Songfic: All for You by 安室奈美恵 (Amuro Namie)
Video and Lyrics Translation available on my tumblr (see my profile; short url for song and lyrics post: ZqznJq13ECtRH)

Retrouvaille (French, noun): the joy of meeting or finding someone again after a long separation.

The frosty doors erupt in a flurry of snow and barely restrained denunciations, shocking the nodding man at the counter out of his hibernation.

"Master Levi! Wasn't expecting you to be paying social visits on a dreadful day like this."

"...Can it, Jed. And fix this damned door, would you?" the visitor grumbles, stamping his boots several times on the mat before crossing over to the till. "It's pathetic."

"Ah, my bad," the merchant responds lazily, grinning from behind his uplifted tumbler of whiskey. "Here, have one on the house. To warm you up."

Levi frowns as the pungent brew accosts his nose. "My stomach doesn't need disinfectant. Just food."

"Heh. Full of sunshine as usual, aren't you?" He grimaces, draining the remaining contents of his drink in a single swig. "Alright, alright. I know you don't like to wait, but give me a couple minutes." Setting his glass clumsily on the table, the bear lumbers off to a hidden room at the back, leaving Levi alone with his thoughts once more.

The cold customer resolutely refrains from sitting on the stools lined up in front of the tiny bar. Dust congregates on the random collections of plates, teacups and fine cutlery; he may as well have been visiting an antique shop, rather than the last supply store at the end of the known territories. In all likelihood, he was the only regular patron here; even the bravest of pioneers had chosen to settle in the more established towns further up the coast.

Shoving his hands stiffly into the pockets of his pine jacket, he tries not to think of the filth that would surely cling to his precious but nearly stale provisions.

"Okay, here you go," Jed huffs as he emerges from the dark caverns, pushing two large sacks towards the door. "Rations for three months and a bit - so you won't need to make the long haul up again for a while."

"At least, the next time I can bring my horse," he mutters in thanks, shoving the sticky door open again to reveal his sled. "When whatever's up there stops dumping this shit all over us."

"Ah well - oof, it's cold! - as much as I'd love to see your face around here more often - no no, don't worry - it is quite a long hike. You're what, two hours away now?"

"Four."

Jed whistles. "Must be a lonely job, guarding the outpost all by yourself." Dusting off his hands, he looks with passing concern at the two bundles balanced precariously on the wooden plank. "The military isn't paying you nearly enough for your trouble."

Levi shuts the door with a grunt as they step back into the shelter. "As long as I get fed on time. I'm a soldier, not a politician."

The storekeeper bursts into a hearty laugh. "That, you most certainly are not. You'd probably die faster in an election than in the wilderness." He chortles a little more at his own joke, before adopting a more generous stance.

"How about this, then. Pick anything you want, on my personal account." He sweeps his hand through the empty air; a king offering a peasant some trifle from his vast treasury. "A token of thanks, for protecting Humanity's Final Frontier."

Impatient refusal is ripe on Levi's tongue, but just then, he spots it - sitting quietly by itself in the corner, amongst the unremarkable piles of gloves and hats. He stares emptily at it for a while, inexorably drawn to its familiar form for reasons he cares not to admit.

He finds his head inclining in its direction, despite himself.

"Fine... that one."

Jed glances to the side and back, regarding Levi with an appraising eyebrow. "Well now. That will certainly go a long way in keeping out the chill." He shuffles behind the counter once more, retrieving the indicated item with a bit of reluctance.

"Top quality wool, all the way from Sina. An excellent choice," the dealer comments, folding it carefully and slotting it into a brown paper bag. "But I would never have guessed that red was your color."

Levi removes the packet from Jed's stubby paws before nodding curtly.

"...It isn't."

The bell jangles in farewell as the gloomy sentry hastens on his way, a warm cocoon nestled gently in the crook of his arm as he trudges through the drifting snow.

###

"Eren, Armin! Good, you're back. Dinner's ready."

"Is that roast chicken I smell?!"

"Eren, I know you're excited – but why don't we help Mikasa first..."

She answers Armin's apologetic sigh with a stack of plates, while Eren whisks the roasting pan out of the kitchen. They certainly couldn't afford it every day, but her business was now profitable enough to allow them to eat something other than watery stew all the time. She had Armin to thank for that, she supposed; he was the one who first suggested that Sasha also switch to gardening, since she wouldn't actually be able to eat the flowers on sale.

She smiles to herself as she settles in her chair, watching Eren's attempts to carve up the bird regardless of Armin's intermittent commentary. The mysteries of gastronomic delight continued to elude her – food had always been a mere, but necessary, means of nourishment in her mind – but as long as they enjoyed it, that was good enough.

