After serving the Military for over a decade, Levi lives to see the end of the war.
He is alongside the soldiers who win the final battle. He stands amongst his comrades, and so many more as they are given shiny medals. Levi is amongst his comrades again during the ceremony for those who have fallen. He also remains with his comrades during the victory banquet. What follows is his coerced retirement.
One week after receiving the news, Levi stands on the court of HQ with crossed arms. He is surrounded by excited laughter, goodbye hugs, and cheers. The first Survey Corps Exploration Team is heading into a free future beyond the walls, and Levi cannot go with them.
"So," Eren starts with eyes flitting around the yard, the reins of his mare in his hand. "This is it."
"Yes," Levi agrees.
"I, um,"
A soldier pushes through between them with her horse, causing them to get out of her way. Another one follows, and then there is Jean, jogging over to them.
"Captain," he says.
Eren stills. Frowns down at his feet.
"I'm not your Captain anymore, Jean," Levi says.
A scowl forms on Jeans brow and for a moment he looks just like the young man Levi got to know years ago. "Yeah, fuck what they say. They don't know shit." He holds out his hand. "Goodbye. For now."
Uncrossing his arms, Levi takes the offered hand and nods. "Take good care of yourselves out there." Holding on for a moment longer, he looks into light brown eyes. "Thank you."
Jean nods too, and with a final shake of Levi's hand he leaves Levi and Eren alone.
Searching Levi's gaze again, Eren clears his throat. "I," he begins once more.
"Eren." Mikasa's voice comes from nearby. "It's time."
Heaving a sigh, Eren turns around as a gust of cold wind ruffles his hair. "One second!" Turning back, Eren gives a brief, sad looking smile and when he talks again his voice is warm. "Thank you for the tea."
"Thought you could use it," Levi says.
"Yeah. Yeah, I can. Yours is much better than mine anyway. You didn't have to, though."
"I know."
"Well, thanks. Again." Falling silent, Eren gives the gravel under his feet a weak crunch. His mare nuzzles his neck. "I, um, I'll bring you something from the ocean when we find it." He frowns. "If."
"Good," Levi says.
"Eren!" Armin calls. "You coming?"
"I have to go."
"Yes," Levi says again, taking one final look as he tries to etch every little bit of Eren's existence into his mind for one last time. He has become so tall over the years, his shoulders broad, his jaw even stronger. His hands are so big, his hair has become even more untamed somehow. Eren's eyes have never lost their intensity. Quite the contrary. A flicker of an emotion flashes over them, full of unsaid words, but as quickly as it happened, it is cut off again. Eren frowns.
"Guess this is goodbye for a while, Levi."
Keeping his arms crossed and to himself, Levi nods, and reaches for his calmest voice. "Goodbye, Eren."
He watches Eren leave until he is out of sight and the sound of hooves and waggons is only an inkling in the distance. Levi looks at Hanji, and Hanji looks back, her eyes turning apprehensive and worried. Turning around, Levi wraps his coat tightly around his shoulders and walks out into the cold, early March morning.
"Where are you going?" Hanji calls after him. "They'll come back. You know that, right?"
Levi doesn't answer.
Levi's feet carry him through the cobbled streets on their own. As he glances up a rather bedraggled building, he feels startled.
Maybe it's the chirping from a bird cutting through the crisp spring wind that caught his attention. Perhaps it's the heap of old foliage rustling on the building's doorstep. Maybe it's coincidence. Or maybe it's simply the start to his day. Whatever it is, it makes Levi stop in his aimless stroll and look closer.
The house is a narrow, unimposing thing, almost hiding itself in the shadows of the two adjacent residences. They loom over it like a pair of protective giants. It has a shop front on the downstairs floor, and fold-out windows on the upper level which imply a conjoined workplace and home. It must be one of these properties that have been abandoned during the war, or its aftermath. Lots of buildings in this area have survived the last Titan attack on civilians to be abandoned. Most of them either lost their occupants on that gruesome day entirely, or their owners were reluctant to go back to the memories the places hold.
The latter seems applicable with this particular house, and the note that waves idly in the wind from a nail on the door seems to confirm it. 'For Sale,' it reads in fading ink letters, followed by brief instructions to contact the next door neighbours on the right for any further information.
Inexplicably intrigued, Levi steps closer to peer through the clouded window front. He can't make out much: an almost empty room, a couple of broken shelves resting halfway to the landing, some unrecognizable baubles scattered on the still intact shelves, and scattered across the dusty floor alike. A battered wooden table stands in the middle of the room. Soot marks on the back wall. Something that looks like a melting oven or fireplace, not quite fit for a smithy, not to mention that a smithy wouldn't be inside a house. Several knives and long tubular tools. Shards. Lots of shards. An abandoned glass blowing shop.
Stepping back, Levi inspects the facade of tiny bricks. Despite its neglected state, the house is situated well. It's close enough to the center of the city, yet far enough in its periphery to be not in the middle of the daily racket. It also has a certain spirit to it that seems to draw Levi's eyes in ways few things ever could.
The roof is covered with bright orange tiles that are getting overgrown with a generous amount of moss. Tile fractures beneath the weed press the top down under their weight to give it a wide, characteristic dent. The outwall of the upper floor is crumbly and wine ranked. Veins of cracking spread like branches along one side, and the small, lopsided windows are dull with dust and grime. A brickearth nest, directly under the truss joint, hints at a family of birds having made it their base. On the upper facing window sill, stands a shabby pot of what once must have been kitchen herbs. The area around the window front for the former workshop is thick black paint to accentuate the entrance to potential customers. The upper part of the blackened entrance door is paned as well. A good place if repaired. A shame that it stands empty.
