#isabel and petra would get along so well | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dreamingon-forever · 1 year

Text

Black Tea is Fine Ch.9

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44651227/chapters/112440589

Preview: "Hey Hans, sending a quick message to inform you I got the item you wanted. Come pick it up whenever you're free. And remember you have to tell me about this cute guy you-" But he never got to finish reading the message as a shriek filled the air, a frantic Hange hovering over him and snatching the device from out of his hands, barely missing the untouched cup of hot tea she left on the table. The woman shakily scanned over the rest of the message before pocketing her phone, trying hard to ignore the red blush rising on her neck.

The school's spring sessions had seamlessly transitioned to summer, just as quickly as the cool breeze and blossoming start of the year shifted into warm days that enticed students to spend their time outdoors instead of being cooped up within the school walls. And within that time, just as similarly, had the dynamic between Levi and Hange's friendship. The man had slowly softened and warmed up to the crazy eccentric chemist, letting her into his exclusive little bubble of people he considered tolerable, much to the shock of both his best friends. And although Furlan took a bit longer to warm up to Hange, Isabel became ecstatic about their friendship as Hange continuously indulged her with cavity filled sweets, much to the displeasure of the shorter man. The initial hostility he held towards Hange had ebbed away like water droplets evaporating during a warm summer day, and along the way he'd eventually learned to accept and adjust to the same quirks that had driven him mad when they had first met. Instead finding ways to deal with them in his own begrudging and fitting way (many of said methods including some sort of forced form of shower and physically tearing her away from her research so she didn't shrivel away at her desk like a moth). By all means the scientist's quirks and eccentricity still elicited an annoyed 'tch' that was specially reserved for her from time to time, but having spent so much time working with the woman he'd eventually accepted that it would be easier to deal with her that way than force her to change.

During the same time, he'd opened up more to his other coworkers at Paradis High as well, and even managed to acquaint himself with a group he didn't completely find revolting and could call them somewhat more than just coworkers. And although he vocally complained every time he was invited out for a group drinking night or meet up at someone's place, he allowed himself to be dragged without much complain by Hange, Mike, or Erwin. Nanaba would jokingly tease him for his grumpy mood but was always glad at seeing him join them as well. The woman even went on to add him to their group chat and rename their group to the 'Survey Corps' as a running joke that they, as seasoned teachers paved the way for Paradis High students' knowledge and expansion beyond the concrete walls of the school. He thought it was absolutely cheesy but the others seem to get a giggle out of it. To his surprise, he even got friendly enough to the group to actually have their numbers and contacts saved on his phone- saving him the potential of embarrassing himself if he had to contact any of them through Hange's number if he ever came across needing them. And despite his denial, he saved the photo Nanaba had taken of the group during their first outing together, even with that death glare he threw at the camera.

Similarly to Levi; Oluo, Petra, Eld, and Gunther all were newer staff additions as well, only having had started a few months to a year prior to when Levi joined. At first they held back from approaching him, not sure how much of the rumours floating around were true regarding the man. But after having saved them from an incident involving a clip of Oluo comparing Shadis to an animated googly-eyed potato taken by his friends and accidentally sent to the principal's email, they had learned that the man was not the murderous and cold-blooded man rumours depicted him to be. They had been lucky the janitor had passed by the bawling and bloodied mess that was Oluo who'd bit his tongue in fear of being reprimanded that day, and had granted them access to the principal's office to delete said email before Shadis had a chance to see it. Although no one wanted to nor dared question how the raven-haired man managed to easily hack into the security system, letting it become a mystery they were happy to ignore and pretend didn't exist. But because of the incident, Oluo had somewhat started idolizing Levi to the extend he started picking up his mannerisms and way of dressing- much to the displeasure of his pals and specially Petra.

"What do you think you're doing copying Levi, Oluo?! You're not as cool to pull it off!" She'd exclaim in frustration. And Hange couldn't help but tease him about it every time Oluo sneaked up to him whenever he was spotted. But from the incident the five eventually grew a bond between each other, which Hange dubbed the 'Levi Squad' as they all seemed to follow him like some sort of war hero.

And most shocking of all, even the students that held judgmental views towards him from the start started loosening up around him, some even chatting him up along the halls before going to their respective classes. Most being from Mikasa's friend group who seemingly had taken an interest in him because of the high praises Jaeger gave him, swearing on his life that he had saved his life. He did miss the days when he could get a fleet of students out of his way by just glancing at their direction, but it was also a nice change of pace to not have constant rumours spread about him. Specially ones that brought back memories he tried to disconnect from.

And as Levi had come to realize, all of this had started from the encouraged and semi-forced socializing that Hange had prodded onto him, which as she'd stated, was her own way to get even for all the forced showers he made her get. And as much as he hated to admit, he actually started liking working at Paradis High because of these newly formed bonds, it made him feel as if for once in his life, he actually belonged somewhere. That he was accepted and not looked down as some piece of scum from the poorest and most disliked part of the city. For once he didn't feel as if he was a havoc of grime ready to infest anyone who dared get close to him. Because up to recent, he could just imagine the invisible grime covering him, oozing and ready to repel anyone away, bringing misfortune to anyone that even attempted to be near him. The stupid grime that only he could see but was constantly reminded of every time he let down his guard. And to think this all started from one cup of black tea he had begrudgingly accepted back at the start of the year.

Despite the many friendships he'd harbored during the last five months, Levi and Hange seemed to spend most of their time together apart from the group. He had become Hange's favourite person to turn to when she found something interesting about her research, even taking up the spot on her speed dial from all the 3am calls she gave him when she had an eureka moment. And he just allowed her to blabber away as he silently worked away on some cleaning or got lulled into a nice slumber as he listened. Outside of their work they constantly stayed over at each other's places and ventured on random detours to antique bookstores, questionably licensed pet stores, random tea shops they've found, and cleaning supply stores whenever they had some free time, much to the amusement of Erwin and Mike as they pondered over how abnormal the two were for finding these places of interest. Only to come to the conclusion that only they would tolerate each other's unique quirks.

The infamous chemistry room had become their little safe place away from the rest of the school whenever they needed a breather from the chaos that came from working at a high school, and hosted the continuation of their countless tea filled afternoons, allowing them the perfect pockets of time to get to know each other on a personal level. Where through sips and shared cups of different teas they slowly revealed piece by piece the story of each other's pasts; allowing them to get a better picture of the person that lay behind their outward persona. And during the many sessions they spent together, piece by piece, Levi told her about growing in the filthiest and most crime ridden city within Sheena, one so hated it was dubbed the 'Underworld'. He told her of his mother who he loves dearly and understood that out of desperation to raise him and feed him had resorted to selling herself. And in return had attained sexually transmitted infections that both of them just couldn't afford to cure. Which became reason as to why she'd distanced herself from him so she didn't burden him with constantly having to come face-to-face with her weakening state, or to even make him stress about hospital bills. He told her about his youth in which he resorted to stealing from the rich in the community, and ended up befriending Furlan and Isabel, two orphaned kids that had helped him escape one of his unfortunately unsuccessful heists. He even told her of some of the regretful crimes he'd done and how much it still haunted him to this day, despite understanding he was just simply trying to live and depended on his survival instincts to get by.

During one particularly rainy day that reminded him of the fateful day his life changed, he told her of the day a young police officer had found him and Furlan fending off a group of traffickers that were going after Isabel- a group that the inspector had been searching for months. That had been the day he met Erwin Smith. It was also the day someone finally had reached out with good intentions and tried to save him from the world he never asked to be born into. From then on Erwin had done everything in his power to get Isabel and Furlan out of the system and decided to adopt them, taking in Levi as well since his mom wasn't well enough to take care of him. Although Erwin did his best to send part of his paycheck to help her medication whenever he could. At the age of 24 he had also pulled enough strings to help enroll the three teenage friends into one of the best schools within the Ehrmich district, where very soon they found themselves isolated and picked on for their background. But that only made them more motivated to prove them wrong, ending with the three of them graduating with some of the highest grades in their year. And despite all he's done for Levi in his lifetime, he still helped him once more with getting him the job as janitor at Paradis High.

"So that's why you're so loyal to Erwin." Hange had said with fascination as the man finalized his story. A glimmer of newfound appreciation and respect for the blond man swirling in her brown eyes. "No wonder you were so close to him from the start! And here I thought you had become instant best friends with him." At her words, a bright smile took over her face as an idea crossed her mind. "Does that mean that I get the title and honour of being Levi Ackerman's first friend at Paradis High then?" She asked, only to get a shove in return from the man next to her, eliciting a laugh to fall from her lips as she tried to steady herself before toppling off her high chair.

"Say... you never told me why you started working here. Of course, your obsession with cleaning and shouting at kids seem all to fall under the perfect work conditions for you, and it's not like we're not happy having you here, shorty, but you mentioned that Erwin helped you get this position so it doesn't seem like the first option you had in mind." Hange said as she stirred her tea, trying to let it cool down a bit before taking a sip.

Levi took his time as he watched the gentle wisps of heat evaporate from his cup, his hands holding onto the rim of the cup in the only way she'd ever seen anyone do. For a moment, time seemed to have stilled, no one moving or uttering a word as Levi continued looking into his cup, wordlessly. Hang was debating whether to change the subject when the man's voice finally spoke up.

"I needed the money... Mom needs the money." He mumbled softly, his words so gentle they almost mixed and flew away alongside the vapor.

At seeing his vulnerability, one so unknown to her, she started feeling bad for bringing up such a topic. She should have guessed it would be a sensible subject, but it had somehow slipped her mind from the excitement of getting to know his past. She should've been more careful. But before she could dwell too much in self blame, the man flicked at her forehead, bringing her attention onto his grey eyes. "Don't. You look like the biggest shit is stuck up your ass when you think like that." He said. And she couldn't help smile at his terrible way of making her feel better. It was their thing, the poop talks, one that others found absolutely appalling, but made complete sense to them both.

It was one of the many reasons she starting catching feelings towards him.

Your mom must be a wonderful woman to have given birth to such a kind son. I would love to meet her someday. Hange found herself thinking, as she watched the man in front of her with a smile, her eyes tracing the way the summer sun glimmered against his pale skin. Taking notice of the man's gaze shifting towards hers, she cleared her throat. She'd rather die than be caught ogling her best friend.

"Have I shown you the newest picture my sister sent me of Gabi?" Hange changed the subject, scrolling through her messages before landing on a photo attachment, opening it up to show it to the man, a fond smile on her face.

"Brat's getting bigger." He said with a tch as his eyes scanned the way the girl stood tall and proud next to a cannon. "She finally got to visit that war memorial she wanted to see?" He asked as he took a sip of tea. Hange let out a knowing chuckle. "Yes, she'd begged my sister for the last three months and finally drove her up the wall with her whines. I'm guessing the added stress from the incoming baby hadn't helped her either." She said as she looked at the photo for a second longer before placing the phone down on the table. Despite her not getting along with her mother, Hange had always had a soft spot for her younger sister, and her affection only grew in magnitude with her niece. Levi could easily tell from her stories and her fondness over the girl that they got along like real mother and child, their ponytailed mess of brown hair, their inquisitive brown eyes, their determination that only frustrates those around them, and even their weird obsessions seem to align with each other. And despite Levi having gotten to know Hange's life story, she never opened up to him about his mother's wish for her to get married- and even more, of her actual deep seeded desire to do so, but fear of falling into the same fate as her biological father held her down from dipping her toes into the far fetched idea. It had crossed Levi's mind once or twice why she'd never settled down yet. She was in her thirties and seemed to love children, and from the way her students saw her, they loved her just as much. Of course, he could see blatantly see her flaws and quirks, he wasn't blind for goodness sakes. But he could see she was a talented woman capable of loving and caring for others unconditionally with the big heart she had. Whatever man got to marry her would be extremely lucky.

With a stretch of her arms over her head and a groan, the woman sat up, walking towards her desk. "Want some cookies? Some girl scouts were selling them and I just couldn't say no to them. But um... I might have ended up buying more than intended." She said as she sheepishly went behind her desk and held up three bags full of sweets.

"Four-eyes, you truly are the most gullible person in the world. How did you get robbed off by a bunch of ten year old brats into buying the whole truck-load of cookies?" Levi grunted as he stared in disbelief at the pile of sweets. Before the woman could defend herself, her phone dinged, drawing both their eyes to the middle of the table where her screen lit up with a new message.

"Who's it from?" The woman asked as she started picking through the bags to find the one package that called to her. With a roll of his eyes, Levi pulled the brunette's phone towards him, his fingers lazily typing in her password (his own birthday because she reasoned that statistically speaking no one would put Christmas as their password) before scanning her notification bar. Taking quick notice of the background picture displaying both her pet leeches. Absolutely disgusting.

"From your sister." He called out, getting a hum of acknowledgement from the brunette. "Must be another message about Gabi then."

"Hey Hans, sending a quick message to inform you I got the item you wanted. Come pick it up whenever you're free. And remember you have to tell me about this cute guy you-" But he never got to finish reading the message as a shriek filled the air, a frantic Hange hovering over him and snatching the device from out of his hands, barely missing the untouched cup of hot tea she left on the table. The woman shakily scanned over the rest of the message before pocketing her phone, trying hard to ignore the red blush rising on her neck.

She didn't dare look at Levi's expression, scared of seeing if he'd read the rest of the words as well. Just that thought alone was mortifying enough to think about, but if he managed to put two and two together that he was the one they were talking about, she was ready to become feed to her beloved pets. Quickly clearing her throat, she shoved a bag full of cookies at Levi. "Here, for Isabel." She said in a mumbled hurry trying to shift the awkwardness into calmer waters, all the while ignoring the ringing of her phone in her pocket. But the silence that followed only seemed to amplify the vibrating machine and the obnoxious sound of her ringtone- the sounds of raptors from Jurassic World, which she hilariously tried to explain once were actually recorded sounds of two turtles mating.

Levi raised a brow but didn't comment on the woman's odd behaviour, instead taking a final sip of his tea. "I think I should get to checking on Jaeger. Can't trust the brat to get things done properly." Levi said as he stood up, stacking up his stool as he headed for the door. A blank and unreadable look on his face. He paused for a second at the doorway as he outstretched his hand back out to the blushing brunette, gesturing towards the bag of sweets. "I'll pass these along. Although if Isabel ends up needing a kidney transplant I'm taking yours in exchange." He drawled out before taking the bag out of Hange's hands, all the while avoiding looking the woman in the face.

"Answer your goddamn phone, shitty-eyes." He grumbled before closing the door behind him.

As he walked down the hallways, he couldn't help a blush from dusting his cheeks as well, although his was way more subtle than the one the woman sported. Get over it Ackerman, it's just a stupid crush. He told himself as he shook at his perfectly styled hair in frustration. He was praying to whatever God was out there that he hadn't made it obvious to the bespectacled woman that he'd read through the whole message, or that he had already interpreted from the words that he was the one at the end of their conversation. Despite his awareness of how close he'd gotten to Hange, as well of the way his heart beat faster at being in close proximity with the woman, and of the longing in his eyes whenever he caught sight of her, he'd made it clear to himself early on when he found out his feelings that he wouldn't pursue anything with her. He wasn't willing to risk everything and throw away the one relationship he had grown so fond of just because of a stupid crush. He knew that rationally it would only complicate things and the possibility of losing her for even entertaining such a selfish thought was not worth it in his eyes. He really did care deeply for her, even if his gruff attitude and lack of dotting words didn't portray his true feelings. But it was because he cared so much for her that he didn't see it fair to her to try to start something with her. He was just a boy from the Underground, what could he possibly give her that she didn't already achieve on her own?

Before he could entertain his thoughts further, he caught sight of a familiar boy who sported a similarly absentminded look on his face. This at least was enough to shift his attention away from the woman for a second.

"Oi, you call that cleaning? That window looks worse than before you started, Jaeger." Levi's voice droned over to the dazed out high schooler. "You trying to make a stained glass instillation?" At his words, Eren looked up at the window he'd aimlessly been scrubbing at the last ten minutes, only now realizing that he'd been wiping away at it with a tablecloth he'd used to wipe at a paint spill in the art room earlier. The brunet's green eyes widening in realization and surprise at the streaks of red smearing the window panels.

"Levi, sir! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to create a mess!" He sputtered out as he fumbled with the supply cart searching for the proper supplies. Levi watched him with a bored manner as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his shoulder, assessing the boy in silence. He knew that Jaeger was clumsy, but this was beyond his typical fumbles.

"Spill it brat, what's got you all constipated and wasting my good cleaning supplies?" He asked inquisitively, taking track of the crossed brows on the boys' forehead indicating his distress. For a moment he thought he was ignoring him and was about to ask again when the boy finally let out a sigh, turning to look at the man he considered his mentor.

"My stepbrother... he found out about the cigarettes and fire incident when Mikasa brought up the incident a few days ago. I wasn't aware he'd be home so early that day, so he overheard the whole thing." Eren gave a sigh as he started spraying cleaning solution onto the windows. "Ms. Zoe had done everything she could to keep it a secret from my parents, but seems like it's all going to go to waste if my brother decides to tell them instead."

Levi watched the discouraged kid as he wiped at the window, leaving behind even bigger smears of paint as the solution mixed with the paint and slushed downwards through multiple droplets of red in a way that the janitor could only describe as driplings of blood. Levi had to actually bite down on his tongue to stop himself from cursing at the boy- although he couldn't possibly fight back the grimace that took over his facial expression. "I'm taking you're not on best terms with your brother?" He voiced out through gritted teeth.

Eren let out a shrug. "Never got along with him. Mom and I found out that dad had another family and never informed either one us of it. We only figured it out when Zeke showed up to our doorstep one day to confront father. He's not necessarily fond of me as I am of him. Unfortunately, in an effort to keep both of his families, dad and our mothers have agreed on letting Zeke come stay with us from time to time so we can bond together. Stupidest arrangement I've ever heard in my life..." He muttered darkly, putting a bit too much effort into his wiping and causing the window panel to sway slightly from the force. "That bastard was the one who brought this stupid arrangement to be. If he hadn't brought this up to our attention then mother wouldn't be heartbroken and our family would still be happy." He spat out.

Levi allowed the boy a minute of silence and solitude to cool down as he picked up his own supplies and started cleaning the window next to his. "Would you really have been happier being kept in the dark about your father's other family? Wouldn't it have been shittier if your stepbrother had kept it from you?" He finally asked as he finished his section.

Eren froze for a second before slowly shaking his head. "I'd rather have been ignorant of it. Now I can't look dad in the eyes anymore. I think that knowing too much can actually hurt more." He mumbled quietly as his hands stilled over the newly cleaned window. Levi studied the boy quietly and came to the realization that Eren was indeed relying on him in a way that a kid would a mentor. Maybe shitty-glasses had been right after all.

"You think your brother will give your ass up to your parents?" Levi gruffly asked as he shoved the kid to the side, redoing the panel he'd been working on. "I... I don't know. He was never super hostile to me, but I don't see why he wouldn't use this opportunity to try and pull one up on me." He muttered with honesty. "But... I don't want mom to think she'd raised the wrong child out of us... she's deserving of more than that."

At the sight of the disarmed boy next to him, Levi couldn't help but think of his own mother, and to what extends he'd gone through to protect her from his wrongdoings as well. And the similarities he saw of himself in Eren reflected back at him once more. Turning away from the boy, Levi let out a tch. "You've done a shitty job today. Go and rest up so you don't create extra work for me next time." He muttered, roughly taking the cleaning supplies out of the boy's hands, trying to ignore the surprised look the boy gave him.

"Are you not going? Should I make you clean the urinals instead?" He asked, but they both knew his words were void of any real threat. With a grateful smile, Eren bowed down to the man before heading down the hallway. But not before he froze and turned to the man once more, a blush and a sheepish look on his face. "Say, um... do you happen to know how Mikasa and Jean are doing? You know, just worried about horse-face and his ego, and Mikasa being my childhood friend, and Armin not tell-"

"Kid, do I look like a fucking messenger to you? Fucking ask her if you're so bothered." Levi deadpanned. And with that note, Eren turned once more and left the halls.

"Brats." He muttered.

----------

What Levi had not expected that day as he walked up to his apartment was for a familiar and rather drunk man to stand by his door. A rather obnoxious sleezy smile grazing his lips, the uninvited guest tipped his cowboy hat back to look down at the owner of the house when he caught sight of Levi's signature undercut.

"Ah, Levi, you finally decided to show up, huh?" Kenny chuckled as he pointed a hand holding a half empty liquor bottle at his nephew. "My, my, you haven't grown at all since the last time we met. Come here, give your uncle a welcoming hug." The older man chuckled as he opened his arms wide, waiting for the stunned man to come towards him like an obedient puppy.

Levi felt his blood freeze, his eyes widening in shock and confusion as his mouth fell agape, rendering him completely unable to utter a word. All stemming from the surprise at seeing his uncle for the first time in God knows how long. What was that bastard doing at his home? Why now of all times? Could it actually be him? For all he knew it could be a complete stranger pretending to be his uncle, he hasn't seen his face in so long he actually thought it could be possible. But just as quickly, his piercing grey eyes morphed into thin slits as the initial shock got overridden by the anger and resentment he held for the man.

"What are you doing here, Kenny?" He hissed as he swatted away the outstretched hands of the older Ackerman. And to his added annoyance, the drunkard only took another swing from his bottle before letting out a boisterous laughter. One that was bound to get complains from his neighbours.

"Can't an uncle drop by to his his favourite nephew?" He asked innocently, looking at the other man from over the bottle he went back to shugging from.

"Only if that said uncle decided to stay in their nephew's life and didn't disappear without a word for over 20 years." Levi hissed with all the pent up hate flowing freely through him now. Suddenly a flash of realization appeared in his eyes as he glanced at the door of his house with a panic. "What did you-"

"I didn't touch any of your precious friends. I made sure to come when they were both out." Kenny reassured Levi, allowing him one second of peace before the hatred returned in his eyes, grabbing the man forcibly by the collars and shoving him forcefully against the wall with hostility. "Great, now cut the crap and tell me what you're doing here? You got 20 seconds to explain yourself before that precious bottle of yours gets pushed up your ass as you crawl your way back to whatever hellhole you've been hiding in." Venom laced his words, his hands further pushing the man up the wall so his feet were slightly off from touching the ground.

A strained chuckle left the older man's lips as he looked down at the grey eyes that reminded him so much of his sister's. "I see you've kept up with the way I taught you to speak, little runt. It's so dirty compared to the good life you've built up for yourself in the city, boy." He chuckled, but only for a second as a wheeze replaced them as Levi's hold tightened onto his neck.

"10 seconds." He muttered darkly. And with a gulp, the easiness Kenny's expressions showed a few seconds ago disappeared, replaced with genuine fear. "A place to stay. I need somewhere to stay low until the police stop looking for me." He explained. At his words, the anger in Levi's eyes only intensified.

"No." Was all he said, barely above a whisper before he threw the man to the side, letting him go. "Get out, I don't want to see you standing by my house ever again." Levi said with finality, turning to open the door.

"Levi, c'mon! You can't throw your old man out like this! Remember I took you in and helped raise you when you were but a baby!" The man shouted, grabbing hold of the shorter man's leg.

"You took me in long enough to help me realize you're a bag load of shit, Kenny. And all you've left was a life filled with violence and a mother to take care of in the hands of an eight year old." Levi voiced out with malice, turning to glare at the man as he shook him off his leg. "Pieces of shit deserve to be left behind, right? That's what you told me, wasn't it?" And with a final shove, he turned the key in his hands and walked into the safety of his place. "Leave before I call security." He muttered before shutting the door behind him with a final bang.

For a moment all was still, only the rapid beating of his heart indicating time was passing by. He stood still against the door as he waited to hear the receding footsteps of his uncle. But despite his venom filled words, part of him hurt. Sure, he hated the man with his guts, and blamed him for his troubled past and his mother's worsening health, but it was also true that he had been part of his life at one point. He had taught him despite not being his actual son the necessary skills he needed to help provide for him and his mother when it was just the two of them. He had been his father figure at one point.

The sound of sirens passing by the building momentarily filled the air. Levi aware from knowing Kenny he wouldn't have left any evidence behind to lead the cops to his apartment, but still his fists clenched in worry as he struggled against the intrusive thought crossing his mind.

A soft chuckle filtered through the small gaps between his door. "Glad to see you're doing alright, runt. Make sure to keep those life lessons I've given you to use." Kenny's sleezy voice called out through the door, before some shuffling followed after him along with his fading footsteps.

And before he could slap himself and think things through, Levi swung open his apartment door, throwing the older Ackerman a shoe to the head to get his attention. "Get your ass in here, old man. I don't want the neighbours questioning why a dirty old bastard with a cowboy hat has been visiting me. I don't have the time or effort to answer to another cop investigation." He muttered, ignoring the surprised look his uncle gave him from across the corridor.

"Just remember, nothing comes free in life, everything has it's price. Your own words. So be ready for any favour I need to ask of you, piece of shit." Levi said.

---------

To say his day was shitty was an understatement. Having taken in Kenny had been a complete horror to live through, not to mention the looks of alarm and panic that crossed his best friends' faces when he explained to them about their momentary roommate. Of course, they'd never really come face-to-face with Kenny before, but they've heard of the tales of the so called "Kenny the Ripper", he was famous in the Underworld for a reason. And if Levi's skills had shown anything, then they could just imagine the kind of skills a famous perpetrator like Kenny had. Needless to say, his friends had slept with their eyes open and doors locked all through the night. The morning hadn't been better as they all awoke to the smell of cigarettes being exhaled through their apartment. In a fit of rage, Levi had taken the half-used package, soaked them in his lavender scented detergent- rendering them useless, before shoving them back into Kenny's hands. "Only thing allowed to be smoked in this house is food, otherwise you clean instead." He hissed as he threw the man a vacuum and air spray.

His mood didn't get any better when he'd gotten to school that morning. Already being called in to clean after a kid who'd obtained food poisoning from eating leftover they found in the cafeteria. Levi made sure to leave a very heartwarming message to Mikasa about her friend Sasha after that, thanking her for allowing her friend to puke all over the floors of the girls bathroom. How she had managed to miss the toilet for all of her vomiting fits was beyond him.

Things only got worse as the hours passed and he found himself having to clean after a rat infestation they found behind the school's gardening club shed. They'd apparently been eating away at their harvests to the point they were the size of cats. Shadis tried to reason with Levi that they would call an exterminator later that evening, but just thinking of how many of these creatures ran across the school grounds freely made him shutter. He wouldn't give himself the time to ponder if it was mating season for them as well, and of how many little monsters could possibly be scurrying around unnoticed.

Which was why by the time evening fell and the chatter and noise from students and staff had died down, he was in no mood to deal with Hange's hurricane of a mess of a room, or her boisterous voice that rung at him as he entered the room.

"Levi, Leviiiii! Guess what, Levi!" She started, eagerly jumping and surrounding him as she waved a wad of paper in front of his face, eliciting an annoyed tch from the man as he tried pushing them away from his face. Unbothered by his rude behaviour, she continued with a giddy smile. "I was doing my usual research when I came across this paper! And my goodness the research they've been conducting is beyond amazing! I've been reading it the whole morning to the point my students had to point out to me that class started! Haha, can you imagine?!" She shrilled louder, flipping energetically through her papers once more, her eyes gleaming with excitement. And usually Levi would relish in that happy face on her face, or even take a seat so that he could listen to her explain her newfound research. But his mood was soured and the state of her room only made things worse. Not to mention the added energy and loud voice she had at the moment only added to his strained nerves.

"Not now, Hange. I'm not in the mood." He grumbled as he pushed past the bespectacled woman, ignoring her stunned look as he went to her desk and started throwing away the pile of garbage that had accumulated over it. "Eh... but you never use my name." She said with a slight laugh, taking in the man's disgruntled look as he threw a questionably piece of paper covered in some brown substance. "Come on, Levi! Just a second, I've been dying to talk to you about it!" She pushed, walking towards the man and placing the papers in his sight once more, only for him to once again swat it away, this time with slightly more force, shocking the woman.

"Fucking hell, shitty-glasses... look at this mess... Who would stand living their lives with you like this? Does it ever cross your mind to keep your area tidy instead of inconveniencing others to clean after your mess?" Levi hissed in frustration at the endless amounts of take out containers he found on her table.

Hange's smile slowly dropped at his words, the paper she had been so excited about drooping unforgotten to the side as a lump formed in her throat. Ah, there was that comment she always feared to hear directed at her. In that moment, Levi had solidified all the fears and worries she'd had about thinking of starting a relationship with anyone. Of being seen as a hassle, of being so preoccupied with her work she tuned out the world, of making the person she devoted her heart to clean after her, baby her, and for them finally having had enough of her antics and lack of self care to the point they would abandon her. Just like her dad.

Hearing those words would have hurt regardless of who uttered them to her, they were the ones that inflicted wounds into her heart since she was young after all. But it was the fact that it had been Levi, the one person she thought would be accepting of who she was, that uttered those words so carelessly towards her that made the whole ordeal much more heartbreaking.

He was, after all, the man she had started falling for.

