Levi spent the rest of the day being carried around like he was a precious doll, cradled gently in Lucerne's arms. So the boy wasn't a titan… and he wasn't human… so what was he then? Some strange mix of the two? Was the mix even possible?

Levi asked him questions until he began getting drowsy, the sun going down.

"We need rest. Let's camp somewhere." Lucerne commented, running his large thumb gently over Levi's torso, where it had been resting for the past couple hours to keep him from being jostled each time the boy ran from titans. Despite his strength, his touch was light and gentle. He never once hurt Levi.

Levi hesitated, desperately wanting to get to the wall as soon as possible, but he knew that Lucerne was right. Traveling at night would be ideal, due to the fact that most titans would be sleeping, but it just wasn't ideal in any other way. It was dark for one, and that was when other wild animals came out. It was possibly more dangerous than to just outrun the titans during the day.

"Hmm. This looks good." The boy murmured, staring up a large tree.

"You're going to climb it?" Levi asked, surprised, but hiding it well from his voice.

"It would be a lot safer than sleeping on the ground." Lucerne replied, lifting Levi a bit and then gently setting him down inside a pocket on the front of the boy's shirt. Levi shifted a bit until he was comfortable. It felt rather like sitting in a hammock.

Lucerne took hold of the tree, and began expertly climbing it, bypassing the first set of branches for the next, and settling down. Lucerne reached in, taking Levi by the back of his jacket and gently pulling him back out, setting him on one of his knees which he had drawn to his chest. He cupped his hand behind the man protectively to make sure he didn't fall.

"So, is stuff harder or easier to do when you're small?" Lucerne murmured, smiling at him.

Levi shrugged, leaning back tiredly against the boys' hand. "Normal."

Lucerne smiled. "I'd love to be able to shrink to your size. That would be so cool."

"Why would you want to be ordinary?" Levi asked, pressing against his wound tiredly, and Lucerne's smiled vanished. "You are, as you say, neither titan nor human. If you were the size of a human that is what you would be, nothing to discern you from what you are, nothing to make you unique."

Lucerne looked thoughtful. "I guess that makes sense." He smiled, noting how tired Levi looked. He had hoped to talk a bit more, but it was getting dark, and the man looked exhausted. He gently took the man and put him back in his pocket. "Goodnight then, Levi."

Levi sighed and settled back. "Goodnight."

,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,

On average, Levi only slept two to three hours a night. It wasn't healthy, but it was what he was used to. This night, despite his exhaustion, he was having trouble keeping his eyes shut for more than a few moments before he was jolted awake again. Every time he began to nod off, he was awoken with a start when Lucerne's chest rose and then fell with his rhythmic breathing. Each time he became used to it, and his eyes would begin closing, he'd wake again the next time the boy moved in his sleep.

Frustrated, Levi shifted, feeling a bit suffocated. He winced, sitting up and throwing an arm over the rim of the pocket, which was shallow enough that he could peek out if he stretched enough, without having to stand. He glanced up at Lucerne, who was soundly asleep, then down at the ground below. His eyes slowly moved to the dark horizon. If he stared hard, he could see light in the distance, perhaps from the wall?

Levi sighed softly, longing to go back there. He wondered briefly if he could hold out until then, sliding back down in the pocket and hugging his arms, closing his eyes. He matched his breathing to Lucerne's, and eventually nodded off, dreaming of his squad mates, and daring to trust that all of them had made it home alive.

,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,

"Levi squad! You're going out to look for Captain Levi." Erwin announced the next morning. "No one saw him die, therefore he is considered missing in action. He's too instrumental to leave behind. Pray he is still alive."

"Commander Erwin, who is going to be our captain for this expedition?" Petra asked, looking excited by the idea of going out to look for their captain. He was still alive. She just knew it!

"Mikasa Ackerman." Erwin replied, and the Levi squad gasped in unison.

"The newbie?" Oluo cried. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"With all due respect, sir, she's reckless-" Eld began.

"And Armin Arlert. They will be joint captains, her strength and his strategic mind-"

"But sir, you're sticking two newbies together isn't going to magically make them into one good captain." Gunther protested, looking irritated.

