Levi Has A Pet
Summary: Levi has a pet, an unusual one, but it's a pet and he likes it with all of his dark little heart. It's small, undemanding and, most of all, clean. But it's a blast from the past and when word gets out, everyone wants it. Levi has to make sure his unique pet remains his and free. Eren, already done with this BS 2000 years ago, gets dragged into it. He's not complaining, despite his complaining.
The wedding was absolutely stunning. With two parts that adhered to both family's traditions, the wonderful ballroom reserved for the occasion, the food, drinks and music, it was definitely a wedding to be remembered. The bride and groom couldn't stop smiling throughout the whole thing and Levi felt like he was blessed to see his old comrades this happy together. There were moments where he honestly felt a tear threatening to escape his eyes, especially during the vows and the speeches the maid of honor and best man made. Marco, even without his memories intact, captured all the feelings the Eldians of two thousand years ago effortlessly and made the ones from the 104th really tear up. Armin was even crying and Sasha sobbed dryly around some potato Connie had stuffed in her mouth. Reiner had silent tears practically anime-streaming down his face but he smiled through sniffles while Bertolt tried to console him.
Thankfully, Misaki didn't cause any sort of fuss, especially with how close to Levi Eren stuck. Whatever Eren had told him that day, it stuck, which Levi was thankful for. Misaki seemed like the ideal mobster type and while yeah, Levi could easily take him, Ackerman abilities or no abilities, he'd rather not cause a scene during Mikasa's wedding. It was her and Jean's big day and all his once brats deserved a rest and some relaxation after all the shit Levi had unintentionally dragged them all into.
Still, looking back, Levi could almost call that a lesser of two evils compared to Mikasa's shopping spree to get Levi and Eren 'equipped' for her wedding. Now that was a ride through hell if he ever saw one. Fuck killing Titans, invading Marley or the Battle of Heaven and Earth; those were all a walk in a park in comparison and Eren at his worst was a freaking lamb compared to Mikasa trying to find the perfect outfits for Levi and Eren. It wasn't fair that Annie got to shop for clothes for Hange, Pieck and Gabi and Reiner was the one helping Falco, Moblit and Armin and Jean actually took up the challenge of getting Kenny into a decent suit. (That one was a tall order. Levi remembered Kenny's own wedding with Uri and while Uri had been dressed in a lovely white suit, Kenny had refused to wear a bow tie and had arrived in cowboy boots and his signature ratty old hat. Not to mention that he had guns and knives under his suit jacket. Honestly, Uri deserved so much better than Levi's uncle. Five year old Levi had facepalmed like no one has ever facepalmed before as he handed over the rings to his uncles. Kuchel had been somewhere between crying out of happiness for her brother and cringing out of second hand embarrassment that Kenny was too shameless to even feel.)
Somehow, everyone but Eren and Levi had a fun time shopping. The two of them went through a war zone that left them more traumatized than anything in their past life could ever hope to, but at least they looked damn good in their complimentary suits. Mikasa had really done a good job in her choices. And seeing how happy it had made her, neither man could disagree, especially Eren, who even felt he owed her at least this much.
Levi was just glad that that whole hell was worth it.
And he's not even talking about the shopping spree now.
In the days before the wedding and following Ilse's little live broadcast from the research ship over the Mariana Trench, in between bouts of shops Mikasa dragged them into, Levi had been able to catch up on what was going on now that his secret was out in the world and that the Hallucigenia was proclaimed dead by Eren. It was a move Levi had considered once but had known he wouldn't be able to convincingly pull it off by himself. The witnesses of what happened that day still didn't believe what Eren was saying, but Ilse was a reputable reporter who had never once posted or declared something without thoroughly checking her sources. The fact that she had quite a few leaked documents to show for the past two years of Levi's fugitive life on the agencies' side of things didn't help anyone's case but Levi's as the world raged over his life being uprooted just because he found an interesting and exotic pet. Animal Rights activists all over the world also raged at the death of a one of a kind species who had survived so much, even the raging water pollution their oceans were suffering from, only to be killed during an event where two people also almost drowned.
