Aubrey waited until the end of the week to start packing. She knew that the sight of her things disappearing into bags would send Levi into a spiral. Actually, she was a little worried that it would send her into a spiral, too. But she'd left it too long and now she had no choice. She'd be leaving in the morning and she'd yet to pack even a single shirt.
Erwin had given both her and Levi the day off from training. Aubrey wasn't sure if that was better or worse. Without the distraction, she was sure that her mind would wander to places that would make the pain nearly unbearable. But… she also wanted every moment with Levi that she could possibly get. They didn't have many left.
Levi hadn't been happy when Aubrey had told him about her trip to see Erwin. Just as Aubrey had suspected, they'd gotten into another fight. This one had raged for hours with long stretches where neither of them could even speak through their tears. But, eventually, it had ended in the way that almost all of their fights did. They'd grown so exhausted, so broken, that the only thing that would help was each other. Before they'd been able to stop themselves, they'd been wrapped in each other's embrace. Aubrey had just repeated to him how much she loved him, how badly she wished she could stay but also why she needed to go. She'd had to whisper to him for what seemed like forever before finally, finally, Levi had made a switch. His words turned from "you can't go" to "when you go" and Aubrey had known that she'd gotten through to him. He'd accepted, no matter how reluctantly, that she was going to leave.
After that it hadn't been a matter of deciding whether or not Aubrey was actually going to go, it had been a matter of being as close to each other as possible before they were ripped apart. The rest of their week had been spent quietly. They'd hadn't spoken much, just held each other tightly, trying to savor every touch. They'd still gone to training, though. They'd needed the distraction. If they'd allowed themselves to stay in bed all day, they would have crumbled over and over again. Just the nights they spent together were already hard enough.
But now, the time had come to face reality. Aubrey would be gone by this time tomorrow and they both knew it. Whether they were ready or not, it was time to start saying goodbye.
Aubrey turned her attention to the closet as she finally resolved to finally start filling her bags. It felt strange, otherworldly, as she walked toward the door. She'd never thought that she would be moving out so soon after moving in. She and Levi had only gotten a few months of bliss, just a short time in which they could be together with nothing in their way. She had a feeling that it would be a very long time before they could live like that again.
Aubrey's hand hit the knob on the closet door and she gently pulled it open. All of their clothes were hung neatly. Every single shirt looked pristine and crisp. Levi made sure they stayed that way.
Aubrey reached for one, pulling it out slowly and then proceeding to fold it. She hesitated for just a moment, realizing that this was the beginning of a hard journey, and then after a deep breath, set it in the box at her feet. She reached for another, repeating the process all over again. She went for another and another until she finally came to the last one. She smoothly removed it from its hanger and pulled it to her body as she started to fold. But when her eyes landed on the fabric, she paused. Her eyes widened the tiniest bit and she sucked in a sharp breath as she saw what she was holding. It was the shirt that they'd bought together on their first trip into town. A spark of pain started to rush through her but it was quickly cut off by the sound of a voice.
"Aubrey?"
Aubrey turned around to see Levi coming out of the kitchen. They'd just eaten lunch and he'd been cleaning up. But he must have heard her gasp and now he was standing across the room, his eyes flicking between the shirt in her hands and the half-filled box on the floor. She'd hadn't told him she was going to start packing.
There was silence for a moment. Aubrey didn't know what to say. She couldn't hide this from him, she couldn't make it disappear like she tried to do with everything else that caused him pain. This wouldn't go away no matter how hard she tried.
More seconds slipped by and the torture of the quiet started to become too much. Aubrey still didn't know what she should tell him, be she had to tell him something, anything. But just as she was about to speak, Levi moved toward her.
She watched him as he walked across the room, the floorboards creaking beneath his feet. His eyes were on the shirt in her hands.
He stopped in front of her, pausing for just a moment before he took the clothing from her. Aubrey stared at him, seeing his brows furrow as his eyes scanned the fabric. He obviously remembered what it was.
Aubrey was about to open her mouth again, to comfort him, to reassure him, anything, but, once again, he acted before she could even get a word out.
Levi folded the shirt quickly and then, without a second glance, he placed it in the box.
When he looked back up, Aubrey met his eyes. He could see the pain lurking just beneath the surface of her features, threatening to spring forward at any second. But now wasn't the time for tears. It was the middle of the day. If they started crying now, they wouldn't be able to stop.
So, Levi grabbed her hand and led her back into the closet.
