Work Text:
You trailed behind Levi, navigating the flow of the crowded convention floor. This was the last place you wanted to be. You wanted to be watching the anime, not threading your way toward the registration line wearing a costume that, while canonically accurate, left you feeling very exposed. But Levi had been very persuasive, and you had to admit that you both looked stunning in your matching costumes.
“Stay close to me,” Levi warned for what felt like the hundredth time.
It not like you weren’t trying to. Personal space was a foreign concept here. You had to be careful not to be knocked over by the enormous prop weapons, and avoid stepped on any of the tails that swished into your path You would have thought the press of bodies would bother Levi, but he was navigating it like a pro, seeming to instinctively understand the currents of the venue.
A demon cut between the two of you, his extravagant paper wings making you lose sight of Levi. Your heart dropped into your stomach immediately. You didn’t like crowds in the first place, and this one was a thousand times worse. You nodded to yourself. It was going to be okay. You knew where he was going. You just needed to head toward the registration booth.
Without Levi at your side, you instinctively made yourself smaller and tried to skirt around the edge of the venue. Unfortunately, that backfired.
“Wow! You look amazing. Can I get a picture?”
You shook your head and tried to keep moving. But that one voice was just the first domino. Others joined it. Compliments and questions overlapped, so you couldn’t even answer them if you wanted to. Flashes went off as some photographers didn’t wait to ask for permission. It was too much, too overwhelming. Your anxiety snowballed into panic, as you squeezed your eyes shut.
“You can take your pictures after we win the costume contest.”
A hand wrapped around yours, its grasp so firm that you had to open your eyes because there was no way that it could belong to Levi. But there was no doubt that the black gloves were his, since the details mirrored the white ones you wore. He squeezed your fingers, and you looked up to see him smile reassuringly at you.
Safe. That was all it took to make you feel safe.
If you thought your costume had drawn attention, it was nothing compared to the frenzy whipped up by the pair of standing together. Levi ignored the crowd and tugged you with him. “We have to go.”
Another flash went off. Levi glanced over his shoulder, and you squeezed his hand, afraid he was going to let go. But he didn’t need to release his hold to deal with the offender. His tail smacked the camera to the floor and smashed it for good measure.
It was easier to navigate the convention with his hand in yours. Of course, it might have had more to do with the wider berth people were giving him. The crowd did not seem as intimidating now. Levi’s touch grounded you.
You thought he would let go once you made it to the registration line. You braced yourself for it. But though the pressure lessened, his fingers still sheltered your hand. “Levi?”
His grip shifted, and his fingers entwined with yours. “Not going to lose you again.”
Your demon might not know it, but there was no chance at all that he would ever lose you.