rain-crestfall

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Link to chapter 11

================================

Chapter 12

Every Eldian—on both sides of the sea—came to know the truth through a shared dream.

The truth of Titans. Of their origins. Of how it all ended.

With the curse broken and the Titans gone, the world shifted.

In Marley, the Eldians—long silenced and oppressed—rose alongside Reiner and Bertholdt. Their voices, once buried beneath generations of fear, now rang with purpose. Backed by their people, the two warriors led the charge to dismantle the old regime.

The Marleyean government fell.

What rose in its place was something new. Fragile, but hopeful.

They called it New Marley, and Reiner Braun was named its first president—a former soldier now burdened with peace instead of war.

Across the sea, Paradis stood no longer as an enemy, but as an ally.

Two nations, once poised to destroy each other, now began the difficult work of healing—together.

-

To you—the mornings were the hardest.

You used to wake with a sense of motion—power thrumming through your veins, wind whispering to your limbs, the distant pulse of something ancient and alive inside you.

Now, it was just silence.

The creature was gone. So were your powers. No more soaring skies, no more punching through walls like cardboard. Just the ordinary you.

And you didn’t know what to do.

Most days, you wandered the place like a ghost, half-listening during briefings, nodding when spoken to. The others smiled—grateful, relieved. The war was over, after all. You witnessed how all the other scouts got their happy ending, especially Eren and Mikasa—they were finally able to build and live in that cabin near the mountains.

Inside, you felt like you had vanished with the light.

But you didn’t expect Levi to be the one who noticed.

He’d catch your eye after meetings, study the way you lingered too long at the windows. He never said much—but then again, he never had to.

One morning, you arrived early to the mess hall, sleepless and restless.

He was already there.

Levi sat alone at the end of the long table, cup of tea in front of him, steam curling in the early light. Without looking up, he nudged a second cup across the table.

You stared at it.

Then at him.

“I didn’t ask for tea,” you said.

He didn’t blink. “Didn’t say you had to.”

You sat.

The silence that followed was warm. Not heavy. Not awkward. Just... real.

It became a pattern. Quiet mornings. Occasional conversations. A new kind of rhythm. You weren’t sure when it shifted—when the silence started to comfort you more than the wind ever had.

Then one day, as you passed him in the hallway, he spoke.

“HQ’s clearing out the south archives today.”

You raised a brow. “So?”

“They’ll break half the shelves if no one supervises.” He paused. “You’re good at holding things up.”

You snorted softly. “Was.”

He didn’t argue. Just walked ahead.

You followed.

That day in the archives, something clicked. He let you direct the cadets, trusted your judgment. You caught him watching you when he thought you weren’t looking. And when you paused, rubbing your sore shoulder, he handed you water without a word.

Later, sitting in the hallway between errands, you leaned back against the stone wall and sighed.

“I don’t know who I am now,” you murmured. “Without it.”

Levi sat beside you, legs stretched out. “You were never just that power.”

You glanced at him. “You don’t know that.”

He turned his head, eyes meeting yours. “I do.”

Silence. His voice dropped.

“You’re the one who stood between us and the end. Not because you could fly. Because you chose to stay. Chose to fight.” He looked away then, gaze distant.

Your throat tightened.

He stood up, adjusting his jacket.

“You’ll figure out who you are. Just don’t look for the answer in the sky. You’re not up there anymore.” A pause. “You’re here. With us.”

With me.

He didn’t say it. But you heard it anyway.

You didn’t say anything. Just watched him walk away—his steps steady, his shoulders squared.

And for the first time since losing everything, you didn’t feel lost.

-

It was almost midnight.

You couldn’t sleep.

HQ was quiet, save for the creak of wood and distant rustle of leaves. You left your bed without thinking, tugged your cloak over your shoulders, and slipped outside.

The air was cool. Crisp. A little too still.

And then—you saw it.

In the clearing just past the tree line, a ripple hung in the air. Pale, humming light. Soft like fog, sharp like memory.

A portal.

You stepped toward it, heart caught somewhere between awe and dread. You didn’t need anyone to explain. You knew. It was home.

Your home.

The life before all this. Streetlights and trains. Paper coffee cups. A version of yourself untouched by Titans.

It stood before you now, waiting.

You didn’t hear Levi approach.

You only felt it—his presence, sudden and grounding.

When you turned, he was already beside you, hands in his pockets, watching the light with narrowed eyes.

“What is it?” he asked quietly.

You hesitated. Then: “A way back.”

“To where?”

“My world.”

He nodded once. No surprise in his expression. No disbelief. Just understanding. “You thinking about going?”

You looked at the portal again.

“I was,” you admitted. “Part of me still is.”

He was quiet for a moment. Then said, “I saw how you’ve been looking lately. Like something’s missing.”

You looked down. “Because it is.”

“Yeah.” His voice was low. “I know the feeling.”

The wind shifted, stirring your hair. The portal flickered faintly, casting a soft glow across his face.

You glanced up at him.

“I’m not trying to stop you,” he added, voice flat. “If you want to go, go.”

Silence.

You stepped closer to the portal. Close enough to feel the warmth of it. A hum in your chest. The familiarity of what used to be.

But your feet didn’t move forward.

Because behind you—there was Levi.

Not asking. Not begging.

Just there.

A constant.

You turned away from the portal.

Walked back.

He didn’t speak as you came to stand beside him again.

You didn’t speak either.

But when the light finally blinked out behind you, gone like it was never there—

Levi let out the faintest breath. Like something tight in his chest had finally eased.

You looked at him. “That offer still stand?”

“What offer?”

“You know. Tea. Silence. A shared home.”

A pause. Then a rare thing—Levi’s mouth twitched, almost a smile.

“Always.”

And you walked back together.

Quiet. Steady. Side by side.

And that was enough.

================================

author's note: and that's the end of this story! thanks to everyone who took the time to read and engage with this tale! until the next one!

================================

tag list: alebrasil0101 levisungjingwoo2099

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Link to chapter 10

================================

Chapter 11

War never ceased.

A few brittle years of uneasy stalemates passed, but the world had not changed. Marley’s hunger only grew, and the fires of old hatred smoldered beneath every fragile treaty.

You were there—still fighting, still surviving, shoulder to shoulder with Levi and the others. Sharper. Tired in ways you couldn’t name.

And Erwin… Erwin still stood at the helm.

He was the reason chaos didn’t consume the group from within. The reason Eren hadn't vanished into enemy territory, hadn’t chased vengeance with reckless abandon. Under Erwin’s command, Eren’s power was tempered—contained. The boy’s wild heart still beat too loud sometimes, but Erwin knew how to steer him. Where to hold him back. When to let him burn.

The world never saw the founding power unleashed in blind fury. Not like it might have.

And Annie… she fought too.

Not for Marley. Not anymore.

She wore the Wings of Freedom now, but the weight of her past clung to her like frost. She was watched, always. Never trusted. Her leash was invisible, but she felt it every time she moved too far from command, every time a soldier looked at her a second longer.

But when the fighting started, she didn’t hesitate.

And neither did you.

-

You remembered taking a quick break from finishing a report for Erwin that was due tomorrow. You didn't mean to drift off to sleep.

And then you woke without waking.

One moment, darkness.

The next, you stood beneath a sky painted with flowing ribbons of green and violet. An aurora swept in slow waves across the heavens, casting the land below in a strange, otherworldly light.

Silver grass whispered at your feet. It stretched endlessly in every direction, bending softly to a breeze you couldn’t feel.

You didn’t know how you got here.

Or why your heart felt like it recognized this place.

A sound—barely audible—drew your gaze forward.

Three titanic forms stood at the edge of the field: the Female, the Armored and the Colossal Titans. But they weren’t moving. They weren’t hostile. They sat in stillness, not like weapons waiting to be wielded, but like monuments… finally at rest. The heat of battle was gone. The fear. The screaming. Now, they were just silent shadows beneath the sky.

You took a hesitant step forward.

And then a voice, deep and calm, spoke behind you.

“You’ve seen them in war. Now see them in peace.”

You turned quickly.

He stood tall and quiet just a few paces behind you—more man than monster, and more ancient than man. His robes were deep navy trimmed in silver, etched in ancient symbols that glimmered faintly beneath the aurora. A mantle draped over his shoulders like starlight made solid, and a circlet—simple and old—rested on his brow.

His presence wasn’t cold. It was heavy—with age, with memory—but there was no malice. Only calm. And something like quiet pride.

You didn’t speak. You couldn’t. But he stepped forward with the dignity of someone used to silence.

“I am the one within you,” he said gently. “The force that let you fly. The fire in your strength.”

The realization fell over you slowly. “You… live inside me.” But it sounded more like a question.

He nodded slowly, like a man remembering the echo of something long lost.

“I was once called a king—when this world was young, before power splintered and bled through generations like a curse. Now, I am only what's left behind. Memory. Will. A shadow clinging to purpose.”

You swallowed hard, the weight of his presence pressing into your chest. “Why now?”

His gaze drifted past you, rising to the monstrous silhouettes of Titans in the far horizon—looming, waiting.

“Because the world is trembling on the edge of something final. And you…” His voice softened, almost sorrowful. “You are tired. You’ve carried too much for too long. It is time, child. Time to choose your path—and decide what will remain when the dust clears.”

The wind shifted. The aurora pulsed.

He looked down at you, solemn.

“The Founding Titan has awakened. It remembers me. And I remember it. We were once whole—before the world split us into fragments and turned us into weapons.”

A chill crept down your spine. “And if you return to the Founding Titan?”

“All Titans will vanish. The curse will end. The paths will close. No more shifters. No more Rumbling.”

You took a step back. “And if you don’t?”

His voice grew quiet. “The Founding power will be taken. Used. The Rumbling may still come. Millions may die. The blood will not stop.”

You clenched your fists. “What happens to me?”

He met your eyes—regal and kind. “You lose my gifts. Your strength. Your flight.”

The weight of it hit you like a wave. All the moments you'd soared through flame. All the lives you'd protected because you could.

Gone.

The aurora shimmered above like a question waiting to be answered.

You turned to look at the Titans one last time. They did not speak, but they felt it too. The ending that could come.

Your voice was low, but steady.

“I’ll do it.”

He looked at you for a long, long moment.

Then he stepped forward and placed a gloved hand over your heart.

“Then you are greater than I ever was.”

And for the first time, you saw the king smile.

You woke just before sunrise.

The papers were scattered across the table. Your breath caught in your chest like it hadn’t left your lungs since the dream. The memory clung to you—his hand over your heart, the aurora burning above a field of silver grass, the stillness of Titans at peace.

The choice you’d made.

Your body ached—not from pain, but from something deeper. A sense of farewell building in your bones.

You rose without a word, without armor. Just your uniform and the worn cloak still smelling faintly of fire and wind.

And you walked.

The Scouts' headquarters was quiet. Only the low hum of wind through the stone corridors. You stepped outside, boots crunching faint dew beneath the grass. The sky was turning gold at the edges, stained with morning.

Then you saw him.

Eren stood in the open field—already there, already waiting. His posture was tense, fists clenched at his sides, jaw tight.

His eyes met yours, and in them, you saw it.

Recognition.

“I saw you,” he said. His voice was hoarse, like he hadn’t spoken all night. “In the dream. The Founding Titan… it showed me.”

You stopped a few paces from him, heart thrumming against your chest.

“I saw him too,” you whispered. “The creature inside me.”

Eren looked like he wanted to speak—then didn’t. His eyes dropped to the ground, to your hands, to the wind that stirred your cape.

“You chose to return.”

You nodded once. “It’s the only way.”

He hesitated. Then: “Are you afraid?”

You wanted to lie. You wanted to laugh. But the truth came out softer than either.

“Yes.”

The silence between you stretched like a thread ready to snap.

Then he stepped forward. Slowly. Carefully.

