Archive of Our Own

Extraordinary.

The flow of her blush evening gown first caught his attention. If it were any brighter pink, he would've looked away.

He then caught notice of her hair. The (H/C) strands flowed around her with every move, with every gentle giggle. 

He toned his ears to her, her speech gentle yet commanding, smoother than the finest wine within the walls.

Her (E/C) eyes sparkled in the golden light of the setting sun, the ray's shooting through the windows, illuminating her everywhere. 

His pupils enlarge as he watches you. Your sight always left him weak, ready to serve your every desire if you asked. But tonight, he had never seen you appear so extraordinary. 

"Levi! Have you seen Miss Kleist?!" A hyper-active brunette asks, intruding on his internal thoughts.

"Tch, what would it matter if I had?" He scowls at Hanji's picking.

"Oh, nothing, I guess! She just looks lovely tonight, and I can't help but notice all the male attention she's receiving," they sing. Levi was hard to read for most, but Hanji had learned to understand him.

"She does look lovely tonight," A looming blonde says, approaching the other two. 

"Erwin, maybe if you wouldn't waste time drooling over (Y/N), we wouldn't have to beg for donations so frequently," the shorter man grumbles. Levi was never in favor of these parties and balls, but seeing you would always motivate him to attend. However, as the years went on, your appeal to him only grew. You were one of the things he pondered late in the night while he lie awake. He knew you would never look at him with a hint of the passion he felt towards you, that soon you would be married off to someone nobler than he. You'd move on and never see your conversations as anything more than a business exchange. Levi, however, would cherish every syllable you spoke to him 

"Oh Levi, stop being so jealous," Hanji speaks, their lips curling into a sideways grin. Hanji was brilliant, one of the smartest in the corps, if not the entire military. Their brains came to be a great help to everyone besides Levi. Hanji could always pull the most lucrative pieces of information out from him, especially those he had no intention of sharing.

"I see you have eyes for Miss Kleist, then?" Erwin prods the raven-haired man, raising his eyebrows at the new information. 

"I find it personally offensive of you to entertain Four-eyes' stupid fantasies," Levi shoots back, sure to keep his eyes away from you. "And if that were to be true, I don't see how it's your business."

_______________

You used to adore nights like these; A band playing, everyone dancing, and new faces at every turn.

For the longest time, it all was so exciting. 

But as you reached adulthood, you were forced to age out of the fun. There would be no chasing your friends around the ballroom, no sneaky sips of alcohol, and no wobbling around pretending the few drops you consumed had made you all tipsy. And, what you missed the most, no silly banter amongst the youngest of the nobles. 

You never used to understand why your family would be so stressed before parties. After all, it all just felt like a whirlwind of excitement to you. But as you got older and had to learn what to do, what not to say, and how to dress, you finally got it. Preparing to bargain with your friends and enemies, deciding which military branches to invest in, and making sure you memorized all of your pitches and policies would make a night of youthful fun seem less lively. Of course, you weren't the one the military asked for funds, nor were you the one who had to discuss more than your general political ideology. Your true need to be there was to leave an impression on the others, to show the elegance and grace of the Von Kleist family- and maybe get a wealthy lover while you were at it. 

This was expected as a member of the Von Kleist's- a powerful political family known for its staunch support of the arts and humanities. You were also one of the few families who had faith in the work of the Survey Corps- which you funded as so. You were loved and hated equally among the elites. They couldn't deny your impeccable taste and graceful natures, and your popularity among the common people put a pause on any toxicity they wanted to show you. However, your family's disdain for the king and your overzealous support of the impoverished wasn't one the other families were quick to overlook. Being a kind person wasn't a quality important to most of the people at these balls. 

That's why, before arriving, you had been sure to loosen up with more than a few glasses of wine. You were much more enjoyable to be around when the intoxicating warmth powered your forced smiles and simple curtsies. You wouldn't have to try as hard if the alcohol could do the work for you. 

Tonight, your father, Frederich Von Kleist, had you all set up with a new dress. It was in a dusty rose, a color you adored but didn't frequently wear. The prices of the red dye needed were always outrageous, that is assuming you could even find it. You were glad to wear the beautiful piece, but you'd rather it have been to anything else. The only aspect of tonight you were looking forward to was meeting with the members of the Survey Corps. They were quite an interesting group of individuals, a group you often fell jealous of. You'd give anything to feel free and venture outside of the walls like them.

So you excuse yourself from the conversation you were currently having with the son of a lawyer, and head to find the three you were certain would be there. 

_______________

"Commander! How are you this evening?"

Levi looks forward to see you fast approaching, your hands gentle while they hold up the sides of your gown. 

