Levi hugged a pillow. He stared at you in wait. In wait for what? "I can't sleep with someone staring at me," You whined in a whisper. The short man closed his eyes, " Never once have I seen you asleep."

You pulled the covers higher to where it touched below your mouth, "Sometimes I can't sleep when taking care of things."

"I have been healing quickly. Besides, I don't usually sleep on the clock either."

You remember Levi sitting in front of a fire or pacing the perimeter during scouting missions. He sometimes had tea in hand. "Uh, Levi?"

"What?"

"You like tea a lot. I mean, I like tea but you love tea. Is there a reason why?"

Levi held his pillow tighter. "It is stupid."

"I wanna know."

"No, it's stupid." Levi rolled over. You lay across his stomach, "Bet it's not. Levi, I tell you things all the time."

The stern man pushed you off him and sat up. "Fine!" He lowered his head and muttered something. You slanted your head to the side, "I can't hear you."

"I want t_ _ _ _ …."

"A little louder, my dear. You are surprisingly quiet about this."

"I've always wanted to open a tea shop. When the war is over. I don't have enough education to be in any positions of power and I don't want to be in the military all my life. Once this godforsaken war is over, I want to retire. It seems so stupid, becoming the old guy of the tea shop. Others would expect me to yell at cadets till my head falls off."

He threw the covers over his head, "Wishful dumb fucking dreams."

He was right, others did expect him to stay in his current occupation. Only because he was so good at it. "Dreams aren't stupid. They are projections of ourselves in instances created through intense thought. If you see yourself in a tea shop as a veteran, no one has the right to shoot it down. Levi, you have suffered through a lot. More so than I know, but that allows you to rise higher than those who couldn't follow their dream. Don't give up on the dream. Live past the war," You pulled the covers down, "Levi, I am asking you to live past this war with me! I will open the tea shop with you!"

Levi took a breath in. The proposal was filled with hope. He wished so hard for it to be true, he could see you opening shop, chatting to customers about the best blends. He pulled you under the covers. He planted a long, passionate, kiss on your lips. "That sounds wonderful."

You woke to the rooster crow. You baked pancakes and left to feed the animals. The air dropped to a permanent cold. It was wonderful. The trees held on to the last leaves. The swarm of chickens crunched leaves, turned them over for bugs. "Food, my children." You shook the grain in the sack.

The sheep gate was wide open. You rushed into the pen to count. You stopped dead in your tracks. The shadow left of your brother held a blade dripped in blood. There were no corpses, just blood on every surface. You trembled in place. Nero laughed, "Mother never liked the sheep that much. You don't like lamb meat. Why so stunned, sister? They are my sheep too."

He stood up in the bloody sunrise, "I seem to recall these arms use to be filled with scarlet blood."

He grabbed your wrist. The knife pressed your white skin, over a scar. Your other arm was fighting against the hand possessing a weapon. "You are still human, Titania. You will always be weak."

The first line of order was to ignore his words. The knife pierced the scar tissue, drawing out blood forcefully. Your eyes filled with tears. You kicked at him, but he had knocked you down first. His eyes held no emotion, his mouth had not curved in any way. The knife found another scar to reopen. You tried to wrestle him down. He was a total height of two hundred and four centimeters. He got plenty of opportunities to cut every scar open. Straw poked at your hair and wounds. The pain was subsided by adrenaline. His nails dug into your shoulder. No amount of struggling helped. Nero noticed a lack of whimpering. He dropped the knife and started to strangle you. You knew he had lost his way. You resisted, "Stop-"

His strong hands let go. You coughed. His foot kicked you to the shed side. He panted, the light causing a shadow over his eyes, "Next time I find out you helping the Scouts, this place burns."

Instead of yelling or screaming, you struggled to form words. He had fallen too far for recovery. Whatever he thought was for the best was twisted. You started mourning the Bruce you knew. You sat in the bloody hay, shocked. Nero rose to his feet, "I have always done what is best for those I love. Titania, stop interfering with things so much bigger than you."

