Chapter 10. You Shook Me
A/N: This chapter FOUGHT me, my goodness. Apologies for the delay. Fuck you, chapter ten. Fuck. You.
A headache had begun to blossom in the center of Erwin Smith's forehead, and no amount of massaging the space with his thumb would alleviate it. He still did it anyway, driving the digit between his brows with a punishing pressure.
He had MPs breathing down his neck and a corrupt group of extremists to deal with, all while looking after the safety of humanity's future.
In all, a normal day.
Hanji was pacing in front of his desk, babbling something he was only half listening to, her hands gesticulating in excitement like a pair of fluttering birds. Efran stood by the door, engaged in the meeting but maintaining a distance from the center of the room.
Despite his quiet respect, the tattooed man stuck out, and it wasn't just because of the maze of ink etched across his skin—although that alone certainly turned some heads. The man, much like Levi, had a presence that filled a room, no matter how small or hidden he made himself. There was an intensity to his gaze that spoke of capability, but also made one wary of just what he was capable of.
War defined a man, separated the wheat from the chaff quicker than anything, and Erwin was no stranger to the hardened gaze of a war-tempered soldier. But there was something about the Underground, a different forge entirely, that gave men like Levi and Efran an added annealing; survival down there held new significance, and a life of hunger, disease and squalor echoed in its teaching.
Levi wouldn't have chosen just anyone to act as courier for their coded messages, so the fact that the captain had entrusted Efran with the task said something. And at this point, that was good enough for Erwin to trust the man as well.
That, and he'd rescued one of humanity's strongest soldiers.
Mikasa Ackerman was an unprecedented force to say the least, and at times she seemed nearly unearthly in her resilience, but she most certainly would have died that day had it not been for the actions of Efran.
Erwin could count on one hand the scant number of times in his life where something had really, truly shaken him. Seeing the girl worth one hundred soldiers reduced to a fragile, lifeless thing—her clothes soaked in blood, arm broken, hands shredded—had been one of those occasions.
The girl sitting before him now was much more recognizable. Her arm, while still in a splint, was healing quickly, her bruises and other injuries fading even quicker, and every day she appeared less pallid. The dark circles underneath her eyes didn't appear to change, but Erwin figured they were probably due to a combination of poor sleep and the toll of Hanji's experiments.
"This is probably the second biggest disappointment of my career!" the scientist abruptly bellowed, throwing her hands above her head in aggravation.
Until now, Erwin had only been half focused on what the woman was saying, content to let her wear a hole through his floor while he contemplated the current affairs eating away at his nerves. "Hanji, just because we're unable to see Levi like Mikasa can, doesn't mean you cannot study the phenomenon."
"No, that's not what I mean!" she cried, clearly not placated by his statement. "Levi picked up a book and I missed it! How would that look to someone outside of their connection? Would it just be a floating book in the air? Or would the book itself then disappear from sight once he touched it?"
Before he could interrupt the flow of questions, Hanji halted mid stride, rounding on the dark-haired woman sitting between them. "Mikasa, either Armin or I will need to be with you constantly from now on. We'll stagger shifts so you'll never be alone while one of us is preoccupied with necessary things such as meals and sleep."
Erwin held up a hand. "Now, wait just a minute, Hanji. That's a bit excessive, don't you think?"
The scientist blinked at him for a few beats before turning to observe Mikasa with a thoughtful expression. "Ah, yes, I suppose it is. Well, in that case, I'm willing to skip out on lunch, but I'm afraid this means one of us will need to accompany you when you shower and when you—"
"Absolutely not!" Mikasa bellowed. "And besides, I highly doubt the captain will be visiting me during a shower."
"Ah, but you said yourself he surprised you in his room—what were you doing in there, again?"
"Dusting."
"Ah, yes, dusting. So, how can you be sure he won't accidentally drop in when you're slightly less decent?"
"Enough," Erwin barked, rising from his chair in one fluid motion, sending the room into silence.
Nerves were raw, not just his own—Hanji tended to prattle when she was anxious, and Ackerman's fuse was shorter as of late. Still, now was not the time to fall apart under the stress.
