"The Survey Corps murdered civilians! Some of them have fled capture! They're still on the loose! If you see any of these people, report to us immediately!"
"I told you! They were behind that Titan battle here that destroyed practically everything!"
Y/n tipped her hat — the one Jean had bought for her a few years ago during their Cadet days — walking in front of him as he kept his head down, too.
"And now they're planning to have that monster Eren wipe us out!"
As if Jean knew she was going to jump the two men, he put his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and he gave her a shake of his head, causing her to scoff. He was right, of course. If she attacked more civilians their position would only worsen.
They hid in the forest now. No one was sure how long it will be until this hiding spot got discovered, too, but it was better than nothing.
"Give me that." Y/n snatched the paper from Jean's hand and looked through. All of their names were written on there, however only Captain Levi's face was drawn. It didn't resemble him much, though. "If my mom got her hands on one of these, she'll kick my ass." Y/n chuckled at the thought.
"It's not like we can go home while we're still fugitives," Jean commented.
Y/n handed him back the paper. "Right."
"Captain, we got the supplies you asked for," Jean said as he, Y/n, Armin and Mikasa returned to camp.
"The Military Police were handing these out. If this is accurate, the Survey Corps has been disbanded." Armin had handed Levi one of the papers. "I heard they'll be hunting for us tonight. They're also going to guard the major roads, so we won't be able to get through without a pass. Captain, what now?"
"If we don't hurry, Eren . . ."
"Calm down." Levi cut Mikasa off. "They're using wagons. They won't reach the Reiss estate for at least a day. We can use that time to come up with a plan."
"Captain, I hear something," Sasha suddenly said, causing everyone to look at her. "They're coming this way."
Y/n touched the shotgun that lay on the grass next to her, sharpening her ears. She could hear it; the grass crunching under boots. They're close if I can hear them, too.
———
A trap was set to catch the two MPs with Armin as the distraction, and Levi and Mikasa as the captors. The two were stripped of their equipment and uniforms and Armin and Mikasa tied their hands with rope.
Y/n stood facing the south, her cloak covering her back as she held a shotgun in her hands. She took peaks over her shoulder every few seconds to keep an eye on the situation.
"Captain," she heard Jean say.
"Stohess District Military Police, Private Marlowe Freudenberg." Levi spoke as his boots crunched the stones under them. "And Private Hitch Dreyse, same assignment. What should I do with you two?"
Y/n's eyes narrowed. He's bluffing, right? He's not actually going to do anything to them . . . right?
"It's your fault that more than a hundred people from Stohess District got killed!" the girl, Hitch, said.
"Huh?"
"Hey!" Marlowe called.
"Maybe you think you're bringing justice to humanity, but you sent all those victims and their families to hell!"
Y/n had a vague idea of what had happened in Stohess — Jean had told her most of it once they were promoted to the Levi Squad and she could imagine the destruction must've been similar to Trost. She understood their point, really.
"Yeah, I know," Levi said.
"You guys were in the southern Training Corps, right? Just like Annie Leonhart."
Y/n stiffened at that. She looked back at Hitch, who was looking at Armin and Mikasa in front of her. "Were you friends with her? No. I doubt she made any friends. She was distant and abrasive, like a kid who's scared to talk to people. I never got the chance to know anything about her. And isn't the reason they still haven't found her because those Titans pulverized her until there was nothing left to find?"
As much as she didn't like to admit it, maybe things would've gone down easier if that had been the case.
"No. It's because Annie Leonhart herself was the undercover Titan. All this nonsense makes me sick. Nobody knows a damn thing about this world. Not us or anyone else. Nobody but the bastards at the center of it all. We'll release the two of you once we're done here."
Y/n looked back, seeing Hitch's eyes widening. "Annie was . . ."
"Captain Levi!" Marlowe suddenly called. "Please let me help you! I don't think what you guys are doing is wrong! If it'll help correct the injustice of this world, I'll do whatever you want!"
Levi denied him, ordering Sasha and Y/n to tie them up nearby. Y/n slung her rifle over her shoulder and made her way towards the two MPs. To think this could've been Jean and I there . . .
"Captain, let me do it." Y/n heard Jean ask and Levi agreed.
Jean walked over as Sasha started walking away. Y/n narrowed her eyes and hurried over to Jean, putting a hand to his chest to stop him. He looked at her, eyebrows furrowed. "What is it?"
Her voice dropped despite the distance they had from the MPs. "What are you doing? Is it something dumb?"
"It's not dumb," Jean protested, taking her hand in his and gently putting it down. "You'll see. Come help me, in case one of them tries to run."
Y/n eyed him for a moment before she nodded. "Don't do anything stupid, Jean-Bo." She sounded light-hearted, but Jean knew she meant it.
Jean grabbed the ends of the two ropes and made Marlowe and Hitch walk in front of him. It looked like they were horses and he was the rider. Ironic. Y/n didn't voice that thought.
Jean suddenly took out a knife, causing Y/n eyes to widen. She put a hand on his shoulder and pulled back, causing him to grunt. She gestured to the knife with her eyebrows up. Trust me, Jean mouthed to her. Y/n let go of his shoulder and continued walking behind, holding on the strap of her rifle.
They walked until they were far enough from their camp. "Stop," Jean ordered, his small knife still pointed in their directions.
"Neither of us saw anything here today," Marlowe said as he and Hitch turned around.
