Chapter 33: Game Over... Unless
Eren's pov:
A thud followed by a grunt wakes me from my restful sleep. I jerk up when the brief silence gets filled with loud curses. Levi is lying naked, on the wood floors, with a scowl and an aura of imminent death around him. Maybe I should just go back to sleep...
"Don't.Even.Think.About.It," he mumbles through gritted teeth.
I'm only half paying attention, my gaze transfixed on the liquid slowly sliding down his thighs. Now I understand his reluctance to clean me up the time before.
"Stop staring and help me up, brat!" he yells.
He already isn't a morning person, so this was just going to make him even grumpier. Even though he acts like a grumpy old man, he's my grumpy old man so I guess I'll deal with it. I throw the covers off my bare body and scoop him up bridal-style.
He must be in a lot of pain because he'd normally demand that I put him down. I carry him into the upstairs bathroom and turn on the freezing water. It doesn't matter how... I'm just glad that these houses having running water.
His thin, but muscular arms cling to me while I try to bathe him to the best of my ability.
"Love, I can't wash you like this. Can you brace your hands on the wall?"
He nods slightly and I place him down, waiting until he braces both hands on the wall. Icy water falls over his back and my chest while I clean him off. I take special care to clean him out, trying not to hurt his already sore ass.
The only shampoo I could find was a tear-free kid shampoo that smelled like apples. So I start massaging it into his hair, brushing my nails over his scalp with each run of my fingers through the ebony strands. He leans back into me while I wash out the bubbly, fruit-scented soap.
"You smell good enough to eat," I whisper in his ear, earning a shiver from him.
The mark on his shoulder is shallow and barely noticeable, but I still feel guilt eat at me. I've hurt him so much and he still doesn't see me as a monster. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I lay gentle kisses over the wound I caused.
He places a hand on my head and runs it through my wet hair while I continue to kiss the bruised flesh. He turns around in my grip and wraps his arms around me.
"It's okay, Eren. It doesn't even hurt, though you could've been gentler last night."
I raise an eyebrow and lift his chin, putting us nose to nose and whisper, "You weren't telling me to be gentle last night. In fact, you begged me to fuck you if I remember correctly."
His eyes turn into a glare and his cheeks flush a bright cherry red color. A pale hand grips my neck in a vise grip, holding me in place but not cutting off my airflow.
"If you don't shut up, you'll be the one begging me to fuck you." His low, seductive voice sends shivers through my body that have nothing to do with the cold water.
A surge of confidence goes through me, making me smirk and squeeze his sensitive hips tightly. A surprised moan leaves his parted lips and he blushes again, turning to face away from me so I can't see his face.
"Is that so—" I'm interrupted by a series of loud knocks on the bathroom door.
"Hurry up and stop fucking in the shower!"
We both groan and hurry out of the shower, toweling off and changing quickly. I'm suddenly very glad that I grabbed our clothes before we got in the shower. Levi hides behind me when we go downstairs and greet a smirking ginger.
"There is something called knocking, Petra." My voice is monotonous though my face gives away my amusement.
It honestly didn't surprise me at all when she showed up. Her lack of a love life gives her plenty of time to dig through others'.. Cough cough.. Us..
Petra's only answer is a cheeky grin before she motions for us to sit at the kitchen table. It seems that while we were showering, she had made breakfast. A few cooked eggs and buttered bread laid on each of the three plates.
Levi walks around me and tries to make it to his seat without drawing attention to his limp. Little does he know that Petra has an eye for stuff like that. I hear the small hiss he tries to hide when he plops into the hardwood chair. Petra's answering grin was enough to let me know she'd heard it too.
We eat quietly until Petra says something that makes Levi choke on a mouthful of eggs.
"So... The Captain finally got showed who was boss, huh? How does it feel to be fucked by my little brother, Levi?"
Not only did she say that with a straight face, but she said each word clearly—not once stuttering. This was the same girl that had avoided me when she found out that I caught her and Levi having sex. She has changed quite a lot since then, I guess.