“Then let's do this,” Eren said, his voice low. “I want peace. I want everyone to be happy.” He looked at you again. “Just like you.”

You didn’t need to say anything more.

The wind shifted.

And the light changed.

A sudden stillness washed over the field—like the world held its breath.

The air shimmered. A glow formed at your chest, faint at first, then brighter. Light—pale and pulsing—spilled from your sternum, coiling upward like threads of smoke touched by the divine.

Across from you, a similar glow rose from Eren. Golden and fierce. The Founding Titan’s light.

The two threads began to drift toward one another.

As they touched— —the sky cracked.

A rush of power surged between you, silent and immense. Grass flattened in a ring around your feet. Trees bent. Light flooded the horizon.

The two powers met and twisted—then merged.

There was no scream. No explosion.

Only light.

Blinding and pure.

In your chest, you felt it—the king. His essence rising. Letting go. You heard his voice one final time:

“Thank you, child of sky and flame. Be at peace. And let the world awaken.”

You reached toward Eren as the light consumed you both.

And then— It was done.

The wind fell silent. The light vanished. And the world was… still.

When you opened your eyes, you were lying on the grass, the morning sun warm on your face.

No weight in your limbs. No hum of power in your bones.

You clenched your fists. Nothing cracked. No surge of energy. No power to leap into the clouds or hurl stone walls like feathers.

Just your breath.

Just your body.

Eren sat a few feet away, staring up at the sky with wide, wet eyes.

“They’re gone,” he whispered. “All of them. I can’t feel the Founding Titan anymore. I can’t feel anything.”

You sat up slowly.

No Titans moved on the horizon. No thunderous steps. No bones cracking skyward.

Just stillness.

Peace.

Eren looked at you.

You didn’t know what to say. So you just looked at your hands—ordinary now. Human. Scarred and imperfect.

And for the first time in years…

You were free.

================================

tag list: alebrasil0101 levisungjingwoo2099

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Link to chapter 9

================================

Chapter 10

The war room stank of damp parchment and stale sweat.

The adrenaline of the battlefield hadn’t quite left you. You could still feel Reiner’s spine snap under your fingers. The sting of fire when you tore through Bertholdt’s colossal eye socket. The quiet horror in Levi’s eyes when you pulled him beside Erwin’s body.

Now, you stood behind Erwin as he hovered over Grisha’s journals, one arm wrapped in a sling, the other flipping page after page with barely concealed excitement.

“So this is the truth,” he murmured. “A world beyond the sea. A world that fears and hates us.”

Hange, barely breathing, had three open books stacked in her arms and was muttering to herself like a woman possessed.

“They injected spinal fluid. Turned humans into Titans like it was nothing. This—this is historical, no, revolutionary! We could—if I could just—maybe dissect Bertholdt—”

“Hange,” Levi interrupted dryly from the corner, voice flat, “you’re foaming at the mouth.”

She blinked, swiping at her lip with her sleeve. “Oh.”

You managed a small smile, still too tense to laugh. Your skin still buzzed faintly where Reiner and Bertholdt’s power had sunk into you. There was no pain now, but there was something else. A tightness under your ribs. Something uncertain.

Erwin straightened slowly, his movements deliberate, as if bracing himself against the weight of what he was about to say. Behind the weariness in his eyes burned a cold fire—a relentless, consuming focus that made your skin prickle.

“Marley received word,” he said at last, voice low but sharp, “that their spies failed. They know about you. About what you can do.”

You stiffened. The room suddenly felt smaller.

“We’ll offer them peace,” he continued, tone unreadable, “and if they don’t accept... then we take countermeasures.”

Countermeasures. The word hung heavy in the air, its meaning clear.

As in: you.

You were the threat. A living deterrent. A pawn in Erwin’s chess game.

And yet... you said nothing. Something about him—his unwavering gaze, the way he bore the burden of leadership without flinching—kept you rooted. Even now, even knowing what he was willing to sacrifice, you wanted to believe in him.

Erwin’s eyes flicked to the door. A subtle shift, but intentional. You followed his glance and understood: he knew they were listening.

Outside the room, just beyond the thin wooden wall, three shadows crept silently down the hall. They had escaped their cells just hours before, moving like ghosts through the heart of enemy territory.

In the deepening dusk, they ran.

By the time they reached the edge of the forest, breath ragged in their chests, Reiner turned and broke the silence.

“Marley doesn’t know peace,” he growled, fists clenched. “This war won’t stop. But they need to know—these people aren’t the devils we were told.”

Bertholdt hesitated. “No one will believe us. They’ll think of us as traitors.”

“Then we’ll make them believe,” Reiner said, his voice rising with conviction. “We have to try—for our families. Before Paradis brings the war to Marley, before it’s too late.”

Annie stood apart, eyes distant, almost unreadable.

“I’m not going back,” she said softly.

The other two turned to her in disbelief. “What?”

“I don’t belong there anymore,” she murmured. “Not after everything. But… promise me you’ll look after my father.”

Reiner’s expression twisted, torn between loyalty and understanding. Bertholdt stared at her, grief in his eyes.

Then, without another word, they embraced briefly—once, tightly, like the past could be held in a single breath—and parted.

Two shadows vanished into the trees.

And one remained behind.

-

Night fell like a shroud, and the air outside turned sharp with the scent of oncoming rain.

Hange approached you, arms full of books, eyes wild with half-muttered theories about spinal fluid and Titan lineage.

“Hey. Can you do something for me?”

You tilted your head. “Depends.”

“Bring Levi his dinner.”

“…Why me?”

“Because it’s an order,” she replied breezily, already vanishing down the hallway.

You frowned but didn’t argue.

When you knocked, Levi's gruff voice answered. “Come in.”

You stepped inside with the tray. If he was surprised to see you, he didn’t show it.

“Hange’s orders,” you said as explanation.

He gestured toward his desk, barely looking up. “Thanks.”

You set the tray down and turned to leave, but—

“Wait.”

You froze.

“Help me finish this,” he added, nodding toward the food.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“I lost my appetite.”

Without another word, you sat across from him. The silence between you was calm, almost grounding. He resumed scribbling notes, and you nibbled on bread, the scent of warm stew filling the room.

Then, lightning split the sky.

You flinched—just barely—but the small sound escaped before you could catch it.

Levi looked up.

“It’s just noise,” he said evenly, eyes lingering.

Then, with no added fuss, he nudged his tea toward you.

“Drink. It’ll help you settle.”

You took it—gratefully.

Time passed. The storm deepened. Rain hammered the windows with desperate urgency.

“I think it’s going to stay a while,” you murmured.

Levi didn’t glance up. “Then stay here.”

You blinked. “What?”

“The hallway’s drafty. The barracks are across the yard. Don’t be an idiot.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re trembling like a leaf,” he said flatly.

You hesitated. But finally nodded.

Later, you sat curled in one of the armchairs, flipping through a battered book from his shelf. The storm hadn’t let up. Neither had the silence.

“Take the bed.”

You looked up. Levi was still at his desk.

“I’ll stay here,” he added. “Couch is fine.”

You stood, your heart pounding in your ears. “Mind if I borrow something to sleep in?”

Where you got the courage to ask that, you don't know.

He gave a small nod. “Closet. Left side.”

“Thanks.”

You slipped out of the office, the door clicking softly shut behind you. You let out a shaky breath. You were going to spend the night in Levi Ackerman's bedroom. He offered you his bed! No one would have believed you, not even yourself from two months ago.

In the room, everything was as you expected—ordered, efficient, almost impersonal. You opened the closet and selected one of his shirts. It was soft, neatly folded, and smelled like him—clean linen, faint tea, steel.

The fabric clung lightly to your skin, oversized but warm. You climbed into the bed, sheets cool against your legs.

The rain hadn’t let up—it whispered against the windows, steady and soft.

You lay still for a while, trying not to think about the faint scent of him on the sheets or the ache behind your ribs that only grew in the quiet.

Then your voice broke the silence. “Levi?”

There was a pause.

A low grunt came from the office—short, acknowledging.

You hesitated, fingers twisting a loose thread on the blanket. “Would you… stay here? Just for a bit?”

Silence.

Then slow, steady footsteps.

He appeared at the doorway, arms crossed, clad in a loose shirt and drawstring pants.

He leaned against the frame, brow slightly furrowed. “What are you—some kind of child?”

You didn’t meet his gaze. “Only if it's not too much trouble.”

A quiet exhale. He walked in and sat on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping slightly beneath his weight. He didn’t lie down—just sat, angled away, like he wasn’t sure whether this was a mistake or something he’d regret not doing.

The space between you buzzed with silence.

Then, after a long pause, he spoke—voice lower, more hesitant than usual.

“Would you want this… if all of it ended?”

The words hung in the dark like something too fragile to touch. You blinked, startled. Levi never asked questions like that—not about feelings, not about futures. But you answered anyway.

“I would.” Then, softer, “What about you?”

“Yeah.”

Just that. Quiet. Certain.

Your breath hitched, warmth blooming in your chest. You tried to deflect it, voice light. “Didn’t know you had a soft side.”

He didn’t smile. But there was softness in his eyes.

“Hn. Don’t get used to it.”

He leaned back slowly until he was lying beside you, arms still crossed over his chest.

You turned onto your side, keeping a small distance, but your hand brushed his arm in the dark. You froze.

He didn’t.

Instead, after a long beat, he let his hand drift—just slightly—until his fingers rested against yours. Barely a touch. But it was there.

He didn’t speak. But his hand stayed.

And that was more than enough to quiet the storm in your chest.

Sleep came slowly, but with him beside you, it felt a little easier to fall.

================================

tag list: alebrasil0101 levisungjingwoo2099

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Link to chapter 8

================================

Chapter 9

You stood outside Erwin’s office a moment longer than necessary. 

The hallway was quiet, save for the ticking of the old clock mounted above the entrance. You raised your hand, hesitated—then knocked.

“Come in,” came his voice, cool and even.

You stepped inside. The room greeted you with its usual stillness—sunlight spilling over maps, scattered papers, and worn books. Erwin stood behind his desk, sleeves rolled up, a faint shadow beneath his eyes.

“You wanted to see me?” you asked.

He nodded, motioning for you to sit. You did.

“Shiganshina,” he said without preamble. “It’s time. We’re going to retake it.”

You stiffened.

He watched your reaction closely, as if measuring something in you. “Our target is the basement in Eren’s former home. The key he carries… the secrets his father left behind. Whatever’s there may explain everything. Titans. The walls. The world.”

Your chest tightened. This is it.

You already knew what lay in that basement. The books. The photograph. The impossible truth about Titans—and about humanity.

And you knew what it would cost.

Erwin’s life among the other scouts.

But he didn’t know that. Not yet.

You kept your face still. “And you think this basement holds all the answers?”

“I don’t think,” he said quietly. “I believe.”

The silence that followed felt heavier than most.

Then: “You’re not from here. So tell me—what do you think the origin of the Titans is?”

Your breath caught. His eyes were sharp.

You looked away—just for a moment. I could tell you everything. But if I do… will it change anything for the good, or make things worse?

Your voice was steady, deliberate. “I think it’s something ancient. Something buried for a reason—never meant to be found.”

Erwin’s eyes narrowed slightly as he leaned in. “Then why did someone uncover it?”

“To control,” you said, softer now. “Because fear makes people easy to lead. And power built on fear… that’s hard to let go of.”

His expression remained unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in his gaze—focus sharpening like a blade.

“Do you fear the truth?” he asked.

You hesitated, breath catching just slightly. “No,” you said at last. “But I fear the price we’ll pay for it.”

The silence between you thickened, stretched tight across the space. Neither of you looked away.

“I want you on the front lines,” Erwin said at last. “When we reach the basement, we’ll need every advantage. I believe you’ll be key.”

You nodded slowly.  “Alright,”

Erwin gave a small nod in return, signaling the end of the conversation. “Dismissed.”

