He Told Me to Live

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I thought no one would be able to find me, but even thought I tried to hide, she found me.

"Hello," I said in the gentlest sounding voice I could muster, even though I think even the bird in my palms could sense the blood that once drenched my hands. "are you going to keep watching like that or will you come sit with me?"

She slowly dragged her feet towards me. For once, I made eye contact with someone who didn't seem horrified by me, as if watching their shadow stop following them and begin to attack.

"My name is Isabel." She immediately introduced herself. "What's your name?"

"I don't have one."

With that, she took the liberty of naming me. It wasn't a name one would ever actually have, but I was fine with it.

Songbird.

I stared off into the distance, where a flock of birds joined the clouds in the sky, and thought of the bright eyed girl I saw that day. Or night. It's not like I could tell.

Yes, that decision was fine, I concluded.

My unsureness couldn't resurface in the midst of battle if I wanted to live past this.

I needed to live. I needed to live for Mike, Moblit, Erwin, Isabel, Furlan, even those I couldn't recall the names of. I needed to live because they died. What good are those deaths if the living don't live?

Yes, I would live through this. Not survive through it.

"Y/N!" Cinder came running towards me and held my arms. "Are you alright? I couldn't find you after the walls collapsed!"

"I'm okay. But I think we should go back to the forest where Hange and Levi are. Not only to check if they're alright, but to think about what to do next."

He nodded and I ran towards where the wall used to be and whistled, summoning the horse I had brought to my side. "I knew making you learn maneuvers was worth it," I muttered as I got on his back and Cinder behind me.

I was going to Levi and Hange. They probably got that strange vision as well since Eren was addressing all subjects of Ymir. If that's the case, then it would be best to go to them since Hange would likely already have a plan, and Levi hates sitting around and doing nothing.

Since I already saw Jean and Connie, I knew the cadets were safe; at least, two of them were.

There was no point in staying in that place. It may as well had been a graveyard. Destroyed buildings, the scent of blood, dead bodies either in a titan's stomach or sprawled out amongst debris.

I fixated on the Colossal Titans in the distance and shook my horse's reins.

•••

"Hold on," I yanked at my horse's reins, "do you hear that?"

"Yeah... someone's talking."

I slowly dismounted the horse and pulled at his reins so he'd follow me. 

And I heard a familiar voice, strewn with annoyance. 

I let go of the horse, ignoring Cinder's calls to me, and ran towards the sound. There was no mistaking it - of all people, I'd know. It was Levi.

If Levi is alive, then Hange must be as well!

The sound of heavy footsteps running towards me stopped me in my tracks and I pulled out my swords, my head snapping to the disturbance.

The Cart Titan was running towards me, eyes set on me like I was prey.

My ODM gear pulled me into the trees and the Cart Titan gripped onto the trunk and started to climb.

I adjusted my grip on my swords and fixated on the nape of her neck until I heard Hange.

"Wait, stop!"

Both me and the Cart Titan went still and she came running onto the scene.

"That's a friend! Y/N is a friend!"

My grip on my blades loosened as the Cart Titan returned to the ground. I jumped down and ran to Hange, taking her into my embrace.

I am not a very hopeful person. As a matter of fact, I lost all hope in humanity moments after my birth. But still, my hope replenished when I realized that whatever higher power there was had mercy on me and let Hange and Levi live.

"Thank goodness..." I whispered.

"Oh, Y/N!" She pulled away. "Levi will want to see you."

My eyes lit up, yet I was more anxious than I had been before.

Cinder arrived, panting while holding my horse's reins as tight as he could as it was trying to run off without my presence nearby. I held out my hand and he came trotting to me, burying his nose into my palm as Cinder brushed leaves off of his clothes.

"I don't know how you do that."

"This horse has known me for years. Besides, with other horses, they were just too scared to defy me." 

"Only to learn that you're a total softy?" Hange put her hand on my head with a playful grin. "Come on, we'll lead you to Levi. Let's go, Pieck."

"Pieck?"

Hange motion to the Cart Titan and repeated the name, "Pieck."

"Oh, the Cart Titan's name is... Pieck." I bowed my head and quickly followed Hange.

Why is Hange with the Cart Titan?

I followed her to a clearing, hearing rushing water and quiet talk I could only pin to Levi.

"Levi, we're back!"

He looked up from the rippling water that he was watching and his eyes widened, catching me in his gaze.

"Levi..." I breathed. Whether it was a sigh of relief or a gasp of excitement, I couldn't quite tell.

For some unbeknownst reason, he tried to stand and I rushed to him before he could collapse and hit the ground. I felt his arms wrap around me and I shut my eyes, burying my face in his shoulder.

"You're okay..." He mumbled, pulling me closer. His tone was like he was thanking the gods.

"I wouldn't die without know that you're okay." I pulled back and put my hand on his bandaged, face, tracing my thumb on the uncovered part of his cheek. "I'm so glad you're alive..." And I smiled.

He put his hand on mine. "Did you just... Did you just smile?"

I placed my hand on my cheek. "Did I?"

"Do it again." He put his hands on my cheeks. "Do that damn thing again."

"W-Why?"

"You're so beautiful."

Hange and Pieck, who was seated at the nape of her titan body, both placed their hand over their mouth.

I stared into the eye that was visible, which was suddenly filled with more light than I had ever seen before, and I laughed, pressing my forehead against his and saying, "I'd follow you to the ends of the earth, you know that?"