With the Music Box in the Candlelight
Levi Ackerman x Reader
Levi clutched your engagement ring in his hand as he and his squad swiftly rode through Reiss lands, and to the Reiss Chapel. It wasn't only a race against time to save Eren from being eaten by Christa—no, Historia—but for Captain Levi, it was his nightmare fully realized; his fiancée has been abducted by Kenny the Ripper.
With the wind whipping past his hair, Levi clenches his jaw at how horrified you must be. How a dirty man like Kenny would contort your bright and lovely face into one of fear and anguish, and it sickens Levi. He knew his job meant he would deal with dangerous men. He knew you were no soldier like he was—you just happened to be an unassuming baker with the most dazzling smile the all-too-serious Captain's ever seen, and has promptly fallen in love with, like love was the easiest thing in the world—and goddamn it, he should've protected you better.
But Levi, strong as he was, could never have predicted that it would be Kenny the Ripper, the man who's taught him everything he knows, would also be the man to snatch his everything away from him.
Levi knew Kenny doesn't shy away from dirty tactics. A particularly dangerous trait when combined with his endless ambition, arrogance, and pride. And so when the last of Kenny's men sped away with Eren and Historia's wagon in tow, and flicked an all too familiar ring at him, Levi knew Kenny's found the ultimate carrot on a stick—your life, for Levi to face him.
"Fuck."
Levi rode his horse harder.
When Levi Squad finally infiltrated the Reiss' underground cave, the Captain quickly barked at his soldiers to pursue Kenny's men while he went after Kenny himself. After cutting down several of the First Interior Squad with the ease of a knife slicing through butter, Levi found you in one of the smaller chambers tucked away amongst the iceburst stone.
Levi could feel the familiar rush of strength coursing through veins, like electricity charging up his muscles for a fight to the death, at the sight of you. You've been tied against a pillar, still wearing your baker's apron, a knotted piece of cloth gagging you from screaming. Your hair has been visibly pulled and manhandled from its usual pleat; your clothes, in much the same messed up and dirtied state. Kenny's men charged at Levi far too quickly before he could assess the scope of your injuries, if any. But your tearful cry for him at least told him that you were alive.
You immediately called out for your fiancé at the sight of him—his cheek sliced open, smelling like smoke, gunpowder, and gas.
He was here! He found you!
But something about him stopped you.
He looked… menacing.
You've never seen Levi this way. A frightening snarl was painted on his hard features, looking like a madman unhinged and let loose only to leave carnage and blood in the wake of his every slice and slash at flesh and bone. Men were dropping around him like flies.
You barely recognized this Levi. Your ears rang at the gurgled echoes of death as your captors choked on their own blood, bled out from their open guts. Meanwhile, Levi just cut through them without so much of a grunt.
It's just metal clanging on metal, and gunshots ringing out at stone. Faintly, you can hear orders being shouted out, and the cavern around you sprinkling down stone dust and debris as it shook from the ricocheting bullets.
Was this really the Levi who promised you his beating heart? The soldier who's strong, and safe hands held you like you were the most priceless thing in the world?
The man you swore to marry?
And when you couldn't watch any longer, a knife was held to your throat.
"Ah, ah, ah."
It was the tall man in the fedora. The leader of her captors.
"It would be such a shame if I accidentally sliced yer girlfriend's pretty little neck, eh?"
Levi's sharp, bloodthirsty eyes flashed between you and the man holding you hostage.
"Let her go, Kenny."
Levi's voice was nothing like you've ever heard, either. It was dark and dangerous. The voice of a killer.
"Or what?" Kenny sneered, his grip on you tightening.
Levi only clicked his tongue, adjusting his stance for a fight.
"Didn't I teach ya any better, Levi?" Kenny started pressing the blade of his knife into your skin. "Don't let yerself have a weakness, or men like me will wrench that shit of ya until you're cornered like a rat."
It was then that the whole cave shook from an explosion.
In a flash, Levi swoops in to cut Kenny's side. Kenny stumbled back, letting you go, and shot at Levi. Levi blocked the bullet with his blade, as his squad flooded in the chamber.
"Captain! We gotta go!" A soldier with closely cropped hair and an undercut called out.
Already bleeding out, Kenny reached out for you in a last ditch effort to slit your throat, and was promptly shot in his left chest by a brunette woman's arrow.
Swiftly, Levi turns to free you. He breathes out your name. His face a picture of worry, his voice coarse and exhausted. Levi reaches to cup your tearstained face, but stops himself at the sight of his blood-soaked hands.
Instead, he starts cutting you free of your bonds and your gag. His actions were gruff and hurried. But his eyes were desperately searching into yours. Assessing your body if you've been hurt in any way.
"I've got you, I've got you. You'll be okay. It'll be okay."
Once you've been free, Levi moves to finally take you in his arms and run, except you freeze.
He didn't miss the way your eyes remained wide and glazed over.
He says your name again, louder this time. Hurriedly telling you, "You need to move for me, dear. You need to let me take you. We need to run. Please."
Levi isn't calling you a brat today.
Yet, you remained as still as stone. Arms held up against your chest as if protecting yourself, hands shaking, eyes looking past Levi's.
You were still unresponsive.
A bullet whizzes past Levi's ear, cursing as he jumps back and faces an injured but still-fighting Kenny.
The cave continued to crumble around them.
"Ya gotta do better than that to take me out, runt!" Kenny growls out, engaging in combat with Levi once more.
In the mess, Levi manages to call out, "JEAN! She's in shock!"
