It started with Levi staring intently at an antique shop. His fingers quivering with surprise and anticipation because he saw it. He had recognized it immediately and now he was completely transfixed.
A sword.
It was old, obviously, but this one was beyond fixable. The silver sheen of the metal had been dulled to brown and black from age. There was no hilt, yet something told Levi that this was meant to be. A blade created for a simple usage, and once finished and broken, was to be thrown away without hesitation.
Somehow that thought hurt more than it should have.
Levi had remained at the front of the shop, eyes staring intently at the odd weapon. He could not move as his body was too rigid, tensed by the sudden onslaught of memories. As a child he had insisted they were dreams, but now he wasn't so sure.
"I remember to," a voice spoke out quietly causing Levi to jump in surprise as he whirled around to see Hanji staring at him intently with eyes of pure sadness, as if she knew. As if the dreams had also plagued her.
Levi had immediately regained his composure and attempted a deep scowl in Hanji's direction. "What are you talking about you shitty glasses," he practically snarled at her, but there was a slight quiver to his voice as he spoke, and Levi hated it.
Hanji stared back solemnly before letting out a gentle sigh that Levi would have thought her to be incapable of.
"Sometimes I don't understand why you always act like you have to carry the weight of the world alone. Maybe it's because you're the oldest, or is it because you remember?" Hanji asked curiously with a slight tilt of her head.
Levi looked at her with eyes widening a slight fraction before he looked back down at the sword in the window shop. Hanji frowned at this before reaching out and grabbing Levi's shoulders harshly and glaring at him furiously.
"Tell me!" she shouted. "Why do you always insist on doing everything alone? Why do you always push us away? Is it because of those nightmares? You know we all get them, so why won't you talk to us? To any of us."
Levi frowned before jerking away from Hanji's grasp and giving her a vicious scowl. "You wouldn't understand," he hissed. "Those aren't simple nightmares."
Hanji frowned while staring at Levi intently before she let out another quiet sigh of frustration.
"How far do you remember?"
Levi glanced up at her questioningly while Hanji continued with a gentle tone of voice that was filled with grief and perhaps regret. Something Levi understood all to well.
"I don't remember much from those dreams, or should I call them memories?" Hanji spoke almost hesitantly. "I remember the excitement though. The thrill of everything, and at the same time, the fear. I remember trying to hide the fear and anguish. The desperation. But the last thing I remember is going on a mission. We were out in the plains, no longer protected by the trees. There were titans surrounding us, and I remember the fear overpowering my excitement. Yet, I can't remember anything beyond that."
Levi's fists clenched until his knuckles turned a sickly white and he could feel his nails digging into the skin of his palms.
"You didn't make it," Levi whispered out harshly, almost accusingly as if blaming her for allowing herself to die. "You never came back."
Hanji stared at Levi in puzzlement before she looked back down at the ground.
"Yeah," she responded sadly with a barely audible whisper. "I figured."
Levi said nothing in response and just continued to stare at the dulled sword through the window until, finally, Hanji spoke up again.
"I'm sorry."
Levi frowned, his eyebrows drawing together in slight confusion before he turned to glance at Hanji for an explanation, but the girl refused to look him in the eye as she continued. Her soft tone wavering slightly.
"I'm sorry for being selfish. For leaving you behind knowing that the one that lives bears the weight of pain and sadness far greater than the one that dies. In my eyes, the one that dies is the lucky one, and, for that, I apologize."
Levi could said nothing.
AN - Hopefully this answers your questions. Yes, this is a reincarnation fic, and yes, Levi did have something to do with Eren being crippled although this will be further explained in the next chapter. Sorry if it's a little confusing. I'm not sure if I explained it well enough, but only one more chapter to go. Thanks for reading and please review.