I want to apologize to all who had to read the big wall of text. I hadn't had time to correct it. But here is the updated version sorry again.
The night was a chilly one for Squad Levi, they were currently on an assignment to help Hanji capture another set of Titans since "her poor babies" killed. They had set up camp and were currently eating chatting away quietly, Eren laughed slightly his eyes transfixed on the night sky "Some day soon...right buddy?" He said to Armin softly his voice holding passion.
"Yeah...ever since joining the Scouting Legion I feel like we're to seeing those flaming waters." Armin said his eyes shining.
"Or those salt rich oceans."
"And the seas of sand."
Armin and Eren realized that it had gotten quiet. Eren glanced over at the others noticing that they were staring at him and Armin, who had fallen silent as his body began to quake slightly as if he was fearing being punished for mentioning the outside lands.
"Flaming water? Is that even possible?"
"Seas of sand? What?"
"Oceans full of salt...impossible!"
Mikasa who was listening quietly hummed feeling amused. She knew of these tales already and it only brought back memories of their past when Armin would come running with that great big book of his only to share his findings.
"Care to explain these fairytales Jaeger." Levi said flatly from behind the lip of his cup.
"Th-Their not fairytales sir, they are actual places beyond the walls...The outside world. Armin had or has a book that shows us everything we don't know about." Eren said nervously hoping that saying this doesn't make Levi confiscate the book and have everyone bully them. To his surprise everyone seems interested "What else does it say? That weird book of yours?" Connie asked leaning in closer causing the fire to cast spooky shadows on his face.
"Are there any lands with meat, or mouthwatering foods!?" Sasha said drool already trickling down her chin.
"Or places where there is peace?" Christa asked hopeful. Eren smirked "I think Armin would be better at explaining this." Armin made a weird choking noise before nodding "A-Alright." He visibly calmed down as excitement seized his body "Well to answer your question Sasha there were many vast lands each it's own country. There was one called France and it had really delicious food. Many people loved going there. Christa, there was a country that wasn't really peaceful but it had many opportunities. It was dubbed 'The Land of Opportunities' they called it America. They said there, you can go from being poor to rich."
Everyone looked impressed though Sasha looked heartbroken as she mumbled about not being about to taste the foods. Jean rolled his eyes "Yeah well explain how there is an ocean with salt in it...how is it that the higer ups didn't take it all." Armin laughed, that was the same question Eren asked "Simple there is a lot of it! So much so that they could die hundreds of times and use the salt in the ocean too and it will still be there! It's like it never ends!" Jean looked amazed "No way!"
"Whats the sea of sand about?" Hanji asked pressing close to the small blonde boy "No one knows exactly but from what I seen in pictures it looks like lands with nothing but sand. I wonder if humans can live out there." Armin asked rhetorically. "I wonder if Titans are out there!" Hanji asked "I hope not." Eren adds.
Levi sat quietly his hand resting on top of his cup. It looked like he wanted to ask a question but he stayed silent. He settled with watching the others. "I have the book here if you guys wanna look at it." Everyone gathered like dogs to a treat as Armin pulled out his book setting it down for the others to look at. Everyone flipped through the book scanning the pages with great enthusiasm. They ooed and awed each shouting out various pictures that jumped out to them. "Whoa, there are fields with no humans but horses! Wild horses, I didn't know that horses could be wild!" Jean said excitedly.
Connie rolled his eyes "Tsk, who cares about horses look here! There are beaches with different colored sands, who knew sands could be purple, pink, and white!"
"You're all wrong! Look at all these different animals...imagine all the tasty meals they could make! guinea pigs, gerbils, moose...so many delicious animals!" Sasha cried happily.
"Well actually Sasha guinea pigs and gerbils are considered pets."Armin said politely. Eren couldn't help but feel excited about having his friends learn about the outside world, they finally understood what he was excited about "So whenever the chance comes what do you guys wanna see?" Connie looked quizzical before saying "Well out of all that I saw I'd like to see those beaches with the different colored sand."
"I wouldn't mind checking out those wild horses, I imagine that they would be majestic to look at." Jean said with a cool guy tone.
"I wanna visit other countries to see what they have to eat." Sasha said her eyes sparkling as her mouth flooded with water at the thought of devouring foreign foods.
Christa giggled innocently at their desires "I want to see the flower fields that shown here in Armins' book. They look so pure and pretty."
