#flagon aot

[disneydatass]

Don’t touch me!

[cosmicjoke]

I was flipping through "No Regrets" again today, and it really astonishes me how much Levi cared about the well being of these people who he just met and who, initially, treated him, Furlan and Isabel like they were trash.

Like, the story opens up with Levi leading Erwin and Mike away from the other two, a high speed chase ensuing through the streets of the Underground in which he has to make numerous, dangerous maneuvers to try and shake them off his tail, and when he thinks he's finally lost them, he looks back and comments aloud "That got a little crazy. I hope none of them crashed." These are two people that, as far as Levi knows, mean him nothing but ill intent, at the very least to arrest him and his family, and he's worried about them getting hurt. That's crazy. I literally don't know how anyone can see moments like this from Levi and not understand how innately kind and compassionate he is.

Or how he later saves another soldier from impaling himself on one of the dummy titans of the obstacle course, this directly after this same soldier put Levi's own life at risk by purposefully cutting him off mid-flight, out of nothing but petty jealousy for being better than him on the ODM gear.

Or how later, Erwin tells Levi that with him around, the other soldiers must feel safer, and Levi responds with the admission that the only reason he was able to take out his first titan was because he was able to watch how it moved while it ate another soldier. Levi obviously feels guilty about this, he feels bad about having needed to let another person die in order to figure out how to fight against titans. He feels like he failed, even though, through that observation and subsequent taking down of the titan, he doubtless saved many more lives. There's no pride there, no feeling of accomplishment. He's focused instead on the guilt he feels in being unable to save everyone. And we have to remember, these are people that Levi doesn't even know and who, again, for the most part have treated him and his family horribly up to this point. He has no reason other than his own, innate compassion to feel bad about this.

There's also Levi's statement to Furlan about why he doesn't want to teach anyone any of his skills, because he doesn't want to be "responsible for any more lives", which tells us of course that Levi already feel responsible, already he's weighed down by a sense of obligation and guilt at not being able to protect all of them, and the reason he doesn't want to teach anyone anything is because he's afraid it will just lead to further failure on his part to adequately do so.

And finally, Levi's genuine concern and consideration toward Flagon and the other Scouts safety before he separates from Furlan and Isabel to go after Erwin. Again, Flagon in particular had been nothing but nasty toward Levi, but Levi weighs his life as much as anything when determining whether to take his friends with him, or go alone.

I really don't think people consider these things enough when judging Levi's own, initial reasoning for joining the SC. This inherent sense of obligation he's always had toward others, toward using his strength to help others. We see it in how he took both Furlan and Isabel under his wing and cared for them; in how he tried to make their dreams come true, that being the initial reason he went along with Furlan's plans, despite his own ambivalence. But we also see it in the way he cares about the lives of men and women he barely knows, who are, essentially, strangers to him, and ones who aren't particularly welcoming toward him either. We see this same behavior from Levi later in the main story of AoT, when the citizens of Trost are harassing and ragging on him and the SC for not doing anything for them, and in the midst of this harassment, Levi saves one of the men's lives when he kicks him out of the way of an oncoming carriage, and later goes so far out of his way to help all of them by propositioning Deemo Reeves. Levi didn't personally owe these people anything, but he saw their suffering, and he couldn't abide it. This really is just an innate quality of Levi's, the need to protect and help others, displayed in what amounts to a natural, knee-jerk reaction when someone is in some sort of peril, no matter how they've previously treated him.

I think this goes back to that quote from Isayama which I made a post about before, about the reason Levi came to the surface. It's because he was seeking a way to help others. Once he realized he could, that he could use his strength to others benefit, he was always looking for ways to do so, and that manifests in Levi's efforts and feelings toward a group of soldiers whom he barely knows and who have treated him poorly. He's got no cause to want to help these people, and in fact starts out with plenty of reasons to hate them, and yet, he helps them anyway. To me, that says everything about Levi's character, about how, even if he didn't initially join the Survey Corps with the intent to "fight for humanity", he still joined because of a natural inclination toward wanting to help others. Furlan and Isabel, yes, but everyone else too. Even in his attempts to distance himself and not care, he simply couldn't help it. That's really the definition, in my book, of genuine, inner kindness. Someone who makes no conscious effort to be good, or kind, or helpful, but just simply is. Levi isn't like this, and doesn't do these things, to make himself feel good. In fact, his desire to help others very often leads to his own inner grief and turmoil, actively causing him pain. He doesn't do it out of some desire to seek glory or recognition, or to tout his virtue. He doesn't do it out of a need to settle any sort of debt, or because he owes anyone anything, or even for the goal of some altruistic concept like saving humanity. He does it because he just, genuinely cares. The obligation he feels to helps others is just a part of his personality.

And I think it's important too, to understand what Levi knew of the SC before being pressed into its service, and how that also needs to be taken into consideration when analyzing Levi's motivations in coming to the surface. Though his initial reason for going into the SC was to help his friends, and not specifically for the cause of saving humanity, (though Levi's reason for joining the SC was precisely to save humanity, when Erwin asks him to stay and do just that) I don't think that at all disproves or undermines the altruistic quality of Levi's intentions, nor does it say anything about Levi's desire to help others in general. I think Levi's natural response toward the other soldiers in the SC, after he first joined, is plenty proof enough that, consciously or not, he always wanted to help as many people as he could.

One has to remember also that Levi's relationship and understanding of the military up to the time before he was pulled from the Underground was a purely negative one. His only experience with the military was with that of the Military Police, a group of corrupt law enforcers who regularly harassed and terrorized the people of the Underground, or any person deemed to be on the wrong side of the King's dictates. Levi knew nothing of what the Survey Corps stood for, then, what their motivation was, what their goal was. He knew they fought titans, but even so, he had no real context for understanding what that meant. He didn't really even know what a titan was. In Levi's mind, the members of the SC would have been interchangeable with the MPs. The military was corrupt, and it attracted people who were corrupt and even sadistic.

Further solidifying this impression in him would have been his treatment at their hands when he, Furlan and Isabel were first caught. Erwin treated Levi inhumanely, and forced all of them into service under the threat of arrest and possibly torture and death at the hands of the Military Police. Erwin also had his underlings hold their swords to Furlan's and Isabel's necks, clearly threatening their lives, telling Levi the inhumane treatment would be applied to his friends if he didn't cooperate. So this notion that Levi not initially joining the Survey Corps to save humanity is some sort of proof that he had no real aspirations to help others when he first joined makes little sense to me. He couldn't have joined the SC at that time out of a desire to save humanity, or to help others, because he had no way of knowing at the time that's what the SC endeavored toward. No matter his personal desire to use his strength to help others, it would never have crossed his mind that joining the Survey Corps would be an option for realizing that goal.

Further, Levi was living in the Underground, was a permanent resident of the Underground, and very much what one would deem a second class citizen, trapped in a place of little to no opportunity for bettering ones situation, let alone the situation of others. There was no avenue open to him of joining any government organization, for any reason. He literally had no rights in this regard. He wasn't recruited, and he didn't volunteer. He was pressed into service under threat of imprisonment, torture and death. So, again, to say that Levi's initial reasoning for joining the SC is somehow evidence of him not at first wanting to help others is, in my view, a false sentiment. Levi wanted to help others, he just didn't have a whole lot of options for doing so, and the Suvery Corps, to him, at the time, was just another corrupt branch of the government looking to exploit poor people. Not what anyone coming from his perspective would deem a worthy organization for lending his strength to.

He only came to that belief later, only began to view the Survey Corps as a worthy cause for him to lend his strength and efforts to after Erwin gives him his whole, grand speech about fighting for humanity and giving meaning to the deaths of Furlan and Isabel in the process.

Again, I think it's important to acknowledge this in particular in order to understand Levi's psychology here. It's not that he didn't care about helping people when he first joined the SC, (again, there's plenty of evidence from his actions and behavior in "No Regrets" to prove otherwise) it's that he simply didn't ever consider the SC as a viable option for doing so. He never dreamed of "saving humanity" because it was all he could do, while living in the Underground, to simply care for the two people he had under his protection. He later came to think otherwise because of Erwin, of course, and that's when he officially joined, with the intent to use his strength toward that cause, when he began to believe he could use his strength to benefit numerous people, and so that's what he did, a natural extension of his innate compassion.

Anyway, Jesus, that got long like all of my posts, lol. I was just planning on writing a little about this, but as usual, I got carried away.

