Flapping Of Wings

Summary: Random bonus scenes from It Takes Two Wings To Fly, mostly from the moment Eren and Levi reunited onward. Fluff, fun, slight non graphic smut, occasional angst, short. Not in chronological order.

15. Coronation

The ceremony was beautiful and worthy of a Queen. Frieda, now a grown, capable young woman who had seen enough the world to realize just how much her people will need her, stood proud and tall with her newly wed husband, Luka, as the new Queen of Paradis after Historia had come down with a sickness that left her of fragile health. After years and years of traveling, Frieda had finally come home and was ready to fill in her mother's shoes while Historia was still around to give her guidance in her first few years of ruling.

Historia had, over the years, often been asked if it had been hard to let her daughter and heiress go on those dangerous adventures with the most danger-prone men to have ever walked the planet, but the woman had just laughed it off. She had known, all of these years, that her daughter was in safe hands. Historia wanted the girl to see everything her mother never could, even when Historia would join diplomatic delegations to keep good relations with other countries so no one would be tempted to start another war with Paradis. Paradis may be a small island, but her people have grown considerably more ready to fight. Paradis also had its protectors ready to come aid them no matter where in the world they might be when the news reached them.

No one wanted to test whether Eren can start another Rumbling, Titans or no Titans remaining in existence.

Besides, he and former Captain Levi had made quite a name for themselves as they discovered other supernatural creatures that roamed the world. Most were, apparently, content to leave humans be, but Eren and Levi had saved quite a few villages, towns, cities and even whole countries from creatures that would kill or devour them for their own various purposes.

Frieda, when Eren and Levi had escorted her to the throne room upon their arrival to Paradis after long, fifteen years of travels, had had quite a few stories to tell, stories the two men would never share in such detail otherwise.

Frieda had been quite happy to reunite with all of her friends, who had jokingly demanded their turn with their honorary uncles. Eren had never said 'No' so fast and Luka had just agreed it was for the best. Levi and Frieda had looked exasperated and amused respectively.

As the ceremony moved to celebrations, Historia found herself drawn to the two men who fit in less and less on Paradis than she would ever like. They looked wild and free even stuffed in formal-wear like everyone else. And they almost hadn't aged a day since she'd last seen them, which had Jean and Connie playfully complaining to Eren about how he wasn't sharing the Fountain of Youth with them so they wouldn't outshine them with their beauty. Even Historia and Annie were a bit jealous of how youthful they looked. Mikasa just looked sad whenever she would look at them. When Historia had asked her why, Mikasa had said she had wanted to see Eren grow old, to see how he would look like after living a full life.

Historia wondered how she didn't see that Eren did look this youthful because he was living a full life. He was free and he was enjoying every second of it.

Captain Levi, too, seems to have finally released all of his grief into the world. He wasn't wearing his old uniform when he'd embarked from his ship, though he still had his cloak. He didn't have any of his animals with him, either. Historia had not dared ask him but she had done the math. She was surprised he hadn't gotten any to replace them but she figured it was probably too soon and all those animals had been gifts from people or from life itself when he'd needed companionship.

Historia also knew that Eren and Levi were planning on traveling by boat for a while, so having any animals with them wouldn't be fair to the animals.

"Thank you for bringing her back," Historia said as she approached the men who had, essentially, changed her whole life. She looked and felt older than the both of them now. For them, time had stopped, even as the world moved on around them. "Thank you for showing her the world."

"It was our pleasure," Eren replied with a fond smile. "Though she could have done better than Luka," he said with a huff and Levi scoffed at his side. Historia smiled as she recalled all the ways Eren and Luka had annoyed each other since Eren and Levi became lovers. They sure have made the dull moments in between adventures eventful, if her daughter is to be believed.

"Don't let her hear you say that. She ripped my councilmen a new one when they commented on her 'dismal' choice in husband and co-ruler," the now former Queen said with a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. "She's also trying to make young Colt her personal adviser. I pity the world if those two join forces, because with Colt comes Erin and with her Zoe by default. And Marco's dead set on marrying Zoe, so Sasha will be dragged along to keep her brother out of trouble, too. I swear my Yumiru is the only sane one out of our children," Historia lamented playfully as she looked over to where her daughter was getting to know her younger brother better. She had left before Historia even knew she was pregnant again, so she had only met her brother when she returned from her adventures.

"I haven't seen Reiner or Pieck anywhere," Levi commented, looking around the room to see if the former Warriors were even still around.

Historia smiled sadly. "Reiner ... Reiner joined our new navy, so he's out at sea right now. Pieck is expecting any day now so she couldn't come. She and Hitch are really excited. Especially since they will be the first same-sex parents using the new medical procedure to ensure a woman's pregnancy. Thank goodness for science," she finished in a much brighter and happier tone.

"Oh. Uh, well, wish her congratulations for us if we leave before we see her," Eren said a bit awkwardly. "Wow, things really are changing, huh?"

"Yes. But some things stay the same," she said with good humor as her eyes slid towards Levi. "I think you traumatized the younger castle staff and soldiers with your cleanliness standards." Eren laughed while Levi just rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed. "I think this place will be sparkling for the rest of their lives in case you ever come to visit again." All of her amusement melted away as a thought struck her when neither man commented. "You guys are going to visit again, right?"

They exchanged glances but before they could answer, Gabi and Falco snatched Levi away to catch up with him some more and introduce him to his new honorary grandkids/nephew and niece, the twins Udo and Zophia, who were about Colt's age when he'd first met Humanity's Strongest Soldier, too. This left Historia with a slightly uncomfortable Eren and she knew, just from how he couldn't meet her eyes and sipped at his champagne, that they either didn't plan on ever returning to Paradis again or that they didn't know if they will be in their friends' lifetimes. They had all but stopped aging, it was so extremely slowed, and no one knew why except that it had something to do with Titan/Ackerman powers that no one else had access to anymore. No one but the two of them and neither of them were exactly the type to question things if they are useful.

"We'll try, but that's the best I can promise," Eren finally said, meeting her gaze again with a sad one of his own. Historia wondered if some of his Attack Titan powers still existed despite the Paths having been destroyed. Could he still see his own future memories? Is that why he was always so careful not to let their hands touch? "The only reason we came when we did was because Levi figured enough time had passed and managed to convince Freida to at least visit. But then we were finally in reach of news from Paradis and Frieda decided she wasn't going to just visit, so we escorted her. Otherwise, well ... We were really far up north. We would have continued going further and up there is a wasteland of ice and snow. It's beautiful, don't get me wrong, but it would have taken us years to make our way back."

"You're really living your dream then, seeing all the wonders of the world from Armin's old books," the former Queen said with a smile and Eren returned it. "Thank you for bringing Frieda back. I don't think I would have been fit to rule for much longer and I don't think Yumiru would have been ready to rule anytime soon, either."

"Our pleasure," Eren reassured with a smile. "It was really good seeing you all."

"But we must be such a shock to the system compared to Captain Levi, right? Then again, he never did age like a normal person," Historia joked and they both laughed. "Now, I know it should, traditionally, be the other way around, but would you honor me with a dance?"

"Of course," Eren replied with a teasing smirk to match her playful tone. And even though she knew this might be the last time she was seeing two of her friends, Historia did not let that dampen her mood during her daughter's coronation celebrations. There will be a time for goodbyes, later, as neither Eren nor Levi will just up and vanish from their lives as if they had been nothing more than lingering ghosts. Never again. They had promised and they were both men of their word.

And so the coronation of Queen Frieda went down in history as the last time Eren Yeager/Jaeger and Levi Ackerman attended a public event on Paradis.

Somehow, it was fitting.