The world public was firmly in Levi's corner and he couldn't be more lucky if he continued finding four leaf clovers for the rest of his life.
This, of course, didn't mean he was completely off the hook from other agencies' continued spying on him and whatnot, but Zeke took it in his hands to provide Levi with protection from the CIA. Probably because he got a promotion for protecting an American citizen. Isabel had really saved that beardo's butt and she had covered for Levi. If Zeke didn't promote her soon, Levi would be having words with the ungrateful monkey. Those two were also the reason neither Levi nor Eren were dragged off to be thoroughly examined or experimented on, not even their blood work was tested. None of them know for sure if the Hallucigenia's influence on their bodies would be visible on specific tests the way Eldians had been identifiable by their blood tests two thousand years ago and none of them wanted to find out in such an unsafe, uncertain setting.
One thing was for certain, though: Levi still had his superhuman strength and Eren's body heat matched the one he used to have as a Titan Shifter two thousand years ago, even if neither had tried to test for their powers since they had survived near drowning at the Mariana Trench. The only reason Levi knew he was still stronger than your average human was because he lifted shit with no strain that he saw needed two people to carry it anywhere, so he was again careful where he displayed his powers and around whom. The last thing he needed was to once again be the target of greedy organizations and agencies. And no one wanted Eren to try shifting again, simply because none of them knew for certain if he only had his Founding Titan form or if he had his Attack Titan form, too. They can't risk a three hundred meters tall Titan appearing out of seemingly nowhere around other people.
Erwin Smith and Willy Tybur took on the most damage in their careers, from what Levi knew, since they led the main attacks that nearly killed two civilians, as far as the world knew. Levi thinks Erwin was demoted or maybe just relocated to a different branch but Tybur? Oh, Tybur was to be tried for abuse of power and espionage on an international research facility that was the ship full of all sorts of scientists examining the Mariana Trench and he would no doubt be found guilty. His sister was already fired from the German intelligence agency and was forbidden from ever working with a government organization again while Willy will actually have to serve jail time if his lawyers don't save his ass somehow.
Kruger, though? Kruger was a crafty son of a bitch. He somehow managed to escape all punishment even though Eren had named him by name and surname as the person doing a favor to someone outside of BND and using the agency's resources for it. Hell, Grisha was getting more fire than Kruger was and Levi was impressed with the man's savviness, even if he would have preferred Kruger to face consequences for his actions so both Levi and Eren could sleep peacefully at night.
Not that they don't. It's hard not to sleep like a brick when pressed up against the chest of someone you trust and it helped that Eren was a walking furnace, even more so after the Hallucigenia seemingly gave him back some of his powers. Levi honestly slept like a baby for the first time in nearly three years since his mother got diagnosed with cancer again. Even the lack of the Hallucigenia's light that he'd grown used to over the past decade and more didn't bother him with Eren's arms wrapped around him, though perhaps it was just exhaustion and near death making him too tired to be paranoid with the sudden lack of an everyday occurrence and that would come later. He hoped not and doubted it. He had a feeling Eren wouldn't let it come to that.
"You seem deep in thought," Eren himself commented into his ear, tugging him out of his musings and refocusing him on the great big event that was happening right now. It was the father-daughter dance and Levi got to finally meet Mikasa's Ackerman father, who was not really what Levi was expecting, being blond and crying so much. Kenny was staring at him strangely and Levi wondered if there are remnants of their powers dormant within every reborn Ackerman on the planet that would allow them to recognize each other even if they had never actually met each other in their past lives or perhaps Kenny had known Mikasa's father after all and he was having that same sort of deja vu that most reincarnated Eldians do when meeting one another. Mikasa's father was downright sobbing when he handed his daughter over to Jean. Mikasa's mother had to console him quite a bit. It was actually kind of adorable.
"Just thinking about everything," he replied, looking up at his companion. He'd actually gelled his hair back and tied it into a low, classy bun instead of the messy one he usually did just to get the hair out of his eyes. He looked quite handsome and there was a number of girls and even a few guys who had been tracking him with their eyes since he'd stepped into the ballroom Mikasa and Jean had booked for their reception. "This will be a brand new life for me, after this," he said with a nod to encompass the wedding that may as well be an epilogue to the world wide adventure Levi had embarked on quite unwillingly but unhesitatingly. "I'll have to get used to being an ordinary person again."
