Here we go!

Warning: Alusions to suicidal thoughts. Brief, but present.


LEVI POV

Levi walked along the corridor, leaving Robyn to rest after their long day. She had been so weakened by work. So much blood ran from her nose, her eyes getting duller as she struggled to keep fighting. And she kept insisting on him saying the phrase. To keep the conditioning going. And he hated every second, every moment holding that control like some unknowable leash. And it was complete. He knew anything he said would be obeyed, that power so oddly tantalising and yet sickening. But on they kept. She wanted to keep working. Keep trying to break that damned conditioning. He wasn't sure they had done much but weaken her body. But what else was there to try? Other than their hair-brained scheme to command the loophole out of her, or have her somehow be commanded against being commanded, he had nothing. Well, except a sinking feeling.

"You didn't hear her, Armin!"

Levi slowed, the argument bouncing around the corridor ahead, Jaeger's voice desperate.

Artlet came back just as strong though. "I didn't need to, I know that while she might be scared, or unsure, or whatever you think you heard, Robyn doesn't need you to play the prince! Or knight in shining armour. Or whatever you thought you were doing. All you've done is broken her trust. And I can't blame her. Not one bit."

"I'm not gonna let her lose herself to–"

"Let her?" Arlet snapped, and there was a shoving noise. "There you go again. Stop it!"

"That's not what I mea–"

"It's what you're saying though! I know you want to protect her, I know you're just as afraid as the rest of us that this isn't something we can beat this time, but she's not yours to allow or disallow things."

"So, what? She's the Captain's?"

Levi wrinkled his nose.

Artlet groaned. "No, that's my point, she's not anyone's. Be she with someone or not, she's her own person, Eren. People taking control of other people, trying to command them, rule them, this is where this whole mess started. You've seen the passages from the journal's right? It's where the Titans themselves came from for god's sake. People trying to control other people, so–"

"Not this shit again."

"Yes, this 'shit'." Artlet had never sounded so angry, at least not to Levi's knowledge. "This 'shit' until you wrap your head around it."

Another shove. Levi approached the corner silently, peering round, seeing the two cadets on either side of the corridor from each other. Both panting. Both red in the face. Both looking ready to burst into tears – probably partially out of the affection they held for each other, but probably also their affection for Robyn. Teenagers.

And then reason flickered into Artlet's expression. "Eren, please listen. Robyn's problem isn't something to go to battle over, isn't something you can just be all determined about and force through. It's not like that. It's not the Titans. You want to help her, we all do, but we cannot take that and allow it to cloud everything else. You want to protect her, but don't let that be warped into owning her."

"I don't want to… It's not like… N-No, of course not." Jaeger hung his head, shoulders slumping. "D-Dammit."

Artlet looked like he couldn't have pitied Jaeger more if he tried.

The idiot in question gripped his hair for a moment and let the breath rush out of him. "You're… Yeah… As usual, you're right, Armin. Sorry. I'm being an idiot."

"No, you're being Eren, all fire and too big a heart."

Jaeger shrugged. "S'okay, I know I fucked up as well."

"Well, yes. You did." Artlet scratched the back of his head. "But apologise properly and I know Robyn will give you another chance. She knows you're just a stupid kid."

Jaeger snorted. "Thanks… I think."

"You're welcome, I'll cover your stable duty, you try to get some rest. No point in you exhausting yourself."

"Thanks, Armin. I… I really dunno where I'd be without you."

"Somehow? More trouble than you already get into."

And with that Artlet walked towards the stables and Jaeger headed for his quarters, passing Captain Levi without so much as a glance. Clearly there was a lot going on in the boy's head, and clearly he was still upset about everything that had gone on with Robyn. Levi figured the least the boy deserved was a poor night's sleep, but he followed once the boy had rounded the next corner. He could at least check the idiot was resting properly. Robyn would want that.