[lostcauses-noregrets]

Hey Lost what do you think people thought of Erwin making Levi his captain? I grew up surrounded by soldiers because my father was a colonel and military in aot feels weird sometimes. I ignore the most of it but it's interesting that Erwin made Levi his captain because even if they managed to hide Levi's background from public in ACWNR we see that other SC soldiers knew that he was a thug. This guy one day shows up randomly, has no military training and in a short time he gets a huge promotion before other veterans? People would talk. And Erwin isn't stupid, he wouldn't just promote someone because they are good at killing titans which makes my Eruri brain ho crazy because how did Erwin decide that he can fully trust Levi, when did they form this bond HOW DID IT HAPPEN I need isayama to tell me because I know that's how they fell in love lol

Levi’s rank has been the subject of enormous speculation and confusion over the years precisely because it is so anomalous. Unfortunately we never get to see Levi’s promotion to captain, but if you line up the dates, it must have been Erwin who promoted him. It’s unlikely to have been Shadis.  But Erwin didn’t just promote Levi, he created an entirely new rank for him that sits outside the normal chain of command. Isayama confirmed this in a 2014 Frau magazine interview where he said that Levi’s rank is an “exceptional role that does not belong to the ranking hierarchy” (transl. @tsuki-no-ura).   Levi is the one and only captain of the Survey Corps. It doesn’t appear that Levi outranks the other Squad Leaders though, his rank seems to be tangential to theirs.  @momtaku, @tsuki-no-ura and I have written few posts about Levi’s rank over the years, which you can read here and here. The Shingeki no Kyojin Outside Guidebook also contains a lot of information about the structure of the different branches of the military if you can track it down.

When Erwin first recruited Levi to the Survey Corps, some of the other Squad Leaders where clearly unhappy, Flagon in particular,  but Erwin was adamant that Levi could revolutionise the Corps.  It’s impossible to know if Levi’s promotion to captain was met with similar mistrust or if people had come to appreciate his skill and strength by that stage.  I can’t help wondering if Levi became known as Humanity’s Strongest round about the same time, and whether Erwin had something to do with that epithet.  It was certainly useful in raising the profile of the Survey Corps and Levi’s acceptance within it.

As to how Levi and Erwin came to trust each other, that’s a question that has fascinated the fandom for years, and I know many fans would give their right arm for a manga or anime that covered the period from ACWNR to SnK.  Thankfully we have the amazingly talented writers of the Eruri fandom to help us imagine what might have happened. Almost every author has written their own post ACWNR fic at some stage.  I’ve got a rec list of some of my favourites here: Post-ACWNR fics

[berthemorisot14]

meta list

Now I have enough posts to arrange them!

I’m young enough to go crazy for the fantasy world.

I’m old enough to understand this cruel world,

men who created it,

and women who saved it.

I’m a Levihan fan with Hange-centric point of view.  Please don’t read my posts if you’re an anti-Hange.

Please read this if you want to see how expansive Levihan can be if you’re Hange-centric.

I’m a belated fan, still I want to share my little view with a small community of like-minded people.  Levihan is a pure joy for me who lives in a tension-ridden, cut throat workplace.

The Levihan relationship brewing in chronological order

Chapter 1. Not so love at first sight

Chapter 2. The world is not what you think, Levi.

Chapter 3.Hello, partner!

Chapter 4. Just the two of us

Chapter 5. Did you love me?

Chapter 6. Does he love her?

Chapter 7. Till death do us apart

Epilogue, in the forest

I can't resist Hange having other lovers. She is the queen and she can be shipped so naturally with anyone(anything) in AOT.

Hange mémoire -Flagon

Hange, mémoire 2- Erwin, Étoile

Hange, mémoire 3 - Levi, chibi oyaji

Hange, mémoire 4 - Mike, Oh!

Hange, mémoire 5- Titan, Mike

Hange mémoire 6 - Levi, first time

To be continued..

[mechashadow01]

just some appreciation for having Flagon Turret next to the people that Levi had close relationships even if you can barely tell it’s him

EDIT: there, i recognize that goatee anywhere

[riaimm]

let’s appreciate these minor characters, starting with

Dita Ness

“I won’t let a rookie face that thing alone, it’s now or never!”

He didn’t hesitate to put himself in harms way for Armin and to protect the formation, if only they were more informed on this expedition. So many amazing characters wouldn’t have died.

[strangerivy]

Say Your Mine

Summary:   Levi and you head out with a small group of Scouts out of the walls to clear out some titans and your taught a small lesson on why your hair should not be long and in the fear pint up emotions are brought out into the open. Warnings: Swearing | Some Violence | Spoilers for No Regrets OVA   Pairings: Levi Ackerman x Reader (y/n) Genre: 18+ | Fluff  Word Count: 2.8k Author’s Note: So my dumb butt forgot Flagon is dead... so I fixed Confessions in the Snow switching it to Mike, nothing changed though. Anyway, let me know what you guys think! and if anyone wants to be tagged in future Levi fic’s just let me know and I’ll start a taglist 😊 💜

|| Masterlist | AOT Masterlist ||

Year 845 - Spring

You sat on your horse next to Levi, running your fingers through your horse’s mane with a soft smile, soaking up the little amount of peace you would have for the majority of the day. The morning sun just barely breaking over the top of the wall as you waited for the gates to open. A soft spring breeze blowing through you, sending a chill up your spine. The frost on the almost bloomed flowers that lined the streets and in window garden beds of the homes around you was a symbol of the cold night air still lingering around. 

Your hair blew wildly around you and you quickly swiped it away from your face with a huff as you continued running your fingers through the mane, your horse letting out a snort in appreciation lifting its head for you to pet it more causing you to let out a small giggle scratching the underside of its chin. You heard Levi click his tongue and you looked over at him with a tilt of your head.

“What?” You asked not sure what could have pissed him off so early but then as you thought about it, there were a number of things that could have. For instance, you may have given him your cup of tea rather than his. But he would have said something you thought, your morning tea always having sugar added to it, which is something he hated, always commenting on how it ruined the taste of the tea.

“Didn’t you have time to do anything with your hair?” He questioned looking over at you with narrow eyes, another gust of wind sending your hair into a wild dance again. When the wind died down once again you quickly gathered it up and pulled it behind you taking the hair tie you did have, tying it sloppily back to appease the grumpy man beside you.

“Better?” You pointed at the messy bun with a cheeky grin unphased by his cold attitude and he scoffed once again with a roll of his eyes.

“It’ll do,” He sighed knowing he wouldn’t get a better result now as you were about to leave.  Of all the days you could have overslept, it had to be the day you go out beyond the walls. Erwin, who was leading this mission, yelled out that the gates would be opening shortly. You felt your heart began to beat faster as the minutes tick. 

There was always a sense of excitement and nerves each time you went outside the walls. Excitement to see the outside world once again, beyond the walls. Nerves because you could never predict what was going to happen, how many people would be lost this time? If you would be one of those, you glance at Levi from the corner of your eye, or if he would be among the dead. You let out a heavy sigh from your own thoughts and Levi eyed you curiously but still looking stoic as ever, the fear of what lay beyond the walls never seeming to faze him. You waved his unasked question off as the formation began to move forward, the sound of chains rattling signaling the gate was raising.

“Nothing,” you sighed heavily “Just lost in my own head,”

“Aren’t you always lost in your head,” Levi deadpanned your mouth dropped at his comment feeling your annoyance rise, the dark thoughts forgotten in an instant.

“Rude!” You shouted in offense shooting daggers at him with your glare, he smirked before you started to speed up making it outside of the walls into the open world beyond the walls. You closed your eyes for a moment letting yourself feel the sense of freedom beyond the wall provided before regaining your composure and becoming the skilled soldier you had become over the last few months.

The signal came to break off into your smaller parties, the mission was small so there weren’t many of you out in the field today. Reports of a few titans having been spotted too close for comfort, easy in and out misson.

You and Levi sped up veering off to the left of the formation following right behind Erwin and Mike, you would be closest to the trees that you would be looking for the Titans this time around. You kept your eyes open waiting to catch any movement.

You were quick to spot the 10-meter titan running at you, quickly shooting a red smoked signal flare into the air to signal the other parties. As soon as the Titan was close enough, Levi used the trees on the edge of the forest to take it out. You grabbed onto his horse so that he would be able to easily get back on and continue with the mission.

Levi got back onto his horse with ease giving you a nod grabbing ahold of its reins. Another 10-meter appeared that Mike was able to take out as you continued along the edge of the trees. That was the nice thing about your team now, you didn’t really need to speak to know what to do.

The mission was going smoothly for you each having killed a Titan. Erwin gave the order to retreat as it seemed you had got all the suspecting Titans. You were heading back to the gate with a small smile as it seemed for once, no one died. This seemed to be the case each time you went out with Erwin, he was growing quite a reputation of not losing people in his squad.

You turned to talk to Levi when a large leg of a 15-meter Titan shot out of the trees causing you to quickly turn your horse almost losing balance and falling off but you were able to quickly recover still moving as the Titan tried to swipe at you just barely missing as you swerved. You cursed yourself, getting into a stance on the back of your horse to use your gear.

