Bargain (Levi x Reader)

Epilogue: (F/n)

"Thank you! Come again!" you called cheerily as the last of the customers left the shop.

It had been a year since the battle with Eren – a year in which you and Levi had settled into your new life together. Now that the world was more or less at peace, you could have gone anywhere, but you chose to stay on Paradis. It was familiar for Levi, more comfortable, especially considering all of the strange and noisy technology that permeated modernized countries. After everything he had been through, he wanted to build your home in a quiet place, and you agreed.

The two of you picked a town and settled there. Your modest, cozy house sat on the outskirts – close enough to be convenient, but removed enough for you to have peace and privacy. Your tea shop, on the other hand, was near the center of town, and with Levi's spectacular brewing skills, it did quite a business.

You were exceptionally glad about that last part, since it had been a dream of Levi's for many years. He had told you that he had given up on it a long time ago, thinking that he would never have the chance as long as there were titans to fight. However, now that Paradis was miraculously free of their terror, it was the perfect time to rekindle that old flame.

Levi only allowed his happiness to show when the two of you were alone, and even then, it was quite subdued by normal standards. However, for Levi, a smile here or a chuckle there was huge. And it warmed your heart to know that he felt safe enough with you to express how he was feeling.

Even now, as you locked the shop's door and turned to face him, the softness of his eyes gave him away. He was satisfied with another day's work, and with the fact that he got to spend it with you. But it wasn't over yet.

"I cleaned the counter already," Levi informed you.

You smiled in gratitude as you walked across the store to him. "So, just the tables and the floors, then?" you murmured.

He nodded, then grabbed a broom and stepped out from behind the counter, pausing in front of you. "I'll get the tables, you get the floors?" he asked, handing you the broom.

You smirked as you wrapped your fingers around the handle. "I'll take that bargain."

The purr in your voice had Levi's eyes widening – just a little, just enough to betray his shyness. By now, he was well-acquainted by the events that followed that one little word, even though you were technically no longer bound by demonic rules. "Um...does that m-mean..." he stuttered.

Before he could finish the question, you leaned in, stopping suddenly just before your lips touched his. You heard his sharp intake of breath, saw the blush form on his cheeks. The look in his eyes was nothing short of pleading. You chuckled, amused at the nervousness that still appeared even after you had been married for a year, and at the neediness in his typically cold expression. Both were features of a side of Levi that only you ever got to see, and you loved it, so much.

"When we get home," you whispered in a sinful promise. Levi shivered at the warm caress of your breath on his skin, and your grin turned wicked. "We wouldn't want to make a mess in the shop, now would we?"

He swallowed, trying to regain some semblance of composure. "Guess not," he uttered, barely audible, barely able to make himself speak.

You hummed low in your throat and leaned back. Then you were casually walking away, going to sweep the floor as if nothing had happened. You took great pride in the fact that several seconds passed before Levi moved, finally calming himself enough to clean the tables.

While the two of you worked, you couldn't stop yourself from stealing a glance at him, and another, and another, until you lost track. Levi wasn't the only one who was excited for things to come – you were just better at playing it off. Besides, he looked incredibly attractive in his apron, with his sleeves rolled up to the elbows, his muscles rippling as he scrubbed the tabletops...

Honestly, it was a miracle that you got anything clean. And Levi was too distracted to check your work.

When you stepped outside into the empty, lamplit street, you couldn't take it anymore. No sooner had Levi finished locking up the shop than you shoved him against the door, kissing him passionately. Almost instantly, he surrendered to you – his pent-up need greater than any shock he might have felt at your sudden actions. He groaned into your mouth, your touch finally giving him some small relief from the torture of wanting you.

Your hands rubbed his chest, feeling his toned muscles, feeling his heart race beneath his skin. Damn, he was perfect. You didn't know if God still listened to your prayers, but regardless, you thanked Him every day for the stunning man in your arms.

You were both overwhelmed by each other, and yet, unable to get enough. If anyone else had walked by at that moment, in all likelihood, neither one of you would have noticed. Levi was too focused on you, and you on him. His hands were in your hair, then on your waist – delicate fingers leaving sparks everywhere they touched. Just that much made it impossible to care about anything else.

But on top of that, there was the kiss itself. Oh, you loved how he melted for you, how he responded so eagerly to your slow, thorough movements. You loved how his soft lips parted with the slightest brush of your tongue, allowing you inside, licking you lightly in welcome. You loved the taste of black tea, and the fresh scent that always clung to him. He was intoxicating.

Somehow, his right hand found your left, cradling it next to your hip as his fingers played with the ring he had given you. You smiled into the kiss, reminded even now of the care that Levi had taken in commissioning it. It was gorgeous – a moon and a star entwined in a delicate onyx band – perfectly matching the more masculine one that he had ordered for himself.

Those rings were the one token of human ceremony that you and Levi did not forgo. You chose not to host a wedding, or even to get a certificate from the local courthouse. You didn't have any family left to celebrate with, and Levi had never really cared for formalities, anyway. The two of you had made a promise to each other, and that was all you needed. Yet, having a visible symbol of your bargain had been so integral at the start of your relationship that it seemed only natural to wear the rings. But even with them, your fingertips and lips still sometimes found those special spots where the ghost of a tattoo lay.

On instinct, your right hand slid upward, fingers brushing lightly across the bare skin of his throat, where the mark of your bargain used to be. You could feel him smiling with you, and suddenly, the atmosphere between you two shifted. It was still passionate, but there was a tenderness to it – one that made your kisses sweeter, more precious.

When you finally parted, you got a perfect view of that rare, tiny grin on Levi's lips. The sight warmed your heart, and as your gaze drifted over his flushed cheeks to meet his half-lidded eyes, the soft adoration in them made your heart melt completely. You took your time admiring him while the two of you panted against each other's skin, coming back down to Earth. Levi seemed content to do the same.

Suddenly, you realized that you had just spent several minutes passionately making out with your husband in full view of the street. Despite the fact that no one was around at this late hour, your cheeks still heated from embarrassment. Although, you obviously weren't too embarrassed...

"Should we...um...take this home?" you asked with a giggle.

Levi's eyes widened, and you could tell that he had just realized the same thing you did only moments ago. Except, when it came to public displays of affection, he was definitely more embarrassed than you. The blush on his cheeks darkened as he stuttered, "Uh...y-yeah. Home."

You smiled softly, loving the sound of that word on his lips. Your expression seemed to ease his nervousness, and he relaxed a bit, his mouth curling upward to match yours. Truthfully, you both loved the idea of going home together, of having a home together. It represented something that neither one of you had been able to experience before you met – a place that was wholesome, and warm, and welcoming. A place where you were both safe and free to enjoy your new life, together. It was so simple, and yet, more than you could have ever dreamed of.

Not wanting to be apart for even a second, your fingers entwined with Levi's. You kept your eyes on his as you stepped back, and he stepped with you, leaving the shop behind. The two of you would return tomorrow, bright and early. But for now, you would take the opportunity to relax and unwind in each other's arms.

The stars smiled brightly from the night sky as you and Levi walked hand-in-hand down the street.