Chapter Text
Growing up, the closest Levi had ever gotten to rain growing up was the small trickles that fell through the cracks and caves, much like where he had often spent time with Isabel and Furlan. In the Underground, that was all rain was; a small sprinkling, or a light drizzle on the days where the weather was worse. To them, to any resident of the Underground, the concept of storms was as distant an idea as stars.
Back then, the rain wasn’t a bad thing. On the contrary, the rain was very much welcome to the three of them. With their home residing amongst the slums, rats and disease were all too common; as well as many other unsavory and disgusting things that Levi made a point not to remember. It was refreshing, clean, and a good source of water if their pump back home was faulty for whatever reason. That was why when they came across a trace of rain, Levi, Isabel and Furlan would seek out their little cave (the same cave where Isabel had released that little bird once it had finally healed) and spend as much time as they could there to enjoy the freshness. It was a much-needed escape from their awful situation, and it was often during those times that the others - namely Isabel - would fantasize about life on the Surface, and how wonderful the rain must be above ground.
But on the Surface, the rain was very much a different thing. The first time it had rained after joining the Survey Corps had been on their first expedition outside the walls, and… well, that hadn’t gone well. Levi’s opinion had changed quickly after that, and since that first expedition, Levi’s stance on rain remained the same. Heavy rain reduced visibility to nothing, which made any trips outside far more dangerous - titans or not. During regular travel, it became all too easy to become lost and separated from others. On a mission, it was easy for a whole squad to be eradicated to nothing in moments without so much as a warning as to the dangers that awaited them. Levi knew that all too well. That was why most Scouts knew if they were traveling with the Captain in a storm, it was a wise decision to either go along with his orders without a word, or to simply stay out of his way until the mission was over.
This trip was no different to Levi’s expectations. It had been raining when he and his team of ten had set out from Headquarters, and, thanks to some cruel joke from the universe, it was still raining now. If it hadn’t been so long since their last rounds, the mission likely would have been put on hold until the weather cleared up. But now it was considered too much of a risk to wait, and so the mission had gone forward. Their mission was simple; to sweep the land all around their Headquarters over the span of five days, clearing out any titans they came across (if possible to do so) and checking for anything out of place, then to return for a full report and a well deserved rest.
It had only been the morning of their third day when everything had gone to shit. Now, four full days after that, Levi was on foot. He was freezing, starving, and more tired than he could remember ever being. The only thing keeping him going at this rate was the knowledge that he was close; he knew this area well, and he knew that soon enough - likely within the hour - he would be coming up on the castle. He was almost there. He continued on, though not walking at his usual pace - or at a pace that he found in any way acceptable, given the situation. Still, he continued to press on.
It hadn’t been long after his trek began, four days ago, that Levi had become aware of his shivering, but it also hadn’t been long after his realization that the knowledge had faded to the peripheries of his mind; he doubted that it had stopped at any point, but he simply couldn’t be bothered to notice it. The shivering wasn’t important, getting back and reporting what had happened was. Now, with the finish line - and with it, a warm bath and cozy fire - so painfully close, it hit him once again just how cold he was. It was with that reminder that he became aware of his shivering again, only to realize that it had grown to a fully-fledged, full-body shaking. Ah, so that was why he was moving so slowly. The Captain swore under his breath, his teeth chattering hard as he pulled his soaked cloak tighter against his body in a vain attempt to preserve just a little heat as the rain continued to beat down on him.
Finally, after days of traveling alone, on foot, and with no food or drink, the massive structure of the Survey Corps Headquarters came vaguely into sight through the pouring rain. Levi was tempted to thank anyone or anything that would listen, and he was sure that there had never been a more welcome sight in his life. The lights through the windows, whether from candles or fires in the mantles, shone through the gloom, serving as a beacon to guide him the rest of the way back. Finally, he’d be able to stop. He’d be able to get warm . It was then that he realized something odd, however. The castle was… crooked? Why was it tilting?
It took far too long for Levi to realize what was happening, and by the time his mind caught up to the fact that he was stumbling, then falling, it was already too late. He fell forwards, right into a muddy puddle. He just barely managed to turn his head to the side to stop his face from hitting the ground, but that didn’t stop him from getting splashed with mud. For a long few moments, he just laid there as he processed his situation; then a long, drawn-out, frustrated sigh came from him. He was so close, painfully close, but it seemed that his body had finally given out. Damn it. The Captain’s eyes were only half-open at this point, darkness creeping in at the edges of his vision, but in his final moments of consciousness, only one thought came to his mind.
Fuck the rain.