You hooked your grappling hooks onto a tree just behind the titan using it to gain momentum with your gas to get high enough into the air to grapple onto the nap but just as you were about to do that, you felt your hair become loose flying wildly behind you. You made eye contact with the mindless creature, the world suddenly moving in slow motion as you watched its hand reach out grabbing onto your hair with a tight grip.

You let out a painful scream as you were yanked by the titan feeling the whiplash in your neck and then pain on your scalp from being held by your hair. You reached up dropping your blades, holding onto the base of your hair that you could grab to help relieve some of the pressure, trying to yank your hair out of its grip, legs swing wildly in the air. You felt the air leave your lungs as it brought you closer to its mouth your actions becoming more desperate, your eyes beginning to tear up as you thought your fate was now sealed. You tried to reach your dangling swords while still pulling on your hair another string of curses leaving your lips.

Just as the Titan was about to lower you to its mouth you heard the hiss of ODM gear and a scream of an angered soldier but not just any, Levi.

“Get your filthy hands off her!” He spat as he sliced at the neck, a more than large enough piece being cut from the nape nearly beheading the thing.  The titan began to fall forward with you still in its grasp, but it was now loosening enough for the strands to slip through. Its body already beginning to disintegrate. Levi quickly grabbed hold of you in midair before landing on the ground whistling for your horses to come back before another titan can make a surprise appearance.

You collapsed to the ground once your feet hit the earth breathing heavily as you tried to calm your racing heart down, adrenaline still rushing through you your hands shaking as you collected your blades sheathing them. Your horse appeared next to you and you began to stand up using Levi’s arm to help pull you up.

“T-thank y-” You were cut off as Levi slammed his lips onto yours once you were fully standing, his hands on either side of your face pulling you closer to him. You stared at him in shock at his actions feeling his lips move against your still ones as your brain tried to process that this was real.

You felt his tongue brush against your bottom lip asking for entrance and you relaxed into his grip closing your eyes and kissing him back just as passionately gripping onto his jacket. You parted your lips with a soft sigh letting him in your tongues battling for dominance after years of pint up romantic tension was finally let go, poured all into this one kiss.

He broke the kiss resting his forehead on yours both of you taking deep breaths to catch your breath. You relaxed your grip on his jacket as rubbed your cheeks with his thumbs. He let out a sigh before helping you back onto your horse, you weren’t able to take your eyes off of him as he did, confusion filling your mind. Once he was sitting back on his horse you went to speak.

“Le-”

“We are cutting your hair the second we get back to HQ,” He interrupted before taking off towards the others. You blinked a few times as you stared at him riding away knowing that once you were back things would need to be discussed, you could no longer play this game and you weren’t sure he wanted to either. One of you needed to make the first move, looks like it needed to be you.

You were laying on Levi’s bed, legs dangling over the edge gently swing them as you were waiting for him to gather the things he needed for your inevitable haircut. You traced the groves of the bottom of the top bunk with the tip of your figure as you heard him walkabout, you replayed the conversation you had with Hange earlier while Levi was conversing with Erwin about the mission.

“So, he just kissed you, in front of everyone, and then rode off?” She questioned as she was taking notes from her most recent experiment, she looked up at you threw her glasses, “What are you going to do?”

You let out a frustrated sigh falling back into one of her chairs running a hand through your hair working out the knots as your fingers reached the ends. “I don’t know,” You whispered staring up at the ceiling and Hange let out an equally frustrated sigh making you look up at her.

“You two are so much alike it’s no wonder neither of you have admitted your feelings to the other,” She states almost as if you weren’t in the room and she was speaking to herself. “Are you happy? Are you happy with how things are between the two of you? Can you keep going like this y/n?”

Hange’s words echoed through your mind making your frown. Your mind wandered to the kiss once again your heart starting to race at just the memory of it. You thought about what it could mean, but you knew in the back of your mind exactly what it meant but your fear of assuming the wrong thing had you pushing that thought as far back as it could go.

You lifted your head to see he was getting the chair set up, you let out a frustrated sigh letting your head fall back onto the mattress. You felt a gentle kick on your boot making you lift your head again.

“Come on,” Levi motioned to the chair and you lifted yourself off the bed taking a seat. He had grabbed your brush from your room brushing the knots out of your hair. This was your favorite part of the whole process. Levi always took his time whenever he brushed your hair, it was calming especially on nights you couldn’t sleep and you two would just sit there talking and he would mindlessly brush your hair with his fingers.

After Levi is satisfied with your hair being knot-free, he begins working on cutting your hair to a more manageable length.

“Honestly, how did you not notice this mop?” He questions a hint of annoyance in his tone

“It’s not a mop!” You let out a small huff, “And besides I’m not the only one who seems to have forgotten about their hair, yours is a bit longer than usual as well,” You defended, you heard Levi let out a small snort and you went to turn your head to look at him with a smirk, but he gripped your head-turning it back forward.

“Hold still,” He instructed, you both fell into a comfortable silence the only sound in the room being that of the scissors. Your mind once again allowed to wander to things you didn’t want to think about especially in the presence of the man those thoughts were about.

“Levi?” You asked, he let out a hum telling you that he was listening. You kept your gaze at the ground as you tried to find the right words. You must have taken too long because the room became quiet.

“What is it?” Levi asks curiously wondering what had you so on edge. You debated making something up to avoid the conversation once again, but you knew it would only make the situation worse if it wasn’t addressed now. If the kiss wasn’t addressed. You took a breath to calm your nerves.

“You kissed me,” Your voice was soft when you finally spoke the air in the room changing, thickening as the veil you and Levi danced around shattered, “Y-you kissed me and- and I don’t know what it means,” Your voice was barely above a whisper but sounded so loud with each word, your heart feeling like it was going to beat right out of your chest. 

The room remained quiet, the only thing giving away that he was still standing behind you was his breath. You began to heat up from nerves worried that this was a mistake, thoughts beginning to flood your mind of how you should have just kept your mouth shut and continued playing the game. You went to turn around in your seat to look at him, but he grabbed ahold of your shoulders pulling you tight to the back of the chair, holding you in place. You tensed at the sudden contact keeping your gaze on the ground, his fingers were trembling slightly giving away just how nervous he was.

“I’m sorry,” You panicked going to stand up and walk out “I s-s-shouldn’t have said anything” You rambled but before you could leave Levi grabbed a hold of your wrist.

“Will you just give me a second, dammit” His voice was quiet but still held a sternness to it that kept you from running out the door. His grip loosened slowly until his hand finally let go dropping to his side. You pulled your hand to your chest rubbing your wrist with your other hand as you cautiously turned to face him.

He was staring down at the ground his hair covering his face, hands dangling at his side. You took a step cautious step closer and then another until you were standing right in front of him. He slowly lifted his head so that he was looking at you and that’s when you could see the deep blush on his cheeks. Seeing him blush caused your cheeks to start heating up and you turned your head in embarrassment, but he gently gripped your chin turning it back to face him.

“It means that I love you, alright?” His voice gained more confidence as he went on, “It means that I’m yours and I would like- I would like i-if you would be mine,” He scratched the back of his head from the nerves and you stared at him in a bit of shock your mouth slightly opened as your processed his words a smile slowly spreading across your lips as it sunk in.

You threw your arms around his neck pulling him into you in a tight embrace as you snuggled into the side of his neck taking in his scent that always brought a sense of peace to you. He slowly relaxed, his shoulders dropping and his arms slowly wrapping around your waist holding you equally as tight to him.

“Of course I will,” You answered with a smile pulling back enough to look at him “Always have been,” He pulled you into a kiss just like before. He cupped your face rubbing soft circles into your cheeks. When you parted he pushed a few stray hairs out of your face.

"Now let's fix your mop,"

"It's not a damn mop!"

[sapphiresring]

Oh hey, it’s Kenjiro Tsuda again. I love this man’s voice.

[starstruckkittensweets]

“Smiles in the Smoke” (Levi x Reader)

**MANGA SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 139 - DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU ARE ALL CAUGHT UP**

I’m obsessed with Reincarnation AUs right now, and I’ve been thinking about the ending of AoT as a whole, so this little angsty fic was born. This is also one of the shortest standalone fics I’ve written, so I feel weird about posting it like this. There’s a bit of fluff toward the end, but it’s mostly pain. And lots of it. I apologize ahead of time. 

Fandom: Attack on Titan  Pairing: Levi x Reader  Words: 1.8k 

Warnings: manga spoilers for Ch. 139, lots of angst, mentions of canon-typical violence, but it’s a Reincarnation AU so I guess everything’s ok in the end? (idk)

The smoke hurts his eyes, even through the bandages. It bites at his skin, makes his fingers throb. He's no stranger to feeling the burn of Titan steam against his flesh—but he can’t wait for the day he doesn’t have to feel it anymore. 

