Archive of Our Own

0.

Life, as tears, is fleeting. Life and hope — illusion of peace. That is the truth she learned long, long ago.  

You ask, she won’t remember the time she was a child. All she remembers is this. Smoke all around, blood and screaming, rubble in the air, and dust kicked up by all those desperate ones trying to save their lives.  

Nora, a child of Shiganshina. That’s how she was known for most of her life. At least, what she remembers. She remembers a home, warm and cozy, happy neighbourhood. She remembers clean sheets hung in the backyard, sunny days and azure waters. Her life was bliss.  

Life, as ignorance, is fleeting. Their ignorance became their doom, the wall crumbling from a simple kick of a gruesome giant, a manifestation of hatered. A titan — that she knew. But why? Why could they not do anything about it? Never once has crossed her mind in all her youthful years.  

And once she ran, that changed an instant.   

«I will break down those walls, I will crush everyone who wants to destroy everything I love!» — a new goal, burned bright inside of her.  

1.

First time she saw him, she didn’t know who he was. Running errands for her mother, she decided to take a different route back home. She saw him riding on a horse, back straight and gaze sharp, his black hair neat and hands steady.  

«Aren’t you excited, Levi?! We’re gonna see the titans again! Do you think we’ll meet an Abnormal one this time? Do you think I can take it home??» — excitedly shouted a brown-haired person right into the man’s ear. They wore a ponytail and glasses strapped around their head like goggles. Nora has never seen anyone modify their eyewear like that. That piqued her interest, and she came closer to listen to the conversation.  

«Shup up, four-eyes. You’re gonna blow out my eardrums», — replied the man, leaning away while wearing an expression of deep annoyance.  

«B-but! Leviiii! You have to understand what I mean, right?!? This is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for humanity to learn new things about titans!!» — Nora thought she could see the person’s pupils turn star-shaped.  

«Dumbass, we go outside the walls regularly, like hell this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Focus on the mission or you’ll be the first one to become titan food».  

«Yes, captain!» — replied the brown-haired person, as the commander shouted for the soldiers to move.  

So this was a captain, huh? Nora had a thought, that the way the person with the glasses was talking to the man didn’t make his status obvious at all. This made her wonder if they were somehow above the man in rank, or if the two were simply so close they could communicate at ease with each other. Noticing the wings of freedom on their backs, Nora recalled that these were the scouts. They went outside the walls, their primary mission — to gather information about the titans and to possibly claim territories on the outside.  

Nora never thought about this in detail. It was simply a fact that the scout regiment existed. It was also a fact that they had no success in all these hundred years, returning with more and more losses each day and gaining almost no useful knowledge on how to defeat the titans. Nora, however, deep inside, respected them for their bravery. Sure, it was futile most of the time, but maybe, one day, something would change, and humanity would win for the first time.  

Seeing these two people, so positive about their mission, was inspiring. It made her hope that one day, she would hear from the scouts not just in passing, but in the newspapers, praising their new achievements.  

She stayed for a bit, watching the man, the strange energetic person and everyone else ride away. As the gate closed, the people around began to disperse. Nora glanced at the sky, noting the burning orange of dusk. She suddenly realized how late it was and turned around to hurry back home.  

Today was an interesting day.  

2.

Through blood, sweat and tears, Nora put her all into the training. Mastering the ODM gear was challenging, but the promise of flight, of strength to make a change pushed her forward. Slicing off the artificial necks of titan dummies was like killing off obstacles in her way. Something to look forward to — a promise, one day this will become reality.  

There were those who burned with the same passion as her, the refugees who lost it all, desperate to give their lives a purpose, and those who never went through hell in Shiganshina. Those people — she saw herself in them, all those years ago. For them, military is just is, and their lives neverchanging, seeking comfort and better life with no understanding of what they were getting themselves into. They sought no real change, and hoped to make no difference. Somehow, the only feeling she had for them was pity.  

Any day, at any moment, their lives could crumble, everyone and everything they know would disappear, stomped upon by titans. There would be no purpose to this, no greater meaning, but they would be forced to give it one to survive. They would give themselves a purpose then, or go insane trying. That’s what she went through, too.  

She would remember a face, stern, eyes half-lidded. A hair of coal and eyes of stormy clouds, Nora would see his stature in her dreams, keeping her going. She did not know why that face from so long ago resonated with her very being. Perhaps because he saw the cruels of this world way before she ever comprehended them, and managed to find ways to stay so brave and strong despite it all. How many deaths have those eyes seen? How could he love this world at all, after all it’s taken from him?  

She never knew him, of course. She heard of him, way later, after choosing her own path of being a fighter for freedom. Levi, humanity’s strongest soldier. A captain of the survey corps, the best of the best. Just seeing his shadowy figure inspired fear and admiration in anyone present.   

She was the same. Toughened by battles, horrors seen beyond the walls, he remained steady, clear goal in mind. Determination in his eyes burned bright, even as his face betrayed no emotion. Gracefully spinning his blades, his small posture became a deadly weapon, his main advantage. And when she realized, as she took her first steps to becoming a soldier, that one day, that deep look of sorrow in the grey eyes would become her own, losing friends and acquaintances over and over again, witnessing the deaths of innocents as they got devoured by titans, she came to terms with it.   

This was how things were going to be, no matter what. But she would make sure, despite everything, to give her all to save humanity. She would become strong, just like him, and destroy every single titan standing in her way. No matter how many losses she would experience, no matter how painful life would become, she would keep moving forward.   

She strapped on her ODM gear and took the sharp blades in her hands. Time to work.  

3.

Just as everything is finite, clouded by peaceful days, soldiers march into battle. She witnessed what she always knew would come to be, the wall came down once again. Trost has fallen, in the end.  

She saw people she knew, mere trainees, get devoured. Bloody corpses, screaming, frozen in place, desperate children running away. They were just children. Some stood bravely, charged ahead. No matter the skill, no matter the instinct, they fought. She was the same.  

Cutting down her fear at its throat, Nora flew high into the air. Adrenaline rushing, she dodged the titans’ limbs and teeth. She didn’t know where she was going, but she knew one thing for certain. She had to survive. She had to fight and push forward.  

Keep moving — that was the only thing that kept her from falling apart. If you run, swing back and forth between the roof of one house to another, let the wind dry out your tears, then maybe, the painful reality will not hurt this much.  

Coming to a stop, she noticed a person out of the corner of her eye. He was desperately pressing his ODM gear controls, fear on his face, a titan approaching him head on.   

A glimpse of a memory, feeling burning inside, sparked to life inside of Nora’s heart. Without thinking, she bolted straight at the titan’s neck, drew her swords and sliced it deep. The titan fell just a meter away from the frozen in place soldier with a loud thud, Nora descending to the ground with it.  

«T-T-Thank you so much!!!» — cried the teenager in front of her.  

«We need to get out of here, now!!» — replied Nora, scooping the boy with her arm and swinging up onto the nearest building.  

«Oh my god, oh my god… What the hell is happening… What is happening…» — the boy clutched his head in his hands and cried silently.  

Nora stood there and thought. In a way, she was looking at her own reflection. The same emotions, same turmoil was waiting to burst inside of her right at this moment. What made her different from this trainee, faced with battles he wasn’t prepared for before he could even graduate? What made her capable of moving? What made her swing those swords so fearlessly, saving a life, when she could have frozen in place, numbness on her mind?  

«Just like him… I want to be able to keep going» .  

«I know how you feel. I know this is horrible and nothing seems to make any sense. I know that you want to give up, and I am the same. But back then, when Shiganshina fell, I just couldn’t! I had to do something to make it worth living!» — She placed her hand on the boy’s shoulder. He lifted his head up. — «So, even if you have no idea what might happen, if you survive or not, if anyone survives this at all, do your best, okay? Nothing will be done if we don’t fight!»  

The boy looked into Nora’s eyes. A young woman’s face, her eyes wise, reflecting endless wounds. He saw a face of someone mourning a thousand deaths, yet found strength to accept reality as it was. He knew, in that moment, that he could not refuse.  

His eyes wide, filled with unshed tears, he looked at her with understanding. They both shared the same pain now, just like everyone today.  

«You’re absolutely right… I want to, I really do. I enlisted because I thought I could make a difference, but in that moment», — the boy glanced down at the place he stood just moments ago, — «my life could have ended without having done anything at all… Thank you. I will try, I want to try».  

She gave the boy a sorrowful smile.  

«I am Nora. What’s your name?»  

«Niklas. Nice to meet you», — Niklas smiled in return, teardrops in his eyes.  

Suddenly, loud steps echoed in the air. Nora and Niklas, startled, turned their heads to the source of the sound.  

«What is that?! A new titan?..» — said Niklas. — «Is it… carrying a boulder?!».  

Nora could not believe her eyes. It was a titan, fifteen meters at least, steadily marching across the town with a giant boulder in its hands.  

«Seems like it…»  

«Hey! You two! Protect the titan at all cost! Commander’s orders!»  

«What? Protect? A titan?? Since when are we teaming up with titans?!» — exclaimed Nora at the woman passing by them, shouting commands. She wore a garrison regiment uniform, suggesting that yes, she did indeed receive these orders from a higher-up.  

«Obey the order! No time to explain», — yelled the woman before focusing her attention on the smaller titans approaching the abnormal one.  

«Well, at least the garrison has some kind of plan..?» — said Niklas to Nora, turning his head to her. She met his gaze.  

«Yeah, good to know we weren’t abandoned to fight for Trost’s liberation all alone, huh».  

«Huh».  

«…so. Do you want to just sit here and watch? My gear is still not working properly».  

«Yeah, I think staying in a safe spot for you and me would be best for now. Not to mention, all that zooming around drained my gas supplies», — Nora tapped her gas canisters. — «See if you can repair your ODM gear? Even if we are safe for now, a titan taller than this building could easiely grab us at any moment».  

«True».  

A silence fell between them as Niklas took off his gear to inspect it. Nora turned to observe the strange titan move forward with the boulder, as more and more soldiers got crushed in the palms and teeth of mindless titans. More deaths, but for what? What goal did they have in mind? What was so special about this titan?  