"We can hardly even afford to send the entire Levi squad out just to rescue one man, no matter how invaluable he is to us. Sticking you with two less valuable but still competent scouts is the best we can do for now. You have my permission to gainsay any of their orders that you find too reckless or not thought out enough, but trust me when I say that you won't be disappointed in their skill."

The Levi squad shared uncertain glances. "Yes, sir." They finally agreed.

"Well this is a bunch of BS." Oluo muttered after the commander left. "Putting us, the elites, under the command of two sniveling little brats fresh out of training? What's the commander thinking?"

"He's thinking that we need to get captain Levi back if he's still alive, and that he can't spare us as it is, but he's letting us go anyway. This is his best tactical option, like he said, to keep from putting too many good scouts at risk just for one man." Gunther responded with a sigh.

"Would you stop with that 'if' stuff!" Petra cried. "He's still alive. He has to be…" She sighed softly, her shoulders drooping.

Gunther put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll find him. We'll bring him home. Even if… he's not as alive as we hope and pray he is." He murmured gently.

Petra stared up at him, then sighed, nodding. She looked up to Captain Levi. She was so despising the idea of finding his dead body… She shook her head. "You be realistic, I'll be optimistic for a change." She told them strongly. "We're going to find him. Alive."

"Well… your confidence is catching, at least." Gunther said, some of her optimism starting to rub off on him. He just couldn't picture the captain being dead. I mean, he was Captain Levi. "Let's go then."

,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,

"So you're the tender infants they're lumping us with, are you?" Oluo muttered when a tall raven haired girl and a smaller blonde boy grouped with them at the stables.

"Lay off, Oluo, they have to be worth their salt if commander Erwin personally vouches for their skill." Eld murmured. He was more than a little put-off that commander Erwin had put these two in charge rather than let him, the second in command, take over as captain until Levi was recovered. However… it didn't quite matter who was in charge. He had the right to gainsay their judgment at any time if he thought for any reason it wasn't sound. Their goal was to get Levi back, not make names for themselves.

"I-I'm honored to be picked for such a mission… but as I said to Commander Erwin, I don't think I'm cut out to be a leader-" Armin said, standing up straight and saluting the others.

Mikasa glanced at him sideways, looking as stoic as usual. "You'll be fine."

"It's alright brat, you're just here as a place-holder anyway. Once we get Captain Levi back there won't be any need for you to play chief." Oluo ruffled the boy's blonde hair in a condescending manner.

"What makes you think he's still alive?" Mikasa murmured, and the others looked at her in surprise. "Think about it logically. He's been out there all night. Even if he was alive when we left, it's doubtful he still is now."

"You're underestimating his skill!" Petra cried.

"And you're overestimating it! He's good but he's just one man in a world full of dangerous things. If he was as good as everyone held him up to be, then he would have regrouped with you right away, not gone wandering off and getting himself left behind." Mikasa growled, still holding a boulder-sized grudge against the man for beating the freckles off Eren after they found out about his special power.

"Now hold on, we don't know what happened, his horse could have spooked, he could have been injured, I doubt he strayed off on purpose." Petra responded strongly, defending her caption.

Mikasa looked ready to retort, but Armin put a hand on her shoulder. "Cut it out, guys! Arguing isn't going to help us find the captain!"

"Okay, I see some of the commanders' logic now. Arlert is the only one this loose cannon will listen to." Gunther muttered, climbing into the saddle. "Now quit your childish bickering, we need to get out there ASAP, we don't know what kind of condition Captain Levi is in."

Petra obeyed immediately, seeing the sense in Gunthers' words. Mikasa gave them all a quick glare before getting on her own horse, still fuming.

"Hey, how come green horn isn't coming with us? Why does he get to slack off while we go risk life and limb?" Oluo asked, climbing onto his mount.

"He's too valuable. We don't need to be worrying about keeping him safe while we're out there. Our main focus is on finding Captain Levi." Petra kicked her horse into a trot, and the others followed.

"This counts as our fifty-eighth expedition, right? I don't want to have to repeat this again later if it doesn't." Oluo called as the gate was being lifted.

"Would you worry about that later?" Gunther cried, kicking his horse into a gallop, the others following suit.