Smoothing his thumb and forefinger across his brows, Erwin spoke again in a calmer tone. "Thank you, section commander, for updating me on your research into this phenomenon between Lieutenant Ackerman and Captain Levi—"
"The Ackerbond," Hanji cut in. Mikasa made a sound somewhere between a sharp inhale and a groan.
"Pardon?"
"The Ackerbond. That's what I'm calling it."
"Right."
"Armin thought of it, actually."
"Of course." Erwin took a moment to reclaim his train of thought, directing his full attention onto Mikasa. "Miss Ackerman, aside from this...bond...I've called you here today to discuss your role as lieutenant and all it entails."
The young woman visibly straightened in her chair, dark eyes resolute. "Aye, commander."
Erwin regarded the other two in the room, including them once more in the conversation. "As I have said before, the MPs have been spearheading the Redeemer investigation. Now that we know there is a correlation between them and the missing children, the operation has grown more complex."
What he didn't add was that it had proven complex for the poorly organized Military Police from the get-go, and that the only reason why there was any forward progress at all was due to the Survey Corps' involvement. Specifically, a certain captain's reconnaissance.
"Thanks to the work of Captain Levi, Efran, and Lieutenant Ackerman, we now know the Redeemers are using the abandoned underground tunnels as their base. We just need to locate exactly where."
Easier said than done. The tunnels were vast, and most were uncharted. Finding the base would be difficult enough, and if it weren't for this bond between Mikasa and Levi—literally their only connection to the inside—their chances would be better trying to find a needle in a haystack.
"To be frank, no one aside from the decided few know about Captain Levi's survival," he added, voice careful. "And it will stay that way. However, I can no longer afford to coast along during this investigation and rely primarily on the Military Police. Thankfully—and perhaps in part to Levi's funeral—the Survey Corps' contributions to this investigation have not gone unnoticed. In short, we now have our foot in the door."
More like complete control. It had been a constant arm-wrestle with Nile, but at least the man had swallowed his pride enough to see the severity of the situation.
"Mikasa, I'm pleased with the swiftness of your recovery. However, considering the fact you aren't fully healed, returning to the field is out of the question." The girl opened her mouth to protest, but he held up his hand again. "You have yet to master this bond, and I'd hate to think of what would happen if you were to suddenly zone out on the field surrounded by Titans."
Ackerman had always been a champion at wrangling her emotions, but even she couldn't mask the look of blatant disappointment that flitted across her face. Erwin pressed on.
"So, lieutenant, I'm assigning you to the task of overseeing a group of special-grade cadets that have just graduated. Not only were they top of the class, but they've shown remarkable promise as soldiers in action. It's not field work, I know, and they're still very green, but I want them to learn from the best."
History had a funny way of repeating itself, and it didn't seem that long ago that he'd assigned Levi a similar task of training a handful of promising newcomers.
"You will divide your time between training the recruits and mastering this bond, reporting directly into Hanji or Armin your findings." He looked to the scientist then, who had since collapsed down into the chair next to Mikasa's. "While that does not mean Lieutenant Ackerman requires strict supervision, any attempts to initiate the bond with Captain Levi should always be done so when either you or Arlert are present."
A grin began to work its way across Hanji's face, her glasses catching the light streaming through the window and reflecting back at him. "Understood, commander."
Mikasa nodded as well. "Understood."
Erwin looked past them to the silent figure leaning against the far wall. "Sending you back to the Underground to continue where Levi and Mikasa left off is also out of the question. It's probable a few Redeemers survived that day, and no doubt they've seen your face. For the time being, you will remain here and assist Miss Ackerman with training the cadets. You've proven your skill and competency, so I don't doubt you'll be able to provide valuable insight."
Efran emerged from the shadowed corner of the room, stepping up beside Hanji's chair. "Aye, as you wish." There were no formalities to his address, but his tone was respectful, eyes sincere.
"Excellent. Thank you, Efran, that will be all."