It's silly to feel pity for a house; Levi knows this much. It would be absurd wanting to take care of it. Yet Levi wants to make its windows bright and shiny again, the chimney smoking, the interior warm and alive. Considering his leg the sudden urge borders to foolish. He stares down at his disobliging foot. It's been so many years since that day in the woods, and it stayed fine until the end of the war. Then came peace, and with it the cramps, to eat at his nerves and haul him straight into the "what now" situation Levi finds himself in. He's been tied to the gear for so long that he feels naked without it. His hands constantly move on their own to fasten too loose straps that aren't there anymore. Civilian clothes seem to fit wrong without the harness constrictions as well. Levi even misses the irritating bandages on his feet.
A fierce gust of wind whips on his coat and hair, carrying the remainder of winter and frost. Old, rotting foliage whirls up, begging to be cleaned away. Suppressing a scowl, Levi blinks at the colourful bird emerging from its nest with another chirp. A blue coat, yellow belly, and black striped eyes. It chatters merrily from the roof, evoking a smooth voice in Levi's head, telling him that this is a nuthatch. He tries to shut the voice out again. Still, it is there now, and, being as persistent as its owner, apparently, the voice won't stop talking.
"What do you do now?" it asks. "Retirement might be the chance to do whatever you always wanted to do."
"I never had the opportunity to think of what I want," Levi said that day. It's been only one week since that banquet at Historia's palace. Being overwhelmed by hours within a crammed, pompous hall filled with too many people, Levi had stepped out onto a remote balcony to get some fresh air. The biting February evening breeze pleasantly cooled his cheeks, and he welcomed its simplicity after all the orotund conversations and fancy filigrane food he had no chance, or will of worshipping, as others deemed appropriate.
Similarly exhausted by the crowds and the delicate luxuries of the day, Eren found him out there. He approached Levi with a too shy smile, carrying a steaming cup of tea. Handing it over, Eren leaned against the balustrade, just far enough out of Levi's reach to ensure they wouldn't accidentally touch.
He looked up at the starry sky, his features forming a mixture of sympathy, scowl, and simple curiosity. Regardless of his vigilant two steps away distance, however, Eren's voice remained kind. "There must be something you'd like to do," he said, fingers fumbling. "Something you used to dream of."
"I'm too old for dreams, Eren."
"Who the hell says that." His eyes were like a pair of furnaces when they met Levi's gaze.
Avoiding having to answer, Levi drank his tea. It was welcoming, even soothing. An Oolong, freshly collected. Brewed to perfection. For a brief moment he wondered who Eren must have had bribed, or charmed to get it.
"You could do anything," Eren pressed on, left hand clenching around the balustrade. "You should. You deserve it."
Refusing to get unbalanced by the memory, Levi scowls and refocuses on the building. The note on the door frame flaps in another gust of wind, like a scout's cloak under the open sky.
"There must be something you'd like to do. Something you used to dream of." Levi gives the building one more thorough look, and makes a decision.
"You bought a house."
It isn't really a question. Still, according to Hanji's dazzled expression the next morning, it's like this is the biggest question Levi has ever heard. The spring sun is shining jauntily through the office windows next to her desk, its light giving the stacks of paperwork and files an almost lively touch.
"Yes. I just signed."
Hanji seems shocked. Her mouth has dropped open and her eyes behind her thick, greasy glasses stare at him as if seeing a ghost. "You," she repeats, "bought a house."
"Yes."
"For yourself."
"Yes."
"To live in."
Levi glares at her over the comment.
"Why on earth would you have done that?" Hanji demands. She almost looks hurt.
"A gut feeling," Levi admits.
Her bewilderment is palpable. "You don't make big life decisions like this out of a gut feeling, Levi. You're not spontaneous, like some of us. In a battle, perhaps. But, no offense here, you're too boring and fixated on keeping routines to make this sort of choice on an emotional a whim."
She is right. Of course she is. This must be the first, no, the second, impulsively emotional decision he's ever made during his whole life. Hopefully he won't regret this one too.
Levi clenches his jaw, and locks the wayward thought away.
Hanji sighs. "You know, when I was asking what you were about to do with your life, it wasn't something like this."
"What was it then," he asks.
"Well, I don't know," Hanji says. "But I certainly did not see this coming."
"Neither did I," he agrees.
"Are you having some sort of crisis?" She asks. "Is this becau–"
"What do you think, Four-eyes?" Levi snaps. "I'm old. I've got a stupid foot that won't obey me as it should for whatever reason, and even the military doesn't want me anymore."
"We already agreed on the fact that they're bonkers. But Levi. Are you sure about spending your retirement pay like this?"
"Yes," he confirms.
"Congratulations then."
"I'll be gone by the end of the week."
"No rush." She shakes her head. "I can't believe you truly did this!"
Folding his arms, Levi turns his head towards the window and the blue sky outside.
"I made sure the higher ups didn't kick you out of your quarters when they insisted on your retiring. You do know they are still yours if you ever need them?" Hanji asks.
"I don't want to impose any longer," he says.
"You're not. And it's not like we don't have any free rooms right now."
Levi huffs. "I am not a fucking war trophy."
Hanji folds her arms too. "You are not. Not to me at least."
"I know. Are you going to keep on complaining, or are you accepting one of the keys? I don't know what the fuck to do with three of them. There's two too many."
"Of course, I am!" She grins. "So. Tell me about this house you've bought. And, most importantly: How can I help to make it homey?"