WARNING: If you listen to sad music/love songs, you may cry. I did. Lol.
Their ride back was quick and Aubrey savored every moment. Levi had taken the reins again and Aubrey held him tightly as she leaned against his back. She spent the trip breathing in the scent of his clothes, placing light kisses on his back and shoulders, running her hands over the hard muscles of his abdomen. It was relaxing, peaceful.
When they finally arrived back on base, they got a few curious looks as they rode up to the stables. Aubrey just ignored them; she didn't really care.
Levi helped her down and then swung down himself before putting a quick kiss on her forehead and taking her hand.
They took Lex back to her stall and took off all of her equipment. Aubrey made sure she had water and then given her a little extra hay. She'd worked hard.
They loaded all of their purchases back into the stachel, which Levi insisted on carrying, and then made their way back to their room. It was still just early afternoon when they returned and Aubrey knew that it was still too early to start on the soup. But there was certainly something else to do that would fill the time perfectly.
A quick glance around the room had revealed that they desperately needed to unpack and stop living out of boxes. Aubrey was surprised that Levi had allowed them to live in such a way at all. Maybe he'd been too caught up in their whirlwind of life changes. She certainly had been.
Aubrey stored away all of their groceries and other purchases and then quickly moved on to the task of unpacking. She'd struck a deal with Levi and they'd agreed that he would clean and she would unpack. Both of them were perfectly satisfied with that arrangement. Levi seemed to genuinely enjoy cleaning and Aubrey was just happy to have an option that didn't include scrubbing the floors on her hands and knees.
They got to work immediately and Aubrey started with their clothes first. She hung their things in the closet and couldn't help but grin when she saw their things side by side. The sight made her heart race.
She put the boxes of Jack and Tika's things as well as Isabel and Furlan's in the back of the closet. But somehow, it felt different than the last time she'd hastily hidden Jack's things away in the corner. This time, it didn't hurt to look at them. They were just boxes. Boxes that held memories, but memories that she would no longer let drag her down.
She took one last glance before closing the closet door and moving on to the office.
She put their newly purchased books on the shelf before sighing and thinking about how pitiful it looked. They still had shelves upon shelves to fill and they only had a few actual books. It would take them their whole lives together to fill that many spots.
She continued going through their boxes, putting whatever had been in their old desks into their new one.
Eventually, she came across another book. Levi's mother's book.
She smiled at the sight of it and placed it in front of all their other books on the shelf. As far as she was concerned, it was one of their most prized possessions.
It didn't take her much longer to finish in the office and then she moved back out to the main room, emptying the miscellaneous contents of the remaining boxes. Towels and soap went to the bathroom, candles got tucked away in cabinets, and then, once they'd been completely emptied, the boxes were taken back to the supply closet they'd come from.
Aubrey had finished her task but she knew Levi would be scrubbing all night if she let him. So she lifted from his crouch and told him it was time to start on dinner. It took a little prodding but eventually, and reluctantly, he left his cleaning for another day and moved to help her in the kitchen.
Despite his earlier claims that he knew how to cook, Aubrey decided she was going to teach him anyway. He was going to learn whether he wanted to or not. She was not making dinner every night for the rest of their lives just because Levi didn't know how much pepper to put in.
She went easy on him for the first night and told him to just chop the potatoes. He did it without so much as grumbling at her and after a few minutes, he handed her a cutting board piled up with the finished product.
For the rest of the time, she let him watch, showing and explaining everything she did. To her surprise, he seemed rather interested and listened carefully to every word she said. Though, her favorite part was when he wrapped his arms around her waist and looked over her shoulder at what she was doing. She never got tired of having him close.
Soon, the soup was done and Aubrey poured it into a couple of bowls. She hoped she'd gotten it right. But, she knew that no matter what, she'd probably never live up to the recipe Levi remembered. Still… she would try.
She turned, placing a bowl in Levi's hands as a smile came to her lips.
"Let's eat."
For a moment, all Levi could do was stare at the bowl in his hands. The soup looked exactly like his mother's. Or at least what he could remember it looking like.
He tore his attention away from the food and looked into Aubrey's eyes, trying to express just how much this gesture meant to him. But he knew that just a gaze wasn't enough.
Levi set his bowl on the counter and pulled her close. His lips went to her neck and trailed up her skin until her mouth was next to her ear.
