This segment ended up being a lot longer than I thought it would be ^^; so i had to split it up and rename this chapter!
warnings: sex (sorry, it only JUST occurred to me that it's worth tagging chapters that get smut heavy, silly me) minor degradation
Thank you for your patience and for reading!
The younger man's eyes clenched shut. His brows furrowed deep in concentration as though he were listening for something that rung faintly in the distance.
Make your choice, Kaeto.
He let out a soft sigh. It was a light whiff of air that carried the tightness of his shoulders with it.
And dedicate your heart to it.
Kaeto's eyes slowly opened, his bright golden pools spearing into the Captain. The cold emptiness that glazed over them before melted away and was dimmed by a glow that burned with fiery determination. The sullen pout of his lips stretched to a wide confident smile that accentuated the strong lines of his chiseled jaw.
That's all we could ever hope to get out of this absurd thing called life.
"I'll do it, Levi," Kaeto said proudly, "I'll join the Survey Corps."
Evie's arms fell around Kaeto, bringing him into a close embrace. Her face nestled into the nook of his neck and she hung from him as though she were bidding a comforting yet mournful farewell. He slowly returned her embrace. His wings fluttered like a fox's ears twitching in excitement while the smile on his lips remained bright and steadfast.
This could very well be a mistake. But it's better than watching you rot away like a helpless fool.
Levi looked down upon the two lovers with a strained longing. Something warm yet uncomfortable twisted in his gut. He recalled the way Kaeto and Evie handled themselves against the abnormal Titan and in their skirmish against himself
They're warriors. They will do fine. Nothing will happen to them.
The Captain's brows furrowed. His chest tightened at the last time he bet his hopes on such wishful thinking.
Hange cradled the Commander's temples with a forlorn bow of her head.
"He's gone, Levi."
Levi didn't budge. He continued to crouch on the cracked tiled roof, his tired gaze fixed on the crumbling remains of the town that surrounded them. He suppressed the aching in his chest and instead, focused his senses on the pungent smell of dried blood, the sooty dust of gunpowder. The world around them fell quiet. And yet the air never rumbled so loudly. The deafening silence of heartbreak befell the two veterans like a rolling thunderstorm.
The silence was a familiar friend that he grew accustomed to greeting. As though he were an old lonely man who was confined to his chair and spent his days slowly rotting away, doing nothing but watching the sun rise and fall, while receiving Death at his doorstep.
Yet, Death never came for him. He avoided him like the plague. Instead, Death arrived with silent footsteps, sparing him obligatory words of comfort. Death walked in to collect his rent, depleting his life savings, only to part without a word. The chest grew more and more empty. And he continued to sit in silence and pretend it didn't phase him the slightest. Another sun sets. Another will rise.
"I see," he whispered.
He ignored the feeling of something withering away inside of him. Every single time. What was left these days? He wasn't sure. It didn't matter.
Fed up with the unwelcome memory, Levi turned on his heel with bitter decisiveness. He beckoned Kaeto and Evie to follow him with a curt nod.
"Let's go, you two. You're overdue for a rest."
He didn't wait for them to reply before he began to walk through the quiet moonlit forest. He heard Kaeto and Evie's footsteps shuffle behind him. Suddenly, one pair of footsteps vanished.
"So!" Kaeto chirped, appearing at his side. However, he hovered in the air above him with casual, steady beats of his wings. The brat rediscovered his...good spirits in light of their earlier exchange. That insufferable grin grew wide, plastered on his face like a challenging tease. "Why don't you give us a quick down-low of the Survey Corps, hm? How's the grub? You're a Captain and we're your friends so does that mean we get special perks? I promise we won't tell anyone. Right, Evie?"
"Oh, sure!" the young woman scoffed, "Because I'd rather not be court-martialed in my first week."
Unbelievable.
"Consider yourself fortunate," Levi muttered. "Our division received the least funding out of all the three military branches. On top of that, food scarcity was a serious issue due to our tremendous loss of land. Only high ranking officers got to eat meat, and that was only once a month."
Kaeto guffawed, his wings drooping. He let himself plop onto the ground before grabbing Levi's arm in a desperate grip.
"Oh hell no, Levi," he seethed. "No meat? Please tell me that changed. Please. Please."
Evie appeared at his other side and bent over to flash Kaeto a teasing smile. "I bet you wish you asked first before you said 'yes', don't you now?"
Levi looked up at Kaeto, who stuck his face obnoxiously close to his. It was strange. Between his bare chest, his cherub-like mess of golden hair, and his robust pair of wings lit by the moonlight's soft silver glow, Kaeto truly did seem like something straight out of a fairy tale novel. Like an angel. Oh, please.
The younger man continued to bore into him with pleading eyes. What an idiot. It was laughable that someone could be so visibly distraught over culinary options.
A familiar sting sparked in his chest. Memories of a young red-headed woman with boisterous words and uninhibited mannerisms flashed before his eyes.
"Agh, brother! Don't tell me this is what we have to eat from now on?!" Isabel bemoaned. She scrutinized the stale piece of bread with hostility and held it at arm's length.
"Heh, and to think we came all this way," Farlan said with a light laugh, "Only to not fare much better than we did in the Underground City." He plastered a reassuring smile onto his lips and forced himself to bite into the loaf with a loud agonizing crunch.
"Yeah!" Isabel tossed the bread back onto her tray and slammed the table with gusto. "We were thieves, but we were the KINGS of thieves!" She leaned back into her chair and folded her arms with a huff. "Now we're just a bunch of low-level chumps. No different from everyone else here," she grumbled.
"Suck it up, Isabel," Levi said quietly. He picked up his cup and eyed the room temperature liquid with distaste. "We won't endure this for long. Once our job is done, we'll hit the road do whatever the fuck we want." He took a tepid sip from the cup. Disgusting. "Like live in dignity."
Levi turned away from Kaeto with a huff.
"As I was saying, that was then. This is now," the Captain continued in a quiet steady voice. "I don't know what you're typically used to, but things are somewhat better in the... culinary department."
"Ah, alright!" Kaeto said with a laugh. Suddenly, his face fell with realization. "Shit. I just realized... am I really going to not have fried chicken? At all? Forever?"
To Levi's surprise, even Evie gasped with shock.
"Oh God," she whispered in horror. "If this place is like anything I might imagine, that means..."
"No yakitori..."
"No noodles..."
"No karaage!"
"No dumplings?!"
"What the fuck are you two on about?" Levi grumbled with a cock brow. Every single word that spilled out of them sounded like complete utter nonsense. "Is everyone from your universe this hellbent on food?"
Kaeto and Evie shared a look before bursting into laughs.
"Uh. Yeah. Pretty much," Kaeto chuckled. "I mean, Captain, you'd understand if you stopped eating gruel and had a slice of PIZZA!" How could anything with such ugly terminology possibly be good? Levi turned away with a scowl.
"We care so much that some people dedicate their entire lives to just eating it!" Evie added. "Like, no joke, Levi. People make great money from just tasting food and talking about it.
"How...charming," Levi grumbled. What a bizarre fucking place. Despite his ill reaction, his mind couldn't help dwell on such an idealistic notion - a world so decadent that even civil servants like these two could afford to be enamored with such frivolous concerns. A frown befell his lips. He knew people who would lose their minds if they knew enjoying such a life were an option in some reality. Instead, they were stuck here, with no choice but to fight for their lives. And with bellies filled with the barest minimum.
