Author's Note: Many of you asked for a sequel to "Free", and since I was able to create a plot with relatively little difficulty, I saw fit to gift it to you. So, don't ever say that Author-chan never gave you anything. (Haha, but seriously, I hope you enjoy!) Same warnings apply as for the first part – major spoilers for the end of the manga, etc. etc.
It had taken Levi a long time to stop seeing his wheelchair as a prison. Even after you convinced him to go on that first vacation with you, he still had doubts and insecurities, still felt like he was a burden to you. But after several months and two more vacations to phenomenal places, Levi finally realized that his injury didn't preclude him from living a normal life. He finally decided that he was done waiting – that he had lost too much time already, and that he wasn't going to let his disability hold him back any longer.
His friends' sacrifices had gifted him this world – and in many ways, his life. It would do them an unforgivable dishonor not to live it.
So, during your fourth vacation, he carefully lowered himself down on his uninjured knee – wanting to do things properly for you. He pulled out a simple but beautiful ring, then asked a question that nearly made your heart burst with happiness. And, of course, you said yes.
Fast forward a month, and the big day was finally here.
You were holding the ceremony at a small church in your town. It was a close gathering of only those who had fought in the final battle with you – except for Mikasa, who still lived on Paradis. They were already inside the chapel, and Pieck, your maid of honor, had departed moments ago to take her place on the dais. That left only you.
You stared at the double doors in front of you, taking a second to collect yourself while you waited for them to open. Of course, you weren't nervous at all. You had never been more sure of anything in your entire life. Rather, you were filled with an excitement so complete that you had to resist the urge to bounce in place. Just a few minutes from now, you'd be able to call Levi your husband.
When the doors opened, everyone turned to look at you. There were smiles on their faces, some tears, some expressions of awe. That was to be expected, for a bride on her wedding day. However, no one looked more shocked than you did yourself, when your eyes landed on Levi, standing on the dais, wearing his best formal clothes.
Standing.
No...it seemed impossible, but...Levi was standing. On his own two feet. With no assistance whatsoever. The chair was nowhere to be seen.
You gasped, covering your mouth with your hand as tears filled your eyes. You wanted to run to him, but suddenly, your knees felt so weak that they couldn't hold you. Ironically, you were now the one who needed help walking.
Pieck saw you sway and strode back to your side. Still stunned by Levi, you barely noticed when she looped her arm through yours. It wasn't until she gave you a small tug and whispered, "Come on. He's waiting," that you finally found the wherewithal to move your feet.
During the time it took to walk down the aisle, your misty eyes stayed locked on him, disbelieving. But then, slowly, the reality of the situation started to sink in. Levi was standing. He was standing.
He was standing!
As soon as you were within jumping distance, you lunged for him, wrapping him in your arms and planting kiss after kiss upon his lips. You didn't care about the audience – didn't even spare them a second thought as they cheered and whistled and grinned. All you could think about was Levi. All you could feel was overwhelming happiness.
After about half a minute, Falco spoke awkwardly from his spot behind Levi. "Um...you guys...you're supposed to kiss after you say 'I do'," he reminded you timidly.
You pulled back, but your attention was still focused on Levi. Beaming at him with tears almost overflowing, you asked, "When did this happen?"
"I wanted to surprise you," he murmured with a small smile.
You laughed and tried to blink back your tears. "Well, you certainly did," you quavered. "This makes me so happy."
The two of you untangled yourselves until only your hands were joined, and then you turned to the priest. He spoke some flowery words that you didn't hear, because you were too busy staring at Levi, grinning like an idiot. You both exchanged rings, said "I do", and then you were husband and wife. Of course, this joyful pronouncement came with another passionate kiss, and more cheers from your small audience.
While you and Levi strode back down the aisle, he never faltered. You could feel him leaning on you a bit – and you supported him gladly – but his steps were steady, as if he had never been injured in the first place. You still couldn't quite wrap your head around it, but you didn't care. Levi was walking. And that was enough.
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You and Levi held your reception in the church's garden. The gorgeous little spot had been arranged with a long table for dinner, a piano, and space for a dance floor. You couldn't have been happier as you took your seat next to Levi, surrounded by smiling friends and beautiful flowers alike.
Everyone chatted and laughed over the meal while the sunset bathed the world in its warm colors. By the time the food was gone, night had fallen completely, and you were delighted to find that fairy lights now adorned the garden with their glow. At that point, Onyankopon stood, clapped his hands together, and announced that it was time for the bride and groom's first dance.
You glanced at Levi, wondering if he was up for this. After all, he had already exerted himself a lot today, and you figured he had to be getting tired. However, your husband stood smoothly and offered his hand to you, a hint of shyness peeking through his stoic gaze. You couldn't help grinning as you placed your hand in his.
Onyankopon took a seat at the piano while Levi led you to the middle of the dance floor. When music began, you and Levi stepped together – Levi's confident movements giving no indication that anything was wrong. Miraculously, the two of you were dancing just like any other couple. However, you doubted that any other couple could ever be as happy.
"You're just full of surprises today, Mr. Ackerman," you remarked, still grinning.
"Look who's talking, Mrs. Ackerman," he quipped in reply. "You're the one who jumped on me in front of all the brats."
"Only because you're so irresistible," you purred, nearly brushing his lips with your own, your half-lidded gaze containing a rather suggestive promise.
His eyes widened, and a faint blush tinted his cheeks. In the dim lighting, your friends wouldn't be able to see the slight change of color. It was your little secret.
