Until the End || Levi x Reader Insert Fanfiction

Ch 30- Tea or Wine

Warnings: Descriptions of Blood, Injury, Death, Canonical Violence 

When you arrived back to Paradis, the crowds welcomed you in shouts of praise and cheer, news spreading of our seemingly victorious raid on Marley. Your squad along with Hange had stayed in town, and Eren was sent straight to a cell. However, you, Levi and a group of Scouts left the same afternoon you came home. You had all ridden on horseback to the Forest of Giant Trees, taking Zeke Jaeger with you. Levi had joked that we had a world-class hotel waiting for the Beast Titan. You sigh grimly at the thought now as you look up to the massive trees above you, it had been years since you returned, and the memories of the last time you were here were anything but fond. You watch as Levi dismounts his horse and the other Scouts get ready for camp.

They unload their belongings and you tie your horse beside Levi's joining him as he goes to Zeke who sits on a crate, supervised by two Scouts. He looks up as the two of you approach, an unreadable expression on his face. "I just need to stay here, don't I?" He asks as you frown at him alongside Levi. The man next to you speaks, a dark expression on his face, "Try anything funny, you're dead hairball." Zeke freezes at the intent and lets out a deep sigh. "So, you're going to watch him kill me then [y/n]?" He asks as his eyes turn to your unflinching face. "I told you," you say as you reply emotionlessly. "If it comes down to it, I will watch as you die." Zeke has a grim but unsurprised expression on his face. "Then I stand by my words from that day." He says lowly, and you remember, he had told you he would try to kill Levi in return. "And I stand by mine," you say, before turning and walking away, he would die before he even touches Levi.

The sun is already low on the horizon as the Scouts around you scurry to put up their tents, one coming and telling you that yours and Levi's were complete as you nod thankfully. You help them gather wood and start a fire for the cold night, as those around you blush and stutter in their own thanks, before being cut off by Levi's glare. You help the Scouts with their work, all the while as thoughts are running through your head. Even upon your return, there had been conflict on whether to trust Eren or not. You know some are strongly devoted to Eren's ideals whatever they may be, and you feared an imminent internal conflict. Historia was also now pregnant, and you knew this caused outrage among higher-ranking officers, thinking she was postponing turning into a Titan and consuming the Beast Titan. There was so much uncertainty, and those you used to trust, you no longer could. On top of all that, Sasha had been killed in the most maddening way imaginable; not by a Titan, or by battle against some expert soldier... but in an instant... by a kid.

You don't realise you have been staring into the fire, gripping your hands tightly causing some blood to almost spill under the weight of your nails until you feel a warm hand encase your own. Levi gently pries your hands away from the other and you feel him sitting next to you in front of the fire, looking at you in concern. "Oi, don't do that with your hands," he frowns as he takes one in his own. Your thoughts are instantly quietened by the man that you love and you lean against his shoulder tiredly. There is a silence as the moon starts to rise in the darkening sky. You look to see Zeke reading a book and there is a sudden absence of Scouts around you. "Where is everyone?" You ask softly looking up to Levi who nods his head to a little distance away. You look to see that the Scouts had bundled around some crates in the distance, faces flushed as they held up cups, strangely in a happy mood. "Is that...?" You start to question watching as they pour a red liquid from bottles, fighting each other over it.

"Wine," Levi replies sighing. "They nicked some that was imported from Marley, convinced me to let them have it... I'm not so sure that's a good idea now though," he says darkly. You find yourself silently agreeing as you watch the drunken faces of the Scouts a small distance away. You play with Levi's hand in your grasp as he turns to you, a fond expression now on his face as you find each other quite alone except for Zeke who still keeps reading whatever book it is that's in his hand. You smile at his soft gaze and he brings forward a Flask to you. You raise your eyebrow as Levi replies seeing your questioning gaze. "Don't get too excited, you can't have wine, you're a lightweight," he says smirking slightly at your pout. "But we can have tea." He hands a cup to you as he pours you some before pouring himself some as well. You smile at the gesture and lean against him once more, the two of you in front of the fire, sipping your drinks in the warm presence of the other, serene silence around you.