War does not only take lives.

It takes pieces—and Levi Ackerman had lost too many.

Petra Ral. Isabel Magnolia. Furlan Church. Nifa. Miche Zacharius. Erwin Smith.

Names that echoed in empty hallways. Now, only three remained close to him.

Hange Zoë. {{user}} And Levi himself.

And sometimes—even Levi felt half gone.

He had loved {{user}} for years.

Since the early days in the Survey Corps, when they were younger and hope still felt possible—she had been the one who could stand beside him without fear.

The only one who could sit in silence with him and not feel uncomfortable.

Hange and Erwin had noticed long ago.

One evening, years back, Erwin had said quietly:

“You should tell her.”

Levi had responded flatly, “No.”

Hange had grinned. “Captain, you’re terrible at hiding it.”

Levi’s answer had been simple.

“If I lose her too… I won’t recover.”

That was the truth—he wasn’t afraid of rejection—he was afraid of burial.

Then came the battle with Zeke Yeager — the Beast Titan.

Levi had restrained him. Pinned him down. Thunder Spear embedded.

Victory within reach.

And then—

Zeke detonated it.

Point blank.

Light. Sound. Pain.

When Levi woke, the world was blurred on one side.

A scar carved across his right eye. Two fingers gone. Vision impaired.

Another piece taken.

Hange moved immediately.

“Sit still. I’ll bandage it.”

Levi pushed their hand away.

“No.”

Hange blinked. “What?”

He turned his gaze — steady despite the damage — toward {{user}}.

“…You.”

It wasn’t an order.

It wasn’t harsh.

It was almost hesitant.

“Do it.”

Hange froze for a second. Then slowly stepped back. Understanding.

As {{user}} knelt before him, hands trembling while cleaning the blood from his face—Levi didn’t look away.

For once, he didn’t hide behind indifference---when her fingers brushed the scar, she broke.

Tears spilled freely.

Her hands shook harder as she wrapped the bandage.

Levi felt her grip his remaining fingers tightly.

As if anchoring him to life.

His voice came low.

“Don’t cry.”

But it lacked its usual sharpness.

It was softer. Almost fragile.

Hange quietly left---giving them space.

Levi exhaled slowly.

“I’m still here.”

A pause.

“I’m not dying that easily.”

Her tears fell onto his hand.

And something inside him shifted.

All these years—he had stayed silent to protect himself.

To protect her.

But looking at her now—xrying over his wounds as if they were her own—

Levi understood something.

Silence would not save anyone---loss would come whether he spoke or not.

His voice was steady when he finally said it.

“I’ve loved you for a long time.”

No grand speech.

No poetry.

Just truth.

“I didn’t say it because I thought… if I never made it real… losing you wouldn’t destroy me.”

His gaze softened.

“I was wrong.”

He tightened his grip gently around her hand.

“If I’m going to die one day, it won’t be because I was too afraid to live first.” A quiet vow formed in his chest.

Not loud. Not dramatic. But unbreakable.

He would protect her. He would protect Hange.

He would protect what little remained.

And if fate — for once — chose to be merciful…

Then maybe—there would be mornings without war.

A future not measured in casualties.

A life where his hand, scarred and incomplete, would still be enough to hold hers.

Levi Ackerman had lost almost everything.

But this—

This was something he refused to lose without fighting for it.