"Yeah, that will be hard," Eren said with a sympathetic grimace. "But whatever we do, I'm sure we'll find a way to make it interesting," he reassured with a charming smile that would have made a weaker man's knees go weak and wobbly.
Luckily for Levi, he was no weaker man. So he just arched an eyebrow at the brunet. "We?" He questioned with an amused tone, quirking an eyebrow.
Eren only leaned in closer to him, wrapping an arm around his waist, which Levi didn't protest. "Yes, we. There's no escaping me now, Levi. But you already knew that, didn't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he teased just to hear Eren growl - something he wasn't sure he'd heard the man do in this life so far but what used to be a regular thing back when he was a Shifter - like a literal animal, much to his amusement. "I'll have to go visit my mother, before we can do anything, brat."
"Oh, yeah. And you'll probably have to help Uri and Historia, too, as a stockholder," he mused absently. "I'll definitely go with you, either way, since my mom's supposed to be with your family and all that. Can't wait to meet your mom, though, Heichou. You Ackermans mostly look alike so I bet she's the one you took after."
"Of course I took after my mother," Levi said with a snort. "I thought we've been over this? And Mikasa said you and Carla were practically the spitting image of each other."
"But you've already met my mom."
"Yes, so you have no room to talk about looking like one's mother, brat."
"It's not a bad thing," Eren reassured. "I'm glad I don't take too much after Grisha, especially in this life. I'd probably end up punching a lot of mirrors if I did."
"Still have those same anger management issues."
"Always," Eren agreed before he tugged Levi towards the dance floor after the maid of honor and best man also joined the married couple and the dance was done, too, leaving the floor open for guests to join in. "Come on, dance with me," he said with a smile and Levi didn't resist being tugged to the dance floor. "What, you're not going to resist?"
"You think I don't know how to dance?" The Ackerman countered with an arched eyebrow. "Erwin used to drag me to all sorts of fundraisers and I had to dance with all sorts of fuckers and fuckettes to get their money for the Corps. And Uri took us to a few fancy parties over the years. Rod was reluctant to let me dance with Frieda but Historia liked dancing with me. It was almost adorable."
"And Historia invited us to all sorts of parties as Queen," Eren commented. "Yet I don't think I ever actually saw you dance."
"I was on duty when you were around, Jaeger," Levi reminded. "My job was to keep an eye on you, so I was exempt from the dances. I was never more thankful for that than when arrogant noblewomen demanded my attention." Eren's face darkened and Levi smirked at him. "I'm guessing you never noticed, being busy with your teenage Titan angsty bullshit."
"You'd guess right," admitted the green eyed man. "But none of that matters now," Eren said as he brought them to a stop and rearranged them into a proper stance for a simple waltz. "Because you're here and I'm here and there are no more Titans, no more Marley, no more enemies waiting around the corner, no more foreboding visions and all that shit. It's just us and our friends."
"Just us and our friends," Levi agreed as they easily fell into rhythm with the other dancers. This would probably be the first dance Levi truly enjoyed. "And a whole world of possibilities in the future," he added with a grin that Eren apparently felt the need to kiss right off of his lips.
"It sounds like a good world to live freely in, Levi."
"I couldn't agree more, Eren."
Eren smiled down at him in the gentlest expression Levi had ever seen the hot-headed male ever make and it threatened to melt him on the inside, so he leaned his head against Eren's chest and they just reverted to simple slow dancing, no steps to follow, just swaying with the beat. If Levi closed his eyes and focused, he could only hear Eren's heartbeat and that honestly relaxed him to the point that he feared he'd take a nap right then and there, as long as he was in Eren's arms.
