Summary: Levi is struggling to sleep so he finds solace in the comfort of your bed and arms.
Content Warnings: takes place after the events of The Rumbling, angst, mentions of death, depression, insomnia, and fluff.
Authors Note: just a cute little angsty/fluff blurb. I apologize for any mistakes, I’m typing this on my phone.
Levi can’t sleep at night. Given everything he’s gone through, it keeps him up. He’s tried everything; tea, sleeping pills, keeping his mind and body busy all day with the hope he crashes once his head hits the pillow only for him to lie awake for hours.
He thinks it’s the survivors guilt that keeps him up most nights. Why should he get to live when everyone he loves is dead and gone?
No, not everyone. He still had you.
You always had an “open door” policy with Levi when you moved in together. After the events of the rumbling, you knew that Levi needed someone with him to take care of him and to keep an eye on him. So you moved in together in a small cottage. That was a few weeks ago and you both were still dealing either with the aftermath of The Rumbling, you were just doing a better job at dealing with it.
Levi knew he shouldn’t bother you, this late in the evening, but he was exhausted and desperate for some kind of sleep. As he rose from his bed slowly, he grunted in pain from his injuries and began limping towards your bedroom across the hall. He got used to not being able to see out of his right eye and only having two fingers. It was the limp in his leg that continued to be a burden.
Not only were you always there to comfort him but you also took to tending his wounds. Levi never once felt like he was imposing or becoming a nuance to you because he knows how much you care for him.
Truth be told, Levi always had feelings for you but he never was one to act on it because he liked to take things slow, at his pace; especially now. You were fine waiting until he was ready to take the next step in whatever this relationship was. For now, you enjoyed the nights you two shared a bed.
Levi gently knocked on the door to your bedroom and waited for a few moments to see if you’d answer. When you did, his heart studded in his chest when he saw your sleep disheveled look; hair a mess and night shirt slightly askew.
“Levi?” You rub the sleep from your eyes so you could see him clearly. “Everything alright?”
He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly nervous. “Can’t sleep.”
He didn’t need to explain why, you simply opened your bedroom door more so he could step inside. You motioned to his limp with a nod.
“Bothering you?”
He made a gruff noise in response before sitting on the edge of your bed. You never help him walk, atleast nowadays, because you knew how independent he was. In the first few days of his recovery, you pushed him around in the wheelchair and helped him to and from places.
“You’re lucky you’re cute, Levi. I was having a wonderful dream before you woke me,” you teased while climbing into bed next to him.
You always made sure to lay on his right side so he could see you.
He let out a soft chuckle before carefully climbing underneath the covers with you. “Oh yeah, what about?”
“Oh just this gorgeous man with grey eyes and a sharp cheekbones. He has kind of an attitude though. Mostly for others. But not for me,” you sighed dreamily while hugging your pillow close to your chest.
“Must be some guy. Sorry about that.”
You winked. “The real guy is much better if I do say so.”
A warm blush covered Levi’s face as he made himself comfortable. Silence fell in the room as you both lay there staring into the darkness, the only sliver of light coming from the moonlight outside of your window. Levi looked breathtaking in it even with his scars. You knew he was self conscious about it especially the ones on his face. But you made sure to let him know how gorgeous he looked with them by kissing them any chance he would let you.
“What was it this time keeping you awake?” You asked after a while of silence.
Levi sighed, scratching at his chest. “I think it’s my bed. I can’t get comfortable.”
“I’ve told you, Levi. You’re always welcome to sleep in mine. You never have to ask,” you reminded him.
The corner of his lip turned up in a weak smile. “I know. I just feel terrible that I keep imposing on you.”
You rested a hand over his on his chest causing him to look down at you. “You never do. As much as I love helping you recover, I also love being close to you.”
You both liked each other, there wasn’t any hidden feelings. But again, you wanted to give Levi as much time as he needed. You were fine with taking things at his pace.
With his good hand, Levi squeezed yours. “I know. I’ve done things on my own for so long that I don’t know how to not feel like a burden.”
“You’re not,” you kissed his shoulder, the material of his shirt making your lips warm. “Plus, it helps that you’re so warm.”
