We could have made it home clear… Levi thought with a bitter rage as he rode towards the back of the formation where two horses, one laden with the unnecessary burden of a dead scout, were struggling to keep up with the rest. Levi's eyes lifted towards the two titans that were following them. A 12-metre and a 10 metre. Hardly small fry. White heat blazed away in the captain's check as his attention shifted to the panicking soldiers in the wagon.

His eyes fixed an icy stare on the stubborn scouts currently luring the titans towards them all. Dieter and Jurgen, the two who wanted to fetch their comrade's body.

Insubordination as well as stupidity, Levi mused. We could have made it without any more losses, you thoughtless, selfish bastards.

Even from this distance, he could see the realization of what Dieter and Jurgen had done cross their faces as they shot horrified glances at the rapidly oncoming titans in pursuit. They kicked at their horse's sides harder, shaking the reins like the poor animals weren't already running for their lives.

It happened so quickly that Levi almost missed it. Ivan's body toppled away from Dieter and rolled onto the ground and, ultimately, right under a titan foot.

Levi cursed under his breath. So now, all of this was for nothing. His hands gripped the reins so hard that the leather pressed painfully in his hands.

We've lost enough fucking people today and now we're losing more. The faces of his squad appeared one by one before his eyes, disappearing just as quickly as they showed up. Except for one. Her face lingered, the sight of her smile bringing up snatches of images of her writhing beneath him, her smile heightened by rosy cheeks and her lips pecking across his cheek as his body dropped onto hers, overcome by bliss. Less than twelve hours had passed since she was waking up in his arms, welcoming his kiss and telling him this mission would be okay. When they both knew that might well be a lie.

Still, I wouldn't put my living comrades at risk to give her shell to her father… not that there was one to give anyway.

Levi's thoughts flew back to the forest where the bodies of Gunther, Eld and Oluo were strewn in the female titan's wake. While there was no sign of Petra, there was enough blood to indicate that she'd been eaten. Either that or directly swallowed. His grip hardened even more on the reins and felt the material digging into his palms. If he believed in such things, he might have believed that the world hated him. That he was only allowed a few years of having people around him, having people he cared about before they were taken away again. But he didn't believe in that crap. This was just a shitty world and now it had taken his squad too. It took her.

Captain…

The use of his rank had never given him feelings like this before she joined his squad; tiny shoots of exhilaration spreading through him. He'd never feel that again.

He grit his teeth, shoving those thoughts away as he neared the back of the formation.

A titan fist reached out and grabbed Jurgen next. The man writhed and screamed as he was brought to the monster's mouth.

Levi grit his teeth, cursing his injured ankle. Another soldier gone.

Jurgen had made a reckless and stupid call but he didn't deserve to be eaten for it. Levi could understand that desire that had driven him and Dieter to this; he was just experienced enough to know that it was a bad idea.

Dieter may well have been heading for the same fate if a slim, quick figure with dark hair hadn't appeared. Levi watched the recognizably skilled movements of the young cadet as she cut the titan down before it could kill Dieter and then moved on to finish off the other. Surprised she left Eren, he internally scoffed although it was good to know she was still in good fighting form. It was one of the few mercies in this shitshow.

Another two titans were moving in from the west, full out sprinting after the wagon. Mikasa looked back towards them.

"Leave them!" Levi shouted to her. "Go back to Eren."

"Sir!" she called back, giving one last look towards the titans before urging her horse into a full gallop and away from the wagon.

Levi maneuvered his horse into turning around so it was now running alongside the wagon in the same direction. There was no real mystery as to why this wagon was currently failing to outrun the titans. Several rows of corpses occupied most of it plus the weight of the two soldiers guarding them. The solution was painfully simple and disturbing. It came down to another sacrifice; a last gesture for grieving families versus the lives of those soldiers still alive.

Nausea clawed at him. "Dump the bodies!" he ordered.

The soldiers' faces snapped around to look at him, unmistakable horror covering them. "Sir?!"

"Dump the corpses. You need to jettison the extra weight."