Your cuts lay open facing the sky. Your head was tilted to the familiar stranger. His looks were your father's and voice your brother's. Yet he turned and walked away as a person who you never knew. You started trembling again in sorrow. You knew his nature had turned to this, possibly always hidden as so.

You hid your blood-soaked arms in the large green cloak. Your face hid in the wide hood used in your father's scouting days. The forest seemed louder. No swarms of chickens at your feet. The light was dull, colorless. Slipping off the dirty boots was frustrating without using your hands. As you ended the cottage living-room, you resisted the urge to cry. You opened the bedroom door quietly. "Wait, Ana,"

You didn't turn around. Levi was in the living-room. "How did you sleep last night?"

"It was peaceful, thank you," You hurried into the room. Shedding the cloak, you let the tears flow. You rushed to the bathroom. The shower filled the room with steam. You tenderly cleaned around the wounds of the past, haunting the present wounds. You cried softly letting out a faint wail. Red stained your arms, running orange down the drain. You refused to succumb to the inadequacy he declared over you. You would not lose to evil. The grotesque cuts sullied the soft skin they lay on. The tears pittered on the tub. Stitching was shaky. A soft knocking rose over the boisterous water.

"Titania, I saw your cloak."

Your heart palpitated. The noises filled your senses. The door creaked from weight. Levi leaned against the door, "What happened? You didn't have your gear equipped, what happened?"

He sounded angry. In truth, he was frustrated. Life was basking in a lavish light only a minute ago, "I've seen the scars before." He admitted, "During your fight with Mikasa. I didn't know what to think-"

The cuts bleed. Half-sutored gashes blurred. Thoughts swam through your head. "Levi-" You called, "When I was little, I had gotten to a point of despair. My brother helped me out of that pit. Never, I promised to never fall there again. I haven't but-"

Your tears were salty and bitter. "Levi, this is different from that despair. The darkness has always been there. It keeps-"

"Stop. Dry up and get out of there. You're not alone here."

"Do you hate me?"

You breathed heavily. Shivering fully clothed, you dragged yourself toward the towels. Falling down to the floor, you reach to unlock the door and collapse.

You awake in the living-room. The tea kettle whistles. Sapped of all strength, you listen to your calm heartbeat: Thump Thump Thump.

A shadow's footsteps walk toward the stove: tap tap tap

The tea kettle lid snapping back: click

The sound of pouring water swirling into a large cup twice. Your back was stiff. The walking drew near. "Afternoon Ana," Levi whispered. The sounds of the mugs chinked with their spoons clattered to their plates. The smell of strawberry filled the air. You tried to sit up. Your arms struggled to help. They were bandaged tightly. You look up to your guest. No words. He picked up a book that was lying face-down on the sofa he sat on. You reached for the second mug. Catching the platter, you drag it to you. The action was strenuous. Levi had visited the basement and seen your book collection. The book is: Titania's Journal

The page turn shushed noise. You blew on the fresh brew. The light streamed in through the window generously. It made Levi's skin appear as though it glowed. Was this really the same day? Had you slept past then to the next day? These questions didn't need to be answered. Most get answered with time. Right now, you enjoyed the silence. It hurt less. Levi's breathing filled the space.

Levi set down the book. He took a sip of the tea. You had explaining to do. "Nero visited. He-"

The words blocked. This was the missing piece the Akerman needed. He had already seen the sheep pen, the bloody cloak, and read the diary. He knew Nero had caused those cuts now. He even saw the finished chess game in the basement that was missing both kings. "Because you helped me, correct?"

He was not completely wrong. Nero had done that because you helped the scouts, but you weren't sure if he knew Levi was in the cottage, only of your run-in with the three scouts by the pond. You sat in somber silence. Levi spoke up, "Thank you. I never knew there was someone out here taking shots. No reward, no praise, stuck in isolation. And you would have been fine with dying that way?" He asked in a flat tone.

For the longest time, you told your brother how much Mom had loved humanity. That was what you convinced him it was for. In reality, you fought for those behind the wall for selfish reasons. You wanted to find new happiness or fight for the happiness they could feel. "Yes," You replied ashamed. Levi set his mug down. "Erwin was indebted to you for warning him about an ambush. He delayed their trip and went ahead of the team. You fought off the ambush single-handedly. Erwin would have died that day."