Aubrey could only watch again as he picked up the first pair of her pants he found, folded them, and put them in the box. He kept going, folding and packing, folding and packing.
Aubrey could hardly take it. He was helping her. He was helping her pack.
The thought was both agonizing and comforting. On one hand, the idea of Levi helping her pack away her things so that she could leave him threatened to tear her heart in two. But then… him helping her also meant that he'd actually come to terms with the fact that she was going to go. It was no longer just a silent acceptance. Now, he was more than just accepting it… he was supporting her.
Aubrey reached for him, her hand gripping his shoulder as she turned him around to face her. When he looked at her, Aubrey could see that his brows were still furrowed and a small frown covered his lips. She suspected that she looked the same way.
Aubrey wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, feeling a tension release within her. Up until now, the both of them had avoided talking about her leaving at all. But now, Aubrey knew that Levi was with her. He was on her side, on her team. He wasn't going to resent her as she'd feared. He was going to help her make it all work.
"Levi…"
Aubrey felt his arms slide around her waist and squeeze her tightly. The touch sent a ripple of flames through her entire body, warming her from the inside out. Her head went into the curve of his neck and she held onto him like her life depended on it.
Levi's lips pressed into her hair and Aubrey had to choke back tears as she spoke.
'We can do this. We can do this."
Levi closed his eyes as a wave of agony washed over him. But he knew he couldn't give in to it. Aubrey needed him. They'd been putting off this pain as long as they possibly could… but they were running out of time. And now was the time to tell her what he knew she needed to hear. She needed to hear that no matter how heartbroken he was by the idea of losing her… he would still stand by her side.
"I know we can. I know."
Aubrey clutched at strands of his hair, trying to get him closer in any way possible.
"It's only a couple months. Just a couple months and then you'll come to the north and we can be together for a while. We can do that. We can handle a couple months."
Levi knew that her words were just as much for her own comfort as for his. All he could do was hope that she was right. He hoped that he could handle two months apart from her. After spending every day with her for the last six months, he was sure that he'd want her after she'd been gone just a couple of hours. But he couldn't say that. Not out loud. They both knew it was the truth but they couldn't acknowledge it with words. It would only make things harder.
"Yes, just two months. We can do it."
At this point, Aubrey was practically clawing at him. She was on the brink of tears and his body was the only thing holding her together.
Levi knew it, too. He knew that she was on the edge of breaking and he knew that somehow he needed to hold her together. He held her tighter, so tightly that it was probably uncomfortable, but Aubrey didn't seem to mind in the slightest. She just held him the same way.
Levi turned his lips into her ear and spoke softly.
"You're strong, Aubrey. You can get through this."
Aubrey would have pulled back to look at his face but she was afraid that the loss of any kind of contact would cause a kind of pain she couldn't handle. So, instead, she just whispered into the skin of his neck.
"So can you."
Levi hung his head, his mouth pressing into her shoulder before he spoke again.
"We can do this… together. For however long it takes."
Aubrey nodded, trying to absorb his words and make them true. God, she hoped they were true.
"I know we can. As long as we do it together… I know we can."
Levi took a deep breath. For as long as she needed him to, he would stand by her, stand by her decision. They would always do this together.
"Aubrey... I love you."
Aubrey nodded, pressing her lips against his neck and trying her hardest not to cry.
"I love you, too."
After that it was silent for a time. Aubrey was still gripping at Levi in any way she could and he was still holding her a little too tightly. It was all they knew to do.
The sound of their slightly labored breathing was the only thing that could be heard for minutes before Levi finally spoke again. His voice, even though it was barely above a whisper, seemed almost deafening in the quietness of the room.
"Let's go to the pond tonight."
Aubrey hardly had to think before nodding her head and agreeing. There was no other place that she'd want to spend her last night with him.
Levi sighed as an invisible weight lifted from his shoulders. Tonight was important. In more ways than one. And spending it at the pond was exactly what he wanted.
But, with that settled, Levi knew that he needed to get them back to work. She was going to leave in the morning no matter what and so far she only had her shirts and a few pairs of pants packed.
Levi raised a hand to her hair, stroking the back of her head gently as he spoke.
"Let's keep going. When we finish we can make dinner. Then we'll go."
He heard Aubrey take a shaky breath and then he felt her press her lips to his neck one last time before she started to loosen her grip. As soon as she'd pulled far enough away, Levi pressed their foreheads together as they took one last minute to be close.