"So sorry to disappoint," he bemoaned with scathing sarcasm. "Please don't tell me this means you're not going to last a month here. If so, I'll kill you now and save us all the misery."
"It's fine , Levi," Evie said. "At least this way, getting cut will be way easier now," she said with a sheepish lilt in her voice. "You can't overeat if you don't like anything, right?"
"Oh, see! There ya go!" Kaeto called out to Evie with renewed joy, "these buns are gonna get tight . Get hype, babe!" He bellowed while pointing at his rear end with dramatic theatricality. A few of his feathers joined in his buffoonish gesture, as well. The forlorn forest grew loud and bright with the sounds of Kaeto and Evie's combined laughter.
"Tch," Levi spat, "Idiots." Yet, despite himself, the corner of his lips twitched to a smile. It was as small as it was unexpected, as though he were a portrait smudged with the tip of the painter's knuckle by mistake. Their joyful jeers melted the knot in his belly with their brimming warmth. Suddenly, the bushy path before him didn't seem so dark anymore.
Levi groaned as he braced himself against Farlan and Isabel's weight. They hung from his shoulders with sloppy grips, as they paraded through the rough gravelly alleyway lit with a row of crooked lanterns.
The three had spent the evening celebrating their bonuses with a night out at the 'finest' pub they could afford. It was topped with a drinking game proposed by Isabel that pushed them to excess. As usual, Levi walked away unaffected.
"Chairss! So close! Room! So ssmall!" Isabel cried out in a horrible attempt at 'singing'. Her unpitched voice was completely hoarse from a night full of yelling, the sounds pitifully slurred. Levi winced, given her lips were inches away from his ear. "Meagre this space, serrrves us so well!
"We comrades have sstories to tell!" Farlan bellowed in response. His overtowering height combined with his fumbling steps made him all the more cumbersome for Levi to bear. "It's alwayss like that, in evening time..."
"C'mon, brother!" Isabel bemoaned. She nestled her brow against his shoulder like some bothersome pet. "Y'know the rest!"
"Aye, Levi," Farlan laughed, digging his knuckles into the man's smooth dark hair. "Lukas plays this out on the terrace all the damn time. You either know it or you're-"
"STUPID, HAH!" Isabel jeered, followed with a snort.
"If we know it so well, you don't need me to recite it to you," Levi grumbled.
"Oh, brother, c'mon, just this once!" Isabel let go of him, nearly tripping over herself. She ran around to face him directly with pleading eyes and flushed cheeks. "I'll make you a deal!" She said with a mischievous grin. "Once we start living above ground, I promise, NO more singing! Huh? Huh?"
Suddenly, Farlan withdrew from Levi's shoulders. Isabel's challenge affected the man with a sobering weight, as he stood there with his blue eyes softening to a wistful gaze. As always, his grounded spirit provided an anchor to Isabel's overblown tempestuousness.
"Hey, Isabel," he said with a light laugh, "don't go making such bold claims. Nothing is certain for people like us. We talked about this, alright?" Farlan said quietly. "Don't set yourself up for...disappointment." Isabel looked down with a huff, but the color in her green eyes dimmed to a shadow of their former brilliance.
Levi looked at his downtrodden companions with parted lips. Damn it, these two...
"We drink and we sing," Levi started. His deep voice quietly thrummed to the delicate melody while his eyes averted to the side, "when our fighting is done." Isabel shook with a start, before looking up at Levi with a beaming smile. "Ease our burden, long is the night," he continued softly. I must sound ridiculous, he thought morosely.
"YEAH, brother!" Isabel chirped with glee. She leaped to the air, spinning around and pranced down the alleyway with arms open wide. Levi assumed he r smattering of steps was what she considered 'dancing'.
"You and I talk all the night long," Farlan continued chiming, his arm draped around Levi's shoulders once more. This time, however, he found his steady steps and sang along warmly. "We comrades have stories to tell." When Isabel had gone out of earshot, he gave Levi's shoulder an affectionate squeeze and spoke gently, "Levi. If we do get out of here, we'll sure have a lot of stories to tell, won't we?" A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. "From thieving the Underground City to living like kings out there. What a trip!"
"Tch," Levi grunted, his eyes returning to Farlan's. As always, the man looked at him with charismatic confidence that was so unbecoming of a hellhole like this. His gaze darted to Isabel's flitting form in the distance.
At that moment, Levi realized how strange it was that his circumstances were...more than tolerable despite his earlier years. And it was all thanks to the chance of meeting a few very specific individuals.
How did he become so fortunate in this shitty life of his, time and time again?
"Sure, Farlan, "he continued quietly. "I suppose we will."
The Captain quickened his steps with eager purpose. A foreign wave of contentment washed over him. He came close to brushing it aside out of suspicion it was bait for disappointment. But something inside of him simply... let go.
A quiet voice granted permission. And for the first time for longer than he could recall, his chest felt lighter as though he were brought back to a simpler world.
Levi's peered over at the two behind him as they continued to babble nonstop about nonsense like "coffee" and "boba".
Ridiculous brats, he thought to himself. But at least they're mine. And for some reason he couldn't care to elaborate, that thought alone kindled something warm and comforting deep in his chest.
Soon, the faint glow of their cabin came into view. Levi looked up to the sky to study the position of the moon. If they went to sleep now, they would still have adequate time to catch rest.
"Yo Levi," Kaeto said with a mischievous drawl, "don't take this the wrong way but hear me out. Evie and I have been out in the field for quite a while now. Don't tell me we'd have to have to completely start from scratch as recruits, do we?"
"Hold on," Evie started, "We wouldn't have to learn how to use those hip contraptions, right? I mean, we're already airborne as it is."
Levi scoffed. "I don't know how things work in your 'pro-hero' world, but I hope I don't need to explain the Chain of Command to you," he said as he entered the cabin.
"Yes, Levi," Evie said plainly, "I'm aware of how military hierarchy works."
"Tch, I'm not concerned about you, Evie. Kaeto, however-"
"You won't need to, Levi," Kaeto replied, with a startling shift in tone. "I'm clear." The Captain turned around, surprised to find a cold, listlessness dim his features. "Taking orders is a specialty of mine," he said with a small frown.
"Huh," Levi muttered. He and Evie shared a curious glance. "Alright."
Upon studying him, his eyes fell on the bloody mess smeared across Kaeto's chest and face.
"For fuck's sake, Kaeto," he grumbled as he went to fetch one of the rags on the tables and his water sack. "Don't think you're gonna stay in here like that."
"Huh? Oh," Kaeto said, looking down on himself. The sight of the blood sent a flicker of sadness behind the man's eyes. "Right."
"Evie," Levi called out. "Get those rolled out," he said, gesturing to the sleeping pack he had brought in after Kaeto's exit. "You, with me."
He beckoned Kaeto to come to follow him as he walked out of the cabin and towards the stream they had... interacted in earlier in the evening.
"Roger," Evie called back, wasting no time in following his orders.
Kaeto's stole a glance back at the young woman as he followed him out the door. He leaned forward closer to him, his mood easing back slightly. "Eh, see? We're quick to follow the chain of command," he said with a sly smile. "You can put your trust in us, Captain."
"Whatever you say, brat," Levi muttered before stepping into the cool dark waters. He was quick to soak the rag and wring it until it was damp and not too dry. He had such little motions perfected to a science.
