I'm glad to have done this. I think my style may have changed a bit in the last few years, but hopefully not for the worse.
Thank you for reading this all the way to the end. You have no idea what it means to me.

The carts trundled over grass and stone, jumping up and down with every overgrown tuft and every lose rock, making the equipment and people on them shake and jolt in equal measure. The fog had blown away a few hours ago, revealing clear skies and allowing a thick heat to beat down upon the overgrown road they took. The light from the sun was reflected in the green sheen of the wild hedgerows and massive expanse of grass around them, only punctuated by the odd abandoned farm house. Everything seemed bright and warm.

The Hunter sat there, in one of those jolting, jerking carts, ignoring the abandoned buildings and staring up at a flock of birds dancing through the air above them, creating the only cloud to be seen for miles. These creatures filled the overgrown hedgerows as well. Their song mixed with the groans of the wooden carts and the snorting whinnies of the horses as the procession made its way, filling the silence that would have otherwise consumed everything.

The Hunter brought his gaze back down to earth, staring blankly forward now, trying not to look at the naked blades being held by the circle of humans riding around him.

He was also trying to ignore the uncomfortably unblinking gaze from the red-haired scientist.

His efforts proved to be all for naught as his eyes flickered against his will back towards the hooked nose hovering inches away from his left ear, before turning steadfastly forward once more. It was impossible to ignore the heavy breathing.

"Uh… Sir, can you move back a bit?" The Hunter asked, finally deciding that ignoring the scientist wouldn't in fact help make them back up.

"Call me Hanji," the strange human breathed in his ear. The Hunter squirmed at this and tried to edge away again, forgetting that he had already tried this and was all but pinned to one side of the cart now.

"You said your name was Jaeger. What does that mean? Where did you get that name from?"

"Uh-"

"Were you a titan when you got that name? Have you always been a titan and the human part is recent? Or are all titans actually human?!"

"Look, I-"

"Are you truly even human? I mean your physical appearance has similarities to your titan form but there are differences too. Such as your cheeks covering your teeth and your hair being shorter, oh and your nose and jaw aren't as pointed. But your eyes are the same and obviously you have a similar muscular frame. What else is the same? What about your aerated teeth? Do you have genitals now?"

"For fucks sake," murmured an utterly fed up voice, and without warning Hanji was yanked back.

Levi pushed them out of the cart and onto a spare horse, before pointedly blocking them when they turned around to jump back on.

"No. You're not asking him any more of that shit. Wait until we're back at the capital."

There was another noise of complaint, but this time it wasn't from Hanji, but instead their horse as Levi slapped its flank and made it bolt forward.

"That's not fair! Levvviiii!" Their voice squealed out, making several of the soldiers chortle and snigger despite themselves. The Hunter watched as Levi glanced at them but he didn't chide them or tell them off for this somewhat unprofessional reaction. He simply sighed, sat next to the Hunter, and stared emotionlessly forward.

A different kind of silence settled on them after that. It was awkward and it made him want to move, to fidget, to do something. The Hunter couldn't put a name on the feeling it created inside him, but he knew he didn't want it to go on. He wanted it filled.

If only he could think of something to say.

"You didn't lie."

The Hunter started, head sharply twisting to his left as Levi spoke. Levi was still staring forwards though, not looking at him. The Hunter almost convinced himself that he had imagined it when Levi opened his mouth to continue.

"You told me your name was Jæger. You didn't lie about that. You're Eren Jæger. At least, that's what your friends call you."

Levi fell silent again and finally turned his head to look at the Hunter. The corporal was leaning back against the side of the wagon, arms crossed and opaque gaze steady on the Hunter's face as he waited for his response. The Hunter couldn't deny him an explanation. It was a truth that was long overdue.

"…They chose Eren for me when they thought I was human. My real name is Jæger."

"You don't think yourself human," said Levi, something unidentifiable in his tone and something hard in his gaze that made the Hunter look away.

"I am not a human," the Hunter confirmed, rubbing his hands together, the rough skin on his fingers catching together, his palms slick with fresh sweat.

"Okay."

The Hunter's hands froze. He turned to look at Levi who was still staring at him, grey eyes reflecting the golden, green sheen of the grasslands behind him. It took the Hunter a moment to find his voice.

"…You are okay with that?"

Levi seemed to consider this, then slowly nodded.

"Yeah. I'm okay with that. Are you?"

The Hunter had no answer to that. They fell into silence once more.

Levi didn't hate him. Why? He was a monster; his kind ate humans and had undoubtedly eaten many of Levi's comrades and friends. Why didn't he hate him? Why didn't he yell or shout or hurt him? Why?

"You've given me no reason to do that."

The Hunter blinked, startled. He said that aloud, didn't he? Oh Earth. He could feel the heat radiating off his face as he shifted awkwardly on the wooden bench and glanced back at Levi.