Levi almost couldn't believe the story he recited, "I was among the team."

His point was not making it across, you melted in a puddle of despair. "Why did you help us?"

"I thought-" Your eyes threatened to cry, "I thought that those scouts had a family to return to. Their families would be in such devastation if the scouts didn't return, it would be my fault. Everyone deserves happiness, even people like my brother. If everyone got their happiness, hope could defeat the impending fear of darkness I felt so strongly rooted in then. Or something."

Levi got up. He picked you up and sat, holding you. The tears did not fall or collect. The Captain held you, "I will not ask you to leave the only place you've known as home. When I leave in two days, I do want you to rest. No leaving the farm. If a final war happens, I don't want you to fight it. Wait here for me. When I have won, I will join to my Ranger. You've done enough."

"Your tea shop."

"Stop thinking about others for once," He ordered harshly. "If you truly believe in happiness for everyone, start with your own."

"I cannot regret my decisions because they were my truth. I have no regret of defending people who don't know me because all that matters is my opinion of myself."

You lay in his arms drifting into slumber, held by the last one who cared for you.

The day had arrived. Levi had to leave. You had risen early to the rooster. As promised, you left the basement door open. Covered in a white sheet was the grand piano you started tuning. The tea kettle whistled and you climbed to turn it off. Levi walked out of the room fully dressed in the survey corps standard uniform. His green cloak bearing the emblem of the wings of freedom. Freedom. "Levi, come here."

You held his hand, leading him down the ladder to the basement. You sat down to the piano. "I promised to play you a song."

Your hands played two familiar chords. Then you got up to get the sheet music. Bold letters announced the title: "The Reluctant Heroes" by Hiroyuki Sawano

You had played this song many times. Instead of quarter note one-twenty seven, you slowed it down. The notes rolled through the dusty basement. The tempo picked up at the intense portion. The dotted notes bobbed and weaved among the resonating chords. Isolated notes spoke through the dim light. They whimpered of pain. Their whimpers were lifted by friends and they sang for those who had their lives cut too short. The song was grieving for those who deserved death. It grieved for those who die for others. And this was why, why you were willing to give your life.

The last chord closed the story. You stood up. "Levi, I will deliver you as far as the edge of the forest. I refuse to sit here idly. If I am in danger of death, let it be for humanity's happiness. Let's head out."

Levi nodded slowly. He knew that, just like Erwin, your resolve was definite. He left in shared determination.

Hanji had ridden out the moment the sun appeared in the sky. Her team followed in a loose form. Their capes flew in the cold wind. The horses were driven at a grueling pace. She was no less eager than last week for her friend. The day passed as if it were only an hour long. The formation streaked past the trees. Her eyes searched for a sign of the captain. Then she saw him. Levi Akerman walked into the clearing of Willow Pond. Hanji dismounted without a seconds hesitation. Nothing could have stopped her. The sun could have collapsed that second, a titan could storm in, a bullet could have passed her heart. Hanji hugged Levi. His physical presence confirmed his authenticity. Levi was no illusion. This was her Akerman, the dying breed, a true hero. Levi pushed her away, "We have to get back to the walls. Where's my horse?"

Hanji smiled at his usually downcast attitude. She pranced after her found friend. He mounted his horse. He rode to Hanji and whispered without turning, "I missed you."

The flabbergasted scientist almost fell from her horse. The team followed Levi's horse. The midget stature was the perfect weight for a winning jock.

You swung past trees ahead of the scouts. Something had lifted in you. You felt lighter, free. The last tree sticking out from the tree line was your base. The horses ran past. Their manes were no match for the wind. You watched the group of soldiers vanish in distance, projecting your best wishes.

You looked at the sky toward the clouds. The evergreens were the only things of striking color. The leaves on the ground were an ugly grayish brown. Cold chills swept the environment. You wondered how Levi was doing.