As the dance continued, you were starting to wonder just how much progress Levi had made, how he had managed to hide it from you despite the fact that you lived together. He must have worked so hard in preparation for this day, because he wanted to be able to stand for you. The sweetness of it warmed your heart.
You were still marveling at his abilities about halfway through the song, when you noticed a slight hitch in his movements. You felt him wobbling, realized he must be feeling weak. It seemed he was reaching the end of his newfound stamina.
"Are you in pain?" you murmured discreetly.
He knew he couldn't hide it from you, so he didn't bother lying. "Just a bit. But I wanted to at least have one dance with you."
At his words, tears filled your eyes again. "Thank you," you whispered. Then you adjusted your grip, holding him more securely. "You can lean on me, okay?"
He nodded and accepted your help without any trace of embarrassment, knowing better by now. You would never think less of him for needing assistance, never consider him to be a burden. That was just one of the things that he truly appreciated about you. You treated his needs as natural and reasonable, so he knew it was okay for him to do the same.
You were so absorbed in each other that you forgot about your audience, forgot that your friends were all staring at you. But if you would have looked, you would have noticed that many of them were now teary-eyed too, if not crying outright. They wanted this for Levi – for both of you – and they were overjoyed that you two were getting a well-deserved happy ending.
The song ended, and you guided Levi back to the table, with him leaning heavily on your arm. He glanced meaningfully at Falco, and the young man scurried off, only to return a minute later with Levi's wheelchair, having retrieved it from wherever they had stashed it earlier. He placed it behind Levi's seat at the table, within easy reach for when your husband wanted to move around again.
No sooner had Falco let go of the chair than Gabi was grabbing his arm, dragging him to the dance floor. Your friends were all filling the space that you and Levi had just vacated – Armin with Annie, Pieck with Reiner, and Jean and Connie dancing awkwardly but exuberantly by themselves. It was enough to make you giggle as you leaned your head on Levi's shoulder, and your fingers found his own under the table.
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Hours later, you and Levi took a carriage back to your cottage. Although the reception had been fun, both of you were glad to finally have some time alone. You would leave for your honeymoon tomorrow morning, but tonight – this first night – you would spend in your home.
Naturally, you two ended up in the bedroom. However, before anything got started, you noticed an uneasy look on Levi's face – something other than his typical shyness when confronted with romance. Given your previous conversations about his mother's job in the Underground, you briefly wondered if he wasn't comfortable taking things this far, even though he had already assured you that he would be okay as long as he was with you. But...no, it was something else – something familiar to you, though you hadn't seen it in a while.
Your expression softened with understanding.
Levi had gotten over everything else, but this one, last hurdle made him pause. He was worried that his injury might render him incapable of moving like he needed to, of pleasing you in the way he thought was expected. You could see in his eyes how much he wanted to get this right for you, how afraid he was that he wouldn't. And...God, your heart felt so tight, because he was so sweet and considerate that you could hardly stand it.
A second later, your suspicions were confirmed. "I'm sorry, (f/n)," he muttered quietly. His eyes – one seeing and one not – were filled with regret as they stared down at the floor. "I...I don't know if I can...with my leg..."
You smiled and, without warning, leaned in to give him a deep, soft kiss. Despite his insecurities, he yielded to you immediately, instinctively, his body reacting out of habit. His mouth parted underneath your own, practically begging you to come inside, to claim what was yours and yours alone. You met him there – cradling him, caressing him – demonstrating your devotion in a way that made his heart race and his head spin.
While Levi was still reeling from your passionate affections, you pulled back and murmured, "You can. We can. Every couple has things that they need to learn and adapt when they first come together – this will just be one of ours. It's nothing we can't figure out, my love. And besides...it gives me an excuse to do this."
Without warning, you scooped him up bridal-style, earning a surprised yelp from the petite man as his arms hastily clung to you. Not that you would ever drop him, of course. You had gained plenty of experience lifting his deceptively heavy frame during the year or so that you had been acting as his caretaker.
You couldn't help chuckling at his adorable nature. Levi's eyes were wide and almost frightened as they stared at you – his trademark shyness finally making an appearance. Yet, you knew the doubt he had expressed earlier was still lingering underneath, momentarily eclipsed by his shock. But you would fix that.
"You would have wanted me on top anyway, right?" you whispered with a knowing smirk, holding his gaze, so close that your breath warmed his skin.
Levi's whole body went rigid, confirming your suspicions. His mouth opened, perhaps in an attempt to give some snide retort, but all that came out was a wordless squeak. Oh, you were going to have so much fun with this.
Using all the gentleness in the world, you laid him on the bed beneath you. You took a moment to admire his flushed cheeks, his scarred face, his nervous expression. The moonlight filtering through the curtains accented his sharp features, adding an ethereal quality to his delicate beauty. And you almost couldn't believe that this perfect creature was your husband.
"You'll tell me right away if anything hurts, won't you?" you asked gently as you brushed a stray piece of hair away from his face.
He nodded, his sincere gaze showing that you could trust him. "Yes."
You gave a tender smile before leaning down to kiss him again – softly, at first, then growing more passionate. Yet, as the room became hot and your mind surrendered to instinct, you remembered to handle his healing leg carefully. You even paid it special attention with your lips, expressing your gratitude for how it had stood and walked and danced for you today.
Like an echo, Levi returned all of your care and affection with his own, so unbothered by his injury that he forgot it was there, forgot he had even been injured to begin with. For the first time since the end of the war, he felt as capable and whole as he did before it. Better, even, because in your arms, there was a sense of safety in his vulnerability, of love in his brokenness. It swallowed up all the pain, all the sorrow, replacing it with a happiness the likes of which he had never known.
He was free.