Summary: "I have somewhere special I would like to take you!", her voice entered your ears making her presence known, causing you to gently gasp. Without taking your eyes off your paperwork, you turn around to face the person speaking to you, about to explain how it wouldn't be possible for you to leave today but she was faster.
"I will not be taking a No for an answer." You let out a sigh, she could always get whatever she wanted from you.
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Your hands wrap around Hanji's waist, your head resting on her back while her hair gently tickles your face. It's been a couple of hours since you left the walls and to head towards this mysterious place. You read about it in books, but you could never have imagined such a place existed. You were a little nervous - what if it didn't live up to your expectations, and one of your biggest dreams came to be nothing but that - a dream?
"You haven't said anything for a while. Are you alright back there?", Hanji asks while moving her head slightly, enough so she could look at you yet still pay attention to where you were going.
"Yeah I'm fine, just nervous, that's all." Your foot shakes like it does when you feel anxious. You feel the horse slowing down until it came to a full stop. Hanji jumps to the floor, lending you a helping hand which you gladly accept.
As soon as your feet touch the grass, she pulls you into a tight embrace. The smell of the flowers around you and her perfume fill the air, with not a single titan in sight. You finally allow yourself to relax.
"This is the first time I've stepped outside the walls without fearing for my life. It's nice", you say, causing Hanji to chuckle and kiss the top of your head gently.
"You're going to love it. You don't need to be afraid, I promise."
You lift your head so you could stare into her eyes before leaning in for a kiss. Her lips are softer than usual, and just that little thought makes you to smile and slowly melt in her arms.
"Are you ready to get going again?"
"Yeah"
You can hear it. The sound of the water, an insane amount of water. The birds. The wind blowing.
While going up the little path of sand you close your eyes, excitement rushing through your veins. You feel Hanji's hand touching yours and you finally gather up the courage to check. Then it finally hit you.
You're standing in front of the ocean, the massive lake of salt water you've read about all those years ago.
In an instant, your entire face lights up, very much like a child receiving a gift. You want to run towards the water, feel its temperature, its taste, its feeling against your skin. Your brain fills with thoughts, trying its best to make sure these memories would be saved up there forever, while at the same time trying to comprehend all the mysteries about this place, ones you yearn to figure out.
In one swift move, you try to get off the horse's back, something you've been doing since you were 13, 14, but because of your excitement, you don't put a lot of thought into what you're doing, and you fall in the sand. You can hear Hanji laughing and you feel your cheeks blush lightly. She once again gives you her hand to help you get back on your feet.
"What do you think?", she asked once you stand again. You look to your left, carefully watching as the sun reflects on the water. It's a sight you never thought you would be able to experience, but there you were. It represents the bright future you have ahead of you, a better future for all of those living on Paradis Island. To your right, you see the mountains and the trees, places you've been that represent your past, all of your fallen comrades, all titans you've defeated, everything that brought you here to this moment. Finally, you look in front you to the most beautiful sight of them all: Hanji. Her eyes carefully examine your reactions, her ponytail slowly falls apart as it blows in the wind. She places her hands around your waist, and you feel something you haven't felt since you were young - peace.
"It's beautiful... I never thought I would get the chance to see it. Being able to stand here with you is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me", you close your eyes. "You know, every day I thank Moblit for saving you. I won't ever be able to thank him enough for protecting you and giving me the chance to spend my days with you."
You take a deep breath, focusing on the pressure Hanji's hands apply to your waist, a delicate smile escaping your lips, "I hope he can hear me."
Opening your eyes once again, you see her staring at you, a few tears streaming down her face as she listens to your words closely. A few seconds go by until she seems ready to speak again, "I like to think that they can. They all can, all of our fallen comrades. Moblit, Nanaba, Mike, and Erwin...", you touch her face carefully, wiping away the tears as her face softens, "the first time we ever set a foot here, I could feel their presence. I hope they're proud of us", she says, touching your cheek in return. "Being commander after Erwin is a big responsibility. I have big shoes to fill, but today, here, in this moment with you, I'm not Hanji Zoe, the Commander of the Survey Corps."
She brings her face slowly closer to yours, lowering her voice with every word she says until the space between you stops existing, "I can just be your Hanji." The feeling of her lips against yours is not something new, but every time it brings butterflies to your stomach. The smell of her breath, the way her lips feel, even the way she gently smiles at you during the kiss.
Seconds feel like hours whenever you're with her, but unfortunately the kiss comes to an end.
"Take off your boots! The sand on your skin and the water on your legs will be a whole new experience!" she says with a smile. You giggle at her agitated figure and do as you're told.
You take a few steps forward and let the coldness of the water take over your brain. Looking at the vast ocean ahead of you, a smile appears on your face. This is more than you could have ever dreamt of. The fishes swimming around your ankles, the waves coming and going, the little rocks moving along with the water... You watch everything so closely you even forget to breathe every now then, and so focused that you don't notice Hanji starring at you with stars in her eyes.
After a few minutes, you look up at her.
"Thank you for bringing me here today. It makes it worth all work I'm going to have to put in tomorrow. You always know how to make me smile."
Her face lights up as she claps her hands together. You can see how important it is for her to be the one to bring you here, and it causes a beautiful shade of pink to cover your cheeks. "Of course! I know you better than anyone else!" She splashes you before accidently tripping and falling in. All you can do is laugh until she reaches up and takes you down with her.
In that moment you aren't sure about your future, or those of the people inside the walls or even of those who lie beyond the sea, but you are sure that at that moment, with Hanji by your side, is the happiest you've ever been. There and then, you know for sure that you're as strong as you have ever been, after everything. But you also find with certainty that Hanji is your one and only weakness.
And you're ok with that.