The Titan Queen - Levi X Reader

Chapter 24 - The Retribution

"What are you going to do?" Isabel asked, patting Strawberry's side anxiously. "Come back home with us."

You glanced around. People were on top of their horses, jubilant that they were being let go, chatting to each other. "There's a council meeting here in a week, Isabel – I've got to be there for it."

"Then be there for it," Isabel said, with such an easy shrug that you were slightly jealous of. "Come back here in a week. Besides, today is Friday. We have to be back at school for the game – imagine Pixis's face when you guess it."

You bit your lip, annoyed that Isabel knew very well how to convince you to go anywhere. "You realize," you said, slowly, "that if we partake in the game, I'll be going solo?"

Isabel looked faintly startled as she began waving her fists around. "No! That's not fair! I wanted you on my team!"

"Looks like Team Envy was the first one to crumble," Jean told Eren, who snorted in response. "Marco owes me his desert for three days."

"We won't crumble if I can help it," Marco said grimly, eyeing Isabel as she performed a tantrum that was drawing the eyes of many curious onlookers. "Come on, Isabel – we at least have to beat Team Greed. I bet my deserts on this!"

Isabel sobered up, ignoring the way that her stropping had caused her hair to frizz around her face. "True. Greed has Jean. We've got to beat him, at least."

You made an affirmative noise, trying not to look like you were seriously contemplating it. Chatter was everywhere – and you'd missed it. Idle touch, too, was being displayed without a second thought. Christa was patting Sasha's shoulder and Isabel was now hitting Jean's knee. This was the essence of what made humanity so effortlessly beautiful.

Affection was as necessary as breathing in order to nurture the mind.

The titans had forcibly removed that aspect, forcing the mind into violent fits. The operation that crippled it, that forced insanity to take over – that's all it took to change from the happy scene around you to the hell that was the titan society.

Happiness was the way that Oluo and Petra were sitting a little ways off, just around the corner from the stable where all of you were, excitedly chatting about what they'd missed in their respective worlds. Oluo, apparently, had come along with Erwin with anxious hopes to find his team that had mysteriously disappeared.

You gasped as Levi led Skira into view, his head bowed as he exchanged words with Gunther. Isabel laughed as you ran towards your horse, ignoring the way that Levi and Gunther abruptly stood back and continued on their conversation as if you running to a horse was utterly normal. Skira did not look particularly overjoyed to see you – she grunted as you threw your arms up to pat her neck. "Hello, Skira," you said, unsuccessfully fighting off a grin. "How is the northwest wind?"

The horse pushed you away and looked quite like she was glaring at you. You nodded at her, patting her nose as you took off her reigns, to which she projected a much more agreeable aura. "You dare put my horse in a saddle, Ackerman?"

Levi huffed as he smoothly transferred his attention from Gunther to you. "Easily. How dare I try and ride that godforsaken creature?"

"Skira doesn't like saddles," you said.

"And I don't like dirt, but here I am, surrounded by it. Adults get over these things."

You gave him a look. "If you had your way, you'd have cleaned this entire city."

"Need I remind you that you literally set my horse free and that it is only due to a small miracle that my damned horse is still at the Academy?"

"No," you said, moving to unstrap the saddle, "do tell me more."