Can't Get Along (Levi X Reader)

26. Decision

Jean POV

After helping all the injured soldiers down from the wall and to the nearest Garrison HQ for any extra treatments that were needed, I made my way to the roof to lean on the parapets and look out over the town with a heavy sigh. The cool breeze up here felt nice and I closed my eyes to enjoy it along with the afternoon sun peeking through the fluffy clouds that had rolled in. This world really did have a cruel sense of humor. This outstanding weather was almost enough to make one forget about what just happened a few hours ago on top of the wall.

I opened my eyes and glanced behind me when I heard light footsteps approaching, a bit surprised anyone else would be up here. And I was even more surprised to see that it was (Name). I turned back to look out in front of me, hunching my shoulders a little. "I got you in trouble with the Corporal again, didn't I?" She hummed quietly in response and came to stand right beside me, leaning her arms on the parapet and looking up at me though I didn't meet her gaze. "Actually, that's why I came to find you." I finally looked over at her, meeting her gaze with a bit of hesitance. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear what she was about to tell me. It was probably going to be a more official rejection.

She stood upright and frowned a little at the sad look in my eyes, reaching her hand out to lightly place it on my cheek. "Jean... It hurts me to see you so pained." I pressed my cheek against her hand and looked down away from her eyes, having a hard time keeping my emotions in check right now. "Please look at me." She whispered, using her other hand to gently turn me to fully face her as I reluctantly flicked my eyes back up to look into her pretty (e/c) ones. She slowly snaked her arms around me neck and stood on her toes as she hugged me. "Why are you here and not with Levi?" I finally found my voice but it was barely a choked whisper near her ear. She pulled away just enough to touch her nose to mine as little tears welled up in my eyes that I was unable to force back. "Because he gave me the option to have everything that I need to make me happy. And you are one of those things. I need you in order to be truly happy. And if you don't want me you better push me away in the next five seconds or I'm going to kiss you and not take no for an answer."

I stared down at her with wide eyes, the sting of tears disappearing as I heard those words but not before a couple silent tears managed to escape my eyes. She needed me to be happy? Levi was turning their relationship into an open one that could include me? I could have what I wanted too? This was a lot to take in but there was no way in hell I was going to push her away if she was offering herself to me. And just as she warned me, a few seconds later her lips pressed softly against mine and I couldn't help but hum against her lips, closing my eyes and bringing a hand up to hold the back of her head. She pulled away first and laughed a little, swiping away the tears from my cheeks. "He just have to keep this sort of display to a minimum around Levi. He's allowing it but he's still not particularly happy about it." "Okay, whatever." I agreed easily, almost too quickly but I didn't care about how eager I sounded. I had been expecting to be told I couldn't even be friends with her anymore and now I had everything I wanted. I didn't even care if I had to share her with that short old man as long as I got to be included in some amount.

Reader POV

I smiled a little and hugged Jean tightly around his waist, tucking my head under his chin and resting my forehead against his collarbone. "I love you too, Jean." I said happily as I gave him a slight squeeze. He kissed the top of my head with a short exhale of air through his nose in amusement, returning my tight hug. "I didn't even say it yet." "I know. I'm just giving you the response I should have given you four months ago that night." "Let's go inside. You should be resting. You're injured too." I told her and she shook her head, pressing herself closer to me. "I want to stay here with you a bit longer." I could just imagine the eye roll Jean probably gave me but he didn't try to pull away from me so I just assumed he was accepting my refusal to go inside and rest. Obviously, he didn't want to let go either. "If I carry you will you go inside to rest?" I thought about it for a moment and pulled away with a curt nod. He laughed with a shake of his head and turned around, crouching down to allow me to get on his back. "Don't go choking me, alright?" "Then you better be a good horse." I teased him and he huffed, crossing his arms under my rear to support me as he stood up. I leaned against his back, resting my chin on his shoulder with my arms loosely around them. "You sure seem comfy up there." He commented as he walked back toward the roof door to head back inside. I kissed his cheek and sighed. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off me now that all the complicated stuff was behind me. "Yeah, I might have to travel this way more often. You're a good boy, aren't you, Horsie." I lifted one hand to pet his hair and he shot me a side glare before rolling his eyes once again and making a mock whinny, shaking my hand off of his head. We both laughed a bit as he reached the bottom of the stairs and picked up the pace as if trotting like an actual horse. I knew he hated the nickname and the whole concept of being compared to a horse in general but at least when I did it, he seemed to not mind so much and even embrace it and laugh with me instead of getting angry.

Yes, I definitely needed him in my life in the same way I needed Levi. Jean was the one who could bring me out of my shell and make me laugh and Levi was the one who gave me a reason to keep going, to keep pushing on and fighting but he was also the one that kept me from going completely insane in this hellish world. I loved them both in different ways for different things and I really wouldn't change anything about how this all came to be. I had made my choice hoping it would be the one I would regret the least and now that I've seen the outcome, there was zero regrets in my mind about it. I only hoped that everything would continue to work out smoothly from now on, well, at least between the three of us. The same couldn't be said about everything else going on around us.