The residual heat from the stove envelops them in a cozy glow, as they talk about the events of the day.

"Oh, I received a report from the outpost this morning."

"From Captain Levi?" Eren pauses in mid-swallow. "Wow, it's been a while since the last one. Good thing you're in Intelligence now, we always get the news first that way..."

"Armin," Mikasa interjects. "What does the report say?"

"Ah well, it seems there's some mineral deposits in a location about fifteen miles inland from his current position. A freshwater river runs nearby, so it seems like a good base for a new settlement. But I'll need to review the maps he sent first, before making a recommendation."

Eren chews his food thoughtfully for a while. "That will be the fifth one, right? The other locations he scouted over the year are all flourishing towns now, I don't think this will be any different."

Armin nods. "I'm certain the site will have enough resources to sustain a sizable population. We just need to make sure it will have good overland routes and connections to the existing hubs." He tucks a wayward strand of hair behind his ear; a habit acquired since he started wearing it pulled back. "It won't be any good if the only way in is by sea," he chides. "We're still relatively primitive in the development of our naval capabilities."

"Was there anything else? In the report," Mikasa clarifies, gingerly poking at a piece of meat with her fork.

"Not really. There's a separate expedition log, but that's classified and goes straight to Chief Commander Erwin. I only have clearance for the geological and survey reports."

Her lips tighten as she pushes the food around her plate, in search of some non-existent gravy. "When... do you expect the next reports to arrive?"

"Hmm. He's quite far out now, and there's only one ship that makes the trip all the way to the end and back, so... I'd say around March, perhaps."

A sudden draft escapes from below the front door, curling around her bare ankles like a pair of shackles as she stares out the window. Three months.

She had been foolish. To think that she could see to the edge of the ocean from here, if only she looked long and hard enough.

"...kasa. Mikasa?"

She turns to her forgotten fork, suspended halfway in the air, only to realize that her chicken has fallen back onto the plate.

"It's nothing," she murmurs, maneuvering the dry protein into her mouth while the two boys exchange glances.

###

"You'd better not have come all this way just to give me soggy guns."

The beaten wooden dinghy creeps towards the shore, precariously sunk into the waters under its heavy burden.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Captain," Thomas grunts as he pulls the boat aground. "I'd never hear the end of it from the Chief Commander, if I left you to defend yourself with ruined equipment."

Stepping forward, Levi grabs the ropes, tying them to a large rock nearby. "How much further down is he sending me this time?"

The seaman pulls a thick, waterproof envelope from the inside of his jacket and hands it to him. "Another 40 kilometers south, I think. Orders are in there, as usual."

"Tch. He thinks I'm running a fucking moving company here or something."

Thomas waits for Levi to back his cart closer to the vessel, before starting to load the boxes in. "We're all used to it now aren't we? It's just like that last Expedition, only longer."

"Is that why you are willing to spend the rest of your life on a floating log?" Levi asks, pushing the crates further in to make room for more.

"I like the smell of freedom," he admits, sliding another load into the back.

"I'm surprised your wife is happy with that."

"Oh, she gets her perks as well." Thomas passes the last box over, then fishes around in his trousers for a tiny velvet bag. "See these." Opening the pouch, he carefully shakes a pair of earrings out onto his hand.

"Black pearls, they call them - from Primitus. Supposedly they grow in the mouths of some sea creature. They're getting quite popular in the capital now."

"Huh."

They're not very black though, Levi thinks, as Thomas turns them over with his fingers. More like a subdued grey, shimmering with the light of life and peering back at him from behind dark lashes.

"I'd better get back to the ship, before the tide goes out," Thomas says, pocketing his treasure once more.

Levi nods, mounting his horse. "You'll be anchored overnight, right?"

"Yep."

"I'll have my reports ready for you in the morning, then."

###

Eren finds her in the garden as expected, her tools carelessly discarded alongside the first green shoots of the year.

"It's beautiful, isn't it," he comments, joining her at the fence.

"Mmm."

They listen for a while to the rhythmic breathing of the sea, rolling and crashing in fitful bursts along the shore.

"Do you remember, when we were young... hiding on the roof of our house and listening to Armin's strange tales of the world beyond the walls?" His fond remembrances permeate the spaces between each surge of the waves. "Fiery water, fields of sand, an 'ocean' made entirely of salt water..." He smiles as the white ripples of foam melt into the unscathed beach. "You weren't very interested then, were you. It was always me and Armin, getting excited about going out to explore."

