cw: s/a, suicide, gore, necrophilia?? this chapter may be disturbing to some people.

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You laid motionless—eyes dropped shut and your head against the pillow. Eren was out in the kitchen fighting Samuel, leaving your body alone in the bedroom. You looked at peace. That final conversation with Levi gave you the chance to say everything that you'd wanted. You felt yourself slowly lose consciousness shortly after.

And now, there was nothing you could say or do.

A crash ripped through your bedroom window. Glass scattered across the floor as a large rock flew into the room and slammed onto the hardwood. A light haired soldier climbed through the opening.

"There she is." He muttered and stomped over the broken glass until he made it to your bedside. The boy plucked your body from the bed and tossed you over his shoulder, heading back outside through the window where your lifeless body would symbolize victory.

He emerged from the side of the house and brought you with him.

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Levi looked back at the cottage.

Eren... handle things in there for me, damnit. He thought to himself. Levi didn't know how many were getting inside, but he hoped to god they wouldn't lay a hand on you.

Levi snapped out of his daze and attempted to focus on the fight, but he was a few seconds too late.

Floch finally got his hands on his gun even though he was bleeding out. His eyes were dead set on Levi.

As Levi turned around, Floch fired a bullet into the man's leg.

"Shit." Levi spat, clutching his thigh. He looked around to see where the shot had come from when he noticed Floch laying on the ground with a gun in his hand. Levi gritted his teeth and pointed his pistol at the boy—but he was out of bullets.

Floch shot him again, this time the bullet landed a little higher up his thigh. Floch was aiming for his heart but he'd lost too much blood to be able to focus on a clear shot.

Levi gasped in pain, his breaths took on an erratic pace. He didn't like feeling weak. He hated when his body wouldn't do what he wanted. He hated losing that control.

A soldier emerged from the side of the cottage. It looked like he had exited through a window. At first Levi thought it was Eren but as he peered closer, he realized just how wrong he was.

The soldier wasn't alone either...

He carried your limp body over his shoulder. Your arms dangled down like loose lines of rope.

"I found the dead whore!" He exclaimed, a sick grin on his face. A few of the other scouts let out a laugh and started hollering at him to do awful things.

A surge of bile was caught in Levi's throat. His mind started jumping to conclusions, nasty conclusion.

What are they gonna do with her..?

No, he couldn't go down that road, he had to do something. Anything. But the pain was too intense and he could barely move his right leg. The soldier stood way across the field just outside the cottage. Would he have enough time to limp over to you?

There were too many soldiers to deal with all at once. Levi's squad was out in the field fighting tooth and nail. Hanji was shot, along with Jean and Connie. The bullets were slowing them down. Levi could only rely on himself to save you right now.

He knew exactly what would happen if he waited any longer.

They're gonna...

Levi dragged his left foot forward and attempted to shuffle over to you. He knew his body was at it's limit, any more stress on his limbs and he might spawn permanent damage, but he didn't care.

The soldier slung your body on the grass and pushed open your eye lids, getting a good look at your face. He wanted to make sure that you were really dead. It was honestly hard to tell.

Levi quickened his pace, he prayed that his legs wouldn't give out any time soon. He had to get to you before...

"Rape her!" Floch shouted into the air, blood spitting out of his mouth. The soldier smiled and caressed your face. There was no humanity in that "smile" of his, no mercy, no empathy. Using your body would be the last mark that sealed their conquest.

Levi's head was spinning, he couldn't close his eyes to calm down because every second mattered.

"No!" Levi bellowed into the distance, nearly tripping over himself. Blood dripped down his leg and pooled into his shoes. With every movement he could feel the bullets tightening in his thigh, pumping out more vital blood.

As he maneuvered through the field, one scout gripped him from behind. "Get off me! Get the fuck off me!"

"Fuck her! Fuck her in front of him!" Floch added. "Make him watch!"

The scout pinned him to the ground and held his face up so that he was staring directly at you. Levi shifted around, sweat streaming from his forehead down into the corners of his mouth.

⚠️Content Warning⚠️

He watched in horror as the perverted soldier spread your legs. His hands crept under your dress and reached for your underwear. "No... Don't do that to her. Not her!"