"Thank you."
Aubrey leaned into him, a sigh escaping her as she pulled his lips to hers. She knew what he was trying to tell her. She'd grown accustomed to his use of actions in place of words and she could understand him just as well as if he'd spoken aloud.
When they broke away, she pulled back just a little to look into his eyes and saw them glimmering in the light.
She smiled and gently rubbed the back of his neck. He'd know that she was more than happy to have done something that brought him so much comfort.
"You're welcome. Now let's go to the table. You have to tell me what to change for next time."
Before Levi could even respond, Aubrey picked up his bowl again and pressed it into his hand before lightly gripping his wrist and leading him to their seats.
Aubrey sat down immediately and Levi moved across from her, even though the small distance between them still felt like too much.
(Y/N watched as he finally turned his attention to his food and she smiled when finally took his first bite. She joined him and contemplated the taste for a moment before she glanced at him again.
"Hm, I think it needs more salt. And maybe more cream. Am I right?"
Levi huffed and took another bite before speaking.
"You would know better than I would."
Aubrey hummed in response. She supposed that was true. Levi just remembered the taste, not how to make it.
"Hm, I guess we'll just have to keep trying 'til we get it right, then."
Levi glanced at her again, unable to believe that she was willing to put so much effort into perfecting something as trivial as his favorite childhood meal. But then he wondered why he was surprised at all. Of course she would. He'd forgotten who he was thinking about.
"Let's go for a walk tonight."
Aubrey's voice broke Levi from his thoughts but it still took him a moment to process what she'd said.
"A walk?"
Aubrey nodded eagerly as she took another bite of her soup.
"Yeah, we haven't been on one in a while."
Levi felt a tiny smile on his lips as he realized that she was referring to the pond. They hadn't been there since before the expedition. Without a moment's hesitation, he stood from his seat and extended his hand.
"Then let's go."
Aubrey's eyes flashed to his and when she saw the smile on his face she couldn't help but mirror his expression. She put down her spoon, there were only a few bites of soup left anyway, and stood from her chair.
"Okay."
Aubrey instantly took his hand and their fingers laced together automatically.
Levi moved around the table and pulled her close until his lips pressed into her jaw.
Aubrey giggled at his sweetness. She had a feeling that their day was only going to get better.
Levi didn't linger for long. He moved back after just a few seconds and then tugged Aubrey over to the closet. He shifted through the newly-hung clothes until he found their coats and then quickly ripped them out. He hung them over his arm. They didn't need them quite yet. The sun was just starting to set. But it was the end of August and a cool chill would be in the air shortly after they reached the pond.
Aubrey watched him with a smile on her face as he turned back to her and then led her to the door. He wasn't wasting any time.
When they were finally out in the hallway, Aubrey pressed her lips to Levi's cheek and then kissed his shoulder as she pulled away. He squeezed her hand and gave her a soft look as they continued on.
The two of them strolled casually through the halls, though Aubrey insisted that they take the back door. She wasn't in the mood to run into someone they knew. She'd had Levi to herself all day and she wanted it to stay that way.
Their heels clacked against the stone floors until the exit finally came into view and Aubrey giggled as she tugged Levi along a little faster. He didn't object.
Soon they were outside, moving across the grass as they headed for a familiar path. Aubrey paused every so often as they walked to pull Levi in close and kiss him before continuing on. Their little breaks made their trip a little longer than usual but neither of them minded the slightest bit.
Finally, they entered the treeline and they both knew that there was only a little more ground to cover before they would arrive.
Aubrey felt a rush go through her. The pond was such an important place to her, and to Levi, too. It held so many memories, almost all of them good. And the last ones they'd made there were too special to ever forget.
Aubrey's heart was pounding in her chest when they finally broke into the clearing and the pond came into view. It never failed to take her breath away.
They stood there for a moment, their eyes wandering as they took in the perfectly still water, the glow of the sky as the sun was setting, the sight of the leaves shifting in the gentle summer breeze.
Aubrey eventually looked to the peninsula and she couldn't help but smile when she remembered just how much of their time together had been spent in that very spot. That spot was where they'd fallen in love.
"I'll get the blanket."
Levi pressed a kiss to Aubrey's hair as he unlocked their hands and headed in the direction of the cabin before she could even respond.
Aubrey watched him go, moving as gracefully as ever.
