A/N: I apologize for the long wait! I had some serious writer's block, and I'm still suffering from it. I hope this chapter is somewhat enjoyable for you all! Thanks for the continuous support everyone! I DO NOT OWN THE LAST OF US OR ANY PART OF THE NAUGHTY DOG FRANCHISE OR ATTACK ON TITAN. THIS IS SIMPLY FAN WORK.
Eren stood outside, waiting for his two escorts to settle what problem had arisen after the Titan's death. He recalled Levi's hesitant nature in that clash, with Petra screaming his name to call him into action. It was so strange to him —
Levi froze in the midst of a Titan attack, of all things.
Only fear could have held a person back from engaging a Titan.
Eren wrinkled his brow. Levi was certainly not the type to express any sort of fear or apprehension at all. He had always seemed fearless, ready for anything; so what bugged him them? What tore inside that caused him to hesitate? Eren hadn't the slightest clue. He barely even knew the man — he only knew his temper and how hard he could kick; and how fast he could kill.
He saw Levi and Petra step out of the pub. Petra had a look of dismay. Levi no longer seemed bothered. As they approached Eren, who was pacing around the center of the village square, the boy spoke cautiously to Levi: "That was really awesome — what you did back there."
Levi glanced at Eren and brushed past him, just one inch shy from shoulder checking the boy.
Eren quickly added, "Um, if it means anything, I'm honestly really impressed."
Levi grumbled over his shoulder, "Flattery will get you nowhere, kid," and ambled through the square.
Eren's slight smile quickly fell into a grimace. Okay then...
Petra exhaled and patted Eren on the shoulder. "Let's just keep going, okay Eren?"
Eren sighed and continued to follow the green cloaks in front of him, delving farther into the seemingly empty village.
At sunrise, they approached another set of houses built on a yellow-green field a few kilometers from the village square. The grass was dying in comparison to the previous green they trekked through. The terrain was becoming drier – more concerning. Petra noted the lack of vegetation and quickly scanned the vastness of the field. It was calm.
Eren was also observant of the changing landscape and glanced backwards at the distant square.
"Hey, um," Eren stuttered, "Why aren't we going through the other buildings back there? I mean they're bound to have something. Aren't we missing out on an opportunity to gather more supplies?"
"Rummaging through the other buildings back there would've attracted more attention," Levi explained. "That last attack might have attracted more distant Titans to the vicinity which would mean the worst of luck for us if we stayed in that general location."
The man had a point. The attack was like a gunshot in the wind, bound to capture the attention of others – more specifically, the Titans. It was better to change locations and lay low rather than stay in the same spot and get caught. They could not afford to be taken by a Titan. There was no time and no second chances.
Eren wondered what it would have been like to engage a Titan with nothing but a survival knife in hand. Could he have stood a chance? If they remained in the square and ran into a Titan while scrounging up supplies in one of the old buildings, would he have been able to fight back? He eyed the maneuver gear that was strapped to Levi's body, imagining what it might feel like to fight Titans whilst zooming through the air. He would be flying towards them at high speeds – one poor shot from his gear could have spelt disaster. The amount of precision needed to operate the maneuver gear was astonishing. And surely, it would have been exhausting, realizing how much abdominal strength would need to be utilized. Walking distances with the gear strapped on seemed tiring enough.
How did they do it?
Eren stared at the backs of Levi and Petra, pondering how they could have mastered the techniques needed for the 3DM Gear. The strength, the precision, the quick reactions, the stamina – how exactly did they condition their bodies to be able to utilize such an amazing set of gear?
He wanted to ask – curiosity gleamed within his eyes; but he noticed a hint of fatigue from Petra. Her steps were becoming a tad bit sluggish as they hiked through the fields. He kept quiet instead.
"You know I was thinking..." Petra said with a few soft pants in between words, "After we get done with this whole smuggling-Eren deal, we should take it easy for a while."
"Take it easy, huh?" Levi replied. He did not seem the least bit exhausted.
"Yes," Petra nodded. "Smuggling is... getting rather tiring."
He instantly sensed her depleted in energy. He looked over his shoulder at Eren, subtly checking on his condition. He too was beginning to slack.
Just up ahead, there was a one-story house which was a lot cleaner than the other houses nearby – convenient for Levi. There was virtually no moss on the ceiling, no grime on the door; the porch was free of dirt and stray grass blades – it was strange, but it meant less cleaning on Levi's part. Perfect for the journey.
"In there," Levi commanded, and the two followed after.
He approached the door and twisted the knob, but the door would not budge. Petra walked over to the window, peeking through the clean glass. She cupped her hands around her eyes and pressed herself against the window. It was dark and rather dusty. The inside of the house seemed as if it had been vacant for years, but the outside of the house told a separate story. It was perplexing but to Levi it was worth a shot for supplies.
