Levi doesn't come back for months after that.

The longest time between training sessions has been two and a half months. Their schedule is cramped; you can't blame them. Levi and Hange have their own training to do, expeditions to go on, strategies to plan. It makes sense that they're gone a lot.

You manage. You keep up your friendships with those you've met, and then expand your group to some of the others you meet: Ruth, a sweet girl with a happy-go-lucky attitude, Thomas, a nice kid with faded hair, and Hannah and Franz, who everyone jokes are like a married couple. You spar with a few of them in free hand combat, or you talk with them while you're waiting to go for drills.

But still, you can't help but count the days since Levi was last here.

You know he's not dead; someone would've told you if that was the case. Doesn't mean you can't still miss him.