The Vacation Episode (Levi x Reader)

The Vacation Episode - Part 2

After shutting the door and locking it, you couldn't resist the urge to flop down on your bed. Even though you had slept in it for the past four nights, you were unable to get over how comfortable it was. Once you had appropriately reveled in its softness, you sat up and patted the spot next to you.

Levi sat down carefully, as if the bed might bite. Honestly, it was adorable how nervous he seemed. Well...nervous by Levi standards, anyway.

"So...what do we do now?" he muttered awkwardly.

You shrugged. "We could talk some more. Or play tic-tac-toe."

"Tch," he scoffed. "Talking's fine."

You chuckled. "So..." you started, fishing for something to talk about. "Will you tell me more about your life before the Scouts? We've been friends for years, but I feel like I hardly know anything about where you came from."

Levi glanced up at you, a puzzled look in his eyes. "You really want to know?" he asked slowly.

His response left you concerned that you had overstepped. "You don't have to if you don't want to," you assured him hastily. "It's just...I really want to get to know you, so if there's anything you'd like to share..." You let the question hang there, waiting to see where he would take it.

The skepticism disappeared from his expression, and he sighed, his gaze falling to the ground thoughtfully. "No, it's fine. I just...most people don't ask. The only one who's ever really cared is Erwin, but I think he doesn't bring it up a ton because he doesn't want to offend me. So I'm not...I'm not used to talking about it."

"That's okay. You can take your time," you assured him. "And like I said – it's only what you feel comfortable sharing."

He gave you a tight nod, showing that he understood. "What do you want to know?"

"Well..." you mused, wondering where to begin, since you weren't too familiar with the Underground even in general terms. "Did you have family down there?"

Levi stiffened.

Seeing his reaction, you quickly backtracked. "I'm sorry," you said hastily, holding up your hands. "I didn't mean –"

"It's fine," Levi interrupted. He sighed again, then dragged his eyes to you. "I did have family down there. You know about Kenny, from the coup. He raised me from the time I was about four until I was a teenager. He was also my uncle, but he kept that a secret until his dying breath. Before that, I lived with my mother. She was..."

His expression tightened, but it didn't seem to be out of pain. It was...worry. Was he scared of what you would think of him? "She...worked in a brothel...until she died, and Kenny took me in," he continued, forcing the words out. "My father was one of her clients. I never knew him."

"What was she like?" you asked softly.

Levi's eyes widened. Perhaps he had been expecting you to be disgusted by his mother's profession, or to think less of him for being the illegitimate son of a whore. But he definitely hadn't been expecting this – for you to look past the brothel and care about who his mother was as a person.

A few seconds passed before he got over his surprise. When he did, his expression softened, his gaze drifting off to stare at the wall, though his mind was somewhere else. There was a...fondness...in it. "Her name was Kuchel. I don't remember much, but I know that she had black hair, like mine. And she was always so kind to me. She gave me everything she could, and happily. Even..." He paused, seeming unable to find the right words.

Then his gaze dropped to the floor. "She could have gotten rid of me while she was pregnant, or after. Her life would have been so much easier if she didn't have another mouth to feed. And maybe...maybe she wouldn't have gotten sick..." His voice grew tight, and he had to stop.