After Levi quits choking and can breathe properly again, he glares at her and answers in a low mumble, "He didn't fuck anyone. I fell out of bed this morning, you crazy Fujoshi!"
Petra looks like she's going to make a snarky comment, but Levi gets saved by Erwin. The blonde Commander waltzes right in and takes a seat at the table, halting the embarrassing conversation they were about to have.
"We're only about two hours from the Sina gate, so we'll be heading out in an hour. Load up your guns and some extra clips. We need to be ready for anything." He nods his head at Petra and they both leave the house together.
Levi is staring at his plate with an unreadable look in his eyes. Grabbing his hand, I start drawing little shapes into his soft skin and wait for him to sort his thoughts. He looks like he's thinking deeply about something, but I don't know what it is.
"Levi?" "Hmm?" he hums and stands up, walking back upstairs.
I follow after him, leaving a bit of distance between us so he can have some space. Do you think that he might be worried about what would happen once we reached the gates? He was throwing the medical items from last night into his duffel and laying guns out on the bed.
My knives, sniper, and 10 mm get handed to me—loaded and ready for action. I grab a few handfuls of extra bullets for my sniper and another clip for the thick-headed pistol. My knives shine in the morning light and I can almost see the sapphire melded with the silver metal.
Levi has his two swords on either hip and a pale, olive green cape around his shoulders, almost hiding the glinting metal. I wanted to know the story behind the dual swords he used so well, but that could wait for now. Right now, we needed to worry about the possible trap waiting for us at the gates.
"Do you think it is a trap?" he asks after a minute of silence.
So that was what he was worried about... Honestly, I didn't know what to think, but it couldn't be as easy as that. This whole game we haven't caught a single break, so it's hard to believe that we'll get one now. We're in the end game now and that's usually where the player faces the final boss.
"I think we should be prepared for anything." Was my only reply.
I wasn't going to lie and say that the odds were great, but I also wasn't certain. Maybe we would get a lucky break... Hopefully. Where's a four-leaf clover when you need one? He nods in understanding and we stay silent until we reach the others who are gathered outside.
When Erwin sees us, he nods and tells something to the others, who also nodded at whatever he'd said. And then I'm leaving Shiganshina for the third time in my life—no regrets or doubts cloud my mind. Mom is dead and this town is ruled by the zombies now.
Mikasa, Armin, and I share a look, all of us sharing the same feelings on the matter. Mikasa was the only family I had left and Armin was my childhood friend. We still don't know what happened to Bertholdt and Reiner, but it didn't matter anymore.
An orange ball of energy pops into my head and I internally smile. I really do hope that those volleyball boys make it out of this as well. We'll be long gone, but it would still be nice to know that they survived. Hinata, the bouncy child of the group; Daichi and Sugawara, the dad and mom of the group; and all the others.
They reminded me of our group—strong and determined to protect their family. And I was determined to do the same... No matter what! We would leave this hell together and those scientists would regret ever making us pawns in their twisted game.
"Are you alright, Ren?" Petra asks from my left.
Her ginger hair is put up in a ponytail with wisps of hair falling over her shaded face. Without even seeing her face, I knew that she was scared, as were the others. No one believed that this was anything except a trap and we were safer for it.
It's better to not be hopeful and be prepared than being hopeful and end up killed. We had everything to gain, but we also had a lot to lose too. If this went bad, it could be a bloodbath with many losses on both sides. No, I wouldn't let that happen.
"Everything is going to turn out right, Petra."
"You really think so?" she asks skeptically.
I've survived the impossible and I'll be damned if I let myself get killed by some white coats that would probably die virgins. This was what I was trained for my whole life—to kill and survive, no matter the cost. But, I wasn't fighting for just my survival anymore.
"Keep your eyes peeled everyone. We're getting closer to the gate." Erwin orders lowly.
