Written for Levi Squad Week on Tumblr for the prompt "Sacrifice"

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Everyone notices when a soldier gives their life in the literal sense of the word. There are funeral pyres and tears shed and memories shared and songs sung; they're labelled heroes.

But every soldier makes a sacrifice of their own when they choose this life, sometimes multiple sacrifices.

Levi doesn't feel like he's missing out on anything, the military suits him and fighting for his life is all he's ever known. When he lost his mother, Farlan and Isabel, he lost every connection he had to a life outside of the Scouting Legion…now, he accepted the fact that he would never have anything else but this since he made his choice.

But, as he watched the members of his Squad down in the courtyard, he wondered what made an average citizen choose this way of life. Sighing, Levi leaned against the window frame and watched as Eren and Eld studied a map together. Auruo was standing beside a nearby tree with his arms crossed as Petra stood with her hands on her hips, obviously scolding him even though Levi couldn't hear the exact words. Gunther was brushing down his horse not too far away, shaking his head at his two bickering squad mates.

These soldiers, his soldiers, had all made sacrifices to be here in that courtyard right now…

Eren he could understand because the kid's situation was a lot like his own, he lost his family and his home in one fell swoop…the difference between them was the immense anger that Eren harbored in his heart. What had Eren sacrificed when he had donned the Wings of Freedom? Plenty. Eren Jaeger had set aside his childhood and even put his best friend and the girl who was like his sister on the backburner in order to take on the Titans. Levi wondered if the boy even realized his sacrifice at this point, but he felt sure that he would eventually…time had a way of making you see things differently.

Gunther had sacrificed the happiness of his aging parents. Levi knew for a fact that Gunther's father had been so unhappy about his decision that they were still slightly estranged from the arguments they had on every furlough and his mother had to bear the burden of the tension between her husband and son. Gunther had sacrificed a life outside of the military as a blacksmith like his father and his father's father had been…a well-paying career with plenty of business and the promise of having enough money to settle down and have no worries about where his next meal would come from or when his life would end in the crushing hands of a Titan.

Eld had given up the life of a husband and father, leaving a woman he loved behind to fulfill his call as a soldier. Levi had seen the way Eld's face would light up when a letter from her would arrive, the way his entire being focused on the words and drank them in like he was a parched man in the desert. He should be with her now, Levi thought to himself, instead of giving up his chance at a normal life and a family for this bleak existence.

Auruo had given up a life as a big brother to five younger brothers who looked up to him like he was their hero…and he was. Auruo may act like a tough guy who cared very little about anything, but Levi knew the opposite was true and that the irascible and pompous soldier actually hid a heart of gold deep down inside…maybe not so deep if you could look past his front. Levi knew it the moment he first saw all those young boys come charging down the street to greet their brother and Auruo's usually bored and unenthusiastic face lit up as he scooped the two smallest ones onto each shoulder, his laugh had been so honest and real and Levi wished he would just be the real Auruo more often…but maybe his identity outside of his kill count had been yet another sacrifice?

Petra had sacrificed the role of her father's only child. She had told him once about her father, how he'd begged and pleaded with her not to join the military, how he'd stopped speaking to her for a long amount of time when she did, and how he finally came to his senses and apologized and started to be proud of her achievements in the Scouts. Petra loved her father dearly and that love was equally returned…and it seemed to Levi that a soldier's life was not what Petra deserved.

He watched them all interacting below for a while longer as the setting sun cast red and orange streaks across the stones of the courtyard. Yes, when a soldier dies their sacrifice is noticed…but when a life that could have been is snuffed out to make room for a soldier, no one mourns for the sacrifice made.

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*sad sniffle* My babies…