Chapter 8: First Contact

The sun beamed at my cradled shape and filled the large room with warm, pleasant glow, almost as if it tried to purge me from the night's horrors. I instinctively shaded my squinting eyes from its bright rays and swallowed, my viscous saliva scraping all the way down my sore throat. My whole head pulsated agonizingly in rhythm with my heart and I sat up to quickly unwind the many layers of bandage, desperate to free my skull before it felt like it would burst. The binding loosened and eventually fell off, and I exhaled in relief as the headache subsided.

That's when I realized I was sitting.

I kicked away the blanket and hurriedly came to standing, unwrapping myself from even more bandage. The familiar shape of my naked torso came into view and I pressed a hand to my bruised skin.

It still hurts, I acknowledged, my excitement dampening, but I feel much better now. That note must have been about something else.

As a precaution, I rearranged the soft fabric around my upper body and decided to get some food. My uniform was nowhere to be seen and the nightstand was empty; I vaguely recalled that Levi had thrown away my bra sometime during the hysterical sobbing. I started towards the door when it suddenly opened and mentioned man entered.

"You look like shit," he greeted as he eyed me from head to toe, his silvery eyes lingering at my torso. He was absolutely gorgeous in expensive black trousers and well-polished shoes, a gray, ironed shirt with a white cravat around his neck and collar and a matching, one-colored blazer that hung casually over his strong shoulders. I caught myself staring like an idiot and quickly shook my head in an effort to clear my thoughts.

"I… I slept well, thank you," I rasped angrily and cursed inwardly for my lack of self-restraint. I needed to stay cool if I were to ever be able to speak reasonably with him.

Levi arched a slim brow. "Someone's in a bad mood."

"Then we're two," I countered.

He snorted. "Whatever. Put on some clothes—we're leaving."

I folded my arms over my chest. "I'm not going back to Karanese," I said hoarsely, panicking at his words. I hadn't forgotten my failure yesterday but I had hoped to get another chance. Or rather, demand it. "I will not leave until I've tried the Maneuvering Gear again. I can make it this time, I promise."

"You think I'd actually ask you to get dressed if you were going back?" he scoffed and shot an annoyed glare at me. "Don't bullshit me. I would've fucking dragged your sorry arse onto a horse and we'd be off already. Now get covered or I'll drag you out like that."

I scowled. "If you aren't here to take me back, then where exactly are you taking me?" I snapped.

"I'll tell you in the carriage," he replied coolly.

"'The carriage'?" I repeated in bewilderment.

"It's a vehicle driven by a coachman and his horses."

I exhaled loudly in exasperation and rubbed my temples. A brick wall would be easier, or at least less frustrating to talk to than him. "Fine. Where's my uniform?"

"You won't be needing that." The corners of his mouth twitched. "Wear something nice."

At this I stared open-mouthedly at him. Levi barely blinked as he turned around and exited the infirmary.

"Get to the large courtyard in fifteen," he concluded and lazily waved over his shoulder. "Erwin's order."

I was still too stunned to come up with an answer and when my ability to steer my body finally returned to me, Levi had disappeared. Anxious, curious and strangely excited, I hurried to get proper and get some food into my rumbling stomach before I headed to the main courtyard. I was happy that I had decided to bring the only two dresses I owned; ever since the military, I hadn't been able to get back into wearing petticoats even though my aunt, Miriam and my patients could at times reprimand me for being so inappropriate.

Levi was leaning nonchalantly against one of three lined coaches and exchanged a couple of words with a much taller, blonde man I recognized as the commander. Erwin Smith eventually went to the carriage in the front and immediately, a few soldiers dispersed to the different coaches, quickly reading the horses for departure. Levi's eyes narrowed as he saw me and a sneer formed on his lips.

"You're late, stupid," he said when I reached him and then started walking towards the last carriage.

I followed him with a frown. "What's this all about?" I asked and gestured towards the black coaches. "Everyone's in uniforms. You and I are not."

"I don't know if you've forgotten," Levi replied condescendingly, "or if you simply don't care. But I can barely walk and I'm not going anywhere in sweatpants."

"That still doesn't explain my role," I went on and tried to withstand the wave of sympathy that washed over me. I knew I should have checked the rest of his leg. "Why am I in… civilian clothing?"

We reached the carriage. Levi opened the door and pressed his lips together as he quickly got into the obscure space. He perched heavily on the padded seat, immediately straightening out his left leg, and let out a breath. I waited outside and nervously rubbed my hands together, feeling too awkward to make any initiatives of my own.

"Is it really that hard for you to use your brain, stupid?" he mocked. "Get in."

I soaked my lips and ducked with my skirt in hand before I, too, entered the coach. "Stop calling me that, I'm not stupid," I replied sternly and carefully stepped over his leg.

