They kept on walking for hours. Hange sped up eventually, wanting to make it to the camp before nightfall.
The sun had started to set as they reached the edge of the forest where Mikasa and Jean said they would stay before making the last stretch to the ocean.
'Levi?' Erwin asked softly.
He had been asleep for a few hours, but Erwin started to get concerned now. Gently tugging his arm, there was still no response, hoping he would wake up before they made it to camp.
'Hange, he is not responding!' He yelled forward.
'We are nearly there! ' Hange yelled back, 'Can you go a little longer?'
'He is not responding!' Erwin repeated, not wanting to walk further until he knew Levi was okay.
'Does he have a pulse?' Hange yelled as they started to walk towards Erwin.
Carefully taking his wrist, Erwin tried to feel for it. He felt a pulse, finally, although very faint. Wrapping his hand around Levi's, he felt more and more concerned
'He still has a pulse!' Erwin yelled back.
Hange had nearly joined him, hurrying his way.
'Hange, I don't think he is okay,' Erwin said concerned. Hange had reached him now and they walked around him, checking up on Levi.
'He is unconscious, but he is breathing – there is a faint pulse' they confirmed.
'Let's get him down Hange, I am worried,' Erwin said again.
'There is no way I can lift him back into your back -' Hange said concerned, looking back at the forest, only having half an hour of walking left at the most.
'Alright, let's keep going then,' Erwin finally nodded, following Hange. He could see smoke rising in the distance in the forest and know Hange was right, they were nearly there.
Holding Levi's left hand that hung over his shoulder, he held it tight, like it was a lifeline.
'Come on, hang on, we are nearly there,' he whispered softly.
Walking beside each other as they walked into the forest, they spotted a fire between the trees, heading there. Nodding at a few people in the camp to greet them, he followed Hange to the two large carts filled with supplies, one only half full. Only when he knew Levi was okay, would he have any peace of mind to see the others, as happy was he was to see them.
'Come, put him down in the cart,' Hange waved Erwin to walk along. Hange had laid one of the small mats they used for camping down and Erwin walked after them. Armin still followed them too, looking concerned.
'Can I help?'
'Yeah, give me a hand getting him off Erwin's back,' Hange waved him along. Closer to the cart, Armin and Hange carefully uncoupled Levi's ODM gear from Erwin's. Levi's limp body falling into Hange's arms, Erwin turned around as well to lift him into the cart, Armin helping as well as they gently laid him down.
'Careful, careful,' Erwin warned Hange. He was concerned, Levi seemingly having been unconscious for most of the last hour.
Climbing into the cart beside him, he didn't care who saw him as he wrapped his hand around Levi's hand. Letting go again after a few seconds, he looked concerned as Levi still hadn't moved or woken up, even after moving him.
'Levi?'
Concerned his laid his hand on the side of his face. His face was clammy, pale. Erwin know the day had taken a toll on him.
'What happened to him?' Armin asked concerned, standing beside Hange.
'Give him some space,' Erwin warned as Armin and Connie still moved closer, looking concerned. Jean was trying to see over Connie as well.
'Thunderspear blew up beside him,' Hange explained, looking at Erwin concerned, gently shaking Levi's shoulder.
'Levi?'
As much as he knew he needed rest, he was concerned now as the man didn't see to wake. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Levi's eye fluttering open as he groaned.
'Hey, you okay?' Erwin asked concerned, Hange leaning over the cart as well.
'Hurts,' Levi finally said, his face pained.
'Where?' Erwin asked concerned, still scared what was going on inside his body after the massive shockwave.
'My back – hip -'
'I know, it's okay,' Erwin just sighed relieved as he had woken up. Carefully he turned Levi on his side, the bruises on his back even darker than this morning. He knew that his whole body was still bruised, sore from the explosion, the fall and the shockwave.
'Got a blanket Hange?' Erwin asked as he noticed Levi's shivering.
Hange nodded, walking away to grab some of the supplies in the other cart, Armin looking at Erwin and Levi a little surprised.
'You – two?'
'Yeah,' Erwin just said, only focused on Levi, caressing over the side of his face as he looked out for Hange with the blanket. Connie and Jean had finally backed off, giving them some space.