By the looks of the battlefield, and the faces of the brats around him, it seems that day has finally come. 

Levi drags himself over to a boulder and props himself up against it. His eyes sweep over the scenes before him. Jean and Connie holding each other tightly. The two Marleyan brats throwing themselves at each other. Reiner and Annie reuniting with their parents. Pieck sprawled out on the ground, a lazy smile painted on her face. Mikasa and Armin, huddled together—exchanging soft words and tearful smiles. 

His eyes burn from the steam. But as he leans against the boulder, he catches sight of something in the smoke—a flash of green among the silver. 

He turns his head—and a crowd of faces smile at him. Faces he hasn’t seen in days, months, years. They all blend together. Silently, he names each face he recognizes, and not surprisingly, there are quite a few. 

Hanji smiles at him, her one brown eye glowing with happiness. Beside her are Moblit and Petra—faces he hasn’t seen in years. His throat tightens as Erwin gazes down at him, his smile soft and his blue eyes bright. 

There's Mike and Nanaba and Gelgar. Eld and Gunther and Oluo. Nifa and Abel and Keiji. Lynne and Henning and Tomas. Ness and Ilse. Ivan and Jurgen and Dieter. Luke and Peer and Darius. Flagon and Varis. 

Then he sees two faces he hasn’t seen in a long time. Standing there in the front row of Scouts is Furlan, with his sandy blond hair falling into his eyes. And right beside him, waving energetically at Levi, is Isabel. 

His eyes begin to grow warm. As he leans his head back on the boulder, he allows the slightest smile to grace his lips. 

“Hey, guys.” His voice is soft, too soft for any of the other brats to hear. “Were you all watching that?” 

Hanji’s the first to nod. She knows, of course. She was the one who gave her life to save them. To give them enough time to escape on the flying boat. 

They all look so...content. Not the down-trodden soldiers he’s come to know over the past few years. Instead they look satisfied—almost happy. Like they’re relieved it’s turned out this way. 

His one good eye flickers over his comrades. Petra’s face is gentle, any trace of blood wiped away from her skin. She still looks as beautiful as ever, not at all hostile or spiteful. He would expect nothing less, given that he was the one who suggested her body be thrown from the cart. But Petra was never one to hold a grudge against anyone, no matter how much they deserved it. 

Erwin looks tired, but less than he did that day in Shiganshina. His eyes are a bright shade of blue, and for a moment, Levi remembers the first time he saw the ocean surrounding the island. How crisp and blue and vast it seemed. When he saw it with his own eyes, he couldn’t help but think of Erwin, and what the former Commander might say if he saw it for himself. 

There's a flicker of movement behind Erwin and Mike. Silently, the two soldiers move apart to let the newcomer through. And Levi’s heart leaps in his throat. 

It's you. 

At first, he thinks it’s a trick of his eyes. That he’s just seeing what he wants to see. That you’ll disappear the moment he closes his eyes. But when he blinks, you’re still standing in front of him, with the rest of the Scouts lined up behind you. That's when he knows it’s not a trick. 

Your face is gentle, lips strung up in a small smile. As young and beautiful as you were the last time he saw you. How many days has it been since then? Three, maybe four? It's hard to keep track. 

He says your name so quietly—but you hear him. With a soft laugh, the same kind that made his stomach flip and his heart flutter, you kneel down in front of him and look him in the eye. 

That’s when he notices the bundle in your arms. No, not a bundle—a baby. A little boy, probably just a few days old, with his fist shoved against his mouth. 

Levi chokes out a sob. He knows it’s yours. It has to be. He has his hair and your eyes. There's no doubt about it—this was the child you told him about. The same one he felt beneath his palm, when he touched your stomach in the safety of your tent. The same one you always dreamed of having, as you kept watch over the campsite with your captain, shielded beneath the canopy of the forest. 

The same one that had been stolen from you. 

He reigns in his breaths and stretches out a hand. Immediately, the baby leans over and reaches out. And while his fingers faze through Levi’s, it’s enough to make him smile. 

“It seems that this is how it ends,” he whispers, eyes flickering back up to the crowd behind you. “The goal that you all devoted your hearts to.” 

It's hard to get the words out of his mouth, especially when you’re smiling at him like that. Especially when you’re holding your son in your arms. 

Levi straightens himself up and reaches up to touch your cheek. For a moment, even though he knows you’re made of steam and smoke, he thinks he feels a brief flash of warmth. At the same time, you smile and crane your head, leaning into the scarred flesh of his palm. 

There's a gust of wind, and the smoke begins to swirl around. Suddenly, he knows that this is the end. This will be the last time he gets to see you—unless, by some miracle, you run into each other in another life. 

The Scouts salute him then, raising their fists and pressing them to their hearts. You stand up straight, holding your son in the crook of your elbow as you pound your fist to your left chest. The baby blinks at Levi before curling his little hand into a fist. Levi chokes out another laugh. He's halfway there, at least. 

With a heavy heart, he raises his own fist—the one that’s missing two of his fingers—and presses it against his chest, as well. His eyes grow heavy as he stares at his comrades one last time. Damn smoke. 

The dual wings flutter over the smiling faces. One black, one white. And one by one, his comrades begin to vanish into the smoke. 

You give him another smile, hugging your son close to your chest. Although you say nothing, he can still hear your voice in his ear: “Don’t be afraid. We'll meet again someday, right?”  

He stifles a laugh. “Yeah, we will.” 

There's a fire in your eyes—something he’s missed deeply over these last few days. “You better promise, okay? Promise we’ll see each other soon?” 

Something wet rolls down his cheek, seeping through the bandages wrapped around his face. “I promise, brat.” 

You give him one last smile before the steam washes over you. His hand clenches against his chest as he takes in your face, your son’s face, one final time. And then you’re gone, leaving him alone once more. 

He can still feel your warmth against his fingertips. 

He’s awake at once, a cold sweat trailing down his brow. He sucks in lungfuls of air, arms and legs quivering, skin pebbling with goosebumps. His bare chest heaves as he sits up in bed, the clean white sheets sliding off his slick skin. 

He wants to believe it’s a dream. That's what it feels like, at least. But he knows the truth—it's not a dream, it’s a memory. Something he actually lived through, back in the old world. 

Losing you, losing your child. His child—the one you had carried in your stomach for three months of your life. The one he had felt grow within you with each passing day. 

He remembers your smile, your voice, your eyes—everything he ever loved about you. The way you hugged him from behind. The kisses you’d place along his forehead and cheek. The way you draped a blanket over his shoulders if he happened to fall asleep at his desk. The “pinky promises” you forced him to abide to—and the fact that he went along with your games without hesitation. 

It was his fault you had been among those fallen Scouts that day. Both you and your baby. All because he wasn’t strong enough to save you. 

A soft groan reaches his ears. He glances over at the other side of the mattress, and a sigh of relief passes through his lips. There you are, curled up beneath the sheets, with your hair splayed against the pillow. Your chest rises and falls with each gentle breath—a silent reminder that you’re here and alive right now. 

Levi rakes a hand through his sweaty hair. He’s got nothing to worry about, not right now. You're safe and sound, at his side where you belong. No one can hurt you anymore. 

He lowers himself back down on the bed, coiling his arm around your naked waist. You groan again, shifting your head against the pillow. When you speak, your voice is bleary with sleep. 

“L-Levi?” 

He shushes you, warm breath cascading over your ear. “Go back to sleep, brat.” 

For once, you don’t try to argue with him. You smile and nuzzle into the crook of his neck, and it’s only a matter of time before you fall back into sleep’s comfortable clutches. 

Levi smiles as his hands trails further down, over your breasts before resting at your stomach. The bump is barely showing through your shirts, but it’s still there. He can feel it, every time he holds you like this. 

He promises himself he’ll be better this time. He won’t let anything happen to you, not like last time. Not to you, and not to your baby. He'll gladly die before he lets anything happen to either of you. 

It takes him a while before he can get back to sleep. It always does, with him being an insomniac and all. But nowadays, he can sleep a little easier, knowing he can crane into your warmth throughout the night. 

Soon enough, he feels his eyelids droop. But before he loses himself completely, he leans up and kisses your forehead, with his hand still resting against your stomach. 

Sweet dreams, brat. 

[maple-the-awesome]

Ackerman's Sister || Chapter 7

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x Sister Reader (strictly platonic), Erwin Smith x Reader

Words: 1,983

Overview: This marks your first day as scouts. As expected, it won't be easy gaining anyone's trust, but maybe they're right not to trust you guys.