"Well, finally," Kaeto mused, as he eased himself into the waters. "I've been waiting for you to wash me up. No fair Evie gets all the fun, am I right?" Levi looked up to find the young man wading across aimlessly, his large wings dragging across the waters with a smooth, sensual sway.
Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks. The high moon hovered directly above him, showering him with a perfect halo of silver moonlight.
Kaeto slowly turned his head to peer over his shoulders, his half-lidded golden eyes piercing into him across the dim night air. For some reason, being among the silence and darkness of the wilderness invited the shadows to reclaim the younger man's expression. Kaeto looked on with a somber gaze and listless lips.
"Well. Captain?" He asked softly. Levi cocked his head curiously. He had become so accustomed to Kaeto's rambunctiousness that encountering this side of him was still a disconcerting experience.
The way he posed the question with a quiet reticence seemed to both challenge and invite him. But for what? Fuck if I know.
The Kaeto he got used to dealing with might ask such a question as bait for some insufferable prank. But the sullen man who stood before him seemed to long for something. Weariness weighed heavily on his words, the brightness of his eyes, the curve of his lips.
Levi hated it. All of it. The helplessness of this young man was a looking glass into his worst fucking years.
Accepting the challenge, the Captain narrowed his eyes and waded forward with contempt. Get that shitty fucking frown off your face. Levi stood before him and glowered at Kaeto as he brought the rag to his chest. Despite the youthfulness of Kaeto's features, his eyes hung heavy as if countless eons passed him by. You're too fucking young for this.
Levi averted his eyes as he started to wipe away the dried blood. His hands could feel Kaeto's taut chest muscles through the thin fabric of the rag. The Captain liked to make quick work of any mess that laid before him, yet he couldn't bring himself to do quite that.
His hands slowly caressed the man's chest, his eyes fixating on the blood fading after each pass. Beads of bloody water snaked down his chest. They glided over the curves of his taut musculature, smooth and uninterrupted. Focus, damn it.
With a single decisive swipe, Levi eliminated the rest of the blood. But as his hand slid across the bulk of his pecs, a pulsing heartbeat stole his attention. He looked up, surprised to find Kaeto staring at him with doe-eyed anticipation. His golden eyes never looked so warm, curious, and inviting. The way they suddenly brimmed with longing was... nauseating. The gentle pulse beneath the fabric quickened. Idiot, Levi cursed to himself.
And yet, he couldn't look away. The idiot still had blood across his jaw. Levi brought the rag to Kaeto's face and gently removed the stain with a languorous motion. His thumb grazed the corner of lips when suddenly, Kaeto's hand snatched his wrist in a tight grip.
Shit! Levi cursed to himself as he shook with a start. As much as he'd hate to admit it, the young 'quirk'-fueled man possessed a speed only matched by those who shared his shit bloodline.
"Kaeto, what the fuck are you-" he growled.
Before he could continue, Kaeto pulled Levi forward with an eager jerk. His other hand darted for the back of his head and curled for a tight grip on his smooth, black tufts. Before he knew it, his lips were pressed against his for a desperate kiss. They hungrily sucked and caressed him with mindless abandon, while his arms snaked around his chest as though he might vanish any moment.
Levi's eyes jerked open in complete utter shock. For a moment, he mumbled in protest and his arms wavered indecisively before he gripped Kaeto's shoulders. He summoned the strength to push him off. But nothing came. Fuck , he cursed to himself with helplessness. Fucking hell, fuck...
To his dismay, his lips did nothing to resist the hold Kaeto wrapped him in. All he could do was give in to the way his softness tickled and caressed with a hot wetness that bewitched him more and more. Damn it, Kaeto...
At this rate, they weren't bound to get any rest. But who was he kidding? Sleep was a necessity he looked after in the interests of others. It was something that never came easily to him and he went through most of his life without doing much of it.
The darkness behind Kaeto's grim eyes hinted that he did not either.
Before he knew it, his lips parted slightly and slowly returned the man's caresses. The silent air was quickly filled with the soft sounds of their delicate pecks. Kaeto wasted no time to seize his opening, plunge in and consume him with a voracious appetite. He fervently brushed his tongue against his with a heavy, languorous sweep, as if it begged to say... I'm here.
The friction consumed Levi's senses with overwhelming power. He lolled into helplessness and melted into his embrace, his eyes clenching shut to give in to his growing pleasure. Kaeto's firm chest grazing against his own egged him on further. His hands crawled from Kaeto's shoulders towards the back of his neck and his thick mess of blond hair so he could yank the taller man's weight lower and wrangle him to his desire.
He heard his wings flutter against the air. Huh, you like that don't you...
With an effortless toss, Levi flung Kaeto's body across the waters. The winged man landed on his belly atop the riverbed with a grunt before pulling himself onto his fours. Before he could stand up, Levi lifted one of his wings to expose the side of his torso and kicked him over.
Kaeto did nothing to resist and let himself lie before him completely exposed. Levi looked on quietly as he took in his image. The younger man's wet naked body and red wings laid sprawled across the deep lush grass, almost sinking into the soft tufts as though they were plush cushions. Kaeto's eyes grew heavy with desire, his lips parted in helplessness. His handsome features were perfectly framed by a halo of thick wet tresses that fell around him. He truly did look like an angel. It was ridiculous.
"You're unbelievable, you know that," Levi growled. He slowly lowered himself on top of the man, his piercing gaze not leaving Kaeto's for a second. "Like a God damn fucking fairy tale," he continued, as he hungrily sucked and lapped his neck.
"Heh," Kaeto chuckled lightly, the sound of his voice nearly lost among his hitched breaths. "I've been getting that a lot lately." His voice trailed off as he gave in to a soft gasp of pain and pleasure. The Captain's hand seized a tight grip on his ass while he nibbled on his ear without restraint. Kaeto's lithe body quickly arched against his, his wings beating against the ground with desperation. Levi growled in approval when he felt his erection press against his, compelling him to whip a loud slap against his ass.
"Ah-hahhh ," Kaeto moaned, before bubbling into a deep chuckle. "Oh, Captain," he growled, "you really do like it rough, don't ya..."
"Shut the fuck up," Levi seethed quietly. As if in response to Kaeto's sass, his hand flew from his ass and towards an unforgiving grip on his dick.
"Oh-hohh ," Kaeto groaned, before sucking in air as if to restrain himself. "Why don't you make me, huh..." he mumbled in a lazy drawl. He peered over, his half-lidded golden eyes boring into him with deadly intensity.
"For fuck's sake." Levi planted his lips against him while his hand slipped up and down his shaft with growing ferocity. To his satisfaction, Kaeto's muffled moans spilled from his lips and past Levi's flicking tongue, his hips grinding against his strokes more and more.
"Mm. Mm. MM !" Kaeto's voice rang higher in pitch, bubbling with panic. Levi made use of his overwhelming strength to pump him with devastating force and speed. It wasn't long before pre-cum oozed from his tip and was wrung within the Captain's tight fist and spread all over Kaeto. Up and down, the motions grew hot and slick, and the air was riddled with Kaeto's mewls, Levi's growls, and the sopping wetness of his pumped dick.
Levi could tell it took everything Kaeto had to not give in. As if desperate for some kind of release, the younger man's wings beat more violently as he struggled to push Levi off his lips. " Mm! MMMM !" His voice begged. Fueled by his desperation, the Captain growled past his kiss while his free hand yanked his hair as punishment.
