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chaotic-on-main · 8 months

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Chapter 8 June - Part 5 [Final]

☾ Pairings ➼ Levi Ackerman x fem!mute!Reader (she/her pronouns), set in a modern semi-fictional world

☾ Summary ➼ Due to childhood trauma, you find yourself an adult without the ability to speak. After years of working on it, you have found ways to live without a voice. Now here in your late 20s, you are 5 months in getting used to a new town. On a fateful day in late November, you and your adopted sister visit a local bookstore-café, unaware of the friendships about to blossom. Throughout the months, one friendship in particular develops into something more.

☾ Content/Warnings ➼ fluff, slowburn, oblivious feelings, romance, angst, mention of minor character deaths, trauma, illness, adoption, mentions of fire, disabilities, alcohol use, very light nsfw mentions, references to child abuse, smoking and alcohol abuse mentions, domestic violence, light assault, eventual smut

☾ Author's note ➼ brb I'm sobbing. Mainly because look at my little characters and my story... I DID THAT. But also, because I actually finished something. Can y'all believe that?? Anyways. I hope you all like this chapter and I hope y'all enjoyed my story as a whole. I had a lot of fun thinking up this little world. I'm sure I have places where I can improve but considering this was my first fanfic in like, 10 years?? I'm taking it as win. Thank you to anyone who has spent their actual time to read my delusions, I appreciate y'all so much. I couldn't have finished without the support of my friends, moots, and you, my readers. Okay that's enough being mushy. I'm gonna go watch One Piece now. See y'all around hehe :3

☾ Word Count ➼ ~8.5k

The first thing you’re greeted with the moment you stir awake is the smell of clean laundry laced with traces of pine. The sound of seagulls squawking away in the distance comes muffled through Levi’s bedroom windows and you can feel the gentle morning sun that filters through caressing your skin. You keep your eyes closed, reveling in the moment of peace you find yourself in.

As each of your senses wake up with you, you can’t help but smile softly into the raven hair tickling your face from underneath. Levi is fully tangled with you and the sheets, legs sprawled all over the bed. His strong arms wrap around your waist and hold you close as he breathes deeply into your chest, the warmth of his body begging you to fall back asleep. You lift your hand and delicately rake your fingers through his soft hair, but he doesn’t rouse. He’s dead to the world in your arms.

The memories of the night before pop into your mind slowly like bubbles rising in the ocean – none of them unpleasant. Levi made sure to clean you up before dressing you in one of his shirts and pulling you into the bed with him for the night. Not much was said during this but as always, there never was any need for words between the two of you. His intentions all night were clear.

The phantom pressure of Levi’s lips on yours sends warmth up into your cheeks. You were not expecting an outcome like this, yet you were not disappointed in the slightest. Flashbacks to the things he did to you fly through your mind and you can’t help as your legs shift under the sheets at the thoughts.

“Mm?” You hear from your sleepy companion.

You allow your eyes to flutter open, having to squint initially at the pale light pouring in through the glass – the sun just broke through the horizon. You can tell it will be another beautiful day out just from the sight of the fluffy white clouds that drift lazily in the orange sky.

You attempt to pull away to sign something but it’s of no use as Levi only tightens his arms around you and pushes his face more into your plush chest. Your face was already warm enough, but this ensured it would not go away any time soon. A small, amused huff escapes your lips, nevertheless.

“No.” Levi mumbles against you. His voice is thick with sleep.

You nuzzle into his hair with a smile as you’re not sure what else to do at the moment. You needed to get up before Hange or Erwin did, but you weren’t ready to say goodbye to this haven you both created – and neither was Levi.

“Don’t leave… want you to stay.”

You like this sleepy and clingy Levi, another version of him that you feel must be reserved just for you. You place small kisses on the top of his head in response, holding him closer into your chest as you do. There’s a heavy sigh from him, a telling one that sounds content. His warm hands slide under your shirt and up your back as he continues to hold on to you for dear life. Your blinks start to slow and suddenly you’re drifting off again.

You’re not certain how long you were out, but the next time your eyes open, the light trickling through the windows is brighter. Your arms still wrap around Levi, this time around his chest as you rested on your side and he on his back. An arm circles your waist, holding you close, with his hand sitting gently on your hip. You don’t know how you both moved so drastically, but you still appreciate it because now you can see Levi’s sleepy face.

His porcelain skin contrasts greatly with his tousled hair, miles away from his usual style and yet one of your favorites on him by far. Dark, long lashes sit on his soft cheeks and his pale-pink lips form into a small pout. He’s so at peace when he sleeps, leaving you wondering what he might be dreaming about. You hope it’s full of nothing but good things.

Slowly, you pull your hand up and trail your fingers down the side of Levi’s face, feeling the slight roughness of his stubble poking into your skin as they pass. His eyes don’t open but you can tell with the shift in his breathing, he’s waking up again.

