Chapter Text
Without losing any more seconds, Levi headed out of his room. He spotted three small groups of soldiers waiting near the Mess Hall, putting on their 3DM gear while hushing in low voices.
They had different tones.
A few looked curious and excited, though a majority showed irritation, fear, or uninterest. Perhaps for them, the possibility that a titan could understand them, had a personality and a mind of his own looked unrealistic.
Levi couldn't blame them.
Four months ago, he thought the same thing.
A creature who could develop strategies, morals, opinions, or simple feelings looked damn impossible.
Something Hanji themselves didn't think could be realistic in any way.
Yet here he was.
Eren was still here, waiting near the wall since last night with what Nanaba had summarized.
"You sure you're not a bit rusty with your equipment?"
Levi scoffed at Hanji's words.
"You just say that hoping I won't be able to do this so you can approach him yourself."
They didn't deny his claim, letting out a crackle as a laugh who was less human than Eren's.
"I'm just excited for our little trip. Can you believe it? We're gonna make a new ally! And so easily!"
"Easily my ass. I was the one alone outside for months, not you, dumbass."
"Don't act as if you're hating these days! I know your grumpy self must be at least a bit curious about it." They looked at him, noticing his mouth opening before correcting themselves," Or him, I mean."
Still, with an unimpressed stare, Levi followed them as they led him through the place. It seemed familiar, but not as comforting as he thought it would be. In his mind, back at the cave, during the first month, he kept thinking back about this place. It seemed like it was the opposite of the hellhole he was stuck in.
And he was right. Just not in the way he would think.
This building wasn't making him feel safe, appreciated, or important. Like thousands of past soldiers, if he died, the building here wouldn't change, the world of his companions wouldn't crash down, nor would the rest care much.
He knew Eren, him, wouldn't see his death only as a mistake among others in a plan like the people here would.
He wouldn't be grieving over the loss of use of Humanity's strongest.
He would grieve over Levi
Maybe that was why he hated knowing he would see him again.
The sole being, not being human itself, capable of seeing the man and not the weapon would be used like one. And only because of him.
Would Eren hate him?
Or would he forgive him, like the fool he is?
"Oh god, I'm so excited."
He wasn't. "I can see that."
They turned to him with sparkling eyes, unperturbed by his comment.
"I wonder how he'll act around me. Do you think he'll like me? We had a good understanding of each other the last time we met! Or maybe he would get bored. Do you think I should bring children's books and toys?"
Levi hummed noncomically, not responding either way. He tuned out their rambling, his mind going back to the titan.
________
With loud huffs from the horses and their footsteps, the soldiers rode for two hours to a destination Levi didn't hear.
All he cared about was that it was at the shortest spot of the Wall Maria. It was near Shiganshina, but closer to the forest side. Even if it wasn't noticeable for titans or the habitants, there were a few meters that were missing. Not a big deal with how high the wall was, but it could be proven useful.
Like now.
Nifa and Moblit discussed quietly behind Hanji, their voices small. Levi was far from them, but he knew it was about him with how they looked at him while trying to be discreet.
Maybe if the background noises weren't so loud, he could hear their words.
Erwin's horse then stopped in its tracks.
The shadow in front of them was immense, blocking him from seeing the faint light of the sun.
With a mad giggle, Hanji flew to the upper side of the wall without waiting for orders. A groan from Moblit, saying some shit Levi didn't have the patience to listen for as he followed them.
Maybe he would have been like Moblit if he wasn't as excited as Hanji.
"Ohhhh, where are you my little one?"
Their heads snapped from left to right, their eyes frantically searching for a particular figure amongst the piles of titans crowding against the wall.
Levi landed a good meter away from the crazy scientist, calmly assessing the surroundings. Indifferent to those around him who were nervous.
Well, that would be what everyone else thinks.
Internally, the man felt his heart beat a thousand pounds by second, fear rapidly replacing excitement when no familiar face was spotted.
Besides the low-pitched moans of the titans below, the wind, and the voices of soldiers, the voice of Eren wasn't present.
Did he get put down by some guards?
Did he leave after helping Levi?
And if that was the case, was he relieved? Was he still thinking about him? Would he ever see him again? Did he wish to?
God, what a dumb idiot he has been.
Of course, Eren wouldn't wait all night and morning just for a stupid human he randomly saved.
Could Levi blame him?
He has been so grumpy and annoying all the time. After these months, maybe the titan has grown to get bored of its time with him.
"Uh, I can't see him anywhere."
Nifa squinted her eyes at the hundreds of titans on the ground, stacked like worms on top of each other, squirming with hands in the air, trying to catch them.
Levi didn't look at her, staring in silence at the bastards, meters away from him.
"He is pretty tall compared to the rest. We would notice him if he was there."
I would remained unsaid.
"Perhaps he walked away and is waiting in front of another spot of the Wall", Erwin said, though his expression showed that he was speaking more to himself.
"But he's a titan. I doubt he has anyone else waiting for him." Oluo scoffed. "He doesn't even have the decency to show up."
Nanaba turned to Mike, who after a long sniff, shrugged. She sighed, turning back to look helplessly at the horizon. Half was barely seen as snow covered it, if not titans. "Let's wait for three or four hours. He could show up until then."
"Let's just hope he didn't get put down yet."
Petra hit Oluo in the rubs with a glare. The man only rolled his eyes with a 'tsk'. Despite his expression of indifference, he still rubbed the spot where she hit with a wince.
After thirty minutes, Nifa and Moblit sat down. Eld, Gunther, and Oluo joined them.
After forty minutes, Petra offered him a kind smile and a comforting squeeze on his shoulder before going over to them.
Erwin ended up talking with Nanaba over trivial things. Mike listened silently, giving occasional nods.
Levi remained despite all at his initial spot, searching desperately for his... what? His companion? His friend?
He noticed Nanaba, Mike, Erwin, and his Operational team all having a stare. One he never had ever since he was on the surface.
They pity me.
For them, he became a weak, old, and desperate man. Like an old grandma begging the authorities to search for her little dog that everyone knows got eviscerated a long time ago.
Did they lose respect for him?
Did they see him as a small thing that could break down at any moment?
Did they think they were now on eggshells around him?
Did they think they lost their strongest soldier, friend, or companion to a titan?
Did they think he was about to throw himself out of their reach, all to find an evil creature whose kind destroyed their lives?
When Eren still didn't show himself after three hours, Levi started to stop considering he would come.
He just thought about the reason.
Was he injured?
Or dead?
Or was he bored with him?
"He really is late to the appointment."
Hanji's laughter was fake. They were just as confused and anxious. Nanaba walked to him, followed behind by Mike. She looked carefully down to the titans, as if believing Eren could appear out of nowhere if she tried enough.
"Maybe he found a small disagreement on the way?"
"Or got lost", Mike added.
"Despite being an idiot, Eren knows how to find a way with the bunch of senses he has."
"Sure. But the snow may-"
"It wouldn't change anything. He has good eyes, sharp hearing, and can track smells." Levi rambled without noticing, trying to convince himself more than them. "If he didn't, how would he have caught these animals in the snow for months?"
Oluo appeared, crossing his arms against his chest with a scoff. "He had beginner's luck."
"He had months of hunting. I taught him how to, and he understood." His brows furrowed.
"No, he didn't lose himself or forget about me so easily. He knows how to track using his senses of smell."
Nanaba listened, her face showing doubt. She raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"
"Something's forbidding him from reaching us."