I Promise | Attack on Titan: Levi x Reader

[thirteen]

The silence wasn't awkward, but it definitely wasn't comfortable.

Levi had a sullen look on his face, and you were debating whether or not to say something.

'He's probably furious with me,' you thought to yourself, 'but I didn't do anything wrong.'

Finally, the silence got too hard to bear. "So..." you turned to him, "what are you thinking?"

"Excuse me?" he said.

"What are you thinking about right now?"

Levi didn't answer. You continued walking in silence, your hands slightly brushing against each other.

'Is he really angry?' You waited until it seemed like he was going back to ignoring you. Right when you opened your mouth to try to break the silence again, he cut you off.

"I'm thinking about you," he said quietly.

What?

"Do you remember when we first met?" he asked.

You searched through the depths of your memory. Truthfully, you didn't remember much of your childhood to begin with. The fog of death and decay clouded your early years, and after your slight drinking problem--ahem, dependence on the sauce--when Levi, Isabel, and Farlen first left, your memory was as unclear as ever.

"I do," you finally responded, "but remind me."

"That just means you don't remember." Levi's gaze flicked towards you, and you sighed. Even after all these years, he could read you like a book.

You pouted.

"Don't give me that face," Levi said. "When we first met, you looked like absolute death."

"I'm not surprised," you replied. Although unclearly, you still remember those days, specifically the fear.

The fear of dying and leaving baby Isabel alone in the Underground.

"You could barely move, you looked like a skeleton. I thought you were the same age as Isabel, or even younger."

You winced. "Did I look that bad?"

"I thought she was showing us a dead body," Levi replied, "but then you opened your eyes."

"L-Levi?" you spluttered as Levi stepped closer to you, so close that your foreheads were tactically touching.

"Those (e/c) eyes," he whispered, "they looked like they were already seeing the afterlife. You don't have that look anymore. Not a trace of it left."

"No duh." You took a step back. "I'm not weak anymore. You made sure of that. I made sure of that."

When you were strong enough to sit up, to stand, to walk on your own, Levi taught you all the self-defends skills that laid out your basic foundation. What you found was your arms were fragile and weak, but your legs were strong enough to carry you through every fight.

That was what you focused on for so many years, after Levi left. Those skills were all that he left you, besides a tattered black cloak that you slept with every night. And you treasured these remnants of him.

"...I know," he said, "but sometimes I can't help myself. When I think of you, I think of that small pile of bones that had to be carried everywhere because you were too weak to even sit up."

You opened your mouth angrily, but he continued, and your harsh expression softened as you heard him talk.

"But you're not like that anymore. You beat the ass of every member of my squad. I could barely believe my eyes."

"Damn right, I did," you said stiffly, trying not to look too pleased.

"I know you can take care of yourself. But...let me take care of you too." Levi's voice softened to a whisper.

"What?" you asked.

"Nothing."