"I know it's a bit sudden," Eren speaking up had him lifting his head to look at the brunet, who suddenly looked nervous and a bit tense, unsure. "And I know we aren't even officially a thing, but-" He cut himself off, took a deep breath, before he let go of Levi and suddenly fell to one knee. Levi's eyes widened and he looked around, searching for the bride and groom, only to find them a few feet away and grinning at them in anticipation. "Don't worry, I asked for permission to temporarily steal their thunder," Eren said with a grin that still looked a bit on edge when Levi looked back at him. "Levi Ackerman, I've known you for a lifetime and more and I'd like to know you in this one to the very end, to stay by your side, in sickness and in health, in peace and in war-" The motherfucker winked at that. "To be your ally and your confidant in every sense of the word, for every situation. I've loved you for far longer than I could ever imagine. You were the one who understood me the best and I hope I can one day say the same. Will you give me the chance?" Eren asked as he took out a small, black, velvet box, opened it and presented Levi with a simple silver band with the Wings of Freedom engraved in white and blue precious stones.
Levi felt like punching him. On the mouth. With his lips. Both gently and not so gently.
"You're an idiot, brat," he answered instead and Eren grinned, taking his hand and boldly sliding the ring on the right hand ring finger before kissing it and every knuckle individually, almost reverent as he worshiped the hand that could have and technically should have been his executioner but instead ended up being a protector and ally to the very end.
The 104th, Hange, Moblit, Pieck, Gabi and Falco all erupted into applause, causing the rest of the guests to follow, even if they were confused as to why Hange was whistling as if their life depended on it and why confetti was suddenly thrown everywhere. Mikasa and Jean all but jumped on the newly engaged couple, laughing and spinning them around as more of their friends piled upon them as if their very lives depended on it. They must have made for quite the unique sight, especially to a gawking Kenny.
But Levi could only enjoy the moment and relax in the warmth of the hugs of all the people he'd come to care about, his found family. A few were still missing, but these were, at the very least, his brats and he was just thankful a time like this came to be where they could all laugh without crying.
They all deserved some happiness and rest, after all.
Even if it took them two lifetimes.
00000
"You ready?" Eren asked as they neared the airplane's doors, ready to depart and meet their loved ones waiting for them at the airport. Their fingers were intertwined and he squeezed Levi's hand when he no doubt felt just how nervous the shorter male was about seeing his mother again after so many months apart. Levi was now nearing his twentieth birthday. He refused to let his mother miss another one of his birthdays. He didn't want to spend another one without her.
Call him a mama's boy, because he's not afraid to admit it. He spent one life too short with her and he would cherish her in this one for as long as he can.
"As ready as I'll ever be. How about you?"
Eren looked confused. "Me? I saw my mother about a month ago, remember? When we met?"
The black haired man snorted at him. "I mean, are you ready to meet your mother in law, since you jumped the gun and proposed to me during your once childhood friend's and adopted sister's wedding without even asking me out on a date or asking Kenny for permission. You're lucky he's still in shock or else you'd be a dead man by now."
Eren paled and Levi had a feeling it had nothing to do with the threat of Kenny the Ripper's shovel talk and all to do with meeting one Kuchel Ackerman, the most important woman in Levi's life. He laughed, causing Eren to glare at him for deriving such joy from his 'misery'. Levi tried to be compassionate, even as chuckles still shook his body. "Hey, we're in the same boat, so relax."
"No, we are most certainly not in the same boat," countered the twenty two year old. "You've already met my mother and she was already under the impression that we're more than friends, remember?" Levi grimaced as certain things fell into place regarding that unexpected meeting and the way Carla Jaeger had acted that day. He'd been a bit more focused on finding someone who remembered and the Hallucigenia's sudden vocalness to concentrate on what his once subordinate's mother had been implying. "So, yeah, she'll probably only be pissed that she didn't meet her son in law properly before he actually became her near-official son in law. Me, on the other hand? Well, I'll be meeting my mother in law without ever having spoken a single word to her and I'll be coming into her life on the wings of her long lost son's return after two years of practically exile. And she's an Akcerman. I know how protective you Ackermans are. I don't want to mess with any one of you, let alone a protective mother finally getting her son back."
Levi almost wanted to vince at how bad that sounded from that perspective. "Well, if you think of it optimistically, you helped me get back home sooner than I ever would have managed on my own, so there's that. She'll absolutely adore you for that."
