The silence is thick, air palpable as Levi looks down to see you there, on the boat. It is you right? Not another hallucination? Not another fucked up dream? Really you? Levi can do nothing but stare silently as though in a trance, eyes not once leaving yours.
Yelena calls to the Anti-Marleyan volunteers around her telling them to bring the Marleyan soldiers off the ship to the shore. Hange finally reacts turning to Levi, who still hasn't recovered from his shock. "Levi..." They mutter but stop in surprise as they look to see that tears have filled Levi's eyes. A sight they had never seen before. You break eye contact first, following Yelena and the others off the ship, as the other Scouts in the area also notice your presence and bound over to you. Levi finally breaks free from his reverie as he turns to Hange who looks at him silently. "Oi... Hange... you see her too right... that's... [y/n]?" Hange nods, as they see a lone tear slip down his cheek.
You approach the shore, Yelena calling for the Volunteers to follow her as they walk to a distance, but you turn as yells and sobs fill the air.
"Captain [y/n]!!"
"You're okay!!"
"We thought you died!!"
"We thought we'd never see you again!!"
"We're so sorry!!"
You feel your heart warm at the sight of the Scouts running towards you as Jean, Connie and Sasha go to embrace you, immediately crying their hearts out. Armin and even Mikasa stand in front of you tears in their eyes as they look to you in complete and utter relief. You let out an emotional laugh, your own tears flowing down your cheeks as you look to your squad. Your Squad, here with you. "What, you guys miss me or something," you smile as they continue to shout out in their relief and apologies. You frown half-heartedly as Jean speaks of his apologies the most, "I-I'm so sorry Captain!" He yells out. "I-It was my fault that day... if I had just told you to kill Reiner in the first place-" You cut him off swiftly as you pat his head gently. "What are you saying? Of course, it's not your fault," You say in a soft but authoritative tone. "We all let our guard down that day, I don't blame you, or anybody."
They continue to sob until they tire themselves out. Eren joins you as well after a moment, transforming out of his Titan, also exclaiming in relief. You look at him in surprise, he had grown so much since you left, they all had. But you saw something different in Eren's eyes. It was like he knew something you all didn't. You give them all a hug and continue to comfort them as they finally accept that you are in fact, still alive and that their beloved Captain has come home. They only reluctantly pull away when they hear the fast pace of footsteps approach you. Your eyes widen as you see Hange's leaping form approach you. "[y/n]~!!!" They crash into you, causing the both of you to topple into the sand. The Scouts around you start to smile and laugh at the sight of you struggling with a sobbing Hange.
"[y/n]!!" They continue to yell, tears streaming down their face. "I knew you were alive!! I knew you weren't dead!!" They continue to ramble on and on about how they knew you would survive, how they had believed in you and missed you all this time. Your tears continue to pour as you grip onto them tightly. You had missed Hange. When you finally pull away, however, you are met with a sight you had waited to see for so long. The man you had waited a year for. Levi. Hange slowly stands up, relief finally sufficing their system, as you also stand up on the sandy shore.
Hange looks between you and Levi, seeing you both staring silently at each other. They have a knowing look on their features as they call to the squad, who look curiously at the suddenly tense atmosphere. Hange takes the squad members away from the shore back to their makeshift campsite, as they get ready to meet with Yelena and the rest of the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers. But you could scarcely care. There is silence in the air as the rowdy voices of your squad members fade into the distance. It's so silent you can hear the lull of the waves hitting the shore and retreating into the ocean. It was just you and him now alone on the shoreline, and suddenly you felt a wave of nerves fill you. It had been a year, what would he say to you? Would he be angry? Would he be happy? Would he even want you back?
