Redemption Song | Levi & Eren

Chapter 24: The Needle and the Damage Done

      Since he'd signed the lease, his rented home had been empty. The previous owners were two employed adults who'd saved the majority of their money.

They resembled Hanji and Erwin more than him, he remembered. They'd left for a much nicer neighbourhood with expensive houses and a low crime rate. Levi moved in soon after their departure.

The officer was used to small living spaces devoid of personality and luxuries. His sofa was as cheap and basic as his bed and bedsheets.

Truthfully, he accepted sleep without the bedsheet but once Erwin and Hanji invaded his life, he figured they'd breathe down his neck if they discovered his peculiar preferences. In the end, the sheets were comfortable enough to instantly put him to sleep.

Levi had quickly washed in a cold shower, avoiding the hot water in preparation for the incoming bill. He'd used the hair dryer this time around rather than rely on Hanji to aggressively rid his hair of moisture.

He skimmed through his assortment of clothes, settling on a simple black shirt instead of a hoodie. He wore joggers, not jeans, as he didn't have plans to leave the house.

Per his force of habit, he had trainers on meaning any overlooked glass by himself and the momentary maid wouldn't damage his extremities.

At the bottom of the stairs was where he observed his home interior. By virtue of Mikasa's unexpected aid, the kitchen and living room had been emptied faster than anticipated. The result demonstrated how little Levi owned to begin with.

His cupboards were virtually barren, destitute of cooking and eating utensils as well as cups and more. He'd polished the cutlery since he'd knocked them all to the floor only to realise he possessed the bare minimum.

Mikasa's body builder-type physique removed the corpse of his late table turned wooden foot rest. Any remaining splinters were also taken from his home and into the yellow skip down the road.

His sofa luckily suffered no damage other than the natural decay occurring from the passing of time.

His eyes examined his home. Paint peeled from the bannisters. Tiles in the corners of the kitchen were cracked. Unlike Erwin's home, colour and artwork were absent from his residence, making it cold and uninviting.

Levi didn't have Erwin's money or his investment mindset. Like with most things in the modern-day world, Levi refused to learn about Bitcoin and its apparent competitors.

However, his spirits weren't dampened, surprisingly. Levi never held his spirits high to begin with meaning they never lowered and inevitably disappointed him. For once, he had plans.

He planned to apologise of all things. He owed one to Erwin, Hanji, Mikasa and Petra. He'd already reconciled with Eren and it felt good inside as if a weight had been lifted off of his aching shoulders.

It felt good to talk to Erwin as friends more so than it did to address him as his boss. He'd deny it for as long as he lived but it was nice seeing Hanji again too even though the circumstances had been less than pleasant.

Eren was a highlight constantly rushing around the deepest depths of his brain. He respected the young man for his courage. Despite how difficult it was for both of them, they apologised separately.

The forgiveness catapulted them down a better path. Levi figured Eren was guilt-ridden enough to turn things around, as was Mikasa and himself.

Levi wasn't naive. He didn't envision this as an easy journey, but if characters as stubborn as the Jaeger siblings were willing to change then who would he be if he weren't to try the same?