Light em' up // Eren x reader

25

-EDITED-

(Y/n) Ackerman

Eventually, Eren had passed out again. Levi found us while searching for soldiers and quickly ran to me, making me drop Eren onto the ground. Levi placed his hands on my shoulders and looked at me with the same expression though his eyes looked saddened, even relieved.

I knew this look. When I was a kid and got into dangerous fights with weapons, Levi would do this. He usually wasn't as shaken up to give me a hug, but he always examined me silently to make sure I was alive, and he wasn't hallucinating.

Levi let go and sighed, walking over to the cart that had covered bodies in it. A soldier grabbed Eren and placed him in a separate cart, bandaging some of his wounds. I looked down and noticed Levi's hand that was squeezed in a fist. I could barely see what looked like blue and white, and quickly realized it was the patch we wore on our jackets and cloaks.

It had blood covering it but it seemed like Levi didn't care, which was surprising. I moved my gaze upwards and noticed Levi was quieter than usually. He would usually scold me for going off on my own, but he didn't. His eyes had a darker shade to them, his face was pale, and his features almost looked like he wanted to burst into tears after so many years.

But he didn't... He simply bandaged up my wounds and motioned me towards the cart where Eren laid unconscious.

-

On our way back to the walls, shit went down. Two soldiers went back to find their deceased friend who wasn't brought back with the others. They refused to leave him behind. Three titans ended up following them back. Luckily Mikasa took one down, but there was still two more.

Levi hesitatantly gave orders two unload the cart of soldiers. I looked at him from the cart I was placed on. I had been informed that my ribs were broken along with my right arm. They were healing, but it was slow.

Levi looked at me and back at the soldiers on the cart. He mouthed a small, "I'm sorry," and rode his horse forward. Soldiers began to unload our fallen comrades to distract the Titans.

I watched with a blank face and saddened eyes as I saw my comrades, my family, being thrown off to the beasts. My eyes widened a bit as I saw a soldiers face. Their red hair flowing in the wind as time seemed to slow down. Blood covered the side of their face and their mouth was agape.

I looked away and squeezed Eren's hand with my left hand. My mind had completely forgotten. How could I forget? How was Levi feeling?

-

Whiles later we made it into the walls. Eren had woken up, and his features had a terrified look on them. Armin was silently walking his horse as well as my own. His blue eyes were dull and looked distant.

Jean looked like he desperately wanted to break down in tears, but he didn't. He hid his face from he screaming crowd and stayed silent. Mikasa was in a cart with an unconscious Suzuha. She was clutching onto his hand like it was the only thing she had left.

Sasha and Connie weren't joking around like they normally would. Occasionally, they would look around and back at each other, seeming like they were silently reassuring themselves that both of them were still alive.

Bertholdt and Reiner had a look of sympathy on their faces, but it seemed in-genuine to me. I had a feeling that their sympathy was insincere, but who knows. Maybe I'm just tired.

An elderly man walked up to Levi, who looked like he also wanted to break down. Knowing my brother, he was putting up a front. He was humanities strongest, so of course he had to create a facade, especially for everyone else. But, he had just lost everything. Why can't he just show emotion?

"You must be Captain Levi correct? I'm Petra Ral's father. She's in your squad. I would like to thank you for accepting her in your squad. I wasn't all in for my daughter enrolling herself in the military, since she's all I have, but I supported her through it all. She sent me this letter here, saying she would devote her all to the Survey Corps, and to you Captain. She even mentioned that you both had a discussion of marriage and the future. Now I still believe my daughter is too young to marry, but if that's what'll make her happy, I support her and her decisions."

Levi's face only darkened. I wanted to run up to him and hug him. I'd never seen my brother so heartbroken, not even after expeditions. Is this how he felt when Isabelle and Farlan died, or was it worse?

The next day we were informed that Eren had no place in the Corps. If he couldn't support humanity in the fight against Titans, he would be taken into custody of the Military Police, and be executed.

That's what was about to happen.