You hook a finger around his chin and tug it down gently so that you can see his sleepy face better. Dark gray eyes open in slow blinks, staring into yours. Pulling his chin down more, you press your lips onto his, your movements slow and lazy and with little urgency. It sends tingles down your spine and into your toes – something you believe you won’t ever get used to.

When you pull away, Levi’s quick to place his hand on the side of your face to hold you still so that he can steal one more kiss. His fingers then tuck away rogue strands of your hair behind your ear before running his thumb across your bottom lip which is now pulled into a smile.

“How do you get more beautiful every time I see you?” He whispers down to you, voice husky from sleep.

You respond back with an eye roll and a shrug, but his words echo in your mind. You stare as his soft skin glows in the warm, morning sun. He’s one to talk, you think. Levi trills his lips as he exhales heavily, pulling you more into him with his arm.

You take this opportunity to place your free arm around his stomach and rest your head against his warm chest, the steady rhythm of his heart reverberating through your skull. Leaning down, he places a gentle kiss on the top of your head. His lips linger against your scalp as he talks, coming muffled through your hair. It tickles.

“I suspect the idiots will be up soon if they aren’t already.”

As if on cue, you hear the faint clinking of metal out in the kitchen. Someone was up and working on getting breakfast ready. A sinking feeling comes with the realization that you would have to face your sister and Erwin about last night. You pull away slowly, sitting up so that both hands are free to sign then turning towards Levi. He shoots you a subtle pout at the absence of your body, and you don’t stop the soft laugh that escapes you.

‘What do we tell them?’

“We don’t have to tell them anything.” He sits up on his elbows and furrows his brows, a steely resolve deep seated in his gaze.

‘They’re going to ask questions.’

“You don’t have to answer anything.” He reiterates. “We can just go out there and ignore them.”

‘You know Hange, that won’t-‘ Levi reaches over with one hand and closes it over your moving fingers, making you stop. His hand then trails up your forearm before wrapping his fingers around it and pulling you down – making you collapse onto his bare chest. He then wraps his arms around you and holds you in a vice grip, despite your silent giggles and squirming.

“I’ll handle it. But let’s get you some pants, first.”

The moment you step out of the bedroom, the smell of cooked bacon hits you full force. Hange and Erwin are in the middle of talking as they stand by the stove, turning to look at your already flustered face at the sound of the door opening. You take a few steps out of Levi’s room and sheepishly wave at them. Erwin raises an eyebrow but Hange, on the other hand, drops the spatula they were loosely gripping. It falls into the pan of cooking meat, splattering oil everywhere.

“Whaaaaaat??!” Hange runs over to you with bugged eyes, leaving Erwin to clean up the oil splatter before it starts a fire. Their hands reach up and cup your cheeks, squishing your face in the process as they squeal more.

“I was wondering where you’ve been! Canoodling with Levi was not my first thought, I admit.” Your face begins to heat up more in embarrassment. You knew this was inevitable, but you were still not prepared in the slightest. Levi brushes past you and Hange towards the kitchen but Hange shoots a hand out and grabs him by the arm, their other hand still against your face.

“Oh no you don’t, we’re talking about this!”

“Let go of me, four-eyes.” Levi demands.

“Hange, they just got up. Give them a moment.” You hear Erwin muse from behind your sister. You flash him a look of gratitude as Hange drops both hands and sets you and Levi free with a huff.

Erwin had outdone himself with the feast he prepared for everyone. Crispy bacon, fluffy eggs, and bouncy pancakes. But despite the delicious food, the palpable awkward silence and dense tension that followed was stronger. You ignore the burning stare aimed directly at the top of your head as you dug into your plate, knowing full well it was from Hange. The only noises that filled the space were the clattering of utensils and soft chewing of food.

It doesn’t go unnoticed how Levi chose to sit next to you this time, something he hadn’t done prior to this morning. You dare to look up for a second in his direction, catching his eye as he sips his morning tea. There’s a small smirk pulling up the corners of his mouth as he looks away and back to his breakfast.

“I can’t believe the festival is tonight. This trip has gone by so quickly, don’t you think?” Erwin pipes up after wiping his mouth carefully with a napkin.

“Did you both make up?” Hange blurts out.

“Hange, come on.” Erwin gives them an exasperated glare.

“I deserve to know. She was so upset yesterday and now she’s not and I need to make sure they’re okay!”

When you look back up to your sister, you can tell right away they are bursting at the seams. Eyes wide, face almost purple, and their fingers clenching their fork so tightly the knuckles turn white. Not much has been eaten off their plate, which shakes gently from their knee bouncing under the table. With a heavy sigh, you lean back in your chair and glance over to Levi. There’s a brief pause as he considers it, but then he nods ever so slightly.

“What do you want to know?” He grumbles, arms folded over his chest as he also leans back.