Levi's expression had changed slightly, eyes wider, fixed just below the Hunter's eyes, on his red cheeks. The Hunter felt his face burn even more as he bowed his head and ran his hands through his matted hair.

Unseen by the Hunter, Levi's cold expression defrosted somewhat at this awkward reaction, lips quirking up briefly before he smothered the almost-smile down before any of the soldiers around them saw it.

Levi had many plans running through his head, plans of staying as close to the self-proclaimed monster as possible. Plans of keeping Humanity's true greatest hope alive. These plans did not include people spreading gossip that he was soft on the kid. Gossip that could ruin his chances of being chosen as guard dog, of being let anywhere near him.

He cleared his throat and put on a stern expression.

"You are clearly different from the titans. There is no need to hurt you."

The soldiers could see his face but weren't close enough to hear his words. There was no need to say anything but the truth in this moment.

Jæger stilled, his hands frozen in the tangled mess of his hair, head bowed as he stared at Levi from the corner of his eyes.

It had been strange. Attempting to mentally liken the boy before him to the towering monster with glowing eyes and sharp teeth. But as Jæger unfolded himself from his arms and faced Levi properly, Levi suddenly saw it.

The expression was controlled, his body was still and steady and his eyes… they were those same eyes from all those years ago. How he hadn't seen it last night, Levi didn't know.

Last night… Levi felt his skin pale. He said he'd make Jæger his pet, hadn't he? That he'd keep the deviant and make it his fucking- shit! Jæger had even asked if he would kill him and Levi never said-

"I am a titan," Jæger interrupted Levi's perturbed thoughts with a steady gaze and a dead voice. "I am not different and I am not safe."

Levi, suitably distracted from his strange trail of thoughts, considered this for a moment before quickly calling bullshit.

"If you're the same as those titans, why did you save Trost? Why did you save me?"

The strange, solemn expression on Jæger's face melted away into the confused look of a complete dumbass. He even tilted his head to the side like a fucking puppy.

"Why wouldn't I save you?"

Levi focused intently on keeping his expression cool and cold, heavily aware of the many eyes on them.

"A titan wouldn't have," was all Levi could think to say to that.

Maybe his words finally got to him, or maybe Jæger finally got over his brain fart because he actually seemed to stop and consider those words.

A strange sort of silence settled down on them. The whinny of horses and distant chatter of the scouts filled the air, along with the soft swooping songs of the birds and the gentle creaks of the cart. Levi sat there, unrepentantly and unblinkingly staring at his titan, at his berserker.

If he hadn't seen it for himself, if he hadn't been there to pull him out of the burning hot flesh, he would have never believed it. He would never have believed that Jæger could hurt a fly, let alone rip out a Titan's spinal cord with his bare teeth.

Humanity's greatest hope was a man with stupidly large eyes and a stupidly young face, who thought himself a monster.

Jæger finally looked up, catching Levi's steady gaze and stilling, looking back with a faint flush tinging his cheeks before glancing away.

…Interesting.

Jæger rubbed his hands together and worried at his lip with a neat row of blunt, white teeth. He took in a deep breath and glanced up again, this time not looking away.

"What's going to happen to me?"

Levi blinked. For some reason he'd been expecting Jæger to say- he paused and blinked again as the meaning of his words sunk in. For the first time since Levi started properly talking to Jæger, he turned away, not quite able to meet his questioning gaze.

He was almost glad when the screaming started.

Almost.

A flare of reddish-brown smoke shot up in the air. As one, the procession sped up, horses jolting forward into a hard gallop.

Levi and Jæger jumped up, Levi's hands on his blades and Jaeger's hands hovering over nothing. While they hadn't bothered removing what looked like a busted set of manoeuvre gear, the scouts had been more than happy to take his weapons from him. Along with his friends, they had placed the dull butter knives as far away from the man-titan as possible. As if it would make any difference.

"Stay here," said Levi, grabbing one of the horses from beside the wagon.

"I can help!"

Yes, Levi knew he could help. He knew that Jæger could turn into a gigantic, bloodthirsty juggernaut. That he could and had ripped apart titans like pieces of meat on a butcher's slab with every sign of enjoyment. But right now, he was staring at a young man with large, sea green eyes and he didn't- he couldn't risk losing him again.

"Stay here."

Levi swung onto the horse and rode off.

The Hunter stared after Levi, mouth parted, and eyes wide and incredulous.

His human… was an idiot.

He hissed a muffled swear word to himself before spinning around and jumping up onto one of the horses pulling the cart. The horse snorted but continued to run, only speeding up as the Hunter loosened the reins and directed it forward.

He wasn't staying put. There was no question about it. Especially with what he could smell on the wind.

Iron. Sweat. Titans. Too many Titans. And no trees to manoeuvre from.

No, Levi could yell at him for all he cared, he could even pull a blade to his throat and take back his trust.