Levi ran drills with the scouts. Hanji had checked his wounds multiple times. She deemed the healing worthy of removing the stitches. Levi was forced to take time off of fieldwork. He could still put himself useful to paper. He urged for cleanliness. The others obeyed eagerly. After the work, Levi sat down for a cup of tea. Hanji ran through the room with two Petri dishes. She backed up, "You're smiling."

Levi looked up from his teacup, "Thanks for reminding me." His smile vanished. "What's with the filth cups? Drop the science."

Hanji sat down in a loose position, "Well, Cap. This one has Eren's titan cells a year ago and this one is the most recent."

Levi took a sip of his Strawberry Rhubarb tea. Hanji set the disks down, "I've been feeding him more meat and it has proved to make the cells more healthy. Sugar also works for the blood just like a human's. If we feed Mr. Jaeger sugar as a human, the sugar expands with the rest of the blood. Amazing, right!?"

Levi nodded. Hanji stacked the dishes again. "Eren has been very different lately. Mikasa doesn't talk to him anymore."

"Smart girl. Eren never liked her that way."

"She hangs out with Jean now."

"As long as they don't make out around us, that is allowed. No visiting each other's rooms either. Hand holding is out of the question."

"Yeah, that's what I told them. Anyway, my squad has been getting along splendidly. We are all glad you're back."

Levi slanted his head, "I thought they'd throw a party. Their loss."

The scientist set her head on the table, "Captain, you've been acting differently. You act as though your height has increased."

"Hey, Commander, I need an honest answer."

The scientist nodded, banging her chin on the table, "Tetetetetete, eh, yeah?"

"Has the Ranger said anything about Nero?"

"The Ranger wanted us to stay on guard for the winter."

"So, she knew all this time."

Levi got up. Hanji did so too, "You think she has been spying for us?"

Levi drained the rest of the tea, "I know. I just wasn't aware that she was planning on-"

He came to the revelation that you had no intention of staying low. You would fight for the Scouts till the end. Levi got irritated, "Call the scouts out. Anyone who complains gets to run till sundown. They need to get off their lazy asses."

Hanji saw through this, "I think you want the exercise."

"Bullseye, American Sniper."

Levi left the premise. Hanji tilted her head, "Who's American Sniper?"

Nero saw The clouds. He left the base and set out to the farm. You locked up the coops, setting grain in the troths in a timed setting. You launched out to camp at the Willow Pond. You packed up the bare minimum supplies. Launching into the air, the cold swarmed around you. Your fingers became numb from lack of gloves to metal. The bare trees were frail. The pines bristled out. Howling wind blasted past your hood. Your mask kept heat for your face. The grass withered leaving dry bald patches on the forest floor. Nero hastily made it to the farm. He searched to find it lacking a host. The bed was made, everything was in it's place. He checked the basement to find the chess game put up with a glass king sitting in the middle of the board. The man kicked over the board. He left to catch the person.

You set up a shelter against a large hallow ash tree. You set everything in place. A loud roar rang through the forest. It chilled your bones worse than ice. You stepped out to the clearing. The Ginormous hominid of a titan strode toward you. You ran toward it-

Levi was on his third set of drills. The stomach of the potato girl growled. Connie tried not to throw up. Mikasa avoided Eren's gaze. The atmosphere shifted. Levi could tell. He tried to concern himself with anything but his ranger in mind. Hanji shouted a count. The sky darkened of cloud cover. Sun hidden, small flakes fell. Like mini soft feathers, the snow drifted to the ground. The scouts headed back indoors to wash up. Levi stayed standing outside, staring toward the forest. The white patterns met the earth, do or die. The front lines of snow melted to create mud, laying layers of snow upon their graves. Levi went numb. His shoes harbored cold. The flakes fell faster with more and more. The wind grew harsher. He remained unmoving. The elements did not concern him. He fought through flood rain, blazing sun, and blizzards. Hanji ran out, "Captain get inside."

In his eyes, Levi did not see the clean snow. He saw fire. A blaze burned true in front of him. Death doesn't discriminate. No matter how noble, any piece on the board could become consumed. The fire of the souls that died protecting their world, their truth.

Hanji pulled the midget out of it, "Captain! Get inside, that is an order."

