Work Text:
He could hear the wind whistling outside, the breeze smacking against the window to his right. Sometimes it inspired him to believe that life was outside these walls. Animals of all kinds, people of all cultures, of joy to be shared in the mundane. But it did little to quell the desolation tonight. Hunched over his desk is where most nights found him. Endless amounts of planning, paperwork, achy wrists and sore fingers. But this is what he signed up for. Leading humanity as they worked to dissolve the ever-looming threat that promised so much grief. Writing death letters never got easier, but he supposed it shouldn't. That's not something anyone should get used to.
A soft knock sounded against Poplar as he sealed another letter—this one only sixteen. They were so often only sixteen. "Come in." His voice sounded strained, not unlike the rest of him. Nothing uncommon, but unpleasant to his own ears nonetheless. He knew who would reside on the other side of the door, only one person ever visited so late. His hands didn't stop working as he heard the scuffle of it opening and closing, he had three more of these to get through tonight.
The lack of noise from a body shuffling in wasn't unsettling; Levi hardly made any noise when he moved around. The silence coming from the man himself, though, had Erwin raising his head. "What is it?" he asked, his voice almost giving way to the acceptance of more bad news. Levi continued to say nothing, his eyes sharp as he stared into a tattered soul. Erwin knew then why he'd come. "I can't." It came out a whisper, soft tone and stricken expression reserved only for the man in front of him. Sometimes, averaging about twice a week he'd come to realize, Levi would ask him to take a break. To let him help. He never wanted that. This was his job, his burden to shoulder. Levi, the stoic that he is, didn't break his unspoken vow of silence as he moved closer. A sigh fell from Erwin's lips as he disappeared behind him, but he couldn't deny the slight untangling of the knot in his stomach when small hands pressed into firm muscles. It wasn't the soothing knead, it was the care in the action itself that had him laying his pen to rest. He wanted to be better for Levi, and that included letting himself be taken care of.
"If you won't take a break, at least let me help."
Five minutes wouldn't hurt.
He relaxed in his seat, posture slumping a bit as his head fell forward. "Thank you." His companion said nothing, but it didn't matter. Firm but tender fingers moved from his shoulders to the strained muscles in his neck and Erwin thought he might fall asleep soon if the immense relaxation he was feeling got any heavier. Thumbs moved in caring circles as a whisper infiltrated his ears. "Feeling better?" Erwin nodded marginally, unwilling to disturb his flow. "Good."
Erwin wasn't sure how much more time passed before his partner's hands retreated. He ignored the slight disappointment in the moment being over, soon replaced with something much warmer when Levi circled him and crawled into his lap. "You should be sleeping." They had a big day tomorrow. The scouts were wandering into unknown territory and he didn't want humanity's strongest sleepwalking on the job. Still, he adorned a small smile at Levi's willingness to comfort him. "I'll be fine. You can keep working." Strong arms wrapped around his middle as a head slotted into the crook of his neck. He ran his hand along the smaller's spine before he picked up his pen. "Yes sir."
He got through the rest of the letters and had his most genuine smile of the week when he realized Levi's breathing evened out. He wasn't prone to snoring, but Erwin could tell he had fallen asleep. He stayed seated for a few more minutes, listening to the in and out of every small breath. He hated to disturb him, but it had to be done. They both needed a bed.
He maneuvered his way into a standing position, careful not to jostle him as much as possible. When he tucked Levi in it was with love, adoration, and a kiss on the forehead. This world is cruel, but every time he got to share a bed with the man he loved he was reminded of everything worth fighting for. He hoped Levi knew that.