Chapter 22: Reckless Decisions

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~(Y/N)~

I swooped in beside Levi on a large tree standing before Erwin. His expression no longer filled with hatred toward me. Erwin turned to the side going to tell a cadet to reload possibly.

"Good job for getting her here you two." Erwin says. We followed him until Erwin stopped and looked down at the titan. I look to Levi then, his face contorted in grief.

"We wouldn't have been able to without the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to buy us time... this belongs to them... I don't intend on ever forgetting that." he says.

"That so?" Erwin asks.

"Yes... because their sacrifices we can expose who this really is." he says, turning to me his expression softened slightly. He made his way to the edge of the tree at a fast pace, I was worried he would slip and fall. Then he looked like he was going to jump off, I turn toward him. He's going to her isn't he? He took out new blades, he was ready to pull the trigger.

"Not yet Levi, second and third wave fire!" Erwin yelled. Erwin must be hoping to blow her hands off.

The harpoons shot again causing a huge explosive sound. I cover my ears, but it didn't help as much. After the explosion, we all looked to find her hands still intact. Then both Mike and Levi went to cut her hands off. When they hit her hands they turned into a crystal blue.

It sounded like glass breaking when both Mike and Levi's blades shattered to pieces. There were small shards from the blade that had been broken off flying behind them. Levi shot his hook back up to me. Good luck getting that shit off.

To be honest I was a little worried the harpoons wouldn't hold for long and the Female titan would go on a killing spree. Erwin ordered another reload to have her hands blown off again. My eyes that were once on Levi soon shifted back onto the female titan, the harpoon cannons blasted again sending more at her hands.

Again there was no change, her hands remained unchanged. I could hear a frustrated sigh come from Erwin. I knew we only have a limited amount of resources to use and he was trying to be careful with how much he used. I turn my head back towards where Levi once was standing, only to find him missing. I shot my eyes back towards the titan finding Levi landing right on her head.

"You idiot." I mutter.

Then suddenly the titan moved. Her mouth opened and she started screaming, it was like a banshee, I thought my ears were going to start bleeding, or worse I'd go deaf. I cover my ears, but not even that help bring down the screeching sound that was her scream. Oh no... this isn't good. It was only a few seconds before she stopped. I look to see Levi was still okay, I went to shoot my hook to him. "(Y/N) don't! Stay back!" Hanji says.

But this idiot is gonna get hurt if I don't grab him! Is he just disregarding our promise? "They're coming." Mike warns I snap my head back in concern when I heard Mike.

"From what direction?" Erwin asks.

"Every direction, fast." Mike answers. She's called them... the other titans.

I look back at Levi even more worried now knowing that we were in even more trouble. "Levi!" I call.

He looks my way but then he turns back once he heard the loud crashing footsteps heading this way. He started stomping on her head making me worry more. I was just about to pull the trigger when Erwin grabbed my shoulder.

"Stay back." he says, I shot a glare at him and yanked my shoulder from his hand.

"I have to help Levi." I say looking back.

"Levi knows what he's doing." he says. Does he? He's going to get killed if he stays on that psycho's head any longer.

I look in Levi's direction seeing him going through titans one by one. Everyone except me and Erwin joined in. It still wasn't enough the other titans just went up and started eating at the Female titan. "Protect the female titan!" Erwin yells.

It was all too much. There was titan blood everywhere. Ignoring Levi's request I jump in and start cutting through the napes of random titans. I passed by Levi a couple times but ignored his calls and continued slicing.

More and more titans breached through and consumed the Female titan. "All hands retreat!" Erwin yells. I landed back beside Erwin who glared down at me, Levi landed on the tree next to the branch we had been standing on. He seemed exhausted which was to be expected.

Erwin looked away and seemed devastated. His expression was dark and gloomy, he knew that he made a big mistake.

"I'll go gather my squad." Levi says.

"Not yet... replenish your blades and fuel." Erwin commands.

"I can deal with what I've got, we're running out of time as it is... why?" Levi asks.

I step over towards Levi and glare at him. "Just listen to him you shithead." I snap. Levi glared over at me before turning back to Erwin ignoring my words.

"Because I said." Erwin answers.

Erwin left us alone, he swung over to the next tree gradually getting lower and lower until he reached his horse. Levi then came up onto the branch with me, he began cleaning off his blades ignoring my hurt glare. "Tch... dammit." he mutters.

"You fucking idiot- That was way to close." I scold. He turns his head to look back at me. I stomped over and punched him in the arm. When I went to do it again he grabbed my wrist and glared at me.

"Stop, you go with Erwin now." he orders.

