Death: And here is the last chapter of this story. And here I am already getting ideas for a fucking sequel. That's right, a sequel. I didn't originally plan for a sequel, and yet I already have one starting to bug my brain.
This...even if you read it and don't enjoy it, I hope it's at least a decent ending.
Chapter Twenty Five Bittersweet Victory
=3=
Eren didn't know how to feel or think. He was saddened for how Erwin died, and he felt for Levi, too. On the other hand, he still had Armin. But then they had lost one hundred and ninety nine members of the Survey Corp with one fell swoop in this expedition. So it didn't even feel like a victory.
His eyes drifted to the captain, who had undergone a complete meltdown the previous night. He lost control of his demons, and not even Mikasa and Lavena together could match his strength. In the end Eren had to intervene as well, and together the three of them had subdued the captain and restrained him.
He didn't calm down until they were ready for the ride back home. He swore and spat at anyone who remotely drew near him or spoke to him. He even bit Hange when they were bandaging his eyes. When Armin first woke up, he had some of his senses return long enough to assure him that it wasn't his fault.
But Armin still felt horrible, everyone could tell. Even so, he never complained.
When dawn came, they all gathered the few remaining horses, and one carriage to carry Sasha, Hange undid the restraints on the captain when he insisted he wasn't going to be in the wagon. He was too proud to enter the cities on the wagon, blind or not, he was riding in on his horse. And since then he hasn't acted out since.
Hange led them until they reached Wall Rose. It was almost nighttime when they arrived, and the only reason they made it at all was due to the fact they were so few in number and had only one wagon. Even with it, there was no heavy cargo to slow them down, and so they made the trip without any sign of titans.
Their return was met with cheers, despite how low in numbers that have returned. They were paraded all the way back to Wall Sina, all the way until they reached the royal palace. There, they were greeted with a teary eyed Queen Historia, who welcomed them home and offered all of them sanctuary in the palace as they recovered.
That night, Eren couldn't sleep. And so he curiously wandered the hallways, anxious. He almost ran into the queen, and he was a blushing mess to see her, when she had just finished with a bath it would seem. She was clothed, but she had a towel wrapped around her hair, and she didn't seem to mind him wandering around.
"If you feel anxious, you're welcome to the men's bath. I've found bathing helps soothe the aches and pains, as well as the stress." She smiled affectionately at him.
"You sure? I don't want to impose. Hey, are you saying I stink?" Eren mock glared, and she giggled.
"Actually, I was just informed that Captain Levi has been in the men's bath for hours. He's been alone, and he might use some company. I'm also afraid of his mind state. I really don't want to wake up to him dead." Historia lowered her gaze, she hated asking others to help someone she wanted to help. But seeing as she wasn't allowed in the men's bathing room, she didn't have a choice.
"You care for him, don't you?" Eren blinked, tilting his head.
"He was the one who risked it all to remain with us and then...for that to happen...I don't know what to do or say to help him. From what I've heard from everyone, he's been silent since you guys arrived. It's not fair for someone to sacrifice so much only to have one of the most important people die on him." She resisted the urge to cry.
Everyone feels for him, but don't even know how to show him support. He never did allow anyone too close aside from Erwin. Hange would be a close second, but I doubt he would want to see them.
"Why ask me? He doesn't even like my presence most of the time." Eren shrugged.
"Because after everything we've all been through, you're just like him. I mean, not in personality, but in life situations. Both of you were brought into the Survey Corp at the same time, as prisoners. And yet both of you proved your worth time and time again, even if there were a few setbacks where everyone doubted you both. And when his loyalty was called into question, you were always the one stood up for him first."
Huh...never would have thought of it like that.
"But he rarely stands up for me." Eren brushed off her praises.
"He had a different way of showing it. In the field, he always ensured that, along with you being kept alive, he increased the chances of Mikasa and Armin to survive. And he went against his own wishes to save Erwin in order to save Armin." Historia pointed out.
"Only because Erwin made him promise not to use the serum on him." He felt that this was going nowhere.
"And he kept that promise. Essentially, he gave up his happiness for you to be happy. If that isn't a way of someone loving another person, then I don't know what is. It may not be the same love you feel for him, but he cherishes you. And I think it's because the two of you have been seen as monsters from the get go."
She does have a point...
"How am I supposed to show my support? I don't understand. He's never let me that close."
"Well, talking is a good start, I would assume." Historia shrugged, and began to make her way to her bedroom. "Anyways, I have to go to bed and rest. Long day tomorrow on reading over everything. As well as the funeral ceremony. Hope things go well between you and Levi."
