Explosive (RivaMika)

Chapter 2

Levi struggled not to feel resentful as he climbed out of the carriage that transported their little group from Mitras to Shiganshina. He glanced at Mikasa from the side of his eye and tried to tamp down his emotions while appearing to focus on the others piling out of the vehicle.

Three years and she still remained at the grave. Three years had passed since Levi had seen her face in those last, desperate moments of battle and asked her to stay with him so that they could end Eren's massacre. Whatever damage had been done that day did nothing to dull her beauty. As for her mind and heart, he'd just have to see.

Most of the group came with the primary purpose of saying their final goodbye to Eren. If that were all this journey held, Levi would have gladly passed it up. The chance to see Mikasa again had been too tempting to deny, though. The others had been in contact with her through the years, but Mikasa hadn't reached out, and Levi couldn't bring himself to put pen to paper and take the first step- perhaps too scared to know if demanding that she kill Eren had also killed any regard she had for him.

For all the resentment that simmered underneath, Levi found himself still longing for Mikasa and more than a little anxious about her mental state after three years of isolation.

She stood to greet them, waving and walking down the hill to the roadway. Her raven hair, grown out since they last met, reflected the noon sunlight, cascading over her shoulder in a neatly-tied ponytail. A little of his tension eased at the genuine grin and light in her eyes as she took in the faces of her visitors.

The smile reminded him why he'd never quite gotten over Mikasa in the intervening years. Levi had a dalliance or two, but nothing serious because they could never live up to her. Not to mention his wounds and demeanor didn't exactly drive women to line up around the block for his company.

Mikasa went through the group, hugging them each to her tightly in greeting. When it was his turn, and her arms pulled him in, Levi closed his eyes and returned the embrace, not particularly caring about the looks it undoubtedly drew. Her skin and hair smelled faintly floral, and Levi realized he'd nearly forgotten her scent during this separation.

"Can we talk later?" Mikasa asked in a voice pitched too low for the others to hear.

Levi nodded. Regardless of how tangled his emotions were, this wasn't the place or time for a conversation. As they set out to climb the hill, Mikasa turned and offered her arm, noticing his struggle with the slope. His pride stung, but he accepted the offer, knowing his pride would sting more if he fell in his ass and ended up tumbling down the damn thing.

Supporting the extra weight with ease, she guided him to the top. It seemed Mikasa kept up at least most of her physical conditioning from her time as a soldier. He'd done the best he could with his injuries to do the same. The loss of their abilities felt cruel to him in the aftermath, especially in those early days when he'd struggled to even walk to the bathroom.

As everyone solemnly looked at the grave, Levi's anger toward the man buried there boiled up. He clenched the top of the cane, gripping it to keep control. Eighty percent of the world had died, and people still lacked food and shelter. He'd seen the horror and irreparable pain while recovering, and yet Eren was still mourned. While he'd never been able to separate the two, Levi knew the others were mourning who Eren was, not who he'd turned into by the end.

Levi wasn't built that way and could forgive so easily. Maybe that made him a terrible person. It was undoubtedly hypocritical of him to judge the taking of lives. So instead of paying respects, Levi just stood quietly, willing it to be over soon.

Going back downhill proved even more painful for his leg than uphill. By the time they all reached the carriage to ride to Mikasa's cottage, he was thoroughly cranky and questioning his decision to come here.