She tracked the path that it was taking. Her eyes landed on a giant hole the Armoured titan knocked in the wall just earlier today. She suddenly understood everything.  

«Look!! It’s going to seal the wall!!» — Nora grabbed Niklas’ shoulder and excitedly pointed in the direction of the hole.  

«No way… But how..?»  

«How did they get a titan to do this? I have no idea», — finished Nora.  

As the titan got close enough to the wall, it bent down and pushed the boulder forward with huge force. The hole was sealed.  

«Trost is saved…» — beathed out Nora in relief.  

«I don’t believe what I’ve just witnessed».  

«The titan clearly had a goal in mind. Did you see it? It bent down and pushed, almost human-like!»  

«Nora, look!»  

As the two directed their gaze back to the titan, they saw its lifeless body covered in smoke.  

«W-what happened? Did someone kill it?» — exclaimed Niklas.  

But Nora wasn’t listening. Her gaze was locked on a small but fierce figure.  

He swung in the air, slicing every titan’s neck with ease. Crimson blood poured out like a fountain, evaporating in smoke around him. A green cloak, wings of freedom on his back shone bright for everyone to see.  

«Wow, who is that?!» — seems like Niklas noticed him too.  

«That’s captain Levi. Humanity’s strongest soldier», — replied Nora, mesmerized. She couldn’t see him very well from so far away, smoke covering his body, but she would always recognize his silhouette. Cold and stoic, he gave off an aura of authority, confidence and power. His posture imperfect, yet seeming completely right for him alone. A manifestation of hard-won battles and pure skill.  

He stood strong on top of a titan’s corpse, his cape swaying in the wind, almost like wings, his blades sharp and deadly. Nora was speechless. This was the man she admired. This was the man she thought of every time she felt like giving up. He was her hope, and he was her perfection. This was the soldier she wanted to become. This was the soldier she wanted to fight alongside with.  

«Who is he talking to? Is there someone behind him? I can’t see anything from here…» — said Niklas, snapping Nora out of her thoughts.  

She didn’t get to reply as a command for retreat was released in the air.  

«Come on, is your ODM fixed?»  

«Um, yeah, I think it was just a bit jammed actually… hehe…» — replied Niklas sheepishly.  

«Good, let’s go. We’re retreating».  

As they prepared to fly away from the area, Nora glanced back one last time. The scout regiment members who have just arrived to the rescue, as well as the garrison soldiers, were killing off the leftover titans that managed to come in through the now sealed hole. Levi, too, spun around, a lethal weapon.   

She thought, in that moment, he was a dark raven.  

4.

Every little thing has consequences, and every decision matters. No matter how much you try, though, you can never know what happens in the future.  

Nora and Niklas, new additions to the scout regiment, found themselves on their first ever official mission outside the wall. Although, wall Maria was once considered a save haven, a little paradise for everyone inside. Now, rubble lay, frozen in time. Echoes of life died out in those four years, vanishing in dust. This was the outside now.  

Riding on horseback, they dutifully followed the commander’s strategy for survival. They went forward and forward, facing titans, abnormals, and eventually, they met the Female titan itself.  

It was fast and agile, it moved with an incredible speed. It was intelligent, crushing the soldiers after it in its palms, unlike the regular titans, who crushed with their teeth instead. Even abnormal titans, however strange their behaviour was, resorted to devouring in the end. Usually, Nora would be worried, disoriented, wondering why a titan would ever behave this way. But this time was different.  

Eren Yeager. A teen who could turn into a titan. The one who sealed the Trost’s gate. The one so many died for trying to protect. No one knew how this happened, but everyone understood the opportunity presented — gain a powerful enemy by rejecting the unknown, or a powerful ally, accepting the strange and impossible. The commander chose the latter. This was what led them to consider that maybe, there were more just like him.  

Nora glanced around, trying to spot the other groups so far away. Rocking back and forth, wind in her face and ground shaking from titan stomps, she tried to collect her thoughts.   

«Nora!! What’s going on? Why aren’t we retreating?» — she heard Niklas shout beside her.  

Nora raised her shoulders and shook her head, kepting silent. She didn’t know. No one did. As they approached the forest, Nora braced herself.  

***  

The aftermath was gruesome. Hundred of casualties, bodies piling up in their carriages, the majority staying behind deep inside the forest. To think, once such a lovely place would become a graveyard.  

Roaming blindly, empty eyed, the scouts rested for a moment on their way back to wall Rose. Nora couldn’t think. A moment of peace, yet the echoes of the Female titan and her countless smaller minions stomping the ground, trying to catch up to Eren, lingered on her body. She, perfectly still, felt like the earth beneath her feet continued rocking back and forth. Niklas, standing beside her, looked no better. Instead of seeming numb, however, he slowly pased around, as if to shake the feelings off somehow.  

The Levi squad, as countless others, were gone. Best of the best, perished in an instant, faced with a threat not one of them could have been prepared for. Nora slowly lifted her head, looking at the blank faces of the scouts. They were the lucky ones. The majority of the dead, resting motionlessly, had to be left behind for them to get away. Maybe, one day, she might be one of them. Maybe, one day, she would be the one tossed out in favour of the living. She wondered if anyone would remember her.  

Looking in the distance, she noticed him. Captain Levi, talking to a young scout. Seeing him, she felt a strange mix of emotions. She finally got close to someone she admired so much, on the same mission, she’s seen what he had, yet lived through it completely differently. Could she approach him, when he lost those close to him not long ago?  

Nora came a little closer. She saw him, sorrow in his eyes, give something to the boy. Looking closely, she realized. Nora started walking.  

«Hey, Nora, where are you..» — surprised at the sudden movement, exclaimed Niklas behind her.  

«Wasn’t that something you took from one of your team member’s bodies?» — Nora recoiled from her sudden boldness, feeling embarrassed by her outburst. It felt foreign to her, to give away a prized possession, to someone you don’t know. What could have motivated him to do that?  

Levi glanced up at her, slight annoyance on his face. He appeared to study her for a moment, perhaps trying to recognise if they’ve ever spoken before. Eventually, he replied.  

«He needs it more than I do. He thinks the badge I gave him is his friend’s».  

Nora didn’t know why Levi decided to tell her. He was a captain, standing far above her, a newcomer on her first mission. She may know him , but for Levi, she was a stranger, suddenly approaching out of nowhere and prying into his personal matters. She should have nodded, saluting a goodbye and leaving him be, but, as if her body acting on its own, she spoke.  

«But… Didn’t your team mean a lot to you? I’m really sorry for my boldness, captain, but I don’t understand how you could part with it so easily..?»  

Old memories of a life forgotten inside the walls of Shiganshina came to mind. How much she would give to only have a tiny little chance to have something, anything at all, that would remind her of her long gone loved ones.  

He turned to face her fully, his tired, sharp stare gazing directly into hers. Nora held her breath.  

«I know you are new here just by that statement. Listen here. Just like that brat from earlier, eventually you realize, that actually having gathered the bodies is rather an exception than a rule. You learn to be grateful for what you have. Hundreds die every day. For me, as long as I remember them, that is enough. For the likes of you and him though», — Levi nodded in the direction the scout went, — «you are still green. For now, I don’t mind easing his pain just a little».  

Nora stood frozen. She knew someone like Levi, a scout who has been fighting for years, has seen countless losses. That, however, was simply fact to her, just like the existence of the titans was simply fact for so many clueless citizens. Right now, standing in front of him, being able to witness his every expression, however limited, made her look at him in a new light. How many other Levi squads have been there? How many did he bury? How many of his comrades have found their places in his heart and soul, forever remembered by this one man? She didn’t know. She wanted to ease his pain, not knowing how. She knew that the pain would never stop, for him or anyone.  

«You are dismissed. Get ready to head out. We’re going back».  

5.

Annie Leonhart. Quiet and mysterious, not many were close to her. An exceptional soldier, she got into the top ten to have an opportunity to join the military police. She was also the Female titan.  

«Did you know Annie well? When we were still in training, I mean», — Niklas, Nora and many others were waiting at the border of Stohess District, a final rest before they would execute commander Erwin’s plan to take down the Female titan.  

«No. Even though we were in the same training corps, I was very focused on my goal, so I never made many friends. All I remember of her are her skills. Which were very good. Too good», — replied Nora, trying to recall the limited memories she had of Annie from those four years.  

«I see. Me too. To be honest, she looked very scary! It’s like she wanted everyone to stay away from her. Maybe because she is, well, a titan…» — made a suggestion Niklas.  

«Indeed».  

«You know, I do remember seeing her with a particular group of people. Coincidentally, the same group of people, almost all of them, applied to become scouts. At least, what was left of them, after, you know…»  

«Yes, indeed. What are you getting on though?»  

«Well, what’s left of them are close to Eren Yeager, right?»  

«Yes?..»  

«So maybe, uh, maybe… They’re all titans..?» — Niklas scrunched up his forehead in thought.  

«Pff».  

«Okay, I completely lost my train of thought. No way every one of them is a titan, right? Right?..» — Niklas, scared by his own crazy conspiracy, stared at Nora in fear.  

«Hahaha, yeah okay. And commander Erwin is the Colossal titan».  

«Well, it’s possible!»  

«Can’t argue with that. They’re both pretty tall after all».  

After that, silence settled between them for a moment. Nora wondered if the commander had more thoughts on this matter. There were a lot of pieces of information rookie soldiers like them didn’t have access to. At least, that’s what she expected to be the case anyway.  

«…do you think commander Erwin shaves his head each time he transforms into the Colossal titan?»  

Nora turned back to Niklas, blank expression on her face.  

«Yes».  

«Oi, brats!»  

Instantly going quiet and freezing in place, Nora and Niklas slowly turned to the sound of captain Levi’s voice.   

«Y-yes, captain?» — nervously stuttered Niklas.  

«What are you gossiping there about commander eyebrows? I wanna hear it too».  

«Huh?» — wide-eyed, Niklas glanced at Nora out of the corner of his eye.  

