A one-shot for the Levi Ackerman x Fem!OC series, North Star
Tags: fluff; post-Rumbling world; postwar!Levi feeling the healing power of nature
Author's note: While this one-shot is part of the North Star world, it can still be enjoyed without having read the series.
But the story is best enjoyed while sitting under the trees.
Levi canât recall ever enjoying summers in Paradis. It had always been unbearably hot and humid; every shred of his uniform sticking to his body making it difficult to move. Not to mention that summer was the busiest time of year for expeditions. Riding for hours in the heat, the only time he felt a cool breeze was when he was flying through the air on ODM gear. The sound of nearby thunder from a summer storm would mingle with the footsteps of titans, and the flowers that dotted the forest ground were often splattered with the blood of his comrades.Â
No, he had no good memories of summer.Â
Heâd arrived in Mursa at the peak of the season and with no knowledge of mountain summers. But the moment heâd moved into your home he saw how much you treasured it: the fresh flowers neatly displayed on the breakfast table every morning, and the basket of vegetables from the garden under your arm. You opened every window in the house to let a crosswind cool the rooms, the gossamer fabric of the curtain blowing in the wind.Â
He started his walk to his job at the stables in the early dawn hours, when the sun had not yet burned off the heavy dew collecting on each leaf and flower, the birds just beginning their songs. He noticed that the air was cool and crisp in the mornings and evenings here, and youâd given him a jacket when youâd seen him bristle at the chill.Â
If people could be seasons then heâd decided you were summer. You were bright and warm, and had a bustling energy about you. He could hear you humming in your garden when you were pulling weeds, humming when you put laundry on the line to dry. Always humming, always singingâŠ
âCome ride with me,â you said one day while visiting the stables. You were brushing your horse, Astrid, and she seemed to snort in approval. âYou were saying you need to ride Demon more anyway, right?â
Itâs true, he needed to get the stallion out and stretch its legs.Â
âOk, but just for a quick ride. I need to get back and do the rest of todayâs chores,â he answered.Â
âPfft, youâve done most of them already, the rest can wait. Besides, itâs summer!â
(This was something you often said, heâd realized -Â when you wanted to sleep in a little longer on the weekends, when youâd eat an extra helping of strawberries with cream, when youâd stay up too late reading a book - as if summer was some magical pass to do things you donât normally do.)
âHeâs fine to leave for a few hours, right Mathieu?â
The old man smiles, the deep wrinkles around his mouth deepening. âLevi works so efficiently, I barely have anything left for him to do today.â He grabs a saddle and gives it to Levi. âGo, enjoy the summerâs day.â
Once both horses are saddled, you and he ride out of the stables and into the meadow.Â
âWhere to?â he asks, having a feeling youâve got something in mind.Â
âWeâre gonna ride up into those mountains a bit.â You point to a mountain range just to the west of the stables. âI have a place to show you that I think youâre gonna love.â
You look at him with a gleam in your eye. âWanna race to the foot of the mountain?â
He liked this competitive side of you. âYou know Demon and I will beat you.â
âNot if I get a head start!âÂ
A gentle prod to Astridâs and youâre off in a flash. Levi smirks and pets the side of Demonâs neck.
âTime to show off a little, eh?â Levi clicks his tongue and taps Demonâs sides, just as theyâd practiced over the past week. The black stallion snorts, stomping the ground before he starts his cantor. It doesnât take long before theyâre neck-in-neck with you, but he says a command and Demon goes even faster. By the time you and Astrid reach the foot of the mountain, the other two are relaxed, Demon nibbling on some blades of grass.
âWhat was that about beating me?â Levi smirks.
You roll your eyes before moving past him, starting up a narrow trail that leads into the trees. He follows behind, welcoming the cool shade as you ride further up. Thereâs a rustling in the bushes and Levi whips his head toward the sound, suddenly on alert. A deerâs head rises, seemingly unbothered by their presence.
Levi sighs. Even after all these years, itâs hard not to think that any movement in a forest is a possible threat. He keeps his eyes on your back as you ascend, the trail too narrow for you to ride side by side. But itâs a well worn trail, Levi notices; whether it was you or someone else that created it, itâs been used often. You donât speak a word the entire trek until suddenly the ground evens out and you stop.