"No." I say walking a bit closer to him. I glare up at him watching his eyes scan my face. Steam from the titan blood evaporating off our faces. His eyes seemed to soften before he stepped closer, now there was little space between us.

He let out a sigh before running his dirty hands through my hair. No don't. He placed his hand on the back of my head and started leaning in while pulling my head closer.. I clasp my hands on his lips. He was going to kiss me and I wasn't going to let him. "Why are you stopping me?" he asks.

"Do you really think I wanna kiss you right now you big idiot?" I ask.

"I know bad timing but still." he says trying to lean in closer.

"No!" I snap, pulling back I keep my hands over my mouth flashing him a glare, my face felt warm now knowing he almost got away with it.

He sighed and backed away. "Fine, but you will ride back with Erwin.... I will see you back at headquarters." he says.

"Wait-" I call. I watched him swing from tree to tree headed back to our squad. I pull the trigger sending my hook out, I quickly make my way in the direction Levi had been going.

On the way there a loud boom after the sky turned dark green. So easily I had managed to lose Levi, I had to hurry now that Eren has changed... unless- I stop when I see something hanging from tree not too far from me.

As I was flying through the air I soon came up to the person hanging from the tree. I go down to see who it was. I lift up their face, I see now it was Gunther, I gasp and drop his limp head. He's dead. "Oh no..." I say quietly. I hope everyone else is alright. I continued to press forward soon finding Eld and Petra. They were both dead. Then I found Oluo, he was on the ground with his head turned to the side.

He was dead as well. They were all dead, I was beginning to worry more now. What if Levi is hurt? The sky grew dark again and there was another loud boom. It was close by this time, I turn in the direction seeing what was happening. There was a loud scream that sounded different from the female titan.

On my way there I was pulled into someone's arms. I look up finding Levi, well more like he found me. He seemed worried and annoyed as he whipped past the trees.

"I thought I told you to go with Erwin." he says.

"You know I don't listen well" I talk back. Levi soon released me as I quickly shot a new hook out.

"Stay close and don't be stupid." he says. You don't be stupid. On our way to wherever Levi was leading us we heard another loud roar.

"Eren!" I heard a familiar voice scream. Levi moved us over and the Female Titan ran past us. Mikasa followed behind. He grabbed me again and shot his hook to the nearest tree. Landing on the brank Levi pushed me towards the trunk, he pointed to the brank like I was a dog and he was commanding me to stay.

"Stay here." he says.

"But-"

"I mean it stay." he says.

He pulled the trigger flying off and grabbing Mikasa on the way. I couldn't sit there and not do anything, so I followed not listening to his words yet again. I stop by a nearby tree watching them fight. He was fast, she had no time to react, he attacked her legs right after stabbing her in the eyes.

She soon fell to the ground and went limp. When her hand fell from her nape I watched Mikasa come around and went straight for it but then Levi steps in. I was close enough to hear his pained grunts.

I gasp softly, jolting upward, but then he was off again. He cut her face making her jaw detach, forcefully opening her mouth. He grabbed Eren's comatose body and landed to the tree next to me. "I thought I told you to stay dammit." he scolds.

"I had to make sure you're alright, and you're not!" I yell.

"I'm fine brat... let's get back." he says before shooting his hook, with that our expedition came to and end. We all soon would rejoin the scouts and head back to Calaneth district.

~ In Calaneth District~

Walking with my horse down the street next to Levi, I saw his expression, it had been dark and gloomy since we had gotten back. People whispered as we slowly made our way through the town, it was humiliating that the expedition turned to shit. Erwin seemed to look even more humiliated as people snapped at him, calling him the devil and other hurtful things.

It would only make me feel worse when an older man came up to us. "Excuse me, C-captain Levi! I-I'm Petra's father, might I bend your ear before we see her." the man says. My heart dropped when he introduced himself.

I looked at Levi and he seemed to just tune out her father. "I received this letter from her rather recently, apparently you hand picked her yourself, I can assure you she's very excited. In fact it sounds likes she's devoted to you in every way." the man rambles.

Levi didn't respond. I almost had to stop the man but didn't when Levi grabbed my wrist. "She's so devoted that it worries my wife and I... now- I -I know father's can have trouble letting go but still I can't help but feel she's far too young to be thinking about marriage, she still has so much to experience before settling down." the man says.

When the man found he wasn't going to get a response he said his goodbyes and walked away. My heart dropped watching Levi's reaction to her father's words. Was Levi going to marry Petra? Levi let go of my wrist and continued walking in silence. The 57th expedition was a complete and utter failure with so many reckless decisions.

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