Levi turned around, ready to yell at her to help clean when he caught the somber and shaken look on her face. "Four-eyes?" He hesitantly asked, his hands slowly dropping the items he was holding to, ready to walk towards the woman and check on her. Slowly she blinked back at him, not having registered him for the last few seconds as she battled with her inner dialogue. Eventually an automatic smile plastered its way back on her face, covering up the deep seeded sorrow her heart was pulsating through her veins. "Sorry, yeah, I'll get to it! You take this side and I'll take this one." She said in a bright tone, quickly shuffling to the other side of the room without giving him much as a look.

Levi froze in his spot, wondering what had caused the sudden change in Hange's attitude. He admittedly had been a bit rough with her just now, but they've been through worst jabs and confrontations with each other before that he didn't think his words could've hurt her to this point. And for a brief moment, his anger and tiredness from the last two days had faded and been replaced with concern towards the bespectacled woman. But his pride and his lack of experience in comforting others stopped him from reaching out, instead turning back to the cleaning work at hand. In his mind hoping he could make up for it later.

His eyes wandered over to the clock above the board and noticed the time for the first time since he'd walked in. He'd been late without realizing it, having walked in well over an hour later than he usually did. His gaze silently turned towards the usual seats the two sat in at the front of the window, noticing two cups waiting on the table. One which was still full while the other was mostly empty.

His heart wrenched in his chest. She'd been waiting for him. No wonder she'd been so excited to showcase her research to him when he walked through the doors.

The two silently cleaned up for the next half hour, the whole time Levi throwing concerned glances over towards the woman, who seemingly ignored them all as she shuffled quietly through her side of the room. Just as they were about done, a knock penetrated through the door, bringing both their attentions to the newcomer.

"Hi, I'm looking for professor Hange Zoe?" An unfamiliar tall man with curly yellow hair and a face full of beard asked as he looked at the two occupants of the room.

Hange's momentary surprise shifted to a welcoming smile. "Hi, that'd be me! I'm Hange Zoe." She said in her usual chirper voice. And anyone would have thought she was fine with the way she sounded, but Levi having gotten to know every little detail about her, could still see the residual sadness in her eyes. "To whom do I have the honour of speaking with?" She asked as she walked towards the stranger, holding out her hand in a friendly greeting.

The man seemed transfixed for a second at the bright smile the woman gave him. With the clearing of his throat and quickly fixing the glasses on his face, he returned the same smile she gave him, taking her outstretched hand in his own as he shook it firmly. "Nice to meet you, I'm Zeke- Eren's brother."

Blaze

#levihan #levi x hanji #levi x hange #janitor levi #teacher hange #AoT #aot au #aot fanfiction

6 notes · View notes

lunaekalenda · 3 years

Note

Can you do a Levixfem reader

Where the reader “dies” In his arms on a expedition and he had to leave the body and turns out you were alive but outside the walls and the next expedition they find you. And when that get back in the walls together they get there freak on if you know what I mean😏. Thanks so much!🥰❤️

okay! i’ll try my best <3 ! i hope you like it! <3 it turned out kinda romantic aaaa

························································································································

levi x fem!reader

w: death mentions, fake death (?), slight nsfw in the end (really vanilla it's most centered on the feelings :D). No Regrets war flashbacks, some snk spoilers. mention of blood.

“Y/N” Levi’s tears are falling from his face to your skin. Nobody has seen the captain so broken, crying in the middle of an expedition, hugged to your body. He caresses your skin. “Love, please, wake up...” he asks in a whisper, his voice breaking while he keeps crying. “Please.”

Levi feels Erwin’s hand on his shoulder, calling him. “Levi, we have to go!” Erwin says. Levi can’t take his eyes away from your beautiful face, how your closed eyes are never going to shine with that love they always do. Erwin shakes his shoulder harder. “Come on, Levi!!” he yells. Levi takes your body on his arms, but Erwin stops him. “What the hell are you doing?” Levi hugs you closer, tears falling from his eyes again.

“I’m not gonna leave her behind.” He says, his husky tone serious, as if he wanted to say to Erwin that leave you behind isn’t an option. Because you’re only asleep.

Right?

“She’s dead, Levi. Dead. Leave her. We can’t lose you because you’re carrying a body.” Erwin’s words hit him. Dead... Dead is a word Levi hates. Because it is always followed by the name of someone he loves or cares for. His mom. Isabel. Gunter. Petra. You.

“No. She’s...”

“Leave it, Levi. You don’t want more people to die, don’t you?”

That’s true. He needs to be on his full capacities to defend the trope. He looks around, to a place where he can leave your body, knowing the titans will never take it. He easily founds a tree that has a hollow trunk, with a small slot through which it can slide you inside. He leaves you there, along with a bottle of water, in case you’re still alive. He kisses your forehead. “I’ll come back for you, love. I promise.”

···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ···· ····

You wake up inside a tree hours after. You feel dizzy and your head hurts a lot. There’s a little bottle of water near you, and, needing it, you open it fast, drinking. You can hear a man’s voice inside your head. “Drink slowly, dummy. It will make you feel worst.” You don’t know who does that voice belong to, when it sounds so familiar. You can’t also recognize the place, looking through the slot. You’re dressed in your military clothes, and you still have your swords with you. Your light brown jacket is covered in blood. You start to recover some memories. The expedition. The titan that sent you away with his hand. Levi yelling your name.

Levi. Levi.

All your thoughts were back to him. Is he okay? Why did him leave you on a tree? Did something happen to him and he decided to hide you? Maybe he hide you for a moment and never came back?

You’re feeling anxious just with the thought. It has to be a normal reason. He’s okay for sure, and he will be back as soon as possible.

“No” Erwin’s voice is clear. Levi clicks his tongue again.

“I have to go back for her...”

“Levi, there’s nothing you can do for her now.” Hange says. Even when them wanted to accompany Levi -they were sure they could capture some good titans.- They didn’t want to disobey the Commander. “We wont make another expedition just for a body. I know it hurts, but let it go.”

“Fine. I’ll go by myself.” he says, getting up. “I don’t need anyone to go to the nearest fucking tree and come back.” He leaves the office, slamming the door. Erwin sighs.

“Hange, tell the 104 Special Squad to accompany their captain.”

It was afternoon when Levi was prepared to leave, but he found his squad on the wall’s door.

“What are you all doing here? Go back training, brats.” he says, getting on his horse.

“The Commander told us to accompany you, Captain.” Jean says, adjusting his jacket.

“We’re here to help you, to bring her back inside.” Eren smiles softly. That words make Levi change his opinion. He sighs.

“Be careful and don’t leave my side, right?” They part towards the door, and they leave. The camp is quiet after the extermination of the day before. Connie looks around.

“Do you think we will find her alive?” he asks in a whisper. Levi hears that, but he ignores it. Even when he knows it’s almost impossible to find you alive. They walk silently towards the tree where he left you. He runs quickly, leaving his horse with the squad, as they keep a distance. In part, because they want to pay respect.

Levi’s heart breaks when he sees the empty trunk. There’s nothing inside, even the bottle isn’t there. He made sure to leave you somewhere they couldn’t find, but they did anyway. They found you. They didn’t let him say goodbye to you.

Levi kneels in front of the tree, tears running down his face again. He wants to be strong, but he can’t. He has lost you. The most important person in his life.

You drink again before putting the bottle near the river, taking more water. You stand up with difficulty and walk towards the tree slowly, giving secure steps. You’re feeling dizzy yet, but you needed to drink. You know Levi will came back for you, and that’s why you walk back to your hiding place. You see horses when you’re getting closer. Horses and brown jackets. And, when you’re just a couple steps far from them, you see him, kneeled in front of your tree.

“Levi...” you whisper. He’s alive and he’s there. He came back for you. “Levi.” you say, stronger. Jean and Eren turn around. They see you, covered in blood and pale, but alive. Jean runs towards you and he helps you to walk. “Levi.” That’s the only thing you can say.

Levi is used to listen to his loved ones voices once they had left this world. That’s why hearing you whispering his name isn’t something new for him.

“Captain!” Instead, Eren’s voice sounds clear. “We found her!” the smile can be heard on his voice. Levi wants to kick his ass for joking in a moment like this, but he faces you when he turns around. As beautiful as always, you’re supported by Eren and Jean, and they are making sure you’re not falling. Levi stands up as fast as he can, and he hugs you. You can feel his tears on your shoulder as he feels yours on his. He caresses your hair quietly, hugging your body stronger against his. “You’re here.” he whispers. You nod, sobbing. You have missed him, you have feared for him.

“You’re okay.” you say. He answers you with a kiss on your hair.

“I’m sorry, love. They made me leave you here. I knew it was bad, but I... I.” his sobs doesn’t let him talk. You caress his back, trying to calm him.

“It’s fine.” You whisper. After a couple minutes trying to calm each other, Sasha talks.

“Why don’t we resume this beautiful moment inside the walls? I don’t want to end being wedding catering for a titan.” They all nod. Levi helps you to get on top of his horse, and he sits behind you. There, caged between his arms and feeling his heartbeat against your back, you feel safe again.

“I’m sorry.” he says. The doctor has just left the room, saying that you only injured a little bit your leg and your head is healing well. You’re on Levi’s bed, the one you usually sleep on. He sits near you and kisses your forehead. “I’m sorry for leaving you behind.” he says. He thought that, once you knew he left your body there, you would be mad.

“We’re soldiers, Levi.” you say. “Sadly, we can’t take all the bodies with us. Sometimes we have to sacrifice for the others.” you say. You understand Erwin’s decision and Levi’s pressure. You’re soldiers, after all.

Levi combs a lock of your hair with his fingers, softly. “I was so scared... I couldn’t close an eye during the night. I only could think about you.” he says. You smile softly at him. “I was terrified.” You attract him towards your body, hugging him. “I’m sorry, love, I’m so sorry...” you try to calm him with caresses and sweet kisses in his head. “I feel like you’re an illusion, that you’re just a product of my imagination playing with me.” he says. He takes his head out of your chest. “Maybe I lost you and that’s why you’re here? To comfort me?”

You take his hand, sneaking it into your t-shirt, placing it near your heart. His eyes shot open when he feels your pulse against his palm. “I’m here. And I’m real, Levi. I’m the Y/N you always hug. I’m the same. I’m alive.”

His lips search yours in a kiss. He wants more proofs. He wants to make sure you won't disappear when he blinks. He needs to make sure. His hand is still in your shirt, but he isn't searching more. He needs to know you want the same, that you feel good enough. He feels your hands attracting him closer, pulling by the neck of his shirt. He sighs.

Kisses and mixed breaths. He looks at you when you part for air, his chest rising fast, his hands playing with the end of the t-shirt you're wearing. His eyes looking at yours, asking for permission. You nod quietly, looking at him in the eyes, making sure he understands you want this. His hands take off your shirt, admiring every single scar on your body, every mole and every birthmark. Making sure every one of them is in the same place it was, that your body is still the same he remembers. That they are all your little details he loves to admire.

For your surprise, he leans on and kisses every one of them. Every single thing that makes your skin special. You blush at it, but he doesn't care. He's showing without words how much he adores you, how much he cares for you. The affection and love behind every kiss is overwhelming. Your hands are fast unbuttoning his white shirt. He lets the fabric slide down his shoulders once you're done. Feeling his skin against yours is one of your favorite sensations.

There aren't too many words while he keeps kissing every inch of your body, taking away the fabrics that obstacle him. You can only think of him, of how cold his skin is, how good he feels and how much you've missed him, even for just a day. Because when you didn't know how he was, it felt like whole centuries. He lets out a sigh when he gets under the sheets with you, being careful to not cause you pain, standing on his arms on top of you. He smiles, a true smile when you tangle your fingers with his. His grey eyes have a mix of a lot of feelings: love, apology, desire, happiness... they're like storms. You feel his tender touch on your thighs, guiding them. You follow his movements, obeying him.

"Take advantage because I won't be so obedient next time." you joke. He chuckes quietly, and it warms your heart. He smiles so widely after that... You feel so good just watching him. He takes a hand down, fingers probing down your body, making sure you're ready. He chuckles again when your amused expression changes after a single finger touch.

His name comes out of your mouth like a praise. When he touches you, when he buries in you, when he quietly kisses you. You mind and body has his name tattooed while he sets a pace against you, slow but intense. Levi's low praises make your body search him more desperately. When his pace starts to fail and his hips move without any patron against yours, you let out his name again.

"Say it again." he asks. Hearing your name come that easily from your lips makes it even more real. More intimate. "Please." his voice isn't more than a low whisper now, mixed with sighs. He smiles when you say his name again, pushing against you a last time. He lets his head rest on your chest, your quick heartbeat against his ears. He tries to calm his breath. "I love you. I love you so much." he says. "I'll never leave you behind."

You smile, your fingers running through his hair with tenderness. "I know. I know, Levi." you whisper. His eyes feel heavy after the nervous night he passed yesterday, so he acomodates himself by your side, his bare body near yours. You feel his lips on your shoulder.

"And thanks for always coming back for me, no matter what"

435 notes · View notes

breathings-of-the-heart · 3 years

Text

Stuck on You (Levi x Childhood Friend! Reader) Part 2

A/N: Hey guys! It’s been kinda a while but here is part 2~ I have this habit of writing and rewriting my pieces since I’m never fully satisfied by them, but overdoing that is just as bad so I’m going to leave this as is ajflkajada The amount of love my first part recieved was so genuinely heart warming and I cannot express my gratitude enough. I’m nervous to post this because of it, to be honest, because I hope it lives up to the expectations. Thank you to everyone who has shown me support, it means so much! If you guys want a part three, or maybe just a short epilogue, I will consider it so let me know! Also if you would like to be tagged in my future works, comment below or send me a message <3 I hope you all enjoy!

Warnings: Angst, Season 1 and No Regrets ova spoilers

Word Count: 4k

If you haven’t already, read part one here

As a former member of the Scouts yourself, you knew the ins and outs of the military’s regulations. Because of this, you also knew your request was a strange one, seeing as soldiers weren’t typically allowed visitors, but you hoped your letter appealed to the more personal side of Commander Erwin. Apparently it somehow moved the man, seeing as you had been brought by carriage to the legion's base the following night.

The clopping of horse hooves eventually stopped, and you were currently being escorted into the building by another familiar face, her hand already outstretched to help you out of the vehicle as soon as the door swung open.

“I understand your reservations about this, but you’re brave for coming here. I think he’ll be relieved to see you, (Y/N),” Hange spoke, her fingers hovering over the small of your back as she guided you down one of the many hallways, lantern swinging in her free hand. “I think he could benefit from seeing a familiar face.”

Your eyes were downcast, staring at the floor as rooms upon rooms passed by along your path. You couldn’t speak if you tried, words seemingly stuck in your throat and unable to keep up with your racing thoughts.

Deep breaths, (Y/N).

For better or for worse, there was no need to reply, as Hange came to a halt not a second later. She squeezed your shoulder gently before bringing her knuckles to the wooden door, knocking once, twice.

Your hands were clammy, heart thundering in your ears as you tried to steady your breathing.

“Levi, someone is here to see you,” Hange’s voice rang out firmly.

There was a distinct sound of a chair being pushed back, and footsteps growing nearer. Time slowed down, and you began to second guess every decision up to now. Would Levi even want you to be here? Will he be angry? You felt like bolting away and forgetting about the whole idea, suddenly afraid of his reaction. Afraid that your presence would only make everything worse.

Your eyes were widening as you realized the possibility of leaving was too late to explore, Levi already turning the handle from the other side. So instead, you swallowed your pride, stood up straighter, and pushed away the growing sensation of nausea in your gut.

“Who could possibly be important enough to interrupt my--” 

The second his eyes met yours, Levi halted in all movements. Your gaze was fixed on him as well, every bit of longing settling back in your bones the second it did.

He looked nearly the same as the last time you saw him, clean and kempt as ever, hair styled the way it always was-- the same way he’d keep it when he used to chastise you for running your fingers through it.

And those stoic, gray irises that drew you in your were fierce, yet somehow emptier. At the sight of you, his flooding emotions became too much to properly register, unlocking every moment you’d ever spent with him as they replayed all at once.

“(Y/N)?” He couldn’t hide his disbelief, eyes widening ever so slightly.  

“Hello, Levi.”  

~~~~~~~~~

Never did Levi think he would grow to care for another group of people the same way he had for you, Farlan, and Isabel. But sitting around Petra, Gunther, Eld, and Oruo, he found their excited chatter over the dinner table endearing more than anything. The ever stoic look on his face didn’t change, and he would never openly admit it, but it felt reminiscent to be surrounded by trusted company like this. All of Squad Levi had full faith in one another; it was necessary for the battle field. This created an unspoken bond between all of them that the unreachable Ackerman did not picture building with others again.

Fate worked in funny ways, he supposed.

Sounds of clinking silverware and chatter filled the mess hall, sun setting outside of its many windows and painting the expanse in an orange light. The males eyes drifted towards the entrance of the room expectantly, where a clock rested above the doorway. He took a sip of his tea whilst squinting at it, attempting to get a better read before feeling a slight jab in his side.

“Looking for someone, sir?” Petra inquired, with a hint of deeper emotion in her tone that went right over the male’s head.

He glared at her in annoyance, having almost spilled his drink as the thought of you returned to the forefront of his mind.

It was strange, seeing how capable you had become after spending those months by yourself in the Underground. They made you a bit more calloused than when Levi last saw you, carrying over to your skills as a Scout. You never used to be skilled at riding ODM gear, not even when Levi tried to teach you in your youth. Seeing you slash Titans without blinking an eye was like watching someone completely different.

But you had to learn, since you had no one to protect you.

Your open displays affection had grown fewer and farther between as your time in the Survey Corps dragged on. At first, Levi thought nothing of it. Truthfully, the Captain had hardly noticed, with how busy the both of you were. He wrote it off as stress, or the workload catching up to you. Or, maybe, it was that nagging thought in the back of his conscience he dared not dwell on: he had turned you into this, after being away for so long and then failing to protect your friends.

But as your words replayed in his mind like a broken record, too late he realized this wasn’t the case.

“I see the way you look at her. I see it because you used to look at me that way.”

“Captain?” Petra repeated, leaning forward to study his distant countenance and successfully pulling the man out of his thoughts. “She’s probably just training.”

He rested his hand on top of her head, turning it away from him and sighing.

“Eat, Petra. I don’t need you to be whining about hunger during our patrol tomorrow morning,” he chastised, forcing his eyes away from the doorway.

After that talk, Levi had watched you go, telling himself that you’d return soon enough. Yet could not shake the feeling in his gut that there was something amiss. He pushed away the pit in his stomach. You were safe, you were healthy, and that was all that mattered. Humanity’s Strongest had other things to focus on, after all, and tuned back into his comrades’ conversation. The man blended back in easily, occasionally offering a few of his own comments as the meal dragged on.

Every so often his thoughts would shift back to your conversation earlier that day, and he realized that you were wrong. As close to Petra as he had gotten, there was a stark difference between you and her:

No matter how strong you’d get, and no matter what you thought of him, Levi would always shield you from as much of this world as he could.

But it was better this way. Better if you moved on from him and easier to do if you thought it was because he wanted Petra.

If only he knew your last words to him “I’ll be back for dinner,” had been a lie.

It had been strange for him when you didn’t return. Levi tried not to think about how Kenny had done the same, instead grasping for a reason. For once, he could not read your thought process. The male had no idea why you’d voluntarily leave, after everything. He knew better than to hold onto certainty, but you’d thrown him for a loop. You were always the one to communicate, the problem solver, the one who understood him without much direction. Didn’t you know that you were irreplaceable? He should have come clean: told you that he didn’t see Petra that way, and just didn’t have the heart to admit he didn’t feel good enough for you anymore.

Did he ever even get the chance to say “I love you?”

His regret multiplied tenfold as he began to understand that maybe if he had, you would’ve stayed.

~~~~~~~~

A strange sense of comfort washed over the man as you smiled softly, small hands clasped together in front of you. He blinked, wondering if you were simply a mirage caused by his sleep deprivation. But you remained where you were, after all this time, standing at his door. For once in the man’s life, his mind was drawing a blank.

“I’ll leave you guys to it, then,” Hange stated, excusing herself and soon disappearing out of sight.  

Her statement pulled the both of you back into the present, and you were suddenly self conscious of Levi’s stare. You tucked your hair behind your ears and gestured towards his office, unable to gage his reaction to your presence.

“Would it be alright if I came in?” you asked shyly, astonished he hadn’t slammed the door in your face the second Hange left.  

To your shock, Levi simply nodded, stepping aside to let you through. Your movements were unsure and hesitant, stark in comparison to his: calm and collected as ever.

Just like any space Levi occupied, the area was clean and tidy, a lantern sitting upon his desk the only source of light against the cloudy night sky. It smelled like tea leaves, sandalwood, and disinfectant, a signature scent that made you fill with nostalgia. As the click of the door echoed behind you, the reality of your situation set in, and you turned around to face the man you were here to see.

His gaze had never left you.

“You’re hurt,” was the first thing that left your mouth, concern evident as you studied the bandaging that peaked above his knee length shoes.  

“Long story,” Levi offered curtly, eyeing you up and down from a few feet away. “One I don’t particularly care to tell you.”  

“Of course, that’s fine,” you agreed softly, a weak smile pulling at your lips.

You did your best to mask the hurt, knowing you deserved to feel it. It hurt to be here, the fear that Levi hated you previously keeping you away. Now that you were facing the music, that fear seemed more realistic than ever. Your brain wracked to change the topic before your mind could continue overthinking; desiring instead to cut the unbearable, building tension that never used to exist between you two.

“How are you, Levi?” it was a stupid question, but you no longer knew how to talk to him.

“(Y/N).” 

The way he said your name was sharp and challenging. You quickly cleared your throat and looked away.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. Of course you’re--” 

“--Why did you leave?” Levi effectively cut you off, orbs narrowing as you dared to come closer.

The question caught you off guard. You thought you’d made it obvious with your last conversation with him those years ago. Surely, he had some idea, although his pained expression said otherwise. His fingers twitched at his sides, a movement you didn’t miss as your eyes flickered back to his in surprise. He had been so composed just a moment ago, that the sudden shift gave you whiplash.

Now his fists were clenching, as he waited in the painful silence, knuckles turning white.

“Why did you leave?” The phrase echoed tauntingly in your ears, over and over again.

You don’t know what came over you. All you knew was that you needed to rid him of the rare, defeated look etched into his countenance. To purge him of this feeling you caused. Whether reaching out would help or hurt, you didn’t know.

But you needed to be near him.

Levi’s eyelids screwed shut as you brushed your thumb across his cheek. The action was so simple, so delicate, so unsure and so familiar all at once, and at the feeling, the Captain’s composure finally came undone.

 He reached up and gripped your wrist, as if you’d fade away if he let go. In previous years, it was always you who craved skinship, yet it seemed as if a weight had been lifted off Levi’s shoulders to have you this close. Your touch still felt like the comforting warmth of a campfire; the type that would make anyone want to stay forever.

“I’m sorry. I thought you’d be better off without me,” you whispered. “I didn’t want to cause you any pain.”

He let out a breath.

“Then why are you here now?” his question was more defeated than hostile, which you hadn’t expected.

If someone asked a few hours ago, your answer would have been much clearer. But now, the logic that brought you here seemed overshadowed by doubt. After all this time, and after everything that had happened between you and Levi, any semblance of a relationship with him seemed unsalvageable. You told yourself this mantra over and over until it stuck. So why were you here?

Levi must’ve thought it audacious, for you to run away like a coward and still think you were relevant to him.

“I owe you so much. Whether I ended up being wrong or right, I’ve always acted with your best interest,” you sighed, thumb brushing over Levi’s dark circles. “Truthfully, I don’t know if I’m any use to you now. I might be the last person you want to seek comfort from, but on the off chance that I still matter to you, I’ll always come back,” you whispered earnestly.

Levi’s grip on your wrist tightened imperceptibly, and you longed to bury your face in the crook of his neck; to feel him wrap his arms around you in his embrace once more. It seemed as if Levi was staring into your soul, his shallow breaths mingling with yours at this close proximity as he opened his eyes to fully drink you in.

“I’m here to tell you that if you need me, I’ll stay.” 

He looked to the side as if brushing aside your touch, hand falling away from the raven-haired man’s face as he did so. It felt like rejection, as if he was brushing all of you away with a simple turn of his head.

Silence.

“You’re a real idiot, (Y/N),” he spoke finally, voice nearly out of place against the stillness.

Moonlight suddenly peaked through the window, showering you in a bath of silver light. Levi recognized this look. You were wearing your heart on your sleeve, offering everything you had to give; eyes wide and honest, shining with a vulnerability that even after a lifetime of knowing you, he had never seen before. The man felt conflicted at the sight, annoyance prickling under his skin as you somehow managed to hold him together and tear him apart all at once with your presence.

Losing his squad twist that knife in his heart, convincing him that he was cursed to be left by everyone and his superhuman talents only doomed him to live a life alone.

But now, here you were, standing within arms length: despite the pain you caused, still the only person he had left. Only you could draw this much emotion out of the typically monotonous man. He couldn’t tell if you were a blessing or a curse, but in the moment, all he knew was that he didn’t want you to leave again. He needed you to stay here, with him, the way it should be. Because you were family.

And true to your word, you did.

“You should really get some sleep, you know,” you stated after a while, closing the door with your foot as you entered with two fresh cups of tea.  

You watched Levi fill out paperwork on the other side of the desk, bringing the cup to his lips in the strange fashion you always teased him for. His gaze flickered up boredly.

“You know I don’t sleep. You go on ahead, though. The bed’s behind that door,” he paused, gesturing somewhere behind him. “I hardly ever use it.”

You shook your head, reaching forward and plucking Levi’s pen from his hand.  

“What you’re drinking is caffeine free. I switched it, so you have no excuse now.” You ignored the indignant scowl growing on the Captain’s face, urging him to listen. “Please, you really should rest. You know you need to.”

It took an entire hour of imploring and convincing for the man to finally give in, him grumbling as you helped take off the boot on his injured foot and ushered him onto the bed. You knew you were the last person with any right to tell the short Captain what to do, but knowing Levi, he was running on an hour or two of sleep while his body was begging for rest. And yes, you were very much hypocritical, draped across the couch in Levi’s office, staring at the ceiling. But none of that mattered to you, as long as he was okay.

You had been lost in introspection, being a room away from your childhood best friend and first love after so long a surreal experience. It felt strange to be back here, but you were too tired to dwell on how strangely out of place you seemed in a place you once called home.

The weight of your abundant emotions from the day finally crashed down, fatigue settling in. You rubbed your eyes, and snuggled closer to the cushions, letting the darkness claim you.

And in the other room, as Levi slipped out of his uniform, shaking his head in exasperation. His last thoughts while he inspected the door as if he could see you through it, was that of course only (Y/N) (L/N) could be more stubborn than he was.

As he slipped under the covers per your command, the ghost of a smile spread across his lips at the thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perhaps it was the constant danger of where you grew up, and the need to always stay on your toes, but for as long as you could remember, you’d been a light sleeper. If someone so much as stared at you for too long, your body would jolt awake, ready to take action within a moment’s notice. There had been many instances where this came in handy in your past; even after years of seldom disruption in your now boring life within the walls, this was a trait you never seemed to grow out of. So it wasn’t hard to notice the heavy breathing and panicked movement from behind Levi’s closed door.

Just like for you, some things never changed-- when it came to old habits, you knew the man like the back of your hand. The reason he rarely ever slept was one you were quite familiar with. One both of you struggled with, and probably always would. Nightmares never seem to stop. You’d gotten through so many of your own rough nights with your friends by your side.

Levi, however, always refused to admit how they affected him. Insisted on going through it by himself.

The subconscious urge to look after one other was most likely one you'd never grow out of, even if Levi had. You didn’t think twice before making your way across the office, swinging your legs across the sofa, awake within seconds. Without missing a beat, you stood up and made your way to Levi’s personal sleeping quarters, knuckles rapping against the frame twice. Levi’s shallow gasps quieted, and when you realized he didn’t plan on opening the door, you steeled your nerves to do it yourself. This was what you were here for, wasn’t it? To offer some comfort?

He did want me to stay.

“Levi?” You called into the darkness gently, feet padding foreword as your eyes adjusted to the lack of light.

His silhouette was upright in the bed, no doubt staring at you menacingly.

“I'm fine, (Y/N). Go back to sleep,” he snapped.

That didn't deter you, for he would never openly admit vulnerability. This was by no means new behavior. Besides, the strong emotion behind the Captain’s voice was an easy tell that betrayed his words. You pressed on, sitting on the edge of the mattress.

“Do you remember the time we were teenageers and you got sick, but couldn’t afford medicine so I took that sketchy job you specifically told me not to?” Your back was to him, yet you could feel Levi peering at you.

“Obviously,” he humoured you with a reply, knowing you weren’t going to leave. “You came home half alive and I felt like the most useless piece of shit in the world.”

You chuckled, fingers fiddling with the white sheets beneath them.

“Yes, which was unfair to yourself but also something I did not realize since you called me pretty much every name in the book,” you smiled, the memory oddly fond despite its events. “You were so angry, but I was also scared out of my mind... which was more important than your anger, I suppose. So you let me lay next to you that night. That was all it took to make me feel safe again.”