Eren stood there a few seconds, debating. With a sigh, he made his way towards the men's baths. He walked in tentatively, suddenly feeling nervous. He wanted to leave and avoid the awkwardness, but the captain already heard his presence.
"Who is it and what do you want?" Levi didn't even have his usual snap in his voice.
"Hey, captain." Eren greeted shyly as he peered the corner to see the giant marble tub carved in the middle of the floor. At the edge closest to the exit leaned the captain with his back turned to him. All Eren could see was part of his upper shoulders and head.
"What do you want, brat?" He didn't even bother to turn around, probably still blind as a bat.
"What, I can't have a bath to wash away the gross sweat and blood?" Eren defended a little too harshly.
"Point. Why did you wait so long before now? It's late at night." Levi did turn a little, his eyes blank.
"Maybe I'm a little shy? I don't like bathing in front of too many people." Eren wanted to punch himself.
Damn it, this got awkward real fast. Keep it together, Eren.
"What, the brat insecure about himself? Is it your size? Despite you able to transform into a fifteen meter titan you have a small dick then?" Levi snorted in all seriousness.
"I am well endowed, thank you very much, captain!" Eren snapped, and then blushed like a tomato.
Silence filled the bathroom.
"Er...I'm sorry! I just...I didn't mean...ugh, I'll just leave now, this got way too awkward." He turned to leave.
"Eren, wait. I'm sorry. Please stay." Levi turned all the way around, and Eren felt his chest tighten at the sight of how scared the captain actually was. His face was contorted, eyebrows knitted together and him biting his lower lip, eyes unable to see but that didn't mean emotions swirled in them.
"...Why?" Eren found himself inquiring.
"Because you're the first to ever approach me since we got back. Everyone has been avoiding me as if I'm going to blow up and attack them. I just...I just want someone to talk to." Levi was suddenly feeling shy and he sank in the water until only his head was seen peering over the edge.
And the confession won Eren over. Watching him being shy wasn't part of what had him decide to stay. Since Levi couldn't see, the Titan shifter stripped down and joined in. He sighed at the warm water soaking away his aches and pains. Historia was right when bathing helped take away the stress.
"So, you said you wanted someone to talk to. What's up?" Eren was the first to break the silence.
"...Was it wrong of me to let him die?" Levi quivered, fighting back the tears.
He expected a question like that. Even so, Eren was caught off guard. He carefully considered his words.
"No, not if he accepted death. He had you and Lavena next to him, and I guess now is a good time as any to tell you he died with a smile on his face. He looked...so happy, content, with lying there, with you by his side."
Eren studied the captain as he thought over everything.
"I just...I wanted to be selfish. Is that wrong of me? After giving up almost everything, was it wrong of me to want to be selfish after all I've been through? I need to know, I have so much guilt."
"No, it's not wrong of you. You had every right to be selfish. And I am sorry. When you said you weren't handing over the serum, I wanted to rise up and fight you. I felt so angry, and for a moment I didn't understand what you had said until Hange inquired what happened out there. Was it really your idea?" Eren hated asking, but that plan of the whole Survey Corp charging in would sound like Erwin's plan.
"It was entirely my plan. But I could tell he wanted to do something along those lines. That man always had to have some form of control, and if he was going to die he didn't want to die cowering before the Beast Titan."
They sat in silent as they recalled the events. After several minutes, Eren couldn't fight it any longer. He moved closer and without even asking for permission he wrapped his arms around the tiny form. At first the captain tensed, and an arm was raised as if to push him away, but Eren spoke.
"If you ever need someone to cry on, I'm here. It's okay to cry."
The words shocked Levi enough he didn't push him away. And then after a moment Eren felt the tears against his shoulder. After the first initial tears came the heart wrenching sobs, and it took a lot of willpower from the Titan shifter not to cry with him. He had already cried a lot earlier, and now it was the captain's turn. He knew the man bottled everything up, and after everything that happened, he knew he couldn't hold it all in.
Levi clung to him like a lifeline as he cried his heart out, and Eren was content to just hold him.
Some time later, the captain fell asleep. Embarrassed, Eren carried him out of the bath and wrapped him up with a towel. Despite how red his face was, he made quick work of drying him down, afraid of the captain catching a cold. Eren then dried himself and quickly dressed, silently debating whether or not to do the same for the captain.
In the end he settled with just the pants and not the shirt, and carried the rest of his close under one arm as he carried the sleeping captain to his room. Since he didn't know where the captain's bedroom was at the palace, he opted to give up his own for the night. Eren had planned to find Armin's or Mikasa's room to sleep, but as soon as he placed the captain on the bed, one of his arms pulled him down.
