Breaking Barricades (Levi x Reader)

32. ** Promise **

Hange shut the door behind her as she left the room. Levi stared at my bruised face, wishing I would just open my eyes. But my body had been through so much, not even the doctor was sure I would pull through.

Before allowing any of the medics to stitch him up, Levi had demanded an honest prognosis from the doctor:

"Captain, to tell you the truth, if this had happened to anyone else, I would have told you to say your goodbyes. However, if she is as strong-willed as you say she is, she may have a slight chance of pulling through... but if she doesn't wake up in the next 24 hours, I don't think she ever will."

Taking my hand in his once more, Levi battled internally on whether he should stay or go. He knew how devastated I would be if I were to wake up to him gone; to yet another broken promise. But he also knew he had an obligation to protect Eren, and keep all of humanity safe from the titans, upholding his sworn duty as the Captain of the Survey Corps.

He looked up to glance out the window, finding the sun slowly beginning to set. He gritted his teeth, squeezing my hand in his, and dropped his head down, causing his black hair to cast a shadow over his eyes.

"Shit... what the hell am I supposed to do...?"

Slightly turning to look at me, as if expecting an answer, Levi stared in silence. Then, he stood to hover over me, resting one hand upon my cheek, gently tracing my bottom lip with his thumb.  Closing the space between us, he softly pressed our lips together, promptly using both hands to fiercely clasp my face. Eventually surrendering to the realization that I wouldn't kiss him back, he sadly parted from my lips, but didn't go far. He leaned his forehead against mine, staying nose to nose as he spoke.

"(F/N)...there isn't much time, so I am going to trust that you're listening to me right now, because I'm only going to say this once... You are one of the most stubborn soldiers I have ever met, so I refuse to believe that you'll die on me now. But I am also painfully aware of how death can be mistaken for freedom..." He paused, before continuing.

"Tch- dammit... I'll never forget the look in your eyes when it was just you and me, stranded outside the walls together.  You were more terrified by the thought of being abandoned again than you were of the titans. And for some odd reason, all I could think to do was hold you. 
At the time, I did it because it just felt like the right thing to do. But when I saw that same fear again, I had an overwhelming urge to take away all of your pain, to kiss you, and hold you in my arms and-- and honestly I didn't even know why! ...But now I know it's because I didn't want to be left behind either...not again. And not by you. So, please... (F/N)..."  A tear fell from his eyes and splashed gently onto my cheek. "Wake up..."

He stayed magnetized to me for as long as he could, before slumping back over in his chair, defeated. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his forehead in sorrow, before folding his arms next to my thigh and dropping his head.

"To lose you after all this..." he whispered, heartbroken.

...

"...L-Levi?"

My eyes had barely adjusted from waking, when I felt Levi's lips urgently crash back into mine. His arms desperately pulled me close to his chest into a tight yet careful embrace. At first, I was thrown off by how intense his response was, but then, as my awareness began to return, I fearfully and completely understood.

Barely able to move, I pushed through the pain to work one hand up to Levi's back, tracing it along his spine. Eventually, my fingertips were close enough to touch his hair, as I rested my palm against his head. There was nothing more in the world that I wanted...than to be held safely in his arms.

"Levi... He's really dead, right? And we're both still alive? Am I finally free of him?"

"I told you that you were strong enough, (F/N). You always have been."

Pulling away slightly, our eyes closely  studied each other, soaking in every detail.

"I can't believe it. How are you real?  How did I get so damn lucky to keep crossing paths with you?" I asked softly.

Levi brushed the hair out of my face and rested his hand against my cheek.

"I stopped trying to figure out life a long time ago..."

As badly as I wanted to stay in Levi's embrace, I had heard everything he confessed to me earlier. And I knew he had to leave.

"I'm going with you to Ehrmich, Captain.  I won't be of any use either way, but I refuse to stay here."

Levi smirked a bit and gently ruffled my hair.

"Again...you're the most stubborn soldier I know."

Levi stood and left the room to inform the doctor that I had woken up.  He also gave him a heads-up about how he would need to immediately discharge me, whether he wanted to or not. When Levi returned, I was already trying to sit up by myself.

"Oi, slow the hell down. If you pass out again, I'm not dragging your ass off to Ehrmich."

He was right. I was stubborn.  And even though my body hated me for moving already, my soul was completely rejuvenated and my heart was on fire.  I was ready to stretch my wings and finally fly free. No matter what was ahead of me in life now, I was more alive than I had ever been.

There wasn't going to be a "Happily Ever After" in our world. But if my path continued to align with Humanity's Strongest, Captain Levi Ackerman, the man who showed me how to live again, then that's all I truly needed.

----- The End -----