The pale crescent moon shone like a smile that brightened the night sky. Stars twinkling endlessly across the cloud-filled view up above, it was a moment to relax, to recline, and most importantly, sleep. Being cadets of the Survey Corps took a lot of dedication, thus, dedicating your hearts meant losing sleep. Many cadets were sleep-deprived, even a certain Corporal was drained and tired. But, for this one time, when titans were low and the expeditions were going on without many casualties, to lay your head softly against the pillow, covered in the warmth of the covers was bliss.
You were walking along the corridors, and as every night goes, you went into the rooms of the cadets you and Levi supervised - the 104th Cadet Corps, and wish them a good night. Once you entered the girl's corridor, you saw Mikasa sleeping soundlessly on her bed, with Sasha right beside her on her own bed. Smiling, you made your way to Sasha first and lifting her bangs up, you leaned in to plant a feather-like kiss to her forehead. The moment you pulled away, you chuckled under your breath when you saw her 'chew' something within her mouth. Perhaps she was dreaming about food.
Turning around, you kneeled down and brushed past Mikasa's hair, and just as you gave Sasha her nightly kiss, you planted one for Mikasa. Your heart warmed when you saw her show a small smile, making you feel proud and content. Slowly, you exited the room. It felt too warm, too full of love that you might as well suffocate in it.
Next, you went to the boy's corridor, entering into the room that kept Armin safe from cadets bothering him when he wanted to read, and Eren from when Jean wanted to start a fight. Your eyes landed on Armin covered by his blanket, snuggling like a little child when the night breeze gave a gentle brush past his skin. As for Eren, his stomach showed, with his body in a contorted manner and blanket all messily spread around his body.
You tended to Armin first. You pushed the window down, just enough so that the wind wouldn't make him too cold, and good enough that he wouldn't overheat himself with how tightly he was wrapping the covers around himself. Then, you brushed past his blonde bangs. Leaning forward, you kissed his forehead. He shifted afterward and snuggled into the comfort of his covers once more. "Night Armin" you whispered.
Then, you tended to Eren, who was snoring away as most fathers would. You helped Eren into a much more comfortable position and fixed his blanket, just so that when he woke up the next morning, he wouldn't complain about having stomach aches. Then, you kissed his forehead. "Night, Eren" you whispered softly.
He smiled, just as Mikasa did.
Not long after, you treated the rest of the cadets. You provided Reiner a tender kiss to the forehead as well as Marco, Bertholdt, Connie and Jean. After the ordeal, you slowly made your way to Levi's office. After all, you promised to return back to his side when you reminded him of your nightly routine. He scoffed at the idea, but you explained that it was a good way to check up on them, to make sure that they weren't having nightmares.
Facing the mahogany door, it was slightly ajar, allowing a dim light to shine through. Slowly pushing past the door, your eyes fell on the empty desk that Levi had sat at. "He was there a few minutes ago..." you mumbled under your breathe. Entering into the room, you look to the right to see him.
His body laid oddly on the couch, as though he had practically fainted on his way there. His hair sprawled all over the pillow that rested behind his back. Your eyes landed on his face. He looked so relaxed, especially as his lips fell neutral. A hand rested by his stomach, and with each breath he took, you saw the way his chest rose and fell into slow, calm movements. This warmed your heart greatly because this was the second time you were able to witness the man sleep. He kept the fact that he didn't need sleep, or that he didn't have the time to. And from looking at his desk, the paperwork neatly piled on the surface, you figured that he had decided to crash onto the couch once he finished.
Slowly, you made your way to his side, immediately noticing how he was shivering. Taking off your Survey Corps jacket, you laid it across him, lifting the top over his shoulder as the rest fell nicely around his body. His face contorted for a moment, his lips moving around before he stayed still. You decided to sit down somewhere by his legs since once again, he was seated in an odd position. Your hands find their way to his hair, gently running your hand through his raven locks. He emitted a small groan once he felt this feeling, but didn't wake up from it, oddly enough. Then, you trailed your hand down towards his face, cupping his right cheek, lifting your thumb upwards to tenderly brush past his eye bag. They weren't as dark as the night sky, but they were very concerning, which made you frown.
"You need to sleep more Levi" you mumbled as you caressed his cheek. "I offer to help you with your paperwork, with anything, but you're always so adamant about doing it yourself, even when you can't really read right" you chuckled lowly. "Well, I wouldn't blame you since you told me why...but then again, I'm here to help you whenever you need me, so why don't you ask me?"
You were beginning to talk to Levi as though he was awake, and you hoped that even if you were talking, lowly at that, he wouldn't hear you. "Are you afraid of how others will think of you if you can't as much as read?" you inquired, unconsciously leaning in. "What's it like being Humanity's Strongest Soldier? To have to live up to the image that you must be unemotional, lacking all feelings, like guilt, regret...how do you keep up with that facade for so long without breaking?" Sighing, you pulled away, simply sitting by his side. You spread your hands out, looking at the way they seemed softer than his own. "You're always overworking yourself, Levi."
