WARNING: Angry smut ahead, lol.
Levi felt something churning in his mind. He'd heard that surname before. Aubrey had told him about her alias just after they'd met but it hadn't sparked anything back then. But now it was familiar, too familiar. Any names he knew would be connected with the Underground, with… criminals.
It clicked. He'd heard the name before, but not in his own work. In Kenny's.
It made sense. Aubrey had said her family was made up of assassins, spies, bodyguards. Those were all jobs that would likely have had some contacts in the Underground. And if you were going to have a contact in the Underground, you couldn't get much better than Kenny.
Aubrey had noticed Levi go stiff behind her and she was currently trying to turn around to look at his face. But she couldn't. Levi's arm had tightened around her when he'd tensed and she was having a hard time maneuvering out of his grip.
"Levi."
Aubrey wiggled around, trying to loosen his muscles but it wasn't working. She felt herself becoming frustrated. What had happened to make him so lost in his own thoughts?
"Levi."
Finally, she got a response. Levi released her from the grip around her waist but as soon as he let her go there, his hands moved to her face. He turned her to face him and Aubrey was suddenly scared by the look he was giving her. His eyes were burning and his features were as cold as stone. When he spoke, his voice was just as hard as his expression.
"Your last name, tell me again."
Aubrey didn't hesitate, anxious to give him whatever answer he needed and get him to relax again.
"(L/N)."
Levi let his hands fall from her cheeks. That confirmed it. He'd definitely heard the name before. In fact, he was starting to remember specific instances in which Kenny had brought it up. It was always when he was discussing a job or a meet-up of some kind.
Aubrey was starting to panic. She didn't know what was going on. What about her name could possibly have made him react this way?
Her hands went to his shoulders, holding them tightly as she shook him back to reality.
"Levi! What is wrong?"
His face suddenly relaxed and Aubrey could tell that she was getting him back. Her hands moved from his shoulders to his face and she desperately stroked his cheeks.
"Levi, what is wrong?"
It only took a few more seconds for the distant look to completely disappear and soon his hand found her wrist.
Gently, he pulled her hands away from his face. He recognized now that his revelation must have looked like some kind of grief attack or moment of pain.
"I'm alright. I just… remembered something."
Aubrey still felt the panic in her stomach. He seemed okay now but just moments ago she'd been worried for his wellbeing.
"Remembered what?"
Whatever he'd just thought of was obviously important. She wanted to know.
Levi paused. Was he really going to tell her about his past just a few minutes after she'd finished? It was the perfect opportunity and he knew that he would have to tell her about his life in the Underground eventually. It just seemed so… soon. But she deserved to know.
Levi grasped her wrist a bit harder and looked her in the eyes.
"I'll tell you but first, let's take a bath."
Aubrey's expression immediately turned to confusion. A bath?
"What?"
Levi began to shift out of the bed.
"Did you bring soap?"
Aubrey could barely wrap her head around the situation. How had he switched topics so easily?
"Um, y-yes, I think so."
"Good. Let's go."
Levi pulled her out of the bed after him and Aubrey had to scramble to grab the satchel before he yanked her away to the bathroom.
He didn't want to admit it out loud but he felt disgusting after his nightmare. The dried sweat on his skin continued to remind him of what he'd seen. Plus, the few extra minutes it would take to run the bath would give him some time to get his thoughts in order.
But, the second he threw open the door, he froze.
Bloodied uniforms still lay scattered across the floor and… the necklace still sat on the sink, caked in filth.
In a second, Aubrey was in front of him, blocking his view.
She'd completely forgotten about needing to clean the bathroom. She knew the sight of the uniforms and the necklace was probably taking him right back to the horrors of yesterday.
Her hands flitted to his face, resting gently on his skin.
"Close your eyes."
Her voice was enough to break Levi out of his stupor. For a moment, his eyes narrowed, unsure of why she would ask him such a thing but he eventually complied.
The instant he followed her instructions, he felt her hands leave his face. There were a few light noises, though Levi had a hard time identifying anything besides her footsteps. Sooner or later, he heard the sound of a cabinet opening and closing and then he finally heard the sound of running water as the bathtub filled.
Aubrey's hands found his face again.
"Open."
Levi opened his eyes, seeing that Aubrey had managed to hide away all of the dirty clothes and even the necklace and the stone. It looked as if there had never been anything there at all.
Aubrey reached for his hand, gently pulling him into the room and shutting the door behind them.
She didn't say anything. The damage had already been done. Now she just had to hope that he could break out of his trance and return to the liveliness he'd had just moments ago.
