Human

She untangled herself from Eren's limbs and stood frozen as the scene before her continued. Levi was holding Eren's wrist tightly as gasps of pain escaped from the boy who had looked at her with hate. She faintly heard Levi's words in her ears. "Monsters are ones who pick on the weak, am I correct? I don't see any monsters here…except for all of you." It seemed that only a few of the people in the room pondered his words, however. A tall young man with light brown hair with a long face frowned lightly, and a pair of bright blue eyes followed Luz, staring at her curiously. The others looked at her in fright.

"But…Levi-heichō…she used to be a Titan! A Titan!" Luz could see a girl with long dark brown hair stare at her with wide eyes, her entire body shaking. "She could kill us," the girl whispered as she began to cry.

…Titan? Luz thought. What's…a Titan? Luz frantically backed away as the one who had almost beaten her – Eren – moved forward to her. Levi, who had let him go, stared at both of them expressionless. "You're of the same kind that killed so many innocent people," he hissed. Anger poured from him. "You're…the ones that caused so many lives to be cut short, and for others' lives to be nothing but hell!" His spit dribbled onto her face as his voice continued to rise in volume, and Luz's eyes widened as Eren continued to step closer. "You're nothing but a monster!" Stop…please… "A monster, that's what you are!"

"Eren!" Luz glanced briefly to see the blond young man who had looked at her curiously spoke in a soft voice. "She's no different from who you are. You both can transform into a Titan." Disappointment echoed in his voice. "She's the same as you, Eren."

"No, she's not, Armin!" The green eyes that had been smoldering with rage intensified with each second. "I don't eat people…" he whispered. "But she does! She ate people! Humans!" Me…? Luz could hear the words he had said, but the words had no meaning to her. She stared at her surroundings in confusion. Despair started to mount inside her as Eren continued to rave and rant. Me…a Titan? How…? "She ate people, just like my mother and our comrades!" I…don't understand. Luz was terrified by the frightened eyes around her. Anger was growing. I… Suddenly she felt the familar pull of a hand around her shirt. Tears started to pool down her face as she stared into the rage and hate of the young man before her.

"I…don't…understand…" she whispered. She could taste the tears in her mouth. "What...is…a Titan?" The tears stung, and she had to close her eyes as she trembled. "Why do you…hate me?" Luz gasped when she felt the grip that held her release, and she landed hard on the ground.

"A Titan is a creature that eats people for the pleasure of it!" Someone…please… She felt the tense air around her. Despair was digging into her throat. The tears that had suddenly stopped flowed free again as she looked on in fear. "Like you! How many people have you eaten? Hundreds?! Thousands?! Maybe…you even ate Levi's squad!" Help me… A sharp crack entered the air just as a fist was aimed at Luz's face. Luz stared in shock as Eren dropped to the floor unconscious. Levi was beside the young man, looking unconcerned as everyone looked at him in shock.

"Eren!" Luz saw a young woman with black hair with a red scarf stand up from her chair, staring angrily at Levi and agitated as she looked at the unconscious form of Eren. She was stopped from running towards the boy from a quick whispered word from the boy named Armin.

"This bullshit ends here." The coldness in Levi's voice was apparent. He stared at the group in front of him, and glanced back at Luz for a moment. "Maybe I should tell you a story…so that way you'll stop shitting yourselves. As you all now," he slightly stated with irritation in his voice, "a Titan appeared during the 57th expedition, and devoured Reiner Braun. Apparently all of you forgot one shitty detail. Reiner was revealed to be the Armored Titan when the Colossal Titan was revealed. This brat you shit yourselves over appeared once she devoured him, and turned back into a human, according to shitty-four eyes and Armin. I don't give a fuck where the brat came from, but shitty-four eyes believes that this person came from the past. Meaning, 107 years ago, the year the Titans came."

There were audible gasps from the room. Suddenly the group was looking at Luz in awe and curiosity.

"Why do you say that, Levi-heichō?"

"Her uniform is different from ours. It's strikingly similar to the uniforms of the soldiers that first fought the Titans depicted in your textbook that you read when you were even shitter brats." Luz could see Levi glancing over what she wore. "Unfortunately, she has no memory whatsoever. Like Eren, she had no memory of being a Titan. She even has the nerve to tell me she doesn't remember her own name from the blank stare she had when she woke up from her so-called nap."

Although his tone was rough, Luz could not feel any negative emotions coming from him. He didn't fear her. He didn't even hate her. "I will tell you this one more fucking time. The brat – whose name is Luz – is a person you are supposed to protect along with Eren and Historia, not fucking yourselves over the fact that she was a Titan with a stupid ridiculous face. She is human. Is that understood?" Slowly, the members of the squad nodded. Someone even pulled up the chair that had fallen over during the fight, and allowed Luz to sit near Levi. Eren was lied to rest in the chair that had been previously occupied by a Survey Corps member named Hanji, who Luz recognized as "shitty four-eyes."