His eyes are focused and are constantly flickering across our surroundings—the forest of trees surrounding us and giving us cover. Wall Sina was not even two hundred feet away. Our freedom was so close and yet so far.
They were dangling this freedom in front of us, waiting for us to act so they could sweep in and take it from us. I couldn't see anyone, but I knew better than to trust my own senses. Senses can be deceiving, as I've learned from years of mistakes.
"It's clear. Move out."
I grab Erwin's shoulder and shake my head. "Not yet. It's a trap, but I haven't figured out what exactly is going to happen."
The clearing ahead didn't look to be disturbed, so there weren't mines. I couldn't smell any rot whatsoever, so no zombies, but something wasn't right. Pulling my sniper over my shoulder, I zoom the scope in on the area surrounding the gate.
How would they even know to open it for us if someone wasn't here to report? Drones? No, something wasn't right with this. The area was too clear, everything too still and quiet.
"What is it, Eren?" Levi whispers in my ear.
Him and the rest of the Levisquad know about my past, so they know that I'm more suited for dealing with this situation. The others are eyeing the clearing suspiciously, but there is nothing—not even a sign of danger. That alone was dangerous.
These people have killed billions, made kids participate in the equivalent to the hunger games, and so many other twisted things. They wouldn't just let us leave after everything. If I worked on a sketch for hours, I wouldn't just throw it away afterward. That's a waste.
"Why would they just let us leave after all the work they've put into this? Why let the only survivors go?" The others listen to me talk aloud but don't answer.
Erwin seems to contemplate my unanswered questions and then he shares a look with Levi. My handsome lover looks over my face with a tender look and gives me a small smile. What did they say in that silent conversation they just had? By the way, that was rhetorical so you don't need to wrack your brain for an answer.
"Erwin and I are going to approach the gate and you'll follow us with your scope. If you see anything shoot a shot and if we see anything..." Erwin waves a flare gun. "I'll shoot a flare of red smoke and we'll try to get the hell outta there."
His plan sounded logical, but I really didn't want Levi in danger and Armin seemed ready to agree with me. Erwin met my worried gaze and nodded—he would protect Levi for me. And I would do anything I could to protect them both and give cover fire.
Levi pulls me away from the others for a little more privacy. Before I can even react, his lips are devouring mine and his hands are rubbing up and down my sides. A few tears fall from my closed eyes at the comforting gesture.
He knows I'm worried and he knows Erwin and him might not make it. This wasn't a 'see you later', this was a goodbye. I didn't want it to end, but it inevitably did, leaving me empty and numb. His eyes were taking in my tear-stained face, the love bites he left on my neck, my lean body, everything.
"I love you."
"I love you too," I whisper before pulling him into another, more gentle kiss.
He smiles into the kiss and pulls away with bright silver-blue eyes. Gone is the emotionless Captain that was too scared to open up. Now here he was, not hiding any of the emotions that flash across his face in fast succession. We had come too far for it to end like this.
"It'll be fine. Just watch our six." He grabs my hand in his warm one and pulls me back to the others.
It looks like Erwin and Armin were saying their goodbyes as well. Armin's face is set in stone, but I can see the tears pooling in his bright blue eyes. Our boyfriends were self-sacrificing douchebags and now we were forced to trust their gamble.
I knew Erwin had a plan, but it scared me that he was gambling with Levi by his side. In a game of chance, there are variables that play into the success of the person. What were the variables? Did we have anything good on our side?
They walk off before we can talk them out of this obviously bad idea. Hange's normally happy attitude was dull and down, fear creeping into her eyes. She had always said that Erwin's gambling luck would run out. We can only hope that day isn't today.
My scope stays trained on their backs, even as they stop in front of the gate and start talking. They aren't ambushed or harmed, but the gate doesn't open either. A loud whirring echoes around the clearing, sounding like gears and metal rubbing harshly together.