"But sir, we can't!" One of the soldiers protested. "It's not— Their families-"

"If you don't do it, the horses will tire and the titans will catch up," Levi told them, voice terse as his gaze jumped between the titans and the wagon, placing a hand on his leg. This conversation would be unnecessary if he wasn't injured. Damn it all. "Then the titans will kill you and squash them anyway. Either way, these bodies aren't gonna make it home." He knew his reasoning was cold. He knew he was a bastard and that right now, he sounded like one. He had to.

The soldiers flinched in the same way Dieter and Jurgen had earlier. Now they had a choice to make? Would they follow in Dieter's idiotic example? What choice would they make? What path would they choose? He observed them as they eyed each other, each one searching for any indication of what the other thought they should do. It irritated the hell out of him, reminding him of Erwin's advice after Isabel and Farlan had died. Don't leave your choices to other people. Decide for yourself.

"Do it!" he snapped at them.

"Sir!" They answered, faces painted with anguish and turning towards the bodies.

A rushing sound, accompanied by a female battle cry cut through the air, pulling all three men's attention from the corpses. Levi's head whipped around. Over his shoulder, behind one of the titans, a figure flew towards its nape. There was a flash of ginger hair before they disappeared behind the titan's neck. His heart gave a flutter in his chest. Could that really be…?

Petra…?

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Heat rushed at Petra's face as her blades cut through the titan's nape. Her eyes watered so much that she turned her face away as she completed her swing, body flung high into the air. Cool air soothed her heat-seared skin and she spun herself in the air. Not as gracefully as the captain, mind you.

In doing so, she snatched a few seconds of taking everything in below her; the formation in retreat, wagons nearly overloaded with wounded and the dead. Levi riding next to the last wagon surprised Petra. Why wasn't he engaging the titans himself?

She had no time to linger on those thoughts. She dropped, firing a cable into the upper back of the other titan, keeping one eye on her previous adversary as it stumbled, feet catching on each other, forcing it to fall sideways. It knocked into the other titan just as Petra shot towards the nape of the upright titan's neck. Instead she collided with the dying titan's hair (as well as another stinging blast of heat.)

Petra cursed as her face met with a mass of hair. She felt her cable unhook from her intended target as a force suddenly knocked the dying titan's head back. The impact sent her backwards as the titan collapsed. The other titan's fist hovered in the air, covered in blood. As Petra fell, her eyes met enormous curious ones that were now following her movements.

Shit.

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It was Petra. As soon as that damn titan had lurched forwards from the slice, Levi had gotten a decent look at her. Something loosened in his chest. You haven't lost her. He stared after her moves, watching how her attempt to cut down the second titan was ruined by the first one tripping into it.

His fist clenched on his leg. The impact of the titan's fall as well pretty much guaranteed that Petra's approach would be spotted sooner now.

Fucking dammit. Clumsy oaf.

Levi pulled his horse into slowing down and turning back towards the scene unfolding in front of him.

The titan that had been knocked into retaliated with a punch straight to its comrade's face. The impact caused Petra to fall backwards, or maybe she jumped. In either scenario, it was worse news since the titan was already half-turned and its watery eyes were staring at her as she dropped.

Her falling wasn't a problem in itself. Unless her gear was damaged, she could hook onto the titan but being able to do an attack would be so much harder now.

Levi's heart pounded so loud, he couldn't hear the disappearing mass of rumbling hooves anymore. His blood burned. Every instinct pulled at him like a puppet.

Fucking titans.

When he looked up at Petra again, she was flying up towards the titan's face.

Voluntarily.

"Don't be stupid!" he roared, panic and anger poured into his shout.

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Thank the Walls for slow titans, Petra mused as she shot her cables into the titan's forehead. It was an incredibly irresponsible and reckless maneuver and it was only going to amplify her immediate danger by about 1000% but hooking onto its back was no longer an option.

The cable pulled at her navel and she swung up towards the titan's face.

"Don't be stupid!" The captain roared and Petra knew he was looking at her. She heard the incredulity in his voice as she neared the mouth. Really gotta time this right, she thought as the titan began to open its mouth. Petra gagged as its foul breath reached her. Decay and blood hit her in a wind.

