Mask-An Attack on Titan Fan Fiction

Chapter Fourty-Eight

Night was falling. The battle between Eren and Annie had concluded, although I had no clue who had won, or what the outcome had yielded. I had been busy evacuating citizens and treating the wounded; making myself useful in anyway I was needed. By now, crews were out scouring the hardest-hit areas for bodies to be buried, and the rest of the Survey Corps had retreated to the stable courtyard.

The Military Police had refused to let members of the Survey Corps access to room and board anywhere in the city, furious about our "meddling" and the destruction we (aka-Eren) had caused. Due to that disgruntling fact, those members of the Survey Corps inside the walls of Stohess had ruled it best to sleep in the stable area, with our luggage and horses.

I gave Destrier a brush down before I unpacked my sleeping roll, and sat myself down to catch a bit of sleep. I had volunteered for guard duty later in the evening, so it was important that I stay well rested. I closed my eyes, and fell into a deep and dark sleep free of dreams.

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I woke up to someone shaking me.

"Ilsa! Ilsa!"

I opened my eyes. Levi was hunched over me, hands gripping my shoulders.

"Levi? What-"

"We don't have much time!" he hissed, eyes widening.

"What do you mean?" I asked groggily.

Levi paused, took a deep breath, and tightened his grip on me.

"Ilsa, we need to talk. Now."

"Why? What's going on?" I looked around groggily, expecting to see panic and chaos around me, but only saw the sleeping figures of my comrades. A few officers were playing cards a few yards away, their mumbling creating a rhythmic lull that bounced off the cobblestone walls.

Levi's face lost some of the panic gnawing at his cheekbones, but he didn't let go of me.

"You're going to be leaving Stohess soon. Members of the 104th squadron are going to be taken to a separate location. We believe that there is another spy among them."

His voice was low and steady, but the way he was clutching at my arms and dug his nails into my skin made my pulse quicken.

"Another one?"

"Yes. Ilsa...I trust you."

His words were measured. Levi's eyes were searching mine for answers. "Can I trust you?" he asked.

I nodded silently, looking Levi in the eyes. "I'm not the spy, I swear."

The tumultuous waves that crashed against his pupils grew more stormy.

"You're not going with them."

"Why?"

"You're going to stay with me."

"I don't think that's going to be allowed-"

Levi moved his hands down my arms, interlacing his fingers with mine. "It's not, but I'm going to need you to be strong. You're going to be interrogated."

I pulled my hands back. "I'm-what?"

Levi's face didn't change. "I'm going to have Hanji interrogate you to prove your loyalty. Then, I'll have you promoted to my Assistant Officer, and we can work together."

"Why is this all so urgent? Why can't I just go with the rest of the 104th?"

Levi shook his head, sliding a tentative hand across the back of his neck. "I-I don't want to be separated from you, not knowing what might happen."