The 104th Cadets had all warmed to her, ever since she had visited them during training. Those two weeks had been hellish for Levi, not knowing how she was doing in the aftermath of Sente's attack. But at least some good had come from that shitty situation. Those kids looked up to her. And they looked out for her. He had seen it himself since being back from those six months away; Ackerman looked at Robyn with care, Artlet too, not to mention Kirschtein. Though the latter of those three had soured recently. He was an astute kid, Kirtschtein, and he was clearly unsure of how to react to Robyn's newfound control problem. And Levi was glad. Affection could cloud judgement so easily. It was heartening to know some Scouts could still look past that – Levi wasn't so sure he counted for that anymore, not when it came to Robyn.

Jaeger was already in his quarters when Levi came round the corner, but as he approached the door he could hear drawers opening and then a soft scratching. A quill? That didn't sound like sleeping. Or even the attempt of it. Levi rolled his eyes and opened the door. Not even locked.

The boy jolted back, having been sat at his desk over some parchment. The quill hovered, slowly dripping ink onto the page. There was already scores through the opening words. Clearly whatever the boy was writing, he wasn't sure how to word it. Considering the conversation Levi had just overhead, he guessed it might be an attempt to write to Robyn.

Endearing, maybe. But still trying to make contact without her permission, and still against orders.

The boy stared, wide eyed, caught in the act. Levi raised a brow. It took a couple more seconds, but Jaeger blinked, floundered upright into a salute and managed to smudge ink all over his uniform shirt. What a mess. Levi was a little glad.

"Am I interrupting?" He nodded to the desk.

"No, sir, I was just... Well I was–"

"Writing a letter, I'd assume." Levi closed the door. "I'd take a guess at who it's for, but I can't really be bothered with you attempting to lie your way out of it."

Jaeger smoothed himself down and shifted his weight. Was it the same cadet? The one that marched Levi outside and lectured him on being attached to Robyn. Who swore he'd kill Levi if he hurt her again. Right now? Jaeger was not that cadet. He was an ashamed mutt, with its tail between its legs. But as they continued their work, and Robyn potentially wore herself more and more thin, Levi knew he was going to need that hard-headed presumptuous side of Jaeger. In fact, he wanted his insight already. Even if he had to make clear which presumptuous parts he was referring to. Challenging his Captain yes, snogging someone against their will, no.

Jaeger cleared his throat. "So sir... What um... What did you come to speak to me about?"

"I actually came to discuss Robyn." Levi tried to ignore the guilty look towards the desk. "Sit, stop panicking, and fucking listen."

"Y-Yes, sir." He nodded and clumsily did as told. The chair creaked. He clasped his hands and the knuckles paled.

"You need a shit or something? Quit fidgeting."

Eren jolted. "Sorry, sir! I just... Please know I regret my foolish actions. I never intended to–"

"I'm not discussing your freakish display of pent-up teenage hormones." Levi snapped, arms folded, hands balled into fists. "Look, you saw the level of control Kenny had."

"Yes, sir."

"Robyn's doing well right now, but you know as well as I that she can sink into some pretty deep shit. You were there for those six months, and you have insight on being saddled with crap from a parent."

There was a long pause.

Levi raised a brow.

Jaeger frowned. "Um..." He looked to the floor. "Yes to the parent stuff, sure. But otherwise… I dunno how relevant the six months are."

"I don't have time for false modesty. You were there, you helped her."

"It's not modesty." Jaeger swallowed hard. "The only reason she ever relied on me in the first place was because you weren't there. Because she missed you."

Levi stared coldly.

Jaeger glared. "Just stop trying to toe the line between Captain and not Captain. Or whatever it was she said to you on that roof."

"Excuse me?" Levi challenged. "Speak plainly, brat, if you're gonna lose all tone of decency anyway."

"She asked you if you were making your decision as a Captain or a man, right? Something like that?"

