Ymir

The car was moving forward. The headlights were scattering the darkness which was prevailing around. There was silence inside the vehicle.

Ymir glanced at the girl who was sitting next to her. The blonde was still clenching her hands on the fabric of Eren's shirt, she still had it over her shoulders. She was staring to the side, out of the window, at the buildings they were just passing by with dizzying speed. Ymir loved driving fast. It was probably a favorite part of her job.

"We're almost in the center of the city" Fritz* finally muttered, looking back at the road. "Where should I drop you off?".

"You can stop here" The girl replied in a low voice. "I'll catch the bus".

Ymir snorted.

"Seriously? You have a free ride and don't want to use it? Think about yourself sometimes".

The blonde bit her lip.

"Well, okay… I live across the old theater, you know which one? It's a few blocks from here".

Ymir turned into a side street, steered the car in the designated direction.

"You work with these people?" The girl wanted to know. She looked at Ymir curiously.

"Our relationship is complicated" Ymir replied, stopping the car at the red light. "But yes, we work together".

"Aren't you scared?" The blonde asked, wrapping herself tighter with the black shirt. "After all, you're a woman, and I heard that they are dangerous...".

Ymir chuckled softly.

"Who said only guys can be dangerous?" Ymir looked into the blonde's blue eyes. She had to admit the girl was quite cute. "And you? Are you not afraid to work in a place like that?".

"It's not that I wanted to…" The blonde replied, escaping with her eyes to the side. "I needed the money, I was there today for the first time. Never again. I have to find a normal job".

Ymir was staring at the tiny blonde for a moment longer. Suddenly she noticed that the light turned green, so she started the car. After a few minutes, she stopped by the sidewalk, just outside the old theater building.

The blonde looked at Ymir with gratitude.

"I know it was that boy Eren who told you to drive me here, but even though, thank you so much".

She pressed the handle, but then Ymir spoke suddenly:

"I know one place. They need a waitress. Give me your number, I'll try to make an appointment for you. You know, since you need money".

The blonde turned her blue eyes on the dark-haired girl. She looked completely surprised.

"Are you serious?".

Ymir nodded. She handed the blonde her cell phone.

"What's your name, anyway?".

"Historia" She replied, typing in her number. After a while, she handed the phone back to the woman. "And you?".

"Ymir" Fritz replied, and seeing Historia's puzzled look, she added quickly: "Don't ask ... My parents just loved mythology".

"You don't have to tell me anything about weird names" The blonde added, smiling gently. Ymir noted to herself that the smile really suited the girl. "Thank you, Ymir. I will wait for your call".

Historia got out of the car, crossed the street and disappeared into one of the buildings. Ymir watched after her. Then she started the engine and started driving.

The sweet scent of the girl's perfume was felt in the car for a long time.

Levi

Ackerman was sitting in his armchair, completely still. He clenched his rough hands into fists. He forgot to wear gloves earlier, so his skin got rough in several places. He had cleaned up the whole house a moment ago, but now he had nothing to do. He tried to watch TV, but kept coming across the local news in which the missing agent was mentioned over and over again. He was sick of this.

He shuddered when his phone rang. His gaze dimmed a little. It was his personal cell phone ringing, not the one he only used to communicate with Eren.

When he saw Erwin's name on the display, he picked up right away.

"They found him" Ackerman heard in the receiver.

Levi widened his eyes. Erwin didn't need to add anything else. The tone of his voice told Levi everything.

They found him dead.

No. No, no, no, this couldn't be happening.

It couldn't be happening again.

Levi didn't say anything for a moment. He felt his heart pounding in terror, but if it was up to him, it might as well stop for good.

"Are you sure?".

"Someone heard the gunshots, called the police. When they arrived, no one was longer here, except for…" Erwin paused for a moment, to take a breathe. "They just called me here. It's him".

Ackerman have never heard Erwin's voice so devoid of emotions.

"Where are you now?" Levi asked, getting up from his chair.

"I don't know. I'm going back to town".

"Come here".

"No, Levi... I'd rather be alone".

"Come over here" Levi added, with a voice that couldn't stand any objection. He heard Erwin sighing softly.

"Well, fine".

Half an hour later, Smith's car pulled to a stop in the driveway outside Levi's house. Ackerman deactivated the alarm to let the visitor in. When he opened the door and saw Erwin's tired, almost transparent face, reality hit him like a blast of the monsoon. So it was true… Mike was really dead.