"Captain...?" Eren whispered, his face deep red and he was so glad it was dark.
"Just this once, brat. You're warm." Levi mumbled before drifting off again.
After a few minutes to be sure he was asleep, Eren tried to get up. But the arm around his middle wouldn't budge. Instead it tightened, and still asleep the captain snuggled his head into his chest. Eren sighed in defeat and wrapped an arm around the captain as he struggled to fall asleep and fighting his damned hormones.
He just lost his love, I'm not taking advantage.
Somehow Eren drifted off to sleep. It was the best sleep he had in ages. When he awoke, the captain had already left. He sighed, but forced back the hurt in his chest. He didn't want anything awkward between them anyway, so he set out for the day with a chipper smile, there was a lot of work needed to be done now that the Survey Corp had lost a great number of Scouts.
It took a while for the captain to be seen again, for the sight of him became scarce. And after he started coming around again he allowed a doctor to examine his eyes. It seemed permanent, and Hange took samples of his blood for later. And slowly Eren saw more of the captain, drilling the Queen's Guard like usual routine. Despite being blind, he could still put up a good fight and somehow knew exactly what was going on around him. In fact he became even more hyper aware of his surroundings.
Even though he had turned in his resignation papers before the expedition, he asked for them to be revoked. Since there was still the possibility of the titan gene kicking in to save his eyes again, Commander Hange allowed it. And together, Hange and Levi became the faces the public admired for their bravery in retaking Wall Maria, securing humanity lost territory and restoring hope.
Eren had also become popular, if not more so than the two leaders. He didn't know how to take to the sudden fame, for he had been seen as a monster by the majority of the populace. By avoiding his fans he turned in for the captain to assign him chores or to be an add in for the training of the Queen's Guard.
He saw to his delight how close the captain grew fond of his daughter again. He even caught sight of him giving her a necklace that glinted silver and seemed quite old. She wore it proudly, and never afraid to punch someone in the face if someone commented how feminine it made her appear despite her attitude.
Word went around quickly about the captain's ring, the ring Erwin proposed to him with. It didn't take long for the public to figure out who had earned his heart when his daughter's name change became final a few months later. And around that same time, the possessions Erwin left behind in his will were finally granted to everyone named.
His horses were left to Captain Levi, as well as everything that was left in his office. His house, which was more of a manor inside the inner city, was left for the Queen's Guard as their new headquarters. His money, which he barely touched since he joined the military, was divided evenly between Levi, Lavena, Hange, Eren, Armin and Mikasa. And then the rest were donated to the Survey Corp.
Hange made use of the money given to them personally to fund for research, while the funds for the Survey Corp were used carefully to get better supplies and touch up the headquarters outside the inner city, which has become the permanent home for the Scouts. Eren and his friends didn't know what to do with all the money, so they opted to donate it all to the Survey Corp.
Hange settled to taking only sixty percent from all three, so they could save the rest. It was then they heard wind of Captain Levi using the money to restore the Ackerman House, even adding stables to move the horses he had just acquired alongside his own pregnant mare and gelding. With nothing better to do in the winter months, the whole Survey Corp pitched in to help with the repairs and the building process.
Everyone but Commander Hange, as they were too busy recruiting more members, but they stopped by every once in a while to see how the process went. Eren couldn't believe in the state the house was in, but he was happy to see what few Scouts were left pitching in to help. Even the Queen's Guard volunteered, and gradually with the combined efforts the house was starting to come around.
When it came to the basement however, the captain ordered it to be sealed shut. He made sure no one ever stepped foot in there, and to everyone it felt as if he was trying to bury a part of his dark past behind him. Even though Eren was curious, he didn't want to know what horrors were down there since this house used to be owned by Kenny.
Before spring rolled around, the house and stables were finished. Everyone celebrated with elated success. Once the horses were brought in and new furniture placed inside the house, Levi hosted a small party. Someone spiked the drinks with strong alcohol that didn't have a scent, so everyone went wild.
Eren didn't remember anything that night. But the next morning he woke up with his head pounding and naked, next to a warm body. Eren scrambled away upon seeing the still sleeping naked captain, quickly putting on his clothes before running out of the house forgetting his boots. Whether Levi remembered that night or not, he made no indication. And he was too angry when he found out Jean had slept with his daughter and about near killed him.
The knowledge from the books from the basement and Eren's memories of the previous titan that had turned his father were never made public. For the time being, they were focusing on figuring out more of the origin of titans as well as eliminating the titans between the walls. Strangely, there have been no sightings of the Armored or Beast Titans. And even Ylmir hasn't been seen either.
