Always Worth the Risk || Levi x Reader

Chapter 2

A/N

Just a quick reminder that not everything will happen the way it does in the manga.

Thanks for reading, enjoy!

---------------------------------------------

"Are you really going to join the Scouts?" Jean asks. He pauses from cleaning out the canon, leaning against it and wiping the sweat from his brow. I stop my work too. We had this conversation before. Mikasa continues her work but I know she is listening. She's going to join the Scouts too, but only because of Eren. I'm not joining because of Eren (as much as I love him - well, like him, at the moment. He's getting very self righteous lately and honestly its pissing me off. Maybe I'll give him a slap when we got home), I'm joining because... well, I want to kill Titans. Simple as. And after what happened in Shiganshina all those years ago... I don't want be helpless again. I don't want to have to run away. I want to fight. I want to be on the the frontlines and fight. If I'm going to die I may as well go out in a blaze of glory... or down a Titan's gullet, depending. Armin is only joining because the three of us are. Jean, on the other hand, is joining the MPs, and seems intent on bringing me down with him. Or up, I suppose, depending on what way you looked at it.

I sigh. "Yes I am, Jean."

"But why?" He splutters, like I had just said I was planning to wriggle into the canon and launch myself over the wall.

"Because I want to."

"But-"

"Jean!" I interrupt. "You can't change my mind. I'm joining. Have fun in the MPs though... Coward" I add under my breath, just to piss him off. He isn't a coward, I know that. But it's fun seeing his face his face burn a brilliant shade of red as his fury bubbles to the surface.

"Just because I'm not a suicidal manic like-"

"Hey!" Mikasa cuts across, quietly but with enough fierceness to stop Jean dead in his tracks. I grin at him, and his face contorts in annoyance and embarrassment. God, I love Mikasa.

I chuckle and tighten my ponytail, returning to my work.

A few moments later there's an explosion and I'm thrown off my feet, flying backwards off the wall. I can't see a thing, surrounded by an onslaught burning steam. I fumble to activate my Vertical Maneuvering Gear and attach myself to the wall just in time. I cough, protecting my eyes against the steam as it clears. I look around, everyone from my unit is hanging along the wall. All coughing as well, recovering from the explosion. Was it an explosion? What was it?

"What the fuck is going on?!" I yell. I get my answer a second later. Massive, skinless fingers clamp around the edge of the wall, the stone crumbling beneath the pressure. I go cold. It can't be...

From somewhere to the right I hear Eren yell, "... the Colossus Titan!" Of course it is. Shit. I hear Eren ordering us to attack and beside me Jean curses. Mikasa is already gone after Eren. I sigh and shout to Jean, "C'mon, MP, once last hurrah before you retire to the land of luxury!"  I start in the direction of the Colossus, wind whipping my hair. I'm almost to the top when a massive hand sweeps across the wall, destroying the canons. I lift my arms just in time to protect myself from the falling debris. It destroyed the cannons. Is this thing... intelligent?

"(Y/N)!" Jean calls.

"I'm fine!" I shout back. Launching myself for the Colossus Titan. I move fast, I've always liked using the Vertical Maneuvering Gear. It seemed natural, for whatever reason. By pure chance I'm one of the ones who were stationed the farthest away from where the Colossus appeared and I can already see Eren engaging it. I need to get there soon. I need to help. I need to...

Eren is going for its nape. He's actually doing it. The Colossus, for all its size, is too slow. He's going to do it. I don't slow as I watch Eren disappear behind its neck. I need to get there, just in case. Where was Mikasa? A cloud of steam erupted from the Colossus's nape. Has he done it? I barrel towards my friend. As I approach the steam wafts in my direction and hits me like brick of pure heat. I gasp, choking. Somehow I land on the wall, in bits from where the Colossus struck.

"Eren!" I holler. "Eren where are you?! Did you get it?!" I peer over the wall. The Titan has vanished.

---------- Time Skip ----------

Eren didn't kill the Colossus Titan. It had just... disappeared. Vanished into thin air. Part of the wall was already destroyed, a gap opened up and now Titans - normal Titans - were pouring in. Slowly at first, but picking up speed. The city is being evacuated now.

We're standing in a hall, being given our orders by the Garrison. We are first class soldiers now, apparently. To be stationed in the Middle Guard. I look around. I'm sandwiched between Armin and Eren, preparing to depart to kill a bunch of Titans and not die.... hopefully. Armin is about to implode with nerves. I nudge him, while checking to make sure my gear is right. "We'll be fine, ok?"

He nods, visibly sweating. "Y-yeah, we'll be fine," he stammers.

"Mikasa! (Y/N)!" a voice calls from behind. We turn to see the Garrison Captain who was giving us orders standing ramrod straight. We salute. "Sir?" I ask. Mikasa moves to stand beside me and Eren and Armin fall in behind, looking on curiously.

"You two will join us in the Vanguard."

My brows shoot up, mouth popping open. Mikasa stiffens. "Huh?" I say before I can stop myself. We were barely soldiers, we just graduated. Top of class, yes, but they couldn't know that. Why would they-

"As it happens the Levi Squad was nearby and have arrived to aid us. Captain Levi requested you two to help fill the ranks in the Vanguard, you'll be working alongside him and his team."

I do not think its possible for my eyebrows to rise any higher than they are now. I make sure to close my mouth though. That cranky old tiny tot wants us on his team?

There's an odd 'tch' sound and I look to see the garden gnome himself, glaring at us. His dark, raven-coloured hair was immaculately brushed and in place, despite the chaos around. "You just going to stand there all day gawking, brats?" His lip curls in disgust as he looks me and my less than immaculate uniform up and down. What is this guy's problem? I've barely had two interactions with him and already I feel like feeding him to a Titan.  The Captain turns on his heel and stalks away, leaving us with no choice but to follow.

Maybe I will feed him to a Titan. Accidents happen all the time in the field of battle.