Survey Corps HQ (Inside Wall Rose)
Levi's POV
After (Y/N) left to go back to her office, I spent another hour just writing. I'm beyond grateful her and Hange are still helping me out. It's quite embarrassing really, I'm almost 30 and now I'm just learning how to properly read and write.
How pathetic.
She always tells me to stop worrying about it, that it wasn't my fault I grew up the way I did. But still, I feel almost inferior, almost like I'm less of a person.
Right now I'm sitting against a birch tree, journal in one hand and a pen in the other. I go to write another sentence but my hand starts to cramp up. I guess that's what happens when you write for hours straight after training all day.
The sun casts an orange glow across the sky as it descends into the horizon. I should probably head back, make rounds on the squad and check to see if (Y/N) needs anything.
The walk back was peaceful, mostly everyone was winding down for the night. I stop at the barracks and made sure everyone was accounted for before walking over to the main building. Finally I make it to her office and knock on the door a few times.
No answer.
That's odd, even if she was in her bedroom or bathroom she would still call out. I knock a couple more times, a bit louder this time. "Hey Cap you in there? It's Levi."
Still no answer.
Maybe she went out again, or she's with Hange, they tend to hang out after work hours. I'm about to leave, but something pulls me back. I try the handle and I am surprised to see it's unlocked. The light from the hallway casts a shadow into her dark office as I slowly open the door. Walking in I call out her name and announce myself again.
Everything seemed undisturbed, her desk was neat and no files were out of place. Her bedroom door was cracked open so I peered inside to see it was just as we left it this morning. Sighing, I shut the door and turn around to scan her office one more time.
Guess I'll go check Hange's office.
I take a step and feel something give underneath my boot. Huh? Removing my foot I notice a small sharp object on the floor. I pick it up and examine it. The object appears to be a dart of some kind, it has a long needle attached to a metal canister with red hair-like fur coming out the back.
Panic starts to set in as I realize exactly what kind of darts theses are. Tranquilizer darts, also known as sleeper darts, are usually used on animals, but can be used on humans in right dosages to knock them out.
I light a couple candles and just then do I notice her blade thrown to corner of the room. The only time she doesn't have it on her is when she sleeps or showers. I pick it up and I am slightly relieved to see no blood on it, but still this is a bad sign, and it gets worse.
A set of footprints, barely noticeable, travel from her window to a spot in the middle of the room, and back to the window. I run over to the window and notice scuff marks on the sill, along with a very fait handprint on the glass. Both sets of prints are too big to be hers.
Her words from the forest cross my mind, "I dragged us out here because if we don't tread carefully, we'll all end up six feet under ground."
(Y/N) is this what you've been paranoid about all these weeks? As your life been in danger this whole time?
Now I see why she's been so secretive about the origin of her information. I heard rumor's about Erwin's dad and how he was killed by MP officers to keep his mouth shut after he talked about the possibility of human life beyond the walls. The government tends to silence those who talk about anything outside or what happened 100 years ago.
My blood starts to boil with rage. I swear to God if someone hurt her in any way I'll rip them apart. I dash out of the office and make my way to notify Hange and Erwin.
-----
Location Unknown
Your POV
I wake up to find myself in what seems to be in a run down cabin. My limbs are twisted back in an uncomfortable way, someone tied me hog-style and gagged me. Any effort to pull against the restraints just dug the ropes into my skin even more. The scent of cigarette smoke and booze lingered in the air.
My face is pressed against the floor and I try rolling on my side, but that position is even more uncomfortable. The muscles in my limbs start to ache while the sensation of pins and needles fill my hands from lack of blood flow.
The wooden door creaks open and moonlight from outside floods the room. The black silhouette of a pair of legs stand in the doorway. I try to crane my neck upwards to view the rest of the person, but I couldn't. The glint of a blade catches my eye as the person takes a few steps forward.
So I guess this is it. I honestly did not expect to be found out his quickly. I thought I had time to find answers and hopefully help the Survey Corps. Oddly enough, I'm not afraid right now, I feel almost... relieved, despite the current circumstances.
Then a thought occurred to me, how come the person didn't just kill me? Clearly it's late and I've been out for awhile.
Wait a second... I'm getting an odd sense of deja vu.
