𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧

“You’re hurt.”

The captain's voice echoed down the empty corridor, alarming in its unexpectedness. Levi’s voice, normally so detached, now carried an obvious, deep-seated sense of concern. For all of his stoicism and pragmatism out on the field, your safety was one of the few things he simply could not remain composed about. Not when you stubbornly pushed yourself as much as you did, and certainly not when his entire life had been defined by losing almost everyone he let close.

Your shoulders stiffened and rose as your steps slowly came to a halt. Forearm still resting heavily against the wall, currently the only thing keeping you upright. Your hands squeezed into a tight fist and your chest heaved from the painful sensation climbing up your legs and leaking into every inch of your wounded frame. Clenching your jaw, you exhaled and looked over your shoulder with narrowed eyes, that familiar stubborn expression. “Damnit, Levi I’m–” you started, voice strained and frustrated.

However, your words promptly died in your throat upon seeing Levi’s own countenance; his eyebrows furrowed, jaw set in both concern and equal stubbornness, the corners of his mouth now twitched downward, and his eyes fixed on you with unwavering focus. His expression was somehow both fiercely protective and uncharacteristically vulnerable for a man who would sooner die than speak about his emotions.

Levi steadily closed the distance between the two of you without hesitation the moment his eyes met yours. One hand placed on your shoulder furthest from the wall, while the other came up to place itself against the underside of your ribs on the side where your arm was braced against the wall. Their grip was gentle but firm. From behind you, he glanced up slightly to meet your gaze once more, a silent question. Once you nodded after a moment of hesitation, the hand on your shoulder moved to the backs of your knees, and before you knew it, he was holding you in both arms without any visible strain or discomfort.

With you in his arms, he turned on his heel and began walking down the corridor. Long strides quick but careful as to not jostle you and worsen your injuries. Every so often his gaze flickered down fleetingly then darted back up again before you caught it. Though each time you could feel the tightening of his fingers on your lower back.

It wasn’t too long before you two reached the door of his office. He shifted your weight in his arms, propping you further against his shoulder, then reaching his hand to the doorhandle, pulling it down and opening it. Stepping through the threshold.

The faint smell of tea, ink and something herbal filled your nose. It was quite a pleasant smell, and distinctly his. The office itself was equally as pleasant; warm lighting, tidy surfaces, organised shelves, and a plush, maroon sofa positioned below the large window in the centre of the wall behind Levi’s desk.

Immediately, Levi carried you over to the sofa, leaning down to place you there carefully. Ensuring there were cushions behind you to support your back while you sat upright. You blinked for a moment in surprise, taken aback by the rare display of softness from the ever stoic Levi Ackerman. Even though he was softer around you than he was around most people, the contrast was still jarring.

You watched him walk away, towards his desk and lean down to the draws, searching through them. When he leaned down the back of his white dress shirt strained against his muscular back, outlining the obvious definition in his shoulders. Strong forearms equally as obvious where his sleeves were rolled to his elbows. The veins beneath his hands shifted rhythmically with each twist of his fingers. Even under the warm light, his features remained sharp and intense. His raven-black hair was stark against the soft golden glow of lanterns lining his office. Your eyes couldn’t help but linger; it was rare moments like these where you could really see and remember how striking he actually was. So much so that it hardly mattered how young he looked, or how small he was in comparison to other soldiers his rank. He was absolutely breathtaking.

At that moment, everything else mattered very little. The pain of your wounds gradually dulled. The sounds of birds chirping their soft melodies from outside quietened. The lanterns glow served only to illuminate every feature of the beautiful man under them.

Even as Levi straightened once more, turning around with some first aid equipment in his hands, you did not look away. Normally you would rather be caught dead than shamelessly staring like this. He noticed. Of course he did. Levi noticed everything about you, down to the tiniest shifts in demeanour or any slight flicker of hesitation in your eyes.

However, this time, even Levi’s breath caught slightly seeing the admiration in your gaze. His step faltered, and for a moment, he stopped walking. His eyes met yours where you were positioned on the sofa; your back pressed against the cushions resting on the arm of the sofa, and your legs in front of you, one half bent. His normally sharp grey-blue eyes softened as they locked onto yours, his eye contact unwavering without being overwhelming. For a second, nobody moved. Before he stepped forward again. Closing the distance between the two of you and stopping just in front of you, placing the equipment in his arms down onto the sofa by your leg.

With his hands free, one came up and cupped your jaw with an uncharacteristically gentle grip, index finger pressing lightly just below your ear above the curve of your jaw. While his thumb tilted your chin up towards him. His other hand came down and rested on the back of the sofa for balance. Nothing happened immediately.