With a quiet murmur of acknowledgment, you turned and stepped into the hallway. The door clicked softly behind you, and as you walked away, a quiet determination settled in your chest. When the time came, you would find a way to protect him—no matter the cost. 

-

The air was thick with smoke and the scent of blood. The streets of Shiganshina were now a battlefield, echoing with the roars of Titans and the cries of soldiers. 

The ground trembled beneath your boots as the Armored Titan came crashing down—dust and debris exploding around him like a cannon blast. He rose, steam hissing off his plated frame, and charged straight for Eren.

Eren met him head-on, teeth bared, fists clenched. The force of their collision cracked the street beneath them. They grappled, roared, smashed each other against stone and rubble.

You didn’t hesitate.

With a burst of speed, you flew toward them, the wind screaming past your ears. Eren was holding his own. Reiner had driven him back, forcing him against a ruined tower, using sheer weight to overpower him.

You aimed for the weak spot.

In one clean, brutal strike, you slammed into the Armored Titan’s upper back. The force staggered him. Without hesitation, you grabbed a fistful of his matted hair, braced your feet, and yanked—hard.

The sound was like splitting metal. With a savage pull, you tore the Titan’s head clean off its shoulders and hurled it to the ground below.

Steam hissed violently from the exposed nape as Reiner’s limp human form emerged. You caught him before he could fall, hovering a moment before lowering to the street.

Something shifted. Energy sparked beneath your skin. A rush of heat and power surged between you. Reiner’s eyes widened in horror as his Titan essence—something older than memory—poured out of him and into you.

You felt it settle in your bones. Your heart pounded, your skin buzzed. Reiner went slack in your grip, stripped of the force that had once made him unstoppable.

Once more, it had found you. Another Titan’s legacy, ancient and immense, now alive beneath your skin. But there was no time to make sense of it.

Because the sky was already glowing with fire—and the Colossal Titan was rising.

You shot into the sky, pushing past the searing pressure. The wind fought you. The heat singed your skin. But you didn’t stop.

You dove—straight through the Colossal Titan’s eye.

Flames lashed at your skin. Your body screamed in pain. But you reached in, grabbed Bertholdt by the collar, and yanked him out of the nape with a powerful burst of energy. The Titan body began to crumble behind you.

As you landed hard on the scorched stone, you collapsed for a moment, flesh blistered, lungs burning. The pain was real—searing. But your cells began to repair themselves. Bones reknit. Skin smoothed. You rose again.

Bertholdt groaned, eyes fluttering. His Titan power was already dissolving into you—drawn like a tide to something you still didn’t understand. But it was done.

A shout rang out behind you. Hange and the remaining squad members rushed in, securing both Bertholdt and Reiner in bindings, hauling them off to be restrained and questioned.

You didn’t wait.

Smoke curled in the northern sky. The Beast Titan.

You soared into the sky again, higher this time, and scanned the battlefield. The Beast Titan loomed at the edge of the trees, surrounded by corpses—remnants of Erwin’s final charge. Levi stood near Erwin’s fallen form, his face unreadable.

You dropped beside him.

“Take my hand,” you said.

He didn’t ask why. He just grabbed your wrist.

With a blast of speed, you hurled him across the battlefield, straight at Zeke. Levi spun midair, blades flashing, eyes locked on his prey.

Zeke barely had time to turn before Levi struck—fast, clean, lethal.

The Beast Titan fell.

But the fight wasn’t over. Pure Titans still roamed the open fields, drawn by Zeke’s call. You looked out across the blood-soaked plain—at the fallen Scouts, at Erwin’s shattered formation—and something inside you broke.

Rage and sorrow twisted together in your chest.

You surged forward, fists clenched, vision sharp with fury. One by one, you tore through the Titans, each blow driven by grief and fury—at what was lost, at what could have been.

You moved like a storm, merciless and precise. There was no hesitation. Only purpose.

By the time the last Titan fell, your hands were trembling—not from exhaustion, but from the weight of everything you’d seen.

And then… silence.

The battlefield, at last, was still.

Steam drifted over cracked stone and broken walls. Scouts limped from the ruins. Erwin, alive but bloodied, stared at you with something between awe and disbelief.

You didn’t speak.

================================

tag list: alebrasil0101 levisungjingwoo2099

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Link to chapter 7

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Chapter 8

You woke to the soft creak of wood and the distant murmur of footsteps beyond the door.

The air smelled faintly of herbs, gauze, and old paper. Light spilled through the curtains, painting long golden lines across the whitewashed ceiling beams. For a moment, you didn’t move.

You didn’t need to.

Every inch of your body felt heavy—like your bones had soaked up stone, like the weight you’d carried in that forest had followed you into sleep and refused to let go.

Your fingers twitched against the scratchy blanket beneath them. Slow. Testing.

Not broken.

A breath caught in the room, subtle but telling.

You turned your head just slightly.

Levi sat beside your bed, unmoving, a chipped ceramic cup cooling in his hands. His shirt was rumpled, his posture too still, too guarded. You couldn’t tell if he’d just arrived or if he’d been sitting there for hours. But something in his eyes—dark, unreadable—suggested the latter.

“You’re finally up,” he said, voice low and flat, but there was something underneath it. Tension. Relief, maybe. Worry, disguised as disdain.

You blinked. “Where…?”

“Infirmary. HQ. You passed out in the middle of the forest after the fight.” He set the cup down with a quiet clink. “Would’ve cracked your skull if I hadn’t caught you.”

You tried to sit up. A mistake. The nausea hit you fast.

Levi stood immediately and pressed a hand to your shoulder—not roughly, but firm. “Don’t be stupid. Lie down.”

You obeyed, letting out a quiet breath. “You didn’t leave.”

You’re not sure if it’s relief or confusion in your voice. Maybe both.

Levi didn’t respond immediately. His jaw ticked once, and he looked away.

“Didn’t want you wrecking the place if you woke up flailing,” he said. “Hange would’ve made me clean it up.”

A beat of silence passed between you. It should have been awkward—but it wasn’t.

You shifted slightly beneath the blankets, the faint scent of crushed bark and steam still clinging to your skin.

“She’s alive, isn’t she?” you asked. “Annie.”

Levi gave a curt nod. “Back in custody. You shattered the crystal. She didn’t fight. Just… shut down.”

You nodded slowly, the weight of the moment settling in your chest. The room felt smaller now. Tighter.

“You scared the hell out of us.” Levi said softly.

You looked up.

That flicker in his voice—it wasn’t anger. Not quite.

“I didn’t mean to,” you murmured.

“Doesn’t change the fact that it happened,” Levi said. “Next time, warn me before you drop like a corpse.”

You almost smiled. Almost.

He moved toward the door, hand on the frame, but didn’t leave just yet.

“I’ll go get a doctor,” he said, not looking back. 

And then he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

You lay still, the sheets cool against your skin, your breath slow.

Your mind drifted, unspooling the memory like thread—Levi’s hands catching you as the world faded, his presence a constant shadow beside your bed. You hadn’t asked why. But the question lingered, quiet and persistent.

-

Now, a week later, you sat curled in a half-lit reading room buried deep in HQ’s east wing. A quiet space with old books, quiet air, and no judgment. Your body still ached in places it hadn’t before. But the deeper ache—that low, gnawing throb behind your ribs—hadn’t left since the forest.

You didn’t know if it ever would.

The door creaked open behind you. You didn’t move. Not until the familiar voice followed, soft as wind through grass:

“Hey. Can I come in?”

You turned your head slightly. Armin stood in the doorway, tentative, holding a book like he’d just wandered in by mistake.

“Yeah,” you said. 

He stepped inside, closing the door gently behind him. His movements were careful—always deliberate, never threatening. You wondered if he walked that way to keep others calm, or to steady himself.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said, approaching with hesitant steps. “I thought maybe… you’d be in the mess hall. Or the garden. But… this makes more sense.”

You raised an eyebrow faintly. “Does it?”

He smiled—small, tired. “You’ve always liked quiet places. You think better in them.”

You didn’t reply. Just watched him as he eased down into the armchair across from yours, resting the book on his lap like he wouldn’t be opening it any time soon.

“I wanted to talk to you,” he said after a beat. “About what happened. In the forest.”

You tensed, almost imperceptibly. Your fingers curled around the blanket draped over your knees.

“I know it’s not easy to talk about,” he added, his voice softening. “But I saw everything. And I still don’t understand why.”

You kept your gaze on the dust motes drifting through the windowlight. “Why what?”

Armin exhaled. “Why you risked yourself like that. Not just to fight Annie. You didn’t have to do what you did. You didn’t have to stay behind. But the moment you realized she was after Eren, you didn’t even hesitate.”

You were quiet for a long time.

Then: “Someone had to.”

“I know,” he said. “But it didn’t have to be you.”

You looked at him. Really looked.

He wasn’t accusing. He wasn’t upset. But something flickered in his eyes—worry, maybe. Or something gentler. Sadder.

You turned away again.

“Commander Erwin entrusted Eren to us,” you said quietly. “If we let him die before we understand what he really is… we’ve failed. I won’t be the reason that happens.”

Armin didn’t say anything right away. The old clock in the corner ticked once, twice.

Finally, he nodded. “That’s a good answer. Erwin would’ve said the same.”

You knew what was coming next.

“But,” he said gently, “that’s not why you did it.”

You flinched. Just barely. 

Armin saw it.

“There’s nothing wrong with caring,” he continued. “You don’t have to bury it beneath orders. You don’t have to pretend it was strategy.”

You looked down at your hands—bandaged knuckles, faint scars blooming beneath the gauze like frost patterns. “It’s not that simple.”

“I know,” he said. “Believe me, I know.”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“I’m not trying to force anything out of you. But you didn’t fly that fast for Mina. You didn’t hit Annie that hard because you were scared of failure. You did it because Eren was in danger. And that matters.”

Your voice came out quieter than you intended. “Maybe I don’t know where duty ends and everything else begins.”

Armin smiled, soft and tired. “That’s what makes you human.”

You let the silence return, and this time it didn’t feel so heavy. The ache in your chest didn’t disappear, but something in it settled. Just a little.

After a moment, Armin stood. Picked up his book again.

“You should come outside later,” he said. 

You gave a small nod. He didn’t wait for a promise.

When the door closed behind him, you sat still in the quiet. The ache was still there.

But so was the truth.

And maybe that was enough. For now.

-

The following night, sleep didn’t come. You needed to move.

The courtyard was quiet, lit in silver by the moon overhead. Cool air brushed over your skin, tugging gently at the hem of your shirt. You rolled your shoulders, testing the range of motion. Still sore. But solid.

You dropped into a stance, fists raised.

Just a few drills. Just enough to shake the weight off.

You didn’t expect company.

“You really don’t sleep, do you?”

You turned—Levi stood at the edge of the yard, arms folded, one brow lifted just slightly.

You exhaled, a small smirk tugging at your mouth. “Says the man lurking in the shadows like a sleep-deprived gargoyle.”

He stepped forward. “Not lurking. Supervising.”

“Sure.”

“Move your feet,” he said, ignoring your jab. “Your stance is garbage.”

You scoffed but did as told. He came closer, narrowing the space between you.

“Better,” he murmured. “Now don’t just throw punches. Think. Breathe through it.”

You jabbed forward. He blocked easily. Then again—this time, he caught your wrist.

“Too predictable.”

You grinned. “You love saying that.”

“And you love leaving your side open,” he shot back.

You lunged.

He moved faster, countering with a clean sweep of your leg, but you twisted out of it at the last second and planted your palm to the ground, flipping back onto your feet with a breathless laugh.

His eyes flicked over your form—sharp, unreadable. But his voice held a rare edge of amusement.

“Show-off.”

“Just making sure you’re awake.”

You settled into a rhythm after that—circling, striking, dodging. No real intent to land anything solid. Just motion. Practice. The soft thud of feet on dirt. The hiss of breath. Levi’s sharp corrections muttered like an old habit.