Suddenly, the soft bristling touch of feathers gripped his shoulders and hips and ripped him off of Kaeto, nearly lifting him into the air. "Fucking hell!" Levi cried out in irritation. They let go, allowing Levi to return to all fours.
Not that he entirely minded. Levi smirked to himself as he watched Kaeto unleash a series of wild gasps mixed with sloppy moans. His eyes kept twitching shut while his furrowed brows and wide-open lips betrayed the utter helplessness of his body.
Before Kaeto could fully catch his breath, Levi slid further down towards the stream until he was face to face with his twitching cock. He looked on with feigned disinterest as he quickly spat into his hand and lubricated it thoroughly.
Kaeto froze, before craning his head to look at Levi with wide-eyed anticipation. A tremor ruffled through his wings as Levi lowered himself to his hips. "So you want to be loud, huh, brat," Levi muttered. He fixed his eyes onto Kaeto's with a cold, penetrating gaze, as if to warn him against what was to come. "Be my fucking guest." He didn't break eye contact for a second as he lowered his lips onto the shaft and slathered his dick with forceful sucks and heavy licks.
The younger man squirmed and bit his lip as he struggled to maintain his composure. He eased himself onto his elbows in hopes of not missing a single second of what the Captain was doing to undo him. Levi's finger slowly eased itself around Kaeto's ass, settling for a slow, steady pace around him. At that moment, Kaeto gave up. He collapsed on his back and shielded his eyes with his crossed forearms. It was a pitiful attempt at minimizing his stimulus.
"Ah...ah-hah, ahh.. ." Kaeto whimpered, his body growing limp. Levi's lips lingered at the tip, his tongue twirling around him with deliberate finesse, while his finger finally eased itself in. "Ah, fuck," Kaeto heaved, "just, fucking c'mon -"
Suddenly, a flicker of movement and the distant sound of ruffling grass caught his attention. For a moment, he paused as his eyes flickered upwards.
Ah. Of course.
Evie quietly walked passed the clearance towards where they lay, her lips curled with a smug smile. She took her time making her way towards them, as she was clearly enjoying the view. The slow sway of her hips made her leisure all the more apparent.
"What...why-" Kaeto stuttered. Before he could pull away his arms to see what he was looking at, Levi resumed his motions, quickly stealing back his attention. "Oh, fuck, fuck ," Kaeto continued to heave, burying his face into his arms. At the corner of his eye, Levi watched Evie stealthily make her way towards the stream, but at a distance slightly removed from their location. Good girl...
Levi ripped his lips from Kaeto's dick and quickly flipped him onto his side, facing away from where Evie stood. "Let me guess," he growled, before spitting into his hand again, "Is this what you fucking want, brat?" He lied on his side and attempted to spoon his body against Kaeto's. "Get these fucking things out of the way. Now ." Quick to obey his command, his red wings immediately dissolved into a messy pool of red feathers around them. His hand clutched at his throat while the other wet his dick and eased it into Kaeto.
Rough guttural groans rumbled out of Kaeto, his body squirming against his hold.
Levi steadied him with a firm grip on his hips. "Hold fucking still. And is that how you address your CO, you little piece of shit?"
"Ah-hah ," he gasped, " Captain...please- "
Before he could say anything else, Levi pumped himself into him, slow and steady, thrust after thrust. To his amusement, Kaeto's words puddled into a slobbery mess of husky moans and gasps, each sound exacerbated by every push. Levi looked past his shoulder and was pleased to find Evie quietly wading through the water.
"You think you can handle this, huh," Levi seethed into Kaeto's ears. " Answer me ."
"Y-yes... Captain, " Kaeto uttered, before nearly choking on his breath.
"Tch," he spat in return. "We'll fucking see about that, brat."
At that moment, Evie emerged from the stream opposite of him and smoothly took in Kaeto's dick between her lips. Levi was nearly distracted from his rhythm when he took in the way she looked with his thick shaft pressed between her wet lips, her long, damp hair clinging to her glistening flesh. Quick to steal back attention was the ecstatic cry that came pouring out of Kaeto. The younger man shuddered erratically, his throat choking on broken gasps.
"What did I say about holding still, huh," Levi growled menacingly.
"Ah, I can't, I can't -" His words dissolved into a mess of whines as Evie gripped his hips and spiraled her lips across his shaft ferociously. Wet strands of hair fell across her eyes from her fervorous movements. Kaeto's body fell limp like a ragdoll as he completely surrendered to his ecstasy and the control they had over him. His sweaty flesh glistened under the moonlight as it pushed and swayed to his partners' desires.
Levi fell into a trance as he clutched Kaeto close, his arms wrapping around his chest tighter and tighter. The siphoning of his ass on his dick sent a warm gooey rush coursing through his veins that somehow ran hot and cold at the same time. It threatened to melt his insides and his mind grew numb and clouded. All he could do was bury his face into the nook of Kaeto's neck, which grew hot from his heavy gasps and groans.
The weak whines and whimpers that spilled from Kaeto's lips fell and rose like a bizarre yet intoxicating symphony. It commanded him to go on and on, harder and faster. Levi sucked and kissed his neck, his lips traveling upwards until they nibbled on his neck.
"Ah, Captain ," Kaeto whispered.
Without thinking, Levi growled back "Say my fucking name..."
To his surprise, Kaeto had nothing to quip between his breathy moans and gasps. Suddenly, a weak small cry spilled from his lips. It was thick and twisted with emotion and aching as if he were mourning a grief he could no longer contain.
"Kaeto," Levi whispered, hoping it would anchor him back down. He leaned forward and gently pulled Kaeto's chin to the side so his lips could travel to his.
Levi was shocked to see Kaeto's cheeks were wet with tears. His eyes clenched shut as if he were about to burst and was hanging on for dear life.
"Kaeto," He whispered again, but more gently so. He slowed his pace to a sensual, almost comforting rhythm as if to say... It's okay.
He saw Evie slowly withdraw and eye Kaeto with concern. She crawled onto her knees and gently laid herself by his side, across from where Levi lay.
"Kaeto," she cooed softly, bringing her lips for a loving kiss to his other cheek. The gesture appeared to unlock the man further, his chest heaving into muffled sobs.
For a moment, Levi froze as he looked on with mixed emotions. On one hand, he was utterly perplexed by what was happening right now. On the other hand...
He recalled Kaeto's tormented expression earlier this evening. He recalled how tight-lipped he came the moment he probed into his hesitation.
As horribly awkward as he felt, he couldn't bear to remove himself from Kaeto. It felt wrong.
Levi never considered himself a person who abided by some righteous code of right versus wrong nor any obligation to the future. For as long as he could remember the future had little concern for him. What did he ever owe in return?
Everything Levi ever did came from an impulse of whatever felt necessary, at that moment, for better or for worse.
Did these dirty louts need to get their hands slashed to learn a lesson about touching him? Yes. Did this Titan need to die so his comrades could live? Yes. Did that troublesome brat need to get his face beaten before a court so that the biggest threat to Paradis could be contained by the only people qualified to handle it? Absolutely.
Levi's frown deepened as he studied Kaeto, who shuddered softly in their embrace.
For fuck's sake, he thought to himself. All he said was 'say my name'.
He recalled everything he knew about this insufferable fool. Kaeto has to be a respectable person with good judgment to have the profession he had. And if someone as sensible as Evie held him in high regard and as "one of the smartest people" she had ever met, he must be damn good at it.