"Let's just hope it's enough," Eren grumbled as the doors were finally opened and passengers started getting out. It took a few minutes before they could leave, but as soon as they entered the waiting area where families welcomed back their loved ones, they were both tackled to the ground. Well, Eren was, but because they were still holding hands, he dragged Levi down with him when combined with the weight of his own mother trying to smother him in hugs and tears. Levi didn't have it in his heart to complain, he just let go of Eren's hand and hugged his mother tighter against him, breathing in her scent that he had missed so much over the many, many months they had been apart.
"Now, now, Kuchel," he heard Uri's gentle voice teasingly admonish. "Please do try not to suffocate Levi before we all get the chance to welcome him back."
That only had Kuchel clinging onto Levi harder and he returned the favor as enthusiastically as he dared. He knew he had his Ackerman strength and abilities, still. His eyesight still hadn't reverted to how it had been before the Hallucigenia had bitten him and that was probably the safest way to prove how not-completely-normal-human he was. He didn't want to hurt his mother by accident.
"It's okay, Maman. I'm okay and I'm here now," he reassured her, rubbing soothing circles into her back even as a few of his own tears dampened the shoulder of her long sleeved jumper she was wearing. This only caused her to sob some more, but she finally detached herself enough from him to take a good look at him. His heart gave a painful pang at seeing her red, teary eyes and tear-stained cheeks. He brushed her tears away even as she cupped his face and took in his features.
She chuckled at what she found. "My little baby, you are never going to age, are you?" Levi almost flushed at that, because he knew that if this life followed the old one's patterns, he'll be deep into his forties before the first signs of normal aging touched his skin or hair. "I've missed you so much, my little Levi!"
"And I you, Maman," he reassured, pressing a kiss to each of her cheeks. She looked so much healthier than the last time he'd seen her. She was probably still taking medication, but she looked so good now, with a healthy flush to her cheeks, her hair strong and lush, her skin supple and she seemed to be eating well, since there were no pronounced bones anywhere on her body. A heavy burden lifted off of Levi's heart seeing his mother okay. His biggest fear of not being there for her in her last moments abated and Levi knew he would keep close to her for as long as life allowed it. "I promise to never leave for as long or to keep out of contact for that long ever again, for as long as we both live."
But the female Ackerman just shook her head. "You do you, Levi, just please never disappear on me like that again. Just please tell me when you leave. I'll understand everything else, but not my only child disappearing while I'm in therapy."
"It wasn't by choice."
"Oh, I know, honey," she reassured. "That reporter, Langnar, made a wonderfully detailed story." A cold, steely look overtook eyes almost identical to Levi's, showcasing Kuchel's Ackerman side rearing its merciless head. "We'll make them all pay, Levi."
"You have my word, cousin," Historia finished for her and Levi looked up to meet his cousin's gaze. For all the confidence she was displaying, she seemed to be a bit embarrassed under his eyes, which didn't really make sense to Levi. She'd cut her hair to shoulder-length in the time he'd been away. The pixie cut suited her. She reminded Levi a bit of that Claire from Jurassic World, only blond and shorter. She stood in a business suit with Uri - who was already being distracted by Kenny, the big baby having missed his husband after only a couple of weeks - and Ymir, the freckled one from the 104th, Historia's past life undestined lover and this life wife. "It's good to have you back, Levi."
"It's good to be back, baby cousin," he retorted, causing her to get even redder in the face and for Levi to smirk teasingly. "Seems like you dared to get married without me straightening your spouse out over what would happen should they break your heart." He chuckled when she started sputtering. "Congratulations, either way. I'm really happy for you." Historia relaxed and beamed at him. It was a smile they had all stopped seeing since the truth about Titan Shifters was discovered and she learned she'll never see her lover in that life ever again. "And thank you for all you've done for my family in my absence."
Now she looked affronted. "Levi! You all are my family, too! Especially after Frieda blamed me for you ever finding that worm thingy in the first place."
Levi stared at her incredulously. "Are you freaking kidding me?" He asked, minding his language around his mother even though all three Ackermans cursed like sailors.