Levi hadn't expected the boy to recall anything from that day beyond his own panicked pleas for his comrade's life. Then again, perhaps it was something he and Artlet had discussed before. Entirely possible. Levi nodded. But he didn't feel it needed more explanation. The boy wasn't owed any context.

Jaeger nodded. "You two have that connection, that understanding of each other beyond the surface level. I… Well I get that now. Could say the other uh… When I was… Well it put things into perspective for me."

"A smack from Robyn can do that."

"No doubt." Jaeger scratched the back of his neck. "But you're the one that pulls her through. The m-man, I mean. Levi, rather than Captain Levi. Right? Well I suppose she trusts you as a Captain too, but–"

"I get the idea, brat."

"R-Right, sorry. So you're the one that made her feel like she really could be more than a broken kid from the streets." He looked up and blinked in confusion as Levi kept the mask in place, trying to piece it all together. "Maybe not entirely – P-Petra helped her initially, and I think the others Scouts too. But you uh… Sir, has she seriously never said this to you?"

Not in so many words perhaps, but she had shown it in her trust, and her opening up. But to know that others had seen that change to was odd. Like they had peered into his and Robyn's bubble.

Levi shrugged. "I understand, but that doesn't change that I wanted your opinion on things."

"As in, you wanna know if I know a quick fix to her going to dark places?"

"Oi. Don't get ahead of yourself. And don't pretend I'm suddenly impatient of her, we will dedicate as much time as necessary to figuring this out. I just thought you might have insight. Apologies if I'm mistaken."

"N-No!" He reached for Levi as he made to leave, but Levi waited for the boy to find his words. Jaeger sat back down, slumped a bit. "I'm sorry sir, I just… It's hard to know how my version would apply. The dark places she went to while you were away were made from the survivors guilt of being home while you were still away."

"Fair." Levi looked to the side.

Eren continued. "And the dark places when it comes to the family shit… Sure, my father made shitty decisions, and he forced this Shifter ability onto me, but he didn't torture me. I haven't blocked things out due to prolonged trauma or drugs, it's a side effect of the serum. My childhood was ultimately a happy one, even if cut short."

Levi drew a deep breath and sighed. He'd clutched at straws, that wasn't fair. "You're right. I'm sorry Jaeger, truly."

That seemed to scare the boy even more. "It's fine sir, you want to help her however you can. Of course. We all do. I just wish I knew more..." His eyes went distant, but Levi waited, glad to see the boy really trying to find a solution. He was an idiot, but he did care. "I guess my main bit of advice would be to ignore her bullshit."

"Excuse me?" Levi failed to veil the note of anger. It would depend on what Jaeger considered Robyn's 'bullshit' to be, whether he ended up through a wall or not.

"I only meant, in the context of helping her overcome this phrasing… When she tries to push you away, hold on tighter. Uh… Shit that sounds bad due to the other day. But I don't mean in that sense. I… Shit, listen. I mean emotionally. It's all I did for six months; ignored her protests of being 'fine', and pestered her with the fact she wasn't alone. Same with Keza. It drove Robyn nuts, but at least when it did, she wasn't thinking about how much she loathed herself."

Levi looked to the side and considered the idea. Usually he would be more inclined to back off, to allow Robyn her space, much as she had been with him. Allowing each other to process. But sometimes that just meant more space for the shadows to grow.

Levi nodded to the desk. "All right. You should write the letter."

"R-Really?"

"It won't be sent until she allows contact, that hasn't changed. But when she does, it'll be good to have. The more she's reminded of the present, the people around her, the things she wanted to fight for... The better."

"Right." Eren looked to the paper. "When she gives the okay. Of course."

"Boundaries matter, brat."

"Of course, yeah. I uh… Thank you for um... for thinking of me."

"Don't flatter yourself." Levi opened the door and glanced back. "You understand her feelings now, right?"

Eren nodded. "Yes, sir. I think I always did, sir, but to put it plainly, I was an idiot. I'd apologise again, but I know you just want me to do better. So I won't bother you with that empty word, sir."