Armin nodded with a smile then.
'That's nice,'
The smile didn't last long as he saw Levi still whimpering, never having seen the Captain like this.
'There may be some painkillers in my first aid kit,' Armin said as he took the little pouch from his belt, looking through it.
'Here,' he finally handed it to Erwin, looking at Levi concerned, passing over his flask as well. Erwin carefully laid Levi against him to help him drink. Helping him swallow the pill, he held Levi against him, not caring what anybody thought.
'It was a far walk, I know, it is going to be okay,' he tried to comfort Levi. He figured that the walk, the constant movement had hurt his probably scrambled insides, not even sure how bad the damage was and how far and if it had healed.
Hange finally came back with the blanket sat well, Erwin gently putting Levi down on the mat again and covering him. Holding his hand, his breathing seemed to ease after a few minutes, the painkillers seemingly finally helping him.
'Hey,' he finally mumbled to Erwin, saw how worried he looked as his head was close to his.
'Rest up, okay,' Erwin smiled back at him, kissing him on his cheek not a care in the world what the others would think.
'Are you going to be okay, Captain?' Armin asked concerned, still standing against the side the cart. It was sweet to see how concerned Armin – and even the rest of the 104th were about him.
'He will be,' Erwin just smiled at the young boy, hoping to comfort him as he looked so concerned at Levi, still feeling like he had to be the best leader for them.
'Anything I can do?' Armin asked concerned.
'You're being so loud Armin, piss off,' Levi suddenly mumbled.
'See, he is going to be just fine,' Hange exclaimed as they laid their hand on Armin's shoulder, pushing him away, leaving Erwin and Levi alone by the cart.
Erwin felt relief as Levi took his hand as he was falling asleep again, holding into it before he had fully drifted off.
Levi sat in the same chair he had been sitting for the past two days – for as much as he had been able to sneak off. He had been here as much as he could ever since Erwin had had surgery to close the wound on his arm.
A book was on his lap, wanting to take his mind off his wounded commander he had been sitting beside for all these hours, but no book managed to do so.
Holding the small blue teacup, it reminded him of Erwin, of the friendship they had formed – how much he cared about him.
How many times he had even doubted if he had grown more feelings from Erwin where many more times he could ever count.
'Hey,' Erwin mumbled, softly, weakly – smiling at Levi though. As much of a surprise as it was, it was welcome surprise to have Levi sit by him.
Looking aside, Levi was sitting on the chair beside his bed, a book on his lap and the light blue teacup between his fingertips as he looked at Erwin.
'Hey,' Levi smiled back, moving a little closer.
'How are you feeling?' Levi enquired concerned as Erwin groaned.
'How long have you been here?', Erwin enquired back. He wasn't even sure how long he had been out, but it was nice not to wake up alone.
'Pretty much all night – yesterday too,' Levi said, not wanting to say how long he had really been here.
'Didn't sleep again?'
'Nope,' Levi just shrugged, 'how are you feeling?'
'Like shit,' Erwin admitted the second time he asked.
'I figured as much,' Levi told him.
Erwin closed his eyes for a second. It all came back to him now. Losing his arm, the titan. Just faintly he seemed to remember that Levi was there when he was brought in.
'How is your ankle?' Erwin suddenly asked – as if it was compared to the state he was in.
'Tsk, it's fine. They are trying to keep me on bed rest for no reason,' Levi complained.
'Why are you here then?' Erwin asked as he still tried to make sense of everything. His head was throbbing, as well as what remained of his arm. He hadn't dared to look down yet.
'Promised I would always be by your side when you made me captain, so to me that means even now,' Levi explained.
'Pretty sure that is not part of the description of being a Captain,' Erwin teased him a bit, sitting up a little more.
'You tell me, you made the role up anyway,' Levi said, causing Erwin to chuckle for a second, stopping immediately as his arm – or what remained of it – started to ache.
'Hey, take it easy,' levi said concerned as he moved closer again, sitting on the edge of the bed. It made Erwin's stomach flutter for a second, having grown so attached to the Captain in the last few months.
'Can I get you anything?' Levi asked more concerned than he had ever seen him.
'Get me some water?'