Tears prick your eyes as you divert your gaze from the man in front of you who still is rooted on the spot, frozen before you. His eyes look to you blankly and yet full of such deep emotion all at the same time. "Levi..." You mutter, voice cracking slightly as you look at the sand in front of you. "I-I'm sorry. I wanted to come back to you earlier, I swear I did! But... it was all too much, and I had to wait a year and I'm sorry but... but I missed you so much and-" Your rambles fill the air nonstop as you try to apologise and yet express the sorrow you felt in his absence for what felt like a lifetime. Levi watches you silently struggle, tears pouring down your face, but your voice is muffled to him as he looks at you. His angel returned to him.
"Levi, I'm so sorr-"
You're cut off by a warm pair of lips on your own. Your eyes flutter closed as he moves against you softly before the kiss becomes more passionate; more heated. The both of your hearts thrum to life at the other's touch, something you both had so missed, something you both had been torturously deprived of. His trembling hands move to your waist as he pulls you impossibly closer. Your hands move from your side, moving up his torso before grasping gently yet so desperately at his raven locks, holding onto him like it was the last thing you'd ever do. The kiss is warm and the kiss is wet, as both of your tears mingle down your cheeks, lost in your joy and your sorrow. You pull away gasping for breath as he does the same, tears still streaming down your face, the both of you still in the other's embrace.
"Y-you're alive," Levi stutters looking into your eyes before pulling you against his body and welcoming your familiar fragrance. You nod against his chest as you hold onto him, arms tight against his torso. You stay there for a long moment before pulling away, Levi quickly grasping onto one of your hands as though he couldn't bear to be out of your hold for longer than a second. He uses the other hand to caress your face, gently pushing away a strand of your hair before his sharp grey eyes scan your features in relief. "Did they hurt you?" He asks, his voice barely a whisper above the wind, but you shake your head trying to ease the worry that caused a crease between his brows. "I'm okay." You say, wiping his tears with your free hand. You frown slightly at his slightly paler completion even in the dim light of the moon, how he looks so much more exhausted than usual, how his face seems more hollow somehow.
"Have you been looking after yourself, Levi?" You pout softly looking at him as he averts his gaze before looking back to you. You see the turmoil in his eyes reflect your own as he observes how you also seem more tired than usual, smaller than usual too. You lean into his touch but your eyes don't leave the other. Levi avoids your question but instead says something that tells you all you need to know about the unrest he went through without you by his side. The despair he so desperately tried and failed to hide among prying eyes was presented before you. "I love you," he mutters under his breath, only for you to hear. Your heart hammers against your chest at his proclamation. "Never leave me alone, again." More tears fall onto your face as he catches them on his fingertips before pulling you in for a brief, gentle kiss. When you pull away you smile up at him, a real genuine smile, it had been so long since you felt the bliss.
Levi looks at you, awe betraying his eyes as your angelic features upturn into the sight he had longed for. "I love you too, Levi," you say caressing his face. "And I'm not leaving you, not ever again." You watch as solace takes over the pain that Levi had endured for so long. His own lips upturn into a gentle smile; your favourite scene in the world. The both of you could stay there holding the other's hand, embracing the other's warmth and looking into the other's eyes for millennia. But, unfortunately, reality catches up to you, as the voice of Hange rings through from a distance, "Hey, love-birds, I'm sorry but we're going to have to start the interrogation soon! [y/n], they're also asking for you, said you knew what this was all about!"
Hange's voice causes Levi to turn to them, annoyance now clouding his face. But you simply laugh at the familiar sight, before replying to Hange putting your free hand in the air. "We'll be right there Hange!" You yell before you turn to Levi, squeezing his hand gently. You let out a giggle as you smile up at his obvious bitterness. "What?" You say, but the sight of you, laughing and smiling and present with him, almost instantly melts his features. He shakes his head before tugging your hand with his own pulling the both of you across the shore and to the makeshift campsite the Scouts have readied by the ocean. Only this time, when others look at the both of you inquisitively, Levi doesn't let go of your hand in his.
.....