"Miss Kleist! I'm doing just fine. You look wonderful tonight," Erwin says. Not many were as enthusiastic to speak to him as you always were. 

"Oh, thank you! But please, just to call me (Y/N)," you laugh, knowing he would always be too formal with you. After all, you were a crucial player in the donations they received from your family. 

"I'm sure you remember Captain L-" the blonde begins. 

"Levi! Yes, of course I do! I could never forget the name of humanity's strongest," you gush, sheepishly smiling towards the man. 

Your smile. He felt time freeze at this moment. The way your eyes looked into his was nothing short of heaven. The expression on your lips saying so much, he could tell it would be larger had you not drawn yourself back. The way you shouted his name like you had practiced saying it before- the way you remembered it being even more touching. Levi's heart had never pumped this quickly at the idea of someone, nor had his apathetic demeanor failed to stand to anyone. Within the few seconds of swirling thoughts, he collects himself, knowing it pitiful to break this easily. 

Before he could speak, you had moved on from the moment.

"Oh, and I of course Remember Hanji!" you continue, now focused on the brunette. The two of you chatter over something, but as hard as Levi tried, he just couldn't pay it any mind. He was too concerned with the way you managed to shift his aura so easily. 

"Levi... Hello! (Y/N) asked you a question," Hanji says as she nudges the shorter man. 

"What was it, Miss Kleist?" He asks for clarification, careful to keep a cold tone. 

"Oh, what made you join the Survey Corps? I don't know many who would do the same," you question. 

Levi didn't know how to answer. He couldn't tell you the truth, he was terrified it would change your opinion of him, so he lies.

"I really care about... freedom," he tells you, the titan-lover next to him holding back a chuckle. 

"That's so sweet! But Levi, I doubt that's the truth," you joke, the wine loosening your decision-making skills, and your attraction to him making you bolder. 

Although your banter was enjoyed by the other two, Levi found it obnoxious. Who were you to question him on anything, much less his past and motivations? These feelings didn't lessen his appeal to you, but it left him flustered once again. He was willing to tell you, to let you know everything about him. He'd spill all of his secrets, daydreams, and nightmares if you asked again. And that terrified him. 

Levi clears his throat, throwing back the remainder of whatever liquor he had been sipping on.

"If you'll excuse me, I need another drink," he says to you. In a second he was gone, rushing to the bar across the room. 

"Oh no, did I upset him?" You ask Erwin, a guilty expression sewn across your face.

"Don't pay it any mind. This behavior isn't unusual for him," the blond laughs, shooting you a glance of reassurance. He made sure to take note of Levi's behavior towards you. He knew how crucial the Von Kleist's checks were, and any ill-treatment of them could result in a large loss. 

"Well, if I don't see either of you for the rest of the night, please tell Levi I apologize for any friction caused," You tell the two, curtsying to signify your departure. 

"I'll be sure to. Have a wonderful evening (Y/N)," Erwin says, gently reaching for your hand to place a simple kiss. 

_______________

Levi felt sick. You could even label him disturbed. He couldn't fathom what he had done to deserve these feelings. For anyone else, the butterfly's and lovesickness would make them desperate to be near you. To hear your voice, to touch you. They'd follow you all night, maybe even ask you for a dance. He wanted those things, of course he did, but the question of "why" kept bogging him down. This wasn't who he thought he was, and the person you could turn him into was terrifying. 

He needed out of the room, away from you. Away from any possibility of your sweet perfume or enchanting voice enticing him. So he leaves to the winding hallways of the house. He finds a worn staircase void of others and sits a few steps from the bottom of the flight. Away from the crowds, he could finally find peace. 

"Levi?"

It couldn't be. There's no way you could have found him again. 

"Hey, is everything okay?" you ask, noticing his tense figure. You had escaped the party after speaking with the three of them to steal a few more sips of wine. It was your favorite, so you had hidden it away in your room, not wanting to share.

"Why are you here?" Levi ignores your question, more concerned with why fate kept placing the two of you together. "Are you following me?"

His face was stern as he questioned you. It was clear he was upset, maybe even at you, but you couldn't be sure. Perhaps he hated the question from earlier or your voice annoyed him. Maybe the perfume you had chosen gave him a headache. You wracked your memories for answers while Levi impatiently waits for you to speak. 

"Are you going to say something or just stare at me like an idiot?"

"Yes, sorry, of course. I'm not following you, but I could ask if you're following me, seeing as I arrived here well before you," you say, challenging him. Who was he to accuse you of such odd behavior? He was in the presence of your home, after all. 

"You make me feel like no one else ever has. I need to know why," he asks simply, holding back a reserved passion. Levi saw no use in the discussion of how you both ended up in the middle of the dim stairway.