Nora’s gaze, however, was directed elsewhere. Tracing her line of sight, Niklas realized she was looking at his left ankle.  

«When did you hurt your ankle, captain? That must be a serious injury if you are not in your uniform!» — rushing to his side, Nora pulled out her spare bandages and kneeled down.   

Niklas’ eyes went wide. He gasped in surprise and dread.  

«What are you doing?? Th-that’s captain Levi!!» — he whisper-shouted at her.  

«Oi. What the hell do you think you’re doing, rookie?»  

«Take off your shoe, captain. Your bandages are all loose and dirty».  

«Since when were you allowed to issue orders to your superiors?»  

Nora looked up at him. Although his tone sounded annoyed, she saw a hint of surprise and curiosity on his face.  

«Since I realized you aren’t taking proper care of yourself. Captain, please sit down and take off your shoe».  

Levi was quiet for a minute, contemplating his answer. His eyes gave off a glint of something unknown. He let out a short exhale.  

«Fine. Do it quickly».  

As he sat down and took off his left shoe, Nora started to take off the old bandage, and after that was done, carefully wrapped the clean one around his ankle. She breathed slowly, trying to stay focused on the task, resisting the urge to look up into his deep eyes again. Yet again, she’s made the same impression on Levi, daringly expressing her thoughts on things she shouldn’t be concerned about, invading his space when she wasn’t allowed to.  

He was a magnet, drawing her in. He was an unstoppable force in her heart, pushing her forward. From the distance, he seemed so far away, an idol she couldn’t touch. He was her will personified, achieving things she couldn’t, inspiring her to get better. He was everything.  

Each time she saw him so close, it’s like she lost all fear. She had to get closer. She didn’t know why. Why wouldn’t she freeze in fear, like all the rest? Why wouldn’t she obey her mind, telling her to know her place? Why couldn’t she be content watching him at a distance?..  

«I used to get injuries like this one all the time when I was training. I wasn’t very good at knowing my limits back then. So don’t worry, I know what I’m doing».  

At that, he remained quiet, for a moment.  

«You idealistic folk always have some unexplained desire to overwork yoursef. I will never understand that. Hurting yourself for a small chance at getting better is not worth it».  

She glanced at him, surprised. He wasn’t meeting her gaze, blank expression on his face. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but she liked to imagine that, in that moment, he cared for her.  

«All done, captain. Hope you get better soon».  

Nora stood up, Levi following her. He was a little taller than her, even though he was considered short by many. To Nora, she only saw his advantage in the air, able to execute crazy maneuvers, fast and agile. He was a storm, sweeping his enemies in cuts and slashes. That made her appreciate her own small stature, during her own training. Thanks to it, she could be so much faster, when those taller and bulkier could not keep up.  

They met each other’s gaze. He was unreadable to her, an enigma, his raven hair gently swaying in the air. Nora wanted to find out what what on his mind. She wondered if her eyes betrayed her adoration.  

«We were discussing if commander Erwin shaves his hair off every time he transforms into the Colossal titan, by the way».  

Startled at Niklas’ voice, Nora spun around. It slipped her mind completely that he was still here. It made her feel a little bad for ignoring him all this time. She sent him an apologetic look, hoping it would send her message.  

«That’s great. Hange will love this».  

He then turned to face Nora, eyes lingering on her face. Lips pursed, his lids half-closed, he seemed lost in thought. As her bravery wore off, she suddenly felt shy, forcing herself to not break eye contact.  

Not saying anything, he turned around and slowly walked away.  

«What was thaaaat?…» — dragged out Niklas.  

Nora slowly turned to him.  

«Captain Levi is actually the Armoured titan».  

***  

Nora had always thought she understood her goal. She wanted back the childhood she never got to live. She wanted to let the children experience a world without fear. And for that, she needed to be strong, and she needed to wipe out every enemy that threatened humanity.  

As a child, naïvely, she thought that perhaps, everything would just stay as it was. The walls would stand forever, and maybe, just maybe, the threat from the outside would disappear somehow. She wanted to take a peek outside those walls, hoping in vain for a day she could watch the sun rise early from out of the horizon, illuminating a vast, neverending field.  

As a teen, mournfully, she understood that nothing changes as it is, as long as there are people content to live in stasis. That’s why she took the sharp blades in her hands, taking out the titans one by one, until she would, one day, see the last of them evaporate in smoke. She would be one to break out of this illusion of peace.  

Now, with sorrowful acceptance, she realized the scale of what she’s promised to herself.  

Ground shaking, rubble in the air, she pierced the air with her blades towards a person she once knew. She did not feel regret, and had no sympathy for Annie. She was, however, finally awoken. A titan was a human, right before her eyes. This was no mindless creature, devouring through its instinct. She was a person.  

Piles of flesh of what were once humans lay across the city. Yet another district met its fate by titans’ hands. What reason could a person have to do any of this? All the friends that Annie had, would she wish to see them die? Nora desperately wanted to know, what kind of truth convinced her to do this.  

If Eren, Annie, the Colossal and Armoured titans exist, then there were more, somewhere out there. Humans against humans. What kind of enemy would they be facing soon? What kind of ending would come upon them once they discover all the truths?  

Long time ago, Nora swore to herself, to humanity — she would ensure that peace would come upon her homeland. Could that have ever been possible at all?  

***  

Looking at the foreign crystal containing Annie’s body, Nora came to an acceptance.  

Once, she found her meaning in pursuing a goal. She found strength to accept the immense loss she would have to live with all her life, constant pain she would never feel relief from. Today, she accepted a new purpose. She would find out the truth of this world. They could do it, and they would win. Today was the day she saw the proof of that.  

No matter how long it takes, she would continue moving forward. No matter what kind of truths she uncovers, she would remain unshaken. She would deliver justice to every single one that brings suffering, whether it’s a titan or a human.  

«Rookie».  

Nora turned to face him. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised to see him here.  

«The mission is over. You can rest for now».  

«Captain Levi. Why are you here? You should be resting».  

«Says someone who has been standing here, staring at the crystal for ages, when everyone else is long gone snoozing their heads off», — Levi scoffed. — «You little shits can’t do anything without me. If I didn’t come, Eren would have eaten her».  

She looked at him more closely. He wasn’t meeting her eyes. Even though he tried sounding nonchalant, on his face was an expression of deep thought.  

She gathered her courage, taking a deep, slow breath. She quietly exhaled, then asked him a question she wanted to know the answer to for a long time.  

«You realized something, didn’t you? When the Female titan was defeated. Everyone seemed to have a lot on their minds, but I feel like you have more to add to this story than anyone else».  

She expected him to tell her off, remind her of her status, even give her a punishment for such questions. But he did none of that, not a twitch on his face. She felt like the time has stopped. What might have been just a few seconds felt like hours to her. But, when he replied, the memory of his words would ring clear in her mind.  

«She is a human. Eren is too. So are likely the other familliar faces, Colossal and Armoured. When the Female titan tried to flee, she made some dents in the wall. Hange noticed something», — he finally turned to face her. — «There are more Colossal titans inside».  

This was not what Nora expected to hear at all. She suddenly felt faint.  

«This will become known to the scouts shortly. That’s why I’m telling you this».  

«Does this mean… We might have to face them one day? How many of them are out there?.. Just Annie cost us so many», — Nora lowered her head, trying to collect herself.  

«I don’t know, rookie. But whatever happens, it’s our job as the scouts to face this head on. We don’t have a choice. But, I believe our efforts won’t be in vain. I’ve seen many hardships, situations when everything seemed desperate. Even if we die, we would have done everything we could to survive».  

Nora smiled at him. Even when everything seemed hopeless for so many, Levi never lost his iron will. If it was anyone else uttering these words, she couldn’t be sure that person would have meant it. Perhaps she was naïve and foolish in thinking that she knew him, trusting her own admiration over logic, but when he, who carved his way out of despair countless times, told her to stand strong until the very end, she believed it. She wanted to continue moving forward. With him by her side, she was ready.  

«By the way. My name is Nora».  

He looked into her eyes, grey stars of freedom.  

«Hello, Nora. I’m Levi».  

6.

Time passed. Countless revelations weighing on her mind, Nora stood stronger than ever before.  

The Armoured and Colossal titans were discovered. Lucky enough to witness it themselves, Nora and Niklas, along with other scouts, carried out the mission to retrieve Eren Yeager back from the hands of the traitors.  

Just like she expected things to be, more mysteries presented themselves. Ymir. Who was she, and why wasn’t she a part of other titan shifters? Why join them, in the end?  

That day, Nora watched Ymir gently stroke Krista- no, Historia’s head, her titan gurbling something resembling «I’m sorry», and running away, never to be seen again.  

Historia changed then. Or perhaps, she was always this way. Nora wished she knew her and Ymir before, from the training days. Somehow, something in the way they just… were… resonated with her. She couldn’t explain why her heart felt so connected, observing the way they looked at each other, as if they were each other’s purpose.  

Perhaps, she could imagine herself losing her own will this way. Someone pushing you forward, gone without explanation. What would she do then? Nora wondered if Historia knew the way to move forward.  

There was another strange discovery. Eren, able to control the titans in a second, saving everyone from certain death. Nora didn’t know what to think. She felt like an overinflated balloon, struggling to fly. The closer they got to getting any answers, the further these answers went away, the more unanswered questions appeared. Where did Reiner, Bertholdt and Ymir go? What did the conversations between them and Eren mean? Who was that strange beast-looking titan?  

And finally, there were the titans themselves. No matter how much anyone looked, there was no breach in wall Rose. The titans simply appeared inside. That did not make sense. Until a new member of the scouts, Connie, found his mother, her titan form lying on her back on top of their wrecked house, unable to move. He said he could hear her tell him «welcome back».  

The revelation that the titans’ origin lay in humans themselves didn’t surprise Nora as much as it should have. It seemed to make sense, as the titan shifters were human, too. Although, it might have been because she was simply exhausted.  

