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Water.
That's the first thing Levi felt when his senses turned back online. Everything hurt, but not as much as it had. There was a gentle breeze.
He breathed in the crisp air, sighing.
Then he heard sloshing footsteps.
Frowning, he turned to gaze at who was approaching.
Levi glared as the brunette approached Levi, looking like his punk ass 15 year old self. The one Levi wouldn't ever admit to having a soft spot for. The one he hoped would maybe one day take his mantle up.
"Heicho?" Eren questioned, his voice soft.
Don't call me that, Fucker." Levi glared, as if wanting to evaporate Eren where he stood. His hands instinctively reached for a blade, only there was none.
"You really think I'd let you have a weapon in here? I wasn't born yesterday, you know." Eren said, his hands in the pockets of the brown coat he wore.
"You sure as hell act like you were..." Levi frowned.
Eren sighed. "Tomorrow..."
"What about it?"
Eren sighed, looking down at the water, not able to meet Levi's gaze. "I'm sorry..."
"No you're not." Levi said, his voice calm, stern.
"But I am! I did this for you...I mean...all of this was for you, I just want you all to be free and-"
"Shut the fuck up!" Levi yelled, his calmness finally breaking. "Because I know your not sorry...don't try that shit with me. You may be able to fool everyone else, but not me." Levi hated how his voice croaked on the last if his phrase.
"Heicho..."
"What did I say?!" Levi yelled, angry tears running down his face. "If you were sorry...you wouldn't have done any of this in the first place!" He took a calming breath. "If your intentions are truly as noble as you claimed...you would have found a different way."
Eren looked down, feeling like he was being scolded by his mother. "I-im sorry...I just..."
Levi kicked him and sent Eren to his knees, yanking the boy by his collar. "You may be sorry all you want, but Sorry doesn't fix this. Sorry won't bring back Hange! Sorry doesn't bring back Erwin or any of the others you got killed..."
Levi harshly shoved Eren away and turned back so he didn't see Levi start almost crying again, but not from anger.
"I tried so hard for you brat..." Levi said, his voice soft, broken. "I saw so much in you, Eren...he saw so much in you..."
Eren looked down again.
"I was so sure that with a little help, you could have been one of the best, most passionate scouts there ever was. I was so sure you'd live up to that damn title they gave you...I was so sure you would be humanities last hope..." Levi sighed. "I put so much work into you, raising you...."
Eren sighed.
Levi looked up at the blue sky. "What did I do wrong...Eren...?"
"Nothing. You did nothing wrong..." Eren said, his voice soft, his heart aching with each beat.
"Damn you, brat. We were fine. Then you came..." Levi began. "They called you a monster. The enemy of humanity. Maybe I should have killed you then..."
"Maybe you should have." Eren agreed
Eren fell silent for a while, looking at Levi. "I'm sorry..." He said again.
Levi pursed his lips. "I know..." He paused for a moment. "But you're still just a God damn child, who never grew the fuck up."
Eren nodded. "I suppose I am..."
Eren felt their time together drawing to a close, far sooner than he wanted, yet also much later than he wanted. "Levi?"
"Hm?"
"Don't mourn me. Don't let me be in that graveyard of your mind. You already had to bury Sasha in one. Don...Don't put me in one. Don't you dare fucking mourn me...I'm not worthy of it." Eren said, his voice cracking.
"It's too late for that..." Was Levi's simple, quiet response