My Ice Heart is Yours [Levi Ackerman]

Chapter 18: My Ice Heart is Yours

5 YEARS LATER

~•~✾~•~

You stood, your arms crossed, surveying the new cadets. The wind was cold against your skin, but you could see that few of the cadets flinched. They stared straight ahead, determined. You could see it in their eyes...

They had already seen everything.

"Many of you will die," you spoke.

The cadets looked at you, some with fear in their eyes, some with confidence.

"If you want to guarantee your safety, you should leave now."

No one moved.

You nodded in approval. That was always the first step.

Armin Arlet, Sasha Blouse, Connie Springer, Marco Bott, Reiner Braun, Bertholdt Hoover, Jean Kirstein, Mikasa Ackerman, and Eren Jaeger. They were the next generation of humanity's heroes.

"When you're here, I expect all policies to be upheld. You take orders from me. Any form of resistance will be met with dire consequences."

They all shivered under your cold glare and icy voice.

You stopped, then smiled kindly at them. The recruits looked taken aback, seeming to have held you to your infamous title of humanity's coldest soldier.

"Please, while you're under my watch...

...don't die."

With that, you walked away, inclining your head in satisfaction.

They would be promising to humanity's survival.

~•~✾~•~

You opened the door to Levi's office, which was empty. You would have to wait for him. You smiled. Well, it wasn't strange for the esteemed leader of the Special Operations Squad, humanity's strongest soldier, to be preoccupied by regiment matters.

You walked over to Levi's desk, where you kept your most precious belongings. You knelt down to open the bottom drawer, where an old, tattered uniform rested, neatly folded, at the bottom. You ran your fingers over the bloodied fabric.

Sylvia.

You opened the next drawer, where a small note lay next to a small, sparkling barrette.

This was Edith's favorite. She always loved seeing me wear it. I want you to have it, (Name)...as compensation.

I'm truly sorry,

Rena

Your eyes skimmed over the note and you let out a short breath.

Marian, Cecil, Ernest, Cynthia, Edith, Rena...

The next drawer contained a framed photograph. You stared at the faces of yourself, Romero, Jack, and Ash before you closed it.

Romero, Jack, Ash.

Finally, you opened the last drawer. From it, you removed a stack of eight letters, each of which only consisted of a few words.

You flipped through them carefully.