Levi shouted over and over, hoping to find some shred of humanity in that boy. The soldier who held him down drove his knee into Levi's back, causing the man to grunt in pain.

Is this my karma?

Is this what I get for thinking that I could escape it all?

Just for a moment, I thought I could be happy...

Is this what I get?

Levi twitched his head—attempting to allude the soldier's grasp, but he only handled his face even harsher.

His heart pounded, he could feel it overwhelming his entire chest.

Right then and there, something in Levi's mind completely snapped. It was a similar feeling to when he'd found his best friends Isabelle and Farlan mangled and dead. All he could see was red, pure, unfiltered red.

He dug his hands into the dirt, and with all his remaining strength, pushed himself off the ground. The scout behind him tried to hold him down but it was no use. Levi used the power in his arms, neglecting his crippled leg.

He turned around and punched the soldier square in the face. The sound of bones cracking filled the air. The boy hobbled backwards and attempted to retaliate by grabbing Levi by the arm.

Levi was prepared to fight dirty if he had to. The man took his pointer finger and jammed it into the soldier's eye until he screeched. Levi got his footing back, and twisted his finger in the boy's eye socket.

He slipped it out and punched him again until he was knocked out cold on the grass. Levi sprinted towards you, tearing his leg open more and more with each step. His mind was somewhere far away, to the point where all the pain felt numb.

The light haired scout who hovered over your body, looked up at Levi running towards him. He zipped his pants and pulled out a knife from his back pocket. He felt pretty confident in himself considering the fact that Levi had no weapons on him.

Levi rushed over and dodged a wide swing from the boy's blade. It was close, the knife even cut off a few strands of hair. The captain pulled the same gruesome attack that he'd used on the previous scout, but this time... he actually ripped out his eyeball.

The boy yelled in pain, clutching his eye socket with one hand. Levi kicked him to the ground and and grabbed a nearby rock about the size of a shoe and bashed it into the soldier's face... over and over again.

Levi wouldn't stop until the face had become a bloody sheet of red. He was so angry, it felt like he was fighting more than just one person, but every force in his life that had taken something away from him.

He was done with it all.

All that pent up rage finally bubbled over the surface.

Eren emerged from the front door and stopped in his tracks when he saw everything. He wasn't expecting to see something this grisly. He watched Armin grab a gun from one of the dead bodies and start shooting at every soldier in his sight. Hanji laid in the grass, most likely unconscious, along with Connie. Jean fought through his gunshot wound and Mikasa... she was on a rampage. Eren finally laid eyes on Levi who was the most brutal of them all.

What angered him the most was the fact that he couldn't transform. If he did, then any authorities in the vicinity would see what was going on, and arrest them all. Eren did consider fighting with the authorities if he did transform, but they'd just send more and more. It wasn't a good idea, considering the state the rest of the group was already in; they'd be captured quick.

He could hear the collision from that rock all the way from where he was standing. Blood splattered across Levi's face each time he rammed the stone into the boy's skull.

"Le...vi?"

And the man felt his heart clench...

Levi dropped the stone.

He could recognize that voice anywhere, it was all he wanted to hear. It was the only thing that could pull him out of the abyss.

The man turned his head at you. "Y/n..?"

Your eyes sat in slits, hardly open. Levi glanced down at the bloody mess he'd made and wished that you didn't have to see him like this. He looked like a beast who'd just mauled its prey.

Your voice brought him back to earth, your face, your eyes, all the memories of his time with you came flooding back. He crept towards you and lingered over your body. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't just seeing things.

"Y/n..." His voice cracked the slightest bit. You gazed at the man above you. His eyes contradicted the violent red smears across his face. No matter how angry he was, those baby blue eyes could never change.

"I am so... sorry, for everything." He whispered, failing to suppress the water in his eyes.

Your dress was ripped open at the chest, your bra was shifted. Just seeing you like this hurt more than any bullet. The fact that someone had man handled you, torn at your clothes and attempted to...

How could you ever forgive him? The once lush farm had turned into utter hell. Blood and bodies scattered the grass. It's green was stained in dark red in some spots.