There was a long pause, you trying to get your words together in a way that could allow Levi to understand how you felt right now.

“I know what you’re thinking; what you’ve been thinking your whole life. You haven’t failed anyone and that stupid idea should be the furthest thing on your mind. Take it from someone who knows, alright? So many lives have had meaning because of y--”

His hand closed around your wrist, the grip much like it was the day you left him.

This time, he would not let go.

“--Stop, (Y/N). Don’t.”

You hadn’t realized there were tears falling down your cheeks until Levi turned your face to look at him. Trying to look away in your embarrassment, you laughed bitterly. His grip did not budge as he examined you sternly.

“Just be quiet and go to sleep, alright?”

You wiped at your face, determination etched into every fibre of your being.

“Mark my words, Levi, I will make you believe me.”

Levi rolled his eyes but tugged at you once more, opening the duvet in an invitation. When he sensed your uncertainty he simply nodded, arms winding around your waist as you finally crawled in beside him. Both of you knew that there was so much that still needed to be said; so many buried feelings and pain that would only take time to unravel. It felt like a miracle to find yourselves in this situation, pushing aside the thousands of emotions and questions and misunderstandings the two of you had, if only to stay together in this moment.

You didn’t need Levi to know that you still loved him; not while he was coping with another loss. It would be selfish to spring that on, and that was not what you were here for. But you had to tell him:

“I missed you.”

Levi hummed, nose brushing against yours in the close proximity.

“You better not be gone when I wake up,” he chided in response, orbs fluttering shut.

Your fingers threaded through his onyx black locks, brushing through the knots soothingly. Knowing you’d help this man heal no matter how long it took, you took comfort in the realization that he’d finally let you do just that.

“I’ll be right here. You’re not alone, Levi. I promise you never will be.”

He pulled you closer, thankful that there was at least one source of warmth left in his life that he could hold onto-- especially after coming to terms with and almost having been certain he’d never experience this feeling of contentment, again. But here you were to prove him wrong, a living slice of home in his arms.

It may have been wishful thinking, but you could have sworn you felt Levi’s breath fan across your hairline, a soft voice whispering “Thank you, (Y/N).” before you felt yourself slip away into slumber once more.

taglist: @asterroidd @chucky-26o1 @silversxble @belovedwindermere @christina-mj-stan @leviackerrman @cravrat @thekohakuriver1 @batakprincess @sunisenpai

#snk #AoT #shingeki no kyojin #attack on titan #levi #lance corporal levi #levi ackerman #levi ackerman imagine #levi ackerman x reader #levi ackerman fanfiction #snk levi #snk fic #aot fic #levi x reader #attack on titan imagines

771 notes · View notes

lrissa · 3 years

Text

Part 2 Of ‘I Promise To Marry You’

requested by @seltoir and @melonva so i did best of both worlds.

summary: levi had forgotten his dear promise to you, costing your life against the female titan

warnings: violence, swearing

first part here

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩

The breeze tickled your silky exposed skin and made your tiny hairs stand on end. Your hands went to your arms and held tightly onto them like a hug, the night breeze whisking it’s way under your skin. Exiting the door to the stables you gazed up at the bright stars reflected by the shining moonlight, lighting up the greeny surroundings.

Walking along the gravel path as your steps made faint sounds amongst the silence of the night. Finding the patch of grass you had always found comfort in when it was the night before an expedition. You sat quietly, staring up the stars with soft eyes

From beside you you felt the presence of someone sit down in the grass, their hand finding a place on yours in a gentle manner, tangling your hands together.

“Levi.”

“I missed you, brat.” He spoke blandly, his gaze finding themselves in the sky above him. You let out a light sigh. Turning to look at the man who was seated by you, squeezing his hand.

“I missed you too.”

It had been a few days since you two had seen eachother. Levi was caught up in his paperwork that flooded his desk as you worked extra hours to train the cadets for the next expedition that was tomorrow.

You rubbed his tough hand with your thumb gingerly. Up until now the two of you still remained close friends, although you two had considered dating but Levi was afraid of the distraction. As if you weren’t one already. There had been little exchanges of kisses between the two of you, especially after the death of your two other best friends, Isabel and Farlan. You and Levi seeked companionship in eachother deeply after their casualties.

Gradually you set your head on his shoulder, he had stiffened a bit from the gesture but let it be. His eyes peered down at you carefully, a faint gentleness glossing his eyes.

A memory struck your mind as you thought back to the underground.

“I’ll even wear a pretty dress.” You concluded and gazed at your fingers, extending them out infront of you, “And a pretty ring!”

“Shut up, marriage isn’t even close.” He stated as you pouted, kicking his leg with your foot. “Well.. since it’s far away,” You took your head off his shoulder and turned to face him.

The memories whizzed by until a certain one came.

“Fine. I promise to marry you.”

A soft gasp left your lips as you snapped your head off Levi’s shoulder, your mouth agape in shock. The raven head turned to watch you, arching his brow in confusion.

“Levi,” You turned to him, reaching your hand out as they went for his collar. Tugging away the accessories whilst he stared at you with an annoyed expression. Your fingers caught metal as you slowly pulled, revealing the dirty, faded jewelry you had given him that day. Your letter still attached to the chain.

A delicate smile creased your lips as you held it, fingers barely trembling. Pulling your own out you held them, finally looking up into Levi’s eyes. His face had a little scowl, you invaded his personal bubble but he’d let it slide because it was you.

“Do you remember these?”

“Of course, idiot.”

Slowly you lowered his, whilst Levi’s eyes gazed at your necklace. The faint remembrance of that wishful day, you two were so stupid and young at that time. The corner of his lips hardly turning up as he reached his hand out, setting it over the one holding yours.

“I remember how pissed off you made me.” He retorted, you laughed.

Clutching his hand tightly in yours you held in a breath, before asking,

“Do you remember what you promised?”

Levi paused for a moment, his brain racking the fading memories but to no avail he answered with,

“No.”

Your grip loosened on his and you gave a gentle frown, turning your head away and looking up at the sky. Tears stung in the back of your eyes, your heart beating wilding against your chest. Why would he need to remember such a promise, why were you so upset?

“Was it important.” He asked while he watched your faltering smile.

Biting back tears you bit the inside of your cheek, heart pinging in your chest like hundreds of needles stabbing you again and again. Softly, you lifted your finger and rubbed the escaping tear away. Looking back at Levi with a pained smile, squeezing his hand weakly.

“No.”

──────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹──────────

“Hey, don’t spoil him, Petra.” Spoke Oluo from as he caught your attention back onto the conversation, “What did he do anyway? He was pathetic. He just kept whining. Well, coming back alive on your first excursion is pretty good. But it doesn’t count until the missions over.” You just rolled your eyes, ever since Eren has joined the Scouts everyone has been giving him nothing but shit.

“Jeez, I know that!” Eren spoke with a shaky voice as he stared up at Oluo towering over him before grappling away.

“Just ignore that runt.” You commented and followed after Oluo, with the rest trailing behind shortly. The squad grappled through the trees as Eld turned to look back, “Oluo, Petra! You guys pissed your pants and cried on your first mission. You’re all grown up now!” Petra looked horrified before she screamed, shaking her head as you let out a snort, “Dont say that!” The girl shouted, “What if he stops respecting me!?”

“It’s true?” Eren asked

“It sure is. And I didn’t, by the way, Eren.” Eld spoke with a cocky grin, confidence oozing off his words.

“Idiot!” Yelled Oluo, you shook your head and toned out the conversation. Eyes scanning through the trees as you narrowed your eyelids, something felt wrong within the deep rooted forest. Suddenly green smoke cut through the leaves into the breezy air.

“That might be Captain Levi, everyone stayed alarmed! Something is wrong with this forest.” You commanded as they all went silent, honing in the towering trees.

Gunther landed on a branch, raising the smoke gun above his head while his other plugged his ear before shooting it off into the sky and joining the squad again.

Moments passed before you heard ODM to the far left of you, head turning behind your shoulder as you stared at the emerging cadet. Was it Levi? It couldnt have been, he doesn’t move like that.

“Who are you!” Gunther yelled, your eyes widening as you shot farther. Letting off gas to reach him, “Gunther no—“ You shouted until the attacked unsheathed their blades sliced right through the poor young man.

His body toppled over as he hung from his last grapple, hanging in the air by his ODM gear, “Gunther!” Eren shouted and looked to check on him, his eyes widening in fear as he surveyed Gunther was very much dead.

“Keep moving! Don’t let them get you!” You screamed and continued your pursuit further, head snapping to look behind you as the striker fell back. Gasping you realized, was this the female titan? Were they going to transform?

“Shit! She’s transforming, everyone—“ Your words were cut short as a massive lightning strike shook the ground fiercely, wind richoeting against the trees as it blew your hair away from your face.

“The Female Titan!” Eld screamed, the squads eyes widening in sheer panic before turning around. Flying forwards with their ODM gear.

“Damn you. This time, I will defeat it!” Eren shouted, Eld’s eyes snapping to the boy, “No, dont! The four of us will kill the Female Titan. You will continue to head straight for HQ at top speed!” You looked back at the titan, it was sprinting straight towards you, “I’ll fight too!” Eren argued, “No! This is the best move.. Your power is too risky!”

Eren blinked in fear, you turned your eyes to him. “Do you doubt us, Eren?” Your unusually calm voice even under these circumstances, maybe you had known Levi too long. “Do you find it hard to trust us?” Eren shot his gaze to you, scowling before spinning and taking off infront of him.

“I believe my squad will be victorious!” Eren shouted, “Goodluck!”

You smirked, releasing your grapple and spinning around, grappling at the Female Titan as your squad followed in pursuit. Eld went to strike her, her hand reaching out to grab him before Petra and Oluo came forwards and grappled her eyes, slicing through them to make her blind. You came from behind, aiming at her nape before her hand made it first, hardening just as quickly as you sliced.

Metal snapping broke through your ears as your eyes gradually widened, fear had finally creeped up to you then. Jumping off her hand you grappled to a tree whilst getting new blades. The Female Titan had backed into her tree, her underarms exposed as she used her hands to protect her nape.

Petra and Oluo swung around before slicing through above her armpits and fleeting, the squad continuing this tactic till her arms would fall so you could strike her nape. Eventually her arms fell limp beside her sides but her neck was still pressed against the tree.

“Now strike her neck!” Eld shouted as he began to plummet at her, the titan suddenly opening its one eye and turning its head, mouth slamming down on Eld’s as his lower half hung from her lips. You gasped in terror, eyes turning hazy for a moment as you watched her chomp down, his body falling through the air and onto the lovely ground beneath.

“Eldo!” Petra screamed from beside you, her falling figure barely catching itself before she grappled. Staring wide eyed as the Female Titan sprinted towards her, towering over her in an instant. You reacted and grappled her nape, screaming as you went to slice down. Her nape had hardened, your new blades cracked and snapped in half again as you slowly slid off her icy nape. Falling, watching as she raised her foot and stomped Petra into a tree. Tears pricked your eyes, shutting them furiously before opening them again with a new found rage.

You shot the ODM around her, watching from the corner of your eye as you saw Oluo attempt to slice at her nape, the same fate happening to him before she whipped her arm back. Sending Oluo plummeting into a tree, blood splattering everywhere.

“No!” You screamed in pain, tears freely falling from your eyes as you rounded around to face her. Grasping new blades as you stared at her head on. “I’m going to fucking kill you!” You shouted and shot to a nearby branch, she had anticipated this and swung a hand out. Your face turned to see your welcoming doom. Of course she had foreseen this.

Pain exploded through your abdomen as you flew backwards, swinging around the branch a few times as your grapple sticked to it. Blood oozed from your stomach, a large gash in your side with two broken legs. Limply you fell backwards, your legs in the air with your head facing the ground. Your vision went blurry quickly, everything felt painful and all you could think about was sleep, sleeping eternally sounded better than this hell.

The last thing you saw was blazing yellow lightning and your cape whipping violently in the wind as you found peace.

From afar Levi was soaring through the trees, he had heard two titans transformed and assumed the worst. A shiny object on the ground caught his attention, releasing the grapple he gradually fell the ground and walked towards it, picking it off from the grass.

Time stopped as his eyes stretched open in fright. His heart squeezing into nothing as his fingers lightly wiped the blood from it. What he was clutching onto dearly was your necklace, it had fallen off during your chase and was coated in thick layers of blood and dirt.

Tears stung at the back of his head, his chest throbbed in heartache. Finally be shot the ODM forwards, finding blood droplets on the trees. As he neared the death zone he was met with Eld’s half eaten corpse, Oluo’s mutilated body, and lastly Petra’s body slammed into a tree as blood streeked down the bark.

Fear was coursing through his veins, where the fuck were you? Until finally he pushed forwards and saw the body hanging from the tree, faltering he frowned. Grappling to the body.

He hung beside the body from the branch as he gradually moved the cape from the face, meeting your shut eyes. Levi flinched back violently, his heart dropping down to his stomach.

“No..” He whimpered softly to himself, grabbing your front half he flipped you over right, rubbing the dirt and blood away from your face. A cough sputtered from your lips weakly, blood landing on his cheek as he froze. His hand still wiping away the grime away.

Levi felt tears prick his eyes, gently, he’d speak

“Y/N... Brat, speak to me.” Levi commands, his fingers trembling against your cheek. Slowly you’d open your eyes to see his relief flood face. A tear streamed down his cheek and he let out a shaky breath, caressing your scratched cheeks.

“Please.. You can’t go yet.” He whispered, gripping onto you tighter as you smiled weakly. Feverishly, you stretched a hand out infront of you, your middle and pointer finger absent. He tightly gripped your hand, new tears flowing without his command.

“I remember.... We were going to get married.” He’d say weakly, his grip tightening on you. Tears found themselves in your eyes before streaming down your already dirty cheeks.

“I’m sorry..” You croaked delicately, coughing up a new round of blood as it stained his Survey Corps coat. “Levi..”

“No goddamnit, brat. You stay alive! I command you to.” He grabbed your collar, his fist clumping your blood stained shirt. “I..” He lost his words, a lump forming in his throat. Never had he experienced such heartbreak before in his life, it was tearing him to shreds and leaving no crumbs.

“We will... get married, above..” You smiled at crumbling man in front of you, his world slipping away in his fingertips. Never until now had he wished nothing more than to still be living the underground by your side. You pointed to the clouds, using your last ounce of strength before it fell limply to your side.

Levi brought his hand to yours, picking it up he held it upright. Slowly with trembling fingers he’d wrap his pinky around yours once last time, kissing the intertwined fingers softly.

“I promise Y/N, I will marry you.” He’d sob out finally. A fragile smile on your lips before your eyes shut and the world fell silent.

sorry for any spelling mistakes i posted it right away

mentionables: @pizzarollsfordayz, @fluffyleviackerman

#aot fanfiction #aot imagines #aot x reader #levi ackerman #levi aot #levi heichou #levi x reader #levi x y/n #snk #snk anime #levi angst #ansgt #im cryinf #captain levi #levi ackerman x reader #aot #levi attack on titan

702 notes · View notes

writerdream22 · 3 years

Text

requested by: no one, but I sincerely hope you like this anyways ✨🌻💛

pairings: levi ackerman x wife!reader, eren jeager x reader (platonic), hange zoe x reader (platonic), erwin smith x reader (platonic), etc.

warnings: none

taglist: @randomfandomimagine (let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!)

a/n: I know I haven't been posting in a long while, and that I have lots and lots of pieces to work on. I've been watching aot for a while, and I wanted to write something regarding that fandom

You and Levi had met when you were just teenagers; you were the daughter of a scouting legion commander, and Erwin's new friend had caught your attention

Just like an ordinary introvert person, you were really shy, and it was Erwin himself who introduced you to Levi, Farlan and Isabel

“They seem like nice people, you know?”

“Uh?”

“The kids from the underground city. You should go introduce yourself”

“They're criminals, Erwin. I won't go talk to them. They will surely snob me as soon as they see me”

“Trying doesn't hurt. And if they say something, just use the moves you learnt while training.”

“If you say so”

You were intimidated, especially by Levi. But it seemed that he was willing to talk to you

“Hi, uhm, my name is— my name is y/n”

“We know who you are”

“Erwin told us lots about you! I'm Isabel, and these two boys are Levi and Farlan”

“I just wanted to know if the three of you needed someone to show you around”

“Kids, cadet y/l/n will show you around. All right?”

“Yes sir!”

You immediately thought that it was a bad idea to be left alone by yourself, with people you didn't know. Erwin knew well that you felt anxious around newcomers, but he sincerely wanted you to have some friends.

The tour went all right; you and Isabel had immediately gotten along, while it took you a few months to warm up to Levi and Farlan

As time went on and you were slowly becoming autonomous, people started to think that you and Levi were actually related and that you had somehow been separated at birth; you were both quite short, with dark hair and light-colored eyes

Not to mention that you both loved tea

When you became part of the scouting legion, you were happier than ever even though you were fully aware of the risks you were taking

When Isabel and Farlan died, you and Levi were devastated. You had set aside your grief, and stayed by Levi's side

“What are you doing here?”

“Couldn't sleep. You?”

“Neither could I. I was making some tea, do you want some?”

“Yeah, Levi, thank you”

“Would you like to talk about — about that?”

“No, not really”

“Oh, well— can I braid your hair instead? It calms down the two of us. Me and Isabel had so much fun doing that, remember?”

“Tch, I hated it. But yeah—braid my hair, y/n”

You and Levi shared a sweet moment. You didn't talk, nor you wanted to, but you comforted each other just with your presence.

As time went by, you and Levi got extremely close. The two of you became corporals, giving Erwin the condition of always having to work together no matter what

The only people that the two of you became friends with, or just cared about, were Hange and your squad

One day, while you and the other corporals of the scouting legion were having breakfast, Hange made a sarcastic remark about how you and Levi were close

“Can't you just leave each other alone for a minute?”

“We just care about each other, and we respect our boundaries”

“Seems like you have some— that you share romantic feelings for each other, eh? ”

“What do you mean, Hange?”

“Yeah, this is ridiculous. Let's go, y/n, we need to prepare for our next mission”

Hange's words really sparked something in your soul. You started to think abot the relationship that you and Levi had, the special treatment you reserved for each other even though you were famous for being strict...

One day, you decided to confront him

“Hi”

“Hi, y/n, is everything all right?”

“Yeah. Have you— have you thought about what Hange said?”

“Yeah...”

“I did too, by the way”

“And what did you want to tell me about it?”

“She was right. I do have romantic feelings for you, but I need to know that you feel the same before I pour my heart out to you”

“Levi, please say something”

“I don't just like you, y/n, I love you. And now, come here—”

Then and there, he kissed you. Your first kiss, just like you had imagined.

You decided to keep your relationship a secret for a while, as you didn't want Hange to know that she was right. She found out anyways, and she told everyone.

After a few years, you decided to get married. You were extremely happy, and you couldn't ask for anything else in the world.

“With this ring, I give you my soul. With this ring, I put my trust in you, and hope to live by your side until we grow old. Meeting you was one of the best things that could have ever happened to me. I wanted a splinter of happiness in that pathetic, dark void I had grown accustomed to call life. Meeting you fulfilled my dream of becoming a better man. With this ring, you make me happy, and I hope that I'll make you happy as well. Meeting you made me learn what true love is. I love you, y/n, always and forever”

As a team, Levi was deemed as more important by your superiors. Sometimes, they didn't even address themselves to you and just talked to your husband.

“Sir, my wife here also contributed to the mission. I think that you should congratulate yourself to her, as well”

Levi always looked out for you, making sure that every single detail was to your liking. As everyone knew, he showed his vulnerable self to only you, and you were grateful for the trust he had given you.

“Are you ok, darling?”

“Yeah. You're still working on those papers, eh?”

“I just have to sign a few things, then I have to meet up with Erwin. Tch, this stuff is so tiring sometimes”

“We can take a walk around the compound later, if you want. Then, I can make you some tea”

“That would be fantastic, y/n. You're really the best wife in the world”

“I'm your only wife, Levi”

The whole situation that emerged from the apparition of abnormal titans stressed you out, quite a lot nevertheless. Levi had noticed it, and saw that you were more nervous than usual. He made sure to always ride by your side, to always be able to keep his eye on you.

He knew what stress did to you. It made you more vulnerable, more subject to distractions, and he didn't want to lose you at all.

During one of your many missions, where you had the unpleasant surprise of meeting the female titan, you got severely hurt.

“What were you thinking?!”

“I wanted to save our squad! I wanted to save Petra, Oluo, everyone! But I couldn't!”

“You risked your life, y/n! You could have died, you know that?”

“I sure do, Levi! That's what soldiers do! They die, after having done something good for humanity, and I lived a pretty decent life! I got married, I had friends, but I am alive now! I am all right, it's just routine”

“You can't just do things recklessly. I can't stand losing you. Not now, not ever. I want to build a family with you, I want to live my life with you and only you. You can't die, you got it?”

“Yes, Levi. I'm sorry”

“Let me get you some tea, now”

That's when you fully understood that Levi loved you. You had managed to warm up his heart with your sweet and kind words, and he'd managed to conquer yours with just a look in your eyes.

514 notes · View notes

folklorelise · 3 years

Text

Adorable clumsy dummy

MASTERLIST

Request are here!

You joined the survey corps two years after Hange became a squad leader. With your energy and personality, Hange requested to have you in their squad. You were obviously flattered and happy to accept this offer.

Like every other morning, you were in Hange’s office, helping with their paperwork.

“Erwin brought three new recruits today, they were assigned to Flagon’s squad.” Hange informed you.

“Uh, let’s go meet them then!” you shouted excited.

“I already did.”

“I didn’t, where are they now?”

“Hm probably in their dorms.”

After Hange told you in which room they were in, you run to your room first before knocking on their door. You heard loud whispers before the door opened on a tall man.

“Furlan, reporting for duty ‘mam.” he saluted you. “Are you part of our squad?”

“Oh no! I am with Hange. I just wanted to say hello.” You smile shaking his hand even if he did not stretch out his hand.

Then you went over the other guy and shook his hand.

“I’m Y/N!” you smiled, “and you are?”

“He’s Levi.” Furlan told you when he saw that Levi did not plan on answering.

“It’s really nice to meet you! But I thought there were three of you?”

“Isabel is a girl so she’s not with us.” Furlan said.

“Oh right!” you nodded. “Mh, I brought chocolate for you as a welcome present. My mom is a baker, so I have a lot of these!” you gave them each a piece of chocolate. “It’s safe to eat them!” you said when you saw them just looking at the food. “If you like it, I have more in my room.”

“It’s fine.” Levi said.

“Can we have some for Isabel?” Furlan asked you.

“Yes, of course! Or we can all go together now. I’d really like to meet her!” you proposed enthusiastically. “Or not?” you said when you saw them look at each other.

“We don’t have the time for that right now.” Levi stated. “We have to clean this mess first.”

“Oh!” you shouted, “I can help! I love cleaning. You know what, I’ll bring some cleaning supplies, you just wait me here!” you said before leaving.

“Doesn’t that make her your soulmate?” Furlan joked once he was alone with Levi which only made him glare at him.

Isabel and you got along very well, very quickly. Furlan was extremely nice too. The only problem, if you can call it a problem, was Levi. You tried to talk to him, but he rarely answered you. One night, since Isabel was sharing your room, you asked her if Levi even liked you.

“I’m sure he does. You are too adorable for anyone to not like you.”

“Is he always this silent?”

“Definitely.”

“What does he like then?” you wondered.

“Levi loves tea so maybe if you brought a cup or two per day.” Isabel suggested.

The next morning, you wrote a letter to your mother asking her to send you some tea leaves, some of every flavour they had in stock. Three days after you request, Hange told you that your package had arrived. You took your tea and made two cups of black tea. You had asked Isabel to tell Levi to join you in the kitchen because you had no idea where he was.

“Did you need something?” Levi asked you once he joined you.

“Mh, not really, but I made tea and I thought you would like some.” you said which made Levi look at the two cups of tea.

“What is it?”

“It’s tea.” you repeated smiling.

“Yeah, I figured. What flavour is it?” Levi asked.

“Ooh.” you laughed, “it’s black tea. I have other flavours too if you don’t like this.”

“Black tea is fine.” Levi said taking his cup.

Both of you sat down at a table, in front of each other and drank in silence. You noticed how Levi was holding his cup, and you thought ‘how bizarre’. You looked at your cup for a second and tried to hold your cup like Levi did, but you just ended up dropping your tea on your lap.

“Ah!” you screamed from the burn.

“What were you thinking about?” Levi yelled taking your hand so he could bring you to the kitchen.

Levi took a tissue and tried to clean your white pants.

“You’ll have to wash it. Now, let’s clean the tea on the floor.” Levi turned around to leave but then he came back to you and asked, “are you hurt? The tea was still pretty hot.”

“No, I’m good.” you paused, “thank you.”

—————

By the time Levi made captain, he became a close friend of yours. Drinking tea together was also a tradition between you two. You would bring him tea in the morning, and he would bring you tea at night.

Deep down, Levi wanted to ask you to join his squad, but he knew how happy you were in Hange’s so he never did. When he lost his friends, he was devastated. Naturally, he did not want to lose you too during an expedition. But he knew you were a capable soldier.

One morning, Hange asked you to bring some paperwork to Levi which you gladly accepted. You also remembered that you had to bring him his tea, so you went to the kitchen first. You had the paperwork under your arm and the two cups of tea in each hand and walked slowly towards the captain’s office. Levi on the other side was looking at the clock every minute because you were late. After five minutes, he decided to leave his office to go and look for you.

Before he could start looking, he heard a scream – your scream – just a couple meters from his office. You were on the ground, with papers flying around and two broken cups of tea on the ground. Levi, worried, run to you and helped you get up.

“What happened?” Levi asked you.

“I fell.” you faltered. “Oh no, the paperwork! And the tea!” you cried horrified.

“Are you hurt?” Levi cupped your cheeks in his hands so you would look at him.

“I’m good!” you told him leaning, unconsciously, into his touch.

“What happened here?” Erwin asked coming out of nowhere which made Levi move away from you.

“She fell.” Levi said picking up the paperwork.

“Oh, are you okay?” Erwin asked you.

“Yes, I’m sorry about this mess. I’ll clean it.” you told your commander.

Levi put the paperwork on his desk before helping you clean the tea. The teacups were broken, and you went to pick them up, but Levi quickly took you arms in his.

“If you touch that I’m sure you’ll hurt yourself so don’t. I’ll clean that, just bring me a broom.”

After the cleaning was done, Levi told you to wait in his office; he would bring the tea from now on.

—————

One morning, the commander had organised a meeting with the captain and the other squad leaders. Without Levi, you had nothing to do; that is why you were collecting flowers on the training grounds. When you finished collecting all the pretty flowers, you found a string, so you could make a bouquet.

“Have you seen the captain?” you asked Petra when you saw her.

“He’s still in that meeting room. Although, I don’t know if they finished or not.”

“Thank you!” you said running to that room.

You looked at the clock in the corridor and noticed how it has been over three hours they were in that room – they had to be over. You opened the door wildly but immediately froze when you saw them still talking about the next expedition.

“Oh no.” you mumbled embarrassed.

“Y/N, is something wrong?” Hange asked.

“Did you need something?” Erwin questioned with a smile.

You shook your head and turned around, but Levi called your name.

“What did you need?”

“It’s not important.” you said shyly, “It can wait.”

“You already here so just tell me.” Levi pointed out.

Everyone else was looking at your interaction with the captain eagerly.

“I– I made a bouquet.” you showed them your flowers. “I just – I wanted to give them to you.” you told Levi.

“Oooh.” Hange, Mike and Erwin giggled which made Levi blush hardly.

“What are you waiting for?” Hange asked excited. “Go give Levi your beautiful bouquet.”

You walked to him hesitantly and handed him your bouquet.

“To decorate your office.” you whispered. “I thought it would be pretty.”

“Thank you.” Levi mumbled taking your flowers.

He put them in front of him and stare at Erwin because he was too nervous to look at you. You saluted your commander before leaving happy. Then you decided to wait for Levi in his office, his door was locked so you just sat on the floor. After a few minutes, you heard footsteps approaching and stood up quickly when you saw it was Levi.

“Why were you sitting on the floor? Do you know how dirty this floor is?”

“Your door is locked.”

“I gave you a key to my office!”

“But I don’t have it with me now.”

“You– never mind, just come in.” Levi said opening his door.

“Do you like the flowers I picked?” you asked him, sitting on his couch.

“Yes.”

Levi put the bouquet in a vase with some water and went back to his desk.

“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you earlier, I thought you would be done by the time I came.”

“It’s fine.” Levi assured you, “but next time, just wait in my office.”

“Noted.”

—————

An expedition during autumn meant roads full of colourful leaves everywhere. It was one of your favourite time of the year so naturally you were extra happy that day.

“Alright, be careful out there.” Levi told you before joining his own squad.

“You two are adorable.” Hange told you smiling.

“We’re just friends!”

“Yeah right. Two adorable friends then.”

The expedition was going well, there were only a few titans and no abnormal ones were spotted. The commander ordered every squad to prepare their tents because you were probably going to spend the night outside.