His grip on Kaeto's arm tightened slightly. Memories of the younger man's snarl and deadly glare flashed past him, and he recalled the way Kaeto instantly pounced him like a predator in hiding. Kaeto fought with a deadly ferocity that would have ended a weaker soldier. For a second, it was like looking in a mirror.
Levi wasn't the kind of fool to delude himself from reality. As much of a ridiculous brat this man was, there was without a doubt a cold calculating killer that lurked behind those bright golden eyes. He had seen such eyes time and time again. Like that quiet broody girl that clung to Eren like an unassuming leech and that shitty uncle of his that hid behind a pathetic veneer of bravado. Discovering both Kenny and Mikasa were his kin was without a doubt, the highlight of the universe's long line of shitty attempts at irony.
However, recognizing this side of Kaeto wasn't enough to make sense of the man's inner turmoil. What the hell is your deal?
At that moment, the man's eyes fluttered open. They flickered between Levi and Evie tepidly, like a frightened mouse backing itself to a corner. Kaeto stifled his tears with pursed lips.
Remorse colored his eyes as if Kaeto was guilty of revealing too much.
How... pathetic , Levi thought glumly.
What are you hiding, Kaeto? The fear and weakness that so heavily darkened the man's bright and handsome features pissed him off. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to be rough. You never coaxed a frightened animal out of its nest with brutality.
Without thinking, Levi gently brushed aside the tousled blonde locks that fell across his eyes. This gesture surprised both Kaeto and Evie. They tensed at the gesture and eyed him expectantly.
"Hey," he said quietly." You wanna stop?"
Kaeto quickly shook his head.
"Kaeto," he said, his low voice pleading ever so slightly, "what the hell is going on?"
Eve looked down, her hand drifting towards Kaeto's hand for a gentle hold. Her other hand-picked at the grass mindlessly.
"Levi," she said softly," there are a lot of things he can't openly talk about. Don't take it personally." The heavy knowing in her voice implied that she walked down this path many times.
"I see," he said. Suddenly, Kaeto spoke.
"Please guys," he whispered." I don't wanna think about it. I just, I just ..." His eyes fell. A familiar yet haunting emptiness filled them. Through this closeness, Levi was brought to a cold, distant memory.
"Oy, street rat. Come here for a sec."
Levi paused. Bread crumbs littered his sticky lips as he looked up at the man named 'Kenny'. He looked at the stale piece of bread in his small bread for a few seconds before reluctantly putting it down. He followed to where Kenny stood in front of a small cracked and dusty mirror that hung by the entrance to his humble home.
"Stand on this chair, will ya?" Kenny unceremoniously shoved a stool for Levi to get on top of in front of the mirror. He complied quietly.
"Look in the mirror, runt. And tell me what you see." The young man's wide-brimmed hat hung low, concealing the resentful scowl he buried into his own reflection.
Levi did as he asked. Staring back at him from the mirror was a pale, gaunt child with long messy black locks. His chest tightened as his eyes traveled along the length of his greasy tufts of hair. He instantly recalled the way it felt to stroke his small hands through her long black hair. She always worked so hard to comb through it after every 'session'. His mother…
"Hey! Focus."
"Um," Levi started, "I see me."
"Tch, that's not what I meant," Kenny said with a roll of his eyes. "What I see is a dirty, helpless little street rat that I could do whatever I want with because he's a weak useless piece of shit who can't even take care of himself." He grabbed Levi's shoulders and shoved him around so that he was facing the man instead.
"What do you see when you look at me, huh?" Kenny took a step back and grabbed the lapels of his long coat. He lifted his chin so his features were on full display. Kenny's slender face sported a neatly trimmed stubble and chin-length hair that was perfectly swept back behind his ears. Underneath his dusty long coat was a fully buttoned shirt with a neat tie and slim slacks that accentuated his tall frame. "You see a guy who is in full control. That is why I survive. What about you, kid?"
Kenny jabbed Levi in the chest with a finger, his pessimistic gaze boring into him.
"You wanna survive this shit hole? Then take control. And make sure people fucking see it."
Later that morning, after Levi completed his breakfast, Kenny guided him back towards the mirror with a blade in hand. When they were finished, the floor was strewn with his knotted black tresses. It took all of his effort to tear his eyes away from the thing that reminded him of his dead mother.
Levi looked back in the mirror to study the result of his handiwork. For the first time in his life, he had a clear view of his eyes and it was startling. Pale blue. Sullen. Empty. And yet...
He peered closer into his reflection. For the briefest moment, a pair of smiling blue eyes stared back at him, accompanied by feminine laughter. And then they were gone, replaced by his own fucking miserable eyes.
"AGHHH!" Levi snarled and smashed the mirror with his bare hands. He ignored the shards of glass that punctured his skin and left behind a bloody mess. After weeks of Kenny's so-called "training", it was a sensation he had already grown accustomed to.
"For fuck's sake, kid!"
Levi didn't care. He lifted his other hand to throw another punch but was surprised to feel Kenny wrap his arms around him.
"She's gone, kid," he said in a low voice. For the first time since he had met the strange irritable man, Kenny's voice was heavy with grief.
He wanted to push him away. But he didn't. His small arms clutched his in return and embraced the strange warmth of comfort it gave him. When was the last time he felt such a thing?
Oh. Right...
Without thinking, Levi gently held Kaeto's jaw and brought his face close until their foreheads touched. He closed his eyes as if doing so would help bear his burden.
"I'm...here," he said quietly, "Kaeto."
"As am I." Evie nestled her brow into the nook of Kaeto's neck, her eyes closed.
Upon their touch, Kaeto's breathing slowed and his body finally stilled. A moment of warm silence passed before another voice spoke.
"Show me," Kaeto whispered. "Please."
Levi inched forward until his lips met his. Unlike before, they met with a gentle touch. Their kisses grew wet, and Levi gently parted him and wrapped Kaeto's tongue in an affectionate embrace. The gesture rendered a delightful groan that rumbled against his lips.
Nearby, a brush of warm breath met his brow. He peered open an eye to see Evie caress Kaeto's neck with soft pecks. Both of their hands traveled across Kaeto's chest with tender grasps, their limbs forming an artful pattern across his flesh.
Kaeto's voice whimpered, but this time they lilted with a pitch that was light and full of warmth. His hands clawed at theirs with passion and hunger while his back arched against their movements.
Levi's eyes kept flickering back to Evie. The way she looked with her eyes closed, her lips pursed with wanton desire, all while slick black strands of hair traced themselves across her features like some quixotic composition, was nothing short of intoxicating. With a satisfying pluck, he withdrew from Kaeto and pulled her in for his own appetite. Evie yelped in surprise.
His shift in attention inspired Kaeto. Suddenly, the younger man snaked downwards until he could press his lips against Evie's breasts.
"Evie," Kaeto said between kisses, "I know you feel guilty about how we ended up here, but..." He paused until he moved even lower, his lips traveling down her abdomen. Evie squirmed against their combined grip, her increasing whimpers pulsing against Levi's lips. "I'm kinda glad."
Evie gasped. Levi pulled away to see what caused her reaction. To his satisfaction, Kaeto's face was buried deep between her thighs. He continued to hover over her and studied her features with smug pleasure.
Evie muffled her lips with her forearm, her cheeks growing flush while her dark eyes sheepishly flickered in all directions. Levi's lips curled into the smallest smile ever as he gently pinched her chin to steal her attention.
