It's You That I Lie With

"My soldiers, rage!"
"My soldiers, scream!"
"My soldiers, fight!!"

Diana wasn't exactly sure why she was so adamant in doing this. After all, her promise to herself was to protect Levi as much as he would protect her. Every time she closed her eyes, the memory of her yelling at Humanity's Greatest Soldier, who had gotten his legs broken just to ensure her safety, would replay over and over.

I will sacrifice every limb of my body to protect you, because you'd do the same for me.

Those words she spouted out just kept resonating in her mind. It kept echoing every time she closed her eyes, like it was a terrible dream she can never let go.
Just like so many of these young Scouts that barely had any experience out in the field, she wasn't ready to die just yet. There was too much she needed to do, too much she needed to see, too much that she failed to say to everyone around her.

So... why? If she wasn't ready, why was she here? Why was she charging into the Beast Titan? Why was she in this damned suicide mission? Why didn't she listen to Levi when he told her to stay?

She could remember the whole conversation before she went off into that treacherous journey.

"Oi, Diana. Stay back." His voice called for her sternly. Levi had even grabbed her arm just to pull her away from her own horse. It was like their usual interactions between them. He'd always say that sentence to her whenever she was getting herself in trouble. How he had wished for the usual interaction... not this.

Levi can see that look in her eyes... those amber eyes that sparkled every time she was about to do something reckless. She wasn't as crazy as Erwin is... is she?
Then again, this was the same person who had agreed with Erwin's plan to lead the Pure Titans straight into the Armored Titan all those months ago.

Diana can see those swirling emotions in his sharp eyes as well. Ones that were ready to convince her to stay hidden and safe behind the remaining houses. She knew exactly what he was about to do, and he did as well.

"Don't tell me... you're going to go and do that suicide mission, are you?"
Diana refused to answer. Her only response towards his question was climbing up on the saddle of her horse. That single action only caused Levi to get a little more aggressive to the point where he was attracting attention from the other fearful Scouts.

He grabbed her arm again and held onto it tighter, so tight that Diana thought he was going to break the bone, but still, she refused to speak.
"You're crazy... Erwin must've rubbed off on you." Levi let out one of his infamous scoffs, but he was trying his best here.
She can't die. Not yet, not like this. The captain gritted his teeth as he stared up at her. She's as stubborn as ever.

"You idiot, just because Erwin is going doesn't mean you should, too. It's called a suicide mission for a reason, Diana. Get that in your head."
The ginger brown haired female refused to respond once again. She pulled her limb away from Levi and grabbed the reigns of her horse, making the creature turn.
However, he wasn't going to let her off so easily.

Thinking quickly, he unsheathed one of his blades and pointed it at her horse, causing it to neigh and buck up from surprise. Everyone seemed to be looking at them now, and from the corner of his eyes, he could see Erwin glancing in their direction as well.

"Oi! Didn't you hear anything I said? Anything Erwin said? He told you that you should stay back and stay hidden!" Levi was yelling now, barely anyone has heard him yelling like this. Most would think that it was out of anger, frustration or annoyance. That's what everyone would always think whenever they witness the dynamic between this Captain and this royal turned to soldier.
Only few would know, though, that it was a combination of all those emotions mentioned... mixed with desperation.