Levi and Mikasa fight
Mikasa puts down the last of the seemingly endless cardboard boxes. "Finally, that's the last of them. Wanna take a little break?"
Levi looks around the new apartment they now call home. It's small, with plenty of windows, perfect for leisurely days of spending time with Mikasa and reading. He's content, mostly, but he cant help but wish to clean up a little more, like the boxes that are littering the floor and the thin layers of dust covering the few bookshelves that were left by the previous owner.
"Sure, in a little bit. But can we clean up a little bit more? All these boxes are stressing me out."
Levi can't help but be a bit annoyed by the clear eye roll from Mikasa at response to his question. Even though this is the first time they will be living together, they have been dating for two years now and he thought she would have accepted his minor, but obvious, OCD. He knows it annoys a lot of people, but he hopes Mikasa could be a little kinder about it.
"Come on Levi. Relax. We have all tonight and tomorrow to clean up. Can you at least calm your OCD for now?" She says it innocently, clearly not meaning any harm, but for some reason it pisses Levi off. She is one of the only people who knows and accepts everything about him, so why would she bring up one of the traits he's more self conscious about like that? It hurts, but Levi doesn't want to admit it, so he hides it in the best way he can: by snapping back at her.
"Jesus Mikasa, I'm not asking that much. Can we at least unpack two boxes? Most of this shit is yours, anyway." Levi instantly feels a little guilty when he sees Mikasa's eyes widen at his sudden outburst. But he pushes that feeling down; guilt is not an emotion he is very fond of.
"Oh my God Levi. Are we really going to fight about something as stupid as this? Just relax."
Relax. There's that word again, and he's starting to get real tired of hearing it. Levi doesn't enjoy his OCD, it's embarrassing and often hard to control, and telling him to relax isn't helping at all. In fact, it's just making him really angry.
"Stop telling me to relax Mikasa. I thought you had accepted my…" he struggles to say it out loud, "…OCD, but clearly not. Maybe if it's too inconvenient for you, you should just go back to perfect little Eren. Though who knows if he'll want you back now, after being tainted by my presence."
The minute the words leave his mouth he regrets it, like nothing he's ever regretted in his life. And seeing the look on Mikasa's face, a mixture of hurt, surprise, and anger, he has to lower his eyes from hers in shame. He usually controls himself so well, and now he's probably fucked everything up, just because of a stupid little comment. He knows he should say something, apologize before it's too late, but his mouth hangs open a second too long and she speaks.
"Wow. You just went way too far," she says, "you know what Levi? Fuck you."
Two words. It's not like he's never heard her swear before. But when they're directed at him, they seem so much harsher, cutting through him like a knife. He wants to respond, though he's not quite sure what he would say, and just like that she's slipping out the door with an "I need some air," leaving him to deal with himself.
She returns a few hours later, when the sun is dipping behind the other buildings and the sky is washed in a watercolor of yellows, reds, and blues. It's beautiful, but the sunset's beauty doesn't feel fitting after their fight. Levi had sat down on one of the stray chairs after she left, and hadn't moved since. He needed to think about what he would say to her when she came back. If she came back.
"Hey." Her voice is almost a whisper, but at the sound of her voice his head snaps up. Levi doesn't think he's ever been so relieved to see her.
"I," his voice crack a little and he clears his throat, "I thought you might not come back."
She smiles, it's a small one and a bit twisted, but it lights up the whole room like no one else ever could.
"Did you really think I would leave you over as stupid of an argument as that? We're stronger than that, Levi, and we can work through it."
Even though her words are kind, it makes Levi a little sad because they aren't the strong ones, she is. She's the one who is picking up his pieces and putting them back together. She always has.
"I'm sorry for bringing up Eren like that. I know your, uh, relationship with him is still strained." He gets up and walks toward her, a little cautiously.
"Yeah, you shouldn't have said that, but it's ok. I'm over it. Anyway, I have an apology to make to you too. I know your…OCD is a sensitive point for you and I shouldn't have teased you about it. I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too." His response is simple, but it seems to do the trick.
Mikasa moves a little closer to him, and he accepts her into his arms. Immediately, it's like a part of him has been returned. Without her, he feels off, like there's something missing. But when she's in his arms, it's like everything is right in the world. He buries his face in her hair, enjoying her familiar sweet scent.
"I know we can make this work," she murmurs, "I know it's going to be tough, moving in together and all, but," she pulls back from him and looks straight into his eyes, "I love you. And with that, we can get through this."
Levi nods. He knows he doesn't have to say anything because Mikasa just voiced every thought of his perfectly. So he seals their love with a kiss, and as the sun dips below the horizon, it's as if the world is bathed in a wash of gold just for them.
