Hello lovelies! Thanks so much for sticking with this story, it makes me so happy to read your reviews and see those follows/favorites in my inbox.
To answer some questions/concerns...
Yes, I do believe that Mikasa and some others join the Recon Corps. Like I said, I've only watched the anime. I will read the manga eventually.I do have plans for Mikasa…you don't think she'd just sit around after Armin snuck off like that, do you? ;)
For now just consider this an AU. Oh, and I changed Irvin's name to Erwin, to stick with the translated names.
Please read and enjoy!
Levi was feeling rather satisfied with the way his morning had gone. He always found himself feeling a little smug after putting someone in their place, and it was even better when that someone had been a thorn in his side since he'd entered the dining hall that morning. Petra Ral was now running laps around the castle and wouldn't be done until the early evening. Maybe she would get the hint that trying to take things that belonged to him was not in her best interest after some rigorous exercise.
After he had finished his second cup of coffee Levi snuck into the kitchens to pilfer a carrot for Onyx. Well, more like waltzed right in and took whatever he damn well pleased without a second thought. Although the kitchens were technically off limits to anyone but the cooks, no one dared to tell him to leave. The cook on duty quickly busied himself with preparing the day's lunch, pretending not to see the thievery.
In truth Levi was just stalling to avoid having to oversee his squad's training. It was dreadfully boring watching the same soldiers make the same mistakes day in and day out despite his excellent coaching. It was as if they were incapable of following the simplest of instructions and it pissed him off to have to babysit imbeciles.
There was only one person who didn't piss him off royally or absolutely bore him to tears these days.
He would much rather be out killing titans or devising battle strategies, but Erwin had insisted that he step up as squad leader and monitor his team's progress. As much as Levi was loathe to admit it, if there was one person who could defeat him in one on one combat in the blink of an eye, it was Erwin. The man always had a volatile aura surrounding him, and Levi valued his life enough to not question his orders.
It was a good thing, then, that Erwin was absent that day.
To get out of his babysitting duties he'd pretended to have some urgent matter that needed his immediate attention at the stables. There he found Onyx waiting, eager for his morning treat. Levi pulled out the carrot and offered it to the hungry horse who crunched it up greedily. Spending time with Onyx always calmed his nerves and put him in a better mood. The animal had a way of seemingly understanding his troubles without saying a word and comforted him without expecting anything in return (besides the occasional carrot or sugar cube).
Their partnership had begun when Levi first joined the military. The higher-ups had issued one horse to each soldier for mounted combat training, and Levi had been assigned to an unremarkable brown gelding that came from the military's breeding program. He hadn't particularly cared what horse he was to ride, being more eager to try his hand at being part of the cavalry than anything. He learned to balance a weapon while riding and perfected the art of using his 3D maneuver gear to latch onto a titan from horseback.
*flashback*
One day he'd been riding through town to depart on his latest mission when he'd witnessed a rather inept stable hand struggling to control an ill tempered black stallion (and failing). The beast continuously reared up and threatened to mercilessly trample the boy, tugging at the rope around its neck and trying its best to get free. It was rather skinny and malnourished looking and Levi concluded that it must have been a wild horse that the owner had somehow captured outside the walls. He'd seen horses like this one before, all captured and sold for a pretty penny to the military.
What caught his attention the most was the fierce look in the beast's grey eyes; eyes that matched his own.
Another man, a rather large and burly fellow, came out of the stables with a cruel looking whip in hand. The man cracked the whip behind the horse, striking terror into the beast, who reared up once more, knocking the stunned stable boy over and galloping into the open corral. The burly man followed it angrily, cursing out loud and ignoring his downed companion. He cracked the whip once more, this time landing a direct hit on the horse's flank, causing it to scream in pain. Blood trickled from the cut as the frightened animal desperately looked for an escape.
The man, satisfied with his work, let out a chuckle. "Stupid animal, that'll teach ya to fuck with me."
He slowly approached the terrified horse, attempting to grab the free end of the rope around its neck, cursing when it slipped out of his reach as the horse backed itself into a corner, rearing up once more.
Before he realized it, Levi was heading in the direction of the stables. He just couldn't sit back and watch the sickening display of cruelty any longer. Erwin had been accompanying him and tried to talk him out of getting involved.