“Are you both on good terms now? Did you sleep together? How was it? Were you safe? You know, I have a whole bag of condoms in my bag if you need more!” Hange’s eyes bulge out of their face with every question, and you feel your face heat up more than it already was. You sink down in your seat further and hide your face behind both hands. Of course, Hange would go straight to those questions.

“Yes. Pass. None of your business. I do not need to know that and why do you even have that many?”

“Just in case! You never know.” Hange picks up their fork and shoves a bite of pancakes in their mouth before talking again, voice muffled. “You can’t answer the questions like that, Levi! Be serious.”

“I have nothing else to give you. It’s none of your business.” Levi shrugs as he goes for another sip of his tea.

“Fine, I’ll ask my sister. She can’t say no to me.” You feel something hit your shin under the table and you jump up with a squeak. Peeking through your fingers, you see them staring hard at you.

“Spill.”

Hange was right. You were bad at hiding things from your sister. Eventually you always relent. Like the time at the spa, or the day after the ball so many months ago. But this time, you find yourself not wanting to share. It was your memory to keep, and you didn’t want anyone else to know. Your fingers clenched into fists as you think about what you want to say, Hange’s stare burning holes in your face the whole time.

“Oi, would you leave my girlfriend alone and let her finish her breakfast first?” Levi sighs as he pokes his fork into the last of his eggs. Hange chokes on their water.

Your head whips in his direction at his words, but he’s staring out towards the ocean with his mouth moving slowly as he chews. Girlfriend. You and Levi didn’t discuss what last night meant for the relationship. After everything, you were sure there was more to you and him than just friends. But to say that term so brazenly… it gives you goosebumps.

“Gir-?!” Hange starts out but is then cut off by Erwin, thankfully.

“The weather looks like it will be nice all day, so we need to make sure we dress appropriately. Look at all of these activities. According to this article, the fireworks display is the best show on this side of the coast.”

Your eyes shift over to his blue gaze, which peeks above his phone that he was scrolling on. You mouth a thank you and he winks back before going back to the webpage he was reading off. You feel Levi’s hand reach over from under the table and squeeze your thigh gently, his attention still on the ocean.

Girlfriend.

You liked that.

After that morning, you had all gotten dressed and ready to celebrate what the town had been preparing for all week – the summer festival. It was like if you had taken the energy from the past few days and then combined them all into one night and multiplied that by ten. The streets were crowded all day and straight into the evening, only getting more intense as the night went on. Sometimes Hange and Erwin would break off from you two and you don’t know if it was intentional or not, but you were grateful for it regardless.

With everything so new, you weren’t sure how Levi felt about PDA outside of leading each other where to go, but as always, he answered that for you. He wasn’t shy about taking your hand and lacing his fingers in with yours. Nor did he hesitate to grab your waist and pull you into him while walking or waiting in line for something. It felt as if he wasn’t letting anything get in the way of what he wanted anymore.

As sunset approaches, you and Levi meet up with the rest of the group at the beach where people were preparing paper lanterns. According to Erwin, Liberio’s lantern release is one of the main attractions for their summer festival, right next to the fireworks show which took place about an hour after. You’ve never taken part in anything like this before, so you were very excited.

When you and Levi step up to the table that your sister and Erwin were standing around, you notice that they’re writing something on the sides of their lantern in black marker. You can’t make out what it says, so you tap your hyper focused sister on the shoulder to get their attention. They turn to you with bright eyes and an even brighter smile.

“There you are, my little strawberry! You better hurry up and get your lantern, it’s almost time.” They jerk their head backward towards the shoreline and you look over to see people standing with their lanterns lit as they chat away in wait.

‘What are you writing?’

“The locals say to write your wishes and dreams for the future. They say that once you release them, they fly into the sky and the gods above pluck them up and grant them when the time is right. Isn’t that fascinating?? And get this! I had to ask around but they’re biodegradable! A lot of people were a little offended that I asked, and I think it has to do with them really believing they got plucked out of the skies! How silly of them, but who am I to tell them otherwise.” Hange looks like they’re having one of the best days of their life and you just smile back. They reach over to ruffle your hair before going back to the paragraph they were writing on their lantern.

Looking over to Erwin, you notice he had written a singular line, but of course you can’t make it out. He stands tall, lantern in hands, as he stares out to the setting sun. His blue eyes trail over to you before smiling at you softly, the sea breeze blowing through his fine hair.

“This place is quite lovely, don’t you agree?” He asks.

Nodding back, you hum in agreement. Despite the intense moments, you can’t help but feel grateful for this trip and everything that accumulated to get you to where you are now. If it meant going through the anxieties of the unknowns to get here, you would do it all over again.

Levi says your name and when you turn in his direction, you notice he’s holding out a blank lantern. Golden hour is in full swing as it casts soft shadows on him, highlighting the sharp angles on face. There's a glint of something in his eyes as he watches you, though the rest of his expression gives nonchalance.