But somewhere in the movement, the silence turned companionable.

The tension eased.

Eventually, your arms began to tire. You leaned forward, bracing your hands on your knees, breath fogging in the night air.

“You’ve improved,” Levi said, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.

You looked up. “I had a good teacher.”

He grunted. “Don’t get sentimental.”

A beat passed.

Then, quieter, more curious: “…That power. That thing inside you. It’s not from here, is it?”

You straightened, pulse slowing. “No. I’ve had it since I was a child.”

He watched you carefully but didn’t press.

You looked up at the sky. “Where I’m from, the cities never sleep. There’s traffic at all hours, lights in every window, people everywhere. It felt… endless. Like the world never stopped moving.”

Levi glanced at you, faintly skeptical. “That doesn’t sound relaxing.”

“It wasn’t,” you said, smiling a little. “But it meant you were never alone. Even at your worst, you could always find someone awake, something happening, something to remind you life was still going.”

He was quiet for a moment, gaze drifting toward the dark rooftops beyond the courtyard.

“Sounds exhausting.”

“It was,” you admitted. “But sometimes it was comforting, too. You didn’t have to carry everything by yourself.”

You didn’t expect a reply, but Levi nodded—barely. Like he understood more than he let on.

Then, dry as dust: “If the next thing out of your mouth is how people used to gather just to talk about their feelings, I’m walking away.”

You laughed, a quiet, surprised sound. “Okay, fine. I’ll keep that one to myself.”

He gave you a look. You gave him a grin.

And for a moment, something passed between you—light, almost easy.

You stood beside him in the cool night air, the stars faint behind drifting clouds. No orders. No enemies. Just your breath slowing beside his, the quiet steadying between you.

For the first time in weeks, it felt okay to just be.

================================

tag list: alebrasil0101 levisungjingwoo2099

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Link to chapter 5 a/n: i mistook chapter 7 for chapter 6 🤦‍♀️here is the correct version. thank you for taking the time to read this story, i hope you're liking it so far!

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Chapter 6

You were bound at the wrists, hands pulled tightly behind you. 

The ropes bit into your skin, but you didn’t shift. Eren stood beside you, similarly restrained and chained to a post driven into the courtroom floor. His shoulders were tense, jaw clenched. He looked like he was barely keeping himself from yelling.

The gallery above buzzed with hostile energy. Soldiers, nobles, Military Police, civilians—everyone had come to see the monsters on trial.

You kept your gaze level. Calm. Unmoving. You didn’t return their stares.

“Eren Jaeger,” Nile Dok barked from the Military Police stand, stepping forward with crisp authority. “And the girl. Both used inhuman powers in the Battle of Trost. One became a Titan. The other… what? Flew? Tore through Titans like paper? And now you expect us to believe you’re just soldiers trying to help?”

You didn’t answer. Beside you, Eren gritted his teeth. “We’re not threats! We saved lives—!”

“Silence!” Nile slammed his fist against the podium. “You could turn against us at any moment!”

Shouts erupted from the spectators above. “Execute them!” someone yelled. Another called, “Monsters don’t get trials!”

Eren bristled, eyes blazing. “If the strong won’t stand and fight, then who will? If you’re too scared to fight for your own survival, fine—but don’t drag us down with you. Just stay out of the way and let us carry the weight.”

You glanced at him. His anger was familiar. Predictable. And yet… something was different.

No one made a move to kill you. No Levi.

You remembered how, in another version of this trial—Levi had silenced the courtroom with brutal precision, knocking Eren into obedience. But this time, he’d stayed back. Watchful. Silent. And you couldn’t tell why.

Before the tension could boil over, Commander Erwin spoke from his position at the side of the room—still, composed, and somehow louder than the chaos itself.

“I propose a solution,” he said. “Let us take them under the jurisdiction of the Scout Regiment.”

Zachary leaned forward, eyes narrowed.

“There’s an expedition beyond Wall Rose in the coming days,” Erwin continued. “Let them come with us. Under full surveillance. Their actions during the mission will determine their fate. If they prove themselves loyal—they live. If not…” He paused. “We’ll eliminate the threat.”

Silence blanketed the courtroom like fog.

Dhalis Zachary regarded him for a long, unreadable moment. Then he leaned back in his chair.

“Very well,” he said. “Let the expedition decide.”

The gavel came down. Judgment passed.

The trial was over. 

~

The room smelled faintly of herbs and old wood. You lay on the narrow bed, sunlight spilling through the slats of the window. The bandages wrapped around your arm were mostly for show—your body healed faster than most—but you didn’t argue when the medics insisted.

Days passed in quiet. You read books when you could, though most of the time you drifted in and out of sleep, your thoughts slow and untangled for once.

A knock broke the calm.

“Come in,” you called.

The door creaked open. Eren stepped inside, head bandaged, expression unreadable—though the fire in his eyes hadn’t dimmed. He lingered near the doorway, as if unsure whether to sit or just deliver a message and go.

You felt it again—that strange pull. The way something deep in your bones responded to his presence. Eren blinked, a flicker of confusion crossing his face like he felt it too. But he said nothing.

“Hey,” he started, voice low. “Thanks… for what you did at Trost.”

You gave a small nod. “You held your own.”

He tilted his head, eyes narrowing slightly. “At the trial… you held yourself together. I thought they'd kill us right there.”

You leaned back against the pillows, exhaling through your nose. “Honestly? Thought Levi was gonna beat us down in front of everyone—just to make a point.”

Eren snorted. “I think he wanted to. Probably flipped a coin and we got spared.”

You smirked. “Seems like we both have a talent for surviving the worst situations.”

He chuckled under his breath and turned to leave, pausing at the door. “They’re probably gonna come for us again soon.”

You met his gaze. “Let them.”

A beat passed before he cracked a smile. “You sound like Mikasa.”

You quirked a brow. “Should I be offended?”

He didn’t answer—just let out a soft laugh and slipped out the door, leaving behind the echo of something unspoken but solid. Like a pact.

-

Night had settled in, and you were just about to climb into bed when a knock echoed softly at your door.

“Come in,” you called, expecting anyone but him.

Levi stepped inside like a shadow, quiet and composed.

“You look awful,” he said, voice flat but edged with something tired.

You blinked, caught off guard, then arched a brow. “I could say the same to you.” you replied, taking in the dark circles under his eyes, the tension in his shoulders.

He scoffed, almost like it amused him, and crossed the room to lean against your windowsill. His arms folded across his chest as he looked out into the night. “Erwin wants you in his office. First thing tomorrow.”

For a brief second, your heart sank. You thought—maybe, just maybe—he’d come for something else. Something not related to work. Stupid. You should’ve known better.

But then he spoke again, softer this time.

“Only one death in Trost.”

Your breath hitched.

“You’ve changed the game for us,” he added.

You hesitated, images flashing in your mind—blood, the crunch of bone, the way it felt to be too late.

“What was his name?” you asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“Henry.”

Your jaw clenched involuntarily, your whole body going still at the sound of it. You hadn’t even realized your shoulders had tensed until Levi turned to glance at you—quietly studying your expression, the grief you tried not to show. His eyes lingered longer than they should have.

“I thought you were used to loss,” he said.

“I am,” you answered, slower now. “Back when it all started, I used to cry through the nights.”

He was watching you again. “And now?”

You held his gaze. “Now, I just feel it in my bones.”

A long pause stretched between you.

“We can’t save everyone,” he said.

You wanted to argue, to rage against that truth. But the words wouldn’t come.

“I know,” you finally said, voice low, brittle.

He didn’t move—just stood there watching you like he wanted to say more. Then, slowly, he stepped closer. Not close enough to touch, but enough that the warmth of him brushed against the chill in the room.

“You always carry it alone,” he said, quieter than before.

The words caught you off guard. He wasn’t just talking about today. He was talking about all of it.

You opened your mouth to answer, but nothing came. Just a small, wavering breath.

Levi’s hand twitched at his side, like he was about to reach for you—then stopped. Instead, he looked at you for one long, steady moment, eyes unreadable. His voice, when he finally spoke again, was almost gentle.

“Get some sleep.”

He turned, the words lingering longer than they should have.

“Good night.”

And then he was gone, the door closing behind him with a soft click.

You stared at the empty space where he had stood, something heavy and unspoken thrumming between your ribs.

================================

tag list: @alebrasil0101 levisungjingwoo2099

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Link to chapter 6

================================

Chapter 7

The ride out past Wall Rose had been long, bumpy, and filled with too many half-finished conversations.

By the time the cabin came into view—tucked between trees and sagging slightly with age—Eren was already in a mood. He didn’t say much as he climbed off his horse, just muttered something under his breath and stomped inside.

You followed with the others, boots crunching over gravel and dead leaves. The place wasn’t much—four walls, a leaky roof, and a fire barely clinging to life in the hearth. But it was far enough from civilization for what the scouts needed: space to test Eren safely.

And now— 

The steam hissed up from Eren’s hand.

A shallow gash smoked angrily as the skin beneath began to knit back together. Hange was already scribbling wildly into her notebook, perched on the edge of manic excitement.

“Regeneration time is roughly the same as before,” she muttered to herself, glancing between the stopwatch and the wound. “But the reaction was weaker this time. Hmm... maybe he’s losing strength.”

“I’m sitting right here, you know,” Eren snapped.

He sat shirtless on the wooden bench in the old stable-turned-laboratory, one arm still bandaged from the last round of tests. Sweat glistened on his back. His knuckles were white on the edge of the bench, jaw locked.

“You volunteered for this, Eren,” Hange reminded him sweetly, flipping a page. “Besides, you’ve regenerated from worse.”

“Not with a blade to the palm every five minutes,” he muttered.

You leaned silently against a wooden post, arms crossed, watching. The air smelled of blood, sweat, and the tang of cooling metal. 

Petra and Oluo stood guard nearby, tension in their shoulders. Levi sat on an overturned crate in the corner, ever-watchful, one hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword.

He was watching Eren, yes—but he kept glancing at you.

You hadn’t said much since the trial. You hadn’t needed to. You knew where all this was going.

But still… seeing it in real time was different.

“How many more tests do we need to do?” Eren asked, biting back a grunt as Hange pressed her finger into the fresh wound.

“Well,” she mused, “we’ve confirmed pain alone isn’t a consistent trigger for transformation. So maybe it’s the intent to fight? Or... emotional response?”

“Can’t you just ask the Titan inside me?” he snapped.

Hange grinned. “If only it were that simple.”

You stepped forward, voice steady. “He’s reaching his limit.”

Everyone turned toward you. Eren looked at you like you’d thrown him a rope. Hange, however, gave a dramatic sigh.

“Come on, don’t you want to learn something new? You and Eren are the only ones with these kinds of powers—this is important!”

“I know,” you said softly. “But what you’re doing right now… this isn’t science. It’s desperation.”

The words hung in the air.

Levi’s voice cut through the tension. “That’s enough for today.”

Hange paused mid-scribble. “Fine. Fine. But next time, I’m bringing a cow prod.”

“Next time,” Levi said coolly, “bring a muzzle for yourself.”

That earned a rare chuckle from Oluo. Eren slumped in his seat, clearly exhausted.

Levi’s gaze flicked your way, catching the way you were watching—calm, quiet, more focused than most.

“Keep watching like that,” he muttered, “and I’ll start thinking you actually care.”

You arched a brow. “I do.”

He didn’t smile, but the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth gave him away.

“Tch. Just don’t let Hange rope you into her next nightmare of an experiment.”

Before you could respond, he stood, brushing off his coat with mechanical precision.

“Gear check’s in an hour. Briefing after that.”

You nodded, but didn’t move yet. His presence still lingered, even as his footsteps faded.

The sunlight had already begun to slant across the floor in longer lines. The calm before the mission felt false—like a held breath.

Because you knew what was coming.

-

Several days later, the tests continued.

