Rewind

Chapter 25

"Do you know who he left as his successor?" Alex asked quietly, after giving the children a moment.

"Shitty Four-eyes," Levi said, not looking at anything. His expression may not have given away anything, but his voice betrayed him. You could hear the sorrow in his voice. He walked over to his family and picked up Gabriel. "We need to go." Eren nodded and stood up with Ava in his arms. Eren nodded his goodbye to Alex. They quietly left the building and went back to their own headquarters.

When they got back it was silent. The usual laughter or fighting was gone, and replaced with mournful silence. When they walked into the building, everyone turned to them, their eyes all asking the same question. They were all wondering what was going to happen next.

No one spoke, there was nothing to say. No one had the answers. No one moved. Eren stayed close to the twins and Levi, taking comfort in being close to his family.

"Heichou," Eren said later that night. Everyone had retreated to their own room, and the twins were asleep.

"You haven't called me that for years," Levi said. Eren laid against Levi, and Levi wrapped his arms around Eren. "You're my husband, you don't need to ever call me that."

"I know," Eren said. "But you weren't responding to anything else. I've been trying to talk to you but it's like you haven't heard me."

"I'm sorry," Levi said. "I've just been thinking."

"About?" Eren asked, looking up.

"Erwin, and the first time I met him," Levi said. "When we first met I was just a thug in the underground. He even threatened to kill my friends to get me to join. But I was already planning to join just so I could get close to him. So I could kill him. But that threat gave me the means to join with no questions asked."

"You tried to kill Erwin?" Eren asked shocked.

"Yeah. The reward was a life in Wall Sina. And I had every intention to do so. It would be a complete change from where I was," Levi said. "But he knew about my plan. He himself talked me out of it. He gave me a different life than I had imagined, and a life of not being confined in the walls. Since then I always thought that if I failed to kill him, so would everything else." Eren put his face against Levi chest.

"No one is invincible," Eren said.

"I know," Levi said. He sighed and pulled Eren closer. "I'm scared that one day, I'll lose you to the titans."

"I'm a Titan," Eren said. "I think that day happened when I was able to become one of them. Plus, I have been ate already." He was trying to lighten the mood. But he knew that wouldn't work.

"Not the same," Levi said.

"I know," Eren said. "We just have to live each day, and be happy. We have to move forward, and live to the fullest. If I were to die right now, I'd be happy. I have a wonderful husband, and two beautiful children. Nothing could be better. I believe that's how we should live. Day by day. Laugh by laugh."

"I guess," Levi said morosely. Eren looked up at him and Levi kissed him. "Go to sleep, Shitty Brat."

"I love you," Eren said, putting his head on Levi's chest again, closing his eyes.

"I love you, too," Levi said.

oOoOo

It took a while before anyone was able to smile again. But eventually, smiles returned to the scouting legion.

Three years had passed and the twins were now nine. Hanji had done well in taking over in the position as Commander. But no one had forgotten Erwin and all the things he had done.