Wine

Hange, Lara, Armin, Mikasa, Onyankopon, Connie, Jean, and Sasha arrived at the restaurant where Niccolo worked. It was certainly a high-standard place. They heard a certain buzz in the distance, meaning that the restaurant seemed full.

One of the waiters, a Marleyan named Chris, asked them to wait while he called Chef Niccolo. After a few minutes, he came out through one of the doors, looking tired from work. However, Niccolo opened a big smile when he spotted Sasha, who promptly went to meet him, giving him a tight hug.

"Hi, Niccolo babe!" she exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek, making him blush. "We came to pay you a visit!"

"W-What happened?" he asked, embarrassed. "Please, don't get me wrong, but we have a lot of customers today."

"Oh, don't worry!" said Hange. "You can get back to work. We'd just like to talk with you when you're done, please."

"Talk?" asked Niccolo suspiciously. He turned to Sasha, "About what?"

She set her jaw and sought Hange and Lara's eyes.

"It's just a few things that are… kinda weird," said Lara, forcing a smile.

"It's about the arrest of the volunteer soldiers," Onyankopon took a step forward, making the rest of the Squad feel tense. "We're hoping you can help."

Niccolo gazed at him with an enigmatic expression.

"Yeah, all right," he finally said. "Please, follow me."

He led them into a large room.

"You can wait here," said Niccolo. He went to the waiter Chris and instructed him to have the subchef continue his work in the kitchen.

"Oh..." Hange gazed at the place, stroking her belly, "What a fancy room."

Everyone got inside and began to inspect the place with curiosity, while Sasha and Niccolo chatted at the door, with silly, passionate smiles on their faces. It was a very luxurious room, with beautiful tapestries and drapes, and well-upholstered chairs. In one corner, there was a cupboard and a cart filled with wines and other drinks.

Armin and Lara walked around the room together, looking closely at everything. Then, he leaned into her ear.

"When all of this is over, I promise I'll bring you here," he whispered, smiling.

Lara felt a tingle in her ear and had to hold herself back together from laughing.

"Armin!" she whispered back, "Is this by any chance the right time to make a date?! And we're not coming here, it must cost an arm and a leg!"

They looked at each other, chuckling, and held her hands, stroking them lightly. Hange approached them.

"I wish Levi would bring me here for dinner!" she said, with a sad pout, "That fella is a cheapskate!"

"So enjoy yourself, Mom," replied Lara, patting her fiancé, "Because Armin just told me he's gonna bring me, you, and Dad here."

Armin's eyes widened.

"Careful, my dear son-in-law," said Hange, with a mischievous smile, "I'm eating for me and Tiny-Human-Bean! Your loss will be double!" They all laughed.

"This place's reserved for the Military Police, isn't it?" asked Connie, walking around.

"Wow! Look at that!" exclaimed Jean, taking a bottle of wine from the drinks cart, which seemed very expensive. "It's the wine all the soldiers were gossiping about! I've heard only higher ranks can get it!"

"Really?!" asked Connie, very excited, heading to Jean, "We're high rank in the Survey Corps, aren't we?!"

"Yup! We deserve a bit of fun, too, right?" replied Jean, happily holding the bottle. "Just a sip or two, huh?"

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Niccolo came running, snatching the bottle from Jean's hands. Everyone looked at him in bewilderment.

"Hey!" exclaimed Jean. "What's that, Niccolo?! We're just screwing around. Chill out, man! Why are you overreacting?!"

From the doorway, Sasha was staring at him in astonishment, looking slightly upset. Niccolo kept pressing the bottle of wine against his chest as if he wanted to protect it.

"This wine is not to be wasted on Eldians!" exclaimed Niccolo.

Everyone's eyes widened and their mouths dropped open.

"Come on..." Connie muttered sadly.

"Niccolo!" exclaimed Jean, irritated, "You're still saying stuff like that?!" He pointed to the door, "You have no respect for Sasha?! Didn't you learn anything from her?!" Jean grabbed the collar of Niccolo's chef uniform, "What does someone's nationality have to do with the wine?!"

"Don't touch me, you disgusting Eldian!" exclaimed Niccolo, looking upset. "Just because I've been nice doesn't make us friends!"

Jean's eyes widened. Armin, Lara, and Hange looked at each other, astonished, not understanding a thing. Connie, Mikasa, and Onyankopon seemed tense. They all looked at the door and saw that Sasha had tears in her eyes.