Hange hadn’t slowed down. If anything, she’d only grown more persistent. Every day brought something new: burns, cuts, controlled stressors, even moments of forced isolation meant to replicate fear or urgency. Eren endured all of it with clenched teeth and growing impatience.

You watched it all from the edge of the room, never interfering, but always present. Eren’s hands stayed wrapped in gauze. His eyes grew darker with every session.

The more they tested, the less they understood.

And the mission was getting closer.

Soon, they’d leave the walls behind.

Soon, it wouldn’t be test wounds or candle flames. It would be teeth and claws and trees splitting open under the weight of something that could run and think and kill.

Soon, the Female Titan would come.

-

The next day broke under a gray sky.

You stood at the edge of the forest, wind curling through your cloak. The horses were restless. The tension was worse.

This was the mission that shattered everything.

From your place among the formation, you watched the trees blur past. The others didn’t talk much—not even Oluo or Petra. Everyone sensed it. Something was wrong.

And then—thunder.

The sound cracked through the trees, too rhythmic for weather. Too precise.

You twisted in your saddle.

Then you saw her.

The Female Titan moved like a weapon given form—fast, deliberate, furious. She tore through trees like they were paper, eyes blazing, shoulders hunched in determined purpose.

Your heart kicked into high gear.

She was after Eren.

You didn’t think—you flew.

The wind howled past your ears as you dove, the forest canopy splitting open beneath your flight. 

Then you saw them.

Levi’s squad—Petra, Oluo, Eld, and Gunther—had stopped to regroup near a clearing, waiting on signal flares from the other squads. They hadn’t seen her yet. But she was coming fast.

And they were directly in her path.

Your heart lurched.

Without thinking, you dove.

“Move!” you roared, crashing down in front of them just as the trees behind you snapped apart like matchsticks.

They turned, stunned, but they listened. Years of instinct and trust in your voice.

You planted your feet, power humming beneath your skin, your fists clenched.

She swung—fast, brutal.

You met her fist with your own.

The shockwave shattered branches and flung debris like knives. The force rattled your bones, sent a spike of heat through your arm, but you held your ground.

The Female Titan staggered back, momentarily stunned.

Behind you, Petra cursed. “What the hell—”

“Get to Levi!” you barked. “Get Eren to the trees! Now!”

Gunther hesitated. Eld grabbed his arm. “You heard her!”

They vanished into the forest, ODM gear flaring.

The Female Titan snarled and lunged again—but this time, you didn’t meet her head-on. You flew.

The wind roared past your ears as you rocketed upward, then dove—fist-first—straight into her shoulder. She screamed, crashing into the forest floor, trees buckling beneath her weight.

Blood misted the air.

She tried to rise, swiping at you with one hand—but you were already behind her, striking at her knee. The impact crunched through muscle and tendon. She collapsed again with a guttural cry.

You hovered above her, chest heaving. For a second, you swore she looked up at you—not with rage, but something like recognition.

Then she moved.

Steam burst from her skin.

Her fists slammed into the earth—and then she dropped to her knees and froze.

Crystals shimmered across her skin, sealing her in place like ice.

Moments later, the forest stilled. The scouts stood in a perimeter, weapons drawn, unsure of what came next.

You stepped closer to the jagged, glassy structure.

It shimmered faintly in the fading light. Inside, Annie was curled in on herself, preserved and unreachable.

Levi’s squad watched from a safe distance. The tension in the air was thick—like everyone was waiting for something to happen.

You raised your hand. Heat bloomed beneath your skin.

“What are you doing?” Jean asked warily from behind.

You didn’t answer.

The moment your palm touched the crystal, light sparked. Bright. Blinding.

A crack shot across the hardened surface like a spiderweb under pressure.

And before you could think to stop yourself, your fist struck forward—guided by something not quite your own.

The crystal shattered.

The explosion of shards forced everyone back, a concussive wave of air and steam knocking branches from the trees. In the center of it all, Annie collapsed forward, unconscious and steaming, stripped of her Titan form.

But you—

You stumbled back with a cry, clutching your chest.

Power surged into you.

You felt it thread into your body like a second heartbeat. The instinct to strike with precision. To survive at all costs. To harden flesh into crystal.

You fell to one knee, gasping.

And then the world tilted.

Your knees gave out.

They called your name.

The forest spun, darkening at the edges. You barely registered Levi moving toward you. Your vision blurred, all color and shape fading until only his silhouette remained.

Then nothing.

================================

tag list: @alebrasil0101 levisungjingwoo2099

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Link to chapter 4

================================

Chapter 5

The sun beat down on your shoulders, sweat clinging to the back of your neck as you trudged toward the library, hoping for a quiet hour with a book. You didn’t make it far.

An arm slung over your shoulders, warm and all too familiar.

“Hey!” Hange’s voice rang far too loud for the close distance. “How about tagging along to Trost? A swarm of Titans were spotted near the gates. Weird, right? They don’t usually hang out there.”

Your feet froze. The word Trost pulled old memories to the surface—smoke, screams, blood. You barely noticed yourself zoning out until Hange nudged you with her elbow.

“You alright?”

You blinked hard, grounding yourself in the present. “Yeah. When do we leave?”

She beamed, wild and ready. “Right now.”

Before long, you were saddled up, wind in your face as you rode. By the time you reached the outskirts of Trost, the mood shifted. Hange wasted no time barking out orders, all business. You were paired with Eren to check the top of the walls for any signs of movement.

No one spoke as you climbed. The silence wasn’t comfortable.

As soon as your boots hit stone, Eren veered off without a glance. You watched his back for a second too long before forcing yourself to look away. No time to take it personally. Not today.

You turned your eyes forward, focusing.

And the view took your breath.

The sky stretched open and endless, painted in a blue so clear it almost hurt. Trees blanketed the land below, swaying like they hadn’t a care in the world. But further out—four Titans moved slowly, unmistakably, toward the walls.

Your heart kicked up, hope and dread warring inside your chest. Maybe this time, you could do something. Maybe this time, no one had to die.

You exhaled through your nose, steadying yourself.

I’ll help. I have to.

Then suddenly the sirens wailed. Your heartbeat was anything but steady. Heat shimmered in the air like a warning. Then—boom.

A tremor rocked the ground beneath you. Thunder cracked against the gate below. Steam burst upward in a violent surge of white. And just like that—he was here.

The Colossal Titan.

Massive. Unreal. A monster of destruction standing in the broken mouth of Wall Rose.

Your breath caught. You had seen this moment before—on pages, on screen. You knew what would come next. The breach. The blood. The beginning of everything.

But if you stopped him now…

If the wall held…

If the Titans never made it in…

Then Eren never transforms. He never discovers what he is. The Rumbling never starts. The world never breaks.

This was your chance to stop it all.

You took a step back, bracing for launch. Muscles coiled. Eyes locked on the back of the Titan’s neck.

And then—

You couldn’t move.

Not in the stunned or hesitant way. Not nerves. Not fear.

Your body simply… refused.

It was like your bones had turned to stone, like the air had thickened into cement around you. Every instinct screamed to fight it, to break free and fly, but there was nothing to fight. No weight. No pressure. No visible chains.

Just stillness. Just silence.

A voice—or maybe not a voice at all—echoed somewhere deep in your mind.

Not yet.

Your hands curled into fists in frustration.

So you watched.

The Colossal Titan disappeared in a burst of steam, already vanishing before the garrison could blink. The gate had been blown open. Fire and rubble followed. And with it—screams.

You quickly scanned the wreckage for anything—rocks, slabs of wall, a boulder big enough to block the breach. But then a scream split the air. High-pitched. Human. Desperate.

You didn’t think. You flew.

The Titan was already lowering its head when you reached it, jaw slick with blood. You punched through its skull in practiced motion—but you were too late.

The scout’s upper body collapsed into your arms, his legs already gone. His face was twisted in pain, tears streaking down dirt-stained cheeks, but his eyes… they were blank. Staring past you, into a sky that offered no mercy.

You held him a moment longer than you needed to.

What a gruesome world.

You laid him down gently, fingers brushing the blood from his collarbone like it would make a difference. Then you rose—steady, silent—and turned toward the smoke curling through the heart of the city.

It had thickened near the center of the breach, coiling around collapsed buildings like a living thing. Fires crackled in the distance—small ones, not enough to call attention. The kind that smoldered quietly in the wreckage.

You moved low, boots barely scuffing the ground. Your breathing was steady. Controlled. Another Titan had slipped past the main line. You could feel it before you saw it—like a wrong note in a familiar song. Close. Too close.

And then—

Movement. Not a Titan. A soldier.

Marco.

He’d broken off from the others, likely to regroup or assist. His swords were out, shoulders tight. He hadn’t seen you yet. He also hadn’t seen Reiner and Bertholdt, just a stone’s throw away—speaking in low voices behind a crumbled wall, too focused on each other to notice him either.

You knew what came next.

You couldn’t let it.

You quickly swooped beside Marco, noting how his body slightly shook. "Marco," you whispered tensely, snapping him from his thoughts.

He startled, turning toward you.

“Come on,” you said, nodding to the alley behind you. “There’s a Titan moving through the next street. I could use a hand.”

His hesitation lasted half a second. Then he stood straight and gave you a nod, swords ready, nerves sharpening into purpose.

Marco fell into step beside you as you took to the rooftops.

You caught a glimpse of Reiner and Bertholdt’s figures huddled together.

You didn’t look back again.

“You sure there’s one this way?”

“There was,” you said. “Maybe two.”

He gave a tight nod. “Alright. Let’s end it, then.”

The fight was over fast. You drew the Titan's attention with a sharp whistle, leapt high, and drove your fist into the base of its neck. It didn’t fall right away, staggering forward with a broken jaw. Marco caught it before it could tip into a nearby tower, slicing the nape in a clean arc.

You landed beside him, breath steady. He grinned.

"Guess you're not just fast—you’re strong too."

You didn’t answer right away. Just glanced back at the smoky alley you’d left behind.

"Timing’s everything," you said finally.

He didn’t catch the weight in your voice. He didn’t need to.

Then a new sound tore through the chaos—a thunderous roar that vibrated in your bones. You turned, just in time to see muscle tear itself into form, steam bursting into the air.

Eren had transformed.

Marco squinted. “Did you see that? What the hell is that thing?”

You didn’t answer immediately. Your eyes followed the towering figure as it moved—controlled, purposeful, angry.

“I don’t know,” you said, voice low. “But it’s fighting the others.”

Marco looked shaken but alert. “Should we go?”

You stepped closer. “No. Head north. There are still scouts holding the line there—they’ll need help if the Titans shift direction.”

He hesitated. “What about you?”

“I’ve got a better view from above.”

Marco gave a quick nod and took off without another word, blades drawn, heart steady.

You rose into the air, cutting through smoke and ash like a phantom. 

Below, Eren rampaged through Titans like a force of nature—muscle and fury brought to life.

You joined the chaos from above, your fists crashing down like thunder, movement fluid and unbound by gravity. You didn’t need blades. Your strength carved its own path.

Together, you fought—not in sync, not coordinated, but aligned in will. And when Eren lifted the boulder and sealed the gate, the world seemed to hold its breath.

The breach was closed.

The Titans were gone. The smoke hadn’t cleared, but it had slowed. Fires crackled in the distance, embers dancing in the wind. 

Later, near the gate, you caught sight of Eren, Mikasa, and Armin regrouping beneath the fractured archway. Eren stood breathing hard, steam still rising off his body. Mikasa stayed close, ever-watchful. Armin looked like he’d aged years in a day.

You landed beside them, heart pounding—not from battle, but from the weight of what came next.

Before you could speak, the sharp thud of boots against stone sounded behind you.

“Get down! On your knees!”

You barely turned before a soldier tackled you from the side, slamming you into the rubble. The weight on your back was crushing, the blade at your throat cold with fear-driven resolve.

