed countless innocents. There is no hospitality," Levi's eyes caught on Eren's downturned head. Noticed Elsie standing close to Erwin, watching the teenager as the Commander bent to hammer a nail into the ground with the back of his own dagger. "Elsie, find Hange and ask for a list of guards."
"I'll be back," She promised. She desperately wanted to grab Eren and drag him outside, beg him to explain everything. She so badly wanted to be there for him. She twined her fingers and pivoted, walking out of the house without a backward glance.
Hange said a list took too much of her time and smartly headed towards the prisoner's house. Ymir caught her before she could follow. The older woman haggled for a minute that turned into twenty, eagerly filling one another in on their past months. They healthily bonded over their hatred for Liberio and the Goddess.
"Historia is taking her renegade Queenship very well," Ymir said, kicking at the grass. The girls leaned against a house near where the horses were tied. The majority of the group chose to say in the vicinity and chat with the returned soldiers; Namely, Jean regaling his class with their wild story of surviving the outside world. "She definitely makes herself perfect for the role."
Elsie bit her bottom lip, "It's good practice before the real thing. Has she met her father?"
"No," Ymir scowled, concerned. She worried more than the regiment about Historia being captured."Only the goons he's sent after us."
"Okay," Elsie pondered the chance of running into Historia's father. What it would mean for Eren and the hardening trick that he had problems controlling. "How long have you been camped here?"
"Two months now. Sort of surprised that the MPs haven't come out this far but they're scared that titans still roam. They don't want to put on their big boy pants to pass Shiganshina." Ymir laughed at their fear. Elsie even chuckled, shaking her head at silly MPs.
"Sounds about right," Elsie licked her lips, checking for a short-tempered Captain before stepping closer to Ymir. Instantly the titan understood a shift in attitude. Her calculated gaze narrowed. "Have you heard of a S-"
"Elsie!" Demanding and strict, Elsie had no choice but to turn to Levi's sharp voice. He cared little for the soldiers in his path, hastily pushing them to the side. His eyes darkened in the sunlight, one hand curled into a fist, impatient.
"I got to go," She didn't turn around to tell Ymir. She hurriedly met Levi halfway, not bothered when he grabbed her forearm and yanked her to the right.
Their boots crunched in the wild grass growing over the old pathway. Her breath quickened with their pace, glancing excitingly at Levi. High cheekbones, slender neck, a white shirt that itched to be taken off. She bumped into his side to make him look at her, smiling dopily when he questioningly glanced at her. His lips relaxed, lines over his eyebrows lessening. Elsie's pout lured his eyes to her plump lips.
"Right over here," Levi licked his lips, facing forward. She pretended not to notice the increase in speed and focused on the dark bricked houses around them. "It's not much, like I said, and I know that it's a lot to work on a house and it isn't really in a village or fully functioning or-"
She saw the red tulips before he could finish his rambling. Elsie smiled in bliss. The previous owner's garden flourished in their absence. The tulips spread until they created an ocean of red waves before the porch. The first step cracked in the middle from the weather and the others weren't doing so well from the sound of pain they made when Elsie and Levi walked up the porch. The chipped blue door made her cheeks hurt from the growth of an impossible smile. Square windows filled the walls on either side of the door.
Levi glanced at Elsie, "If you don't like it there are more shitty houses out there."
"Don't make me cry again. Open the door," She squirmed with excitement.
An expanse of space greeted her. A wide room for a dining table and couches, filled with windows on the side that Elsie hadn't seen walking up. Afternoon light bathed the stoned floor, Elsie's boots echoing in the silence of Levi waiting for her reaction. She followed to the right, trailing a timid hand over the wall as she realized stairs were at the back of the room. A half-wall separated to an archway, allowing Elsie to sneak a peek at the kitchen. She sparred a look at Levi before taking the stairs by two.
The banister's old wood lasted time, smooth and pristine beneath her palm. She paused at the top, holding the round end of the stairway. Her heart squeezed, realizing there wasn't one room like her house in Trost and how they've always been. There were two doors, a hallway to walk down, a doorknob to turn, and another possibility with the option of a second room. One she never thought of. Levi's steps thundered behind her. Right, a second room for an office. This is Levi she was thinking about.
"Levi," She breathed, turning to really scream her excitement over the house.
Levi's boot landed in the hallway before she lost her sense of gravity. Elsie gasped in surprise, wrapping her arms around his neck, and squeezing her legs around his thin waist. He took advantage of her open mouth and pressed his warm lips against hers, luring her into a sweltering kiss that made her eyes close. She moaned, loud, and grabbed the side of his neck to feel the pulse of his heart. His hand left her thigh to open a door before returning with a resounding smack. She yelped against his lips, squirming away from his hand and rubbing against his groin. She felt a familiar hardness greet her.
Levi strode to the middle of the room before falling to his knees. Elsie jostled and fell backward, his hands holding her thighs to keep her elevated. She landed against a sleeping bag, the material making a loud crunch with every shift of her body. Levi couldn't care less for annoying noises. He reached for the button of her pants and Elsie gripped the bottom of her shirt, tearing it from her in a great swoop. For once he didn't tut her for tossing it across the barren room.
