Chapter Text
Mikasa looked crestfallen at Armin’s words, leaving Levi to fight off the displeasure that rose in his gut. He tried to lie to himself, to tell himself that it was just a natural reaction to seeing anyone look so disappointed. It wasn’t, and he damn well knew it.
Somehow, in these intervening years, Mikasa managed to insinuate herself completely into his life and heart. Once she had pulled herself from the mire of grief, Mikasa had traveled, just about shocking the soul out of Levi when she knocked on his door one day. Onyankopon still hadn’t let Levi live down the dumbfounded expression he wore as she stood there.
Apparently finding the city to her liking as well, Mikasa had stayed, finding herself an apartment. For a time, Levi had tried pushing her away, not wanting the intrusion of her seeing how far he’d fallen physically as a result of those last days of the war. Ever the stubborn brat, Mikasa had weathered the moods and sarcastic remarks easily, giving as good as she got. Levi had caved quickly enough, realizing the futility; plus, it was nice to have someone around who didn’t treat him with pity or give his injuries strange looks.
This was the second time they traveled to Marley to meet up with Armin, Annie, and their children. It took significantly less goading from her this time to get him to agree. He would deny it to the death every time Onyankopon teased him, but Levi lived for the moments when he could make Mikasa smile or see her carefree.
Now she had that look; the sad, disappointed expression wrenched at him no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. It truly was ridiculous to feel his stomach in knots over the fact her childhood friend had to cancel dinner plans.
Levi watched intently, sipping his tea while Armin handed her an envelope, her eyes widening as he spoke. Warily, he eyed the blond man when he gestured toward Levi. Then, she turned to look at him.
Fuck. Mikasa looked so hopeful as she walked towards him, holding onto the envelope. The way her pretty, gray eyes sparkled completely damned him to grant her every whim. Levi looked around her to shoot a glare at Armin, who leaned against the wall, arms crossed and looking amused at Levi’s plight.
Then she sat next to him, drawing his attention. “Levi, do you remember me telling you about films? The shows with moving pictures at that place they opened in London?” she asked.
Nodding in response, he looked down at the envelope. “What about it?” He asked warily.
Mikasa rested a hand on his arm. Levi could feel the warmth of her hand through the fine cotton of his shirt. “I know you’re not a big fan of going out, but Armin had extra passes we can use to see one here. He felt bad about having to cancel dinner and gave them to us. Please, go with me?”
She was right. Levi hated going in public and dealing with the looks and whispers that the scarring of his face and eye caused. Being out of the chair and walking again made it easier than before, but not by much. The scar still caught others off guard. He dreaded to think of the looks they would get, with someone as beautiful and statuesque as he with a short, scarred man.
Levi opened his mouth to decline and tell her so when he caught an unexpected sight. Armin shook his head and actually glared at him—that little shit.
Light pressure on his arm drew his attention again. “It’s okay if you don’t want to go. I understand,” Mikasa said, face filled with compassion.
Levi took a deep breath. She had looked so excited when Armin handed her the tickets, and there was little chance she would agree to go if he didn’t. One night wouldn’t be so bad, he decided. “It’s fine. We’ll go. Go ask Armin where it is,” he replied.
Armin looked even more amused now, much to Levi’s annoyance. Grabbing a pen, he wrote on the back of the envelope and passed it back to her. The pair stood stalking for a few minutes before Mikasa hugged Armin, and he departed.
Mikasa walked back to Levi, smiling. “I have the address for the cinema now. He also said we should dress nicely.”
He snorted but kept any commentary to himself, not wanting to dash her happy mood. Mikasa tugged at his sleeve, indicating her desire to leave.
Her smile stayed in place the whole car ride back to the hotel. Levi sat next to her in the backseat, soaking in the radiant expression through sneaking glances. He knew he had no right to be as attracted to Mikasa as he was. Sometimes, he tried to nudge her towards finding a suitor, but she’d shake her head, smile, and ignore his suggestion. Levi felt terrible at times; a woman as singularly beautiful as Mikasa shouldn’t waste time with a cranky, damaged soldier.
Yet, he caved to her on this too. Perhaps because a part of Levi knew that if he’d come out of that battle unscathed, he wouldn’t have been so hesitant. Well, he could at least make her happy with this trip to the cinema tonight. He might be uncomfortable, but basking in her warm smile would be worth it.
“Mikasa,” he called, drawing her attention away from the passing buildings. “What time are we supposed to be there?”
“Armin said it starts at eight, but we should be there earlier to find our seats,” she replied, tucking back a strand of black hair that had escaped her ponytail.
“I’ll find somewhere for us to eat first, then,” Levi offered.
She rewarded him with a soft smile as the car pulled up to the hotel. Levi paid and tipped the driver as he slid out after Mikasa.
Following her inside, he waited by the desk for the manager to finish with another customer. “You can head up and get some rest. We’ll leave around five-thirty,” Levi said.
His heart clenched when Mikasa gave him that smile again. She leaned in and kissed his cheek, thanking him before turning to head upstairs, leaving him a flustered mess.
The manager calling out to him broke Levi free from his shock. He walked to the desk, leaning his cane against the counter while fishing the envelope with the address free. “We’ll be going here later,” he said, pointing to the address. “Can you recommend a good restaurant close by?”
