Different Sides of the Sea - Levi Ackerman x Reader

chapter 37

We are counting down to the final chapters of this story and I have something planned for the end :)

- - -
It felt like centuries since the last time you had seen a reminder of home. Even though Marley was practically surrounding the place, you hadn't seen anyone you recognized.

That was until Commander Magath and Pieck were standing right in front of you. Pieck was in her titan form and Commander Magath had only given you a small nod as a greeting. It was comfortable to stand behind Levi in front of them, even if he was only laying on his makeshift wheelchair.

"Levi Ackerman. It seems you have the strength to stand against the nine titans, but how do you expect to dodge one of my bullets looking like that?"

"I can't dodge any bullets. But I am presenting myself to an enemy in this sorry state...Shoot or listen, it's up to you," Levi replied to Magath.

The two men never broke eye contact through the long silence. Magath had his 'testing' face on. He wanted to thoroughly examine Levi to ensure his seriousness.

Magath sighed and put his gun down, "Then we'll listen before we shoot. You said you'd kill Zeke, where is he now?"

Pieck was slowly coming out her titan. You noticed her small figure stand up on her nape, not letting herself fully lose control of her titan. She turned towards Hange who began to speak.

"My guess is that he's trying to win over Eren so he can use his royal blood. Well, to win over the Founding titan."

Pieck responded, "Seems like you know it all, titan doctor Hange. Even more than Marley, have you seen this Founding titan yourself?"

Hange gulped and held back her tears. They were unable to accept the new reality that Eren may or may not be the enemy, "We just have to do this together. Let's combine our forces. You get it, right?"

You listened closely to the words Hange spoke and her tone of voice as well.

It was soft and careful, but full of pain and regret. Your thoughts were getting too loud in your head. The feet of the colossal titans were disturbingly loud, but it wasn't loud enough to keep the horrible thoughts from swarming your mind.

You squatted near Levi's 'wheelchair' and grabbed the sides of your head. You buried your face into your knees trying to stop the thoughts.

Eren couldn't be the person you're up against, it was Zeke. It was all Zeke... please say it was all... Zeke's... fault. It's all his fault.

Zeke... He tried to kill me...

He tried to hurt me.. he tried to kill my loved ones.

It's his fault, it has to be.

Zeke... why?

Lost inside your own head it was a scary and dark place. You couldn't get through to anything, but eventually you felt a warm hand reach out and touch the top of your head.

"Relax."

You don't even need to look up to see who it was. You wish the warmth of his hand was enough to stop the pain.

After Magath, Pieck, and Hange sorted everything out, Hange came back to our camp spot where they said they would begin a big dinner for everyone. Hange informed you that there would be a few more guests joining.

Pieck headed off to pick up the other guests.

You laid your head on your sleeping cot and rested your eyes.

- - -

Knocked out cold on the hard ground. Sleeping became easier the more you stayed out in the forest. You thought that by escaping to your dream realm, it would get rid of the miserable thoughts clouding your head.

Not only did you find it hard to believe that Eren was behind this massacre, but you didn't know if you would even make it out alive. Will Levi be able to hold you in his arms afterwards? Your heart had felt frozen, grasping onto a dream.

You pictured yourself in any empty field with only one home standing. It was a small white cottage in a field of colorful flowers surrounding. It smelled of lemon and honeysuckle, it was so rich you could taste it on your lips.

The river nearby was wide and flowing. The sound of the water was calm as it trickled down the rocks. Right outside your house on a small porch that he had built for you, Levi would be sipping tea and swinging on the porch swing, waiting for you to accompany him.

Unfortunately, this dream could never come true. You didn't want to let go of it, but you heard an all too familiar voice shouting in the distance...

Is it... my brother?

No...

This isn't from my dream...

"So we were the bad guys for fighting back against those titans you people kept sending?! Listen!!" The man shouted even louder now, making your eyelids finally jolt open, "We fought as hard as we did because we didn't want to be eaten alive by titans!! Does that sound like something only devils would do, you old fools?!"

It was Jean. They must have just gotten here considering no one has thrown any punches yet.

"Hey, you're finally awake," Levi was sitting up against a tree next to you, "The screaming finally woke you up huh?"

"How long have they been at it for?" You placed the small blanket that you were using on your lap and onto Levi's lap to share.

Jean continued his shouting in the background of our conversation, "You left him no choice but to use the rumbling didn't you?!"

Levi scoffed, "Not too long. These scumbags think they're know it alls, thinks they have a single clue as to what the fuck we've been through our whole lives.... no offense."

You chuckled, "None taken," the two of you stayed quiet for a moment while you processed their continuing conversation about Marley and Paradis' differences in opinions.

"Marley had stories passed down for generations and along the way, the story got scrambled into Marleyans believing Eldians were the spawn of the devil. It's an ongoing fear of Marley's, because they don't want to think of the possibility that Eldians will rise up against them again, but who would blame them? Marley has put everyone here through hell."

"Hm-"

"If those of us from Marley try to protect our homeland by killing Eren... you're going to end up fighting us in order to protect him. Am I wrong?" Annie joined in on the argument as it started to get heated.

She continued to state her point, "That's how it ends up, right? Mikasa? After all, you've never thought of anything in your life more important than Eren."

Mikasa was shaking in anger and began to approach Annie. Her footsteps echoed off the floor. "So, you're saying you need to kill me?"

Before any of the two girls could throw a punch or pull out a blade, everyone had stopped the two. The rest of the conversation was a little more calm. Everyone had gathered around the fire to eat the dinner Hange had prepared. Levi was sound asleep while you joined the others in the meal.

You sat next to Jean and Armin. You hadn't seen them in awhile and decided it was a good idea to catch up using small talk before anyone could start another argument.

Everyone spilled secrets around the fire. Secrets including Yelena's ture background, Jean saved Falco from being hit by a thunder spear back in Liberio, Gabi had shot and killed Sasha, but the most heartbreaking secret was that Jean had finally found out the truth about Marco's death.

After a few more words were exchanged, Jean finally landed a clean blow to Reiner's face. Gabi had tried to defend Reiner and got in the way of Jean's hard kick.

Reiner coughed up a sentence through his bloody mouth, "Our wish was to slaughter all of you on Paradis. We wanted the world to accept us... to forgive us.. That's why it was always our hope for this Island.. for the devils to go away."