A tail for an eye - Eren x Levi

Chapter 3

"Sweet memories"

Gulls screeched above the lapping of the waves beneath as The Colossal Titan made her way across the sea. They drifted further from land every second, each detail slowly disappearing until no trace ever existed of each item. First the waving people vanished, then the carts on the roads, now the houses were merging together, soon the land itself would go, too. At this moment in time, morale and confidence were still high up, but as always Levi had doubts from the beginning. He placed himself at the wheel, wanting control and distractions from the many issues that could occur. 

Zoe made her way silently to Levi, ready to scare him. Unfortunately, her lack of awareness in her stomping feet across the deck were a giveaway, but she hadn't noticed yet.

"Boo!'

"Stop being annoying," Levi hissed, rolling his eyes. Not even a flinch showed from him.

"You shouldn't be steering with a blind eye," she stated with a small frown from her failed attempt at a scare, "do you remember that time we were sailing to that lost island with all types of sharks surrounding it and you led us too far starboard that we nearly missed it?"

She giggled rather heavily at this, standing close to Levi in expectation he'd leave the wheel and she could take other. Yet he held a firm grip.

"That was years ago, I've got better coordination now," Levi argued.

Zoe continued giggling to herself and staring at Levi, though he wasn't backing down. Therefore, she resorted to twirling with the fairly new wedding band that was now around her left ring finger. It was still shiny and glimmered in the golden sun, reflecting into her eyes. Levi took a side glance in her direction to see her sweet little smile towards her ring.

"I'm surprised you stayed in the crew, with being married now," Levi commented. He'd never admit it out loud, but he enjoyed seeing her happy. He felt more thankful for her decision to remain as a pirate. Most who married changed jobs due to the danger, especially considering each job appeared to be getting more dangerous than the last.

"Once a pirate, always a pirate," she said, quite proudly. Though smiling, a slight drop in the corners of her mouth showed.

"What is it?"

"What's what?" she asked back. Levi drifted his gaze to her, where they made eye contact. She was easily readable and though rather stupid at times, she was highly intelligent and knew damn well Levi knew she was holding an internal issue. She gave in, 'Levi ... after this adventure I want a kid. Or at least want to try for one."

Levi's lips parted every so slightly in shock, he almost let go of the wheel, "Really? Why are you here, it's too dangerous."

Zoe smiled, "It's not going to stop my adventures."

"I'm turning this boat around." 

Levi went to turn it around, but Zoe managed to grip onto the other side of the wheel and fight against his strength, "No, I want to come."

"Zoe-"

"Don't argue with a soon-to-be pregnant lady." She had him there, she certainly had her ways to win arguments even if they were rare, "you know, this reminds me of our first ever adventure; being next to you whilst your steering."

"I debated making you walk the plank, you wouldn't shut up."

"I was nervous and wanted to make a good impression to you," Zoe argued, but smiled to herself. Years. they had spent together, but time had flew by so quick at the same time. Memories between the two were always in their minds but didn't have to be spoken to know their bond. No matter how irritatingly loud Zoe got or who moody and frustrating Levi became, the two were unbreakable and would do anything for one another. 

The cool breeze pushed against them quite nicely, the salty smell was something they were used to by now. The sky was still rather blue and the sun bright. The days always seemed to go slowly when sailing, yet once the adventure was over they hardly remembered what occurred apart from the drama of killing a sea creature. Somehow there was always talk, but most of it just happened to pass the time. Yet, Levi felt fond of this moment they were sharing. It felt more relaxed and nostalgic, he was enjoying it. Not that you'd know from looking at his face. Levi remembered the first time he and Zoe met, the first female pirate he'd actually had. She had been a nervous wreck, dropping whatever she touched, stuttering and choking on words, forgetting terms and not knowing what she was doing. At the time she'd been a nuisance to Levi, he couldn't wait to get rid of her. Somehow she'd managed to involve herself another sail shortly after that where she certainly proved herself a worthy pirate. If it hadn't been for her vast knowledge on animal anatomy and quick thinking, The Colossal Titan and all its passengers would have become an urban legend.

"I must've made a good impression," Zoe continued, "I'm your best mate."

"You're good at your job. Doesn't mean you're good at entertaining me," Levi retorted to her.

"You? Entertained? Now that's entertainment. You know, you haven't changed in fifteen years." She practically cackled whilst saying this, adjusting her slightly scratched glasses on her head. 

"Neither have you. Unfortunately."

"I know you don't mean it," she began. Levi braced himself for another memory that broke down his usual permanent stoic emotion, "every time when something bad has happened, you've tried to save me and made sure I've been okay. Like that one time when hunting the blue whale when the small boat we were in turned over and you punched a shark that was hunting us so it didn't bite me."

"I didn't want your blood to infect the water, I was in it."

"Excuses, excuses."

Over the conversation, Zoe had taken more and more control over the steering until Levi wasn't even contributing a finger to it. Instead, he stood next to the wheel with a proud stance and allowed the wind to continue setting a good atmosphere. Levi thought back to that memory she brought up, it happened years ago now yet it was a rather prominent thing in his mind. That was the worst moment of fear he'd encountered and nothing had quite matched it yet, he hoped it would stay that way. 

"Why did you come knowing you're planning to have a kid and that this will probably get most of the crew killed?" Levi asked, quietly. He did hold concern over Zoe, she was a reckless moron who often acted to save people first before thinking. Though selfless and loving, it was life-threatening. Levi had lost too many people to also lost his best mate. She was the closest thing to a family member he had remaining. 

"I want a last adventure, at least for now," Zoe mentioned to him, allowing the breeze to push strands of her loose hair back.

"This might be our last ever adventure."

They both took a deep breath, they knew what was really meant behind that statement. Zoe licked her lips, "No it won't. We're not going down."