Mask-An Attack on Titan Fan Fiction

Chapter Fourty-One

"Oi, brat," Levi was saying, "Snap out of it."

He waved a hand in front of my face.

I blinked and looked at the man before me. My whole body felt like it was made of ice.

"You?" was all I could manage.

"Me..." he said, a breath of a question lingering at the end of the word.

"You're the one Gunther chose to protect me?" It felt like I was swimming through molasses. Time had slowed to a leisurely crawl.

"He asked me the moment he found out you were joining the Survey Corps."

We were a foot apart now. My eyes were locked on his steely silver ones. The necklace was still resting on my palm.

"I..." I said, hardly able to breathe, "I don't need protecting."

Gunther's face flashed before my eyes as I closed them.

"I don't need you," I said, taking two ragged steps backwards. My hands were shaking.

I looked up to see Levi stepping even closer to me. He was looking up at me, his face as passive as the full moon.

"I don't need you, either," he murmured.

My fingers closed around the necklace and my hand fell to my side.

A knock on the door resonated through the room like a gunshot. Levi and I stepped away from each other as a voice called out.

"Levi? Are you in?"

"Yes," Levi called back, "Come in, Hanji."

I moved to the side of the room as Hanji entered with a stack of notebooks in her arms.

"Levi, I've been studying maps of Stohess, and-" Hanji stopped short when she caught sight of me, "Oh, hello, Ilsa. You're still doing time?"

"Um, yes," I stammered. My fist was clenched so tightly around the necklace that I felt it digging into my skin.

Hanji looked from me, to Levi, then back to me, her eyes resonating with questions.

"Should I come back another time, Levi?"

"No," Levi said, "Now is fine. You are dismissed, Larrson."

I moved towards the door. As I left, I could hear Hanji launching into a tirade of questions, but I didn't stay to listen. I had to get as far away as possible. I didn't know what sort of feeling had come over me, but it scared me and I wasn't ready to turn around and look it in the eyes.

So I ran.

"Wait, so why aren't you going back?" Jean was staring at me, confusion creasing his brow.

"I told you," I said, ripping my bread in half, "The Corporal said I was done. I don't have to go and work for him anymore."

Jean's eyes raked my face suspiciously. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" I said, "I know what he said." I looked back down at my bowl.

"Alright," Jean said, "That means more training time with me!"

"And me," Eren added as he sat down, "Wait, what?"

"I'm not working for the Royal Shorty anymore," I said, "So now I will have even more opportunities to whip your butts during sparring."

Eren laughed. "Alright. How about we go now? I heard that one of the Privates is organizing a sparring tournament. Wanna give it a whirl?"

"Nah," I said, "I can't fight on a full stomach."