Fire, burning trees roared. Billows of grey smoke darker than the clouds overhead plumed. You had twisted away from the pond. Nero spit fire on every flammable surface. The Ranger evaded each insult. Desolation flooded the area. The snow was mixed with ash. Pines set ablaze. This was not night or day. It was timeless hell. Your eyes teared from the smoke. "You monster, face me like a man!"

Nero swiped at you unsuccessfully. You were used to playing with fire. It was different than past now too, you were filled with confidence. Darkness encompassed the surroundings. Trees snapped by weight and the uncontrollable blaze. It was as if the sky and earth were the same. No up, no down. Ashen, grey, lightened by a destructive force. You lifted your blade to cut the destroyer. "Die!"

Arching over the oversized flesh monster, your blade cut through it's left arm. Flames licked in the reflection of the large golden eyes. Nero picked up a tree and swung it around like a club. You latched to it, using it to launch at his head. He spewed fire as well as he spoke insults. You made it to the ear, "Spit fire and cry me a river, Bruce Dear. Useless piece of Shit. Return where you came from, dirt. You thought I would take your lies!?"

Cutting off the ear, you leaped to its eyes. "Care," With both arms, you stuck the blades in and let them go. "Sacrifice," His arm swung up to grab you and you dove down, scraping from the burly creature from its neck down past the lower abdominals. "Bullshit!" You zipped to an odd clearing away from the oversized torches. The rink was surrounded in the dry fire. The ground crunched. Your shoes sunk into the glowing embers. Red and orange fingers crawled up, charring anything that breathed. The nothing lunged toward you. Evergreen needles fizzled and popped. Nero grabbed you. He brought you eye level. But you didn't hurt. He no longer held that sort of power over you. "You will burn in this hell you made." You smiled, knowing something he didn't. The brilliant flames kissed the surroundings. For a moment, Nero felt the joy of squeezing the soot drenched traitor. He could almost see the blood gushing down your green cloak. Then he would throw you to a flamed pine overcoat. You did not scream, did not cry. His neck jerked aside. Fate had decided a fitting end to the monstrosity. You smiled with blood dripping down your lip, "Check Mate, motherfucker."

The fire was so great that the ashes were carried by the strong winds to wall Maria. Breath fogged the glass Levi looked out from. He trembled. "No" He thought, "There's no way."

He rushed to leave the building. Hanji caught the back of his cape, "You're not going anywhere without me."

Levi turned his hand atop his friend's. "Ride with me then, Commander."

The two picked up gear at a full run. They hopped onto the horses, which galloped at a tremulous pace. Hanji had rarely seen her Captain so desperate. The captain was used to disastrous conditions, keeping a level head about them. She looked ahead watching the ashen spread territory crowned in fire. Hanji launched from the horse, pushing Levi off his. She pinned him down in the sludge of mud and charcoal, "Pull yourself together!" She screamed, "Walk onto the flame and it is curtain you will get burnt. Don't outstretch your hand farther than you can retract it unharmed. I can't loose you again." The surroundings fell at a lazy rate. The fire, hundreds of miles wide, crackled, consumed, tirelessly. The day was frozen, burned into the Captain's memories. Neither party felt the cold' whisper over the fire's proud scream. Hanji saw the flames in her Captain's terrorized blue-grey eyes. The sparks ran chills down her spine. Levi had no clever words. No contradicting statements. Nothing elaborated in philosophical retaliation. Much like the Ranger, words lost the ability to convey his feelings. He shoved the scientist back. The hands took a fistful of clothing as a child would to a mother. His face pointed toward the devastation. This was not the first time he felt this way. My dreams are to burn here, the world is unsatisfied. Rain, snow, sun. Under any is despair. And I cannot yield. I will always be there to fight it.

The titans sturred in their base. Their leader had been struck down by his weakness. They knew what to do. The time was then, the ranger was nowhere to be seen. They charged without hesitation from their base toward the wall.