“Certainly,” the man said with a wide grin. He wrote on a pad for a moment and passed the address over to Levi. “Taking your wife for a nice night out?”
For the second time in as many minutes, Levi found himself flustered. “She’s not my wife. She’s—. She’s a friend,” he replied lamely, unsure why he felt the need to correct the man.
He chuckled at Levi’s response. “She doesn’t look at you like a friend,” the man teased.
Levi felt his cheeks redden as he folded the paper to place it in his pocket. Giving the manager a nod, he set off for his room, the man’s words rattling around inside his head.
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Mikasa opened the wardrobe, examining the clothing she brought with a critical eye. She reached for the blue dress she’d bought on a whim; her hand hesitated. Would it be too much?
Her hand stroked the material, feeling its soft sheen against her fingertips. Mikasa flushed when she remembered why she had been so drawn to it; the dress was the color of his eyes.
Saying his acceptance of this night out surprised Mikasa would be a massive understatement. Levi had withdrawn into himself so far after the war that even getting him to walk with her on errands took a considerable amount of cajoling. When she’d arrived and seen the ghosts in his eyes, Mikasa had decided to stay. Whether Levi realized it or not, she had no intention of letting him fade away alone.
Even after all these years of knowing Levi, Mikasa found it painfully difficult to read him and gauge whether his heart led him down the same path as hers. Sometimes Levi surprised her, though, and a glimmer of precious hope would flutter through her.
The agreement to go out with her tonight had made a happy warmth glow in her heart. Even if Levi didn’t reciprocate, Mikasa truly enjoyed her time with him, and it might take forever for another chance like this.
Maybe blue was her lucky color, she decided, tugging the dress from its hanger and spreading it out on the bed. The pleated bodice and belted waist of the silk dress showed off her hard-won figure more than Mikasa was accustomed to, but the dress had fit like it was made just for her.
Returning to the wardrobe, she grabbed a black lace shawl to wrap around her in case she felt too exposed. Satisfied, Mikasa pinned her hair up to shower before getting ready.
Standing under the hot spray, she turned her thoughts back to Levi. Before traveling, Mikasa often wondered how he fared in the aftermath. The guilt of leaving him behind, injured, on the battlefield stopped her from reaching out for far too long. It had almost been on a whim that she decided to go see him after paying Armin a visit in Marley.
Her childhood friend did much to assuage her guilty feelings on the matter and encourage her to write Levi. Mikasa didn’t think Armin expected his words to spur her into buying a ticket to sail there later that week.
Appearing at his door unannounced probably hadn’t been the most polite way of coming back into his life, but Mikasa didn’t regret it. The initial time had been difficult, with Levi’s prickly nature often flaring up, especially if she was too solicitous of his injuries. A quick learner, Mikasa found the right balance between care and stubbornness that set him at ease.
There was a rightness to spending her days there, and although he had seemed surprised by her desire to end her travels and stay, Levi hadn’t protested. Instead, he’d searched her face with a somber expression and nodded, accepting her decision.
Of all of them, Levi had always been the one who seemed to accept her as she was. That much hadn’t changed about him.
Mikasa rinsed herself clean and stepped out to towel off, wiping steam away from the mirror to get ready. A smile curved her lips as she tugged on the lace undergarments.
She’d come a long way from the bindings and military-issue underwear she’d worn for years. That was one change Mikasa embraced wholeheartedly. The generous pensions Historia quietly secured for them all ensured that the few of them remaining wouldn’t want for anything in the future, and Mikasa wasn’t above spoiling herself occasionally.
Pulling the dress on and tying the belt, she stopped to take in her reflection, so different from the girl she had once been. Shaking free of the past, Mikasa fished a rarely used makeup bag.
Levi’s subtle tap at her door came as she blotted her lipstick. She called out an acknowledgment and tossed the shawl around her shoulders, picking up her clutch on the way to answer the door.
Any fears about the dress evaporated, and a soft smile rose to her lips. The suit Levi wore flattered him, and they matched quite well. A slow curl of heat rose in her belly at how handsome he looked. She caught a flash of something on his face, quickly concealed, when he looked her over.
Feeling bold, Mikasa linked her arm in his as they left to walk down the hall. “Were you able to find somewhere to eat?” Mikasa asked, trying to distract herself from the feelings racing through her mind and body.
“Yeah, the manager gave me an address, and the car will be here soon to take us,” Levi replied, glancing her way.
“Thank you for handling that so I could get ready,” she said as the pair entered the lobby to wait for the car. Deciding to press her luck, Mikasa added, “You look nice.”
He made a dismissive sound before glancing at her again. “That dress suits you. I don’t think I’ve seen you wear it before,” he replied quietly.
“I bought it a while ago. I haven’t had an occasion to wear it until now. I almost didn’t bring it,” Mikasa said.
A minuscule frown tugged at the corner of Levi’s lips, but before he could speak, the car pulled up outside to take them to their night out. He held out his arm again for her to take.
Mikasa took a deep breath as they walked to the car together. Maybe her hopes weren’t as impossible as they seemed.