Be Kind (Doctor Reader x Levi Ackerman)

Chapter 39: Armistice

Chapter 39 - Armistice

Levi blinks. He sees you staring at Valis in horror, terrified to your bone, but still, it's undeniably you.

Levi doesn't know what's happening, but he immediately rushes to grab your waist before triggering his wires, flying you to safety to a higher tree branch.

How? How did this happen? How are you not a Pure Titan? 

Levi was sure you had consumed the wine. You told him yourself you were going to have a sip. He saw for himself that you had drunk into that cup. Was it a stroke of luck?

Luck or not, Levi decided to put those thoughts aside for now. His heart clenches at the sight of Valis in his Pure Titan form, staring at him with that empty expression.

Valis... are you still there?

All of his comrades, turned into Titans. Is this what hell looks like?

—

You let out a dreadful scream, letting it rip and burn your throat. What's happening right now must be some kind of nightmare. A sick joke. A rendition of what hell must be.

You watch as Valis turns into a Titan, and from a distance, Gabriel and Josef.

They've somehow ingested Zeke's spinal fluid, the only way Eldians could turn into Titans.

Was it the wine? If it was the wine, why didn't you turn into a Titan just like them? 

Zeke Jaeger is escaping with three Titans, leaving you and Levi to deal with the aftermath.

You feel tears start to fill your eyes as you watch Gabriel and Josef lose the last strands of their humanity and turn into thoughtless, Pure Titans. You were just talking with them earlier and a few days ago, laughing over a bonfire.

You'd never get to share medical stories with them again, or hear Gabriel's unfunny potty jokes, or Josef's silly postures whenever he tries to take someone's temperature. You'd never speak to them again, and Josef will never see his sister again.

Your screams turned into hysterical cries. Your blade hangs heavy by your hands at the realisation you have to be the one to end their lives.

Levi says something to you, you think it's a command to get behind him from the way he's gesturing to you. Two Titans are lunging themselves at Levi from below, and he quickly makes a move to end them. From their features, it looked like Hanna and Freud.

Another Titan's hand reaches out to grab you. It's Strauss, he had offered you the cup of wine a few days ago.

Levi is still dealing with Freud's Titan, he won't have time to make it back to you. You press on your gas and trigger your wires, aiming your hooks at Strauss.

"I'm sorry," you sobbed as you wound back your arms, cutting through Strauss' Titan hands and then, dealing the killing blow on his nape.

You still have not forgotten the steps, even after years of not killing a single Titan. As Strauss falls to the ground, you whisper a prayer, hoping he'd rest in peace and that he won't hate you for having to be the one to end his life.

No one deserves to be turned into a Titan, no one deserves to die like this.

Another Titan walks under your branch. It's Gilbert, he made you all an amazing stew by the bonfire a few days ago. You deal another blow to his nape, shedding more tears in the process.

Levi has already cut through the napes of ten. He's watching you closely, slashing the hands of any Titan that tries to reach out to grab you.

You watched as their Titans slowly decomposed into steam and then, nothing. Among the fallen Titans, you recognise Werner and Zack, they helped you carry medical supplies to your tents and had such kind smiles.