The heavy gate closed behind them quickly, and now, they were in titan country.

,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,

On the first day they traveled together, it had been Levi that asked all the questions. This time, it was Lucerne that asked questions about humanity and life inside the walls.

"So you never told me why you were out here." Lucerne looked down at him, then back at where he was going, his eyes constantly sweeping back and forth. He was always on the alert, ready to run should a titan appear.

"I told you already, I can't talk about it. Military secrets." Levi muttered.

"Like I have anyone to tell." Lucerne laughed. "Alright then, keep your lips zipped if it so pleases you. Hmm. So… why did your friends leave you behind? That seems kind of… awful."

"They couldn't risk losing any more men just to search for me. They made a good call, even if I wish they'd waited for me just a little bit longer, I wasn't that far behind them." Levi sighed, his arms folded over his chest. He was gently pinned against Lucerne's hand by the boys' thumb, like a seatbelt.

Lucerne nodded, glancing behind them to make sure they weren't being followed. "I guess that makes sense. Still. So, what's life like inside the wall? I've never gone near it, I heard you throw enormous rocks at titans who try to break in."

"Cannon balls, yes." Levi supplied. "Life inside the walls… hmm." He thought for a moment. "It's about as bloody as it is out here, just with more sugar coating. The strong prey on the weak, and blame the weak for not being strong enough. That's just humanity's way, I guess. Even united by a greater enemy, mankind still hasn't learned to get along."

"Sounds terrible." Lucerne murmured. "My father always told me about little people, who were unfriendly to things unlike themselves… I never dreamed that you were uncivil even with your own race…"

"You have a father?" Levi asked, eyes snapping open.

Lucerne looked down at him. "Of course. Doesn't everybody?"

Levi sighed softly, trying to grow accustomed to the idea that Lucerne was not a titan. "So… your species… not titan, not human… you can breed?"

"That's a gross question." Lucerne scrunched up his nose. "But yeah."

"So there's more of you?"

"I thought it was my turn to ask questions?" Lucerne whined, then sighed at the look Levi gave him. "Alright, alright. Yes, we have a village back that way." He waved briefly once again in the opposite direction of the wall. "There's not many of us… mother worries that we'll go extinct soon."

"Then isn't it a bit foolish for you to be out here on your own?" Levi narrowed his eyes.

Lucerne sighed. "No. My children will carry on the line, I'm not worried about that. I wanted to see the world. I didn't want to be stuck there any longer…"

Levi raised his eyebrows. "Children? How old are you, exactly?" Levi asked, curious as to the lifespan of these creatures.

"Ten." Lucerne responded.

Levi flinched. "Ten and you already have children?"

Lucerne raised an eyebrow. "Why, is that abnormal to humans? When do you have your children?"

"Most wait until they're past adolescence." He muttered.

"Why wait so long? Do your reproductive systems not function properly?" Lucerne looked shocked.

Levi sighed, leaning back against Lucerne's palm. "The average woman is not able to bear children until she's fifteen, sometimes younger, but it's just not safe to give birth that young."

"Fifteen? I can't imagine waiting another five years to continue the chain, we'd be extinct if we went by those rules. Our reproductive systems are fully developed shortly after birth." Lucerne smiled at him. "I'm not the youngest father in my village."

Levi winced at this. It gave a whole new meaning to the saying 'babies having babies'.

"Ah, yes, a stream." Lucerne's voice interrupted Levi's thoughts, and the man looked up, seeing a flowing stream up ahead. Lucerne stopped at it, sitting down on the side and dipping his hand in. "It's cool, but it'll have to do. Need to bath your wounds so they don't become infected." He gently set Levi down and the man wearily unbuttoned his shirt, looking at the wound in his side with an unsettling feeling forcing its way into the pit of his stomach. It was worse than he'd thought.

"That looks bad." Lucerne murmured, leaning down to inspect it, then gently plucking Levi's green cape right from his shoulders. "Need to borrow this." He murmured, plunging it into the stream and soaking it thoroughly, then ringing it out gently with his fingers. "Here, tie the wound. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Levi took his wet cape back, wrapping and securing it around his midsection and sighing as the cool lessened the burn. "Just minor scrapes and bruises, this is what I'm most worried about." He responded tiredly, noting that his ankle still twinged a bit. But with Lucerne carrying him, it had gotten time to rest, it was feeling much better.

