Humanity's Strongest Hope

Chapter Sixteen

After handing Annie over to Hange, Levi had to report back to Erwin. Unfortunately for him, both of Eren's friends were waiting anxiously for him along with Mike and Nanaba. The moment Levi entered the room, Mikasa's head shot up and she levelled him with a look of hope before her eyes dimmed and a scowl took over her features upon seeing Levi's own sunken look.

"Where's Eren?" She asked in a clipped tone, despiting already knowing the answer to her question. "I thought you won't come back without him."

Levi couldn't look at her. He instead shifted his attention to Erwin and the blond let out a sigh.

"Moblit came back to me with the news. I'm sure Hange already told you this but you did make the right choice given the circumstances."

"You couldn't find him, could you?" Armin spoke up then, his voice barely above a whisper. "Who did you bring back instead?"

Hearing Armin ask that showed Levi that Erwin hadn't told them yet about their recently captured new guest.

"Annie Leonhart," Erwin spoke up, noticing Levi's reluctance to speak. "Levi found her in the nearest town to the base. It's my understanding that she was alone and planned to flee as soon as possible, only for her rider to disappear at the last moment."

Levi hadn't told them about Kenny's involvement, didn't see a need to. It wouldn't have changed the fact that Annie was with them now and Eren was still missing.

"Even though we've captured her, we still have no guarantee that she'll talk," Mike spoke up, grunting as he leaned back in his chair. "She doesn't strike me as the conversationalist type. Not only that but, she was alone. Which means the other two are still missing and if we had any doubt of them working together, this would be the ideal situation for it. I still don't understand one thing though." Mike shifted his attention towards Levi then, his eyebrows drawn down in confusion. "Why would Eren give you the key to the basement and disappear without a single word? He doesn't seem like the type to do that. When I saw him yesterday, I got the feeling that he wasn't himself. I couldn't place what it was but something about him was different. It was as if there was a version of himself growing and taking over his usual self. I can't explain further but I found it interesting. His scent was uncomfortably agitated."

Levi's attention was pulled at this new information. He had noticed something different about Eren as well but wasn't sure if he was overreacting. If Mike could sense it as well, did that mean that Levi was right in his assumptions about Eren not being himself?

"I see," Erwin hummed. "But that only raises more questions. Our only focus right now should be Leonhart. I have a feeling she'll know more about this than any of us."

Levi could feel Mikasa's stare boring into his head but he ignored it. He understood how she was feeling and a part of him was also pissed at himself.

"Mike hasn't told me everything, but from what I've gathered so far, I think the Commander is right," Nanaba said for the first time that night. "We should work on what we have and that's Annie Leonhart. I'll head downstairs and assist Hange."

"I'll join you." Levi found himself saying.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"Are you sure? You've been riding all day, you should get some sleep." Erwin gave him a worried look but Levi was already turning on his heel.

"I'm fine."

That couldn't have been further from the truth. Levi was anything but fine. His emotions were all over the place and he was struggling with every fibre of his being to hold them in. He couldn't break down now, it would mean accepting the fact that Eren was really gone. Levi couldn't do that. He had to hold on to what little delusion of Eren being near to stay sane. He wasn't sure when it happened but Eren had monopolised his entire existence. Levi couldn't go a day without thinking of him.