O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won,
A small squadron led the victorious soldiers of the Survey Corps back to the edge of Wall Rose. Broken, bleeding, and tired, they were nearly too worn out to care. Soldiers leaned on each other, nearly half of them injured, with hundreds more dead in the carts behind the group. Bandages, slings, and splints were plastered on almost all areas not covered by clothing. Alex Schroder, a short redheaded soldier, hobbled forward with one broken leg and a crutch. On her back, she carried a slightly taller man, a disgruntled look on his face. His usually pale complexion was even more so, due to blood loss.
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
Nervous citizens of the city greeted them at the gates. Their imploring calls sounded throughout the mass of people.
"Any new progress?"
"What happened?"
"Are we still safe in these walls?"
Many more questions were lost in the hubbub of the crowd. A tall blonde commander with (dem eyebrows on point liek lit lit lit man) unusually bushy eyebrows on his face smiled tiredly. "We… We did it. Every last Titan has been killed. We're free, everyone."
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
The soldiers let out a subdued chorus of cheers despite their exhaustion, their joy seemingly infectious. The red haired girl in the front nudged the raven haired man on her back, a small smile forming on her face. But to her horror, warm droplets dripped down her back. Reaching a hand back to feel if he was alright, she was unpleasantly surprised. Coating her hand were brilliant red splashes as Levi, who was on her back, groaned quietly in pain. "Captain?" Her question of concern was soft as she shook her captain gently. He moaned quietly.
O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
The crowd was silent, having missed the quick exchange between captain and soldier, as well as being unable to process nor believe what Erwin had just said. A gradual cheering rose up from a group of teenagers, which spread throughout the people. It became a loud celebration; people hugged each other, children jumped for joy, and many others smiled for the first time in years. Soldiers smiled tiredly, already too exhausted to celebrate with the townspeople.
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
Alex turned around and shook Levi gently as he stirred on her back. "We did it, Captain." He closed his eyes. "Shut up you fucking brat, I'm tired. And why are you carrying me? What the hell happened to Jaeger?" She smiled wryly. "Why Captain, I'm surprised you're not more grateful to me for carrying your slightly taller self around. And Eren has a couple broken ribs as well as a sprained ankle. Don't expect your boyfriend to carry you around while he's in that state." Levi snorted in derision. "Shut up, Schroder. Just because you helped us get together doesn't mean you can act like the insolent little brat you are." With that, he slipped off her back, collapsing onto the ground. His breathing slowed. She collapsed to her knees beside him.
You've fallen cold and dead.
"Captain Levi? Levi! Come on captain, wake up!" Alex shrieked desperately, fear apparent in her brown eyes. Panic coursed through her voice, as she saw the cause for the collapse of humanity's strongest. The bandages on his head and neck were stained a violent scarlet hue, sanguine drops rolling down his face and chest.
Eren Jäeger, now the only Titan in the world as well as Levi's boyfriend, spotted the short duo and raced over on his makeshift crutches, worry etched in his face. "Levi! LEVI! Oh no, no..." His voice trailed off as he began to panic, his nails digging into his palms. Levi groaned quietly. His eyes fluttered open. "Tch." The click of his tongue was even quieter than usual. Large tears coursed down Eren's face. "L-levi, you can't die on me. Not now, not ever!" Levi smirked. "Shitty brat. I fucking told you, promises in this world are never kept." With this, he let out a quiet sigh and closed his eyes again. Alex, who had been watching the couple up until now, felt a sharp wrench inside her. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, as she realized how much this would affect everyone.
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
At this point, most of the other living soldiers had noticed what was going on. They moved to form a loose circle around the three people on the ground. Many were crying as they saw what was happening. They saw Eren press his lips to Levi's, in what was possibly their last kiss. Perhaps a large part of the corps had disliked or even feared Levi before, but now they all realized how much the captain meant to everyone.
Eren's sobbing grew in volume as Levi's breathing and heart rate slowed, then came to a stop.
Humanity's strongest was dead.
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
The celebrating crowd, forgotten up until this point, sobered, as they too realized the gravity of the situation. Not wanting to intrude on this private moment of the military people, they dispersed and quietly crept back to their own homes.
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Alex rose from her knees, her once bright toffee coloured eyes dull with grief. Eren's distraught cries could be heard clearly even at the back if the gathered people.
"He's… He's gone…" Her quiet voice cracked as she too felt tears dripping down her face, grief forcing her to surrender to emotions. Perhaps one of the best friends she had made, Levi would not be there any more. There would no longer be a clean freak of a corporal running around with a mop, nor would there ever be any more laughing at Eren and Levi being an adorably awkward couple.
The crowd of soldiers hushed in mourning as Alex and Eren retreated to be comforted by Jean and Mikasa respectively, crying into her best friend's and his sister's shoulder.
In the center of the ring, lay the body of Levi Ackerman, humanity's strongest and perhaps one of the greatest fighters in history. His final battle had been humanity's last.
Fallen cold and dead.