The man inclined his head forward, affording a proper view of the compass tattoo on his scalp, and tapped his finger against his temple. His form of a salute, apparently. He moved like a shadow across the room, the door virtually silent as it closed behind him.
"Now, Hanji, Mikasa, there is crucial information I need imparted to Captain Levi. As well, I require details on his current location and anything else about the Redeemers that could aid us in his rescue and their defeat."
Mikasa's hands twisted in her lap—the only indicator of her anxiety. "You haven't found out anything on this Red Woman I told you about?"
Yet another moving piece of the puzzle, and another contributor to Erwin's headache. "I have multiple sources scattered in key points within the walls, but none have yielded results. This is our only shot at getting any information." He paused, battling his pride and shoving it back down into that place where he kept his other emotions in check. "I'm forced to admit that I've underestimated these people. They are obviously better assembled than I'd initially given them credit for. As much as I want to see the safe return of Captain Levi, we can't ignore the advantage that having a man on the inside affords us. And then there's you, Mikasa. You can gather intel without being detected yourself."
Hanji leaned forward in her chair, no longer able to keep her enthusiasm to herself. "She's the perfect spy. They can't see her."
Mikasa stood abruptly then, turning her back and stepping away from the desk. At first Erwin thought she was going to walk out of the room. She paused, however, dark head bent forward in deep contemplation. He let her have her moment, forgiving the sudden outburst, as it was so out of character for the young woman.
Finally, she turned halfway and stared at Erwin with one onyx eye. "Why us? Forgive me, commander, but I must know. When you needed someone to join Heichou on that mission all those weeks ago, I can understand why you picked me. In theory. But why us together?" She approached the desk again, dark hair brushing against her shoulders as she advanced. "We could have compromised the mission. We're...volatile."
Erwin would have called her out for questioning his decisions in this manner—and he could sense Hanji stiffen in anticipation—but her question made him pause. The look in her eyes was so raw, so vulnerable—desperate, even—and he caught a glimpse of just how frightened she truly was.
"Perhaps," he said softly, nodding in agreement, but he didn't elaborate.
There was some truth to her statement. Erwin had always attributed Mikasa's feelings for Eren Jaeger to be the catalyst behind her caustic relationship with the captain, but as the girl grew older and the events that happened at the courtroom all those years ago faded into memory, he began to question that logic.
And formed a new one. But it was a hunch, nothing more.
"Perhaps," he said again, content to be vague, "but you didn't compromise the mission, did you? If anything, we'd be in a lot worse shape now had this bond not occured. Believe me, I don't make decisions lightly, and I wouldn't have made this one if I'd thought it unsound. I sent you down there together because you two were the best for the job. I really couldn't care less about how little you like each other as long as you get the job done."
There was a warning at the end, and Mikasa had the foresight not to argue further. Her head dipped forward in contrition, dark hair falling across her eyes.
Erwin quickly recovered his role of commander, voice firm once more. "Now, if that concludes this line of questioning, I would like to move forward." He didn't wait for a response. It wasn't a request. "If your current state permits it, I want you to try and initiate the bond with Captain Levi."
He could see Hanji's head snap to attention in his periphery, her glasses catching the light again. Mikasa's own gaze lifted again to meet his, confusion etched across her features. "...now, Sir?"
Erwin leaned back into his chair, spreading his hands out, palms up. "I don't see why not. This is as good a place as any. You can take as much time as you need. I understand it's not fully under your command yet, so I'm not expecting you to get it on the first few tries."
Erwin hoped this offered her reassurance, aware that the added pressure of an audience outside of Hanji and Arlert might introduce some performance anxiety for the girl. But Erwin had yet to see this process for himself.
Mikasa exchanged a glance with Hanji, the latter offering a gentle smile. She inhaled deeply, collected herself, and came back to her chair.
"Excellent. Now, here's what you're going to tell the captain."
Levi was looking at her.
It took Mikasa a moment to register his eyes in the shadows, but dark fringe parted when he inclined his head and two pairs of alloy glinted back at her. For a short time, neither of them spoke.