"Levi! Stay out of it. It's none of your concern," he shouted, vehemently trying to get through to the other man. Levi ignored him, however, approaching the downed stable hand who was picking himself up off the ground. "Boy, tell me, is that horse for sale?" he demanded, pointing to the ebony stallion and causing the frightened stable hand to look at him as if he'd grown another head. Before he could answer, however, the whip-wielding man let out a hearty laugh, causing Levi to furrow his brow in annoyance.
"Haha! You got a death wish, son? This horse is the devil's steed, I tell ya. Besides, even if he was for sale, we was plannin' to breed him. He's a fine specimen and the price he'd fetch at market is more than a grunt like you makes in a year, harhar," he said, wrestling with the horse now that he'd grabbed on to the other end of the rope.
He immediately stopped laughing when the cold steel of a blade rested against his neck.
"H-hey! What the fuck?!" he choked out, nearly pissing himself with fright.
Levi gave him a look that could make the devil himself run with his tail between his legs. "Is that so? Well then I'll just have to take him by force. You're clearly an idiot who has no idea how to properly handle a horse. Surely you wouldn't inflict wounds on such a fine specimen if you really intended for him to be sold. He's worth nothing to you as he is now, and you know it. You're just trying to bullshit me, and for that I'll be taking him for free."
"Why you little piece of-" the man's insult was cut off by the blunt edge Levi's blade being pressed deeper against his neck, making it difficult for him to breathe. "Ugh! Fine! Take the damn beast! Just let me go!" he pleaded, looking rather cowardly and disgusting. Satisfied with the man's answer, Levi lowered his blade, allowing the man to breathe again. He shoved the rope into Levi's hands without a word before running off to change his now soiled undergarments.
Levi was glad to be rid of the coward and turned his attention to the horse that was now his responsibility. It had finally calmed down when the man wielding the whip had gone, and was breathing heavily to regain its strength. Its coat was pitch black and glistened in the midday sun, its flanks soaked with sweat and its mane long and flowing despite never having been touched by human hands. Its grey eyes were still full of fear and he reared up when Levi tried to approach him, threatening to bring down its front hooves on his head. Although the horse towered over his own small stature, he didn't let that deter him from attempting to tame the beast.
The raven-haired man pulled on the rope, forcing the horse back down on all fours. He never broke eye contact with the beast, doing his best to get the point across that he was in charge, and that the horse would submit to him. After a few more unsuccessful attempts to trample the man, the stallion finally relented, exhaustion overtaking it. It hung its head in defeat, lightly pawing at the ground in irritation.
Levi hesitated a moment before extending his hand and letting the horse smell it and get acquainted. Half expecting to get his fingers bitten off, Levi was pleasantly surprised when the horse just sniffed his hand. He dared to take it a step further and pat the soft velvety nose. The horse didn't seem to mind, so he continued to do so, calming the animal so that its breathing had returned to normal.
Levi honestly had no idea why he'd intervened. Maybe it was because he knew the feeling of being ripped out of his home and placed in unfamiliar surroundings with people who expected you to follow orders without question. Maybe it was because it hurt to see such a proud animal have its spirit completely broken. Whatever the case, he was now stuck with the unruly horse, but he vowed to do his best to tame the beast without turning it into a shell of its former self.
He hadn't realized that Erwin had been watching the entire escapade, and was now looking at him with a mixture of frustration and admiration. He was frustrated that Levi had ignored his orders, but he admired the guts and sheer willpower that he displayed when dealing with the stable hands and the headstrong horse. He sighed, deciding that instead of scolding the boy, he would give him advice.
"Levi, you know that it's going to take time for that beast to be suitable for riding, let alone be taken into combat. If you're going to attempt to break him, I won't stop you, but I will not have that horse on my cavalry until you can prove to me that you can keep him under control. His feed and housing expenses will come out of your salary. And you'll also pay to have his wound treated. Understood?"
Levi didn't look at the man, but nodded in agreement. When he looked into the horse's eyes once more, he could have sworn that it gave him an almost grateful look.
"I'll call you …Onyx. It suits you," he said, quiet enough that only the two of them could hear. The horse snorted in agreement.