You sit next to Levi who sits next to Hange, while Yelena and another Anti-Marleyan Volunteer, Onyankopon, sits opposite the table in front of you. The four of you observe as Hange looks at the pistol you presented them, and the multiple bullets stored within it. "Ah, I see! That's how it shoots a bunch!" Hange exclaims in awe as they look at the weapon. "That's standard issue in Marley," Yelena speaks up from in front of them, holding a cup of tea in her hand. "The Marley army has 20,000 soldiers per division. With 50 divisions, that's 1,000,000 soldiers. There's also the navy with three fleets each comprised of 21 battleships. They've made tremendous progress in new weapons and aerial warfare as well." There is a deep silence before Hange speaks up from next to Levi. "Aerial...?"
"In other words, vehicles allowing one to attack the enemy from the sky," Onyankopon speaks up as he looks to Hange. At his words, Hange stood up in shock. "Huh?! From the sky?!" Levi maintains the irritated look on his face unliking the way Hange makes them look weak and unintelligible next to those in Marley. "If Marley had such capabilities this whole time, why haven't they attacked in over a year?" You nod at Hange's words before speaking up, looking at the cup of tea in front of you and swirling it periodically in small motions. "There are two main reasons," you say, as everyone's eyes now turn to you. "One being the Pure Titans released here. Even with the latest weapons they would hinder a land assault. They were used as a tool to confine us Eldians within the walls, but in turn, they've also protected us from invasion."
You look up to see Levi's eyes sharp in the glowing lights as he meets your gaze, there was such irony of the situation you have found yourselves in. "Though dawn is coming soon, and that's when the Titans are active," Yelena says from across the table. "But if we're way out here, sipping tea outside the walls..." You turn to Levi and Hange in shock finishing Yelena's sentence. "You must've killed all the Titans roaming around." There is a tense silence in the air as Yelena stares intently at the two Scouts in front of her. "Is that true?" Levi interrupts quickly, uncertainty in his eyes. "And what if it is? You gonna report that to Marley?" But he is met with a look of astonishment and admiration as Yelena replies. "No, it blows away my expectations."
"And what's the second reason?" Hange asks turning back to you. You reply instantly meeting their curious gaze. "Currently, Marley is at war with multiple nations. They can't be bothered with Paradis. You defeated the Warrior unit, the pride of Marley, and captured two of their main weapons, the Colossal and Female Titans. Marley's many enemies took notice and were quick to unite and declare war." Hange then turns back to Yelena and Onyankopon, understanding the intent behind your words. "If you guys are secret agents who infiltrated Marley, I'm guessing you came from conquered nations?" The two look at Hange, a grim expression on their faces. "Oh, I'm right?! If you're going up against Marley, I bet you've got big backers!"
Yelena puts down her cup of tea, it clinking against the saucer on the table. "We're not secret agents or anything of the sort," she says eyes screwed onto the details of the table in front of her, and Onyankopon looks at her, the same look on his face. "We were powerless. Marley took our homes and forced us to be soldiers. We were close to losing hope of ever striking back... Until we met him. A Titan that people of the world feared, calling it a devil. But I saw something completely different..." Yelena's face now morphs into one of insatiable awe. "A god. One that gave hope to the powerless." Her face returns to one that is neutral, but the gleam in her eyes remains. "Under Zeke Jaeger's command, we shot our superiors and returned your Captain to you. We're the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers. Our goal: to free the Eldian people."
Hange turns to you shock brimming their eyes but you don't meet their gaze. "Does that mean [y/n]... you... you're working with Zeke as well?" You tense as you release your hold on your tea. You were afraid this would happen. "Hange..." Levi threatens darkly as he looks at your troubled face. "You saw it too Levi... [y/n], you're related to him, aren't you, you're a Fritz," Hange says neutral voice echoing through the silent air. You don't meet their burning stare as you speak up after a moment. "That's right..." you say, voice soft as you feel the suddenly tense atmosphere. "I am related to him, my father is a Fritz, I'm descended from royal blood and Zeke is technically my cousin." You let out a sigh. "But I never said I was working with him. I only needed his help to return here in exchange for a favour."