He looked away from her then, eyes flicking to the side in a casual manner. He had an uncanny way of doing that, of making even the most minute actions seem unaffected. Still, there was a palpable charge to the air. He dragged a hand through his hair, and something on his wrist caught the light when he moved—he was cuffed again. Not to the wall, thankfully, but still cuffed. This cell was different. Bigger.
She made a quick perusal of the new space and was relieved to see that it was much more spacious than the previous one. Levi sat upon a cot—small and thin, but clean. Perhaps not to his standards, but there were no glaring stains or blemishes. There was also a low stool in the corner with a cup and plate stacked neatly on top—remnants of a meal.
At least they were feeding him. Still, the upgrades in accommodation hardly made up for the iron bars.
She felt disoriented in the low light, having just been in Erwin's bright office only a moment ago with the windows open to the morning sun. Initiating the connection—or, Ackerbond, as Hanji was fond of calling it—had gone smoother than she'd anticipated. It had been difficult to focus at first under the commander's penetrating, azure gaze, but that odd, feathery sensation in the back of her head seemed to be getting easier to locate and grasp each time she attempted to reach for it.
"Levi," she said.
His brow creased just the slightest as if he were thinking about how best to respond. Or, rather, like he had something to say but didn't know how to phrase it. Then he turned his head to regard her, expression blanking, and that familiar wall was up, separating her from his mind. "Did you dust my room yet?"
Mikasa wasn't as successful at hiding her emotions, and no doubt he could see the irritation flutter across her face. And, if she was honest with herself, she felt embarrassed.
The events of last night were a little foggy, her regret for what she could have said or done in such a compromised state only adding to her headache the morning after. One thing she did remember, with blinding clarity, was how his hand had felt against her wrist, then against her neck, fingers bound in her hair—a mimicry of the tether bonding them together. It had spoken to something deep within her, stirred something...confusing.
The drink had fogged her inhibition, loosened her tongue. She'd become emotional. Mikasa had learned from experience that some things couldn't be covered up again once they'd been dragged out into the light. She felt exposed, caught on her off-foot.
She liked the game in her favor, and it was now decidedly in his.
"Afraid not," was her curt reply. She knew better than to rise to his provocation, but he seemed to insist upon turning every interaction into a battle, regardless of how willing she was to be civil.
"Suppose I should have you do laps around my dark little room?"
Was he mocking her? Yes, yes he was, he was mocking her. Irritation swelled to anger, and Mikasa fought hard to wrangle that particular beast. "This one's certainly an improvement from the last one," she bit.
Levi scoffed. "Yes, it's a luxury. They expect me to shit in a corner bucket."
She grimaced at his crass mouth. He was pushing her away, erasing all trace of the night before.
Perhaps he found her actions embarrassing as well. She felt very foolish then. A girl, a stupid girl, and that's no doubt what he saw—the fumblings of an awkward child. The memory of how she'd asked him as much, his opinion of her, hit Mikasa square in the gut, and she very nearly groaned. She had wanted to know, hadn't she? And why did it matter...
"Mikasa." She had zoned out, caught up in her thoughts, and he was watching her again.
She stood from her place on the cold floor, crossing to the iron bars to escape his scrutiny. Anger, yes that was easier to manage. Childish, yes. But so was she, apparently.
"The Survey Corps are now in control over the Redeemer investigation. Erwin pulled some strings. We won't have to deal with the MPs as much anymore, so that should make getting you out easier." Spoken like a soldier—direct. Because that too, like anger, was easier.
"I meant what I said last night," he began, and she didn't turn to look at him. Didn't need to. There wouldn't be anything there on his face for to read.
"I know you did, and so did I. You don't need to play the martyr, though. Erwin basically said himself that he intends to use this situation...this...bond...to his advantage. He's right, I guess. Hanji even called me the perfect spy." She continued to rattle off the events of the morning in Erwin's office while surveying the hallway beyond the cell. He was silent beside her. She could feel his eyes burning into her form.
"I was talking about the book, brat," he murmured after she'd finished speaking. She did turn to look at him then.
His expression, as expected, was inscrutable. She should apologize, she really should. For last night and for a lot of other things. But her pride—or her stubborn head, or some other vice she clung to—held the words in check.
