The Path Back to You | Levi x OC

Chapter 24 - Veils

Anastasya

The sun had begun to paint the room in hues of ruby when Anya started awake, just as Levi stepped into the room and closed the door, his gaze going straight to where she lie.
"Bad dream?" he asked, lighting a couple of candles.
Anya scrubbed at her sand-filled eyes and yawned, before propping herself up in the bed, frowning. The last thing she remembered was deciding to go and see Erwin, but it seemed that she'd passed out before she'd had the chance. Instead, she'd been sucked into a sequence of nightmares, full of grinning Titans with glowing eyes, groaning her name.
"Something like that," she said.
Levi sat down in the chair by the bed and looked at her with narrowed, stormy eyes.
"How are you feeling?"
"Bored," she confessed, squirming under his scrutiny. "I've been thinking. We need to come up with a plan."
"Huh?"
"To keep Eren and Historia safe."
"Hange and I have it under control."
"What does that mean?"
"We've decided that you and I will form a new Special Operations Squad and have the recruits from the 104th in it to protect Eren and Historia."
"Oh, well thanks for keeping me informed," she grumbled, wondering why it was to be a shared squad rather than two separate teams.
Levi arched an eyebrow and gave her a withering look.
"Tch. It was a bit difficult, considering the fact that you were in a damn coma for a week."
"Hmph. So where's our squad now?"
"Hopefully they're getting ready to leave. We've located a cabin out in the countryside of Wall Rose to use as a hideout. We move tomorrow morning."
"Will you help me to gather my things?"
"You're staying here."
"But you just said it's our squad," she replied, frustration already beginning to prickle her.
"It is. But you're not well enough to move yet."
"How do you know that? I haven't even tried."
"Just getting to the bathroom and back is hard work for you right now," he said, folding his arms. "Let alone getting on a horse and riding for an hour."
She scowled and pouted, hating being reminded of her weakness.
"You're going to leave me here when there's an assassin after me?"
"I've had two guards posted outside of your door every hour, of every day, since you got here."
"Oh..."
"Yeah. Stay here, Anya, at least for a couple more days, and then we'll see."
She nodded, just slightly, but she saw the relief wash over Levi when he realised she wasn't going to argue with him. Instead, Anya changed the subject entirely.
"Is Hange going to experiment with Eren's potential hardening ability?"
"Do you even need to ask?"
"Fair point," she said. "How do our new squad feel about everything?"
Levi shrugged.
"I don't know. Determined."
"Good. I presume that the plan is to hide out at the cabin and investigate what Eren can do until Erwin wakes up and decides on the next course of action?"
"Yeah, that's about right."
Without warning, she spluttered as she fought the urge to cough, tears rolling down her face from the effort it took.
"Definitely no riding for you," said Levi, once she'd managed to stop.
"God, it's been a while since I had damaged ribs. I'd forgotten how much it hurts. I really need to move a little bit and get some fresh air."
"Tomorrow. You probably coughed because of all the dust in this room," he said, swiping a finger under the bed and grimacing at the dirt that consequently coated his skin. He wiped it on his handkerchief and got up.
"I'm going to go and find something to clean this place with, and bring you something to eat."
"Levi, you don't have to clean for me," she said, despite knowing it was futile.
"It's filthy. If I hadn't been so distracted by how much you resembled a tomato this past week, I would've noticed it sooner." He headed for the door. "I'll be back in a while."
She sighed and decided that she would finally go and see Erwin, despite him having yet to awaken. Agonisingly slowly, she moved her legs over the side of the bed. She was wearing loose, black bell trousers, but nothing other than bandages across one of her shoulders and upper torso, leaving her heavily-bruised ribs and midriff exposed. She forced herself up and tentatively reached her arms up into a stretch. Her ribs shifted and crunched with the motion, and she gasped. After a few moments, her pain subsided and she hobbled to the door, surprising the guards as she emerged into the dimly-lit corridor.
"Captain Anastasya," one of them remarked.
She studied the two men for a moment and realised that she didn't know either of them, but now was not the time for introductions.
"I'm visiting the commander," she said, nodding to Erwin's door. "So you can stay here."
"Um...Are you sure you should be out of bed?"
"Oh, definitely," she said, hissing through her teeth as her shoulder twinged. "See you."
She opened the door to Erwin's room, her lips dropping any pretence of a smile as she took in the gloomy surroundings. No-one had been in to light even a single candle. She wasn't prepared for the sudden rage that surged through her over the fact that no-one had stopped to think about how it might feel to wake up alone and in pitch blackness, especially after what Erwin had been through. He'd also been afraid of the dark for a long time when he was a kid, though not many people, if any, knew that about him other than she. Anya shook her head and struck a match. After making sure that the room was well-lit, she sat in the seat next to Erwin's bed, assessing his injuries. The stump of his right arm was heavily bandaged, and stubble had begun to grow above his top lip and jaw, while his normally neatly parted blonde hair hung messy across his pale brow. He looked peaceful, at least. She smoothed the hair back from his face and placed a cool hand over his forehead, checking for any sign of a fever.
"What a pair we make," she murmured. As she withdrew her hand, he stirred. "Erwin?!"
He blinked his ice-blue eyes open. For a moment, he seemed dazed, but when he looked at her, his clarity returned.
"Anastasya," he rasped.
"Welcome back," she said, voice barely above a whisper.
Erwin flinched as though he'd been struck, whipping his head down to look at what was left of his right arm. He squeezed his eyes shut, swallowing hard. It seemed as though he'd forgotten what had happened to him, and it broke her heart, seeing him trying to process it all. She took his remaining hand in hers.
"It's okay. You're okay," she soothed.
He gripped her hand and slowly reopened his eyes.
"You saved me."
"We saved each other."
"How..." He cleared his throat. "How are you?"
She let go of his hand and poured him some water, which he gratefully accepted.
"I'm sore," she confessed, "but alive. And that's the main thing, I suppose, isn't it? I only woke up yesterday."
"How long has it been since we returned?"
"Eight days."
He looked down at his lap, eyes wide.
"Eight days... This is the first time I've woken up?"
"Yes," she replied. "You lost a lot blood. I was afraid...that it was too much."
"Eren... Did he make it back?"
"Yes. Hange and Levi will no doubt fill you, and for that matter me, in with more detail, but... In order to protect Eren and Historia, Levi and I have formed a Special Operations Squad consisting of the others from the 104th. They're leaving to go to a hideout in the countryside tomorrow morning, where Hange and Eren will start experimenting with his Titan powers."
"Good," he replied. "What else?"
"I don't know," she said, apologetic. "They haven't told me much. Said it was more important that I recover."
Guilt flickered across his face.
"Of course. I'm sorry."
"It's fine. Erwin... Thank you."
"What for?"
"For finding me after the Colossal Titan fell; for not giving up; for allowing me to go with you  and... and for bringing me home."

