As Long As... Levi x Reader (4) FINAL

Blood. Blood everywhere. The hot, sticky crimson liquid dyed your vision. You watched as they died. Teammates. Comrades. Family. Friends. Soldiers. Civilians. Everyone. Your mouth was opened in a silent scream as you watched the last remnants of humanity die. And for what? Nothing. It was a game to the titans. It was sport. Fun. Entertainment. You were like the ant that a human would step on, not wondering for a second if the ant had thought, a mind. If it knew pain. It was horrific and disgusting.
        Your feet were stuck to the roof as the monstrous being approached, lips pulled back in a eerie smile that frightened you to the bond. They were all dead. Everyone you cared about. Blood drenched you. Titan blood evaporated. This was the blood of those you knew. Crimson soaked hair, white shirt sticky with it. It stained your boots and pants. 3-D Maneuver gear at your side - either inoperable or you were to scared to approach it. Weren't you supposed to be brave? Strong? Or were they right? Were you an expendable member of the survey corps? Another corpse? Titan prey? Your green cape, emblazoned with the wings of freedom was torn off, wind whipping it away. The large hand grasped you, surrounding your entire body. Like a coffin. You wouldn't have one. Your eyes were brining with tears, mouth agape. It was going to eat you. It was thrown into sharp relief - this was how you would die. And no one would know.

You yelled an ear-piercing scream, bolting out of bed. You were trembling head to toe. The blankets were dishevelled. Your body was covered in a slick layer of ice cold sweat. It was two days since the battle of Trost. You were shaken. This was your worst nightmare yet. You were near hyperventilation, chest falling up and down rapidly. Your breath was ragged, as if you were drowning - struggling for air. Your eyes were wide. This isn't real, you told yourself. Kath is in the infirmary under stable conditions. The cadets that you favoured were fine, except for Marco. Levi and his squad were safe. Hanji was okay. Everyone would be okay. Physically, at least. But it had no avail on your panic attack.
        The door burst open, all though you hardly registered it. The figure took a seat on your bed, embracing you tightly.
        "____, calm down. It was just a dream," he said, harsh tone moderately gone.
        "But it wasn't a dream. Not for long. It'll happen someday. We're all going to die," you gasped between breaths.
        "Not to you. Not if I can help it," Levi said, one arm pulling you towards him, the other hand on your head.
        "But then what's left for me? Kath nearly died, corporal! If there's another battle worse than this... If she..." You couldn't say it. "I have nothing, after you and Kath are gone. Nothing to go home to. Nothing to live for."
         "Why? What happened, ____? What about your family?"
        You started to cry.
        "All gone. Grandparents are dead. Mother died giving birth to my brother, who died just under three years ago from disease. Father died from a collapsing building in the fall of Shingshina. No information about anyone else. No one was-" you cut yourself off, unable to finish your sentence.
        "You have a family here, cadet. Don't you see that? And I vow to protect you with my life, unconditionally," Levi said, looking deep into your eyes. 
        "C-corpor-"
        "I think we're at the part where we stop using senseless honorifics, brat."
        "Yeah, because brat is so much better than cadet l.n."
        "I think this is also the part where you shut up and kiss me."
        He swiftly pressed his lips against yours. You slowly eased into the kiss, kissing Levi back as your arms found their way to your lower back. You deepened into the kiss and it became more passionate, more heated with every lingering second. The Taste if your lips, of your mouth, were his to savour. You broke apart when you realized that oxygen was a requirement of human life. Your chest rose and fell rapidly,  nightmare forgotten in that one beautiful moment.
        "Don't think that this gives you permission to show our romantic relationship in public, cadet," Levi said.
        "I'm a squad leader, now. Don't talk down to me!" You sassed à la Kath.
        "Save it for the bedroom."
        Your cheeks were really fucking red.
        "Get some sleep. You'll have a lot if work to do tomorrow," Levi said, tugging you back down into your bed, beside him. You didn't question it. You just let it happen. You only live once, and you never know when you're going to die.

"Get up." The harsh words sounded, luring you from your peaceful sleep.
        "Levi, it's still early," you answered, words slurring and eye bleary.
        "But I'm not going to walk out of your room with you when everyone's getting breakfast."
        "You could leave stealthily and not wake me up."
        "Tch. You'd just sleep in."
        "You worry too much. I swear that Hanji is still drunk from celebrations after Trost."
        "Hundreds are still dead," Levi said.
        "You think I don't know that? Cadets, that I was training, are dead. It's my fault, Levi! If I had trained them better, this wouldn't have happened. Marco wouldn't be dead! Trust me, Levi. I get it pretty damn well, so don't act all high and mighty. Humanity's strongest soldier. You have talent. You've survived battles. A lot of us have!"
        "____-"
        "I don't care if you hate me after I say this. You might be the strong, brave soldier, but you're acting blind. You have your own misery and you act like you're the only one who feels it. I lost my family too, slowly and painfully. I was starving too. I went into the military, and as soon as I was about to finish, as soon as I felt strong, I was weak and helpless AGAIN. I nearly lost my best friend, and I don't want to feel that horror again."
        With that, shirt halfway buttoned up, jacket wrapped around your waist, you stormed out, slamming the door behind you.
        "Merde. Levi, you con. You total ass," you muttered under your breath, trying to contain the tears that threatened to roll down your cheeks.
        "Squad leader ____. What's going on?" Mikasa asked, approaching you.
        "Mikasa. Nothing is going on."
        "I heard yelling and your door slammed. Who were you fighting with?" 
        "You're a smart girl, Mikasa. There's a reason why you graduated first."
        You knew that she new the answer.
        "Squad leader ____. Come over here. Cadet Ackerman, leave us for a moment," the harsh voice of Levi said.
        "Talk to me after breakfast, corporal," you said, turning sharply on your heel.
        "Squad leader ____. We are going to talk now, you insolent brat."
        "No, we aren't. You're wasting your breath."
        Your head was forced upwards, calloused hand on your cheeks. The rough  and chapped lips were slammed into your softer ones. You couldn't help it. You kissed back.
        "Get some, shorty!" Hanji said.
        "Dammit shitty glasses," Levi hissed.
        You couldn't help but laugh. Humanity's strongest, a total rage-monster, after being called shorty. That would be fun to tell Kath.