As soon as he disappeared inside the cabin, Aubrey moved onto their peninsula, taking a moment to glance into the water. The sun was close to the end of its day and the pond was reflecting the orange and pink colors of the sky. She was sure it was the most beautiful she'd ever seen it look.
She stood there, absolutely mesmerized, until she jumped at the feeling of a hand on her waist. She didn't even get to turn around before Levi's chin tucked into the curve of her neck and he whispered in her ear.
"Lie with me?"
Aubrey's heart melted. He was asking her the same question that had started everything that night before the expedition. The same question that had finally brought them together.
Tears sprang to her eyes and she wriggled around in Levi's arms until she could turn around to face him. Her hands went to his face and she stared into the eyes she'd come to know so well.
"Always."
Aubrey wasn't sure who had leaned in first but their lips met just a second after she'd spoken.
Aubrey's fingers slid into his hair and Levi pulled her so close that she could feel every flex of his muscles. Her tears never spilled over but she still felt them pricking at the back of hers eyes as she thought about just how much she'd meant what she'd said. If she could, she'd lie with him 'til the end of time.
Without ever letting their lips part, Levi lowered them to the ground.
Aubrey briefly registered that he'd already spread the blanket across the ground. She must have been so distracted by the pond that she hadn't even heard him unfolding it behind her.
But that thought didn't last long as they hit the blanket and Aubrey wrapped her arms around Levi's neck as his hands pressed into her back.
Aubrey kissed him harder and Levi returned her intensity but they soon ran out of breath and Aubrey reluctantly broke away. She unlocked her arms from around his neck and moved her hands to his face. And, ever so slowly, Aubrey guided them both down until they were lying completely on the blanket.
Levi's arms tightened around her again and soon she was pressed against his chest with his chin resting on the top of her head. Aubrey twined her legs with his and ran a hand up and down his arm.
They lay there like that for what could have been second, minutes, or hours. Aubrey didn't know. All she knew was that she'd never felt safer than she did in Levi's arms. When he held her, problems faded away. Death, grief, pain… all of it lessened. She could only focus on the way his touch still lit her on fire.
Eventually, Aubrey noticed that the air had started to cool and that the sun had lowered completely, leaving only glimmers of light in the sky. Aubrey wondered how they'd ended up lying in silence for so long. Being with Levi could always make her lose track of time.
She pulled her head away from Levi's chest and saw him open his eyes when he sensed her movement. She smiled. He looked sleepy.
Slowly, Aubrey started to sit up. After a few seconds, Levi moved to prop himself up but Aubrey pressed a hand to his chest.
"It's okay. Stay there."
Levi's brows furrowed as he watched her move behind him. Before he could turn to see what she was doing, Aubrey had his head in her lap and her fingers were running through his hair.
Levi huffed and a small smile came to his lips. He reached a hand up and wrapped it around the back of her neck as he dragged her lips down to his.
Aubrey giggled as she pulled away ever so slightly, her hair falling down around them and blocking out the world.
"You can go to sleep if you want. I don't mind."
Levi shook his head. He didn't need or want to sleep. Her touch was just so comforting that he'd almost drifted off.
Aubrey giggled again and pressed another kiss to his lips before sitting back up.
"Okay. The stars will be out soon, anyway. And it's been too long since you had a lesson."
Levi's lips twisted from a smile to a scowl.
"How many shitty stars are there?"
Aubrey laughed at his irritation but answered him nonetheless.
"More than you could ever guess."
Levi grunted but he didn't really mean it. He'd look at the stars with her for the rest of his life if he could.
Aubrey ran her fingers through his hair again and she smiled when she heard him sigh. She kept going, pausing every so often to scratch at his undercut or massage his scalp. Levi's face relaxed enough that he took on the incredibly youthful look he had when he slept. Aubrey couldn't help but kiss him again.
When she pulled away she returned to his hair but this time she grabbed a lock and braided it loosely before undoing it and starting again.
"Oi, what are you doing?"
Levi had felt the difference in her movements.
Aubrey giggled, wondering how he would react.
"Braiding."
Levi raised an eyebrow.
"You're braiding my hair?"
Aubrey nodded, holding back another laugh.
"Do you want me to stop?"
Levi grumbled under his breath. He most certainly didn't want her to stop. Even if she was braiding.
"No."