Looking as Levi got up, the man still limping slightly from his ankle injury that had occurred fighting the female titan only a few days ago, he couldn't stop looking at how good he looked in the pajama pants and lose shirt – clearly not his own, as they were way too long. Very different than he had ever seen him. He looked Levi cleaned his teacup carefully and filled it up with water for Erwin.
When the titan had gotten him, biting down on his arm, all he could think about was how he wouldn't see Levi again. It seemed silly, he was just another one of his soldiers, but somehow the blunt, rude but somehow still gentle and soft man had grown on him so much.
It was a feeling he hadn't want to admit, but after what happened, it made no sense not to allow these feelings.
Careful, Levi helped him drink, still sitting on the edge of his bed. Putting the water away, Levi didn't dare to look Erwin in the eye. He wasn't sure what he had planned now that the man was waking up. Being here when he had been unconscious was a whole lot easier. When Erwin had been brought in, his heart had sunk, the one person that he trusted after all these years hurt.
When he had been brought in, he had rushed outside, to the great dismay of the medic that was trying to keep an eye on him, as many times as he had said his ankle was fine.
While he had been in surgery he had waited around his room, not being able to go there without knowing that Erwin was going to be okay, dodging the medics that had tried to see him as well.
'I was really worried about you,' Levi suddenly admitted.
A little surprised at how emotional he suddenly sounded, he looked at the captain. For a second he saw Levi's bottom lip quiver, but soon he seemed to regain control of himself.
'I am going to be okay, alright?' Erwin promised him, touched by how upset Levi seemed to be, as much as he didn't want to show it.
Reaching out his left hand, he gently wrapped his hand around Levi's, the small hand on the bed now as he had handed him the water, the empty cup beside it. Levi looked down, surprised as the large hand wrapped around his hand, trying to hide the smile and blush on his face then.
'Can you maybe go to the meeting with Nile and Pixis tomorrow, inn my place?' Erwin asked him,
'Sure – are you sure Hange wouldn't be a better pick?' Levi asked unsure.
'I trust you more than anybody in the world,' Erwin smiled, both men blushing as they looked at their interlocked hands.
For a second, Levi though of confessing all the thoughts that been on his mind over the past few days. Before he could, there was a knock on the door.
'Probably the medic again to check up on you, gotta go,' Levi hissed as he pulled his hand free.
'They don't know you are here?' Erwin asked surprised, Levi gesturing him to be quiet.
'No,' Levi dryly whispered as he opened the window, throwing the book out around the corner and Erwin looked as he climbed to the next window over, probably the room they were trying to keep him on bedrest – very unsuccessfully. As the medic walked in, looking at the half open window and closing it, Erwin couldn't stop smiling as he moved the small teacup under his pillow to hide it.
Sitting in the cart next to Levi, he only looked up as Hange tapped on his shoulder. He had sat here the last hour as the others were fighting, not wanting to leave Levi's side – and not really feeling like he wanted to be a part of the discourse either. He felt like he should have been, he should have said something. But he was too preoccupied with the man laying by him.
'Here, stew for you and Levi,' they smiled as they handed over the bowls to Erwin. They were so full Erwin struggled putting them down without spilling anything.
'Thanks Hange, smell great,' Erwin just smiled at them, Hange smiling back for a second.
'You eat too, don't give all of it to him – we have plenty to go around,' Hange warned Erwin as they knew that he would do anything for Levi.
'Ofcourse,' Erwin nodded.
Gently he woke Levi, his hand on his shoulder.
'Hey - gotta eat,' he said softly as he helped Levi sit up. He still looked in pain and Erwin gently kissed him on his forehead, hoping to bring him some comfort.
Careful, he started to feed Levi, feeling bad every time he touched his lips to spoon some of the stew in his mouth. Even though Hange had redone some of the stiches, the wounds on his lips still looking gnarly.
He saw Levi look miserable, feeling vulnerable in front of everybody now that Erwin was feeding him.
'They know now,' Levi pointed out as he saw some people look.
'Nobody cares and neither do I about what other people think,' Erwin told Levi, carefully feeding him another spoonful of the stew. It wasn't easy for him to eat still, his lips swollen and hurting. He didn't want to complain though, knew Erwin was doing his best.
