#postwar levi ackerman

[littlerequiem]

— a lesson in dancing ˚⁎⁺ levi ackerman x gn!reader

Levi doesn't think you should be with an old man like him. You show him otherwise. Or: in a post-war life, Levi learns to dance again.

content — Post-war, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Some internalized ableism from Levi but Reader helps him get through it, Reader is younger than Levi, Slow dancing, Basically a whole lot of comforting Levi in this one (wc: 2.3k). For reference - I headcanon that Levi uses a wheelchair most of the time, but that at home, he'll opt for a cane.

Crossposted on AO3.

“You should find someone younger to be with.”

At first, you aren’t sure if you heard Levi correctly. It’s still early; the sunrise barely reaches the town's tiled roofs. Sparrows nibble around you, scavenging for breakfast. Everything is at a complete standstill.

Then you glance up from this morning’s newspaper. Levi is staring at the youth gathered around the city square.  

“What did you say?” you ask.

Levi’s attention settles onto you, a half-lidded stare that’s no less charged than in his prime as the Captain.

“You’re still young," he mutters. "You’re still whole."

Well, if he didn't have your attention before, he certainly has it now.

You place your reading onto the café table, right next to the cup of coffee the waiter just brought. Your fingers linger on the edges of the newspaper, bending the corners with your thumb.

“Levi, I don’t want to be with someone else," you say, slow like you were carefully weighing each syllable with care. "I want to be with you.”

"You say that, but I can’t give you that.”

You frown, following his changing line of sight, back to the youth. In the distance, couples dance, following music coming from an accordion. They step and twirl, a resounding cheer (“ha!”) echoing with every count of twelve.

It brings you straight back to Paradis, to life within the Walls, to evenings spent in dingy taverns. Hange and Miche used to love dancing; they loved to drag you along. You wonder if Levi is thinking about those nights too.

"Are you talking about us dancing?”

The knot in Levi's throat bobs. He swallows it down with an almost bitter expression. “That, and more. Just look at me.”

“I’m looking, Levi.”

If only he knew—you’ve been looking all along.

All these years of fighting side by side, of fighting against titans and humans, of trying to bring peace to the world.

Just to arrive at a time and place where you could look at him.

And the sight grounds you.

Levi's eyes—one milky white and shuttered, the other a deep gray that reminds you of muted skies. His hair, silky black, embellished from the passage of time with strands of silver (like starlight, you think). A pearl-colored scar that twists below his lash line, running across the left side of his face, currently glowing from the dewy morning sun.

Everything about Levi has always been beautiful.

Despite that, you watch Levi retreats in his shell. His expression hardens and his knuckles tighten. It's the same old reaction you've grown accustomed to seeing. Levi did it Then, in Paradis, and he's doing it Now, in this new life.

But you? You rip through it, cut the distance apart. The feet of your chair rattles against the cobblestone of the street as you draw near. By the time you're settled at his side, you’re close enough to count the freckles splattered on the tip of nose.

“Levi, listen to me. You’re enough just the way you are. We can go through life as we please. Isn’t that enough?”

Levi remains silent, setting his posture like iron.

You tug at the hems of his shirt, twirling the fabric around your index. “Hey, c'mon now. Have I ever told you how handsome you are in the early morning?”

“Tch, don’t patronize me. You must want more than to be stuck with an old man like me.”

“What if I like my old man?” 

“You should be with someone younger.“

“Who says?”

“I’m saying.”

Levi’s deadpan expression doesn’t falter under your even gaze, but his lower lip opens up slightly, as if he were trying to even out his breathing. A blue vein tenses down his neck. You have the urge to smooth it with the back of your hands.

But you focus on his words instead.

“Levi, where’s all of this coming from?” 

“Does it matter?”

“Yes, of course, it matters. If it's making you have these thoughts, it matters.”

Levi's eyes narrow. You sigh. 

“Fine, you stubborn man. You wanna know what I see?” you say under your breath.

There’s something vulnerable tied to Levi’s gaze. You hold onto it, sliding your fingers through his hair to brush care into his scalp. Your thumbs linger over the crow’s feet permeating the corner of his eyes. A constellation of wrinkles and spots dust Levi's skin, an aftermath of time and sun exposure. You run a delicate digit over all of it, ending along his scarred lash line.

Levi swallows loudly.

“When I look at you, Levi, I see the pain of someone who was asked to grow up much too fast. I see the face of a man who had to shoulder the weight of survival all by himself. I see the life of a soldier who has fought for peace so that all of them,” your head bobs in the youth’s direction, “now get to enjoy a quiet Saturday morning where they can dance without a care in the world.”

Levi glances over your shoulders, fixing a point like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

You bring your hands along the sides of his jaw, directing his attention back to you. “Levi, you’re everything I want. We fought for a decade to be here. Why can’t you recognize that?”

He attempts to shake his head. “You deserve more.”

“That's for me to decide."

"I disagree."

"You always trusted my judgment as a soldier, so please extend me that same courtesy in this life here. Trust me to know what I want.”

“S’not the same.”

“It is. I dedicated my heart to the Scouts back then, didn’t I? And now I’m dedicating it to you.”

Levi’s ears turn pink, his lips tightening into a pout that cannot be described as anything else but coy. “Tch, don't say shit like this in public.” He attempts to lean away from your touch, but you teasingly play with strands of his hair, coxing him to utter stillness.

You lift a brow.

Levi stays quiet. Your knees bump with his, and you remain close while you watch him think your words over. Somehow, though, you can tell he’s grateful to have you here with him. You’re the one still by his side after all these years of death and pain and misery.

The one who stayed.

And Levi conveys his gratitude by reaching to you at last, slow like he were afraid to be stung. He loops his fingers around your own, his thumb gliding against the pulse point on your wrist. Once he has his hold on you, he doesn't let go, slowly stroking your skin with his thumbs.

You exhale in solace.

“So, what's the verdict?" you murmur. "Should I continue praising you?” 

He releases your hands. “Please don’t.” 

You chuckle, moving to grab the newspaper once more. Today’s headline talks of peace negotiations, negotiations that are to be handled by Commander Armin Arlert.

“Listen, I meant what I said, Captain," you tell Levi as you smooth over the article, ready to pour your attention onto it. "Like it or not, you’re stuck with me now.” 

Levi clears his throat as he takes a sip of tea. “Careful, soldier, that almost sounded like a marriage proposal.”

This time, it’s your turn to get flustered. You hide behind your wall of reading and when you peer over the newspaper, you swear there’s a ghost of a smirk tugging at Levi’s lips.

The evening is setting. Outside, waves crash against the cliffs while seagulls croak in swarms. You don’t pay attention to the noise; you’re inside the little cottage you and Levi share, too busy tweaking the machine Onkyankopon gifted you. It's a vinyl player—a machine which lets you play music records. Admittedly, you aren’t well-versed with these modern inventions, but this one you’re excited to use.

