In Time. (Levi Ackerman/Attack on Titan Fan Fiction)

Chapter 21: Bite

Her eyes scanned the terrain as they followed the Captain and Section Commander. She enjoyed watching the land rush by as they rode. Her eyes settled on Eren, and she took in his nervous look. She could understand his nerves; she was just as nervous, still not quite comfortable with the fail-safe the Captain had come up with. I couldn't bare to see him get hurt, the thought fluttered through her mind, worsening the butterflies she had in her stomach. 

"Dee, you okay?" Eren's voice pulled Diana from her thoughts. "You look more nervous than I feel." He spoke, a dry chuckle escaping his lips.

"I'm sorry. I suppose looking so nervous can't be helping you, " Diana said with a sigh. 

"It kinda does; I'm not alone in this, you know? Everyone is so sure that I can do this." Eren explained, making Diana smile. 

"I'm sure they're feeling the same," Diana told him, lowering her voice slightly. 

"Really?" 

"Oh yeah, I bet the Captain is shitting his pants right now." Diana joked, making Eren laugh rather loudly. 

"What are you two doing back there?" Levi snapped, glancing back at the two. Eren's face dropped, but Rose held her smile. 

"Nothing, Sir." Levi only rolled his eyes before turning away. Diana turned back to Eren. "Seriously, we're all nervous, but I think it's less about you being dangerous, and more about us really wanting this to work, if it does, it could change our lives, for the better finally." She sent her friend a small smile, which he returned. The two kept quiet for the rest of the journey. Diana enjoyed the ride, watching her surroundings, and she felt content. 

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The four arrived at the well soon after. Diana quickly climbed off her horse, stroking its mane as she awaited her orders. Eren seemed more nervous now. She felt slight sadness at how much pressure everyone was putting on him and how much pressure he was putting on himself. She sighed and stepped away from her horse; she went over to the Section Commander and the Captain, who'd both dismounted their horses. 

"Okay, Diana, all you need to do is sit back and watch; if anything goes awry, you will help Captain Levi here to diffuse the situation; how does that sound?" Hange spoke with a smile. 

Diana smiled back. "Sounds perfect, Section Commander." 

"Please, call me Hange." Diana nodded before stepping away from Hange, her eyes following them as they approached Eren. She watched as they spoke, but a voice pulled her from them. 

"Are you sure you're up for helping if things go wrong?" Levi's voice spoke from beside her. 

She glanced at him. "I will do what I must to diffuse the situation, yes. Why do you ask, Sir?" Diana, now facing him, gave him a quizzical look. 

He shrugged slightly. "No reason. I get the feeling you will do anything to ensure he doesn't die, even if that means interfering in my actions. Should things go bad, rest assured, it will not end well for you." Levi spoke, his voice calm. 

"Like I told Commander  Erwin, I will do what I must should things go wrong, if I think it is necessary, and like you said, the plan is to cut him from the nape, I have no issue doing that, so there is no need for you to worry, Captain." With her final words, she walked away from Levi. Though annoyed at his doubt, she did not allow him to see that he had gotten to her. Levi watched the girl, a frown intense on his brow, angered by her lack of emotion towards him. She was not like the others, she did not fear the consequences of displeasing him, why? He shook his head, trying to rid her from his mind. 

Diana walked over to Eren and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?" She asked. 

"I'm more nervous now we're here." He spoke.

Diana smiled. "Don't be, you're going to be fine." She tried to soothe him. 

"But what if it goes bad again?" Eren asked, his frown deepening. 

"It will be okay; I'm not going to let them do anything to you that they do not have to; cutting you from the nape is going to be the worst of it." Diana explained as Hange joined them. "You got this." She quickly added. 

"Okay, we've set up the ladder; you ready, Eren?" Hange beamed. With a final glance at Diana, Eren nodded and followed Hange to the well. Diana slowly followed behind, tuning in and out to Hange explaining the plan once more. Her heart grew heavy as the anxious feeling in her stomach worsened, she knew what she had to do but whether she had the strength to do it if things went bad was a mystery to her. She cautiously watched as Eren lowered himself into the well, the pit in her stomach growing with each step, lowering him deeper into the hole. Her heart pounded faster. She took a step back, earning herself a glare from the Captain. His eyebrow raised as he turned to her. 

"Not getting cold feet now, are we?" His voice pulled her from her mind, and her eyes connected with his. The sudden eye contact took Levi aback, but he held his stare. 

"No, Captain, just nerves; I want this to go well," Diana spoke calmly, trying to hold back the shakiness in their words. Levi gave no response, only nodded slightly before returning to the well and staring at Eren. He could still feel Diana's gaze on him; however, he resisted the urge to glance back, not wanting to let the inappropriate feelings get to him. 

"Are you ready down there, my dear?" Hange's voice pulled the two from their thoughts, both regaining focus on the task at hand. Diana reassumed her position beside Levi, letting her gaze fall to Eren, who was now at the bottom of the well. He looked anxious and shifted on his feet. "When we're good to begin, I shall fire off a smoke signal. What happens after that is entirely up to you," Hange continued. 

Eren raised his arm. "Ready when you are commander." He called up. 

"If the boy loses control, this well should hold him; if not, we'll go with Levi's method, perfect." Hange spoke, mostly to themself, a half smile on their face. Diana frowned as Hange turned to her, confused at their excitement for this experiment. "Right, let's step back, Levi. Get ready to issue the smoke signal." They commanded as the three began to back away from the well. Diana focused her gaze on the floor, watching each step she took, anything to distract her mind from the anxiety she was feeling. She stopped beside her horse and watched the Captain, eagerly awaiting him to fire the smoke signal. As the gun roared, she watched green smoke shoot across the sky before her eyes dropped and settled on the well as she slowly climbed onto her horse. 

The three watched the well intently, waiting for Eren's titan form to emerge, but nothing happened. Diana's brows furrowed, and her grip tightened on the reins. The pit in her stomach doubled in size; her breath became fast. Diana glanced at her superiors; both began to look just as concerned at the lack of activity coming from the well. 

Hange hummed. "I don't understand it. Perhaps he missed the signal?" they questioned, glancing over at Diana. 

"Perhaps, or perhaps we're just naive enough to assume he can turn it on and off," Levi spoke before taking off on his horse. Hange sent a worried look towards Diana before taking themself off. Diana was the last to return to the well, her heart racing. 

"Eren enough, we're done for today!" Levi yelled as he climbed down off his horse. Diana quickly jumped off her horse and rushed beside Levi; Hange also promptly approached. 

"Did something go wrong down there?" Hange questioned, looking over the ledge. Diana's eyes widened as her gaze landed on a bloodied Eren. 

"I'm sorry, I don't think I can do it now." Was all that left Eren's lips as he gazed up at the three.