A/N: I hope you enjoy. Please pardon any mistakes.
Disclaimer: I do not own Attack On Titan
Merethe's POV
All I could do was stare at the bags under his eyes. He looked tired. He was panting, as if he had ran all the way to the room where I was being kept. He had a worried look on his face. His bangs were covering half of his face. He had undoubtedly grown older. I surely looked worse than him.
As soon as he recovered from what I presumed was a marathon, he approached me. I immediately tensed up. He must've sensed it, because he stopped dead in his tracks. I brought my knees close to my chest and shielded my face from his gaze. I couldn't understand. I was scared. I was afraid of him. I knew the reason yet I was reluctant towards accepting it.
I felt him sitting down on the bed and wrapping his arms around me. I lifted my head and met his love-filled gaze. I didn't register what was going on until I felt the stinging pain on the palm of my hand. He looked at me with a shocked expression. I had slapped him. Hard. He stood up from the bed and stared at me in confusion. He sighed and rubbed his cheek.
-Are you happy now? Happy to kill me? Are you even aware of what you assholes made me go through? Was it worth it? Was torturing me worth it? Are you going to kill me now? You should've done it when you had the chance. –I questioned, my voice barely a whisper. I was bitter and angry. I wanted to yell at him, to hit him again. I didn't know whether it was me who deserved it or him.
His brows furrowed.
-I was afraid! I was alone! I fucking spent six years alone! I fucking cried myself to sleep every night because I just couldn't bring myself to accept that you had agreed to my death! You tried to kill me numerous times! Why did you take off the masks, huh?! Did you finally decide for me to see my killer?! I missed you so damn fucking much, Levi! I fucking missed you! And you tried to kill me! –I yelled, unable to contain my anger.
-You slapped me…-He whispered. What? Did he…? I just fucking told him what they had done to me and all he registered was the fact that I fucking slapped him?!
And just like that, with his pathetic statement of me slapping him, I broke down. I started laughing. I didn't know why. Perhaps I was happy to see him again. I could tell I wasn't sane. Hysteria took control of my mind. I laughed like a child. I was falling apart.
He softly pushed me to the side, so that there was enough space for him to lay down next to me. I was laughing between my tears. He hugged me from behind, hiding his face in the crook of my neck.
Little by little, I stopped laughing. I silently cried. My head began to ache. I knew I had to stop crying or it would be hell to deal with the headache. I rolled over on my side and stared into his eyes. He stared at my own. He smiled sadly at me and kissed my forehead. I used the back of my hand to wipe my tears away and closed my eyes, leaning closer to him.
-You've got it all wrong, Merethe. We didn't try to kill you. We…started looking for you three weeks ago. I thought you were dead. We all did. –He spoke up. His voice finally found its way into my troubled mind.
-I saw you. I heard you. You were all wearing masks. Ever since I escaped, you've been trying to kill me. –I replied, my voice hoarse.
-…masks? –He questioned, rubbing my cheek with his thumb. He had a confused look on his face.
-Yes. –I said, trying to make sense of his expression.
Levi's POV
Even after hearing her say that she missed me, I wasn't able to articulate anything that sounded coherent. I had fucking missed her so damn much. She had been alone, scared. I couldn't bring myself to think about it. I couldn't think about her crying herself to sleep. It was killing me not being able to comfort her. So, when she finally stopped speaking, the only thing that came out of my mouth was "You slapped me". I knew that it was stupid, but somehow that made her laugh. I felt relieved for a moment before realizing it was not happiness. It was hysteria. Through her uncontrollable laughter, she started crying. My heart broke at the sight.
She was broken. She had suffered. And I hadn't done a damn thing about it. I wanted to make her feel better, but I knew she was afraid of me. I probably looked like a bloody monster to her. As soon as she calmed down, I lied with her. I hugged her. I hid my face in the crook of her neck, trying to hide the anger that seeped through my veins.
The moment she rolled over on her side to face, my breath got caught in my throat. Her eyes were puffy from crying, her eyes were sad, yet she looked so beautiful. So alive. She told me everything. And it hit me.
Shit. She…thought we had been trying to kill her. That finally brought the pieces of the puzzle together. Those fuckers. They had tried to kill her. Leonhardt probably worked with them. It was not a coincidence. I needed to tell her about Leonhardt, but it wasn't the time. She was in no state to bear with that.
