Attack on Titan Short Stories

The Sea (Levi x Hange)

Levi was walking in a forest, the smell of blood was thick in the air.

"I had my whole life ahead of me" came a voice. He looked to see Petra's bloodied face sitting against a tree.

"I left 4 brothers behind" Oluo said, blood dripping out of his mouth.

"I just wanted to see my father again" Bertholdt said flatly.

Levi felt the forest surround him, it felt as if the trees were closing in. More and more ghosts were appearing.

"I wanted to protect Hange" Moblit appeared, severely burned.

He started to run, passing by his dead comrades, Mike, Nanaba, all the soldiers he had sent to their deaths.

He slammed into someone.

Erwin started down at him. The hole in his stomach leaking blood.

"You're a devil Levi, just like me"

A loud knock on the door woke Levi from his nightmare.

"Levi...Levi?!?" Hange's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Come in"

Hange busted through the door. "Levi how are you not up?"

Levi yawned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Long night I guess...you seem more chipper than you have been."

The days after leaving Shiganshina had been hard on them both. It wasn't until she was finalizing some work one evening that she called out for Moblit out of habit.

The silence that followed broke her.

Levi came into her office, alerted by the sound.

She cried in his arms all night.

"Do you not know what day it is?"

Levi nodded still a bit disturbed from his nightmare.

"We're going to the sea"

**********************************************
The mood in the air was lighter than normal, as his squad got their horses ready to leave Trost.

His heart sank a bit. He knew after what they found in the basement of the Jeager household, these moments of peace wouldn't last.

He hopped on to his horse, ready to ride out. First time riding out beyond the Walls, with out the threat of titans.

************************************************
Hange felt as if a weight had been lifted. Her heart had felt like concrete since returning from Shiganshina. From personally talking to Moblit's family to seeing his desk in her office knowing he would never sit there again, had taken its toll.

She had spent many of those nights in Levi's bed. Both drowning in their pain of losing the scouts, Moblit, and Erwin.

Hange was also starting to feel the crushing weight of being the new Commander.

But now riding in the open air, beyond the walls without a care, felt so freeing. She could start to smell salt in the air.

They were close.

"Commander, according to my map we should be about 3km from the shore" Armin called out.

Hange smiled, "Thank you Armin!"

She was looking forward to working more closely with Armin, he reminder her a bit of Erwin and Moblit.

The land started slopping upward. The smell of salt growing stronger.

The scouting party slowly made their way up the hill, and it gave way to a sight that took their breath away.

Dark blue water that spanned as far as the eye could see. The sun sent golden rays off of the water, causing it to shimmer. The sound of the waves breaking on the shore was soothing. There was a strange noise.

"It's a sea bird" Armin said.

They made their way down the gentle slope to the warm sand.

*******************************************
Levi couldn't believe that there was no seeable end. It was like he could fall off the edge.

He leaned against his horse. Trying to focus on the sounds around him and not his wondering thoughts.

"Sasha, Connie!!! No" Splash

Levi looked to see three of his brats flopping around in the water laughing and splashing each other.

Levi let out a sigh. For a split second he thought he saw Eld, Gunther, and Petra. The two senior members of his old squad would often tease her.

Hange's voice knocked him out of his thoughts.

"Levi come look at this!"

"Carful Hange it might be poisonous" he warned. He couldn't lose Hange too.

Levi smiled a bit, seeing the younger scouts just being kids. Splashing around, enjoying the view. It was one of the first times he had ever seen Mikasa smile.

"Levi! Come into the water!" Hange was waving at him.

He shook his head. As much as it warmed his heart to see Hange and his subordinates happy, he couldn't shake the guilt. How many people had to die to get here.

"Levi!!! Help!!" Hange cried out.

Levi jogged towards the shoreline.

Hange was laying in the water, propped up on her elbows.

"Ow, ow, Levi I think I twisted my ankle some how" she said grimacing in pain.

"I told you to be careful" Levi said reaching down to pick up Hange.

"And you should know how to spot bad acting" Hange said with a devious smile.

In one swift motion she grabbed Levi's hand pulling him into the sea.

Levi was soaking wet. He spit out some sea water and grimaced. "Why is it so salty?"

Hange was still laughing as the waves gently crashed over them.

"It's not funny Hange, my boots are now filled with water."

He tried to maintain a stern tone, but hearing Hange's laughter made it difficult to be mad.

Hange stood up, "I can't believe you feel for that."

"Whatever, just help me up."

Hange reached her hand down.

"You are too trusting Hange" Levi said with a laugh as he pulled Hange down.

Hange's knees gave out and she fell on top of Levi, dunking his head into the water.

Before they knew it the two were splashing about trying to get revenge on one another, laughing as they doused each other with sea water.

*********************************************
As the sun was starting to set, Sasha was asleep with her head in Connie's lap, as he gently stroked her hair.

Jean was trying to make conversation with Mikasa, but Mikasa was too focused on Eren, who was sitting and staring out at the sea.

Armin was engrossed in classifying seas shells.

A little way down the shoreline, Hange and Levi sat. Their feet were in the water, as Hange was picking up shells and trying to figure out what they were. Levi leaned his head on Hange's shoulder, letting Hange's voice lull him into a deep calm.

Out of all that had happened in his life he was glad that Hange had remained the one constant source of peace and happiness for him.

As Hange continued on, Levi knew he would never forget this day. The day they discovered the sea.