"Glad to know you're paying attention, Jaeger. Hand the letter to me when you're done, sealed and all that crap. And if she asks to see you as well, I'll send someone."

Levi then headed to his own quarters, sitting behind his desk, holding his head in his hands. Noise rumbled around so loudly. So many questions, possible answers and more headaches waiting to take hold. His eyes drifted towards his bedroom. Their bedroom.

Ignore her bullshit.

I'm fine Levi, really.

I'm okay.

Stop fussing!

No doubt she would end up kicking his arse by the end of it, but if it helped her stay grounded it would be worth it. The last thing he wanted to do was leave her to drift. When Kenny had spouted his poison, flaunting the power, Levi had seen it every second she had been forced to obey – small pieces of her dying. A little less stubborn. A little less determined. A little less sure of it all.

Levi shook his head free of the fears and tried to focus on some paperwork, knowing full well that personal crisis did not mean everything else waited. The world continued on, regardless.


A few hours later Kirtschtein knocked at his door, the cadet looked pale. But Levi immediately doubted it was the healing bullet-wound, from the look in the young man's eyes.

Levi set aside the papers. "Kirschtein?"

"Sir, you need to go speak with Robyn. I dunno that she's been aware of us checking on her, she was sleeping for most of it, but just now she's started mumbling. Can't really make it out other than 'fucking idiot' or 'pointless' so neither sound very... hopeful." He looked down swallowing hard.

Levi put down his quill. "Mm, no point in leaving her to just stew. Thanks, I'll go right away."

He slung on a fresh shirt and headed for the cells, requesting the guard find the Commander. He hoped he hadn't been a fool to let her rest on her own. It had genuinely seemed like a good idea. And she had been restful at the time. But with each step he descended, the muttering grew.

"Useless... fucking..." Only the occasional word came through clearly, and he lingered just out of sight as she paced, boots scuffing the ground. "Stupid little shit... puppet... can't even do that... fuck..."

When she kicked the bars, he winced. Something had slipped. A dream had triggered some new spiral, or some shadow had loomed. Damn. He stepped into view. She glanced his way, but kept pacing. He dragged over the chair, sat down, still she paced. When she looked his way he simply tilted his head, he wasn't about to interrupt. A minute passed. Still pacing. Still quiet.

Finally she stopped, facing away from Levi. "I'm not leaving this cell, Levi. Without the key I can't risk it. Ever. You get that right? Until this damned head of mine remembers or figures it out, I'm in here. I can't leave."

He wasn't sure where this defiance had come from, but he would let it play out.

"Didn't suggest that you should." He kept his voice even, picking his nails when she turned, likely with an accusing look. Soon enough he could feel it digging into his skull.

He knew full well that her head would have dragged her to dark places, without even considering what her dreams might have ended up doing after their attempts to break the conditioning earlier. She was still pale of course. And wavering a little on her feet. The darkened veins had receded to her neck at least, but more rest was needed. Still, she had the bit between her teeth, so he had to hear her out. He was the same, when he got riled like that. When he looked her way he found a strange uncertainty in her eyes, not as strong as he had seen when Kenny took control, but an echo of it. A horrible sight. But at least an open one. She wasn't hiding.

He leaned forward on his knees, keeping his posture casual. "How long did you manage to actually sleep?"

She perched on the bed. "I dreamt a little, so must have got some."

"What were the dreams about?"

She sighed. "I'm sorry, you must think I'm mad. I was fine befo–"

"What were the dreams about? One thing at a time, Robyn. And still no need to apologise."

She still had that hesitation in those moments, the uncertainty of being allowed to take up any extra room. But he waited. Eventually she gave a small thankful smile and nodded. "Alright. I think it was about my Mother. In a good way." She added when he readied for the horrible details. "Golden afternoons down by the river. I bet we only had a handful, but it felt like it would never end, y'know?"