***

Erwin

Erwin felt that the last thing he deserved was Anastasya's gratitude. Twice, she had risked her life to save him. If he hadn't let her join the mission to rescue Eren, she wouldn't be so terribly exhausted and injured now. Her pale skin still had a faint scald to it, and he was finding it hard to avoid looking at the terrible blush of black, purple and blue that bloomed across her arms, ribs and too-thin stomach. He could scarcely imagine the pain that she was in. He knew that she would always do whatever it took to keep him, Levi and Hange safe, even to her own detriment, and it made him worry immensely.
"If I'd stopped you, you wouldn't be in this condition," he said quietly.
"And you would be dead."
"I can always be replaced."
"No, you can't," she said. "Someone may take your place as commander, but there will never be another you."
Her words dislodged a few tears, much to his surprise. He put it down to the trauma of losing his arm. He didn't bother to wipe them away as they dripped from the tip of his nose.
"Anastasya... How can you thank me? I should be the one thanking you."
"I can thank you because... because you trusted me, just like always, and because your decision meant that I was there to save you. And that benefits me immensely."
"I don't understand."
"You know that my biological family are all dead,  but... My other family isn't," she said, mirroring his tears. "You, Hange, and Levi. You are my family. I can't lose you. Any of you."
He was struck by her words, but he knew that he had to harden his heart, and to hopefully harden hers, too. Soft hearts got people killed.
"It's not practical to think like that," he told her, looking away and ignoring her gasp of surprise. Of hurt.
"You directly defied my orders in the midst of an operation, in front of everyone. It was irresponsible and reckless. We might have lost Eren."
He had been so afraid of losing her for a second time, and then he very nearly had because of the choice he made. He simply couldn't allow her life to be extinguished in place of his. He wasn't worthy. He watched as she dipped her head so that her hair fell forward, covering much of her face like a blanket of snow.
"Yes, Commander," she said, her voice void of emotion.
He was startled by the change in her, but he knew that it was how she reacted when upset. It was for the best, he told himself. Perhaps she would not be so willing to throw herself into the path of danger on his account anymore.
"Any other soldier would face disciplinary action, but you acted bravely and the mission, fortunately, did not suffer for it. Therefore you'll go without punishment."
"Yes, Commander," she repeated, cold as ice. She rose from her chair and headed for the door. She paused just before opening it.
"I'll inform the doctors that you're awake."
As he watched her walk away, he felt a huge, stifling weight settle upon him.