Titans Rule, a Levi Ackerman x Fem OC story.

(49) The raid on Liberio I.

~Amelia~

The carriage came to a sudden stop. I jumped, releasing Levi's shirt. At the same time, Levi's hands left my back.

"We're here," Levi stated as he swivelled to check outside the window.

Then, he paused for a minute, and I could feel him inspecting my appearance. "Are you doing okay? Shall I go and ask if we can delay the train journey?"

"No, I'm fine. I just need a moment to compose myself," I replied, too stunned by Levi's tenderness to cry anymore. I realised that I must have looked like a mess.

"Here," Levi offered me his handkerchief. He then stood up and grabbed my rucksack. "I'll take your bag to the train and return to get you."

Sniffling, I rubbed the handkerchief across my face, allowing my half-dried tears to soak into the delicate silk. "Thank you," was all I could muster.

Once Levi left, I melted into the leather of the carriage's seat. Instantly, my mind was drawn back to the scene that had just unfolded. I couldn't recall the last time I had cried so much; perhaps it had been the last time Levi had comforted me. That time, I appreciated Levi's attempts to calm me down. I remembered how tiff and awkwardly he held me with the least contact possible. This time, it felt different.

A knock sounded at the door, snapping me out of my ludicrous thoughts. I turned to the source of the noise, only to see Levi waiting for me outside.

"Ready?"

Drying my face with Levi's handkerchief one last time, I pushed open the door and exited the carriage.

--------------

The sun had all but set by the time we reached the docks. The train ride had been pleasant enough. Levi and I had caught each other up on our almost year apart. My chest filled with a familiar and warm sensation as I laughed at another of Levi's tales of Hange's somewhat questionable choices as Commander.

Wiping a tear from the corner of my eye, I noticed the speed of the train slowing. "Are we almost there?"

Levi peered at his watch. "A few more minutes, and we should arrive," he confirmed.

Levi stood first, his arms reaching above me to take my bag from the luggage rack. As the train came to a halt, he started to lose his balance, and his arms fell onto the back of the seat behind me. Our faces were only a few inches away, his minty breath warming up the tip of my nose. The moment was brief as Levi immediately jumped off me, cleared his throat and left the train carriage.

My heart all but stopped. First, Levi and I hugged, and then we got far too close to kissing each other. Even thinking about the possibility of it happening felt like I was going crazy. Suddenly, I was transported four years ago when I first learned to use the 3DMG. Levi had won our bet and used it to force me to tell him about Furlan. After, there was a strange tension between us when Levi was tending to the scratches on my face. At that time, I believed I had imagined it. But I realised I hadn't when Levi's face came so close to me again, and I could perfectly recall the same sensation from back then.

Inhaling a deep breath, I attempted to calm my racing heartbeat. Frustratedly pulling at the skin on my face, I groaned as the feelings I had tried so hard over the past year to be rid of resurfaced like wildfire.

--------------

A short walk past the docks, and we arrived at the airbase. Inside were intimidatingly spacious airships, much like those from World War II back on Earth. Like the recent railway developments, news of the airship building had reached the front page of the daily paper. The picture they had included was undeniably impressive, but it couldn't compare to witnessing them in person. Despite being utterly terrified of what awaited in Marley, I was eager to fly on an airship for the first time.