When she first took the blades into her hands, she never expected to uncover so much. She thought her only job was to kill, free the walls of the titans’ tyranny. It seemed that life had better plans for her, though she didn’t really believe there was such thing as fate, not for the life she lived anyway.  

All this time, she thought herself a regular person. She didn’t think much about the way things worked. For her, life kept going, and she went along with it as it played out. She never had to solve a mystery that big, and she never expected to.  

Now, the survey corps was in a place no other generation of scouts was in before. They had the weight of the world on their shoulders, hopes and dreams of every citizen, lives and happiness of their children. Sometimes she missed the days she was allowed to be blind.  

After their mission to retrieve Eren, everything seemed hopeful. That was until they were forced to be on the run, hiding away from the military police demanding they hand over Eren and Historia. Captain Levi picked out the most capable scouts to guard and keep them safe, which included her and Niklas.  

Today, they were staying in a remote farm house. Although it was small, somehow, they all managed to fit inside. Their different sets of skills allowed them to fall into some sort of a routine.  

«Mmm, this is so good», — said Niklas beside her, devouring a piece of cooked meat. — «Remind me again why I never made friends with Sasha before? This is amazing! I could have been eating meat like this all this time!»  

Nora snorted.  

«Yeah? Gimmie that», — she extended her palm out expectantly. Niklas tore off a piece and put it in her hand. Nora shoved it into her mouth and chewed. — «Holy crap».  

«Riiiiight?? Told you!» — Niklas broke into a wide smile.  

«I’m never gonna enjoy other food ever again».  

«What was that about food??» — out of nowhere, the master chef herself appeared right in front of the two.  

«Wah! Don’t scare us like that, Sasha! Haha…» — Niklas laughed awkwardly.  

«We love your food. Please cook for us for the rest of our lives», — said Nora, looking straight into Sasha’s eyes.  

«Ehhhh? I’m glad you guys like it! Also, guess what?», — Sasha mysteriously reached behind her back, a crazed smile on her flushed face. Seemed like she was very excited to show what she had prepared for them. — «Look!! I caught this today! We’re gonna have rabbit meat tonight!» — Sasha dangled the deceased animal in front of their faces.  

«That’s great! You can put that away now though…» — Niklas smiled again, trying hard not to show his discomfort.  

«Can’t wait to taste your dish, Sasha», — Nora said with a soft smile.  

Not her, nor Niklas were friends with any of the current Levi squad members during their training days. Nora knew most of them through their high scores in the final ratings. The dark haired girl, Mikasa, especially stood out to her. Something in her eyes seemed familliar to Nora.  

«See ya later gang! Gotta prepare this baby!» — Sasha happily skipped back to the hut, leaving them alone once again. Nora and Niklas watched her disappear inside.  

«Can you believe we’re in squad Levi, Nora? And with a lot of top rated graduates too!» — addressed her Niklas. Nora frowned.  

«I still can’t really process a lot of what’s happened. Titans are humans? More titan shifters turned out to be traitors? Eren can control the titans? All of this is turning my brain into mush», — complained Nora, demonstrating the last statement by clenching the side of her head with her palm.  

Niklas took a bite of his dish.  

«Yeah, I wasn’t really thinking about that… I was just amazed at how lucky we are to even be here», — he looked into the distance in thought. — «I mean, the whole original Levi squad is dead. Seasoned veterans! And here are we, literal rookies, being hunted down by the whole military police! For something we don’t even know!»  

Nora glanced at Mikasa, Eren and Historia across from them. Coming to a conclusion, she stated:  

«If I’m being completely honest… I haven’t been thinking about anything for the past few days either. Living like this has been… nice. It’s kind of like living inside the walls of Shiganshina again. You know there is a huge threat, but it’s so peaceful around, you just can’t help but relax…»  

Niklas directed his gaze to the same spot she was looking at.  

«Yeah… It’s nice to get to know them better. Mikasa, Eren, Armin… The three of them are so great together. Connie and Sasha are weird, but they’re nice. Jean looks kind of scary at first, but he’s actually a good guy! Historia… everyone says she is acting different, but I never really knew her before, so I guess I can get to know the real her from the very beginning», — recounted Niklas.  

«What about captain Levi?»  

«Huh? What about him?» — Niklas turned to her in confusion.  

Nora suddenly felt shy.  

«I mean… What do you think of captain Levi? I remember, when we first met, you said you didn’t know who he was».  

«Oh nooo, I really said that? That’s embarrassing!» — Niklas laughed awkwardly, scratching his head. — «When you first told me how he was the strongest soldier, I admit, I didn’t believe you. But now, after I’ve seen him in action, well… You’ve seen him too! I have no idea how anyone can do such things!»  

Nora smiled.  

«I agree. When I first heard about him at the training, I was sceptical too. It’s only when I managed to sneak a few peeks of him near the gates that I actually believed it», — a pensive expression appeared on Nora’s face. — «The look in his eyes told me everything. His posture, his expressions, his confidence — this was a man who has been through a lot, and seen all the horrors imaginable. And he still found strength to stand and fight. I really think he is someone we all should look up to and aspire to be».  

Niklas listened to her attentively. He looked closely at the expression on her face.  

«You seem to admire captain Levi a lot, huh?» — a cheeky smile appeared on his face.  

Nora snapped her head towards him.  

«What? What’s with the smile?» — she asked, annoyed.  

«Hehe. Nothing», — his smile widened.  

Nora punched him lightly in the arm.  

«Ouch!»  

«You deserved it», — Niklas fake-frowned at that.  

Silence settled between them after that. Nora turned her attention back to the trio. Now, Mikasa was standing between Historia and Eren, with a strange expression on her face. It almost seemed like she was jealous?..  

Nora knew who Mikasa reminded her of. Both her and Levi shared the same kind of aura, dangerous and deadly. Yet, Mikasa’s seemed so gentle every time she was with her friends Armin and Eren. Especially Eren. Like Ymir and Historia, Nora felt, a sense of purpose for Mikasa lay in him. Her strength, her will, her goals — they were intertwined with the desire to protect. Nora didn’t know what kind of relationship Mikasa and Eren shared. But she could see clearly as day, that Mikasa found peace within her purpose.  

Levi was different. He never seemed to have anyone particular to protect, yet all his actions were as if to fulfill some kind of purpose. He was driven, motivated, he stripped the option to give up from himself. Nora wanted to know, what sort of thing made him keep going for so long. Was there anyone he swore he would protect? Or did he lose them, roaming blindly, trying to achieve what could never be achieved at all?   

Face everything head on, and keep on going, try your best. That’s what he told her, and what she swore to follow. But how can you keep going, when your heart is hollow?  

For me, as long as I remember them, that is enough . Was it really? For Nora, it never was enough. Her parents, friends and neighbours — she forgot them all. Her heart was empty. How could she remember, if her mind decided to erase the memories of a happy childhood? If she had only know suffering, was it enough to push her forward?  

She thought Levi was her will. Someone to admire, and someone to strive to become. Yet, he was a human, and was flawed. There was no ideal in this world. Just like her, he struggled. Now that she saw he felt pain too, could she still put him on a pedestal?  

As soon as the thought rang through her mind, she felt a sense of calmness she’s never felt before. No, she didn’t put him on a pedestal. She hasn’t in a long time. She realized then, she saw him as a human. Despite his neutral face, she saw his deep emotions and his sorrow. He was a human, as well as her, as well as anyone. Somehow, that made her admire him more.  

Through all this time, she got to see him as a soldier. She got to see him as her leader, and someone who cared deeply about every scout. She got to hear his words directed at her only, despite not knowing why he chose to share his thoughts with her. She treasured every moment she got with him, and every sparkle in his eyes that she could catch.  

She didn’t know if she would ever understand him completely. She didn’t know if she would ever know what kind of things he’s seen. Despite it all, she couldn’t wait to see more of the man he was today.  

***  

The stars were especially bright today. The sky was clear, no clouds in sight. A gentle wind caressed the grass beneath her feet as Nora walked out of the house. It wasn’t time to go to sleep yet, so she decided to take a short walk outside.  

She walked along the narrow overgrown path into the forest. Nora wondered who used to walk this old trail before they came. The house seemed abandoned for some time.  

As she turned her head towards the moon, she noticed a figure, illuminated in white light. He was sitting on a slope, leaning on his knee and looking up into the sky.  

Curious, she came closer. Her heart started to beat faster.  

«Captain Levi? Is that you?»  

He slowly turned his head. She came to a stop.  

«What are you doing here?» — she asked.  

«I could ask you the same question. Shouldn’t you be cleaning the inside of the house before I come back?» — he raised his brows a little. Usually, people would assume that everything Levi said was to be taken seriously. However, living with him for some time, Nora started to realize, that a lot of his remarks were not nearly as serious as people liked to think. She smiled lightly.  

«I got bored. I wanted to take a walk. The stars are beautiful tonight», — she gathered her courage, coming closer.  

«Is that so», — his eyes betrayed a hint of a smile. He turned his gaze back to the sky. — «I agree. The stars are beautiful», — he paused for a moment. Nora knew from their previous chats that he was contemplating something. She patiently waited for him to continue. — «You can sit here if you want. It seems that we happened to come to the same place at the same time, with the same purpose in mind. I won’t take away an opportunity from you to enjoy the view».  

She took a sharp breath. Carefully, she sat down next to him, legs crossed. She stared into the sky.  

Yet again, she found herself clueless as to what drove him to do what he did. Again, she put their boudaries to the test, firmly approaching him with no pretence. Disregarding any caution, she took the leap of faith. And somehow, each time, he didn’t reject her. He welcomed her, her questions and her thoughts. Nora didn’t know what it meant for them. She kept watching the sky in contemplation.  

«What is your opinion, working with everyone else?» — Levi broke the silence. Nora, not expecting him to speak, flinched in surprise.  

«Um, what?»  

He turned his head to look at her.  

«Everyone else, except for you and that boy Niklas, had the chance to work together. You don’t seem like you knew the rest of the team before».   

«Oh!» — she exclaimed in understanding, smiling lightly. — «Well, I knew of some of them, but you’re right, me and Niklas have never been close to anyone else. I think we’re all getting along well so far. Sasha is an awesome hunter, and Mikasa can chop up the whole forest if you ask her. They all have their skills», — she paused. Her smile faded. — «Sometimes I forget that this won’t last».  

Levi lowered his eyes, expression tense.  

«I’m asking you this because we only have so much time to get accustomed to each other. Soon, we might have to face against the military police. It’s essential that we learn to work together, as well as train Eren to use his powers».   

Nora nodded. She spoke.  

«How is Eren doing? Did you figure out how he managed to control those titans back then?»  

«No. It’s hard to test this without having access to actual titans. Although, Hange has been conducting her crazy experiments. It brought some results at least».  

Nora vaguely remembered Hange. Long time ago, so long, that most of it was simply a blur, she caught a glimpse of the squad leader. She didn’t remember much, but she did know that Hange had a joyful spirit and a determination to find out everything there was to discover about titans.  

«Squad leader Hange seems like the perfect person to help Eren understand his powers».  

At that, Levi frowned, although his annoyance seemed to be half-hearted.  

«As much as it pains me to admit, Hange’s craziness about titans makes her perfect for the job. Although I don’t envy Eren for having to spend so much time with her».  

In that moment, Nora could swear she caught a barely noticeable, but undoubtedly fond smile on the captain’s face. That made her feel warm inside, overcome with the same feeling. She did not know Hange, but she could see, the squad leader meant a lot to Levi.  

For some insane reason, in her mind, she wondered if Levi would ever feel the same fondness for her. Suddenly, she felt her cheeks heat up. She lowered her gaze to the ground, thankful for the darkness surrounding them.  

To herself, she thought about what this meant for her. She couldn’t dare to contemplate this further. She shouldn’t have, but she did anyway.   

Captain Levi was truly an amazing person. She’s known that for a long time, and now, getting to know him personally, she was sure of it. However, somewhere along the line, the admiration of his image turned to genuine respect for him as a person. And now, that respect turned into… Love?  

She felt an irresistible urge to look at him, as if to prove herself wrong. Or, maybe, to confirm her guess.  

As soon as Nora snapped her head up at him, she saw him staring straight at her. She could feel her heart beating in her chest, steady and loud. His face was coated in gentle moonlight, his eyes reflecting thousands of stars. His gaze… Was full of kindness. To her, he was grateful.  

That didn’t make any sense, but somehow, it felt right. For some reason, Levi was expressing his gratitude to her. She wondered if it was because she came here, by chance, to keep him company. She wondered if he felt alone, and her presence eased his pain a little.  

Or perhaps, she was misreading him, seeing things that weren’t there. After all, she hasn’t known him nearly long enough to say for certain.  

That’s right. They haven’t known each other for long at all, but for some reason, Nora still felt so… safe around him. She didn’t think she could call it love yet, but she acknowledged that, somehow, she felt a little bit too much.  

Abruptly, she broke eye contact, standing up.  

«I think I should keep going. Have to clean that place before you come, after all», — she smiled awkwardly. — «Could you maybe play along and wait for a bit after I go? I need some time to do that, after all», — although she felt confused, looking at him, her smile turned truthful.  

His face, not as visible now that she stood further, held hints of confusion. Seeing her smile, that expression slowly faded, replaced with understanding. He nodded.  

«I will make sure to inspect everything very thoroughly, Nora. Go now», — his voice was light, amused.  

She waved at him, wide smile on her face. Somehow, even like this, he made her smile sincerely. She cradled her hands at her chest, feeling the warmth come back in a strong wave.  

She didn't know what to think.  

7.

As expected, their domestic bliss came to an abrupt end. Forced to take action, the Levi squad, together with Hange’s team, prepared to strike back against the military police.  

Dodging the bullets coming at her, Nora sliced the bodies of the humans aiming at them. Just as Levi said, these soldiers were clearly trained to kill other humans. Their weapons only were proof of that. Nora didn’t know how many people the interior police killed until this point, but she knew that, to survive, she had to take action, before a bullet went through her skull.  

Focused on chasing after the carriage Eren and Historia were in, she barely noticed a soldier ready to shoot her. She stopped mid-air, the bullet flying right in front of her. Reattaching her hooks to the buildings on her left and right sides, she readied her blades. Noticing an opportunity to strike while the soldier was reloading his guns, she charged as fast as she could straight at him.  

Just as she was ready to pierce him with her blades, she saw him point his guns back at her. Realization hit. She wouldn’t make it.  

Everything around seemed to slow. Nora desperately tried to think of a way out, but she saw none.  

Suddenly, a stream of blood clouded her vision. Coming to a stop, she tried to understand what happened. She heard a thud. Looking down, she saw a severed head of the soldier, rolling down the roof and onto the ground.  

Niklas, looking dazed, stood firm right behind the soldier’s headless body. Him and his blades were stained in blood. Suddenly snapping out of it, his eyes went wide and he shouted:  

«We have to go!!»  

He darted right at Nora, tackling her to the floor of the roof, as two gunshots fired right above their heads. They each flew in different directions, separating for a moment, before attacking the shooter from both sides.  

Disoriented, the second soldier didn’t get the chance to react before Nora’s blade pierced right through her chest. She fell to the ground.  

«We have to chase the carriage!» — shouted Nora, pointing in its direction and jumping off to chase after it.  

«Got it!»  

***  

On their way to the Reiss’ estate, they talked.  

«His name is Kenny Ackerman».  

«I’ve felt this surge of power too».  

Kenny Ackerman. Levi Ackerman. Mikasa Ackerman. She finally had her answer as to why she felt such similarity between them. Yet, for an answer like this, they were rewarded with even more mysteries to solve.  

Eren would be eaten? Reiss were the real royal family? With each day, something big and new presented itself at their doorstep. For that reason only, Nora has decided to not think about her feelings. She sat close to Levi on the carriage, trying her best not to think of his warmth next to her.  

Every day since they gazed at the stars together, enjoying a moment of quiet, she came up with reasons to cast away her feelings. She thought of their distance. She knew nothing of his childhood, finding out bits and pieces just as everybody else. He wasn’t her friend, and she had no entitlement to his story. Their age. Although she didn’t know his, she knew for a fact that he was older. Their status. He was her captain, and she was his subordinate.  

Nora convinced herself over and over again to make herself see reason. Each time, it failed. Then, she resorted to distracting herself, focusing on her mission. It worked for some time. Yet, as soon as they got a moment of peace, the feeling resurfaced.  

In the end, she simply stopped thinking. She allowed herself to feel this warmth, accept the way her heart beat just a little faster each time their eyes met.  

Levi, finished talking, turned to look at her. Nora, lost in thought, didn’t notice.  

«Oi. Nora. Are you okay?»   

«Huh?» — she wasn’t expecting him to address her in front of everyone.  

«Yeah, you’ve been looking out of it for some time now!» — added Connie, briefly turning his head around on his horse.  

«Yes, yes, we’re worried!» — loudly chimed in Sasha.  

«It’s true. If anything is bothering you, you know I’m here to listen», — Niklas, sitting across from her, smiled softly. Lately, he has been trying to reach out to her, she noticed. Nora didn’t know how to respond, confused herself, so every time he tried his best to convince her to open up, she kept silent. She simply didn’t know.  

«I think, as it seems we don’t have anything more to discuss, we have time to listen to you, Nora. We must all support each other, right?» — approved their initiative Hange. — «So, what’s on your mind? Telling us might help a lot, you know!»  

«Um…» — all eyes on her, Nora felt a little shy. Even the stoic Mikasa was looking at her with sympathy. — «I guess… I’ve just been dealing with some feelings. And, um… With everything going on, I wasn’t able to properly figure out what I actually feel», — Nora kept her gaze to the ground, scared to look up. — «I still think that I should be able to just get over it and do what I have to do, but somehow, this time, it hasn’t been working».  

She finally got the courage to look up, just to be met with expressions of understanding.  

«I mean… No offence, but it’s not like you ever express much of your feelings to anyone. It doesn’t surprise me that one day it became too much for you», — to Nora’s surprise, Jean was the first to reply.  

«This is true! I’ve always had a hard time dealing with things without expressing my feelings first. It helps a lot to tell someone, especially if they have more experience with the kind of dilemma you have», — followed up Armin.  

«Back then, you were slicing those soldiers like butter. Then, you never spoke about it. Is this what’s been bothering you?» — deadpan as ever, stated Mikasa.  

«She did that??» — exclaimed Sasha in surprise.  

«That is true», — nodded Niklas, his eyes closed and a finger pointed upwards.  

«Says you who decapitated a man», — bit back Nora.  

«Whaaaat??» — exclaimed Sasha yet again. Niklas grimaced.  

«As much as that was gross and genuenly traumatized me for life, I have to admit, that was very badass of me», — he proudly lifted up his head, fighting the urge to vomit.  

Everyone’s faces expressed different levels of disbelief. As Nora glanced at Levi to see his reaction, she found even him looking impressed at the pair’s feats. Somehow, that made her feel some kind of pride, and at the same time — sadness at her actions. She refused to regret anything, but she was sad at the necessity of it all.  

«I see why you guys would think this is the case, but it’s something different…» — once again, she felt the familliar uncertainty. — «This is more of an… ordinary feeling. Something you would feel if you weren’t a soldier».   

«Huh? Do you mean like hunger? Do you want me to whip you out some meat really quick?» — replied Sasha, already salivating.  

«Oi. Keep your obsession down», — reprimanded her Levi. Nora felt grateful for his intervention. She didn’t think she could continue if she allowed herself to change the topic.  

«Sorry, captain!»  

«Well, it’s more like… I think I taught myself to supress my feelings so I could think clearly in extreme situations. The problem is… now, it feels like every time I experience something like happiness, I don’t really understand what it means?» — Nora tried to dance around the subject while still delivering her message. — «So when I try to identify what I actually feel, or if I feel at all, I end up confused?»  

«Hmm. That does sound like a problem», — said Hange, her finger on her lips.  

«Don’t deny any of your feelings to yourself».  