"Tsk. Yes you are. Incredibly stupid. You make the titans seem intelligent in comparison to you."

I wished I had tripped on him, but it was too late to try by the time he finished his sentence. I rolled my eyes and sat down as far away from him as possible, pressing uncomfortably against the carriage wall. The door slammed shut and the coach slowly commenced forward, the wheels running smoothly over the ground, and it would have been very intimate if it weren't for the conspicuous frigidness that Levi exuded. His body was angled away from me and he seemed more interested in the outdoor view than a conversation. The stern expression on his chiseled features and his folded arms said enough; even though he was only at an arms length away from me, we might as well have been standing on different sides of Wall Rose.

"You…" I hesitated, afraid to break the silence. "We're in the carriage now."

"Obviously." Levi snorted.

I stiffly turned away from him and gazed out the window. There were only trees. "So? Aren't you going to tell me what's happening?"

"We're to deliver Eren to the idiots at Military since our expedition went to shit."

I twisted back to his deadpanned face and stared incredulously at him. "What? But—"

"It was in the agreement," he interrupted. "We needed to have some results, something that would clearly show Eren's titan-shifting ability to be of use for humanity, but instead we sent even more soldiers than usual to their early graves. Tsk. How fucking annoying."

He raised a hand to his head but stopped mid-ascent and then slowly lowered it. The skin over his knuckles had whitened by the time his clenched hand returned to his thigh. My brows furrowed in concern and I fought hard against my urge to comfort him. Instead, I balled my hands into fists as well and inhaled deeply. I thought of Eren, the intensity in his beautiful green eyes and the sincere kindness he had shown me even though we were practically strangers.

What are they going to do with him in Central? I wondered silently as I asked, "So you're just giving him up?"

"Of course not. He's playing bait again. We're going to capture the titan-shifter that murdered your brother. We know her identity and where she's at, and we're currently heading there to proceed with the plan."

I stopped breathing. "What…?" I whispered.

Levi glanced sideways at me, his silvery eyes glimmering like a butcher's knife. "'We' as in the Scouting Legion. You're not included, so don't even dream about helping."

"But!" I exclaimed and cringed at my childish outburst. His cryptic, incoherent flow of information made me snap; I had at least a couple dozens of questions to ask but he kept on leading the subject into things that brought twice as many inquiries. "Why else would I be here?"

His gaze hardened. "Because…" His slender fingers clutched around his leg. "Because Erwin wants to test something. The real reason why he so stubbornly insists on having you in the Survey Corps. Did you really think he would visit a former military cadet merely for the cause of economical support?"

I hadn't. I had known all along that there was more to the picture than I could see. In reply to Levi, I simply shook my head; I was too focused on breathing properly to be able to speak. He looked skeptical but didn't make any comments on my silence.

"Sera," he began.

I tensed at this. Every time he said my name, it felt like a bolt of lightning shot through my system and shocked my heart into beating irregularly. I hated it as much as I missed it, like a lethal but irresistible drug.

Levi's posture relaxed and he took a deep breath. "Did you know about your brother's ability to sense titans?" he quietly asked.

My jaw dropped. He arched a black eyebrow and snorted lightly. "I thought so. Sebastian never kept something from you, did he?"

Wrong, I thought in my temporary daze. There's one thing he never spoke to me about. Out loud I managed to say, "H-how did you know?"

"Your brother told me," Levi answered casually. His eyes were impossible to read. "And I told Erwin."

"I don't believe you," I immediately replied, my voice increasing in volume with every word. "How did you find out? What did you do to make him talk? What—"

"Calm down, Sera," he cut off and touched my shaking hands. He quickly glanced down at them and hesitantly slithered his warm fingers through mine. "You always had such cold hands, didn't you?" he murmured softly, seemingly distracted by our intertwined hands.

For a second I was paralyzed by his action, the impossibly tender gesture he had just made, but then I reacted and pulled out of his grip. Something flashed in his eyes and my body screamed aloud in protest, but I wasn't going to give in to him—and my lust—just like that. This simply proved how easily he could manipulate me—but it also proved that I was strong enough to resist.

Which meant that there might still be hope for me.

"D-don't touch me," I stuttered reluctantly and rubbed my hands together in an effort to get rid of his warmth.

Levi's eyes widened but he quickly gathered himself and returned to his normal, stern expression. He retracted his arm and glared out the window on his side of the carriage. "Sorry," he said in a low voice.

I suddenly regretted my earlier decision but it was too late to amend the situation. The wall was between us again and a coldness that I could almost touch surrounded my companion. I looked down at my trembling hands and tried not to think about what I had just lost.

"So what do I have to do with my brother's ability?" I carefully asked, although I had a pretty good hint of what it might be.

After a pause, Levi replied, "Erwin wants to see if you're also 'gifted', if it's some kind of family trait." His voice was controlled and emotionless. "I hope not."

I looked at him; his silvery eyes were still focused on something in the distance. "Why? It would greatly benefit humanity," I said bemusedly but frowned as I understood. "What's your problem with me joining the Survey Corps? Am I really that infuriating to be around?"

"Yes you are," he answered in a harsh tone. "And extremely troublesome."

Before I was able to come up with a retort, he interjected, "Let's just get this ride over with in silence. You're giving me a damn headache."

I considered initiating an argument but refrained, knowing that he would stop at no lengths to make me feel miserable. I leaned back into my seat, unaware of how rigid I had been, and turned my gaze to the window. I faintly recognized the sunlit landscape and noted that we were heading northeast, in the direction of Karanese but slightly more to the north. When the journey trailed into its first hour of idleness, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier as I stared emptily at the passing view and I soon fell asleep against the carriage wall, fleetingly thanking whoever chose our merciful road. I dreamt about darkness but it wasn't of the sinister type; it was warm and comforting, and more than happy to let me rest in its oblivious infinity.

An explosion shook the ground, abruptly rousing me from sleep. I hadn't even noticed that the carriage had come to a stop or that Levi had exited. I was frozen in place for an unknown amount of time, fear clawing at the edges of my mind, and when I finally decided to head out of the transport, I found myself in a city with finer and more expensive architecture compared to Karanese. The buildings were all painted in velvety colors and ornamented with fancy windows and doors, and the street I stumbled onto was impeccably clean and deserted of civilians. There was an alarming amount of smoke rising from another part of the city, somewhere not too far away from where I was standing, and my panic almost suffocated me when I saw the many soldiers surrounding Erwin, each of them wielding a rifle and the emblem of the Military Police Brigade. The focus of their aim darted to my shape as I came into view but before I could say anything, five slender fingers coiled around my wrist and firmly pulled me into a strong, familiar body.

"Play along," Levi whispered beneath his breath as I tried to resist. His silvery eyes were solemn but narrowed in dismay.

I stiffened but obeyed, letting my hands remain on his chest. He almost immediately understood that I had caught on and gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Don't be scared," he said tenderly, but loud enough for our audience to hear. "I won't let anything happen to you."

I swallowed but it wasn't fear that made my voice weak when I spoke. "What… what was that?"

My heart raced and I knew that I was blushing furiously, but my unsteady tone seemed perfect to make our watchers uncomfortable. In the corner of my eye I saw some of the soldiers averting their gazes, obviously feeling awkward with Levi's public display of tenderness.

Levi shook his head, something I had rarely seen him do. An old memory treacherously stabbed me in the back and I was suddenly happy that I was leaning onto him; I would have fallen if else.

"Nothing you should be bothering yourself about," he replied and I saw that he meant it. There was an unmistakable sharpness in his gaze. "Do you feel any better?"

The explosion… it must have something to do about capturing the titan-shifter and now he's asking if I feel anything, I understood. I inhaled deeply but instantly regretted it as the fresh, manly smell of his skin and aftershave literally made me swoon. I couldn't think. Levi must have felt my loss of balance because he quickly brought me into his arms, something that didn't exactly ease my plight. My heart dunked so hard he must have felt it through my chest.

"Sera, are you alright?"

I couldn't trust the concern in his voice. I couldn't even trust my body. It felt like I was chained and unable to wake up from my most horrid nightmare ever, but the feeling was even worse since I knew I was fully awake.

The sound of another loud explosion filled my ears and a blinding bolt of light erupted from somewhere to the north, the bright pillar instantly zigzagging towards the sky. The bright light lasted only for a couple of seconds before it faded, yet managed to make all other colors seem gray in comparison during its ascent. It snapped me out of my frenzy; I was too busy being stunned by its raw beauty.

Something like that, I thought numbly, staring even after the source of my attention dissipated, can simply not be human. That must be the cause of a titan-shifter.

"Traitor! What the fuck is this supposed to mean, Erwin?! Titans in Stohess?"

I registered a dark-haired man aim his rifle at the commander. My emotions caught up to me and I quickly focused on the situation. The stranger's features were contorted in a furious expression, his eyes were narrowed into slits, and the soldiers around him copied his movement. I fleetingly acknowledged that he was their superior before another voice stole my attention.

"Sera."

I looked back at Levi, a frown etched onto his features. "Did you feel anything?" he asked quietly.

A heated argument ignited to our left and when I instinctively glanced sideways, I saw the dark-haired man grab Erwin Smith by his collar and growl something between gritted teeth.

"Oi, stupid. Get it together," Levi hissed.

I returned to him and shook my head. "N-no, I didn't feel anything, not really," I whispered.

His frown deepened but there was relief in his silvery eyes.

"Levi."