They stood there, breathing and feeling each other's presence, and then Levi took Aubrey's hand and pulled her back to the closet.
He got to work immediately, folding more pairs of her pants and setting them in the box. After a few seconds, Aubrey joined him and soon they had the box full of her clothes.
Aubrey looked at what was left hanging in the closet. It was just Levi's clothing now. The sight was terrifying and it sent a jolt through her body. It just didn't seem right. Their clothes were meant to hang together. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.
Aubrey felt Levi's hand on hers. He must have noticed the horror on her face.
Aubrey stared at him, memorizing his features as a way to calm herself. And, just as always, she got lost. Within just a few seconds she'd already been pulled into him completely and her horror lessened to a dull ache. She leaned forward and Levi met her halfway, kissing her lightly.
When they broke away, Aubrey looked at him for a second longer and then her eyes returned to the closet. Without hesitating, she reached for one of Levi's shirts, pulling it off of its hanger and holding it in her hands as she gazed down at it.
Levi watched her, wondering why she seemed so fascinated by nothing but a plain shirt, but then she glanced up at him and opened her mouth.
"Can I take this?"
Suddenly, he understood. She wanted to keep it as a reminder of him.
Levi reached into the box of her packed things and pulled out a shirt of her own. He looked back to her as he held the fabric in his hands.
"Only if I can take this."
Aubrey gave him a sad smile.
"Deal."
Levi put her shirt back on a hanger and Aubrey folded his and set it in the box. Now their clothes would still be together, the way they were meant to be. Plus, she'd have just one more piece of Levi to hold on to.
They continued packing, putting away her socks, undergarments, boots, straps, and everything else they found. Finally, there was only one last thing in the closet that Aubrey needed to go through.
She reached into the deepest part of the space until her hand found what she was looking for. Levi watched as she pulled out a box of Tika's things. His eyes flicked to her face but he found no signs of discomfort. In fact, she was gazing at the box with a tender expression. He knew that her grief had lessened tremendously since they'd been together. It had been only a couple of months after they'd moved in together that she'd started to laugh and tell him stories about her former friends, occasionally even going through their boxes to show him a specific object. And a few months ago, Levi had started to do the same. It felt good to remember the times they'd spent with their friends that hadn't been shrouded in terror and pain. In the midst of grief it was easy to forget about the good times. But they'd gotten through the worst and now thinking of their friends was usually… happy.
Aubrey opened the box, sifting through it and occasionally taking out an item here or there. Levi could identify a couple of shirts and Tika's diary among the items she'd chosen to take with her. She quickly moved on to Jack's things, again taking a couple of shirts and then a letter that he'd never gotten to send. She was closing the box when Levi suddenly saw her freeze. At first, he thought something was wrong, but just as he was about to reach for her… she laughed.
It was Levi's turn to freeze. What could possibly be making her laugh?
Aubrey continued to chuckle as she dug around in the box to grab what she'd seen. She'd almost completely forgotten about it.
After a few seconds of rooting through the contents of the box, Aubrey's fingers finally found what she was looking for.
She pulled it out and lifted it up so that Levi could see exactly what had made her smile. The cravat.
"Ya know, I gave this to you and you've never worn it. That's kind of rude."
For a moment, Levi could only stare at her, bewildered by how quickly she'd managed to turn her mood around. Maybe she'd decided that spending their afternoon in sorrow wouldn't help.
Levi scoffed at her.
"Oi, you forgot about it, too, so shut your mouth."
Aubrey crawled over to him, seating herself in his lap as she continued to talk.
"Well, now you have it. So make it up to me and wear it every once in a while, hm?
Levi raised an eyebrow. He knew she wasn't being entirely serious, but he'd still wear it nonetheless. Even if she was just teasing him.
He leaned forward, his mouth meeting hers as he took the cravat from her hand. She let it go easily.
Levi savored the moment. He would enjoy their happy round of banter while it lasted. He was sure that the atmosphere would turn heavy again as soon as their bout of teasing wore off. But, for now, he'd take every second of her smile he could get.
When they broke away, Aubrey's lips were still turned up at the corners and Levi gazed at her, eager to remember her smile as clearly as he could.
After a few more seconds, Aubrey sighed and pressed her forehead to his as her arms wrapped around his neck. It was time for them to move on from the closet. They'd gone through everything they needed to.
"Let's keep going."