Quickly, the soldier with cropped hair and undercut sweeps in to take you, and carries you out the cavern and into the main cave- his face serious; not asking his Captain any questions about this random girl he just saved.
In a stroke of luck and speed, Levi slashes another gash on Kenny's chest. Kenny's back hits the stone wall, and with a broken yelp, gets buried in a sudden rain of stone, stalagmite, and debris.
"Get out of the cave! Take Eren and Historia!" Levi barks to his squad, as they fly past the crumbling cave pillars. He's quickly informed that Rod Reiss has transformed into a titan, Historia's been secured, and that Eren too, has transformed and is using his hardening abilities to keep the cave from collapsing altogether.
"Tsk. Then let's take cover under Eren—"
"Captain! I found an opening!" the woman with the bow and arrows shouts.
"Follow Sasha!" Levi orders, watching as Jean zooms to the exit after Sasha, with you still quiet and unmoving in his arms.
It took a few days before Levi could finally find a moment alone with you. Between slaying Rod Reiss and crowning the new Queen, Levi could only delegate your care and need for medical attention to his most trusted soldiers.
When he entered your room with a soft click, you were already thankfully conscious and lucid.
The moment Jean took you out of the cave, and the gravity of all that's happened crashed down on you, you fell faint and unconscious. Levi vividly remembers gathering you in his arms from Jean's; finally able to hold you since you were kidnapped. His squad watched on as their valiant Captain anxiously tried to wake you up. And when you wouldn't, painfully croaked out to his soldiers:
"Help her."
It was then that a battered and bruised Hange came over to Levi with a comforting hand.
"Here. Let me take her, Levi."
The sight of your fiancé in your little candlelit room was no unusual one. You've seen this scene many times before, and have always thought that Levi and his serious gaze never seemed out of place in your bedroom. After all, this man has seen more of you than any other man has in this very room. In this very bed.
But tonight was different. Tonight you didn't see your fiancé in your room.
You saw a rampaging killer.
Like clockwork, the moment you were reminded of your abduction and the subsequent carnage of your rescue, you start freezing up. Your chest tightens, and quickly, it gets hard to breathe. Your eyes are blown wide now, and your muscles feel taught.
"Ssh, ssh, darling." Levi darts over to you, hoping to comfort you.
But he stops himself at the sight of you recoiling from him.
You were afraid of him.
You bow your head into your folded knees, unable to look at the man you loved. Unable to bear the hurt look in his eyes.
Without a word, he walks over to the music box on your bedside table—a beautifully ornate little thing that you inherited from your grandmother. Calmly, he winds up the music box, and it opens up to reveal the dancing figures within, a stream of dreamy, tinkling music filling the quiet room.
Carefully, and as delicately as he can like he was handling a newborn babe, Levi lifts your head up to look at him. The candlelight has washed your teary eyes and flushed cheeks a golden hue.
He whispers your name. Whispers it like a prayer.
"Will you let me hold you?"
Breathing heavily now, you nod your head tearfully.
Levi sits on your bed beside you, and gently cradled you to his chest. His arms were as warm and as comfortable as you remember them. How could such sure and gentle hands with the sweetest touch inflict so much ruthless pain and violence?
"Breathe with me. Slowly."
You feel the rise and fall of his chest. The steady cadence of his beating heart helping you regulate your breathing.
You were trembling.
And oh, if only you could see the anguished look on Levi's face when he felt you trembling like a wounded bird.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to see me like that. You were so brave, but I—I should've protected you, I should've kept you safe."
Levi's words were muffled from where he spoke them against your hair. You still smelled like pastries—like vanilla and bread.
You burrowed yourself deeper into his arms, still breathing.
The continued clinking of the music box blanketed you both as you let your body be completely supported by Levi's strong one. He started rocking you in his arms, like you were slow-dancing to the melody of the music box.
And you let him.
You allowed him to bear all that's plagued you mind these past few days. Allowed him to carry all of you.
When Levi felt you calming down, he whispers, "That's it, that's my girl."
Until, the music box stopped playing.
You slowly looked up to your fiancé. And for the first time, you speak.
"Levi…"
He says your name back, returning your earnest gaze.
"I—I forgive you. It's alright. I'm alright."
Levi couldn't help himself. He lets out a deeply relieved sigh, his strong hands moving to cup your lovely face…
And then Levi kisses you.
Here is a man who's darkest, dirtiest, and most terrifying demons have been revealed to you. And yet, here is a man whose kind, kind heart has turned your love into the most precious thing in his world; his only sin? Nothing but being flawed.
His kisses are desperate- telling you so much more than words can. Much like the man himself.
When you finally parted, Levi held your hand.
"Allow me."
He took out your engagement ring from his pocket. It was a simple, dainty thing with a pale blue stone set in a silver band. Levi would never forget the rush he felt the day he proposed to you. Even more so the sparkle in your eyes when you said yes. While admiring your ring, you'd tell Levi that it was perfect. That all you had to do to see his gunmetal eyes on days that he was on duty, was to look down on your finger—the stone was his eyes' exact shade of blue.
From where you were sitting on the bed, Levi gets up, and kneels before you. Before you could say any more, he says your name.
"When I asked you to marry me, I told you that you make me want to be a better man. And now, you've seen me at my worst." Levi pursed his lips.
"But you—you deserve a man at his best. You deserve only the best of me, and yet here you are, still accepting me. And so." Levi holds up the ring to your finger.
"I'm on my knees again, promising to love you, and honor you, and keep you safe at my best." He whispers your name like it was poetry. "Will you still marry me?"
You did not hesitate.
"Every single time, Levi."
