Chapter Text
Chapter Zero
[NOTICE: I just had to put my OC (Own character) here because I can't think of anyone who can open such a topic with Levi in the following scenes. :'3 No hate.]
English isn't my mother tongue, however, I finished a degree that is related to the English language, so yeah.]
The cold wind swoop the clouds up above causing for the full moon to show its full glory on the town of Liberio. The well lit city became brighter when the moonlight hit the roofs of the place. Majority of Liberio's city folks were asleep, since it's already quarter to 12 in the morning according to the huge clock tower located at the center of the city.
It was already 10 months after the rumbling, and humanity outside the walls decided to build a new home together with the new morals they acquired after the tragedy.
Inside the Grice's residence, a man in a wheelchair was gazing on the stars above by the window. His dead eyes blinked as he stared at the glitters in the sky twinkled as if they were blessing everyone-- but he didn't feel blessed in anyway.
Levi Ackerman was dubbed as the "Humanity's Strongest" during his days, and he still was being looked up as a strong man by those who knew him. He knew he's strong and that of it came with a curse: to watch his comrades die. It was a hell of an irony. He fought for humanity; for the strangers he never met, yet he couldn't save the people who were very important to him. And to this day, his heart would never be repaired. He was sure he would die with this intense sorrow and pain inside him.
"Oh, Mr. Ackerman, you're still awake?" A female voice was heard after a door was opened. Levi looked at the black haired woman who was carrying an infant with her together with a blonde boy who was carrying a basket filled with who knows what.
"Mr. Levi, do you need anything?" Asked gently of the blonde boy who showed concerned when he saw the crippled man being alone in the salas by the window.
"Nothing, Falco," Levi coldly replied to the blonde boy. "Why are you guys awake?"
"It's because Colt Jr knows that someone in the salas is alone and drowning with thoughts," the black haired woman replied while smilingly looking at the man in the wheelchair.
"Give me a break," Levi adverted his eyes and looked at the window once again.
"I'm kidding, of course. Colt Jr needs to be cleaned." Said the lady "Sorry Falco. I woke you up to help me clean your nephew," the woman added with a forced smile, feeling sorry for his little brother in law.
"I'm good! No problem about it," Falco said.
After the war, Levi resided in Liberio together with the Grice Family. He's been living with Falco, Falco's parents, Colt Grice's girlfriend named Irina, and their infant baby named Colt Jr. It wasn't the home Levi expected, but the Grice family offered their help to him. He was crippled, blinded by one eye and got two of his fingers chopped off, so he wasn't exactly in the position to reject it. After all, he grew fondly of the young blonde boy, and the witty dark haired woman was somehow bonded with Hange when she was alive.
After the two cleaned the little man of the household, Falco went out of the room to wash the baby clothes they removed. And so, Levi was left with Irina and and the baby that was already feeling sleepy.
"You must be thinking about them, right, Mr. Ackerman?" Irina started the conversation but she wasn't removing her gaze on her baby as she swayed her body in a motion so the baby could sleep much faster.
Levi didn't answer. She was right, but he couldn't bring himself to agree to her. She wasn't as close to him and that forbid him to be emotionally open with her.
"What? I hit the spot?" She snorted a bit. Irina was as witty and intuitive as Pieck, but a lot more extroverted than her. She knew what was going on.
"I can't sleep," Levi replied shortly.
"Falco and Gabi told me you rarely use your bed. Are you suffering from insomnia? I'll tell Falco to brew you a cup of lavender tea if you want."
"No need. I am good. Just focus on your baby."
"Mr. Ackerman, have you heard of Christmas?" Irina once again started another topic.
"No. What the hell is that?"
"In a book I've read, Christmas happens during the 25th of December. It's said it's the birthday of a savior and it should be celebrated with family members by giving each other gifts," Irina smilingly replied. This time, she was looking at him as she explained.
Levi's eyebrows collided. He wasn't a fan of fictional stories, but it did remind him that December 25th was his birthday and it's 5 minutes from now.
"I am not fond of stories like it," Levi replied.
"Just wait! I have something more! It is said that if the full moon falls on the Christmas Eve, a wish will be granted. And look! It's a full moon up there, isn't it?"
"To hell with that. There's no such thing," Levi was really not good with words. If only Hange was beside him, Irina would probably get a translation: I appreciate the story, but I don't like fictions.
The dark haired woman sighed in disappointment. "If only Hange is here, you'd light up a bit."
Upon hearing Hange's name, Levi expression came from annoyed to hollow. He started to cradle his left hand with his right hand on his lap and looked down on it.
At this moment, Irina knew that they both share the same sentiment but with a different person. She's sure like him as well, when she's thinking of her dead lover, Colt. There was a hint of immense regret in Levi's eyes that reflected herself.
"You didn't want her to go, did you?" Irina knew it was an invasive question, but she had the feeling Levi would answer.
"I had no right to stop her." Levi solemnly answer.
"You know? I still regret the day that I didn't tell Colt that I was pregnant with his child the moment we got Falco back in Shiganshina. If only I had told him, he would probably choose not to stay with Falco when he became a titan; he's still probably alive right now," Irina told Levi in a same solemn manner. She was looking at her little baby as she did.
"Kid's dad didn't know, huh?"
"That's my biggest regret, Mr. Ackerman. I know you have something in you too, but for now, I'll let you and the stars talk about it. I'll go fetch Falco so we can go back to sleep."
"Yeah," Levi's usual reply
"Good night. I hope you get your wish granted, Mr. Ackerman," Irina said and left the salas.
Levi started to feel heavy in his chest. When Irina mentioned Hange's name, he couldn't stop his mind from flashing the last moment he had with her: when Hange was walking towards him and telling him to let her go. It killed him and it still squeezed the light out of him every time he thought about it. She left and she had his heart with her when she did. A small drop of tear escaped from Levi's functioning eye. His hand started to shake. He could still hear Hange telling him to let her go.
And he had this thought once again: if he actually agreed with Hange when she asked him to live with him in the forest, would things turn out differently? He didn't know. All he knew was if he was to see Hange again, he'd definitely live with her anywhere she wanted, for a lifetime.
"Hange..." A whisper escaped Levi's mouth. He's still looking down on his hands cradling each other as if her warmth was still there on his left hand.
And at that moment, Irina's words echoed in him: making a wish on full moon Christmas eve. His crying dead eye looked and stared at the bright moon up above.
All of his sacrifices were all worth it, but he wasn't happy at all and he wanted to be... At least in his dreams. He wanted to see his comrades again, especially Hange... at least in his dreams.
But as he expected, the moon was just there like a sitting duck. There was no shitty magical feeling he had. He sighed and scrolled his wheelchair out of the room until he reached his bedroom. He crawled his way on his bed and prepared to sleep. When he shut his eyes closed, he prayed that he could sleep as fast as he could, so the images of his fallen comrades wouldn't haunt him.