"Rise and shine, (F/N)!"

Sunlight streamed through your window, penetrating the thin veil of sleep that still clung to your eyelids. You reluctantly opened your bleary (e/c) eyes, squinting at the sight of your best friend, Petra, smiling down at you. She was already dressed, her orange hair sleek and shiny from a recent brushing.

Groaning, you threw your arm dramatically over your weary eyes. "Five more minutes."

Petra giggled. "No, silly! Today's the day!"

Aha.

Suddenly, it all clicked.

Today was the day of the recon mission.

The day that Petra could thoroughly impress a certain captain.

Petra loved Captain Levi, and you knew it. You were both on the Special Operations squad, and every evening after everyone had settled in for the night, she would gush to you about the small, charming details she had noticed that day: the way he would sometimes fiddle with his cravat, the light dusting of freckles on his nose...even the small dimples that would appear along with his rare smiles.

Of course, you'd already known all of this.

After all, you loved him, too.

But no one knew that, not even Petra. Though you had sat through endless hours of listening to your beloved friend rant about how she wished that he'd notice her, then later babble on with stories about how she'd caught him looking at her, blah-blah-blah, not once had you ever mentioned that you, too, felt the way she did about the morose captain. No. You could never bring yourself to do it; you were frightened of the notion that she'd hate you, maybe even try to seduce him away from you.

"Oh...right."

And you didn't want that.

Petra laughed and threw your (f/c) button-down shirt at you. "You sound excited about it, (F/N)."

"Hey," You mumbled, pulling off your wrinkled sleep-shirt, "Sarcasm is my thing."

"I learned from the best," she sang.

"Damn right, you did."

Petra gasped with false horror, her hazel eyes wide with exaggerated disgust. "How dare you? You're supposed to thank me!"

You sighed and rolled your eyes, grinning. "Fine. THAAANK you."

"You're very welcome, (F/N)! Now, let's get to breakfast. We'll need the strength."

° ° °

No.

What-how? How could this happen? How-

Out of the corner of your wavering vision, a scene was laid out that tore your heart to pieces. Your comrades lay dead around you: Oluo, Eld, Gunther, and...

Petra.

Your dear friend lay slumped against the bark of one of the many towering trees, a trail of crimson trickling down towards her cold, broken body.

You wanted to run to her.

You wanted to kneel down beside her and cradle her still form in your arms, and maybe - just maybe - the light that usually graced her bubbly hazel eyes would re-ignite. Then everything would go back to normal.

But you couldn't .

Instead, you were sprawled on the ground, half-hidden by the swathes of tall grass. The dirt underneath you was already soaked through with your blood, and you could tell that one of your legs was broken. Several broken ribs caused your breathing to become laboured, and you were bleeding profusely from a gaping wound in your side.

So it'll end like this. Huh.

° ° °

Levi zipped through the woods, searching for his elite squad. Panic began to bubble in the pit of his stomach, but he kept it down. Even if he was currently alone, he couldn't let his emotions show. Not now, at least.

° ° °

You could feel your chest heaving shallowly as your body fought for breath, but you didn't care. In your last moments, your thoughts had, typically, wandered over to the man you loved most.

You'll never see him again.

Tears built up behind your eyes and began to trickle down your cheeks, leaving wet, glistening trails behind. It was over.

Soon, you felt yourself floating placidly into a cold, dank void, and the black veil of weariness hovering at the edge of your lightless (e/c) eyes was lowered, leaving you in total, frigid darkness.

° ° °

Thump.

Levi's breath hitched as he surveyed the landscape around him. His team was sprawled dead around him - Oluo motionless on the trampled ground, Erd lying still among the smeared blood and viscera...but where was she? Where was-

There.

Levi's cool, placid gaze came to rest on a (h/c) tuft of hair barely visible above the vegetation. Immediately, his throat constricted, and he hesitantly strode over. He halted, his boots resting inches from your pale, tear-stained face.

No.

There were so many things he had always wanted to tell you. How annoying it was when you'd never do your chores. How much he'd hate it when you'd sometimes get his tea wrong.

How beautiful you were when you laughed.

How charming you were.

How much he loved you.

But now...

Levi knelt down, oblivious to the blood - your blood - that seeped into his pants. Gingerly, he lifted your body in his steady arms, fingers gripping tightly to the torn fabric of your jacket. "C'mon, brat. Get up."

Silence.

He bit his lip, shaking you. "(F/N). Get up. We have to leave."

Still no response. Against his will, Levi felt tears beginning to well in his eyes, and, frowning, he quickly blinked them back. "Come on, (F/N). You can't-" He paused. "You can't."

° ° °

Knock, knock.

Levi glanced up, frowning at the door. "Name and business."


"(F/N)(L/N), here with your tea, sir."


He smiled slightly to himself, straightening up a stack of papers. "Enter, (L/N)."


You opened the door, wearing your usual half-smirk, half-shy expression. "Where would you like me to put it?" In your small hands, you clutched a steaming teacup.

Levi motioned to a spot on his desk. "There."

You smiled at him and set it down, lingering. You knew you should leave, but something was holding you back.

He glanced up, eyes flashing. "What do you want, (L/N)?"

For him to say something.

Heart sinking, you turned away. "Nothing." Without another word, you walked out, passing Petra on the way.


She beamed at you, then brushed past into Levi's office. "Good morning, Levi!" You heard her chirp. "Need any help?"


Cringing, you walked away, red-faced, not bothering to hear his reply. You didn't want to.


Levi imperceptibly looked after you, feeling sick. "Here." Reluctantly, he handed Petra a stack of papers. "Sort these."

Petra squealed softly and took them, purposely brushing her hand against his. "I'll have these back by lunch." She skipped out, humming.

The raven-haired man merely grunted. He began to lift the carefully-prepared teacup to his lips, then paused.


You should go after (F/N), you know.

Levi scowled, mentally shaking himself. He was crazy - she'd probably push him away, and berate him. No, he'd better leave her be.


Gripping the teacup tighter, Levi brought the steaming liquid to his mouth and took a sip.


He could deal with you later.

° ° °

But now, it was too late.

You lay unmoving in Levi's arms, the glimmering (e/c) irises that had once so admired him staring blankly at the sky. Gently, Levi laid his head down on your soft chest, his visage dark. He was tired. He was tired of how everyone he'd ever cared about - everyone he'd ever loved - always seemed to leave in the most terrible of ways. His life always seemed to revolve around all of these goddamn angels - and he hated it. For once, just once, he wanted-

Thmp.

What-

Thmp.

Levi's brows slowly crept up his face. Was that...was that a heartbeat?

Thmp.

Yes. It was faint, but yes. You were alive.

Levi breathed a sigh of relief, lifting his head. He knew that you needed medical attention immediately, but he also knew that he needed to go after Eren. Gently, he rubbed his thumb against your dingy face, smearing the drying blood, blending the mess with your tears. Leaning down, he gently pressed his lips against your forehead.

"I'll come back for you, (F/N). I promise."

In the very corners of your subconsciousness, you became aware of a sound. A very familiar one, at that. You shuddered, trapped inside a lucid bubble of nothingness, as the slight feel of wind ruffling your matted hair and the harsh zip of cables resonated through your mind.

It was probably nothing.

Right?

But there was something, something else that nagged at you, something...different.

A voice.

A promise.

To you.