⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝓘𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓔𝓷𝓭 𝔀𝓮 𝓓𝓲𝓮 𝓪𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓮
The unhealthy white light of the monitor illuminates the old wrinkled face of the woman before it. Her glasses are pushed up into her grey hair, that is loosely tied together with thousand of strands sticking out of it. She didn't go out for days and was just writing like a maniac. Her only relief in these days is to get lost into memories or thinking about other days. There is no one to come and visit her in these busy days.
'Not too long ago I heard the sentence "War never changes." and I agree with it, but the war itself isn't even the worst. The worst is to survive and continue living, while almost everyone you knew for years is dead already. I could swear, that I am not the only one, that is haunted by dreams from our war. There are only very few left of us and even less, that found a way back into a normal life. I mean I am not really enjoying this life and I got phases where I just want to be alone, but I am happy for the technology we got. With this mobile phone I am able to stay in contact with everyone. I am glad, that Jean, Floch and Gabi forced me to get one, so they can annoy me with phone calls and pictures of themselves. They even tried to get Levi one but he isolates himself. I have seen him many times, but lately I haven't heard a word from him. From the very beginning he wasn't good to adapt with a life without Erwin and it saddens me. I am old and it is hard for me to go out as well but I will visit him again. In the end he is one of my best friends that is still alive. The kids still got one another and they are so sweet to me as well. We have grown a strong bond with one another and Jean reminds me a bit of Erwin. I am glad he took Erwin as his idol and thrives to become as good as he was. And what can I say, he got a leading position now and Floch is working with him. Both are very good in their jobs, just like they are born for it. For the longest time they tried to keep Connie with them, but he has been very depressed ever since Sasha passed away and he refused to let Gabi and Falco in his life. Understandable, even if he knows, that it isn't their fault per se, but we don't force him to anything. I think he resumed to be on his own. It has been so many years, that she died, but he couldn't get over it just like Mikasa. We haven't seen her ever since Armin finally died. The look she had when Eren died reminded me so much of Levi, but Armin tried his best to keep her in this life, but after his death she vanished from our sight and I assume, that she either lives alone somewhere or ended her life. I am actually amazed, that Levi kept on living. For a while we have visited some places together until we both were too old and traveling got hard to do. I sometimes wonder what our life would look like if Mike, Nanaba, Erwin and of course Moblit would still be alive. I bet Mike and Nanaba would have loads of kids and grandchildren and dogs and all kind of animals. Erwin would annoy Levi with the newest technology and the newest conspiracy technology and of course Levi would let him annoy him and silently chuckle over his silly thoughts. And they would travel. Erwin always wanted to see the world, that's why me and Levi went to so many places.
And Moblit. Oh if you would still be alive. I am sure we would be married and have loads of...'
Hanji's phone goes off and on the screen is the picture of a couple grinning at the user. Falco is calling her, but she doesn't look who it is and just answers the phone.
"Oh hi there. How are you doing?"
"I am fine Hanji. Me and Gabi are calling you, because we want to invite you to a party."
"A Party? What's the occosation?"
"Well Gabi is pregnant with our second child."
"Ahh congrats Falco!! Of course I will come! Shall I make something?"
"No its fine, but could you send me the number of Keith and Nile? We want to invite Everyone from the old times."
"Of course. I'll do that right away."
"And Hanji, can you please tell Levi? I know he doesn't like us that much, but we would like to have him there as well, but he doesn't got a phone."
"I wanted to pay him a visit anyway. So I'll gladly tell him."
"Thank you! The party will be on Saturday, so you got two days left."
"Great. I will see you there."
She hangs up again and searches for the numbers of her old friends to send them over. Her writing is forgotten for now. The joy of a new baby is way greater than continuing this. Falco and Gabi grew up with the rest of them, even if they were enemies at first, they started to get really attached, especially to Hanji. When Reiner passed away Gabi and Falco both were really sad, but Reiner himself encouraged them to be open and listen to Hanji and Jean as they tried to reason with them. Ever since then, they stayed with them and with the war being won and the Eldian being free, they opened up more towards them and now they are very close to Hanji, Jean and Floch. Hanji decides to visit Levi the next day, because today is already getting late and she feels tired after remembering so many things.
She knocks, she rings the bell, she calls for him, but no answer comes from the man inside. A tiny bit annoyed she growls and looks through the small gap the grey curtain creates on the window.
"Levi! Open up. I can see, that you are there. The light is on."
Usually he opens the door for her, but somehow he doesn't want to do it today.
"Heck Levi what's wrong? Where was the spare key again? "
Hanji murmurs to herself. She groans as she crouches down to search for the lose plank on the wall, that hides the spare key behind it. Her bones arch more and more the longer she has to kneel on the ground. After a while she manages to free the little piece of metal and uses the windowsill to get up in her feet again. Her back cracks as she bends backwards to get her joints back into place and then she pats the dust off of her hands. Every key reminds her of the one Eren carried with him for so many years, putting a demon into Erwin's mind. It is stupid to think, that that key has been their doom. She know that, but she can't help having this kind of connection to that specific key. For Hanji all bad things started with that key and the basement.
