He didn't know how long he'd been holding his breath a whirlwind of emotions—relief, anger, joy before smashing her against his chest.
"Don't worry about me… it's just a graze," Beatrice tried to reason, but Levi only shook his head as he examined her wound closely.
"We can't stay here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper yet laced with urgency. He couldn't see it, but her eyes were wide, filled with a mixture of fear and hope. "If we don't leave now, we might never get the chance."
'If only we had our blades, we could have an advantage,' he thought, recalling Farlan mentioning that he had taken them.
Levi paused, the crease between his brows deepening as he considered her words. "We can't take on eight armed men. They'll just come after us."
"But we don't have to run from them forever, we just need to get to the edge of the forest." she countered, stepping backwards, her eyes focused on him as she gripped his hand tightly into hers.
"Levi… I have been in the same predicament before, I had wounds worse than this… " She said, although it pained her to relieve those memories. "We're helpless against all eight of them…. Trust me, please." She pleaded, and stars began to twinkle overhead.
Levi exhaled sharply through his nose, frustration warring with the instinct to protect. He hated this—hated the idea of running, hated the vulnerability, hated the way Beatrice's blood trickled down the side of her head. But she was right.
He squeezed her hand, then dropped it as he moved. "Stay close." His voice was firm, his movements decisive as he guided them toward the tree line.
Beatrice nodded, her trust in him unwavering. The moonlight cast a silver glow over her face, and for a fleeting second, Levi felt something tighten in his chest. He wanted to say something. Anything. But a sharp whistle cut through the night air. Their pursuers.
The forest ahead loomed dark, an abyss of twisting branches and shifting shadows, but it was their only hope.
They moved swiftly, dodging branches and pushing through the thick underbrush. The distant murmurs of their pursuers sent a shiver down Beatrice's spine, but Levi's presence beside her grounded her.
Beatrice stumbled but bit back a cry, pushing forward even as her vision spun and pain shot through her head, blood trickling down the side of her face. Levi steadied her without stopping, his grip firm. "You're not slowing me down, got it?"
A small, breathless laugh escaped her. "I wasn't about to apologize."
The moment didn't last. A sharp snap from behind them sent Levi into high alert. In one swift motion, he pulled her close, pressing her against the rough bark of a tree. Their faces were inches apart, his breath warm against her skin.
"Two of them," he whispered, eyes darting to the moving shadows. More would come if they weren't careful. His gaze flicked to Beatrice, then to the trees above. "Move," Levi ordered, his voice barely above a whisper. He grasped her hand and pulled her forward, weaving through the thick underbrush. The forest stretched around them like an endless labyrinth, moonlight casting eerie shadows that flickered like ghosts between the trees.
Beatrice's grip tightened in his, her pace quick but unsteady. Levi could feel her strain with each step. She was strong, but wounded—she wouldn't last at this speed for long.
His mind raced, searching for a way out. Then, through the gaps in the trees, he saw it—a gigantic tree, jagged but scalable with a large whole that he thought could fit them both. If they could reach the hole, they could disappear.
"This way," he whispered, tugging her toward it.
Beatrice gasped slightly as she stumbled over a root, but Levi was there, his arm wrapping around her waist to steady her.
"You trust me?" he murmured, his breath warm against her ear.
She turned her head slightly, catching his gaze. "Always."
Something flickered in his expression, but there was no time to dwell on it. Levi guided her forward, hoisting her up first. She winced, her injury making her slower, but she gritted her teeth and pushed through.
He followed right after, muscles flexing as he pulled himself up beside her. Below, torches flickered between the trees—closer now. Too close.
"Levi," Beatrice whispered urgently.
"I know," he muttered, scanning their surroundings. They needed to disappear—fast.
Beatrice suddenly reached out, pressing her hand against his chest. She nodded towards a crevice in the tree trunk. It was narrow, barely noticeable, but it could buy them time.
Without hesitation, Levi pulled her inside. The space was tight, forcing them close—so close that Beatrice could feel his heartbeat, fast and steady beneath her fingertips. She didn't move. Neither did he.
"Levi…" she whispered, her fingers curling slightly against his shirt.
He swallowed, his jaw tight. He should have let go, should have told her to keep moving. But instead, his hand lifted, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.
Levi exhaled slowly, his grip on her lingering before he finally let go. "Rest," he murmured, his voice lower now, rougher. "We need to keep moving by sunrise. There may be a search for us by then."
Beatrice nodded, leaning her head on his chest inside their little hiding place.