My suspicions are confirmed when a deep voice speaks, "About time you woke up brat. Seems like that stuff is a lot more potent than I thought."
Kenny fucking Ackerman.
He sets a briefcase down and crouches to eye level with me, showing off his usual cocky smirk. After releasing my gag I match his gaze with a glare, "Was tying me up really necessary?"
"Sorry Reiss needed me to accompany him with a quick... errand. And I didn't want you running away. Plus, I thought it would be funny considering how we first met. Kind of like reminiscing on old times, eh?"
Ah yes I did hog-tie him after breaking into his house, fun times. "Oh come on you know you liked it." I said, flashing my own smirk.
He chuckles. "Always quick with the jokes you are, someone hasn't changed."
I notice his knife has dried blood on it, along with a small splatter on his coat. Looks like Reiss needed him to 'take care' of another person. "I could say the same thing about you old man. So are you going to untie me? I promise I don't bite."
He rolls his eyes and cuts me free from the woven ropes. Standing up I stretch out my limbs and crack my back by twisting side to side. I rub my wrists and noticed some rope burn marks across my skin. Satisfied with being free, I pull up two wooden chairs for us to sit down.
"So tough guy how come you went through the trouble of essentially kidnapping me instead of our usual way?"
He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a silvery flask, taking a big swig and then holding it out to me. I was reluctant at first but decided to drink some, Lord knows I need a drink.
"Because I knew you would designate the meet up spot, and I couldn't risk you bringing some of your little Scout friends along."
"You know I wouldn't do that. How'd you know I joined the Scouts anyways?"
"I was in Shiganshina one day and saw you return back from an expedition. I see you're still riding that mutt of a horse."
"How DARE you insult Copenhagen, he is an esteemed member of our society." I cross my arms and tilt my head up, like how rich people do.
"You are such a child. So what do want? I'm a busy man."
"Quit acting like you don't want to be here, you know you missed me." I say with a wink. "Anyways I'm sure you are well aware of the titan attack that has transpired a few weeks ago. I need your help, the Scouts don't know shit for dick about titans, and I know you're close with the Reiss family. I need to know what secrets they're hiding if we want to take back wall Maria."
Kenny bursts out laughing. "Take back wall Maria? That's your big plan? Wow you never cared about titans or anything beyond the walls for that matter, what happened to my little Angel of Death? You finally grew a heart?"
I wince at that nickname. When the rumors first started spreading I loved it. I relished the thought that people feared me. Soon 'The Angel of Death' was becoming more popular than 'Kenny the Ripper.'
It wasn't until I realized I was turning exactly into my father, a power hungry psychopath, that I stopped working as a mercenary/ borderline serial killer.
Instead I spent the last two years traveling everywhere working a variety of jobs: bartending, hunting, waitressing, bodyguarding, and others. I even went back to the Underground a few times and provided free medical care, especially to prostitutes in brothels.
I throw him a scowl. "Shut up don't call me that, I'm not that person anymore. And you're avoiding the question."
"Listen sweetheart, I work for the Interior Military Police now. Unless you're apart of us, I can't tell you that kind of information." He rubs his chin for a moment before speaking again. "You know, a spot just opened up, I could probably get you in, Rod Reiss is quite fond of you."
I make a gagging face. "I would rather be dismembered by a titan than work for that ugly ass short pervert. C'mon man throw me a bone here."
He leans back in his chair, tilting it to balance on the back two legs and putting his hands behind his head. "(Y/N) your family knows more about titans and our history, why don't you just go back there? I vaguely remember you telling me about your library."
A pang of sadness shoots through my heart and I look down. "I guess you're not aware of what happened."
He throws me a questioning look and I start to explain. "Back in September I returned home to try and talk some sense in my family. Of course they didn't listen and as I was leaving I ran into Jacob and some of his friends -"
Kenny cut me off, "Wait Jacob Neumann? As in my other top mercenary and your ex?"
"We never dated," I snap at him, "Only hooked up a few times... and yes, he showed up saying he needed some work. I tried warning him about my father, but it turns out he had other intentions. Next thing I know I'm chained up in a cell with my parents across from me and Finn next to me."