Levi opened his mouth to say something, but no words came to his mind. He didn't know what would be appropriate. He didn't know what to do. Erwin was in mourning, of course, but although his own relationship with Mike was limited to friendship only, he also felt a void in his heart. He also lost someone he loved.

Again.

"Levi..." Erwin looked at his shorter friend, and tears appeared in his blue eyes. "What are we going to do now?".

Smith took a step forward and hugged Levi tightly. Ackerman hugged him back, wrapping his arms around Erwin. They stood like that for a while.

Erwin didn't want to eat anything, but he didn't refuse a bottle of whiskey. He drank a few glasses until the alcohol knocked him off his feet. He fell asleep heavily on Levi's bed. Ackerman lay down beside him, but couldn't sleep.

He could hear Erwin's calm breathe beside him, but his thoughts were far away. Levi still wondered what the hell had happened today. They had no doubt that it was Yaeger's work, but from what Erwin said, as always there were no traces or fingerprints nowhere to be found. There were only some used tickets, old blankets and sleeping bags strewn around, as if someone wanted to give the impression that the warehouse was inhabited by homeless people.

The real question was: did Eren know about Mike? If so, why didn't he contact them? Was he trying to prevent it? Or was he deceiving them from the start and just waiting to hit them with such a painful blow?

Could the boy betray them?

Levi recalled Eren's green eyes. Every time he looked into those eyes, he saw goodness, honesty and true dedication to the cause on which they have all been working.

Was he wrong about him from the very beginning?

Ackerman's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a strong arm that grabbed him tightly. Smith cuddled up to him in his sleep. Levi looked at Erwin's face, which was suddenly right next to his. Oh no. He should evacuate from this position right away... He didn't want to wake his friend up, so he decided to wait for Erwin to turn over.

However, that didn't happen. Erwin opened his eyes instead.

Levi could see that his friend's eyes were still slightly red at its corners, and also a little absent, as if Smith still hadn't fully woken up yet. Before Ackerman could do anything, he felt Erwin's lips kissing him.

He widened his eyes. His heart, which had seemed dead just moments ago, now began to beat like crazy. In a second, all the memories of being close to Erwin returned to him. His smell, his taste, the touch of his mouth... Levi knew it wasn't right, he knew that he should push Smith away. He knew that this sudden kiss was the result of a deep regret or a sleeping daze, it was just the usual human need for closeness. Yet he was unable to break free from the man's embrace.

He didn't want to break free.

Erwin finally ended the kiss. He closed his eyes and fell asleep again.

Levi stared straight ahead, eyes wide, cursing his own stupidity in his mind.

Feeling the warmth of the human body next to him, he finally closed his eyelids and let his consciousness drift off into the dreamland.

Something woke him up only in the very early morning. It was still dark outside. Some noise, something that sounded just like the opening of a kitchen door leading onto a terrace...

Levi opened his eyes. A burglar?

Grisha's men? Have they come here to finish the job?

Ackerman pushed Erwin's arm away. The man was sleeping like a stone, so he didn't wake up. Levi got up from the bed and reached for his glock. He left the bedroom with the gun in his hand, it was ready to use… and suddenly he saw a tall figure just around the bend. He quickly aimed the gun at the unannounced visitor. In the moment he realized who he was dealing with, he widened his eyes.

But he didn't lower his gun.

Eren held up his hands. He looked at Ackerman without batting an eye.

The boy was wearing a dark pants as well as a black tank top that exposed his muscular shoulders. The brown hair was loose this time. Eren looked quite good except for his face, the expression on which was the same as Erwin's, when he entered Levi's house.

The boy's green eyes seemed as lifeless as Smith's.

Only this sight made Levi slowly lower his weapon.

For a moment he and Eren stared at each other without speaking. The silence was filled only by the clock's quiet ticking. Finally Levi put the gun on the cupboard and spoke softly.

"Eren, what happened?".

The boy lowered his hands. In addition to deep sorrow and pain, Levi saw something else in his eyes. For a moment he felt as if he saw an echo of a disappointment, a regret, a strange bitterness. Did he do something wrong? Did he lower his gun too slow?

Did Eren see hostility or distrust in his gaze?

Did Levi look like he really wanted to hurt him…?

"It was supposed to be a gift for me. Grisha and Zeke wanted me to finally become a man" Eren said in a hollow voice, as if someone had torn all emotions out of him, as if he were an empty shell. "Like some sick initiation. I don't know. But… It wasn't me, Levi. It was Zeke who pulled the trigger, not me. Please believe me!".

The boy's lower lip twitched slightly. Green eyes glazed with tears. Ackerman sighed.