‘Thank you.’ You sign before taking the lantern and marker from his hands, your fingers lightly brushing against his as you do.

“Hm.” He picks up his own lantern from the table and scrawls something on it as he uses his hand to block you from seeing it. You force yourself not to pry though it killed you to not know what was on his mind. You figure he might tell you what he asked for later down the road. As for yours though, you write what you hoped wouldn’t be a one-time thing.

More days like this one, forever and ever. With the ones I love so dearly.

When you look up in satisfaction at your wish, you notice your friends staring back at you with what you can only assume is love in their own way. A sense of warmth lights through your veins like the sunshine on your face and you find yourself smiling so brightly that it scrunches your eyes and hurts your cheeks.

As Levi steps away from the table, he holds his hand out to you – his own version of a smile tugging on his lips as he waits for you. Fingers clasping over his as you secure your wishes in the other hand, you’re led down to the shoreline with everyone else.

You never saw it even as he released it above him, but if you did you would have seen that Levi’s lantern had one simple sentence. Something so full of conviction and confidence, written in neat letters so that if there were gods, they would be able to see it so easily and hopefully grant it without hesitation.

To spend the rest of my life with her.

That night, you didn’t fully intend to return to Levi’s room but as you passed by it on the way to your own, his arm had shot out and latched around your wrist to hold you there. He didn’t offer much in terms of words, but it was there in his metallic eyes. Unspoken.

Stay.

So, you did. And that night after, when you were all spent from your last day at the beach and Liberio as a whole, Levi didn’t even have to ask, nor did you have to look at him to know. You followed him like you always would as long as he wanted you to, right to his bed and straight into his arms.

Before you know it, you’re on the long flight back home with soft music flowing through your earbuds. You watch as the early morning clouds float by from down below, casting various shadows on the dark blue water of the ocean underneath. Your head sinks into the stuffed strawberry that sits sandwiched between you and the wall of the plane. Your hands, however, find themselves preoccupied in Levi’s fingers. Levi is half-asleep with his head resting against your shoulder, his warm breath tickling the skin that is exposed from your tank top.

You always assumed he didn’t sleep much, so to see him pass out so easily as he held onto you was a welcome surprise. In the past few days, Levi’s energy had shifted. It was different and you couldn’t explain how, but it was there albeit subtle. Those prominent dark circles under his eyes were still there, but they didn’t cut into his skin like they used to. And his ever-present scowl rarely made an appearance, at least from what you saw.

Erwin and Hange saw it too. They didn’t say anything, but you could tell Hange was just begging to say something to Levi.

“When are you two getting married?” Your sister had joked to you while you were both waiting in the security line at the airport.

At that time, you rolled your eyes at it. It’s not like it wasn’t on your mind, since they were the ones that brought it up in the first place. But now, it felt so real. There was an actual chance for it.

To be honest, you never gave much thought to settling down with someone. The language barrier proved difficult for the very few suitors you’ve had in your life, and they were always gone before you knew what happened. So, the prospect of marriage wasn’t something you thought to worry about.

Then Levi came back into your life.

Levi cared for you in ways that no one else did. Levi was patient and put in the work for you instead of adapting to what was. You never had to ask with him – he just knew. And as always, he made everything easy.

Without looking over, you gently squeeze his hand a few times. A few seconds pass and you think he might be in a deeper sleep than you thought, but eventually his fingers reciprocate with the same pressure and your smile reflects back at you from the window.

Even though Levi had promised he wouldn’t leave, you still hope that whatever life had in store for you that he would indeed be a part of it for as long as you lived.

About a week had gone by since the small plane touched back down into Jinae’s local airport. Hange hit the ground running, staying at the lab late at night to catch up on what they missed. Erwin and Levi were quick to get the café back up and it was surprisingly busy – a lot of regulars equally worried and interested to hear about where they’d been for the last week. And whenever Levi wasn’t at work, he was with you.

While making dinner together at your apartment one night, Levi threw out the suggestion of going to see his mom with him sometime over the weekend. You hadn’t seen her since before you both had left for Liberio, so you were eager to accept the offer. Whether it was your quick response to going or the genuine smile that graced your soft lips as you were signing away about how excited you were to see her again, Levi found himself pulling you away from the lettuce you were chopping and into his arms before kissing you so deeply that you saw stars.

You never knew, but Levi’s brain clicked, and a decision was made right then and there.

When Saturday comes around, Levi swings by the apartment to pick you up that afternoon. You had offered to drive but he was quick to decline and that was that. You won’t complain though, you liked watching him from the passenger seat. The way his bottom lip would jut out in focus, how his eyes would flicker between each mirror every once in a while. His hand resting against your thigh and squeezing it gently.

After pulling into a space at the front of Riverside, Levi puts the car in park and glances over to you. In both hands, you hold a large bouquet of flowers that you had picked out specifically for Kuchel. Giving them a big sniff, you gaze over to Levi with a smile.

