A/N: I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Attack On Titan
3 years later…
I was woken up by the soft sound of a heartbeat against my ear. Lifting my head to look at its owner, I smiled. Levi and I had been promoted to Squad Leaders. Now in the same position as Hanji, we were burdened with a lot more work. I honestly couldn't seem to understand how she got through all that paperwork without feeling tense. I lifted my head higher up in order to look outside the window. It was probably a little after noon. Levi and I had finished paperwork and had decided to take a nap.
A few weeks later after we made our relationship official, he had decided that we would share a bedroom. At first, I argued; but it ended up being a good idea, since we would be able to spend more time together, even while working. Time flew out the window incredibly fast during the past years. The clock had ticked the life away from some of us. We went on a couple of expeditions, claiming land and such. Levi and I had encountered some rebellious titans during that time and I had been forced to control them. I didn't rely on my abilities as much. After all, during my years in the military training, I had been deemed as an extraordinary fighter. I matched Levi's skills on the battlefield. We often betted on who would kill more titans if we were to encounter them. So far, we were tied.
I slowly got up from the bed. Levi stirred and I stopped dead in my tracks. After a minute, he seemed calm. I resumed my activities and headed to the bathroom to wash my face. I had lost countless nights of sleep filling paperwork and training the people in my squad, and it showed in my face. I had bags under my eyes and I looked dead tired. I was becoming some kind of female Levi, only he needed less sleep than I did. I envied his flawless complexion. Even though he spent more time than I did awake, he had absolutely no signs of insomnia in his features. Bastard.
Before leaving the room, I approached Levi and kissed his forehead. His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. With his eyes still closed, he murmured something I wasn't able to catch.
-What? –I whispered, leaning down to listen to him more clearly.
-Where are you going? –He asked, opening his eyes to reveal those grey orbs I loved so much.
-I'm going to look for Hanji. I promised I would help her with something. –I said, smiling to him and tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. He smirked and let go of my wrist, only to place his hand on my neck and pull me closer for a kiss. I smiled into the kiss and broke it apart. I knew we wouldn't be able to stop if we kept it up.
-Fine, go ahead. I'll see you later. –He said, letting go of me and rolling on his side to get some more sleep. I giggled at the sight and left the room quietly.
The hallways were as crowded as ever. I had come to love seeing everyone so active and energized. Some people greeted me as I was heading to Hanji's laboratory. She spent an unhealthy amount of time inside that room, but I wasn't one to talk when I spent an equally unhealthy amount of time inside the wine cellar. Opening the door to her haven, I was greeted by her explaining something to Erwin. I rested my body against the doorframe, listening to what they were saying.
-I'm not joking, Hanji. Their numbers have increased dangerously. –Erwin stated, his hand gripping the table he was laying against with enough strength to turn his knuckles white.
-That doesn't fare well with our next expedition, then. –She said, deep in thought.
-It doesn't, but we are in no condition to cancel it. –Erwin stated, rising from the table and approaching Hanji.
-I know. We could ask Merethe to send them away. She could do it easily. –She suggested, emphasizing the word easily.
-No. We have seen her control one or two, not many at once. It's too dangerous. Every time she uses her abilities it takes a toll on her body. We don't know what could happen should she put herself at risk.–He rejected, his tone filled with concern.
-You're right…she does suffer a lot when she controls them. –She sighed, leaning against the board behind her.
-We'll discuss later. –He announced, glancing at his pocket watch and turning around to leave. I panicked, and retreated from the doorframe and into the hallways once again. I faked my look of surprise when seeing Erwin exit the room.
-Sir. –I greeted, saluting him. He smiled and patted my head, like he used to when I was child.
-Forgive me, little one, but I have a reunion with the superiors. You know how it is. –He said, smiling and winking at me. I chuckled at his actions and hugged him.
-Go. –I ordered, pushing him in the direction of his destination. He waved farewell.
I entered the room once again to find Hanji sitting on the floor. Her legs close to her chest and her head resting against the wall with her eyes closed. I made my way towards her, dodging all the boxes and sheets of paper that laid scattered around the room. I sat next to her and kept quiet. She opened her eyes and focused her attention on me.
-What's wrong, Hanji? –I asked, concerned for her well-being. I knew that all those all-nighters would get the best of her.
-I'm worried, Merethe. I have a bad feeling about this next expedition. –She commented looking down at her feet.
-Why? –I questioned, placing my hand on top of hers and squeezing it in a reassuring manner.
-I don't know. I just feel as if something is going to go wrong. –She explained, lifting her gaze from the floor and staring at me.
-Everything will be alright, Hanji. We'll be there for you. –I encouraged her, resting my head on her shoulder.
-That's what I'm afraid of. I don't want to lose you guys. –She said, her voice breaking. I knew how she felt. I understood how she felt.
-Hanji, have you seen how awesome our fighting skills are? –I joked, trying to lighten up the mood.
-You guys are full of yourselves. –She said, shoving me to the side and giving me a teary smile. I laughed and returned the gesture.
-Don't be afraid. Everything will be alright. You'll see. –I assured her.
-I hope. You and Levi are my best friends. –She stated, grinning.
-Damn right we are best friends. –I said, grinning back.
-Merethe, can you promise me something? –She asked, her face adorned by a serious expression.
-Of course. –I answered without hesitating. I was willing to do anything for her.
-Promise me that no matter what, you won't let anything break us apart. –She said, looking down at our joined hands.
-I promise. –I answered, squeezing her hand tightly.
-Thank you. –She said, resting her head against the wall.
-Anything for you, Hanji. –I stated, doing the same thing.
-Ok, let's get out of here. I'm so tired that I'm actually seeing the floor as an amazing bed. –She joked, standing up. I chuckled at her words.
-Go on ahead, I'll lock the place for you. –I offered.
-Thank you. The key is on the desk. –She said, leaving the room.
I took the key and locked the door behind me. The sun was still shining brightly. I felt a sudden pain on my wrist. The scar, that mysterious scar that held a snake-like grip on my wrist, turned red. My eyes widened at how fast and sudden the change was. It was as if someone had dropped red ink on it. My skin was burning. I bit my lip in an attempt to keep my pain a secret. I tried wrapping my fingers around it, but it only worsened the pain.
Annoyed at the pain, I looked for the nearest sink and drowned my the sensation in it. The water soothed the burning feeling. I sighed and took my wrist out of the water and gasped. The scar held a beautiful yet frightening crimson shade. I felt it. I felt Hanji's worry. I felt her hesitation towards our next journey. The pain in my wrist. The crimson shade that was etched upon my scar. The chills that ran up my spine.
I had a bad feeling about the expedition.
"Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present." –Marcus Aurelius
A/N: This story is barely starting. Hold on to your seats, because this is going to be a long ride. I hope you enjoyed. Feel free to review.