Your Wings - Reader X Levi Ackerman

Chapter 23: Confessions

The journey to the cabin was a quiet one at first, everyone settling into the reality that they were now part of the new Levi Squad. Even Eren, with his usual fiery resolve, seemed a bit subdued as he adjusted to the weight of what this meant. Being chosen was an honor, but the responsibility was heavy, which has him concerned for his friends. You felt it too-especially with Levi appointing you as co-captain in his absence. As much as you were used to leading missions, having Levi's trust this openly felt... significant.

When you finally arrived at the cabin, you pushed the wooden creaky door open, and a cloud of dust filled the air. You choke a little, waving the dust away, and behind you, Sasha gasped, backing up slightly. "I hate spiders," she muttered, eyeing the webs draping every corner of the room. "I swear, they're even creepier than Titans."

Connie let out a chuckle, elbowing her. "Are you kidding? To them, you probably look like a Titan."

"Oh yeah?" She shot back, mock glaring. "I'd make a pretty Titan, at least."

Jean shook his head. "I don't think the spiders care much about that. Also... how are you more scared of spiders than titans?!"

As the three of them bantered, you moved around, inspecting the cabin. It was somewhat small, probably built decades ago, with creaking floorboards and multiple narrow rooms, but it was enough to hide the group. Still, you couldn't help but wonder why Levi had wanted you all to hold up here without much of an explanation. You were about to speculate with the others, but you knew Levi's standards well. So, instead, you turned to the group.

"All right guys, listen up. Levi's gonna flip if he sees this place like this. So unless you want him in a shitty mood, we need to clean this place from top to bottom."

Eren rolled his eyes, mimicking your tone with a smile. "One of the perks of being in Levi Squad: extreme cleaning."

You grinned. "That's the spirit."

After passing around brooms and rags, everyone got to work. It was oddly comforting to see them laughing and working together, even if it was over something as mundane as sweeping floors and scrubbing down dusty furniture. You watched them for a while, sensing that they needed this moment together to let loose before whatever awaited them. After all, the last mission had been brutal on everyone, and these moments of normalcy felt rare.

Leaving them to bond, you grabbed an axe from the shed behind the cabin and made your way to the small forest nearby. The peace was almost surreal-the birds chirping, the gentle rustle of leaves, butterflies flitting around. For a moment, you could almost imagine what it'd be like to live in a place like this, far away from Titans and endless bloodshed.

As you chopped wood, you found your mind drifting to Levi. Images of him from the night before surfaced. You could almost feel his hands, the careful, subtle ways he'd tended to you, how he stayed close enough that his steady presence could calm you. His touch had been so gentle, and his gaze... you sighed, the feeling washing over you. But the uncertainty frustrated you. What did he actually think of you? Did you mean anything beyond a reliable comrade to him?

The frustration bled into each swing of the axe, and by the time you'd stacked up enough wood, you were breathing hard. That's when you heard the sound of hooves on the path. You turned, eyes squinting against the sun, to see a familiar figure trotting towards you. Levi.

You waved, and his gaze softened just a little before he hopped off, tied his horse, and walked over. "Glad to see you found the place," he said, glancing over the stack of wood.

You shrugged, hiding your excitement at his presence. "Yeah, it's... quiet here. Nice change of pace. How did you even know about it?"

"It used to be a small resting area for passing soldiers. Not much use anymore." He says thinking back.