'Click' and the door is open. Some things are off as she walks around inside. There is a cup od tea on the table, partly empty, but the brown border on he inside shows that it slowly evaporated instead of being drunk empty. The little flower in the small case hangs their head low, looking all dried out. The tiny piece of bread swings their edges high up into the air. Dusk dances around in the bit of light, that comes through the gaps of the closed curtains. The small lamp flickers on the table next to the couch daring to turn off any minute now. Unusual for Levi, but Hanji only notices half of this as she is in the search for the man himself.
Her brown eyes spot him finally resting in his bed. He got the old, worn and torn cape of Erin over his body and his wrinkled face partly snuggled into it. A drawn picture of the former commander rests along with the bolo tie on the bedstead next to the bed. The room is still dark and as Levi refuses to react to her she huffs and goes to open the curtains to let the sun in and shine on his face.
"Come on Levi stand up already. Gabi and Falco invited us over. Can you believe that they are expecting their second... Child... Levi?"
Her voice trails off as the finally brings colors back into the room, but not into the old face of Levi. Once she sees the relaxed and relieved face with a small smile on it, she knows, that he finally is reunited with the one he loves.
"You deserve your rest now. Greet them for me Levi, will you?"
Hanji sits down besides him and holds his cold hands for a while. The hot drops of salty water, that run down her cheeks, betray her gentle smile. She is sad and happy at the same time. Her body shakes slightly from the sadness and the lone feeling she suddenly gets. Now she is all alone in this world.
Falco asks looking expecting at Jean and Floch, The two man exchange an uncomfortable look with one another, before Jean speaks up rubbing the back of his neck.
Falco and Gabi shake their heads.
"Levi passed away yesterday. Hanji, Nile and Keith are now preparing to leave for Paradis to Bury him besides his comrades."
The shock and sorrow is clearly in their faces and Gabi, feeling all too sensitive right now, tears up, but her eyes still look determined.
"Gabi, you can't! You are pregnant."
"No Falco. We owe him and I will pay my respect to him!"
A faint and old voice says suddenly. Unnoticed Hanji had come in through the door with the other two. She smiles, but her eyes are sad and lifeless.
Gabi screams out and jumps up from her couch to get to Hanji and hug her tightly. Now tears fall out of the young woman's eyes and stream down her face like small rivers. Hanji is like family for her now and even if Levi didn't wanted to socialize with them that much, he still had a place within their heats. Hanji, however, doesn't cry. She simply pats the back of the pregnant woman.
"Thank you. Levi wouldn't openly want everyone to be there for his burial, but I still want you to come with us if you are willing."
All agree and prepare right away to leave for the funeral in Paradis.
All are there; Gabi, Falco, Jean, Floch, Keith right next to Hanji, Nile with Marie and their third born Erwin, Connie and even Historia came to pay their last respect to Levi. Humanities strongest gets buried right next to the man he could never forget in all these years. Now the 13th commander of the survey corps, humanities saviour, is reunited with his heart and his squad is almost complete again. The bolo tie Levi kept over the years is placed on the base of the statue of Erwin Smith. All cry and all Salut them one last time, but no one dares to speak a word, for words are not needed right now.
"Come Hanji, it's time to go."
Keith,who is very very old by now, but refuses to die just yet, tries to move Hanji, but she shakes her head.
"No. Leave me here alone with them."
By now Keith got a very good feeling for Hanji's mind and knows what she is thinking right now.
"Hanji, look," he points at everyone who had turned around to look at her, "You are not alone and you never will be. We are all there for you whenever you need it. Come with me and let those two undisturbed for a little while longer. You don't want to disturb their reunion now, do you?"
He extends his wrinkled hand for her to take it and with a small smile and a wet face she gladly takes it. She looks in all these gently faces and realises, that she isn't alone in this world at all.
Hanji stays with Keith from that day on and they give each other the company, that they need so much. Hanji never opened her writing again and it remains there on her computer untouched like so many other tales from her unlike the story written down by Armin, which has been published, but no one ever believed it to be true.
Keith passes away two years after Levi from old age and Gabi and Falco take Hanji in, so she won't be alone. Jean and Floch keep visiting them with their family regularly and she enjoys her time with her "family".
A year later they all celebrate the memorial day of Moblit together with food and laughter. It has been a tradition for them for many years now. Erwin, the third child of Nile, just announced, that he will name his first child after Hanji, when they all look joyfully at her to see her reaction.
The room goes quiet suddenly. Hanji sits in he wing chair with her hands folded in her lap over the blanket, a smile is on her lips and her face is all peaceful. Her chest, however, remains unmoved. All gather around her with sad, but very soft faces. Jean and Floch settle beside her and Jean takes her hand in and kisses her forehead gently.
Hanji Zoe, 14th commander of the survey corps, passed away surrounded by the ones she loved on the day her beloved died so many years ago.
She gets buried right next to Moblit and the squad around Erwin Smith is finally reunited.
The memory of them remain in the hearts of those left and in the little writings she did, only to be told to the children od the children of the last people from Paradis.
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