“She’s going to love them.” He says as he reaches over to touch your face softly. You don’t hesitate to lean into his warmth. “Ready?”

You nod before unbuckling yourself and sliding out of the passenger seat. Levi does the same and makes his way to your side, his fingers finding your hand as he locks the car with a few clicks of the key fob. His thumb rubs against the side of your palm while he leads you through the wide doors and into the facility.

According to the staff, it was a really good day for Kuchel. A fleeting thought of what a bad day might look like flashes through your mind, but you’re quick to shake it aside. Levi guides you down a couple of different cozy hallways that lead to the side of the building that held the patient’s living suites.

Like the hallways that led to the outside courtyard, the ones you walk down are just the same. Various acrylic paintings pass by in colorful blurs as your hands fidget with the plastic that holds the bouquet together. Even before Levi had warned you that his mom might have trouble remembering you, anxiety gnawed at you. The need to be liked by someone so important to Levi was ever present. He glances over to you at the crinkling of plastic and squeezes your hand a few times in reassurance.

Eventually, Levi stops in front of a white door with a hanging sign decorated with various colorful flowers and a cursive letter A in the middle. He knocks gently and through the heavy wood, you hear a muffled ‘Come in!’

When he opens the door, your mouth opens slightly in surprise.

Kuchel’s room looked as if it was taken out of a Victorian cottage catalog. For a moment, you forget that you’re in a medical facility as you take a few steps into the room – Levi closing the door behind the two of you once past the door frame.

First, you notice the soft bed on the right side of the room, fitted with tan sheets adorned with floral patterns. There are a few decorative pillows propped up against the backboard. Along the walls are sketches of people that are too small to make out, but from what you can see they are drawn beautifully well. The window in the far back is wide open, letting in the afternoon summer breeze that makes the sage green curtains dance on each side. A dresser sits under the sill that houses a couple bottles of what you think might be perfume and a few glass trinkets.

Then your eyes drift over a pale woman in the corner of the room.

Kuchel is sitting in a plush lounge chair with her feet up on an ottoman, a charcoal pencil between fingers and she’s sketching away on a pad. Her dark eyes snap up from her paper as you walk in, greeting you both with a big smile. Carefully, she places her things on the table next to her and pushes herself up from the chair, the leather squeaking at the shift in weight.

“My little Levi.” She sighs happily.

“You don’t need to get up.” Levi scolds as he walks over to help her. She’s frailer than you remember her being, but her eyes and smile remain the same – bright and full of life. She wraps her arms around Levi and holds him close as she mumbles how it’s been a while since he last came to visit. He pulls away and gives her a smile, but there’s sadness in his eyes. You know that she was the first stop for him when he got home about a week ago.

“I’ve heard you’ve been drawing again.” He says, craning his neck to the sketch she was working on. An eyebrow raises at it and then his gaze flickers over to you.

“Mom, I don’t know if you remember…” He holds his hand out for you to take as he calls your name.

Kuchel turns her attention to you now, and at first, you’re wondering if you would need to reintroduce yourself but there’s a small flash of recognition in the same eyes she shared with Levi. She studies your face as well as your hand that holds onto her son’s. After a moment of thinking, your name finally comes tumbling out of her mouth in a question as she makes her way over to you. She wraps her arms around you in a tight hug, squishing the bouquet you had brought in the process.

“Oh wow, look how much you’ve grown. I haven’t seen you since you were just a little thing.” She says softly. You hug her back carefully, aware of how much smaller her frame is to yours. Her hugs are so good you want to cry again, but you hold them back and instead relish in her warm embrace before pulling away with your own beaming smile. Levi reaches over to take the flowers from you, a handful of petals falling to the vinyl flooring as he does and sets it on Kuchel’s nightstand.

‘It’s nice to see you again.’ You sign, Levi interpreting for you as you go.

“Oh, are you deaf honey?” She watches you with intrigue. You shake your head no.

“She’s mute, but she can hear you just fine.” Levi pipes up softly. He looks to you as if to apologize but you smile back in reassurance. There was nothing to apologize for.

“Oh dear me. What happened?” She places a soft hand over yours before leading you to one of the chairs next to the one she got out of just moments before. Her eyebrows furrow at you in concern, the same way Levi’s does – it makes you laugh.

“I don’t think we should take up this whole visit with such a long story.” Levi suggests, shooting you a nervous glance again. You wouldn’t mind explaining the situation at some point but truthfully, you didn’t have the energy to dive into it right now. Especially when there’s only so much time to be with Kuchel and you would rather shift the attention something more pleasant. Levi picks up on this.

“What have you been working on lately?” He points to the piece of paper that Kuchel was currently sketching on, and she starts talking animatedly about her newest project.