Historia looked almost wistful. "I wish. It's one of the reasons she chose to side with our dear old father, even though she did not approve of how he was running our finances and how he had left our uncle and aunt Kuchel to fend for themselves against deadly illnesses just because of his overwhelming greed."
"Fucker," spat Uri, causing Levi to gawk at the kind man. Uri just chuckled at him while Kenny looked like he was falling in love all over again. "Don't look so surprised, LeeLee," teased the man, bright blue eyes twinkling in amusement. "I've spent so much time around your family that I was bound to pick some things up. And Rod really did turn out to be a fucker."
"Then it's a good thing I plan on helping you take him down, I guess," Levi said with a smirk, taking out a 'business card' and handing it to his uncle. "This is my friend, Hange. She's extremely, uh, gifted with computers." Uri seemed to catch his drift and arched an impressed eyebrow at his honorary nephew. "She, her cousin, her roommate, her cousin's boyfriend and her own almost-boyfriend are probably going to land in the US by the end of the month. Hange has expressed a glee to tackle this problem with you, as she wants me and my family safe as quickly as possible so we can continue being sassy pen pals."
"Wait, you never told me that nutcase was your pen pal!" Kenny exclaimed and everyone laughed at him as Levi helped his mother stand up. Historia immediately approached him and the two cousins shared a hug. Levi had not used to think them overly close, but he had grown fond of Historia as they grew up and clearly he'd misjudged how attached she'd become to him in that time. He shouldn't have - unidentifiable nostalgia from a past life aside, Historia had always longed for family, due to how her birth mother had treated her - but he was only human and humans make mistakes. He hoped they can become even closer now.
Though he doubted she would ever again be lonely.
"Will you introduce me to your significant other?" He asked gently yet teasingly and Historia beamed through her blush as she led him to the patiently waiting Ymir. Levi had never grown close to the girl but he remembered her well enough; he had especially memorized her features after finding out she was a Shifter, not knowing whether she'll start assisting Reiner and Bertolt in their attacks on the Walls and their people or if she'll just let herself be taken to wherever it was they were taking her. Her hairdo had remained the same, but she seems to have some tattoos and piercings this time around. In fact, she looked an awful lot like a moody teenager rebelling against something, or so the stereotypes would say. Levi could appreciate that the aesthetic suited her, even though he hated that she was taller than him. She still had the same freckles. And she still seemed to be as madly in love with Historia as last time around, only this time nothing will ever stand in their way, not even idiotic, homophobic fathers. Levi, if no one else, will make sure of that.
"Levi, this is my wife, Ymir Reiss. Ymir, this is my older cousin, Levi Ackerman."
"Pleased to meet you," Ymir said as she extended a hand and she seemed just the slightest bit nervous.
Levi accepted the handshake and gave her just a taste of his strength as he pulled her closer. "You ever do my baby cousin wrong, it won't be so pleasant."
"But don't you have younger cousins?" Ymir asked even as she winced from the slight pain and Levi smiled almost appreciatively, though he had to admit it can come off as a bit predatory, too.
"I've never spent much time with the others aside from Frieda and Historia, so, as far as I'm concerned, Historia is my baby cousin."
"Then you have nothing to worry about," reassured the brunette. "I'll never hurt Historia, intentionally or unintentionally, for as long as I live, to the best of my abilities."
Levi searched her eyes for any deceit and then gave an approving nod. "Good."
"Seems like I'm not the only one who tied the knot while we were apart, cousin," pointed out Historia, immediately drawing everyone's attention to Levi's hand still in Ymir's, or rather the silver ring there. Historia had a teasing smile on as she snatched his hand up before he could hide it away, examining the unique design up close. "How come you got married, Levi?"
"Actually, I'm just engaged-"
"I knew it!" Carla crowed in victory, all but launching herself at Levi this time, wrapping her arms around his neck in an almost wrestler's hold. "I knew you were more than friends the second I saw how my Eren looked at you! Oh, you're so adorable and Eren! How dare you propose to this boy without even properly introducing us!?"
