Criminal (Levi x Reader) [COMPLETE]

Chapter 18

 As the company rode through a forest of verdant green, Levi felt himself grow more anxious by the second. There had not been a Titan sighting for hours, an unusual occurrence on an expedition. He glanced ahead, watching Erwin from his distance of two horse lengths as he had been ordered. Six months and I'm still expected to follow him around like a child who's misbehaved, he thought bitterly.

His thoughts were cut off as a black smoke round was fired high into the air from ahead – the signal for an aberrant sighting. Levi clenched his teeth. Hours and not so much as footstep has been heard. Now an aberrant appears out of nowhere? What is happening here?

There were shouts from close by as a group attempted to engage the aberrant, only to let out cries of dismay as it ignored them, continuing its determined sprint north. The soldiers stared at it in confusion as it passed them by without even turning its head.

"It's ignoring us," one cried in bewilderment. "Why would it do that?"

"Levi!" shouted Erwin, without so much as a glance behind him. Levi nodded to himself and, drawing his swords with the satisfying sound of steel against steel, launched himself into the air, using the towering trunks around him to anchor his wires.

He zeroed in on the titan's nape, focusing his nerves, calculating the exact moment and angle he would need to strike. You've done this a hundred times now. Relax. He calmed his breathing, and with sudden, lightning speed he launched himself forward, spinning like a deadly top – only to have his swords slice through thin air.

He cursed. What he had not planned for was the aberrant putting on a sudden burst of speed, placing it just outside of his reach and sending him hurtling forward into empty space. He let off a wire and caught himself, landing against the rough trunk of a tree with just a little too much force.

"Damn it!" he growled watching the shrinking back of the titan as it kept up its headlong race. 

Erwin had halted the formation, staring after the aberrant with a look of concern on his face. "Something is not right about this," he muttered uneasily. His blue eyes widened as he came to a conclusion. "Could it be...?" He stared ahead with new found fear in his eyes, an emotion Levi had never seen him display lightly.

"Erwin, what is it?" he asked uncertainly.

"Get back to your horse. We need to return to the walls as soon as possible."

Levi narrowed his eyes at the tone in his voice, but did not argue as he sheathed his swords and dropped lightly to the ground to remount. He glanced at Erwin, who was still staring off in the direction the titan had gone.

"The days of peace we once knew are over." The blonde man swallowed visibly. "Ride as fast as you can. Don't look back." And with that he dug in his heels and set off at a thundering pace.

Levi had gone pale, frozen in place. Does he mean...? No... It can't be...

"[Name]!" he breathed, hurtling forward until he was close on Erwin's heels, the two men exchanging a look that said any hostility that may have existed between them was far behind them now. All that mattered was [Name].

The rest of the formation followed behind, their confused faces slowly turning to expressions of horror as realisation hit them one by one. Levi knew many of them had family in Shiganshina.

Please be safe, he silently pleaded as the company rode like wind across the green landscape, all attempts at keeping formation cast aside. Please be alive. Nothing mattered now. Nothing except getting back to the walls – getting home. No one spoke, no one needed to. They were all thinking the same thing. The only sounds were the dull pounding of hooves against dirt and hearts against ribs, and the desperate, muttered pleas for everything to be alright.

It felt like it had been forever, and also mere seconds when they finally reached the wall. Mouths fell open in horror, in despair as they beheld the shattered gate, the titans swarming around it, clamoring to be the first to enter the ravaged city with its columns of black and putrid smoke.

"We can't get in through the gate. Abandon the horses, switch to the air and climb the walls!" cried Erwin.

How can he be so calm in such a situation? Levi wondered, watching the blonde man as he dismounted. The taller man hesitated, just for a mere moment, but it was enough to make Levi realise that beneath his calm exterior was the turmoil reflected on everyone's faces. He would never admit it, but Levi suddenly felt a great deal of respect for the man before him. If you can help me get [Name] out of this alive, I promise you I will follow you anywhere.

Unable to wait any longer, Levi anchored his wires high in the wall, feeling the familiar tug as he launched himself into the air once again, burning fuel at an alarming rate. Hold on, [Name]. Please just hold on.

He heard the zip of wires behind him and glanced back to find Erwin following, his face set in determination, but his eyes and the deep lines etched on his brow betrayed his concern.

Without even stopping to survey the damages, as soon as he reached the top, Levi cast himself from the wall, the fifty meter job not fazing him in the least, his wires shooting out to find purchase on what little buildings were still standing. Erwin, however, stopped to look out upon the ruined town – a mistake.

"Too late... We were far too late..." His gaze wandered to where his former residence stood – your house. His eyes widened.

"Levi!" he shouted, but Levi had already seen it, hurtling through the air at an alarming speed, the turbines in his gear whirring, almost straining to keep up. Erwin cursed, following after, felling a titan on the way as it attempted to catch him by surprise from an adjacent rooftop.

When he caught up with the smaller man, he found him desperately rummaging through the wreckage of the house, cursing, sparing no thought for the cuts and scrapes he was sustaining. Erwin slowed to a stop, a pained expression across his face.

"Levi..."

Levi ignored him, calling her name, his cries becoming more persistent, desperate as he choked back tears that he refused to let fall.

"Levi!"

The ebony-haired man turned on Erwin, steel blue gaze burning with a anger. He was unravelling and Erwin knew it. "Don't just stand there! Help me!" he growled, his fists clenched.

Erwin's gaze turned hard, his expression immovable. "It's too late, Levi."

"Don't you say that."

"Either she's dead, or she managed to escape with the boats. Either way, there's no point staying here. We're little more than titan bait if we stay on the ground."

"How can you say that?" Levi was looking at Erwin in horror, bewilderment plain on his face. "Do you feel nothing for her anymore?"

Erwin met his steely gaze with his own unwavering blue. "Feelings will do nothing but hinder us," he said, his voice emotionless, empty. "We need to leave."

Levi growled. "No. Not until I'm sure..."

He continued his desperate search, growing increasingly frustrated, his hands shaking so badly his movements soon became ineffective. He slumped to the ground in defeat, his hair falling across his face. Erwin placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We need to-"

He was cut off as a sound, so quiet he had almost missed it, emanated from a short distance away. Levi lifted his head, suddenly filled with renewed vigor and hope.

"[Name]," he breathed.

"Levi..." came a voice, weak and distant, but very much real. 

Very much alive.