The visit with Kuchel goes well into the early evening. The time was spent talking about Levi when he was younger, which surprised you a lot, but you remembered him mentioning how people with dementia can have a harder time recalling recent memories compared to older ones. Levi, of course, was not thrilled to be the topic of conversation but he didn’t fight it.

From her anecdotes, you learned that the moment they moved to Jinae, Levi had done everything he could to help supplement their income so that his mom didn’t have to work as much as she used to. That meant doing odd jobs here and there – working late into the night sometimes and at such a young age. It makes you sad to think of such a young Levi losing parts of his childhood to survive. But you get the sense that Levi would do it all over again if it meant being where they are today. Despite the struggles, they did what they could - together.

You were having such a wonderful time getting to know more of Levi’s past as well as Kuchel’s life that you barely register him squeezing your hand to get your attention.

“We need to get going soon. It’s almost time for mom’s dinner and we have one more stop to make.” Levi says gently, pursing his lips. He wasn’t ready to leave either. Squeezing back, you nod to Levi and stand up slowly from your chair. You offer Kuchel a small smile and lean down to hug her again so that she doesn’t have to get up.

“Go ahead, I’ll be right behind you. There’s something I need to talk to my mom about.” Levi says, nudging his head to the door behind him. Nodding in understanding, you then reach up to touch his face gently before turning on your heel and starting for the door.

“Wait, dear. Take this with you.” Kuchel calls out to you. She goes over to the wall closest to her and pulls down a sketch. She considers it for a moment then stretches it out for you to take.

When you grab it from her fingers, your eyes widen at the different sketches that filled out the paper. There are a few drawings of flowers growing out of empty space, some with little bees or butterflies hovering from above. There’s one of what you assume is a teenage Levi as he straddles a motorcycle, a scowl shooting straight through you. Finally, there’s a smaller sketch of three kids sitting on a porch step as they eat ice pops together. Levi, you, and your brother.

How wonderful of an artist Kuchel is, you think. The lines are crisp and so full of detail, you can easily feel yourself transported back to when these memories were made. You don’t remember much about your brother, but you feel like that day was a good one. A feeling of warmth travels through your body as a blast of blind nostalgia hits you. You told yourself you weren’t going to cry but you already feel the heat in your eyes as they threatened to make an appearance.

Instead of saying anything, you throw your arms around Kuchel, almost knocking her over in the process. She laughs softly as she holds onto you as tight as she can, her hand rubbing circles on your back affectionately.

“I’m so glad you found us again.” She whispers as she pulls away from you. Her eyes sparkle as she looks up at you, smiling so much so that her eyes crinkle in the corners. “Don’t be a stranger.”

With that, you squeeze her in one more hug. Pulling away, you mouth an ‘okay’ with a toothy grin before turning on your heels and out the door, closing it with a click behind you.

“Something on your mind, Levi?” Kuchel turns her focus on her son who hasn’t moved an inch from his seat. Levi props his elbows on his knees and folds his fingers together to rest his chin on it.

“Mom, what do you think about her?”

“Well, I’m not the best person to ask about that.” She chuckles as she leans back into her soft recliner.

“I know, but-“ Levi’s leg starts to shake with anxiety.

“I think she’s lovely. She’s grown into quite the woman, reminds me a lot of her mom. From what I can remember, you know.” Kuchel teases. “Why do you ask?”

Levi’s fingers unlink from each other, and he starts to fidget with the fabric of his jeans as he looks away shyly.

“Mom. I’m going to marry her.” Levi whispers quietly.

“Oh honey, I know.”

“You know?” Levi glances back up to his mom incredulously.

“Yes. I’ve known since you were both kids. I’m pretty sure she even exclaimed at one point that she was going to marry you when she was old enough, to which you scoffed. It was very adorable.”

“Mom, I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or surprised that you remember something like that. It’s just something kids say.”

“The way you look at each other now is the same way you did before. Stars in your eyes, like nothing else mattered.” Sitting up, she reaches over and places her palm over Levi’s busy fingers. “Do me a favor. Go to my nightstand and grab that blue box inside the drawer.”

As always, Levi does what he’s told and makes his way to the wooden nightstand by her bed. He expects something decently sized but instead, he is met with a small pale blue box. A ring box. He picks it up carefully and turns it around to his mom with it pinched between two fingers, leaning back so that the drawer closes behind him.

“What’s this, Ma?” Levi asks as he brings it over to his mom’s awaiting hand.

Kuchel pops it open and turns it to Levi. It’s something he’s seen once, many years ago; A bridal set, one that was passed down from her mom. In the middle of a gold band sits a dainty oval ruby surrounded in “vines” that are beset by smaller diamonds in the shape of leaves. An engagement ring and wedding band – fitting together perfectly. Kuchel had shown Levi the set when he was really young, but she never wore them – which he suspects was to keep it safe from his father’s clutches. The gemstones sparkle brightly off the sunset that floods through her window.

