You Have Me..(levi ackerman X !depressed reader)

4

Bundled in your towel, arm still wrapped in a washcloth, Levi laid you on your mattress. Without his presence, you felt even colder, but he could not blanket you just yet. Levi hurried to your dresser but dawdled upon arrival. This was the first time his adrenaline messed up, but maybe it had not. He spent time digging through your drawers, searching for the pajamas that you wore most often - the ones he always saw you smiling in. He now knew you were going to live another night. With that, he was going to turn this one around.

Your favorite pajamas in hand, he returned to the side of the bed to find you shaking invariably and he felt he could not dress you fast enough. Sturdy hand met the back of your head, lifting up from the pillow - just enough to fit your warm and fuzzy nightgown over you. After guiding your hand through the sleeve, he met your wound with the gauze and stuck it there with surgical tape. Humanity’s strongest had glued you so soundly, you may never undress this wound. As far as he cared, he would like to see the bandage stay forever.

Finally, after what felt like both five seconds and an eternity, you were safe. Used towels sprawled all over, broken shards of porcelain on the tile, water soaking the floor, the state of things was far from perfect. However, with each shiver that subsided, each rise and fall of your body, each breath you took, Levi mewled with gratitude.

There’s a lot to be thankful for.

// // //

When you woke up, you found his figure at the foot of your bed. He sat on the far corner: toes on the ground, hands in his lap, looking down at his folded fingers. At this point in time, you thought nothing of it. Little did you know, though, he had put much thought into how to have himself when you woke up. Right beside you was where he wanted to be, but he did not want to instill fear. Waiting in your office, though it was adjacent, he did not want you out of his sight. It was not for any selfish reason, in fact, totally selfless. If you needed anything, he wanted to be there.

Your vision was blurry. Tears?

Bathwater? No clue. “Levi?”

Levi sniffed as quietly as he could,

placing his hand behind him and turning over his shoulder, “You awake?”

You balled up your fists to rub your eyes, but were caught off guard by the harsh sting made from the movement. Through barred teeth, you drew a sharp inhale - an instinctive attempt to quell the pain.

His eyes were sturdy yet soft, “be careful. It -” Levi corrected himself, “you need a little rest.”

The pain you felt in your arm, it was all too real: telling you this was far from a dream and not just the afterlife. Your mind hurt in trying to piece things together, but Levi slowly and gently took your hands in his. Somehow, your racing thoughts slowed in his grip. It was a simple grounding technique he used with wounded soldiers on the battlefield. Some may say that you were warm and in bed and that therefore this was different, but he knew better.

Levi lifted his head and looked to you through his bangs.
A flicker in his eyes, the empath in you could never ignore it. His way of speaking was factual yet passionate.

“I’ll always be here for you.”

All this time, whether you were conscious of it or not, his attention towards you never once wavered. Now, in fact, it was solidifying. Likewise, he spoke with utter conviction. There was no question about his feelings – his feelings for you.

But he knew - and you knew deep down - that if not him, then countless others.

“And if you don’t want to talk to me, that’s fine.”

You had your friends and family, peers and professionals, among everyone else that would help you with all they could, as much as you needed, to the ends of the earth.

Levi tightened his hold on your hands, his thumb rubbed your knuckles as his fingers intertwined with yours.
He looked into your eyes and the emotion you saw in each other was undeniable.
His of concern like you had never seen before, but you knew its value. Yours of sadness like he had never seen before, but he knew to help. Steel grey gaze cooled you like metal.

“Please…”

His lips closed abruptly, swallowing down his weakness,

“…don’t ever forget:
 you always have me.”

Levi lifted his hand that held yours to his face and brushed your hand against his cheek. You picked up a hint of dampness just before he reminded:

“You are loved.”

Through all his actions - throughout all this time - had always showed it, it was the first time he spoke the words to you. Tonight, both you and him had gone through actions that felt automatic.

Together, though, you gave confessions that you were in complete and conscious control of.

Forehead, nose, lips pressed against his, directly, “You are loved, too, Levi.”

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ♡. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .