𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘉𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 ❣︎ Levi Ackerman

Bond

Waking up, everything feels normal for a moment. Levi's arm still draped across Evelyn's side and his hand resting atop hers on Elliot's chest. Then it all hits. The headache, the throb in his right hand, and a weight that feels like it's crushing his chest. He could have lost them.

Levi sits up slowly, careful not to wake the two warm sleeping bodies, cuddled together; his family. He keeps replaying last night, like so many others, Levi hardly remembers the perfect day that came before and can now only think about the terrified look in Evelyns' eyes. The fear of losing the ones he loves seemed long gone but it's clear to him that he'll always have to protect them, he's nothing if he can't keep them safe.

He has to do something. Anything to take their minds off of it all — Evelyn's birthday. He can take Elliot out to buy presents, but he doesn't want to leave her here alone. Maybe she can stay with Lilly or stay at the shop? All he knows right now is he really, really wants to shower.

"Levi?" Evelyn murmurs sleepily, peeking over at him. "What are you doing?" He blinks, realizing he's been sitting there staring at her.

"Just woke up." He shrugs. "I — actually was thinking of taking a shower."

Evelyn smiles lazily and lays her head back against the pillow. "Okay."

"I'll be quick." Levi strokes her forearm before getting out of bed. His knee fucking hurts, his limp is a bit more prominent as he hobbles toward the bathroom.

The hot water eases the ache in his head and leg, though it burns the shit out of his scuffed knuckles, so much that he spends most of the shower with his right hand out of the stream. Levi's thoughts still feel a bit foggy getting out of the shower and putting his clothes back on, the same clothes he wore last night, all wrinkled and slightly stained despite his desperate scrubbing to clean the shirt.

Levi steps out of the bathroom slowly and his eyes immediately lock onto Elliot's, still laying curled up against Evelyn, who appears sound asleep. He knows he's never been good at comforting anyone, never seems to be able to say the right things, especially with his severe lack of experience when it comes to kids, but he'll try. He pushes back his nerves and walks toward the bed, sitting on the edge next to Elliot.

"How're you feeling?" Levi asks quietly and Elliot sits up next to him.

"I'm okay." He shrugs.

"How about you and I do something together today? If you're up for it."

Elliot's sullen demeanor changes immediately, his eyes lighting up. "What can we do?"

"Well, your moms birthday is next weekend and I could really use your help picking out a present for her."

"You need my help?"

"Yeah," Levi grins. "I think together we could find the perfect gift for her. What do you say? Will you help me?"

Elliot nods vigorously.

"This is our secret, okay?"

"Secret?"

"Yeah, you know, something just between the two of us that no one else knows. We want this to be a surprise for your mom."

"Okay!" Elliot scrambles out of bed. "I'll get ready!" He says and runs out of the bedroom, his bare feet padding down the stares.

Levi lays back and lets out a deep sigh, he already feels weight lifted off his chest seeing that Elliot isn't completely traumatized by what happened.

"What's Elliot doing?" Evelyn murmurs, snuggling up against Levi's side and her arm drapes across his chest.

"Getting dressed, I assume." He hums as her hand rubs his chest.