Levi disentangled himself from me. My cheeks flushed with color; I hadn't realized how hard I had held him. Erwin turned towards us, handcuffed but stoic, and his steady, ice-blue gaze traveled from my shocked expression to Levi's unmoved face where it stayed.

"Remain put," he said.

A blood-curdling noise echoed throughout the city and I whipped my head at that direction. It sounded inhuman, ferocious and terrifyingly mad, and made the ground and the windows revibrate in symphony. I had never heard anything similar ever before and I found myself trembling with an almost animalistic fear. All my senses told me to run and get away from the sound, anything to avoid being seen or found by whatever its owner was.

I wasn't the only one to be shocked senseless but the dark-haired man, the one I understood was in charge, quickly gathered himself and called out orders to his soldiers who also tried to stay calm. Two military police members brusquely grabbed Erwin by his arms, whereas the latter obediently complied and listened to every demand. Levi pressed his lips together, shaping a thin, grim line, and faced me. His eyes were stern and unbreakable.

"Go with them," he commanded me, still maintaining a low voice even though I had a hard time believing anyone would still listen to our chat. "As useless as Nile, his pathetic excuse of a mustache and his troops are, they'll at least be able protect you."

"And what about you?" I asked heatedly. As scared as I was, his condescending tone easily brought out the anger in me.

Levi snorted. "Are you doubting my ability to take care of myself? Against opponents like titans?"

"Actually, yes." Not to mention that I was worried. I didn't know what Erwin had meant with "remain put" but considering Levi's occupation, I had a pretty accurate guess. "You're not going anywhere with that leg of yours and the Maneuvering Gear is off-limits until I say so."

"Don't think you have some sort of thing over me just because you treated my foot," he scoffed. "I can handle the damn thing. And titans won't stop me."

"You'll hurt yourself even more," I warned, my tone turning from unwillingly anxious to plain venom. "You're bound to break something if you can't distribute your balance and weight evenly across your body and your muscles. And that's an impossibility in your condition."

"Look who's talking so much about how to use the fucking gear. You who can't even climb a tree with it."

His words struck a chord inside of me and I took a step back, my eyes widening. As ruthless as I knew he was, I had temporarily forgotten it during our short charade; I cursed inwardly at my weakness and mustered up a brave face. "Fine," I snarled, too frustrated to care if anyone actually did listen. "You know what? Just go ahead and slam into a building. What do I care?"

"Tsk. Get lost already," he replied in a frigid tone. "You're giving me a damn headache."

I strode off towards the soldiers without giving him as much as a look. My eyes stung with the weight of my suppressed tears, but I was able to hold them back as well as swallow the lump in my throat.

"Nile, take her with you," Levi called from behind me, concern rounding the sharpness in his voice. He was a good actor, I had to admit. Anyone who didn't know him would probably think that the disgust was genuine worry. "Get her to somewhere safe."

The dark-haired man stopped in his tracks and looked at me with his forehead creasing before a determined demeanor returned to his face. He nodded towards Levi and urged me to come closer. Most of the soldiers had been scattered and only a small group remained with him and Erwin. The commander's eyes carried a question as I passed and I shook my head very slightly; he understood and set his gaze straight.

"We'll escort you beyond the wall," the dark-haired man announced in a hoarse voice. At closer proximity, I saw that his hair was black. He looked older than both Levi and Erwin but I guessed that it was simply his mustache that made him seem that way, the former both being clean-shaven. "I hope you can move quickly. "

I realized just now what I was wearing. He thought I was a civilian and Levi's girlfriend at that. I would have blushed if the situation was different but another primal scream, followed by a rumble, shook me down to my bones, and I was immediately brought back into the gravity of the situation. I wished I knew what was going on, that Levi had told me some concrete details during the journey, but I understood that he didn't want me to participate in any of it and had purposefully chosen what little to reveal. I hated the way he was treating me, as if I were a little child that needed supervising, and his overall toxic personality didn't help. Even though I tried my very best to keep my head cool and not be bothered by his insults, I couldn't stop caring.

I glanced over my shoulder. Levi was looking in the direction of the howl, his arms folded over his chest, but was quick to notice me. Our gazes locked; his silvery eyes revealed nothing but hostility.

"Miss, he'll be alright. We need to get you to a safer location. Now, I need to know if you can move fast."

I tore away my gaze from Levi and turned forward. "Yes, sir," I quietly replied.

The dark-haired man's eyes hardened. "Then we better start going," he concluded and turned to his troop. "Christoph and Ben, scout ahead. Sophie, watch the rear."

"Yes, commander!"

My body started moving with the rest of the group but my mind remained with Levi. I looked back one last time and saw him walking in the other direction, towards all the smoke and commotion. He suddenly stopped but I had already passed a corner before I could see for what.

I only hoped he wouldn't die.