Blossom (Omega Levi x Fairy Reader)

Epilogue

All he had was a vague sensation of floating.

Then, suddenly, he was.

Out of light appeared a home for him, a body, with arms and legs and a beating heart inside a strong chest. He flexed his fingers, wiggled his toes, already so acclimated to the muscles that operating them required no thought, though it still seemed like ages had passed since he'd last accomplished such routine acts. A simple yet exquisitely pure white tunic adorned him, made of the softest material, reflecting how he felt beneath it.

Brand new. Reborn.

He looked up, around, at the dozens of creatures who were watching him with curiosity and excitement. They appeared almost human, except for their pointed ears and beautiful, translucent wings. A few of them waved or offered encouraging smiles – and he smiled back, pleasantly intrigued by this peculiar situation.

"Welcome, my friend," a sweet, motherly voice chimed. When he glanced in its direction, he saw a ball of warm light floating toward him – only to transform into another one of these winged creatures just a few steps away. This one was wearing a crown, and she seemed to glow from within. "I hope you found your way alright."

"I...think so," he answered with a small, cautiously delighted grin pulling at his lips.

"Excellent. I am Queen Rhaenyon, and these are the fairies of the Golden Meadow. Your new home."

"The Golden Meadow," he mused under his breath, stepping past her to gaze at the scenery beyond. There was, indeed, a vast meadow surrounding them. And beneath his feet...by stars! He was actually standing near the top of a tree – the largest tree he'd ever seen.

Had the world gotten bigger? Or had he merely shrunk?

"What's that over there?" he asked, pointing to a patch of color towering on the other side of the meadow, so far away he could barely make it out. Yet, despite its vagueness, it called to him. He felt drawn to it, like a migratory bird instinctively knowing the way home.

The queen floated up behind him, looking over his shoulder. "That's the Emerald Forest," she explained. "We have a sister community there. Perhaps you'll meet them someday."

"Yes, I think I will," he agreed, filled with an instinctive sense of rightness at the idea, as if fate itself had dictated he would do just that.

The queen hummed fondly. "What is your name, friend?"

With a twinge of reluctance, he turned away from the forest and met her gaze. It had been so long since someone had asked his name, so long since he'd voiced it. Yet, it rolled off his tongue as easily as breath filled his lungs. "Erwin," he stated, his smile broadening. "My name is Erwin."

------------------------------------------

"Who do you think it'll be this time?" Izzy asked excitedly.

Levi shrugged from his perch on the root next to her. Just a few days ago, after his heat ended, his body had begun to glow with the magic of a seedling – following the same cycle it had every year since his first spring. And every year, he got one of his friends back because of it. "Dunno. Could be anyone."

"But who does it feel like?"

"Tch." Levi clicked his tongue affectionately at her persistence, then reached out to ruffle her red hair. "It doesn't feel like anyone specific, brat. It never does."

"Hey – does anyone else think it's weird that we were born again because Levi had se–"

"That's enough, Hanji," Erwin interrupted gently.

"But it's an important question!" the brunette insisted, practically leaping from her seat with exuberant curiosity. "I mean, would Levi technically be our father? Or our mother?"

"Put a sock in it, Four-eyes!" Levi snapped while trying to suppress the heat that was rapidly flooding his cheeks. Admittedly, he had wondered the same thing himself, but it wasn't a discussion he wanted to have with the rest of them.

"But –"

"Hanji, we only get together like this twice a year. Let's not concern ourselves with such questions," Erwin tried again – this time, a little more insistently. "Regardless of how we got reincarnated, we're friends, as we were before. Let's just leave it at that."

"Fine, fine," Hanji acquiesced, waving her hand dismissively. However, Levi knew very well that she wasn't done wondering. He could only hope she didn't try to sneak into his house while he slept and poke at him like one of her test subjects.

"On that note, where is your lovely mate, Levi?" Miche asked with a subtle smirk.

"Tch. Hiding from you freaks, I imagine," Levi muttered.

In truth, you always made yourself scarce when his past comrades came to visit. You'd say hello, then come up with some excuse to be elsewhere for the rest of the evening. Levi knew you did it in order to give him alone time with his friends, since he only saw most of them twice per year – the exceptions being Isabel and Furlan, who lived in the Emerald Forest. And although he loved having you by his side, he was grateful for your efforts to grant him moments like these, with the people who had shared the experience of that past life right alongside him.

"Aw, we're not that bad, are we?" Nanaba asked playfully before taking a sip from her mug.

Everyone sitting in their makeshift circle atop the tree roots voiced their agreement.

Levi huffed, and his mercury eyes darted away. "Fine," he mumbled – almost smiling. "I guess you're not terrible."

"I'll drink to that!"

"Hear, hear!"

"To not being terrible," Erwin echoed, flashing a sly smile at Levi before taking a swig from his mug.

Levi raised his own mug with them – his smile becoming real as the corners of his mouth tugged upward of their own volition. In spite of how he tried to play it off, this moment, these people, meant more to him than words could express. He may not have been able to save them in their past life, and that heartache still hadn't completely gone away, but it felt good – healing – to have a hand in bringing them back. Bringing them to a world that was beautiful and peaceful and free – the absurd ideal they'd all fought and died for. Now, they were finally getting to enjoy it, as they deserved.

Levi was glad to enjoy it with them.