Blood (Levi x Reader)

17. ** Trapped **

The firefight raged on nearby, as the cavern quaked around me and the ceiling shed it's crystal layers. I could only hope that the Survey Corps was the one attacking Kenny's Squad, but then I thought back to Eren and Historia, wondering if they had been here all along; that they had just been kept separate from me. I growled at the thought of being so close to them this entire time, unable to rescue them. I had to believe that it wasn't too late...

Struggling to break free from the knot tied around my wrists, I could feel the friction of my movement begin to burn my skin. Gritting my teeth and squinting tightly, I compelled myself to ignore the searing pain of raw flesh being pulled apart beneath the coarse rope. I had to at least free myself from the wall, or I would surely be crushed.

I stubbornly continued my endeavors, making little progress as I stayed with it, maneuvering the bloodstained rope about my wrists. But I froze when there was an unexpected pause in the chaos, a rather eerie silence. I could hear my erratic breathing again, as I anxiously waited for more. I had to remain confident in my Squad's ability to carry out their mission; to defeat Kenny and rescue Historia and Eren. I was ignorant of their severity of danger, as I still didn't know their captor's intent. Kenny didn't seem like he was the one behind the abduction, only the one to carry it out... Although I was sure it all stemmed from the hunger for power...

Taking advantage of the break in warfare, I turned my focus back to my own matter. A shimmer of light caught my eye, as I noticed a shattered bit of debris not far from my heel. The shard of crystal that had come dislodged from the ceiling would be the perfect tool to cut through my bindings. I sipped in a long inhale to calm myself, then stretched my body as far as it would go, elongating my legs in hopes of nudging the gleaming fragment closer. Finally, I was able to dig the edge of my boot into it, dragging it slowly, carefully along the ground. I could feel the sweat roll down my forehead, as I nervously guided the fragile weapon toward the wall. Pushing past the ever-increasing agony in my wrists, I shifted my weight into my upper body, trying to allow my fingertips to reach the crystal, in order to tilt it into my palm.

With a massive exhale, I clutched the blade victoriously and began filing away at the rope rapidly. And it was a good thing too because I had barely sliced a single fiber when an ear-splitting roar ripped through the cavern, exponentially louder than before. My heart dropped, as I became fearful that the familiar sound was that of titan transformation. The shock-wave that followed caused the floor to buckle not far from where I sat; the ceiling was quick to give way too.

"No, no, no, NO! Not here, not like this. FUCK!"

I began muttering curses and urging myself to cut faster, but just as I had sliced through one of the layers, a boulder came dislodged above me and began to crumble downward, showering me with its debris. I cried out in a panic, as I was totally incapable of shielding myself from the avalanche. Yet, buried under the sound of crashing and rumbles were the familiar zip of 3D Maneuvering Gear. My eyes widened as I frantically began searching for the source, desperate to see a familiar face.

And familiar it was, although not who I wanted to see. Now was not the time to be particular in who I wanted to assist me, so I grimaced as I helplessly screamed his name. "KENNY!"

I watched in horror as he pathetically tried to fly through the cavern, weaving and dodging the falling debris as he flew. Unfortunately, the thunderous roar of tremors had masked my cry for help, so I had to wait for him to get closer before trying again.

When he was near, I recognized that death was not far-off for him. Half of his face was scorched with severe burns, and he was clutching his abdomen as it bled profusely. When his next aim failed, he tumbled to the ground, and I shouted his name again. He must have heard me the second time because when he lifted his head, his pupils dilated with shock at the sight of me.

"Kenny, please! I can't move! If you cut me loose, I can help you get out of here!"

I held my breath as I watched him process my plea. The desire to remind him that there really wasn't time for him to think over my offer was overwhelming, but I just bit my lip and anxiously awaited his answer. With an angry growl, he shot back up to a stand and limped toward me, withdrawing his blade. Expecting him to immediately free me, I gasped when he shoved his knife against my throat, slightly breaking the skin.

"You try to leave me behind, and I'll shoot you in the back, ya got it?"

"Yea. I got it," I shuddered in a shaky, raspy voice.

"Good. Now move."

With a single swipe from his blade, my arms burst free and my cheek hit the ground. Barely a moment passed before Kenny had yanked me to a stand, pulling me up by the collar of my shirt. Careful to avoid whatever injury was causing him to bleed so profusely, I wrapped my arm around him to provide him balance.

"Alright, let's get the fuck out of here!" He ordered, shouting over the deafening explosions.

"Lead the way!"

The two of us traversed the broken terrain as best we could, striving to avoid being buried beneath the cavern walls that were collapsing around us. My side became drenched in Kenny's blood as he gradually used me as a crutch more and more. Although his weight was dragging me down and making it more difficult to quickly escape, I had promised not to leave him.  So I would keep my word.

Although the exit realistically wasn't very far, it seemed like it was miles away.  Each step was a gamble we had to take if we wanted to get out alive, but the uncertainty of our path ahead was terrifying.

The moment I inhaled the fresh air, I collapsed to the ground and exhaled a deep sigh of relief. Kenny tumbled down after me as we both reveled in the fact that we had made it out alive. Turning my head to face him, I got a better look at his condition, which wasn't good.  Still breathing heavily, I caught his attention and muttered, "If you wanna make it any further, you're gonna want me to take a look at that nasty wound of yours..."

Glancing down at his blood-soaked shirt, he winced through a chuckle.

"Heh, ya mean the wound I got from your Captain?"

I froze, staring at Kenny with a look of horror plastered across my face.

"Was Levi in there when-"

"When Historia's idiot father turned himself into a huge fuckin titan? Yea. They all were..."

"Histor- wait, what? That wasn't- Was Eren with them!?"

"Look, both of our squads were in there, and when I left, only yours were alive. So make your own conclusions about who made it out, alright? As far as we know, we're the only ones!"

I pushed myself to a stand, turning back around to face the entrance when I stopped. I could feel my body begin to tremble at the sight of our escape route, blocked and fully buried under the rubble. My knees grew weak, and I stuttered in my steps as I wandered closer, reaching out my hand.  If he had really been there, inside with our squad...

"No, Kenny. He's alive. Levi wouldn't let his squad die in there...and neither would Eren..."

Withdrawing my hand, I whipped back around and marched toward Kenny, grabbing his arm and tugging him back up to stand. As I dragged his sorry ass through the woods, I regained my vigor, determined to press on. And with a growl of disdain, I muttered,

"Levi is alive... he isn't a coward like you..."