Always Worth the Risk || Levi x Reader

Chapter 22

I can't take it anymore. I chuckle softly and this, of all things, garners a reaction from the men. "Laze about, is that what you said?" I say quietly, looking him dead in the eyes. "Well if that's what you really think then why don't you tell that to the people who lost their son, daughter, sister, brother, friend, who lost someone they loved and cared about, that they died doing nothing. That they were lazy and got nothing done."

I took a step forward and the men take a step back, swallowing nervously.

"If you think its so easy, then why don't you do it? We have to watch our friends, our comrades, get eaten just so that we can have a chance to get back what was taken from us. What was taken from you. So you can be safe and have more land and business than you would know what to do with."

I step back again and roll up my shirt a fraction to expose the nasty scar on my midriff, the result of my fight with Titans a few weeks earlier. The men blanch, faces going white and sickly. "But you're right," I say coolly. "I got this from doing nothing."

There's stunned silence and the men look appropriately uncomfortable, if a little scared.

Levi and I hear the hooves at the same time. "Watch out!" we warn together, pushing the civilians out of the way just in time as a carriage comes charging past. The men inside grab who they think are Krista and Eren and speed away.

"ARMI- uh, I mean, KRISTA AND EREN!" Sasha cries and I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her slip of the tongue. "THEY'VE BEEN KIDNAPPED AGAIN!"

~~~

I'm crouched atop the roof of the warehouse that 'Krista' and 'Eren' - aka Armin and Jean - have been taken to. I'm watching in disgust and anger as one of the kidnappers fondles poor Armin. It takes everything in me to not break through the window right now and slice the man's head right off.

When I can't take it anymore I turn away, rejoining Levi on the other rooftop with Mikasa.

"How's everything going inside?" he asks.

I grimace, too pissed off and disgusted to speak.

"If we wait much longer they'll see through Armin's disguise," Mikasa answers. "He's getting pawed at."

"I see..."

I turn to him. "How's your leg?" I nod to the ankle he'd injured previously. "Any better?"

He puts a hand on it. "I can move well enough," he reassures. I study him for a moment. He has his thinking expression on, something's bothering him. I'm about to ask when he says, "Now then, did you notice? These kidnappers are obviously rank amateurs. Why wouldn't they use professionals for a job like this?"

I frown, thinking it over.

Levi stands. "You can handle the rest on your own. I'm going to make my way to Eren, come and meet up with me when you're down taking out the trash."

We nod and I watch him leave for a couple of moments before turning back to Mikasa. "Let's go."

Quietly, we sneak into the warehouse. There are four guards already in there. Mikasa and I sneak up on two, grabbing them from behind and holding them in a choke until they pass out. The other two come round to investigate when they hear the faint sounds of struggle. We just step out from behind the stack of boxes and clock them on the back of the head. They crumple to the floor with a groan.

Footsteps sound outside and we all creep into position.

The door swings open.

"...Do you want to mess everything up again, you damned fool?" a low voice growls.