Levi hummed out a lullaby which he had grown acquainted to, in the wake of his mother, Kuchel Ackerman. She'd whir out its melody throughout their bleakest times, whilst musing over a ceiling of rock which deprived them of the blue yonder. His mother would beam from ear to ear for no cause at all, as if she were in some infinite reverie.
Levi would attest to fitful fathoming of what appeared to be blinking stars in her tragic eyes, and Levi reminisced about how he'd attempt to outstare those heavenly bodies in her eyes, until her eyes became thresholds into distinguishing the night sky he'd been so robbed of.
Those days had swindled him of so much, he had experienced things that no child should have experienced, it wasn't till he set foot above ground and witnessed the lives of other children that he grasped just how hapless he'd been. Be that as it may, if it wasn't for his mother's sacrifice, how would he have acquired the pluck to survive.
Levi was preoccupied with his weaving a basket out of straw, Gabi had insisted on his assistance in aiding her concoct straw baskets for the orphaned children that laboured in the fields, so he resolved to pay heed to her plea in his free time. He had turned out to be very distant from his former self, he'd became tolerant, forbearing, and clement, even the others had taken note of these maddening adaptations and made fun of him for it.
The cold shadow of the oak tree to the side of him had bought about echoes of the past, especially memories of her. It had been many years since Eren's death, yet it felt as if they had all survived the Rumbling just yesterday. "Captain, would you like some more tea?" Onyankopon had returned with a floral porcelain teapot in his hand, another eternal smile on his face.
"No..." Levi disagreed, hefted a hand to signal his response. The dutiful helper had settled to pour himself a cup instead, after taking a seat at the table. "Captain, you appear to be quite thoughtful, today... are you alright?" Onyankapon resolved to question his grimly expression. "It's nothing... of importance." Levi took in the blue yonder to keep track of a flying plane.
***
"Ah... Finally, it's nice isn't it, Levi? To flee away to our hiding place, once in a while?" Hanji breathed out, thankfully, catching sight of a sparrow in flight. "Hmph. So... this is our hiding place, now, is it?" Levi leaned inwards to endeavour in outstaring his own image which stained the disquiet surface of his blackly tea.
Hanji hushed, mirroring his prying into his own cup of tea, but with her habitual grin and a reddened flush across her cheeks. The whispering of leaves somehow roused them with a flustering sentiment, the heat of the sun saluted it, and the chirping of birds and humming of bees reminded them of the escaping winter.
"It is nice, isn't it, Levi?" Hanji preserved the red of her cheeks it appeared, as her merry stare still lingered upon the surface of her tea. "This little cottage... even if it was offered to you... what made you go along with it?" Levi mused over her profitable decision, it was true that the higher ups were ready to confer these newly-constructed housings to respected soldiers that needed it, even so Hanji was never one to be interested in having valuable assets.
"Huh? Well... I..." Hanji started to scratch at her cheek, awkwardly, she glanced away from her Lieutenant soldier to attend to the forthcoming sunset. "I just... thought... it'd be a good idea." She pursed her lips, then rested her cheek against the back of her hand and resorted to drafting out what looked like circles upon the table's surface. "A good idea?" Levi tilted his head, baffled.
"I mean-! There's a vegetable patch... you could grow some of that pricey tea of yours, here! You won't have to waste anymore of your coins on them! Isn't that great, Levi?!" Hanji, awkwardly, recommended. Levi glanced over to the tiny patch of soil that she was referring to, broodingly. He wasn't buying her reasoning, or her perplexing behaviour.
"Oi, Shitty Glasses... what are your intentions?" Levi hurled a black look at her, his sturdy arms interweaved across his chest, the azure of his eyes were keen. "M-M-My intentions? W-What do you mean... my intentions, L-Levi?" Hanji scratched her cheek, again, pearls of sweat scurried down her bronzing skin, a deepening scarlet colour started to stain her face, her flushed coppery eyes endeavoured in fleeing from his bold stare.
"Oi... you've been acting strange, Hanji. Are you alright?" Levi began to feel uneasy for his 14th Commander, he conjectured whether she had grown to be ill because of her unnumbered nights of no sleep. The troubled Corporal found his feet, then made his way around the table to incline down towards her. The proximity between their faces had lessened, he positioned a hefty hand against her forehead to detect a temperature.
There was an increase in temperature, Levi's concerned expression let slip somewhat stress. "I-I'm alright! Levi!" Hanji became frustrated by his lack of grasp, and shooed away his hand. Levi soldiered on with his mystified staring, his interlaced arms against his chest, he towered over her. "Hah... I agreed to it! I went along with it... because-!" Hanji slammed her hands upon the table, and arose from her chair.
"Because..." She stared down into his sky eyes, Levi felt an ache in his chest, an image of his mother, Kuchel, had appeared in his mind for a split second, "I wanted..." Hanji's bangs plummeted to shield her coppery regard, and her hands altered into trembling fists. "I see." Levi's tone was zephyr-like, contemplating, and casting his gaze downwards with a heartened smile.
Hanji's eyes widened at the sight, she felt a dull ache in her heart and wished to seize hold a fistful of her shirt to quiet her hammering heart, so she looked away from him with a blush. "You're right... it's not a bad idea..." Levi surveyed for the tiny vegetable patch, "Living-?" Hanji, full of hope, chose to question him on the matter, withal was interrupted. "The vegetable patch, Hanji." Levi stared away from her, briskly, a brush of red chanced upon his cheeks.
"Ah! R-Right! You, and your tea... Levi!" Hanji falsified a thundering chortle in preparation for the looming awkward quiet, red-faced. Levi had a reddened countenance identical to hers, he attempted to catch another glimpse of her charming guise, again. Her smile was kind, she was endeavouring in outstaring the final rays of sunlight, the golds of its rays seized her by the face. She was beautiful.
Unconsciously, his hand ambled into hers. "Hanji..." Levi breathed out, he could feel her warmth from her hand maul at his heart. "Yes, Levi?" Hanji raised a brow, with her gentle eyes. "Don't die on me..." His hand fled from her touch, yet she repossessed it. "I will... and when I do... Levi. You won't need to look for me... because, I... am not your freedom." Hanji stared into his eyes.
Levi recalled back to his hunting for the blinking stars in his mother's eyes, how he'd try to fathom the blue yonder through them, and now Hanji's eyes had the same flickers of light in them, but they weren't stars, they were only the various reflections of sun. "And... I'll always be with you, Levi. Because... you are my freedom." Hanji uttered to him, whilst regarding another dying sun. Levi's eyes widened.
"Mother... you aren't free... why do you smile?" Levi questioned.
"Levi... I am free... I have you... You are my freedom." She answered.
Levi's grip on her hand had tightened. "Don't say such stupid things, Shitty Glasses..." Levi muttered from under his breath.
