To love and to lose (MANGA SPOILERS)

To love and to lose

Three knocks on the door

It's the young ones coming around to annoy me again, the captain thought, so full of life and spirit.

"Come in!!!" Levi shouts towards the direction of the door, not moving his wheelchair and continuing to drink his tea.

Only Gabi skips through the door and into the cosy living room where Levi's book rests on the coffee table.

"good afternoon Levi!" Gabi exclaims, plonking herself down on the sofa

"No Falco this evening?" Levi asks expectantly and Gabi gives a huge huff before sitting further back into the sofa

"Don't get me started eurgh" She complains, crossing her legs and looking at Levi, willing him to ask so she can go off on a rant.

"I won't" He just deadpans, taking another sip from his cup "Care for some tea?"

"No thanks" Gabi says before taking a deep breath and proceeding to explain her every issue with Falco at the moment, hardly stopping to take a breath. She rants on about his lack of enthusiasm about physical fitness these days, how he runs off with his friends, playing games instead of taking life a bit more seriously. About how instead of hanging out with them today, he's doing little payed tour guides of the area. "I mean how ridiculous is that?! He's not being like Falco at all Levi! He's not even listening to my pleads to take things more serious. He's just happy to socialise and he likes studying at school now!" She continues.

Ever since the end of the war 3 years ago, Gabi and Falco began to live more normal teenage lives, going to school making new friends, one finding it easier than the other, learning new activities. Generally thriving in their new environment. Although Gabi and Falco's parents do look after them, Levi to them is like the cold unamused uncle who will look after them whether he generally likes to admit it or not. 

Levi took a soft spot to the children, understanding what it was like to be exposed to fighting for survival from a very young age, losing people along the way. He felt a need to protect them from that world for as long as he can for as long as he lives, even though he knows as an Ackerman, that may be a long and tiresome journey. To say he felt somewhat parent like to the two wouldn't be too far of a stretch, he wanted to look out for them as a parent would.

"Sounds as if you're a bit jealous of Falco finding new hobbies and exciting things to do." Levi says, with his same stoic face that everyone has gotten used to now.

"Ugh as if!" Gabi complains, but turns her head away at the end

"You do know, coming here isn't an appointment, if anytime you want to do something instead of coming to see me, you can. I'm used to the quiet so it doesn't bother me" Levi says and Gabi's face drops

"You do still want me to come, right? I love coming over and seeing you, you give good advice, I can tell why you were Captain" Gabi says and Levi feels a tightness in his chest. The thought of being in the military again brings back so many haunting memories of the countless close people he has had to say goodbye to.

"I'm not opposed to you coming over" Levi settles on, making Gabi light up with excitement again.

"Good, because I'm not stopping anyways" She demands, laying down sideways now, with her legs over the arm of the chair.

It reminds Levi of someone.

"Not even if I said no?" Levi deadpans, giving her a look of no amusement but she just smiles, still upside down

."Nope!" Gabi says, popping the p

"Tsk, you're hopeless" He says, making her do a fake little pout, every move exaggerated.