A red flare catches my attention just as the gates open, revealing a horde of dead-heads. It wasn't as big as the swarm in Shiganshina, but it had to be at least two hundred. The others see the flare, but they can't see what is going on, at least not fully.
"Okay guys, there's a horde of at least two hundred headed through the open gate. Take out the ones farthest from Levi and Erwin and I'll start picking off the closer ones. Move closer while you shoot." I order, emphasizing my words with a shot that takes out a zombie sneaking up on Erwin.
The others start shooting the zombies on the outer edge of the horde, while I shoot the ones that are slowly surrounding the two men. Levi's swords were out and he was seamlessly slashing the swarming undead while Erwin cut them down with similar swords.
I'd never really seen Erwin fight, aside from shooting a gun, so it was a surprise to see the two swords that were almost identical to Levi's. Each shot from my sniper hit its target, killing any zombie that got close enough to attack.
Erwin and Levi were the most skilled in our group, but they couldn't take on a horde of this capacity by themselves. The others were slightly ahead of me and were just reaching the outer circle of the horde. Hungry stares turned to their new targets as they started shambling toward the others.
With the horde split, it was easier to take them out and I didn't have to worry as much about Erwin and Levi being surrounded and overpowered. Each downed zombie was replaced with two more, but we didn't stop fighting. We wouldn't be bested so easily.
I only looked over long enough to make sure the gate was open and, sure enough, it was. This spurred me on, pushing me to slash and shoot the dead that were slowly becoming less and less. With one more swipe of his sword, the last zombie was slain by Levi.
The once-empty clearing was now covered in the bodies of the dead undead. What a mouthful, haha! I felt giddy and happy that we were one step closer to freedom.
"Let's go before the gate shuts!" I shout.
With Erwin at the head, we ran towards the gate that was still wide open. We made it past and were now in—you guessed it—a fucking forest with giant ass trees.
"What is up with us always ending up in a forest," I mumble, making the others laugh.
We were free we were free we were free!! The gate makes another loud, gear-grinding noise and then shuts. We may be free from the scientists, but there was still surviving the undead hordes to contend with. Survival would always be a struggle, but we would do it... Together.
And to think, this all started with me peaking into the dusty window of a factory. If I had kept walking, I would've never met these amazing people—never would have had a family that cared for me as I care for them.
In trusting them, I had gained not just a family, but a lover that loved and supported me. We'd been through a lot together—ups and downs, betrayal and broken trust—but we made it. In the end, we came out stronger and closer because of the hardships.
This wasn't over and maybe we would end up dying and all this would have been for nothing, but we were free. It was our choice on what to do next—where to go from here. So, with that thought in all our minds, we took that first step into our new life.
I don't think this is the last time we'll see those scientists, but it was different now. This time, they would be forced to play a game on our terms and we would be victorious. I hope they're ready for the shit storm headed their way, because no wall will save them from karma's wrathful grasp.
??? pov:
"Sir, are we just going to let them go?" A man asks monotonously, hands resting patiently on the keys for his orders.
A laugh is the only response I give him. This truly was the most entertained I'd been in a long time. I was surprised that they dispatched that horde so quickly, but that should've been expected of that group.
They were warriors, fighting tooth and nail for what they wanted and believed in. We dangled their freedom in their face and they came out victorious. They had flown out of reach with their wings of freedom.
They shared a special bond that both intrigued and aggravated me, but that's why we put them together in the first place. I watched them celebrating and exploring their newfound freedom through the screen. I'd let them have this victory... For now.
"Sir?"
I turn back to the man with a grin and shake my head saying, "No, everything is going according to the plan."
"Good luck, gamers." I mutter, watching them exit the forest and enter the world beyond.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
rythebiguy
rythebiguy This is the final chapter of Zombie Fodder. I wanted to thank you all for reading my book and supporting its continuation.
You all motivated me to finish this, so I hope the ending was everything you wanted it to be. This was the end of the game, Game Over and Reset... Unless.
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