Retrieving Footsteps [Levi x Reader]

The Weight of the Truth

A/N:  Hello, my beautiful darlings! I know most of you don't like author notes, but please read this before diving into the story, especially those who are new to an "x reader" format. Just a little disclaimer: since it has been a while since I watched AOT, some characters may be a bit OOC (I'll try my best not to let that happen, but just a heads up). This story takes place in modern times, and I want to apologize for any grammar issues or misspellings. In addition this story is going to be a slow build up.

For any new darlings who aren't aware of what an "x reader" is, let me explain: an "x reader" is when a reader's name is included in the story, whether it's your own name or a made-up one. You will see "(y/n)" throughout this story. This gives all my darlings a chance to feel even more connected to the narrative. Here are some keys you may need to know:

(y/n): your name
(e/c): eye color
(h/c): hair color
(h/l): hair length
Now, let the story begin.

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I can't seem to stop the tears from flowing, and I can't shake the aching pain in my chest. No matter how much I wipe my tears away or how loud I scream, the pain won't go away. I don't understand what I did wrong or where it all went astray. I tried to be a perfect wife, a perfect partner, a perfect friend. So where did the betrayal come from? What did I do wrong? I don't know what to do; I just hope this is a terrible nightmare and that it was all just a dream.

How can they do this to me when all I showed them was kindness, warmth, and love—everything I could offer? Yet they decided to throw it all away instead of telling me the truth from the start. They chose to hide it, hoping they wouldn't get caught. I don't know where I'm going, but I just want to be away from it all, if only for a moment, to forget everything.

I wiped my tears away and looked around to see where my legs had taken me. In front of me was the entrance to the popular park here in Trost City: "Titan Forest." I whispered softly, "Why did I come here of all places in Trost?" I scanned my surroundings and noticed there weren't many people in the park—a few kids running around, playing fetch with a dog, an elderly couple strolling along the sidewalk, and a handful of people at picnic tables enjoying drinks. I laughed bitterly, seeing all these people so happy and full of life while I felt like a broken mess.

I didn't know what else to do at this point; everything had happened so fast, so suddenly, so unexpectedly. I didn't know how to react; my heart felt one way, but my mind thought another. "I need to find a place to sit and just take a breather." I took a deep breath and walked into Titan Forest Park. Following the trail, I witnessed how beautiful this place truly is—a stunning view of the lake surrounded by towering trees, flowers of every color, and people running around, laughing and screaming. This brought a small smile to my face, momentarily making me forget what had just happened.

Up ahead, I spotted an empty bench next to a trash can. Although I preferred not to sit by the trash, it was better than walking further and getting more tired—especially since I had run for who knows how long.

I took a seat and let out a big sigh, leaning back on the bench and looking up at the sky, admiring the pink, purple, and blue hues. I closed my eyes and let out a few sniffles that quickly turned into a full-blown crying session. I tried hard to stifle my sobs, covering my eyes with my sleeve to hide my tears. I rubbed my eyes and sniffled a few times before opening them and gazing at the sky again. "Why did he cheat on me? What did I do wrong? Just why?" I closed my eyes once more, letting out a few more tears before recalling what had happened just hours ago.