Brand New Life

Prologue

"How long has it been, Hanji?" An elderly man, who's midnight black hair had white and gray streaks running through. He decided not to love anyone, though he always wanted to confess his love to the woman who sat next to him... but he was afraid that she would be taken away from him.

"For what?" The elderly woman says... her dark brown hair was similar to the man's looks. Except she had more gray and white strands in her hair. She too loved the man, but always thought of him as being cold, no feelings...

How could they never admit their love back when the titans were still there? They protected each other, not knowing the other's secret love. "Titans, Hanji... the titans... how long?"

Hanji giggled, "40 years? At least... everything's not the same, is it, Levi?"

"Meaning?"

She sighed, "We lost so many people... Erwin for one... he would've liked this peace we're living in now..." Her left hand touches her missing eye, which was covered by an eye-patch. "We lost so much..."

"Tch, still going on about your eye? Thought you made peace with it when you first lost it."

His humor was cold, but it still made Hanji laugh. Levi never understood why she put up with his lame jokes... they never caught on... "Oh Levi... since the Survey Corps is now... torn up... Eren is dead because of that curse... Armin's dead... Mikasa, I dunno what happened to her... Jean got himself a girlfriend... Connie, still grieving for his lost one... Historia has her children to take the heir... and look at us." Her hands raised to the sky, which was fading away to the night sky. "We're old, sitting here... doing nothing... just talking about our past life. Don't you miss it?"

"Miss what? Our dying friends? I don't miss that..."

Unexpectedly, Hanji takes his hand, Levi forgot the feeling of love so he didn't mind that. "No... what I meant was the breezing wind against your face as you flew through the sky. The bright sun on your head, burning your precious skin... the fresh air outside, where it was pure and innocent and free from the titans. Tell me you don't miss that, Levi."

He sighed deeply, "Now that, I do miss. Too bad we're told we can't do that stuff anymore... we'll break our bones, possibly dying-"

"Let's take that risk, Levi..." He gave this look at her, which made her laugh uncontrollably. "Come on, Levi... this is our last life together... let's spend it dangerously."

Levi smirked at her, "Alright, let's live dangerously again. But, there's a problem."

"What's that?"

"Our old gear's locked up. There's no way-"

Hanji smiles, pointing to her brain. "I memorized how to build the gear... I have all the materials. I made two of them, just for the most part. I just need to add the finishing touches, and we're good to zoom across the city again."

Overwhelmed with this joy and this feeling to kiss her, he did just that. Kissing her on the lips, holding her frail hand his his strong palms. This was the moment... the moment that Hanji waited for... when they pulled back for air, Levi brushed her bangs aside and tracing the leather eye-patch.

"You would look even more beautiful without that eye-patch... especially if you didn't lose it in the first place."

Hanji leaned against his hand, "It was my eye or my life... which one would you live with? Me being dead or me losing an eye? You choose..."

Levi kissed her again, "Shut it..."

"Why didn't you tell me you loved me? I would've kissed you sooner..." She says, leaning against Levi.