"Soldiers! Your task is to protect him from the other titans while he's carrying the rock!!" Garrison Commander Pixis's bellow surges over the soldiers under Wall Rose.
". . .lift that enormous stone..? Is that possible?" A man from the crowd whispers in disbelief.
"It's a lie!!" A cadet screams out, "You expect me to give up my life for some nonsense like that?! What do you take us for?! We're. . . not disposable blades!!"
Besides y/n, her friends stare dumbfounded at Eren on the wall. The boy in question stands with a dedicated salute to his chest, determination shining in his olive eyes.
"They. . . want us to go out there again?" A hushed whisper comes from Sasha. Her scarlet hair sticks to her nape from sweat, still.
Connie is muttering to himself, "This is stupid. Does Eren even know how to control it?"
"An experiment," Jean scoffs, crossing his arms, "Oh, well, they ended up using him. Told you, didn't I?" He says, side-eyeing y/n.
She's watching the objections from the soldiers. Fear, after all, is the greatest motivator to stand up against authority. Some begin to leave, ignoring the officers' yells.
"This is. . . just crazy." Sasha's wavering, high pitched voice cuts through.
The stirring from the crowd becomes louder, and it's then the commander shouts out from above, "Up on my order! Anyone who leaves right now will go unpunished!!"
Y/n glances at the expressions of her comrades — Connie and Sasha are the only ones showing their hesitance outwardly. Jean's hands clutch his arms tight, as if forcing himself to stay. Marco's gaze switches from the retreating soldiers to Eren, to Jean, to her.
He asks without speaking then, 'Are you going?'
She has no choice.
❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅
"So, we lure the titans away from Eren's group? We don't need to fight?" Connie sighs in relief, "That's not so bad."
"Distraction team!! Head out!"
Y/n finds Marco in the troops. He pauses on the edge of the Wall, fingers lingering on the trigger as he looks at her with furrowed eyebrows, "Are you alright? You've been really quiet since. ."
"Yes," She lies, "You?"
Marco gives her an uneasy smile, gazing at the titan-tormented city below, "I don't think it's as easy as they say. It's still risky down there but. . ." he exhales, "I really hope this works out."
She nods, finding Eren's group in the distance, running across the Wall, "Me too."
Marco jumps off the ledge, and she follows.
Wind hits her face like a bullet, making her squint her eyes until the earth comes close enough for her to shoot her anchor into a wall, swinging past the bricked chestnut houses. She keeps Marco in sight as they follow their squad to the titan condensed areas.
Reiner, Bertolt and Annie are in different squads than theirs. She can't let down her guard, though. Eventually, everyone separates from their squads in the heat of the moment.
Marco zips through the streets, more drowsy— not as agile as he was during the evacuation. It's not just him. Everyone is tired. Her own muscles ache as she pulls against her cables, soreness slowing her down.
She's glad he understands how the situation is still dire, and not engaging doesn't mean they're all safe from the wandering limbs of titans. There's still a lot of things that could go wrong.
Still a lot of people that die.
She pushes down the thought. Not the time.
Smoke is in her nose again, and she pulls taut against the anchors, banking on a roof her squad waited on. Titans catch their scent, lumbering over with heavy steps and hungering gazes.
Cadets around her crouch in anticipation, ready to jump.
"Now!"
They all scatter, letting the titans' hands catch air. They begin to approach the cadets from all angles. Her anchor swishes just past a titan, who pulls at the cable. She pulls the wire towards her, but the strength of the giant overtakes her.
Her heart drops as she's pulled towards the giant mass—
Slice!
The titans fingers let go of her wire, severed hand dropping to the cobblestone with a thud. Marco swings around, releasing his broken sword, and stocking a new one, aiming for the nape.
He's too slow.
"Marco, don't!" He doesn't listen — can't hear her.
The titan swerves around on its feet, facing Marco. His face falls. Giant hands come to grab him. He slices through a finger, but that's not enough.
Y/n is behind the titan in an instant, grappling against its back and using her gas to launch herself against the nape. She hits, missing by an inch.
It buys time.
The titan yells out in pain, hand-less arm swinging against y/n. She dodges the steaming stump, trying to find Marco. He's not in the titans hand anymore.
"Iris! Move away!"
He swings down from a tower, both arms in the air with fresh blades out, reflecting the sun's rays. With a clear shot of the nape, he slices through what y/n missed. The giant roars, and begins to fall flat on its face.
Y/n moves out of the way of the plummeting titan just in time, landing on a roof, out of breath.
Marco's hook bites into the ceiling, and he's in front of her, "You good?"
She nods through her huffed breaths.
"That was lucky." Their squad leader jumps down on their building, giving them hard looks, "I told you not to engage."
"Sorry." Marco says, lowering his head, before y/n could explain, "We won't make the mistake again."
"Our job isn't over," The leaders says, zipping out to the sky.
Y/n bites her lip after he leaves, "We had no choice—"
"Arguing with authority in action is never a good idea." He says, holding out a hand for her.
Of course. He surprises her every time he shows his level-head.
She gets up, taking his hand, "Thank you. That's twice you've saved me."
He shakes his head, glancing at an approaching titan, "That's what friends are for." The warmth of his hand leaves her, "We can't stay still."
They're swerving through the air again, slowing down intentionally for the titans to walk after them. The squad makes for the Wall, climbing it as soon as the Titans come too close.
She sees Armin pulling himself up to his hook. They meet up on the Wall. His uniform is a mess, hair sticking out in every angle. But his eyes are wide, attentive.
"It's going to work," he says to her when she comes in range, "I know it." He sounds unsure.
"Hope so." She says, glancing at the titans scratching at the wall underneath.
"I. . . thought this wouldn't have any casualties." He says in a weak whisper, "That's what I told the strategy leader."
She follows his gaze to the struggling squads underneath, "You can't save everyone."
"But. . I—"
"You can't see everything coming," She stops Armin, discomfort itching her skin at seeing a mirror of herself.
He jumps slightly at her sharp tone.
"We move out again! There's still titans nearby the deploy team, get into position!"
Y/n gives Armin a last look, "Think about it later. Just focus on what's going on now."
When they're rushing down the Wall, Marco glances at her sideways in quiet disapproval, "That was a bit harsh. . Iris."
She closes her eyes for a moment, "I know. But sometimes that's what you need."
To stop the thoughts.