“Mom…”

“Now listen here. I won’t be around forever – don’t look at me like that. I want you to have this now. I’m not saying to get married right away or even propose, but it would make me feel better if I knew you had this for when the time comes. And I trust you way more than I do Kenny.” With a snap, she closes the lid and shoves it in Levi’s direction.

He takes it reluctantly, not really sure what else to say. The thought dawns on him that his mom might not be around for his wedding day whether it be mentally or physically, and an ache shoots through his chest. But just like him, his mom’s decision was made. And there was no going back.

“Okay, mom.” He says back finally, closing his fingers around it tightly before standing up to slide it in his jean pockets.

“Don’t disappear on her again.” Kuchel stands up as well and places both of her cold, delicate hands on each side of Levi’s face as she stares hard at her son. “Promise me.”

Cupping his own hands over hers, he nods back as he says, “I promise.”

“Ms. Ackerman? It’s time for dinner.” A voice rings out from a staff member that stands in the open doorway of her room. It seems they have come to collect Kuchel to take her to the dining hall.

“Yes, one moment.” Kuchel wraps her arms around Levi once more and holds him close for a moment before letting go. “I’ll see you soon?”

“Of course Ma, I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He says quietly then leans over to kiss her warm cheek.

“Can you get her a vase for those flowers, please?” Levi asks as he steps towards the staff member currently blocking his path.

“I’ll see to it, Mr. Ackerman.” They bow slightly and move aside.

As he brushes past, he sees you leaning against the wall as you scroll through your phone with his mother’s drawing pinched between tight fingers in the other hand. The golden rays from the sunset reflect off the white building and through the windows, sheathing you in a shower of sunlight like a spotlight. You are blissfully unaware of how breathtaking you are to him.

“Are you ready to go?” Levi asks, startling you from the video you were silently laughing at. You lock your phone and slide it into your back pocket before stretching a hand out to him to take. Your smile never fades as he laces his fingers through yours without hesitation and leads you out of Riverside Assisted Living, mumbling about where he would like to go for the evening.

That night, Levi surprises you with a picnic date.

By the time Levi pulls into his apartment, the sun is all but gone – leaving indigo and navy blues behind it. He told you that he wouldn’t be long and to stay in the running car. A few minutes go by until you see him again, bounding down the steps with a large blanket roll in one arm and a picnic basket in the other. As the overhead lights pop on while he opens the back door to unload what was in his arms, he shoots you a small smile. Then he holds something small out to you.

“Will you hold this for me?”

You hold your palm out for him, and he places a small box in the middle of it. It’s black with mesh wire on each side and a few little buttons on the top. It’s a bluetooth speaker, you surmise. When Levi hops back into the driver’s side, you raise an eyebrow at him.

“I figured you wouldn’t want to eat dinner in silence.” He says as he reverses out of the parking spot then heads for the main road.

It doesn’t take very long to get to Jinae’s downtown – just minutes away from their café. But instead of turning down the street that would lead to it, he keeps driving until he gets to the park that once held the Sakura Festival so many months ago. The trees are all but green now, not even a small trace of pink hanging from the branches.

After parking in a small lot provided for park goers, Levi takes your hand and leads you down the subtle hill towards the bank of the river. It’s a lovely evening where the air is just warm enough with a light breeze. Fireflies start to flicker in and out of the whole park, illuminating whatever happened to be near it in a warm, yellow glow. And the only noises you hear are distant crickets and frogs coming from the river – which flows so gently that it doesn’t even look like it’s moving. The city lights reflect off the water like its glass.

There aren’t that many people out tonight as well, which is surprising given the time of year. But what surprises you even more is the one single tree lit up with a string of lights that encircle the trunk and up into the branches above. There’s nothing else next to it but you know it was meant for you.

This was the same tree you and Levi sat under while you waited for your friends at the festival back in April. Where the urge to kiss him was burning through your whole body. Where you felt your feelings for him concrete themselves into your mind.

Levi hands you the basket before letting go of your hand to roll the blanket out under the tree. In mere moments, his shoes are removed and placed neatly in the grass. He beckons you to join him as he stands in the middle of the blanket, the soft glow of the tree lighting up his face.

Kicking off your own shoes, you then step over to Levi with the basket dangling in your fingers. As he reaches over to take it back from you, he takes a step forward to plant a gentle kiss on your lips – one that lingers even when he pulls away.

“Is this okay?” he asks. At first, you think he’s referring to the kiss, but you realize his eyes are bouncing around you. There’s a subtle hint of anxiety in his gaze that wouldn’t be detectable by most people.

‘This is perfect.’ You reassure.