"Wait, Levi, you got engaged?" Kuchel asked as she stared at her new friend all but strangling the life out of her son. "And to this boy?" She asked as she turned to Eren, who looked mighty nervous at this point. Kuchel started tearing up as soon as either of the young men nodded and then she wrangled a startled Eren into a hug. "Oh, my baby is getting married! Oh, and here I thought I was done crying for today!"
"We need to get the planning underway immediately!" Carla declared decisively, letting go of Levi and grabbing him under the arm as she led him away, Kuchel doing the same to Eren and everyone else just following after them, chuckling at the two mother's antics. "We have to inform all our relatives in Turkey and my grandaunt in Spain and, oh, your uncle in Germany. We need to pick a venue and-"
"We just got engaged a couple of days ago-"
"There's no time like the present!" Declared both mothers and Levi sent the flustered looking brunet an amused look. Honestly, he himself didn't give a fuck. Marriage, to him, was just a signature on a paper. The relationship he and Eren had been building up for so long was already more intimate than some couples ever got. But if it made his mother happy to hold a wedding, then he'd let her.
Besides, they had both waited for two thousand years and more.
As far as Levi was concerned, let the wedding be whenever.
He'd already settled on living out the rest of his days with his brat.
"I completely agree," he told the two women and watched as Eren's jaw hit the floor. He could swear Kenny even fainted while Kuchel, Carla, Historia and Uri all squealed in excitement.
Then Eren beamed and all was right with the world.
00000
"Willy got out of prison today," Eren told him, many, many years later as they lay in their bed, intertwined to the point of not knowing where one ended and the other began, as had been their norm since the day they had married. "He's still on house arrest, but he's out. And an uncle of mine from Germany told me Grisha moved to Austria. He ended up getting custody of Faye."
"... Does that anger you?" Levi asked a bit carefully, knowing how his husband felt about both the men he was talking about. Grisha's and Dina's divorce had been the most public thing to happen in Germany for two years straight and their divorce took a total of five years to finalize since neither had signed a prenup agreement. Turns out, Grisha hadn't even wanted any of Dina's wealth, he just wanted custody over his youngest child, who was, according to Eren, his younger sister from their past life. In the end, Faye had been the one who chose which parent she wanted to stay with, probably for the same reason Grisha had been so adamant about having custody over her. Since the child had already been through enough emotional distress due to the proceeding over the five year divorce process, the court had let her pick and that was that. Zeke had kept them updated, but he hadn't taken sides nor part in the divorce itself, refusing to testify in court as he had better things to do with his life.
Namely, getting into a steady, long relationship with none other than Ilse Langnar, thoroughly impressed with her reporting and investigation skills and her PR talent after she'd saved Levi from further pursuit nearly six years ago.
Eren thought about Levi's question before shaking his head. "Nah. I don't care anymore," he admitted. "Mom somehow found Hannes and they're getting married in just a couple of months. Mikasa and Jean are waiting on baby number two and Annie should be out of the hospital the day after tomorrow with her and Armin's new kid. Hisotira and Ymir have adopted five children and three dogs at this point, Pieck and Porco got married last year and Moblit's finally planning to propose to Hange. Not sure what Reiner and Bertolt will do, but Gabi and Falco are also expecting already and Sasha and Connie are trying for a kid, too, though hopefully not as we speak," he said with a grimace. "Both our mothers are safe and happy, our families are complete. Erwin isn't coming after you, nor is anyone else. You managed to befriend your Underground friends despite the age difference and we've found out what happened to most of our comrades and friends from way back then. Oh, and Floch finally stopped bothering me. Hange is a miracle worker," he said with a chuckle. "Really, my life is great, so I see no reason to concern myself with Grisha."
"Yeah, we know all our comrades and friends are safe and happy," Levi said, a sort of peace overtaking him that still felt so foreign to him even after all these years. His Ackerman abilities never became dormant again, always expecting action and sometimes he got so stir-crazy that he actually went with Eren to swim with whales and dolphins in open waters, ending up pursuing a degree in marine biology himself. They were a power couple in the field, having saved a lot of marine wildlife from human traps and trash.
