The Shift; Levi Ackerman X

VI

The moon rose and began to fall, the sun only an hour away from peeking over the horizon. Levi threw the blankets over his shoulder, Victor watching him walk as they headed back to the cabin. They stayed close, hands clasped together to not stray in the darkness, feet pacing the same.
Locking the door, Vic felt hands wrap around his waist, his partners face pressed against his nape. He smiled at the small kisses, turning to meet Levi's eyes. "You're beautiful even though you're covered in dirt." Levi spoke, a chuckle behind his words. He brought his hand down, taking Victor by it once again to lead him to the small door that opened to the bathroom.

"Oh, you want me to bathe before I lay in your bed, is that it?"

"Precisely..." Levi paused, not knowing if he should continue. "I can get ill easily. If things are unsanitary it can cause illness, especially if it's from someone else." He glanced up before sitting on a stool in the corner. Victor nodded, his hands pulling the tie out of his hair. He went to remove his shirt, a quick shock of anxiety running up his chest. He looked back to Levi.

"I-uhm." Victor squeezed his eyes shut. "Can I bathe alone? Please?" Levi's face dropped a bit, his eyes accepting as he stood to leave. The door closed behind him. Vic rushed to undress, tossing his clothes over the stool after nearly tearing his pants. He let the water run a little to o long, cold overpowering the little bit of heat in the tub. He sighed.

In the other room Levi waited patiently, quietly. He had grabbed coals from the fireplace, piling them into a bucket at the end of the bed to keep the room warm. He contemplated whether to to get undressed or wait.
Victor covered himself in his towel, running into his room to grab his only night shirt that was far too long to call a shirt. He rung his hair out, trying to dry it as much as he could. In frustration he threw the towel on the floor, inhaling deeply to calm himself. His heart raced, Vic exhaling the breath with half of his worries, stepping out of his room towards Levi's open door. "Hey..." Levi sat in his bed with the blankets pulled back, him in the process of removing his shirt.

"Vittoria." Levi looked over him as he came further into the room. Victor climbed onto the mattress, covering his legs with the quilts. Levi put his head down, fiddling with his hands as Vic relaxed. "It was pretty sudden wasn't it."

"What was?" The older pulled his feet up with the blanket, leaning against the wall behind them.

"I didn't expect to fall in love with you so fast. You were just another cadet. Just another comrade until you decided to worm into my life more than the sidelines you were in." He traced his hand over Victors forearm. "Erwin wanted you to move in with me so neither of us were alone."

Vic laughed. He leaned his head on Levi's shoulder. "I knew that a while ago. He told me. I never said anything 'cuz is didn't seem important." Levi shrugged.

"It's not."

When morning had passed and the pounding on the front door woke Victor, him rushing to open it not realizing Levi had already left. Mike stood in the doorway. "Fuck."
Victor dressed as fast as he could, him running to the garrison as fast as he could. Erwin was in his office, Levi exiting the room almost as soon as Victor arrived at the door. "Commander Erwin... I-"

"No need to apologize. Just sit down." Victor looked back to Levi before closing the door leaving him alone with his higher up. He sat. "You do know why you're here?" Victor nodded. "Levi lied about letting you have a day off. I hadn't seen him, or you, since dinner two nights ago. You both get a punishment, but im going to let you off easy since you didn't know. On the other hand you did know you had to work today but decided to sleep in."

"Yes. That was my fault, sir." He bowed his head shamefully.

"Now, Vittoria, if it weren't for how much Levi cares for you, you would be in his squad, but I've been thinking about giving you your own. Make you Captain." He smiled at Victor. "But first you have to scoop horse shit with Wilbur."

All but three horses were taken from the stables, Victor pushing a wheelbarrow full of horse manure not far behind Wilbur. They had this one last dumping before they were able to shower and go to the dining hall. Vic tipped the wheelbarrow, the contents spilling over the small cliff. "That's disgusting." He set it down stretching before they head back to the stables, Wilbur coming in with a bucket of water, throwing it over the shovels.

"Let's get clean, now, shall we?" Wilbur walked ahead to the showers where the others had already started theirs. They split ways, Vic heading to one of the open curtains. Ofelia was in the one beside him, humming a tune he hadn't heard before. He sighed, tossing his clothes onto the bench before dunking his head under the icy water. He scrubbed his skin leaving it bright red. His body ached, his mind focused on the remembrance of Levi's lips on his, snuggling under last nights blankets.
After the shower everyone gathered together to eat, Victor waiting at their usual table with Graham moping on the other side. They once were close, only with Monty and Leonna with them. He no longer spoke to him, darkened with depression.

Victor was startled by Levi sitting next to him. He didn't speak, eating without a nod to either. Vic sighed, a pain tugging at his side. Levi notice, him looking to his lover. "I'm fine, just my wraps. It happens sometimes." He pulled at the tight fabric unser his shirt, the cloth used to bind his chest causing him to be short of breath. His anxiety rose as the pain got worse, him ripping it loose to take it off.

"Are you alright?" Levi questioned him with worry in his voice. Vic nodded, pulling the rest of the wrap off. He slumped, tired from the days work.
Levi walked beside him on their way back to the cabin, quietly content with the breeze in their face. They stopped at the steps, sitting on them to enjoy the falling sun through the trees. Levi slipped his hand over Victors leg taking his hand and squeezing it. "I gotta thank Erwin for making me invite you to the cabin." He smiled wide, showing his teeth in the grin to the only person who's seen it in a while. Vic smiled back, leaning in to kiss him on the lips for the nth time.