She wipes her bloodied hands, the last fingernail falling to the ground with a soft sound. Bertholdt and Reiner step forwards to start preparing the young doctor as they watch the clock tick down. They ignore the soft groan as Reiner picks up Eren, bringing him to a warm bath drawn.
Annie sighs and pulls the bloodied sheets back, since Rivaille won't take none of that. When Reiner comes to get her, she smiles softly and nods, following behind him.
Her dull eyes take in the master bedroom quickly, cold gaze landing on the main prize of the room.
Eren Jaeger.
His broken body slumps against the mahogany headboard, washed clean of the blood that stained him. His bare fingernails bleed into the white sheets and his damaged eyes stare off past her head and she vaguely wonders if he's even awake.
"You got it. I'm amazed." She grins at Reiner and he smirks, crossing his arms.
"I knew Levi wouldn't miss it."
She crosses the room with slow measured strides and fixes the red rose on the lapel of the younger, patting his cheek as she leans forwards to whisper in his ear.
"At least he'll realize that it's your wedding suit."
5:00 PM
7 hours left
"Levi. If we are to continue with this search, I need you to be honest with me and explain your relationship with Annie Leonhart." Mike and Erwin sit across from Rivaille and Hanji, who continues to converse with Farlan and Isabel.
Levi sighs and leans back in his chair. "It's a long story."
"We have time." Erwin says quietly. "We're working as hard as we can along with your members. "
Levi breathes out slowly, eyes darting to the clock frantically. Seven hours. Seven hours and he's dead. Oh my God, what if I don't find him…
"Hanji, tell me you're finding something." He hisses. The woman stares at him, swallowing hesitantly.
"I think you should just start talking, Rivaille…it'll take your mind off it this…"
Levi stares at his hands, and after a long silence, Mike clears his throat and speaks. "Why don't we start at the place I think everyone wants to know: Why didn't you realize that Annie was The Female Titan?"
Even Hanji pauses to look Rivaille as the shorter man sigh and clears his throat.
"She didn't always look like that. She was a natural redhead."
Rivaille steps over the last body from the rogue gang and pauses when he hears a soft cry.
"Oi. Rivaille. What are you doing?" Farlan hisses from the front door. "The police are on their way here as we speak. Hurry up!"
"There's someone still alive." He looks down at a small girl with dull eyes. She looks up, icy eyes empty and fearful.
"Come on brat. Let's go home." He holds a hand out to her and she looks down at the dead woman in front of her. Most likely her mother, Rivaille sighs.
"Mother said I couldn't go with strangers." The girl curls closer to herself, pale face stained crimson.
"What's your name kid?"
"My father once called me Female Titan. He said I'd take over one day. But he's dead to me." Something about the girl's dead voice makes him shiver inside.
"Well, Female Titan. I'll be your new dad. Call me Rivaille and I'll call you Ani."
"You won't leave?"
Rivaille laughs at that. "Not unless I die."
Ani nods and takes his hand. Farlan sends him a questioning look that he ignores and leads the girl out into the dying sun. The girl stops to look at the rest of his gang and he smirks, looking down at her. Isabel squeals and picks the girl up.
"You're so adorable! Awwww Rivaille do we get to keep her?"
"Well I guess you got Isabel's stamp of approval." Rivaille chuckles and ruffles the girl's red hair.
"Welcome to The Corps kid."
"I taught her everything she knows. The best places to chop off first, how to hurt someone without killing them right off the bat. And everyone loved her. She was so damn smart."
Rivaille looks at his hands, sighing as Hanji pats his shoulder.
"Why did you give up your power?" Mike looks up from his notes.
At this Levi smiles softly. "A certain brat stole my heart. But Ani never understood why I gave up something I worked so hard for…but Eren was so innocent in the world and I didn't want to mar that…I didn't want him to know about me…I love him too much for that."
"Why would she do this though?"
"Because…I killed her father. And forced her to help."
"Say, Ani. You're a big girl now. 18 years old. Would you like to join me on a raid?" Rivaille looks at the girl from his knife in his hand, a sliver of a smile flitting across his face.
Her dulled eyes light up at that and she sits forwards in her chair. "Really? Are you serious?"
"Uh, big bro." Isabel pops her head into the private quarters and eyes him suspiciously. "Isn't she supposed to be somewhere else? And isn't this the raid where-"
"Know your place Isabel." Rivaille snaps, flinging his knife at the woman without even batting an eye. "She's old enough. She can witness this like the adult she is."
He stands and the 18-year-old stands as well, saluting him before rushing out to grab her gear. Rivaille slowly stands as well and sheathes his knife before heading out with the others.
The raid goes well and ends quickly, and Rivaille drags the captured man back with them, Ani asking him who the man was.
He pauses and smiles softly, pressing the knife harder in the man's neck in warning and he stops fighting Rivaille before he speaks.
"You'll see soon. Go meet up with Isabel and I'll have her send you in when it's time." Ani nods and follows the excitable girl. His smile darkens and he leers down at the covered man, Hanji giggling behind him.
"Let's go, Mr. Leonhart."
"The man you captured…he was Annie's father, right?" Erwin clarifies and Levi breathes out slowly before nodding.
"Yes…he was my last victim before I left for Eren."
Erwin raises an eyebrow and Mike looks up. "I thought there were more."
"Of course there were more." Hanji speaks up for him and he silently thanks her as he looks down at his trembling hands once more. "That doesn't mean that Levi participated in killing them. We kept up his legacy while he started having doubts."
"And Annie?"
"Ani." He corrects him, accent thick as his hands clench together tightly. "And she left…swearing to get her revenge on me…and I guess she has."
"Ani." Rivaille dodges a fist aimed at him and steps to the side, dully staring at the bloodstained girl.
"YOU HAD ME KILL MY FATHER!" She screams and kicks at him and he shoos Isabel and Farlan back, letting the girl continue on her rage.
"I killed my parents to get this job. It's a rite of passage. I thought you were ready." He shrugs and she stops to glare at him, panting.
"I know about your little lover." She hisses, eyes glowing and wild. "You better watch your back, because I plan to get revenge."
He lets her go, not heeding her warning as he goes to clean up before his date with Eren.
"We've found something. Want us to check it out?"
"It's better than nothing. Two of you keep looking. She's too smart for us."
7:00 PM
5 hours left.
The light grows dimmer, as the Corps underestimate one of their own.
Perhaps you taught her a little too well, Levi.
So you better run.
A/N: I rewrote this chapter like five times and I'm still not happy with it. So I apologize for the crappy chapter.