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand what you mean," you say quietly, taking a few steps closer to him. Your cheeks burn red- whether it's source the man in front of you or the alcohol, you couldn't determine. 

"Of course you don't understand. You couldn't," he lets out with a pathetic chuckle. "I can't expect you to understand because I can't either."

You pause to make sense of his words. Your brain feels like it's set ablaze as your thoughts and the wine infuse. Anxiety rushes through your body. What if you heard him all wrong and you humiliate yourself? The drinks were supposed to prepare you to make drunken small talk, not listen to an admired man profess his love. If it had been anyone else, you wouldn't have given it a thought, you might've even laughed at them. This instance, however, left you weak. You had dreamed about Levi, about loving humanity's strongest. This all had to be a dream as well. 

"This isn't real, is it? I just went up to drink and fell asleep on accident. This is all another dream that I wish were real," you laugh with a saddened smile. 

"This isn't a dream-" he begins, letting your words sit with him. 

Another dream that I wish were real. 

"It's real, (Y/N). I don't know why, but you fascinate me in a disturbing way. Everything about you is extraordinary."

 You laugh. All you can think to do is laugh.

"So you're in love with me? Me? There's no way that's true. Is this just a sick ploy to extort money from my family?" You question. You get defensive. There's no way that he doesn't have some exterior motive. 

"Never. You could stop funding us tomorrow and I could care less," Levi pleads. The way he said it was certain, a matter of fact, but still, his face held a flat look. His eyes, on the other hand, flickered with every ounce of desire they could hold. 

"Follow me then," you command, heading back up to the second floor. Levi complies, staying a short distance behind.

You guide him silently through the hall, stopping at your door. You pull out a key from your dress pocket and continue inside. 

"Kiss me. If you really care for me, kiss m-"

Levi complied. Faster than he'd complied to any order received before. Your lips on his served his need for you, your touch flowing through him like invigorating nectar. You move together smoothly, edging closer to your mattress. Your legs bump the bed frame first and you gently lay back, Levi guiding you. Each of your desires advise you in everything: Your movements, your thoughts, and unfortunately clouding your judgment. 

The kiss continues, and Levi analyzes everything about you. Your lips were so soft, the way they moved with his felt intoxicating. You smelled like a field of sweet wildflowers, the scent daintily applied so it wasn't pungent. And your taste... you tasted like berries, like a sweetened wine. 

Wine.

"Shit, (Y/N) are you drunk?" Levi asks, quickly pulling away from you. If all of these decisions were being made from an intoxicated mind, he new he shouldn't act on them.

"Buzzed, maybe, but I'm not incoherent," you say, reaching to pull him close again. 

"I doubt you would do this sober," he tells you. He stands up, completely removing himself from you, and begins straightening out his messy hair. He wasn't about to fuck a drunk girl. Especially not one as important to him as you. 

"You don't know me. Not in the slightest, Levi."

Your words sting him. They weren't said with malice; even if they were, the statement would still ring true. He didn't know you. He didn't even know the basics of you- what your hobbies were, what your favorite color is, or what flowers you fawned over. In fact, he had no way of knowing if you even liked flowers. But he was sure as hell going to find out. 

"Then tell me. Tell me about you, and I'll sit and listen," he says, moving to sit next to you, once again on the bed. 

And so you talk. You tell him all about your family, your friends, your dislikes, and even your dreams. You go back and forth with questions, your answers filled with details and stories, his short and pertinent. You find that Levi is a simple man, not willing to share everything with you. Levi finds you to be passionate and wistful, full of wonder and vitality. He couldn't help but conceptualize what the two of you could become. He imagined you would fit right in with the others in the corps, your dreams similar to theirs. He envisioned how adamant you would be to help with their duties, always lending support and empathy where you could.

Everything he had imagined you to be, you were. To Levi, you were perfect. 

As the conversation sparks on, your eyelids grow heavy, struggling to stay open. You snuffle your yawns as best you can, but Levi is much too observant not to notice. At some point, you drift to sleep, the man watching your simple breaths in and out. He wasn't one for sleeping but watching you made it look delightful. In the future, if you were ever to share a bed, he'd be damn sure to hold you in it every night. 

"Goodnight, (Y/N)."

He leaves a gentle kiss on your forehead after he lays you against the pillows, pulling your quilt across your body still adorned in the evening wear. Before he goes, he's sure to leave a note on your bedside table. Levi wouldn't leave without assuring you that this wasn't just a drunken dream. 

Then he departs, returning to the bustle of the party that now felt world's away. His mind lingers on you for the rest of the night, and once he'd arrived back at his quarters, he could only hope he'd hear your knock on his door the next day. Even if you didn't, he'd rest peacefully knowing he was lucky enough to have you for just one night.