The record you’ve placed into the vinyl player comes from Onkyankopon’s home town. It promises a soothing journey filled with emotional highs—just what you need. With a grin plastered on your face, you press the play button. The tonearm hits the record and a lovely crack sounds across the living room. You lower the volume, and turn around.

“Levi, you coming?”

You hear a grunt in response, echoing across the narrow corridor of the house. “There’s no fire under my ass, is there?”

“Just a very excited me is all.”

Several moments later, Levi walks in, cane in hand. He’s fresh out of the shower. His hair is still wet, bangs clinging to the sides of his forehead, and his cheeks still have that rosy hue that comes from him washing it thoroughly. He’s wearing a freshly ironed shirt, and what Marleyans call jeans (which, incidentally, make his ass look great). 

Your stomach flutters.

Levi raises a brow. “What did you want to show me?”

“Oh.” You blink, remembering your plan. “Right. Please, c'mon here.”

He does, walking towards you, something cautiously guarded on his face.

You roll your eyes and shoot him a playful smile. “It’s not a trap, I promise.” Your fingers move to the collar of his gray shirt, feeling the rough fabric of cotton between your fingertips. The color matches his gaze, it brings out the smoothness of his pale skin.

He really is pretty.

You tell him as such.

He scoffs, a lovely pink hue dusting the tips of his ears. “Don’t say shit like that.”

You shrug. “We’re not in public anymore, are we?”

“Spare me.”

“But I like to compliment you."

"That's not my problem."

"Fine, old man. Then I suppose I should show you.”

His eyes narrow, not unkindly or in an annoyed manner, but with the regard of someone who dislikes surprises, who knows you’re up to something.

You detach yourself from him for a moment, striding over to reach for the volume button and turning it up. As soon as the slow violin and piano tug through the air, you turn towards him with a grin.

“Let’s dance,” you announce.

To Levi’s credit, he doesn’t appear all that surprised by this turn of events. Well, he’s known you over a decade, so you suppose he’s learned a thing or two about you.

You take his wooden cane out of his hands, carefully placing it against the wall. For a moment, the two of you just stare at each other from across the small room, admiring one and another. Moonlight trickles into the room, gracing Levi with its touch. His gray stare is aglow, his hair like silver. Like starlight, indeed.

Taking a slow step in his direction, you slide into his arms, and he welcomes you like you were made to belong there all along. You take his invitation with a smile, offering him support for his leg while you bask in the comfort of his embrace. Levi places his left hand over your shoulder, the other finding a home along your ribs, fingers slotting along every bone. Safety. His touch sparks warmth across your body, and you bring your hands to the back of his neck, delicately smoothing his undercut.

“The music is starting,” you murmur into the shell of his ear. Tingles spread through your veins.

“Yeah, it is.”

The music isn’t anything like the one you heard on the square today. This track is slow and intimate, and so, your dancing adapts to it. At first, you take the lead, only taking occasional small steps back, hips swaying with the soft melody. Levi follow closely, so close that you listen to his heartbeat quicken beneath your touch.

Half a minute later, Levi surprises you by carefully taking one of your hands between his own, dragging his thumb over your knuckles. He guides you back into a slow spin, and you feel the air expand in your lungs as you take several steps away from him, watching your two shadows ripple over the silver spotlight. When he tugs you back and your vision spins, you think how perfectly your bodies align together.

“Levi, why are you so good at this?” you chastise playfully.

“Erwin used to make me attend these fancy balls in the Interior,” he says in your ear, the tenor of his voice rumbling against your skin. “I learned there.” 

“Huh, that’s true. I remember the tuxedos you and Erwin wore now that you mention it." You chuckle. "You both looked devilishly handsome.”

“We looked like two pretentious snobs, you mean.”

"You say that, but I think Erwin took you along for a reason. We always did get the funding for every expedition.”

“Yeah.” There’s a note of fondness for Erwin and past memories, things you aren't exactly privy to, but that you're glad he gets to cherish all the same. 

You come to rest a cheek close to his neck, submerging yourself with the warmth of his skin. “I guess this little dance doesn’t measure up to the lavish balls you’ve attended, right?”

His hand tightens around your own. “No, this is better.”

You smile at his words.

It isn’t until a moment later that you realize the music has stopped, that you’re both still slow dancing to silence. Outside, the sound of waves remains.

Slowly, you untangle yourself from Levi, looking at him like he were the lighthouse guiding you back to shore. Levi’s attention is already fixed on you, his face filled with quiet fondness. There's starlight in his gaze.

“You see," you say. "We can dance, you and I.”

Levi raises a hand towards you, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “If we can teach your clumsy ass some rhythm, sure.”

“Hey, don’t be mean.”

Levi snorts, and before you can say anything else, he surprises you by leaning over to press a kiss over your forehead. 

And under the moonlight, you watch him at peace, and all feels right.

— Masterlist / Join my taglist / Heart divider by saradika-graphics - the rest is by me.

Tag list: @l3visthighs, @bejewelledd, @nube55, @loyal2rin, @leviisgf, @thephantomtheory, @levilxvr, @halloweenmedic, @notgoodforlife, @sixpennydame, @youre-ackermine, @starrylevi

[leviismybby]

Watching postwar!Levi setting up the crib for your baby, he is kneeling and focusing on putting the wood pieces together. You watch as you lean on the doorframe with a smile, your belly is getting bigger by the day, the baby will be here in two months. He looks so attractive like this, his sleeves rolled up, his eyes are fully focused on setting up every piece correctly. "You look so attractive like that..." You say as you check him up and down, he did look good. He has been taking care of everything in the nursery, it made you melt.

Levi looks back at you. "Do I?" You approach him. "Yes, you do. This one isn't even out yet and you already make me want another one." He almost snorts at that. "Weren't you complaining just yesterday that he was kicking you in the rib?" You sigh and rub your belly. "That doesn't mean I don't want more." Levi stands up and walks over to you, he reaches out to gently hold your belly. "Let's take care of this one first. I'll give you as much babies as you want." He kisses your temple. "Unless you aren't ready to deal with more Ackermans running around..."

[stillackerman]

postwar!levi x reader

You're preparing for the event, which requires formal clothes.

You're watching how Levi is trying to fix his white ascot. He's been fighting with that piece of fabric for a few minutes now, still not satisfied with the result. You can almost sense his frustration in the air. You always can. And you also know that he won't ask you for help. His pride will never allow him.

You're getting up from the chair and coming closer. You look at his mirror image, your eyes meet, and you smile a little before speaking:

“Let me help you.”

Levi doesn't say a word, but he turns to you, giving you a free hand. You focus on the task, and slowly take care of this, everything must be perfect, the way he likes it.

You feel his eyes on you, focused the same way on your beauty as you're on the ascot. You're almost blushing; even after all this time, his gaze makes you feel weak on your knees.

When you've done, you look at him, putting your hand on his cheek and tracing his scars with your thumb.

“You look really handsome,” you whisper.

“Tch...” You know Levi resists the urge to roll his eyes.

“I mean it!” You assure him, and to confirm it, you give him a sweet kiss. You feel how he relaxes at the touch of your lips.

And when you pull away, you see he's even more handsome than before. His skin gains some color, and he has happy sparkles in the eyes.

“We should go,” he says. “We can't be late.”

You nod. Levi takes the cane in one hand, and he gives you the free arm. You grab it, and both of you leave the room, looking like the most beautiful couple in the world.

[starrylevi]

🐚 A tiny bit of dadvi! Inspired by this tiktok 🐚

You watch Levi as he wheels his way across the boardwalk, stopping every once in a while to pick up something buried in the sand. You wait for a few seconds before walking over to him, gently putting a hand on his shoulder and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “Hey, whatcha doing?”

“Seashells.” Levi mumbles to you.

“Hm?” You don’t quite hear him.

Levi sighs and repeats himself. “Seashells.”

Your eyebrows knit together in confusion. You glance over and see a small pile of seashells in his lap.

Levi answers your silent question as he follows your gaze. “They’re not for me. They’re for Armin.”

You take in his words and remember that Armin’s birthday is tomorrow. “That’s so-“

“Don’t. Please don’t.” He cuts you off before you make a big fuss and you giggle in response.

“Okay.” You snicker. “Do you need help?”

“Maybe.”

“I can carry the seashells for you.” You offer him.

He seems to contemplate it. “Okay…Thank you.”

You give him a beaming smile. “You’re welcome.”

You see a hint of pink on his cheeks before he mumbles a couple more words. “Love you.”

[happybird16]

Postwar!Levi prefers to sleep with you on his right side, although sleep is often a relative term for him. Most nights, haunting nightmares keep him wide awake for hours - visions of burning red flames and monstrous faces that linger even in the bedroom's darkness. These dreams leave his ears ringing, adrenaline coursing through his veins, and his heart threatening to burst from his chest. Yet, he finds solace with you on his right side, despite it being his blind side, as it makes him feel safer, especially in his unaware moments. This positioning allows him to twist to face you, ensuring that his scarred eye is nestled into the pillow, while his good eye catches a glimpse of your sleeping face. He traces the lines of your brow and the curves of your cheeks, the presence of you helping the terrifying shadows fade from his periphery.

[levilxvr]

comforting postwar!levi after he wakes up from another nightmare🫠

it’s not uncommon for both of you to experience nightmares especially after what you’ve been through the past month. But sometimes what worries you the most is how bad levi’s nightmares are. He would shoot up in bed in the wee hours of the morning, gasping for air with his eyes wide open and heart racing like crazy. Sometimes you would even wake up to see him with tears streaming down his cheeks.

You’ll stir beside him, quickly realising the situation as you sit up and take his trembling hand, placing it over your heart. It’s your way of reminding him that you’re there and that everything’s alright. Sometimes he just needed to physically feel you to remember it’s all just a dream.

And it always works. You can immediately feel levi become less tense, then ease him back down onto the pillows as you wrap your arms around him and bury your face in his shoulder. “I’m here,” you whisper, “it’s alright.”

“I dreamt that I lost you.” he squeezes his eyes shut and grabs your waist, pulling you close so your bodies were pressed against each other. You close your eyes and rest your forehead against his, assuring him that he didn’t and never will lose you because you’ll always come back to him no matter what.

He’s repeating your soothing words in his head, steadying his breathing as his palms rest on your face. You stroke his dark hair, sweeping the damp strands of fringe off his forehead.

“I love you.”

three simple words that hold such deep meaning. you know levi takes love seriously and for him to allow himself to be vulnerable around you like this..

“I love you too. always. never forget that i’m always here.”

when you look at him minutes later, his eyes are closed again, breathing softly in his sleep with your comfort easing the turmoil in his heart.

[myloveismylevi]

Just a lil weepy thinking about post-war dadvi, his little boy (5? 6?) wanting to make tea for his Dad the way he’s seen him do it a million times, because he just loves him so much and admires him and wants to make him the happiest Dad in the world, but he’s still so little compared to the world around him, so he pulls a chair over to the counter and climbs on it, putting water in the teapot, opening the canister of tea leaves, and pulling a teacup - Levi’s favorite teacup - out of the cabinet. but his hands are small, and when he tries to climb down from the chair the cup slips from his hand and breaks on the kitchen floor.

So, naturally Levi comes hurrying (as much as he can on his stiff knee) into the kitchen to see what produced the noise, and finds the chaos his little one has produced on the counter, and him, kneeling on the ground, with shards of porcelain in front of him. And when his father stands in the doorway, he looks up at him, tears collecting at his lash line.

“I’m sorry, Daddy…” he’ll whimper.

“What happened?” Levi’ll ask in his usual monotone voice, but there’s a softness behind it.

And the boy will try to explain, tears rolling down his face, feeling so awful for making a mess, and for breaking his Dad’s favorite cup, and for not being able to take care of Daddy the way Daddy takes care of him, because he’s got Levi’s same bleeding heart beating in his chest, the one that wants to take care, the one wants to be strong and independent. But also his introspection, his emotion, his sensitivity and empathy.

And Levi’ll be transported back to his own childhood, the teacup that belonged to his mom, the one that they had to sell, the one he tried to get back, but couldn’t. And his heart will ache so bad to think that his child, his sweet perfect angle of a thing, feels even a fraction of the hurt he felt over a piece of porcelain, because of his utter devotion to him.

And he’ll take the boy in his arms, and he’ll hold him close, and he’ll tell him patiently and gently, in his Levi way, that a cup is just a thing, and what matters most is that he wasn’t hurt. And how much he appreciates the boy wanting to do a nice thing for him, but that what he was doing was dangerous, and how important it is that he be more careful, because stoves are hot, and chairs can tip, and broken porcelain can cut one of his 10 miraculous sweet little fingers, and there are thousands of teacups to replace what broke but nothing in all of eternity could replace the boy, living and breathing, that he holds fast to his chest. (His voice is quiet, words grammatically simple, and his tone is steady but his heart is physically ACHING and flailing in his chest from how much love is trying to squeeze into it rn)

And Levi tells his son, in plain English (Eldian? Idk?), that he loves him, and that he always will, because with a tiny mind and heart at stake, there’s no room for beating around the bush with that talk like he often does. And he tells him that his parents will help him to do whatever he wants to do, and to ask for help next time.

Because if only someone’d told Levi, when he was that small, that they would help him. If someone has just loved him, and ALWAYS been there… how much easier he could’ve breathed all those years. The prospect of not having to constantly be afraid to feel. To fail.

It’s all he can think about - how he can do better, give more, than what he had - even in a moment as seemingly small as this.

(I’m sorry.)

[humanitys-strongest-bamf]

uhhhhhh so this ended up being much much longer than i intended (what a surprise) so i'm posting this as an independent drabble instead of as a response to this ask

i think i need emotional support after writing this

pairing: levi x reader

word count: 3.3k

notes: canon!verse, post-war!levi, hurt/comfort, vague mentions of depressive symptoms, apologies if i get some s4 details wrong, i need emotional support now

Until I See You Again

| part 2 >>

recommended listening:

It had been a few months since the raid on Liberio. You remembered your reluctance to hop onto the airship and leave Paradis Island. You couldn’t remember what it was exactly that made you hesitate other than a daunting feeling that you couldn’t get rid of.

You remembered your mobility gear failing as you flew through the night sky, desperately trying to find your way back to the airship. You remembered getting caught in an explosion and getting bombarded with sharp pieces of shrapnel as you lost control of your body. You vaguely remembered Levi calling out your name, although you weren’t sure if you had just imagined that or not. 

The next thing you remembered was waking up in a stranger’s bed. It seemed that one of the Eldian families that lived in a part of Liberio that wasn’t as affected by the raid had taken you in. Although your injuries were not fatal, they were severe enough that you were under their care until very recently. As a result, you found yourself woefully unaware of the details of the war that had recently begun.

It was agonizing for you to be forced to stay in bed and rest, being taken care of by complete strangers as the war raged on around you. Once you were finally up and moving, the end of the war had passed and Liberio was in absolute chaos. 

You had desperately tried to find information on the state of Paradis and the Eldians that had once inhabited it—the ‘island devils’, as the Marleyans would call them—but there was so much misinformation floating around that you couldn’t be sure what to believe. Some said that the island had been abandoned after being flattened by the Rumbling. Some said the last few survivors perished during the final fight with the Founding Titan. Some said they fled and mingled into Marleyan society. People said a lot of things and you had no idea which ones were true. You had even considered trying to travel back to Paradis Island to figure out the fate of your people and more importantly, the fate of Levi Ackermann.

You waited. You spent weeks waiting, hoping to hear more solid news over what had happened. You continuously mingled around the public spaces, hoping to pick up information, or hang out at the port to see if you could find your other half amongst the refugees. 

You waited for weeks, yet you found nothing. You desperately wanted to continue waiting on the off chance that you might run into him, but you knew that it was more realistic to assume that he had perished during the climax of the war. Every time you saw someone that looked even slightly like him, you wanted to run to him and embrace him. Every time you looked closer, you saw that that someone was never actually him.

You sighed as you held a small hand-sized water lantern with both your hands. You had purchased it around two weeks ago as you emotionally prepared yourself for this moment. 

You slowly kneeled down to the ground with a heavy weighted feeling appearing in your chest. Everyone was gone. Levi was gone. You couldn’t imagine living your life without him, but you had to. If nothing else, you had to try—and in order for you to try, you had to let him go.

As you had that thought, you gently dropped the lantern into the water, having lit it up on your way over to the dock. You sat and watched as it floated off away from the coast and towards the ocean. 

“Until I see you again,” you whispered underneath your breath, “Levi.”

~~~~~

It had been a few months since the raid on Liberio and a few weeks since the end of the Rumbling. Although things were relatively calm compared to the chaos that ensued when Eren Jaeger brought down the walls on Paradis Island, it didn’t bring Levi Ackermann any peace.

Things had happened much too quickly. One minute, he was looking off the bridge of the airship next to you, appreciating the sight of the ocean below you and the stars above you. You two had relished in the few minutes of peace that you’d be able to steal before the raid. He remembered the two of you chatting over what diner to eat at after you got back to the island or where in the Forest of Giant Trees that you wanted to visit to get away from the noise of the town around you. 

He remembered watching you disappear into that sea of fire, having been just a second too late in grabbing you. He remembered being forced to flee, despite all of his instincts telling him to jump into the fire to save you. After believing that he had lost you, he channeled all of his emotional energy into the war that had begun with Marley. 

However, now that the war was over, all he could think about was you. He would wake up in the morning, longing to feel your touch and hear your voice. He longed to see the way you’d lazily get out of bed with the grumpiest expression or how you would get subtly whiney whenever he had to drag you out of the house to work. He missed your embrace and it hurt like hell every day that he had to wake up without you.

It had been weeks since he had established his own place in Liberio. He found it next to impossible to integrate himself into Marleyan society. Even going outside was torture, with the only thought crossing his mind being that one fateful night in the very town he currently stayed in. The structures around him were all still the same. Every day he went outside was another day that he was forced to relive your death.

He had a meeting face-first with a thunder spear. He lost the use of one of his legs during the final battle of the war. He had suffered so many injuries, so quickly, yet he lived. Part of him wished he didn’t. The guilt of him being the one that survived tore at him with every passing minute. He couldn’t even begin to count the amount of people that have died around him. It was like being around him was a curse—one he couldn’t save you from. 

Everyone that he had worked with was gone. He truly was alone. It was agonizing. There was no war to fight and no Titans that needed to be killed, putting him at wit’s end over how to distract himself from the grief that was pushing down on him. Every time he saw someone in Liberio that looked like you, he felt his heart clench as if it suddenly forgot how to function. Every time he looked closer and saw that it wasn’t, he felt like the heaviness in his chest grew. Everything around him only contributed to his grief.

When everyone had gotten killed by Zeke in Shiganshina, the only thing that allowed him to keep his resolve was you. Grieving everyone was at least a little easier as long as he had you by his side—but that fell apart the minute he saw you disappear into the flames.

He cursed to himself as he slowly walked across the dock, frowning at the prosthetic leg that he had gotten attached onto him a little while ago. He knew it was helpful and gave him some autonomy back in his life, but it was annoying for him to have to readjust his own pacing from having an artificial limb. 

He looked back up and watched the sun that was slowly dipping beneath the horizon. He had come here so he could walk and ease into walking normally again, but also because the scenery brought him at least some sense of comfort. The two of you would commonly walk on top of the walls during sunset when stressed, simply chatting and enjoying each other’s presence, and walking on the dock seemed similar. While it felt like breathing got slightly easier as he recalled that memory, walking in that view without you by his side made him feel emptier than he had felt this morning.

The frown on his face grew as that heavy feeling within him continued to grow. He didn’t know what to do. If he went home, he’d be miserable. If he stayed here, he’d be miserable. If he went to hang out at a local cafe, he’d be miserable. There was nothing he could do. 

He glanced towards the far end of the dock and let out a dejected exhale as he saw someone kneeling down on the dock that vaguely reminded him of you. He watched the way that their hair shuffled around as they stood back up. He watched the way they held themselves as they walked back onto the streets. He watched the way they hung their head down while taking unsteady, slow steps forward, similar to how you would when you were upset. 

As he continued to watch, he felt his heart rate slightly increase.

It couldn’t possibly be you. He had played this game at least a dozen times already. He would see someone that looked like you. He would get near them to see if it was you—and it never was. He didn’t want to hold onto hope just to be disappointed. He watched you disappear into that explosion. There was no doubting that—but he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

What if it was you?

Like every other time, he couldn’t get that thought out of his mind. With the war being over, he also had no way of replacing that thought by keeping himself busy.

“Tch,” he clicked his tongue quietly, frustrated at his own inability to control himself as he began to make his way over towards this stranger, just so he could get his brain to shut up once he sees that it isn’t you.

~~~~~

You silently thanked the rain clouds that had quickly filled the sky as you felt the rain drops gently fall. It wasn’t a full drizzle, but the gentle rain was more than enough to hide the tears that were now flowing down your cheeks.

You weren’t ready to let go. You didn’t want to let go. As you made your way back home, you couldn’t take your eyes off the floor, as all of the memories of your life together with Levi began to emerge all at once. Every single time that he had provided you with a source of strength that no one else could would not be felt again. He would never be there to help you on your low days again. He would never silently hold you as you sobbed about the loss that you had to cope with ever again. You would never feel his embrace again. You would never feel him again.

At this point, nearly everyone had either gone home for the night or walked indoors due to the rain. You couldn’t be bothered with it. Returning home to an empty apartment that you had no energy to upkeep felt more agonizing than standing in the freezing rain. Every step forward felt like it took all of your energy and part of you just wanted to collapse onto the ground and never get up again.

You took one more dejected step forward and opened your eyes as you felt yourself bump into someone. 

You were already emotionally exhausted, so bumping into this stranger when they had more than enough room on the sidewalk to pass you without entering your bubble was more than enough to irritate you. 

A scowl appeared on your face, but quickly disappeared

You felt your irritation get replaced with grief again as you looked down towards the stranger’s shoes, having been walking the entire way home without looking in front of you, only staring at the floor. The way the person stood in front of you felt familiar. The way their body slightly shuffled as the rain dropped down on you felt familiar. The way the person was standing felt familiar. Even the way they subtly smelled seemed familiar.

You noticed your breathing halt as those foolishly hopeful thoughts entered your mind again.

It couldn’t be him.

You’ve played this game over and over again. It was never him. 

You found yourself scared to raise your gaze. You wanted to cling onto this feeling of hope, but you knew it would dissipate the minute you saw that it wasn’t him. You weren’t sure how much of that you could bear.

Slowly, you lifted your head, fully preparing to mask any additional tears that were threatening to fall so that you didn’t end up sobbing in front of a complete stranger.

Your eyes made contact with blue-gray ones that looked right back at yours. They were familiar. They were tired and worn, as if they had seen too many horrors to imagine—but it was familiar.

It couldn’t be him.

You then noticed the way this stranger’s hair situated itself into an undercut. You noticed that he was barely taller than you—and you were already quite short yourself. You noticed the way he stood.

You felt yourself freeze up as you questioned the reality around you.

“Is this real?” you asked underneath your breath.

You felt a familiar grip on your waist as the person in front of you reached out. It was so familiar you wanted to collapse into him.

“Is it?” a familiar voice responded.

Hearing Levi’s voice for the first time in months finally ripped you out of your stupor.

He was here in front of you. It wasn’t a hallucination. You didn’t know how he was here or how long he had been in Liberio, but he was here.

It was like you could finally exhale after having held your breath ever since you woke up after the raid. As you felt his hands on you, saw him in front of you, and heard him speak to you, you felt your breathing destabilize as your efforts to mask your tears completely faded away.

You collapsed into Levi’s chest as his arms wrapped around you. You pulled him close as you sobbed, processing all of your grief at once. You hugged him tighter and tighter, wanting to ensure yourself that this was real—that he was real.

Levi took a deep breath as he somewhat buried his face into your hair, relishing in the feeling that he had missed for so long.