Lucerne nodded, cupping his hands in the stream and raising the water to his lips, drinking.

Levi watched for a moment. So there was another difference between whatever species he was and the titans. He was drinking. Because he was thirsty.

Lucerne misinterpreted Levi's intense stare. "Oh, sorry, you want some water?" He murmured, taking another handful and holding it next to the man, forming a small pool for him.

Levi sighed, sitting forward with a cringe, cupping his hands into the water and raising it to his lips the same way Lucerne had. "Thank you." He murmured, also splashing his face a bit. He was covered in blood and dirt, he felt disgusting.

"Sure. Are you hungry? I am." He stood and looked around, holding a hand over his eyes to shield the sun.

Levi flinched at that, all the humans who he had ever witness die in the jaws of a titan flashing behind his eyes for a moment. He sighed, running a hand through his hair tiredly. "Yeah." He murmured.

Lucerne looked down at him, then knelt down, holding out his palm, smiling gently. "Come on, then."

Levi tiredly climbed into the boys' palm, his hand pressed against the wound in his side. He needed stitches. Blood had already seeped through his cape, which was no longer cool, and was simply irritating the wound. He cringed again, his eyes slowly closing.

"Are you alright?" Lucerne asked worriedly, walking away from the stream, back on course to the wall.

Levi blinked tiredly. "I'm not feeling so great." He replied weakly.

Lucerne furrowed his brow in worry, then let out a cry of alarm when a four meter titan surprised him, its jaws closing inches from Lucerne's hands, just narrowly missing Levi. Lucerne ducked, rolling underneath the beast and stumbling back to his feet, glancing down at Levi worriedly as the titan, an abnormal, raced onto his heels, keeping up with him. "I can't shake it off!" he cried.

Levi winced, clinging to Lucerne's thumb. All the rattling was making him feel ill, the pain in his side intensifying.

Lucerne tucked Levi into his pocket, buttoning it closed and leaping over some old rubble, the titan still on his heels. He slid to a halt, stepping to the side and the titan flew passed him, giving him a chance to turn and run the other way, panting, glancing over his shoulder as the abnormal continued to chase him.

It dove forward, its jaws latching onto Lucerne's leg and bringing him down. Lucerne folded his arms around his chest before he hit the ground, as he slid, praying Levi hadn't been crushed, tears in his eyes as the titan bit down on his leg. He kicked back at it, blood pouring from the wound, when suddenly, there was a little person, another human, flying through the air, blades tearing into the back of the titan's neck and killing it.

The humans were on horseback, shouting to one another and pointing at Lucerne.

"It's wearing clothes!? What the hell! That's the strangest abnormal I've ever seen, look how small it is!"

"And the other titan was chasing it!"

"We should capture it, for Section Commander Hange."

"No! We're out here to find Captain Levi, not capture test subjects, come on, keep moving!"

"Then why the hell did we save it from the other titan?" The humans rode off, glancing back.

"Maybe it'll still be alive next time we come out, but right now, we don't have time!"

And then they were gone.

Lucerne stared after them blearily, glancing back at the new wound on his leg, tears in his eyes. He moaned, supporting himself on his forearms to keep his weight off of Levi. "L-Levi… your friends are looking for you." He whispered painfully, rolling over onto his back. "Levi?" He wearily unbuttoned his pocket, glancing in at the man who appeared to be unconscious.

"N-no… don't be dead, please don't be dead." Lucerne whispered, gently pulling the man out and holding his small, limp body to his face, his breath held. He could feel the tiny pitter-patter of his heart against his skin, but he had no idea if it was weak or not. He had nothing to go by. He let out the breath he'd been holding, glad the man was still alive, at least.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his thumb smoothing over the man's back. "I don't think I can walk…" he closed his eyes in pain, and just lay there for a while, holding his little friend gently.

AN: So the Levi Squad went right passed them. Do you think Levi and Lucerne will be okay? Reviews are much appreciated!