Attack On Titan: Left Behind

Prologue

-Year 850-

"Captain! Captain Levi! Look at this!"

"Unlike me, your life has more value to humanity than mine."

"Captain Levi, you're nothing like I've heard from people. Deep inside, you're a good man and a very kind-hearted person…"

"I'm here, Captain. I will always fight by your side."

"You didn't look so scary when you smile. You should smile more often, Captain."

"Captain, you're…sad, right? You lost your squad again…"

"You're a poor thing…to live in this never ending nightmares all by yourself."

"I know. We, Survey Corps, fight for the sake of humanity, but I care more about you than humanity's welfare."

"Captain Levi! I… I love you! And I'm not wasting another seconds in my short life denying that!"

"Captain… You have lost too much, right? In that case, I will give something for you..."

"Tell me, all the terrible things you did. I still love you anyway."

"Someday, you and I, we will have a journey to the outside world together, right, Levi?"

"Levi… Live… Continue to live, do it for me… Because, I... I can't do it anymore…"

Levi woke with a start. He sat on his bed, panting heavily like something had hit him in the chest. His clothes were soaking wet as if he had just finished fighting against hundred titans.

He closed his eyes, pressing his palms to his face, trying to contain himself. But no matter how hard he tried to shake them off, the images kept flashing in his mind.

And all he saw was her, smiling at him.

It was just a dream…

It felt so real to him.

It was just a dream.

He could have sworn that she had been there. Very close to him. He still could hear her voice, gentle and cheery...

Damn it! It's nothing but a fucking dream!

At last, everything calmed down. Her voice was gone. Her smiling face faded away into nothing. His breath was getting more stable.

He wiped the sweat on his forehead and opened his eyes, looking around him.

It was already daybreak. The weak beam of sunshine illuminated the small and shadowy bedroom through a tiny gap between the curtains.

Levi lay down again on the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling, remembering where he was at the moment.

It's always like this, isn't it?

He was in a small shack located in a remote area, deep in a mountain. Before finally getting the official permission from Commander Erwin Smith, he had acted on his own discretion in advance to recruit soldiers for his Special Operation Squad with members of the 104th Trainee Squad when the Commander was out of commission due to injury. The exclusive squad built for the sole reason to protect Eren Jaeger and Historia Reiss. New squad, because his former team members were no longer around. Dead.

New recruits. New squad. Deaths.

New recruits. New squad. Deaths.

A devil's cycle without an end…

A series of screams came from downstairs, like some people having a heat altercation. He could hear Connie Springer yelled, "What has gotten into you, Sasha?! Don't you have any shame?!" followed by hysterical reply from Sasha Blouse, "What?! It was just a little bite!"

Then he couldn't tell who was yelling. Too many people were shouting at the same time.

Levi finally distinguished Eren's vague voice in the midst of clamor, it sounded like he was trying to put the situation under control, only to be harshly berated by Jean Kirschtein.

"Damn you, suicidal bastard!" said Jean's voice, sounding totally enraged. "I already told you! This damn Potato Girl can't be trusted with the supplies room key! Why the hell did you give it to her?! You idiot son of a—"

Then his voice was no longer audible. Probably Mikasa Ackerman kicked his stomach for insulting Eren, but whatever was causing Jean to abruptly shut his foul mouth, it didn't stop the others from quarreling. It just went more hostile, with more swearing and shouting, and then there was a loud thud like something, or someone, fell on the floor.

They are too damn noisy.

Usually, Levi couldn't stand this eardrum-ripping situation. He could have just went downstairs and kick everyone's ass.

Strangely enough, he didn't feel any desire to do it. The clamor didn't bother him in the slightest. He just stared at the ceiling, unwilling to move even an inch. Come to think of it, this was the first time he lived again with so many people, after what tragically happened to his previous squad members… And also the previous squad before them…

He listened attentively, enjoying every part of the outcries from his new subordinates, much to his surprise. Their voices, very disturbing and irritating, yes, but somehow, it gave him a very nostalgic feeling. A poignant reminder about something he had experienced before. Slowly closing his eyes, he reminisced the past, remembering every remnants of memories in his life… Fond memories, yet very hurtful and agonizing, but he just couldn't forget about them…

Suddenly, a soft knock came from his bedroom's door, interrupting his reverie.

"Come in."

The door squeaked open and Armin Arlert stood at the rear of the door. He quietly entered the room and saluted with tremble.

"What is it, Armin?" asked Levi, glancing at him.

"Captain, I'm sorry, sir, we're disturbing you, with the commotion downstairs…" said Armin, his voice quivering. "The problem is, Sasha, sir, she, uh… She accidentally ate half of our food supplies. So, then, we're kind of running out of food… And, we cannot make a proper breakfast, sir, so…"

Armin's voice vanished, his face looked so hopeless as if he was going to be eaten alive by a titan.

"Accidentally, huh?" Levi scoffed. He knew that Sasha was so well known as a food hoarder. "Just make anything edible from whatever left in the kitchen for breakfast. Until the next provisions arrive, make food ration for each person but cut half from Sasha's, and don't ever let her hang around near the supplies room ever again."

Armin blinked in surprise. "Is that all, sir?"

Levi stared at the ceiling again. "Yes. What else do you expect?"

"N-nothing, sir!" Armin answered with relief. "The breakfast will be ready in an hour! Thank you, sir!" He saluted and hurriedly closed the door.

Soon after Armin left his bedroom, the voices from downstairs disappeared. Levi thought that maybe his subordinates were afraid of him rampaging to them in wrath—because of what Sasha had done—so they started arguing with each other.

But at this time, he didn't even have energy to get mad.

He sat at the edge of the bed, pulling out a necklace behind his collar. No one ever knew he always wear the necklace; it was usually hidden behind his cravat. But instead of a pendant, there was a dull silver ring hanging on the necklace. He twiddled the ring carefully between his thumb and index finger before placing it on his palm.

"Why?" Levi whispered to himself. "Of all time, why now? Why am I remembering you now, Alex?"

He stared fondly at the ring, and a tear trickled down his face.

Revamped: 3/2/16