He nodded. "I do."

She clasped her hands tight. "Did you have those kinds of things with Isabel and Farlan?"

"Many." He met her curious gaze, not wavering. She needed him to reach out to her as well, she needed someone to hold her hand. He cleared his throat. "One day Isabel brought this bird into the house."

Robyn blinked, but stayed quiet. Surprised at the openness maybe, but glad to hear the story.

He continued. "Initially I was more concerned about disease obviously, but we cleaned it up and figured out it had a broken wing. So she insisted on nursing it. Me and Farlan were so grumpy about it, but as I saw her attend to that little thing, that could never pay her back… I dunno, something came back to me. Looking back on it, I always remember her sitting by a fire with it, keeping it warm as it healed. She smiles. Her hair is lopsided in its pigtails, and Farlan is sipping tea to the side. So simple but… Yeah, golden."

"She sounds kind."

"She was." He swallowed hard. "But she was also a pain in the ass."

Robyn laughed softly and sniffed, pulling her blankets around her. "After the dream about my Mother I…" She shivered and held the blanket tighter. "I kept closing my eyes and feeling that knife in my hand again."

Again he nodded, looking at his own hands, recalling how he grabbed her when he first returned to HQ under the White Cloaks control. When he held that poisoned tea, the cup so delicate but deadly in his hands. Still so tangible.

"Robyn, you know I don't blame you, right?"

"I do. But…"

He waited, giving a patient look as he sat back and let her find the words.

She swallowed hard. "But you don't blame me, because you don't know what was going on in my head." She curled in on herself, gritting her teeth.

Levi clasped his hands tight to steady himself. "You saw nothing but my death, right? You knew you had to do it, in order to make things right."

"Partly." She covered her eyes and shuddered. The words formed and she wrinkled her nose, as if the taste was vile. "L-Levi, you had an objective, you had a reason to kill me, a real goal you needed to accomplish. I didn't have that."

"Alright. So what did you have?"

She looked at him, so unsure but then she swallowed again and trusted him with the truth. "All I could think of, was how fucking good it would feel to cut you open."

His poker face worked hard.

She panted a little. "It was like, I needed to kill you, like I needed to breathe. Every time you held me back, it felt like another gulp of air taken away. I wanted it so fucking badly. It was going to feel so good to kill you..." her voice got distant, eyes afraid. "I wanted it so badly, everything in me told me it was right and good and proper. And I wanted it, Levi. You n-need to know that."

Levi was glad he was sitting, able to simply hold himself rigid and allow the words to process before the reaction bled out. He ached to wrench open the door and haul her into his arms. To hold tight until her eyes cleared. They would, wouldn't they? They always did. She always came back to him.

His tongue felt heavy. "Thank you for telling me."

She blinked. "Thank you?"

"You trusted me with the truth, means a lot."

She stared at him for a moment before laughing again and shaking her head. "You can't thank someone for admitting to wanting to kill you, Levi. C'mon that's just… I…"

"You didn't. The order did. Keep that in mind before you bury yourself in guilt."

She nodded and laid down on the bed, still facing him. "I'm so fucking scared."

"Likewise."

She stared, waiting for him to explain.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Not of you, to be clear. Never of you. I'm scared I won't know how to reach you eventually, and you're going to drift too far for me to reach."

What he wanted to hear was a refusal, a determined laugh and challenging raise of her brow. How dare he suggest such a thing. She would beat it all! But no. She held the blankets close and her eyes dipped. She wasn't sure of any of it. Of herself. Of the process. Of anything.

He approached the bars and knelt, staying firmly in her eye-line. "I know you doubt it, I know that feeling of not trusting yourself, at least to some degree. But… For whatever it's worth, I believe you can beat this. I know you can."

"No, you hope I can. Let's not start making empty promises."

He winced, her voice so small against the bedding. "I won't–"

"I know you won't give up on me, Levi. But… I need to know something."