"All this... It's my fault. I'm sorry." He whispered squeezing his eyes shut.

You slowly lifted a hand and caressed his cheek. Levi opened his eyes to find himself dropping tears onto your skin. Your silent gesture was enough to bring humanity's strongest soldier to his breaking point. He sniffled quietly and leaned into your touch.

In just a short while, you'd seen every layer of Levi. You'd calmed his heart when he'd woken up in a cold sweat, you'd seen him lost in desire, you'd seen him laugh, hurt people, and finally... cry. And in spite of it all, you accepted him for all that he was.

He'd truly thought that you would've been disgusted by him. He'd torn open someone's skull right in front of you... right next to you.

He blinked away the tears and couldn't help but ask you, "Why?"

Why do you accept me? Why do you forgive me?

You knew what he meant by that one simple word. You knew what he was asking, you smiled softly and rubbed your thumb against his cheek. You didn't need to say anything, you just needed to show him that he was deserving.

His eyes dilated. In that moment, Levi felt truly cured. His heart was finally opening. Never in his life did he believe that another person could look him in the eyes and accept him for everything that he was.

You slowly began to shut your eyes and lose the last bit of strength you had in your arm. It slid down from his cheek.

"No... please don't close your eyes."

You quoted your own words from earlier, although they were a little stifled. "Aw... are you worried... about me captain?"

"Yes you idiot."

You smiled to yourself—eyes shut. Levi let out a long sigh and fixed your bra. He layered your hair over your chest to help cover you before picking you up in his arms.

The fighting had subsided and the squad came back across the field. They were able to succeed with Eren's assistance.

Mikasa helped Hanji walk as Armin did the same with Connie and Eren with Jean.

"Captain, I saw you get shot... We thought you-."

Levi interrupted Armin before he could finish. "I'm fine. Just a few bullets to the leg I'm... fine." He lied. "Are they all dead?"

"Yeah, a few of them escaped into the forest, but we took down everyone here." Mikasa said.

"Hanji? Jean, Connie, are you guys okay?" Levi asked.

"Just gunshots." Hanji said, slightly waving her hand.

Armin pointed at you. "What about her?"

Levi looked down at you in his arms. "She's unconscious... But she's breathing."

Eren chimed in, holding Jean's arm over his shoulder. "I thought you said she was dead? Or at least that's what I was told. But then you said to me that she was sleeping. Which one is it?"

"I really did think she'd died. When I was alone with her, I checked for a heartbeat and I couldn't find one. I was either checking in the wrong place or she went out cold for a moment. But then again I didn't have the time to check her thoroughly. As of right now, she is alive, I know that for sure." Levi said.

"I apologize, I shouldn't have pulled Eren away like that." Mikasa said lowly.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to. You can save that for Y/n when she wakes up. As for now, we need to treat everyone's wounds inside." Levi ordered. The squad headed for the cottage door.

"Wait... Do you guys smell that?" Armin said, pausing in his tracks. Everyone looked back at him.

"What is it?" Eren asked.

"It smells like smoke, it's getting stronger."

"I think I smell it too." Mikasa added.

Levi froze, his mind had been a mess and he didn't have the focus to notice the smell at all, until now. "Stay out here." He commanded, and opened the front door to inspect. As soon as he walked in, he was hit with a wave of heat. The kitchen had erupted in flames. The fire snaked up the walls and over the cabinets. Samuel's body laid charred on the floor.

He quickly exited the house and slammed the door, his eyes were wide with shock. Everyone had seen the fire as well when he'd walked in.

Levi shook his head, signaling that it was no use.

Eren clenched his jaw as if he was just now realizing something. Mikasa glanced at him.

"Eren?" She asked. He slapped his hand on his forehead. "Fuck, I'm such an idiot."

"Spit it out Jaeger." Jean muttered, fatigue in his voice.

"Eren what happened?" Levi said impatiently.

"I was fighting Samuel, it got messy and he tried to set me on fire using the stove. I killed him, but I... I forgot that the flame on the stove was still on. That's when I came outside to help you guys. Fuck."

Levi closed his eyes and sighed. "We need to move now. The house is a wreck inside, we gain nothing by standing around."