"Have you forgotten what you are?!" asked Jean, enraged. "YOU'RE JUST A--"

"A filthy captive, huh?!" Niccolo cut him short, with a maniacal look, releasing himself from Jean. "That makes us even, Eldian!"

Niccolo walked towards the door, stomping his feet, but was intercepted by Sasha, who closed the door behind her and still had tears in her eyes, but now, she looked furious. Sasha lifted her index finger and pointed it in his face.

"You're not leaving until you tell us what's up with this wine, Niccolo," she said, in a slow and menacing tone.

His eyes widened and he cringed in Sasha's presence. Everyone had their backs straightened by the tension of that place. Lara, who was between Hange and Armin, took both their hands, and they squeezed her back, tight.

No one could say how long Sasha and Niccolo stared at each other. Then, to everyone's surprise, he fell to the floor, kneeling, and began to cry, while pressing the wine bottle to his chest.

"S-Sasha..." sobbed Niccolo, "F-Forgive me!"

Everyone looked at each other, completely confused by that sudden behavior. Sasha promptly took him by the shoulders and led him to one of the chairs, taking the wine from his hands and placing it on the table.

"Hey..." said Sasha, while holding Niccolo's face tenderly, "Look at me..." He looked up, "Please, tell us what you know... We're here to help..."

Niccolo was clenching his teeth together, seeming to be struggling hard. Then, little by little, his body relaxed. Hange approached and gently placed her hand on his back.

"What's in that wine?!" she asked softly, "Please, you can trust us..."

Niccolo sighed and ran a hand over his face.

"I-I believe there's Zeke's spinal fluid in it."

Everyone held their breath. Armin and Lara squeezed their hands a bit more. Mikasa covered her mouth. Onyankopon held his head, mouth agape. Connie and Jean's eyes widened.

"W-What are you saying?!" asked Hange, almost in a whisper, as she held her belly.

In a jump, Jean went to Niccolo and grabbed him again by the collar of his chef uniform.

"What are you talking about?! What do you mean, there's Zeke's spinal fluid in the wine?!"

Sasha placed herself between them two.

"Stop it!" she exclaimed, with tears in her eyes. "Jean, let Niccolo explain himself!"

Reluctantly, Jean took a step back. Everyone then practically formed a circle around Niccolo.

"I-I have no proof" he began, his voice choked-up, "but, our ships came here packed full of this wine since the first scout fleet. Well more than any scouting mission needed. And then, once my position as a chef was established here on the island, I was told to serve this wine to high-ranking officers of the Armed Forces of Paradis. I don't know what they mean by doing this."

"But who ordered that?!" asked Jean.

Niccolo lowered his head and sighed, then, he raised his eyes and faced Jean.

"Yelena."

Complete silence. Only their nervous breathing could be heard.

"But," continued Niccolo, "as far as I know, she's working alone. I cannot speak for the other volunteers."

Automatically, everyone looked at Onyankopon, who got an expression of astonishment.

"No!" he cried, staring at Hange, "I didn't know anything about it! You've got to believe in me!"

Hange felt her jaw tremble. Then, she was startled when she felt someone put a hand on her shoulder. It was Lara.

"He's telling the truth, Mom. Onyankopon is innocent. We both know that." She looked at them, one by one, "You all know that!"

Gradually, they nodded in agreement and Onyankopon looked at Lara with teary eyes, while he mouthed a "thank you". She replied with a kind smile.

"But that doesn't make sense," said Connie. "When a person comes in contact with Zeke's spinal fluid, their body hardens, doesn't it?!"

"That was the story Zeke told us," replied Hange, seriously. "But since no one has ever seen this happening, we cannot confirm it!" She got a frightful tone of voice, "However, the effect of this lie can be devastating..."

"Yes..." replied Lara, almost in a whisper and they all looked at her, "Since they didn't see anyone hardening, people didn't realize they were drinking a wine with Zeke's spinal fluid in it." She then felt her stomach churn, "I can't help but imagine how disgusting this is."

Everyone had to agree with that, wrinkling their noses.

"But, Niccolo, babe..." Sasha held his face, "You don't know if the wine is contaminated, right?"

"Yeah..." he replied, letting his face be held by Sasha's hands, "I can't prove it, but... Every Marleyan soldier knows well how Zeke's spinal fluid has been used up in the past."

"What exactly is the side effect of drinking this fluid?" asked Armin.

"Well..." replied Niccolo, "Whoever comes into contact with the fluid is susceptible to Zeke, who, through a scream, can turn all these people who drank it into Abnormal Titans."

