𝔇𝔢𝔣𝔦𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢 (𝔏𝔢𝔳𝔦 𝔵 ℜ𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔯)

CII - Fire And Blood

"Because if you say those words, it'll make losing you so much more painful than it would be if you didn't." 

***

Levi disappeared before I could get another word out, leaping off the wall and leaving me confused and speechless. Before I could even process him leaving, my eyes only staring at where he once stood, Erwin demanded my attention. 

"Y/N," his voice broke through my numbed mind making me blink multiple times before turning to look at both he and Armin who watched the entire exchange between the raven and I. Taking a deep breath in and heaving it out, I force myself to walk toward the two, not even caring about whether they saw the kiss or not. My legs felt like they were about to give out from beneath me, a shiver waited to rumble through my being. Shoving the conversation I just had aside, I make myself focus on the task at hand and the task only. 

Levi is well off on his own, we all can do the same. 

"You know your role as second in command," Erwin began. I muster up a nod, pinning my eyes on him. "That means that in the squad leaders absence, you must take over for him," I nod once more, knowing exactly what was expected of me when it came to my role. Though, having to take over a common leader versus taking over humanity's strongest soldier had such a vast contrast, I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to live up to the standards the commander wanted me to. 

"You, Armin and Hange are all to carry out specific orders in the main district," Erwin's blue eyes were now ice cold, filled to the brim with determination and confidence. "Use Eren as bait. Have him transform, the enemy's goal is to eradicate anything that could deem enough of an escape route for anyone. The armoured titan climbs that wall in hopes of killing our horses, drastically reducing our chances of survival. Eren's sudden transformation, hopefully, will draw the armoured's attention back to him and divert his aims back to capturing him." Easier said than done, and using the very thing the enemy is after is risky. Eren's presence alone is already risky, but the plan seems like it'd work given Reiner actually came back to the interior side of the wall. 

"Alright, understood," I mutter, turning to Armin and giving him a nod. He returned the gesture, pinching his brows together in determination and pulling the hood over his head before walking towards the edge of the wall and walking off. As I was about to do the same, Erwin stopped me once more. 

"Y/N," his voice was stern and unwavering as my name came out of his mouth. I turn to him, sending him a glance. "Live through this. That's an order, Levi needs to hear those words come out of your mouth," he says. An order to stay alive, a rare order but an order nonetheless. He didn't blink as he looked at me, waiting for something that would be deemed enough of a response. I pursed my lips together, facing him fully and gave a stern salute. He gave a small smile, raising his own fist to his chest and returning the salute. 

"Yes sir," and with that, I move to tail after Armin and eventually am joined by two faces. I didn't notice at first Reece and Zion were flying alongside me, not until one of their hooks reached further ahead of mine as I began to fly through the streets of Shiganshina. 

"Been looking for you, Sunshine!" Zion exclaimed over the wind. I give him a tightlipped smile before facing ahead. 

"What's the plan?" Reece asked soon after, my eyes just catching a glimpse of the sun glint in the reflection of a sword, Hange and the others signalling us over to her and the squad. I take in a breath as I land before them, everyone huddled in an alleyway far away from anyone's sight. 

"Armin will explain," I murmur to them as I step toward the group, feeling all their eyes on me. Stopping, I look at Armin and give a nod, a gesture that encouraged he voiced the plan aloud. I'm not sure why, but speaking felt very difficult right now.