'Give me a sec, you eat some of your own,' Levi said, started to feel ill as Erwin kept on feeding him. Erwin wanted to so, concerned as Levi was gripping his stomach with his left hand.
'What is wrong?'
'Pain, what's new?' Levi mumbled.
Concerned, Erwin lifted up his shirt, gasping as he saw all the bruising on his stomach, not sure if that had been there before.
'Since when-,'
'Hurt today while we were walking,' Levi admitted, 'everything did,'
'I told you we shouldn't have moved you,' Erwin said frustrated.
'It was my choice,' Levi said a little angry, tugging his shirt down.
'Levi-,'
'Give me the rest of the stew, please,' Levi just said, not wanting to discuss it any further. Erwin did what he ask, but was bothered about what he had just seen.
'I am just worried about you, okay?' Erwin finally said.
'I know, but I chose that I wanted to meet up with the others, don't blame yourself, okay?' Levi finally asked, as much as he knew Erwin would.
Finishing up the bowl, Erwin finally smiled, gently wiping the little spilled bits of food away from his lips, finally kissing him on his forehead.
Piecke slowly came walking their way, leaning on the cart.
'Hange wanted me to check if you wanted seconds,' she smiled friendly at them. It was odd how they had been on opposing sides and he found it hard to accept. But Erwin was also very aware that he had to put his own feelings aside for the alliance.
'He wants some,' Erwin handed over the bowl before Levi could even say anything.
'I am going to throw up if you feed me anymore,' Levi told Erwin.
'Try me, you need to eat to heal,' Erwin told him and Levi knew better than to argue. Holding Levi's hand, he just caressed it as he knew there wasn't much else he could do for Levi. At least he had the painkillers still on him that Armin had given him for the future. He looked as Levi gave him a faint smile as well, looking surprised behind him then.
Turning around, Erwin saw Reiner near the cart, looking unsure as he seemingly wanted to approach them.
'Better keep walking,' Erwin told the man, angry as soon as he saw him. He wasn't sure what it was sadness, regret or anger he saw in Reiner's eyes, but he sure didn't want to find out.
'Reiner, move it!' Piecke warned him as well, walking to the cart then.
'Commander, got some more for him,' Piecke said friendly, clearly not feeling comfortable with all of this either.
'Thank you, Piecke,' he smiled at her. Moving closer to Levi again, he wasn't surprised to find the man passed out again as soon as Erwin had given him the chance, instead digging into the stew himself. Looking at the campfire, he was just glad Levi had not realized Annie was there, not wanting to find out what rage it would unleash in him.
'Hey, just wanted to check if you needed anything before going to the meeting with Pixis and Nile,' Levi said as he poked his head into Erwin's room. Erwin was finally on his feet, nowhere near fully recovered but he insisted on going to his weekly meeting with the heads of the other branches.
Last week, three days after the surgery, Levi had gone in his place and he really couldn't imagine why Erwin was so excited again. It had only been an hour, but it had felt like a year.
'All good, thanks for going last week – dodged your bed rest again I heard,' Erwin smiled at him, not having seen him often since as it seemed the staff had finally cracked down on him. He had been on his bedside once more as the medics had allowed it, but since Pixis had been there too, there wasn't much interaction between them.
'Tsk, no need to thank me – also the one situation where bed rest would have been the better option,' Levi said as he walked towards Erwin, starting to button his shirt without Erwin even asking. Erwin smiled as any hint of injury on Levi was gone, glad to know he was okay.
'I wanted to shave, but don't think I will be able to do it with my left hand,' Erwin admitted as Levi was buttoning his shirt.
'I can do it – if you don't mind?' Levi offered, knew that Erwin wanted to be presentable as he was meeting with the other commanders. As much as he had found it a bullshit meeting, he knew it was important to Erwin.
'You don't have to do that,'
'It's no bother,' Levi told him as he straightened his collar.
'Alright,' Erwin finally nodded.
'Sit down, otherwise I can't reach -'
'Ofcourse,' Erwin smiled. Sitting with a groan as his body was stiff after lying in bed for days, he looked as Levi was getting together the shaving supplies.
