Your Wings - Reader X Levi Ackerman

Chapter 6: I Remember You

You jolt awake in the middle of the night, your chest heaving as you struggle to catch your breath. Your heart pounds against your ribs, the remnants of the nightmare still clinging to your mind like a vice.

"These damn nightmares..." you mutter under your breath, dragging a shaky hand down your face to wipe away the cold sweat that clings to your skin.

It’s the same dream, haunting you like a curse you can't shake: chained to a wall, powerless to move, forced to watch as your loved ones are slaughtered right in front of you—your screams caught in your throat, your body betraying you.

Usually, it’s your parents.
But tonight... it was Levi, Isabel, and Furlan.

You sit there for a long moment, staring blankly at the cracked ceiling above you, willing the images to fade from your mind.

It’s been years since they were taken from you—a little over ten—but not a single day has passed where you haven’t thought about them. Wondered about them.

Are they alive? Are they dead?

You don’t know. And the not knowing is sometimes worse than the truth. Still, you cling stubbornly to the hope that somehow, somewhere up on the surface, they survived. That they’re living a life better than the one you were left behind to endure.

When they disappeared, the world didn’t stop. It forced you to keep moving. You took up the reins of their gang, stepping into the role they left behind. You had no choice but to lead. And lead you did—successfully. Under your command, the gang has thrived. You’ve kept the members together through every scrape and scheme, earning a strong reputation across the underground. Clients trust you. Fear you. Respect you.

But even that success feels hollow sometimes, when the ghosts of the past refuse to leave you alone.

Eventually you fall back asleep again. When morning came, you force yourself out of bed, steeling your mind for the day ahead. Today’s job isn’t just any job—it’s from a new client, one you’ve never worked with before, but they’re offering more pay than usual. Enough that it made even your most skeptical members perk up.

You strap on your gear with practiced ease until everything sits just right. As you throw on your jacket, you glance at yourself in the mirror—a stranger staring back at you, eyes tired but burning with determination.

By the time you step outside, the rest of the gang is already gathered in the alley, waiting. Conversations hush the moment you appear. Their faces turn toward you, expectant. Trusting.

They’re waiting for your signal.
They’re waiting for their leader.

You straighten your shoulders and move to the front, the heavy burden of command sitting squarely on your back as you lead them out into the shadows of the underground once again..

"Hey, Miss (Y/N), we're ready to beat up some pathetic losers!" one of the gang members calls out with a laugh. "Just say the word!"

You smirk, adjusting the straps of your gear as you shake your head. "You're not beating anyone up. The job’s simple," you say, voice steady. "I’ll cause a distraction—knock over some crates, maybe rough up a few guards if I have to. While they're scrambling, you all rush in and grab as much as you can. Got it?"

A chorus of groans follows.

"Aw, come on! You always get the fun part," one of them pouts, crossing his arms in protest.

"You’re the ones who made me the leader," you shrug, a playful glint in your eye. "My rules. Besides, if anyone’s in real danger out there, it’s me."