No matter where you are- Levi x Reader

Chapter 25

A few days later

I was in the infirmary one morning, attending to a soldier who had injured herself while training.

"Okay, you're good to go.", I said as I finished wrapping a bandage around her leg.

"Thanks, Dr. Smith.", she said gratefully, and I returned her smile.

Despite what had happened in the courtroom a few days earlier, I had slowly started to get back to my normal life. I realized there wasn't anything I could do about the outcome. Even though I didn't get the justice I deserved, I was alive, and I was grateful for that.

Almost immediately after the soldier left, Anna came in with a bunch of envelopes in her hands.

"Ooh someone's popular!", I teased her.

"Not entirely. One is for you", she winked as she passed me the letter.

I was a bit surprised. The letter was marked confidential and had the Scout Regiment's seal on top.

As I started to read through the letter, my surprise turned into shock which turned into anger. Anna watched me in confusion as I crumpled the paper in my hand and stormed out of the room, making my way towards Erwin's office.

I practically banged at his door and shoved the letter in his face when he opened it.

He narrowed his eyebrows and started to read it.

"Did you know about this?", I asked without waiting for him to finish.

He put the letter down on the table and sighed. "Niles had mentioned his desire to recruit you the other day. They need someone competent on their medical research team and he thinks you'd do well there."

"Oh really? Or does he feel sympathy for his friend's sister after what happened?"

"I assure you it's not that. He has praised your skills and knowledge on multiple occasions, even before all this happened.", he said confidently.

"Didn't you tell him I wouldn't be interested?"

"I did. I guess it didn't change his mind."

I was annoyed. "Why didn't you tell him you didn't want to let me go? Or that I'd do better here?"

"Because Y/N, I don't think you would."

I shook my head in confusion. "What?"

"He's right. You'd do a lot better there. If you're here, you'll end up taking care of the injured for the rest of your life. I know research is what you're truly passionate about."

I couldn't believe it. Where is all this coming from all of a sudden? Then it hit me.

"Wait, this is because you think I'd be a lot safer there isn't it?"

Erwin didn't respond but he didn't deny either. I had my answer.

"I CANNOT BELIEVE IT! I'm not a kid Erwin!!", I yelled.

"Y/N..."

"NO! I'm not going. I don't care what you have to say. I won't go!"

There was a knock on the door. "Erwin.", I heard Levi's voice and felt a sense of relief.

"Wait till he hears this. He's going to kill Niles.", I warned Erwin as I opened the door.

"Nice timing.", I said to Levi and handed him the letter.

As he read the letter, his eyebrows narrowed but his expression didn't change.

"Erwin thinks I should go. He thinks I'll be safer there! Can you believe him?"

Levi looked up from the letter and met my gaze. With a stern look on his face, he said, "He's right."

I thought I heard wrong, so I blankly stared at him.

"You should take this. Survey Corps isn't safe for you anymore.", he added.

I couldn't believe what I had heard. "You're kidding."

"No."

I felt my heart sinking in my chest. I couldn't believe this was Levi. It didn't make sense.

I moved closer to him, close enough to feel his breath on my face. I wanted to touch him, but I was scared. "You don't mean it, Levi. Please. Why are you doing this?" I begged, and my voice began to break.

I felt like his eyes softened for a bit but then he turned his gaze towards the ground.

"Did Erwin make you say this?"

His eyes returned to me but any softness that I had seen or imagined was no longer there. "No. I mean it Y/N. You should go."

My legs started to feel heavy. I wanted to sit down. I wanted to scream but words didn't come out. The room fell silent.

Erwin cleared his throat. "I'll give you two some privacy.", he said and walked out.

I looked at Levi. "You really want me to go?"

He nodded his head. Tears I had been holding in started to fall. This can't be happening. I can't go. I don't have to go. But then it all came back to me. How Levi had been acting distant the past couple of days, how he always looked like he was in pain. He had been distressed about the whole Stefan episode more than me.

Still, it's my life. It's my decision.

I continued to sniff but mustered the courage to say, "I don't care. I'm not going."

"Tch. Stop being selfish Y/N!", Levi snapped.

I felt angry. How dare he accuse me of being selfish?

"Oh really? You're the one who's selfish Levi!"

"I'm trying to protect you and that's selfish?" He raised his voice.

"Protect me? You don't want to go through the pain of losing me so you're pushing me away. You don't care what I want and that's fucking selfish!", I yelled back and started to cry again.

I grabbed onto his collar and looked him straight in the eyes. "Didn't you say you needed me? Was that a lie? Was everything a lie?", I asked him, still weeping.

His eyes softened, and this time I didn't imagine it. He looked like the Levi I knew. He brought his hand gently to my face and wiped off my tears. It reminded me of the night we had kissed for the first time.

"I didn't lie, Y/N. I need you. I need you alive. But more than me, the world needs you."

The world needs you, sweetheart. I heard a familiar voice.

"Didn't you tell me your dream was to save as many lives as you can?", he asked.

I slowly nodded my head.

"How are you going to do that if you're dead, idiot?", he smiled.

I couldn't argue with that. That was my dream and I had to be alive for that.

You can't die yet. There is so much that you need to do. I heard Mama's voice again.

Levi brought his other hand to my face too. "Survive. You have to."

I nodded my head and whispered, "Okay."

He pressed his forehead against mine. I grabbed him into a hug, and held onto him tightly, afraid that he would disappear if I let him go. He gently wrapped his arms around me and shushed me while I cried inconsolably.