Levi x Reader - Persona of Levi Part 11

In the dead of the night, two hooded figures slinked out of the East turf and headed into the West turf, abandoning the comparatively safer territory for one filled with perilous dangers that involved a kill-at-sight order. They navigated the dark alleys with ease, weaving through the dilapidated homes as they made their way from the poorer sectors towards the richer areas, their target being one of the wealthy homes located at the heart of the West turf. But they weren’t there for money – far from it. Their target was an elderly woman, a woman whom they were just “visiting” to – for a lack of better word – talk about the past.

“We’re nearing the danger zone,” (F/N) murmured softly, her steps slowing down to a normal pace.

Levi nodded and pulled the cape forward, obscuring his features even more. It had taken them a few days to plan this mission but like all things, everything was up to chance. One could never account for all possible scenarios, so it was all down to improvisation… and luck.

So far, they had not encountered a single soul, but soon, they would have to surface from the alleyways that had provided sufficient cover and emerge into the town square, where they would then again disappear into the alleyways. Before they stepped into the light that permeated every square inch of the town square, Levi slipped his hand to his hip and patted the 3DMG equipment that rested there.

(F/N) turned to him and whispered, “Everything alright?”

“Routine check,” he replied. “Let’s go.”

“Wait.” She went behind him and tugged on the cape gently, letting it billow out a little more so that the shape of the 3DMG wasn’t visible. “There.”

She inspected her work and gave an approving nod. “I’m glad I don’t have to wear that,” she said, winking at Levi.

“Tch, that’s because you suck.” He clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, to which she merely gave a small chuckle.

During the past few days, they had been planning out every detail of their mission in the early mornings when both Farlan and Isabel were sound asleep. Levi had suggested that it would be better for them to be equipped with 3DMG to ensure a quick getaway. So he had tried to train her to use it but her sense of fine balance was abysmal and despite all the tips and tricks he had taught her, it was impossible to get her to even stay upright. They had quickly abandoned the idea of outfitting her with 3DMG and stuck with having only him wear it. In the case of an emergency, he would have to carry her. The gas probably wouldn’t last that way but hopefully, it wouldn’t come down to that.

“Alright, let’s do this.” She took a deep breath and stepped out, her pace matching that of the few people milling about the square.

Levi followed suit, trailing behind her, his eyes sweeping the terrain as he took note of every person, every building, and every sound. His heart thumped heavily in his chest, his senses heightened and attuned to his surroundings. The adrenaline pumping in his body prepared him for any fight or flight situations and he could feel the raw energy flowing through his veins.

He looked at (F/N) from under his hood, watching how her arms moved fluidly to and fro in a slightly coquettish fashion, her stride firm and stealthy. Recalling the incident from a few days back, he wondered how she could seem so confident despite the fact that every thug in this area would kill her on the orders of Boss Jasip if they found her out. Most people would be a bundle of nerves by now. Actually, they wouldn’t even dare venture out on the West Turf. Boss Jasip was a much crueler man than Boss Zarid of the East Turf – and that was telling a lot. His men were equally bad and they were also great in numbers. Despite his strength, he certainly didn’t relish the thought of having to fight a large a number of them.

Shifting his gaze back to the people around them, he noticed a group of burly men emerging from one of the myriad of alleyways to their right. They were set on a collision course with them and Levi steeled himself for any close encounters. The men might not be Boss Jasip’s people but their size and leery looks were enough trouble.

He kept his eyes on them as they got nearer and nearer. They were still talking rambunctiously among themselves but when they were almost shoulder-to-shoulder with (F/N), the beefiest guy struck his elbow out and sent it flying upwards to her jaw. She let out a small cry as her head flew back at the impact and her hood fell off, revealing her face. Before she could recover, the beefy guy yanked her hair and brought her face closer to his.

“Well, if it isn’t the wanted (F/N),” he sneered at her. “What are you-“

Letting out a cry, he released her and clutched his now bleeding hand. While he and the rest of his gang were focused on (F/N), Levi had discreetly taken out his knife from his boot and covered the distance between them in a split second. Grabbing (F/N)’s hand, he hastily tugged her away from the men and sprinted towards the nearest alleyway.

“Levi! That way!” She directed him towards another narrower lane and he quickly switched course as a piercing whistle shattered the quiet night. Soon, many other whistles could be heard in quick succession from different directions, some loud and close by, others muffled and distant.

“Shit, it’s the hunting signal,” (F/N) cursed under her breath.

