Will of the Broken (Levi x OC)

Chapter 53: Captain's Weakness

Without warning, Levi crashed into my open arms and clutched me against his chest.

I held him with all my strength and caressed the back of his wet head gently.

His body shook and trembled against mine. Slender, calloused fingers dug and grasped at my back desperately as he buried his face in the curve of my neck.

"I hate it here." Levi whispered, his lips tickling my flesh. They were cold which concerned me. If I didn't lead him inside soon he'd get sick.

Tears escaped my eyes in unison with his, but I wasn't shaking as he was. I wanted to be strong for him even if the pain had to be held inside my chest. The cold didn't even effect me due to my concentration being purely on him.

"I know." I whispered back shakily, rubbing the back of his head gently. "I know."

His hair was soaked and somehow it remained soft like the finest silk fabric in the Capital.

"Something bad is going to happen... I felt it too..." He said against me as he cried. Warm tears quickly ran cold when they slipped into the space between us.t

"Shhh... I don't blame you for being dismissive about it. You won't lose me on this expedition. I promise you that, Levi." I leaned my head against his slightly, thinking about how I could keep my word in an unpredictable world.

"She's coming."

In a violent flash, blood replaced the rain and a pale woman stood behind Levi in my direct line of sight.

Strawberry blonde hair and pale, clouded, amber eyes were the noticable traits.

I knew who she was and her lifeless eyes held a grim warning.

My eyes widened in fear and I held Levi tighter; my crying halted.

Soon, she disappeared and I turned my focus back to the person that needed me in this moment.

"Ease your mind, Levi." I said shakily, trying to keep myself under control. "No one will be okay if you get sick tonight. Let's go inside and dry off, okay?."

I winced at how emotionless I sounded when really it was just fear and shock.

I saw Petra, dead right in front of me. Wasn't that from my dream a while back? What's the rest of it?

"I disregarded your feelings," He pulled away from me and worked on collecting himself as I pulled him inside. "How much did that hurt you?" Guilt subconsciously slipped into his tone and I shook my head upon stepping through the large front doors.

"Don't do that to yourself, Levi. I don't hold your actions against you. This place is stressful for both of us. Your dismissiveness was, and still is, understandable. I wasn't that hurt by your behavior. The best we can do for our fallen comrades and friends is to carry them on as we live." I let go of his hand respectfully as I stepped back to close the large doors.

Suddenly, his cold hand was grasping at my fingertips the moment they fell from their position on the door. I whipped around to face him and stopped dead in my tracks when his words reached my ears.

"Stop forgiving me so easily. Hit me or something." He pleaded looking at me with tired eyes. I felt hurt and disbelief enter my system.

Did he really wish for me to hurt him? Or was he just trying to stop my "facade"?

Either way it wasn't fake. My forgiveness was genuine. I wasn't about to turn and bite him because of emotional instability.

"I'd never hit you for such a petty reason, Levi. I don't forgive you just because I have feelings for you. I forgive you because you deserve it. For a moment, I want you to remember the weight of your title and the burden it places on your shoulders. Have you forgotten that you are human?" I asked clasping his hand between both of mine gently.