"…You are okay with that?"

"Yeah. I'm okay with that."

Ere- the Hunter would be fine with that, he'd be fine with anything, as long as his human was okay. But first, he had to get closer, figure out what was happening and why the titans had started attacking again.

He spurred the horse on, fighting against its panic and steering it back towards the source of the screams, away from the panicked yells of his lacklustre guards.

In the distance, he could see two fifteen-meter titans, sprinting towards the procession. Both ran abnormally, one with its arms twisted round its body like it was hugging itself, legs flailing out with every bound. The other leaning forward, arms loosely swinging out beneath it as it threw itself forward.

Both were running fast, chasing two men who had somehow fallen behind. Both twisted and strange and, by the yells sounding out from the soldiers, both were absolutely terrifying.

The Hunter kicked at his horse, spurring it on. It didn't take him long to find Levi again. He stood atop a wagon full of white sheets, moving over them, untying the- Wait. No. Not white sheets.

They were brown, a mottled patchy brown with hints of red and white. An arm, bloodied and mud splattered jutted out from one of the rolls. The Hunter could see it clearly, even from over a hundred meters away. The skin was ripped but the hand was loose, relaxed.

The Hunter's horse started to struggle under his inattention, twisting sharply and trying to turn around, to steer away from the screams and the massive titans baring towards them. The Hunter collected himself and forced it back, towards Levi.

As he got closer, he realised Levi wasn't alone.

"EREEEEN!" Screamed Hanji, jumping up and waving their arms in the air.

Levi looked up, hands slipping on the ropes that tied the bodies together.

The Hunter rode his horse to the side of the wagon, tying the reins to that of the other horses, and neatly jumped on.

"Jæger! I ordered you to-"

"Eren! Do you think you can take these two out?!" Hanji interrupted, grabbing the Hunter by the shoulders and excitedly beaming at him. Levi pushed them back, standing between them and the Hunter, glaring.

"No. He's not going to. We can't risk it," Levi hissed out, before returning to his work of untying the bodies.

The Hunter's eyes widened as he realised what Levi was planning to do.

"Levi. No."

Levi stopped, hands shaking. He looked up, eyes dark.

"There've been countless people before whose bodies were left behind. These ones aren't somehow special."

"They sleep- they died because you were looking for me. The died because they had to look for me, yes?"

His voice was strange as he said this, blank, emotionless, but his face wasn't. Both Hanji and Levi started at the look there, at the shiny eyes and gritted teeth.

"Levi, let me help them now. I can do it. Trust me."

A scream was ripped out of one of the men behind, one of the soldiers who had fallen behind and was plucked from the saddle of his horse.

"Levi!" Cried out Hanji, pulling her blade out. The other Titan was gaining ground on them now, mere meters away.

"Don't get hurt, Eren," said Levi, pulling his blades out too.

The Hunter nodded once, one hand lightly clapping Levi's shoulder and the other lifting one of his spare blades. He turned towards the Titan lumbering after them.

"Thank you," the Hunter said, and his cables shot out.

He didn't transform. Levi watched in horror as Eren cannoned up into the thing's chest and didn't fucking transform.

No, instead he used his cables on the Titan itself, spearing them into its chest and whiplashing himself round in a wild sideways arch, faster than the eye could track and certainly faster than the Titan's clumsy, clunky hands could move.

By the time it's sausage-like fingers had closed around the space where Eren had been, Eren was flying above its neck, bringing his blade down with a quick, overhead swing.

Levi's mouth parted, beside him, Hanji was saying something but he really couldn't hear what it was with all the blood rushing through his ears.

"I'm going to kill him," he stated as the titan crashed to the ground and Eren turned around and started running towards the other one by fucking foot. "I'm going to beat the shit out of him."

"No you won't," said Hanji, but again, Levi wasn't really listening.

No, instead he was turning back and pulling Eren's horse loose from the cart. Like hell was Levi letting that stupidly kind, walking disaster out of his sight.

Monster indeed!

Wind rushed through the Hunter's hair, whistling past his ears and slamming against him as he pushed himself as hard and fast as he could go.

He didn't bother conserving gas this time. He could see the human being stuffed into the Titan's mouth. He needed to move fast.

He lightened his body, put forth a large burst of gas, and half-glided, half-flew towards his quarry.

"Help! Oh god! Help us!" Cried out he human on his horse, blades out like he was going to attack the Titan himself before he spotted the Hunter racing towards them.

The Hunter didn't reply, instead concentrating on manipulating the weight of his body. Heavy then light, bringing him down to the earth so he could kick upwards ridiculously fast, diving up into the sky.

The sound of screams was suddenly cut off as the titan swallowed and the Hunter flew up, swinging his blade with his movement. The monster's neck split open with a slimy 'pock' sound. A deluge of blood and saliva poured out, along with the human. The Hunter grabbed him with one arm, holding the mangled but still breathing human to his chest, then shot off his wires again, spinning round and slicing through the twisted Titan's neck.

