Vista - Attack on Titan x Reader

CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE: Coup D'etat

We were grateful to Marlo and Hitch for leading us to one of the Military bases. Me, especially, considering Levi's only instruction to me was to 'go wild'.

Oh, how I thrived seeing their faces as we charged them with a speeding cart, Jean, Connie, Sasha and myself screaming like mad men and women. We didn't even need to use our weapons. Just charged through, running people down and knocking them flying. Definitely gave me a rush.

Ditching the cart and stationing ourselves on a hill not far off, we waited for Levi, who eventually returned, dragging an MP captain by the collar, announcing that he had questions for the guy.

After that, we moved out, night fell, and I decided it would be best to stand watch instead of witnessing Levi make the smug bastard eat the toe of his boot. Armin joined me to the North, whilst Jean took watch at the South.

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" Armin broke the silence after a while, and I nodded down at him from my perch in a tree.
"Sure, go for it." I had calmed down a lot since the incident. Sure, it still gnawed at me, but it was nowhere near as strong.

"Back when you were living outside the walls, how did you survive..? I mean, as a kid. Sorry if it's too personal, I'm just curious." Before, back when I had first rejoined society, I would have rejected such a question, but now, what was the point? I trusted my friends, and it wasn't like it was some huge secret.

"Honestly, I was lucky. My big brother...uh, not Nicho...taught me all about survival tactics when I was little. Y'know, plants that were safe to eat, how to build shelters, combat...Those kinds of things." I began, letting one of my legs drop to swing freely. "I didn't really have any friends...and just one toy, so it kept me entertained."

It saved my life...

Armin's eyes held pity as he gazed up at me, face shaded by the hood of his cloak.
"Growing up poor can be tough, but we all made it through." It was a fair assumption, to think I had been poor, but he was far off the mark.

"Actually, my family was pretty well off. I was just...Let's say I was an unwelcomed addition." I corrected him, staring off into the dead of night. "My dad refused to even call me his daughter, my mother called me a parasite. Y'know, typical stuff."

It was easier to talk about it now. It still hurt, but more of a dull ache than a stinging burn. Almost felt good to be open about it. Almost.
"I..I'm so sorry. I didn't..." Armin trailed off, the crickets chirping away all around us. "What...uh, what toy was it? I used to have a bird carved from pine my grandfather made. It was my favourite."

Thinking back, I couldn't help but smile at the memory of when that single toy had been gifted to me.
"It was a little wooden horse on wheels. Straw for the mane and tail. Actually, Erwin gave it to me. I almost forgot about that..."

The more I looked back at my past, the more I recalled good things among the bad. Dimitri reading to me on cold winter nights, snuggled up in a warm blanket. Hannes giving me a coin whenever I showed him how hard I could punch his comrades' shins whenever I visited the Garrison barracks. Erwin carrying me on his hip, telling me all about the world beyond the walls.

Huh...he was around a lot more than I thought he had been...

"-ill get the noose! Starting with the guiltiest one of all! Erwin Smith!" The moment I heard those words yelled out in the distance, I was already moving, drawing my blade just in time to see Levi snapping the hostage's arm behind his back.

"Hurts, right? Well that's what you get for not answering my question." How could Levi stay so calm? Especially after that? Teeth gritted together, I slowly resheathed my blade and moved up behind the Captain, no longer wanting to avoid being a part of things.

"Where did they take Eren and Krista?" My voice was lower than usual as I growled out the question, letting Levi remain being in charge of the physical side, for now.
"I..I don't know!" The main wailed, tears flowing down his face and dripping through the gaps where his teeth had been knocked out. "Nobody told me, I swear..! Kenny Ackerman doesn't like making his business known..!"

Ackerman..? Kenny..?

Levi stepped back, his shoulders stiffening just a little bit.
"Ackerman..? I know Kenny. That his last name..?" He questioned, his interest peaked. Now I was beginning to understand why things seemed personal back when we had spoken.
"I..It is, but-"

"He never was one to share much information." Levi cut the poorly man off, tilting his chin up. "You better start remembering, because you've still got plenty of bones left for me to break." I felt rather disgusted with myself and my thoughts in that moment. Why did this side of Levi suddenly seem so attractive?

"Someone's coming this way..!" Sasha ended the moment as she drew her bow, and we all leapt into the defensive. Levi knocked our hostage to the ground and covered him, whilst I crouched close, blade partially pulled and at the ready.

I could feel someone edge up beside me, but I stayed still and silent, ready to do what had to be done.
"Stand down." Levi called out after a while, standing up and brushing himself off. In the moonlight, the two figures removed their hoods, revealing Hange and Moblit.

"Oh, for fuck's sake..." I heaved a sigh of relief and leaned against the person to my side, effectively knocking them over.
"Dammit..! Ouch!" Jean whined, giving my head a light knock with the handle of his dagger. Moblit pulled out a folded sheet of paper from his pocket, handing it over to Levi with a nod.

"We have news about the coup." He announced, and in an instant we were all up on our feet crowding and pressing up against our captain. Being small and quick, I was right up close, almost cheek to cheek with the ravonet, squinting to try and read.
"It was a success!" Hange cheered, though she sounded a lot less enthusiastic than usual.

"D..does that mean that Erwin's still alive..?" I asked, almost disbelieving.
"He certainly is. A little banged up from interrogation, but he's very much alive." It was probably a good thing that we had been packed in so close, because Levi would have toppled over to the side when I grabbed him into a hug around the neck.

It had been an automatic reaction, and surprisingly, he didn't shove me away. Once I had realised, however, I bounced away quickly, hiding my embarrassment by racing over to Moblit and swinging off his arm happily.

"Okay, but what about the incident with Mr. Reeves' murder?" Armin asked, but I was too busy being excited and relieved to pay much attention. I did hear that the interior police had somehow confessed, and that everything, including the big secret about the royal farce, had been publically printed.

"In short, we're no longer criminals." Now I wasn't the only one who was openly excited. It was such a rush, seeing everybody jumping and whooping in such a carefree way. Levi still remained seated, and now that everyone's attention was elsewhere, I decided to sidle up and give him a loose hug from behind. It was more of a lean, but I wanted to force him to join in.

"Looks like Erwin's gamble paid off." He murmured, still looking down at the crinkled article in his hands.
"Yeah, I'm really glad. If he'd have died, I..." I trailed off as he lifted his hand and placed it upon my arm, his palm warm, even through the material of my shirt.

"You know this is far from over, right?" He asked, kind of leaning back into me, taking me off guard.
"Y..yeah, I know. We still have to get Jaeger and Kristoria back." I murmured, feeling his hair tickle the side of my face. "But, hey, we can feel good about this win. There's nothing wrong with that, Levi."

His hand closed tighter around my sleeve for a moment before releasing completely, standing up and leaving me standing there.
"I don't have the time to do that." He sighed, glancing back at me, fave shadowed. "You're with me? No matter what?"

This was different that somebody asking if I'd obey orders. This was a man, who I knew and respected, asking me to stand beside him, not behind him. Smiling softly, I gave him a single nod before I began to back off towards where my comrades were still celebrating.

"I'm always with you. You should know that by now."

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***Somebody tell me why I suddenly started simping over Moblit and Erwin without ANY reason. Please.

Next Time: Leads***