"Oh," was her reply.
She didn't know what to do. He wasn't following the rules. She'd just given him a report, relayed orders from their superior, and he was supposed to respond in kind. Act in kind. Act like the captain.
Instead, he merely regarded her with that gunmetal gaze, searching her face.
And then lower.
Mikasa refused to cower beneath his stare, but her skin tingled with gooseflesh as his eyes perused her form—down her neck, over her bandaged arm, lower still, before eventually flicking back up to her face. The chains on his cuffs rattled as he rose from his seated position, never breaking eye contact. She remained rooted to the spot.
He stood there for a moment, the charge in the room utterly stifling. Only when he made to step toward her—the action unrushed, deliberate—did she open her mouth to speak.
A tuneless whistle floated down the hall, the sound eerily familiar.
Both of them stiffened, a new tension in the air. Mikasa cornered her gaze to the sound, and Levi raised a finger to his mouth, tapping gently against his lips. He turned just as the jailor came into view of the cell, his sweaty face shining underneath the torchlight as he peered through the bars.
"It's your lucky day, Black Dog." The large man chuckled to himself, digging through the mass of keys at his hip until he found the right one. "Your request was approved."
The door opened with a whine and the guard stepped back, waiting. Levi didn't move.
"I don't got all day, asshole."
Levi turned his back to both Mikasa and the jailor, going back to his seat on the cot before saying, "the girl." He jerked a thumb toward the cell across from his, the chains on his cuffs rattling with the movement.
"What about her?"
"She was part of the agreement."
Mikasa craned to look around the guard, searching the cell for said girl. He meant Dennard, she knew it. Her eyes couldn't make anything out in the poor light.
"Don't be thinkin' you call the shots here, you little prick. Either get off your ass while I still got the patience to entertain your little field trip, or stay put and stop wasting my—"
"I'm going to make an educated guess here and say that Rikard has ordered you to take both me and the girl," Levi monotoned, leaning forward and resting his forearms on his knees. A casual posture. "I wonder how he'll take it if he finds out you disobeyed a direct order."
Even backlit, Mikasa could see the angry flush envelope the jailor's meaty face. He looked like an enraged bull, and she half expected him to start pawing at the earth with his foot.
"The girl," Levi enunciated.
The bull chuffed and snorted for several seconds before finally turning around and lumbering over to the other cell, mumbling curses under his breath.
Mikasa cornered her gaze to Levi, and was surprised to see him already looking at her. He clearly had something he wanted to say.
"Were you planning on telling me about this bargain?" she said, jerking her chin to the jailor across the way. Then, to herself, "and now you can't talk."
The guard loomed in the doorway once more, this time with Dennard beside him, wrists cuffed. The size disparity between the two of them was almost laughable—Dennard, already small for her age, looked absolutely miniscule next to the large man.
"Alright, Dog. Here's the girl. Now get up."
Levi took his time in rising from the cot and crossing to the door, clearly wanting to draw out the warden's patience. Mikasa followed close behind him, narrowly dodging clear of the barred door as the jailor slammed it shut.
Dennard and Levi walked shoulder to shoulder—their cuffs linked together by another length of chain—the guard tailing behind them like some great bear on its hind legs. Mikasa followed the trio on silent feet, taking the opportunity to observe the Redeemer's encampment. Erwin would want to know their system, how they organized themselves and how well they did it. What kind of weapons did they have and how many? Was there a clear demonstration of rank? Training?
Mikasa found, to her disappointment, that the Redeemers were exceedingly efficient. This was no ragtag group of rebels, but a systematic network of competent individuals; what they lacked in firepower or numbers they made up for in discipline, and there wasn't a person there who didn't appear to have a task.
Even the corpulent jailor took to his job with a dogged determination.
What was perhaps more impressive—and Mikasa hated to admit that she was, indeed, impressed—was how the Redeemers had managed to make their sprawling bivouac from the natural infrastructure of the Underground.