The sound of boots pounding on the gravel grew closer and Levi took a sharp turn into another path. Men were shouting at each other, a cacophony of voices filling the streets. He could already feel two groups of people converging on them. Time was running out. They had to get off the street.

Levi suddenly stopped in his tracks causing (F/N) to bump into his back. She hissed in pain and moved around him, intending to continue running but was stopped by his grip on her wrist.

“Wha-“

Levi had thrown his cloak on the ground and was preparing to use his 3DMG. He clutched the hand grips tightly and beckoned her.

“We’re going to use it now?” she questioned, her voice tense and filled with worry.

“Yeah. There’s no choice,” he replied, grabbing her arm and hooking it over his shoulder. He had never tried carrying an additional person while using 3DMG but he was sure he could do it right. Bringing his arms under her knees, he lifted her up, his hands clutching the hand grips. Under different circumstances, this would be extremely romantic, but in this current situation, it was the most practical way of maneuvering using 3DMG. Shifting her weight slightly so that he was more comfortable, he turned to her. What he didn’t realize was how close her face was to his in this position. His eyes widened slightly at the close contact and he quickly pulled his head slightly back.

“Hold on tight,” he said, his voice taut with tension and slight discomfort.

She wrapped her arm tightly around his neck, bringing her just slightly closer to him. Letting out a small ‘Tch’, he mentally let out a string of swear words at the odd situation he found himself in. The footsteps were getting nearer and he hurriedly aimed his grapple hook at the nearest building and launched himself up onto the roof, giving him a clear view of their pursuers.

There was one group of about 10 men in front of them who were just rounding the corner only to stumble upon the alleyway they had just vacated seconds earlier. A second group of 5 men came from behind, only to come face to face with the first group. The two groups started bickering about where they had last seen their prey, not knowing that the very two people they were hunting were just two stories above them.

Levi turned away from the men and walked towards the edge of the roof. His eyes searched the sprawling landscape for their target houses and found them over in the distance, a couple more blocks away from them. (F/N) had also done the same thing and pointed in its general direction. He nodded and took off, the hissing sound of the gas filling his ears as he clicked the trigger on his hand grip. They were using more gas than he had expected to support the weight of two adult people. It would be better if they didn’t rely on the 3DMG too much. He eyed the next corner and started to reel himself in, intending to land on the ground and continue by foot, hoping that the distance between them and Jasip’s men would be far enough.

Suddenly, another smaller group of 3 men brandishing knives appeared on the dark path. Levi’s momentum carried him forward and before he landed on his feet, he removed his arm from under (F/N)’s knees, letting her legs fall to the ground, and whipped out his own knife. She immediately removed her arm from his neck and scurried to the side while Levi ducked low and swiped his knife upwards, cutting the knife hand of the first man on his right. Without missing a step, he landed a kick to the man’s abdomen, sending him flying into the man behind him.

The scrawny man on his left lunged at him and he prepared to throw a blow at him, his left arm thrown backwards. Before he could move, the scrawny man cried out as dirt was flung into his eyes by (F/N). Levi threw a sideways glance at her, surprised by the dirty move that she had employed. She gave him a wink and he felt the corner of his mouth twitch upwards. The moment was brief – interrupted by the sound of rushing feet and grunts from the three men who were getting to their feet. Not needing to be told what to do, (F/N) rushed towards him and hooked her arm around his neck. He hurriedly tucked his knife away and grabbed the hand grips, flying away just as the previous batch of men came rushing into the lane.

They flew through the streets amidst yells of anger coming from the men they had just left behind. Now, the alleys were narrower and so interconnected that every lane seemed to merge into the other. Levi could see that on almost every corner they took, they ran into more men. They were pouring out from every corner and it was going to be hard to get to where they wanted to be without either running out of gas or bringing the whole horde of men with them.

In the distance, he spotted a less populated area that didn’t seem to be crawling with Jasip’s men. Zigzagging to throw their pursuers off, he took a roundabout route to reach his destination. When he finally landed on the rooftop of a slightly taller building, he crouched and set (F/N) down. She remained stooping, lowering herself to the floor as much as possible to avoid being seen.

“What now?” she said in an urgent whisper.

Levi looked over to their target which was still a couple blocks away, separated from them by a sea of Jasip’s men. They needed to preserve their gas which at the moment, might not be enough to see them through the night – bearing in mind that they still needed to get back. The best solution would be to sep-

“Levi, we should separate,” (F/N) said quietly, taking the words out of his mouth.