“Hange,” you said, “I’ll go and collect some wood for the fire.”

When Levi found Hange, he expected you to be somewhere near, but you were not.

“Hey four eyes, where’s Y/N?”

“She went looking for wood over there.” Hange pointed at the forest.

“Are you serious? You let her go alone?”

“Yeah, I’m sure she won’t go far away, she knows it could be dangerous.”

“Are we talking about the same person here?” Levi asked worried. “I’m going after her, I’ll be back.”

You on the other side, had a bunch of wood with you. But on your way back to your squad you found the prettiest leaf ever. It was red and slightly frozen due to temperature.

You took it and went the other way to see if there was any other pretty leaf. You started to collect a bunch of them and sat down next to a big tree. You tied them together with a sprig and suddenly you heard Levi screaming your name at the top of his lungs. You looked up and saw him flying towards you and taking you with him. He put you on a high tree before going back to kill a titan that you did not see.

“What is wrong with you?” Levi yelled once he was back with you.

“I didn’t see it.”

“Yeah! That’s the problem! Why were you so far away? What were you thinking?” he continued to yell.

“I– I saw some pretty leaves and I gathered some. Here.” you hold it for him.

“Seriously?” Levi snapped at you. He took the leaves and throw them away. “I don’t want that. I want you to be more careful next time because next time, I probably won’t be there to save you.”

You watched your tiny leaf bouquet falling from the tree.

“I’m sorry.” you murmured. “Are y–”

“Let’s just go.” Levi said before taking you with him. “Next time, keep your gear too.”

Levi did not speak a word to you the rest of the evening. He did not speak to you the next day either. The rest of the expedition was spent far away from Levi. Hange, worried, asked you what happened but you assured them that everything was fine. Everyone could see it was not, but no one wanted to upset you. You looked like a sad puppy and nobody wanted to rub salt in the wounds.

Levi and you never fought before. Every time you messed up, he was there to fix it and help you, but this time, he was not. Once you were back from the expedition, you directly went to your room. That night, Hange went to see Levi.

“What?” Levi asked coldly.

“What is wrong with the both of you?”

“Not your problem.”

“Y/N is my friend, and I am her squad leader – it is my problem. You are my friend too so just tell me and let me help you.”

Levi explained how reckless you were and how you almost died eaten by titan when you went looking for wood.

“She almost died because she picked up leaves!” Levi screamed exasperated.

“You were worried about her, that’s all. Y/N is attached to you, a lot. You, telling her off might made her think you do not enjoy what she does. Which include getting you flowers and rocks just because it’s pretty.”

“What now?”

“Go talk to her.”

“Right.”

Levi decided to let you sleep and that he would come talk to you in the morning. He was expecting to see for breakfast, but you were not here. He walked to your room, but at the last minute he walked away. Levi decided to go in town and buy you some flowers before talking to you.

You were still in bed, too tired to get up. You did not get any sleep last night because of what happened during that expedition. You were too afraid to go talk to Levi; too afraid he would stop being friend with you. When you were about to fall asleep, you heard a small knock on your door.

“Y/N?” you recognised Levi’s voice which made you run to open the door.

When you opened the door, you threw yourself at Levi, crying a little.

“I’m sorry!” you both said at the time.

“I’m sorry,” Levi apologised, giving you the flowers. “I chose these because they were really pretty… like you.” he mumbled the last part.

“You’re really pretty too.” you admitted smiling, feeling your cheeks getting hot. “So, you’re not mad at me?” you asked uncertain.

“I was never mad. I was– I was worried and scared to lose you.” Levi confessed. “When I saw you and that titan, I thought I would be too late an–.”

“I’m sorry, you were right anyway. It was stupid of me.”

“No! Well, a little, but I like that.”

“I like you.” you said happily.

“Does that mean I can kiss you now?”

“Please.”

—————

I really liked your request, I hope it was fine. I know you asked for a friend one but I really wanted to make them a couple at the end because I love Levi, so I hope that was okay. I hope you guys like it.

#attack on titan x reader #captain levi x reader #levi ackerman x reader #levi ackerman one shot #levi x reader #levi ackerman fluff #levi fluff #request #i hope you liked it whoever asked for this!! :D

678 notes · View notes

free-pancakes · 3 years

Note

I exactly don't remember it's fanart or ACWNR..but Levi killed/fought some people who harassed Isabelle by cutting her hair..so a prompt on Levi giving some lesson who harassed Hanji.

Levi stared at Hange’s hand as she absentmindedly poked at her dinner rations with a fork.

“Four-eyes, stop playing with your food.”

“What?” she asked, her voice uncharacteristically hollow. Her mind was obviously somewhere else, but not in the way she’d be when her thoughts were on her research. This was much different, and Levi knew exactly why. As he pushed back in his seat and stood up, Hange didn’t even flinch. She continued to stare down at her plate, rolling her fork over the peas, squishing them between the spokes at random. Levi walked out of the mess hall, and he stole one more glance at her as he walked through door—no change, no smile, no wave goodbye.

Levi took one of the horses and made his trek towards Sina. As he rode, the events of this morning played in his head.

He and Hange sat together at a military meeting in Sina—not paying attention to the presentation at all. These monthly meetings were pointless for the Scouts and were clearly more of use to the MP and Garrison, but they were required to attend, to all the Scouts’ annoyance. Hange and Levi played their usual game of taking bets on how long it would take for Erwin to start tapping his foot with impatience, how many times Nanaba would punch Mike for saying some kind of inappropriate joke, how many sketches Moblit would make of Nifa as he stared at her from across the room, how long into the meeting it would take before Eld would hold back laughter at Petra kicking Oluo underneath the table. Hange won majority of their bets today so she was in such a great mood. Levi couldn’t help but feel happy at seeing her brag about how well she knew their friends. He never understood how he survived all these meetings before he started sitting next to Hange during them.

As they walked out together, Hange realized she forgot her notebook. Levi gave her an annoyed scowl and returned to meeting room to retrieve it. He was ready to throw it back at her like a frisbee when he turned the corner because he was sure it’d make her laugh, and he loved the sound of that. But before he could do so, he heard stern, mocking voices. He only caught the end of the conversation, but it sounded like some moron MP was harassing Hange, calling her some stupid waste of space, going on about he was the one had to deal with her paperwork and crap on titans. Before he left, the MP officer managed to spit out a final comment on how she was only in the position she was in because rumor had it she was good friends with both the Commander and “humanity’s strongest,” and spit in her face before walking away.

Levi couldn’t get Hange’s resulting expression out of his mind. Normally she didn’t take MP harassment personally and laughed it off, but this one particularly affected her. He knew she’d be back to normal after a day or so, but Levi wasn’t about to let this one slide. After all, this moron was asking for it by dragging him and Erwin into the picture.

Levi slipped into the MP barracks, sneaking silently in the shadows. He quickly turned behind a corner as a light switched on and some MP officers walked out. They were... gossiping about him and Hange being in...

...a relationship? Levi’s face turned red hot in embarrassment. Goddamnit Erwin wasn’t kidding that there were rumors about him and Hange. This threw Levi off, so much so that he didn’t notice a young man and woman approach him from the side.

Levi looked at them, both completely frightened seeing THE Levi Ackerman standing in front of them. Levi put his index finger up to his lips, gesturing that the two best stay silent. Then in a blink of an eye, Levi was gone.

“Hitch, shouldn’t we...”

“Marlo, I’m not about to mess with that guy, let’s just go, ya big oaf.”

Levi walked around until he heard voices behind a door, and he recognized the one right away. They were still shit-talking Hange and Erwin, and Levi had enough. When he got his chance, knocked out the officer when he turned the corner alone, and carried him away.

When the officer came to, he woke up laying down in a candle lit room, the sound of loud, giant, heavy breathing to his left. Before he could figure out what the hell was happening, he was grabbed by the collar and found himself staring into the dark grey eyes of Levi Ackerman. “Woah what the—“

Levi dragged him over to the titan Hange and her team had captured the other day.

“You think Hange is at the position she’s at because of who she knows?”

Levi held the man up near the titan’s face, and he screamed as the titan attempted to chomp at him, where Levi pulled him just an inch from safety just in time. The man screamed and gagged as the rancid breath of the titan reached his nose.

Levi dropped kicked the guy and punched him straight in the face, breaking his nose.

“Hange and her team caught this big guy right here, think you can do that?”

Levi bent down and sat on the MP officer’s chest, and the man flinched, his eyes filled with fear, his smart mouth shut and not wanting to ever say anything bad about Hange Zoe ever again.

Levi pulled out a knife from his pocket with a casual look in his eyes, spun it in his hand and held it right above the man’s throat.

“Did you really think you could get away with saying such bullshit straight to Hange’s face? And even think you could drag me into it without facing some sort of consequence? You sicken me,” he muttered as the knife clattered to the floor and the man yelped at the sound.

“So if you ever hurt Hange like that ever again, just know...” Levi leaned down, his nose just an inch away from the man’s face, his eyes shooting daggers into the officer’s.

“...I can make a way for them to demote you and make you a Scout. And your sorry ass knows you wouldn’t survive a minute during an expedition.”

“And you think you know who Hange Zoe is?”

He shook his head.

“That’s right, because her stupidly kind self would save your ass if she saw you in trouble on an expedition, despite how horribly you treated her.”

Levi stood up and gestured the man to stand.

“Now you can walk yourself all the way back to Sina, idiot.”

The man scurried away but before he could leave the tent, Levi made one more request.

“Oh, and you seem like you’re all talk and your moron friends probably listen to you. Do me a favor and stomp out those rumors about Hange and me. My relationship with four-eyes is none of your business.” The man frantically nodded and ran off.

Levi sighed, and walked back to the barracks. As he passed by Hange’s quarters, he pushed the door open and peaked inside the dark room. There she was, her back to him sitting at her desk, the light of the moon shining through the window, outlining her frame. Levi pulled up a chair behind her and rested his chin on her shoulders and she leaned her head on his.

“Something wrong, Levi?” They sat in silence for awhile, only the sound of their breathing filled the room, along with a few residual sniffles from Hange’s silent crying over the MP officer’s words that morning.

At least Levi knew she wouldn’t be getting any crap from the MP anymore. He scared the guy good.

He wrapped his arms around Hange’s waist from where he sat behind her, and she curled her fingers gently around his hands.

“No, I’m good right here,” he whispered with a tiny smile.

#levihan #hange zoe #levi ackerman #hanji zoe #snk #aot #ask #anon #erwin #mike zacharias #nanaba #moblit #marlo #hitch

181 notes · View notes

savingprimrose · 3 years

Note

Hey there, I see youre asking for prompts and I had this idea a few nights ago: the survey corps soldiers are in a mandatory ball or smth like that for the military, and Levi sees the guys that hires him to kill Erwin all those years ago and he gets super pissed (because if he hadnt entered the corps he probably would have been sentenced to death for all his crimes, and then this rich guy plots to kill a high ranking military and a few years later he is free and partying like nothing ever happened.) Everybody sees he is in a sour mood, and Petra aproaches him to ask why and comfort him, whether he tells her what happened or not.

Anon, I'm so sorry it took me months. 🥺👉🏼👈🏼

I hope you like it!

READ ALSO ON AO3

Levi Ackerman hated going to Mitras for precisely two reasons.

One, he hates the rich, snobby people of the upper class.

And two, he hates parties.

And just socializing in general.

Talking to people makes his head hurt. And one of the main reasons that the Scouting Legion even goes to Mitras is, well, for number 2. And if number 2 is the reason why they’re being summoned to the capital then most likely number 1 is involved as well.

And well, you could say that Levi Ackerman will be having the worst time of his life. Thinking about schmoozing up to the rich - and expecting to dance with them with his two left feet - is making him wish he’d be eaten alive by a titan instead.

Levi sulks at the edges of the ballroom, arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face. He fishes out his pocketwatch from his coat pocket and curses under his breath, he’s only been here for literally 30 minutes and yet he feels as if he's been stuck in this cursed place for all of eternity.

Erwin has left him to go talk with Zachary and the other commanders, Hange is talking the ears off of some noble about titan research and hoping to get much-needed funds for the next expedition, while Mike and Nanaba are having the time of their lives - drinking and dancing.

And his whole squad is missing. He hasn't caught sight of them since the moment they stepped through the threshold of the palace.

"I'll go and fetch us some drinks, Captain."

Eld had said 30 minutes ago. He hasn't returned since.

"And I will get us some snacks."

Oluo had said right after but knowing him, he's probably trapped some new recruit in a corner and started flirting with them.

Levi wonders where Gunther and Petra are. They went off to dance around the same time Eld and Oluo excused themselves. He stands on his tiptoes and cranes his neck in search of them, quickly spotting Gunther on the other side of the ballroom, headed towards who he thinks is Eld.

Petra, on the other hand, is still missing.

Levi sighs and lowers himself back on his heels, slipping his pocketwatch back in his coat.

He decides to hunt down his squad - just so he can bid them good night. He's not needed here, anyway. And his headache is killing him.

Levi opts to find Petra first since he already knows where the boys are. He makes his way around the perimeter of the ballroom, looking this way and that for the familiar flash of sunset-colored hair.

He thought it would be easy to spot her from across the room with her hair but that has proven itself difficult with the number of tall people around and it pisses him off. He has gotten elbowed too many times in one night for his liking and Levi clenches his jaw tight.

Fuck tall people.

He decides to get some fresh air before trying to look for Petra again. He is nearing the balcony when he hears a familiar giggle behind his back and whirls around only to collide with yet another tall person who can't even be bothered to look at where they're going.

The collision caused a vein to pulse in his temple, making his headache even worse than it already is.

"Pardon me. I didn't see -"

The man stops mid-sentence upon seeing Levi's face and Levi has never wanted to kill a person so hard in his life than this very instant.

“I see you’re still alive, Levi,” Nicholas Lovof smirks, looking down his long nose at him.

Fuck this tall bastard most of all.

Levi’s blood begins to boil, “I see that you're out of prison you crusty old piece of shit."

Lovof laughs and Levi felt his hands twitch by his side, itching to punch the older man in the face.

“There’s nothing money can’t buy, Levi.”

Levi balls his fists and grits his teeth, doing everything he can not to slip the dagger out of his waistband and slit the bastard’s throat open right then and there. Levi hates how money makes the world go round. If he did not join the Scouting Legion he would've been thrown in jail for all the crimes he's committed and for all the people he's killed.

He would probably even be dead by now.

Lovof sneers, “What? Nothing to say to that, street rat?”

“Get out of my sight,” Levi seethes, each syllable laced with hatred and disdain. His hand subconsciously moving to the dagger at his waist.

Lovof's eyes dart to the movement of Levi's hand and his face breaks into another shit-eating grin, “You can’t kill me. You can’t even kill Erwin.”

A growl rises at the back of Levi’s throat just as a delicate hand wraps around his elbow, stilling his movement.

“Captain! There you are!”

His eyes fly to the hand curled around his elbow and he instantly knows who it belongs to. Levi watches as the hand slides down his forearm to cover his right hand and take it away from the dagger’s hilt.

He lifts his gaze from it and locks eyes with Petra as she squeezes his right hand with hers, “Dance with me."

She then turns to Lovof with a smile plastered on her face, "Excuse us, sir. I believe my captain owes me a dance."

Lovof smirks and raises his wine glass at him in a mock salute.

Levi nearly lunges at the old man but Petra squeezes his hand tighter to restrain him before leading him away from Lovof and into the throng of people in the middle of the ballroom waiting for the string quartet to resume playing music. The quartet begins playing a soft melodic piece that Levi thinks is more aptly played at a wedding.

“You know I don’t dance, Petra,” Levi nearly growls, still angered from his run-in with Lovof.

“Indulge me,’ Petra says as she transfers his right hand to her left and places it on her waist. She does the same with his other hand and leads him to sway alongside the couples beside them. She loops her arms around his neck and feels how tense his shoulders are. She gives him a small smile, one that he doesn’t notice as he is still adamant in glaring daggers at Lovof’s back.

Petra sighs as she leads him along in the dance. She knows that her captain hates social events but she has never seen him so close to stabbing a person in front of hundreds of people.

“Captain. Talk to me,” she whispers as she caresses his nape with her thumb, the gesture surprisingly tender and intimate and it catches Levi’s attention - his gaze finally drifting back to hers.

Levi relaxes a fraction as she continues to knead at his neck.

“That bastard should be rotting in prison,” He grumbles, hands tightening around her waist.

Petra nods, encouraging him.

”He’s -” Levi swallows, tries to contain the anger rising up within him, “He’s the reason why Isabel and Furlan are dead.”

Oh.

Petra knows about them - about Isabel and Furlan. They were Levi’s family before joining the Scouting Legion. She knew that they died in their first expedition outside the walls but that was it - that was all her captain has told her.

Levi sighs and proceeds to tell her the rest of the story, of how Lovof tracked them down and gave them a job to kill Erwin all in exchange for health care for their friend Yan and citizenship above ground.

“The Scouting Legion was coming for us whether we accepted the offer or not.”

Levi takes a deep breath and stops their slow dancing while the couples around them continued on, “Citizenship on the surface was all we ever wanted, Petra.”

He opens his mouth to continue but closes it again, realizing that they look like fools - standing in the middle of the ballroom while couples around them danced.

Levi takes Petra’s hand then and leads her away from the merriment and out into the balcony. He lets go of her and leans against the balustrade, tipping his head back to stare at the star-studded sky.

"They told me to trust them and that they will make it out of that expedition alive, that we will finish doing the job together and live the rest of our lives above ground.”

Out here under the starlight, he is more open, more vulnerable.

Petra remains silent and lets her captain tell his story uninterrupted. She is content listening and just being there for him - whenever and wherever he needs her.

She tips her head back as well, admiring the way the stars glittered against the pitch-black sky as Levi continued.

“I trusted them.” Levi swallows, "But they died, anyway. I -"

There's a tremble in his voice and Petra sneaks a glance at him and the look on his face shatters her heart.

Levi bows his head and whispers, “I couldn’t save them, Petra. I couldn’t give them the life they wanted.”

A moment passes in silence before a laugh escapes Levi's lips - mirthless and hollow.

Levi turns to face her then, "But no regrets, remember?"

She searches his eyes and wonders how he truly feels. He says these things but his eyes say otherwise.

Petra gives him a small, sad smile, and nods.

"Yes, captain. No regrets."

#rivetra #rivetra fanfic #levi x petra #levetra #rivapeto #ANON I'M SORRY #forgive me i love u #mine #clarza writes

38 notes · View notes

ptitelidio · 3 years

Text

“Black and White Contrast” a rivetra theory

Hi Rivetra fans, actually this is my first post on tumblr and I hope you will like it. Just to say a few words before beginning my rivetra theory, I ship Rivetra sooo hard but I like and respect other ships. Please if you get to see this post and like or share my opinion, an answer would be so cool!

PS. Sorry for my English, I’m not a fluent speaker, but I try my best :) enjoy!

First, basically I called this post ‘Black and White contrast’ because I found out that the relationship between Levi and Petra is like this, a contrast, in many fields.

To show this I will use photos of manga panels, of the anime and Petra’s song, the light of two wings.

Let’s begin with the song. The first opposition we can see is in Levi personality; Petra describes Levi like that “Your sterness always stems from gentleness And I felt a warm light behind those harsh words“, basically she sees his true nature, behind the darkness, there is a light, that’s what she says.

Now the other contrast is between the painful and the happy moments she went through: “ I recall plentry of painful things.. But I made it to where I am , Free of doubts.. Sharing smiles and laughter along the way “

Now she says: “ Tiny feathers gather one by one Forming a white wing Fragile lives are lost one by one Leaving behind a black wing “

That’s when we get to read something with ‘black’ and ‘white’, here she talks about two wings, a black and a white. The white being composed of feathers (analogy with soldiers lives lost one by one), and apparently she talks about a black wing left behind... we’ll get to see more info about it further on. But it seems to be ralted with death, isn’t it?

“ Though a bird may be born to soar across the skies I’m sure it won’t be able to fly well with only one wing But you will shoulder the determination of all that is white and black And guide everyone to great distances beyond the walls “

She says that a bird can’t fly without two wings, so the black and the white ones. And he will ‘shoulder the determination of all that is white and black’, in other words the determination to fight of the deads and the living is something he has to carry on. She is talking to Levi, and says that he is the one to guide everyone beyond the walls,

Then, she finally says before dying:

“Don’t forget that you have the light of dual wings sprouting from your back And if I were to give a name to the light I felt…yes.. it would be… Hope..“

So once again that the light of dual wings (black and white) shows that he carry the spirit of the deads and the living, I repeat this on purpose because you will see that the symbolism of the contrast has not been chosen by chance, but on purpose.

The second other point is that she perceives that light as hope, obviously we understand why, Levi is considered as the humanity’s greatest, so he’s the most expected to save the Eldian people.

Now.. let’s show the black and white contrast elsewhere.

Do a black and a white wings ring a bell?

Yup... exactly. And I’ll prove that they can symbolise Levi and Petra relationship. They can also show many other relationships in the SC but here, and with the song, it takes a different dimension, like thir relationship was like a black and white wing = black -> death, sadness... and white -> light, hope, or life

Petra is dead and Levi is alive,

Petra sees light inside Levi, whereas he grew up on a dark place (underground) and frequented bad people everyday (criminels etc...)

Now let’s focus on the anime...

What do you notice in this passage? This was when they were going to the former Survey Corps HQ with Eren.

Petra’s horse is WHITE and Levi’s is BLACK, here Levi’s one does not seems so black but you can check on other photos in the Internet and you’ll see that he’s actually black, but now because of light and shadow it’s a bit light but whatever.

So, you probably notice that nearly every horse is colored in brown but not Levi’s, Petra’s and Erwin’s. Some other horses are colored in light brown but it’s not like them three, the colors are strikely different. And in the manga the horses were all brown basically, so why this change of color? Not for nothing obviously, the great messages remain in little details..

This photos shows that the horse are basically all brown.

Another contrast is Levi and Petra’s physical appearance, they are obviously different. He is black-haired, she is blond (ginger in the anime but the contrast stays with light color and dark color..) even their eyes in the anime are different but that’s not the essence of the theory, that was just a remark.

Now look at the Petra’s and Levi’s scene when she died and he looked down at her:

Isayama pictured the contrast in dark and light, notice how Levi appears in the light part of the grass and Petra in the dark one, she is dead and he’is alive. And bigger than that, there is also Levi’s Wings of Freedom emblem on his cloack, a double contrast where the white one is in the right and the black one on the left. Petra is on the ground, Levi in the air. They complete each other every time.

The contrast is even more striking in this panel:

The position of the panels for comparison, the position of the heads and eyes, Levi looking down and Petra looking up. The contrast in their hair is also emphcised here. Don’t you notice something else? If no, look at the Wings of Freedom emblem I put...

Yes... Levi is at the left (black wing) and Petra is at the right (black wing)... the analogy is here for those who searched for it.

And once again, their life status, one alive but painfully sad and the other dead but with an unfulfilled dream and she didn’t get the chance to confess to Levi, I quote:

“ And so.. I will die.. believing that.. Oh….how i wish this would last… But…it seems like my time is up… I have…one last thing…..I would like to tell you.. No… Nevermind…It’s Nothing…. “ (Petra’s song)

Let’s continue.

Remember, we said that Petra tought Levi was the hope of humanity’s survival (she says it in her song). Now, did you know that Levi thought exactly the same of her? I will show it to you, and that was basically implied on Petra’s last scene.

We all know how Petra put trust over all other things, work team was very important to her. The sentence that we remember the most of her is “trust us”, in her last scene -- when she and her team were riding horses and the Female Titan was hunting them -- she said that exact sentence to Eren.

PS: It is written in French, but you can check it in English on your own if you want.

And everybody knows that Levi didn’t know if it was the good choice whether to put his trust on his comrades or to just rely on his own strengh. Well, on that day, Levi had a strong proof that he should believe in his comrades.

Here: Petra: “Captain?!”,

Levi: “He’s a real monster, I know that very well, not only because he has Titan abilities... no matter how strong he force with which it is immobilized, no matter how resistant is the cage in whic he is held. Nobody will ever be able to bend his will”

-> So what does Levi say? He considers that Eren will to fight titans can’t be bend, in other words he is like a monster, ready to do anything to kill his enemies. But basically, Levi’s stance is that NOBODY can’t change his mind. He was sure of that.

And guess what happens? Eren hearing that from Levi wanted to prove that he was not a monster, he had enough.

Eren “ I had enough. I don’t want to be treated like a monster...”

And the phrase that Petra told him definitely convinced him to do the choice to trust his new squad.

Now look at Levi’s face... he’s startled by Eren’s decision. Yes, he who was so sure that Eren will transform, Petra’s insistence to trust his team proved Levi wrong. That’s why he was so surprised. That scene and Levi’s expression is even on the anime, if you want to check it out.

Well, nobody before succeeded to do this: make Eren change his mind, he’s usually the one to ignore Mikasa’s advices even if he cares a lot for her. Petra, even if she was not so close to him, actually succeeded this task. This startled Levi. Who could change a monster’s mind? Yes, the one to carry hope for humanity. Actually in the anime, EVERY soldier carries that hope obviously, but in that precise moment, Petra was the hope Levi wanted for humanity.

This reminds us of the song, when she says that she though Levi’s light was hope, actually she was also hope, like every one of her comrades. Now, Petra had that same light, hope.

Oh and remember that panel from Chapter 112:

Yes. “Hope for Humanity’s survival” and beside what character? Petra. Everything is linked lmao, Isayama is a pure genius.

And now that I read this panel alone, it’s like Petra could have said these lines ‘I did it... because I believed he was the hope for humanity’s survival...” in other words, I sacrificed my life for Levi because I thought he was the hope for humanity’s survival. It could fit VERY WELL, I don’t think this is a coincidence because she said the exact same thing in her song...

PS: The Wings of Freedom can represent many pairs in AOT like Erwin and Levi for example, but Petra and Levi formed the wings of freedom too. That’s not a coincidence if Erwin’s horse was also white like Petra’s one, and we know that Erwin convinced Levi to joined the SC the day Ferlan and Isabel died. That day, Levi developed the Ackerbond with Erwin when the latter stated, with his federator charisma, that we can’t get to know the future etc. So Levi had the Ackerbond with Erwin so that’s quite obvious to justify why they can represent the wings of freedom, but what was Petra for Levi apart of a squad member?

Yes, she was special for him whereas he didn’t have the Ackerbond with her, and that’s why she’s even more significant, his blood didn’t play a role in his relationship with her. The only answer I find is, simply, love.

#rivetra petra levi theory levixpetra petraxlevi rivetratheory aot

193 notes · View notes

angelanimedesaray · 3 years

Text

Wings in the Dark Chapter 4: Limelight

AN: Ah...next chapter. I keep finding myself thinking about/writing Wings in the Dark even though I’ve got so many other stories to keep up with, some of which are only one piece away from being done or oneshots XD

Also I apologize I keep forgetting to put Fem!Vampire!Reader, I keep getting lazy there...tagging error.

Characters: Levi, Fem!Vampire!Reader, Erwin, Oluo, Petra, Gunther, Eld, Various BG Characters

Pairing: (Eventual) Levi x Fem!Vampire!Reader

Warnings: Language, Blood, Peril, Mentions of Death

Word Count: 6101

<----Previous Chapter Masterlist Next Chapter---->

*Reader’s POV*

Beneath you, Zephyr shifted from foot to foot, the crowding of Scouts in the street just before the gate looking disorganized, but each squad in specific places meant to make the transition once outside the walls much easier. You knew where you were in the formation, right with the vanguard--not quite at the front though, since you were still a rookie. Instead, you were in a message position.

Just a few horses in front of you, you could see Captain Levi and his squad, their gazes fixed forward like most of the Scouts. Your hand fluttered briefly to your neck as you gazed up at the giant wall that was casting its shade upon most of the gathered Scouts, your heartbeat quickening as the reality of what was happening settled over you.

Decades without open air and sunlight before you managed to find the key that would allow you to walk on the surface in the sun once more. Never before venturing outside the walls. Now here you were, about to ride out beyond its boundaries into open, fresh air and sunlight where there was no edge where a wall or some other boundary of mankind kept you in.

As if sensing your restlessness, Zephyr pawed at the ground, antsy and ready to move forward. The horse standing behind you at the end of a lead had been jumpy since being handed off to you, but its nerves were only getting worse between the aura you and Zephyr were radiating. Your grip tightened on the reins, gaze fixated on that gate that you were begging to just raise already and let you shoot out into the world.

This was what you were here for. You’d finally made it. Now was the time to throw yourself all in for the cause. Messenger or not, you were going to do everything you could to help.

The brick gate up ahead finally finished rumbling, and a pure white horse holding Commander Erwin Smith reared up.

“Forward!”

Your heart leapt into your throat, and it took everything inside you to wait until the people in front of you started to move forward before your heels pressed lightly into Zephyr’s hindquarters, urging the speckled grey mare forward. Your breaths came rapidly as the brick gate approached, head tilting up on instinct as you went through the tunnel, momentarily plunged into darkness with light piercing through the end before Zephyr burst through, one set of many thundering hooves as you broke past the wall.