He knew he wasn't going to like it, but he nodded. He was listening.

Tears shone in her eyes. "I need to know, if after we keep trying, if after all the tests and trials and Hanji's theories… If after all that and we know it can't be got around, that I'm just a liability waiting to go off… I need to know that you can let me go."

It was like he was back in the safehouse, watching the command claim her mind. The wideness of her eyes and shine of her tears, those choked attempts at begging. And then? Even though she was looking right at him, pleading, begging for him to understand, he knew a light had gone out. Deep within her. Snuffed. Smothered. She hadn't gone rigid that time, her eyes weren't vacant and her teeth weren't bared as she fought the control. No. There was no order to withhold in that moment. No blood running from her nose or ears, no bruising blossoming under her eyes. No. Instead that light within had gone out, resigned to the darkness where she thought she belonged. Not right in that moment, she still intended to fight. Or so she said. But he saw it. There was no real hope. She was going through the motions, letting the rest of them try everything, until finally reaching where she already had. Defeat.

"You've given up."

She flinched and shook her head. "No! No, I just mean–"

"You're already past that point, and you're waiting for the rest of us to catch up."

She sat up, blankets falling away. A flush had taken to her cheeks. "Levi, I'm just trying to be realistic."

"You're–"

"No, damn it you stubborn idiot of a man, listen to me." She got up and marched to the bars, looming over him. "Don't fill in the blanks with your own fear. I am fighting. I just need to know you understand that at some point it has to end."

"It? What's ending?" He stood, temper rising as he felt her slipping away. "Don't go being vague about it now."

"There's a thin line between perseverance, and being plain blockheaded." And then she drew in a shaken breath, lip wobbling, body trembling. "I'm just being honest with myself."

Ice pooled in his gut. Don't say it.

She bared her teeth as her tears fell. "Vincent's won."

"No." Levi reached through and cupped her face. "No, he hasn't. You killed him, you kept your promise, you've been through too much to just let this win."

She smiled.

In that moment, he hated that smile more than anything else.

She leaned into his hold. "I ran s-so hard, learned all I could, did everything I could think of... A-And it turns out I'm still no better than that stupid little girl standing in front of a smoking husk. I'm nothing more than a child blubbering, begging her mother to wake up."

"No." He gritted his teeth. "No, you only become that, if you stop fighting." He ran his thumbs along her cheekbones, wiping the tears. "Please. Don't."

She sobbed. "Levi, I'm not in control of my own body. I can't risk… I can't—"

"Do you remember all the things you said to me? When this was me behind bars, or in a mess in my room, after that fucking awful dream?" He demanded and her lost eyes searched his. "This isn't you, this is them. Don't let them win." He pleaded, quoting her, wishing to see something break though.

She swallowed shakily. "If fighting back means possibly hurting you? Then I'll fucking stay their puppet."

He put his head against the bars as she returned the trick, quoting him.

She reached and ran her fingers through his hair. "I don't want to give in, really. Truly, I don't. But… Please let me know that you don't end with me. Please? That's the last thing I wanted. Regardless of what I set out to do, how hard I tried to be my mother's Little Bird flying high… I just don't want…" She trailed and retracted her hand, frowning.

"Robyn?"

The door above opened, bringing Hanji with her notepad at the ready, to probably just check-in with Robyn. Perfectly routine. Just bad timing.

Robyn muttered under her breath again, moving away from Levi's hold, pacing. The cogs were turning. Something had occurred to her. He just hoped it helped rather than buried her deeper.

As Hanji came alongside, she had been about to speak, to no doubt throw herself into a list of questions, but Levi held up his hand. Robyn might have realised something. After all that, after feeling like she was sinking too low to ever be brought back to the surface, Levi clung to a glimmer of hope.

It took another minute, but finally Robyn came back to the bars and looked at Levi uncertainly, but with a glimmer of her old determination. "I think… Maybe my Mother knew all along."