'Beard looks good on you though,' Levi mumbled as he took some of the shaving cream and he started to spread it over Erwin's face.
Careful he slid the blade over Erwin's chin. Wiping the cream of the blade, he laid his hands on his face again to turn it slightly.
Erwin closed his eyes for a second. As much as he hated that he needed help, he didn't mind that it was Levi. The last few years they had grown so close and he trusted him more than anyone else.
The small, gentle hands made their way over his face, finally feeling the towel over his chin as Levi had finished up. Opening his eyes, Levi's face was close to his as he combed his hair, wiping the bangs back, looking more familiar now.
'Going all out huh?' Erwin smiled. Levi had a small smile on his face for just a second too.
'Just figured you would feel a little better-'
'I do, thanks,'
'Want me to put some pomade in your hair too?', Levi asked as he put the shaving supplies away.
'Yeah, please,'
Levi nodded with a small smile, grabbing the pomade from the nightstand and carefully putting some on his fingers. He loved the smell of it, immediately reminding him of Erwin, the person that had made him feel so safe over these last few weeks when it seemed everything had gone to shit.
Erwin didn't want to look away from the steel blue eyes in front of him, looking in Levi's eyes as he looked up to style his hair.
His stomach fluttered as Levi's face was barely an inch away from his, carefully inspecting his hair, still wiping aside and back a few stray hairs.
Their eyes met again and Levi stopped for a second, staring deep in Erwin's eyes. Slowly he moved closer, their lips touching gently, for just a second before Levi realized he had crossed the line, immediately pulling back.
'Sorry – I am – that was inappropriate,' Levi stammered as he stumbled backwards, his face turning a bright shade of red. Before he could do anything else, Erwin took his hand, pulling him closer, onto his lap and pressing his lips on Levi's again.
Levi's hands made their way behind Erwin's neck, his fingers slowly crawling into his hair as they kept on kissing. It took minutes before Levi could finally get himself to tear away from Erwin.
'Probably should redo your hair,' Levi smiled, hiding his face from Erwin as he felt he was blushing.
'Probably,' Erwin said, biting his lip as he felt was starting to blush as well.
'Sorry-', Levi just said again as he was carefully redoing his hair, getting up from Erwin's lap then.
'Don't be sorry,' Erwin told him as he stood up as well, Levi still blushing as he was putting away all the stuff he had used.
'I feel so much better now – thank you,' Erwin said as he walked up behind Levi, wrapping his arm around him and kissing him on top of his head, Levi surprised because of it. Letting go of him, Erwin leaned over and picked up the blue teacup he had hidden in his room all this week from the nearby drawer, handing it back to Levi, who didn't dare look up at him.
'Probably should go before you are late,' Levi said, not daring to face Erwin.
'Yeah – come have tea with me tonight – my office?'
'Yeah,' Levi smiled at Erwin at last, as they both knew after this there was a lot to be discussed.
Levi was asleep still, tired after eating and although Erwin had wanted him to eat more, it was good he was resting.
As he seemed to be in even worse pain than before after the long day – and the internal injuries possibly worsening, he was just glad to know that he was finally resting up. He tried to ban all the worries about his worsening state out of his mind.
Getting cold in the cart as well, he looked at the fire a little doubtful. Making sure Levi was tucked in well, he finally got up to walk towards the fire to warm up himself.
Sitting in between Armin and Mikasa, he was glad to have been kept outside most of the commotion before. He tried not to look at Annie nor Reiner. He wished he could let go off of the anger and resentment. But it still get the better of him, knowing how many people had died under his watch because of him.
Lives that he did still feel responsible for.
Instead he just tried to focus on the youngsters looking up at him, nervously.
'How is Levi?' Armin enquired.
'Asleep again, catching up on years – decades - of sleep I think,' Erwin smiled. He got handed one of the bottles of wine stolen from HQ – Eldian, not Marleyan – checking twice if it was not tainted.
Taking a swig of the wine, he felt better being with his comrades. He looked as Armin got up, each time he did he was surprised at how lanky the tiny blonde had grown and how grown he looked now. He saw so much of himself in Armin, his curiousness about the outside world and his strategies.