Levi rammed his shoulder against the door, but it still did not budge. He then lifted a foot and kicked it; the door violently swung open, and the light from the outside seeped in. There was a musky scent in the air when he opened the door, forcing a deeper frown onto Levi's lips.
"We can take a break in here for a while," Levi said as he entered the house. "It doesn't seem like anyone else is here, so it's fine. I'll see if there's anything useful."
When Petra and Eren entered the house, they spotted a small wooden bench. It was stiff, but it was fine to lie down on for just a little while. As tempting as it was, Eren offered it to Petra. "You can sit. I'll look around."
She grinned at the boy. "Thank you, Eren."
He nodded and examined the interior of the house. There were a couple bedrooms for a decent sized family and old furniture to accommodate the space in the living room. Standing against the wall, there was a table. It was perhaps the dustiest piece of the house but had pictures that sat on the tabletop, capturing Eren's attention. He walked slowly towards it, trying to make out the different faces in the different pictures at the same time. Carefully, he picked one up – a drawing. The image was etched with a mixture of charcoal and graphite, creating almost a realistic portrayal of a family that once lived. There was a mother, a father, and a boy that seemed as old as Eren. He had virtually no hair compared to his parents, but nonetheless, the picture was beautifully done. Whoever had crafted such a piece had steady hands and plenty of patience.
"What have you got there, brat," Levi grumbled as he opened a drawer.
"Oh, it's nothing." Eren placed the drawing back on the tabletop, giving it one last glance.
As Levi opened another drawer, he heard a familiar, melodious clinking sound. He saw utensils and tossed them by the handfuls into the sink, knowing that something else was making the small clamor inside the drawer. Hidden amidst the utensils was a torn matchbox. The box was beginning to fall apart, but it could still be of some use. He took the matchbox and tossed it aside onto the countertop; but then he heard the same clinking sound once again. He took one last look inside the drawer. Rolling around at the very back of the drawer were several unused rifle bullets. Perfect.
He stuffed the bullets into his pockets and entered the living room to check up on his comrades. He rolled the bullets between his fingers, feeling how new they were. Whoever had lived inside the house certainly used a rifle at some point, whether it was for hunting or for self-defense. Searching for that rifle inside the house and comparing its condition to the rifles Levi and Petra had would have been worth the extra trouble. Perhaps they would be able to trade one of their rifles away; or maybe even lend one to Eren.
No, that's ridiculous, Levi scoffed.
He stopped and saw Petra snoozing on the stiff wooden bench, with her head resting on her palm as she sat tense on the bench. He then looked at Eren who had been examining the tabletop of pictures ever since the trio entered the building.
"What have you been looking at all day, kid," Levi asked.
"A family used to live here..."
"A population used to live here. But not anymore." Levi unbuckled his gear and set it aside next to Petra's. He sat down on the other side of the bench. "It's the bitter reality of this world, Eren."
Eren turned to Levi and asked innocently, "What do you think happened to these people? You don't think all of them downright turned into Titans and fled the village, do you?"
"If all of them turned into Titans, then the entire village would be in shambles instead of looking like a ghost town."
"That's true..." Eren turned to the pictures again, glancing at the drawing once more. He had the boy's face engraved into his head, as if that boy would be the last one he would see in the state the world was in.
"You should catch some rest," Levi sighed as he leaned back into the bench. "You can sit down at the dining table or find something comfier around the house if you can. Best of luck to you on that one."
Eren noticed his two escorts had chosen to rest on the stiff bench – a peculiar choice. "Are you sure you don't want to find anything comfier too?"
"I've learned to appreciate the little things, Eren."
The boy was silent.
"Now go somewhere and rest."
Eren stood and stared for a moment, still baffled at why the two would choose to nap on a bench as stiff as the one they sat on. He then sought refuge by the dining table, refusing to explore the house any further. Napping at the dining table did not sound as pleasant, but he wanted to be close to his escorts. They were they only allies he had at the moment. Anything could happen, and he wanted to feel safe; so he stayed.
When Levi opened his eyes from his short slumber, he felt something heavy on his lap. Sleepily he glanced over and saw Petra resting on his thigh. She had shifted in her sleep, but the way she was now certainly did not seem to bother Levi in the slightest. Her ginger hair had draped over his knee; she breathed calmly in her sleep; but most of all, she seemed at peace. Carefully, he pushed the hair out of her face. He felt her smooth skin against his fingertips as he pushed the loose strands of hair back behind her ear. He wondered how she managed to keep her skin so smooth from all the stress they had been under for all the years they have been together; all the dirt and grime they had to trek through; the blood that was shed on them – even through all that, she was perfect.