Things were starting to look up for the Survey Corp as more joined up despite the huge loss of numbers overshadowing the success of retaking Shiganshina and securing Wall Maria. Commander Hange led successful expeditions with hardly any loss of life as they took care of the titans trapped between Walls Maria and Rose. By the end of summer and almost upon the anniversary of retaking Shiganshina, humanity was almost ready to expand outside Wall Rose.
It was around this time that Captain Levi began to act strange.
He would often space out, forget where he was and even forget names. Sometimes he was found wandering around lost, confused as his blindness hindered him from figuring out where he was. Eren often heard Hange debating whether or not to put the captain on leave for a while, but he always snapped out of his daze and was back to normal for several days on end.
However, the week leading up to the anniversary, left everyone scared.
The episodes happened more frequently, and somehow he was found standing on the edge of Wall Rose a few times. Wall Garrison guards became uneasy whenever they catch him standing silently close to the edge, and General Pixis ordered to increase the number of shifts to prevent him from getting up there. But despite this he somehow found a way to slip through, and often didn't snap out of it to the point he was tackled or pulled away from the edge just when he was about to take a leap of faith in his dazed state.
Before Hange could order him to be detained for the benefit of his wellbeing he disappeared without trace on the day of exactly one year since they reclaimed Shiganshina. The anniversary of the death of Erwin and a large number of Scouts. He disappeared out of thin air, and Queen Historia had Survey Corp, Military Police, even Wall Garrison search for him with the Queen's Guard leading the investigation.
Even after searching all of the cities, towns, even the Underground City, there was no sign of Captain Levi.
Eren wasn't the only one panicking. Over the past year everyone had grown fond of Levi, and with how his mental stability had started to decline everyone was worried. Several times even civilians joined in on the search when the countryside was searched thoroughly. Strangely, the only sightings anyone managed to discover were the Beast Titan in the distance beyond Wall Rose.
It never attacked anyone, but its familiar figure and hairy body was enough to identify Zeke. As time went on, it became apparent that the Beast Titan might have had a part to play in his disappearance. Hange came to this conclusion when the Queen's Guard remembered how in the previous year, the man who was the Beast Titan had said he was looking forward to meeting Captain Levi again. And since he had been able to control Levi once, Hange was beginning to suspect Zeke had been trying to do it again, which would explain the captain's odd behavior.
However, when winter came upon them, Hange couldn't risk leading expeditions outside Wall Rose to fight the Beast Titan head on. And when the rains came, the sightings became scarce until there was no sign whatsoever. Eren tried to use his ability to control titans over and over to bring the captain back to the wall. But no matter how many times he stood on the wall, or how long he stood there, it was no use.
Soon winter gave away to spring, and then spring gave away to summer.
Commander Hange began to increase the number of expeditions in the search for the Beast Titan. And with each expedition, Eren had the burning hope rise in his chest as he hoped they would finally have some answers. He wasn't the only one to regain hope, as the Survey Corp surged with excitement each time they burst through the gate and ventured forth in the hopes of success.
Just you wait, Zeke. We're going to find you, and you're going to pay for everything you've done.
Eren silently promised, eyes burning with heated rage. He glanced around at everyone. Mikasa, now captain of the Special Forces Squad, was up front. Despite being torn between the Survey Corp and the Queen's Guard, Jean and Sasha had made it to join them this time around, despite Horse Face being named captain of the Queen's Guard. Queen Historia had refused the Queen's Guard partake in anymore expeditions, even if it was for the search for the Beast Titan, their only lead to finding Captain Levi.
Even so, it was probably enough for only Jean and Sasha to be part of the expeditions without the help of the others. Queen Historia trusted the Scouts enough to find the missing captain that she didn't need to risk losing her guard when they were needed in the cities to investigate kidnappings of children. These days the Queen's Guard had their hands full.
Despite the length of time, we're all eager to find you again, captain. Dead or alive, we will find you.
Eren hoped with all his heart that the captain was alive.
=3=
Death: Yeah, I have decided. Sequel in the planning, maybe start the works in like, soon. Like maybe having the first chapter up later this week. Oh wait, it's the weekend, isn't it? Damn I lost track of days. Okay then, the upcoming week it is then.
And yes I ended it there just to fuck with you guys. Good news is, Levi ain't gonna be dead. That's all I'm spoiling you all with about the sequel, everything else are little hints here and there throughout this chapter to get the ball rolling on what will be coming in the sequel.
So, please leave a review my lovelies.