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The sand beneath their feet was warm and the sun was at its peak, covering everything in a golden glow. It reflected from the water and silver bursts of light blinded Levi every now and then.
"It looks as if the sun is dancing on the waves," Historia said and spread her arms out, spinning around. Her hair swirled around her, catching the sunrays just like the sea did, and her joyful laughter carried through the air.
"Careful," Levi admonished when she stumbled in the sand. "You're going to fall."
She rolled her eyes at her, tugging him further away from the shore and he grimaced when he felt the waves splash against his thighs, wetting his trousers. Historia noticed his displeasure and reached out to intertwine their fingers together.
"It's just water," she said, not looking bothered by her own skirt pooling around her and getting tangled between her legs. “Is this what we’ll have to place on your tombstone? Humanity’s Strongest defeated by dust and seawater?”
“What a joyful passage,” Levi drawled and pressed a hand to his chest with a wounded look, though his grey eyes crinkled at the corners with poorly concealed laughter. “Already looking for ways to get rid of me?”
Historia leaned against him and kissed him on the cheek. "As if! I’ll have you know you’re equally stuck with me.”
“A true tragedy,” he muttered and grabbed her around her waist. Pressing their lips together, he let his tongue skim over hers as he coaxed her mouth open. Levi could feel the warmth of her soft skin, and his hand slowly moved down Historia’s back, pulling her closer.
“Mhm, I could get used to this,” she whispered with a dreamy smile after they broke apart.
Levi was about to reply when he noticed something floating just below the surface right next to him. He swatted at the jellyfish with a curse, glaring at Historia when she leaned over it with a gasped exclamation of ‘So pretty!’
“I swear you’re just as bad as four-eyes,” he complained and tugged her away after she cupped her hands and tried to catch the strange creature. “Shit, no, leave that abnormal squashed umbrella here. Come on. ”
“Should we add jellyfishes to that tombstone?”
Levi released her hand, causing her to almost lose her balance. He waddled towards the shore and unsuccessfully tried to wring out his rolled-up trousers. She watched him for several seconds with a fond look. Some things don’t really change.
“You don't like beaches, do you?" Historia asked with a small pout after she caught up to him. Water was dripping off her, turning the material of her skirt heavy and cool and causing it to cling to her legs like a second skin. Levi paused long enough to rake appreciative eyes over her body and she could see a faint flush spreading across his cheeks.
"You know me so well," he deadpanned but Historia only laughed in response and nodded towards the wooden pier not far away. Levi followed her there and couldn’t quite squash the wave of affection that rose as he watched her dance around on the boards, leaving small wet footsteps all over them.
"Come on, there is no place on earth better than this!" She called out and she clasped her hands together with an excited expression. "So glorious!"
It has nothing on you , he thought and with the way the white dress hugged her figure and the brilliant smile it was clear why she was likened to a goddess so often.
“I… don’t mind them,” Levi allowed. Summer wasn’t his favourite season, with scorching heat, sunburns and shirts sticking to his skin. He couldn’t quite understand her infatuation with beaches as well. What was there to like with sand getting into every fucking nook and cranny of his body? There was one thing he was ready to acknowledge, though. “The sea is pretty.”
And it was.
It looked dozy in the afternoon glow, the waves drenching the sand almost lazily. Levi had to admit there was something captivating in the way the blue waters moved and he turned towards the horizon, staring far beyond until his eyes met the skies.
Historia sat at the pier next to him, kicking her feet. She watched the water splash with childish glee and Levi felt his own lips quirk up. He hadn’t seen her so carefree in ages. Not since Ymir…
A hand on his cheek startled him and he looked up at Historia with a questioning look.
“Don’t,” she pleaded and her expression took an air of concern. “There’s no need for those thoughts today.”
He snorted but leaned into her touch, tilting his head to press a soft kiss to the inside of her wrist.
“As you wish, Your Majesty.”
She punched him in the arm in retaliation, “You’re terrible, you know that?”
Levi caught her hand and smirked at her, “I may have been told that. Once or twice. Or my whole life, I’m not quite sure at this point.”
Historia shook her head at his antics but shifted closer and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The slight breeze made their wet clothes cooler but not quite unpleasant. The air was still warm so he didn’t mind staying there for a while longer.
“What is the ocean for you?”
Levi peeked at her through his bangs, baffled. “Why? What do you even mean?”
“I’m curious,” she shrugged, absently running a thumb over his knuckles. “For Eren it has always meant the hope for freedom. Many see it as an untameable monster, ready to swallow the land.”
“Poetic,” he snorted, ignoring the twinge of pain at the mention of Eren. He thought over her question and gave a half shrug. “I don’t know. It just is. And for you?”
“Eternity,” Historia whispered, turning her head to catch his gaze. “It knows the secrets of the past long gone and who knows, maybe sees the future in the stars as well?”
“You’re drawn to it,” he looked at her for confirmation. He didn’t feel the need to wax poetics - wouldn’t be even able to find the right words for it if he wanted to - but he could at least try to understand Historia when she got like this.
“Yes, it’s... endless. Full of mysteries.”
“Well, we certainly won’t have the whole eternity,” Levi said and pressed a finger over her mouth when she opened it in indignation. “But we can make the most of the time we do have.”
“Lucky fucker,” she groused and nudged him when he laughed. “And you say you’re bad at this.”
“I am,” he countered and gave her a wry look. “But I know what I’m quite good at.”
And Historia let herself be pulled into another kiss, feeling slender fingers carding through her hair. She couldn’t help but smile, feeling more content and stupidly in love than ever and returned the gesture in earnest.
The future truly was bright.