A/N: This is my first fanfiction for Attack on Titan, so I'm really excited to finally post this. As I said in the description, you should definitely have read ACWNR before reading unless you want major spoilers. You have been warned. Thanks!

As soon as Levi entered the mess hall for lunch, he scanned the room for an empty table. There was no reason to sit with anyone now that Isabel and Farlan were dead. Levi had no friends among these people, and he figured this was probably a good thing.

Eventually, he found a table in the far corner, grabbed a cup of tea, and sat with his eyes cast down. There was no reason to mourn for Isabel and Farlan, but their absence was a bit unsettling.

Levi gripped his teacup tighter and gritted his teeth. Now he didn't feel any motivation to fight, to survive. He was far from trying to escape the Underground, but he no longer had to protect Isabel and Farlan. There were no documents to steal, and there was no reason to kill Erwin Smith.

"Hiya Levi!" a voice said, interrupting his thoughts. He looked up to see Hanji Zoe plop down in the seat across from him. "Okay if I sit here?"

Remembering that Farlan had once advised him to be sociable with this person, Levi mumbled, "Fine."

"Great!" Hanji exclaimed. "I'll go get some food. Are you going to get anything? Or are you just going to have tea for lunch?"

"I'm not hungry," Levi said. Why did she have to be so pushy?

"I'll get you a bowl of soup," Hanji said. "I don't think it's as watery as usual today!"

From his few interacts with Hanji Zoe, Levi knew arguing would get him nowhere. But why was she so eager to be friendly towards him? Almost everyone else still thought he was scum from underground, and wasn't worth their time. There was no way she could still be pressing him about 3Dmg tricks. So what did she want from him?

Soon enough, Hanji returned to the table with two bowls of soup. She thrust one of the bowls at Levi, spilling a bit of soup in the process. "Here you go!"

"Tch." Levi pulled a cloth out of his pocket and wiped up the spilled soup.

Hanji looked from the cloth back to Levi. "Wow," she said. "Never thought someone from the Underground would be such a clean freak, eh?"

"It's more like some people can't clean up after themselves."

"Ah, but it's so boring!" Hanji sat down and leaned back in her chair. "There are so many better ways to spend my time. Titans, for example."

"You enjoy fighting titans?"

"Oh yes! But it's not just that. There's so much we don't know about them. It's quite fascinating, don't you agree?"

"No," Levi said.

"Oh well. Most people don't understand. I can't expect you to be any different." Hanji looked around. "Hey, where are Isabel and Farlan? I thought they were always with you."

Levi looked into his cup of tea. "Dead."

"Oh," Hanji's face fell. "I'm sorry. They seemed like great people."

"They were."

"I would have liked to get to know them better. But, you know Levi, the best way to honor their memories is to fight as hard as you can and stay alive, okay?" Hanji managed a small, compassionate smile. "They were your only friends, weren't they?"

"They were my comrades."

"I'll be your friend, if you'd like. And a lot of the people here are actually really nice. Even Erwin, but he is mean sometimes."

"I doubt it," Levi said. After plotting to kill Erwin for such a long time, there was no way they could become friends.

"Eh, why not? Both of you are very skilled, and care about those under your command. You are natural leaders, but not too full of yourselves. Though there is quite a height difference..." Hanji laughed. "It must be funny to stand next to him."

Levi sighed. He knew he was much shorter than average, and was used to name-calling because of it, but he still didn't like people commenting on his height.

"So what do you think of Erwin?"

After a moment of consideration, Levi said, "He is an honorable man."

"So what's your problem with him?"

Levi decided to be blunt. "I can't tell you that."

Hanji pouted. "Please?" She leaned closer to face Levi. "You can tell me anything. I can keep a secret."

No one, not even Hanji, had to know the real reason Levi joined the Survey Corps. In every way they were concerned, Levi was just another member, doomed to die with the rest.

So Levi made the decision: he didn't have to take any more of Hanji Zoe's shit about this. He got up from his chair.