*end flashback*
Levi was suddenly pulled out of his trip down memory lane when he heard someone call his name. He knew that upbeat, bubbly voice anywhere. He turned around to see Hanji running up him, stopping when she was a few feet away, bending over to catch her breath before finally being able to talk.
"C-corporal Levi, sir! I'm so glad I found you! I have urgent news!" she said, huffing.
Levi raised a thin eyebrow in curiosity. "Yes, Hanji? What is so important that you're out here bothering me instead of researching the captive titans?" He was giving her a look of pure irritation at having been interrupted. True, he hadn't been doing anything but feeding Onyx and reminiscing, but still.
The scientist hesitated for a moment, afraid that the Corporal wouldn't hesitate to kill the messenger of bad news. Deciding that it would be worse to bother the man without cause, she quickly blurted out, "It's Eren! He's gone missing!"
She winced when she saw a look of murderous rage appear on Levi's usually calm features.
"What do you mean, Jaeger's missing? I ordered him to train in the courtyard, is he not there?" he asked, already guessing the answer.
"No, the castle grounds have been thoroughly searched. The other squad members noticed his absence when they started their training and reported it me when they couldn't locate you or Commander Erwin," she said, being careful not to imply that Levi's absence was a problem. "And the caretaker reported one of his horses missing this afternoon. I suspect its Phoenix," she continued, pushing her glasses up her nose and trying to look professional.
Levi looked around the small corral, trying to locate the only chestnut colored horse that the Recon Corps owned. When he couldn't see her he cursed under his breath.
That idiot. Did he run away because I pissed him off? How childish.
He snapped his head back in Hanji's direction. "Did anyone see him leave?" he demanded.
"No sir, but hoof prints were spotted heading in the direction of the forest," she said, as if it was an afterthought.
Levi shot her a volatile glare. "Why the hell didn't you tell me that sooner? It's obvious the brat stole a horse and headed into the forest. The question is why?" As he said this he was already heading towards to stables to retrieve a saddle. He didn't really care what Eren's reasoning was, if the brat had run away then Levi would be the one to bring him back and make sure it never happened again. He wasn't about to face punishment from his superiors for allowing the brat to escape.
Hanji racked her brain for an answer to his question, before a light bulb seemed to appear over her head. "Oh! He received a letter yesterday. Maybe whoever sent it wanted to meet with Eren!" she exclaimed, extremely satisfied with herself as if she had just solved the world's most difficult puzzle.
Levi ignored her, scanning the inside of the stables until his gaze came to rest upon the frantic old man wringing his hands in the corner. The man yelped when he saw Levi look at him, and covered his face with his hands.
"I-I'm so so sorry Corporal Levi, sir! I have no idea how the boy managed to steal a horse and riding equipment without me noticing! I had the key ring on me at all times, I swear!" the man whimpered, shrinking under Levi's unfaltering gaze.
"Oh, is that so? Next I suppose you're going to try and convince me that you were awake and on guard the entire time?" he said, bearing down upon the man with his threatening demeanor, outrage clearly evident on his face.
The man nearly pissed himself in fright. "Oh God! Please don't hurt me! I confess, I took a short nap in the stalls but I never thought that anyone could steal the keys right from under my nose without so much as a peep! He must have been incredibly stealthy, the thief!" He waved his hands wildy in exasperation.
Levi sighed. He was getting nowhere with this old fool, and he decided not to waste anymore time interrogating him. "I'll deal with you later. Saddle Onyx and have him ready to ride within the next five minutes and I may not cut you down where you stand." The statement chilled the old man to the bone. He barely had time to react before Levi was out the door again.
Hanji was languidly stretched across a pile of hay just outside the stable doors. Levi really didn't have the patience to chastise her for being a useless lump at the moment, so he just ignored her as he paced back and forth. After what seemed like an eternity the caretaker emerged, Onyx following behind him, saddled and ready to ride. Without so much as a thank you, Levi grabbed the saddle pommel and hoisted himself up on the horses back, yanking the reins from the old man's grasp.
"Hanji," he spoke, knowing that the woman was still lazing about without even looking, "I'll be riding to the forest entrance and then I'll be using my 3D gear from there. Follow behind me on horseback, we'll need a way to transport Jaeger in the event that he's been injured. Onyx will follow you."
Hanji saluted him, a rare show of respect from her. "Yes, Corporal! You can count on me!" she exclaimed, a cheesy grin appearing on her bespectacled face.