âHere we are,â you declare in a sing-song voice, âmy little hideaway.â
The dense foliage of the pine and elm trees has given way to a small clearing dotted with white and blue flowers, their petals open towards the sun as if greeting its warmth. It was almost perfectly circular, like it was cleared of trees and specifically made.Â
âMartin and I would come here when we were kids.â You step into the clearing. âWe thought fairies made this place - itâs always felt so magical.â
âMagical beings that live in the forest.â Levi looks at you, perplexed. âThere arenât forest spirits where youâre from?â
âNot that Iâm aware of. But there were plenty of things that wanted to kill us,â he replies.Â
âFairies can be mischievous, but theyâre usually kind and benevolent. Especially if you give them a gift.â
You take out a peach and a small bottle from your saddle bag and place it under a large tree next to the clearing. âThey particularly like wine and fruit.â
âWho doesnât,â Levi says, slightly to mock but he must admit, his interest has peaked. âNow what happens? Do they jump out of the trees or something?â
 âNo! Thatâs silly,â you answer. Your eyes shine as you take his arm and pull him into the center of the clearing. âI know you donât believe in any of this stuff, but..â
You sit down, pulling him down with you. â...youâll see, thereâs something special about this place.âÂ
Before Levi can respond, youâre lying down in the grass, your face towards the sky, just like the flowers around you. âJust lay down. Close your eyes. Listen.â
Thereâs something about the calm and confident way you voice those three commands, and the next thing he knows, heâs lying beside you, his arms crossed against his chest.
One final sigh of resignation, and he closes his eyes. He waits a few seconds, wondering if something will happen, and laughing at himself internally for even entertaining these kinds of foolish thoughts.Â
But then his breathing steadies, and he notices that itâs in rhythm with the breeze blowing through the trees around him: an in and out, as if the trees are also breathing.Â
He feels a tiny insect - probably an ant - walking across his hand, the tall grass brushing against his body.
He smells the scent of pine in the air, sweet and woody.
He hears the bird song around him - the same melody he hears every day, but now, he notices every note. Itâs the most beautiful thing heâs ever heard.
Thereâs another sound - a voice in the air, but itâs not yours.Â
Levi opens his eyes to the sound of you humming in the distance. He sits up, blinking a few times to adjust to the changing lighting.
âYou felt it, didnât you?â
Youâre picking some flowers next to a tree, twisting their stems into a flower crown.
He rubs the back of his neck before standing up and wipes off the grass from his pants. âHow long was I out?â
âOh, for about an hour. I didnât want to wake you, you looked so peaceful.âÂ
Levi walks over to the tree youâre sitting under and leans against the trunk. You look up and smile at him.
âThe fairies tend to give us what we need most. Apparently, you needed rest.â
Levi does a mental scan of his body. He does feel rested, more than he has in a long time. His muscles are relaxed, and even his knee isnât aching as much. Heâs never been a superstitious person - he believes what his eyes and other senses tell him - but he has to admit, there is something special about this place.
He wants to ask you what you were given during your time in the clearing, and what you need most. And why you brought him, of all people,here.
Instead, he looks away, his face apathetic. âYeah, well, an afternoon nap is never a bad idea.â He glances down to see you smiling at him. âWhat?â he asks defensively.
You smile so sweetly at him, he feels a slight heat to his cheeks.Â
âOhâŠnothingâŠnothing,â you reply, standing up as you hold the flower crown. âThanks for coming with me today.â
âWould youâŠcome here again with me some time?â
He can feel the blush growing across his face now and he turns away, walking towards Demon, whoâs grazing nearby. âSure.â
He looks back at you to see that youâve now put the crown upon your head. The breeze blows some of your hair across your face, and he almost reaches out to push the strands behind your ear, but you beat him to it. Of all people, why would you want to spend time with him? You'd only just met him a little over a month ago. And what is it about you that makes him want to say yes to whatever you ask?
He canât explain what it is about this place that makes it feel so special. Maybe itâs some natural phenomenon, maybe it is fairies.
Or maybe itâs just you.
He reaches out and straightens the crown on your head.
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