In the Shadows of the Past | Levi Ackerman

7

As I made my way back to the headquarters after my intense training session, the first light of dawn began to illuminate the corridors. With my towel draped around my neck and an empty water bottle in hand, I walked with a sense of satisfaction.

As I rounded a corner, I nearly collided with Erwin, who emerged from his room with a look of surprise at the sight of me. "Good morning," I chimed happily, feeling a sense of contentment wash over me. This week had been going exceptionally well, and I was eager to see what the day had in store.

"Morning," he replied, returning my smile with one of his own. His eyes held a hint of curiosity as he glanced at me, undoubtedly trying to decipher the reason for my early morning appearance.

"Did you come from a run?" he inquired, his interest piqued.

"Training," I answered simply, offering a small smile in response to his inquiry.

"Won't you get tired later?" he asked, voicing his concern.

I shook my head, dismissing his worries with a wave of my hand. "No, the morning training is a routine I've been doing forever," I assured him, my tone lighthearted.

With a final nod, I bid him farewell. "See you later. I reek right now," I grimaced, wrinkling my nose at the thought.

Erwin chuckled softly, his laughter echoing down the corridor as I turned to make my way back to my room. As I walked, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in my dedication to my training, knowing that each early morning session brought me one step closer to achieving my goals.

As I entered my office and crossed the room towards the door leading to my bedroom, a sense of solitude washed over me like a familiar tide. With each step, the weight of my past pressed down upon my shoulders, a burden I could never seem to shake.

Reaching my closet, I selected the Survey Corps uniform, opting to forgo the jacket in the sweltering heat of the approaching day. With a sigh, I made my way into the bathroom, the sound of running water filling the air as I stepped into the steamy confines of the shower.

As the hot water cascaded over my body, I felt my thoughts drift back to Eren-my young charge, my responsibility. It had been two years since I last saw him, yet his memory lingered in the recesses of my mind like a ghost refusing to be exorcised.

How was he faring, I wondered? Had he grown into the strong and capable boy I had hoped he would become? Had he found friends?.

The questions swirled within me, a tempest of uncertainty and doubt. Would he even remember me, I pondered, or had I faded into obscurity-a mere footnote in the story of his life?

As the warmth of the water enveloped me, I sank down onto the tiled floor of the shower, my knees drawn up to my chest as I hugged them tightly. The steam swirled around me, cocooning me in its embrace as I let my mind wander through the labyrinth of memories that haunted me.

Was everything I had endured worth it in the end, I wondered? The sacrifices, the hardships, the pain-had it all been in vain, or had it served a greater purpose? It was a question I grappled with daily, a specter that loomed large in the recesses of my mind.With a heavy heart, I rested my head on my knees, allowing the water to comfort me.

As the water continued to cascade around me, another thought wormed its way into my mind, one that had plagued me for years-a gnawing sense of unease that refused to be ignored. Sadie's familiarity, his recognition-it stirred something deep within me, a long-buried memory clawing its way to the surface.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I had seen him before, somewhere beyond the walls of the Training Corps, perhaps even in a place connected to my own past. The way he had looked at me, the fleeting glances filled with a strange mixture of recognition and apprehension-it was all too familiar, too unsettling to be mere coincidence.