𝐚𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 | 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

So Be It - Comfort Levi x Reader

Levi x Reader / Comfort AU

We stood there silently for a few minutes, him looking out the window and me depicting the colours of the soft horizon. Titans were coming, and we could feel it. The familiar sound of rumbling and the whoosh of the air that followed said it all. Even prior to the destruction I could smell the death that would follow this moment. The crimson blood that would paint leafy greens red. Bodies that would be sprawled across the ground and flung like rag dolls.

I would not be one of those rag dolls today. I had to convince myself this; it was the only way to survive.

Levi looked at me from the corner of his eyes, and I could immediately feel what he was thinking. My comrades could be dead in the few minutes. With so much unknown on the strength of these incoming Titans, we could all be dead in a few minutes. Of course we had Eren, but he was our trump card, a last resort. With new Titan powers that he had, he was too much of a "suicidal maniac" as some called him, especially when it came to Mikasa and the 104th.  Before him, we were all on our own, and we couldn't rely on him today. 

"Shape up cadet," Levi told me last time we were in battle. I tried to forget about that time, but his words stuck with me. I had been standing next to the body of a friend, one from the 104th. "Life isn't fair."

He didn't even say sorry then, but we were both different people a year ago. Less scarred.

"Be safe out there," he whispered now, and I wasn't sure if he had wanted me to hear. Cruel eyes were still focused on the rising run.

Levi had lost a lot of people. Sometimes he would have a whole squadron that was killed in battle when he couldn't do anything about it. Everyone knew this, but it was an unspoken truth. We didn't talk about the fallen for fear that by doing so, we would soon join them in a painful death. And no one talked that way about Captain Levi.

"'Shape up', Captain." I mimicked him, but then I felt bad. When was the last time that the captain was nice to me? I think it was close to never, so I simply followed up with, "Will do."

"Respect, Y/N," he reminded me.

"Yes, Captain."

He turned around to face the Regiment, but no one was watching him. Mikasa was talking with Eren on a stump, Armin in tow. Sasha and Hange were preparing gear. Everyone else was busy with work, as they could hear the Titans coming too. They were refilling gasses and stocking up on blades, But Levi and I just stood there, five hundred feet away, staring at the sunrise. Until the moments passed by and a Titan or two came, we were alone over the cliff. Two unlikely people who met by a cruel, twisted fate.

"Where would we all be without the Titans?" I asked, somewhat joking. Dreaming of what could be.

"Alive," Levi answered. "We'd all be alive, cadet."

The rumbling was growing louder, my pulse quickening with every blow of the ground.

"Don't look so shaken up. It's just another few Titans we'll kill," Levi exasperated, but I couldn't get their faces out of my head. Of Marco's decimated body. Of my other friends who died during training or the hands of a titan. The unnamed on the streets. Civilians.

"Y/N!"

I didn't realise that Levi was calling my name until his arms were around my shoulders, and he began to pull me to the ground.

I didn't realise my eyes were filled with tears. I didn't realise how much I was hurting. His hands cupped my head and he pulled my head into his chest, completely surrounding me in darkness. He just sat me there and I could feel his heavy breathing.

It was comforting in the least. His chest was warm amid the small beads of sweat that were trickling down his neck. I could feel his hands wrap around my waist respectfully. The beating of his heart was calming, centering me and bringing me back from the horrific visions of a warred past. I didn't like the darkness, for the dreams were so easy to see there, but I could see nothing in the shadow of Levi. I came to the Corps wanting fame, glory, and everything. But years later, the nothing of darkness was what comforted me most.

Why was he doing this? Levi didn't hate me, but he certainly didn't like me. He was a cold, cold man. If his level of coldness could make up for his height, Levi'd be a damn Titan. But now he wasn't— he was a human, and he was really holding me.

"Better, cadet?" His voice croaked. Was that emotion?

"Why are you doing this?" I demanded.

Immediately he let go of me and stood up hastily, leaving me on the ground. His expression read something of concern "I..." he started. He shook his head. "I thought it would comfort you."

"It did," I said softly. The tears were drying just as fast as they had come now. "What I mean is, why are you doing this for me? Why do you care?"

Levi's answer was simple.

"I've decided that I'm not going to let you die, you stupid cadet. If that means holding you when you cry...damn. So be it."

- - - - -

Good morning/afternoon/evening! sorry this is a little short, it was just something i whipped up quickly last night after seeing a tiktok (it was one of those that was like, imagine your comfort character hugging you when the beat drops, and it was a slowed version of can you feel my heart). levi isn't my comfort character, but this was cute nonetheless :)

have a great day/night!

-sm