'I will sit with the Captain for a bit, you warm up by the fire – Commander,' Armin said friendly.
'Don't let him bite your head off if he wakes up,' Erwin joked as he took another swig of the wine.
Armin nodded as he made his way toward the cart. He wasn't sure if the Captain would wake when he climbed up over the edge and sat down beside him. He tried to be as quiet as possible, not wanting to wake Levi.
Sitting down as quietly as he could, he looked concerned at the captain.
Levi felt the cart move under him, peeking through his eyelashes as he spotted Armin look over him, going down lower in the cart to clearly check if he was breathing, if his chest was still rising.
'No need to check – I am still alive,' Levi told him, Armin jumping back up.
'Sorry-'
'Guess I look like a dead man a little too much,' Levi snarked.
'Can I get you anything?' Armin enquired as he sat down again, glad the man woke up. He had been worried walking up here.
'No, thanks – You don't need to feel like you need to entertain me either,' Levi mumbled.
'That's okay, I just want you to know you are not alone,' Armin smiled, 'Sorry about being so loud before – I guess I was just really worried about you,'
'It's fine, just not dealing with the pain well,' Levi admitted. It wasn't something he was used to given that he usually didn't feel much pain at all. Whereas pain had usually gone away soon, he knew his body was healing from injuries he shouldn't even have survived in the first place.
'It's all good,' Armin smiled at Levi as he hadn't been any more blunt than usually. Getting a usual reaction of him even comforted Armin, giving him some trust the captain was going to be okay.
'Help me sit up a little?' Levi finally asked Armin, the boy carefully helping him sit up against the side of the cart.
'Sure I can't get you anything?'
'No, all good, thanks,' Levi told the young boy. Armin just sat by him, polite, clearly not sure if he should say anything as he knew Levi liked his silence. Looking at the young man's face, he saw something was on his mind.
'Something on your mind?' Levi asked as he saw something was up with Armin.
'It makes no sense to me that you picked me over him,' Armin admitted, 'especially – you know,'
'Because I love him?', Levi filled in what Armin didn't dare to say. Armin finally nodded, as clear as it all seemed now, he didn't want to make any assumptions.
'Yeah,'
'I hate cliché bullshit – but sometimes if you love somebody, you have to let them go – Just turns out Erwin and me are both hard to kill bastards,'
Armin chuckled for a second,
'I am glad you are,' Armin smiled.
'Don't go sappy on me now,' Levi mumbled softly.
'Sorry capt-' Armin immediately wanted to apologize.
'It's fine, ' Levi told him, 'I am beyond grateful Erwin survived, but I never regretted my decision, Armin,'
It was lie, he did regret one thing. He knew Armin was on borrowed time by his decision. He knew the boy would only have nine years left at this point. But he had chosen the lesser of two evils. Without the serum, Armin would have died for sure.
Erwin stared into the fire, the bottle of wine still in his hand. It was nice though, sitting beside his comrades after the insane few days they had had. He finally felt a little bit of peace and comfort, even though he knew Levi was far from out of the woods.
'Are you okay, commander?' Connie asked him, the man looking a lot older than a few days prior it seemed.
'Yeah, just been a lot with everything going on in the world – and with Levi,'
'How – how long have you been together?' Jean was the first who dared to ask Erwin.
'About four years, little longer – got together not long after Trost,' Erwin said. He wasn't sure if it was the wine that was making him blush or talking about it in the open for the first time since Hange – who had already known, as he had suspected.
'You owe me,' Mikasa stretched her hand out to Jean.
'We are on the run! Why do you think I have money on me!' Jean pointed out, agitated.
'You better not tell me you had bets running on it,' Erwin said, trying to hide his smile because as much as he tried to be the stern commander he had always been to him, it was a little funny to him as well. They had thought they had been so careful, but it seemed most people had already known.
'I didn't,' Connie exclaimed as he shrugged.
'Yeah, because you are oblivious to everything,' Jean rolled his eyes.
'Since when did you-' Erwin wondered, Mikasa answering before he could answer his question.