He turned to look at her, expecting to see fear and anxiety in her expression but instead her eyes were twinkling with determination, her body tense with anticipation. Despite the close shaves they had encountered and the long journey they still had in front of them, she didn’t seem the least bit afraid. It stirred up some amount of admiration in him for her courage.

“How are you going to move without 3DMG and the place swarming with Jasip’s men?” he asked.

She gave a small smirk. “This is my territory. I know the place like the back of my hand, so don’t worry. I’ll manage. Just meet me at the top of the hill, back of the largest house.”

He studied her a while longer before nodding. “I’ll distract them first. Then, you sneak out.”

“No problem, love. See you at the hill.” She gave a small wave and headed towards the edge of the roof, peering down at the path below.

Levi walked towards the opposite side and surveyed the area. There were more men in his quadrant and he could attract them to his side while (F/N) made her escape. Before leaving, he hesitated and swiveled around to look at her one more time. She was watching him, waiting for him to leave before she took her chance to move out.

“Don’t get caught, (F/N).” His voice came out gruff and stern.

Her eyes widened in surprise and he thought he caught a flicker of emotion. But it was only for a moment – gone before he could decipher the meaning behind it. She gave a small smile and uttered only two words.

“We’ll see.”

He could swear his heart stopped at those words, not because it was romantic or frightening but because it was such a different reaction from what he was used to. Sometimes, he told Farlan and Isabel something in the same vein and their response was to reassure him of their safety, giving him peace of mind. But her words were anything but reassuring. It sent a shiver down his spine. Her cold pessimism with no guarantees of anything made him feel insecure and anxious. His racing heart served as testimony to that.

Having nothing else to say, he turned away and stepped up on the small ledge. Shooting his grapple hook at the next building, he swung off into the night, leaving a trail of smoke in his wake. Shouts erupted and, as expected, a ton of men followed his disappearing figure.

He stole a glance back at the rooftop he had just left but he could no longer see (F/N) there. Turning his attention to the front, he zigzagged his way around the streets, shaking off more of his pursuers. However, part of his mind strayed to (F/N) and the way she had replied to him. He couldn’t get it off his mind and despite how little he knew about her, he found himself praying that she would make it out okay.

It took another ten minutes and a lot of spilled blood before he finally reached his destination. He hid in the darkness of the backroad, scanning the area continuously for any sign of danger… and for (F/N). The seconds ticked by at an excruciatingly slow speed. Now, he was more worried for (F/N) than the men who were searching for him. Her last words came back to taunt him and he shook his head, trying to rid himself of useless thoughts.

‘She knows how to take care of herself. She lived here before. She will be fine.’ He told himself a million times over. But he couldn’t help worrying, his anxiety building up slowly.

Another ten minutes had passed but still, she wasn’t in sight. He moved closer to the main street, intending to take off in search for her when a soft ‘Psst’ from behind him made him spin around, his hand reaching for his knife.

“It’s me.”

His hands relaxed at his side as he closed the distance between him and (F/N). As he got closer, his eyes widened as he took in the sight of her right arm covered in blood. He reached out to touch her arm but she waved her hands in front of her. “No, I’m not injured. It’s the blood from one of the men.”

His eyes bore into hers, wondering whether she was lying to him. But her movement seemed to suggest that she was doing fine.  As he opened his mouth to speak, she turned to the line of houses in front of them and pointed to one of them.

“That’s the one. I saw the altar with a rat’s head dangling from it. So it’s no mistake that it’s Urim’s house.”

Before he could stop her, she was already stealthily sprinting over to the back door of the house. With an exasperated sigh, he followed suit, his eyes roving from left to right to make sure the coast was clear. By the time he reached her spot at the back door, she was already kneeling down with a pin between her teeth and working another two pins into the door lock. He turned around, his back facing her, and continued his surveillance of the area, making sure they won’t be caught off-guard.

He could hear her grunt as she tried to pop the lock open, obviously, this lock wasn’t as easy to break as most of the others – which meant that the owner of the house was rich enough to have a custom-made lock. But the clock was ticking and he could already hear people coming their way.

Another few seconds and now, voices were getting louder and clearer. The party of men would reach soon. He glanced back at (F/N) who was already sweating, her hands moving more hurriedly than they were before. From the corner of his eye, he thought he could make out silhouettes of people in the far distance. Not too long now and they would be on them in an instant.

“Done,” (F/N) exclaimed as the door clicked open.

Levi swiftly dashed in, pushing her in as well, before shutting the door behind them just as the first group of men appeared on the street.

They were in.