Walls, it was good to be home. For days, you and your comrades had been running from place to place, hiding from the military police. But now that the coup was over, you could safely return to your own room at the Scout Regiment's headquarters. You thought that a good night's sleep in your own bed was long overdue.
However, there was a lot of work to be done before anyone could rest. Some squads were sent out to canvas the wreckage of the Reiss estate, while others (like yours) were busy putting things back in order at HQ. This meant cleaning, replenishing food stocks, making sure the MP's didn't steal anything while you were on the run, etc., etc.
You had just finished filling the pantry with potatoes when Hanji dashed in to tell you that the team responsible for the Reiss estate had returned – meaning that Levi was back, too.
Filled with excitement, you hurried through stocking the bread stores so you could go find Levi sooner. You hadn't seen each other since all the craziness started, and you had been worried sick. It had been such a relief to at least hear that he was alive after the coup ended. You tried to find him during the battle with Rod Reiss' titan, but your assignments kept you on opposite ends of the fray. The prolonged separation lent an undertone of anxiety to your excitement, though you tried your best to ignore it. You missed him, but you also yearned to confirm with your own eyes that he was unharmed.
Finally finished with your chores, you rushed upstairs to Levi's room. You couldn't hold back the smile that spread across your face as you knocked on his door. Without waiting for an answer, you swung the door open, then shut it behind you. "Levi, I heard you were back – " you began, but the words died on your lips.
Levi was sitting on the edge of his bed, shoulders shaking, cheeks wet. He looked up at your sudden appearance, his face stricken.
Shocked, you could do nothing but whisper his name. "Levi?"
At this, Levi's face crumpled. He just barely had time to reach both hands out for you before you were there, kneeling at his feet. You took his hands, kissing his knuckles and palms. Then you reached up to hold his face, pressing soft kisses around his cheeks, his lips. "It's alright," you murmured between kisses. "I'm here. I've got you."
You sat beside him on the bed so you could fold him into your arms. He returned the hug, burying his face in your shoulder.
Rarely had you seen Levi show any emotion at all, much less be upset like this. In fact, the only other time you had seen him cry was when he lost his squad to the female titan. Back then, he had kept up his stoic demeanor until the two of you were alone, too strong to break in front of his comrades.
You wondered what had happened this time, and how long he had been shoving down his pain, bearing it alone. You stroked his silky black hair and asked delicately, "Levi, what's the matter?"
"He was my uncle," Levi rasped. He sounded so tired, so empty.
Your brow furrowed in confusion. "Who?"
"Kenny."
Your eyes widened. You had known that Kenny raised Levi, but this came as a surprise.
"He was...my mother's brother," Levi continued hoarsely. "He told me today, right before he...he died. He said...he left me back then...because he wasn't cut out to be somebody's dad."
You loosed a breath at the weight of Levi's words. Wishing you could take his pain away, you held him tighter.
"He may have been our enemy, but I think, in the end...I mean, he gave me the syringe with the titan serum...it was the last one...he didn't have to..."
You pushed aside your shock at the mention of the titan serum and nodded, understanding. Despite everything that happened, Kenny's final act had been to help humanity – to help Levi. In his own, twisted way, he must have still cared.
"I didn't think it would matter to me if he died. I tried so hard to kill him. But now..." Levi hissed a breath. "He was the only family I had left, and now he's gone...and I don't know what to do."
"It's okay," you reassured him, pressing a kiss to his head. "Kenny did some terrible things, but he was like a father to you. You're allowed to be upset." You kissed him again. "It's okay."
Levi's arms tightened around you. He was silent, but you could still feel the dampness of his tears soaking into your shirt. You didn't mind, though.
After a long while, he murmured, "(F/n)?"
"Yes, Levi?" you whispered, lightly rubbing his back.
"I know this is stupid, but I'm asking anyway..." He took a quavering breath. "Just please, promise that you won't leave me, too."
An ache bloomed in your chest. "Of course. Of course, I promise." You pulled back and tilted your head so you could look at his tear-stained face, his misty eyes. A part of you wondered if you were right to do this, given the risks you both took every day, given the fact that you could die at any time. But you shoved that logic aside. In that moment, you would have said anything to give him even a small measure of comfort. "I will never leave you. No matter what, you and I will be together." You took your thumbs and gently wiped the tear stains from his cheeks. "I promise," you repeated, leaning in to give him a loving kiss on the lips.
"Thank you," he whispered before returning the kiss.
You started off gently, tenderly. Then your kisses gradually became hungrier, until you were pressed up against each other – grasping at clothes, at skin, at hair. Until his tongue was in your mouth and your moans were muffled by his lips.
Deep down, you and Levi still harbored a plethora of emotions that had built up over the past few days – stress, fear, sadness, relief. Now that you were both alone with the one person that you trusted completely, your walls came down and those emotions boiled over. You took them all from each other, accepting every fragile piece and showing that you loved each one, that you loved each other with everything you had.
You kissed Levi until your lips were sore, until all of your emotions were spent and you both were exhausted. You pulled apart, resting your foreheads together, letting your breathing return to normal.
"Will you sleep with me?" Levi asked wearily.
You smirked and arched an eyebrow. "Sleep with you?"
Upon realizing how that sounded, Levi's cheeks turned a bright red. His eyes widened. "I'm sorry, I d-didn't mean..."
You laughed and pecked his nose. "I know what you meant. I was only teasing."
Levi loosed a breath, though his blush remained, "So...?"
"Yes, I'll stay," you said with a soft smile.
Not bothering to change into your nightclothes, the two of you curled up together in his bed. You shared one last kiss before closing your eyes, your head resting against his chest. Both you and Levi drifted off to sleep finding comfort and safety in each other's arms, and thinking that, just maybe, family was about more than blood.