Levi had already left her in the dust by the time she finished her sentence.
He wasn't entirely sure why he felt like he had to hurry and find the brat. He was most likely goofing off or taking a nap somewhere, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something about this entire situation was wrong. A nagging voice in the back of his mind urged him on, heels digging into Onyx's sides none too gently, demanding that the horse pick up the pace until they were at a gallop.
It took him less than ten minutes to reach the edge of the forest going at the Onyx's maximum speed, and he gradually decreased the pace until the horse came to a stop. Onyx was incredibly strong and agile, but such a sudden burst of speed had left him winded, and his breaths were fast and shallow. Levi patted his neck in apology before sending out a grappling line into the nearest tree, catching it in the thick bark and using it to pull himself upwards and onto the highest branch. He looked up and saw a darkening sky, ominous clouds hanging low and heavy with rain, appearing ready to burst at any moment. Rain was usually considered a blessing, a gift of life to the land, but right now it would only hinder his progress.
He silently prayed that the coming storm would blow over quickly.
I'm coming, Jaeger. You'd better not be dead already, because I want to kill you myself.
Eren's eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. Time seemed to slow to a standstill as he gazed upon the scene before him.
There was Armin, his best friend since childhood, being held hostage by a madman with a knife.
"Not another step, or I'll cut his neck!" the hooded man spat, the sharpened edge of his blade pressed firmly against the blonde's neck, enough to show that he definitely meant business, but not enough to puncture the delicate skin beneath. Armin was forced to hold his head still to avoid the blade's biting edge.
Eren heard the words, but wasn't able to process them in his mind. His instincts were beginning to take over, and although they pushed him to take action, he was frozen to the spot, terrified. A million thoughts were racing through his brain.
Why is this happening? This doesn't make sense, everything was fine a minute ago!
When he heard Armin let out a frightened yelp Eren snapped out of his stupor. He could feel searing anger gradually replacing his initial shock as he saw a look of pure terror flicker across Armin's eyes.
"Let him go! Who the fuck are you?!" Eren hissed more than spoke, his turquoise eyes full of fury as he sent a look of pure hatred in the hooded man's direction.
He was not expecting the man to laugh. Scream back at him, yes, remain silent maybe, but laugh, no.
It wasn't one of those laughs like you'd laugh at a joke; it was the kind of laugh of someone with mental instability, a laugh at nothing and everything at the same time.
"Let him go? Why would I do that? He's the key! Well, I suppose it could have been that dark haired bitch, but this one was much easier to catch." He laughed manically again, its high pitch ringing out in the stillness.
Eren visibly flinched at the man's insult to Mikasa, and any other time he would have defended her honor, but he had much more important things to worry about right now.
"Key? What the fuck are you talking about? Just who the fuck are you? Answer me!" Eren demanded, weapons raised, trying not to look into Armin's pleading eyes. He felt sympathy for the boy's plight, but he had to stay strong in his resolve.
The man made a tsk noise, clicking his tongue as if chiding a youngster.
"Ah ah ah! Naughty boy! Weapons down or I'll make him frown! Yes indeed, heehee!" the man pressed the knife deeper into Armin's skin, causing a few beads of blood to appear on the edge of the cold steel. Armin whimpered, the fresh cut stinging his sensitive neck.
Despite his pain, he vehemently protested the man's request.
"No! Eren! Don't do it! Whatever this guy wants can't be good! Just forget about me and go get help!"
Eren's heart sank. The man may have been batshit insane, but he was also deadly serious. Realizing that he had no choice (Armin's death was not an option), he reluctantly dropped his blades to the ground where they landed with a soft thud. Armin hung his head down (as much as he could, anyway), his body racked with silent sobs.
"There! Please, just don't hurt him anymore!" Eren pleaded, although were his turquoise eyes still full of wild fury. He hated begging, but he would do anything to spare Armin's life.
The man frowned, lessening the pressure of the blade against Armin's neck in compliance. He sighed in disappointment, as if Eren was ruining all of his fun.
"Can you at least tell me who you are, or why you're doing this?" Eren asked, desperate for some answers. If he knew the man's reasoning, maybe he could negotiate with him.
He didn't have high hopes.