Near the kitchen, he saw several rays of sunlight that shone brightly over the countertop and cabinets. The sun had fully risen. He then caught sight of the dining table where Eren had slumped over for his nap. He too was at peace. And not asking all these questions for once, Levi exhaled through his nose. Everything was so quiet. It became so tempting to fall asleep again.
Levi's hand wandered to rest at Petra's shoulder, but she heard her inhale sharply. Swiftly, he took his hand away.
Her eyes slowly opened, and she let out a yawn. She turned onto her back and rubbed her eyes, enjoying the comfort of what her head was lying on. She then felt fingertips over her wrist, and she paused for a moment. Nervously, she looked up towards Levi.
"You were out for a while," he said to her.
Her cheeks turned tomato red once again. "I-I was sleeping on your lap, wasn't I?"
"You were."
"I-I'm-"
"Don't worry about it." He nudged her cheek with his finger.
She tried to sit up, but a hand kept her from moving. His hand remained at her shoulder, and she stared with confusion.
"You get so flustered so easily," he yawned.
She was at a loss of words. Her embarrassment had choked her.
"The brat's still asleep," Levi whispered. "Let him have his rest."
Casually, she played it off. "There's… still time then?"
"We'll find ourselves some food and leave in a few hours." He closed his eyes again, forgetting his hand was at her shoulder. His counterpart went along with it anyway and closed her eyes as well.
"I found some bullets in one of the drawers," he whispered again. "There might be a rifle in here somewhere."
"Are we going to look for it?" she whispered back.
"Later. Rest first."
But she had already gotten enough rest. She stole a quick glance at Levi who was beginning to nod off again. She loved how placid he seemed. How long has it been since she last seen him so still and relaxed? Her heart then fluttered when she realized how he actually allowed her to get so close to him. Never had she slept on his lap before – they had never slept so close to each other despite sleeping in the same building for several years. She was amazed; she reveled in how glorious a moment this was for her.
It was so glorious in fact, something inside her burned. It mustered up her courage and prompted her to sit up. She swallowed hard and bit her lip. Slowly she took his hand into hers. She turned onto her side, and he opened his eyes. She caught his gaze, and he caught hers. He could see just how red she was in the dim corner they sat in. Her hand trembled slightly as she held his, and her heart was beating erratically. He caught wind of what she wanted and was prepared to give in.
She leaned towards him subtly, glancing at his lips and then into his blue eyes. He found himself being pulled towards her, staring back at her own lips. He leaned into her, fingers lacing with hers as he came closer and closer; but before his lips could touch hers, something resonated in the distance. They stopped.
He frowned and sprang up, walking towards the window to spot the source of the distant noise. There was thumping – from where, he did not know. Then came the familiar, rhythmic tremors in the ground.
"A Titan," he growled. He quickly strapped on his maneuver gear and hurried over to Eren.
Waking from the growing tremors, the boy tiredly sat up. "What's going on?"
"Get up brat, we're leaving," Levi commanded.
"Is it a Titan?" Eren sprang from his seat.
"I guess it's time to put those bullets to good use," Petra said as she strapped on her own gear.
"Bullets won't be good for this one," Levi said from the window.
Coming in fast from the western side of the house was a Titan, fifteen meters tall; but something was aberrant about it – something ominous. He eyed the distant Titan carefully. He noted its shoulder length blonde hair and also its precise running form. He had never seen a Titan run in the same way a human would; and never had he seen a Titan with actual breasts.
A female Titan? Levi questioned.
The Titan had no skin, but its eyes were bright blue. Levi quickly noticed the path it was taking and backed away from the window.
"I doubt it's going to turn any time soon. It's headed right for us."
"Unbelievable," Petra chimed. "How can a Titan spot us all the way over here?"
Eren stuck his hand into his pocket, reaching for his survival knife. "What do we do now?"
Levi gripped the handles of his parrying blades and drew them out swiftly. The Female Titan was growing closer, and her ominous scowl was becoming more prominent. Suddenly, Levi saw a flash of white; he was frozen. Farlan was on the ground bleeding profusely as Isabel ran towards him. A hungry Titan was looming over them. Levi knew what would transpire after, and he gripped the handles even tighter. The strain on his hands erased the vision, and he found the Female Titan only a few kilometers away from stepping on the house they were in.
There was pure anger in his eyes once again. He gritted his teeth and glared at the Titan before them. Petra drew her own blades, awaiting Levi's order.
He then spoke: "We're going to get rid of that bitch. Right now."