All of the pain you had felt throughout the past few months compounded together and ripped itself out of you all at once. It was absolute torture—but with every ounce of strength you had left, you would strive to feel this pain and be next to him, holding onto him, so that you would never lose him again.

~~~~~

You couldn’t take your gaze off of him.

The two of you had walked to his apartment since it was closer to the docks, compared to yours that was further inland. You currently rested on his couch with one of his jackets wrapped around you since you ended up being drenched in rainwater. 

You curled up and pulled his jacket in closer as he gently set down a cup of tea in front of you. You shakily grabbed the cup and slowly brought it to your lips, with a fresh wave of grief rolling through you as the liquid made contact with your lips. 

You gripped at the handle of the cup, shutting your eyes at the thought of just how much you had missed the way he made his tea. Over the past few months, you had tried to duplicate his brew in a vain effort to pretend he was still next to you, resulting in failure each time.

You listened intensely, continuing to sip at his tea to warm yourself up as he filled you in on the events after you had “died”. He spoke of Eren’s betrayal and how that led up to the climax of the war. He spoke of the insurrection within the walls. He spoke of the accident he had found himself trapped in. He spoke of all the events that you had missed out on.

He watched, trying to gauge your reaction to the information coming out of his mouth. He couldn’t ignore that intense feeling of guilt that was building up in his stomach. 

You were alive this entire time. His instincts were right. He should have stayed to rescue you. At the very least, he should have come back for you after they escaped. Instead of channeling all of his rage into the war, he should have come to find you—but he didn’t.

As he spoke, your eyes ran up and down his body. You had first noticed his scars when you looked up at him. The right side of his face had two vertical scars, with one running down his cheek and the other running through his right eye. You glanced down and felt your heart drop once you saw the state of his right hand, which was missing his index and middle finger.

Now that you thought about it, when you were looking down at his shoes earlier, you had noticed that one of his legs had been replaced with a prosthetic one. 

All this had occurred without you. All of these injuries that had permanently changed his life had happened without you. You couldn’t be there to support him or help him. He had to navigate it on his own, and that felt just as painful as losing him.

You reached out and gently grabbed at the sides of his face with both of your hands, running your left thumb across some of his scars.

“Are you in pain?” you whispered to him.

He grabbed at your hand, giving your palm a gentle kiss and he shot you a small, reassuring smile.

“Not anymore.”

You smiled back, but you weren’t reassured.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there during the most important period of our lives,” you said as your pain became evident in your voice. “I just feel like I missed out on everything and that I wasn’t here to support you-”

Although you two were already close physically, he still pulled you in closer, planting a kiss onto your lips. The feeling of your lips on his sent a rush of euphoria through his body, a feeling he never thought he would feel again.

After a while, he pulled away, but only ever so slightly. He wasn’t ready to let you go yet. He wasn’t ready to no longer feel your skin on him, even if it was just for a few seconds. He wanted to relish in the fact that you were here.

“Well,” he said quietly as he whispered to you. “Now we have nothing but time.”

Suddenly, living in a post-war peaceful life didn’t seem so bad to him. He pulled you into another kiss, placing his hand at the nape of your neck to pull you in closer.

It had been a few months since the raid at Liberio. During that time, he had lost everyone that had ever mattered to him. He had been forced onto a journey alone, in which he had to explore and find his own place in a world that wasn’t filled with death and destruction. He had been forced to shed his title as Humanity’s Strongest Soldier with no direction as to how to move forward.

However, now that he had you in his embrace again and was able to feel you, hear you, and see you, that journey no longer seemed as agonizing or impossible, as long as he found himself by your side.

A/N: i think i made this angstier than originally intended oops. hope you enjoyed!

taglist: @chaotic-on-main, @romantichomicide95, @levis-squishy-cheeks, @lovolee3

Join my taglist!

[exo-levi]

I apologize for the delay, anon. I haven't gotten enough sleep for the past few days due to insomnia. I hope you're still here to read your request! Enjoy!

Blossoms

12. "You've seen too much pain." "That's the price of freedom."

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x Fem!Reader

Word count: 661 words

The dust of battle had settled, and in the wake of the chaos, the world began to rebuild. Among the ruins, amidst the solemnity of post-war life, love blossomed in unexpected places. Levi Ackerman, the stoic and battle-worn captain, found solace in the quiet moments shared with you, an unyielding survivor with a heart as fierce as his own.

In the dim twilight of the makeshift camp, where lanterns flickered and stars peeked through the tattered clouds, Levi and you found a sanctuary. The war had carved deep lines on his face, but his eyes, though weary, held a glimmer of hope. One evening, as you both sat by a crackling fire, he reached out, his fingers brushing against yours.

"You've seen too much pain," he murmured, his voice low and rough like sandpaper.

You met his gaze, your own eyes reflecting the understanding that words couldn't convey. "That's the price of freedom," you replied, your voice soft but resolute.

In the silence that followed, Levi's hand found its way to yours, his touch a comforting anchor in a world still teetering on the edge of chaos. There was a tenderness in his actions, a vulnerability he rarely showed to others. Together, you found strength in each other's presence, a sanctuary in a world still healing from its wounds.

As days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, your connection deepened. Levi, once guarded and distant, revealed layers of himself he had kept hidden from the world. You, too, shared your fears, dreams, and the scars that adorned your heart. In each other, you found acceptance, a rare gift in a world that often demanded sacrifice.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the camp, Levi turned to you, his expression soft yet determined. "I never thought I'd find peace after everything we've been through," he confessed, his fingers tracing circles on the back of your hand.

You smiled, a bittersweet mixture of sorrow and joy. "Sometimes, the most beautiful flowers bloom in the ashes," you said, your voice carrying the weight of shared experiences.

Levi nodded, his grip on your hand tightening ever so slightly. "And I've found my flower in you," he whispered, his eyes searching yours for any sign of doubt.

With a gentle touch, you cupped his cheek, your thumb caressing the rough stubble that adorned his jawline. "And I've found my anchor in you," you replied, your words a promise etched in the tapestry of your souls.

In that moment, beneath the canvas of the evening sky, you both leaned in, closing the distance between your lips. The kiss was tender yet passionate, a silent vow to cherish the love you had found amidst the wreckage of war. The world around you faded into insignificance, leaving only the two of you, intertwined in a moment that transcended time and space.

As you pulled away, a soft smile played on Levi's lips, his eyes reflecting the love he had discovered in your arms. "We'll face whatever comes our way, together," he said, his voice unwavering.

You nodded, your heart swelling with a newfound sense of hope. "Together," you echoed, knowing that as long as you had each other, you could weather any storm that lay ahead.

And so, in the aftermath of war, amidst the ruins of a world reborn, Levi Ackerman and you found love—a beacon of light in the darkness, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and a reminder that even in the face of despair, love could bloom, resilient and unyielding.

Tagging: @levisbrat25 @stardustdiaries @bbhhhvjdh

Prompts List. Masterlist.

Yours truly,

Rowan

[marleysfinest]

levi x y/n, fluff! no content warnings. as always, characters aged up to 21+