The hooded figure just huffed like a child would when someone refused to play a game with them.
"Oh, you're no fun! No fun at all! I'll just have to call you Mr. Serious Pants!" He laughed again, the shrill sound ringing in Armin's ears, "besides, who I am isn't important, I'm merely a hired hand! A pawn in this grand game we call life!" he said in a sing-song voice. Eren could only see the lower half of the man's face under his hood , and right now he wore a grin that could put the Cheshire Cat to shame.
Eren had never witnessed true madness up until this moment. Sure, he'd seen soldiers break under the intense mental trauma that a titan attack could bring, but they had been perfectly normal human beings before. This man, however, must have been a special type of loony. He seemed to be humming a jaunty tune to himself, all the while never loosening his hold on Armin or the knife.
If he was going to convince the man to release Armin, he was going to have to try a different approach. Clearly demanding answers was getting him nowhere. He took a deep breath, trying to restrain himself from losing his temper.
"Please, just tell me what you want. If I can give it to you I swear I will, just please let my friend go" he said in his most sincere voice. The sentiment seemed to be lost on the man, much to Eren's dismay.
The hooded man pursed his lips in a sort of pout. "They said you were a monster! An aberration! All brawn and no brain! No control! Fangs and claws and all that. Liars!" the man snarled, his anger directed at whoever "they" were. Eren was thankful that he hadn't tightened his grip on the knife in his rage.
"You're a kitty cat! A lamb! All bark and no bite as it were. Please this and please that! You sound like a ninny. You just can't be the one! Those fools, I don't much appreciate being lied to!" His voice went up an octave with every word, and pretty soon he was shouting like a lunatic. Well, even more of a lunatic.
"You match the description, yes! But I see no fight left in those pretty eyes of yours. Too easy! Too easy! You gave up too easy! I wanted to see it! I don't like waiting! I don't care if it isn't part of the plan!" He was practically throwing a temper tantrum, and Eren was almost certain that if he hadn't been busy holding Armin hostage he would be kicking and screaming on the ground like a spoiled toddler.
"Always ruining my fun! All work and no play! No no no! This won't do! This won't do at all! No monsters here, only mice!"
If Armin hadn't been so worried about dying he would have been annoyed at the man screaming in his ear.
Eren had almost given up on trying to translate the man's ramblings until he heard the word "monster". It was as if a light had suddenly appeared in the darkness.
Whoever "they" are must know about my titan powers. Has it become public knowledge? Or could this man have been in league with…
"You're working for the military police, aren't you?!" Eren stated more than asked, "they have some kind of plot against me, is that it? Well, let Armin go then! If they want me dead I'll just come with you without a fight, I swear! So please, let him go!"
The man looked thoughtful for a moment. "Yes, yes, that was part of the plan. Bring back the monster boy using the hostage, yes. Paid me a pretty penny too, indeed, indeed! Going according to plan, yes."
Eren waited for the man to finish whatever train of thought he was on. He mumbled and whispered so low that only he could hear, as if having a conversation with some unseen entity. After a few minutes of seemingly arguing with himself, his mouth broke into a malicious grin.
"But what fun is sticking to the plan? Downright boring, it is! Gold, schmold! Got plenty of the stuff laying around. What I want is to see it!" He looked like a kid eager to open presents on Christmas morning.
Eren was more confused than he'd ever been, (and that was saying something) but he decided to humor the man. Keeping him talking meant keeping him distracted from the knife and Armin.
"What is it you want to see, exactly?" he questioned cautiously, unsure if he really wanted to know the answer.
The man seemed indignant that Eren even had to ask.
"It! It! You know, the "it" inside! I want you to bring it out! Stop teasing me! It isn't polite to keep a lady waiting!" He tapped his foot impatiently, as if he was waiting in a long line at the grocery store.
Eren ignored the fact that the man had just referred to himself as a lady and concentrated on his previous statement.
The "it" inside? He must mean my titan powers. But I can't transform now! I might not be able to control my body and accidentally hurt Armin!
He couldn't risk it. He would have to try his hand at rationalizing with the man.
He's already proven to be unreasonable. I'll just have to convince him that I can't bring it out at will. Hopefully he doesn't know about the biting thing.
"Um…I'd love to show you "it" but…I can't really control when it happens…sorry" he said, feigning disappointment at not being able to grant the man's wish.
