Chagara - Chaos in the Darkness (Levi x OC Fanfic / AttackOnTitan)

50. "It's a cork."

Furtively, Jimmy looked down at his Heichou. She could be a little devil during training. And now? Now she was staggering sleepily towards the main building, so that he was afraid she would either crash into a tree or simply collapse from exhaustion.

"Canteen or bed?," Ayumi thought sleepily. But her legs had already decided. With a light slap against Jimmy's upper arm, she said goodbye to the young soldier, whose stomach growl drowned out her yawn.

But no sooner had she entered the main building than a hand grabbed her arm and dragged her into a side corridor.

"What the hell?," cursed Ayumi.

"Shh! Shh! Shh!" Steve waved his hands in front of her face, trying to silence her. "You have to help me! Please!"

"What?," replied Ayumi, yawning again.

"I have to analyse something. It's important. Very important!"

Ayumi shrugged her shoulders. "What do I have to do with it?" She leaned her head against the wall.

"I need you to steal the key for me. From the lab."

"From who?," asked Ayumi sceptically, blinking.

"From them!," replied Steve, pointing in the direction of the entrance. Ayumi glanced cautiously around the corner. Her eyes widened when she saw Hanji standing with Moblit in front of the main building. Apparently they were discussing their team training in the afternoon.

"No!" Ayumi shook her head. "Forget it! I'm going to sleep." She wanted to leave, but Steve grabbed her by the shoulder.

"I have to go to the lab. Alone! It's important. Really!" he pleaded, taking a step closer to Ayumi. "I got the hint that we're not alone," he whispered.

The soldier felt a chill go down her spine. "Hint?," she inquired with anxiety.

Steve looked around several times. "Not a word to anyone. Understood?," he whispered when he was sure they were alone.

Ayumi nodded and looked at her friend sceptically as he pulled out a shot glass with a cork from his pocket. "Steve, Peter told you years ago that you shouldn't drink before dinner."

"Shh!" he began, "Little Cloudy is back. And this," he pointed to the cork, "he has brought with him. At first I thought it was an ordinary cork. But in the morning in daylight." He looked expectantly at Ayumi, but she just shrugged her shoulders. "Look." He held the shot glass right in front of her eyes. "The cork is much finer and it has like a little lid on one end. So it would go over the opening of the bottle. I've never seen anything like that here. They don't make bottle corks like that behind the wall," it blurted out hectically from Steve' mouth.

"Are you sure?," asked Ayumi seriously.

Steve nodded. "Yes, yes, yes." He got down on one knee in front of Ayumi. "If you bring me the key, I will always be in your debt. Moblit has it. Jacket. Chest pocket. On the right."

Cautiously, the Heichou peered around the corner. Hanji was still talking to Moblit outside the entrance. "It's a cork." Ayumi shook her head.

"Please, please, please!," begged Steve. "If one day you are dying, I will save you. I swear! Even if I have to give you my own organs." Steve squeezed her hand.

Ayumi looked at him in horror. Was that why Steve had gone into hiding in the army years ago? Because he had experimented with organs? What if he was right about the cork? "As excited as he is right now?"

"And I'll save your descendants, too. And their descendants." Steve shook her hand.

Ayumi sighed and pulled her hand out of his. "How am I going to do that?"