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CHAPTER SEVEN: SCOUTS

"ATTENTION!"

The lines of soldiers stand straighter in their perfect little rows, arms crossed behind their backs and eyes glued forward; everyone looking nearly identical and difficult to tell apart, not that you really care to try.

It feels strange having the attention of so many soldiers. A few months ago, if you had been told you'd one day be brought above ground to stand in front of an entire army, you'd assume it would be a result of having finally been arrested and sentenced to death by the Military Police. To be fair, this situation isn't too far off. You're practically being forced to join the Survey Corps which everyone within the Walls knows is a death sentence anyways.

Glancing into the crowd, you manage to spot the reason for your current circumstance standing in the front row. Erwin Smith watches closely with stern eyes which are quite the contrast compared to the confused and disgusted expressions of his fellow comrades. While the Commander never mentions it, they've likely already heard rumors of where your group is from; they're already judging the lot of you before you've even gotten the chance to mutter a word. Of course, none of you are here to make friends, are you?

"...You four, go on and introduce yourselves," Commander Shadis finishes whatever short speech he had been giving, stepping aside to fully give you all the stage.

You're quick to introduce yourself by first name only, showing an ever so slight twist of your lips. You then glance to Levi who gives as much effort returning your gaze as he does spitting his name to the soldiers who stare as if they didn't think either of you could speak at all. Similar reactions follow Isabel and Furlan's introductions despite them being far more friendly. Such a response pretty much confirms your original suspicions: it won't matter what any of you do while in the Survey Corps, you'll always be seen as the dirty criminals from the Underground.

The day goes by slowly; boredly so. You stick together throughout the tour which is provided by your new squad leader, Flagon, who seems less than enthused to be dealing with any of you, but even that observation is sugar coated. It didn't take long to notice his own clear distaste with the situation. All his explanations have been as blunt as the glares he'll often give at the slightest comment from any of you, his irritation being easily provoked in other words.

Luckily, despite your lackluster tour guide, the four of you find some little joys in the amazing new world now surrounding you. Furlan asks Flagon about a million questions about everything, Isabell tries to pet every horse she passes, and you walk alongside Levi in the back of the group while soaking up the beautiful sky above, something neither of you have ever seen so clearly before. Even upon making it to the end of the tour, you hesitate to go inside, instead lingering on the bottom steps while watching the sun set over the city.

“I heard the sun changes the sky’s color, but I never imagined it would be so… amazing,” you comment to your brother who waits for you at the top of the steps.

His eyes raise from you to the golden clouds and he hums in agreement. To think he’s finally living his childhood dream of seeing the surface with you; a dream he had long given up on until now…If only the circumstances were different, but if you all pull off this mission, they will be; you’ll all be free to live however you want.

"This is the barracks," Flagon swings the door open, leading the four of you inside with a grumble.

The room, although large and spacious, is filthy, taking you by surprise. You'd imagine military barracks to be as clean and orderly as soldiers are expected to be, however, that clearly isn't the case here. Covers are melting off the mattresses, clothing litters the floor, and you swear you see the shine of alcohol bottles under the bed frames.

"Wow! There's bunk beds? I call top!" Isabel beams, pushing past an annoyed Furlan to climb onto one of the empty bunks; however, her joy is short-lived.

"Women sleep separate from men in their own barracks," Flagon marches through the room with curled fists, his speed picking up when Isabel begins whining.

"What, why?!"

"Inside voice, Isabel," you warn, placing a hand on her shoulder. She turns to you with her bottom lip sticking out in a pout, but you hush her before she can even begin," remember, this isn't the Underground. We have to follow their rules here."

Honestly, you don't exactly love the idea of being separated either. In the past, you've all lived in the same small hideout together with Levi and yourself being used to sharing the same bed since childhood while the others are always a room away at most. Now you're all supposed to be at a distance in a world you barely know? It's not favorable...but at least you'll be in pairs which is something. Besides, you don’t want to argue with that hateful look Flagon wears; now isn’t the time for that.

"This bunk is for the boys," at the end of the room is another empty bunk lacking any proper covers or pillows.

Levi steps up to it, running his hand under the top bunk's frame which results in his fingers being coated in a layer of dust. You can see his clear disgust simply by the way he jerks his hand away and glances towards you as if to ensure you see what he does. Of course, you do.

"Are there cleaning supplies we can use?" You request quickly, trying to be polite yet your patience merely bounces off a brick wall as Flagon huffs.

"What? Suddenly too good for a little dust now? Haven’t you guys spent your lives crawling through trash? You should be grateful instead of picky.”

You press your lips together at his sour comment, biting back a negative response, but unfortunately your brother doesn’t show the same grace as you. Instead he marches towards Flagon, standing in front of him with a dangerous glare," what did you just say about us?"

"Hey, don't you dare act all threatening to your superior officer unless you want trouble, shorty, got it?" Flagon hisses, the two men standing toe to toe with snarls.

"Our apologies, sir!" You're quick to push Levi behind yourself before he can react to the insult, taking his spot in front of Flagon with a bright smile," I wasn't complaining before. 'just curious where the cleaning supplies are so that we can make sure to keep our areas clean and not bother any of our fellow soldiers. We don't want to start off on the wrong foot with any of them after all!"

You try not to sound too bitter with your last sentence. Even if you had, there wouldn’t be time for the squad leader to notice as Furlan quickly jumps to your defense, holding a fist to his heart while nudging Isabel to do the same, although she only crosses her arms and glares," yep, you can count on us to keep the room spotless, sir!"

Flagon clicks his tongue at the four of you, mumbling some comment about Furlan’s salute then spinning on his heel to leave.

You maintain your smile until he's out the door at which point you drop the charade with your mock joy falling into annoyance before you turn to glare at Levi," these people are already out to get us yet you're not even trying to pretend you don't want to stab them."

"Didn't you hear what he said about us?"

"I don't care what they have to say about us. Let them talk all the shit they want; we can't risk drawing unnecessary trouble to ourselves. One wrong step or slip up and they could just haul us off to the gallows. Is that what you want?”

He doesn’t answer, stubbornly turning his head away from you and clicking his tongue.

“For now we have to play nice even if it kills us inside. That means no complaining-" you glance at Isabel who lowers her head sadly,"-and no picking fights especially with those higher in the ranks. They're the ones who have the power to trip us up and would happily do so, too.”

"(Y/n) is right," Furlan agrees with a frown," everyone remembers why we're here, right? We can't get our hands on those documents if the soldiers see us as troublemakers. We have to earn their trust somehow; that's the only way to get close enough to get what we want."

Levi turns away from the two of you, picking up the thin sheet on the bottom bunk and narrowing his eyes at the stains. Meanwhile Isabel hoists herself up onto the top where she faceplants onto the mattress which muffles her next words," that's not the only way. We could just beat 'em like we beat people in the Underground!"

"Quiet. Idiots should be seen, not heard," Furlan warns and Isabel shoots up, hanging over the edge as she shouts.

"Who you callin' an idiot, huh!?"

"If you're not an idiot then what's eighteen plus twenty-two?"

She blinks, looking at her fingers," well, um...if you take eight and-"

Before she can finish, Levi flicks her head back up the rail half-heartedly,”- it’s forty, idiot.”

"Big sis, they're teamin' up on me again!" Isabel cries, her eyes already teary.

"All of you guys are pains in my ass," you sigh, but ruffle her hair nonetheless as she sniffs. Glancing to Levi who’s still pouting over the bedsheets, you reach a hand out and ruffle his hair as well, smirking when he quickly swats you away in annoyance.

"Hey Furlan, didn't your plan call for us to get in that blondie's squad and not the jackass's?"

"There's always an error to any good plan," Furlan argues with his head held high and hands placed on his hips," we can still get the documents without being in his squad. It just makes things...more interesting!"

"We'll figure out a plan later," you wave a dismissive hand, walking past them to the cupboard at the end of the room and throwing it open which brings a true smile to your face," for now, I think you'll agree we have more pressing matters at hand!”

For the first time all day, Levi seems to perk up while the others frown," now?!"

"Yes ‘now’. This place is disgusting,” you mock their whining, happily grabbing a bucket and a few washcloths while Levi squeezes by to pick out some brooms.

“Just because they think we live in fifth doesn't mean we actually have to," he adds, shoving a broom into Furlan's hand while raising an eyebrow to dare him to argue.

"Isa, help me wipe down the bed frames," you toss one of the washcloths towards her, but she does nothing to prevent it from hitting her in the face.

"...I'd live in trash if it meant we didn't have to clean so much...My fingers just stopped being all gross and wrinkly from the last time they made us wash the house…" she complains to Furlan in a whisper before taking the cloth yet dragging her feet to begin cleaning.

