It was a very awkward ride back home. Captain Levi didn't say anything the entire time, he didn't even look back at Eren. He just stared straight ahead, his hands on the horse's reins. Eren stayed oddly silent as he trotted alongside his captain.
An awkward silence drifted between them until Levi decided to break the ice.
"So…why didn't you shift?" he asked, his eyes not leaving the road ahead of him.
Eren gripped the reins tightly in his hands.
"She…she ran away before I could." He said.
Levi stayed quiet for a minute longer.
"I heard you say her name. It was pretty loud."
"Oh…yeah." Eren coughed slightly. "I saw her but she was running away so I sort of screamed her name to get her attention." he said, his hands clenching the reins even tighter.
"Is that so…?" his captain said.
Eren nodded but Levi didn't look at him.
"Yes, sir." He said instead.
A huge knot of guilt formed in Eren's stomach.
What was he doing?
His mission was to prevent Annie from escaping and make her pay for everything she's done…
But he just let her go and watched her leave without a moment of hesitation.
Why?
Why did he do that?
He could've shifted and easily grabbed her then. She was out of energy and dead tired, she said so herself.
There was no way she would've been able to transform and fight Eren off.
That was the perfect chance to stop Annie and make her spill everything she's done.
Yet, why didn't he do it?
Instead, he just let her toss him around like some doll and let her walk away with just a flip of her hair.
He mentally cursed himself as he continued his journey back home.
Not only that, he lied to Levi heichou.
He lied to humanity's strongest soldier.
He lied to the man that had every right to know the true events.
He lied to him.
Eren closed his eyes as his grip loosened.
Annie killed Levi's entire squad…
She killed so many people and he let her off just like that.
He really hasn't grown after all…
"Eren." Levi's harsh voice slapped him hard on the face.
"Y-Yes, sir?" he stammered.
His captain still didn't look at him, his narrow eyes concentrated on what was in front of him.
"In what direction did she go?" he asked.
"H-Huh?"
"In what direction did that bitch go? I don't feel like repeating myself, Eren." His voice was low and deadly.
Eren gulped as he tried to recollect his thoughts.
"She went to the forest near east, sir." He managed to choke out.
Levi said nothing.
Eren waited for him to give him a command but none came.
"I see." He simply said.
That's it? Wasn't he going to go and track her down? Wasn't he going to order Eren to shift and look for Annie no matter how long it took? Wasn't he going to avenge his deceased squad?
"U-Um, Levi heichou?" he said.
"What?"
"A-Aren't you going to go and kill her?" he said quietly.
"Of course, but not with you."
"Huh? Why?" Eren blinked.
"I'll go get her…without you." He said with a blank expression.
Eren stopped his horse as he tugged on the reins. Levi, however, kept going.
"Levi heichou!" Eren said loud enough so he could hear.
Still, Levi did not halt his ride.
"LEVI HEICHOU!"
"Shut up, shitty brat." He said. "Your voice is too loud, it's annoying."
"Why can't I go with you?" Eren ignored his insult.
Levi finally pulled on the reigns as he looked back at Eren, his eyes were cold and empty.
"I thought it was obvious." He simply said. "If you go with me, you will just be in the way."
Eren frowned as he gritted his teeth.
"I will not be in the way, Levi heichou!" he snapped.
"Don't raise your voice at me." He narrowed his already narrow eyes.
Eren flinched at his words but held his ground as he gripped the reins in his hands.
"What makes you think I'll be in the way…? If you have me then you'll have a higher chance of capturing her! I can turn into a titan and my skills as a soldier isn't horrible!" he exclaimed.
Silence.
"Do I have to say it, Eren?" Levi glared at him.
Eren gulped, confused.
"S-Say what, sir?"
"Your physical abilities are passable." He said and Eren brightened at his compliment. "But," he said lowly. "Your emotions are unstable. You will hesitate to fight her. Your emotions will get the best of you. You will just be in the way."
Eren winced as Levi's glare pierced his soul.
"T-That won't happen…" Eren mumbled.
"Don't lie to me." Levi said quietly. "You suck at lying."
Eren lowered his gaze.
So Levi knew that he was lying about Annie running away before he could transform, huh?
As expected from him.