I pause for a moment to breathe deeply and clear my head. "By the looks of things everyone was beaten up, except me. Whoever their ring leader was wanted to wait for me to wake up before murdering my family to 'set an example.' He wanted me to work for him because I was special and still needed to 'unlock my true potential'."
"What did he mean by 'true potential'?"
I shrug my shoulders. "I'm not sure, I ended up literally breaking out of my chains and snapped his neck before he could explain any further. Then I proceed to go on a rampage and kill every single one of his men before burning my house down."
He smacks his forehead. "You idiot, you don't kill your enemies until you've extracted all information from them. And why would you burn your house down? Your family practically contained the entire history of humanity and titans, they probably knew more than the monarchy."
"Listen, I didn't mean to ok it was an... accident. But it didn't matter, they burned our whole library down and everything in my dad's study after arriving. To this day I still don't know why Jacob was there, who the rest were, and how they even found our house."
"Hmmmm, interesting. I take it Jacob's dead, I've seen you during your rampages before, you are always the last one standing. Anyways, sorry to hear about Finn, he wasn't a bad kid. Your father on the other hand, I'm a little jealous I couldn't have been the one to finish him off."
I chuckle, "You and me both."
Silence fills the room for a moment and I look out the window, based on the moon's position it must be nearing midnight. I should be heading back soon.
"(Y/N) look, I want to help, but I can't tell you anything unless you want to be killed as well. Honestly your best bet is going back to your house, I'm sure you can uncover something there." He stands up and fixes his hat before grabbing his suitcase, preparing to leave.
Great. I've spent countless days trying to contact him and when we finally talk, I get nothing.
"Wait before you go I am curious about something... how come Levi doesn't know you're related?"
Even though his back is to me I can still see him tense up for a split second. He casually turns around and squints his eyes. "How do you know that runt?"
I smirk. "Well he's my Lieutenant of course, a good Captain ought to know her subordinates." I was also going to mention how I almost banged him, but that doesn't seem very fitting for the situation.
He sits back down roughly. "No, I mean how do you know he's an Ackerman? And since when did he join the Scouts?"
Confusion starts to set in as I ponder his question and I slightly cock my head to the side. "Um he told me when I performed his physical about two months ago when he joined. Why was he not supposed to know that?"
Kenny rubs his temples. "After his mom died I took him in. I never told him I was his uncle, nor did I tell him his last name. Seems like Kuchel never used her last name either, so Levi was just Levi and I was just Kenny. I taught him everything he needed to know to survive down there. How to swing a knife, how to fight, and how to make deals. I was never going to step in as a parent, but I wanted to give the kid a fighting chance. That's why I never told him his true name, I was protecting him from the prosecution us Ackerman's faced."
So Kenny was the one who taught him all his skills? I noticed some moves of his seemed familiar. "So how come you left him there? You couldn't have gotten him surface citizenship?"
He lets out a deep sigh. "As ironic as it sounds, it seemed safer for him to live in the Underground. The crown and your people usually stayed away from that filthy place. If he wanted to get out, he had to do it himself."
It's true, my family chased most of the Ackerman's to live down there, it was easier to control them. Once you're born down there, it's extremely difficult to gain access aboveground.
"So he found out his name on his own?"
"Seems that way. Do you know if his powers woke up?"
Oh shit. I didn't even think about that. I assumed he already did sometime during his years down there. But come to think of it, his performance these past weeks have drastically improved. He seems stronger, faster, and pulled a couple high-level martial arts that I know I did not teach him yet.
"I think so. He's been on one expedition so far and reports stated that he decapitated a titan after finding his friend's bodies. The intensity of that encounter is more than enough to awaken his abilities." I almost choke up when I referenced Isabel and Farlan, they did not deserve to die such a grizzly death, especially so young.
Kenny shakes his head. "Well I hope since he's in the Scouts he's no longer a target, I know how high your death rate is over there. The crown will probably just assume he'll die on the field. Do me a favor and keep an eye on him yeah?"
"Of course, it's the least I could do considering his suffering is basically a result of my family's actions."
"You need to stop carrying the burdens of your family on your shoulders. It's not your fault."
As much as I tell myself that, I still feel like I owe the world, especially the Ackerman's. Sometimes I feel like I shouldn't even be in this life, that my very existence poses a threat to humanity.