“She flew,” the soldier hissed. “She flew like a demon and punched through a Titan’s spine—who the hell even is she?”

“They’re both monsters!” another barked, blade trained on Eren. “They’re just like the others!”

Eren was still standing then, breathing hard, hands raised slightly—like that would be enough. “I’m not your enemy!” he shouted. “I’m human! I'm a soldier, like you!”

But his voice cracked, desperate, and it didn’t help.

Captain Weilman pushed forward through the ranks, face pale, eyes sharp with terror. “That’s enough,” he snapped. “You expect me to believe that? That you just happened to have a Titan inside you all this time?”

“I didn’t know!” Eren tried again. “I swear—I,”

Weilman’s hand lifted, trembling. “Artillery crew—ready the cannon!”

“No—wait!” Armin broke through the line, stumbling forward. “You can’t—Captain, please! Eren just saved us—so did she! If they were our enemies, we’d all be dead right now!”

“They’re liabilities!” Weilman shouted. “Unregistered powers! Unprovoked transformations! What if they lose control?!”

Your pulse roared in your ears. You calculated—air humming around you, strength waiting in your limbs. You could blast into the sky and crush your way out.

But then what? Abandon Eren? Abandon the others?

You gritted your teeth. No. Not now. 

You stayed still.

Then the order came out. The cannon fired.

A roar split the air.

For a second, all you saw was smoke and a wall of glistening ribs—bone and sinew curling upward like a shield. Eren had transformed. Again.

But something was wrong.

He wasn’t moving.

Steam hissed off the massive new form, but Eren was unconscious—his face slack inside the nape, body cradled in muscle like a broken puppet.

He'd done it on instinct.

“Eren!” Mikasa’s voice was sharp with panic. “He’s not waking up!”

Weilman took a step back, visibly shaken. “Damn it all…”

Armin didn’t back down. “See? He protected us! Doesn’t that mean something?!”

Weilman’s mouth opened to argue—but then another voice cut in.

“Enough.”

It was quiet. Sharp.

Every soldier froze.

Commander Dot Pixis walked calmly into view, hands clasped behind his back, surveying the scene with unnerving calm. His eyes flicked between you, the Titan, and the trembling line of soldiers.

“You’ll blow this city to hell with your fear before the Titans even get a second chance,” Pixis said coldly. “Stand down.”

The soldiers hesitated—then obeyed.

“Lock them up,” he said quietly. “Both of them. I want these two held until we figure out what the hell is going on.”

Weilman stiffened. “But sir—!”

“That wasn’t a suggestion,” Pixis replied, calm and razor-sharp. 

Eren’s Titan body slowly dissolved. His unconscious form was dragged away.

You were cuffed and marched with him—bruised, bloodied, and silent. 

You didn’t resist.

As they dragged you away, you caught Armin’s gaze—wide-eyed, guilty, determined.

The trial was coming.

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Link to chapter 3

================================

Chapter 4

The days had started to blend together. 

Training with the Scouts left your body sore and your mind stretched thin. Eren kept his distance. He barely looked at you, but there was still something between you — quiet, unspoken, threaded beneath the surface.

Mikasa barely spoke, though she always offered a curt nod in passing. Armin remained polite, kind even—but there was a line, and you hadn’t crossed it.

Levi didn’t make it easy, either. He pushed you harder than the others. His drills scraped against your limits, forged new ones. If it wasn’t ODM training, it was labor—hauling gear, lifting crates, brushing down horses like it was a form of penance.

The work was exhausting—so unlike the kind you were used to. In your world, you fought monsters, saved lives, played the part of a hero. But when the dust settled, you always went home to your apartment, took a hot shower, maybe ordered takeout, and did your own thing. Here, there was no such luxury. 

The work was constant, physical, and unrelenting. And yet… you were starting to realize you didn’t mind it. There was a quiet sense of relief in the people around you, like your presence made things just a little easier. And Levi—he didn’t just trust your strength. He expected it. That simple, unwavering belief in what you could handle made you want to rise to it even more.

One day, he personally showed you the Scout Regiment’s salute. 

“It’s not hard,” he said, voice flat. “Even a kid could do it.”

You raised your fist to your chest, trying to steady your voice. “Shinzō o Sasageyo.”

He gave you a look—sharp, unimpressed. “Louder.”

You swallowed and said it again, this time louder, the words scraping out of your throat. A chill crept over your skin. You’d said it before, back in your world, half-laughing in front of a screen. But here, with Levi watching and silence pressing in around you, it didn’t feel like a catchphrase. It felt like a vow.

-

Hange, of course, was relentless in other ways.

She poked and prodded you for details—about your powers, your past, your world. It was her idea to let you dig through the library.

You’d hoped for answers.

You found myths instead—old tales of kings and creatures, of things that lived beneath the skin of the earth. But nothing about how you’d fallen here. Or how to get back.

Still, you kept searching.

When Erwin and Levi left for Wall Rose, you found yourself standing at the edge of the forest for a long time, eyes tracing the treetops. If there was a way home, it might be hidden in places like that.

But you didn’t go.

Your thoughts drifted to the barracks. The clang of dishes in the mess hall. Hange’s questions. Eren’s brooding silence. Levi’s stare, sharp and unreadable.

Maybe this place wasn’t home.

But it was something.

-

It was evening. You’d just come from the showers, hair damp, skin warm, the soft cotton of your sleeping shirt clinging lightly to your frame. You had barely settled when the knock came.

A pause. Then a voice: “Commander Erwin requests you in his office.”

You blinked. “Now?”

“Says it won’t take long.”

You didn’t have time to change — just threw on a jacket and stepped into your boots. The stone floors were cold under your feet as you made your way through the halls, heart beating a little faster than usual.

Erwin’s office was dimly lit, the last of the sunlight barely touching the window. He looked up when you entered, and for just a split second — barely more than a flicker — his gaze shifted.

You saw it. A slight lift of his brows. The briefest tightening of his jaw.

You were still in your sleep clothes.

He stood, smoothing his coat with a hand, and cleared his throat. “Apologies. I didn’t realize you already changed for the night.”

His voice remained even, but his eyes shifted politely away, careful not to linger. Respectful. Professional. But human, too.

“It’s fine,” you murmured, pulling your jacket tighter. “What’s going on?”

He didn’t sit, and neither did you. The air felt heavier now.

“We move beyond the walls at dawn,” he said. “You’ll be assisting in the capture of two Titans.”

Your brows drew together. “Alive?”

“Hange believes there’s more to learn from them than we understand. She wants them observed.”

You didn’t respond right away. You didn’t have to. The names fell into your mind like a stone in still water.

Sonny. Bean.

You inhaled slowly. “That won’t be easy.”

“That’s why you’re here.”

There was no malice in the words. Just certainty. But the weight of them pressed down hard. They reminded you that you were here to be used.

Something in your face must’ve changed — just for a second — because Erwin’s expression shifted too. Softer. Less guarded.

“I don’t take your involvement lightly,” he said after a pause. “But this could change everything. You’re not here by accident.”

It wasn’t comfort, not really. But it was something.

He glanced at the papers again. “You’re dismissed.”

You nodded, more quietly this time. “Understood.”

You left the room. The hall outside was still, quieter than usual. Everyone else already knew. Everyone else was preparing.

Now, so were you.

-

The air was cold and thin, the kind that bit through your cloak and settled in your lungs. Beneath you, the horse shifted anxiously, its muscles twitching with barely-contained energy. You reached forward, brushing a hand along its sturdy neck in an effort to calm it—though you weren’t sure if it was the horse’s nerves or your own you were trying to settle.

Around you, tension hung heavy in the air. The soldiers lined up at the gates stole quiet glances your way, eyes full of questions they didn’t dare speak aloud. Would you save them, if it came to that? Could you?

You ignored the weight creeping onto your shoulders and focused ahead. Sixteen people. You counted.

Your gaze swept over the group, and you spotted Eren, Mikasa, and Armin in the crowd. A part of you wanted to approach—this was your first expedition, after all—but you stayed put. Not yet.

Civilians had gathered near the gates, murmuring their silent hopes that everyone would return alive. When the signal was given and the gates groaned open, you rode hard with the rest, hooves thundering against earth.

Erwin led the formation with calm authority, Levi and Hange flanking him with practiced ease. The mission: just outside Wall Rose. When you arrived, a swarm of Titans clawed uselessly at the wall's surface, unable to climb. The group diverted into a nearby forest to regroup under cover.

Erwin’s voice cut through the rustling leaves. “There are eight Titans nearby. We only need two secured.”

“Short blondie and tall brunette are mine!” Hange called out, practically vibrating with excitement.

Then Erwin turned to you, expression firm. “Eliminate as many as you can.”

You nodded, your chest tightening.

When the order came, you launched into the air without hesitation. The wind tore past your face as you shot through the trees, scouting for the closest target. You marked the ones Hange needed and went for the others. One spotted you—a lumbering mass of muscle and teeth. You barreled toward it, caught a fistful of its hair, and yanked. The crack of its neck echoed like a gunshot as its head snapped back.

Below, Eren and Connie took out the legs of a second Titan. As it collapsed, you landed hard on its skull, burying it beneath your boots with a sickening crunch.

You didn’t stop moving. You couldn’t. In a blur, you leapt again—and spotted a Titan closing in on a group of new recruits. You caught her by the wrist mid-swing, twisted her arm and slammed it against her own head, and sent her crashing into the dirt.

Three left.

You caught a glimpse of Levi’s squad restraining Hange’s chosen Titans—tight ropes, swift precision, no wasted motion.

Then you heard it—a scream. You twisted mid-air and saw a ginger-haired scout being lowered toward a Titan’s waiting jaws. You surged down, grabbed her by the collar, and yanked her out of its grip. The Titan’s fingers crunched in your hand as you broke them on instinct.

You set the scout behind a tree and turned back, slamming your heel through the side of the Titan’s skull.

The last two Titans didn’t stand a chance. Mikasa and Jean cornered one, slicing deep and clean. The other fell to coordinated strikes from a flanking team led by Eld.

It was done.

“Excellent work,” Erwin said as you rejoined the group.

You looked down at yourself, noting the dark blood streaked across your arms and chest. “I need a bath.”

Hange cackled. “You can soak for hours when we get back.”

Levi wrinkled his nose. “You smell worse than the stables.”

You gave him a look right back. “And yet, you’re still standing next to me. Must be my charm.”

He scoffed. “More like my bad luck.”

With the sun beginning to set and your shadows stretching long, you turned your horses around and rode back toward headquarters—bloodied, battered, but alive.

-

The courtyard pulsed with laughter and clinking mugs—an echo of rare relief. For once, no one was missing. No names to mourn. Just a quiet victory under the stars.

You leaned against the stone railing, watching Sasha inhale food like she hadn’t eaten in days—chicken in both hands, face smeared with grease and joy.

Connie pointed at her with a grin. “I swear, she fights harder for food than she does against Titans.”

“She’s got her priorities straight,” you said, grinning.

Jean swaggered over with a drink in hand, his cheeks flushed just enough to give him away. “So… noticed something interesting tonight.”

“Oh?” you asked, sipping from your cup.

He tilted his head toward a quiet corner. “Captain Clean Freak hasn’t looked anywhere but your direction since we got here.”

You followed his gaze—and sure enough, Levi stood near Hange and Erwin, arms crossed, eyes settled on you. When your gaze met his, he gave a tiny nod. Then he turned back to answer something Hange said.

Warmth bloomed in your chest, and you tried to tamp it down with a shrug. “Pretty sure he’s just checking if I still smell like Titan guts.”

“Oh, you definitely did,” Connie added, grimacing. “It was awful.”

Jean chuckled, shaking his head. Then he looked at you more seriously. “For real, though. It’s good having you around. Makes the rest of us feel like we’ve got a fighting chance.”

You swallowed past the sudden lump in your throat. That quiet, gnawing doubt—would it always be enough?

