AN: For LeviHan Week 2016 on tumblr (so late! -_-). Deciding to only do oneshots from now on because of being an arsehole with commitment issues. Inspired by the popular rumour about the most beloved Captain Levi dying in season 2 (don't kill me please, you can find this rumour on a bunch of sites).
-follied :P
Disclaimer: SNK is not mine, it belongs to the geniuses called Hajime Isayama and Tetsuro Araki of Wit Studio.
Warnings: Nothing much except for major character death and attempted angst.
Prompt #1: Separation
When she saw a lack of a certain short, grumpy captain in his normal position amongst the ranks, Hange froze. What captured her attention was not the sullen, darkened faces of the soldiers which told of a failed mission once again, nor was it the numerous wagons of bodies near the end of the formation, as she has gotten used to such sights over the years. No. It was the lack of a captain sat high on his normal steed, frowning at the jeering and whispering crowds of the citizens of Wall Rose.
Later, when the entirety of the Survey Corps troops retreated back to the base, Hange was still frozen. Her painful, forced grin remained on her face, as she laughingly questioned the whereabouts of Humanity's Strongest Soldier, because there was no way, no way, that Humanity's Strongest Soldier, Captain Levi, would have fallen in a mere reconnaissance mission. Her fellow soldiers seemed to sense the unnaturalness of her smile and behavior, and so instead of being told off for her inappropriate reaction to a failed mission, they only smiled wanly and sadly at her in reply. None gave her a straight answer for her question, but she still heard what was unspoken, 'He is dead,' leaving her standing in the middle of the hall dumbly in shock, a smile still on her face.
She walked listlessly into Levi's room that night, dropped onto the barely used yet clean bed, after she could no longer remain in the dining room in face of all the sympathetic and slightly wary glances from other members of the Survey Corps. She saw the Shiganshina Trio's oddly guilty expression when they saw her, and she wanted to go to them and say, 'Don't be guilty, it was not your fault he was dead,' but wasn't able to bring herself to do so, as Levi was 'definitely not dead!' Looking around at the empty room, for the second time in her life, Hange once again felt her hate for the titan's rear its head, but she quickly smothered the burning inferno because one, her job didn't allow room for titan hate, and two, because she simply refused to think of Levi as a dead man.
During the week following Levi's 'death', she learnt that he supposedly 'died' saving the Shiganshina Trio, which explained their guilty expressions. She still didn't blame them for the Captain's death, despite learning the truth, because Levi wasn't dead, no matter what the unbreathing body and the dusty room showed.
About two weeks after the Survey Corps' return, when the government decided that Humanity's Strongest Soldier deserved a state funeral, Hange finally had to face the fact that Levi, despite all her wishing and delusions, was not coming back to her. She fought crazily, screamed at the Military Police who came to collect her Captain's body without her consent, to bury him in a funeral in which none of the Survey Corps would be invited to. She knew that Levi, who had never once in his life not hated the government and its dogs, would surely not want to be buried in a state graveyard without his comrades saying their last goodbyes, before being trapped under layers and layers of soil.
The military police and the government quickly bent under Hange's will, and allowed Levi to be buried by the Survey Corps soldiers themselves. When it was decided that Levi would be buried in the most expensive graveyard Survey Corps could afford, Hange once again protested. Levi would not want to be buried under the ground after he lived in the most detested Underground City for most of his life, Hange was sure of that. And so, Levi's remains were burnt and his ashes scattered into the air per Hange's instruction, who, during the funeral, burnt Levi's tea leaves in hopes that Levi would be able to have one last taste of his black tea before heading off to wherever he's going.
'He would end up in heaven,' Hange thought with certainty, after all, her Captain had spent his entire life bettering humanity despite the lack of respect he received in return, he deserved nothing less. Despite what she previously believed, that death was the definite end to a human's existence, with Levi's death, she had no choice but to think that death was not the end. Because in her mind, despite hours and hours of telling herself, 'Levi's dead. Levi's dead. Levi's death…,' her heart still refused to accept the truth.
Months later, her squad still warily tiptoed around the subject of the Captain's death. Only when one of the braver and newer recruits broke the wall of the subject, and asked after Hange well-bring, did her squad start questioning her thoughts on Levi's death. Facing her concerned comrades, Hange answered in a curiously calm and bland voice, "Levi is in heaven. I'm sure he is quite well." Then smiling softly at the waiting soldiers, she added, "And perhaps, one day, I will soon join him."
Pls tell if likie! If no likie then suggestions for improvement? YOSH! SUGGESTION FOR IMPROVEMENTS COME TO ME! Also posted on my tumblr as well: livailleheicho .tumblr. com (Remove spaces)
On a more serious note, this is my very first attempt at an angsty fic. Not sure if I succeeded in creating a remotely angsty atmosphere as being a slightly heartless bastard doesn't make me very good at being angsty at all. If you laughed instead of crying or even feel slightly sad, please tell me (because I'm sure I deserve it) and also suggest improvements that I could make to produce better angst.
-follied