Green grass rolled out before you with towering trees dotting along the horizon, stretching as far as you could see, further. The wind whipped at your hair, sun beating down on you harmlessly as you soaked in the unbridled rays, lips parted as you took a deep breath of truly free air.

This was a feeling you would never forget. It was as if the wings upon your cape would emerge and spread wide, carrying you up into the blue sky far above and off to a land where there were no stifling walls real, social, or in your mind, no secrets and constant hiding of who you were.

Feeling eyes on you at your reaction to crossing beyond the walls for the first time, you closed your eyes briefly, the self-imposed darkness grounding you back to reality as you reminded yourself what the goal was here, what you were supposed to be doing. You had a purpose out here, and the others couldn’t afford your distraction.

Your head lowered from its tilted back position, and your eyes opened with focus burning in your gaze, fixed forward as you leaned slightly over Zephyr’s neck. Within a few minutes of running straight forward, the formation began to take shape, Scouts spreading out to the left and right while most of the cargo stayed in the middle. You were one of the ones who went out to the right, falling into place at a relay point with your skittish extra horse trailing just behind Zephyr. Off to your left, you could see Levi Squad, within eyesight but still quite a distance away and placed closer to command than you.

While everyone here had to depend upon smoke signals and their own limited sight to tell them if a Titan was approaching, you were at a unique advantage when it came to the task of spotting Titans. You could hear them long before you could see them, but your sight was much better than the other’s here, as well. You would be able to tell if there was a Titan approaching long before anyone else, which could drastically help the mortality rates of the Scouts if you could use your abilities.

Of course, the matter was complicated by the fact that you would have to wait until there was visual confirmation of a Titan if you didn’t want to look like you were firing flares into the sky for the hell of it, which you were certain would piss many people off very quickly. So, you were restrained to detecting where the Titans were, and keeping track of them until they got close enough.

If it was a big enough threat, though, you would take the risk. You would still have to wait if you wanted people to believe you, but you weren’t going to wait as long if it was something like a horde of Titans or a clustering of abnormals.

That part you had decided ahead of time. The rest you would play by ear and see what happened, or simply play the role you had been assigned for this expedition.

*Levi’s POV*

While Levi and his squad had their duties that went with their position in the long range formation, Levi had his secondary objective to observe L/N from a distance, keeping an eye on her at least partially at all times while his squad handled much of the spotting and message relaying, Levi only giving curt orders when necessary. They certainly wondered what was causing his distraction, but no one questioned it, especially from the serious look on his face.

He’d been watching L/N from the moment they rushed out of the gate beyond the walls, her reaction reminding him strongly of himself, Isabel, and Furlan when they’d first gone beyond the walls.

Before he could have someone snap her out of it so she was paying attention, she’d brought herself back around, snapping back to full focus on the task at hand impressively fast despite how swept away she’d been moments before.

With the more central position Levi’s squad held, they were better positioned to be sent whichever direction they might be needed if shit hit the fan, and the more protected position than the vanguard and the relay lines allowed Levi to put more of his focus on L/N without causing unnecessary risk. No doubt that was part of the reason Erwin had arranged them the way they were for this expedition.

At first, there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. She kept her head on a swivel, fired the signal flares at the appropriate time to pass along the message to shift the direction of the formation. However, Levi eventually began to catch the anomaly he might have overlooked if she’d been a little further away, or he’d been a little more distracted by what was going on in his position.

Her head stopped swiveling, her gaze fixing in certain directions for long stretches of time before she would fire off her flares. At the most, her head might twitch in one direction or another, but nothing more. The big give away, however, was the fact that he occasionally caught sight of her loading a flare into her flare gun long before the signals went off. As if she knew it was coming.

Either she had insane intuition, or she was able to see something they couldn’t.

It was a good thing he'd noticed her focus and how she seemed to be picking up on approaching Titans before the vanguard, because it greatly effected how he reacted when she fired a shot before even the vanguard. She went perfectly still, head turned forward right towards an outcropping of trees in the distance. She stayed gazing in that direction for several long moments before she suddenly reached into her pack, loaded her flare gun, and fired a black smoke signal into the air.

Everyone reacted with surprise from the display, Levi included, considering no Titan could be seen, and she was not relaying a signal from the vanguard. Immediately, the others began to grumble and complain at rookie audacity, what she thought she was doing, the usual complaints. Levi, however, was staring hard at her back, noting how she was still staring in the same direction, thinking of how she'd been aware of every flare coming so far…

"Gunther, relay that signal."

The complaints about L/N stopped, the others looking at Levi in surprise. "Sir…" Petra ventured to say in a cautious tone, clearly not wanting to question him but doubtful of the black flare's accuracy. Still, Levi could hear Gunther preparing to fire the shot behind him, even as Petra continued. "That signal is coming from nowhere, the rest of the vanguard haven't even fired anything."

"Because she's spotted something they haven't," Levi said bluntly, as behind him Gunther relayed the signal, which went down the rest of the line to Command. Erwin’s green shot fired into the air shortly after what must have been a confusingly sudden short burst of signals.

Levi kept his gaze on L/N the entire time, except the direction change, looking for the payoff or justification for her sudden signal. At first, he didn't think he would see it.

In the distance, within that outcropping of trees that had held her attention before and was now further away from them thanks to the direction shift she’d prompted, Levi saw something clear the treetops. It was hard to catch at this distance, but the scattering of birds from those trees helped confirm what he was seeing. Within a few moments, two fleshy figures of Titans burst through the treeline, one running sporadically forward and the other leaping around, both headed in the direction of the formation.

There was more distance between the formation and the abnormals, thanks to their shift, which gave them more time to respond, but they were still going to collide with the ranks. He could see L/N coiling atop her horse, ready to leap into action if they broke past the vanguard and reached her position, eyes no doubt fixed on the incoming threats.

“Captain, should we go assist?” Petra asked from behind him.

“If they break through the vanguard ranks, yes,” Levi said, gaze sweeping over the other positions in the formation that held less skilled rookies. He didn’t want to risk abnormal Titans colliding with the newbies, so he’d make sure they were stopped there, if the vanguard couldn’t handle them. Instinctively, Levi tensed as the abnormals reached the front lines...and then burst right past towards L/N’s position.

Abnormal, indeed.

Oluo swore as they saw both abnormals barreling towards L/N, who was already kneeling on the saddle of her horse and waited a few seconds for the abnormals to draw a little closer. Levi and his squad were already heading towards them before L/N leapt off her horse, one of her cables firing into the rushing Titan since it was at least keeping stably on the ground, swinging around and away from the front of the attacking Titans, firing the other higher up to try and get a quick shot in at the Titan’s nape.

The second Titan shot over the first in a leap towards L/N, forcing L/N to change direction and release her cable from the first Titan. With a nimbleness that surprised Levi, she pushed off of the arm of the second Titan as it went by to add momentum in the direction she wanted to go, cables releasing again so she could swing between the legs of the first Titan and still avoid it’s reaching arms.

With her cables detached again, she rolled to a stop and got back onto her feet, taking a second to register her position before one of her cables sank into that first Titan's shoulder and she shot towards it again.

At that point Levi and the others were close enough to do something and had a good grasp on the situation. At Levi's orders, Eld, Oluo, and Gunther broke off to deal with the jumping one while Levi and Petra rushed to intercept the one L/N was handling. Levi had a pretty good idea of what she was trying to do, but expecting it to go terribly wrong, he was trying to reach her before she lost a limb. Or her head.

The Titan snapped at her as she came within biting distance, but she let loose a burst of gas at the last second to sail over its shoulder, twisting in midair as the men handling the other Titan let out an alarmed shout.

Both cables sank into the shoulder blades of the first Titan and brought her in close with her feet landed just below its nape, and she sliced neatly through, killing it in one stroke. As she turned with the strike, the second Titan came into her view, ignoring Eld, Gunther, and Oluo entirely as it launched for her, still anchored onto the falling Titan.

The cables disengaged so she could fall back and drop out of range of its maw, feet barely missing the teeth as she dropped vertically and headfirst towards the ground.

Eld went in for a quick kill while it was fixated on L/N.

"No!"

"Wait!"

"Eld!"

At angles they could see where the Titan's attention was trained, L/N, Levi, and Perra, respectively, all shouted out for him not to go for the obvious kill. Its eyes had shifted in the direction the cable came from, towards Eld, and it swung out an arm that caught the wire. Eld was sent careening to the ground, the jumping Titan punching toward him with jaw agape again as the now-injured man got up to right himself, cables still sliding back into place and unable to deploy yet.

Two blurs in opposite directions cut through the air at the front and back of the Titan. Levi was at the back, slicing cleanly through the nape to kill it before it could kill Eld. At the front and coming from the opposite direction, was L/N, slicing through arms and bottom jaw in a wide arc to render it unable to eat Eld.

As they passed each other in the air, they momentarily locked eyes, and instead of fear or anger which commonly filled the eyes of the recruits, Levi saw...exhilaration.

Considering one of his men almost got killed, she better be taking this fucking seriously.

As they both landed on the ground at opposite ends of the Titan body, Levi turned to see her already sheathing her blades and approaching Eld to make sure he was okay and help him to his feet. Gunther and Oluo were close behind, pulling beside them as Eld was brought to his feet and Levi stalked towards them from behind.

"Are you both alright?" Gunther asked.

"That was a hell of a risky move you pulled there, rookie--your leg got cut open when you decided to jump right through its mouth!" Oluo chastised.

Levi’s gaze dropped to her leg, the large tear diagonally across her leg now clear, with bloodstains along the frayed edges of the fabric. But the skin of her calf was unblemished save for a slightly angry red mark running parallel to the rip.

"Hm?" She asked in confusion, turning back to glance down at the offended leg before she twisted so the others could see. "It was risky, and close, but it didn't draw blood. Just a graze," she remarked, eyes lifting to see Levi approaching.

He was caught between angry and indifferent, with a bit of reluctantly impressed. He couldn't exactly chastise her for endangering the others with that out in the open now, could he? She'd been handling them alone off circumstance before they intervened, and when one of his men was in danger of dying, she'd apparently risked a leg to intervene.

It was still reckless, even if in the moment she'd deemed it necessary. She was a rookie out here, she didn't know the full extent of her capabilities against the Titans yet.

Levi’s gaze slid momentarily to the two rapidly dissipating Titan bodies.

Or perhaps she did…

"Petra, help Eld. Everyone, get a move on, before we're left behind," he said instead, turning back to his horse as L/N let out a sharp whistle to call her horse. The dappled grey appeared with the spare horse in tow and still tied to the saddlehorn via the lead so it wouldn't run off.

Once he was certain everyone was mobile and Eld was being taken care of, Levi led the way for his group to rejoin the formation, L/N racing off to retake her position.

Levi’s gaze wandered back towards the pillars of steam that billowed into the air from the dead Titans.

Why had they both been so set on /her/ that they blew past everyone else?

*Reader’s POV*

"All right, we need people for the night watch, so if--"

"I'll do it," you said before he could even finish, standing up from your spot around the fire as you spoke.

All he had to say was night watch. It was another one of the things you felt that you were the most suited for, considering you were a creature of the night. You would do far better in darkness than anyone else around you.

After volunteering to be one of the people on night watch, you were sent up into the nearby trees to give you a better vantage point, able to gracefully find your way up onto a tree branch without issue. Once where you were supposed to be, you took a seat, resting your head against the trunk as your gaze wandered across your surroundings, allowing your hearing to focus so it was listening for things in the distance or abnormal sounds within the vicinity of the camp. As such, the cacophony of people speaking to one another before heading to bed faded away into a faint buzz in the back of your mind, allowing you to focus on your watch.

This also gave you a moment to reflect on your first day out in the field, and the unexpected consequence of your presence that you had discovered. So intent on contributing to the Scouts and using your abilities to assist them, you'd forgotten some basic predatory instincts.

Out here, the Titans were at the top of the food chain. Within the walls, it was vampires. The Titans were mainly active in the day but quiet at night, and vampires normally thrived in the dark and could not go out in the sun--you were an exception, thanks to something you had taken from a vampire far older and more experienced than you. There was a clear division between the two preventing them from coming into contact with each other, mostly the night and day difference and the literal wall dividing their environments. But you had just entered their habitat, and you were well aware that a vampire could still be killed by a Titan if they got careless, or if the Titan got one lucky bite in. As such, you didn't consider vampires at the top of the food chain when placed in the same space as Titans, but adjacent to them.

The Titans had focused on you, likely because you were an invasive, competitive predator in their lands. You were a threat to them and their food supply, and they could not safely feed if there was a vampire in the area.

As such, if the opportunity presented itself, they were going to target you first.

Lovely.

This was new, dangerous information, and you were still deciding how to react to it. Maybe not every Titan would completely ignore a meal in front of them if there was a vampire nearby, but today two abnormals had barged right through the vanguard to get to you. It wasn't something you could ignore.

For a while, your watch went undisturbed, allowing you to quietly stew in your thoughts high up in the trees, before a sound broke through your filtered hearing, and your attention snapped into full focus.

Down below, hidden by the tall grass, darkness, and trees, you could make out the spread out shapes of a wolf pack stalking closer to camp, towards where some of the horses were hitched for the night.

Bold wolves. Or perhaps they were desperate, or had yet to learn to be afraid of mankind. Either way, you couldn't let the wolves get to the horses, the lifeline out here for the Scouts.

Quietly, since the way you wanted to handle this couldn't be seen by the other Scouts, you dropped down from the trees, crouching low to the ground and blending into darkness as you moved to intercept the wolves while they were still shrouded in darkness and the environment. When you put yourself firmly in their path, the tension in the air shifted.

For the wolves, while they were in a pack, you were a more dangerous predator, one that they would normally avoid. As such, the pack's attention shifted, and you let out a low snarl, red eyes flashing in the night and fangs barred as the wolves cautiously stalked closer to you. They loosely encircled you, and you quickly tried to assess each one, looking for the alpha, the one who acted first that the rest followed. The wolves got dangerously close before you managed to pick it out, and you spun around to face the alpha head on, making yourself look big and keeping that snarl.

It hesitated, stared at you for a few moments, and then the grey wolf leapt forward to attack. Anticipating the motion, you plucked it out of the air, arms wrapping around its furry upper body and slamming it into the ground, causing it to yelp and yip as you held it down, pinned, its throat exposed.

You held it there for several moments, making sure the rest of the pack could see the alpha had been bested before you let the wolf up, the large creature immediately taking the opportunity to run and letting out a high-pitched howl for the rest of the pack to follow as it raced away.

Composing yourself once again, you turned back to the camp, heading in the direction of the horses to make sure they were alright, several Scouts intercepting you just before you reached camp.

"We heard wolves."

"What were you doing out there?"

"I chased them off. They were thinking about going after the horses," you assured them calmly. "All it took was a well aimed rock and the sounds of quite a few humans from behind to chase them off," you said, explaining the yips and their sudden absence with ease.

"Right. Back to your posts, or back to bed, whichever it is for you. Go on," one of the senior officers commanded to get everyone to disperse again. You didn't say anything more, feeling no need to as you instead used the ODM gear to return to your perch in the trees.

*Levi's POV*

While Levi was checking his gear to make sure it was still in peak shape for the rest of the expedition, his squad had their fireside discussion about the day's events, the topics free ranging since Levi seemed to not be paying any attention to them and was a fair distance away.

Mainly, they were talking about the display with the two abnormals.

"Did you see how they charged right through the line towards that rookie?"

"They were abnormals. You have to stop questioning abnormals so much or you'll drive yourself mad."

"I'm more interested in that rookie. Did you see how she handled those Titans?"

"No shitting herself or anything--perfectly calm, like she wasn't even bothered."

"It was almost like she was dancing around it for a few moments there--you could even call it graceful."

"And did you see how in sync she was with Captain Levi when they took it down? Even if it was brief?"

"It was still a risky move--she went right through its mouth!"

"That either takes a hefty set of balls, annoying levels of confidence, or sheer insanity."

"I still swear I saw her leg get cut open on those teeth."

"Clearly not. She showed us her leg, it came close and she was damn lucky or pulled it off that well. It was just the rip, the red mark, and some Titan blood."

"Still...she has to be that rookie all those rumors are about, right?"

"The ones about Captain Levi possibly letting a rookie join the squad? Those are bullshit and you know it."

"I'm not so sure anymore, after seeing her in action. It's not impossible. They might wait until she's a little less green, but…"

"Captain Levi did seem a little distracted today. And our position was right where he could see her at all times."

"So it is possible...it would be weird...and I still think they should wait until she's not so green...but I wouldn't complain."

"It'd be nice to have another girl on the squad…"

Levi stood up at that point, the group's conversation halting as Levi moved, then resuming when they realized he was walking away from the fire, not towards it.

Don't get attached, you idiots. If she's as dangerous as I think she is, she won't be around for long.

Moving further away from where his squad was chatting amongst themselves, Levi headed towards the trees where Erwin was taking at least one night shift, using his ODM gear to bring himself up to the tree branch beside the towering blond.

"I heard those abnormals caused a bit of a stir," Erwin said as Levi settled onto the branch beside him, hardly able to see one another with only faint firelight a ways behind them and moonlight mostly blocked from the trees around them.

"They barreled straight out of a treeline and through the vanguard. Didn't give them a second thought and went right for L/N."

Erwin looked at Levi with the way he phrased that last line, like there was more to it. "They were abnormals."

"Yeah...but even abnormals don't usually fixate on just one person. Not to mention two abnormals at once."

Erwin turned slightly towards Levi. "They didn't pay attention to anyone other than L/N?"

Levi shook his head. "Not until Eld went in for a killshot on the last one. They seemed...drawn to her."

"Interesting…" Erwin murmured, both of their attention drawn by the sound of wolves yipping and then howling, the sound getting further away. There was a slight commotion at the edge of the camp, with L/N appearing from the darkness in the direction the howling had been and saying a few words before everyone settled back down. She must have chased them off, then.

"There's more," Levi added, eyes following her figure as she disappeared up into the trees with ODM, apparently one of the few taking a night shift. "This entire time, she's been picking up on Titans before anyone else sees them, even the vanguard. She knew those abnormals were coming long before we had visual confirmation."

"That would explain the odd, lone black flare before the others started being fired," Erwin murmured, his gaze fixated in the same direction as Levi. "Keep watching her. We won't be out here too much longer, since we'll reach our destination tomorrow. You can give me the rest of your observations in an official report when we get back."

"Right…" Levi muttered, turning away and heading back to the ground to admonish his squad about still being up and get them to get some rest before they talked the whole night away with their conspiracy theories.

*Reader’s POV*

When you returned from the expedition, you were surprisingly exhausted. The Scouts had returned a few hours ago, and as soon as you were free of your duties, you headed up to the barracks so you could crawl into your bed and pass out.

While the first day had gone relatively well besides the obvious for all the horror stories about the Scouts and their expeditions, the second day had not gone so smoothly. Even worse, when the Titans collided with the left vanguard, you couldn't do anything about it but watch Levi Squad break away as they were dispatched to go help. You were, after all, just a messenger for the right side of the formation for this expedition.

Because of the attack on the left, the Scouts had accumulated a body count and ended up with quite a few injured. It wasn't bad enough to cause the mission to fail, thankfully, as the Scouts still managed to reach the destination and set up supplies for future expeditions, but after a couple more incidents on the way back, a few more injured and dead were accumulated, and the Scouts were looking rough upon the return to the walls.

On the bright side, if it could be considered a bright side, you were already sitting on two solo Titan kills at the end of the expedition despite being a messenger, you made it through your first expedition, and you knew more about how you would fare against Titans and your usefulness to the cause.

Right now, that was all food for thought at a later point, as you quickly fell asleep once your head hit the pillow and you were finally given the chance to relax.

Unfortunately, it didn't feel like it lasted for very long. You were woken up by one of your fellow new recruits attempting to get you out of bed, though a quick glance towards the windows told you it was now night--you’d been able to sleep the whole day away. Yet you still felt groggy and tired.

"Hey, L/N. L/N! Get up, already. Captain Levi wants to see you. So get to it--last I saw him he was in the library."

*Levi's POV*

"Extraordinary reflexes, stronger than she looks, quick on her feet, calm under pressure, skilled and resourceful with the ODM gear, capable, patient, able to pick up on approaching Titans long before anyone else…" Erwin's fingers tapped lightly on top of Levi's official report of his observations about L/N, the papers sitting in front of him on his desk. "All this time and all I can see so far are more reasons to make sure she's advantageously placed in the Scouts and used to her full potential."

Levi turned to give Erwin a disbelieving look before it fell into a scowl that was becoming quite common at these meetings between the two to discuss Y/N L/N.

"You can't tell me you're not curious about the how, that nothing about her raises questions?" Levi scoffed. Erwin leaned forwards, fingers laced together in front of his face.

"Oh, it does. It seems trying to find out more about L/N only raises more questions instead of providing answers, and I'm determined to start finding answers. But I'm not talking about wanting to know how. This started because you said you had a bad feeling about her, that her motives might be malicious. So far, all you've given me is more material to believe her intentions are at least aligned with our own if not good, and more reasons to make sure she stays part of the Scouts, not anything to prove she's of ill intent."

Levi looked away, teeth grit. He'd almost fallen into the same trap. Until…

"The night before the expedition, we ran into each other in the mess hall. She'd just come back from the Underground, which I know because she still had that smell on her...as well as the smell of blood." Levi turned to look at Erwin, gaze sharp. "I doubt she was down there healing sick kids considering, as far as we know, the extent of her medical knowledge is the first aid she learned as part of her training."

Erwin frowned, his eyes probing as he studied Levi’s expression. "That would have been nice to know, sooner."

"It hadn't come up, yet. And it's not exactly something I can put in an official report."

"It's still not enough to go on, Levi."

"You don't think I know that? It's driving me mad catching these little pieces that suggest something's off about her, and then failing to get anything else. It doesn't help that she knows I'm watching her."

Erwin sighed, leaning back in his seat with a thoughtful look, gazing down at the report on the desk.

"Go ahead and recruit her for your squad."

Surely he heard him wrong.

"I'm sorry?" Levi asked in surprise.

"Not as a fill member, not yet, anyway. She's still too green to justify moving her to the special ops team even with how well she did on her first expedition. Have her start as an aid for you and your squad, that way she's still in a learning and assisting position until she's more seasoned."

"And your reasoning for this is…? What if she wants this? Not knowing her motivations--"

"Gives us all the more reason to make this move. As part of your squad, even as an aid, she'll be directly under your command. You'll be able to keep a much closer eye on her, find out more about her--I'm sure your squad members will be able to find out things about her naturally on their own time. Keeping her close is the best play right now."

Levi sighed in frustration. Sure, he'd considered picking her for his squad already, but his suspicions had killed that desire, at least for now. Plus, usually he got to choose if and when he added someone to his squad. He wasn't too keen on being ordered to add her, even if Erwin had a good reason for doing it.

However, it wasn't like he was going to tell Erwin no. He'd just have to deal with it.

Shaking his head and biting back the complaints he knew didn't mean a damn, Levi changed the subject. Even though he didn't confirm that he would do as Erwin asked, they both knew he would.

"What about you? Did your contacts manage to find anything?"

A frown returned to Erwin’s face. "Like I said, more questions with very few answers." He took a moment to open one of his desk drawers, pulling out a report and laying it next to Levi’s expedition report. "I couldn't find a trace of her anywhere inside Wall Rose besides the last few years after she suddenly surfaced. Even in the town she has listed as where she was born, the closest I came was a girl who shared a first name with her that died tragically over forty years ago. Maybe it's where she got the name, considering it was a big deal in the town's history, but beyond that, nothing. Before she appeared on the surface a few years back, she didn’t exist."

Erwkn held out the report for Levi to take. "Her absence does, however, lend itself to your Underground theory. Especially if you say she was in the Underground the night before the expedition. I suggest you pursue that lead--you know the Underground better than anyone else here."

Levi hated the thought of going back down there, even if it was to find some answers. However, he finally felt like he had something solid to pursue, and he wasn't going to let it slip through his fingers. He was cornering her, and he was going to pull back the façade and find out what was really happening with her no matter how hard she tried to keep it concealed.

She couldn't hide whatever it was forever. Especially with Erwin and Levi bearing down on her as hard as they were.

Enough questions. It was time they started getting answers.

Next Chapter--->

Levi Tags: @clary-quinn @humanitys-hottestsoldier @whalerus @sunny-flo @thirstyforsometea

Wings in the Dark Tags: @regalillegal @animeluver23 @theshylittleelfgirl @queenthorin1 @dilucs-thighs @sociallyanxiousmouse

118 notes · View notes

heybeybey · 3 years

Note

Isabel & Petra headcanons canon universe ??

Yooooo I have a shitload of work to do but I just can’t help but answer this!!

This is divided into two parts: Alive!Petra & Isabel and Both Dead As Our Hearts!Isabel & Petra.

Enjoy @himebee-5!

Part 1: Alive!Petra and Alive!Isabel Canon AU

Petra was already a Scout when Levi, Isabel and Furlan joined. She was the one who toured Isabel and Furlan around the HQ while Levi followed behind the three of them with a knife secretly in hand in case Petra tries something.

Isabel tells Levi to drop the knife. (Yes, within Petra’s earshot)

They’d stay up all night talking about life in the Underground and in the surface.

They’d arm wrestle to settle arguments! 💪

Isabel’s so excited about what life is like above ground that she drags Petra out of HQ and to all the must-see spots in the city every chance they get. Of course, Petra’s more than happy to accompany her.

Isabel tries to hook Petra up with either Furlan or Levi. She doesn’t really care who Petra will end up with. She just wants to take every opportunity to embarrass the two men.

The two of them gave a name to ALL the Survey Corps horses. Well, it was Isabel’s idea and Petra eventually went along with it because she finds the idea cute.

One of the new recruits asked Isabel out and Petra helps her prep for her first date!!! :3

She’d lend Isabel all her makeup and dresses!

Wrong move though because the day after Isabel’s date, the girl’s basically claiming her clothing one by one.

In my mind, Isabel’s around 15 years old (although in the wiki page, she’s 18? Whatever she looks younger than Eren in the main timeline so she’s 15 here)

Petra’s 18 during the time Isabel joined

Petra’s the one pushed with the responsibility to give Isabel “the talk” because both Furlan and Levi are cowards

They’d definitely bond over the redhead thing. (Like using it as a basis for which clothing or makeup look might look best)

Petra teaches her to read and write. The younger girl knows the basics but not as much for someone who’s already 15.

Petra gives Furlan and Levi tea but she always gives Isabel hot milk

One time, both girls ended back down in the Underground (pretty sure it’s because Isabel needed to settle a score with someone and Petra tried stopping her) and Levi had to save both their asses.

Petra always gives Isabel big sister advice because of course she would

They’d have horse races!! Isabel always wins

Then a few squad leaders will scold them and tell them that the SC horses aren’t meant for racing!

Petra’s on a different squad but on missions outside the wall, she tries to keep an eye out for Isabel as much as the formation and the situation allows her.

Both girls would argue over who’s getting taller faster

Sadly, it’s almost the end of the road for Petra so Isabel wins this one

Isabel tells Petra it’s alright because now there’s a girl who’ll look perfect with her big bro Levi

Isabel teaches Petra how to pick locks (telling her it’s an important life skill to have) and they tried it once in one of the offices in the HQ

It ends up being a Squad Leader’s office tho

....Levi takes the fall for the both of them (willingly. u know how soft he is on the inside for his best girls)

Part 2: Dead!Petra and Dead!Isabel Canon AU

They’d constantly have bets on what Levi will do next

Isabel: “Ohhh betting you ten coins that he’ll stab the monkey’s dick first when he finally gets the chance to chop him up!”

Petra: “I didn’t need to know that but ok”

It always eventually ends in a tie

Commander Erwin’s the one who keeps the scorecard on Petra and Isabel’s bets. idk why it just came to my mind

Isabel always comforts Petra whenever the older girl cries over what happens to Levi (ex: Zeke and Kenny)

Isabel’s always surprised at how Petra’s actually willing to kill for her captain (she seems so kind and sweet)

They share stories on when they were in Levi’s squad/gang and compare his leadership style

Sometimes, the other veterans are concerned when Isabel and Petra get together. It’s bound to be chaos and you wouldn’t expect it because they both seem cute and innocent.

Isabel’s the wild child tho and Petra just gets dragged in.

Petra would always ask Isabel about Levi’s life in the underground.

Isabel thinks it’s cute and she tells Petra that she’s going to push Levi and Petra to get married once Levi dies and joins them.

Basically for both AUs: I really think that they’d share the same brain cell sometimes. Petra’s just slightly mature.

#rivetra #isabel magnolia #petra ral #levi x petra #rivapeto #levixpetra #snk #aot #aot petra #aot isabel #aot levi #farlan church

82 notes · View notes

sasa-gay-yo · 3 years

Text

Levi Reassuring You

Request: Here

Summary: You weren’t a Scout. You weren’t talented in ODM. You’ve never killed anything in your life. You were so unlike her in everyway possible, and you knew Levi knew it too. Why did he pick you?

Warnings: None, some kissin here and there

You never knew why he liked you. You seemed to be the opposite of the people he surrounded himself with. You weren’t a Scout, you could barely kill a fly, and you lacked confidence in your ability to even lift a brick. Because you couldn’t rationalize Levi’s feelings for you, you always had those doubts in your mind. Not about him, but about yourself.

Those doubts were exaggerated every time you had to deliver a new round of uniforms or equipment to the Scouts HQ. You would sit there while your father bargained with Erwin, watching this new elite squad fly through the trees. Your eyes would mostly be on Levi, watching him expertly work the ODM gear, but they also trailed off to Petra who was always behind him. She would make jokes with him, talking about titan killing strategies, and was the first to volunteer to do anything for Levi. It made you feel like the lesser one in his life... and you hated that fact that there were two of you.

On that particular day, the first mistake was allowing you and your father to eat dinner with them. Because you had made such a rushed order, Commander Erwin wished to give thanks in the only way he possibly could. You were even welcomed to sit at the officer’s table to talk about like inside the walls. Levi’s hand dropping underneath the table to gently stroke along your leg, letting you know that he was really there. However, the problem started off as a fun conversation, but soon turned into you seeing every possible fault in your own self. The from earlier in the day came full force. Even when Levi gripped your thigh, trying to get you to look at him, you ignored it.

“So, (Y/F/N), what else do you do at home? Do you just sew our uniforms together?” It was a simple question from Squad Leader Hange, and it was cute for them to want to know more about your regular, normal life, but in your mind, you went over your hobbies. They killed titans and tried to save humanity in their free time, but you only read books, sometimes baked bread, and attended local commerce meetings with your father. The only thing outside of your normal routine was when Levi showed up to visit you in secret or when he would pull you along to the Scout HQ under the cover of the night. It made you seem so… so miniscule next to them.

“I just live a normal, city life in Trost. Just… normal, yeah.” You looked down to your hand that were sitting in your lap, disregarding Levi’s trying to get your attention so he could see what emotion was running through your eyes. You refused to look up at him for that reason. You didn’t want to talk about it, but you knew that if he saw a problem, he would strive to fix it. Another thing to add to your own downfall list.

The table was composed of the most elite soldiers in all the Scout regiment, and your father who was lucky to retire out of it. Still, he could tell stories of fighting titans or Shadis that would interest the whole table. Anything you said, you could guess no one wanted to listen to, not even Levi who was subject to it all the time. After you had answered Hange’s question the way you did, there were no more asked to you. You didn’t see that it was because Levi glared at anyone who wanted to mention something to you. He’d seen how you reacted to Hange and knew you didn’t want to talk to anyone, so he was protecting you from that fate. You thought it was because they’d lost interest in you, so you sulked even further. Then, Levi took his hand off of you and that stared the spiral.

Did he find, when he visited you, that your conversation was boring? Were you boring to him? Was he now getting frustrated that you were showing off your plainness to every one else in his squad?

“Captain, when are we doing the obstacle course again? I just want to know how long I have to work up my skills to beat you.” You had missed the conversation they were having at the table, but she spoke up again. You’d witness the obstacle course today, the one where Petra was so close behind him.

You liked Petra, you really did. She would always greet you and ask you about your day, sometimes even filling you in on the Scouts gossip, but there was always something stirring inside of you whenever she was near Levi. She would help him put his coat on, she was always first in line during their squads training, and before Erwin had offered you the seat next to Levi, she was the one sitting there. You then drew the conclusion that she must always sit there for dinner. More doubt. It wasn’t her fault for harvesting feelings for Levi when she had no idea you two were starting a relationship, but it still hurt.

Yet, Levi never did anything about it, that was the part that hurt the most. He never shrugged her away, not even when he knew you were looking.

It made you think. She was strong and smart and and elite fighter… why not her? Levi wouldn’t have to listen about your boring life in Trost when he could easily talk to her about expeditions or common interests. She was even in the same building as him and they saw each other every day. You were lucky to see Levi twice a week and that was him working hard to carve time out for you. If given the option to choose, you or her, who would he pick?

Obviously, you, dumbass. I already did, didn’t I? Levi’s voice went through your head. You looked at Petra again, laughing between Miche and Oluo. She was beautiful and pretty much perfect for Levi. Why you?

Levi noticed your distress at dinner from the first moment, but he chalked it up to being something about Hange’s tangent of whether or not titans have organs. They had just captured their first titan on the last expedition, and you didn’t know when or how to tell Hange to stop. Maybe you were getting asked too many questions. Levi knew that you didn’t like to talk about yourself that much and they were forcing you to do that since you finally got to stay for more than a thirty minute delivery. That’s why he glared at them to stop. Levi had to do it for you. When dinner was over, you and your father both got up to leave, but since it was late Erwin offered two rooms till the morning. You father had also been drinking, reminiscing too much about his times with Shadis, so to Levi it was logical and welcomed. He wouldn’t have to go get you tomorrow, and you might be able to sneak away to his office for tea or something more. It had been a while since you and Levi were alone together. He remembered the last time he’d snuck away to see you, thinking your father was out at Mitras picking up the textiles for their uniforms, your Aunt was staying over.

“I can drive the cart back, Commander, it’s fine. You don’t have to kick two people out of their rooms for us.” You waived Erwin off, but he still continued to pushed that you stayed. You knew that Erwin was also offered a look into your relationship, so he probably thought he was helping Levi as well. He argued that the horses were already tired and in the stables, and by the time you have left to Trost, the night guard might be too drunk to let you in. Everything would be better if you waiting in the morning.

Truthfully, you wanted to stay, but you also didn’t want to be in this atmosphere anymore. However, it seemed that Erwin wouldn’t let you, regardless of any excuse you made. He was too much of a gentleman to let a woman go off at night with her inebriated father. He was also set on helping Levi see you. So, you stayed.

Levi wanted you to stay too and was shocked when you had declined Erwin four or five times before you caved. Something was really wrong. You always liked when he took you to the HQ, and now you two wouldn’t have to sneak up and down the stairs evading night watch. What had happened over dinner that changed your attitude? It couldn’t have been just the questions. When you were packing up the boxes in the afternoon, he was able to sneak you away into the training forest to have some alone time and a heated exchange against a tree. He had evidence of that hiding just below his shirt collar. Now, you didn’t even want to stand near him with Erwin was leading you to the extra rooms.

You put your father to bed first, and then went right into the room next to yours. Even if Erwin was still there, Levi almost pulled you to his office so he could see why you were acting that way towards him. It infuriated him he didn’t know what was wrong so he could fix it. He wanted his normal seamstress back. The one that was able to make him laugh for the first time since Isabel and Furlan’s deaths. The one who always hiccupped after he’d kissed your breath away.

“If you need anything, I’m sure Levi will be ever willing to help. His room is just down that hall connected to his office. If it’s urgent, you can wake me up too.” Erwin smiled at you and you returned a fake one back before closing the door to the room. Levi and Erwin just stood there for a second, before Erwin turned to walk back to his office.

“I don’t think she’s going to let you in tonight. She seemed different at dinner.” Erwin said over his shoulder to Levi who clenched his jaw at the commander.

“You don’t think I noticed?” He spat back. He was regretting telling him about you two. This was personal business, he didn’t need to make comments about this apparent “fight” you were having. Erwin just walked away as Levi stood there, staring at the dark wood of the door. When were you going to open it for him?

You were just there sitting on the bed, yet to dress into the gown they gave you. Your mind was sabotaging itself, thinking about everything you’d seen Levi and Petra do together. Thinking about how, if you counted the pros and cons, it was Petra over you. It was anyone over you really. You were so boring compared to Levi that it didn’t make sense as to why he was with you. You weren’t skilled in anything other than sewing, unlike him, who was always the best at whatever he did. You couldn’t kill anything, much less a Titan, and you cried at the drop of a hat. Petra, she was skilled, on his elite team of Scouts, she had killed over fifty titans, and you were sure she was strong. Strong in body and in mind. She probably had so much to talk to him about, too. You’d seen her talk to him. With you, he’d just sit there, every time he visited you, a cup of tea in his hand, not saying a word. Was it always because he just couldn’t find anything to say back? You huffed, laying down on your bed.

What did he even see in you when he came into the shop that day?

You had given him the wrong size uniform, and there weren’t anymore to go around, so he had to trudge his way into Trost and into your shop. His gaze almost scared you as he shoved the too small garment in your hands. You were sure you got his measurements right, but he said the pants were too tight and the cape wasn’t the proper length.

“If you sit here and wait for a bit, I can take out the pants and then make a new cape quickly. Actually, it you’d like to go get lunch, when you come back I can have it ready.”

“No, I’ll sit. I need to make sure you do it right this time.”

Even then, he met you only because of an error you made. You found the order measurements and had given him the wrong pants size. The length of the cape was just a personal preference, but you made sure to write it down on his file. When he sat there in your shop, you talked to him about the most random things to fill your time and the awkwardness he left by staring at you. Even then, he rarely interrupted you or talked unless you prompted him with a question. If you were that boring from the get go, why did he come back more and more until you found yourselves kissing outside of Trost on the grass for the first time?

“(Y/F/N), it’s me.” You didn’t move to open the door, knowing that he would soon let himself in. A few seconds later, the door opened a bit, the light from the candles lining the outside hallway filtering in. He craned his head around the door, seeing you laying on the bed, and quickly shuffled in, leaning on the wall looking down at you. You turned the other way, on your side, so he could only stare at your back. This made him sigh, but he didn’t move from his place on the wall.

Truthfully, he didn’t know what went wrong for you to ignore him like this. Nothing had ever happened like this before. You would always greet him with a smile, pulling him into your body whenever you could. You would talk to him about your day or week and show him everything you were working on with passion in your eyes. His mind only went to one thing and one thing only: Did you not like him anymore? What had he done? He couldn’t let you try and end things without an explanation.

When Levi first let himself go into your arms, he told himself that if you wanted to end things with him, he’d accept it, no matter how much he hated it. He knew how hard it would be on you to be with him. He’s always gone, always working, and always dancing around with death. He fell for you partly because you didn’t care about that. You didn’t care about how many he’s killed or how broken he was inside. Whenever he went to your shop and sat on his chair, you made him feel important, not because he was a Captain, but because he was a human being. You made him feel human. You gave his world light, but he also knew that he was adding darkness into yours. If it would get to be too much for you, because he loved you, he’d let you go. Levi never wanted to hurt you. So, now that you were hurt, he was preparing for the worst.

“What’s wrong?” He tried to let his voice soften out so you knew he wasn’t upset. Something stirred in you when you heard how soft he was trying to be. It hurt, for some reason, they way he tried to twist and turn himself to react to you.

“Why do you like me?” Mistake number two. You knew Levi had problems expressing himself in that area. He either didn’t say anything, or rushed into something he had no idea how to finish. It took months of you having conversations for him to be comfortable saying your first name, but as soon as you went on a picnic with him, he had you pushed against the grassy meadow outside of Trost, lips locked with yours. Maybe it was the same with letting you go. He didn’t know how to tell you that he didn’t like you anymore.

“What?” Levi was shocked at your question. Did he really have to tell you? Did he not show you daily how much you meant to him? How you made him feel? Every time he was with you, he had to hold you in some way, whether it be your hand or just touching your arm, you grounded him. When you read to him, he would lay so that he could see your face, reacting to the story and the characters actions in time with the words exiting your mouth. One time, you got so mad, you threw the book to the opposite side of the bed. He’d never had such side-splitting laughter erupt from him before. He thought you saw that. Witnessed the same devotion as he had. Where did he lose you?

“Petra… she’s beautiful, smart, strong, tactical. She’s an amazing soldier and she has confidence. Tonight, at dinner, she kept talking to you and challenging you in training. She’s a Scout and part of your world, but I know nothing about being a Scout or about titans. Why not her?” You could hear his breath catch in his throat. Had you caught him? You curled up in a tighter ball, trying to push down the tears welling in your throat. You felt him sit down next to you, but you didn’t turn around. You didn’t want to face him when he told you the things swirling in your mind.

Petra. There it was. It was after she challenged Levi to the obstacle course that your feel completely silent. He could pinpoint it now. Even though Petra was a top soldier, he had only seen her as family like the other Scouts. They were apart of his life, but not to the same degree you were. If anything, you were what he lived for. They’re the ones who he helped and who helped him live. They were two different relationships.

He put one hand on your back, “I don’t like Petra like that. She’s a comrade in arms.” You nodded once at his words, but they didn’t make you feel any better. He wasn’t denying anything you had said previous. When what he said didn’t seem to help, he racked his brain, trying to find something to say. You were the one who said all these things to him, not the other way around. He loved you through action, not through words.

“Do you remember the one time I held you while using ODM through the forest? Your first time off the ground?” You didn’t move, but you just nodded once again. How could you forget? You were terrified for the first thirty minutes, holding on to him for dear life while he just trusted the two wires to hold him up as he flipped around and around showing you, first hand, the skill he possesses from years of using the illegal ODM gear. Only when he taught you how to use the contraption, and went a whole lot slower through the trees, did you become comfortable in his arms. It was fun, floating through the air, if only the reasoning for it wasn’t to kill titans.

“When I held you in my arms, the first time, you almost choked me to death because you weren’t used to it. I couldn’t see your face since you had it buried in my neck… but it made me realize why it had to be you. Your pure reaction to the ODM, I never... I’ve never experienced someone react like that. They’re either hiding the fact they want to throw up, or they already know how to use to ODM, so it’s second nature to them. Your emotions were so loud, so open. You screamed at me to go slower,” a low chuckle went through his body, and that’s when you started to open up a little bit, “Then, once you realized I wasn’t going to drop you and you started enjoying it, the look in your eyes was like nothing I’d ever seen before either. You smiled, wide, and when you threw your hands up like you were on some children’s ride… that’s when I fell in love with you.” You froze and so did he. It was the first time he’d said it. The first time either of you said it. You never thought it would be Levi to say those words. It made your eyes widen and fill with tears for a different reason, but you didn’t interrupt him. You wanted to hear what else he had to say.

When he continued, his heart was racing, realizing what he just said. He had never said that to anyone before. He just got ahead of himself, not caring where he placed his words, and his true feelings came out. That’s what happens when he’s with you.

“You made me feel like it was my first day ever using ODM. Your eyes wide with wonder and excitement just made me feel so free. I don’t think I’d felt like that in years; carefree, swinging through those damn trees like that. Every time I do it now for training or for killing titans, it’s never the same. It’s the same with everything else, (Y/F/N). You give my life such emotion that when I’m not with you, it doesn’t feel the same. It loses color. Meaning. I don’t want to be here, I want to be in that green chair in your shop, just listening to what you have to say forever. No one here, not Petra or Hange or Erwin or, I don’t fucking know, or Miche, has ever made me feel like that. I’ve never wanted to stay with someone forever, just sitting, wasting the world away. You make me forget that titans exist. You make me forget that I’m a Captain or a Scout. You make me forget that a world other than the room around us exists. With you, I’m Levi. That’s… that’s why I love you. You make me feel alive. You make me feel like I’m truly me, whatever or whoever that is. I-“ You sat up quickly, pulling him towards you to give him a bone-crushing kiss. The way he just expressed everything to you was mind numbing. Levi never said things like that, not if he didn’t truly mean it. You knew how much he was digging in his heart for these words. He could taste the tears that mingled in between your lips, and when he pulled back, your emotion hit him again. Every time your eyes would flicker with some feeling projecting through, he felt like it was hitting him tenfold. You made everything so vivid to him, so much so, that he had to lean over and wipe off the tears from your face because he couldn’t stand it.

“You…Y-you’re not bored with me? T-that I’m just normal?” He rolled his eyes, grabbing the back of your head to pull it towards his chest. You listened to hear his heart beating, noting that it had sped up from it’s normal pace. You grabbed his shirt, trying to get as close as possible to him.

“You’re not boring, but you’re not normal… to me. Normal people annoy me and make me feel nothing. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced what I feel around you with anyone else. You aren’t normal to me. You’re…you’re special to me. It doesn’t matter that you don’t kill titans or wear a green cape, in fact I like it that way. I can pull away from that when I’m with you. When I’m with you, I don’t focus on anything other than you. I couldn’t stand to be with any of those brats outside, they’d make me want to yell at them to run laps.” You laughed a little into his chest and he played with your hair as you started to feel better. You were stupid, you knew it. If Levi didn’t want you, he wouldn’t be near you. He wasn’t the type of person to stick around someone he didn’t like.

“I think I fell in love you with you when you kissed me in the rain that one day. You told me I looked beautiful in the rain.” He snorted, trying to hide the flush on his cheeks as you made him face his romantic actions. Like he said, when he was with you, he was in his own little world. Sometimes, he forgot what he even said or did until you brought it back up to him and he started stuttering. If the brats found out that Captain Levi was a sap, he’d never live it down. He’d only be like that in front of you.

“And you thought that I had an interest in Petra? Even though I say things like that to you?” You laughed a bit again, the sting of dinner almost completely wearing off.

“I just… At dinner, it just emphasized how much I’m not like you. I just thought that…if I couldn’t talk about killing titans or something that you were unint-“

“Do you know how much I have to talk about titans in a single day? I’d much rather hear you ramble on about how hard it is to dye something dark blue. You will never be uninteresting to me, (Y/F/N). And if you think that you have no skill, just remember that every member in the Survey Corps is wearing something you made when they use ODM. You’re the one who makes the straps that allows us to do our job. Who cares if you can’t use ODM? I couldn’t use it without you.” You blushed as he whispered that into your ear. It did something to you, him saying how he needed you to preform the skill that he was famous for. It was definitely the ego boost you needed.

“You said you loved me?” You looked up to him, the slightly annoyed look plastered on his face again. You were going to make him face his emotions again right after he gave you such a display.

“Yes, I did.” You sighed and grabbed his check, pulling it. He made a noise in protest.

“Are you feeling that emotion now?” He pulled your hand off of him, holding your wrists together so you couldn’t attack him anymore. When he looked at you, he still smiled though. You were looking up at him, the spark back in your eyes. Even if it was to terrorize him, he could look at you like this all day. In fact, he would do it all night. He already got his daily 3-hour sleep, so he could stay up and look at you.

He leaned down and kissed you again, pulling back only a few centimeters to look in those eyes again. God, it was so addicting.

“I love you, (Y/F/N).” Your expression morphed again into one that made his heart race. You always looked like this after he kissed you, that’s why he’d do it so much and at such random times. He wanted to see you like this, looking up at him like he was the only one who mattered. This is what he meant by you making him feel alive. Your expression told him he was the only one. You didn’t need to use your words to reassure him.

“I love you, too, Levi. Even if I doubt myself sometimes.” He nodded, leaning in again. Before he could kiss you again, and before he went back to his normal, semi-stoic self, he let out one last line of reassurance. He wanted you to know, in all seriousness, that if he wasn’t going to end up with you, he wasn’t going to end up with anyone. Not with how you make him feel.

“There’s no reason to doubt how I feel about you. You’re the only one for me. Always.”

xx I hope you like it! This one was hard to write haha

97 notes · View notes

levis-hazelnut · 3 years

Text

Summary: when you and your best friend, Hanji, were younger, you had made up stories about your dream guys - what they would look like and how you would meet. What happens when the one you had made up appears to be real?

Warning(s): I don’t think there are any in this chapter. But, please do tell me if there are any.

Taglist (closed!): @castellandiangelo @fandom-addict19 @20coldhearts

Status: completed!

part 4 > part 5 > part 6

series masterlist

It's been exactly five days since that time I yelled at Jean and Levi. What did I do during these days? Well, first of all, both males had sat down with me at lunch the next day, making Hanji, Connie, Sasha and Armin leave the table. Surprisingly, they apologised for things they weren't at fault for, so I shut them up, telling them they did nothing wrong. After that, they told me they won't stick their noses in my business and would let me tell them what was on my mind if I wanted to. We sorted everything out and ended up spending the rest of lunch being stupid, including Levi who tried covering up a couple of chuckles behind coughs. Since our table looked fun, those who left came back, along with Petra, Isabel and Farlan.

