Birdie (Levi x OC)

sixty-nine

Eight Months Later: Year 854

Dear Onyankopon,

It has been too long since we last corresponded. I hope this note finds you well and that your ventures in the sky are going smoothly. I truly miss our dedicated afternoons planning the rebuilding of Paradis; your clarity and perspective are certainly missed here.

The atmosphere on the island is suffocating. Everyone is preparing for the inevitable retaliation from Marley. The weight of preparing for war is immense. Levi is well, but predictably buried in work; he is entirely consumed with security duties and making contingency plans, and has been nearly impossible to extract from his office.

On a personal note, I recently celebrated my twenty-sixth birthday; or, perhaps more accurately, it was a small gathering featuring a delicious cake courtesy of Niccolo. Speaking of him, he and Sasha have been getting along quite famously, which is rather exciting. Niccolo asked me to relay his warmest regards to you. You should also know that Armin has cut his hair; when I saw him, he looked instantly transformed; less like a boy and more like a man. I think he would be mortified that I'm sharing this, so I will move on quickly.

Now, regarding the real predicament: Eren disappeared last month. Given his erratic behaviour, it may not surprise you, but it is causing deep concern among the command. None of us have been able to locate him. I am writing to ask, on the slimmest of chances, if he has contacted you, perhaps journeyed toward the coast, or approached you with any unconventional requests? It is a necessary query to put my mind at ease, as this kind of isolation is dangerous.

I am greatly worried, my friend. His sudden absence has me feeling uneasy. I am concerned that the few short years of relative peace we bought may be drawing to a violent close. Something big feels imminent, and the lack of reliable intelligence is unnerving.

I would be genuinely grateful for a prompt reply, Onyankopon. If events begin to escalate, we may be seeing one another far sooner than either of us expects.

With trust,

Birdie Ackerman

I folded the letter's thin paper neatly and tucked it into the envelope.

My fingers went to the small box at the corner of my desk. Inside sat the brass seal Levi had given me for my birthday earlier that year. He'd been so blunt about it, muttering something about how my official correspondence looked "shabby" without a proper mark, but the weight of the metal stamp told a different story. He'd had a sparrow engraved into the face; a tiny, defiant bird in mid-flight.

I melted a bead of red wax onto the flap and pressed the cool metal down. For a heartbeat, I let my hand linger, imagining his steady grip over mine. When I pulled it away, the tiny bird remained; a small piece of him holding my chaotic thoughts together.

I gave my head a small shake; disrupting my thoughts. The mail run was notoriously unreliable on Paradis; a single, covert trip every two weeks, usually only for essential communication. I had to get this out now.

I snatched my coat from the back of the chair and threw it over my shoulders. I rushed toward the door, pulling it shut behind me, and stumbled immediately into a solid figure.

"Easy," Levi said, his voice flat as he gripped my forearms to steady me. He automatically used his free hand to smooth a small wrinkle out of my coat collar, an unconscious habit that showed his concern for order, even mine. "Where are you off to in such a rush?"

I pulled back, quickly tucking the envelope inside my coat. "I'm looking for the courier. I need to send this to Onyankopon. It's about Eren. I thought maybe he might know something."