"Levi," he turns away from the window he's opened towards you as you keep your voice down and meet his eyes,” we can still find a way to get Erwin alone at some point. All we need to do is secure the documents first. That way no matter what risk we take, by the time someone notices, we’ll already have what we need and be gone. Just put up with all their bullshit for now, okay? If not for the mission then for me.”

He looks away from you, but gives a slight nod,"...fine."

NEXT CHAPTER➡️

⬅️PREVIOUS CHAPTER

[maple-the-awesome]

Ackerman's Sister || Chapter 12

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x Sister Reader (strictly platonic), Erwin Smith x Reader

Words: 3,562

Overview: After an offer's made, you decide to take the risk and separate yourself from your friends, trusting them to take care of each other in your absences. Unfortunately, what was meant to be a straight forward expedition takes a sour turn, leading to chaos within the Survey Corps. Without your leadership, it's Levi who must make a choice he hopes he won't regret.

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CHAPTER TWELVE: GONE IN THE RAIN

You didn't get much sleep last night which is apparently obvious since Levi made a point of acknowledging your bedhead and droopy stare as the four of you snack on stale pieces of bread for breakfast. Although it isn't favorable, you're accustomed to both, thus you blame it on the uneasy feeling of sleeping in titan territory and leave it at that.

If you told anyone the truth that you had spent the latest hours of the night connecting those little dots Erwin's dumb speech formed inside your head, Levi would surely raise hell. He'd have a good point, too. That speech doesn't mean anything- It shouldn't mean anything! So, how is such nonsense still so fresh in your mind?

"Nevertheless, and the way I see it, if all our sacrifices allow us to one day reach victory and free humanity from fear of titans once and for all, then I'm certain no soldier will regret having dedicated their lives to such a cause. Not a single one."

"Why do you always continue forward regardless of what life has thrown at you?"

"-Cadet (Y/n)!"

You didn't expect to be called upon, but nevertheless, you push yourself off the crate you've been sitting on, attention facing Flagon as he heads towards the group. In his hands, he carries a piece of paper, his eyebrows frowned as he looks it over. What have you guys done now (that he's found out about anyways)?

"There's been a change in plans," when he glances up, his expression shows a hint of confusion he poorly hides," for the rest of this expedition or until further notice, you will be put in Erwin Smith's squad."

"What?!"

You aren't the only one surprised by this. Isabell's shout fills the area while Flagon is quick to push himself off the wall he leans on, but it's Levi who instantly stands by your side, hurrying to protest.

"Why would we be moved to Smith's squad in the middle of an expedition, huh?"

"Not 'we'. Only (Y/n)," Flagon corrects your brother, looking to you as if you'd be able to answer everyone's confusion including his own," Erwin requested it himself. It's already been approved by the Commander, too, so all necessary shifts have been made to the formation."

"I-I don't understand. I'm still a rookie! Why would Smith want me in his squad? I'll only slow them down!"

"You're a rookie who already helped take down an Abnormal-"

"-We took it down together. If that were the reason, then wouldn't it make more sense for me to be sent to Smith's squad instead? I'm the one who got the kill itself," Levi points out, hopeful that taking credit will result in saving you from the move. Was that the real reason as to why Erwin was so interested in your skill last night? Was he trying to scout you for his squad?

"Look, I'm not the one who made the choice. The only reasoning Erwin gave me was that Cadet (Y/n) had come up with the plan for stopping that Abnormal yesterday," internally, Levi curses himself for having said anything to Erwin about that; he should've never corrected him then," regardless, the decision's already been made-"

"-I won't do it," you stubbornly cross your arms.

"It's a direct order from-!"

"-Do I look like I give a shit? Erwin's squad is at the front of the formation! I'll be completely separated from my friends!"

Flagon growls, seemingly ready to argue with you further, however he stops himself with a sigh. To your surprise, he merely turns around with a tired wave of his hand," you know what, if you have so much issue with it, why don't you go complain to Erwin, not me. It's out of my hands anyways."

"Maybe I will!" You huff, taking a step in preparation to go find Erwin and curse him out personally. He really is an idiot if he thinks you'll be leaving the side of your friends during a mission outside the Walls-

"-(Y/n) wait," you stop, facing Furlan when he places a hand on your shoulder," maybe this could work in our favor."

"Are you serious? If I join Erwin's squad and anything goes south-

"-Which it might. It's entirely possible that something goes horribly south," Furlan agrees, glancing in the direction Flagon went off to then back at you," think about it. It's entirely possible that, say, a titan wipes out all of Smith's squad including the Squad Leader himself. Against the odds, the only survivor is the rookie who unfortunately lacked enough skill to save anyone...No one would be any wiser to second guess that."

"But what if a titan actually does attack and she gets killed? Then what?" Levi challenges, inserting himself between Furlan and you before you can reply.

"...I could handle it," you decide after giving the idea some thought, although this does nothing to comfort your brother.

"(Y/n)-"

"-What? Furlan does have a point...If I'm in Erwin's squad, it would be easier to kill him while close compared to breaking the formation and chasing him down. If he trusts me enough to put me in his squad, he must be letting his guard down. He won't expect a knife in the back. Neither would the others."

"My point still stands about a titan-"

"-And I said I could handle it."

"No, you can't."

"I bet she can!" Isabell chirps happily, lowering her head when Levi shifts his glare to her.

"Exactly. I can! I'm not all that scared of those ugly bastards," you smile with as much confidence as you can muster before your tone softens," I'm only really worried about you guys..."

"Wow, hypocritical much?"

"Yeah, I'm hypocritical; I always have been with it comes to you guys," you sigh, putting a hand on Levi's shoulder and giving it a comforting squeeze," I can't help it, you're all so important to me."

He huffs, although his stern expression melts into a frown as he redirects his gaze to the ground,"...you're important to us, too, which is why-"

"-Which is why I want you to trust me like I'm going to choose to trust the rest of you. If I take Erwin's offer, I can kill him and get those documents for us. We'd never have to worry about being thrown into the Underground again, but in the meantime, I'll need you all to promise you'll stay safe. No unnecessary risks, no getting cocky. The entire point of this is to get through together, not alone, you hear me?"

"'can't say I'm thrilled at the idea of being separated, but..." Furlan admits, but nods with his best smile," I trust your skill, Captain! If anyone can pull it off, it's you!"

"And you won't have to worry about us, big sis! We'll crush those stupid titans easy peasy!" Isabell adds while fist pumping the air. She accidently almost punches Furlan which turns his attention to her as he complains.

Levi is the only one who refuses to look at you, flexing his fist as he thinks. You can't blame him for being hesitant nor do you take offense to his doubt. In all these years, neither of you have ever been separated so far apart, especially in an area so dangerous. You've always been together...

"...Something could still go wrong."

"It could, but it might not. I promise to be careful and I'll even throw Erwin in front of a titan to save my own ass if I have to, so don't worry so much, okay Levi?"

When he still doesn't respond, you put both hands on his shoulders. After glancing towards an arguing Furlan and Isabell, you look at him again with a quiet tone," hey, this isn't an easy choice for me either, you know? Do you think I want to leave my brother and friends in this type of situation? But I have to do this. I have to get those documents so that we can be done with this crap."

"And here I was thinking you were wanting to be a heroic soldier..."

You frown, shaking your head at his bitter reply," I'm doing this for you, Levi. I never want to see you in the Underground again. You deserve better; we all do...So, please, just trust me on this."

Levi huffs, biting down on his lip before giving in at last,"...if anything goes wrong for even a second, abandon the formation and come find us or I'll have to find you."

"I will. I swear," you smile, suddenly pulling Levi into a tight embrace. He stiffens at first then quickly melts into your touch.

It's been too long since you've hugged him (not that he'd ever have the courage to say so aloud). He's never been comfortable showing affection towards others, only you, however much to his irritation, it usually results in teasing from others. Isabell and Furlan joke that it's adorable how touched starved your brother is and he's certain soldiers in the Survey Corps would have a hay day seeing stone-face Levi curling his face into your shoulder, thus he's avoided it recently.

Now, he's too tired to care about anyone seeing. Wrapping his arms around you, he closes his eyes and soaks your warmth, a moment only ruined when you speak again in a whisper," take care of everyone while I'm gone, including yourself. Keep those two brats from bumping heads too much and try not to bite anyone's ankles...even if they deserve it."

Sucking in a breath, Levi nods,"...I will."

It was one thing to say you'd agree to joining Erwin's squad, but another to actually do so. You must've looked over your shoulder a dozen times as the Survey Corps set off again, realizing just how far your friends would be once the formation spread out. While they were visible during the first half, you've officially lost sight of them about thirty minutes ago.