"I don't want to talk about it," he stated.

"Well," Hanji seemed torn between being polite and pressuring Levi for more information. "We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to. I understand." She winked, an action that Levi thought completely unnecessary.

"No you don't," Levi said.

"Huh?"

"You don't understand." Levi sat back down.

"Oh yes I do. It's obvious there's a strong connection between you and the Commander."

Wonderful. Hanji Zoe was another hopeless romantic. How tedious.

Levi leaned back and crossed his arms. "What do you want?"

Hanji looked slightly taken aback at the sudden question, after Levi had given her clipped fragments of answers to her questions. "I don't want anything. I'd just like to be your friend."

Not this again... "Why?"

"Why? Are you asking why people want friends? Gosh, you are cold. I can't begin to imagine what you went through down there."

Hanji really had no clue how the Underground was truly a living hell. Down there, the only reason for companionship was strength in numbers. Otherwise, each man was left to fend for himself. The concept of true friends hardly existed.

"You know, I'm sure Isabel thought of you as a friend, even a brother," Hanji said.

"Isabel was a misguided child."

"Oh, I don't think so." Hanji shook her head.

"Oh?"

"I'm a good judge of character. And she knew what she was doing. Isabel was a smart girl."

"Then why did she have to die? And Farlan too?" Levi sunk back in his chair, immediately regretting his sudden outburst.

"So you are bothered by their deaths. I knew it," Hanji said. "Being a member of the Survey Corps is dangerous. We all know that. People do die, but we can't let that hold us back. Everyone here has their own way of coping with tragedies like this one. I used to live in fear of the Titans, but that never helped me. I've changed my attitude, and so should you."

"And just ignore the deaths of innocent people?" Levi asked.

"No," Hanji said. "Not ignore, accept. It's just the price we have to pay for the knowledge. That's the goal of the Survey Corps: knowledge. If we know more about the Titans and the world outside the walls, there may be some hope for humanity."

"Huh."

"That doesn't mean you can't be upset about Isabel and Farlan," Hanji said, "but you will get over it. I've had to do the same thing."

"I'm not upset."

"Yes you are, but that's okay. No one here will judge. We've all lost friends to the Titans."

Of course the other members of the Survey Corps wouldn't judge Hanji for mourning over lost comrades. Everyone seemed to think she was a little strange, but always spared a smile when she would walk by and wave. "Yes they would."

"What do you mean?"

"People respect you. I will never gain the respect of everyone in the Survey Corps."

"I don't know," Hanji said. "Everyone was really impressed with your 3Dmg skills. Those who've seen you in action think you could be one of the best. I think after a while, people will just ignore your past."

"Really."

"Hm." Hanji leaned in. "Levi," she said, "I don't think you realise, but this is a chance for you to start anew. You can make a new life in here, in the Survey Corps. You know, in a way I feel like your arrival may even represent a new hope for humanity."

Levi's expression was slowly looking more and more doubtful as Hanji continued to talk.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Hanji asked. "Oh well, I still can't get through to you. But Levi, I know something is going to change now. Your arrival definitely means something. Very soon, we're all going to make a huge breakthrough, and the two of us are going to be there to witness it." Hanji looked up at the ceiling. "Ah, I'm so excited."

Levi seriously wondered where she got this stuff. What was going inside of her head? Clearly it made no sense.

Levi sighed. He was so done talking to Hanji. "I'm tired, and-"

"I get it. You don't want to talk any more. That's what you told me last time! But okay, I'll give you you're peace. You deserve it."

"Thank you," Levi mumbled. Both of them stood up.

"No, thank you for your time Levi. I enjoyed this," Hanji said. "Hey, I'll see you around!"

Levi turned around and began to walk away.

"And Levi," Hanji called out. "Make sure to talk to Erwin, okay? Get to know him better. There's a lot of potential between you two."

Levi turned back for a moment, glanced at Hanji, then continued on his way.

Hanji smiled.