As We Have Lived Together... (Levi x Reader)

                                    

                                          
Author's Note: Little history lesson for you. Ida Straus was a first-class passenger on the Titanic. When she was offered a spot on a lifeboat, she refused, choosing instead to stay with her husband. There are a few different accounts of the statement she made at the time, but the one I like best is: "As we have lived together, so shall we die together." That quote inspired me to write the following story, and I hope you enjoy it.

                          
*Also, I know the picture is Sasha & Connie, but that aside, I think it fits the story.
                          
**Finally, thanks for 300K reads!
                          


                          
The situation really couldn't be worse. You were out of gas, running for your life through some god-forsaken forest. No one had responded to your signal flares, and for all you knew, your comrades were already dead. 
                          
However, the worst part was that you weren't alone. Your husband was running right alongside you. Normally, you would have been reassured by his presence, but knowing that he was in the same situation as you – knowing that he was also likely to die here – made this predicament all the more terrible. 
                          
The titans were gaining on you. You and Levi tried to evade them by running through dense branches, but that only bought you a few seconds, at best. Within another minute, they would have you both in their clutches.
                          
"(F/n), listen," Levi panted beside you. "I want you to keep running. Understand? Run until you find help."
                          
His words left you confused. "What about you?"
                          
"Don't wait for me," he instructed. Then, to your utter shock and terror, he stopped running and turned to face the beasts. 
                          
You skidded to a halt. "What are you doing?!" you screamed.
                          
"I said go!" Levi shouted back, shooting you a look that was intense and commanding.
                          
You gaped at him, horrified. All of a sudden, the world seemed to slow down, until it was moving at a snail's pace. You saw everything with absolute clarity. And in that second which seemed to last an eternity, your mind reached two, indisputable conclusions. 
                          
One – Levi intended to stay behind, sacrificing himself to buy you time. He wouldn't last long, given that he was out of gas and only had one pair of blades. He was likely counting on the fact that all the titans would stop to tear him apart, and that would at least give you a few minutes to get ahead of them. Maybe you could even escape their sight completely, and then, maybe, you could survive long enough to find the rest of the regiment.
                          
Two – You could never let that happen.
                          
You squared your shoulders and stated, "No."
                          
Levi's breath hitched. His demanding expression turned desperate, his wide eyes begging you to do this for him. "(F/n), please," he rasped.
                          
Your expression softened. It broke your heart to see him like this, so sad and vulnerable. Of course, you understood completely how he was feeling. If you had thought of it first, you probably would have sacrificed yourself to buy him time, glad that he at least had a chance of being safe. However, even though you understood, this was one request that you could never grant.
                          
You reached out and took his hand. "I promised I would never leave you," you stated softly, looking earnestly into his gaze, "and I will keep that promise. As we have lived together, so shall we die together. And I won't regret that – not one bit."
                          
Levi's expression tightened, as if he were trying not to cry. As your words filled him with too many emotions to bear, he pulled you into his arms, holding you as close as humanly possible. "I'm sorry," he hissed into your ear. "I wanted to protect you."