After uni ended that day, Jean and I stopped by at the cafe Eren worked at. I spoke to him about how I think he should forget about me because the relationship we had was in the past and he should move on. He did seem upset (obviously) but he understood what I was saying. Of course, however, he continued flirting with me. But that made sense since he can't just get over me like that and it's a habit of his to flirt with the first girl in sight. He claimed he was glad that I wasn't avoiding him or acting awkward around him. Soon, we parted ways and headed home. And the rest of the four days, I got over the fact that Petra and Levi were now in a relationship and I can't do anything about it. So, I was back to my usual, crazy, energetic and friendly self which Hanji, Eren, Jean and Levi were happy about. Though, one of those people had no way of showing me that (Levi). Now, it's Saturday (one week after the raven and strawberry-blonde went on their first date). Once again, me and Levi were sitting at the table with our laptops in front of us. Instead of hot drinks, we had iced drinks with all the windows open, seeing as how the weather was smouldering. This time I didn't have a gloomy expression, more like a smile which would often widen as Levi and I messed around. And there wasn't the depressing sound of Lo-Fi, we took turns in playing summery songs that only made our moods better. "Oi, stop singing. You sound like a cow and sheep fucking." I laughed and chucked a pen at him since it was the only projectile near me and he swiftly dodged it. Unfortunately, for the brunette with glasses, who happened to walk behind Levi at that moment, she got hit by the pen. I quickly apologised before locking eyes with Levi. "As if you sing any better," I retorted, about to take a bite of my sandwich, but it soon disappeared from my grip because of Hanji who took a bite before passing it back to me. "Hey, by the way, Erwin's coming over soon, but then we're going to go out," Hanji announced as she chewed on the food, causing both me and the raven to scrunch our noses up in disgust. "Wait. Erwin?" he repeated and shot me a questioning glance. "Yeah, our professor," I confirmed his vague query. "They're in a relationship." What the hell?" he murmured which I snorted at. "Anyway, that's fine." "You aren't going to be distracted?" "Uh, we're barely even concentrating because of the heat and this assignment isn't exactly fun," I said, standing up and stretching before taking Levi's glass and going into the kitchen to refill our glasses with mojito that I made. "You don't mind, right, Ackerman?" I questioned and placed the glass in front of him. "Yeah, whatever. It's not my apartment," he stated, looking down at his phone. I flicked his forehead, causing him to scowl once he glanced up at me. "What was that for, brat?" "I'd appreciate it if you give me your full attention when I'm talking to you," I smirked. "Sure, your majesty." He rolled his eyes but put his phone away, nevertheless. "What do you want?" "Nothing, really. Just wanted to make you look up." "To see your repulsive face? You're torturing me too much," he teased and I snorted before taking a sip of my drink. "Hm. You're really thirsty, aren't you?" If I hadn't swallowed the minty beverage a second before his remark, it would have spewed onto his face. My face grew red and I chucked a pencil at him. He dodged it once again as a smug smirk rested on his lips. "I hate you, you know," I muttered. I was so grateful that Hanji went back to her room because she would irritate the hell out of me about it, with Levi's presence here or not. "Yeah, right. Just as much as you hate that Eren kid?" "I have no romantic feelings for him. He's my best friend, other than Hanji, and he's a hell of a lot better at keeping me company than you." "Well, I obviously can't give you the attention he does since I'll be cheating." "Ugh, why did I even invite you?" "Because you don't hate me and I'm amazing at keeping you company." "Say whatever you want, Ackerman." "... Oi." "What?" "I'd appreciate it if you had your attention on me while I'm talking." "Yeah, give me one second," I told him as I continued typing away on my phone and I heard a sigh, which made me look up at him. "Is your pitiful ass upset because I'm not noticing you?" I mocked in an innocent voice. "Tch." He crossed his arms over his chest and faced away from me. "Why would I be upset, darlin'?" "Because you love me so much. And I'm your bestest friend in the whole, wide world." "You're such a child," he chuckled lightly. which made me smile. "Thank y--" I was cut off by the sound of the buzzer, so I stood up and approached the front door before getting pushed by Hanji who sprinted down the corridor to answer the door for her boyfriend. I clicked my tongue before going back to the table where Levi and I sat. "Someone's horny," I mumbled. "Hey, I'm not bothered to carry on with this. Let's just chill." "Sure. What do you want to do?" "I don't know. You should never ask me what I want; I'm the most indecisive person." "Fine. Seeing as how the weather is nice, let's go out somewhere." "Stop, stop!" a hushed voice giggled, catching mine and Levi's attention. "(Y/N) and Levi are here." I rolled my eyes and I could see that Levi was holding back a laugh. "Forget about them. So, where should we go?" I inquired, which Levi shrugged to before both of our heads turned towards two figures entering the room. "Hey, Erwin," I greeted with a smile. "Ah, hi, (Y/N). I didn't expect to see you here, Levi." "Likewise, Smith." The blonde male didn't regard the way in which Levi spoke and simply smiled at both of us. I'm going to be completely honest and say that Hanji is lucky to have a man like him. He's handsome, caring, polite and basically the embodiment of charming. And Hanji mentioned how great he is in bed. I never wished to know that, but whatever, it's Hanji so no one can stop her from saying her shit. Nevertheless, I love her. And I would never think about moving onto her boyfriend, well, it's not like I actually developed feelings for him. I kind of see him as an older brother or something of the sort. "Hey, Hanji, what's something fun to do outside today?" I questioned. "Um... Picnic in the park, go to the beach, cycle, visit a zoo--" "Okay, thanks," I cut her off before there would be too many decisions to choose from. "Why are you asking?" she asked before gasping in excitement. "Are you going on a date?!" "I don't see why you would be so surprised if I had a date, but no, I don't," I said, arching a single brow. "Me and Levi gave up on this shitty assignment, and since we shouldn't be inside when it's so sunny outside, we decided to do something," I told her before realising that the work we were doing was for the professor standing beside her. "I mean, we've finished it and we deserve a reward for doing so well," I joked and the male with cerulean eyes chuckled softly. "I appreciate your choice of words for describing the task I gave you. I'll be sure to remember that when I grade it," he teased, with an undertone of warning. "You know, you're the best professor in our uni." He shook his head and smiled. "Go out. I don't want to ruin your fun because of 'this shitty assignment'." "Haha, you know I was only joking about that. Anyway, let's go, Mr Moody," I said and got up from my seat, stretching. "You're going to out in your pyjamas?" "Oh, right. Wait here, I'm going to quickly change." "Okay." I rushed into my bedroom and sifted through my clothes, finding a white, lace singlet, along with baby blue, jean shorts. I slipped both pieces of clothing on before styling my hair into a half-up, half-down ponytail and put on sunglasses to rest on my head for now. I grabbed whatever I needed and stuffed it into a small bag, hooking it onto my shoulder before leaving my room. Hanji and Erwin were on the sofa as I spotted Levi leaning against the table, we previously sat at, with his backpack slung over his shoulder. I gestured for him to come and he came to my side as we both waved at the couple before proceeding to leave. We both slipped on our shoes and left, taking the stairs to go down. As soon as I opened the main door of the building, the heat slapped us and the sun blazed in our faces so I positioned my sunglasses to protect me from the light that threatened to blind me. "So where are we going?" the male beside me asked. "Pick from the things Hanji suggested. Maybe not a picnic since we didn't prepare any food for that unless you want to be lazy and just buy things. Also, not the beach because it'll take a while to get there and then there'll be no point since we'll only be there for a short while." "So picnic, cycling, and the zoo?" he listed and I nodded as he thought about it. "... Picnic in the park - let's be lazy and buy things." "Okay. Shall we head to the shops first?" "Yeah." ~/~ The grass tickled my bare skin as I laid on my back, with my eyes closed, one leg was arched as the other was stretched across the ground. My head leaned on one of my arms as my other arm rested over my stomach. Music rang in my ears, which I softly hummed to, from Levi's phone that rested in between us. Said male laid on his side, propped up by one of his elbows. He had his head in his palm and held a book in his other hand. Before we were relaxing like this, we had eaten the snacks and food we bought, though, some remained since we may have gotten too much stuff. Then, we decided to take over the playground, and apparently, we seemed to have intimidated some kids. Pfft, they're such scaredy cats. Why couldn't an eighteen (me) and nineteen-year-old (Levi since he's a few months older than me *eye roll*) mess around as well? Once we laughed at the children's faces, we came back to this spot and decided to just relax. Barely any words were spoken. A sigh left my lips when I felt my phone vibrate in the back pocket of my shorts. I fished it out before bringing it to my ear. "Hello?" "Hey, (Y/N)!" "Hi, Petra," I smiled and rolled over, onto my stomach. "What's up?" "I was wondering if Levi is still with you." "Yeah. We're in the park. Is something wrong?" "No, no. I was just trying to call Levi, but he wasn't answering his phone." "Oh, here you can talk to him.” "Thank you," she said before I passed my phone to Levi, so he could talk to Petra. He put his book down before taking my phone. I took his book and read the blurb before turning to the first page, trying not to listen in into their conversation. I'd say I've improved - there's barely any jealousy in me (okay, maybe a little), I don't turn bitchy when I see them two, and I don't have to fake smile anymore. The tone in which he spoke in was hardly any different to how he talks to anyone else, but I could hear a hint of something gentle. A soft smile touched my lips when I listened to his voice (not his words, mind you) and I wished I could listen to it on repeat. It was his usual nonchalant voice, mixed with a soft timbre, which was a sign he cared about Petra. He spoke in a hushed tone that almost sounded like a purr. I wasn't even concentrating on the book in front of me anymore. I kept on reading the same sentence over and over but I still wasn't able to understand the printed words since I was stuck in a daze because of Levi's voice. "What are you smiling about?" "Your voice is nice," I blurted out without thinking what I was saying. Once I realised what I said, my eyes slightly widened as I averted them from the book to him to see he was smirking. "I mean--" "Whatever, you weirdo," he cut me off, the smirk still present. He gave my phone back and stole the book from my hands and flipped the pages over until he reached the one he stopped on before his phone call. "And what are you smirking about?" "It's amusing to see you get nervous," he replied with a shrug, his eyes absorbing the information on the page. With a roll of my eyes, I returned to my original position but rested my head on Levi's lap this time since he was sitting with his legs outstretched. He flicked my forehead, which I ignored, as I took my phone in my hands when I got a few messages from Eren after taking a sip of the iced tea I bought. 'Hey (Y/N)' 'I got off work early today' 'Wanna go out somewhere since the sun's out?' I wasn't bothered to type so I decided to call him. He picked up after about five seconds and spoke a small 'hello'. "Hi, Eren." "Hey." "Basically, the thing is... I'm in the park with Levi right now." "Oh." "But," I began before glancing up at the raven whose eyes were still on the book. "Hey, Ackerman?" "What?" "Would you mind if Eren came?" "He's your boyfriend, do whatever." I rolled my eyes. "Sorry about that. But, you could come and join us, or we can go out somewhere later?" "I don't mind. What did Levi say?" "He doesn't care. We aren't really doing anything, though." "What park are you at?" "The one near my apartment." "... Do you mind if I come since I'm around there?" "Of course, I don't, you doofus. And, we can still do something later." "Okay. I'll be there in a few minutes. See you later, angel." "Bye, love," I went along with the joke. "And you say he isn't your boyfriend," Levi muttered. "He isn't. I already told you we're just stupid kind of friends that act like a couple by calling each other names. Don't think anything more of it." "Well, why are you so defensive? Also, you've never mentioned that you have an interest in someone." Yeah, well, that's because the person I have interest in is you and you're taken, I thought. "Just because I haven't mentioned it, doesn't mean I don't." "Well, do share, darlin'." "I thought you weren't going to get involved in my business." "But you don't seem upset about it." "Look, you asshole, I have no obligation to tell you, so--" "Hi," a voice cut me off and I flitted my eyes over to the figure that was protecting me from the sun. "Eren!" I beamed and tugged on his wrist which caused him to fall. I hugged him as he struggled to get off of me. "Where are you going? I haven't seen you for the entire week." "I'm probably crushing you right now. Let go of me, (Y/N)." "Hmph. Fine." I released him from my grip and he rolled off of me, sitting up next to me as I still laid on my back. "This is a park, you two might want to keep it PG," the male that I rested my head on commented. "Shut up and read your book." I scowled at him before facing Eren. "There are snacks and drinks, help yourself." "Okay, thanks," he grinned and laid down next to me, resting his head on Levi's leg as well. "Oi, I'm not a fucking pillow." "You are now," I told him bluntly. "So, how was work?" "It was all right. Horseface came in and decided to annoy me. However, he did look kind of upset about something. When I asked him what's up, he just scoffed and told me that it's none of my business. Typical of him, but I think if you ask him, he'll tell you." "I'll ask him later. Right now, I just want to relax without having to deal with anything," I sighed and turned to look at the sky. Eren glanced at Levi to see that he was still engrossed in whatever book he was reading and he slightly nudged me. I gave him a questioning glance and he motioned for me to come closer, so I did. "What's wrong?" I questioned the teal-eyed male. "How come you aren't depressed anymore?" "I got myself together. I realised there's no point in getting upset over something I can't change and just pushed everything to the back of my mind. Are you proud of me for doing that?" I asked like a little child, wanting praise. "Yeah," he smiled, tousling my hair. I shifted my head to rest on Eren's shoulder and closed my eyes, breathing in his entrancing scent and feeling content next to him. "Ackerman?" "Hm?" "Are you okay?" "Yeah, why?" "You're unusually quiet." "Maybe because I'm reading. Are you okay? You're being unusually kind." "Excuse me? I'm always nice." "As if," he scoffed. If my eyes were open, I would have rolled them. "If you're so nice, why don't you have a boyfriend?" "Seriously? You're still asking about that?" I didn't even bother to look at him since I was comfortable with my position. "Forget about it. Forget I said anything about liking someone since I have no intention in telling you, or anyone, right now." "... Is it Eren?" "No," I huffed. No matter how much Eren and I acted like a couple, we would never develop feelings for each other. I always have and always will see him as a brother, but not one that annoys the hell out of me. The one that cares for me and gets angry if someone would hurt me. The love we feel for each other is not romantic. ~/~ "Ah, it feels so nice to have a shower after sweating all day," I sighed in delight and plopped down onto the sofa in between Eren and Levi, who were talking about something before they both fell silent. I only cocked an eyebrow but didn't say anything, brushing it off. "Eren?" "Sure," he already replied without hearing my request. I grinned and passed him my hairbrush as he proceeded to brush my hair when I slightly turned my back towards him, now facing Levi who had his gaze on the floor. "Do you two want something to eat? We haven't had dinner and it's already nine o'clock," I suggested. "Yeah. But, do you have things to cook?" Eren pointed out. "Yep. What do you guys want?" I asked them, and Levi only shrugged, leaning back against the sofa. "What do you have?" "I'm not sure. I'll have to check, but I know we have ingredients to make a simple meal." "I kind of just feel like pasta," Eren spoke. "But like really saucy and cheesy." "What, like me?" I chuckled at my own stupid joke and I could imagine he rolled his eyes. I witnessed Levi's lips curl upwards slightly as he shook his head at my stupidity. "Anyway, I'm sure we've got pasta, and stuff to make the sauce, and cheese. Thanks, by the way," I smiled at Eren when he passed me back the hairbrush. I got up and quickly placed it back in my room before going back to the living room. "Both of you can have a shower while I cook something if you want," I told them as Eren nodded, leaving the room. "Darlin', there's one bathroom, so you better not be suggesting anything." I rolled my eyes. "There's actually two. Hanji has an ensuite and she won't mind if you use it. I'm sure you don't want to sit around after sweating, especially with you being a clean-freak, so go ahead. You can borrow Eren's clothes since I'm pretty sure he's left some here." "And you still claim you aren't in a relationship with the boy?" "Yes. Also, if we were dating, why would we hide it? And don't you think that I would've just given up and told you by now?" "Maybe you hide it because you're ashamed of something. And you're a stubborn brat, I doubt you would break." "Just shut up and go have a shower," I snapped with a playful tone, showing him I wasn't actually annoyed. "I'll get you some clothes and leave them on Hanji's bed; there should already be a towel in there." "Okay, thanks." I went to look for some of Eren's clothes. After a bit of hunting, I found a t-shirt and joggers, neatly folded, and I left it on Hanji's bed. When I went to the kitchen, I noticed Eren already fishing through the cupboards and had previously already found the pasta. "Hey," I spoke, catching his attention. He turned around and gave me a grin before looking for ingredients again. "You can sit down, I don't need help." "Are you sure your clumsy ass doesn't need help? I do remember when you nearly sliced your finger off like an idiot. And when you tripped over your own feet and dropped a plate. And--" "Okay, okay. Fine, you can help," I pouted. "I'm not that clumsy, though," I muttered to which Eren only chuckled softly. "Whatever you say, princess. Boil water in this pot," he told me and I nodded, doing as he said. I then helped him look for everything else as we set everything out on the counters and began preparing our dinner. It was silent until the teenage male spoke up. "... (Y/N)?" "Hm?" "What are you going to do about Levi and Petra?" he asked quietly, causing me to look up at him as he came by my side. "I don't know... There isn't anything I can do. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens. I mean, me and Hanji did say that there would be so many girls chasing after him, yet he still chooses me," I described another detail in the stupid story thing we created. "Hey, don't look so down. It's been five months, not a few years, so you still have time to see what the future holds," Eren grinned, noticing the gloomy expression that cast over my visage. I gave him a small smile and looped my arms around him, feeling him embrace me tighter as my cheek pressed against his chest. I wish I could live in Eren's hug, there's nothing I love more than his hugs since he always comforts me and cares for me, and he smells so damn good, especially after coming out of the shower. "Oi, lovebirds." I huffed inaudibly before parting from the hug. "... What?" I spat, not meaning for it to sound so harsh, as I turned around to look at the raven. "Hm, so you are dating?" he smirked and went to sit down at the dining table, crossing his leg over the other. "What do you mean?" I inquired, folding my arms over my chest as Eren continued cooking. "If you weren't dating, you would have responded to 'lovebirds' or at least retorted with something. However, you didn't." "Or maybe I just got tired of correcting you." I arched an eyebrow, approaching him to flick his forehead. But, he grabbed my wrist, preventing me from doing that. I wiggled out of his grip and just frowned at him. "What will it take to prove that we aren't in a relationship?" "I just want to point something else out: Eren doesn't deny it whenever I say you two are dating." "Because he thinks you're an idiot. Now, tell me what it'll take." "Not a legitimate answer, but whatever. Anyway, you know I'm just messing with you when I say all this. I know you two aren't boyfriend and girlfriend." "Tch. Why do you have to be so annoying?" I muttered, plopping down in a chair next to him and he ruffled my hair. "I only annoy you, darlin'. You should be happy that you're special." "Whatever. I'm going to go help Eren with dinner." "Do you need help?" "Two people are enough. Thank you, though." "You just want to be alone with your boyfriend, don't you?" Levi stated when I turned my back to him, but he never knew I was holding a knife in my hands. So, to let him know, I faced him. "You better shut your mouth before this accidentally pierces you, Ackerman," I growled and he only laughed under his breath. God, what being on Earth is able to make that sound? Why is he so gorgeous in so many ways? Why can he make me feel like this, yet, I have no effect on him? Why can't I just jump onto him, and hug him, and kiss him, and love him, and marry him?

#levi ackerman #levi x reader #levi ackerman x reader #aot #aot fanfiction #aot imagines #snk #snk fanfiction #snk imagines #attack on titan #shingeki no kyoujin #reader insert #x reader #anime #dream guy #series #modern au #this part was kinda boring #queue ⏰

47 notes · View notes

tundrainafrica · 3 years

Text

Title: A Tale of Two Slaves (12/17)

Summary: “Soulmates don’t exist. Fate doesn’t exist. Everything is a choice.” At that moment, Levi could only watch as she made the choice for him.“

Reincarnation AU. Levi remembers everything from their past life. Hange doesn’t.

Other Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Link to cross-postings: AO3

Recruitment Season.

Having been recruited himself, Levi was somewhat familiar with the timeline. Or at least he should have been familiar with it.

When he had suggested showing up for one of Mikasa’s tournaments, his end goal had been to at least get Hange out of her hole, the same way she had pulled him out of his own slump. With nothing else on his mind though leading up to the tournament, he found himself a little too surprised at the large crowd that showed up that day at the entrance of the school.

And Levi was familiar with the clipboards, the iPads and the way those particular people strode into the school with some sort of purpose.

The school so close to their largest city was much larger than the school he grew up in. Back in his old school, there were only two to five scouts at a time for at least ten different sports. There, by the entrance of Public School No. 104, the crowd was large and Levi was overwhelmed.

For a second he doubted whether or not he had read the entries on the events page right. That second became a few seconds and maybe even a minute as Levi recalled that there had been multiple events slated for that day. There was a huge possibility that he could have read it wrong.

He had thought ahead enough at least to bookmark the page on his phone. Whether or not he had thought ahead to bookmark it because of any lingering doubt or because it had been just a little too convenient to click the star on his phone was a question he quickly brushed off even before he could entertain it.

What was important then was he had something to assure him that he hadn’t been a total idiot taking Hange to that school.

If we can’t watch jumping, maybe they have diving or gymnastics or something. Levi thought to himself in that few second gap pulling the phone out of his pocket and scrolling through it.

Those were all consolations though. The grand prize was still the high jump event and he would hate himself if he had read the time wrong. The chances were small but the visit to the school had been crucial for many reasons.

For one, Hange had not gone out since her parents gave her a deadline to vacate her apartment. She hadn’t seemed completely alive since then, almost reminiscent of Levi’s own bout of isolation. She didn’t do much either to ask for help, to open up about her own turmoil.

It had been just the two of them clearing out years worth of clutter in the apartment for hours on end, which soon turned to days on end, save for those small few hours to get groceries. The silence which only further alluded to the lifelessness of the room, was deafening.

And in his own way, Levi found himself almost obliged to reignite something within her.

On top of that, Levi hadn’t written anything for three days. At first glance, that wasn’t an issue. Overtime though, with nothing much to do, with the decision to stay at home with Hange, he had started writing more, organizing thoughts on Petra, Zeke, Erwin, Farland, Isabel and he had written thousands of words, tens of pages but Levi was sure, the story was far from over.

There were glaring holes that he had dug through the deepest pits of his memories trying to fill. His documents were riddled with empty bullet points, blank spaces and sometimes even half complete sentences any other casual reader would have never made sense of.

There were inarguable truths though with what he had pieced together. Many of the people he had met had died, and he felt the raw pain with every single one of them in his dreams, only manageable by the reminder that they were all alive and were merely dead as characters in his dreams.

In his dreams and in his stories, he was a soldier. Erwin died and Hange had taken over as a commander. And somehow, they had ended up outside the walls, lying together in the forest and Levi could have sworn he didn’t want to leave.

But for what? Why?

For a time before that, he had been in the forest with that blond doctor too and Levi had hated his guts then too.

But under what context?

Keep writing and you’ll find out. Something nagged at him. But it was as if he had written everything. The dreams just replayed. The memories of familiar strangers only got more and more vivid. And the dreams he saw and the thoughts he reflected on only served to add detail to the sceneries and to the faces as Levi wrote them.

But he knew how they looked like in real life, there was no need to describe their faces any more than he already did. And what did scenery have to do with anything? From what he remembered, half of what he dreamt of was within walls anyway.

But there was a lead. Mikasa Ackerman. He remembered voices. He remembered raw care and concern. And he was sure there was still something to probe on those names. He tried describing her on paper with just the name as some sort of lead, but it proved futile.

Any description he attempted to shoehorn into his stories seemed like a lie. It felt almost idiotic and almost obsessive then and Levi was very careful with his words as he asked for directions then.

They gestured for Levi to follow and he found himself keeping a good distance from the crowd as they walked through the school grounds.

From his place behind them, he had heard the name ‘Ackerman’ mentioned a few times among the college scouts, whether they were talking about him or Mikasa, he didn’t probe. He didn’t want to know either. Watching the high jump event might be painful enough for him and he didn’t want to unnecessarily add any more salt to that wound.

“Levi, you sure this is the way to go?” Hange asked.

“That’s where the scouts are going,” Levi said.

Hange pulled out her phone. “I’ll look for a school map.”

Levi shrugged. “The school is bigger than I expected. Let’s cover some ground while you search.” He kept his eyes ahead, keeping the crowd at least in his peripherals as he scanned his surroundings.

As they walked through the main path of the school, the crowd gradually dispersed. Then for Levi who had been so religiously following the crowds since almost a minute ago, it became a game of which crowd was biggest.

Because everyone should be here for Mikasa Ackerman right? Levi thought to himself. He couldn’t wait for Hange to navigate. He pressed on, following the biggest crowd before they turned the corner and disappeared completely.

The crowd may have been for Mikasa, or it could have been for any other athlete or any other sport. He never did find out.

“Levi, I think we should turn around here… The high jump event should be---” Hange started.

“It’s Connie Springer! Connie Springer’s batting next!”

From his view along the main road, partially obscured by tall trees and bushes dotting the landscape, Levi hadn’t gotten a good view at first. And if it hadn’t been for the familiar name, maybe Levi never would have sped up, or gone as fast at least as his limp and his crutches would take him.

He turned the corner, the largest crowd forgotten. He made good distance, even on the rocky landscape that made up the smaller path.

“Levi, be careful. You might trip.” Hange asked. “Besides, where are we going? The high jump event i...”

Hange’s protests eventually faded into something unintelligible from behind him. If he had actually tried to listen, maybe he would have heard whatever else she was saying. It was as if his mind knew, anything she said was futile. He was hell bent on making that detour and he was 100% that detour which was only a few feet away, would give him enough of a satisfying answer.

We can check the venue after. Just give me this few minutes. Levi had been in enough high jump tournaments to know they lasted a fair amount of time anyway.

The smaller path opened up to a field. There were athletes on the field clad in red, one on the field clad in green. Levi had enough stock knowledge on Major League Baseball to know exactly what was happening.

The innings were all on the scoreboard, large enough for Levi to see from his angle. Visitors were leading by three points. The home team had one more out left before the game would be declared over. And out on each base was one player clad in green.

It was a decisive possession for green. Levi surmised even if it hadn’t been Connie Springer who had caught his attention then, maybe he still really would have stopped to watch.

A lot of the crowd looked like they were thinking the same thing. Even with the game almost over, people were still approaching the field.

Connie Springer…

Levi heard the whispers among the scouts. Good runner. Mediocre Batter. And maybe he had felt a little offended for Connie when someone had joked that they should just bid the regionals and nationals goodbye.

Connie was better than that. Levi was sure.

And just like Levi had thought, Connie seemed unfazed. From his position at the side of the field, Connie approached the home plate at a steady yet rapid pace, bat in hand.

The whispers around him only started to get louder as Connie got into a position to bat.

Connie was a mediocre batter and a good runner at the same time. And Connie's hand position as he held the bat was a remnant of just that. Connie held one hand behind the mid section of the bat and he gripped it as if he weren’t going to let go any time soon.

He’s gonna bunt. Levi didn’t need the whispers for that commentary. Just as expected, that was a safe play for someone deemed a ‘shitty batter’ by the cruel audience.

Connie gripped the bat and positioned it. The pitch came a second later. And in that small span of a few seconds, Levi’s expectations were subverted, and as proven by the gasps around him, it looked like the audience’s expectations were subverted as well.

Connie had taken a risk. And in the next few seconds, everyone would find out if it were a good risk. He had swung the bat all the way through, there was a clank of the ball and the ball flew. Looking at the blue and white of the sky, Levi had to squint to see it.

It was a bunt fake. Levi soon realized. But he quickly dropped that thought as he followed Connie along all the bases. He was a great runner and Levi struggled to follow him through the bases. He felt his heart thumping as he followed Connie’s path.

He could hear screams from the audience to run. And Connie was screaming much louder as he ran even after having reached the second base.

Levi was sure he could have stopped there but Connie continued to run, screaming to the others to run as well. And by the third base, Connie could have stopped, and they could have secured a tie. The coach by the third base, held his hands up high, as if to tell Connie to take those three points.

It’s a tie game, no need to. And as Levi soon found out, any efforts to move in the next few seconds would be risky. Levi followed the ball which was already making the rounds of the bases. And when he looked back to third base, he found it empty. Connie was still running.

There were angry screams and Levi wouldn’t be surprised if it was from the coach. Levi didn’t bother to look anywhere else though to check. The next few milliseconds, he dedicated to Connie who was still dashing towards the home base.

Levi’s breath caught that split second when the catcher bent over to grab the ball.

But he still has to tag Connie. The catcher made the mistake of approaching Connie on the lane connecting the bases.

Or was it a mistake? He was blocking Connie’s path. And if Connie did anything like stray away from the path it would be an out.

He kept moving, As if fortune did favor the brave, everything started working for him at once. The catcher had bent over to dash faster. Connie was only getting faster, gaining momentum with every stride.

The split second Connie launched himself in the air and over the catcher, Levi could have sworn time stopped. That pause could have lasted an eternity. Yet everything after that could have happened on fast forward. Connie fell onto the home plate and skidded violently on the field and before Levi could take a good look, Connie was surrounded.

That scene on the field reminded Levi of his own accident months ago.

Is he okay? Levi stayed longer than he should have. He knew if he had left then and there, he probably wouldn’t be able to rest without the guarantee that the young baseball player out there wouldn’t suffer the same fate Levi had.

“Levi… Did you see that?” It sounded like Hange was struggling to breathe.

But in a good way. A good way he had missed so much, he found himself distracted enough to look away from the congregation on the home base and back at Hange.”It looked like he was flying huh?” Levi asked, taking a long good look at Hange as he said those words.

Her face was flushed. The glimmer in her eyes was still there, albeit weaker. Her eyes completely concentrated on the scene in front of her, as if in a trance. And Levi was sure she was imagining, seeing herself in that same spot only a second ago.

Was that how it felt Hange? Every single time you saw someone jump?

Levi was convinced he was right. The glimmer in Hange's eyes was weaker for sure. At first, Levi had thought it to be a remnant of the events of weeks ago, with her thesis struggles, with her parent’s admonishing remarks.

Levi ended up concluding though, that it wasn’t weaker. It was just glowing differently.

There was no desire in her eyes, no childish jealousy at lost dreams she couldn’t achieve. It was as if Hange had gained the power to so purely and innocently, so easily place herself in another's shoes, when she just thinks through it.

And absence worked to make Levi notice it more but in that new glow, that new glimmer in her eyes, Levi noticed then, there was no subtle hint of guilt at having indulged in such a trivial and useless passion her whole life.

Yet every single time he had snuck glances at Hange watching jumps before that, there was guilt in her eyes. As if she was supposed to be doing something more important: studying, working, succeeding, meeting expectations.

Is that how liberation feels? Levi asked himself then. He wanted to ask her that same thing then but he found another question, a follow up question which popped so quickly into his mind even before he had completely articulated the first one. Does she know yet that she’s free?

Maybe she didn’t. Because it had just come so naturally for someone like her.

“I wrote her like that because that’s how Hange Zoe really is.”

“Then I’ll work harder to be like her.”

“You don’t have to. The squad leader and the commander are already in you, you just have to uncover for yourself those parts.”

And she had figured it out for herself in the easiest of states, in a trance borne of passion, ecstasy, excitement and maybe euphoria.

An authentic, unrehearsed and organic smile, from Hange of all people, had left Levi with too many emotions to wrangle with: nostalgia, relief, excitement and everything in between. Too many for him to figure out for itself. Yet, it manifested in that moment, as Levi stood frozen next to her, staring at her for god knows how long. As if that Hange Zoe was something he had lost so long ago, maybe even centuries or even millennia ago. And he could have stood there forever as long she remained in that state of pure organic euphoria.

Hange’s lips widened, then curled up into a smile. “He’s okay!” She screamed, much louder than what could have been appropriate for that situation, for someone who barely even knew the guy on the field.

Levi didn’t mind though. In another story, maybe in another life, Connie was a member of their legion after all.

Hange’s outburst was a done deal and there was nothing much they could do about the eyes focused on them or the whispers among the crowd. Levi took advantage of that sunk cost, he approached Connie who was sitting alone on his bench, taking a quick drink of water.

“You did great out there.” It came out as barely a whisper and as Levi soon realized, he was still too far for Connie to have heard it. And the latter didn’t.

That whisper had completely and so easily been overshadowed by calls from his own teammates to hurry up and pack his things. Connie’s team was going to regionals.

And maybe after that, nationals. It would have been nice to send some sort of congratulations then. Reality took over and brought with it reasonable arguments, all against some sort of odd and almost stalkery approach towards Connie.

Their team would be celebrating that night. Connie was far gone and had disappeared among the crowd of red baseball uniforms. It would be an odd and completely unjustifiable effort to chase Connie down then.

“Congratulations,” Levi whispered to himself.

“Congratulations to...? The home team?” Hange asked, stepping up beside him.

“Yeah, I would have wanted to talk to them. Congratulate them myself.”

“I’m sure they heard you,” Hange said.

The murmurs among the crowd, the praises, the cries and the dissemination of rumors were ubiquitous and they were still far from dead, even as the crowds started to disperse. Behind it all, Levi heard the rustle of trees and the whistling of the winds.

And maybe the wind could carry messages for him. Just in case, Levi did whisper other words of greeting, much softer than what Hange would have heard beside him. They were generic words of congratulations and well wishes but Levi swore they were heartfelt.

And he ended it with one last personalized message. I hope we could meet again and maybe have a little more time to talk.

Hange’s voice broke through his little correspondence. “Hey Levi, we still have an hour or so before the high jump event. What about if we try other events on the way?”

Levi shrugged. “Why not? We’re here already.” The trip had proven to be filled with surprises already.

*******

"Levi, you shouldn't have gone to the toilet. You missed some amazing jumps. There's this girl…. Sasha Braus I think…"

“Sasha Braus?” Levi made sure to say her name slowly, to at least imply some unfamiliarity.

But he was all too familiar with that name already. In fact, that hadn't been a toilet break, Levi had gone to the cafeteria only a building away and bought some plastic wrapped melon bread. Just in case there would be an opportunity to talk.

"How many jumps did I miss?" Levi asked.

"Five or six but we missed the start of the competition already so I think we missed more than that. They said this was the last round… But Sasha's already winning by a lot."

"Just as expected."

"So you know Sasha?"

"I follow athletes too you know."

"But diving?"

"Maybe." Levi kept his reply short, unwilling to keep that joke of a charade any longer.

Hange had a knowing look on her face as if she never did believe him.

Levi returned Hange with a playful look of his own as if to say:

But how else would I know her name?

Hange probably suspected the recognition to have been the result of a series of deductions. But Levi wasn't that smart.

After that encounter with Connie, the names and faces just came to him much faster than ever. Even among the five athletes lined up in front of the pull, Levi could spot her from meters away, last in line

He checked the watch on his phone, thirty minutes until the high jump event. They had enough time to kill.

In the few minutes leading up to Sasha's final dive, Levi made sure to search her name.

Top diver. Top seed for college scouts. High level of diving technique.

Diving wasn't a particularly popular sport where they lived but it was enough to make waves at least on the internet.

When Levi started to watch the women dive into the water, performing tucks, pikes and twists along the way, he did wonder why it never was popular.

And with the way, Hange was looking at them, he suspected she thought the same thing.

"Let's go Sasha!" Hange's voice rang out in the indoor pool area.

Do we know her? Levi asked. Realistically, do we know her? He amended that soon after. He knew her. But was he supposed to know her. Was Hange supposed to know her?

He wasn't too self conscious either. She wasn't the only one who was cheering after all. He could have sworn the blonde in front of them was cheering just as hard.

"Was I too loud?" Hange whispered, a second later. "I think I got too excited."

"No, that's very much a Hänge Zoe move," Levi said.

That small shadow of self consciousness in Hange's voice completely dissipated and Levi was relieved to see that gentle yet excited smile that followed.

And it could have been a hint or an illusion, but as Levi looked back at the brunette who approached the edge of the diving board, he could have sworn she had given them a flicker of a gaze as she positioned herself on the edge.

She may have heard Hange's cheers. Levi wondered though, if she had heard any more of their cheers or if she had recognized them.

Levi leaned towards a 'no.' though having been disappointed a little too many times. And he considered it a done deal as she executed a difficult twist, a pike then dove into the water head first.

"The high jump is starting in ten minutes. We should go," Hänge said, glancing at her watch.

The melon bread in the inner pocket of Levi's jacket protested. He had bought it for her after all.

He had other options at least. "Psst…" Levi called the attention of the blonde in front of him.

She didn't look back.

"Historia," Levi said. He decided for himself then that it was worth the risk.

The blonde looked back at them, her eyes wide open in confusion. "I'm sorry… I don't think I recognize you…" It was just like her to still be polite to a couple of potentially creepy strangers.

"No need to recognize me," Levi said. He pressed the melon pan, into the hand that Historia had held out for a hand shake. "Get this to Sasha for us. Tell her it's from her fans."

With that, the two stepped down from their place in the second row bleachers and quickly and silently slipped out through the entrance.

*******

“Maybe we have the time for one more detour,” Levi said.

“We’re still on the way to the high jump venue. And it’s not like we’re gonna miss everything if we’re ten minutes late,” Hange added.

As they stood at the entrance of the gym along the main road, they were distracted for different reasons. Levi was distracted because he had heard that one name among the cheers loud enough to hear even beyond closed doors. Hange though looked like she had managed to at least get a glimpse of what was going on inside through the transparent glass of the door.

“Should we… go in?” Levi asked.

“You wanna? There’s only a few seconds left.”

“Why not?”

Even with both of them in a silent agreement, they still hesitated. The door opened towards the inside and from what Levi could see with a slight tiptoe, even the door was barricaded. As Levi took a closer look at Hange, he realized that that could have been one of the reasons she was hesitant to go in.

“I saw this pretty cool dunk through this window. I wish you could have seen it.”

“I’ve seen a lot of cool things today already.”

“Yeah, but a few more cool things wouldn’t hurt.”

“It’s okay, I’ll just look at them on Youtube after. You got a name?”

“I’m checking his jersey… The name is too far… Can’t see it from this shitty view. It starts with a K… And it looks like a really long name.”

“Kirstein?”

“Can’t tell…But that doesn’t sound like a long name.”

The buzzer rang loud enough that even Levi found himself jumping at the sound. Cheers followed which Levi had to admit, had been a worse ordeal for his ears than the buzzer of a while ago.

