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Levi's quarters to anyone else was a plain, boring little room, with nothing personal, the walls cleaner than some of the sterile infirmary rooms. It was a place that one would say lacks heart.
But to levi it meant a place to rest. Even if that only meant doing reports till late at night or lying in bed, still as a corpse while sleep eluded him.
There was a small window which overlooked the training grounds. Young scouts would scurry into place in the middle of their idle chatter on seeing Levi's strict frown through the crystal clear glass.
But today, after another sleepless night he saw you with another scout laughing. Your eyes were bright in a way that you never allowed near him. The other scout only went further with his story, gesturing with his hands like a fool.
What a waste of time that should have been spent training the cadets.
Levi never dared to dream of a life beyond the war. But some nights when his brain was at its limit of no sleep, he dreamt. Hidden beneath layers of nightmares, he saw a little shop, the smell of steeping tea and the sound of your voice.
You smiled at him in those precious little fantasies secured by nights embrace.
So when that smile was currently being directed to an idiot's story he couldn't help the deepening of his usual frown.
That's when you looked up, and your eyes met from afar. He expected your smile to dull, by the shadow of his presence. But you smiled and gave him a little wave.
"MORNING CAPTAIN!"
How stupidly bold.
Yet he tipped his head in greeting. Watching you smile at him and letting this memory stay in that little place in his mind beneath the nightmares, in that shop, with the smell of steeping tea.
He could never speak of the little tea shop to anyone, but in his heart it lived on.
He never told you.
But years later when he stood beside your grave he felt he should have told you.
For a moment the coldness of your headstone melted into something warm against his fingers, he remembered a smile, your voice. The love he held buried in his heart.
He should have loved you against the odds.
Because now there weren’t any titans or war, but your smile was gone with it.
And many years after titans were a but a myth. There he was in his little shop, stocking up shelves with tea.
"Morning Levi.." You said holding up a parcel.
"Took you long enough"
"Hey I had to wait in line for hours to pick up your special tea leaves!"
"Right.. how selfless"
"Levi.. you're such a jerk sometimes"
He lined a row of dark green pouches of chamomile. Then turned to you, weary affection in his eyes.
"Sit.." He said pulling up a wooden chair to the table.
He took the box from you and handed you a cup of steaming tea.
"Better?"
He asked.
You decided to use this opportunity to tell him that your feet ached, which they did, but why not milk all the affection you could get from this.
"My feet hurt."
He raised an eyebrow.
"And you didn't kiss me this morning" You pouted.
"I suppose I have to fix that?"
You nodded.
And he moved closer, pressing a kiss to your cheek.
You smiled at him
He felt a very old sense of calm, like some sort of old dream was being fulfilled with you in this little shop. Like somewhere far away, long ago he longed to tell you, but the world demanded discipline from him.
In that little shop, with the smell of steeping tea, a photograph sat framed by the counter where he sat. Of you with that warm smile, as you held his hand.
This little shop had a lot of heart. Because you were his heart.
He now owed the world nothing, except quality tea of course.