He Told Me to Live

22 | Death

"Y/N, how many weapons can you use?"

I look away from my uniform, pausing my needle as it pierced through the fabric. "What?"

"What kind of weapons, like a bow or a gun." Levi began to list. "How many weapons can you use?"

"I can use whatever. Even in the rare occasion that I don't know how to use it, I can adapt. That's what I was trained for. Why?"

"Just asking. Finish up with sewing that uniform. I need to send a message to Hange."

I watch him leave and I stare down at my uniform. I reached into the pocket and pulled out the wax seal, now split in two and somewhat melting in my hands.

"When you're alone, flip it! Each side can represent a different decision."

I held the pieces in the palm of my hand, remembering when she first handed it to me. Where did this wax seal come from? I placed the pieces next to me so I can continue repairing my uniform.

Sometimes I forget just how much death steals.

•••

"You're back." I say as the door creaked open behind me. The smell of blood fills the air. "Who has an open wound."

"Observant as ever, Y/N." Levi sarcastically compliments. He tossed his gun blade on the table, clean of any signs of murder.

"You didn't kill anyone."

"Observant as ever." He repeated. "But it's Jean that got whacked today."

I don't ask anything more. This year's cadets are a lot more suicidal than the ones before them.

"I told you to stay back for a reason. No one found this place while we were gone?"

"I doubt I would be here if that had occurred." I watched the cadets retreat into the other room and Levi sat across the table from me. "Are you okay?"

"Hm?"

"That's a weird response coming from you." He leaned forward and placed his chin on his hand. "You seem out of it."

"That's the true reason you didn't want me to come with you?"

"Good eye. The MP is on a hunt for us and we found two MPs in the forest. And you don't seem to be listening to me."

I shook my head. "Perhaps I am 'out of it' as you say."

He flicked my forehead and I placed my hand over the area. "What was that for?"

"To get you back into it. If you were to disable someone without killing them or severing limbs, what would you do?"

Assuming that the two he listed were his first idea, I thought about it. "Simply attack the legs in any way, severely. Even simply piercing their thigh. That's both the quickest and immobilizing way to disable someone without killing them. Or drugs, however I doubt you have the resources for such."

"We don't. The first one's fine. Any specific area?"

"Thighs or back of the knees. It's an easy target and they likely won't die."

Levi tilted his head a bit. "You don't have to."

"I can do it." I massaged my temple. "I can do it..."

•••

After heading to the supposed Central MP Compound, I was instructed to investigate to see if it was what we assumed.

I stood on the roof, tapping my finger over the shingles, following the rhythm of one of the soldier's footsteps.

"It's definitely the central compound." I report to Levi once I returned.