“I’m just glad I can help,” you said, voice soft.

Your eyes drifted across the courtyard, catching on the ginger-haired scout you’d saved earlier. She was laughing now—shoulders relaxed, cheeks flushed, alive.

Just before the celebration began, she had approached you, her eyes wide with emotion. “You saved my life,” she’d said, voice trembling slightly. “Thank you. I’m Mina, by the way.”

You’d given her your name in return, a quiet exchange between two people still reeling from the weight of survival. She’d smiled then—soft, shaken, but real—before slipping off to join the others.

Then your eyes found Eren and Mikasa, standing a little apart from the crowd, speaking in low voices. There was a gentleness between them—a flicker of something that hadn’t yet been hardened by war. You watched them for a moment longer than you meant to.

That little cabin in the woods came to mind. The one Eren dreamed of. A future stolen before it ever had the chance to bloom.

Was that why you were here?

To help them reach it this time?

To change something that wasn’t meant to be changed?

You didn’t know. But as the firelight flickered and laughter surrounded you, a quiet hope stirred in your chest.

Maybe, just maybe, this time it could end differently.

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Link to chapter 2

================================

Chapter 3

Hange left to tend to her duties, which unfortunately meant you were now stuck with humanity’s strongest soldier.

Levi brought you to an abandoned settlement the Scouts used for ODM gear training. Shattered windows, cracked walls, and collapsed rooftops surrounded you—a ghost of what once was.

Levi stood a few paces ahead, framed by the ruins, dressed in full uniform with his ODM gear secured tight against his frame. His black hair was neatly parted, not a strand out of place, and his sharp jaw and serious eyes made it hard to look away. Even standing still, there was something tense about him—like a coiled spring, always ready to move.

You let your gaze linger, just a second too long. If you weren't trying so hard to act normal, you probably would've melted right there.

But he was too close for that.

So you pulled yourself together.

Barely.

“Do you play tag where you’re from?” he asked, not looking at you, his tone neutral.

The question caught you off guard. “Yeah?” you replied, unsure.

He turned his gaze on you, and it hit like a blow—sharp, assessing. “Good. Let’s see how fast you are.”

Without waiting, he launched into the air, wires whipping through the wind as he disappeared between the shattered buildings.

It took you a full second to realize—he was challenging you.

You kicked off the ground and shot into the air after him.

Levi moved like he was part of the gear itself, all clean lines and impossible grace. He didn’t waste a step. Every movement was deliberate, fluid, like gravity didn’t apply to him. You’d watched him fight before, but chasing him was something else entirely. It was like watching lightning dance—elegant, fast, untouchable.

Your heart pounded, not from fear, but something closer to exhilaration. You’d chased down monsters in your own world, but this was different. This was him. And you were close enough to feel the wind in his wake.

But even with your speed, you couldn’t catch him like this. So you soared upward, getting a bird’s-eye view—and spotted him racing along a rooftop. His head lifted just slightly, locking eyes with you mid-run.

You dove.

The impact knocked him off balance, and the two of you tumbled through the air before crashing to the ground in a roll. You landed on top of him, straddling his chest, your breaths uneven and tangled in the quiet.

For a moment, neither of you moved.

“Your turn,” you said, your voice low.

Then you were gone, springing forward before you lost your nerve.

He was after you a breath later.

You flew between buildings, through gaping holes in the walls and crumbling corridors. The chase burned in your veins, made your lungs ache—in the best way. You were alive. You were flying. And he was right behind you.

Or so you thought.

You stopped in what remained of an upstairs room, eyes darting across broken beams and empty space. No sign of him.

Suddenly, cold metal touched your back.

“You’re it.”

You scoffed, not even turning around. “Not the first time you’ve held a blade to me.”

Levi sheathed his sword. “Test’s over. Let’s head back.”

You looked at him and didn’t miss the way his eyes lingered a moment longer than usual. Or how your heart hadn’t quite calmed down yet.

-

You stepped into the dining hall and the air shifted.

It wasn’t silent, but the buzz dipped just enough for you to feel it. Heads turned. Conversations stumbled. Trays paused mid-air.

They weren’t afraid of you—not outright. But they didn’t know what to make of you either. And uncertainty, in a place like this, was just a quieter kind of fear.

You walked the aisle between crowded tables, scanning faces. No Levi. He’s probably eating in his office, you thought. 

You chose a quiet corner and sat down. The clatter of your tray was swallowed by the noise around you. No one joined you.

At first.

A few minutes passed, then a boy from the southern squad approached, awkward and stiff. He didn’t sit—just hovered beside your table.

“Hey,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “I just wanted to say… thanks. For what you did. If you hadn’t jumped in when you did, we wouldn’t’ve made it.”

You looked up at him. “You’re welcome.”

He nodded once and hurried off like the words had taken everything out of him.

A few more came after that—one by one. Quiet thanks. Awkward smiles. A soldier brushing invisible dust off her jacket as she mumbled, “You were... incredible out there.”

Then, quiet again. Curiosity lingered, but no one sat near you.

Until three shadows fell over your table.

Armin was the first to speak. “Mind if we sit?”

You shook your head, and they settled in.

Mikasa sat beside you, her posture poised, eyes watchful.

Eren sat across from you—but not without hesitation. It was like his body moved before he gave it permission. A pull he didn’t want to acknowledge.

Armin leaned forward slightly. “What’s your name?”

You told him.

He nodded slowly, repeating it under his breath like he was testing how it sounded.

There was a flicker of something in his expression—quiet curiosity, like he was already filing you away for closer study later. But in true Armin fashion, he didn’t press. Just smiled again, gently, and shifted the conversation forward.

Beside him, Eren’s gaze was already locked on you. There was no hostility in it. Not quite. But it wasn’t friendly either. More like… recognition without memory. A spark deep in his subconscious struggling to name what it was seeing.

You felt it too. Like two frequencies vibrating too close.

You did your best to stay composed, but your mind reeled. You were sitting with them. Armin, kind and brilliant. Mikasa, sharp as a blade and twice as quiet. And Eren—the one who would carry everything. Rage, pain, power… and ruin.

You tried to play it cool. To pretend like your heart wasn’t lodged in your throat. But inside? You were flipping out. Because this wasn’t fiction. Not anymore.

This was the very heart of a story you knew far too well—and you were now a piece of it.

But Eren’s stare—that rattled you more than anything.

That look he gave you was something more than curiosity. Like something inside him was reaching, trying to understand what it sensed from you. And whatever it was—it left a static hum in your bones.

He looked like he didn’t understand what he was feeling. And that unsettled him.

His jaw tightened. He looked down. Picked up his spoon.

His grip turned white-knuckled.

Mikasa shifted subtly, her eyes flicking between you and Eren. She didn’t speak, but her tension was a hum beneath the silence—protective, patient, ready.

“You took down three Titans,” Armin said, his voice low but laced with awe. “No weapons. I saw it happen, and I still don’t understand how.”

“She crushed them,” Mikasa said. “Like they were made of clay.”

Eren stood suddenly, his chair scraping against the floor.

“I need air,” he muttered, and left his tray behind as he stalked toward the exit.

Armin blinked. “…Okay, what was that?”

Mikasa didn’t answer, her eyes following Eren like they always did.

You stared at Eren’s retreating back, your heart still uneven. That strange pull between you hadn’t faded. If anything, it lingered—an invisible thread humming low beneath your skin.

You’d expected this world to be brutal. Cold. Terrifying. But you hadn’t expected it to feel personal.

Before anything else could be said, Jean slid in with a scoff, eyeing the empty spot Eren left behind.

“What’d you say to him? He looked like he saw a ghost.”

Connie followed with a grin. “He’s probably intimidated. You did obliterate three titans.”

Sasha leaned in, eyes locked on Eren’s uneaten bread. “So… is he done with that?”

Jean yanked the tray away. “You’re unbelievable.”

You kept your expression cool, but inside, your brain was doing flips. The emotional whiplash was unreal.

Every face in this room had been a character once. Now they were real—scarred, alive, breathing. You knew what some of them were about to face. What they’d lose. What they’d become.

And suddenly, the question loomed again—were you meant to change something? Could you even dare?

You tried to shake it, but it clung to you like static. You weren’t just here to survive anymore. You were part of this.

And it terrified you.

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Link to chapter 1

================================

Chapter 2

The wind roared against your face, whipping your hair back as you plunged through the air.

Your heart pounded—too hard, too fast. But your body refused to move.

A vast expanse of trees rushed toward you, their emerald canopy stretching endlessly below. Instinct took over. You raised your arms to shield your face, bracing for impact.

You hit the ground with a heavy thud, skidding roughly through the dirt. Rocks and debris scraped against your skin as you tumbled before coming to a stop.

Distant voices called out, muffled and disjointed. The world spun. The ground trembled beneath you. Then, a piercing, blood-curdling shriek tore through the air, snapping you back to reality.

You pushed yourself up, your vision clearing just in time to see a fleet of soldiers on horseback racing toward you. Their green cloaks billowed behind them, their shouts urgent—commanding you to run.

Then you saw them.

Titans.

Time seemed to slow. This couldn’t be real. The ODM gear, the uniforms—were you really inside one of the anime worlds you used to watch? Had you hit your head that hard?

Another monstrous screech shattered your thoughts. One Titan skittered on all fours, another flailed wildly, its gaping maw twisted in hunger. A third let out a guttural roar, shaking the very air around you.

A familiar weight settled in your chest. Battle was second nature.

In a blur, you launched forward. Your fist collided with a Titan’s head, and it exploded on impact. Spinning midair, you drove your foot into another’s skull, exposing the mushed remnants of its brain. The crawling Titan snatched at your leg, but you twisted, bringing your free foot down hard on the back of its head, slamming it into the dirt.

Breathless, you stood amidst the carnage, blood pooling at your feet, splattered across your clothes.

The Scouts stared. Stunned. Silent.

You blinked, and in the next instant, a blade pressed against your neck, its cold edge biting into your skin.

"Who are you?" The words were low, seething, each syllable sharpened by gritted teeth. Steely gray-blue eyes bore into yours, unrelenting.

Levi Ackerman.

You masked your surprise, slowly raising your hands in surrender. Flesh and bone. This was real.

You could have shattered the blade like brittle glass, but one wrong move and he might actually kill you.

Impatience flickered across his face. The pressure against your throat deepened. "Answer me."

Just as you opened your mouth, another voice cut through the tension—calm, authoritative.

"Stand down, Levi."

The command was quiet but absolute. Levi hesitated, but after a tense pause, he withdrew his blade.

The man who spoke had piercing blue eyes, his blonde hair stark against the forest backdrop. He studied you in silence, calculating, his presence heavier than the steel Levi had just pulled away from your skin.

"Your name," he finally said.

You gave it, your voice steady despite the situation. Then, gripping onto the only question that mattered, you asked, "Where am I?" You knew exactly where you were.

His gaze didn’t waver. He took in the scene—the scattered Titan remains, the unnatural ease with which you carried yourself. His expression remained unreadable, but there was a flicker of something behind his eyes. A conclusion reached.

Then, without a word, he glanced at Levi.

You barely had time to register the movement before something struck the back of your head. A sharp, precise hit. Your vision blurred. The world tilted.

And then—darkness.

~

A dull throbbing pulsed at the back of your head as you regained consciousness. Your arms were bound behind you—tight, but not enough to stop you if you really tried. Instinctively, you began to test the strength of the restraints, preparing to snap them if needed.

Before you could make your move, a sharp voice sliced through the air.

"Don't even think about it."

You froze. Slowly, you turned toward the voice and locked eyes with Levi. His arms were folded, posture relaxed—but the threat in his gaze was unmistakable. He had sensed your intent before you even acted on it.

