Attack on Titan x Reader [Oneshots]

A New Light [AU] [Levi x Reader]

He could still picture her dazzling smile when he closed his eyes. The sound of her laughter, the way her brilliant amber hair shined beneath the sunlight; everything reminded him of how much he loved that girl.

But when he woke up, he would have to keep telling himself that it was just a dream.

She was gone, and nothing could ever bring her back.

Nothing seemed to matter now that she wasn't around. His life, once brightened up by her sunny presence was now crumbled and he no longer found joy in the things he once loved doing, choosing to retreat into his room to drown out his sorrows instead.

Everything around him seemed meaningless.

~~

"Levi, you can't carry on like this."

The raven-haired man regarded Erwin with a blank stare before silently continuing with his meal.

Across the table, Erwin and Hanji exchanged glances, and after a moment of deliberation, Hanji spoke up softly, her voice just barely audible over the sounds in the diner, "You know that this isn't how Petra would want you to live your life... She would want you to be happy..."

His fork clattered down onto his plate as Levi looked up at his friends, his grey eyes bearing a mixture of anger and pain. "I don't need this from both of you. You don't know what I'm going through, and I sure as hell don't need your pity."

Pushing his chair back, he stood up, ignoring Hanji's protests. "If you'll excuse me, I just remembered that I have somewhere else to be."

~~

The air outside the diner was a welcome change from the tension that hung above them during the whole course of lunch. Relieved that his friends didn't chase after him, Levi started walking back to his apartment.

He was about a block away from the comforts of his home when he noticed a bakery at the corner of the street. Has that always been there? Through the large window, the cozy interior and the few number of customers beckoned him in. Figuring that it wouldn't hurt to grab a cup of tea, he pushed open the door, the pleasant scent of caffeine and pastries wafting around him.

A lone barista stood behind the counter, a bright smile on her face as she greeted him when he approached. "Good afternoon, Sir! What can I get you today?"

"One black tea to go."

"Would you like some cake or muffins to go with that?"

"No."

Sliding some notes over the counter, Levi waited for his drink, drumming his fingers on the tabletop as he did so.

"Your tea is ready, sir!"

"Thanks," he mumbled, turning to leave the bakery. Just as he was about to take a sip from the takeaway cup, he noticed some words written on the side.

Have a nice day! (:

Looking back towards the [h/c] haired barista, she simply gave him a smile and waved. "Come back again soon!"

~~

Surprisingly, Levi actually liked the tea.

Hence for the following weeks, he often frequented the bakery, choosing to sit by the far corner of the shop, away from the counter and the crowd. And each time he stopped by, the same barista would always be working there, greeting customers with a bright smile.

Sipping on his usual black tea, Levi was reading a novel when he noticed a plate being placed on the table.

"I didn't... order this," he said, pausing when the barista sat opposite him, unfazed with his questioning look.

"It's on the house!" She replied happily, sliding the cake closer to him. "I'm [Name], what's your name?"

"Levi." Glancing at her, he asked, "are you always this nice to your customers?"

"I try my best to be."

"Why?"

That unexpected question made her turn towards Levi, staring straight into his eyes. After pondering for a moment, she answered his question with a small smile.

"This is a place for customers to unwind and relax. The least I can do is to serve them with a smile, and hope that it can at least brighten up their day, even if it's just a little."

"You-"

Levi was just about to say something when the bell chimed and a new customer stepped in. [Name] immediately stood up, shooting him an apologetic look. "Sorry, I gotta get back to work. Enjoy your cake okay?"

Watching as she hurried back to the counter, he dropped his gaze to the dessert in front of him and his lips curved up just the slightest.

"You're so similar to her..."

~~

As winter rolled by, Levi found himself in the café more often, rather than staying at home all the time. Aside from the unique taste of the tea the store provided, he very much enjoyed the company of a certain barista.

"Morning Levi!" A chirpy voice greeted when he stepped into the store. "I'll bring your usual right away!"

Sitting down in at his corner, he removed his coat, watching [Name] as she busied herself with preparing some drinks. He could faintly hear the song she was humming, and when she walked over and sat down opposite him with a cup of black tea and a slice of cake, he asked, "what makes you think I won't change my order?"

"Oh please, Levi. For the past few months, the only thing you've ever ordered is black tea and I doubt that'll change anytime soon."

He folded his arms over his chest, an expression akin to haughtiness crossing his face. "Is that so?"

The innocent manner in which she nodded her head made him sigh out, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

"You seem happy today," [Name] noted as he picked up the mug. When he didn't answer, she continued, "It's nice to see a smile on your face, Levi."

"It's been a while since I've felt so... light," he admitted.

Observing his visage, the [e/c] eyed girl mused, "Then let's hold on to that feeling together, shall we?"

Upon seeing the sincerity in her smile, he finally realized that [Name] was the one who was slowly mending him. Her kindness; the selfless way she committed herself to her work and customers; he could only see a light of pureness radiating off of her.

Bit by bit, she was lighting up the dark chasm in his heart.

"Yeah... Let's do just that..."