The encampment as a whole was spartan—several rows of tents made up the barracks, and a few, crudely-constructed stalls housed weapons. Mikasa didn't spy any ODM gear, which reassured her some, and while there were a few rifles lined up in the stalls, the majority of the weapons appeared to be various types of blades.
Mikasa recognized the ring she'd seen Levi fighting in, but the powder-fine dirt was the only indicator of its purpose; without the rope surrounding its perimeter, or the throngs of rabid onlookers, the space resembled an ordinary sparring ground. Indeed, about a dozen or so Redeemers were already gathered there, covering drills and maneuvers that were...very specific.
Yes, they more than made up for lack of firepower. These people could fight.
The jailor steered away from the main bustle of the camp, leading them through a stone underpass. The terrain here was different from the subterranean city she and Levi had spent all those weeks together in; the walls were smooth, not craggy, worn away over time by water, and rose to meet arched ceilings that tapered in several places to form insidious-looking stalactites.
If one of them should fall...
The stone was beautiful, in a cold, barren way, reminding Mikasa of a cathedral. It hit her then that this place wasn't an encampment—the Redeemers, with their clothes of red and tireless dedication to their cause, had made it their monastery.
"Stop here," the guard commanded, reaching out to yank on the chain tethering Levi and Dennard to each other. They'd stopped before a jagged division in the rock wall, a sort of entranceway into a larger chamber. Mikasa attempted to sidestep around the brute to get a better view, but his form was too large and blocked the majority of the opening.
There wasn't another Redeemer in sight here. They were alone.
She was growing impatient, and not just with the broad jailor; she found Levi's timing, or lack thereof, frustrating. He couldn't speak to her, so now she was forced to surmise the situation for herself. If Levi had bargained for a trip around the camp and a break from the cell—a clever idea if he had known she would show up—then what had he promised Rikard in return?
"You have ten minutes," the jailor announced once he'd rid Dennard and Levi of their cuffs, shooing them forward like one would a pair of stray dogs.
Levi glared, mouth twisting as he growled, "fifteen, the agreement was fifteen."
The jailor, apparently no longer cowed by Levi's earlier warning, only sneered in return. "Nine and a half and counting."
Levi's expression was so supremely vicious that for a terrible moment Mikasa worried he was going to lunge at the man. But he only turned his head, dark fringe obscuring the steely glint in his eye.
The guard's smirk grew, utterly pleased with himself. "Oh, and Rikard's orders were to shoot you dead if you got any funny ideas, so don't try nothin', ya hear?"
There would be nowhere to run, anyway. The rock was a prison.
Mikasa finally managed to slip past the large man and into the chamber. The sonic disparity between here and the space outside was drastic; the slightest sound or drip of moisture reverberated without decay up the high walls and across the vast ceiling of the cavern. She had never been in such a place and stood, for a moment, transfixed.
"Go on, then." The guard shooed them again with a meaty hand.
Levi grumbled an unintelligible sound to Dennard before turning on his heel. The girl scurried after him, Mikasa once again taking up the rear.
"Levi?" It was Dennard who spoke, but Levi's head whipped back to look at Mikasa. He recovered quickly, eyes darting down to the small girl. "Why are we here?"
Levi didn't answer, just kept walking, gaze forward again. It was even dimmer inside the cavern, the only source of light coming from the lanterns back at the main camp. Levi and Dennard appeared to be having an easier time navigating the uneven terrain than Mikasa, and she supposed their eyes had grown accustomed to the gloom.
"Watch out for the smaller stalagmite," Levi said, although most likely for Mikasa's benefit. "It's just around here."
He halted beside a large outcropping of rock, waiting for Dennard and Mikasa to catch up before rounding the corner.
The sight made both Dennard and Mikasa gasp.
High above them, a large cleft split a section of the rock ceiling, exposing a sliver of the noonday sky. The sun was hidden behind clumps of cumulus clouds, but the day was bright and clear—a shining gem of blue revealed beyond the prison of stone.
Mikasa spun to look at Levi, an awareness of what he might be doing suddenly dawning on her. He stared back at her for a brief moment before motioning a stunned Dennard to follow him.
"Is...is that…?" The girl's voice was small, eyes round with wonder. She remained rooted to the spot despite his gesturing.
Levi didn't answer, merely nodded, and walked toward the opening in the ceiling until he stood directly beneath it. Dennard looked at him and then up at the cleft, regarding it with uncertainty.
"Ever seen the sky before, Dennard?" Levi murmured, voice gentle yet resonant in the cavern.
The girl shook her head, still watching the sky.
Levi beckoned her forward again with a jerk of his head. "C'mon. Perfectly safe. The sun is just behind the clouds." His eyes drifted past the awestruck child and rested on Mikasa. "I'd hate for you to miss it."
Mikasa stepped back involuntarily, blinking at him, but he gave another motion of his head, the movement entirely for her this time. She joined him beneath the skylight, their eyes meeting again.
"You could have bargained for a bath," she whispered. He looked away.
Dennard finally approached, stepping beneath the cleft just as the clouds drifted apart, revealing the sun.
She blinked madly against the sudden brightness, hand coming up to shield her eyes. She looked so completely awe-struck in that moment, so enraptured, the narrow crescent of light encircling her like some holy vision one of those wall-wailers preached about. Mikasa half expected her to fall to her knees.
Mouth parted in a little oh, Dennard'seyes brimmed with tears as she took in the bath of light surrounding her."So this is what it's like," she breathed, arms slightly extended out from her person like a wilted flower coming back to life.
She turned her head in a jerky movement—as if the act of looking away from the light was painful—and her eyes found Levi's. Mikasa could see him visibly start at the naked look of pure joy on the girl's face, and she felt her own emotion tighten her throat.
"No," Levi whispered, his voice unrecognizable. "It's not the same."
Dennard's eyes widened even further, a look of delight tempered by despair overtaking her features and making her look so very young.
An odd sound escaped Levi then, snatching Mikasa's attention back to him. He had chuckled. And he was smiling. It was small, just a quirk in the corner of his mouth, but it was there.
Something curious and strange rattled in Mikasa's chest and in her belly, dancing off her skin, gone as quickly as it had arrived.
Levi and Dennard turned their faces back to the sky without another word, and the image was so serene, so intimate, that Mikasa almost felt like she was intruding.
It was over too quickly.
The heavy pound of footsteps echoed off the stone path behind them, the sound of rattling keys making Mikasa's heart sink.
"Alright, you've had your moment," came the gruff voice of the guard, "time to get movin'."
Another pair of footsteps, much lighter, echoed down the path, and a familiar figure came into view.
Rikard came to a stop beside the jailor, his green eyes sweeping the scene before him. "Your turn, Ackerman," he said.
The guard made a curt motion with his hand, urging Dennard to come forward. The girl balked, looking up at Levi with uncertainty.
"Come on, girl. I won't have a repeat performance of last time," the guard snapped, gesturing again. "Let's go."
Levi pressed his fingers against the girl's shoulder blade, urging her forward with a gentle touch. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder at him and was offered a subtle nod of encouragement.
"Where is he taking her?" Mikasa wondered aloud, though she knew Levi couldn't answer her.
She watched as the elfin Dennard was escorted away by the Redeemer, her stomach twisting in dread. She wondered once again what they could want with a girl like her. Several possibilities ran through her head. Not one of them pleasant.
Rikard watched the pair leave before turning back to Levi. "Didn't know you had such a bleeding heart, Ackerman."
"You don't know a thing about me," Levi growled, lip twitching.
Rikard's throaty chuckle reverberated against the stone walls like distant thunder. "Oh, that's fine. I don't like you much either."
A cloud passed across the sun above, the cavern darkening once again. Rikard's face sobered.
"I've upheld my end of the bargain. Now, tell me what I need to know about Mikasa Ackerman."
Tl;dr: Erwin is hell bent on killing bad guys. Ackerbond eye sex happens. Levi actually really likes kids and basically wants to protect Dennard because he's a softie deep down. Mikasa has NO SENSE OF FLIRTING and misses sooo many cues. Rikard wants to know about Mikasa Ackerman. More to come soon...