Humanity's Strongest(Rivamika)

Stay With Me

A/N: quick warning, I'm bringing on the feels (and the oocness...oh well, sorry not sorry)

Levi saw it. He saw the spark in her eyes when Eren said he and Armin would stay with her. A heavy sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. Would he ever see her again? Mei had said she would allow them to return, but that didn't mean they were going to. None of them had any family left inside the walls, all they had was each other.
Mei was watching him with a piercing gaze. It made him uncomfortable, like she was reading his mind. Mei had already instructed Kiko to show Eren and Armin where they would be living and introduce them to some other kids their age. Eren and Armin departed, chattering excitedly, Eren about titan slaying and Armin about exploring outside.
Mei asked if Erwin and Hange wanted to see their research facility. They too left. Levi knew what she was doing. She was giving him one last chance to tell Mikasa how he felt. Mikasa looked at him silently. Her eyes revealed nothing of her inner feelings.
Levi took a deep breath, "Mikasa, will you ever come back to visit?" She slowly shook her head, "Why would I? My family is here, here they are safe." Levi felt his heart give a wrench, "What about Connie, Sasha, Jean, and Historia?" What about me, he silently asked.
Mikasa sighed, "I will miss them. Despite what you think, I do care about them, but I made my decision long ago. I have no room in my heart to spare for people who are not Armin or Eren."
Levi felt lightheaded and dizzy. His face didn't show it, but inside his heart was crystallizing as it froze over. God, it hurt. This was it, she was going to walk out of his life forever. "What about me?" he blurted out. Mikasa's eyes widened, "What?"
Levi shut his eyes for a moment. He steeled himself for rejection of this stupid and reckless love he had fallen into, "What about me? I..... I do not want to live a life without you in it. You are the only one I have ever seen who can match me. The only one who could possibly understand who I am, what I feel. I don't want you to stay here."
Mikasa sat before him, speechless. She felt the overwhelming urge to push her fingers through his silky, jet black hair. But she couldn't. She could not let her heart dictate her actions. Had she not promised Carla Jaeger to give her all when it came to Eren's safety? She had foolishly allowed herself to hope for someone who could help in her goal of protection Eren. Levi did, but only because he saw Eren as a way to win the war against the titans.
Mikasa felt a strange numbness spreading through her, starting from her chest. She had known, she had known that slowly but surely she had developed feelings for thus irate man who baffled and infuriated her in equal measure. "I cannot stay. Eren's safety is more important than anything else. I will not let this opportunity pass by, he will be safe here, and he can still fight titans. Mei has promised me I will be able to stay with him every time he ventures outside the walls," Mikasa said. She also told me to let him go, but how can I? Eren saved me, taught me how to live Mikasa silently told herself.
Levi felt a crack as Mikasa ripped off a piece of his heart. Life wasn't fair, he knew this. He knew happy endings didn't happen in this shitty world, yet he had dared hope for one. He wanted a peaceful life with Mikasa at his side. He wanted to open a tea shop and wake up every morning to see her beautiful sleeping face beside him. He felt the currents of this impossible dream slip through his fingers as she told him that she would not come back. With a heavy heart, Levi stood up and walked away. He did not falter, he did not look back. He simply wandered this glorious city, blind to its beauty as his soul was consumed by dark eyes, ebony hair and smooth skin. He was drowning and he would never breathe again.

A/N: ooc I know, but I don't know how else to get this going. However to save my butt somewhat, Isayama said that Levi had never been in a relationship before and that he was clumsy in love, so.....chew on that for a bit. Isayama also said that Levi wanted to open his own tea shop, so there you go.