Levi blinked, and he looked to Hanji, but she was similarly bamboozled by the statement. They looked back to Robyn.

She put her hand to her mouth, brows raising for a moment before she gave another laugh, except this one wasn't laced in bitterness, it was disbelief. "Little Bird."

"What… The nickname she gave you?"

She nodded. "It kept coming back to me recently, and I assumed it was because I was just so desperate to feel safe, to have that feeling of when she'd hold me, comb my hair, and call me by that name. But… What if it's some kind of break in the chain? A means of… Of b-bringing me back?"

"Why do you–"

"It just feels…" She put her hand to her chest, tears welling up again but falling alongside a beaming smile that warmed Levi to his core. Robyn closed her eyes and breathed deep. "Instinct, I guess. Could be wrong. Could be some stupid theory that's disproven in one swoop, but… b-but worth trying, right?"

"Anything is worth trying. We'll try all of it once you're strong enough." Levi breathed, relief washing over him. "Thank you."

"But even with that," she stepped up to the bars and took his hands in hers, holding tight. "I still need to know, Levi."

He looked at their hands. He held on tight.

She ran her thumbs along his knuckles. "I'm not asking you to give up, I'm n-not giving up either. I swear. But I need to know. Please."

That he would continue without her. That if it truly came down to only that option, he would let her go. And despite the fact she hadn't said it aloud, he knew what she meant. Not a case of her leaving the HQ. Not a case of her finding somewhere else to be. No. Letting her go meant allowing Robyn to find her own solution. Likely a permanent one. And that terrified him, of course it did, because he knew she would be able to do that to herself. If it was to protect those she loved, Robyn would do anything. Even take her own life. But she had asked him, she trusted him to know that option was in her head, she trusted him to know it and respect it. So yes, it terrified him. It was like putting the knife to her throat himself, but it also meant he had to fight that much harder before they reached that point. Before the light – all of it – left her eyes.

He squeezed her hands. "All right. You… You know it."

"I do? You promise?"

He gritted his teeth. "Yes."

Hanji shifted her weight. "Y'know what?"

Levi looked into Robyn's eyes and they shared a small nod. It was done. Agreed. He turned to the Commander. "If all of our efforts result in this control not being broken? If we have no other theories or means of trying to get around the phrasing, we let Robyn decide her own fate. We… We let her go."

Hanji's eyes widened. "You're not suggesting she–"

"I'm not suggesting a damn thing. I'm telling you." He straightened up and set his jaw, fixing Hanji with his eyes. "I, we, will respect the fact she is allowed to make that choice. It's her life."

"B-But…" Hanji looked into the cell and her lips wobbled. "Oh, Robyn."

"Only when everything else has been tried, Hanji. I'm not going anywhere without a fight." Robyn reached through the bars and took Hanji's hands, holding tight. "Y'know I'm too stubborn to do anything else."

"I'll count on that." Hanji sniffed and backed away. "So… Little Bird was it?"

Robyn nodded. "We can try it, along with Levi trying to command the loophole out of me, and commanding me out of the command… Or whatever. But once I've rested. Can't even think of doing it now." She huffed a laugh and sat heavily, strength spent as the adrenaline wore off. She looked to Levi and smiled softly. "Stay with me till I fall asleep?"

"Of course."

And so he did, he sat on the chair and waited until the doors had closed up the stairs, taking Hanji away, likely going to her office to have a bit of a panic and probably a cry. He would go see her later; either to scrape her off the ceiling, or pick her up off the floor.

"Sorry." Robyn murmured, eyes focused on him and smile sleepy. "I got so wound up…"

"You always do." He smirked and shrugged. "Just… Keep in mind how damned important you are. To me as well as the rest of them."

She hid a little behind the blanket. "Not sick of my shit yet then?"

"Amazingly, no."

"You're a fucking maniac."

He chuckled. "Yeah, but I'm your maniac."


Ta dah, cya next time!