This time Aubrey couldn't hold in her chuckle and Levi gave her a very unamused look. She just ignored him and kept going, marveling at how soft his hair felt against her skin.
She braided a few more strands but then took notice of the way his bangs were hanging a little lower on his forehead than usual. She brushed them from his eyes.
"Do you want me to cut your hair later?"
Levi glanced up at her, his brows furrowing and a skeptical look entering his eyes.
Aubrey scoffed when she saw his expression. She couldn't believe that this was thing that he hesitated to trust her with.
"Oh, come on, you really don't trust me to cut your hair?"
Levi stared at her for a moment longer but then Aubrey saw his brow relax and she knew she'd won.
"Fine. But you'd better not mess it up."
She laughed, satisfied with how easily he'd given in.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Aubrey looked up at the sky only to find that the stars had come out. She grinned. It was time for their lesson to start.
But before she could open her mouth, she felt Levi's fingers brush against her neck and looked down to see that he was holding the pendant of her new necklace, studying it intently.
Aubrey giggled and brushed the hair out of his eyes again.
"Wrong star, Levi. Find me the real one."
She heard him grunt and was about to laugh again when she suddenly felt his head leave her lap. Her back hit the blanket before she could even process his movement.
"Let's skip the lesson tonight."
Aubrey stared up at Levi wide eyed as he hovered over her. He'd moved so quickly that his actions had caught her off guard.
For a moment, she couldn't even answer. But her ability to speak slowly returned and she eventually managed a one word response.
"Why?"
Levi's fingers found the pendant again and Aubrey watched him carefully as the emotions in his eyes flickered from one to another. But he was switching around too fast for her to get a read on him.
"Because I'm not in the mood."
Aubrey raised an eyebrow, still trying to figure out what he was thinking.
"Then what are you in the mood for?"
Aubrey felt Levi's hands slide beneath her back as he sat up and pulled her into his lap, her legs going around his waist as she faced him. Just a second later, his chin tucked into her neck and he held her tightly as he whispered into her ear.
"Just this."
Aubrey smiled as she realized what he was saying. He just wanted to hold her.
She rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms loosely around his back. She was perfectly fine with 'just this'.
"Okay."
Levi sighed into her ear and pulled her a little closer. He really wasn't in the mood for stars. He just wanted her body against his.
There was silence for a moment as Aubrey allowed her mind to wander back through the memories of their day. It was one of the best of her life. Maybe second only to the day Levi had told her he loved her. But even that day had been tainted by an overhanging shadow of sadness and dread. Today, though… today it had just been him and her. There had been no expedition to worry over, no training to get through. It had just been them. Them doing their best to be happy in a world that offered so much pain.
Aubrey couldn't help but smile as she remembered when Levi had taken her to the jewelry store. It had definitely been the most prominent part of their day. The necklace still felt cool against her skin but it was almost comforting in a way. It was a physical reminder of Levi that she would have for the rest of her life. Even when she couldn't be at his side, at least she'd have something that would always make her smile.
But the thought of the necklace only made Aubrey remember the other part of their trip to the jewelry store. A part that had left her reeling and feeling as though her heart was going to give out. A part that still left her breathless even as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Levi?"
"Hm?"
Aubrey felt him hum into her skin. At some point his lips had moved to her neck.
Aubrey took a deep breath, trying to steady herself before she brought up a topic that both terrified and excited her. The future.
She gathered all of her willpower, all of her courage, and all of her strength, and asked Levi the question that was consuming her thoughts.
"Are you really going to marry me one day?"
Levi froze, his lips stilling on her neck. He hadn't been expecting that question.
But she'd asked. And he was going to answer.
Levi took a second to compose himself and then moved his head back to look her in the eyes. He put a hand on her cheek and stared at her, taking in every aspect of her expression. She looked expectant, but her eyes were soft and there was the tiniest hint of a smile of her lips.
Levi scanned her features for a second longer and then answered her.
"Yes."
Aubrey was surprised by how sure he sounded, like he had no doubts whatsoever even though he'd only known her for a couple of months.
Her lips tugged up into a soft smile as her eyes started to water. The first tear slid down her cheek just as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Levi's.
Their kisses were gentle, soft, and loving in every way. Levi's fingers splayed across her cheek while his other hand wrapped around the back of her neck. More tears trailed down Aubrey's face as her arms tightened around his waist, pulling him against her.