Levi let out a long breath, realizing that their moment of peace was coming to an end. But he just nodded in agreement.
Together, they stood and continued with their packing.
There wasn't really much more that Aubrey needed besides her clothes. Erwin had given her a generous budget to buy whatever she needed once she arrived in the north, so she didn't need to take anything replaceable. Plus, Aubrey wanted to pack light. Not just for the sake of travel, but also for the sake of keeping her and Levi's home… a home. If she took too many things, the room would seem barren and she didn't want him coming back to an empty and cold space every night. It was already bad enough that he would be coming back without her.
So, it only took them a couple more hours to get everything completely and totally prepared for her departure in the morning.
Both of them tried not to linger on the fact that all of her things were now sitting in the corner of their room, awaiting the event that both of them feared so much.
So, instead of thinking about it, they made dinner.
Levi had become quite a proficient cook over the last months but Aubrey still preferred to do the making and have him do the cleaning. Usually it worked out well since Levi made her rescrub the dishes three times over whenever she was in charge of washing up.
Tonight was no different than any other except for the fact that Aubrey was planning on making Levi's childhood favorite. She'd gotten it right since they'd first tried to make it. It had taken a bit of trial and error but on her fourth try, Levi had taken one bite, kissed her, and told her it was perfect. She'd since taught him how to make the soup himself but she knew he still preferred when she did it. He'd once grumbled something about it tasting better when she was the one to cook it.
Aubrey smiled when she saw Levi's lips turn up as she handed him the potatoes to chop. He knew what they were making.
Aubrey gave him a few other minor tasks but she didn't give him anything too hard. He was going to do the dishes.
When he'd finished with all of his chopping and mixing, Levi wrapped his arms around Aubrey's waist from behind and looked over her shoulder. Aubrey smiled and sighed, trying not to register the idea that it might be the last time he watched her cook for months.
Eventually, the soup was finished, Levi turned Aubrey into him and kissed her until they were both breathless. They were left standing in the kitchen, gasping for air as they held each other and savoring every second of their last dinner together.
But, soon, Aubrey grew worried that their food would go cold and they sat down to eat. They kept their conversation lighthearted, both of them desperately avoiding the topic of tomorrow or anything even remotely related to it. Mostly, they talked about the soup.
Finally, dinner came to an end and Levi took away their dishes, instantly heading for the kitchen. Aubrey noticed that he was moving a bit more quickly than usual but she understood why. He probably wanted as many minutes at the pond as they could get. She felt the same.
While Levi cleaned up, Aubrey grabbed a sweater from her box of already packed items and slid it on. It was the end of February and it was cold out. There wasn't any snow and the water of the pond hadn't frozen over but they still needed extra clothing in order to be comfortable. Aubrey went to the closet and found another sweater for Levi, laying it out on the bed for when he was done in the kitchen. She moved on to locating some gloves, their winter coats, and then, finally, their boots.
Aubrey laid all of Levi's things out next to the sweater she'd found earlier and then started to don her extra clothing.
Just as she was finishing up, Levi emerged from the kitchen, pausing for just a second when he saw that she'd gathered everything he needed. He shot her an appreciative glance, kissed her cheek, and then silently started to dress himself.
He was done after just a few minutes and then glanced up to see that Aubrey was holding a pair of boots in her hands. But not his boots. His boots were already on. They were her boots.
Levi smirked at her.
"Tch. You know, you're turning into a spoiled brat."
Aubrey just giggled as he moved toward her despite his words. Levi took the shoes from her hands and then backed her into a chair, gently pushing her down into the seat. He couldn't help but smile a bit as he kneeled at her feet and started on her laces. He'd put her shoes on for her for almost every day since they'd moved in. And, even though he'd never admit it, it was his favorite part of the morning. Or in this case, evening.
He worked quickly and had the laces done in less than a minute. He'd gotten good at tying her shoes swiftly after six months of practice.
When he was finished he looked up automatically and received exactly what he was expecting. Aubrey's lips hit his and she kissed him lightly. That was her part of the exchange.
As soon as they broke away, Levi stood and took Aubrey's hand as she rose from her seat. For just a second they stared at each other… and then they turned and headed for the door.
Their walk through the halls was silent and, without speaking, they both knew that they'd be taking the back door. Neither of them wanted to see another person besides each other.
The chill of the outside air hit Aubrey's cheeks but she just breathed it in. It was familiar to her, a part of her childhood that she could never forget. That was probably a good thing considering she'd be headed for the north tomorrow and, unlike here, things would be frozen and snowy.
