After a year in this place, Levi has learned that the only thing he can count on in this place is the ebb and flow of particularly fucked up, stressful events that manage to string themselves together right in a row. Unfortunately, there's no predicting when calm will suddenly turn to chaos, and while it's not as though he's unused to extreme stress or violent things happening without warning, that hardly means he's unaffected.

Frankly, he's fucking worn out.

So Jean's message that Eren is gone coming on the heels of the latest round of fuckery just adds to the pile.

Unlike his last few rounds of losses, however, he can't help but notice how much more complicated it feels. Maybe it shouldn't be surprising, given what he'd learned; the realization that Eren is on an immutable path. Still, Levi recognizes that part of him is relieved in addition to the sorrow. But even that is complicated, too. Sorrow at losing him, sorrow at knowing what he'll go on to do, sorrow at knowing the only solution will be killing him.

The sudden emptiness of that bond still hurts. It feels different from losing Hange, from gaining the memories of Erwin's death. He can't help but think of Mikasa, both of them now like empty threads dangling in the wind, frayed ends like something's been cut loose.

In the following days, Levi rides to the farm to help look after Elke. Jean could probably manage, but he has less to do for the moment. The tea shop is open sporadically, at once providing distraction but also making him feel a little too confined without enough help to keep it open all day. But making sure Elke is taken care of...feels about like the only thing he can do.

It's a blessedly quiet day when there's a knock at the door. He's left Erwin to mind the shop for a few hours, just needing some time to himself, although the cottage quickly feels too...empty, too quiet. All of his life, there's always been some sort of din of humanity around him. But when he's by himself in their own dwelling it almost feels...lifeless. What will he do when Erwin leaves, too?

(Because, inevitably, he'll probably be the only one to remain here, too.)

So the unannounced visitor is a welcome interruption. Levi pads softly to the door in his slippers, a cup of half-finished tea on the table, and opens the door.

It takes half a heartbeat before recognition kicks in, and then suddenly it's like an icy stone dropping through his chest into the very pit of his stomach. Surprise is evident on his face, gray eyes wide, lips faintly parted. Realization slides like cold water down the back of his neck.

This is not the same Eren he'd seen last. Just as he feels something once again on the other end of that bond, Levi feels the gulf widen even more. Does it stretch beyond that footbridge they'd built before, right here in this very room?

Had it reached its limit even before he'd gone?

Stunned silence stretches for a time even he can't account for, and the longer it goes, the sicker he feels - grief, loss, anger starting to churn violently, confronted with the very thing he'd never wanted to happen.

Eventually, Levi swallows tightly, and drawls out: "What's the matter, Eren? Couldn't get enough of this weirdass place? Had to go and grow a few more inches? Not like you needed them."