She let go of him, pulling the soap out of the bag along with towels, washcloths, and even some toothbrushes. Thankfully, she'd had a spare one for Levi. She didn't think he would have been a fan of sharing.
She was just setting the last item on the sink when she felt fingers on the waistband of her pants. Before she knew it, Levi was undressing her. He had everything off her in seconds and she was almost shocked by how efficient he'd become after just a few practice rounds.
Levi pulled his own shirt over his head but Aubrey made it to his pants before he could do the whole job himself.
Soon, all of their clothes were on the floor and Levi was pulling her into the tub behind him.
The process was much like the night before but this time Aubrey had soap and washcloths. She could really wash him rather than just get the dirt off.
Once again, Levi insisted on taking turns and Aubrey didn't object. If he wanted to put his hands on her, she was all for it.
Their bath was shorter than last time. There was no grime to scrub away and it was just a matter of getting the soap over their skin.
Soon, Aubrey found herself in a familiar position, her back pressed to Levi's chest as he leaned against the tub. The water was still plenty hot and the feeling of the steam on her face was almost enough to make her forget about what had spurred their bath in the first place.
"Do you want to tell me about what you remembered?" Aubrey spoke gently. She desperately wanted to know but whatever memory had resurfaced had thrown him into a state of unresponsiveness. She didn't really want to repeat that.
Levi sighed and Aubrey sunk back against him as his chest fell. She found his hand and started tracing again. He always seemed to relax when she did that.
"I was remembering my own childhood."
Aubrey's face scrunched. How did her name relate to his childhood?
Levi exhaled sharply, realizing that it was time to start his story. It wasn't a time he looked back on fondly and usually he tried to avoid thinking of it at all. But if there was ever a good reason to revisit his past, it was now.
"Have you ever heard of Kenny the Ripper?"
Aubrey only felt more confused.
"The serial killer?"
Levi nodded, humming lightly for confirmation since Aubrey couldn't see his face.
"I lived with him for a while when I was younger."
Aubrey froze. What?
She squirmed and wiggled around haphazardly until she could turn to see Levi's expression. He was serious.
Levi stared down at her. Her eyes were practically bugging out of her head and the look of shock on her face was priceless. Her mouth was opening and closing, like she kept trying to say something but couldn't find the words.
He decided to speak for her.
"He took me in, taught me how to survive, how to fight. I probably owe my life to him."
Finally, Aubrey regained control of her voice.
"Were you… related?"
Levi sighed. He'd been wondering the same thing for years.
"I don't know. I was born in the Underground. My mother was a prostitute and I never found out who my father was. It could've been Kenny for all I know. She took care of me when I was young but she died around the time I turned eleven."
Aubrey turned her entire body, rotating so that she was fully facing Levi. She wanted to be able to see his expression at all times. This was a story she hadn't been expecting to hear.
"That was when I met Kenny. He showed up a few days after my mother's death. I'd been sitting in that room with her. I must have looked like shit."
Levi leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling. He felt Aubrey's fingers on his neck and sighed when she started placing soothing strokes all over his skin. She always seemed to know exactly what he needed.
"He took me away, taught me how to use a blade, how to protect myself, how to survive in the Underground. He had jobs, missions. That's where I heard your last name."
Levi glanced down at Aubrey as her fingers stilled on his neck.
"You said your family was involved in dirty work, right? It wouldn't surprise me if Kenny and your family worked together at some point. He had plenty of connections."
Aubrey could hardly believe what she was hearing… but it made sense. If what she suspected about her family's business was true, it wasn't a stretch to assume that they'd done jobs in the Underground. Levi's memory of her last name only confirmed that. The coincidence almost seemed too perfect but… it made sense.
Aubrey forced herself back to the present. She could think more about her family's work later. Right now, she wanted to hear what was left of Levi's story. If he would tell her, that is.
"Go on. I want to hear the rest."
Levi examined her features. He was surprised by how she'd reacted to his confession. She'd looked stunned for just a second before her face had returned itself to normal. Her fingers had even started moving over his neck again.
He decided that she must have put the information away for later. It was a strange connection to make and he figured she must want to process it some other time.
With that conclusion in mind, he decided to continue.
"One day, he was gone. He left me to fend for myself."
Aubrey peeked at his face. His words pulled her completely from her trance. His story kept devastating her, over and over.
She pushed her forehead against Levi's chest. She couldn't even imagine what kinds of horrors he'd seen at such a young age. And to be abandoned… just thinking about what he'd gone through made her heart ache uncontrollably.
"I made it on my own, taking jobs for money and stealing when I didn't have enough. Eventually Furlan found me and for some reason I told him we could team up. We worked together for a while until Isabel came along. Then it was just the three of us."