You looked at him before returning back to looking at your hands, failing to realize that he was slowly opening his eyes.
"How can I help you? I want to help you, more than you realize and I want to always be there for you. To see you at your best, I'll be with you at your worst. When will I?" you asked. "I wish to be able to tell you that you're doing amazing, that whenever I see you, my heart beats a little faster, and that whenever I'm with you, I feel safe. Your love for cleaning makes me appreciate how important it is to care about your surroundings. And when you told me about your past, I felt as though I was good enough to be someone you trusted. When you opened your heart up to me, I couldn't help but smile all throughout the day" you fiddled with your hands nervously.
Levi's eyes were open, slowly lifting his head up, he noticed your Survey Corps jacket laid across him. His heart beat in appreciation, and when he heard your voice, and especially when he saw you, so close to him, he froze slightly.
"I love you..." you suddenly say.
"You what?" he blurted out.
You whipped your head to the side, eyes wide when you realized that you were heard. Your breath hitched, and you felt as though something was stuck within your throat. You remained astonished, unable to produce any words. After calming yourself down, only slightly, you decided to change the subject, fearing that it must've made him uncomfortable to hear that, especially when he told you about his childhood.
"I-I...uh...I can't wait for tomorrow! You know there's so much cleaning to do? And, and there's no training..." you stuttered.
Levi had heard you clearly, those words that he's heard from time to time when he strolled through the town of Wall Sina but never directed towards him of all people. This made him stunned, similarly as you were stunned by how you were caught. "Tch" he scoffed. He removed your jacket from himself and wrapped it over your shoulder since he realized your shivering form. While you were slightly sweating, and fumbling with your fingers, Levi looked at you. He reached towards your chin and using his hand, he lifted your downcast face up and turned it, such that now, he made eye contact with you. "Don't lie to me" the tone in which he said it was gentle.
The touch of his hand upon your skin left as you breathed in and out, calming yourself. You were stuck, despising the fact that you had been talking to yourself, and it was only one time, just the one time you had, you were caught. Having no choice left but to admit your feelings for him, you looked deeply into his eyes.
"I love you, Levi" you repeated. "And, I want to be there for you, like I said...if you had heard what I said..."
"I certainly did, after all, I'm a light sleeper" he chastised.
You quirked up a brow. "Then why didn't you wake up when I was brushing through your hair?"
Levi's face, which was once pale like the moon, grew a small shade of red. It was beautiful, the way he seemed so flustered to admit that he enjoyed what you did, since he himself felt this, feeling that made him excited when he's with you.
The idea of love was hard for Levi, having it been absent for most of his life, albeit he had some close friends with him in the Underground days, they passed quite early, leaving Levi alone and by himself for the majority of his time in the Survey Corps. Hanji has attempted her best to befriend Levi, and he hated her for it, but he knew that within his heart, he appreciated her, along with the Commander for accepting him.
Now that he had this feeling known as love, he didn't know how to handle it. In the beginning it was fine, but now that you had said that you loved him, something he's lacked all his life, he didn't know what to exactly do with that feeling. What if he messed up? What if he became someone he'd hate as a result of it? He didn't know.
"Tch" he looked away, ears growing red. "I-I guess it's because I love you too, but, I don't know how to love" he said sadly. Then, he returned his eyes back to you, and remembered when he was strolling down the town, noticed several people hugging. He wondered how it would feel like. Clearing his throat, "how do you hug someone? How does that simple, thing, feel like?" he continued to look at you. "Am I capable of it?" he asked shyly.
You smiled softly at him, and nodding, you spread your arms apart. "As long as you're comfortable with it" you reassured.
He hesitated before slowly wrapping his arms around you. He rested his arms around your waist, while you wrapped yours around his shoulder. His face was under the crook of your neck, and he feared that he wasn't supposed to be there.
His worries dissipated when he leaned back and saw a warm look in your eye. "Tell me, how does it feel?" you asked. "Are you comfortable?"
"Yes, better than I thought" he answered. "I feel warm, safe even, is it normal to feel that way?"
You nodded. The more you looked into his eyes, the more you wanted to love him. His innocent eyes, those of which showed how naive he was to this concept, made you want to take it slow and make it so that he didn't fear love.
After a while, you wondered if he wanted to pull away. When you attempted to, you felt that he didn't want to go. "Levi? Are you alright?" you worriedly asked.
"Stay, please" his voice was pleading almost.
Your heart pained. If this was the first feeling he's ever had of a hug, or an actual experience of what being loved felt like, then you'd do anything to show to him that he's loved everyday, for every moment of his life. But, if it becomes too much for him to handle, you'd give him time, because regardless, your love for him will never falter.
After a while, you heard a soft snore, enticing you to chuckle lowly. You pulled back, and just like you did with the other cadets, you lifted up his bangs and planted a small kiss to his forehead.
"Night, Levi. I love you" you whispered.
Every night, you would show Levi what it meant to love someone, without just the idea of love, he can finally express it. And for the first time, with your consent, he kissed you in the most sweetest way imaginable.