In Another Life || Levi x Reader/OC

Epilogue: A Better Life

A/N - I actually haven't finished editing the whole story yet, but screw it. I've made you guys wait too long.

EDIT: I think I'm done editing now... I'm sure I missed a few things (sorry), but I'm going to step away from this story now.

(18+, mdni) Content Warning: explicit sexual content

My final song recommendations:

The Great War - Taylor Swift

The Archer - Taylor Swift

O - Coldplay (I really love this one!)

I really hope you enjoy :).

-

Sleeping next to Levi every night revealed one major discovery about his character: he wanted to be held so damn badly.

The first few nights were just as you expected from him - he would lay down on the mattress first, pulling you into his chest and pressing you tightly against him. His grip around your shoulders remained solid throughout the night, and you never felt more safe being cuddled into his neck. You hadn't slept this peacefully in years.

After a few more weeks passed, Levi finally received the approval to remove the splint, which allowed him to move more freely in bed. He grew into the habit of turning on his side to spoon you, his arm wrapped firmly around your waist with one arm set comfortably behind your neck.

But as more time passed, his body loosened up tremendously throughout the night. He was likely so used to sleeping by himself (and on a chair, of all things) that he didn't exactly know what it was like to be in the presence of another person in bed every night. Although he had no issues cuddling with you, he always took initiative to be the big spoon. You assumed it was his protector instinct compelling him to be the one to hold you, but as the days went on, you'd start waking up with his head tucked into your neck.

At first, he was visibly flustered and embarrassed at the thought of you catching him so vulnerable and needy; all you could do was laugh and tease him for it. There were very few times in your life that you'd caught Levi like this, and you knew he absolutely hated being seen this way.

You'd ask him why he was so embarrassed, to which he would reply with, "It makes me feel frail."

You thought he was being silly for being so self-conscious about it, but the more you pondered it, the more you understood. To be vulnerable with someone and let your guard down meant to expose yourself. It was a sign of weakness, and the idea of that must have scared him. In his eyes, he always needed to be the protector, not the one being protected.

So you made it your duty every night to make sure he had a chance to be the protected for once. You curled your arm around his shoulders and pulled him into your chest; he melted into you every time, wrapping his arm over your stomach and shutting his eyes. Usually, you were the one to fall asleep first, but there was something beautiful about watching the rigidness diminish in Levi's body as you stroked his hair gently, and you just had to see it.

He was at peace for the first time in his life, and it was unbelievably beautiful.

However, that calmness was only experienced at night. The daytime wasn't particularly peaceful for either of you during the first few months, considering it was spent working on that teashop you promised him.

As it turned out, the process of owning a tea shop was much more strenuous than you expected. You had to find a building for sale, fill out a bunch of paperwork, then purchase a bunch of furniture for it. Luckily, Hange was able to pull some strings for the two of you to make sure everything was affordable - and they even found a shop with a vacant apartment on top - but the first two months were still a hassle. Regardless, you were just unbelievably grateful for the support network you had.