ever since introducing connie to the wonders of a facemask, you've inadvertently become the scouts' personal physical therapist. for a fee, of course, you've become accustomed to helping an aching solider relax their muscles, minds, and come out smelling great in the process. many scouts have never had the luxury of a pamper session, and it was only through sheer privilege that you had. despite coming from a wealthy family inside wall sina, you chose to join the scouts through an obligation to help humanity. it's tiresome and gruelling work, but that didn't mean you couldn't help out your comrades where you can.

jean is a fan of a head massage. reiner enjoys some gua sha. hange finds some relaxation with the help of a foot rub. even erwin hasn't been able to resist investigating the rumours, and lets you carry out some light eyebrow threading one night - while sworn to secrecy, of course. everybody has sought the help of your relaxing touch at some point so far. all except one.

levi scoffs at connie's repeated suggestions that he relaxes, even for twenty minutes, and has taken to physically rebuking hange's suggestion of a foot rub, grimacing at the thought. his argument is always that as long as he can sleep, he can relax, and that's enough for him. no amount of arguing over the physical benefits of acupuncture was going to change that.

one night following a particularly gruelling day of training, wherein you'd all been subjected to cross-country stamina tests, sparring, and riding, you cause grief among your comrades by declaring your services closed for the evening, feeling simply too weak and needing to rest yourself. the force needed to satisfy jean's desired pressure for his massage would be too much on its own; they'd all have to wait until tomorrow. you collapse into bed in your now private bedroom - your roommate had been granted furlough to attend a family funeral - and relished sleepily in the silence for a few seconds. that was, until a gentle knock at your door stirred you back to life with a sigh. what part of 'no' didn't they understand?

"I told you, you assholes!" you bark, marching for the door, "I'm not doing anything today..."

you swing the door open and feel the blood run from your face, as captain levi haunts your doorstep. you stumble backwards and hastily salute.

"captain!" you stutter, "I'm sorry, I thought you were..."

"at ease," he mutters. silence falls between you both, as you notice something different about the captain tonight. he's without his usual air of distain, seeming much more... well, embarassed. he glances down the hallway before addressing you again.

"I hear... I hear you're good at getting knots out of people's backs..."

the way he speaks is laden with hesitancy, as if he hated that he was even there at all. he probably did; in a roundabout way, he's asking for help, which you can't imagine he's accustomed to doing. you raise your eyebrows before you have a chance to think.

"uh... yeah, yeah that's right."

you step to the side to silently welcome the captain inside, and with another glance down the hall, he obliges. when you make sure the door is securely locked, you turn to see him stood awkwardly in the centre of the room. how bad must he have been feeling to push him to come here? he clears his throat, and does everything to avoid eye contact.

"how do you usually do this?" he asks, arms firmly folded across his chest. you feel your mouth go dry as you realise what you're about to ask of him.

"well, for the back, I usually need people to, uh... remove their...y'know..."

asking levi to remove his shirt wasn't something you thought you'd ever do, and so actually coming out with it proves difficult. with a gentle nod, however, he unbuttons his shirt and removes it, folding it neatly before placing it on your bed.

"do I need to lie down?" he asks. you nod, still in utter bewilderment over the situation you find yourself in. remembering that you had a job to do, you quickly snap yourself out of your daze and go about preparing yourself. you wash your hands in warm water and make sure they stay warm, and you fetch your best massage oil from your cupboard - jean certainly never got the best stuff, he didn't pay enough. it smells of lavender and camomile; the best mix for relaxation. you pull up your desk chair to the side of the bed and massage some of the oil into your palms, still not believing you're about to touch captain levi's skin.

"this might be a little cold," you warn. levi turns his head away from you to face the wall, half burying it in his arms as he does so.

"it's fine."

with a deep breath you begin, unable to stop yourself from shaking just a little bit. with the gentlest touch you can manage, you begin, starting at his shoulders. as you get a feel for his structure, you reluctantly notice the canvas in front of you is peppered with small scars and bruises, some old, some new. his skin is surprisingly soft, but heavily flawed, revealing more about himself than he perhaps wanted. you tear your eyes away and turn back to the job at hand; he ha some intense knots that needed to be worked. his shoulders are painfully tight, and you discover a particularly large knot between his shoulder blades that makes him wince as you apply pressure.

"sorry!" you bleat, "that one might be a little painful to get rid of."

"it's fine," he reassures, "do what you gotta do. that's the thing that forced me to come here."

taking this as permission to proceed, you lay your hands back on his skin and resume working, melting away the smaller knots and softening the tense muscles. he winces again as you increase the pressure between his shoulder blades, but don't stop this time. you eventually finding yourself needing to get to your feet to find the right angle to apply the right pressure, and just as you start to break into a sweat, the knot begins to dissolve, and you stand in shock as you see levi physically begin to relax, released from the grip of tension. you ease the pressure and take your seat again, now simply calming his muscles with a gentler touch across his back and shoulders.

levi hasn't felt physical relaxion like this in a very long time. not ever, probably. it had taken everything he had to even ask, but he finds himself grateful that he did. the years of running, fighting, killing, torturing, had finally started to take a toll on him physically, and that damned knot in his back was what had finally forced his hand. he wasn't able to even sit at his desk without being in excruciating pain, and it was only a matter of time before it would start affecting the way he fought. he lay face-down on the bed, eyelids feeling heavy as they fluttered closed, absolutely melting beneath your touch. the experience wasn't all that unfamiliar. the smell of lavender was bittersweet as it soaked into his skin; he vividly remembers his mother using bags of the dried flower to ward off damp and moths, and so she always smelled of fields lavender. confident that you can't see him in the dark, he smiles gently at the memory, and decides that he doesn't want it to be over yet.

"listen, if you don't mind," he utters, "jean... said you do head massages?"

[youre-ackermine]

[levitiquee]

It felt wrong to touch you, to be near you.

You were so soft, so gentle under his rough, calloused fingertips. He's always scared he might hurt you.

He touched your face sometimes.

Only for him to remember the scarred tissues on his own. The bumpy edges that came all the way from his forehead to chin . The damaged eye.

He can't give you what you give him.

He wants to embrace you, hold you, fucking devour you.

He hates himself for it.

But he could never help it.

Never was able to pull away when you touched him. How could he?

You had soothed the pain in him. The only one to ever bother.

You took your time to find his dark, dark heart and pushed every nightmare away.

Something so pure shouldn't be near something so disgusting, he thought sometimes as he lied beside you. He watched you as you sleep, curled up against him. You'd look so in peace.

He never understood why.

He wished you'd leave him.

He wished he could tie you down and make sure you never leave him.

It was a sin, he knew.

To look at you like that.

To have such thoughts.

But your lips were his salvation.

He fed on you for an escape.

You were going to drag him to hell, he knew.

But your eyes were heaven, he thought.

You laughed sometimes.

"We're the same, you and me."

No.

No, no, no.

He wanted to tell you.

No, we're nothing alike.

You're the angel and he was the devil who invaded you.

Don't look at me, he wanted to say to you sometimes.

Don't look at me like that.

Like I'm the most beautiful thing in the world.

He's scared to look at you sometimes.

Afraid that maybe finally you'll realize all that is damaged in him.

That he's the most ugliest thing in the world.

Maybe you'll stop touching him. Stop looking at him. Stop loving him.

The thought terrified him.

But you're his.

