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It had been 2am when Erwin awoke to the sound of Levi’s quiet sobs and sniffles, hand covering his mouth in attempt to silence his cries. His body shook, though Erwin’s arm steadied him, circled around his waist, nose pressed into his soft black hair. Levi had been having nightmares recently, conjuring up some old, unwanted memories, things he would have rather kept in the back of his mind.
It had started with Isabel and Farlan, the memories of the first time they had all joined the Survey Corps, the memories of the first titan he had ever slain with them. After a couple weeks the nightmares reminded him of Petra, Oluo, Eld, Gunther, the memories of the mission to capture the female titan. The pale, blood splattered face of Petra’s body still haunted him.
Even after the titans were long gone, and humanity lived in peace, things were not perfect, it seemed. Sleepless nights, missing friends, a whole lot of heartache and guilt. Everybody had at least one regret. Eren regretted losing his mother, Mikasa regretted losing her parents, Jean regretted losing Marco.. Though it seemed that the person who held the most regrets on his back was Levi.
“Want to talk about it?” Erwin had questioned after a couple minutes, stroking his hand slowly against Levi’s back, a soothing gesture that helped calm Levi’s shaking just a little.
“It was different.. This time,” Levi murmured, allowing Erwin’s hand to move to his face, stroking his thumb gently against his cheek. “You.. Hange, Eren, Mikasa, Armin.. E-Everyone..”
The stutter in Levi’s voice was noticeable, Erwin’s heart aching at the noise. “You all died.. Erwin, you died,” Levi choked out a sob, turning his face to hide it in the palm of Erwin’s hand, tears starting to spill over his cheeks. “And I just watched.. As you got fucking eaten.”
“Levi, I’m okay, I’m alive..” Erwin whispered, wiping away the tears that fell from Levi’s pale grey eyes. He looked so worn out, so tired, bags under his eyes even more prominent than usual. “Everybody’s okay..” Levi’s sad smile was barely seen in the darkness of their bedroom, though Erwin caught a glimpse, running his thumb over Levi’s bottom lip, pushing it upwards a little.
“What are you doing?..” Levi whispered, though it was mainly mumbled, as Erwin pushed at his mouth, tugging the corners upwards with the pads of his fingers. A soft sniffle was heard from the shorter as he calmed himself, the final of his tears streaming down his face.
“Making you smile,” Erwin replied simply, leaning back a little to take in the entirety of Levi’s face, eyes running over the contours and the structure. He was perfect, in every sense of the word, though he did look a little silly with Erwin forcing a smile upon him. The smaller boy’s eyes brightened a little, a weak giggle coming from his lips. Erwin knew his weaknesses.
With a soft chuckle, Erwin let go of the other’s mouth, his hand dropping to his jaw yet again, tracing it carefully. The smile that graced Levi’s lips now was no longer forced or fake. It was known by many that Erwin Smith could easily break Levi’s cold persona with just a few words or touches, and right now, it was proving to be true. “I hate it when you’re upset,” The taller mumbled, “You look much better when you smile.”
“I love you so much,” Levi smiled, though tears were welling in his eyes again as he pressed his face against Erwin’s body, against the crack between his chest and the remains of his missing right arm. He sniffled a little, trying to hold back a sob, though Erwin was quick to comfort, stroking the black locks upon his head.
“I love you too,” Erwin murmured, pressing soft kisses against Levi’s head, trying to coax him to look upwards. “Don’t cry. I’m here,” the reassuring words would have sounded like any other boring old sentence to anybody else, though to Levi, they meant the world. He slowly raised his head, glancing into the soft blue oceans of Erwin’s eyes. Those eyes would always bring him happiness at the darkest of times. They would always bring him hope when things seemed so cold.
The blond was leaning down suddenly, and Levi had little time to react before he felt Erwin’s soft lips upon his own, kissing him like he was the only thing to ever exist. In that moment, to Erwin, he was. Nothing else mattered. Only Levi’s small body curled up around Erwin’s tall frame and the sound of his quiet breathing as they pulled away, smiling like idiots at each other.
“It’s getting late,” Levi whispered as he lay back against his pillow, giving Erwin free rein to his neck, his soft kisses and pecks making the smaller sqirm and giggle softly. Levi Ackerman was not one to giggle, though, in the presence of Erwin Smith, it was very hard to keep his cool.
“Don’t care,” Erwin muttered as he rolled onto his back, pulling Levi atop of him, the shorter’s legs circling his waist whilst his ass was seated happily on the taller’s hips, “I don’t have do be anywhere tomorrow and I’m not sleeping until I know you’re perfectly okay,” The blond stated firmly, his hands coming up to cradle Levi’s face.
Levi smiled, leaning into his lover’s touch, the warmth of his palm making his stomach fill with happiness. “I’m fine, you should get some rest,” he whispered as he leaned down, sprawling out on top of the blond, head pressed happily against his chest.
“Did you see Pyxis’ face today?” Erwin asked, changing the topic entirely, “When he bit into that bun during our meal,” The taller chuckled softly. The memory had Levi laughing, something rare and obscure that Erwin didn’t get to see often. He would always cherish the moments he got to see Levi at his most relaxed, at his happiest.
“It was too spicy! He looked constipated,” Levi spluttered out through laughs, pressing his heated cheeks further against Erwin’s bare chest. “Oh, what I would pay for him to make that face again,” the smaller giggled, trying to calm his laughing as he snuggled into his lover, hands grasping blindly behind his back to try and locate their duvet.
Once he had finally pulled the covers up and over the both of them, the two found little reason to stay awake much longer. Levi looked like he had lost way too much sleep over the past few days, though he hoped that maybe, just maybe, with Erwin by his side, he could rest easily.
“Goodnight, my beautiful Levi,” Erwin murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to the shorter’s head before laying his own down, hands absentmindedly stroking the expands of Levi’s back. Levi let out a yawn, one of the cutest things Erwin had ever seen. It made him grin as he let his eyes slip shut.
“Night.. My lovely Erwin...” Levi responded tiredly, using a pet name that he would only ever use on rare occasions, though Erwin hadn’t heard it, already snoring softly beside his sleepy lover, head pressed into the soft, black hairs of Levi’s head.
Levi slept peacefully for the rest of the night, in Erwin’s warm embrace.