"Let's talk outside, okay?" He asked, taking a few steps towards Eren. "Erwin is sleeping in the next room and I don't want to wake him up. I would like him to rest after today".

Something else suddenly flashed in Eren's eyes, a whole new feeling. He looked very surprised.

"Erwin...? He's here? Oh okay. Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt…".

Levi didn't answer, instead he moved toward the kitchen. Eren followed his steps. They went outside, to the terrace. The darkness was diffused only by small lanterns which were stucked into the ground. Levi sat down on the wooden bench. It was his favorite place to drink his morning tea. This time, however, the tea was the last thing he could think about.

"So? What the hell happened?".

Eren sat down next to Levi. He opened his mouth and started talking.

He briefed Levi about the whole evening without missing a single detail. He was talking automatically as if he didn't think about it or didn't want to recall himself about it, but Levi could feel the sincerity in his voice. When he got to the point where they arrived at the warehouse, tears began to roll from the boy's green eyes. Levi frowned slightly. Though he had felt a pain inside him excruciatingly since he heard about Mike's death, this sight was also an unbearable experience.

"That's it" Eren ended his story. He quickly wiped away the tears that were already streaming down his cheeks. A soft sob escaped from his mouth. "I really didn't want this to happen, Levi. I really thought Grisha would stop this. I don't understand why he agreed to this. He kept saying that... T-that we don't hurt the cops ... I couldn't do anything…".

Eren buried his face in his hands. He cried softly, and it made Levi feel almost a painful sting inside. He pursed his lips. After a moment, he reached out and placed his hand on Eren's shoulder.

"It's not your fault. You can't blame yourself for this, you hear me?".

The boy sighed and nodded. He wiped his face. Levi saw the goosebumps on Eren's shoulders.

"Why are you dressed so lightly?" He asked, reaching for the blanket. He tossed it towards Yaeger, who slowly swung the material over his back.

"That girl I told you about... She was very scantily dressed. I gave her my shirt".

Levi looked at Eren's pale, sad face and marveled at how sensible and empathetic this boy was.

"That's really kind of you".

"What's gonna happen now, Levi?" Eren asked, staring red-eyed at the detective. Levi shook his head. This was the second time someone has asked him such a difficult question this night.

"Levi, what are we going to do now?".

Why was he supposed to know that?

"I have no idea, really. Somehow, we have to connect Zeke and Grisha to Mike's murder. Although… It will be hard without your testimony".

Eren swallowed. He looked even sadder, though it seemed impossible.

"I know. But I can't... Grisha can't find out yet that I'm not on his side. Armin and Mikasa are still in danger. I'm sorry, Levi... I know you would do something else if you were in my shoes... You probably think that I am some kind of egoist, who only thinks about himself...".

Eren hid his face in his hands again. Levi was a bit surprised by this reaction. Why did this boy care so much about his own opinion?

Levi took a moment to answer. He wanted to choose his words carefully.

"You have a really shitty memory for this age. Don't you remember what I told you last time?" He asked, moving a little closer to Eren. "We are not able to predict the consequences of our choices. You have to decide on your own. Besides… I understand you".

Eren lowered his hands and looked at the detective.

"What do you mean?".

"That two people from that photo you asked me about one day... Their names were Isabel and Farlan. They were detectives in our unit. They were also my friends. When we were working on our previous case, the Heckmann's group, they were killed in a shootout. I made the wrong decision, we split up and they got surrounded..." This time it was Levi who clenched his fists as memories returned to him. "If I could turn back time, I would have acted differently… But it's too late for that. I have to live with this. I'm telling you that because I understand why you're doing all this for Armin and Mikasa. If I were in your shoes, I would have sacrificed a lot too. If I could, I would have done almost anything to save Isa and Farlan".

Levi and Eren stared at each other for a moment. The boy finally nodded. He calmed down and sat straight, then took a deep breath.

"Thanks, Levi. You know... I didn't know it will be this hard".

"Honestly? Me too" Levi added, leaning back against the bench. "I have no idea what our supervisor will decide tomorrow".

"We have to get Xavier. Without him, Grisha won't be able to continue production…" Eren muttered, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. The blanket slipped off his shoulders and fell onto the bench. Levi glanced at him.

"Okay, that's enough for today. You should rest. Shit, such experiences on your own birthday…" Levi suddenly widened his eyes. "Well, I remembered something. Wait here, I'll be right back".