When they finally broke away, Levi just wiped the tears from her cheeks and then kissed her again. Aubrey didn't mind one bit.
When he eventually let her go for good, she put her head back on his shoulder as he rubbed his palm up and down her side.
They were quiet for a few seconds, just enjoying each other's presence, savoring the feeling of the peace in the air.
Aubrey could have stayed that way for the rest of the night but it was Levi who eventually spoke up.
He leaned further into her, his voice just barely audible.
"And when I do marry you, I'm going to take you away from this shitty base and buy you all the chocolate you want."
Aubrey smiled, trying to hold back another round of tears. She could hardly believe that he was so sure, so positive.
"I'd like that."
She was getting lost in a future that seemed almost unattainable. But, for tonight, she wouldn't try to bring herself back to reality. For tonight, she'd happily get lost. She opened her mouth.
"And when all of this is over? If the titans disappear? What will we do then?"
Levi started to rock them back and forth and Aubrey held him tighter as he answered her.
"We'll go wherever you want."
Aubrey felt a lump in her throat and her next words came out sounding hoarse and rough.
"Maybe we could open a shop in town. We could sell tea if you want."
Levi hummed into her.
"I'd like that."
More tears fell onto her cheeks but Aubrey didn't even notice. Her mind was far away from her body, living in a place she doubted she'd ever get to see. But she'd keep imagining as long her brain would let her.
Levi spoke next.
"We could have a kid or two."
Aubrey found herself shocked that he'd even consider having a family. But, then again, the scenario they were imagining was impossible. His answer in real life would probably be very different. But she wasn't going to question him tonight. She'd just accept it.
"How about three?"
"Oi, that's a lot of brats to deal with at once."
Aubrey laughed even as tears still stained her skin.
"We could do it."
Levi huffed.
"We'll see."
Aubrey smiled and nodded. She knew that was the best she was going to get.
They carried on like that deep into the night, envisioning a future they both knew they'd never get to experience. But it didn't really matter. So long as they had each other, they knew they could get through anything, even if that meant never getting to open a shop in town or have a child.
After a while they'd moved to laying on the ground, whispering so quietly that had it not been for the dead silence of the night, they wouldn't have been able to hear each other. But eventually, their eyes had drooped and their voices had trailed off and Levi had tightened the blanket around them.
They'd held each other close, murmuring "I love you"s until they'd fallen asleep. And, for the first time in a long time, Aubrey had dreamt not of her horrible past, but of her perfectly bright future.
A/N: This chapter was another flufffffy floof :))) This was the last one. They just needed to go to the pond before I moved on :') Next chapter will be story-based and I'll be wrapping this fic up. It's gonna be over soon and I feel like a piece of me is dying? But, like, in a good way… and a sad way lol. It's so bittersweet.
And soup heals the soul, y'all. Nothin' like a bowl of your dead mom's soup made by your ultra-supportive girlfriend to make you feel good lol. But the convo they had at the end about the future made me cry. Like, I am NOT exaggerating. Also, I'm not sure that Levi would ever want kids but they were envisioning a *perfect* world so I figured he might give in a little in a situation like that.
Also, WARNING, there is going to be about a six-month time jump between this chapter and the next. No, it's not the start of Book 2, it's still this book. It will make sense when you read it, but I just didn't want anyone to be caught off guard or confused.
And, I still get some comments that are confused by the concept of "Book 2" so I'm just going to explain it again here :) If you already know what's up with Book 2, you can totally skip this paragraph lol. This book will end within 5 more chapters, give or take a few. That will be the end of THIS part of the story (AKA the No Regrets era). BUT, this same story (meaning the same characters, Aubrey and Levi) will be continued in Book 2 (AKA the AOT Season 1 era). However, the story of Book 2 STARTS 10 years after Book 1 ENDS. So, there's a ten year time gap between the two books. You cannot read Book 2 without first having read all of Book 1 or you'll be very confused lol. I'll be posting the first chapter of Book 2 at the same time that I post the last chapter of Book 1 so that y'all don't have to wait too long :) Anyway, I hope that clears thing up for people.
Okay, that's all I've got :) PLEASE leave a comment. I need them to stop me from crying when I finish this fic lol. I read every single one and try to respond to all of them :)) They give me life. Anyway, thank you all so much for reading this fic for getting this far. It means the world to me 3