Mute (Levi Ackerman x Reader)

𝟝𝟟 • 𝕂𝕦𝕣𝕖

Your POV

Everyone worked throughout the night. Although, I didn't fully participate in the manual labor, I was just as active in the preparations.

At the break of dawn, Armin, Mikasa, Connie, Jean, Kylie and I stopped working when Hanji ordered us to gear up. Before gearing up, I checked on the kids in their room where Levi already was doing the same thing. He's such a good dad.

He really loves them more than anything. Being away from them is hard on him. The truth is the only reason Levi hadn't retired was because he was still fighting for them, fighting for a world they could live in. We had kids earlier than we expect to. Levi wanted a world that they wouldn't have to fight in.

Kahira, Killian, Kuchel got the same promise Levi gave me, when they were born— that he would always come home. The weight of that promise was so grave to a job where you are guaranteed to an early grave.

||| Flashback |||

Levi leaned over the twins cribs. They were barely a month old I was going to go get them to feed them, but there Levi stood already there. He rested his hand against the railing while keeping his eyes on them. He put his hands in prayer position and crotched over.

He sighed heavily.

I felt the stillness in the air, Levi was taking it all in.

"I don't get it." He said, talking to himself. He's never going to break that habit.

He stopped crouching and faced Kahira and Killian again.

"I don't understand how you're here now," Levi said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. "How did I create something so pure and innocent? How am I your father?"

He shook his head, letting out a dry laugh. "I'm fucking confused, don't get me wrong, but... I can't even begin to describe how honored I am to be your dad. Even if I have no idea who you are yet. And you—you don't know who I am either. I just... I hope you'll like me."

He paused, his brows furrowing as he let the words hang in the air. "I never got to know my shithead dad, and I come from a place full of shitheads where everyone thought I was one too. I can't help but wonder... when you're not just babies anymore, will you be proud to call me your shithead father?"

Levi took a shaky breath, and for the first time, his voice cracked. "I really hope you will." He sniffled, then again, the sound breaking the silence. "I really hope... that I can actually deserve you. That I can be worthy of your love." His gaze dropped as he rubbed at his face. "Because... I'm a very flawed person. But you two... you're just so beautiful. So, so pure."

The tears in his eyes brimmed. Watching him was like watching a pot of water finally boil over, unable to be contained.

"I never thought I would be a dad," Levi admitted, a bitter laugh escaping him. "Before I met your mother, the idea never even crossed my mind. Being a father... it's a lot of fucking pressure, you know? I never wanted to be responsible for corrupting something so pure with my blood. I didn't want to be responsible for a life—let alone two lives."

His sigh was heavy, almost a shudder. "I remember coming into this world and being surrounded by love from my mother. But it didn't last long. When she died, it was... it was like someone turned the lights off and left me in the dark. Life became hard—cold, mean. I had to shut myself off from everything that reminded me of her, including the love she gave me. That kind of love, that kind of security, it wasn't something I could feel again because I knew it wasn't going to be a reality anymore. And dreams?" He scoffed, bitter. "Dreaming was for idiots who wanted to die."

A tear rolled down Levi's cheek and to his chin, glistening faintly in the dim nursery light. It wasn't his past he cried for—Levi wasn't one to dwell or wallow in regret. No, these tears were different. They came from the deep contrast between the guarded, hardened heart he'd carried for so long and the one now cracking wide open, exposed.