Everyone's eyes widened, holding their breaths.

"About ten years ago," continued Niccolo, crestfallen, "we conquered a nation's capital in just one night. Hundreds of Titans sprung up in the city out of nowhere. They were all people who had taken the fluid in some way. Unless that's what they're plotting, I don't know why they want this suspicious wine served to your Military's top officers. If that's not the real case, then I don't know..."

Everyone looked at each other, each trying to process that information.

"W-Wait. So earlier..." said Jean, "You grabbed the wine away 'cause you were... Trying to protect us?"

"Yes..." replied Niccolo, raising his eyes to him. "I don't even know what I'm doing anymore... This whole situation makes my brain fog... Now that I've told you everything, I don't know for how long I'll be safe..."

Upon hearing Niccolo's words, no one could help but feel a mixture of compassion and gratitude for him. Then, Sasha hugged him.

"Oh, my little lobster!" she exclaimed, rocking him back and forth, "Don't worry, everything will be fine! We'll protect you, somehow!"

Gradually, everyone nodded their heads.

"Thank you so much for telling us," Armin squeezed his shoulder, with a comforting smile. "We appreciate it."

"Niccolo," Lara approached him, gently, "please, tell us just one more thing. Who else besides the high-ranking officers drank this wine? Do you know?"

He was thoughtful for a moment and then replied:

"I heard some volunteers say that they sent a large supply to the place where Captain Levi is with Zeke and the thirty other soldiers."

No one had time to be surprised by that sudden information, because at that same moment, Hange slowly fell to the floor, passed out.

"Mom!!!" exclaimed Lara, desperate, while trying to hold her, with the help of Armin, Mikasa, and Onyankopon.

Niccolo handed them a dish towel, which was hanging on his uniform and Sasha started fanning it in front of Hange, while Lara patted her on the face.

"Mom! Please!" she had tears in her eyes, "Wake up!"

Little by little, Hange's eyes opened and she looked very groggy.

"Water!" exclaimed Armin, "Someone please bring some water!"

Immediately, Niccolo went to the drinks cart and filled a glass with water, handing it to Armin, who made Hange drink it all. He and Lara lifted her and sat her in a chair. Sasha was still fanning her with the dish towel.

"Commander," called Mikasa, kneeling in front of her, "are you okay?"

Hange wiped her mouth with her hand, nodding. She lifted her eyes and stared at Niccolo.

"A-Are you saying that right now, my husband might have Zeke's spinal fluid running through his veins? That he can be turned into an Abnormal Titan at any time Zeke wants to?"

Niccolo just stared at her with wide eyes. Hange let out a cry in her throat and covered her face. Everyone around them was gaping, white as a sheet of paper.

Lara's body tingled and she couldn't feel her hands anymore. Her vision blurred and it felt like she was in a dream. Lara wanted to vomit. Armin noticed his fiancée's state.

"B-But..." stuttered Armin, squeezing both Hange and Lara's hands, "Levi doesn't look like someone who likes to drink wine, d-doesn't he, guys?" he sought his friends' eyes, who without even thinking, began to nod their heads.

"Y-Yeah!" replied Onyankopon, blinking quickly, placing his hand on Lara and Hange's shoulders. "If there's a person in this world who likes to drink just tea, that's Captain Levi! I'm sure he didn't even touch that wine!"

Hange was crying softly, still covering her face, rocking herself back and forth.

"Baby," Armin walked around the chair and held Lara's face, speaking softly, "Don't think about it now. Look at me." She looked up with wide eyes, "Remember that when we packed your father's suitcase, you prepared some little pots with his favorite tea flavors? Do you really think Levi would prefer this mere wine over that gift you prepared for him?" Armin wiped a tear that was running down Lara's face and pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head, "He's fine, I'm sure of it."

Lara lay on Armin's chest, staring at a fixed point, and nodded slowly. Everyone was very apprehensive and looked whether to Hange or Lara, with great heaviness in their hearts.

Then, a noise was heard. In fact, a certain buzz coming from the restaurant lobby.

"What is it?!" asked Connie.

Quickly, Niccolo went to the door and opened it. Confused, he watched all of his customers run away, seeming to be afraid of something.

"H-Hey!" he exclaimed, stretching out his arm, "Wait! What's happenin--"

Then, Niccolo felt his heart skip a beat as Floch popped in front of him, with a gun pointed to his head.

"Get inside," he said, in a threatening tone, "Now!"