"Well all those are good ideas but I would rather just explore, see everything that we wouldn't be able to see." Hanji said grinning "Not promising that I wouldn't miss seeing those big goofy Titans stumble and bumble around." she added looking up at the sky. "What about you Shorty?" Hanji asked Levi as he stood.
Levi rolled his eyes "Why would I waste time on dreams so farfetched as these when in reality we all know we won't see them in our life time..." he said, his tone wasn't his usual harsh mean tone it sounded more sad than anything. He turned away from the camp mumbling that he would be back in a few minutes.
Eren sat their like a kicked puppy for moment watching as Levi disappeared into the forest. The second he was out of sight Eren leaps to his feet "Levi is just like those guys who would pick on Armin for these dreams. We bear the Wings of Freedom, we have what it takes to change our world. Sure our dreams seem unbelievable, but in that book you guys saw that there were dreams that seemed impossible...but they were achieved...that just proves we can do it too. We'll see those lands that we talked about! We just gotta wipe out those Titans!"
Everyone cheered each promising to be there to see those lands. With that everyone turned in for the night. About an hour or two later Eren woke up having to relive himself. He groaned not wanting to leaving the warm and cozy sleeping bag but the need was strong and he reluctantly went into the forest to take care of it. On his way back he noticed a light several feet away from the camp.
Curious, Eren approached the light. When he was close he could make out a figure and when he was close enough he could make them out to be Levi. Levi was sitting on a log hunched over as if he was in pain or reading something. Eren immediately assumed he was hurt when he heard Levi gasp!
He raced over to the older man before stopping when he noticed the expression on Levis' face. He looked excited like a little boy on Christmas day. In his lap laid Armins' book his eyes ghosting over the pictures as he read the passages that jumped at him.
Eren heard him mumbled about certain places and images being cool or amazing. His Corporal currently reminded him of Armin, or at least how Armin must've looked like when he first discovered the book. "You like the things inside the book too don't ya?" Eren saw his Corporal jump, he must've been deep into the book to not have heard him approach which Levi is really good at detecting.
"J-Jaeger!" Levi cried out slamming the book closed trying to calm down. "What are you doing up!?"
"I had to 'go'..." This made Levi rolled his eyes "Well go back to bed..." He snapped.
Eren stepped over the log and sat next to Levi "You don't have to be secretive about liking the book Heichou...we all are interested in what it tells. You don't have to be shy."
Levi gripped the book tighter "I'm...I'm not shy..." He said "It's just...I...I felt odd getting excited over something like this...you'd think someone my age would already know about this...but I don't...I knew nothing of what you guys spoke of." Levi sounded ashamed "I never realized how blind I was...I'm Humanitys' Strongest...and..." Levi fell silent he could feel his throat tighten as tears pricked at his eyes.
Eren seeing this quickly changed the topic "So what was the most interesting"
"The flaming water." Eren beamed happily "Really?"
"I find it interesting that something that flows like water but isn't water can be so devasting but beautiful. It glows and churns...touching it will melt flesh but it can also set fire to trees and grass..." Levi spoke with awe and admiration. Eren listened to him before speaking again "Levi where would you visit?" Levi looked down at the book "Remember when I spoke about not seeing these places in our life time? I wasn't talking about you guys...I was referring to my dream." Eren looked at him confused "What do you mean?"
"Look at the stars Eren..." Eren looks up "All those stars up there...to be among those stars is my dream. I wonder what this world looks like, what other worlds look like if there are any other worlds out there... I wanna see them, I wonder if I could touch them..." Levi said sadly "Face it, by the time we start thinking about seeing other worlds we'll be dead...it's not fair that we got stuck with the big dream of killing off mindless naked freaks!" He hissed kicking at the ground and slamming his fist into the log.
Eren felt inspired he never thought to leave to this planet "What would you even call that profession?" He asked Levi. "I always liked the term Star Walker..."
"I think it sounds cool, but try another name."
"I also thought of it being called an Astronaut...but it sounded stupid." Eren shook his head "I like Astronaut...maybe you'll get to see the world beyond the stars someday." Levi shook his head laughing "I doubt it...but thank you Eren."
Eren stared at Levi their eyes locking for a moment. Both soon realising just how close they sat next to each other Eren blushed not expecting Levi to have thanked him. Eren leans in closer to the short male as Levi leans in, the Corporal opens his mouth...
"Go to bed Jaeger..."