Eren also never lost his Titan abilities. They've yet to trigger a full transformation, but he does heal like he used to as a Shifter. But as long as the power dies with him, there should be no new Titan age. And neither of the men planned on having biological kids, at least not yet. Eren certainly didn't want to risk his powers being passed on even passively to future generations and, honestly, Levi had similar concerns, especially as Ackerman abilities did not require any outside source to activate them besides a stressful environment. Their powers were not a thing of this time and neither man wanted to reintroduce the world to the hell they themselves had once lived through.
Besides, there were plenty of orphans the likes of their past selves looking for a family. If they ever feel a need to take care of a child besides their many honorary nieces and nephews, they will adopt.
"Do you ever think about how the Hallucigenia's doing down there? What it's up to?" Eren asked after another bout of comfortable silence. They should really be going to sleep, as it was already quite late, but it seems neither of them were tired yet. It's not like the bouts of insomnia Levi had suffered from in the past, be it this life or the previous one, but sometimes, their bodies would demand more activity than they were used to exerting on a daily basis. A leftover from their last Eldian-related adventure or from their life as Paradis Eldians, neither could tell, but these moments simply existed and they used them to simply bask in each other's presence and all the things they've managed to accomplish in this life. Tending to a blue whale's injured fin was surely something Levi had never thought he'd do two thousand years ago even when he was facing other types of giants on a daily basis.
"It's probably doing fine, kicking some megalodon ass." That startled a laugh out of Eren and Levi felt his own lips curve in a smile that was much freer these days than ever before. "I miss the little shit, sometimes."
"Yeah, it was quite the character."
"I certainly don't miss the hiss-screeching, though."
Both shuddered just remembering the sound.
"Yeah, me neither."
00000
"Are you sure about this?" Susan Jaeger asked as she extended an object over the railing of the ship, looking towards her two brothers for confirmation even as indecision wrecked through her whole being.
"It's what they would have wanted," assured Timothy, smiling towards his youngest, adopted sibling. He was the first of the three Levi (née Ackerman) and Eren Jaeger have adopted many years ago and he was forever thankful to his dads. If this was what they wanted, no matter how much it hurt, he would fulfill such a simple wish.
Lance, who'd taken the most after Levi, only silently nodded and Susan accepted it was what her parents wished for, so with tears in her eyes, she let go of the object she'd been holding onto and let them drop into the deep, turbulent waters.
"Do you think it will make it to the bottom?" She asked and her adopted brothers could only shrug.
Despite it all, they were sure that it would.
After all, Levi and Eren had never done anything halfheartedly.
And they most certainly wouldn't start with their final journey.
00000
Several hours later, a single urn hit the ocean floor at the bottom of Challenger Deep, its lid sealed to protect the precious ashes inside. Two wings, one blue and one white, crossed over each other, were carved into the urn and two very distinct names were inscribed into the material of the urn. The urn was made of a slightly luminescent material, lighting up the ocean floor where it landed as the only source of light in that deep, cold darkness.
Another source of light approached it, its simple purple eyes curious as it sensed a familiar presence, no matter how weak it felt. The glowing white creature gave a sad sounding vocalization upon realizing what it had found in its new domain. It knew humans had limited lifespans, even if it were to give them all the powers in the world. It had simply not been aware so much time had passed. It still felt, to it, like it had been only yesterday when it had said goodbye to its favorite humans, when it had last seen their precious, young faces.
And yet here they were now, dust and ashes, only names carved on an inanimate object meant to contain their intertwined remains so nothing could ever break them apart, not time, not destiny, not the end of the world itself. The Hallucigenia had always been fascinated by humans; ever since the first human it had met, it had been curious about the bonds they created. In its very, very long life, it can confidently say it had never seen the sort of bond its last host and its last protector have created in anyone else and it probably never will.
It seems that the time has come.
In mourning, the Hallucigenia let its body shrink until it was only long enough to wrap around the urn containing its two favorite humans, making sure to wrap itself around it in such a way to assist in holding the lid airtight shut before it closed its eerie purple eyes.
Its body started losing its glow until there was no more light in the depths of Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench.
The 'pet' followed its 'owner' one last time.
An era has ended and a new one begins.
The world will never be the same.
They made sure of it.
For freedom ...
DAS ENDE
