Had he truly freed him, or had he made a choice for him that should have never been his to begin with? Levi never considered himself to be in any position to say who should live and who should die. He had no authority on that, no moral high ground. And yet that decision had been entrusted to him. It had to be the hardest one he ever made, the shittiest day of his life, and he certainly has had a lot of those.
But maybe none of that matters now. In this place, away from time and conclusions of their own world, if they can all be together again, maybe it doesn't need to matter.
He watches Erwin take a knee in front of him, mirroring that day in Shiganshina, bathed in candle light, looking tired, broken... and free. More so than he thinks he's ever seen him, save perhaps for those few last moments when he smiled and thanked him and walked away to ride to his death. Let him stay, he finds himself practically praying to the ones running this world. He doesn't have to bear all that weight here. Some of it might never go away, all those broken wings they carry for their fallen comrades, but their duty is done.
The deceased can finally rest, and so can they.
You have fought well. Just like that, the last chain comes undone. It's finally over. His eyes sting. He blinks it away, trying to stay focused on the man before him, touching him with reverence and finally, finally setting him free in return.
He stays still for a moment, quiet, then shifts his hand a little to hold onto Erwin's with his remaining fingers so he can gently nudge it out of the way, allowing him to see his face properly, meet those blue eyes again, like it hasn't been both a lifetime and barely any time at all since he's done it last.
And then he sinks down to join him -- perhaps too sudden, considering the small wince flashing in his expression, but he's not concerned about it right now -- never breaking that eye contact, like he's afraid to look away lest all of this disappears.
"You have done nothing I need to forgive," he says, squeezing Erwin's hand a little to accentuate his words, just in case he gets some silly idea that Levi doesn't mean every word he's saying.
He lingers there for a moment.
Then he mutters "Shit", or maybe "Fuck this", and shifts one leg letting both his knees end up in the mud on the ground so he can lean forward over Erwin's shoulder and hook one arm awkwardly around him, fist at his back. It's a stiff, uncomfortable half-hug at best, but it's certainly a step farther than anything they've shared in the past, too.
If Erwin fades into the candle light a moment later, he doesn't want to spend years wondering whether he truly expressed himself clearly, whether he did well enough to convince Erwin he had no debts to pay to him, that he was allowed to finally be at peace. After all, the least possible amount of regrets has always been their way.
angry sobbing wow u murdered me right there
But maybe none of that matters now. In this place, away from time and conclusions of their own world, if they can all be together again, maybe it doesn't need to matter.
He watches Erwin take a knee in front of him, mirroring that day in Shiganshina, bathed in candle light, looking tired, broken... and free. More so than he thinks he's ever seen him, save perhaps for those few last moments when he smiled and thanked him and walked away to ride to his death. Let him stay, he finds himself practically praying to the ones running this world. He doesn't have to bear all that weight here. Some of it might never go away, all those broken wings they carry for their fallen comrades, but their duty is done.
The deceased can finally rest, and so can they.
You have fought well. Just like that, the last chain comes undone. It's finally over. His eyes sting. He blinks it away, trying to stay focused on the man before him, touching him with reverence and finally, finally setting him free in return.
He stays still for a moment, quiet, then shifts his hand a little to hold onto Erwin's with his remaining fingers so he can gently nudge it out of the way, allowing him to see his face properly, meet those blue eyes again, like it hasn't been both a lifetime and barely any time at all since he's done it last.
And then he sinks down to join him -- perhaps too sudden, considering the small wince flashing in his expression, but he's not concerned about it right now -- never breaking that eye contact, like he's afraid to look away lest all of this disappears.
"You have done nothing I need to forgive," he says, squeezing Erwin's hand a little to accentuate his words, just in case he gets some silly idea that Levi doesn't mean every word he's saying.
He lingers there for a moment.
Then he mutters "Shit", or maybe "Fuck this", and shifts one leg letting both his knees end up
in the mudon the ground so he can lean forward over Erwin's shoulder and hook one arm awkwardly around him, fist at his back. It's a stiff, uncomfortable half-hug at best, but it's certainly a step farther than anything they've shared in the past, too.If Erwin fades into the candle light a moment later, he doesn't want to spend years wondering whether he truly expressed himself clearly, whether he did well enough to convince Erwin he had no debts to pay to him, that he was allowed to finally be at peace. After all, the least possible amount of regrets has always been their way.