I clarified everything for her. She remained silent throughout everything. I could tell she was tired. I leaned my forehead against hers and closed my eyes.
-You should get some sleep. –I whispered. She shook her head, gripping my arm to support herself.
-I don't think I'll be able to. –She answered, smiling sadly. It was bothering me not being able to see her smile happily. It was too much to ask and I knew it, but I wanted to be selfish. I wanted her to smile for me. I wanted her to tell me that everything was alright.
-Everything will be alright, Merethe. I'm here now. –I told her exactly what I wanted to hear. She needed it more than I did.
-I…I'm sorry. –She apologized. Why?
-Why are you apologizing? I should be the one saying that I'm sorry. –I stated, opening my eyes and looking at her.
-I'm sorry for doubting you. –She repeated.
-I'm sorry for believing you were dead. –I breathed out, pulling her body closer to mine.
She chuckled humourlessly and pulled away. Perhaps my proximity had bothered her.
-You had every right to. I never bothered to come back. –She excused, playing with my hair.
-I missed you. I…never moved on, you know? I couldn't. I thought about you every day. Every single thing reminded me of you. I fucking snapped at every one who brought you up, because I couldn't handle it. I…fuck…I'm not good at this. –I tried to tell her, but I failed.
She smiled at me. A true smile. My heart was immediately warmed at the sight. It was fucking cheesy, but there was no other way to describe how I felt.
-I…still love you, Levi. –She uttered, staring into my eyes. She was the only person capable of making me feel like a boy and not like a man. I was nervous. What if she didn't believe me when I said I loved her back?
-I…-I wasn't able to complete my sentence. Her expression automatically changed. Her eyes looked at anything but me.
-Lie to me. –She said. Perplexed by her words I lifted an eyebrow.
-Why would I do that? –I asked, staring at her face.
-Do it. –She ordered, her voice breaking. I was the only one to blame for her being sad. It took me back to the point in which we started. My memories seemed to show up so quick but they left far too soon. I was trying to find within my memories how to answer her command. I was naïve, staring at the barrel of a gun.
-I don't love you. –I lied, hoping she would understand. She closed her eyes and sighed.
-I know. –She answered, opening her eyes and grinning. She pulled me closer to her and brought her lips to mine. It amazed me how much my words meant to her. They had changed her mood in an instant.
I didn't hesitate to kiss her. I was reminiscing about the days in which we were still together. When we didn't care about all of our mistakes and our failures. She wrapped her arms around my neck. It had been so long, but I didn't expect to see how beautiful she was. Perhaps all that time apart had done her well.
With every kiss, I could feel how real she truly was. I didn't know how I managed to hold on for so long. I knew I wasn't the only one. I had missed her so much. She was alive. She was fucking alive. In my arms. Trapped in my embrace, with no way out. It didn't bother her. I could tell.
We pulled away, gasping for air. I got distracted by her. Her freckles, her eyes, her hair.
-Your hair is shorter. –I pointed out, playing with a strand of her hair.
-Does it look bad? –She asked, nervously touching it.
-It looks beautiful. –I answered truthfully. She looked beautiful in every possible way.
-Yours looks the same. –She giggled. Fuck, I had missed her.
-It always has. –I answered, smirking.
-We never got married. –She stated, staring at my hand. I wasn't wearing the ring.
-Do you still want to marry me? Even after I've been such a shitty fiancée? –I questioned. Her eyes lit up and she smiled.
-No. –She answered. Taken aback by her answer, I frowned.
-I understand. –I replied, forcing myself to accept it. I had hurt her that bad, huh? It was a bittersweet feeling knowing she didn't want it anymore. Perhaps it would make it easier for me to let go of her if it came to it.
-Not until you propose again. –She spoke up again, propping herself up with her elbows.
I stood up from the bed and got on my knees. I took her hand and kissed it. I didn't hesitate. When it came to her, I never did.
-Will you marry me again, Merethe Soltvedt? –I proposed.
-Always. –She answered.
I smiled. She would be prepared for what was yet to come. I had to tell her. It wouldn't be easy telling her the true reason as to why we started looking for her. It wouldn't be easy telling her that she was to face the elders. It wouldn't be easy to tell her that they didn't trust her.
It wouldn't be easy to tell her that they wanted her dead.
"My most brilliant achievement was my ability to persuade my wife to marry me." –Winston Churchill
A/N: I hope you enjoyed. Please feel free to review, it really does help me out a lot.
Thank you for your support.
