Levi didn't know why he did it. Perhaps it was because Kenny had tried to help him by giving him the titan injection. Perhaps Levi felt that Kenny needed to answer for what he had done. Or perhaps Levi actually cared about the dying man in front of him, despite the fact that he had murdered many of Levi's comrades – and tried to kill Levi himself.
Regardless of the reason, Levi didn't let Kenny die under that unremarkable tree on the Reiss estate. He hauled him on his back to the nearest horse, then to the nearest doctor. And despite the burns, the broken bones, and the knife wound that Levi himself had inflicted, Kenny survived.
Now, a year later, Levi wasn't sure if that was a good thing.
Given that his dream of inheriting the Founding Titan had proved impossible, Kenny needed something else to be "drunk on", as he put it. Because of his experience with the Military Police and his Ackerman genes, being in charge of the new queen's royal guard seemed like a logical step – and certainly the most power he would ever be able to obtain in his remaining years. However, that line of work didn't give Kenny quite the sense of fulfillment that he craved. So he devoted all of his free time to making things up to Levi – or trying to, at least.
That's right – welcome to round two of Kenny the father figure.
Of course, Kenny didn't like to think of himself as a father. He knew he wasn't cut out for it. However, despite his attempts to kill Levi during the coup, Kenny really did care for his nephew, and he wanted to help him in the few ways that he knew. This consisted of fighting, mostly, but every now and then, Kenny would offer advice in other areas.
Naturally, Levi wasn't too thrilled to have Kenny back in his life. In addition to the fact that the other Scouts weren't comfortable around him – for good reason – Levi was an adult now. He had been for several decades. He knew what he was doing, and he didn't want advice from the man who had abandoned him in the slums while he was only a teenager.
Moreover, having Kenny at his side – being called "boy" and "runt" as if nothing had changed – brought back too many memories of his messed-up childhood.
Yet, however many times Levi told Kenny to get lost, he just kept coming back. Even today, while the Scouts were doing some volunteer construction work at Queen Historia's orphanage, Kenny was stuck to Levi like glue. He claimed he was there as part of the queen's guard, but he seemed to forget the part about actually guarding the queen.
Levi would have much rather spent his time exclusively with you. As the love of his life, you were the only person whose company he never got tired of. However, the children seemed to enjoy your company just as much, and they dragged you away to cater to their whims. This left Levi standing on a hill with – you guessed it – Kenny.
"Bring back memories?" Kenny drawled, nodding his head toward the children.
Levi's eyes narrowed. "No."
Kenny grunted. "Guess not. You never smiled that much. Never smiled at all, actually."
"Tch," Levi hissed in irritation. "What do you want, Kenny?"
The older man made a show of looking innocent. "Hey now, can't a guy just have a friendly chat with his nephew?"
"Getting sentimental in your old age?" Levi snapped harshly.
It was always like this – Kenny acting as if nothing had changed from their time in the Underground, as if he hadn't abandoned Levi, as if he hadn't killed Levi's subordinates. Sure, the latter hadn't been personal; they had both just been doing their jobs, chasing their goals. However, as much as Levi understood the separation of emotion and ambition – hell, he had done it himself a thousand times – that didn't excuse Kenny's actions...did it?
Levi wasn't sure of the answer, and that made him all the more annoyed at Kenny's presence, as did the small tug that he felt whenever Kenny was around – that lingering, instinctual desire for a father. So what if Kenny was proud of him? So what if Kenny cared? At the end of the day, he had still hurt Levi, more deeply than Levi wanted to admit.
Kenny shrugged. "Maybe. But you're one to talk. You did save my life, after all," he pointed out, not unkindly.
Levi said nothing, deciding just to ignore Kenny instead of discussing things that cut too close to his parental trauma.
His eyes drifted until they found you, several meters away, playing with the children. One of the smaller ones asked to be picked up, and you happily complied, lifting him into your arms. Then, as if you sensed Levi watching, you met his gaze and grinned.
The sight warmed Levi's heart, and he couldn't resist giving you a soft smile in return. If he could have gazed at you all day, he would have. You were just...so perfect...
"So, when are you gonna make that girl my niece?" Kenny drawled.
Levi's expression shuttered as his gaze shot to his uncle. "What?" he muttered, genuinely not understanding.
Kenny chuckled. "Come on, boy. I see the way you look at her. You're whipped. And it's obvious that she loves you too, even though you're a runt. So stop dragging your feet and pop the question."