The woman looked back at him with wide eyes, clinging to his gaze like an anchor at sea. Seeing her so lost in ecstasy this close to him was addictive. He couldn't help but run his hands through her long dark hair with indulgent, comforting strokes. As if she couldn't take it anymore, Evie's hands reached out to pull him in for another kiss. Levi hungrily lathered her to the music of Kaeto consuming the wetness of her sex.
Suddenly, something soft and feathery wrapped itself around his dick for a slick squeeze.
Levi's eyes shot open. Fuck! He immediately pulled away from Evie to find a single red feather curled around his pumped up dick and quickly sliding across him. " Kaeto ," he growled, his low voice wavering, "what are you... Ah... " His hands dug into the grass with frustration as he struggled to resist how incredible the soft bristly texture felt against himself.
To his annoyance, both Evie and Kaeto were visibly pleased by his response. Evie bit and licked her finger as she looked on with dark half-lidded eyes. Kaeto's feathery brows furrowed to a deadly glare. It speared into him as he dug deeper and deeper into her pussy.
"You God damn little.." Levi growled as he crawled his way towards the younger man. "... fucking brat..." Despite his superhuman constitution, it took everything in his willpower to not collapse onto the grass in response to the feather's furious fucking.
Kaeto chuckled against her pussy and pretended to ignore him with a pointed dismissal of his eyes. Egged on by the idiot's snobbishness, Levi made his way toward's the man's backside. He whipped his dark sweaty bangs away from his eyes with a flick of his head before throwing his hand around one of those fucking red nubs sticking out of his backside, the other digging into his lean hips.
Keigo melted into the ground as he felt the Captain fill him. A shudder of warm rapture trickled up his spine like lightning and coursed into his muscles like fire.
At that moment, he nearly lost his grip on Evie, but obsession and hunger possessed him completely. He released a guttural moan as he engrossed himself further in the warmth and taste of her wet sex. It was as if eating her and caressing the curve of her thighs was the only thing that could keep him from losing his mind.
The older man reigned his hips with a smooth, sensual rhythm that moved against his thrusts with impeccable finesse. Between every heartbeat, he eagerly braced for the next push, the next wave of euphoria threatening to break his body.
Everything he felt was excessive by every definition of the word, and he bathed in it completely. All of the pain, frustration, and heartache that clung to him like a disease suddenly felt like a distant memory. All that mattered at this moment was this insanity that brought him to the brink of nirvana.
If there were any lingering doubts about his feelings for this strange new world, they might as well never have existed. Between Levi's raw intensity and Evie's gentle warmth, he had never felt so perfect as he did now.
Evie's eyes widened once she realized what was about to happen. Her mind felt so sluggish and clouded from their warm stupor.
Kaeto yelped into her sex as the Captain pushed into him. His hands clung to Evie's thighs like a post in a storm as he did his best to receive the man's thrusts while lapping her clit.
She stubbornly bit her lip, her hands clutching tufts of grass. She wanted to throw her head back and enjoy the way Kaeto's lips felt against herself. But the sight of Levi drilling into the man as he licked her with weak, twitching eyes was intoxicating.
He wanted to taste her so badly but could barely retain his poise. The Captain's pale blue eyes glowered at her past his messy matted fringes atop a primal snarl. The grass never felt so lush and soft. She felt like a queen as her sweaty body writhed against it as she feasted on their image.
Every thrust from the Captain sent Kaeto's tongue pushing deeper into her. After every passing moment, however, his grip loosened and his strokes grew weaker and more sloppy.
Evie summoned all of her strength to lift herself off the grass and sit upright. Her hand dug into Kaeto's lush blonde tufts with a comforting touch, as if to reassure that he can keep going. His eyes drooped closed and his brows furrowed from overexertion. Supple whines fell from his parted lips like a strange melody.
You never stop pushing yourself, do you? She thought wistfully.
Levi's breath hitched the moment Evie eased herself up. She looked nothing short of magnificent. Her long damp hair strewn itself across her sweaty breasts, and they rose and fell with her spellbound exhaustion. He followed her gaze to Kaeto's limp form, which lazily pushed against her hips at every thrust.
"Huh," he mused quietly, as he lifted the man's torso with ease. "Looks like even you have limits," he said between heavy breaths before slowly withdrawing from him.
"No," Kaeto replied with a sloppy drawl. "No , I can keep going..." Levi frowned at his careless insistence. Stubborn little brat. He gently laid him down across the grass with little resistance.
His eyes were quick to return to Evie with a fixed gaze. "You, on the other hand," he started, his eyes hungrily traveling down her form. To his pleasure, the woman shook with a start from his sudden shift in attention, her pert breasts bouncing ever so slightly.
He studied the way her dark eyes took him in with weighty anticipation. "I don't like a half-assed job. Allow me to pick up where this brat left off. Will you, Evie?" Without waiting for her response, he slid closer to her with a predatory pace.
The woman's lips curled to a small, impish smile. It was delightful as fuck, and he couldn't help but bring his thumb to trace along the curve of her wanton mouth. He lifted his chin and looked on with cold defiance.
"Hm. I'll take that as a yes?" Her eyes darkened to a challenging gaze as she gently bit and sucked his thumb in response. "Fucking hell ..." Levi growled. Without wasting another moment, his forearms flexed as he grabbed her hips and pushed her body flushed against his.
Despite her own significant musculature, Levi lifted the bulk of her weight with ease and slid her across his dick.
"Ah..." Evie mewled, pressing her forehead against his. Her wet sex slid across his slick shaft with ease, egging the both of them on with bliss. Her arms clumsily wrapped themselves around his shoulders in an attempt to reign some control and increase their pace.
"You want it, don't you, Evie..." Levi growled, his voice trembling with anticipation. "Fucking birdbrain here couldn't keep up, so you're just left here so fucking wet..."
"Hey..." He heard Kaeto grumble to the side.
As if to respond to his pitiful protest, Levi smoothly sat her sex on top of him for a thrust. Evie yipped and squirmed, the shaking of her hips further exacerbating his pleasure. " Fuck ...that's right..." Eager to consume her completely, he took her lips in and wrapped his arms around her for a tight embrace. Their hips slowly but surely found their rhythm and pumped faster and deeper in their smooth, serpentine dance.
Evie shuddered between the feeling of him buried deep inside and his rough hands clawing across her back. She bulled past her exhaustion and pushed for faster, deeper thrusts.
Warm gooey pleasure coursed through her gut. A muffled whimper left her lips as the Captain's hand slid towards her sex and nestled forward towards her clit. " Mm! Mmmm !" She tried to push him away to reclaim some clarity, but he held her far too tightly.
To make matters more desperate, a stray hand slipped between their chests and clutch her breast tightly. "Mmmm!" Kaeto?! Another hand slipped a sopping wet finger to her ass. Her body writhed in panic.
"Ugh, babe ," Kaeto's hot breath whispered into her ear. "Please. Lemme fuckin' show you just how much I love going inside you, alright..."
As if to encourage him further, Levi pulled her forward deeper and gave her clit a playful squeeze. "MMM !"
"You're so fucking beautiful," he continued with a growl, "isn't that right, Captain?
The older man pulled away and studied her ecstatic features with astute obsession. "Not bad," he snarled.
Kaeto caressed her behind further and more deeply. "So beautiful...every fucking inch of you... and you're gonna fucking know it..."