'When you shared that ice cream in the harbor in Marley. I saw you two when I was looking for Eren,' Mikasa explained, thinking back of the two men standing near the railing of the harbor, Levi handing over his ice cream for Erwin to try – Erwin teasingly pressing the ice cream against Levi's nose after trying. He lovingly had wiped it off then after laughing, looking around before kissing him when he had thought nobody would see them.
'I thought it was a recent thing, I saw Levi leave your room at night a few months ago when I couldn't sleep,' Jean explained.
'We never let it interfere with the corps, it just happened,' Erwin said, not wanting to make a big thing out of it. But he couldn't ignore how good it felt to not have to hide it. To finally proudly let the world know how he felt about Levi. How he had felt these last few years.
'We know, if it had we would have found out sooner,' Jean pointed out.
'Guess we didn't do too bad of a job hiding it then,' Erwin said with a small smile.
'It's nice – you know – that you care so much about each other – you have been through so much together,' Mikasa finally smiled.
'Thanks,' Erwin smiled, glad to finally get it out in the open and how accepting the others were of it. He wasn't sure if it was the impending end of the world, but he felt good about it now, happy to finally share the love he felt for Levi with others.
About half an hour later, Erwin had left the fire, not wanting to be away from Levi's side any longer.
Walking back to the cart, he approached carefully as he saw Armin and Levi were talking.
'Erwin,'
Turning around, Hange came walking his way.
'What is it?'
Crossing their arms, they looked at Erwin a bit unsure.
'I am not sure if you and Levi should come with us tomorrow. Piecke and Reiner went to scout near the sea and Floch and the Yeagerists took over the harbour. We are not going to get out of here without a fight,'
'I don't want to drag Levi into that,' Erwin nodded.
'That is why I am telling you, think about what you wanna do tomorrow Erwin,' Hange nodded.
'He is even more bruised after the walk Hange – I think his injuries may be even worse – the thunderspear may have done way more damage internally than -'
'There is nothing we can do about that now, except hope for him to heal – but not near a warzone – think about it Erwin,' Hange told him, their hand on his shoulder for a second.
'I can't leave you though, I didn't become a commander to leave you all when it is most important.'
'Just – think about it Erwin, Levi needs you too,'
Erwin bit his lip, nodding for a second.
'He is just one man though – how many have we sacrificed – I am not sure what the right choice is Hange,' Erwin admitted. It seemed the easy choice to stay with Levi not drag him into the fighting.
'You will figure it out,' Hange told him as they laid their hand on his arm for a second time, leaving him be then.
'I will think about it, Hange,' Erwin nodded, grateful that they were so open with him and tried to think what was best for Levi.
Slowly he approached the cart now, Armin still sitting with Levi.
Looking back, Armin spotted Erwin.
'Sorry Commander-' Armin said he got up.
'No need to be sorry, thanks for taking my place for a bit,' Erwin smiled friendly as he let Armin hold his shoulder as he jumped out of the cart. Getting into the cart himself, Levi gave him a small smile, his eye drooping down as he was tired. Erwin laid him down, carefully, gripping his hand again as he sat down beside him, his heart still fluttering after all he had told the others, it feeling like somewhat of a relief to finally get it all out in the open.
Erwin sat in his office, hoping that after what happened today, he hadn't scared away Levi. Even though Levi had been the one to kiss him first, he knew it was complicated – given their roles in the corps, their relationship and their history.
Tapping his pen onto the files in front of him, nervously, he wasn't even sure why he was holding it. Just like everything else, he had to learn how to write with his other hand.
There was a short knock on the door and he looked as Levi came into the room, carrying a small box in his arm, not daring to look at Erwin.
'Hey, glad you come,' Erwin finally broke the silence between them.
'I went to see my squad – took this on the way back,' Levi explained as he handed it to Erwin, 'It's not as nice but it-'
'You didn't have to get me anything,' Erwin smiled as he put the box down, Levi helping him open it.
'I wanted to,' Levi said as Erwin took out the teacup, a white one, a little bigger and less delicate than Levi's. Levi thought it suited him.
'That is really thoughtful and kind, thank you,' Erwin smiled.
'I ehm – I brought the teacup as well. It was your gift and I thought it might be nice,' Levi said awkwardly.