A creepy grin took over Jean's face. "Of course you didn't! The dead can't see a thing!"
Y/n's eyes widened and she looked at him. What the fuck is he doing!? Is he crazy? Jean raised his knife, making Marlowe and Hitch gasp. Holy fuck he's lost it.
"He said you'll let us go!"
"It's too dangerous to let you two go after this," Jean said. "I'm making it my personal duty to kill you!"
No, he's actually lost it. What the fuck is he saying? "Jean—"
"Please believe us!" Marlowe pleaded. "We know you're only trying to save humanity! Right, Hitch?" Hitch rapidly nodded.
"And we're supposed to take your word for it?" Jean asked. His knife was still in the air.
Y/n watched him, but she didn't move. Trust me, he'd told her. She knew Jean — he might partake in unnecessary violence often, but not like this. He wasn't a killer. Hell, he'd hesitated to kill someone just the day before!
"I can't trust a guy with a bowl cut. Why the hell would you wear your hair like that? I have no sympathy for people like you!"
Yeah, no, he's definitely bluffing. No way he just said that. Y/n looked Marlowe up and down, then her eyes stayed on his hair. He's got a point, though.
"Stop him!" Hitch called, her eyes stuck on Y/n, who still didn't move.
Jean rushed forward, raising his knife at the two — then he tripped and fell over, sending his knife flying towards the captives.
Y/n's eyes widened. "Jean!" Then her eyes fell on the knife Marlowe had picked up. She quickly raised her rifle, pointing it at the two. "Put that down!"
"Hitch, run!" Marlowe called and Hitch did as told. Y/n pointed her rifle in her direction, then she stopped. She couldn't shoot them, the sound would give out their position. Marlowe didn't know that, though.
Jean had gotten up and pushed Marlowe back, putting his gun under Marlowe's chin. "You think you can outspeed a bullet?" Jean asked, his voice low. It felt odd hearing him like this. "You wanna take that chance? See if you can kill me before I shoot!"
It was getting confusing. What is this plan of his? Why are we doing this? Why did I get dragged into it?
"Wait! I swear I'm on your side!" Marlowe said. Hitch was gone now, so Y/n pointed her rifle towards him.
"No human alive would believe that you want to join us," Jean said. "Who would believe we're going to save humanity while we're being hunted like animals?"
Marlowe's eyes narrowed. "Then what about you? Why are you still with the Survey Corps?"
Y/n's eyes widened. The question had been directed at Jean, but it hit home for her, too. Why am I still here again?
"I regret joining the Military Police," Marlowe said. "So long as you in the Survey Corps continue to risk your lives for the rest of us, I will trust you." Then Marlowe threw the knife away.
Regretting joining the Military Police . . .?
Y/n's rifle dropped down and at the same time, Hitch reappeared and hit Jean square in the head with a big stick, sending him flying to the ground.
"You horse-faced bastard!" Hitch yelled as she was about to swing at him again.
"Jean!" Y/n immediately called, running in front of him and pointing her rifle at Hitch. "Are you fucking crazy!?"
"Hitch! Stop it!" Marlowe intervened too, pushing her to the side with his body. "They were just testing us!"
"Huh?"
Y/n looked back at Jean, seeing a bruise forming on the side of his head. She cursed and quickly kneeled down next to him, holding onto her rifle with one hand while she caressed the non-injured side of his face with the other.
"Jean? Jean, are you okay?" she asked and she felt him slightly nod once. Thank fuck. She looked back at Hitch, sending her a glare. Hitch didn't seem phased.
"Hey, you," Marlowe said. "What would you have done with I swung the knife at you? Why did you trust me so much?"
"You just kind of reminded me of this other guy I can't stand," Jean said. His eyes were still closed. "A real idiot." Is he talking about himself?
"Is he . . . the same idiot Annie used to talk about?" Marlowe asked.
Jean's eyes opened. He started sitting up and Y/n dropped the rifle to help him. "Hell if I know. There's idiots everywhere."
"Speaking from experience, aren't you?" Y/n murmured as she got up, picking up her rifle again.
Marlowe helped Jean up. "It's a good thing we're idiots, too," Jean said. "Marlowe, I think you proved yourself back there. I think I can convince Captain Levi that you're serious about this. So please lend us a hand."
Despite still being salty about her hitting Jean, Y/n shared a look with Hitch, both of them exasperated. Why are they so dramatic about this?
On the way back, Hitch and Marlowe were walking ahead of them again, though they had no binds this time. Once Y/n was sure they weren't paying attention to them, she slapped Jean's shoulder. He flinched, cradling the painful spot. "What was that for?" He whisper-yelled.
"For your idiotic plan!" Y/n said, then wrapped her free arm around his, leaning closer. She felt his biceps flex for a moment and she wasn't sure whether it was because he was startled or to show off. "But I guess it worked. Just don't get a concussion next time, okay?" Y/n had said that part louder and Hitch had turned, giving an awkward smile before looking back ahead.
"Yeah, yeah," Jean waved her off. "My plan was brilliant, you just refuse to accept my genius."
"That sounds poetic. Have you considering writing instead of drawing?" Y/n asked. "Actually, no. No one would be able to read your handwriting except me and your mother."
Jean looked away in embarrassment. "Leave me alone, we're still on a mission."
"Good thing it doesn't involve writing!"
"I hate you."
"No, you don't."
"You're right, I don't."