Aubrey kissed whatever skin she could find. She knew that this part of the story must be especially difficult for him… the loss of his friends was still so fresh.
"We got our hands on some 3DMG and it made our work more efficient. We started being able to save up some money and we hoped that we'd be able to earn our way to lives on the surface."
Levi could feel himself wanting to go numb but Aubrey's touch kept him in the moment.
"That's when we got a special job. A man on the surface promised us surface citizenship and a good amount of money if we could complete a mission for him. He told us that we only had two tasks. We were to retrieve some incriminating documents and… kill Erwin."
Aubrey nearly gasped. It took everything she had to choke down any kind of reaction, though she couldn't stop the way her lips halted against Levi's skin.
Slowly, she pulled back, studying him. It was easy to see the guilt and regret in his eyes and his lips had turned down into a hard frown. He was expecting some kind of reprimand.
"You… you tried to kill him… for a job?" Aubrey's tone was neutral. She wanted confirmation before she allowed herself to react.
Levi stayed silent for a long while before he finally opened his mouth.
"Yes."
Aubrey shuddered. She felt so many emotions that it was hard to distinguish them. Anger, sadness, understanding, empathy, horror, betrayal. All of them were running rapidly through her veins. She sat there, her breathing erratic until she felt a strong grip on her wrist.
She looked up. Levi was glaring at her, his eyes hard and passionate.
"Get mad."
Aubrey was sure she hadn't heard him right.
"What?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Get mad. You said you could be angry later. Now is later. Get mad."
A frown graced her lips.
"Levi, I-"
He yanked on her arm, bringing her body even closer to his.
"Damn it, Aubrey. Get mad."
Anger did rise within her, but not for the reason Levi was pushing. She was angry that he wanted her to be mad. She'd been doing just fine. If he would just leave it alone, she could deal with her feelings quietly, just like she'd always done.
"I don't want to talk abou-"
Aubrey found herself cut off as Levi's lips crashed against hers. The kiss was too harsh, too powerful, and she tried to pull away. But Levi's hand had already tangled in her hair, holding her mouth to his.
She squirmed in his grip but it was only after she pushed hard against his chest that he finally let her go. She was left panting for air, heat bubbling in her chest.
"What the hell was that?"
Aubrey couldn't believe he'd been so forceful with her. Just moments ago they'd been perfectly comfortable, content with each other's company.
"Are you mad?"
Aubrey scoffed. She couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. She'd had enough.
"I can't deal with this right now."
Aubrey stood, the water splashing angrily when she left the tub. She didn't bother with a towel and instead yanked her clothes over her wet skin. She didn't care. She wanted to be out of that room.
She tried not to pay attention when she heard Levi behind her. She didn't even dare to look at him. She was on the edge and she knew it.
As soon as the last piece of clothing was on her body, she stomped out, throwing the bathroom door wide open. She knew she didn't really have anywhere to go but she had to leave before she cracked.
She made her way to the edge of the bed where she'd kicked off her boots. Her hand was just reaching for the first shoe when she felt a grip on her wrist.
Her jaw clenched and she turned, seeing that Levi was still shirtless but had managed to get his pants on fast enough to catch her.
"Let. Go."
Levi tilted his head to the side, wet bangs falling into narrowed eyes.
"No."
Aubrey felt the coil snap within her.
She pulled hard, trying to yank her wrist out of Levi's grasp but it backfired. His free hand found her other arm and before she knew it, he had her backpedaling toward the wall.
She tried to fight back but he was stronger than her and had both of her hands incapacitated.
When her back hit stone, a snarl left her lips. He had her pinned.
"Are you mad?" Levi repeated his earlier question.
Aubrey couldn't handle it. He was teasing her.
"Yes! I'm mad! Is that what you want to hear?!" She screamed at him and knew that had there been anyone in the rooms next door they would have heard her loud and clear.
Levi held her still. She was writhing around, pushing and pulling in every way she could, trying to get away. He wasn't going to let her. Not yet.
"Tell me why."
Aubrey let out an irritated shriek and struggled harder against Levi's hold. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to so much as loosen his grip.
"Tell me why." Levi moved closer, pressing his body against hers and restraining her even further.
She shook with fury, feeling sure that she looked like a crazed animal. She wanted so badly to push him off her, to scream until he couldn't take another second. But if he wanted to hear why then, fine, that's what he would get.
Aubrey lifted her foot, kicking Levi in the shin. The blow was hard enough that his hold on her wrists lessened for a split second. She took advantage of his error, using the opportunity to free herself.
Instantly, her hands found his chest, shoving until he stumbled back.