At that moment, he eased himself inside of her ass. Evie cried out with desperate whimpers as she hugged the Captain tighter. As if to comfort her, Levi planted kisses across her jaw until he reached her ear. "Mm," he cooed to her, "that's it, Evie... yes..."
"God fucking damn ," Kaeto growled, pressing his firm chest against her back. "Here, lemme make it up to you..." His free hand shoved Levi's aside as he toyed with her clit, his other hand still caressing and squeezing her breasts. "Agh, fuck -" Kaeto sucked in his breath as he made steady work of her from both ends. He buried his face against her shoulder as if they could help bear his growing ecstasy. The softness of his thick blonde mane tickled the sensitive skin behind her ears.
All Evie could do was melt into his chest as her mind struggled to contain itself. It felt as though her insides might dissolve any second from the rush of mind-numbing bliss that drowned her with suffocating excess.
"Fucking hell," Levi groaned. To her surprise, the Captain's body shuddered and trembled between every thrust, his voice growing more guttural and primal. For the first time tonight, his eyes clenched shut, while air sucked in and out past his gritted teeth.
"Ah-hah," Kaeto chuckled weakly, the pace of his hips increasing ever so slightly. "Oh, Captain ...I don't feel so bad, do I? You like my dick pushing against yours, huh?"
Evie barely registered the words coming from his mouth. Her eyes shuddered close as she craned her neck up to the sky, while the rapture that burned within softened her insides more and more. Between their dicks pumping into her and the touch of their hot sweaty chests pressing against her, she had never felt so damn complete.
"How many times," Levi growled, "do I have to tell you to shut the fuck up..." His hand reached over to grab Kaeto's neck and pull it forward for a deep, hungry kiss. The gesture squeezed Evie tighter between their bodies, and what little air she had left inside of her flew like a skittish spirit. Not that it mattered to her in the slightest.
The sounds of their hot kisses triggered her ambition. Evie's eyes struggled to open and they fell upon the messy pool of red feathers Kaeto left behind earlier.
Keigo's eyes shot open in surprise from the kiss. Despite the events of this long exhausting evening, every advance put forward by the Captain still struck as a rare surprise. He quickly melted into his lips to savor the moment. His ego flared as he savored the finesse of his movements.
The #3 pro-hero of Japan always took pride in his savant-levels of multitasking. However, never did they serve him so well as they did now. Despite how fucking good his dick felt inside Evie's tight ass, he maintained his steady thrusts, the stroke of his hands, and the dance of his tongue.
A shot of electricity buzzed in his head, instantly stunning him. Keigo pulled away from Levi in a panic to confirm his suspicions.
He grunted when he saw Evie brush a single red feather against her lips, bristle by bristle. Every now and then her tongue flicked against it ever so slightly. Every stroke and lather threatened to reduce his brain to mush. Keigo looked away and bit his lip as he struggled to contain the ticklish vibrations that surged from the telepathically linked bristles to his spine like lightning.
"Agh, fuck , fucking hell," Keigo said between shuddered breaths. "C'mon, Evie...you want me to give in now?"
"Tch. Are you that delicate?" Levi mumbled.
His eyebrows twitched in frustration the moment Kaeto pulled away from him. At the same time, however, he couldn't help but savor the sight of Kaeto wriggling and writhing, his feathery blonde brows twitching erratically. With this closeness, he could see the way those strange black markings along his eyes scrunched against the contortions of his face. It was delectable.
"God damn it," Kaeto seethed, his glared returning to the back of Evie's head. Suddenly, her muffled voice protested. Levi looked to see a small bundle of feathers suddenly stuff her face. She looked fucking ridiculous. After a moment, however, Evie's eyes furrowed as she braced herself for the challenge and pursed her lips against the feathers.
"What the hell, Kaeto?" Levi spat. What the fuck was going on? Did the idiot really gain that much pleasure from those things?
"Ah, fuck yeah, that's what you wanted, isn't it?" Kaeto hissed, the pumps of his hips resuming their speed. The way his jaw lazily hung open and the haze that clouded his infuriated eyes, all from Evie's resolve, was enough to answer Levi's questions. To his annoyance, a few of the man's blonde fringes fell and covered his eyes.
"Unbelievable," Levi murmured. His hand swept away the mess before pulling Kaeto forward again. The hot tangled mess of their bodies quickly found their combined rhythm, the loud sloppy sounds of their combined squishing filling the air once more. Levi's hand combed through the younger man's thick of mess of hair with rough, indulgent scratches, pushing his wet lips closer and closer. The other clawed across his back, slowly traveling down the small of his muscular back, past the curve of his firm cheeks, until it found his ass. He willfully ignored the muffled protesting thrumming from Kaeto's lips.
As if Evie's wet slutty sex didn't clench his dick enough, the pressure of Kaeto's dick closed her walls even more. He didn't know his dick could be squeezed so fucking hard. His insides never felt so warm, soft, useless as shit. The desperate rumblings from his throat continued to buzz. Despite his own fortitude, there was no way he could last much longer like this.
"Evie," Kaeto grunted, close to Levi's lips. "Cum for me like a good girl, will you?" The hand sandwiched between her and Levi dug deeper and faster into her. The woman's poise melted more and more until she was merely supported by the closeness of their bodies.
"God, you look so good when you're so fucking stuffed." A mess of drool began to pool and leak from the corner of Evie's lips. As much as Levi despised the mess of the human body, that shit went out the fucking window whenever his brain and dick were on the verge of breaking in half.
"God fucking DAMN!" Kaeto hissed, before biting into her shoulder.
"Fuck, fuck," Levi growled weakly, his lips clinging to the curve of Evie's jaw, his cheeks brushing against's Kaeto's mane.
Suddenly, a tremor quivered throughout Evie's body. It wasn't long before it shook through her pussy, followed by a hot rush of wetness that completely swallowed him. It was divine and all that he needed to reach his edge. The two men gasped and groaned into her neck as they pumped hard into Evie and exulted themselves.
At that moment, a delicate trickle of moisture befell his shoulders. Then his back. His haunches. It was cold, crisp, and suddenly came down in a downpour of soft, plush raindrops.
Levi craned his head as he basked in the shower that soothed his overheating body. It was strange how his head could barely feel the pitter-patter of the rain. It was as if the euphoria radiating from his head buzzed so loudly it deflected the downpour.
He gasped, desperately fighting to reclaim his breath. The haggard breaths of his companions and the delicate tinkling of rain filled the air, but it was if their sounds met him from a mile away.
When was the last time he felt so exhausted? No, exhausted wasn't the right word. Exhaustion was what he felt deep in his bones every fucking day. This was...
His shoulder slumped and melted into Evie's body. She would've toppled over if it weren't for Kaeto's weight to counterbalance his.
Fuck. How good did it feel to just give in and let go? And so far away from the pleading eyes of the world, his comrades, the cruel mistress of Fate. Maybe this was all just a fucking weird dream, and he'd be shaken awake by Four-Eyes any second now. He had no right to feel so weightless.
After an indefinite time, Levi managed to open his groggy eyes. To his befuddlement, he was sprawled across the wet grass. Damp strands of black hair clung to his eyelids. Shit. When did he fall over? He blinked his eyes until they regained clarity.
Some ways ahead of him lied Kaeto, who was flat on his back, his handsome profile pointed towards the sky. His gaze traveled along the sharp lines of his features, from his eyes markings to those tired, parted lips, to the stubble that lightly lined his jaw.
Suddenly, the young man stirred.