She shot her hook into the shoulder. At this close range, she landed on it just as the titan's mouth snapped at the air she'd been occupying. Petra squeaked as she landed. That was way too close. There wasn't enough time to think too much though. She fired her hooks into the top of the titan's head, allowing her to dangle as she jumped off the shoulder. It didn't leave much for momentum and the titan was already moving around, trying to move her.

She clambered up to the nape but being able to stay there was hard with the movements. She lost her footing and swung in small semi-circles while the titan tried to figure out how to get its arms to such an awkward spot.

After about five swings, Petra just gave up on regaining her footing and began slashing the nape each time she passed.

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Levi's heart was on the verge of forcing its way out of his chest after witnessing the titan's near miss.

Too close. Too fucking close. One second longer and he'd have been watching her die. His chest clenched like his ribs were squeezing at his heart. His chest gave a heave and the sick feeling swelling in his stomach was borderline painful.

Screw this. He wasn't going to lose her twice.

He began to charge towards the titan. "OI! You dumb brute!" he called out. "Over here, ugly!"

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The swings and slashes were particularly uncoordinated with the titan's attempts to turn and reach for her. A hand came flying toward her once or twice but Petra slashed at it whenever it did.

"OI! You dumb brute!" Levi shouted. "Over here, ugly!"

Petra's heartbeat quickened. Captain… From her position, it wasn't possible to see him but she didn't need to, to know what he was doing. If it had been most people except for Levi Squad and certain officers, she would have called them out on their recklessness (however hypocritically). But Levi could handle himself. What's more, he was giving the titan a target that it could see. Unless this thing was an abnormal, it should focus on that.

The titan turned towards the sound, its body going still. Petra immediately began clambering up the titan's upper back. The titan turned its head again, only for Levi to shout up to it.

"Hey ugly! Look at me when I'm talking to you. You filthy beast. When was the last time you jumped in the river? Of course, it's, probably best you don't. We don't want to drink your disease-ridden filth. You're disgusting, the lot of you."

The titan looked away again, re-focused on wherever Levi was. Petra bit down on her lip hard to fight back a laugh as she reached the nape of the neck.

She readied out both of her blades and swung them in a vicious arc across the titan's skin. Another blast of heat hit her and she dropped back to get away from it, extending the cables until she hovered over the hips.

The titan crumpled forwards, hitting the earth with a boom and Petra recalled her hooks, sliding down its back until she could jump off its shoulder. She scanned around the area until she spotted the captain to the left.

He guided his horse into walking towards her, his expression pinched like he was in pain. "That was too fucking reckless, Petra!" he barked. He was breathing harder than usual. "You were so fucking close to being titan food. That move towards his face… that's never okay, do you hear?"

"Yes," she said, cringing as she approached him, "I know, Captain. I was pretty desperate," she admitted. Putting fingers in her mouth, she whistled for her horse. The noise pierced the surrounding countryside. In the distance, the formation was growing smaller and smaller. No horse appeared to be approaching so far.

"You should have retreated, got to the ground and tried again." Levi continued, slightly breathless now A deep scowl was etched into his features as Petra moved by his side. "You shouldn't be so careless with your own life, Petra. We have to fight smarter than that."

His wording was… interesting. "I'm a Scout," Petra smiled weakly. "Isn't being careless with our lives what we do?"

His brows knit together so quickly, they formed a single thin line across his crumpled forehead. "You think this is funny?"

Her smile dropped. "No. 'I'm sorry," she told him. It was then she saw that he was holding a hand down by his side. She slipped a hand into his and felt him squeeze.

"For fuck's sake, Petra," Levi breathed. "You came so close— I already thought-" He cut himself off and pulled on her hand. "Get on," he jerked his head.

"I can get my horse."

"It's run off," he insisted with a low growl. "We can't linger here."

Petra raised anxious eyes to him. "It'll slow your horse down with two of us."

"Luna can manage," Levi's tone was curt. "Your horse isn't coming." Petra raised her fingers to her mouth again to whistle but Levi tugged her hand again. "Please?" His voice went super quiet. "Let's get out of here."

Petra gazed up at him. His features had softened into sadness now rather than annoyance. She nodded. "Yes, sir."

His hand slid down her wrist and he helped pull her up behind him. Once he was sure she was secure behind him, her arms around his waist, he urged Luna into a gradual gallop. Soon the trees and fields were whipping past them.

