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The newest soldier of the Survey Corps knelt tense and exposed on his bed after a sudden intrusion by a comrade, Erwin Smith. His small frame was bound tight, the overstretched bandages that pinched harshly at the edges.
To Smith, it suddenly made sense why Levi woke up before the rest of the squad and was dressed and showered before the others were even awake. The inconsistent pitch of his voice and subtle sculpture of his frame now made it incredibly clear, and Levi knew it.
“Smith.” Levi’s breath hitched in his throat as he forced back a gasp from escaping, covering his bound chest with an arm.
“Levi.” Erwin reciprocated in a thoughtful tone. His orbs surveying his body curiously. Blinking once, he took a step forward and closed the door behind him. Levi’s muscles constricted tighter around his bones as he shot a cold stare over his shoulder, a clear warning not to come closer. A warning Erwin confidently ignored.
The blonde drew closer to the bed frame, placing a palm on the well ironed sheet which followed with the rest of his weight as he sat less than an arms length away from the smaller man.
“You breathe a word of this and I swear to God it’ll be your last-” A toxic hiss came from between Levi’s gritted teeth, ears flushed with embarrassment and shame. His threat was cut off by warm fingertips hooking under the bandages between the gap formed by the valley of his spine.
“You’ll hurt yourself…” Erwin blanked the threat, voice low with concern but with an air of softness that Levi’s ears weren’t used to hearing. The taller soldier shifted closer and raised his other arm to the start of the bandages. “May I?”
That was a bold question and it earned him a fist hurling towards his face without warning. He caught Levi’s wrist, just an inch from his face. The dark haired man bared his teeth in a snarl, in disbelief that he would ask what seemed like such an insensitive question. “How fucking dare you.”
Erwin’s gaze softened as he lowered the small, pale fist before releasing it. “I won’t look, I promise.” Levi could not doubt the certainty of that damn blonde’s voice. There was a tense pause, before Levi’s lips parted.
“F-fine. You look and I’ll blind you.” He inhaled a breath and twisted around so his back faced Erwin, allowing him access to the bandages. With minimal effort, Erwin pulled the bandage loose, it falling around Levi’s waist. Two small arms rose to censor the small mounds of flesh that had been released from their fabric prison, the nerves aching in relief from the release of pressure. From the way he watched Levi’s body gasp, a worried pit formed in Erwin’s stomach. He must have been wearing this all day, every day.
“This won’t do…” Erwin muttered almost inaudibly to himself, running a digit lightly along his soft skin, brow furrowed in thought. Levi scowled over his shoulder in response to the unwelcome touch, however it was merely a mask at this point. He didn’t mind Erwin touching him half as much as expected.
“What do you suggest then, genius?” He kept his wall high, he wasn’t going to give Erwin room for ideas in this state of undress and hefty secret.
“I’ll have Hanji craft something, for ‘more streamline female soldiers’ or something.” A smile formed on the corners of his mouth, unphased by the cold look he got in return. Levi relaxed his brow ever so slightly at the kind gesture and punctuated his reply with a small nod.
“Thanks.”
“No worries. Just don’t wear the bandages again. We have a week’s rest so you can stay in loose clothes.” Erwin couldn’t stop himself from glancing briefly at the soldier’s chest. Luckily his breasts were small enough to easily conceal until Hanji was finished.
Levi loosened his shoulders into a slope, still clutching his chest. Erwin smiled wider as a friendly gesture before unbuttoning his white shirt. Levi assessed his movements with a cocked eyebrow, “What’re you..?”
His question was interrupted by Erwin draping the shirt over his shoulders, engulfing him in the warm, well worn material. “Feel free to wear that if it helps.” A large hand gently rested on his shoulder, patting him gently before he stood, stepping towards the door where behind, Hanji could be heard ranting and raving to an unfortunate Moblit in the corridor.
Clutching the brass handle of the door, he turned to face Levi who quietly started to wrap the cotton around himself. The two exchanged an unfamiliar friendly glance, to which the tall man chuckled under his breath, making a subtle exit to deal with the whirlwind that was Hanji Zoe. The door clicked shut behind him. Levi was filled with a conflicting sense of relief and dread that Erwin Smith had uncovered the weight he’d been living with for so long.