The man didn't seem dismayed, however. "Oh! If you can't bring it out by yourself, I can help! Yes! Always happy to help! Yes, yes!"
Eren had no idea what in the world the man meant by "help", but he knew it couldn't be anything good.
"Um, that's nice of you to offer, but I don't think you can help me. It just…happens sometimes, I can't explain it." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck, trying to think of a way to talk the man out of wanting to "help" him. Unfortunately for him, the man seemed dead set on it.
"Oh! But I can! Read all the reports, I did! It comes out when you're afraid, or when you're angry! Yes! Full of fury! Fury sparks the fire, yes! The fire brings it out! I can spark the fury, so it can spark the fire! Ehehehe!"
As he finished his sentence the man began digging his blade into Armin's neck slowly, crimson droplets running down the shining steel.
Armin began to scream.
Eren didn't know when he'd started running, but before he could reach his friend a blur of colors descended from the trees, landing behind the man silently. Before he could turn around and see what was behind him a blade pierced his shoulder, slicing through blood and sinew with ease to emerge right below his left collarbone.
It had all happened in the blink of an eye.
The hooded figure dropped the knife, shrieking like a banshee as he fell to the ground, clawing at his back, trying to remove the blade from his shoulder with one hand while trying to staunch the bleeding with the other.
Eren followed the length of the blade with his eyes, up past the hilt, finally resting his gaze on the owner of the weapon.
It was Levi. And he looked furious.
Without a word the raven haired Corporal planted his foot square in man's back, between his shoulder blades. He braced himself against the man's spine as he retracted his blade, causing a torrent of blood to flow from the open wound onto the lush green grass.
The man had finally stopped screaming after a minute, whether it was due to blood loss or delirium wasn't clear. He was slumped over, clutching his wound with both hands, catching the free flowing blood as it trickled through his fingers.
Armin had at least had enough sense to run once the knife had been dropped, and now he was leaning against a tree for support. He couldn't stop shaking, adrenaline coursing through his veins, and he absentmindedly clutched the deep cut that the hooded man had inflicted on him. He was much too concerned with the scene playing out before him to worry about his own wounds, however.
It seemed like an eternity before Levi broke the uneasy silence. In reality, it had only been less than a minute since he'd pulled his blade from the hooded man.
"You. Tell me who you are and who you're working for, and maybe I won't separate your head from your shoulders."
Eren had never heard Levi sound so angry. Sure, he normally sounded irritated, but it was nothing compared the deadly tone he was using now.
The man only laughed weakly in response, coughing up a bit of blood in the process, spattering it across the ground. How anyone, even a lunatic, could laugh at a time like this, with a gaping hole in their torso, Eren didn't know. When he spoke it was in a hoarse, strained voice that somehow retained a hint of its previous mirth.
"Hehe, there he is, everybody's hero, the legendary Levi-Heichou! A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance! You're shorter than I thought you'd be." The man let out a maniacal laugh, wincing a bit at the strain it put on his wounds.
Eren couldn't tell if the man was delirious or not. It was really hard to tell with a psychopath.
Levi was far from amused. He sent a hard kick into the man's ribs, a few of them cracking audibly, sending him reeling onto his back. He struggled to breathe, the wind surely being knocked out of him from the blow.
It was the first time Eren had gotten a good look at the man's face. The hood had fallen back, revealing a young man, no older than his mid twenties, with dark red hair and crazed eyes the color of molten gold. Blood was dribbling down his chin as he continued his coughing fit.
Well, he finally stopped laughing, at least.
Levi pressed the heel of his boot into the man's bruised ribs, causing him to hiss in pain.
"Laugh again and I'll cut your tongue out. Believe me when I say I am not in the mood for games right now." His words dripped with malice, and Eren was certainly glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of those threats.
The man's consciousness was fading fast, a glazed over look appearing in his eyes, and his breathing had become shallow and labored.
Hanji came riding into the clearing at a gallop, and Eren had to dive out of the way to avoid being ran over. She pulled the reins back hard, causing her horse to come to an almost screeching halt. She wasted no time in dismounting and hurrying to Levi's side, pushing up her glasses and trying not to appear totally disheveled.
