Always Worth the Risk || Levi x Reader

Chapter 22

Y/N's Pov

"That was close..." Connie murmurs, staring down at our little cabin now being ransacked.

"Much too close," I agree, shuddering softly.

We're all standing atop a hill in the distance under the cover of night, bags of supplies on our backs and guns in our hands. I watch as the men search our cabin, which we'd evacuated in a rush under Erwin's instructions. It's been a few weeks since the mission outside the walls, where I encountered the Beast Titan.

And things have gone to shit.

"What would have happened to us if we had stayed one more night in there...?" Connie wonders.

"Captain, are those interior MPS?" Armin asks.

"Beats me, I can't imagine they'd directly act all the way out here but they didn't take me too seriously either..." he says, striding away. "Hurry to the rendezvous point," he orders.

And with that we all hurry away, clustered together and guns out, creeping in the dead of night.

~~~

We're strolling through Trost District, weaving our way in and out of the crowds, Levi leading the way. For some reason, being out here in the open makes my skin prickle. All that time hiding out has left me feeling exposed out here. I keep my head down and my ears peeled for anything of use.

"Hey," a voice calls in our direction. "Aren't you Levi?"

My head snaps up, hand going to the weapon stashed in my waistband, but its just a civilian.

"Hm?" Levi says, expression characteristically blank.

"It is!"

"I've seen him before, too!"

"That's Levi, Humanity's Strongest Soldier!!"

"Hey, he's small!"

"Hah! I've only ever seen him on a horse."

I shoot an irritated look in the direction of the last two comments and then sidle a fraction closer to Levi. Soon the men are surrounding us. The man who initiated the conversation at the front, staring down at Levi.

"You're in the way," Levi says, and I wince at his blunt manner.

"Come one , Captain. Hear us out! We humble folk just want a few words with you. We lost out on a lot of work because of that evacuation plan you soldiers made all that noise about."

"Sir," I cut in. "We're sorry for what you're going through but we really need to get going."

They all ignore me and I bristle, feeling Levi and the rest of my squad do the same.

"It's not just us," the man continues. "People don't come to the towns by the wall like this anymore because of all the uncertainty. Our income's gone, and we can't eat-"

"And I'm sorry about that," I try again. "But-"

"The Garrison ran off somewhere," he interrupts, and I clench my fists, sucking on a tooth. "And crowds of thieves came in to take their place. But taxes are high as ever, what are we supposed to do? Why'd things turn out like this? Why do the Titans keep attacking? I think I know why."

"Sir-"

"It's because you in the survey corps aren't working hard enough! I've always blamed myself if I don't make money in business. I work and get nothing in return all the time. But its not the same for people like you, is it? You laze around, get nothing done, and you still get to eat-"