That Heart Of Gold | Levi X Reader

chapter two

Levi emerged from the bathroom a little while later, a white towel wrapped around his waist, one hanging around his neck.

He went to the dresser and changed into a pair of briefs, and once he was done, you patted the space next to you.

"Come here," you whispered.

Levi obeyed. He sat on the bed, his head hung low. You sat on the floor between his legs, took the towel from his neck and started to dry his hair. He leaned into your touch. Neither of you said a word. All he needed was you.

Once you were done drying his hair, you placed the towel in the hamper in the bathroom and walked over to him to sit between his legs again.

He leaned forward and rested his forehead on your shoulder, making you smile and place your hands on his back, rubbing up and down.

"You okay?" you asked, nuzzling your nose into his neck.

Levi nodded against you. As you rubbed his back, you could feel that most the tension had left his muscles.

"Levi..." You pulled back and looked at him, your heart sinking once you saw his glassy eyes. But you knew he didn't want to talk about it - not right now. So, instead, you took his face in your hands. "Are you hungry?"

He shook his head and closed his eyes.

You pursed your lips, knowing he said no because it was late, and he knew you were tired.

"Okay, well... how about some tea?"

Levi's eyes slowly opened to look at you. After a few moments, he nodded.

You smiled warmly and took his hand, leading him downstairs and to the living room. His head still hung low the entire time. You sat him down in front of the fireplace, which you had lit before he came home.

"I'll be right back." You kissed his cheek.

You walked into the kitchen and stared boiling the water, wanting to get back to Levi as quickly as possible.

While you were making his tea, you felt two strong arms wrap around you from behind. You looked behind you and saw Levi's tired face. He looked so worn out. You placed your hands over his and leaned back into his chest. Levi probably thought you were gone for too long, even though it was just for a few minutes.

The only thing Levi had said when he came back was that he's had the worst few days - nothing else. But maybe that was all that he needed to say, because he knew you would take care of him. He knew you would do anything to make him calm, even if he hadn't said anything at all.

You brewed his tea and took his hand and led him back into the living room, sitting him down in front of the fireplace once more. He started to quietly sip on his tea, and you watched his every movement, trying to see what else he was feeling.

But all you saw was exhaustion.

He finished his tea after a while and just stared at the fire. He held his empty cup in a death grip in his hands, so you took it off him walked into the kitchen to place it into the sink.

When you went back, you noticed his head was hung low again, and you frowned. You walked over to him and sat between his legs on your knees, facing him.

"Levi?" you asked, worried by his silence.

You noticed that his hands had turned into fists, his knuckles white, his nails digging into his palms so hard that you were sure it was hurting him.

He didn't speak for a while. The only noise in the room was the sporadic cracking of the fire. You placed your hand on his fist, and you could practically feel him immediately loosen it, as if you just broke him out of a trance.