"Why?! You want to know why? I'm mad because you can't leave this shit alone! I'm mad because you just shoved me against a wall! I'm mad because you tried to kill the only person who has been there for me from the beginning!"
Levi came to a stop, the backs of his legs hitting the bed. Aubrey had been advancing on him and his only option had been to move back.
"How could you fucking do that, Levi?! You told me you loved me! Tell me, how can you love someone and kill their friends at the same time?! How could you sleep with me one night and betray me the next?!"
Levi didn't say anything, he just let her keep going.
"Why aren't you saying anything! Answer me! Answer me, Levi!"
Aubrey got even closer to him, her face just inches from his own.
"You tricked me! You hurt me! You-!"
Aubrey couldn't take it anymore. He was too close, she was too passionate, and she knew he'd always been better with actions than words.
In an instant, her hands were fisted in his hair, her lips smashing into his.
It took Levi no time at all to respond. He'd been waiting for it to happen. In fact, if she'd hadn't moved on him, he would have reached for her.
His fingers twisted against her scalp, and his free arm slid around her waist, crushing her against him.
Their mouths met again and again, teeth hitting teeth as they both clawed at each other. These kisses were unlike any they had ever shared. They were angry, harsh, cruel.
It still wasn't enough.
Aubrey's hands found Levi's chest and she shoved. He stumbled back but there was nowhere to go. The bed hit his knees and he fell, his back hitting the mattress.
Aubrey was on top of him in a second, her lips finding and colliding with his again.
Levi growled against her mouth as he gathered her hair in his hand. His fingers dug into her hip but the feeling only spurred Aubrey on.
He nails dragged down his chest and across his abdomen, leaving visible red scratches.
Levi couldn't handle any more. She was driving him insane.
He flipped them over, pressing Aubrey into the bed. His hands reached for the seam of her shirt and yanked up. As soon as it was off, his mouth found her neck and his teeth sunk into the flesh.
Aubrey gasped and dug her fingers into his back. She found his ear, nipping at it until he pulled back from her neck and his lips were back on hers. Somehow, he managed to get her bra off and Aubrey saw him toss it aimlessly across the room.
She reached for his waistband, tugging at it until his pants were low enough for him to kick off. His underwear went next and then they both turned their attention to what was left of her own clothing.
Levi reached for the button, struggling to undo it in his haste. After just a few seconds he grew too impatient and he pulled... hard. The button popped off and Levi tore the remainder of her clothing from her body so quickly that Aubrey's entire body jerked.
Levi grabbed under her arms, tossing her further onto the bed. He crawled after her, his hands finding her knees and pushing her legs apart.
Aubrey waited for his lips to find hers but they never came. She started to raise her head to look for him but never got the chance.
She felt his mouth between her legs and suddenly she knew exactly where he was.
She cried out, her back arching off the bed uncontrollably.
Levi's arms wrapped around her thighs, his hands pushing into her hips as he held her still.
Aubrey couldn't help the way she was writhing around. It was too much, too overpowering. Levi's tongue was doing things she'd never imagined it could and her body felt overloaded.
Her toes curled and her hands flew to the back of his head, grasping tightly at strands of his hair.
His mouth moved from one spot to another and Aubrey felt her legs trying to tighten around his head. He was making her move so fast and already, she could feel herself getting close. Her legs began to shake and her breaths came even faster.
Levi felt the signs as her body quivered in his hands. He pulled away immediately, wiping the wetness from his lips.
Aubrey groaned loudly, horrified that he'd stopped. She felt cold, exposed. She reached for his arm, grabbing him by the bicep and tugging until he was on top of her. Her teeth closed around his jaw and Levi grunted, both pained and pleasured.
He moved quickly, his mouth finding hers. Aubrey gasped as she realized she was tasting herself on his tongue.
He moved back and Aubrey soon recognized what was about to happen. She barely had time to brace herself.
In a split second, Levi was inside her. She screamed, feeling a familiar pain. It wasn't as horrible, but it still hurt. But this time, Levi wasn't letting her adjust.
His lips were back on hers as they rocked back and forth. Their pace was far more impatient, more intense than their first time. Both of them still felt the anger, the frenzy of their argument and it was carrying over to their actions.
Aubrey felt the pain dissipate after a few movements and her mouth moved again to his jaw, biting and snapping. Her legs wrapped around his back and Levi groaned, barely noticing that her nails were digging into the skin of his shoulders.
He shifted his weight onto one elbow as his hand traveled down her side, halting between her legs.
Aubrey threw her head back, once again overcome by the stimulation. Small mewls and moans filled the air as she tried her best to keep up with Levi's pace.
