Not Much Longer (AOT)

You Deserve to Know

Athena winced as Hanji wrapped the palms of her hands.

Erwin and Levi had to pull her away from the dying flames of her home, and she had gotten burned from grasping at the coals. Her face was caked with the dark soot of the ashes. The color clung to her sweat and it painted most of her body.

Her lungs burned, her lips were dry, and her eyes slowly rained tears.

"Im glad that you all are safe." Hanji sighed softly. She could tell that Athena was suffering.

"I couldn't do it..." Athena stated in defeat.

Hanji's eyebrows stitched together in confusion as she continued to wrap her palms.

"I couldn't do it, I failed..."

Hanji finished off tying the bandage and took Athenas face into her hands. "You did what you could. You did all that you could do. This isn't your fault...its just the circumstances."

Athena gave a slight nod and Hanji pulled away.

"You had a rough night. It would be best that you get some rest" Hanji said as she walked towards the door.

Athena started to study the bandages on her palms. She could feel the searing heat lingering in her skin. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'm going to find the other two and figure out what to do next." Hanji folded her arms as she spoke. "Why? You gonna miss me?"

Despite her efforts to lighten the mood, Athena would not perk up in the slightest bit.

"No... I just don't want to be alone." Her voice came out in almost a whisper.

Hanji stature softened. "You are not alone. We're all here for each other, alright? I'll be back in bit to check on you, so don't go wandering around where I can't find you."

Hanji studied Athenas face and could still smell the fire lingering in her clothes. "Maybe you should go wash up first. It'll help clean your mind." She then pointed to the white sheets on the bed. "It'll also help to keep those from getting ruined."

Athena nodded in agreement.

With that, Hanji made her way out of the room and closed the door behind her.

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The sound of the door creaking open is what woke her up.

"Hanji?"

"No." The voice was deep and unenthusiastic.

"Levi." She said sitting up in the bed.

He crossed his arms and leaned up against the door. "So, you can speak and move? Hanji made it out to seem like you were burnt all the way to the bone."

Athena looked down to her hands.

"Oh..."

He could sense that she was uncomfortable.

"You alright kid?" He asked, this time his voice was quieter.

"Yeah. It's not like this is something I haven't gone through before..."

His eyebrows stitched together in confusion. "This has happened before?"

"Yeah, I never told you?"

Levi shook his head in disbelief. "I don't believe you have ever talked your own life with me Athena... care to clear the air?"

She looked to the window in the room as she spoke. "My family lived within wall Rose for years until our house was set on fire. The house in the mountains was the home my father had bought from my grandparents shortly before they passed. It was like... a vacation home. Somewhere we would go to escape the city. Until the fire happened and... then I moved into the mountains to get out of the city for good. I thought if I lived there, I would be safe. At least that's what my father told me..."

Inside of Levi's mind he tried to piece together this girl. Why did her family live within Wall Rose? What happened to her parents? Who set their house on fire the first time?

Levi closed his eyes for a moment.

This isn't a good time.

"Well I'll leave you be, alright? It was rough last night, and I know you need time alone to process all of this." Levi stated. He then turned around to pull open the door.

However, when he turned around, the sound of footsteps followed him. And soon, two small arms snaked around his waist.

Athena rested her head into Levi's back.

He could hear her faintly crying.

He turned around to face her and she slowly pulled away wiping her own tears from her face.

"I'm sorry, Levi." She whispered.

His heart dropped to his stomach and he felt like he was going to be sick. It hurt him to see her in such a state of hopelessness. He slowly looked down to see the bandages encasing her palms. He went to hold them in an effort to comfort her but...

No

"Athena..." His voice was low.

She deserves to know

She looked away in embarrassment as she realized what she had done.

"Yes?"

"Who do you think I am?"

She hesitated. "I...Um..."

Levi stared her down directly. "What kind of person do you take me for? What do you think I do?"

Quietly she answered him. "Well...I think that you're a very strong man."

"And?"

She was confused, but still continued. "You...are a very honest man who is not afraid to say what's on his mind." Athena studied over his face to find any look of approval. Instead she was met with ice cold eyes.

She knew that something was plaguing his mind.

"And?" His voice employed her to give him another answer.

"Levi, I don't really understand what you're-"

"Let me tell you what I really am Athena. I'm a criminal. I was nothing more than a street rat for so many years."

"Well look at who you are now-"

"I'm a man who is willing to give up my life in the blink of an eye if it benefits humanity."

"Everyone knows you want nothing more than for humanity-"

"And I am someone who isn't afraid to kill." His voice hissed.

Athena was caught of guard by his words. The emotion behind it left her speechless and haunted her brain for a moment. She knew he was a lot of things, but she never would of described him as anything so...cruel.

She finally broke the silence. "Levi-"

"I killed an innocent boy."

Athena's eyes widened. "You...what?"

"He was sent by Lyons to kill us. He was a kid like I was. He was innocent, and I killed him. I killed him, Athena." His voice broke as he spoke.

Chills filled her body as she lifted her hand to cover her mouth in shock. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

Levi combed through his hair with his hands and regained his stoic posture. He turned and grabbed the door handle. "You deserve to know what I am."

With that, he left the room.

Athena was now alone and in shock.

She knew Levi was a lot of things. Cocky, confident, a leader, and even an asshole at times. She never expected him to be the kind or caring type. The man killed Titans for a living, so he wasn't exactly someone who was soft.

But one thing she never really thought of him was a murderer, let alone an innocent kid...