"We're just gonna leave it to burn? Her home?" Eren said.

"There's nothing we can do. We have injured people with us, we need to take care of that first, before it's too late." Levi was trying his hardest to think logically, that meant ignoring his own personal feelings on the matter.

"So where do you suggest we go?"

"Back to the hideout I suppose." Hanji added.

Levi looked at her and nodded, giving his approval.

"That's bullshit! We can't leave her home to burn! She doesn't deserve this. She did nothing to deserve this!"

"Eren shut the fuck up!" Levi snapped, all the noise was really starting to irritate him. Why couldn't these kids just fucking listen?

The man pinched the bridge of his nose and mumbled low enough so that no one else could hear him. "God I'm losing my fucking mind."

His thigh felt like it was ripping open, his head was pounding, and his entire body was on the verge of collapse. He couldn't deal with any more stress.

"I'm making the call, we're leaving right now! That's final." Hanji ordered.

Eren swallowed his pride and took one last glance at the cottage, the roof was starting to catch fire. He gritted his teeth and kept walking. It all reminded him of when his home was destroyed many years ago. He did nothing to deserve it. And now, you were forced to flee your own dismantled home. He felt partly responsible.

"Oi Eren..." Jean croaked from his side. "There was nothing we could do, alright."

Eren simply hummed and kept walking.

Levi occasionally looked back at Eren to make sure that he was still with the group as they trudged across the field. His only concern was getting you and his squad to safety.

No more casualties, please.

"Captain..."

Levi heard a stifled voice whisper from beneath him. It was followed by a hand which latched onto his ankle. He looked down to see none other than Floch.

The red head was laying on the ground battered and bloody. His voice was nearly inaudible. Levi paused and looked down at the boy as if he was nothing more than an insect irritating his skin.

"I... just wanted to take care of everyone." He whispered. "Please... Just kill me. I can't live another day in this war... There's no way out. There's not gonna be an end... No one is coming to save us."

Levi felt sick to his stomach, part of him wanted to just put the brat out of his misery but another part of him wanted to make him suffer.

The rest of the squad paused when they realized that Levi was behind them. He waved his hand to signal that everything was okay and that there was no need to get hostile.

Levi kicked a nearby pistol towards the boy, it was probably his anyway. "It's your choice to make, choose the one you'll regret the least." He said bitterly, and walked away.

After about a minute, the group heard a gunshot from behind, Hanji flinched at the sound. Floch had fired a bullet straight into his own head. Levi didn't even need to look back to know what had happened. The boy had made his choice.

"It'll take some time to get through the forest, especially at night." Armin said as the group began to approach the woods.

"We have to do it regardless." Levi replied.

The terrain looked like a sea of shadows, it was so dark that every tree or bush appeared much larger than it's original size. The moon played as a soft beacon.

No one spoke, all that could be heard was heavy breathing and the sound of boots along the thicket.

Levi stumbled for a moment but quickly regained his footing. His body was so far past its limit, he was essentially running on his own dwindling mental strength.

"Captain?" Eren said.

"I'm fine, just keep walking." He didn't know how much longer he could carry you.

As they entered deeper into the forest, relying solely on intuition and the moon's light, they started to hear footsteps that were not their own. It sounded like a large group.

Levi urged everyone to remain quiet and keep going. The sound got closer, followed by a view of its perpetrators. Distant lamp lights illuminated the the leaves.

"Are those... soldiers?" Armin said, squinting to get a better look. They were far enough from them to remain undiscovered.

Levi's stomach churned just a little bit. "Shit, that's Marley's Military Police." He could recognize the uniforms from when you and him had gone out into town and seen MPs putting up ransom signs.

"My guess is that they're headed for Y/n's house. Someone must've saw or heard something." Eren said.

"Yeah, that fight wasn't exactly quiet." Armin replied.

Levi stopped. "Everyone pause."

The group looked back at him with puzzled faces. "Why?" Mikasa asked.

"Wait for those MPs to pass. We'll use their same route to get back into town."

Eren raised his brows. "Are you sure that's a good ide-."

"Just fucking listen."

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