But maybe the wait will be worth it. Levi told himself and he willed himself to be patient. “Let’s wait by the side of the door. People are gonna be going out soon.”

“I wish we could have been earlier. I would have wanted to see more dunks.” Hange whined. “You know I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone dunk in real life until now.”

“Well, maybe one day I’ll take you to watch a basketball game live,” Levi said as he leaned on the wall to the side of the gym.

“The tickets are expensive.”

“Aren’t your parent’s filthy rich?”

“Well, they thought games were a waste of time…”

“After we graduate, then we get jobs, maybe we can watch together.”

“That would be nice.” Hange leaned on the wall right next to him. Leaning her head back, she looked to Levi and gave him a playful smile. “Then after that, we can go watch some Major League Baseball and some diving tournaments too.”

It was only then Levi realized he had leaned his head back in the same manner. The way she had mimicked it had been comforting and he found himself following suit. “Maybe we can watch a gymnastics competition or a skating competition?”

“And maybe when we earn more money… Let’s watch the olympics together.”

Levi smiled. “That’s the dream.” He looked at the sky above him, avoiding Hange’s gaze. With the price of the tickets and the distance of the venues though, Levi was aware that it was a distant dream.

But something inside him nagged.

Two months ago, actually making the olympics wouldn’t have been such a distant dream. His coach had talked about the Olympics many times before already, talking about scouts, about post graduation training with the national team. He wondered how pathetic he was at that moment, shifting from dreaming to make the Olympics to dreaming of just watching. It was a short episode of melancholy and maybe if Levi had indulged it, it would have lasted longer.

It was something he willed himself not to show Hange though and instead, he stared up at the sky, willing himself instead to silently admire the view. From his peripherals, he was relieved to see Hange had done similarly.

Noon had shifted to afternoon so subtly. Looking straight up at the light blue, didn’t hurt so much anymore and he suspected it was late afternoon already. He knew they should be leaving soon if they wanted to catch Mikasa’s tournament.

The melancholy weighed on him. As if Hange understood though, she was silent and she didn’t pressure him to move just yet. Levi slid back down on the ground, letting the crutches fall in front of him.

“You okay?” Hange asked, sliding down to a sitting position next to him.

No, I’m not. Levi would have answered. When he looked at Hange though, he saw understanding, as if she knew what would have only been the correct answer to that. But you aren’t okay either. Levi had to note, so it would have only served to stoke the fires of her own vulnerability to admit his own. So he went for a kind in-between.

“I know we’re both not okay. We just have to ride through this until shit gets better,” Levi said, giving Hange the best authentic smile he could muster which felt like more of a lopsided grin in the end.

Hange took a deep breath. “Yeah, maybe you’re right.” She returned that smile with her own and Levi was certain her own smile had been a better rendition of what he had.

“Jean! Hey! Come back here.”

Levi had done a pretty good job of tuning out the crowds that had been exiting the gym since a while ago. When he looked back to the entrance to see Jean and an unrecognizable teammate just outside, he was almost surprised to see their surroundings almost completely empty, especially when compared to a while ago.

“You can’t just leave. Coach will kill us.”

“I said, I’ll follow. It’s just a celebratory dinner. It’s not like we’ll lose our ticket to regionals if I don’t go.”

“But you scored the winning dunk.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Jean asked. “Besides I am going. I’ll just be late.”

The player next to Jean cleared his throat. “Is this about her?”

“Yes. I wanna watch her jump. Is that so bad?”

“Mikasa’s gonna have other tournaments you know.”

“But we’re going to be busy with regionals. Who knows how many times I’ll be able to catch her tournaments before graduation.”

There was an awkward silence between them and Levi was almost tempted to use that moment to approach Jean. Even with some support from Hange though, it had taken Levi more than enough time to push himself to a standing position.

“God you’re such a simp Jean.”

“Cover for me Caleb.”

Caleb walked back into the gym and Jean started to jog, making his way for the main path. Levi was sure with his current state he wouldn’t be able to catch up. It was as if Hange though had read his mind.

“Excuse me!”

Levi followed at a much slower pace, only able to catch up because the two had slowed to a stop in the middle of the main path.

“Mikasa Ackerman? Yes! She’s my classmate.”

Levi noted the light blush on Jean’s face as he spoke. “We wanna watch the tournament too,” Levi added, slowing to a stop beside Hange. “Could we walk there together? This is our first time here so we might get lost.” A partial lie. It wasn’t their first time but they had looked at the map on their phone enough times to have sworn on their life that the path they were taking was correct.

Jean had looked surprised at first, but his dumb expression had quickly shifted to something much friendlier. “I’d be happy to take you two there.” He held out his hand. “Jean Kirstein.”

Hange had been the first to take his hand in a friendly gesture. “Hange Zoe.”

The pleasantries were quickly forgotten and their conversation had shifted to other things. Along the way, Levi had stopped listening as it shifted to conversations on air time and agility exercises.

Just like Hange to want to talk about that. Levi thought. That was the thesis she had wanted to do after all.

Levi allowed himself to trail behind a bit, letting the two grab a bit more distance.

That gave him a good view of the two, side by side. And they have been side by side before, Levi recalled that much. They had discussed strategies, paperwork, war conditions many times before.

Levi took advantage of that distance between them. To further indulge that little picture of a memory, Levi whispered two names under his breath. Commander Hange Zoe and Commanding Officer Jean Kirstein.

That at least added some realism to the view. And Levi was sure he’d remember enough to write pages worth when he got home.

*******

“Looks like we haven’t missed a lot,” Hange said.

“You missed the first few heights but those were too easy. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mikasa sat it out.” Levi commented. He looked to Jean who was gesturing for them to follow as he climbed up the bleachers.

And he kept his focus on Jean the whole way up. The high jump event was his domain and although he had hoped to keep a low profile during the event, a part of him knew that it would be almost impossible. Although his face could be almost forgettable and maybe unnoticeable in the crowds, the crutches only made people stare. And when people stare, they have a tendency to look at faces. And when they look at faces they recognize, sometimes they talk.

Levi had learned that lesson so many times before already. At least though, with every lesson learned, he had gotten better at brushing off the whispers. On top of the quick introductions, the familiar faces on the bleachers had been a very helpful distraction as well, one unbothered and the other, the complete opposite, a little too curious about everything.

Eren and Armin.

“You’re late Jean. Weren’t you the one who so excitedly told Mikasa you’d show up to cheer her on?” Eren asked.

“Hey, I’m here right now. Besides, I knew you and Armin were going to show up anyway. You always do.” Jean said, raising his hands defensively. He looked back at the field as if searching for her among the athletes. “So when is she jumping?”

“She got eliminated.”

Jean buried his face in his hands. “You’re kidding.”

“Eren, she sat out the easier heights right?” Levi had to note that at first glance, it did look like Mikasa wasn’t there. He suspected that the bench where Mikasa was sitting was just a little obscured from their view on the bleachers. He had done similarly too often for it to be anything but routine.

“Oh, you’re familiar with how high jump events work. Better than horseface here,” Eren gave the still recovering Jean a side glance before looking back at Levi. Eren’s unbothered face was far from menacing.

With his own store on his side and his own thoughts, Levi found himself still a little too careful. “I’m a little familiar...” Levi said, letting his voice trail off as he looked back out at the field.

“Excuse me.” Someone spoke up from behind him.

Levi was quick to look back. Compared to Hange who was already so engrossed on the happenings on the field just below, Levi was far from entertained. The heights were still much lower than what he would have considered entertaining.

It was Armin who had called out to him. “Are you Levi Ackerman?” He asked. The blonde seemed so unsure of himself that Levi had half the mind to deny it there just to play with him for a while. Didn’t Jean introduce us already?

“Why do you ask?”

Armin put a hand at the back of his head and flashed a sheepish grin. “Well, ever since Mikasa got into high jumping, I started to get a little more familiar with the high jumping scene. Also Eren, didn’t your brother talk about him?”

Zeke Jaeger.

“He mentioned that Levi Ackerman was injured, probably sidelined for life…” Eren trailed off, he looked pointedly at Levi’s casted knee. “Is that it?”

“So you are Levi Ackerman…” Armin said, a little more certainty in his tone.

“Wait, who’s this Levi Ackerman? Are you related to Mikasa?”

Levi shrugged. He didn’t know the best way to answer it either. Do I say distant relatives? He opted for a safe yet vague. “Maybe.”

The three boys didn’t ask anymore. The crowds exploded into cheers, and in their own little corner, the five of them fell silent as Mikasa made her way to the center and approached the starting line of the runway.

Levi quickly estimated the bar to be at 1.8 meters, too high for most high school students. So high that only two had cleared the height. And if Mikasa cleared it, that meant three people would be moving on to the 1.9 meter bar.

Or when Mikasa clears it. Levi corrected himself a second later as he watched Mikasa run to the take off box.

The crowd cheered as she landed. It had done little though to pull Levi back to reality. The cheers were merely fading background music as Levi replayed that jump in his mind. Everything from the run to the take off to the landing, everything from the smallest twist mid air had been seamless and Levi only noticed a second later his mouth had been wide open.

Mikasa wasn’t the tallest among the jumpers either, as if she relied as well on her own flexibility to get her through the bar.

“Levi, that’s how you used to jump,” Hange said. That had been enough at least to pull Levi out of his trance. “Now do you get how it felt to see you jump?”

Levi didn’t answer instantly. His first instinct had been to look back at the Youtube videos and the Instagram videos of himself Hange had shared to him a while back. He couldn’t have jumped like MIkasa. Back when he had watched his own videos, he never felt the goosebumps, or his hair stand up, or that sudden need to drop his jaw and leave his mouth wide open for a good few seconds.

But his view of Mikasa had been organic, it had been an experience, unmarred by camera angles, commentaries and video edits. Real life didn’t have video edits, and with his own first hand experience, he had the freedom and the convenience to continue to follow Mikasa, long after her jump was over.

He ignored the next two who had failed at the 1.9 meter height, completely eliminated. He had only surmised their own fate from the less than enthusiastic cheers from the crowd that followed each attempt. He continued to follow Mikasa, all the way until her second jump, focusing on the way her body curved so easily above the bar, the way her body twisted into a more comfortable angle mid flight.

As if she’s been flying her whole life.

“Ladies and gentlemen! We have a champion! Mikasa Ackerman!” The announcer chimed. But they weren’t cleaning up yet.

“There’s one more event: the men’s event, then after that the awarding,” Armin explained.

Levi shifted his attention once again to Mikasa who was making her way away from the center.

Towards the audience. Towards the front row. Levi followed Mikasa s gaze, to see a familiar back profile at the front row. The man only stood up from his seat, making the situation all the clearer for Levi.

“Coach Greg is here?” Of course, he’d be here. He’s recruiting.

He didn’t look like he was successful at recruiting though. From his spot towards the middle of the bleachers, Levi could see the way Mikasa shook her head, the way she had given the most apologetic smile and the way she walked back to the bench where her other teammates were, looking completely unbothered by that rejection.

He’s recruiting Mikasa? Levi thought.

In reply, Coach Greg looked back at the bleachers. He caught Levi’s gaze almost instantly as if he had known Levi would have been there the whole time. Levi had trained with him enough to know what he wanted just by the expression on his face.

“Levi, where are you going? The men’s jump event is about to start.”

It had been months since he trained with him, but years of old habits were still hard to break. Before Levi even noticed it himself, he had scrambled onto his feet and maneuvered through the crowd in the bleachers.

*******

“I saw you enter the venue mid match. Honestly happy to see you watching tournaments again and I’m sure a lot of the fans are happy to see you too.”

If by happy, you mean gossiping. “Jumping is hard to completely give up,” Levi replied.

The two had settled on a bench, only a few meters away from the emptiest bleachers. The screams and cheers were still audible and sometimes, comprehensible. But there was still enough peace and quiet to manage a fair conversation.

“How’s your knee?”

“I’m sure you’ve talked to Erwin about it already.”

Greg grinned sheepishly at it. He dropped his shoulders with a sigh. “I was hoping he would have given you a better prognosis. He told me you were gone from jumping for good… I just thought…”

“My last season is over. You’re already preparing for regionals and I can still barely walk,” Levi said as he gave a pointed look at the crutches he leaned on the side of the bench.

“With physical therapy…”

“I can barely walk right now because of physical therapy. We were going too fast.”

“So anything after college might be impossible huh?”

“I’m taking this one step at a time. It was a painful experience. And with the extent of it, Erwin had told me multiple times even post surgery, it might never return to pre injury state. With the competitiveness of the high jumping scene… my height… I feel like these were all just signs to just move on from it all.”

Greg dropped his shoulders and shook his head. “You were something else though. I didn’t think someone of your height could have dominated the high jump. It was like your body knew the exact moments to get you through the bar every time. As if it was completely used to being mid air.”

“Maybe my body is just used to flying,” Levi said. “Maybe I was born and built for these types of sports. But I'm sure you're aware, no matter how inclined someone is to sports, careers don’t last forever. We all have expiry dates. And mine was just a lot earlier than others.”

“But you could have made the Olympics with your numbers.”

“But the accident happened and I don’t think I’ll ever achieve those numbers again,” Levi said matter-of-factly, so realistically it hurt even when Levi was sure he had long gotten over it.

“So, what are you focusing on now?” Greg asked, an attempt at digression.

“Studies, submitting my thesis, passing my last few classes…”

“Maybe when studies die down a bit, you can visit every now and then. After winter break is over, maybe you could even help get the new recruits up to speed.”

Levi raised one eyebrow at Greg. “You have one in mind?” Mikasa Ackerman?

“Mikasa Ackerman.” As if Greg had read his mind, he had repeated those same exact words with the exact same tone Levi had heard it in his head. “Are you two related?” he asked.

“Maybe.”

“With the way you’re saying that, I'm guessing not close enough to talk to her.”

“Talk to her about what?” Levi asked.

“About considering Paradis University. She has that type of talent that only comes once every five years.”

“But if she’s committed to another university…”

“She’s not. In fact, she told me herself, she might not even go to university.”

“Why not?”

“She told me there was someone she didn’t wanna leave behind. You think you might know something about that?”

An all too familiar turn of events. Levi’s answer to his coach’s question had been a resounding yes. But he wasn’t telling him about that yet. ‘I’ll try to talk to her. Then I’ll see what I can do.”

The conversation ended soon after that with a quick promise to keep in touch. His coach hurriedly got back to the tournament and Levi found himself alone on the bench once again.

His knees ached, his arms were stiff from all the walking. And he decided for himself that a men’s jump event would not be worth the struggle of hobbling back to the bleachers.

*******

“There you are!”

Levi only had a few minutes of peace and quiet before it was interrupted by the familiar brunette who settled next to him on the bench. It had interrupted whatever trance he had gotten himself into. Either way, it was still a welcome sight. “You’re not watching?”

“I thought you went to the toilet or something but when you didn’t come back… I kinda realized you might have left because you didn’t wanna watch so I got worried. You wanna go back home?”

“I’m tired. So honestly, yes.” Levi shrugged his shoulders and did some test stretches. His body was aching from having maneuvered in crutches the whole afternoon. He could have sworn, he had reached well more than a thousand steps just walking the university, enough to expect an admonishing stare from either Erwin or his physical therapist.

“Well, we should be going back. We have to do some last minute packing since tomorrow is our last day.”

“Wait, before we leave. I was hoping to get some lead on Mikasa. I wanted to talk to her. Maybe after final exams or something.”

Hange gave him a cheeky grin. She held out her phone in an exaggerated manner. “That’s done already.”

“You got their contact details?”

“I had a pretty pleasant conversation with Armin, Jean and Eren, enough at least to get them to wanna keep in touch.”

“Keep in touch about what?”

“Thesis maybe? Future career prospects?”

“You’re meeting with a bunch of high school students?”

“Armin applied to Paradis University so there’s a lot to talk about and he said he could help out with my thesis. Besides, weren’t you the one who said you wanted to talk to Mikasa?”

“I’m doing my coach a favor.” Levi said, emphasizing those last words a little too much, he started to feel a little ridiculous a second later.

Hange raised one eyebrow in disbelief, only making Levi further regret attempting such a ridiculous lie. A smile played at Hange’s lips. “You know, I’m glad to see you’re reconnecting with your team again.”

Levi returned that smile with his own. “Well, I’m glad to see you’re reconnecting with your thesis again.”

*******

“I talked to the dorm. Scholars can get a good bed space for a cheap price, or maybe even free. You just have to sort out the paperwork, get some paperwork signed by your professor then the scholarship office. After that, we wait for approval. So, in the meantime, you could stay in a motel or something.``

“That’s the plan,” Hange said, her tone a mixture of despondence and exhaustion. Not too surprisingly, she was lugging boxes, lining them towards the entrance of the room as they spoke. “My parents are gonna pick up a lot of these boxes, probably put them in storage back home. And this…” Hange drops a purple suitcase in front of him. “Is all I’m bringing.”

“You’re serious about this huh?”

“Were you doubting it?”

Levi sat and stared at the luggage, his expression unchanging. “This just seems like a huge change.”

“This happens with everyone else anyway. I’m a senior in college. I’ll find a job, take out a loan then rent some cheap studio apartment just outside the city.”

“Studio apartments aren’t cheap, even if they are outside the city. Would you be able to afford that with the entry level income of one person?” Somehow, a part of Levi was still hoping Hange would make amends with her parents. Despite her having proven multiple times she was sure with her decision. She seemed happier then, more confident, more free. But at what cost?

“Then I’ll get a roommate,” Hange said.

“That’s a reasonable plan.” Levi said. “Well first things first. Fix those dorm papers, finish your thesis.”

“Thanks for the help Levi. Really, it means a lot.” From the firm determination of a while ago, Hange’s gaze softened to something else, something Levi had sworn he had only seen long ago, in another lifetime.

“You’ve done a lot for me too,” Levi said.

“You won’t be much help now since I’ll just be lugging boxes so feel free to just write or something until we’re ready to leave. Or you know, you could go ahead to your dorm. I’ll just contact you if I need to.”

“No, I’d rather stay.” Levi looked back at his laptop and opened his document. He had written a few words the night before as soon as they had arrived home.

Armin Arlert. Jean Kirstein. Eren Jaeger. Mikasa Ackerman. Connie Springer. Sasha Braus. Historia Reiss. The names had worked magic on the draft. With the names where they needed them to be, the story became more vivid than he had expected. He lost count of the amount of words he had written the night before, but he was sure he had added at least five pages.

And his head throbbed at that moment as he scanned through the file, reminding him of how much sleep he had sacrificed to get it written. At the least, he had managed to understand what had gotten them to the point in the woods, he understood why it had been he and Hange of all people who stuck together.

They cared about the younger soldiers for sure. But they had been the only two veterans remaining.

And what did you ask me back then? Levi asked silently as he watched Hange move the boxes one by one, lining them along walls from one corner all the way until the entrance.

Hange looked as if she were in a trance. But if their eyes had met at that moment as he thought of the question, would she have read his face, would she have known what he was asking then? Probably not. But Hange was perceptive and she had made some good guesses on his thoughts a few times already.

Maybe we should just live here together? Right, Levi? Levi wrote those words, somewhere at the bottom of the page, under descriptions of trees, stars and a glowing campfire. He wrote under it descriptions of the pain of fresh stitches, half opened wounds and the beginnings of a fever.

“You know, Hange. There was a war. This anti military faction took over, and we ran away to the woods and ----”

“Don’t tell me!” Hange interrupted. She dropped one box on to the wall, much harder than usual. “I haven’t reached that part. I wanna enjoy your story.”

“Sorry.”

Hange approached him and sat next to him on the wall by the window. Her voice was much softer as she spoke up again. “No need to apologize. I just wanna be in the best mood when I read it. Maybe I’ll catch up after final exams before winter break,” Hange said. “Besides last time I checked all you had were unfinished sentences and bullet points.”

“It’ll be finished way before then.” Even as he spoke, he was typing and Levi found himself marveling at his own ability to keep two conversations at once.

“Really? Don’t you have studies to deal with?”

“I know how it’s gonna end already.”

Hange gave a hum of approval. “Then I’ll hold your word to it. I look forward to reading it then.”

If we keep running and hiding, what will that get us… I know you’re not able to stay out of the action.

Levi had ended up writing those last few lines to the disturbed rhythm of the thumps as boxes were dropped one on top of the other.

Yeah. That’s right. I can’t. He capped off that final paragraph with Hange’s one final response. Even fully wide awake with the afternoon sun illuminating the well ventilated condominium, even with the sound of the traffic down below only made louder by the windows left open, Levi still saw her, so vividly as if she were a dream. He memorized her face then, everything from the way her brow knitted, her forehead puckered. The way her glossy eyes showed nothing but a faded glimmer.

Yet it was a glimmer and in that, Levi saw desire. A desire for something else.

And then what happened? It couldn’t have ended there. He had filled in many of the gaps himself already. He had already found the missing pieces and pushed them into place. The story had ended so anticlimactically though and Levi found himself scraping the recesses of his mind for anything he may have missed, a futile attempt.

And maybe it was futile because Hange had interrupted him a second later. She had his two plump overnight bags slung over her one shoulder. She turned her chin slightly towards the entrance. “Let’s go.”

Levi pulled himself up from the window sill. “Give me one of my bags. You shouldn’t be carrying all that.”

“You shouldn’t be carrying all this,” Hange argued, looking pointedly at his leg. “Let’s go.” She went ahead, not looking back. Along the way, she had stopped, gesturing for Levi to make the distance towards the door and out into the hallway.

Levi looked back at her to see she was still standing at the entrance leaning on the door frame, leaving one hand on the open door swung inward. She made no movement, no explicit intention to leave just yet. He felt no need to hurry her either. Moving out was no easy task after all.

“I know you don’t like messes Levi ” Hange spoke up, her voice once again the lifeless drawl that never failed to hurt Levi even a bit.

“Really?” It was obvious, Levi had acknowledged that he had hated it. But he never remembered explicitly telling Hange about it. He was lodging in her place for free after all.

“You wrinkle your nose every time I leave something lying around. And you don’t think I noticed the way things magically cleaned themselves while I was away?”

“If you don’t want to, I won’t. I’m sorry about that.”

“No, I appreciate it. I think you did a lot of good for my space. Honestly, I’m more sorry that I couldn’t provide you anything cleaner…” Hange trailed off. It seemed like she was ready to say more. She looked back at him and took a deep breath, opened her mouth but stopped herself midway. ”And for a while I was a bit self conscious about it but I think I get it now.”

“Get what?

“I get now why I like messes and clutter. And I guess I just wanna point it out now, so maybe you’d understand?” Hange moved away from the doorway and out into the hallway. “Look, it’s clean.”

It was easy for Levi to put the scene of her condominium from a few months ago and the scene in front of him side by side in his mind. There were too many things he could have pointed out at once though. The room in front of him then, was much larger and more spacious than Levi could have ever imagined, especially with the boxes all lined up towards the wall. It was immaculate, any other day he could have used the picture of the room as a blank slate, something to calm him in between stressful situations.

But side by side with the room from weeks ago, hell back to the room months ago before he had started to stain it with his own brand of cleanliness, Levi wasn’t thinking of words like clean or immaculate.

It feels lifeless. But he wasn’t telling her that. Not just yet, when the fastidious side of him was still trying to process such an opinion borne out of his cleanliness-loving mind.

It was as if Hange was giving him no time to process though. “Do you get it though? Why I like my rooms with a little clutter?”

Levi gave up on processing, instead submitting to whatever tirade was coming out of Hange then.

And she was getting a little more emotional and a little more attached as she spoke. Because when everything's scattered everywhere, I always feel like I’ll have to fix it soon right? And when I have to fix it, I’m reminded that I’ll be coming back. But now…”

Levi jumped at the crack in her voice. He went forward and closed it, and it had felt like ripping off a band-aid. “Let’s go Hange.”

“I don’t have anything to return to now. It’s gonna be dorm and motel hopping until I get a job and can afford to find a new place,” Hange continued.

The two walked towards the elevators. Hange had kept her strides so slow and steady it had been a little too easy for Levi to catch up. With that, he had a little more time and space to reflect, come up with something more comforting than ripping of a band aid.

That part was easy at least. “You don’t have to have anywhere to return to.” Levi spoke up. “I think, what’s important is that people have someone to return to...”

“‘Someones’ like that are hard to find.” Hange looked at him. Then, Levi had a good view of her, her eyes glistened with what looked like unshed tears, the lines under eyes only told of pent up exhaustion, an all too familiar expression, almost a reflection of Hange that night in the woods.

It had been too easy to assume he had heard those same words as she looked at him expectantly then.

Maybe we should just live here together? Right, Levi?

But that wasn’t the time for a yes nor was it a time to echo the invitation or the words she had mentioned right there in the forest. It wasn’t a time either to tell Hange what had happened in the woods many a lifetime before.

But Levi still spoke up, his own reply tweaked for that situation alone. If he had been any more aware, any more hesitant, he would have pulled back, discouraged already by the many other arguments his mind was able to conjure.

She doesn’t remember about that time in the woods.

She’ll think you’re crazy.

Aren’t you comfortable with where you are already?

He clocked it then as a risk. A risk he was still very much willing to take. It came out of him as something spontaneous, as an explosion inside him raring to go out despite all the doubts glomping down on him.

It had been powered by something, that was for sure. But was it frustration? Regret?

“You know Hange, if you don't want me to, I won't leave. I’d gladly stay here by your side. ”

He didn’t think too much of the motivation though, what mattered was that it did come out. And in its own way, it had left him a little lighter, and maybe a little relieved.

*******

“So what happened after?” Shela asked soon after she had scrawled another few words on her clipboard.

Levi shrugged. “That’s it. That’s how the story ended.”

“Really? With a half confession in the woods? You didn’t even say yes.”

Levi had spent the past week since they moved out of the condominium trying to write in between fixing paper work for Hange’s move to the dorm, cramming school assignments and studying for finals that was looming in the month ahead. He would have loved to blame his inability to write on his shitty schedule.

But I had more than enough time to write. He had at least an hour a night to write before bed. On good days, that had been more than enough to get something written.

“Is school getting busy? Physical therapy?”

“No.”

“Then why can’t you write a more satisfying ending.”

“That’s how it ended.”

“With a half baked confession?”

“Captain Levi was suffering from wounds after an explosion. It’s a miracle he even lasted that long.”

“So you think he died?”

“Maybe.”

Shela looked out the window, her expression unreadable. “What if you two did run away to the forest?”

“That would have been a nice ending.”

“Then why not make that the ending?”

“Because that didn’t happen.”

Shela shook her head in disbelief. “This doesn’t seem believable to me. Please try to continue writing.” She turned his laptop back to him and Levi found himself blankly staring at the open google document.

And the more he stared, feeling Shela’s observing eyes boring into him as he did, the more he realized how ridiculous that last sentence was.

I know you’re not able to stay out of the action.

It sounded like the awkward dialogue that preceded a horribly placed commercial break or ad, something Levi would have scoffed at as any other viewer or reader.

“But it’s not like I’m sharing this to anyone else,” Levi said.

“You’re sharing it to me and I’m not satisfied. There should be more to this.”

Levi looked up at Shela and back at the document a few times before deciding on his next plan of action. Shela’s glare was uncompromising and she didn’t look like she would take no for an answer. The document in front of him though, that tiny blinking cursor on the screen was calling to him, the bottom part of the page was blank.

And maybe there was something, albeit little, that can be done flogging a horse that was just almost dead. There were still a few more lines of dialogue that made its way to the pages and Levi was surprised he had enough of that clearly etched in his mind for it to so easily flow into the pages in front of him.

Shoot or listen. It’s up to you.

The last few lines had all been dialogue. But as he turned the laptop back to Shela, the latter seemed at least willing to accept that. “This still looks a little too abrupt...” she commented “ You sure this is how it ends?”

“Captain Levi could have gotten shot. Maybe he died.”

Shela dropped her shoulders in defeat. “Progress is still progress. Do me a favor and please think long and hard about what happens next.”

“I really think it ended with the conversation in the forest.” Levi turned the laptop back to himself, closed the window and shut down his laptop. “But I can try to get something else written out… Maybe a few more scenes?”

“Don’t try." Shela gave Levi a knowing look. “I want you to do it.”

And that look bore holes into him, Levi could have sworn she was a mind reader with the way she followed the laptop with her eyes as he placed it back into his bag. He wouldn’t have been too surprised if she could tell the contents just by looking through the hardware.

Levi had to admit though, what Shela was suspecting, was right. There was more to the story and these scenes nagged at him from the deepest pits of his mind, pleading for their own time to let loose.

They were terrifying though. They were unsettling and Levi was in no position to entertain them.

Not just yet.

Or maybe he never would. Maybe he would be happy never entertaining them again.

So maybe captain Levi died? Maybe they ran away in the woods? There were questions that had been echoed by Shela, questions that had been so easily answered by dreams that he had forced himself to forget soon after he woke up.

The complex emotions though, were very much answerable with a simple question, a simple explanation that Levi was in no obligation to expound on.

“But… Endings don’t have to be satisfying right? What if I just don’t wanna write anymore?”

#levihan #levihan fanfiction

29 notes · View notes