Year 857

December 24, 11:59 PM

Levi sits in Erwin's office and looks at the clock. His birthday. It's been seven years since he's celebrated it with Erwin, and three years since he's celebrated it without Hange. He was in excruciating pain. He clutched the paper in his hands. A congratulatory letter Erwin had once sent him when he couldn't attend his birthday in person due to a delay in the capital. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he looked up to keep from spilling anything.

He remembered how, back in the Underground City, Farlan and Isabelle had gotten him some rather expensive tea somewhere. It was one of the best gifts they'd ever given him. And then Erwin and Hange had given him a beautiful new set of tea, which he treasures like the apple of his eye and doesn't allow anyone to touch.

His gaze drifted to the small sponge cake that Nicolo had baked for him, and Gabi had bought a few candles. Someone had scrawled "Happy Birthday" in crooked letters on the top of the sponge cake with icing. Probably Falco. Levi's lips curled into a weak smile. Turns out it was nice to get cake for your birthday.

The clock struck midnight. Slowly, he leaned over and blew out the candles on the cake. The office plunged into darkness. Only a small flashlight on the table still provided light. "Well... Happy birthday to me." Levi muttered and leaned back in the chair Erwin had once occupied. The man still felt his friend's presence here. Even after almost a decade.

Suddenly, the door slowly opened and someone walked in. It was you. You were still one of the people who served alongside Levi in intelligence. You were one of his subordinates at first, and then just a colleague. But in recent years, you had become closer.

Especially the last three years. You often drank tea with him at night, shared a comfortable silence, or simply were there when he couldn't sleep. You never asked him who you were. And he never said anything. But there were those timid glances, the occasional touches. The occasional chuckle from him. And it felt like there was something there. Something worthwhile.

"I knew I'd find you here." You say, carefully approaching the table. In your hands, you hold a small box, carelessly wrapped with old, faded ribbon and wrapped in coffee-colored corrugated paper. "Looks like I'm becoming predictable." Levi muttered, looking at you with his good eye. "Do you need something?"