You turn hesitantly to meet the faces of Levi and Hange who look at you curiously but at least not in distrust. "He left me with his demands, in exchange for the help he wants to provide us. He has a plan, though he wouldn't even tell me what it was. He wants the founding Titan, Eren, he needs him for his plan to take place because the Founding Titan needs to be in contact with a Titan of royal blood. I'm not saying I trust him completely, but I think there's credit in what he's saying. There was a moment, the instant when Eren was temporarily able to use the Founding Titan's powers because he was in contact with me... someone of royal blood and a [l/n], who turns out to be a family, the product of Titan experiments." You meet Levi's unsettled gaze at the proclamation, along with a face of realisation.
"As I said, I don't know what his plan is, but I am sure there is truth in what he's saying, that having The Founding Titan and a Titan of royal blood is necessary, along with the technological support the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers have provided. The Marleyan soldiers and government are preoccupied right now, but we don't know for how long, and their numbers and weapons strongly outweigh those available to us right now." You now turn to Hange who seems in deep contemplation. "Even if you decide to refuse to cooperate with the Anti-Marleyan Volunteers, more ships are headed this way, we will need their support to hinder their attacks... you won't be able to just kill them. And... the only alternate option other than Zeke's secret plan, is the Rumbling. An attack whereby the Titans in our walls trample the Earth, killing and flattening everything on it."
.....
Dawn slowly starts to break on Paradis by the time all is sorted. The Marleyan soldiers that were on board the ships were restrained and to be sent back within the walls and into the cells. The Anti-Marleyan Volunteers were monitored but not restrained, as they provided Hange with valuable information. The wireless radios on board the retained ship would be useful in deterring and capturing other ships that may be sent here from Marley. Hange had also come up with a report of the information and Zeke's demands that would be presented to Dhalius Zachery, Queen Historia and the three military regiments later on. For the time being, the Scouts that were up all night were permitted a few hours of rest and you were now being tugged along by Levi who dragged you to his tent in the distance, ignoring the prying eyes of Scouts that looked to the both of you.
When you enter, the both of you walk over to the bed in the corner of the large tent. You sit down with a deep sigh while Levi silently takes off your boots, you smile at the sight, caressing his raven locks as he looks up to you. "I missed you," you whisper as his face turns soft in your presence. He rids of his own boots and joins you on the bed, pulling you down next to him so the both of you are now lying down looking at the other. He grasps one of your hands in his own, the other pushing strands of [h/c] hair behind your ear. He simply gazes at your features lost in the beauty and the reality that you were there in front of him; that you returned. "I did too," he says as you look at him questioningly breaking free from your own thoughts. "I missed you."
You squeeze his hand gently and softly smile, moving closer to the man who lies next to you, leaning your head against his chest as he embraces you. You listen to the soothing sound of his heartbeat against your ear. You feel the warmth and safety of being back in his arms and his presence. The exhaustion of being away from each other for so many months builds up, but sleep easily takes over you in the familiarity of his form. In the many months that you two had been together before you were taken away, it was also the same. The both of you found that sleep came easier in the other's presence; it held your dreams at bay and kept insomnia from Levi. You feel your eyes flutter shut as you let out a sigh of contentment, snuggling into his warmth.
Levi looks down at you for a long moment, watching as your eyes close and your breaths steady. He sees the peace that surrounds your face as he holds you in his arms. Levi feels emotions cloud his eyes before he puts a soft kiss on the top of your head, feeling sleep also catch up to him in the relief that you are with him once more. The both of you finally get the rest you so desperately need. The inner sorrow and turmoil that existed in the past year apart, slowly dissipated with the knowledge that the other was safe and unharmed, as you both have a peaceful, dreamless sleep.