Breaking Barricades (Levi x Reader)

28. ** Again **

**WARNING:**
CHAPTER CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT.

His stare was cold and distant, seemingly void of emotion, yet so full of pain.  I could feel my knees weakening as I stumbled forward, almost losing my balance.

I didn't care how much it hurt: I burst into a full out sprint, flying across the room with absolute urgency.  Collapsing to my knees, I dropped my weapons on the floor beside me as my arms hungrily embraced Levi's brutally beaten body. I held him tightly against my chest, too afraid to let go, for fear of losing him again. I could feel his cheek resting on my shoulder, the only way he could respond.

Both wrists had been chained to the wall, where he remained slumped over on his knees. He was covered in deep bruises, contusions of all colors. His tattered clothes were stained with blood, some old and dried, some new and bright red.

"Levi..." I whimpered, still in shock. "I thought I had lost you.  I was so afraid they had killed you..."

"Tch, like I'd let that happen," Levi quipped, wincing as he spoke.

I leaned back slightly, pulling his face into my hands. For a moment, I just stared into his eyes, trying to reassure myself that I wasn't imagining him. But my doubt was cut short by Levi's lips pressing against mine, so full of relief and remorse.

I started to run my fingers through his hair as we kissed, but they only got caught between sections hardened by dried blood.  So I allowed my fingertips to trace along his cheek instead, where I felt a single tear upon my hand. He was crying, causing my heart to ache terribly. Once our lips parted, I paused to breathe, before looking up to inspect his wrists.

"We've got to get you out of here. I wasn't exactly subtle about hiding my tracks..."

Levi was able to slightly lift his head to look up at me, as I stood to pick the lock of his restraints with my knife. However, with my legs in his line of sight, I noticed his hand clench into a fist.

"He...hurt you again, didn't he...?" Levi growled lowly.

I paused, lowering my gaze to his, to find him staring at the handprint bruises left upon my legs. I closed my eyes, inhaled deeply, then continued to pick the lock. I was surprised when the first cuff released, followed by Levi's left arm falling heavily to the ground.

Before I could move to the second cuff, he reached for my waist and pulled me down for a one-armed embrace, now that he could hold me. His touch was full of fear and anguish, not his usual warmth. His grip was fierce, despite his obvious injuries.

"I watched Viktor take you away again... And again, I did nothing.  I should have been able to protect you, (F/N)."

I fully knelt back down to the ground, as he reached for my cheek. I wrapped my arms around his neck and sighed. 

"We both fought as hard as we could to protect each other. But, we're both here now, so let's just get the hell out of here, together, okay?"

Levi nodded, planting his lips on mine once more. Setting my knife down, I cradled his face in my hands, my thumbs at his jaw, pulling him in closer to deepen our kiss.  Being able to touch him still felt like a dream, so having him kiss me so fiercely made me believe it would all be okay.  

And yet, I should have known better.

I could feel myself being torn from Levi's lips, as a cold fist firmly clutched my hair and yanked me backwards. With a yelp of distress, my body was thrown against the wall, causing an electric shock to shoot down my spine; A pair of hands wrapped around my neck immediately following.  When I opened my eyes, Levi's tender gaze was abruptly replaced by that of the devil. I clawed at Viktor's arms, gasping for air as he squeezed my throat with all his might.

"You little whore! When will you learn!?"

"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF HER, YOU BASTARD!" I could hear Levi shout from behind Viktor. Such an order caused Viktor to throw me to the ground, as I coughed and gagged, trying desperately to breathe again. I watched in horror as Viktor slowly turned, eyeing Levi angrily.

"And you... Captain Levi... Is that really how you're going to speak to me after I spared your life? I'll bet little "(F/N)" here didn't fill you in on what she traded to save you, now did she?"

"What the fuck did you do to her, you worthless piece of shit...?" Levi's eyes burned angrily as he growled.

Viktor's lips curled into an evil grin. With a maniacal laugh, he turned back towards me and pulled me up by my arm. I winced as he dragged me across the floor, throwing me face down in front of Levi. Bringing one foot to my back, I involuntarily cried out in pain as Viktor violently pinned me beneath his weight. I heard him call for his men, followed by two MP's marching into the room and locking the door behind them. Both Levi and I looked at each other with fear and uncertainty.

Suddenly, I felt both of my arms being trapped under the clutches of the MP's hands, one man on each side of me. I struggled beneath all three men, even when I knew it was pointless to try. Levi had stretched himself out as far as he could, but with his right arm still chained to the wall behind him, he couldn't reach me.  

"You're a visual learner, aren't you, Captain? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall you saying something to the effect of: pain is the most effective discipline? That it can't be taught with words... only with actions?"

Levi roared in anger as he lurched forward, causing the wall to crumble slightly behind him. Viktor only laughed as he pulled his belt from his pants, wrapping it once around his fist. I began to panic, seeing such a violent reaction come from Levi. I couldn't see behind me; I could only hear the jingle of Viktor's belt buckle. My breath began to quicken, fearing what was to come. I felt Viktor take his foot off my back as he spoke once more.

"I'll admit it though, Levi... you must have trained this one well. It took forever to make her scream."

Just as his words finished, I heard the crack of his belt as it tore into my flesh, ripping my back wide open. I gasped, but held my tongue and dug my fingers into the floor. Screaming out in pain would only be a demonstration of Viktor's power to Levi, and I wouldn't give him the satisfaction he so craved. Over and over again, his belt slashed into me, making it almost impossible not to cry out. Between each whip, I could hear Viktor arrogantly carrying on about how this further proved how women were useless as soldiers, as Levi tried desperately to pull himself from the wall.

"You do realize that you wouldn't be in this predicament otherwise, now don't you? I told you before, Levi, that women are only good for one thing!"

My eyes shot wide open with fear. I knew exactly what would follow this beating, and I wasn't about to let it happen again, especially not for Levi to witness. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, I swiftly pulled my arms out from underneath the weakening weight of the MP's.

The moment I turned, I shielded myself from the incoming belt, causing it to wrap around my forearms. Bearing my teeth in pain and anger, I pulled the belt towards me with all of my strength, throwing Viktor off balance. Such an unexpected movement caused him to fall forward onto me. My feet met his chest, and I kicked him up and over my blood-drenched body. I was able to fling him into one of the MP's, knocking them both to the ground.

Rapidly turning towards the other, I leaped onto him and wrapped the belt around his neck. As blood streamed down my back, I pulled the belt as tight as I could until I felt his neck snap. Releasing my grip, his lifeless body flopped to the floor.

I staggered back to a stand, but burst forward at the sight of the second MP grabbing his rifle. Just as he aimed it at me, I shoved the barrel towards the ceiling, where the bullet shot to the sky. We wrestled for control, but I could only fight for so long.

A sudden idea came to mind for my last chance to act. Knowing it was my only option, I pushed my weight into the rifle, causing the barrel to aim straight at Levi.  Reaching for the trigger, I screamed, "LEVI! GET DOWN!"

I slammed my finger against the trigger and fired twice before the MP threw me to the ground.  I tried to look up quickly to see if my gamble had paid off, but was pushed back down by the tip of the rifle which burned the back of my skull.