Levi cried quietly at his loss. The cold water ran down his face, unmercifully at his back. The noise of freezing droplets hitting the tile rhythmically mocked the warm tears by dragging them down to the icy tiles. His knees touched the stone, bruising. His back slumped forward. A hand grasped at his heart. The other held his hair. The sobs made his body shake. Another, dead. It seemed like everyone he knew left. The curse of existing. He held his eyes tight, waiting to be woken up by a trivial fight. His heart that had walls, broke. The bricks were scattered, lodged in the thing they were meant to protect. An explosion had crumpled the walls. His heart lay unprotected. No one could save the heart from the blazing heat, no matter how cold winter tap water was. Passion takes down the wick. The wick warns the wax so the wax can set another day. Sacrifice. Sheer raw shivers wracked the shattered emotions. Levi knew this pain well. He believed the suffering was over. But this was his fault, he allowed himself to let go. His vocal cords strained, struggling to stay quiet. He thought himself a fool. Pain had trained him to stay out of attachment while the very definition of human contained weak characteristics. Human.

The word blew away in the hurricane inside the small capsule. Levi could feel his knees bruise on the stiff tile floor. The pain was a consolation. The drain mimicked his noise, sputtering for air, doused in the arctic stream. His face pointed to the showerhead, like the day he thanked heaven in the hot springs. But he would not curse it. His mind cleared as though the whole thing never happened.

The farm was burnt just as Nero promised. You were weak, human. That was all you would ever be. Human. The proud, the folly word to describe relentless creatures. Soot fell still to the dying flame. Snowfall mixed, aiding in the demise. Righteous judgment befell the one who caused this. You shall be judged as you judge others. You dragged the limp body to the river by your cottage. A splash of water was the last thing you heard of the corpse that was once your brother. Standing among the gravestones of your dead loved ones, you breathed out warm air that was visible, "Forgive me, my dear family. I release the promise of neutral grounds. No longer will I be partial. Here is where you rest, here you stay, and where I go. And carry my apology up to heaven. Bruce was beyond saving."

The eulogy completed the ritual of businesses. You were bound by no duty in the forest. The all-terrain Ranger had become a subordinate to Captain Levi Akerman. Standing with purpose, you walk toward the last battle.

The morning was still overcast. The snow had formed a layer above the soot. Sasha, Mikasa, and Armin had arrived back from a perimeter check. Sure enough, they had news. "Commander Zoe, A wave of titans are headed this way. We suspect they were being lead by Nero. He is nowhere to be seen."

Hanji Zoe put on her cloak, "Armin, Arlet- I meant- alert everyone."

"Okay,"

Hanji caught him, "Not Captain Akerman."

He nodded and left. Mikasa found herself concerned for her relative. "He has been different since disappearing."

"Yeah," Hanji gazed out the window, "I suppose Ranger did a number on him."

The two shared an understanding for a moment.

Levi was never ignorant. He heard the bustling and got dressed. He latched the equipment on the harness and dawned the Wings of Freedom in isolated pride. Hanji tried to stop him, "You're in no condition to fight."

"Tch, I can smash your head into that wall right now."

"I meant emotionally. As your superior, I can tell you to stay away from the fight."

"Is that a command?"

The Commander wasn't sure. As useful he was, he had been damaged. It was unfair to count a capable soldier- cripple. "Your position is to keep a distance unless I tell you differently. Stay in line."

It was rare to see Hanji dish out demands so grounded against Levi. The people in the room had stopped moving to watch. "Stop standing around, brats!" Levi growled to the onlookers. Unlike other times, the Captain wasn't angry for the lives of his comrades. He wanted blood.

You pulled through. The forest was still yours after all that happened. It took great strength, but you caught up with the horde of disfigured titans. The sun shined his eye on the pitiful sight through diminishing clouds. The wind died down, reduced to various dust devils. Trees pointed their outstretched branches and stumps toward the sky for mercy. Cinders turned your green cloak to a charred black. It had prevented greater dangers before. You were careful to which tree was used for a platform. The ground shook. Thundering lightning from the ground as there was little distinction of up and down. You raised your blades in an exhausted state. Latching to a dumb titan, you pierced the thick hide. Your fury was doused in the flames distributed accordingly. These were not evil. They were the pawns left by their unfaithful king. The sympathy outstoutstreach the bounds allowed. You saw a colorful cloud, shined on by golden light. It was a signal flare. Regret retreated to the depths of your morals. It was time to fight.