It didn't take long before the shake returned to her body. Levi felt it and dragged his teeth across the sensitive spot on her neck. Aubrey wailed, unable to contain the sensations in her body.
The heat at her core grew and her breathing turned to panting as Levi pushed her closer to her peak.
With just a few more movements and another drag of Levi teeth across her skin, Aubrey felt everything culminate.
Her head pressed into the mattress and she cried out.
Levi was there, too, and all it took was the feeling of her release to push him over the edge.
Both of them collapsed and Levi fell down on top of her, his breathing heavy and labored.
Aubrey held on to him, her arms hooking around his neck and her legs staying wrapped around his back.
It didn't take long for her to realize what had just transpired between them, to remember the horrible things she'd said to him, to feel her anger dissolve into nothing. She never imagined their fight would end in such a way. Even as she was still panting she could think of nothing but what she'd done.
Her lips found his forehead, then his cheek, and soon she was peppering his entire face with kisses.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Aubrey whispered the apology between kisses. She could feel tears forming in her eyes. How could she have lost control like that? How could she have let herself say such hurtful things to someone she loved?
Levi lifted his head, his chin resting on her chest so he could look her in the eyes. He was enjoying the affection but he was… confused.
"Why are you apologizing?"
Aubrey stared at him, stunned that he didn't understand.
"I-I said all of those horrible things to you." Aubrey paused to kiss his forehead again. "I'm sorry. I lost control. I'm sorry."
She leaned in again but stopped when his hand pressed to her lips.
"Stop. I'm the one who should be apologizing."
Aubrey shook her head, pulling his hand away from her mouth.
"No, I can't believe I-"
"Aubrey."
Levi's voice was stern and authoritative. She took the hint, pressing her lips together.
Levi sat up, pulling away and leaving Aubrey feeling cold and empty. His eyes scanned her body, going over every inch.
"Well, first, did I hurt you?" Levi could see the small marks he'd left all over her skin and he frowned. He'd been too rough with her. He'd gotten caught up in the moment and allowed himself to get too forceful.
Aubrey shook her head again. She couldn't fathom how he could think such a thing.
"No, of course not."
"Are you sure?" Levi's fingers went to her neck, pressingly lightly on a bite mark that had broken the skin. Aubrey winced.
Levi closed his eyes. Shame filling his stomach.
Aubrey panicked, instantly trying to soothe him. "No, Levi. It's no worse than what I did to you. Look."
She sat up, gently running her hands over his chest and abdomen. The scratches she'd given him were still raised and red and there were a few spots where her nails had pressed hard enough to draw blood.
A single tear rolled down her cheek. She'd hurt him.
Levi wiped away the tear and pulled her into his lap, holding her tightly.
"You did nothing wrong. I provoked you. I… I wanted you to yell at me, to get it out. You're angry, and you should be."
Aubrey trembled against him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder.
"But, Levi, the things I said-"
"You meant them. Or at least halfway meant them. That's fine. They were all true. I just…" He trailed off for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I just want you to know that I do love you."
Aubrey was frozen against him. She hadn't been expecting him to be so… okay. Could he really not blame her at all?
Tears fell down her face, landing on his bare skin. She gripped him harder, pushing her lips into his shoulder.
"I love you, too."
Levi sighed, happy to have resolved the matter for the moment. He'd urge her to talk to him again later but, for now, he was much too focused on the bloody bite mark on her neck. Both of them were covered in sweat, spit, and fluids of every kind.
"We're going back to the bath."
Aubrey huffed a small laugh into his chest. Of course they were. She nodded.
Levi shifted, his legs going over the edge of the bed. He stood, still holding her in his arms, and headed for the bathroom.
If they were lucky, the water might still be warm.
A/N: Okay, so I seriously debated posting this chapter as it is because this is certainly not the healthiest way to deal with problems in a relationship lol. BUT, both of these characters have no prior relationship experience and they certainly haven't had any examples of HEALTHY relationships. Plus, from what I've written so far, the two of them are rather inclined to turn to physical touch (at least behind closed doors). They're touch-starved, okay?
Anyway, I ended up leaving it how it is because I thought it was a good fit for their characters. And, y'all got another smut chapter. I died a little bit while writing it lol. This one was a little more… spicy.
I'm happy that everyone seems to be liking Aubrey's backstory! It's important for book 2, especially. Speaking of book 2, we're getting close to the end of this story. I'd say 5 more chapters give or take a couple. Very exciting :)
Also, PLEASE leave a comment. Even if it's just a few words I still love them. A serious serotonin shot for me. Thanks, love y'all :)
