The Humanity's Strongest & The Graceful

The First Of Many

A Few Hours Later:

Thunderous rain echoes across the sky as Levi runs toward where his squad is, seeing five Titans coming from the fog in the field, to feeling the idents of his tight hold on the handgrips he could trace with a pen. Everything moved in slow motion, causing him to hear everything around him. From the sound of raindrops hitting his cloak, the crunching of bones being eaten by the Titans, to the shrill screams of Isabel calling out for him. Unexpectedly Levi's feet become frozen as he watches the Titans devour Isabel, Flagon, and finally, Furlan. Levi knows this isn't how it happened, yet he's watching the scene unfold ahead of him, "FURLAN! ISABEL!" He shouts with tears streaming down his face. Suddenly, the pieces of his friends' bodies fall in front of him with their lifeless eyes staring at him. The pounding of Levi's heartbeat replaces the booming of thunder. Suddenly the sounds fade, and everything disappears into the darkness.

"NO!" Levi screams as he jolts awake from his nightmare before gathering his surroundings, remembering he's in Tessa's room, asleep in her bed. Levi ran his hand through his damp raven hair, trying to steady his breathing because the nightmare felt too real, almost like he was back on the battlefield again, but he wasn't. He was here back at headquarters, staying in Tessa's room with her by his side. Levi sighs because his first night of sleeping shifts into a nightmare of watching his friends' deaths again. Having to experience it again, though it was different because he couldn't move his feet or hands, made him feel hopeless as he stood there frozen. Levi takes another deep breath before looking over his shoulder to see Tessa sleeping peacefully. Surprisingly, he didn't wake her from screaming, although Levi is thankful because Tessa must be exhausted, just like him. While keeping a gaze on Tessa, Levi takes in the beauty of her features, with how her ebony curls splayed around her, the rising of her chest as she breathes to her delicate fingers holding the wing around her neck while the other holds onto his hand. Levi softly smiled before leaning closer to gently brush a curl that fell, only to lightly graze her cheekbone when he pushed it behind her ear, admiring how the moonlight shined beautifully on her sleeping form, unaware of Tessa's sky-blue eyes to flutter open until she speaks, "Levi, what's wrong? You're crying." She whispers while sitting up to wipe away the tears from Levi's cheeks before realizing his entire body is sweating and breathing unevenly, causing Levi to look at his clothes clinging to him before shaking his head, "It's nothing, Tess," He replies, "You should go back to sleep." He reassures before turning away.

After Levi turns away from her, Tessa gets up from the bed to kneel in front of his slouched figure, only to see tears coming off his face, making her bite her lip because Levi is still processing his pain. From her experience with the pain of losing her mom, Tessa knows not to push Levi right now. The nightmares start first, and the suffocation of the pain follows after waking up. Living with it for the rest of your life is how you deal with the agony. Tessa wants to tell Levi it gets easier, but that would be a lie because it doesn't. She still has nights where everything collapses on her chest because it becomes too much. Tessa gently places both hands on his face, making him look at her, "Levi, talk to me, please." She whispers while running her thumbs across his cheeks, but Levi shakes his head, "Tess, just go back to bed," He begs before looking away, "I'm fi-fine." He lies, knowing he can't fool Tessa, but he tries his best while ignoring the cracking in his voice. The last thing Levi wants is for Tessa to see him weak because he's supposed to be the strength between the two, but his power is gone, causing him to bring his hands to his face as the wall of tears breaks through. However, Levi doesn't notice Tessa standing until she pulls him into her embrace, causing him to cry into her chest while she kisses his head and runs her fingers through his damp raven locks.

While holding onto Levi, Tessa bites her lip as she tries to figure out how to help him before hearing his cries into her chest, "It's all my fault, Tess," He says, "I wasn't strong enough to save them." He cries before tightening his grip around her waist as Tessa calms him down, "Shh, Levi, I'm right here," She whispers while running her fingers through his hair, "All I want for you is to let out the pain you've been holding in. Tonight will be the first of many nights where the darkness will suffocate your chest, and you'll need someone to pick you up from that misery. So, you don't need to do this alone, Levi." She whispered before kissing his head again, hoping to hide her worry. After looking into his beautiful gray eyes, Tessa noticed how exhausted he was like he hadn't slept in days since they didn't have their shine. It worried her because would he go back to sleep after the terrible nightmare that woke him up in the first place? Suddenly she has an idea, which gives her hope that it'll help.