He wasn't shy with his groan. Her legs tightened around his waist when he leaned forward to greedily run his hands over her stomach. He reached her breasts, and squeezed, before sliding to release the clasp of her bra. He dipped his head, licking slowly along her right nipple before pulling it between his teeth. She arched into his touch, her hands jerking to grip fists of his hair to pull him closer. Naturally, her hips gyrated against his groin, stuttering when she felt his hard, long dick beneath his pants rubbing against her.
Quickly he gripped her hip, stalling her movements. He released her breasts from his devious attention to lean back, her hands dropping to her heaving stomach. She watched him push his hair back, breathless and flushed in the face. He didn't know where to start, where to look, and she grew irritated. She worked at his belt.
Levi allowed her the pleasure and panted, "I don't know if I want to fuck your mouth or that beautiful pussy."
"You can do both," His belt snapped against the loops from Elsie's furious yank. Easily his pants fell to his thighs, enough room for Elsie to release his beautiful dick. She nearly wept at his straight, erect dick leaking precum. It twitched at her attention. "I need you."
He pressed her legs together against his chest to hurriedly pluck her boots off and slid her pants to the floor. Before she could blink Levi wrapped his fingers around her ankles and pushed her thighs to her chest. She gasped, her stomach completely hidden and only her wet, desperate pussy showing. Without prep Levi pressed the redhead of his dick into her, taking his time to enjoy the tight walls encasing him. Elsie cried out, a desperate moan for more. Her arms were tucked beneath her legs, she could do nothing but beg him to do what she wanted.
"Ah, fuck," Levi panted, watching himself disappear completely within Elsie. She tightened purposefully, enticingly watching his eyebrows furrow and his lips press hard together in concentration. A sheen of sweat made his skin dewy, more tantalizing to touch. "I waited months for this."
Elsie nodded, her ponytail beginning to hurt against the bare comfort the sleeping bag gave against the stone floor. She cared little for comfort, especially when he pushed onto his knees, veins bulging in his arms from bending Elsie, letting his dick slip into the air before plunging within her warmth. Pressure grew in her stomach from how deep he entered, holding still to cockwarm. He pressed his forehead against her own, watching her go wild when he moved his hips side to side.
He barely moved but the pure animalistic need she felt had her teetering on the edge of bliss. She laid naked upon a sleeping bag, folded beneath Levi's indomitable strength, exposed for him to deviously devour. Levi still wore the white button-up, cravat strictly in place, and his pants pushed barely to his knees so he could enter her. He looked like Captain Levi, someone who never came to her bed, and she was going crazy over it.
Levi was just as desperate. He couldn't hold out for long before his small ruts turned into deep, painful thrusts. Elsie moaned, tossing her head back, listening to the lewd, wet squelch he dragged from between her legs. She couldn't look away for long, not with him touching her, rocking her on the floor, his fingers holding so tight to her ankles she knew they'd bruise in their shape.
"Oh yes, yes, yes!" Elsie shrieked when Levi suddenly lost his patience. Her head snapped back and forth, dragged like a doll for his use, and a tightness she missed grew in her stomach. "Fuck me, oh fu-"
He released her ankles, grasping her neck to slam her onto his dick. She gripped his forearms, wrapping her legs around his waist once again to encourage him. They moved in tandem, the sound of their skin slapping filling the house, making it theirs. His breath filled the room, every growl soaking into the floor, the sleeping backsliding to Elsie's movements, giving him more than enough friction to slide her easily. Her moans grew in volume, encouraged when he bent to bite at her neck, leaving hickeys that she'd cried over leaving her body.
Lost in her own pleasure, Elsie didn't realize his furious beratement. His snarls began to slither into her ear, dragging her attention from her shaking legs and the sensation of his shirt beneath her tingling fingers.
"Shitty fucking mouth...Never fucking listen..." Elsie's mouth couldn't close if a moth flew into it. Her nails dug into his rolling shoulders, encouraging him deeper. "Fucking wrecked my life."
She wrecked him in the best possible way. She destroyed his destiny to forever be alone, grouchy and surrounded by dead souls. Elsie wormed her way into his heart, bringing worry and stress in her wake. She made him want a house and a future. How dare she.
Elsie clung to Levi, pressing her bare chest against his buttons, gripping his shoulders tighter than before. Her thighs clenched and she pushed with her shoulders, gasping in absolute euphoria when she successfully rolled Levi to his back. Her loose ponytail swung over her slender shoulder, blonde wisps spreading across her bouncing breasts. She moved to his impatiant tempo, her knees aching as the sleeping bag wasn't wide enough.
Levi's eyes grew in surprise before drooping, caressing her side in encouragement. Each downward stroke had Levi deeper, her tight swivel of the hip holding him hostage within her. She dominated Levi, her palms holding his knees for her support. Her fingers knotted the rough material of his pants, turning her head to catch sight of his boots planted in the floor to lift his hips for her every bounce.
