𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘉𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 ❣︎ Levi Ackerman

Change

This wasn't the life Evelyn had ever envisioned for herself, as a young girl every dream was ruined by reality. She would've never thought to bring a child into this world, one of war, one of hate, one that treated her bloodline as no more than dirt on the ground. The choice to stay sheltered, to be safe was more important than happiness. So that's what she did.

But life has always had a funny way of playing it's cards. She went to work, stayed to herself, was respectful to those that spit at her but even then; she was dealt a cruel hand that came in the form of a man. Over the past six years, Evelyn had to live not only for herself but for her son too. She filled all roles to ensure his life was worth living, even without his father.

Everything changed three years ago when the ground started shaking, children and adults screaming while they fled anywhere for safety. Evelyn tried to find peace in the inevitable end. For her, it would finally be a taste of peace but she couldn't say the same for Elliot. He hadn't had a chance to live yet, it wasn't fair that his life would end so early, so horrifically. She had to hold her weeping son in a hospital room, told him sweet lies over and over again while chaos boomed around them.

Then it stopped. Walls stopped crumbling, the floors no longer shook. The air was thick and aftermaths of destruction were everywhere, but nothing mattered more than the fact that she and Elliot were safe, real freedom for Eldians in Marley would follow without the threat of titans.

Lately Evelyn finds her mind wondering to places she hadn't cared to think about before. This particular thought being men. It all came down to Elliot, would he be suffering without a father figure in his life? There's been plenty of men that have asked for her hand, the last thing she wanted was to bring someone into his life that had no intentions of staying, like Archie. It left a bad taste on her tongue. They're either too insisting, too old or simply not of her personal liking. She can't help but laugh at herself, feeling like a naïve teenager with a crush from the image of Levi popping up. He's different. She hadn't expected to enjoy someone's company so quickly.

With Evelyn's job in the hospital, there had been talk that a man from Paradis was being treated there. Levi Ackerman. A Captain of sorts — she knew nothing more of him than the extents of his injuries.
And when the tea shop opened up Evelyn passed by everyday on the way to work, knowing who it belonged to. Again, more talk. Varying floral bushes perched in front of the large windows that make up almost the entirety of the front wall. Dim twinkling lights strung inside give it a cozy glow, the sweet scent of pastries and herbal aromas fill the air as people come and go. She longed to go inside, maybe it be fear or nerves that always stopped her.

She'll admit she was nervous to go inside when Elliot tugged on her and asked for a treat, to finally put a face to this man from the 'island of devils'. Looking at him up close, the depth of his slate gray eye, the raised pink scars on his otherwise perfectly smooth pale skin. He was beautiful. It was hard not to stare at him, to admire him, she only hoped he could see her admiration wasn't rude. She wasn't blind to the way he looked at her, his stare mesmerizing, a fuzzy feeling Evelyn had all but forgotten filling her insides with heat tinting her cheeks.

Levi's kindness, reserved and uniquely inviting. Evelyn watched him closely, the way he had the slightest limp in his walk, she could tell he was in pain but he held himself together. Interesting and rather adorable to see the concentration on his face even in the simple task of making tea, eyebrows pinched together and lips pressed into a firm line.

When he offered for her to come back to the shop, it felt more personal, different from how a shop owner would normally tell customers to visit again. She liked it that way. As far fetched as it is, Evelyn wanted to see him again, to get to know him and hear his stories, listen to anything he wanted to share.