'It is, let's fill them up,' Erwin smiled. Levi followed him. He wasn't sure what to say, standing beside Erwin was he aided him in making the tea
'I am sorry again about today,' Levi said, his hands in his pockets finally as the tea steeped, 'I – I shouldn't have just kissed you like that,'
Standing beside Erwin, he took over to pour the tea in the two cups, worried about Erwin doing it with his left hand.
'It's okay, I felt the same – but as your superior it wasn't right for me to do,' Erwin smiled at him as Levi took over the pour the tea from him.
'Come on, sit down again,' Levi told him as even tough Erwin tried to act he was fine, Levi was still concerned as he was far from healed. He walked to the desk and sat down, Levi putting his cup down on the desk. Sitting down on the edge of the desk then, facing Erwin.
'Think I can't handle you?' Levi enquired, taking a sip of the tea.
'That's not what it's about, I want you to know that me being your superior should never influence on you being able to say what you want me – or don't want me to do,'
'So formal so suddenly,' Levi teased him.
'Levi, I am being serious,' Erwin told him, the cup that Levi had gifted him in his hand.
Grabbing the collar of his shirt, Levi pulled Erwin closer, pressing his lips on Erwin's again.
'There, superior, all good,' Levi said dryly as he backed off after a few seconds of kissing passionately.
'Alright, just know I never want to do anything to hurt you and my role shouldn't matter,' Erwin told him, putting down the teacup to lay his hand on Levi's lower back.
'I trust you, more than anything or anyone in the world, Erwin,' Levi told Erwin, a warm feeling spreading through Erwin's chest. Just as Erwin had told Levi eight days prior.
The man that had been doubtful of everything – the corps, his intentions and had come to kill him, now put so much value on his life.
Pulling Levi closer he kissed him again, never wanting to let go.
Erwin was caressing though Levi's hair, absentminded.
He wasn't able to sleep, just grateful to be here beside him. His heart had grown so fond of him in the past four years and talking about it only made him realize that more.
'Hmm, you still up?' Levi stirred for second.
'Yeah,'
'What is on your mind?',
'Not much,' Erwin lied, not wanting to ruin this moment between him and Levi. For a second, it seemed like they were the last two people on earth under the stars.
'Liar,' Levi pointed out. He could see that Erwin had something on his mind. Even though his face was mostly hidden by the darkness, he saw those two dents near his eyebrows, easily giving away he was mulling over something in his head. He wanted to snark about people sitting beside him only to think and mull things over, but instead he wanted to make sure Erwin was okay.
'I just told the others about us – just not sure what that is going to mean for us in the future – I am your superior after all,' Erwin said. Although it was not the main thing on his mind as he knew he had to make a choice about what they were going to do tomorrow.
'The world is ending, I don't think people particularly care about what we do – did or will do in the future if we have one,'
'Let's just let it go then,' Erwin shrugged with a smile, 'I guess you are right about that,'
'I know it seems dumb with everything going on – the stars are nice tonight,' Levi said softly, looking up as Erwin gently caressed through his hair.
'Not dumb, the kid from the underground is finally appreciating the stars,' Erwin teased him. He thought about what Hange had said, still not sure what to do. He didn't want to leave his corps behind, being the commander. He knew how dire it was, and he couldn't leave them. But on the other side, the last thing he wanted was dragging Levi into an active war zone, given the state he was in. As much as Erwin wanted to tell himself he was healing – and he hoped he slowly was – he was aware that Levi was far from healed and okay.
'Need some more painkillers?,' Erwin asked as he heard Levi whimper softly.
'Yeah,' Levi admitted after a few seconds, he didn't want to need them. Never having needed them before, but his body was aching so bad he didn't have another choice. Carefully, Erwin let him take one of the pills again and tucking him in, holding him close, hoping to bring some comfort.
There was no way that he could drag Levi into the fighting tomorrow. But there also no way he could leave his Corps. So many had sacrificed themselves and it seemed selfish to suddenly chose Levi's life over the greater good.
Caressing over his head as he looked at the stars, he was not sure what to do.
Thank you so much for reading again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! There hasn't been much if any of response to this story on here but I hope you are enjoying it. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter, or the story in general and hopefully till next week!