Everyone snapped their heads to Levi, not expecting him of all people to start talking.  

«If you feel something, it’s real. It’s what makes you human. It’s hard to learn this when you are so used to hiding, but eventually, it gets better. It’s okay to not understand at first, but you will figure everything out. You just have to be patient».  

Nora stared at him, shocked. Never had she heard him say anything so sincere and vulnerable, in the presence of so many people. It seemed that everyone else shared the same feelings as her, judging by their surprised expressions.  

Before anyone could say anything in return, Levi interrupted them.  

«We’re almost at the estate. Talk’s over. Get prepared».  

The carriage came to a stop, everyone descending to the ground. As the scouts prepared their gear, Niklas came closer, whispering to her so no one else could hear:  

«Does this have something to do with captain Levi?»  

Nora looked back at him, her knee jerk reaction to deny. However, thinking back to Levi’s advice, she stopped herself. She looked ahead at her captain’s silhouette. Eyes softening, she let the familliar fondness surge through her. Everything he was, his caring nature, his kindness, his determination — those were not just things she admired. She truly, truly loved him, after all.   

«Yes. It does».  

«Are you going to tell him?», — he asked cautiously.  

«Tell him what?» — she asked, just to hear his answer.  

«I actually don’t know. Whatever you feel towards him», — he looked at her face as if to confirm his assumption. — «As much as I like to keep things light when we aren’t in battle, our jobs are lethal. We could be gone any day. Even if he doesn’t feel the same way, do you think you could live without ever knowing? I genuenly want to be sure you aren’t going to suffer», — even though his words could be interpreted as judgemental, Nora knew better. Niklas was by her side all the way since they first met at Trost, and he would never judge her on things like these, no matter what her decision turned out to be in the end.  

Nora looked away, unable to meet his eyes.  

«I will think about it».

 8.

The ocean was mesmerising. The endless blue sparkling in the sun. The sound of waves, coming and coming, coating her legs in pleasant cold. It stretched so far, no walls in sight, she felt she might get lost forever in its beauty.  

«This is nothing like I could have ever imagined…» — said Niklas. — «I think I’m gonna go swim in it».  

«Hey, aren’t you gonna catch a cold? Wait!» — brought back out of her thoughts, Nora tried reaching her hand out to stop him, but the only thing she saw were the spashes of water left behind, him already underwater.  

«Welp. That’s that».  

Giving up on her quest to warn Niklas of a potential future fever, she turned around to observe the others.  

«Wohooo! Is this really all salt water?! Woah, I see something weird…»  

«Oi, Hange. Whatever it is, it’s probably poisonous, so don’t».  

Levi was standing on the sand, hesitant to come close. She smiled. Even the strongest soldier had a fear of the unknown.  

Coming out of the water, she came to stand next to him.  

«Aren’t you going to enjoy the water too?»  

He folded his arms in front of him, not looking away from the ocean.  

«I am perfectly content here».  

Nora chuckled, smiling warmly.  

«As you say, captain».  

They stood in silence, watching everyone splash in water. The sound of the waves calmed her mind. This sight in front of them — it represented everything they worked for, everything they killed for. All the sacrifices, losses and tragedies, they all led to this moment. From now on, she knew it, nothing would be the same.  

«I can’t believe we’ve come so far», — a stream of consciousness, she let her words pour out from inside her soul. — «To think, five years ago, I never knew the ocean even existed. And now, I’m standing right in front of it. It’s like a fairytale».  

Barely audible, Levi let out a breath, agreeing with her.  

«You grew up in Shiganshina, right?»  

«Oh. Yeah, I did», — not knowing why he asked that, she confirmed, intrigued by his question. He’s never asked about her childhood before. Not just that. Her past, as the past of everyone else, was never mentioned unless it was relevant. Especially Levi’s, scraps of it revealed to them out of necessity. For months, the only thing they focused on was survival, no place to reminisce about the past.  

«Was anyone around you interested in the outside? At wall Maria, you were the closest to the world out there», — continued Levi.  

Nora thought hard about her answer.  

«Unfortunately, my mind seems to remember very little from that time. I think, for me back then, it was too much, so I chose to forget unknowinly», — she hasn’t had a reason to think about this for a long time. Always striving to achieve her goal, to train, do her best as a soldier, she was focused on the present day. She never knew how to feel about this. Now, though, she felt deep sadness trying to recall the memories of the times when she was happy. — «I remember how I felt. I felt… content. Happy with the life I had. I didn’t know anything about the outside world other than the titans, and the scouts, marching out here. From what Armin told us, only a small group of dedicated people had any knowledge from outside the walls», — she frowned. — «After Shiganshina fell, it was as if a switched flipped inside of me. Suddenly, I realized how blind I was to what was out there. I wanted to make the titans disappear. I wanted everyone to live a peaceful life», — she smiled sadly. — «After everything I went through, however, and seeing all these marvelous things, not just the enemy I imagined beyond the walls, I want to explore it. I hope we get the chance to».  

After Levi realized she finished speaking, he replied, a thoughtful expression on his face.  

«Hm. I see».  

Suddenly, Nora felt embarrassed. She turned her head to look at him.  

«Oh! I’m sorry, I think I’m rambling now…»  

«It’s fine. I asked», — he replied, facing her as well.  

«Why did you want to know, though? Don’t the people in your hometown also live the same way?»  

«No. They don’t».  

The familliar expression of hesitance and deep thought appeared on Levi’s face. Nora held her breath, waiting patiently.  

Levi sighed, directing his gaze back at the ocean ahead.  

«I didn’t grow up in the walls. I grew up in the Underground», — not daring to interrupt, Nora listened attentively. — «It’s hard to escape to the surface if you are born there. Life isn’t easy back down. For as long as I can remember, the only thing people ever strived towards was to get out. Saving up as much money as they could, trying to sneak past the guards, anything they could come up with», — he paused for a moment. — «Each one of us dreamed of looking up and seeing the blue skies above. Somehow, I thought the people on the surface would have the same dream. To see the clear horizon ahead».  

«Oh…»  

Nora breathed out, her eyes on him, filled with sympathy and understanding. His past, she felt, was something guarded by a thousand doors inside his heart. She couldn’t know what he went through, but she felt grateful for his trust. She felt, they were a little closer.  

The waves kept splashing on the sand. Looking up, Nora saw a bird flying by. She thought to herself if they could call themselves free birds as well. From Grisha Yeager’s journals, they knew of the nations ahead. Was this their new obstacle, new enemies to battle? If so, could they be truly free one day? Or trapped in an endless cycle of new burdens to carry on their shoulders?  

A faint, barely noticeable warmth caressed her palm. Nora froze, her eyes wide, unable to think. Few moments later, she felt her pinkie bend, someone’s finger intertwining with hers. She inhaled sharply, scared to move.  

Suddenly, countless thought raced through her mind. What did this mean? What should she do? Was this real, or just her imagination?  

Closing her eyes for a second, she remembered his words. Don’t deny your feelings. She wasn’t going to, not anymore.  

Slowly, she twisted her finger out of his touch. A brief, faint sigh of disappointment could be heard from beside her. She quickly found her way back to him, carefully embracing his palm in her own. The contact was light, hesitant, but firm and determined. He squeezed her hand in return, tension dissipating from his figure.  

No matter what future awaited them ahead, right at this moment, all she could feel was love. Two hearts, beating together, assured to stay by each other’s side. She closed her eyes, wind caressing her hair.  

«I’m glad we got to see this view together, Levi».  

«Me too».  

9.

Four years pass in a blur, trying to figure out the best course of action for Paradis. Political relations, threats of The Rumbling, Eren’s time limit, unlikely allies from the outside — everything all at once made Nora feel her days drag slowly.  

Weeks after months, she sees the shift. Eren, usually determined, full of passion, changes. Until one day, he’s gone. Complete silence.  

Then, a letter arrives. Then another, and another. A simple action leads to a massive attack on the city of Liberio, Marley’s internment zone. Yet again, Nora kills humans. Again, she feels no regret.  

Back on board of the airship, Sasha gets shot. Eren laughs. Nora thinks she understands.  

Connie doesn’t. He asks why would he laugh at her death. Their faces ashen. Nora thinks Connie is an idiot. Nora wants to blame Eren as well.  

«At least she passed thinking of her favourite meal», — hastily wiping the teardrops gathering at the corners of his eyes, Niklas struggled to keep himself together. — «I just want to know why… Why did Eren do all of this».  

Nora felt numb.  

«I don’t believe he wanted this to happen», — said Nora. Niklas looked at her, expression broken, barely hopeful. — «But I feel like this isn’t the last feat he will throw. I don’t want anyone to get hurt anymore, but I doubt we have a choice».  

***  

Nora wanted to feel angry. She couldn’t. No matter how much she tried to blame someone for this, she knew she never would. Blaming Eren was like blaming herself. Because she felt like they did what was right. Despite the losses, it felt good. It felt good to finally strike back against those people who wanted them extinct.  

A lot of soldiers lost their lives. Sasha just happened to be one of them. Countless of little circumstances coming together, a warrior candidate girl climbing the ship never crossed their minds. If she wanted to blame someone for Sasha’s death, it would be those who forced them to take action in the first place — Marley.  

That didn’t mean she didn’t miss her friend. Their team would never be the same without her, she knew that. Unknowingly, she found herself right outside of the cemetery. At Sasha’s grave, Mikasa sat, her head buried in her arms. Nora decided not to disturb her.  

«This is the second time we find each other at the same place at the same time», — turning around, she saw Levi standing right behind her.  

«You scared me a bit, captain. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with Zeke right now?»  

«I will be heading out shortly. I’ve had enough of the monkey for now. Had to check how my team was coping, so I assumed I’d find some of you here», — he briefly glanced at Mikasa. — «I wasn’t mistaken, as it seems».  

Nora lowered her head, understanding what he implied.  

«That’s very kind of you».  

A moment of silence passed between them.  

«I think we should go. I suppose she doesn’t want to be disturbed right now. Unless you wanted to say your goodbyes as well?» — asked her Levi.  

