"Levi? I thought you would have left by now. You are still here."
"And you? I would've thought pointing out the obvious would've gotten old by now...ah. You are still a mess." The captain of the Survey Corps turned to face his Commander. Erwin's face was still rather beaten up, faint bruises giving his normally weather worn features an even sicklier hue.
"Come on now, Levi. You've seen much worse. But to find you in this place..." They were standing in what had once been the underground city. After the Queen evacuated all of the residents to the world above, it had been abandoned. Only someone truly, without a doubt, completely mad would willingly return to such hell.
Levi supposed he had lost his sanity a long, long time ago.
"Quit acting so surprised. If you did not suspect my location I doubt you would've returned here."
"Ah, you are mistaken. My greatest decision was made here. I have come to reminisce." Erwin smiled, and Levi glared at the Commander.
"If I was your greatest decision then I pray for the future of humanity."
"But you don't believe in a deity, Levi."
"That isn't true. I couldn't give a shit, quite frankly." Levi said, making a vulgar gesture up to the sky. "Besides, if this hellhole is all some deity has to offer, I decline any assistance that It can provide."
"I'm not sure we are in any position to decline help from an omnipotent being, Levi. In fact, we will be needing all the help we can get in a few days."
"...a pity that is. How many weeks has it been since we've properly feared for our lives? This must be some kind of record."
"I'm sure it is. It is strange, not to be fearing my imminent death. I almost miss it..." Erwin mused with an amused look on his face.
"It has been quite peaceful for a while." Levi agreed, chuckling coldly. "You are cruel, to give those brats a taste of normality before we are thrown back into hell."
"On the contrary. You could say that I am being merciful. Also, Levi, you aren't mistaken. We still haven't escaped hell just yet."
"Are you attempting to humour me?"
Erwin shrugged, walking up to a building and touched the crumbling stone. "You need to visit them before we leave."
"I already have." Levi said, still frowning. He hadn't cried for them all these years, and he wasn't planning on it. Not until he took revenge for them. So it was rediculous to feel the wave of sadness now, just because Erwin mentioned them.
"They'd be proud of their 'big brother', I think." Erwin said.
"Stop bringing up the past." Levi replied abruptly, changing the subject. That bastard loved to cut open old wounds and sprinkle salt in them for good measure. "How are Hange's new contraptions faring on the wall?"
"I'm sure that you are very much aware of the success. You helped design them, after all." Erwin smiled, looking around the deserted underground town.
"Quit that."
"Hm?"
"Smiling. You are always plotting something when you smile." Levi frowned, following Edwin's gaze and scowling deeper once he recognised the building that they were staring at.
"How cold, Levi. After all, we are at the place where you first agreed to become Humanity's Strongest."
"...you know that I despise that title."
"Since when have you cared about what others say about you?"
"You are mistaken. I only frown upon that title for it representing the ignorance of your precious 'humans'. Strongest? Don't make me laugh."
"You speak as if you weren't one. Human, that is."
"My definition of human has been tested in the past four months."
"I as well." Erwin agreed. "But the answers all lie beyond Wall Rose, with Doctor Jaeger."
Levi studied the Commander, and his scowl deepened. "I am still considering breaking your legs to prevent you from joining us on this mission, I'm sure you are aware."
"Will you?"
"No," Levi admitted, "but you are the only person who I will not allow to die before me."
"That is laughable, considering our ages."
"Erwin, you are taking this too lightly. Tomorrow is our last day relaxing before we set out to reclaim Wall Maria." Erwin chuckled. He wasn't sure all this work could be considered relaxing, and tried to remember Levi's face before it was etched with that constant scowl and his eyes had taken a shade which did not allow him to feel hope. Indeed, there wasn't a time when Levi wasn't cautiously bracing himself for death, even though in his book, death had never been an option. Levi was a contradiction, Erwin decided with a chuckle.
"I'm sorry, but Levi. Allow yourself to feel joy. Even if we will die, do you not feel that a weight has been finally lifted? I wonder why it is so."
Levi gave a small snort. "Ha? As if you didn't know."
"Indeed...they all have grown themselves a magnificent pair of wings, haven't they? We can go in peace."
"...you sound so absurd when you go sprouting lines like that, you know?" Levi sighed, walking past the Commander.
Mikasa Ackerman, who could compete for the title of 'Humanity's Strongest'. A natural titan-slayer. Armin Arlert, who's intellect was frankly, quite frightening. A voice of reason that prevented foolish errors. Eren Jaeger the hot-headed Titan-shifter who had been a key piece in their operations till this point. Humanity's Hope, they called him.
"Needless to say, you are still forbidden from dying just yet."
"Indeed, dying would be bothersome at this particular moment." He chuckled, watching the shorter man stiffly march away.
Behind Levi Ackerman were the most brilliant pair of wings that Erwin had ever seen.
"But...I too cannot allow you to die before I do." Erwin looked around the empty underground city, and closed his eyes. The day he had first met Levi was so long ago, their goal so far away. Now, after all this time, Erwin finally felt that there was an end. Maybe not soon, but there was one on the horizon.
They'd be free to fly wherever they wished, some day.