A single dim light flickered above, barely illuminating the room. Sitting directly in front of you, posture straight, fingers steepled in thought, was Erwin. To his right, a figure stepped from the shadows—brown-haired, glasses gleaming, her eyes scanning you like a test subject. Hange Zoë.

"Strange clothing," she mused, tilting her head. Her gaze flicked from your jacket to your cargo pants, then lingered on your shoes. "I've never seen footwear like that before."

You swallowed hard, trying to process the sheer impossibility of this. These were fictional characters. They weren’t supposed to be real. And yet, here they were, watching you like a puzzle that needed solving.

"Let's get to the point," Erwin’s voice was calm, but there was an underlying authority that made it clear he wasn’t in the mood for games. "Who are you working for?"

You stiffened. The weight of their scrutiny pressed down on you, and you knew better than to stay silent.

"No one," you answered, your throat hoarse. "I don’t even belong in this world."

A scoff came from somewhere in the room—Levi, clearly unimpressed. Erwin merely quirked a brow. "Then where did you come from?"

You took a breath and said the name of your country.

Hange sucked in a breath, already scribbling furiously on a notebook. "A new settlement? Outside of Wall Maria? Or—" She froze, pupils dilating with a sudden realization. "No. That’s not it, is it?"

"You wouldn’t believe me if I told you."

Erwin leaned forward, his gaze sharp but measured. "Try us."

You hesitated, searching for the right words. “Where I come from, there are no Titans or walls. We build sky-high towers, light up cities all night, and talk across miles with devices in our hands.”

Hange’s mouth dropped open. “Towers… and devices for long-distance talking? That sounds like an advanced world. Are you making this up?”

"It’s real," you said quietly. 

You glanced at Levi. His expression is unreadable, but his eyes narrow ever so slightly.

"And how did you come to be here?" Erwin asked, voice even.

You sighed. “I followed a cat into a hollow tree. Then… I fell. That’s all I remember.”

You kept the rest to yourself—the way the cat vanished like it was never there to begin with.

Silence settles over the room.

Hange looked like her brain was about to combust. “Hold on—you fell through a tree? That’s—what, some kind of hidden passage? Do trees normally have this where you're from?!”

"We're wasting our time here," Levi muttered, irritation laced in his voice.

Erwin raises a hand, steadying the room. "Assuming your story is true… then you’ve come from a world beyond imagination. By chance or by purpose, you are now within our walls." His gaze meets yours. "That makes you our responsibility—and our concern."

"I didn’t ask for this," you said, your voice faltering a bit. "I don’t know why I ended up in this world, but I’m not here to harm anyone."

"Intentions are one thing," Erwin replied. "But results are what matter most."

Your jaw tightened, defiance flickering in your eyes. "Then test me. Watch me. I have nothing to hide."

Erwin didn’t blink. “Then explain this,” he said, voice like flint striking steel. “How did you take down those Titans? No ODM gear. No blades. And yet you neutralized them without a single weapon.”

The silence stretched.

You didn’t flinch. Lying had never been your strength—and in a room like this, with eyes like his, it wouldn’t get you far.

“I did what I had to do,” you said evenly. “I have strength—enough to crush a Titan’s neck with my hands. And I can fly. High, fast, and far."

Erwin’s gaze didn’t waver, but something in it cooled, sharpened.

“I won’t pretend to understand what you are,” he said at last. “But I know power when I see it. And power without allegiance is a threat.”

Then he sat back, hands folded like a judge passing sentence. “The Military Police will likely demand a trial the moment your abilities come to light. To them, you're a variable—unpredictable, unregistered, and ungoverned. But I plan to offer an alternative. You’ll operate under my watch—on a short leash.”

His eyes flicked toward Levi.

“You’ll be placed on active duty, under Levi’s direct supervision. Every move you make will be observed. You’ll join our missions, prove your value, and earn our trust. Or don’t—and face the consequences.”

He let the words settle for a moment, gaze unwavering.

“You have two choices,” Erwin said finally. “Join us—and fight. Or leave. The next village is six kilometers outside the Walls. Make your decision.”

The weight of his words hung heavy in the air.

You held your breath, half-expecting someone to burst into laughter. For the room to brighten. For someone to say it was all a joke.

But nothing happened.

You blinked. Still here. 

Trapped in this impossible reality.

You clenched your fists. You wished this was a dream. That you'd wake up in your bed, dazed and groggy from a nightmare.

You drew in a sharp breath, steadying yourself as the weight of reality settled in. For now, you had to accept this world—until you could find a way back home.

"Fine," you said, your voice firm. "I'll fight."

Hange exclaimed. Levi exhaled through his nose, unimpressed.

Erwin nodded, as if he had expected that answer all along. "Hange, take her to the baths. Get her a uniform. Levi, bring her to the training grounds. Show her how we do things here."

Levi’s expression didn’t change, but the muscle in his jaw ticked ever so slightly. He exhaled through his nose, clearly displeased—but not surprised.

He glanced your way with that same unreadable look—like he was cataloguing every possible weakness you might have.

“If she slows us down, I’m not dragging her corpse back.”

Then he turned, coat swaying as he strode toward the door without another word.

You exhaled, a weight pressing against your chest. Of course they were going to use you as a weapon. What else could they do? You had powers—but not enough to fight all the Titans on your own. And you needed food, water, a place to stay. You weren’t even sure there was a village outside the Walls like Erwin said.

You shifted slightly, wrists still tied behind your back.

With a small breath, you flexed your arms and snapped the binds clean. The sound cut through the silence, jarring you out of your thoughts.

Hange froze, eyes wide with fascination.

“Holy—okay, that was… something,” she breathed, stepping a little closer, gaze flicking from your hands to the splintered remains of the restraints. “Those were reinforced leather…”

She tilted her head, smile twitching at the corner of her mouth. “You’re full of surprises.”

Then, more briskly, she turned, gesturing ahead. “…Right. Follow me. And maybe don’t break anything else unless I say so.”

She glanced back once as she walked, still watching you from the corner of her eye.

You bathed, scrubbing away the dried blood and grit until you felt like yourself again. The Scout uniform felt strangely natural on your skin—like it belonged to you. But you didn’t discard your old clothes. You washed them carefully and laid them out to dry in the barracks. They were the only thing that reminded you of your world—the fabrics, the stitching, even the scent. It was strange. You didn’t even have your phone anymore. Maybe you lost it in the forest when you fell.

The training grounds buzzed with activity. Scouts were running drills, clashing in sparring matches, and barking instructions—but as you and Hange walked past, heads turned. Movements slowed. Eyes locked on you.

Levi was already there.

He gave a short signal, and the soldiers began spacing themselves out, taking up spots around the field like they knew something was about to happen, murmurs starting to rise. Then he turned, voice sharp and clear.

"Braun. Leonhart. Front and center."

Two figures stepped forward.

Reiner—tall, thick with muscle, short blond hair and a tank-like presence. Next to him, a woman with pale blonde hair tied into a tight bun, her expression blank, almost bored. But there was something sharp in her eyes. Watching. Calculating.

"You’re sparring them," Levi said flatly.

You rolled your shoulders, feeling the familiar tingle of adrenaline kick in. Reiner and Annie. He wasn’t wasting time.

Reiner gave a nod. "Reiner Braun. And that’s Annie."

Annie didn’t speak. Just gave a curt nod, her sharp blue eyes scanning you. You returned the gesture, keeping your expression neutral. Your mind, however, was racing.

You knew what they were. What they’d done. Annie especially—what she would do. The image of her wiping out Levi’s squad flashed uninvited in your mind. 

The other scouts backed off, settling into scattered positions across the grounds. You stepped into the open, shrugged off your jacket, and tossed it to the side.

Annie struck first—her speed was inhuman, leg whipping toward your head in a silent, vicious arc. You blocked with your arm, the impact jarring but manageable. Reiner came in right after with a heavy punch to your stomach. You twisted, parried, and countered with a kick aimed at his ribs. He caught your leg, a smirk flickering on his lips, and flung you backward.

Mid-spin, you used your free leg to land a sharp kick to his chin. Reiner stumbled, thrown off balance.

Annie didn’t wait. She jabbed toward your face—you slipped past it, only for her straight punch to follow. You caught it, then slammed two tight hooks into her ribs. She winced and stepped back, teeth clenched.

Suddenly, Reiner’s arms locked around you from behind—like iron bars. Annie moved in, delivering a clean punch across your jaw.

Without pause, you slammed your forehead into hers, then whipped your head back into Reiner’s face. His grip loosened. You broke free.

Annie started to rise—too slow. You kneed her in the face. She hit the ground and didn’t move.

Reiner charged again. You met him head-on, grabbing his face and slamming him hard into the dirt.

Then, silence.

Only you remained standing.

The scouts were whispering now. Watching as you walked back to your jacket, sliding it back on. Maybe you had hit a little harder than necessary. Maybe you were thinking of the lives they took—of who they’d pretend to be.

You walked back toward Levi. "That good enough for you?"

He didn’t answer right away. Then: "Not bad."

You caught the flicker at the corner of his mouth. A smirk, maybe.

Hange clapped once, still astounded by your performance. "Alright, everyone! Take five!"

Scouts began to disperse, but the air didn’t relax. Not really.

You felt it now—heavier than before. The weight of eyes. The shift in atmosphere.

You’d just made yourself a threat.

[rain-crestfall]

relentless

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x Reader Summary: You didn’t ask to be pulled into this brutal world—but now, you're fighting Titans, saving lives, and changing fates. The Scouts don’t know what to make of you, least of all Levi, who watches your every move. Still, you try to earn their trust, even as the weight of your old world clings to you. With every mission, you wonder if you’re fixing this story or breaking it further. And deep down, you miss home—more than you’ll ever admit.

================================

Chapter 1

You were born an anomaly.

On the television screen, your reflection flickered—a silhouette against the chaos, carrying a school bus filled with preschoolers, stopping it just before it could crash into an electric pole. You switched the channel.

A woman appeared on the next broadcast, speaking into a microphone, her face haggard, sweat glistening on her forehead and neck, tears brimming in her eyes. "She saved my daughter from that burning building. She's our hero!"

The screen went black. With a sigh, you tossed the remote onto the couch and headed to the bathroom, eager to wash away the dirt and ash from the fire earlier.

You never knew why you had powers. Why you were the only one.

Water streamed down your head, turning gray as it carried away the soot, swirling toward the drain.

Your parents had urged you to keep your abilities hidden until you turned eighteen. Half a decade later, saving people had become second nature. 

You suddenly remembered home. You visited your parents when you could, helping around the house—especially when your dad needed an extra hand lifting heavy things. They supported you, always, but you could sense their worry. Your mother never quite managed to hide it. You’d take her hands and squeeze them lightly, a silent reassurance.

That night, a cool breeze brushed against your skin as you gazed out of your apartment window. Feeling restless, you grabbed a jacket and stepped out for a walk in the park.

The path was quiet, save for a few couples occupying benches. The stillness was interrupted by the vibration in your pocket.

Loud music blasted through the phone’s speaker, followed by a familiar voice calling your name. "Not too late to catch up on the fun! You saved the day—come on!"

You smiled. Stephie. The only person, besides your parents, who knew your secret.

"I’ll pass on this one," you said, lightly kicking a pebble into a pond.

She chuckled, knowing you weren’t easily convinced. "Fine. I’ll treat you after work tomorrow."

"Chocolate cake?"

"Sure. Our usual spot, okay?"

You agreed, slipping your phone back into your pocket. As you neared the river, debating whether to turn back, a soft sound caught your attention.

A white cat brushed against your ankles, a green collar fastened around its neck.

"Hello," you murmured, scanning the area for its owner.

The cat meowed and padded forward, glancing back as if beckoning you to follow.

"Where’s your owner little guy?" you asked, quickening your pace as it approached a hollow in a tree trunk.

"Hey, wait!"

It meowed again, urging you on. You dropped to your knees, reaching out—

And then, darkness swallowed you whole.

You were falling.