«It’s alright. I don’t know why I came here anyway».  

As they started walking, Nora felt a huge weight start to choke her. She had to say something.  

«I don’t understand why this is happening to us. All we’ve ever wanted was to be free, but once we were free from the titans, someone worse came to wipe us out of existence. It’s as if any of our efforts are rewarded with greater suffering», — Nora felt tears start to well up in her eyes. — «The worst part is, I understand why Eren did this. I wanted us to be free so bad as well, but everyone is against us. It’s so easy to just act violently and prove that our lives are worth living with weapons. That’s all we’ve ever known, after all».  

She stopped under a tree, head down, trying to keep her tears from falling to the ground. Levi came up to her, and took her hands in his without hesitation. She looked into his eyes, tears streaming down her face after all.  

«When I first came up to the surface, I didn’t know any other way but violence. It took me years to figure out how to not look at every stranger with hostility. Even more — to start figuring out how the laws worked, and the government inside the walls», — he gently brushed her fingers with his own. — «Even though our shitty situation is different from that, I think it has some similarities. We were trained to kill our enemies all our lives, yet suddenly, we have to think of ways to negotiate with those imbeciles instead of just slicing their heads off», — he rolled his eyes, demonstrating the absurdity of this situation. Nora chuckled a little at this display. — «In the end, you and I are soldiers. It’s not our job to fix the world. Let yourself mourn for now, and trust that our superiors, including commander four-eyes, of course, will come up with the best solution for this».  

Nora smiled warmly as her tears ran out. Despite rarely expressing himself, Levi had a deep understanding of other people’s feelings. The way he seeked them out today, knowing her and others needed support, showed that he cared for them.  

«Thank you», — she said sincerely, squeezing his hands to show her appreciation. — «Sometimes it does feel like all of the world’s problem lie on our shoulders».  

His eyes hardened in determination, not losing the warmth they held before.  

«I will always be here by your side. By the team’s side», — he said with conviction.  

Looking deep into his eyes, Nora felt these words resonate inside. She knew he meant them, with his whole being.  

A light breeze combed through their hair, and Nora felt at peace. The grey clouds in the sky above reflected Levi’s eyes, loving and alive. The warmth of his hands held a hundred promises, each one carefully treasured and fulfilled, two pieces of a mosaic fitting together in a beautiful shape. The leaves of the tree above them rustled in a peaceful melody.  

For a moment, she wanted to lean closer, breathing in unison. She wanted to put her lips on his, pouring her love and gratitude the only way she felt would be right. All her appreciation through the years, in a single moment of culmination.  

His expression was content, compassionate to its core. She felt, whatever move she made, he would accept the way thing would turn out to be.  

Acceptance, however, is not always of things that make us happy. She hesitated, looking down.  

«Thanks you for staying by our side, Levi».  

He brushed her hands one last time, slowly letting go. She thought she could see his eyes sparkle with sadness.  

«Everything will be alright».  

10.

«Hey, Nora, come try this!»  

A while ago, they got to visit Marley as civilians. Walking through the world far more advanced than theirs, foreign and unexplored, Nora felt out of place. The Marleyans around were happy and proud, an illusion of peace. She felt like she was back inside the walls again, an ignorant child.  

How could all these people pretend like everything was fine? She thought. These people all pretended that their nation wasn’t in a constant state of war. Pretended that there weren’t countless of refugees walking among them. Pretended that the Eldians in their nation did not exist.  

Lastly, they did not pretend to hate the «island devils». That was the only genuine thing these people felt. The Marleyan people were taught to share a burning hatered for everyone different from them. The wonders that they saw, beautiful alleys and delicious ice-cream — were just another lie.  

And now, at one of countless refugee camps, they had their proof.  

«I tried it already. It’s gross».  

«Aww, come on! Don’t you wanna get drunk?» — Niklas, a cup in hand, laughed joyfully.  

Nora looked around at their team, singing along the songs in a different language the refugees were teaching them, dancing without care.  

Looking further, she spotted a figure at the entrance, talking to someone else. She locked her eyes on him.  

«I think I’m gonna go outside. I don’t feel very festive right now».  

Following her gaze, Niklas squinted his eyes. Recognising who she was looking at, he broke into a goofy smile.  

«Hehe, I see. You can’t fool me, Nora».  

Niklas took a swing out of his cup. Nora felt her cheeks heat up.  

«Go, go, tell him everything already. The night is so romantic right now, the stars and everything!» — he swung his arm in the air, as if demonstrate these stars above. Unfortunately for him, the roof of the tent refused to prove his point.  

Looking at Niklas out of the corner of her eye, Nora contemplated.  

«I wouldn’t want to disturb him, you know… I think he’s busy».  

«Excuses, excuses! Here, look, the other person is walking away right now», — pointing at the exit, said Niklas. Looking at the place he was pointing at, Nora realized that indeed, the other person has already walked away.  

Suddenly, Nora felt overwhelmed. She cradled her head in her arms.  

«Ahhhhh! What the hell?? Okay!»  

«Wohooo!! Gooo! Hahahaha!» — happily swinging his arms, exclaimed Niklas.  

Bravely marching out of the tent, Nora felt her thoughts go blank. She didn’t know what she was doing, but she felt like she couldn’t back out now.  

As she nothing short of jumped out of the tent, Levi, surprised, turned to face her.  

«Nora. What are you doing here?» — his voice was calm and kind, although confused.  

«Um…»  

Frozen in place, she desperately tried finding words to say. He was looking at her with care and concern, and she was sure her face was flushed with red.  

«Uhhh…» — looking around, she spotted Hange in the distance. — «Were you talking to commander Hange just now?»  

He was looking at her, trying to decipher what her intentions were from the expression on her face.  

«Yes. We were worried if the brats could handle drinking for the first time», — it seemed that he decided to play along.  

«Ah, I see. I think they’ll be fine. They’ve been singing the wrong lyrics horribly for the past fifteen minutes», — she chuckled, the silly image fresh in her mind.  

«Tch. My ears have been suffering out here from their screeching all night», — despite sounding annoyed, his expression was fond. — «But I suppose they deserve it. After all they’ve been through».  

«Yeah».  

They stood in silence for a bit, listening to the excited voices of others inside.  

«Why aren’t you with them, Nora? I thought you’d like to spend this evening having fun».  

Brought back to reality, Nora remembered what she came here for. Her heart started beating faster, breathing deep.  

«Yeah… Actually, I wanted to talk to you».  

«Hm? About what?» — looking at her, asked Levi, intrigued.  

Nora bit her lip from the inside of her mouth, thinking of ways to start. A loud thud followed by shouts was heard from the tent, and Nora flinched.  

«Actually, can we go somewhere quieter?»  

«Definitely. I need some peace and quiet anyway», — he turned around, gesturing for her to follow. — «Let’s go».  

They kept walking from the tent until they saw the dim lights from the rest of the camp. The moon shone brightly above, awakening old memories.  

«This reminds me of a few years ago, when we went from place to place, guarding Eren and Historia», — she looked up at the stars. — «I can’t believe these stars are still the same from back then. We are so far away from home, but the sky stays still».  

Levi hummed in agreement, gazing up as well.  

«I never said thank you for that time».  

Nora looked back at him.  

«What do you mean?»  

«The time you came to the forest and found me. Just like now, we both looked at the night sky together», — he gazed at her as well. Again, his eyes were full of stars, little glimpses of hope. — «It meant a lot to me. Thank you».  

Suddenly, she felt herself go weak. Nora exhaled, her heart filled with immeasurable tenderness. That day, she felt his gratitude cradle her in its arms, giving her tiny glimpses of his soul. That day, she realized her own unbreakable appreciation, for her to be so lucky as to have him by her side. Love him with her whole being. Never could she assume she knew his heart, but now, she felt so peaceful, and so relieved to be correct in her foolish assumptions.  

«Levi…»  

His name rolled easily from her tongue, a second nature. He looked into her eyes, and waited patiently, just like she did for him through all these years. She gathered every feeling from the depth of her heart, inhaling sharply, and let herself speak.  

«When I was younger, you were always the one I admired. You were my reason to keep going, to get better and make a difference. I watched you from a distance, like an ideal I’d always chase after», — she took another shuddering breath, afraid but determined. His eyes softened, as if to say, it’s okay. — «When I got close to you for the first time, I couldn’t let myself walk away without talking to you at least once. I was so bold and insolent, but I thank you so much for giving me a chance to get to know you», — nervously, she let out a laugh. She stepped closer, an attempt to make herself be brave. — «Knowing you, being by your side, fighting for the same cause… It’s all I could have ever asked for. You are incredible, I mean it truly and wholeheartedly. And I…»  

She stumbled, mouth agape. Her words stuck in her throat, no matter how hard she tried to get them out.  

Suddenly, Levi took a small step, his palms hovering right below hers. She looked down, unable to speak, and hesitantly raised her hands just slightly. He held her, gently. He held her like the most valuable treasure in the universe.  

«Idiot. You’re saying all these grand words, but you don’t realize I can say the same about you».  

Eyes watering, she didn’t dare to look away.  

«Nora. You are incredible. Your sheer will to keep going, and to adapt to thing you’ve never dealt with before. Your strength, it truly fascinates me», — he paused, reading her expression closely, as if to see if she would step away, not wanting to hear more. She didn’t. — «Being by your side was all I could have asked for, too. I want you to know that».  

Speechless, she smiled. In her smile, she wanted him to see her joy. Right now, she was immeasurably happy, filled with pure, indestructible love. No matter what, she felt she always would, and always did, love him, grateful for his existence.  

She stepped even closer, unsure of what she wanted to do. Letting go of his hands, she carefully, warmly embraced him, lying her cheek on his shoulder. She heard him make a small, brief sound of surprise, but moments later, he put his arms around her back in return.  

Together, they stayed under the moonlight for some time. Their hearts beating in unison, a perfect melody. She felt his love embrace her, and hoped he felt hers in return.  

***  

Nora heard the sound of noise fill up her ears. An endless, empty void swallowed her whole, and she was sinking slowly, slowly, slowly.  

