Not Much Longer (AOT)

Second Thoughts

Levi sat in his office chair with his feet kicked up on the desk. The only thing illuminating the room was a candle and the occasional flash of lightning coming from an unrelenting storm.

He was flipping through the pages of Athenas file.

Levi was only able to obtain a few pages on the girl, and mostly everything was vague.

All the hard work he did for a few measly pages...

He picked up his teacup and let out a sigh.

"Pretty," he said to himself. He held up the only image they had of her on file. She was wearing a simple dress and feeding a horse.

Levi flipped the photo over to find the name "Athena Hoffen" printed on the back with messy handwriting. A small symbol was scribble in the corner, but Levi couldn't really make it out...

Thump

There was a noise sounding down the hallway.

Thump thump

It sounded like footsteps.

Levi took his feet off of his desk and sat down the picture. Making sure to stay quiet, he opened up one of his desk drawers.

Inside of it was a gun.

Thud

The feet stopped outside of his door.

Levi loaded the gun and aimed it at the door. His heart began to beat quickly.

The thunder was beginning to build up...

CRASH

The door swung open to reveal...

...a soaking wet Erwin...

Levi lowered his arm and let out a breath of relief and annoyance. "Damn it Erwin!"

He closed Levi's door behind him, and immediately leaned against the door. He let his legs give out and he slid down to the floor.

"Long trip eh?" Levi asked as he put his gun back.

Erwin pushed his hair back and rubbed his neck.

Levi noticed the gash on his cheek. Immediately, Levi mad his way over to the slouched man. Crouching down in front of him, Levi grabbed his face, and studied the wound.

"Run into a bit of trouble?" He growled.

Erwin just pushed Levi's hand away and picked himself off the floor. Sulkoing his way across the room, the drenched Erwin took notice of Levis desk. Erwin picked up Levi's teacup and turned it about to get a good look at it...

Then, with a sigh, he sat it down. 

Levi scowled at him from across the room. "Oi! What has gotten into you?"

He took a deep breath, and looked to Levi. "Our work means so much to us that we sacrifice so much to continue it. Whether it be men or the sacrifice of a normal life, we know what is necessary. But we have done nothing with the government having the reins."

Levi turned his angry tone into one of concern and suspicion. "Erwin, that's the whole reason why we are doing this.-"

Levi was trying to keep his voice down so no one could hear him."-The government isn't in control this time."

 Erwin let out a laugh. "But, we are still human, no? No matter how good you and I are at concealing what we think and feel, we still feel it bubbling deep down."

Levi watched as Erwin sat down on the couch on the side of the room.

He put his elbows on his knees and continued. "Maybe if I hadn't asked so many questions and lived with ignorance, then life could have stayed simple..." He looked up to his friend. "But you and I were not built for the simple life." Erwin laughed but Levi felt the rising despair in his voice.

Levi hit his fist into the desk. Erwin jumped at the sudden burst.

"You and I both made sacrifices. We both struggle with the weight on our shoulders, but this time could be the last time. I'm not one to get my hopes up, but I do know one thing."

He walked up to Erwin and grabbed him on the shoulders. "This could save everyone. This could free everyone. This is so much bigger than you or me. This is the first time that we can say that everyone who died, died for a reason."

Erwin nodded his head and stood up from the couch. His stoic expression returned.

"You're right Levi,"

Erwin made his way over to the door and started to turn the handle.

"It's just the stress of this situation giving me a moment of weakness..."

Levi nodded as if he were trying to understand. However, deep down he knew that that was not the truth. 

Erwin isn't one to spurt out words if they don't mean anything. Erwin also never carries out a plan if he doesn't believe in it whole-heartedly. He was not having a moment of weakness but rather, he had just let his walls come down enough to say what was on his mind.

Levi watched as Erwin left his office.

Now he was left alone with his thoughts.

"I never thought Erwin would be one to crave a normal life..."

He picked up the photo on his desk again and studied it carefully...