Aubrey pushed the thought of her leaving from her mind. She didn't want it to cloud her night with Levi. At least not this part. She was sure that once they returned from the pond, she would cry all night long. But, for now, she just wanted to focus on being with him and savoring every second.
Their walk remained quiet, though Aubrey noticed that Levi was gripping her hand a little more tightly than usual and he was breathing a little erratic. The sight made a rush of pain go through her. She brought their locked fingers to her lips and kissed his skin. She knew that he was probably thinking about the fact that this was their last night together, that with every second, their time together came closer to its end. She needed him to forget about that, to leave it alone. When they got back to the room, they could shake and cry and think all they needed to… but not now.
As their hands fell back down between them, Levi glanced at her and she saw him take a deep breath. She could see that he was still tense, but his grip was a bit more casual and his breathing evened out. She looked forward again, knowing that was the best she would get.
They entered the treeline and, just like always, Aubrey felt her heart beat faster. They were close, so close, to the most important place they knew. And it never failed to be everything they needed it to be.
Finally, the pond came into view and Aubrey let out a breath as she took it in. The trees had all lost their leaves and the grass looked yellow and dead. But the water was still as clear as ever, reflecting the stars above them.
Aubrey turned to Levi, a small smirk on her lips.
"Another lesson tonight?"
Levi scoffed at her and shook his head. He was perfectly proficient at reading the stars now but they still occasionally had a "lesson" just for something to do. But that was the last thing on his mind tonight.
He pulled her closer and pressed his lips to her hair.
"I'll get the blankets."
Aubrey chuckled and nodded as he started to walk away toward the cabin. She watched him go for a moment and then turned her attention to the peninsula. She strolled over to their spot, not yet taking a seat. The ground was cold and she wanted to wait for Levi to return with the blanket before she sat down.
Instead, she turned her eyes to the sky. She noticed immediately just how clear the stars were tonight… and there was one star that seemed even brighter than usual. Her hand went to her throat, her fingers touching the pendant of her necklace as she stared at the North Star.
Aubrey smiled as she continued to look. It was almost strange just how important a single star could be to both her and Levi. It had been such a subtle and yet constant presence throughout the time they'd known each other. It had seen it all, seen them fall in love, seen them be happy, seen them be sad. And it would only continue to see everything that had yet to come. And that was the beauty of it. It would never fade, never disappear, never let them down. It would always be there. And even when they were apart, they'd always be under the same star.
Aubrey heard the crunch of dirt on her left and looked to see that Levi had returned with their blankets. They needed more than just one now. It was cold.
Levi spread the first one out across the ground and then reached for her. Aubrey walked over to him, following him to the ground as they finally sat. Soon, there were more blankets on top of them and then Levi wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. Aubrey was a little surprised that he'd pulled her so close so quickly, but she didn't have a problem with it. She'd take as many seconds of his touch as she could get.
Aubrey draped her arms around his neck and leaned her forehead against his as she closed her eyes. She focused only on the feeling on his skin against hers, on the small rippling flames that still went through her with every brush of their bodies. He could still set her on fire, even in the cold winter air.
"I love you."
Levi's voice broke through the silence and Aubrey's brows furrowed as she squeezed her eyes shut. Just hearing those words was bringing tears to her eyes. Her emotions were all over the place. Just a second ago, she'd been smiling at the stars; now she was holding back her tears. But, she'd promised herself that she would wait to cry until they got back. So, she took a deep breath, calmed herself, and answered him.
"I love you, too."
Her voice was shaky, but it was the best could manage with the lump in her throat. And as long as Levi could hear her, it didn't really matter.
There was quiet again as both of them got lost in their own thoughts. It was inevitable. There was so much to think about. Their future, which had seemed as secure as they could ever have hoped for, was now an unknown. Neither of them knew what was coming, how long Aubrey would be gone, if they'd be able to handle each other's absence. It was all so much. And even as they both tried to push the thoughts away, they still crept in. They were impossible to stop.
But they still just sat there, holding each other and hoping that everything would be alright.
Aubrey didn't know how much time had passed when she finally heard Levi take a deep breath. It brought her back to reality, back to the present. She blinked a few times and then Levi's voice cut through the air.
"Aubrey."
Aubrey pulled away just enough to look him in the eyes. When she saw him, she was caught just a little off guard by the intensity on his features. His eyes had an all too familiar look in them. They were burning.