Levi, mauled and unmoving, lay right in front of her, his bloody figure on the grass. The shouts of the Yeagerists did not register in her mind. The world was grey, devoid of colour. She was drowning, her vision filled with water. Nothing made sense.  

Briefly coming to her senses, she realized, she was being carried away by the stream. Somehow, she must have jumped into the river nearby. Nora ordered herself to keep it together, trying to swim out to the surface.  

Slowly, the noise subdued, and she was able to resurface and take a deep breath. Slowly making her way to the land, she battled against the current to stay on course.  

Nora crawled out on the shore, coughing out the water. Checking her gear, she sighed in relief to discover it intact. Her arms and legs trembled, as she slowly pulled herself up.  

Keep moving .  

She made her way into the forest. When she plunged into the water, she saw someone alongside her. Hange had Levi. She was sure of it.  

Determined, steady, her unbreaking iron will pushed her forward.  

***  

It took her hours of roaming along the forest, searching for a single sign, but eventually, she found them.  

A steady sound of fire crackling, and Hange, carefully bandaging a still figure on a makeshift carriage. The rustling of the twigs immediately alerted her, and she reached for her weapons.  

«Who’s there?! Oh… Nora», — relaxing, she sighed in relief, lowering her hands. — «It’s just you».  

Nora’s eyes were focused on Levi, his left eye could be seen out of the bandages. She forbid herself to think.  

«Is he..?»  

«He’s alive».  

Nora breathed out, feeling a weight on her shoulders lift just a little. He was alive .  

«Come here. I know».  

Nora slowly approached them, sitting down next to Levi’s still form. She raised her trembling hand, putting it on his left cheek, where his only eye was visible, tightly shut.  

Hange looked at her with sorrow.  

«I’ve been doing everything I can to close his wounds. He should be stable. Right now, the only thing we can do is let him rest».  

Nora caressed him just under his eye, careful to not disturb his injuries.  

«Thank you».  

Hange smiled sadly, looking at her. Her eyes were filled with understanding.  

«I would never give up on him. And I know you wouldn’t either, seeing as you walked all this way just to find us», — slowly, Hange stood up. — «I know how much he means to you. And I know how much you mean to him. Me and him, we’ve known each other for a long time, you know», — she smiled. — «I will let you have a moment with him alone. I trust you to watch over him. This fire needs some more firewood, anyway».  

Hange turned to the forest and made her way out of the clearing. Nora watched her disappear behind the trees, then looked back to Levi beside her.  

His expression was peaceful, despite most of his face being covered in bandages. She looked closely at his wounds, noticing two of his fingers missing on his right hand. With her left hand, she gently covered his, barely touching.  

«Hmm…»  

She snapped her head back to his face, hearing his groan. Slowly, he opened his eye.  

«You’re here…», — he whispered quietly. She smiled, tears of relief gathering in her eyes.  

«I’m here».  

His single eye held so much love and adoration, his gratitude for her existence. She felt the time slow down, coming to a stop, and all the trees around them sung a hushed melody. Through all the odds, the ups and down, they both were here, together and alive.  

«I never wanted you to see me in such a shitty state. I guess it can’t be helped».  

She chuckled wetly, caressing his cheek. Her vision blurred.  

«Have I ever told you, you have the most mesmerising eyes I’ve ever seen?»  

His hoarse voice rang loud in her mind, and she leaned down. He closed his eye, and felt a touch of her lips, landing just below it.  

She kissed him, the only place where the wounds didn’t touch his face, and that felt right. Maybe it wasn’t perfect, but to them, it meant everything.  

+1  

The world was healing slowly. Rubble and dust have settled, giving way to new life. Old crossroads overgrew with grass, the new ones carved in their place.  

Nora was walking down the quiet street of a once loud town. The wind blew leaves off of the trees, a symbol of the summer’s end. Niklas walked beside her, smiling lightly.  

«It’s great how much this place has transformed since we’ve seen it last, isn’t it?», — he asked.  

«Considering last time it was all squished under the titans’ feet, yes, that’s for sure», — at that, she saw Niklas frown.  

«Aw, come on. Focus on the positive», — he said in playful annoyance.  

«Okay, okay. I will», — she laughed, a bittersweet emotion. — «Can you believe we can actually relax now? I have absolutely no idea what to do with my life».  

«Hahaha, same! All I can think is to teach kids how to swing sharp objects in the air. Even that, I don’t know if I would be great at teaching», — replied Niklas.  

«Pff. Never know till you try, I guess. I could teach kids how to stab people».  

«Amazing. Although, I already know what you wanna do with your life. Hehe», — Niklas smiled cheekily, hand on his chin and eyes squinted.  

Nora slowly turned to face him, suspicious of his words.  

«What».  

«Hehe. Ehehehe», — he kept crackling, backing away in small steps from a grim-faced Nora. — «You want to get married to your beloved Levi and have ten kids together- Ow!!»  

Nora smacked him on the head, hard, but not enough to hurt. Niklas slowly descended to the ground, dramatically clutching his head.  

«You killed me. I’m dead. Remember me, world. Eugh…»  

Crouching, he closed his eyes, head tilted to the side and tongue out at the corner of his mouth. This was a true image of tragedy.  

Nora stood there, observing the display. She chuckled lightly.  

«Maybe I do want to marry him, actually».  

«What?!» — immediately animated, Niklas suddenly opened his eyes and jumped up from the ground.  

«Maybe no kids though. I know nothing about how to raise them», — she put her finger to her lips in thought. — «I’d love to run a tea shop together. He’s always loved tea», — she smiled fondly.  

«Woooow…» — fascinated, Niklas stared at her. — «You actually admitted it».  

«Why not», — she shrugged.  

«Says you who kept quiet about it for years. I mean, I, of course, knew, but you still refused to tell me», — he placed a fake expression of sadness on his face, a hand on his heart to emphasise his hurt.  

Her smile turned sad.  

«If I’m honest, I’m sorry, Niklas. I know you did your best to support me, but I was so lost in my own feelings, I was scared to voice them at all», — she lowered her head. — «Even to myself».  

Niklas looked up, surprise on his face.  

«Oh, I’m not actually hurt. It’s alright. I get it. I’m just happy everything turned out okay», — he watched her face closely. — «Did it..?»  

He squinted his eyes at her, demanding answers.  

«Ummm… I sort of told him but not really?..»  

Frowning at that statement, Niklas looked around. As if by magic, he found exactly what he was looking for.  

«Oh, look!» — Niklas pointed somewhere enthusiastically. Nora followed his gaze. — «There is who we need. What a coincidence. Now go, get your man!»  

He pushed her forward with no explanation, right to the figure across the road. As she looked back, confused, she saw that Niklas has already disappeared.  

Just like the first time she met him, Nora found herself approaching Levi without much hesitation. Steady and decisive, she stood at the left side of his wheelchair.  

Levi was holding an empty pack of sweets, a group of happy children tasting the candies in front of him. She looked down at him, a smile on her face.  

«Hello».  

Already expecting her to talk, he glanced up, eyes warm.  

«Hello, Nora».  

«How are you feeling?»  

He looked down at his right arm, as if to inspect the damage.  

«I’m feeling a lot better».  

«That’s good to hear».  

Comfortable silence settled between them, as they watched the orange leaves fall down, together. It reminded her of shooting stars.  

«I never got to say what I wanted to say back then», — said Nora.  

«When?» — he asked, expression curious.  

She felt a lightness in her body, a feeling of freedom never felt before. Everything was different now. They were free.  

«Back at the camp, when we saw the stars the second time together».  

«I remember that day», — he said, thoughtful expression on his face.  

Nora walked around his chair, and stood in front of him to look into his eyes. One eye unseeing, the beautiful soul behind them saw no change. Scarred and worn, he was as beautiful as ever. Most valuable treasure she has ever found.  

«I wanted to tell you, Levi, that I love you».  

She felt a sunshine in her soul, a flutter of wings in her chest. She smiled with sincerest joy, and saw in front of her the person she loved more than world itself.  

Slowly, his lips turned upwards, and he returned her smile. So gentle and so small, this memory would stay forever in her heart.  

Levi reached for her cheek with his undamaged hand, and she leaned closer to his touch. She saw acceptance in his gaze, but this time, she was sure of what he wanted her to do. Nora saw him close his eyes, as she put her hands on the railings of his chair, and kissed him gently on the lips.  

He caressed her face tenderly, combing the strands of her hair through his fingers. A million sparkles danced on her skin from his touch, and it seemed to go on forever, ever, ever.  

Finally, as a thousand years passed, she opened her eyes. He broke the kiss, and put their foreheads together. She felt his breath on hers, and saw him clearly, his whole heart in the open, for her and her alone.  

«I love you too».   

He smiled, happiness radiating like the sun. She chuckled, overwhelmed with joy.  

«Thank you for not being afraid of me. Thanks to you, I felt what it is like to love someone so deeply, and to allow myself to do so. Thank you for staying by my side through everything, Nora».  

She cradled his face, looking into his eyes. Her smile never faltered.   

«Always. I will always stay with you».  

She heard him chuckle, and then laugh. For the first time ever, she saw him so happy, so content. She wanted to bring him the moon, and all the flickering stars at his fingertips, just to hear him laugh again and again, for as long as she would live.  

«Well… I warn you, I can be a big piece of work. If you’ll have me, I would love to spend my life with you, too».  

The memories of everything, the happiness and sorrow, and every day she shared with Levi, she saw them clear as day. He gave her purpose, filled up the emptiness left behind by days of childhood she lost. One day, she hoped to remember those days, fondly, and tell him distant stories of the girl she used to be.   

Today, however, she was content. The imperfect world of their making, and every single person on this planet, working hard to make it into something they’d be proud of.  

Just for now, she allowed herself to live without care. The way things were today, she was okay.  

«I would never trade that work for anything in the world».  

As the sun was shining in the sky, blue and clear of any clouds, she kissed him yet again. Two white feathers slowly fell together, carried by the wind in an enthralling, gentle dance.