Before she could speak Levi barked an order. "Hanji! Tend to this man's wounds. I need information from him and he's no use to me dead. Do whatever it takes to keep him alive."
Hanji nodded, wasting no time in nursing the man, doing her best to stop the bleeding with a small medical kit she pulled from her jacket. Levi left her to it, walking over to a stunned Armin and kneeling before the frightened boy.
"Arlert! How bad are your wounds? Do you need medical attention?" he asked, his voice laced with a genuine concern that took the blonde boy off guard.
Armin shook his head, removing his hand from his cut to show the older man. "It's nothing really," he said in a dismissive tone, "I'm fine."
Levi grabbed the boy's chin, turning his head to the side to get a better look at the wound. It was a deep cut, but with some ointment and a bandage it would heal in a few days at most.
"Very well. Put a bandage on it and keep it clean. You rode, here I assume?" Armin nodded and he continued, releasing the boys chin and standing back up, "Good, then mount up. You will follow us back to the castle. I'll figure out what to do with you once we get there."
Without a word Armin obeyed, heading in the direction of the tree where he'd hitched his horse.
Levi watched him leave, making sure no other hidden assassins waited in the bushes. Once he saw Armin return on his horse's back he immediately snapped his head in Eren's direction, his eyes narrowing in anger as he fixed his gaze on the brunette, causing him to jump at the sudden attention.
There were so many things he wanted to say at the moment, "thank you", "I'm sorry", "I owe you one", but the words all caught in his throat, refusing to become anything more than thoughts. He supposed any kind of sentiment would only further anger the older man anyway, so perhaps it was a good thing that he was suddenly mute.
He could only stand there, mouth slightly agape as Levi stalked over to him. Even if he'd wanted to run, his legs felt like jelly after his previous adrenaline rush, and he found himself glued to the spot.
He should have seen the punch coming, but his reflexes were slow on the uptake, and he had no time to defend himself. It hit him square in the gut, causing him to double over in pain.
He didn't blame Levi, really; this entire fiasco was all his fault after all. However, that didn't make it any less painful.
"Jaeger. You will mount up and follow Hanji and I back to the castle. We will discuss the repercussions of your actions there. If you value your life you will not disobey me this time." The words were cold and devoid of any kind of sympathy or compassion. Not that Eren had been expecting anything less from the man.
With that Levi returned to Hanji's side, demanding an update on the mystery man's condition.
"He's out of any immediate danger, for now. I've stopped the bleeding and applied antibiotic ointment to ward off an infection. He'll need professional medical attention soon" she reported, a serious tone overriding her usual playful one as she pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.
"Good. Throw him on Onyx's back. Mind his chest; I'm certain I broke a few ribs. Take it slow on the way back, but do not lose sight of me. You are dismissed." Hanji saluted him before hoisting the unconscious man over her shoulder (her strength was surprising to Eren) and throwing him none too gently onto the horse's back.
Armin had finally recovered from his initial shock and immediately ran to his friend's side. He mentally kicked himself for not moving until now.
"Eren! Are you alright? It didn't look like the Corporal was holding back at all" he said, worry etched onto his delicate features. Eren was still reeling from the pain. An ugly purple bruise was beginning to form across his abdomen, and if it wasn't for his regenerative powers he would be extremely concerned that he was bleeding internally.
As always, he put on a brave front for Armin's sake, pretending that he didn't feel like vomiting up his organs at the moment.
"Ah, yeah. I'm fine. What about you? Did he get the knife in deep?" Eren's voice was hoarse but still full of concern.
"No, it just left a little cut." His eyes welled up with tears, "Eren, I'm so sorry! I should have realized that I was being followed but I just brushed off all the signs. This is all my fault…I'm so sorry…" he broke down, his entirely body shaking and heaving with sobs. His arms were crossed, nails digging into his upper arms in anguish, his head hung in despair. Warm, fresh tears landed in his lap, creating a large wet spot on his pants.
"Armin, it's not your fault…"
Eren had finally been able to let go of his stomach that he had been clutching in pain as he reached out to try and comfort Armin. The boy unexpectedly shied away from his touch, causing Eren to balk.
"Don't! It is my fault! I led that maniac straight to you. You don't need to comfort me Eren, I'm not worth the effort. You're always having to come to my rescue, to tell me it's all going to be okay. Well, it's not okay! I nearly got us both killed because of my carelessness." Before Eren could protest, Armin stood up, his fists clenched at his sides, his gaze cast downward.