"Yes?"
Aubrey could barely speak above a whisper, but even that seemed too loud. Everything was so still, so silent, around them and she felt like her voice almost seemed abrasive.
"I love you."
Levi's tone was deeper, more steady, more serious than before and Aubrey could tell that he was trying to truly convey how much he meant what he said. Her lips turned down at the corners and her brows pushed together as she brought her hands to his face.
"I know that, Levi. I know that. I love you, too. So much."
Suddenly, Aubrey felt Levi's hands tangle in her hair and he pulled her closer, her face just inches from his own. She stared at him, a little shocked by his intensity and strength. But Levi didn't give her much time to think about it. He kept talking.
"No, Aubrey, I love you. And every time I try to tell you how much I mean that I just can't get the shitty words out."
Aubrey's eyes widened. She didn't know what to say. But it didn't really matter because Levi opened his mouth again.
"But I'm running out of fucking time, so… shit."
Aubrey was rooted to the spot. She was still a little stunned by the urgency in his voice but she was also completely absorbed by his attempt to use words. All she could do was listen as he scrambled to find the right way to convey whatever it was he was thinking.
Finally, he took another breath and Aubrey listened carefully as he started again.
"That future you want, Aubrey. The one with the wedding and the shop in town and the kids. I want it, too."
Aubrey's brows furrowed as she struggled to comprehend where he was headed. But before she could ask any questions, Levi's hands slid out of her hair and instead came to rest on her cheeks as he continued.
"I want it… so much. And I know we're trying, but… even if you go to the north, even if we take every opportunity we get… I don't know if we'll ever get it."
Aubrey couldn't have spoken even if she'd wanted to. She was frozen, her mind filling with pain and confusion. Why was he talking about their nearly impossible future? What did it have to do with his struggle to speak?
Aubrey's mind continued to race. But Levi wasn't done.
"But, even if we can't get all of it… I can at least give you some of it."
Aubrey's eyes widened as she saw Levi reach into his pocket. And then, before she could even process what was happening, he pulled out a box. A small box. A box that, before she'd met Levi, she'd never expected to see in her entire life. But she still knew what those kinds of boxes held.
Aubrey could only watch as Levi opened it, revealing the most beautiful diamond ring she'd ever seen. It had a gold band made up of two separate strands that twisted around each other like vines and supported the large and stunningly clear diamond at the ring's center. But that wasn't the only gemstone. More, smaller, diamonds were embedded in the band, making it sparkle even in the dull light of the stars. It was stunning. It was perfect. And there was something… familiar about it.
"If I can't give you all of it, I can at least give you this."
Aubrey's hand flew to her mouth as she stared down at the ring, then up at Levi, and then back to the ring again. She shook her head in disbelief.
"Levi… where did you get this?"
Her voice was so soft, so weak and breathless, that it was barely audible. But Levi heard her.
He sighed. He could see her scanning every detail, trying to figure out what was so familiar about it. Little did she know, she'd seen it before… just in a different form.
"It's… it's Isabel's necklace. I had the diamonds removed and the gold melted down and reshaped into the band."
Aubrey's gaze flashed away from the ring and back to his eyes in an instant.
"Oh, no. No, Levi. That was hers. That was yours. That was your piece of her."
Levi could hear the panic in Aubrey's tone and he quickly put a stop to it.
"No, Aubrey. I know it's what she would have wanted. She… loved you, just like she loved me. And, yes, it was my piece of her, but… it only means more to me when you're the one wearing it."
Aubrey shook her head again, but it wasn't out of disagreement. She just couldn't believe this was happening. She looked back at the ring.
"When? When did you do this? How did you do this?"
Levi sighed again. She was going to have a lot more questions before she would let him finish.
"The clasp on the necklace broke a couple of months ago. I already knew what I wanted to do with it so there was no point in leaving a broken necklace lying around. I took it to the same shop we bought your necklace at. I guess it's a good thing I decided to remold it right away because I just picked it up last week when we went into town."
Aubrey let out a shaky exhale. Levi had only left her side once when they'd gone into town. He'd gone to buy soap while she'd picked out a new book. Little had she known he was also picking up her engagement ring.
This time, Levi just continued without having to hear her next question.
"I… I wasn't planning to ask you yet. I was going to hide it away for a few years. Maybe give it to Erwin to keep safe so you wouldn't find it. We're still too young. But… I… I just can't let you leave without it."