"Sorry Ken Ken, but that's just how my brain works." He looks at me annoyed for calling him the pet name I came up one time when I was super drunk, good times.
"Well (Y/n) if you need anything else or another job, you know how to reach me." We say our goodbyes and part ways, I vaguely know where I am so finding my way back shouldn't be hard.
-----
As I'm about to pull out my keys to unlock my office door, I'm interrupted by the hushed sound of someone's voice. I press my ear up against the wood to eavesdrop.
"Erwin it's been hours since she's been missing, we need to notify the Military Police."
"Mike is right, we're Scouts not detectives, they'll know what to do. If anything we're just contaminating the crime scene." The second voice seems to be Hange's.
Crime scene? What are they on about?
"No. If anything they're the ones behind this, she warned us about what happens when people talk. The same thing happened to my father."
"I'm with Erwin on this one. I've dealt with MP's all my life in the Underground, they don't serve the citizens they serve the King. We need to look for her ourselves."
Oh...
"Mike wait!"
Before I could move, my door swings open and I stumble into Mike's chest. "Hey! What do you think you're doing --- (Y/N)?"
I look up to see a very confused and surprised Mike towering over me. "Uhhh heyyyy guys what's up? I see you started a party without me."
Mike steps back and I see Hange, Levi, and Erwin standing around my desk, all heads turned to my direction. Hange squeals and runs towards me, throwing my body in a tight bear hug. "We were worried sick about you! Don't run away like that again." She squeezes my body tighter.
"H-Hange, ca - n't breathe."
I feel her arms peel off me and see Levi give her a glare before he lightly grabs my shoulders. "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? What happened?" I squeeze one of his hands reassuringly before stepping to the center of the room.
"Guys I'm fine, I just met up with my contact. What did you think I was kidnapped or something?"
Erwin looked shocked and slightly pissed. "Um yeah, Levi went looking for you and found two tranq darts on the floor along with footprints and scuff marks on the windows. We did the math."
Kenny you dumbass, you always lectured me about leaving evidence and here you are. Gosh the old man is really losing his touch.
I swat my hand and talk in a playful tone. "Oh thaaaat? Pfffttt that's just a game we play called 'let's kidnap the other person after knocking them out.' We're currently tied one-to-one."
No one seems pleased by my answer. "Okay guys seriously I'm fine, my life was never in danger, I may have minor rope burns on my wrists but - "
Levi cuts me off. "Rope burns?! Gosh what kind of fucked up game is that? Who did that to you?"
I snap my fingers into finger guns and point at him. "Can't answer that last question my dude. However, I can proudly announce that my contact has refused to work with me on uncovering anything about titans. So now we have to go with plan B."
Mike crosses his arms. "What the hell is plan B? We haven't discussed that."
I shrug my shoulders. "I'm not sure, still working on that. Anyways it's late, we can talk more tomorrow, I'm exhausted. Getting kidnapped really does tire one out." I nervously laugh at my last sentence. Again, no one laughs at my jokes. Damn, tough crowd tonight.
Everyone files out of my room as I walk over to my desk, keeping my back to the door. I hear it close, and then sound of the lock turning. I don't even have to turn around to see who's standing there. "Levi, what are you still doing here?"
He walks over and slumps on my couch, propping one leg across the other. "I'm staying."
"What do you mean you're staying? It's like one in the morning, I'm going to bed and you should too." I kick off my boots and start undoing the straps to my harness.
"You know I only sleep like three hours a night, I'll be up for a bit before crashing here."
I look up. "Yeah? What are you gonna be doing while I'm sleeping, hmmm?"
The corner of his lip tugs into a smirk. "Oh you know, go through your panty drawer, watch you sleep, smell your hair, just being your average pervert."
I let out a few chuckles, it's very rare Levi ever cracks jokes. I sassily put my hands on my hips, "Jokes on you I don't have panties, I go commando." He looks almost grossed out, that joke sounded a lot better in my head.
"Go to sleep Captain, and before you even try to protest. No, I won't leave. I'm not letting you get kidnapped again." He seemed genuinely serious, and quite frankly I don't blame him. Plus I'm too tired to even argue.
"Alright fine, you can stay, I'll grab you a blanket."
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Author's note: Hahaha writing the dialogue in this chapter was fun. Which was your favorite line/joke?