Nevertheless, it's this new formation itself that offers you some comfort. It had been explained to everyone several times back in the Walls then again last night. Squads will be spread out, armed with flare guns to communicate any titan sightings or emergencies. Most impressively, if this method works the way intended, it'll allow the army to avoid direct encounters with titans, moving around any sightings to prevent unnecessary risks. This means the only scouts who will happen across danger are those on the outskirts. The formation will have already changed course long before your friends, who are located towards the middle, cross paths with any titans themselves.

The only downside to this strategy is that Erwin's squad marches in the center front, thus you'll avoid titan encounters, too, which is something you hadn't taken into consideration previously. No titans means no chaos or soldier deaths. No chaos or deaths means there will be too many eyes focused on you to actually target Erwin just yet. What's worse is you had forgotten his squad travels closely to Commander Shadis'. You're stuck in a corner with this set up, although that's the least of your concerns right now.

"There's a storm coming!" Someone notes aloud, not that you haven't already noticed those dark clouds on the horizon. Nevertheless, you're shocked they've moved in at such a swift rate.

Once rain begins to fall, there is no gentle build up to it. Within seconds, it's a downpour, the droplets of water smacking against your face with enough force to sting while your hood does little to protect you from this. It gets into your eyes, making it difficult to see very far ahead which seems to be an issue everyone around you struggles with.

POP!

Erwin tries to fire off a flare, but the smoke washes away in the rain, not even giving you the chance to make out the color. If you couldn't catch it while riding a few feet behind him, then it's impossible for any other squad to have seen either.

"Should we wait for a messenger?!"

"If we stop now, won't titans just surround us?" You speak up against the suggestion quickly, not caring for the thought of acting as a sitting duck out here in weather no one can see through.

"They could be around us already!" One scout complains, gasping when his horse nearly loses balance after slipping on mud.

"What do we do?! We need orders, sir!"

"The flares are gonna get wet! They'll be useless!"

"Then protect them and keep your eyes focused on your surroundings! Don't lose sight of each other or the other squads!" You hear Commander Shadis shout from somewhere, although despite his warning, you can't see his squad anymore. They must've spread out too much from you guys, their voices distant echoes.

Cursing under your breath, you direct your horse closer to Erwin's, matching his speed and maintaining a safe distance as to not lose him as well. Even with a hand hovering above your eyes, you can barely see shit.

"Hey, Erwin! We should slow down a little, don't you think?! The horses are gonna slip and we'll be screwed if one breaks its leg..." You trail off, your voice dying in the wind after one glance at Erwin's face.

His head is tilted back, his eyes focused towards the sky which can't feel good. With lips pressed and twisted together, his inner thoughts are clearly conflicted while he echoes out his squad mates' own turmoil. He's realized it just as much as you already have: there's no way any of you, regardless of talent or luck, can scout ahead.

…The Survey Corps is officially at the mercy of whatever titans might be lurking nearby...

"What do we do?! We're completely off course and I can't see the others!" Isabell frets, turning to Furlan desperate for comfort, although she finds none in his own look of worry.

"We have no choice; we can't stop here. We have to keep pushing forward and just hope that we cross paths with someone...The flares are probably ruined at this point, but hopefully Flagon's sound grenade still works. Maybe we can contact other squads with that once we locate him," Furlan suggests, tearing his gaze away from Isabell to Levi who has been awfully quiet since the storm rolled in," all the squad leaders have them, right Levi? Maybe (Y/n) can use Erwin's to find us?"

Furlan had hoped that this would evoke some sort of reply out of his friend finally, but alas, Levi doesn't even flinch. He's too busy facing ahead, his thoughts running wild with concern.

If they can't see around themselves, then that means you can't either. A titan has just as much chance of sneaking up on you as it does them, the only difference being that you're in a bigger squad, so in theory, you're protected, however that's assuming a lot.

Can Levi really rely on Erwin or any of his subordinates to protect you? Would any of them throw their lives away for yours the same way he'd be willingly to the second it's called for? Hell, for all he knows, you could be separated from your own squad already. Who's to say you aren't running around in this storm alone, left to fend for yourself in the case that a titan finds you before anyone else does. One titan you could cover, sure, but what about multiple?

"LEVI!" Furlan shouts, his voice like thunder through the rain as he rides closely by Levi's side. At last, he gains his troubled friend's attention,"...She's gonna be okay. This is (Y/n) we're talking about, after all. She wouldn't bite off more than she could chew-"

"-She didn't know this storm would happen-"

"-No one did...Listen, your sister's a badass not to mention a quick adapter; the best I know. If anything, this rain threw off her plan to kill Erwin, but think about it. Hate him as we might, Erwin does have some talent and they were both with the Commander's squad anyways. I'd say that's the safest place to be in this entire formation, especially right now."

Levi bows his head against the rain, gripping his horse's reins until they twist in his hands,"...I still don't like this."

"Me neither!" Isabell joins in with a deep frown," if the front squads get taken out, big sis's squad will be next leading! They'll run into the titans before anyone else and what if those idiots don't listen to her as well as us, huh?! What if they leave her on her own even?!"

In any other situation, Furlan might've complained about this being the first time Isabell decides to act smart regarding something, however it's exactly her valid reasoning that deals a fatal hit to his own attempted optimism...You really could be in danger, and unless they find you themselves, there's no confirming what your current status is; no way to ensure you're truly safe.

BANG!

There's a ring through the air, one not too far from where they are. It gains everyone's attention, acting as a distraction that makes Furlan nearly miss Levi's sudden words," I'm going to find (Y/n)."

"Alright. I guess the others will just have to managed on their own then-"

"-No, I want you two to follow Flagon's signal and meet up with them. There'll be safety in your numbers. I'll go get (Y/n) and if she hasn't already, we'll get those documents and kill Erwin before circling back to you guys."

"I want to go, too!" Isabell complains.

"No."

"Now just hold on a minute and think this through, Levi. If we just wait for the storm to clear a little-"

"-Will titans wait for the storm to clear?!"

"They might not even be active in this kind of weather! Who knows?! What we do know is going alone might be dangerous! (Y/n) isn't alone! She's with Erwin and his-!"

"-I already heard you! Do you honestly think they can actually protect her?! Do you think they can protect her any better than I can?! Do you trust me that little?!" Levi snaps in Furlan's direction, sending a furious glare his way which causes the blond to shut his mouth, although the silence isn't without a strong tension in between.

"...Is that an order then?"

"What?"

"(Y/n) isn't here right now which I guess naturally means the power of command falls into her brother's hands...So, what will it be, Levi? You think you got what it takes to handle her position and give us orders?" Furlan asks, his tone serious and cold as he watches Levi in the corner of his eyes.

Meanwhile, Levi only opens his mouth, eyes wide as he fumbles with a response. It's true that you've always been their leader, making each final decision and nearly every plan based on your own judgment, however they've always trusted you with the task.

You've never let them down before and you do it all so confidently, making leadership seem easy, but it's not easy now that Levi's the one standing in your shadow. Are you just gifted in making choices you won't regret or is this how you feel deep down? Was this how you felt this morning even when deciding to go with Erwin's squad? Your entire life of marking the path, have you always struggled with aching doubt?

Suddenly Furlan begins to chuckle, his laughter soon filling the frigid air and somehow breaking through the sound of heavy rain before Levi can even respond," relax, Levi. I'll trust you on this, just...Promise not to die yourself. 'can't lose our sibling pair, can we? You two make the rest of us look normal!"

Isabell grins, too, with her typical joyful cheer," I know you can do it, big bro! We'll be here waiting for you both, alright?!"

Levi looks back at his friends who show no sign of bitter resentment or insecurity, only trust which is enough to convince him of his choice. Giving a nod as a silent reply, he hits his reins and sets off, allowing Furlan and Isabell to go back around to where they heard Flagon's sound grenade seconds ago.

Assuming that all squads have been continuing straight since the storm, Erwin's would be just up ahead to the left, thus Levi follows that presumed direction. If he's correct, he'll be able to find you with ease. Together, you'll then finish this nonsense once and for all. With the documents in Lovof's hands, your work will be officially done and you'll all be free. None of you will ever have to worry about the other's safety again. Of course, that's as long as you're still alive right now...

Passing another wall of fog, Levi slows his horse to a stop. His wide eyes are greeted to the sight of various corpses; corpses of fallen scouts completely torn to shreds. For a split second, he feels an emptiness set in his heart, fearing them to be the remains of Erwin's squad, yet to his extreme relief, none of the bodies match your teammates' descriptions let alone your own. Unfortunately, said relief is still short lived when Levi takes note of the giant footprints stomped into the muddy ground around him.

Judging on the variety of print sizes, quite a few titans had been a part of this attack, however that's not what causes a chill to run down his spine. The footprints came from the right, away from where you are, thankfully, but then they head south...past Levi to where Furlan and Isabell are.