"Thank you," Petra murmured against his neck, pressing a kiss to his jaw, "for distracting that titan."

"Your kill would have taken about ten times as long if I hadn't."

Petra released a huff, wishing that she could argue with him about that but it was likely true. She took a small measure of warmth from the slight tinge of pink to the captain's cheek from her kiss. "Yeah, fine," she mumbled into his shoulder.

His hand covered one of hers at his waist. "Never pull that shit again," she heard him mutter.

She leaned her forehead against his neck. "I'll try and avoid it."

"Not fucking good enough."

"Captain, I might have to do it at some point."

"Tch. I doubt there'll be a situation where it's your only possible move, Petra."

Petra leaned against him more, moving her free hand up and down his arm in gentle rubs. "I'll be more careful, I promise."

"Good," she heard him whisper. She gave him another peck on the neck, smiling as he shivered. "I've lost enough of you today as it is."

The earlier warmth inside her quickly fled from her at the reminder. The adrenaline and focus of battle had taken her mind away from it. She lay her forehead against the back of his shoulder. Their squad…. they were all gone. Lost to that monster. She thought back to the scene in the forest. "Did… did we…. did we manage to get…?"

"We're bringing them home."

Petra nodded against him. "Okay, well that- that's something."

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By 10pm, everyone was back in HQ, fed, showered and resting.

The castle hallways were quiet as Petra navigated her way through them, descending each staircase with the silence of a ghost. Ironic, considering her destination.

The morgue stood at the other end of the hallway from Eren's "bedroom".

Petra glanced in at his cell on her way past and was glad to see the boy sleeping fairly soundly, light snoring softly rumbling from his bed. She stopped and looked in on him, her expression sad. He's just a boy in all of this. But then, so were many of them. Military training may start at twelve but it didn't make the reality any easier to accept. We send children as soldiers. How many cadets had they lost in the battle of Trost? She pushed down those thoughts. She'd had enough of battle today. Instead she continued her way to the morgue.

It had once been a small hall for the servants to dine in. Over a dozen wooden tables had been pushed together in small groups. Many of them had a row of bodies draped in sheets over them. At the back of the room, Petra approached the bodies of Eld, Gunther and Oluo.

She reached out to touch Eld's cheek as tears began to pour out of her. "Goodnight," she whispered and leaned down to touch her lips to his forehead. "I hope you're at peace now." It was the one consolation that she could convince herself off right now - being free of this "shitty world" as the captain would call it. "I'm sorry we couldn't save you."

Moving onto Gunther, she kissed his head too. "Goodnight. I promise I'll keep checking on Nifa for you." She closed her eyes, her shoulders shaking as she tried to hold back a sob. Thinking back about how much she'd teased Nifa, offering to put a good word in with Levi so Nifa could be in a squad with her boyfriend. Nifa had laughed and called that one of her cousin's worst ideas. "I'm sorry we couldn't get there in time."

Petra's heart felt a dozen times heavier as she reached Oluo. Brushing back a couple of stray locks from his forehead, she kissed him there. "You knew I cared, didn't you? You could be a giant pain in the ass but you always had my back. Even when I was arguing with people, you stood up for me even if I was in the wrong." She bowed her head against his. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

The dam broke after Oluo and, as Petra straightened up, she clasped both hands across her mouth.

When would it all end? Losing people to those monsters. Burying comrades. Having memories of training with them and then living with their absences as the memories grew dimmer and more colourless. When would humanity get to know peace again. Haven't we suffered enough?

"Hey."

Despite the fact that Levi spoke so quietly, his sudden appearance and movement of his arms around her made Petra stumble back into his chest in surprise, her hands on his arms. "I've got you," he murmured against her temple before kissing it. She leaned back into his warmth, face turning into his cheek. He raised a hand to brush away her still streaming tears, alternating between each cheek. "Nothing will ever hurt them again," he told her. "Their time in this hell is over."

Petra nodded, sniffling as she tried to muffle the sobs. "I-I-I know." She snuggled in closer. "You were saying goodbye too?" she asked after a minute or so.

"I was saying thank you."