The scouts used a bow formation. It was shaped literally as a bow and arrow is. An arch protected a neat string in the back. The 'fletching' was an explosive catapult of Hanji's own designs. Eren was the arrow tip that would flatten the ground and split the group of titans into two clusters instead of a massive pool. At the flare, the arrow line of horsemen were to disperse to the sides, splitting the arrow down the center. That way, the contraption's path was cleared to launch. Levi was in the left wing of the formation. He held the reins tight of bitterness. Hanji was right to keep him away from the thick of the battle. He focused on one particular mindless beast. It had a grin that needed to be smeared off. The flare launched, commencing the appealing tactic to begin. Eren shifted, heading the titans as a wolf pack that plans to tear their enemy limb-by-limb. Stealing away to the right, he attacked from the rear of the pack of titans.

You accidentally slipped and hit the ground. The horsemen were approaching. You climbed up a leg and saw Eren's attack titan. Swinging up to his shoulder, you almost fall. Your balance was slipping away. Hahaha

"Jaeger, Nero is dead. I know we have never been on good terms, but I have found a respect for you. We are on the same side. Can you… can we be friends? For what it's worth, I fight for freedom. So fight with me."

Eren heard the words. Even so, he did not show any signs of it. The ground was torn up by an abnormal. Horses were flung into the air. You reverted to scout recovery instead of titan slayer. You held the fallen soldiers in hand and whisked the injured far from the battle. Those who could continue, you helped up and pointed to an opening. There were mixed reactions, ending up in co-operation. The clouds had cleared up reserving dotted track marks. The last titan was struck down and you had been sapped of energy. You threw down your specialized ODM gear that had been squashed like a tin can. You took off your green cloak. It was a symbol of the old times. You decided that it was time to move on. You piked a blade into the skull of the largest titan. The cloak was mounted to the top like a flag of victory. You coughed blood. Leaving the final battlefield, you fell against the ash tree and passed out.

Levi threw down the shattered blade. Armin was the last one on a horse. "Sir, we have regrouped. Hop on."

The captain was Reluctant to share a horse. They galloped toward the group. Hanji was relieved to see the brooding midget. "No casualties," She proudly told him without hesitation. Levi couldn't believe his ears. "Come again."

Armin dismounted to help a soldier to his feet. The messy ponytailed Commander pointed to all the scouts, "We are all here. A few have been wounded, but nothing to hold us back."

A soldier pointed out to the distance, shutting something. Everyone turned to gaze toward the silhouette of a waving flag. The frigid wind swept up unexpectedly, moving Levi's stray hair tendrils out of his face. The flag caught wind and sailed through the air without wings. He gaped at the impossible sight.

"Nero is dead," Eren quoted the Ranger. Levi stood ground, "Eren, where'd you get that information?"

"The Ranger told me."

The flag pole blade stuck out of the large titan skull. Blood evaporated, steam releasing through the ground. Snowy patches and brown mud disfigured the field. Hanji stood next to Levi, watching the blade that had possessed the cloak, "They are all talking about the Ranger. I seriously misjudged him."

"Me too," Levi looked down, unsure. You may have survived a battle with Nero, but he knew wounds had a way of slowly taking life. Questions piled up. They taunted a chant for lacked answers: Why not request help? How did she survive? Should he search for her against orders? Cloud cover rolled around as the scouts mounted surviving horses. Mikasa sided next to her relative, "I saw her on the field planting the cloak. You cared about her, right?"

"I hold no regrets. She was an admirable soldier and a reliable ally."

"She walked away into the forest drenched in blood. If you love her, go get her. Why wait?"

"There is a fine line between duty and reckless behavior. I am an example. She set hers, I need to do the same, Akerman."

Mikasa tucked in her red scarf. She still wore it because it was from a friend. "Go back to your boyfriend. His hideous expressions are disgusting."

She moved toward her partner.

Levi prayed silently for protection on his Ranger that never ceased to cause his heart to beat more than anyone else had. He allowed a forbidden hope to be planted.