"Tch," Levi growled. "Mind your own business."
Truthfully, Kenny had struck a nerve. The two of you had been dating for three years, and Levi knew – with absolute certainty – that he would never want to belong to anyone else. He had tried several times to work up the courage to buy a ring. However, he couldn't get over the fear and trauma that were holding him back.
He felt like he was cursed. Every time he allowed himself to care deeply for someone, they always suffered because of him. His mother, Farlan and Isabel, his squad, Erwin – they were all dead. And it was his fault. The only exception was Kenny, but to be fair, the jury was still out on what he meant to Levi.
Point being, Levi didn't want to lose you like he had lost everyone else. He was already tempting fate simply by dating you. Making you "Mrs. Ackerman" would be the equivalent of painting a big red target on your back. He was certain that if he took that step, if he bound you to himself in the deepest way humanly possible, the universe would come back with the biggest "screw you" of his life. It would rip you away at the very second that Levi thought he had finally found happiness.
He couldn't put you at risk like that. Not you. You deserved a long, fulfilling life. Levi didn't want to be the reason that it was cut short. He couldn't take the guilt of destroying one more person that he cared about, especially when he knew from the start that caring was a bad idea.
"Okay, okay, maybe that was a little harsh," Kenny grumbled, pulling Levi from his thoughts. "But in all seriousness, what's holding you back, boy?"
Levi didn't know why he bothered explaining. Maybe he was driven by that traitorous part of him that still saw Kenny as a father figure. Or maybe he just needed someone to talk to, someone who knew the traumas of his past without him having to spell it out – even if that person was the trigger-happy uncle that had tried to kill him just for power.
Regardless, he whispered, "I don't want to drag her into my shit." Then it all came tumbling out.
Kenny – quite uncharacteristically – was silent for several minutes while Levi spoke. Only when his nephew had faded into silence did he mutter, "Well, I can't deny that your life has been all kinds of messed-up. I can't deny that I played a part in that. But the past is the past. You can either learn from it and move on...or you can let it ruin your future."
For the first time since he had opened his mouth to voice his fears, Levi glanced up, meeting his uncle's gaze. He was surprised to find that the older man looked sad.
"No one knows what tomorrow will bring," Kenny said seriously. "We could drop dead any second. Which is why you should use the time you've got to chase what you want. And you want that girl. I know you do."
Levi opened his mouth to respond, but Kenny beat him to it. "You're not cursed, boy. You've just been thrown into a dangerous life, a life that most other people weren't equipped to survive, sorry to say. But now that the titans are gone...well, it looks like you've got a bit of a reprieve, at least. And even if things do get bad again, that girl is tough enough to handle herself. Hell, she almost gave me a run for my money back when I was still workin' for Rod Reiss."
Levi's heart couldn't help but soften slightly at the memory. He knew how strong you were. It was one of the things he loved about you. Yet, he had trusted that Farlan and Isabel were strong enough, that his squad was strong enough, that Erwin was strong enough. And look where it got him.
"Besides," Kenny continued, "it doesn't seem to me like you plan on leaving her. And you'll love and protect her just as much either way, right? So why not do what you both want and get hitched? Start a new family – a happy one. Let her give you what your mother and I weren't able to."
That struck another nerve, and Levi's gaze fell. Kenny wasn't wrong – he would treat (f/n) the same either way, and he did want her to be his family. Still, he couldn't shake the fear that he would be putting her in danger, especially with a war so likely in the near future. "I don't know," he mumbled.
Kenny sighed in defeat. "Look...go talk to your girl about this, alright?"
Levi glanced up, a question in his eyes.
"It's just...you two have a bond, you know?" Kenny grumbled, clearly reluctant to say something so cheesy. "The strongest bond that you'll ever have with anyone. She's the best person to help you work this out. On top of that, it's her life too, so you should tell her what's on your mind, and then hear what she has to say."
Levi's chest tightened. Of course, he had thought about telling you before, but he had always refrained. He didn't want to burden you, and he didn't want to seem like a coward. But once again, Kenny was right. You would understand. And in the past, you had always been able to put him at ease, as well as provided the direction he so desperately needed.
"I'll talk to her," he agreed quietly.
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Because your projects were not yet done, you all spent the night at the orphanage. Levi waited until the children had gone to bed before asking you to take a walk with him. You eagerly agreed, always happy to go on a moonlit stroll with your boyfriend. The two of you hardly spoke for most of it, until you arrived at an enormous beech tree, and Levi asked you to sit down with him.