Then Levi spoke, his voice little more than a soft, deep murmur as he lowered himself slightly, leaning down again, the proximity between the two of you only increasing each passing minute. “You worried me,” he admitted. It made you freeze for a second. Levi almost never admitted to worrying or caring for anyone. Not verbally. He was a man of very few words. Few people could see that he cared, even fewer could hear it said aloud.

Your expression visibly softened, eyes widening softly as your lips parted to respond. Though before any sound could come through, Levi’s thumb that had been on your chin, slowly moved up to rest against your lips, pressing lightly on your bottom one. “Shhh.”

He hushed quietly, almost reverently as his eyes marvelled over your own features. Travelling with soft admiration over the curve of your jaw, the tilt of your nose, the way your eyes reflected the warm lantern glow as shadows danced beautifully across them. All the way down to your subtly parted, waiting lips whereby his thumb still rested. Testingly, his thumb moved down slightly. Not demanding, not exactly lustful, but more exploring.

Your expression remained soft, though certainly caught entirely off guard by the rare display of raw romantic affection from Levi. No more attempts were made at an utterance. There was no need. Levi’s tender ministrations spoke more volumes than any word ever could.

Slowly, the hand closest to Levi that had previously rested limp on your lap, rose upward towards his face. Brushing one strand of hair from his forehead, before resting on the side of his head, fingers curling lightly around the back. Your thumb rubbing light circles into the side of his undercut. And suddenly–

It was at that moment Levi finally closed the distance. His thumb shifted from your chin to hold the other side of your jaw, and his eyes closed at the same time yours did. Your lips met, the touch almost featherlight at first. Clumsy, if anything. This wasn’t really familiar territory for either of you. Despite that, Levi’s lips still moved with quiet certainty, as he guided the kiss. The hand that had been resting against the back of the sofa now tangled itself in the hair on your nape. Not squeezing; just holding. Whilst his hand that was on your jaw tilted your head up towards him.

Your other hand came up to grip the front of the navy blue tie he wore that stood out against the crisp white of his dress shirt. But suddenly, overtaken by a sudden boldness, you wrapped your fingers around the knot of his tie and pulled him closer so that he was practically on top of you. One of his knees forced to rest between your legs without breaking the passionate exchange.

The kiss was warm; the cooler air of the office at nighttime soon forgotten among the exchange of warm breaths. Levi tasted just like the expensive tea leaves he always insisted on buying. The scent of his cologne was earthy with undertones of spicy vanilla. His breath mingled with yours and his hand had moved lower, down from your nape to roam over your back and settle against the curve of your waist.

With that, Levi deepened the kiss, using his grip on your jaw as leverage to tilt your head for better access. Your body was pliant beneath his guidance, and your lips parted without question the moment you felt his tongue brush against your lower lip, a silent ask for permission.

Levi’s tongue slipped into your mouth, meeting yours with calm desire. The two tongues mingled and danced over each other. Neither fighting for dominance or control, even as the kiss grew more and more intense. Even as the top buttons of your shirt fell open at some point and Levi's hand slipped underneath. Tracing the delicate curves of your body with pure adoration. Even as the buttons on his own shirt came undone, and his tie loosened then fell discarded.

His hand travelled further south, resting on your thigh where his thumb rubbed tantalising circles on the inner side of it. The heat of his mouth absorbing any sounds that left yours. Even when he pulled back to catch his breath, his ministrations did not stop. His hands moved gently, his tongue no less careful. Your hands remained tangled in his parted shirt, eyes shut tight, trusting him completely.

Especially when he pulled back to trace kisses down your neck. Nipping gently and leaving small marks, while pushing your jaw upward with his thumb that still remained in place. Allowing him further access to claim the supple skin from the curve of your jaw, to your neck and all the way down to the sensitive flesh of your collarbone. He hardly reacted whenever hands shifted over him, whether that was to grip his hair, buttons or the fabric at the back of his shirt.

Here, only under the warm light of this room were the two lovers mingled. Two bodies; one soul. Caught in this delicate dance of affection.

“I love you,” Levi murmured against the crook of your neck.

Those three, private words would forever stay inside that room. Inside that single, precious moment that they shared.

The world was an unforgiving place. Rotten with endless cruelty.

Levi’s world wasn’t. His world, held ever so gently in his hands, was neither unforgiving nor cruel. They had endured relentless bitterness and chosen to remain merciful, to remain kind, and to remain present to share this small, fleeting moment with him.

Levi would rather die than speak. But in that moment, speaking sounded less like a death sentence and more like the last thing he could do to show this rotten world that he too, hadn’t abandoned his humanity. His heart, sentimental boulder, was still heavy with decades of things left unsaid.