Turning around, he leans back against the fading wood. "But you know, Mikasa, nowadays... it almost feels like you're the one who's restless, and it's Armin and I who aren't ready to leave."

"...What makes you say that?" she queries, hiding the curiosity in her voice.

He catches her with unguarded clarity. "Because now you're always standing here, looking out over there."

The uneven currents swell in her throat, driving her into silence; she isn't sure where or how to begin to explain herself.

"...Is it... because of Levi?" he asks tentatively. The slight slackening of her jaw prompts him to continue quickly. "It was Armin, of course. He pointed out that you've been doing this ever since he left."

Her reticence only intensifies, as the tides continue to rumble in the distance.

"He used to ask me about you, sometimes. Even after your discharge."

"That's natural, isn't it," she replies placidly. "He cared a great deal for all of us, in his own way."

"I think it's a bit different where you are concerned, though." Reaching into his pocket, he produces a torn scrap of paper, offering it to her between two fingers.

She recognizes his handwriting from years of reading mission logs, but fails to comprehend why her name is scrawled across its surface, followed by a single question mark.

Perplexed, she looks up from the note in her hands. "Where did you get this?"

"The outpost reports came today. This was clipped inside the file that Armin received."

Her fingers tighten on the paper, as if to keep it from flying away with each agitated tremor of her heart.

Eren reaches out to place a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Mikasa... it's been two years since the war. It's time for you to start living for yourself, instead of others."

"But Eren, what about yo-"

"We'll always be here for you, Mikasa. Both me and Armin. And the others too, who have become part of our family over the years. But we're fine, and we've moved on," he assures her. "You can't continue to let yourself be torn apart by the past."

She takes a wavering breath, desperate to relieve the tension coiling under her skin.

"Besides," he adds with a grin. "Those strange tales will need first-hand confirmation. We'll be following after you, soon enough."

Behind her, the evening breeze rises up over the hills and sweeps out to the horizon, as she lifts a hand to push the billowing tresses out of her eyes.

###

The fifth shipment reaches him at the end of May, according to schedule. But in one of the boxes, wedged between the gas canisters and spare blades, is a white card with a single, red poppy pressed between its folds.

The text is brief, inked in a fluid hand:

Wait for me.

The unsigned command echoes endlessly in the airless storeroom. He questions its validity; hope had always been far too scarce a commodity in his life.

That night, he dreams of rippling fields filled with fiery blooms, and cool black silk flowing between his fingers.

###

He lays the report on his desk, allowing the last lights of summer to cast a rusty hue over its tired pages.

The latest, tersely worded entry suggests that the expedition be halted, for the time being. At least, until shipping technology could be improved to the point where military supplies could reach their destination, without being rendered useless by salt corrosion along the way.

The lines around Erwin's eyes crinkle upwards, as he scribbles his orders into the logbook.

I'll leave it to your judgment, this time.

###

The forest lies scorched at the edges by the first chill of the season; a mingling of life and death, woven in the dappled sunshine with fresh and fading leaves.

He treads carefully through the ripe and mottled earth, ducking behind a gnarled oak when he spots an unknown figure, waiting outside his cabin.

It seems like a civilian, though his location should be a military secret. Cocking his rifle as quietly as possible, he moves closer to gain a better vantage.

A long skirt partially covers the worn rucksack she is seated on, with only a thin, wine-colored cardigan to protect against the crisp breeze. Her shadowy hair is looped loosely in a knot, as she picks at the straw from the wide-brimmed gardening hat in her hands.

His stealthy approach is exposed by the crackle of barren leaves underfoot, and she lifts her head at the sound.

"Levi..."

It is the voice that has haunted his forsaken nights, but he denies it victory; lately he's been dreaming too often in the harsh light of day.

Her hat is cast aside as she stands fearlessly within his line of sight.

"It's you."

The whisper crackles in the cold air, undermining his resolve as he lowers his gun, slowly.

She wrings her hands, starting forward and then stopping, unsure.

Yet as she searches him, he begins to come undone, uttering the name that was lost long ago in the wastelands of his solitude.

"Mikasa?"

A scarlet blur soars on the wind across the clearing towards him, breaching the last of his defenses. She storms his gates with the force of a rushing waterfall and he drinks it in greedily, quenching his parched veins with the autumn sunshine pouring forth from her lips.

He is breathless and drowning, but he can't stop – doesn't want to – as the joy wells up from the depths of his being and gushes out, staining the wretched woodland with gold.

The ages fall away as she cups his face in her hands, reverently tracing the unabashed smile reflected in the mirror of her eyes, and answers his question with a blossoming sigh.

"I'm home."