He knew he shouldn't feel like this.

He had no right. He never did.

But still.

Still.

You were his.

[leviismybby]

Am I the only one who gets, like, protective over postwar Levi? Yeah I get like that over any Levi anytime he gets hate but when I see someone shit on postwar Levi (It's always for stupid reasons) I get extra mad. I would go to war for that man lmao.

[mrsackermannx]

FABLE’S MASTERLIST

series started (06-08-21) wc: 113.5k chapters: 19/24

back to main masterlist AO3 VERSION

commission by @catyypss

"People worship old buildings, and people love to explore them. Nothing and no one stays the same. If you think I'd have the younger you. The less scarred you, the you that hadn't lived and loved as fiercely as you have now…”

Pairing: Levi Ackerman/Reader

Description: Chapter 139/ Season 4 Part 3 Spoilers. There's no other place you saw yourself after the Battle of Heaven and Earth, than his side.

Content Warnings/ Tags: Mental Health (Depression, PTSD),

Trauma, Major Character Death Mentions, Grief, Comfort, Minor Canon Divergences, Slice of Life, Fluff, Blissful Domesticity, Angst, Mutual Pining + Longing, Eventual Smut, Friends to Lovers, Sexual Tension, Post-war Levi, Soulmates, Established Relationship, Canon-Typical Violence, Idiots in Love, Drunken Shenanigans, Doting on Levi, Switch Levi, Switch Reader, Romantic Soulmates, Possessive Behaviour, Doting on Levi, Soft Dom Levi, Loss of Virginity.

Chapter 0: Prelude (06/08/21)

As the battle ends, you and Levi are now faced with the rest of your lives.

Chapter 1: The Letter (06/08/21)

Your peace with Levi is disrupted when an old wound is reopened, forcing you to think about not just the past but the future as well.

Chapter 2: To you (13/08/21)

You have a bittersweet epiphany.

Chapter 3: Care (13/08/21)

Levi helps you practise some self care, with a treat in mind to help uplift your mood.

Chapter 4: 'This is why you shouldn't have wine.' (20/08/2021)

Levi takes you to dinner, and after countless sips of wine, you both loosen up...

Chapter 5: 'Hard boiled?' (27/08/2021)

You're gifted something you cannot wait to share with Levi... maybe dreams can come true after all.

Chapter 6: Highs and lows. (03/09/2021)

You and Levi go out on an adventurous day trip before the weekend ends, and the real planning begins.

Chapter 7: The mysterious Ackerman man (11/09/2021)

A glimpse into Levi's 'inner world'?

Chapter 8: The power of jealousy. (21/09/2021)

How powerful is jealousy?

Chapter 9: Husband. (05/10/2021)

How long will you wait?

Chapter 10: Where are you? (17/10/2021)

Levi's all at once, left alone. But what about you? Where are you? Are you alone too?

Chapter 11: I'm military trained! (24/10/2021)

Levi is finally coming to terms with his feelings.

Chapter 12: White Paws. (1/11/2021)

The beauty of change.

Chapter 13: That was chaos. (14/11/2021)

The cadets navigate through some issues, while you and Levi move forwards, with no intentions of turning back.

Chapter 14: Almost. (26/11/2021)

You're both ready, almost ready?

Chapter 15: Massage man. (26/12/2021)

There's definitely something you and Levi are forgetting? But you're more in tune than you've ever been.

Chapter 16: Finally... (23/01/2022)

What is love? What is sex? What does it all mean?

Chapter 17: We're making love. (23/09/2022)

You and Levi spend the night physically affirming your love.

Chapter 18: Sweet, sweet ‘filthy’ love. (27/01/2023) NEW

Amongst struggling to keep your hands off one another, you and Levi organise a leaving party for the ex-cadets.

mrsackermanx2023© all writing works are my own, do not repost, steal or translate my work.

[starrylevi]

Thinking about civilian!reader falling in love with postwar!levi. He would tell you the events that occurred before you met him as you softly brush the scars on his face. If he didn’t have permanent reminders, it would be difficult for you to believe the person he was before and what he’s gone through. The man in front of you now is so soft and so gentle. He was slaying titans before and now you’re wheeling him out onto his porch, sharing a cup of tea with him and admiring the garden you helped him grow. You would accompany him to his weekly trips to his favorite tea shop and he’d educate you on all the blends. Every once in a while he’d pull you onto his lap and give you a soft kiss on your cheek, making you giggle. He’d do little things for you that make you happy. His past would be nothing but a ghost. And every time it would dare come back to haunt him, you would be his light and bring him back to the present with your comforting arms.

[happybird16]

Levi x reader, post-war hurt/comfort drabble

Red fills his vision, dark and angry clouds of burning crimson, while the smell of smoke scorches his nose, searing his lungs with acrid heat. The explosion's deafening roar reverberates through his frame, shaking his bones, and leaving his ears ringing with a high, metallic sound that drowns out everything else. Even beneath his eyelids, the burning red persists, a reminder of the fire, scorching heat, and pain.

Beneath the ringing in his ears, Levi hears someone yelling—a deep, rough baritone muffled as if it's underwater. Or maybe he's the one submerged.

Another voice breaks through, “Hey, Levi! Come on, come on, open your eyes!"

The yelling grows louder as the ringing fades. Something brushes his face, slowly trailing up from his chin to his cheek. His frantic mind can only think of shrapnel, bits of metal painfully digging into his skin.

Surging forward, his forehead collides with something, resulting in a painful yelp. Awareness filters in, sleep fading as his heart continues to thunder.

“Levi,” you hiss urgently, tugging at his shoulder. “It's just a dream. It's just a dream. Everything is okay.”

His limited vision drags across the room, reality setting in as his heart slows. A small bedroom with a too-large mattress, rumpled and twisted stark white sheets, and his wheelchair positioned too close to his side of the bed. You.

He's home, Levi realizes. The war is over, and he's home, in bed with you. Red still lingers behind his eyelids, even as reality sets in.

“Sorry,” his voice is rough, like he's swallowed sand. He must've been yelling in his sleep. Hovering half over him, you're rubbing your forehead and wincing. Emotion wells in his throat, a thick and heavy ball. “Sorry, I’m so sorry-”

“It was just a nightmare,” you reassure him, waving off his concern. “Was it the last fight again?”

Frowning, Levi shakes his head. “It was the explosion,” he croaks, his eyes stinging with tears welling along his lash line. “Fuck, I’m sorry-”

“There's nothing to be sorry about,” you assure him earnestly, scooting closer and placing a comforting palm over his chest. “Your heart is still a bit fast. It's been a while since you've had a night terror.”

“I hurt you- I- I-” he trails off, his voice shaky.

“You bumped me, if anything. You have a hard head, don't worry about it.” Tugging him forward, you pull his head to rest on your chest. Levi sighs, letting out one long shudder, while the remnants of red still linger behind his eyelids. “Do you think you'll be able to go back to sleep?”

“No,” his voice cracks. “I never can, you know that. The dream will just continue where it left off.”

Levi feels the warmth of your lips linger on his forehead, a soothing touch that eased some of the lingering tension from his nightmare. He can't help but marvel at your unwavering support. He doesn't deserve you. As he shifts on the bed, his good knee presses against the mattress while his injured one protests with a slight hiss. "You can go back to sleep. I'll find something to do. I think laundry needs to be done-”

“Your knee hurts,” you point out, your observant eyes filled with concern. Gently, you push him back, urging him to lie against his pillow. “Your wounds always ache after a nightmare, and you always try to hide it.”

Levi nods, appreciating your understanding more than words could express. He manages a small smile, grateful for your presence in his life. Outside the window on the far side of the room, pure pitch black darkness lingers in a heavy shroud. "It's the middle of the night," he points out. The remaining fingers of his hand curl hesitantly around your forearm, his grip firm but still a bit shaky. "You should get some more sleep, at least."

Running your fingers through his hair, you offer, “How about this: I'll make some tea for us. It'll help your throat too. You can tell me everything I did wrong, and then we’ll try to go back to sleep?”

His smile grows, the corners of his lips curving softly. Your kindness never fails to amaze him. His hand finds its way to your arm, a gentle, reassuring touch. “Okay,” he says, his voice filled with gratitude and love, realizing once again how lucky he was to have you by his side. “Love you..”