Attack on Titan Levi x Reader

Photograph; Part 5

My eyes wonder the stands of the town's market. Streets lined with shouting merchants, all trying to sell their goods before sunset. The crisp morning air sends a chill up my spine, cold enough that it creates a haze, revealing my exhales. The grass is frosted or dripped with dew, and patches breaking from the cobblestone brush against my ankles. Sunlight has begun peeking over the wall, outlining the many silhouettes of soliders.
Sasha intertwines our fingers and pulls me ahead. "(y/n), look at these fish!" She grabs a bass starts inspecting it from gill to tail. "Freshly caught this morning little lady," the stumpy merchant brags in a hoarse voice. Sasha snifs it. Gross. Her fingers then search for the spot where the hook would have punctured it's scales. Her gasp spooks not only me, but the merchant as well. "Liar!" The merchant takes to anger quickly, with Sasha pressing the bass to his face.
"What are you talking about?" The merchant removes the fish from Sasha's hand and lays it back on the pile. She immediately picks it back up and draws his attention to the wound on its bottom lip. It looks scabbed. Like it has had time to heal. "A fresh fish would have a fresh wound," Sasha barks. "What are you? The MP? Get off my back! A man's gotta make a living."
"Well your 'living' is three days old." Sasha marches off, taking my hand again and pulling me to another stand, this one selling vegetables. "Watch me haggle," she whispers to me. But I don't. Instead I find myself- not my eyes- wondering.
Abruptly, a frail, aged hand tugs at my sleeve. I turn to find a hunched old women selling jewelry. Her grey hair is tied firmly into a bun. A purple shaw drapes over her shoulders. Golden earrings dangle from her stretched lobes. A ring or two- or three- dots each of her fingers. "My dear," she stars slowly. "I couldn't help notice your pendant. I see that it has received quite a bit of wear and tear over the years. How long have you had it exactly?" She doesn't need to know this, but I don't see any harm in telling her. "Twelve years."
"Oh my, that is quite a while. Tell you what, I'll swap you. Sell me that one for three pounds, and I'll give this band new one." In her trembling hands she holds a necklace, shimmering golden, the center is carved perfectly into a rose in full bloom, and the chain resembles thorn coated vines. I won't lie, it is very beautiful, but I promised myself I'd never part with this pendant.
I shake my head. "No thank you." The old woman frowns. "Are you sure my dear. You're turning down the chance of a lifetime. This necklace that I'm willing to give you is worth fifty pounds of silver. The one your wearing is barely twenty."
"Is it real gold?"
"Of course! Pure gold I assure you." Oh really? Let's test that theory. I take the chalice sitting on her table, then dip it into the river flowing behind us. I rip the necklace from her clutches. "Real gold?" The rose plops in the water, rocking back and forth, finally settling on the surface. "I don't think so." Real gold sinks. I toss Granny the necklace, but not before dousing her in the river water. Maybe she'll melt like all the other witches in fairytales! I can only hope.
Sasha practically tackles me! Where'd she come from? Her puppy-dog-eyes flash with colors of fear, curiosity and excitement. "(y/n) they're opening the gate!"
"Why? What's going on?" It can't be shifters. The Colossal Titan is no where in sight. Meaning the armored won't be found either. Why would they open the gate? "They say they've found someone from the outside!" Impossible. Impossible. I have to be dreaming. Granny probably came back for revenge and cast a spell on me. I must be lying unconscious in the street right now, waiting for prince charming to revive me with true love's kiss. That won't be happening. My prince charming died a long time ago.
Crowds rush to the gate, slowly opening with falling dirt and pebbles. Sasha and I push to the front of the crowd. I may have had to elbow a few elderly to get there, but I was determined to see the outsider, up close and personal. Raised at 3 meters a single figure is revealed.
He is unarmed. His hair drapes over his shoulders, and bangs shadowing his eyes. His bare skin is nothing but pale flesh covering a skeleton. White jeans hang loosely around his waist. His bowed head slowly raises. Dark circles consume his eyes. Electric blue eyes that I know. But how. . . unless. No.
A force compels me to stock forward. I met him in the middle. His gaze rakes over me, and his cracked lips tug into a smile. "(y/n)," he croaks. My hands wipe away the dirt smeared across his cheeks, allowing me to admire his sunken feature. If he is who I think, then the years have been so very kind. Because he's just as handsome as the day I lost him. But then this confirms it. I am dreaming.
His hands tremble as they reach for me, cupping my cheek. "I told you I'd come home." He brings me nearer. Oh no. Don't kiss me. If he does this we all disappear! "You can't kiss me!" Hot tears, long held, pour down my face as I push him away. "You can't or you'll disappear again! Please." My vision is blinded by salt water. The weight to my knees has returned, and it's taking me down. I buckle. Now I sit on the ground, sobbing, in front of all these people.
Frail arms hold me. It's a warm embrace that's familiar. It's familiar, and I know it's his. I know it. But. . . it's so different and distant too. I can't smell his spice anymore. It's masked by the twelve years of rot. No longer are his lips plush, but dry and cracked. The only thing that remains the same are his eyes. Those blue eyes that haven't aged a day.
"I'm not going away. I'm home now. I'm with you. So don't turn away from me." Again he nears me, his gaze set on my lips. I don't want to. I want to run away, but I can't. I can't runaway from him. From the man I once loved. The man I. . . I still love.
It's disappeared. The world itself has disappeared. It's just Levi and me now. His appearance may have changed, but he's still as wonderful as I remember on the inside. That's what matters. His kiss is exactly as I recall. Intoxicating. Breath taking. Heart stopping. Like nothing has changed in the slightest. A weight sets on my chest. I doubted him. I lost all faith and gave up. Never again.
I open my hazed eyes to half-mast, afraid he'll be gone. But he's not. He's here. He's real. And he'll never leave me again.