Your Wings - Reader X Levi Ackerman

Chapter 53: In the Skies

The airship glides quietly through the sky, cutting through thick clouds that drift lazily across the horizon. Inside, the world feels hollow, stripped of sound and life. No one speaks. No one dares to break the fragile silence. Each person is trapped in their own mind, reliving the nightmare they just escaped, grappling with the weight of what they lost.

You're still curled up against Levi, your face buried in his chest, his heartbeat the only thing grounding you. He doesn't let go. Instead, his arms stay wrapped tightly around you, like if he holds on long enough, he can shield you from the pain consuming you both. His hand moves slowly, rubbing up and down your arm, the repetitive motion meant to soothe, though nothing could truly soothe you after what you'd just witnessed.

His cheek rests against the top of your head, warm breath ghosting through your hair. He hears everything—the soft, broken sniffles you try to stifle, the shaky gasps between sobs. Every time you tremble, he instinctively tightens his grip, silently reassuring you that he's still here, that you're not alone in this nightmare. His lips press against your hair, lingering there as his brows knit together in quiet agony.

He hates this. Hates seeing you like this. Hates feeling so utterly powerless.

Eventually, after what feels like hours, you begin to pull away. Your body is weak, drained of all strength, but the need for air and clarity forces you to shift. Levi doesn't hesitate. His hands move with you, one sliding up to cradle your face, thumb grazing over your cheek as if trying to wipe away the pain etched into your features.

"Hey..." he murmurs, voice low and rough from his own unspoken grief. His steel-gray eyes, usually sharp and calculating, now hold nothing but tenderness and sorrow. "Look at me."

You don't want to. You can't. But his thumb gently tilts your chin upward, leaving you with no choice but to meet his gaze. The moment your eyes lock, fresh tears brim at the corners of your already puffy, reddened eyes. They're glossy, glazed over with heartbreak, exhaustion, and defeat. You look utterly shattered.

Levi's heart clenches painfully.

His thumb brushes away a stray tear that slips down your cheek, and he lets out a slow, unsteady breath. He holds you there, studying every inch of your expression like he's trying to memorize it, like understanding your pain might somehow lessen his own.

Your lip quivers, and another tear slips free, trailing down to where his hand rests on your cheek. He catches it with his thumb, wiping it away without a second thought. But his brows remain furrowed, the lines of his face etched deeper with anguish. He doesn't look like the strong, unshakable captain everyone feared and admired. He looks like a man who's been beaten down by life one too many times. A man barely holding himself together because if he falls apart, who will hold you up?

"I'm sorry," you whisper, voice hoarse and barely audible.  "I should've—"

Levi cuts you off with a sharp shake of his head. "Don't," he says firmly, squeezing you ever so slightly to ground you. "You couldn't have done anything. Hange made her choice. She bought us time. She—" His voice falters, and he swallows hard, throat bobbing as he struggles to maintain composure. "She died the way she wanted. Fighting. Protecting us. And giving us a chance to save this damn world."

The weight of his words crashes down on you, and your shoulders slump. You lean back into his hand, closing your eyes as the tears flow freely once more. Levi lets you cry, thumb never stopping its slow, comforting strokes along your cheekbone.

For a moment, neither of you speak. The only sound is the faint hum of the airship's engine and the occasional sniffle you can't hold back. Then, Levi shifts, adjusting his hold on you so you're sitting more securely on his lap, facing him. His other hand moves to the back of your neck, pulling you closer until your foreheads gently touch.