Levi chuckled, a sound that warmed your heart, and gently turned on his side, back facing you. You snuggled up into his back to wrap your arm around him then left a kiss on his back.
“I still can’t believe you like being the little spoon,” you giggled.
Levi physically relaxed in your embrace, you could feel all the tension leave his body which made you hold him even tighter. You knew things weren’t going to be easy but you made a promise to him that you would never give up on him.
“If you tell anyone,” Levi grumbled.
“You’ll have to kill me. I know, I know.”
Snuggling up closer into his back, he grabbed your hand to leave soft kisses along your knuckles. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
“You never have to thank me, Levi. Now, get some sleep.”
He did, like always whenever he was in your arms. Levi always slept the safest and soundest with you holding him.
You know that scene in Titanic where Rose jumps off the lifeboat and Jack rushes to her, kissing all over her face and saying "why did you do that ? You're so stupid, why would you do that?"
10000000000% something Levi would do to you if he saw you do something insanely risky.
The idea of being sent on a mission on Christmas Day was a foreign concept for the Scout regiment.
Sure, there was no guarantee that you would be able to enjoy the day at your whim, but Erwin made sure it was the default scenario.
Only in emergencies should the regiment be sent out on a mission Christmas Day.
This year was one of those emergencies.
Some new members of the Scouts had decided that getting over the wall to get a ‘better tree’ was a fun idea of a lovely day out.
Levi was willing to bet money that Eren and his friends were behind this.
And, as usual, he was right.
Erwin had sent a taskforce of Levi, Hange and you (as well as the rest of the Levi Squad) out to find the rogue recruits.
Levi wasn't a fan of you going with them on this mission. He never was. He wanted to keep you safe. He also wanted you to enjoy Christmas, and that new book that he had bought you as your gift. But alas, orders were orders and you had to go with them.
You wouldn't have minded as much if it weren't for the deep snow that had covered the ground. Sure, it made the idiots scouts easier to track, but that satisfaction didn't quite keep the cold from biting at you.
There were no signs of any titans lurking around to try and eat you up, but that didn't mean there weren't any out there.
Titans were never fans of the cold, but that wasn't exactly going to stop an abnormal from chasing after you.
You hadn't made it far into the forest when you heard giggling that unquestioningly belonged to Eren.
Levi snuck up behind the group of idiots and simply grabbed Eren by the ear, pulling him back to the rest of us. Eren's group of mischievous friends followed behind him, heads hung low in shame.
The ride back to the walls was short but silent. We all remained on our horses with one of the insolent young scouts joining us, while Levi forced Eren to walk in front of us the rest of the journey back.
Was it harsh? Yep. But no one was going to argue with Levi.
Especially not when he was already grumpy about not being able to spend his Christmas Day alone with you.
The young scouts were forced to clean the entire cafeteria spotless (and yes, that mean Levi's definition of spotless), before morning following the Christmas dinner that evening.
Whilst they got to work on that, you and Levi returned to your shared quarters, complete with a warm fireplace that was working hard trying to dry your snow-soaked clothes from that morning's recuse mission.
Levi gently pushed you onto the sofa that was sat in front of the fire, before grabbing your new book and handing it to you along with a thick blanket, then walking towards his office.
A few minutes later, Levi returned with two teacups and a teapot that each steamed with fresh, hot tea.
Levi always knew what you needed. Granted, part of you thought he was only doing this so he wouldn't have to deal with you if you fell sick.
But you knew his favourite thing in the world was when the both of you got some time alone together to snuggle up with a book each and some tea.
He loved this all year round, but Christmas was slowly becoming his favourite time of the year.
Only if Eren wasn't being a brat and causing havoc, but then again, when wasn't that boy up to something?
Just a little headcannon: Levi exercises to shut his mind off and cope with all the stress and death and destruction. Push ups, pull ups, deadlifts, running.. -it doesn't really matter what he's doing as long as the adrenaline helps him focus in and tame the wild emotions clawing their way to the forefront. That's why he gets thicker and beefier between seasons. Things just keep getting worse and worse, his friends keep dying left and right. He just feels so helpless and his thoughts keep spiraling dangerously, exercise seems like the only solution and he might as well get stronger while he's at it.