"You ruined me," Elsie prattled, unsure if he listened by the way his eyes watched his red, swollen pussy sunk over his slick dick. She licked her lips, stilling to slowly grind herself. She bit her bottom lip, whimpering at each movement. "Levi... They said you were an island devil and a Lady like me-"
Her sentence didn't go very far. His wandering hands painfully latched onto her hips, planting her for him to jackhammer into her. Elsie cried out, hands smacking into his chest, her stricken eyes finding his. He wasn't angry. It was pride.
"A Lady like you?" Elsie tried to lean forward into his chest, overwhelmed, her legs shaking once more. This time she knew she would meet her beautiful ending. Levi growled and held her, digging his fingers into her hip to remind her he was in charge. "You're foaming at the mouth for this island devil. Fucking spreading your legs for me," She screamed in surprise when he released her hips to slap the inside of her thighs. Her skin made a resounding smack, her legs instantly spreading to further from him. She held her knees for support, her vision growing hazy with lust, trying to furiously meet Levi's thrusts.
He looked as wrecked as he'd claimed to be. Sweat encouraged black strands of hair to stick to his forehead, lips red from biting, his cravat still perfectly tucked into his wrinkled shirt. He could walk out of this room and easily say he'd been working out. Elsie felt more destroyed than ever, knowing her eyes were blown and her skin flushed red with arousal.
"If they could see their Lady now, taking an island devil's cock so good," Elsie reached to rub at herself, nearly to her orgasm. He slapped her away, forcing her to squat while he thrusted into her. Her eyes began to close, her moans overlapping his words, lost with his praise. "Fuck yourself, that's right... Good girl." Elsie panted, out of breath, her thighs burning from more than exhertion.
Good girl, pretty girl. Elsie worked for her orgasm, bouncing with energy only pleasure could give. Her rising coil snapped, sending electricty through her pussy and making her legs give. Levi groaned, jerking a hand to to his mouth so he could harshly bite into a knuckle. She collapsed into his chest, shivering as wave after wave of ectasy attacked her. It was months of tension released.
He ignored her pliantcy. Levi pushed her to the sleeping bag, cushioning her chest with the one pillow in the room to save her from what she knew was coming. He pressed her legs together, slowly palming her ass before spreading her so he could enter. She lost her breath, pushed forward, her chin jerking against the pillow, staring at the tan wall . She bit into the fabric when he continued his brutal attack. She didn't know if he was punishing her for leaving or cumming before him. All she could see was the dam wall.
"Levi!" She cried out, sticking a hand back to stall his hips. He instantly froze and grabbed her hand, leaning to his side so their eyes could catch. He frowned at her teary eyes, thumbing beneath her eyes to catch the ones that escaped. "I want to look at you, I-I need to see your face."
She felt immature crying at such a moment but understanding appeared clear as day on his red face. He pressed his clothed body against Elsie, pinning her to the ground, and he gently guided her lips towards him. He slowly lifted to his knees before releasing his body weight into her. She lost her breath in his mouth and he swallowed it, repeating the process. Levi's hand eventually fell to the front of her neck, holding her gaze captive as his impatience got the best of him. His hips began a faster rhythm, sinking low only to snap back out.
Levi's breath became her own, his heart racing against her back, his hand burning possessiveness against her neck, all of it was too much. She cried into his lips, sensitive in her heart and between her legs. She'd never felt so close to him. It was everything she needed. It was more than she dreamed. This time there was no warning for her; Elsie's ears rang and her toes curled, a long moan escaping with her second orgasm.
"Oh, fuck, Elsie," Levi growled, releasing her for the first time. He suddenly pushed away, moaning in a way she wanted to record and listen to every morning when she woke up. "Open your mouth, pretty girl." He hastily helped her turn around, still on his knees with his engorged dick between his hand. His hand jerked up and down, ignoring the white clumps of Elsie's release. He was far too focused on the way her lips formed a beautiful pink 'o' for his use.
Elsie adored the taste of them together. She hummed as Levi guided the swollen head of his dick along with her tongue. He fearlessly pushed forward, instantly awarding himself with a gag. Elsie's spine curled and she pulled back for a breath of air, her tears returning to slide down her cheeks. Levi grinned to himself, leading her back with a hand on the crown of her head.
His heaviness against her tongue was well missed. Elsie pressed forward, bobbing her head to a fast pace that almost mimicked Levi's thrusts. He encouraged her with his moans, growing in his chest and releasing through his clenched teeth. His hand shook against her head and Elsie, red-eyed and slobber down her chin, looked up through her eyelashes. Levi held her still, watching her choke on his cum. She tried to enjoy the taste of him but she swallowed before she spits it up, knowing he loved it when she got all of him.
Levi pushed her head back. She let his dick slip from her lips with a satisfying pop, saliva connecting them. Elsie dutifully kissed the underside of his shaft, raising a hand to hold him still for her abuse. He jerked with sensitivity but said nothing. He stroked the top of her head.
Elsie finally released him, spreading her fingers across his thighs. His pants bunched in the crevice of his knees. He cared nothing for it. Only Elsie, intently watching her rise to her knees.
"Levi, I-"
He kissed her, "I know."