"Well, a lot has happened during this short period of time, but our original objective has not changed." Although the topic of conversation had changed, Luz's mind was revolving around the information she had received. I…used to be…a Titan. She now knew what a Titan was now, and acutely understood the horror that the guard and the squad that was supposed to protect her, felt.

Emptiness overtook her as she continued to think. I've…been doing this…for 107 years… Inside she was screaming. …107 years… Luz could feel the voices echoing around her, but paid no attention to them. "A monster, that's what you are!" Luz felt sickness creep in her throat, but she didn't dare open her mouth. She had no idea what would happen if she did.

An hour later, she was in a small room with clothes displayed on the frayed bed before her. She looked at them with an emotionless gaze, and touched the fabric without feeling it.

"Eren's awake." Luz turned to find Historia watching her as she stood with the door open. "I thought you might want to know." Luz heard the door close behind her, and glanced back as Historia looked briefly at the clothes before looking dully at the sunlight. "Those were my clothes before I joined the military. I hope you'll put them on." Luz observed the member of Levi's squad before her. She was small, even smaller than her. She had light hair in contrast to her own dark, and had dull blue eyes that seemed to see nothing but despair. After changing into a worn blue shirt and light brown pants, she felt Historia's hand on her own as she handed a heavy green cloak with a hood to her. Luz stared at the symbol on the back. It appeared two wings, one white and one blue, were about to take flight.

"You'll need this," Historia stated.

"Why?" Luz looked back to see Historia open the door, and without any emotion in her voice, she said, "To hide your face. You look like you need to cry." The door closed behind her.

It was now night. Luz couldn't see anything in the sky. There was no moon or stars. She was wearing the Survey Corps cloak. Her face was hidden by the hood. It was only then that she allowed herself to cry. Although sobs were tearing at her throat, Luz knew that she had to be quiet. She sobbed inside as tears flowed down her cheeks and dripped on the grass beneath her feet.

"Are you okay?" She turned at the sound the familiar voice. Armin was holding a candle, illuminating his face. He walked down towards her as she continued to stare at the sky.

"I don't hate you, you know." His words were quiet and somewhat wistful. "Without even realizing it, you helped humanity. If…Reiner had still been alive, there would be many more casualties than the ones we currently had when we rescued Eren from beyond Wall Rose. I thank you for that." Luz didn't reply, but saw that Armin's expression was genuine. "You know, even though I don't hate Titans like Eren, I'm…glad that I got to meet someone as admirable as Levi-heichō and Erwin-danchō despite the tragic circumstances surrounding the meetings. I wouldn't have met Jean, either, or everyone else."

"So…you think…that moments of happiness outweigh the bad memoires?" Luz whispered. "You believe…that a tragedy can actually be a…blessing or turn into something great?"

"I believe so, yes." Luz felt a small warm hand on her shoulder, and could somehow feel Armin's smile in the darkness.

"I'm truly glad I met you, Luz." Then he existed into the cottage, leaving the night behind.

"You're supposed to not exist, so why are you here?" Luz started at the sound of Levi's voice. She didn't even know he was there. She could hear his quiet breath as he stood beside her.

"Levi-heichō…" she whispered. "I…"

"Call me by my name," he interrupted. Although she could not see his eyes in the darkness, Luz could feel his gaze on her face. "I don't need another brat calling me by a shitty title." Silence descended, leaving the world in its coldness.

"I should have fucking told you the truth before my new squad shit themselves." There was a slimmer of emotion in his voice. "Did you understand what we were talking about?" he asked.

"No…" Luz whispered. "I…still have so many questions."

"Then don't ask me," Levi stated with slight irritation. "Bother Armin. I don't have the patience to answer every question in your miniscule brain."

"Levi?"

What, brat?"

"Do you…miss your squad?"

Luz swallowed, aware of the fact that she was taking a risk. She heard Levi take a deep breath.

"And what of it?" Luz could hear a slight rasp in his voice.

"You wouldn't be holding your breath if you didn't care for them…and you wouldn't be avoiding my eyes right now." How do I know all this? It feels…that I know what he's feeling. "…And I'm sorry…if I ate them."

She heard Levi snort. "That was stupid Eren talking with his foot up in his ass. He didn't know what he was talking about." Suddenly his voice became less harsh. "You didn't eat them, Luz. I would have killed you before you opened your eyes if you did."

"So…you did care about them." Levi made no comment.

"Are…you happy that you knew them…even when they died?" she asked.

"I've never known fucking happiness," Levi snapped. "And neither do you." He turned away towards the cottage as Luz stared back at him as the door closed, her gaze never leaving.

Then she too went back inside.