NEXT CHAPTER ➡️

⬅️PREVIOUS CHAPTER

[mechashadow01]

Brothers From Different Mothers

[mechashadow01]

Section Commander Flagon Turret alongside The Pigtail Soldier

[strangerivy]

The First Night

Summary: Y/N sits on the roof reflecting on the events of the day working her way through her grief of loosing two people she thought of as family. Levi goes up to comfort her and bring her back from the darkness that threatened to consume her. Rating: 18+ Warnings: Death | Violent Depictions | Swearing | Grief | Loss  Word Count: 1.8k Author’s Note: This is so sad, I cried a little writing it. I promise my next story will be a bit happier 💜 

|| Masterlist | AOT Masterlist ||

Year 844 - Summer

It was a clear night sky, not a single cloud anywhere, but it shouldn’t be this beautiful out on a night like this. On a night where you cursed the world and wished you could turn the clock. It shouldn’t be this beautiful out when they aren’t here to see it. It should be storming out just like it did earlier, the sky should match how you felt. Anger, hurt, heartache and pain. So much pain and not just physically.

You looked up into the sky watching all the stars shine lighting up the world in a soft glow with the moon. It was beautiful, something not too long ago you only got to see through a hole in the ground. Now you would give anything to have that again if it meant you all would be together right now.

A sob racked through your chest as you looked to your left and right to see the spots that once held your two dear friends were now empty. Your bandaged and broken body protest with each movement but you couldn’t stop the tears of your grief. The medic protested to you getting out of the bed, but you ignored it spitting a string of curses and insults at them, not able to lay in that damn room for another minute, you needed air, somewhere to cry alone which is how you ended up here. You wiped the tears that had escaped with the back of your hand letting out a broken laugh, wincing from your wounds.

“Shit, I thought we were done with this,” You grumbled to yourself looking back up at the sky giving up on drying your tears and letting them fall freely now as your friend's voices from the previous night echoed throughout your mind.

You should be dead. There was no doubt in your mind that you also should have joined your two friends in death. If it wasn’t for Lev- you sighed heavily another sob ripping through your chest as you stopped that thought before it dragged you down further than you had already fallen. You folded, head in your hands as you cried to yourself, elbows propped on your thighs as your legs dangled off the edge.

The images of what happened played through your mind almost as if you were torturing yourself with it.

The day seemed to be going as planned until the rain that is. Where did this storm even come from? It was clear just a moment ago and now it was pouring down rain and the wind was blowing with a force and to make it even worse a fog has rolled in with it making it so you couldn’t even see five feet in front of you. You had lost part of your squad already from the poor visibility caused by the weather. Levi had pushed ahead to use the rain as cover to locate Erwin Smith in the center of the formation.

“Do you think he’ll be okay?” You worried turning your horse to follow Furlan and Isabel.

“Of course he will!” Isabel responded brightly, always the ray of sunshine in any situation.

You, Isabel, and Furlan went back in the direction you thought you heard the sound grenade go off hoping it was your squad that had sounded it, the rain started to come down harder and you had to hold onto your hood to keep it from blowing off, your arm also helping keep the rain out of your face.

You heard the hooves of more horses and looked over to see two cloaks, Flagon looking behind at the three of you.

“You guys are okay,” Flagon seemed relieved at seeing the three of you, but he then looked confused noticing there was a missing member from our group.

“Where is Levi?” He questioned and you tensed a little but kept a blank face as you all kept moving forward.

“We got separated in the fog,” Furlan lied, Flagon seem to accept the answer though which is what mattered. You looked out ahead of you wiping your face of the rain and that’s when it happened. It was quick, you didn’t even see it coming. Your horse veered to the right almost knocking you off it from the sudden movement. You looked up your eyes widening with fear. An abnormal had your squadmate, Sairam, dangling in its mouth blood dripping out of its mouth. It didn’t stand upright like most titans using all four of its limbs allowing it to move faster than most titans as well. Flagon yelled for Sairam to hang on charging at the beast. It was quick to finish of Sairam before grabbing Flagon who yelled at you three to run.

You trembled with fear as you watched it clamp down on Flagon’s body cutting him in half with its teeth and empty stare in its eyes while it stared at the three of you chewing. You should move, you should run but the shock of the scene in front of you had you frozen.

Isabel was the first to move and then Furlan going after her. You quickly regained your composer joining them. You and Furlan trying to distract the beast as Isabel went for the kill. The titan was quick though snatching her quickly by her head, lowering her kicking body down before severing her head from her body you and Furlan watching helplessly tears streaming down both your faces when Isabel’s screams ceased.

Furlan in a blind rage went for a kill but the titan was too quick, you tried to save him, but it grabbed hold of your cables slamming you to the ground hearing something crack from the impact, you let out a strangled cough feeling pain shoot throughout your body at the movement. You heard something hit the ground next to you, you tremble afraid of what you would see but you still turned your head a scream leaving your lips when the top half of Furlan laid right beside you. You looked up at his face holding back sobs as Furlan’s face stared back at you with an empty gaze.

You rolled over flinching when that same pain shot through you again. You ignored it pushing yourself further, standing up gripping your blades. You stared at Titan with a dark glare, if you were going to die you were going to do it fighting. You gripped on to your blades tightly shooting your cables moving quickly, using more gas than you should be dragging your blades deep up its arm and it let out a howl of pain before moving to grab you, you were quick to dodge but this titan was also quick to snagging your foot before you could react to its movement again. Another crack had you let out a scream as your ankle throbbed in the titan's grip feeling like it was crushing it.

When you looked up at the face of the titan, tears streaming down your face, it almost looked as it had a sickening smirk on its face as if it were mocking you knowing that it had won. That it would have killed you all after eating you. With a final burst of energy, you swung your sword up slicing the knuckles of the hand that held you. It dropped you and you hit the ground once again with a loud smack another round of coughs racking through your body a trail of blood dripping out of the side of your mouth.

It was hard to breathe as you laid there, staring up at the dark clouds overhead, you wish you could see the sky one more time. You wished you could see snow in the winter and the flowers in the spring. You weren’t done yet but that wasn’t up to you now. The sky disappeared as the hand of the titan blocked your view. You let out a shaky breath the tears flowing freely as you braced for the end. You silently wished Levi goodbye, praying he wouldn’t beat himself up over this. You closed your eyes waiting for the grip of the titan an odd sense of peace washing over you, but the hand never came.

You opened your eyes to see a flash of green sliced through the Titan pulling its attention from you and towards its attacker. You let out a gasp spotting the raven-haired man. You watched as Levi screamed in agony after each twist and pull of his gear slicing the titan repeatedly until its body didn’t have a spot on it that didn’t have a deep slash. Another blow had its head flying clear off till he finished it off with the final blow to the nape its body finally slamming to the ground steam coming off its decomposing corpse.

Levi landed on his feet his ebony hair hanging in his face almost hiding the tears that fell from his cheeks.

“Levi…” You whispered wincing in pain as you pushed your way up to stand. Levi’s head snapped up his eyes wide as they landed on your broken body. His strides were quick as he made his way to you pulling you to him as you collapsed causing you to let out a small groan in pain. His body shaking with tears for your fallen friends.

“You’re alive,” He said almost like he was confirming it for himself. That at least one of you survived.

Your cries were too loud for you to hear the footsteps behind you, the man behind you with an unreadable face as he watched your broken form. He reached out gently touching your shoulder making you jump at the sudden contact. You flinched at the sudden movement gripping your chest where your broken ribs were. You looked over your shoulder to see Levi standing there with broken eyes as he watched you fall apart quietly. You sniffled wiping the tears once again you slowly turned grabbing a hold of the crutch next to you. Levi reached down helping you wobble your way to standing on your good foot getting the crutch ready for you to lean on.

You both stood there in silence staring at one another, he slowly raised his hand touching your cheek wiping a stray tear away. You let out a small sniffle as you felt your eyes begin to water once again. His hand slowly snaked to the back of your head weaving into your hair before pulling you into him as your sniffles turned to whimpers. You buried your face into his chest staining his white-uniformed shirt with your tears. He moved his other hand around your waist holding you even closer to him.

“I-I-I’m s-s-so-rry,” you cried into his chest your body trembling, you felt his hands grip you tighter “I- I should-I should have been able to stop it.” He grabbed ahold of your upper arms pushing you back enough to look at you. He was angry now.

“Don’t you fucking dare, Y/N” He gritted his teeth “You’re not going to blame yourself for this,” he pulled you close once again, you stood still your tears starting to slow down now as he held you rubbing soft circles into your back.

“I miss them,” you whispered after a few moments of silence, he let out a small sigh his breath tickling your neck.

“Me too,”