"I won't be a burden to you anymore. You'll be much better off without me, so please, just forget about me."
Before Eren knew it, Armin was gone, already hoisting himself back into his horse's saddle. He didn't have time to think about what had just transpired before a hand was extended in front of him. He looked up to see Hanji smiling down at him, Phoenix at her side.
"Come on, kiddo, we need to head back before nightfall." Her tone was almost motherly, which Eren found a bit comforting. He nodded before taking her hand, pulling himself up with her help before letting go and dusting himself off. He glanced back in Levi's direction, spotting the man astride Onyx, the mysterious madman lying unconscious across the horse's flanks. He was slightly disappointed that the lunatic wasn't in pieces by now, but he supposed Levi was right in assuming that the man had valuable information to cough up.
Armin trailed behind him on his draft horse, limply holding onto the reins, his eyes dull and lifeless as he stared ahead at nothing. A sharp pang of remorse hit Eren, and he really wished that he had been able to comfort his friend instead of sitting there like an idiot. He hoisted himself up into Phoenix's saddle, taking the reins from the bespectacled redhead.
"Thanks, Hanji" was all he could manage to say before he took off after Levi and Armin.
The ride back to the castle was completely silent, devoid of any conversation save for the occasional "watch out for that branch" from Hanji. Levi's expression was unreadable. Eren wasn't sure if he was silently fuming, or completely apathetic. He suspected the former.
The evening brought with it the sounds of crickets awakening from their daily slumber to sing their chirpy tunes. The dark clouds that had gathered blocked out the stars and dimmed the moonlight to a slight glow that barely illuminated their path. Levi seemed to know the way well enough that the light was more of a convenience than a necessity.
By the time they arrived the other members of the squad were in a panic. Every member of the Recon Corps had been ordered to stop what they were doing and look for Eren. It wasn't until they saw the party alive that they abandoned their search and retired to their quarters. The animal caretaker was waiting for them, wasting no time in taking their horses back to the stables to remove their equipment and stall them for the night.
Levi heaved the still unconscious man over his shoulder. "I'll take him to the infirmary. Hanji, show Armin to one of the empty bedrooms upstairs," he shot Eren a look of complete disdain before continuing, "and Jaeger, you will report to my office immediately and wait for me. If you aren't there when I arrive you will regret it."
Eren winced at the severity of those words. "Y-yes sir" he choked out, sounding rather small and afraid (and he was).
He looked over to Armin, who was following Hanji into the castle, gaze still fixed upon the ground. Eren wanted to run to him, to apologize for not comforting him earlier, to assure him that none of this was his fault. His courage failed him, however, and he was left alone in the castle courtyard.
He only remembered where Levi's office was located because the man had demanded that it be cleaned from top to bottom no less than three times before he moved his things into the room. It was up the stairs, past the washroom, first door on the left. He had had to memorize the path in his mind to avoid getting lost on his return trips from fetching fresh mop water.
He arrived in front of the large wooden door sooner than he'd liked, and he found himself hesitating to open it. Although Levi was not yet inside waiting for him he still felt intimidated by the ominous entrance. It was like he was standing in front of the gates of hell. He swallowed hard before mustering up his courage and pushing open the heavy wooden door, causing it to creak on its aged hinges.
The only light that permeated the room was a ray of moonlight shining through the tiny window directly in front of him. He spotted a kerosene lamp on the windowsill and moved to light it. If he was going to wait for Levi in his office he at least wanted to be able to see his own hand in front of his face. He really didn't want to sit in the dark, waiting for the older man as if he were the executioner coming to claim his victim.
The lamp flickered to life at his behest, causing the darkness to retreat to the far corners of the room. He spotted a rickety looking wooden chair in the middle of the room and immediately plopped down onto it. He leaned back, trying to his best to relax despite his fear of the coming storm.
He might as well get comfortable while waiting for the reaper.
Ok! The next chapter will deliver the long awaited goodies that you all are probably waiting for. It's halfway done already. Thanks for being patient with me and reading my ramblings. The story won't be ending there, and there will certain be more steamy moments to come, so I hope you stay tuned!
Thanks for reading!