Ackerman got up and went inside. He returned a moment later, holding a small box in his hands. He sat down next to surprised Eren and handed him the item. The boy blinked, staring at the box. His eyes were still a little red from crying, but Levi's gesture made it possible for him to focus his thoughts on something other than fresh, painful memories.

"What's this?" Eren asked, examining the box.

"Relax, it won't explode" Levi replied, leaning his back against the bench again and stretching his arms over the entire length of the backrest. "I think that Hanji won't be mad if I give it to you without her. It was supposed to look different, but the circumstances changed… Well, we wanted you to have this. Mike definitely wanted you to have this. Happy birthday, brat".

Eren raised his eyebrows, still completely surprised. He opened the box and saw a small pendant that represented the white and blue wings. The boy touched the object, which was glittering in the twilight, as if he was admiring a real treasure. His green eyes widened as if he couldn't believe in what he saw. Levi studied Eren's face, waiting for his reaction. As the silence grew longer, Ackerman cleared his throat and moved, sitting up straight and resting his hands on the bench.

"So? Do you like it? Hanji said that it reminds her of you, she was babbling something about a free bird that wants to fly out of his nest and blah, blah, blah... If you don't like it, you can give it back or sell it to someone, just don't tell that to Four Eyes. We thought that you should get at least one normal gift...".

Levi paused as he saw Eren taking the pendant from the box and hanging it around his neck. Then he looked at Ackerman and smiled slightly. Tears appeared in his eyes again, but this time they stayed in place.

"Thank you, Levi... Thank you all, really".

Eren reached out and touched Levi's hand that was right next to him. He squeezed the man's hand gently, in gratitude. Levi returned this gesture. His touch also was very delicate.

They were looking at each other for a moment, saying nothing.

The seconds were passing, and their hands were still touching.

Levi blinked. Something felt different... And then he realized what was that.

He was struck by the sudden awareness of this situation. Eren was looking at him silently, and Levi saw some kind of affection in his eyes that he could not have mistaken with anything else.

Shit. He thought of himself as a brilliant detective, but he only noticed it now!

Levi withdrew his hand and quickly looked to the side. He suddenly regretted mentioning the gift at all. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the phone.

"You should go back and rest, it's late. I will deactivate the alarm".

"Yes, I know, I'm on my way... Tomorrow I'm meeting Armin and Mikasa" said Eren, and after a while he rose from the bench. "I'll have to pretend everything's fine. I don't want Mikasa to know anything. It would be nice to meet with them, but unfortunately Grisha's people will accompany us. My father doesn't let her go anywhere alone".

Levi got up as well.

"Not for long, Eren. It will be over soon".

The boy nodded. Then he met Levi's eyes again.

"Your hand feels terribly rough".

Levi raised his eyebrows.

"I... Well, I forgot to wear my cleaning gloves".

"It happens. You know, Levi…" Eren looked at his shoes, then looked back at the detective. "Sorry for showing up without notice. I didn't want to interrupt anything. I mean… You and Erwin…".

Ackerman widened his eyes and was speechless for a moment.

"What?" He asked, then shook his head. "It's not what you think. We're just friends. I didn't want Erwin to be alone today. He and Mike... They were very close".

Eren widened his eyes. His green gaze saddened again.

"I understand. He must feel terrible…".

"We all feel this way. Don't diminish your own pain" Levi said with sympathy in his voice. "You must remember that we chose this profession with all the awareness that something could happen to us. Though I wish it would not happen... Okay, now it's time for you. You should sleep a little".

Eren nodded. However he didn't leave, he looked at Levi for a moment longer. He looked straight into his eyes, as if he wanted to say something more. He hesitated for a few more seconds.

But then he smiled shortly and started walking toward the back yard. After a while, he disappeared over a high hedge.

Levi looked after him.

How could he be so blind?

Did he do something wrong because of his inattention? Did he give Eren the wrong signal?

He suddenly thought about that morning, when they were eating breakfast together and when Eren pulled that stupid mug from the cupboard. "Blow me, I'm hot". Back then Levi was sure that the boy was just fooling around. He also remembered their last tussle in the motel, which Hanji had interrupted. If the Four Eyes had not entered the room, would Eren go any further? He also remembered all those moments when he was teasing with the boy and Yaeger always made his payback…

Ackerman rubbed his face with a hand. This day was way too long. Levi went back inside, but passed the bedroom by and headed for the couch in the living room. He laid down and closed his eyes.

It took him a moment to fall asleep. Before that happened, Levi could still see the sad, green eyes right in front of his eyelids.

* I gave Ymir this surname because she didn't have one in manga/anime. In my opinion it fits her anyway.