Kaeto's eyes fluttered open, and he slowly looked around him until his eyes returned Levi's gaze. That shade of gold that glowed beneath those heavy lids seized him, despite the curtain of soft rain. His mouth stretched to a lazy grin. Damn brat - what was he going to say now?
"Hey there," Kaeto called out lightly. Levi's brows twitched. Even after all this nonsense, the man's forwardness continued to vex him. He wasn't an idiot, however. He had become wholeheartedly aware that Kaeto was not at fault for his uncomfortable feelings. It was like his cheerfulness served to mock his rigidity.
"Hey," Levi replied quietly, before looking away. Eager for a distraction, his eyes fell on Evie, who laid beside them. It seemed she had gained awareness some time ago, as she was lying on her back, her gaze tied to the sky above them with pointed attention. The longing in her eyes seemed as though she were searching for something
"Evie," he called out, "...are you alright?" Levi heaved a breath before propping himself atop his elbows.
"Hm?" She looked over to where he lay. "Mm, yeah." A soft smile curled on her lips.
"Come here, babe," Kaeto said with a wide grin, patting the space of grass that lied beneath the two men. Levi gulped, hoping his anticipation wouldn't show.
Evie flashed a smile before pulling herself to where he indicated. With a sigh, she collapsed onto the grass and looked back up at the sky. What was she looking for? Levi craned his head to see the smattering of white glittering stars that sprinkled across the dark night sky.
"What's so damn interesting," he said glumly.
"Where we come from, Levi," Evie said, "we have far too much lighting to see the stars like this. This right here...it's a real treat."
Levi looked back and was surprised to see Kaeto quietly nestled beside her, his eyes bewitched by the very same thing. At that moment, Levi's breath hitched, as he recalled a similar reckoning so long ago.
Once upon a time, he looked upon the sky with the same kind of wonder. And yet, he had already grown so numb to it. It was strange how something so utterly mind-blowing could quickly become mundane. Then again, his life never left much room for much... contemplation.
"Levi?" He looked back to find Evie staring at him with a warm smile. "Come here," she said softly. To her right, Kaeto regarded him with an equally tender expression. Damn it...
Levi awkwardly looked to the side, before succumbing to his impulse. He begrudgingly readjusted himself before lowering himself by her side. A part of him wanted to decline and reassess how much time they had before sunrise. And yet he ignored it. Something deep inside of him freely acquiesced to the woman's sincere request.
He lied on his back stiffly, trying to look at the stars the way they did. He felt like an idiot. A bitter sadness pooled in his belly to see how something that once stunned him to speechlessness now struck him as elementary. Would they have felt the same way if they were still here?
"Brother!" Isabel cried out between inebriated sobs. "This is better than ANYTHING I could've imagined!" The young woman fumbled her way up, her arms reaching wide as if she wanted to hug the sky. "It's really like magic out here!"
"Damn it, Isabel! Get down!" Farlan reached over and pushed her back down. "Try not to die before we get the job done!"
It was the night before their first expedition, and the two of them found Levi on the roof with a bottle of wine they swiped from the officers' supply room.
"How the heck did that little birdie I found ever get stuck Underground, huh?" Isabel mused. "Why would something that can FLY ever go so low? If I could fly I would stay up there FOREVER!"
"I gotta admit," Farlan said. "It feels like... I'm in heaven out here. It doesn't feel real."
Levi clenched his fist with determination. After tomorrow, a new life awaited them.
"Just wait, you two," Levi announced quietly. "It is real. And we will stay here forever."
Levi's shoulders softened from the thoughts. At that moment, the stars glittered a little brighter. They sparkled more fervently. It was like they were alive and wanted to coax them into laughter.
A tender stretch of silence passed before the three, filled with nothing but the soft music of rainfall.
"Hey, Evie," Kaeto said quietly. His low voice could barely be heard past the pitter-patter of drops.
"Hm?"
"Listen. I know you feel bad about what happened. Y'know...with all of this - "
"No, Kaeto - "
"Wait. I just want to say," Kaeto said with a breathless chuckle. "I'm honestly...really okay. I was serious when I said I'm kinda glad. Crazy! I know. I just hope that you will be, too."
Evie shook with a light giggle. Levi looked at the two of them and studied them with questioning eyes. Sure, they had an incredible fuck. But what caused this sudden change in their outlook on this whole situation?
"What's so funny," he murmured. The young woman squirmed and smiled to herself as though she were utterly embarrassed by what was on her mind.
"I honestly feel good, too," she finally confessed. Levi's face fell. What the fuck were these two thinking? While it was surely an improvement to not feel utterly hopeless, what kind of lunatics would feel good about being stuck in a miserable world like his?
"I can't help but feel as though I'm missing something here," he said under his breath. As if sensing his frustration, Evie's hand grabbed him for a comforting hold.
"Levi," Evie began, quietly. "Believe me. I'll never stop mourning everything I left behind. But I was thinking," she said before taking in a deep breath," just how lucky I am."
"Tch," Levi spat, "that's a bit of a stretch, is it not."
"Well, think about it. That thing, that portal thing could've sent us to God knows where. Who knows how many different universes are there? And even if by some absurd chance this place was the only other one, what if we ended up somewhere else? What if we ended up in Marley? Just anywhere but here." Evie turned to face him. "Here, with you."
Those words fell upon him like a piece of glass shattering in a quiet room. Levi tensed, trying to make sense of the logic that came out of her lips. The idea that anyone would be 'lucky' to end up with him felt laughable. Sure, Humanity's so-called 'Strongest Soldier' was competent enough to stay alive and enforce orders. But to what end did such a 'fortune' give him? A pile of countless dead comrades and far too many parted loved ones? Lucky my ass.
Levi looked away, a pained expression befalling his features. "Evie," he sighed. He wanted to tell her how horribly wrong she was. But he couldn't. He couldn't do anything that might break that gentle smile of hers.
"What you said earlier," she continued, "about accepting regrets? About how doing so will kill you?" Evie's chest rose and fell as she released a deep, relaxing sigh. Her hand rose, idly reaching for the sky, past the glittering raindrops. "I have none. I'm going to survive."
Her hand squeezed him lightly. It felt warm and comforting as it was torturous, given the ache that twisted inside his chest. He heard her let out a yawn, her hand flopping back onto the grass.
"I know. Crazy, right? Kaeto and I are just a bunch of crazies," Evie mumbled, her tired voice lilted with a touch of joy. "To feel lucky in a place like this, after everything you've experienced. But I guess that says something about what we've been through..."
Levi's eyes widened as he considered the implication behind those words. He looked to his side but found that the young woman had surrendered to exhaustion and fell asleep. Evie lied still, like a picturesque statue that showered in the rainfall with divine, endless patience. Levi looked on in tender silence as if studying her would grant him the grace that defined her.
Kaeto's low voice stole his attention.
"Well," he said soberly, "she's not wrong." The young man's carefree joy had dimmed once more, replaced by that forlorn longing he had seen time and time again. Not again...
The Captain huffed a sigh before easing himself upright. "Kaeto. Let's go," he said as he carefully gathered Evie into his arms. Levi averted his gaze. He did not dare be tempted by those sad gold eyes again. "We will talk more in the morning."
Kaeto fell silent for a moment. Please, Levi begged to himself.
"Yeah," he said finally. "Alright."
Up next: Freedom
With a brand new life awaiting him, Keigo is inspired to tell Levi something important.