Daisy | Levi Ackerman

Chapter 17 - Still Alive

[Naomi]

The carriage was quiet on the way to the stronghold, where it was taking me and Levi. Levi wasn't looking at me, but out onto the window. I began to think he was actually avoiding such a gesture.

At the other side of the district, Annie was wreaking havoc for an escape.

"Captain," I began to say. He gave me a cold side-glance. He always had the power to return to what he treated me like, before all those days in the castle headquarters. But I didn't feel that distant from him anymore, neither did it seem to me that he was feeling that distant from me, too.

In truth, I think he never felt distant from me, ever. He knew who I was all along.

"If you're going to ask me for an explanation as to why I kept the act going on, then save your breath." He interrupted me, his tone flat and uninterested. "I did what I had to do. I did what you would've done if you were in my place."

"No," I said quietly, my soft voice gaining his surprised attention. I looked down onto my hands twined on my knees to avoid his gaze. "I was actually going to thank you. For doing so. For saving me that night, for attempting to rescue my mother, too. I am grateful. I am also grateful for the way you've hidden my identity. I understand now. And I'm sorry if... If I didn't respect you as I should-"

"Shut up." He interrupted, making me look abruptly at him as he frowned down at me with his ashen eyes. "You think I like it when you talk to me that way?"

"Sir?" I asked, confused.

"I never once enjoyed the way you suddenly acquiesced to me when you became a member of my squad." He said, looking away in frustration. "So, as much as possible, reduce it."

"But I-"

"That's an order." He said, silencing me. I just nodded politely and inched towards the other window, my eyes widening at the sight. Annie's titan form was nearing to our position, its heavy footsteps pounding on the ground.

But it didn't seem like two giant feet. No, the steps were too rapid and multiple. And that's when I spotted it. Eren's titan was chasing her, close at her heels.

"Kid, I-"

"Sir! The titans are coming this way!" I yelled, meeting his composed, gray eyes. He rose up and opened the carriage door.

"Hey! Stop the carriage." He bellowed to the footman, who obliged with his order. He looked back to me. "Come on, it's not safe here in the open. We'll go up the walls."

"Yes sir-"

Before I could even rise up to follow him outside, I heard a huge crash, and our carriage hurtled with a boulder impact. My frenzied eyesight couldn't comprehend what was happening, as my body was flailed and swung against the hard, stone ground.

I grunted as I got up, opening my eyes to see large rock fragments and parts of the carriage destroyed to pieces, scrambled around the ground. To my right, Annie and Eren's titan forms were chasing each other down to this side of the district.

Underneath me, I could feel something soft and warm. I looked down to see a half-unconscious Levi, cushioning my fall with his back. A cut could be seen on the side of his crumpled forehead.

"Captain!" I said, removing the shingles and planks away from my back that was weighing me down onto him. He groaned as I slid off of his body, clearing his spot. "Are you alright? Hey! Open up!"

Levi opened his eyes narrowly, to the sight of me hovering on top of him in frantic worry, my hands on his shoulders. As soon as he groaned lowly, I let out a relieved smile. "Thank heavens! I thought you were concussed. How's your leg? Your back?"