You reclined against the trunk, using the chilly air as an excuse to press yourself against Levi. It was quite a romantic setting, and you wondered if he had a reason for bringing you to this particular spot. You even dared to hope that he would ask you the one question that you were so longing to hear.
Instead, he told you everything.
Although you hadn't figured it out for yourself, you couldn't say that you were surprised. You knew about Levi's past, and how slow he was to form bonds because of it. His hesitation to get married made perfect sense.
You slid your arms around him in a physical demonstration of support and unity. "I understand. I know you've lost too much already," you assured him. "However, I don't think that us getting married would put me in any extra danger. Life is dangerous already. What's going to happen, will happen, regardless of whether we're married or not."
Levi continued to stare at the ground, so you reached up to cup his cheek in your hand, gently tilting it until his gaze met yours. You needed to look him in the eyes, to make sure he understood that you were absolutely sincere. "But I want you to know that, either way, I will stay by your side. I will always love you, and I will do my best to live for you. And if you're not comfortable getting married, then that's perfectly okay. I already know that you love me. I don't need a ring to prove it."
Levi's expression tightened, and that small slip in his mask revealed just how much your words meant to him. "You wouldn't...be upset...if we weren't a proper family?" he asked haltingly.
You smiled – that same, soft smile that always comforted Levi and simultaneously took his breath away. "My love," you cooed, tenderly brushing his cheekbone with your thumb, "you're already my family."
Those words echoed in Levi's mind, over and over again. They remained while his eyes searched yours, while the two of you shared long and tender kisses in the shadow of that welcoming tree, and while you lay together on the soft earth – staring up at the canopy of red leaves. And after mulling it over for the hours that you were in his arms, he finally decided that both you and Kenny were right.
"Will you marry me?" he whispered into your hair.
You didn't even try to contain your smile. "Yes."
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Hanji wouldn't let Levi get away without a bachelor party, which she set up in one of the common rooms on the night before the wedding. Despite Levi's mild annoyance, the dozens of guests had a fantastic time. They spent the evening consuming copious amounts of alcohol and offering slurred bits of advice to the groom-to-be.
Of course, the typical bachelor-party joke about this being "the end of his freedom" was thrown around a few times. However, Levi actually saw his marriage to you as the beginning of his freedom – freedom from the darkness and trauma of his past, freedom to finally have a happy life with someone who loved him. Now that you had helped him work through his fears, he couldn't wait to give himself to you completely.
But first, he had to endure a few hours of raucous, drunk partiers – the worst offender being Hanji, though that was no surprise. The whole thing was actually quite draining for Levi. By the time the guests began trickling out, he was eager to return to his bed upstairs.
His heart gave a small flutter when he realized that this would be the last time he stayed there, alone in the barracks. Tomorrow, he would begin living in the small cottage he had purchased to be your new home, and he would spend the rest of his nights in your arms.
However, to Levi's immense irritation, Kenny stuck around after everyone else left.
"What do you want?" Levi grumbled. Even though their relationship had become slightly less tense after Kenny advised him to propose, Levi was still wary.
The older man chuckled. "What, can't a guy just spend some quality time with his nephew?"
"Kenny..." Levi growled in warning.
"Fine, fine," Kenny muttered, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "I've got some things I want to tell you. Man-to-man." He made himself comfortable in a chair, gesturing for Levi to do the same.
"Tch. What, exactly?" Levi bit out, not in the mood for Kenny's games.
Kenny smirked. "Well, I'm guessin' you're still a virgin, ain't ya? There are things you should know before you take sweet little (f/n) to bed on your wedding night."
Try as he might, Levi couldn't stop the blush that turned his cheeks and ears red. Of all the things Kenny could have brought up, this was the subject that Levi was most uncomfortable with. "We are not having this conversation," he growled, immediately storming toward the door.
"You know what you're doin', then?" Kenny asked with the haughtiness of someone who already knew the answer.
Levi stopped. If he stayed in this room, it would be tantamount to tossing his pride out the window – not to mention extremely awkward. However...he couldn't deny that Kenny was right. Married couples did do...certain things...things which Levi only vaguely understood. And as irritated as he was with Kenny, he didn't want to disappoint you...
Levi managed to school his expression into neutrality while he walked over to the bar. With a hint of exasperation in his otherwise-stoic voice, he grumbled, "I need a drink."
Kenny only laughed as Levi filled a glass to the brim.