Carefully, he slid off the swaying corpse, kicking off it at the last moment so to get out of range in case it fell on him. He dropped lightly to the ground and rushed towards the other human who was sobbing and reaching out for the one in the Hunter's arms. The Hunter looked down at the man he held, at the shards of bone jutting out of his legs and the frothy red blood welling up from the broad tooth marks in his stomach.

He… he didn't know if he would make it.

"Get on your horse and get him to the medical wagon, it's near the centre. If you go fast, he might have a chance."

Both the Hunter and the crying man started at that, spinning around in surprise as Levi reined his horse to a stop.

Then the crying man stopped crying. He gently took the dying human from the Hunter, one hand clasped across the stomach, putting pressure on the wounds, the other around his thighs, hoisting him up and cradling him into his chest. The Hunter quickly stepped in when it became apparent how difficult it was for him to mount the horse like this, and both helped steady the beast and push him up.

"Thank you," the man said and he was riding off, galloping like his very life depended on it.

Perhaps, in a way, it does, the Hunter mused before turning to look up at Levi.

There was a moment when neither of them said anything. Their eyes met and the world seemed to grow dim around them.

Then the moment ended.

"Come with me, idiot," Levi said, holding out his hand. "We need to get back to the front."

The Hunter took it and was yanked up onto the horse, in front of Levi.

"You're lighter than you look," Levi commented, arms held close to the Hunter's sides as he picked up the reins.

"Ich kann meine Masse ändern," said the Hunter, face burning at the feeling of Levi's chest pressed against his back, then burning even brighter when he realised what he just said. "I mean, I can change my, uh, heaviness a bit."

"Huh."

The Hunter tried his best to will away the heat radiating off his face, sadly it was not to be. Levi had leaned in closer, head tilted to the left, jaw brushing the Hunter's shoulder as he spurred the horse on.

"You stink of blood," grunted Levi, confusing the Hunter enough to temporarily forget his embarrassment. "… I thought you were going to transform."

"You said 'don't get hurt'. If I changed, it would have hurt."

"Explain."

The Hunter didn't say anything straight away, too caught up with how Levi's voice dropped a whole octave, and the way his arms tensed and tightened around him.

"…I, um, I changed twice this day already. If I do it too much, it is bad. I fall asleep and cannot be woken for many days."

Levi didn't say anything to that for a few minutes, simply continuing to ride at the same breakneck pace. They were starting to catch up with the back of the procession now. Then:

"Don't tell anyone else about that, Eren. Keep it between us, just for now."

The Hunter, while confused, did not argue this and nodded. There was, however, one thing he needed to address.

"Why are you calling me Eren now? I told you, it is not really my name."

"It's a good name." The Hunter could feel Levi's shoulders shift up and down in what was most likely a shrug. He wondered what expression was on his human's face.

"But-"

"I think you suit it."

Ere- the Hunter flushed and glanced to the side, to the caravans they were riding past now, to the horses and their riders.

Armin and Mikasa rode there, side by side, eyes intent on the Hunter, on their Eren. He met their gaze, a tentative smile full of guilt and love forming on his face. His flowers returned it. Armin's mouth parting over shining teeth, dimpling his cheeks and sending a spark of relief into his eyes. Mikasa's smile was smaller, but no less warm, intent and unbreaking, but for the dark protective look she sent Levi.

Levi ignored it and continued to push the horse forward, past all those Eren knew, past looks of surprise and fear, of joy and fury, all the way to the front where the commander rode, shouting out orders and directing the troupe. There, the way before them was clear to see, Titans moved in the distance, some blundering randomly, some noticing them and heading their way.

Eren watched as the commander directed people to distract the titans, then his gaze fell on him and Levi. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully before he nodded once and pointed towards the western flank of the procession, where two Titans were gaining ground on the soldiers.

Eren looked round at Levi and Levi looked back, a small almost-smile curling at his mouth. The world seemed to grow both brighter and darker around that smile. Then Levi shook his head, as if shaking off a daze, and spoke:

"You stay here. I'm dealing with that."

Eren's smile dropped off his face faster than a rain of bricks.

"What?! No. I am coming too," he said, taking the reins and steering the two of them away.

Levi had some choice words to say about that, most of them containing some form of expletive.

"The wind is too loud. It is hard to hear!" shouted Eren, still not giving up the reins.

"You shitty kid! Give me-"

"Still too loud! Did you say I could take first one?"

"The hell I did!"

Commander Erwin and his entourage watched in bemused amusement as the two cantered away, bickering about who would take care of the titans. Their intertwined voices were carried in the wind, like a loud and strong-willed duet, as they rode off across the sun-drenched lands, ready to give the Titans hell.