Levi put his hand back on her cheek and just the one touch had fire spreading all through Aubrey's body.
"We'll do it when you're back. Whatever you want. Big wedding, small wedding, no shitty ceremony at all… whatever you want. As soon as you're back for real. When all of this is over and Erwin calls you home. We'll do it then."
Aubrey could feel the shock turning to tears as she stared at him. She still couldn't believe this was real, couldn't believe this was happening. Her eyes turned back to the ring and her hand fell away from her mouth, landing on her shirt over her heart and clutching at the fabric.
"Levi… I… I don't know what to say."
There wasn't even a second before Levi's hand moved from her cheek to her jaw, lifting her chin and forcing her eyes back to his.
"Well, you still haven't let me finish."
Aubrey was barely containing the tears now and she couldn't even speak. All she could do was memorize his face, memorize this moment as looked down at her.
"Marry me, Aubrey."
Levi watched as her eyes blurred, her tears beginning to overtake her. She didn't speak and Levi could tell that she was still replaying his last words in her head. But he couldn't wait. He needed to hear it now.
He leaned closer, so close that their lips were almost touching as he continued to gaze into her eyes.
"This is the part where you say 'yes', Aubrey. Say 'yes'."
For a few more seconds, there was more silence as Aubrey tried to make her mouth form the word. It just didn't want to work. But she wasn't going to let her body fail her at a time like this. So, with all of her strength, she forced her jaw to move and say the one word she needed to get out.
"Yes."
There wasn't even the slightest pause before Levi's lips hit hers and suddenly the two of them were just a tangle of limbs, wrapping around each other in every way possible and holding on tight.
Aubrey could have kissed him forever, or at least until she couldn't go any longer, but Levi broke away. She looked at him desperately, silently asking why he'd stopped. But then she saw what he was doing.
He'd removed the ring from its box and he was holding her left hand in his own. Aubrey felt like her heart was about to stop.
Levi paused for just a second and glanced up at her. Aubrey stared at his face and then her eyes flicked to her hand as she spread her fingers. And then, before she knew it, Levi was sliding the ring onto her finger.
As soon as the band slid past her knuckle, Aubrey felt the first tear slide down her cheek. After that, there was no stopping them, even if she'd promised not to cry until they got back. They came relentlessly, staining her skin as they traveled the same paths over and over again. But it wasn't long until a familiar touch wiped them away and a set of unmistakable lips pressed to her own.
Their kiss was gentler this time, and longer, too. Aubrey ran her hands through his hair and he held close enough to feel her every movement. When she'd felt his hair for long enough, Aubrey trailed her fingers down his neck, over his chest, across his shoulders. Eventually, though, she just wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, trying to tell him exactly how she felt. But, eventually, they both ran out of air and had to switch to an embrace as they caught their breath.
A few minutes passed by and the two of them melted into each other until, finally, Levi broke the silence.
"I love you."
He repeated the phrase for the third time that night. Only this time, he thought she probably knew exactly how much he meant it.
Levi felt her shake against her chest and he knew that she was holding back a sob. But, somehow, she still managed to answer.
Her hands pressed into his body and her mouth found his ear as she answered him.
"I love you, too, Levi. Always."
A/N: Omg… they're engaged… THEY'RE ENGAGED. I cannot. My babies are engaged :') lol. Did y'all see that coming or did I get ya good? Lol, I left, like, the tiniest hints throughout the chapter and I wanna know if y'all picked up on them ;)
Next chapter will (probably) be a smut chapter (I haven't completely decided yet) … but, like, a sad smut chapter (if that's even possible lol). If I decide not to do a smut chapter, then… the next chapter will be the last chapter of this book :'( Otherwise, if I do go ahead with the (sad) smut (lol), there will be two more chapters.
And how do we feel about Stay Alive as the title for Book 2? I know it's cheesy, but I figured I'd stick with the theme, ya know? Let me know if that's too cringey lol.
And some of y'all be in the comments like, "why am I crying over fictional characters"… LIKE IT'S A BAD THING? Not that I want y'all to cry, but… I do. For real tho, that is the BEST compliment I could receive as an author. It means I'm doing my job right :) I FOR SURE have made myself cry while writing this but I figured that maybe I was just a baby lol. But, anyway, please leave a comment and tell me what you thought :)) I need the emotional support as this fic comes to an end :') Thank you 3