Despite how small the basket looked from the outside, you find out quickly that it held more than you thought. Once you and Levi settle down, he starts to unpack a myriad of items, mostly all food related. A plate with what looks like chicken salad sandwiches comes out first, all cut into small triangles. Then comes a small bowl of chopped up melon, a bag of chips, and a tall bottle of amber liquid – apple juice, Levi assured you. Finally comes out a small pillow that you recognize from Erwin’s couch. You can’t help but laugh as you sit up straight to get a better look at everything.

“What?” Levi asks with a frown.

‘It’s nothing. When did you prepare all of this?’ You inquire before picking up the chips to inspect what kind they were.

“Earlier this morning.”

You look up to see Levi eyeing you warily. Behind that façade of nonchalance, you see a very anxious man waiting for what you thought about all of this. You never took Levi to be the type to care about what other people thought, which means he really cared about what you had to say.

‘This is fantastic. Thank you for putting in all the effort.’ You lean over to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek. With a light blush, he hums back in response as he looks away to fiddle with something on his phone – at a glance, it looks like a music app. That reminds you about the speaker you had shoved into your bag before leaving the car, so you reach in and pluck it out. Levi takes it from your hand and a moment later, soft rock plays through each side of the box. Despite the small build, it sure is mighty in sound.

“There. Hungry?”

‘Starving.’

As Levi watches you nibble on your last piece of melon, he can’t help but think how perfect you are to him. Vulnerability wasn’t something that came easy to him but when you walked into his café and back into his life, it was like a scab that had been reopened. As uncomfortable as it was, he found the rawness that came with it very refreshing. What would it mean to stay by your side forever, he wonders. To wake up next to you for the rest of his life.

These thoughts raced through his mind earlier as he packed the basket and you waited in the car. The ring box burnt a hole in his pocket as he stood by his desk contemplating his choices. Tonight would be a perfect time to propose to you but still, something held him back. This was new to not only him, but you as well. Were you ready for something so life-altering? Was this even something you wanted? These were not topics that are generally brought up in casual conversation after only a week of officially dating.

No, he would know when it was time. For now, he was content with what he had, and he would wait for as long as you needed him to.

“Are you happy?” Levi leans back on a hand as he looks over to you.

You glance over to him in surprise at the question. Just as quickly, it dissolves into a big smile that lights up your eyes. Popping the rest of the fruit in your mouth, you sit up so you can sign easily.

‘I am. Are you?’

“I guess. It’s nice here.” He smirks at you, remembering that this is what he said to that same question months ago. “With you.” But he never got to say that to you then.

“You told me a while ago that words were not always needed to convey intent.”

‘I did, yes.’ Your face scrunches in confusion at the sudden statement.

Levi sits up before reaching into the basket with his left hand. For a moment you think he’s about to bring out dessert of some kind but instead he takes out a small paper bag, no bigger than three inches in width. He turns it upside down above his palm and out comes a gold chain necklace. A small cherry blossom pendant dangles off the side of his hand, glinting in the lights next to you. You scramble up on all fours as you inch closer to get a good look at it, knowing full well what it was.

“At first, this was bought as an apology. But now, I think this was also my way of saying that I love you, without me realizing it.” Levi mutters softly. Your wide eyes flicker from the pendant over to Levi’s face, lips parted in amazement. The necklace looks as if it was never broken, much less worn with the fresh polish it had received.

Before leaving Liberio, Levi had snuck away to a jeweler in town to see what they could do to fix it. In terms of damage, fortunately it was minimal. ‘For something so delicate, it sure is hardy.’ the jeweler had told Levi as they inspected it. He knew the jeweler was talking about the chain, but his mind drifted to you instead.

‘You fixed it for me.’

“It was important to you. I couldn’t leave it behind.” Levi gets up on his knees and scoots so that he’s behind you. Gingerly, he loops the chain around your neck and a few seconds later, it’s locked tight. You pinch the small metal pendant in between two fingers as you sigh in relief at the familiar weight hanging on your neck once again.

‘Thank you, Levi.’

You turn to face Levi and throw your arms around his neck as you lean in to kiss him. He startles at the abrupt movement but is quick to reciprocate as he places both hands on your waist and pulls you closer into him. He can feel you smiling into the kiss as it deepens.

As you both break apart, breathing heavily from the lack of air, you don’t lose your smile. Your hands raise to cup Levi’s face, your thumbs stroking his cheeks as you stare into those slate gray eyes of his that you loved so much.

“I don’t really have much else planned for tonight, so I can take you home-” You’re quick to cut him off with a shake of your head, much to Levi’s relief. He wasn’t ready to let you go either.

“Okay.” Levi muses. “We can stay here until you’re ready.”

The night carries on as you both lie on your backs, Levi holding you close in one arm. At some point, he started humming along to some of the songs that flowed through the speakers. The fireflies had gone to bed soon after. With your head resting on Levi’s chest, the gentle beating of his heart threatens to lull you into sleep.

As sure as the twinkling stars drift above, Levi Ackerman loves you.

And oh, how you love Levi Ackerman back.

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