Attack On Titan- Wings of liberty*

The group was heading back, the weight of their journey pressing heavily on everyone. Commander Shardis seemed particularly burdened, clearly disappointed in himself for not trusting Erwin's predictions about the weather conditions. It had cost them dearly. The group had lost many recruits, and Shardis couldn't shake the feeling that maybe he wasn't cut out for leading the scouts.

As they neared the walls, Farlan approached Sana, his expression serious. "What were you saying back there?" he asked, his tone laced with curiosity.

Sana took a deep breath, her heart still heavy with the events that had unfolded. "A week ago, I said something terrible to Levi. And it definitely hurt him. But I didn't mean it—I really hope he can forgive me. I wish things could go back to how they were before," she confessed quietly.

Farlan didn't respond immediately, processing her words with a thoughtful look. Finally, he asked, "Do you like him?"

Sana hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's not... like that. I just didn't want to hurt my family—that's all."

Farlan nodded, falling silent as they continued walking, the distance between them and the wall narrowing.

As they reached the towering gates of the walls, Sana's gaze lingered on the massive structure. The door loomed high above them, an impressive sight, especially from this close. The sheer scale of it always left her in awe. But today, the feelings were mixed—while some part of her was grateful to return home, the faces of the people waiting inside were anything but welcoming. Their expressions were a mixture of bitterness, worry, and frustration. The world inside the walls had its own problems, and she wasn't sure where she stood anymore.

Sana couldn't help but feel some relief that she had been able to save her family. But what about those who died? Was it because of her? She had known everything about what was going to happen, yet she had stayed silent, unable to act. Was that wrong?

They returned to the Survey Corps headquarters, and Sana made her way to her room. She needed a moment alone to collect her thoughts. After changing into her clothes, she headed for the communal bath. The others in her room were either resting or eating, so she took the opportunity to go in first.

The cold water ran over her head, soothing both her body and mind. As she cooled down, she began to think through everything more clearly. What should I do from here on out?

The truth was, if she had revealed everything from the start, she might not have been able to help anyone. The Royal Family would've likely planned a counterattack, and if they had known about Grisha Yeager's mission, things might have unfolded differently. I need to stay silent for now, she thought. But there were some people she wanted to talk to about it. I'll keep quiet until the time is right.

With her mind clearer, she finished her bath and changed into fresh clothes. Afterward, she enjoyed a hot meal—an incredibly satisfying feeling after the exhaustion of the day.

The next morning, they were instructed to appear before the king. Why? Sana wasn't concerned about that. It was just another obligation to get through.

Today, she had chosen not to wear the standard scout uniform. She preferred to wear her own clothes, something she had designed herself, or at least asked a tailor to create based on her specifications. There was something comforting about wearing something that felt more personal.

After eating, she made her way to the men's barracks. She knocked on the door, which was only partially closed. It swung open, and one of the men looked at her before turning back.

"Oye, Levi, Farlan, I think she's here for you," he called out.

Levi and Farlan emerged, both in their scout uniforms.

"Levi, are you free at the moment?" Sana asked, her tone tentative but firm.

"What is it?" Levi responded, his eyes narrowing slightly as he waited for her to explain.

"I need to talk to you. Can you come with me?" she asked, her heart pounding a little faster than she would've liked.

Levi was puzzled. What could she want to talk about? Was she going to confess something? The idea made him uneasy. He wasn't sure how to respond if that was the case. Was it too soon? Would it be awkward? He could have easily made up an excuse, but for some reason, he found himself following her.

They made their way to the terrace. It was evening now, and the air had cooled, a welcome relief after the exhausting day. The two of them walked in silence until they reached the edge of the rooftop, overlooking the vast expanse beyond the walls.

Levi didn't say anything, but his thoughts were racing. What did she want to say?

Levi finally broke the silence. "I want to apologize for what I said. I know I hurt you with those words. I didn't mean to dominate you all. Do you really think I give you orders?" he asked, his voice filled with regret. "I think of you three as my only family. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?"

Levi felt a lump form in his throat. He wasn't one to express his emotions easily.

"That's not it," Sana said, her voice softer. "I just... wanted to apologize for everything. I didn't have the courage to speak to you after that day. I'm blessed to have you in my life, Levi. Please, if I ever do something like that again, please scold me right then and there. Don't just ignore me. It hurts too much. And you have never been commanding. I know how much you have done for me. Those things you brought for me weren't cheap and yet you never said a word, and despite being thankful I was angry with you."

Levi could see the tears welling in her eyes, and before he could respond, she rushed forward, wrapping her arms around him in an unexpected embrace.

Sana's words caught in her throat as she continued, "It hurts so much, Levi. Will you believe me if I tell you something that doesn't even seem real?"

Levi looked down at her, "What is it?" he asked, his voice calm but filled with concern.

Sana took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. "You know, today, time... it reversed. You remember when you were going to go after Erwin by yourself? I didn't stop you at first because I didn't have the courage to speak up. But then we three went to the squad leader, and the titans... they killed everyone." She started to cry again, her voice breaking. "I was about to be eaten, but then you came and saved me. I screamed, saying I wished I could get another chance—and then everything reversed. Suddenly, I was back when you were leaving us... and the rest, you already know."

Levi sat there, processing her words. It was a lot to take in, but after a long pause, he simply nodded. "Is that so? I believe you."

Sana looked up at him, a mixture of relief and gratitude washing over her. "Thanks for trusting me."

Levi gave her a small nod. And before standing up Sana said, "Can you wait here for a moment? There's something else I want to tell you, and I'll go call Farlan and Isabel."

Sana went downstairs to find Farlan and Isabel. She found Isabel in the hall, arguing playfully with Sairam about who was the strongest.

"Isabel, do you have a minute?" Sana asked, interrupting the conversation.

Isabel stopped mid-sentence and smiled at Sana. "Yeah, what's up?"

"I need you to go upstairs and wait for me," Sana said, her tone serious.

Without another word, Isabel followed to the stairs. Next, Sana went to find Farlan, who was busy working on his 3-D gear in his room.

"Farlan, are you busy?" she asked.

"Not at all," Farlan replied. "What's up, Sana? Any trouble?"

"No, I just want to talk to you. Can you come upstairs to the terrace?" she asked.

"Sure thing," Farlan said with a grin. "Lead the way."

Meanwhile, on the Terrace...

Farlan and Isabel joined Sana on the terrace, where Levi was waiting. Isabel immediately blurted out, "Aniki, why are you here? Did you join the girls' crew? I thought this was supposed to be a girls-only conversation."

Levi raised an eyebrow, clearly uninterested in engaging in her teasing. "Hn."

Before anyone could say more, Isabel smirked and added, "Sairam was saying you're not the strongest. I challenged him to a fight with you, ha!" She was clearly teasing, but there was a spark of mischief in her eyes.

Sana couldn't help but smile as the familiar banter unfolded around her. As the group gathered, ready to discuss what needed to be said, the feeling of family, despite the challenges they had faced, was unmistakable.