When the Moon is High
Petra sat up from crinkling of keys behind her door. Unconsciously, a smile began to creep up her face, brightening it amidst the darkness of the room. She didn't need to look to know who it was but she still wanted to anyway.
The door slowly inched open, no sound was heard except the beating of two hearts desperate for each other after a week of distance. The little light that entered the room vanished when Levi closed the door behind him.
Petra heard him sigh from where he still stood, her eyes, long adjusted to the dark, soaked in his figure. He was leaning his back against the door, face towards the ceilings, hand resting on his forehead. Then, the hand on his forehead went down to run on his face as inhaled sharply.
"Are you okay?" She would have laughed at the surprised jump he did at her question if not for the concern that replaced her excitement earlier.
"I thought you were asleep already," he replied. It didn't escape Petra that he chose not to answer her question.
Petra saw Levi push himself off the door and make his way towards her bed. He was already wearing his sleeping clothes, and although the military uniform definitely brings out the definition of the muscles on his body, she can't help but like this version of Levi better-relaxed and calm.
Eager, she held out her hand to touch him, comfort him perhaps of whatever burden it is that planted itself on his shoulder.
Levi took her hand before sitting down on her bed, the mattress dipping at his weight. He pulled her hand closer and closer and closer until she could see the clouds in his irises and the sunlight it tries to shelter from everyone.
Everyone but her apparently.
Petra craned her neck backwards a bit to look at the rest of him with the soft light the moon had lended them. The lines between his eyebrows were more prominent than ever, and so was the bags underneath his eyes. His jaw was tense with the secrets he might never tell her and his hair mussled out of its usual combed parting.
She skimmed her fingertips over his face again.
"You look awful." The corner of Levi's lips quirked a fraction upwards before he buried his face on her shoulder.
"Welcoming as ever," he muttered, running a hand through her hair, down towards the small of her back. He gave her shoulders several pecks, tasting her soft skin. He trailed them upwards her neck, her jaw, her earlobe, her cheek. He stopped for a moment, keeping his lips on the corner of her mouth, savoring the feel of her smile into his kiss.
This time, he was the one that observed her. Her lips widened as she watched Levi's eyes roam her face, flickering with emotion every once in a while.
"You look like shit too Petra." The smile on her face never left even as she rolled her eyes at his comment. She retracted her hands from the back of his head and started to get off his lap when Levi yanked her arm back.
Somehow, in his infinite talents, he managed to pull her back to him in such a way that his lips landed on hers.
Her lips moved with his with ease from the many kisses they had shared and stolen. His two hands met as he caged Petra's waist-securely, firmly, selfishly, pulling her closer than she was before, making sure no one could snatch her away from him.
Of course, he wouldn't be able to do such a thing in daylight where everyone can see. There were too many risks, too many consequences and not enough security.
But here, in the dark where no one could see, in silence so no one could hear, they are one. So he grips her waist a little tighter, kisses her a little softer, and dares his tongue to say her name in a way he never could outside her room.
"Petra," he whispers softly against her. She could feel the thunder in his chest and wondered briefly if he could feel hers too.
Petra pulled away breathless, from the kiss or Levi himself, she wasn't quite sure. She felt him burrow his face into her neck again as her arms flew to wrap around his body, engraving his smell, his warmth, his presence in her memory. Who knows when they would be able to meet like this again.
The news of Eren's ability-or rather his inability-to turn into a Titan had every human inside the walls scared or angry or doubtful. Whatever it was they were feeling, one thing was for sure-they want him gone. He was an unknown in their world within the walls.
Then, Survey Corps, as reckless as always, claimed him. Saying that they'll tame him, train him to be on humanity's side. However, the statement proved to be easier said than done. The boy was volatile, inexperienced, naïve, exactly like how any 15 year old would act.
So as the days went by and both became busier with their own tasks, especially with Levi's case as Eren's captain.
Attempt after attempt would be written in Hange's notebook and every page would feel like a boulder would be put on Levi's shoulders. After all, should Eren turn out to be a liability, the Survey Corps would be good as gone.
Petra knew how heavy the boulders were from the way he slouches when he sits on his chair, his omnipresent scowl whenever they put Eren back to his cell, his sighs every morning at the empty table. She had tried to help him-gave him suggestions, tried to to talk to him about it-but to no avail. Problems just kept piling up and up and up and up.
She dreads the day when Levi's spine will break from all the weight it holds.
"Why were you still awake?" he asked, drawing circles on the skin of her back underneath her shirt.
"I was waiting for you." Petra heard him exhale sharply, as if chuckling.
"What if I didn't come?"
She paused.
"I'd still wait."
The circles on her back stopped for a moment, and the warmth his hand radiated disappeared as he removed it from her back to place it on her thigh, gripping it tightly. He shifted his head, leaning it on hers. He took a deep breath.
"Yeah well, I'm here now." His voice gentler-even gentler than it was before-and heavier, exhaustion and relief painting his words. (Petra mentally thanked the heavens that she was sitting, for she knew that if she were standing, her knees would have gave out from his voice alone.)
Petra got off his lap to crawl back to her former position on her bed. She settled herself in before peeling back the covers. Levi didn't waste any more time laying down beside her.
Like clockwork his arm draped itself on her waist, his head on her chest, listening to the steady thump, thump, thumping of her heart. She wrapped her arms around his shoulder to play with the hair on the back of his head. She heard him sigh as all the tension from his body leave
She can't give solutions to his every problems, but she can try to at least ease the burden, soothe his worries, remind him what they were doing this for. So the next morning when she woke up, she let him sleep in for a few minutes of calm, even if just for a bit.