It was strange walking back into the real world and realizing it was the middle of the day. The sun was bright over their heads. The sky was white-blue and empty of clouds. Trost bustled around them like it was an ordinary day, oblivious to the mayhem and squalor that was a thin crust of earth beneath their feet.
They walked side by side with slow, thoughtful steps. Their knuckles bumped together. Karma cleared her throat. "Thank you, Captain."
"Sure."
"That had to be hard. He was your uncle."
"He had it coming."
The walkway toward HQ was crowded. A woman dragging a child and a stuffed grocery bag trudged past them. A street cleaner pushed a pile of dusty leaves.
"What did Kenny mean by he was 'right to choose me?'" Karma said, using her fingers as air quotes.
Levi's hands were tucked in his pockets. He avoided her eyes. "Means he found my weakness."
"Me?"
Levi skidded a rock down the road for an answer.
"I thought you sent me to the interior to get rid of me. But you were trying to protect me, weren't you?" Karma said.
"I knew he'd come for you."
"Because I'm your 'weakness?' What does that mean?"
"It means he found the person I was willing to die for."
Karma stopped walking. They were just outside HQ, dwarfed by the grandeur like an insect on Wall Rose. She already felt small in the presence of her captain, so the combination of the two was especially intimidating. Her voice was soft and airy like stretched cotton. "Were you really going to die for me, Captain?"
"Yeah. I was."
"But why? I don't get it."
"What's not to get?"
"I would die for you, no question—you're my captain. You're the greatest fighter in the world. But I'm just some lousy soldier. Why trade your life for mine? That's like buying a diamond with a slice of bread."
"Don't talk like that. You're not just some lousy soldier."
"Then what? Why die for me?"
Levi pinched the bridge of his nose and drew a deep breath. "How are you this dense? Dammit, Karma."
"What?"
"Do I need to put it in writing?"
"No, just tell me."
"God, fine. I love you, okay?"
"Pff, no you don't."
"I do. Don't make me say it again."
"But there's no way you could love me. I mean, unless you have bad taste or something."
"Then excuse my poor taste."
Karma's lips parted, but no words came out.
"Are you gonna say something or what?"
"I—" She blinked to restart her brain. "It's just that you're Levi Ackerman, my literal hero."
"And you're Karma, the girl who snuck her way into my heart."
"C'mon, Captain, don't lie—it'll just get my hopes up."
"You're right I was lying. It was more of a crash-land."
Karma half-smiled. "So this isn't your idea of a prank? You really do love me?"
"I do."
"Does that mean you want to kiss me?"
"For now that'll suffice."
Levi pressed her against the stone wall. He curled a finger under her chin. She tipped forward to meet his lips. A moment into the kiss, before Karma could fully lose herself in it, devouring the feel and taste of Captain Levi, Hange's voice spliced them apart.
"Oh, so this is where you've been hiding all day, Levi." She grinned as though they were a new breed of Titan to dissect.
"I'm a bit busy at the moment, Hange," Levi said through clenched teeth.
"Glad your trip to the interior is over, Karma. I missed you." Hange smiled and possibly winked, but it was difficult to tell with her eyepatch.
"Did you need something, Commander?" Levi's pressed lips were white.
"Yes, I was supposed to deliver a message." She flung up her middle finger. "It's from Karma. Anyway, have fun visiting her interior..." She bounced her brows and skipped back inside.
Levi turned back to Karma, humor narrowing his eyes. "Quite the message."
"Sometimes you just don't need words."
Levi lifted her chin and kissed her like he was savoring fine wine. "There's something we can agree on."
The End