WhIP

by footfungus

nederlands verhalen over mijn otp

7. Fire Alaem - Levi x Petra

fire alarm

sleeperswake

Summary:

Collection of ficlets based on a prompt from Tumblr: "the fire alarm went off at 3 am and now the cute guy from the flat next door is standing next to me in his underwear AU" Rivetra.

Notes:

Thank you to nicolanoodles on Tumblr for the prompt! This series doesn't really have a timeline but will contain fics from this AU.

Chapter 1: Meet cute

Chapter Text

Petra groaned and rubbed her eyes as she slid into her slippers. Not again…She thought, throwing on her robe and grabbing her phone. She padded to her front door with not nearly as much haste as she probably should have, but she was tired. For the third time this week, her building's fire alarm had gone off, and each time had been a false alarm. Something related to a new system, is what management told everyone, but it still didn't make up for the fact that this was now the third night this week that she had woken up at 3 AM. By the time the firetrucks were called and the all clear was given, she barely fell back asleep before waking up at a prompt 5:30 AM to get ready for work.

Her coworkers and students commented on her ragged appearance, which made her all the more frustrated since she was usually known for her sunny disposition, but even she had her limits, and she was someone who valued her sleep. It didn't help that she recently moved into the building so she had nearly another year before her lease was up, and she was so sure that this apartment would be the perfect fit for her modest salary and being a single woman.

Skirting down the stairs, Petra noticed her neighbors also lazily making their way back down, each of them with the same annoyed and dazed look. Petra knew most of the people on her floor, an elderly couple three doors down, a single mom and son across from her, and a young couple with an adorable Pomeranian that she often saw in the afternoons when she returned from work. There were a couple neighbors unaccounted for, and Petra assumed that their schedules never aligned, but she never had any noise complaints, which was the plus side to her floor.

The summer breeze hit her as she made her way onto the grass, the moistness catching her fluffy slippers and she grumbled, wondering if the apartment complex would reimburse her for physical and emotional damage. If anything, her students will be suffering tomorrow since Ms. Ral had been at the end of her rope all week, and one more student on the red zone would take away Friday's movie afternoon. Clearly, lack of sleep made her heartless, but at this point she didn't care, she wanted to get back into her bed.

Petra pulled up her Snapchat to show her friends that yet again, she would be in a bad mood all day. As she raised her phone to the apartment complex to snap a picture of the screeching disaster, she immediately noticed a man standing a few feet in front of her in his underwear. Well, his black boxer's to be exact. He had flip flops on, and he wore a scowl equal to the people around him. His eyes focused in on her, and his grimace darkened.

They made eye contact and Petra yelped, immediately turning around and slapping her phone to the side of her leg and out of sight. Oh my god, he must think I'm such a perv. Don't turn around, Petra. Even if he is hot and has a six pack, you were not taking a picture of him in his underwear!

"Oi," a man said, tapping her shoulder, and she went hot.

Slowly turning around to meet her judgement, Petra went crimson as the man in the boxers stood in front of her. He was glaring (as he should, Petra thought) and pointed to her phone in her hand. He was only a few inches taller than her, maybe a just bit older too, with grey eyes and an undercut.

"What the hell?" He asked, and Petra found it very hard to breathe. The last time she was this close to a near naked man was her ex-boyfriend, and that was someone she knew very well. This was a stranger! A very sexy, are-his-muscles-photoshopped stranger.

Petra took a step back, squishing further into wet grass and she stuttered, "I-I wasn't taking a picture of you. I was just taking a Snapchat to show my friends to complain. I would show you, but you know, Snapchat."

The main raised an eyebrow, not buying her story, and she groaned. "I promise I'm not a pervert. You're really attractive, but I'm not the type to snap pictures of random guys."
He raised his eyebrows even further, the annoyance disappearing and his expression softened to something closer to amusement.

Realizing what she just said, hung over from lack of sleep, Petra clamped her mouth shut and took a deep sigh.

"Let me start over. Hi, my name is Petra. I live in 34C." She extended her hand, hoping to get into the stranger's good graces before he reported her for harassment.

The man shook her hand. "Levi. 34B."

God, could this day get any worse? He was her freaking neighbor too?! One of the nameless ones that apparently worked opposite hours. Feeling lightheaded, Petra released his hand and stared at the ground in embarrassment.

Seemingly uncomfortable with their silence, Levi coughed. "This shit sucks," he said, pointing his thumb at the firetrucks that started to pour in. They were a good 100 feet away from the building, but the noise was enough to give her a headache.

"Yeah," Petra agreed lamely, her silk robe suddenly feeling too tight.

"How long have you been living here?" He asked.

"Just two months, I got a job in the area over the summer. You?"

"A year."

"Oh, so are these things common? I've been meaning to ask around but I'm always so tired when they go off, but I'm not sure how much longer I can take it."

"Not really, but it's still fucking annoying. Not like we have work or anything," he mumbled sarcastically, running his fingers through his hair.

Since the conversation had mellowed out and he didn't seem as agitated at her, she allowed herself to peek at him, admiring his muscular features. Maybe he was a personal trainer? Or in the military?

"I know, right? I have to deal with so many brats in the morning, this week has been killing me," she commiserated.

Levi seemed to smirk as she spoke, and she amended, "Not that I don't like my students or anything! They can be a handful, but I usually really do like them when I'm not sleep deprived."

"You're a teacher?"

She nodded enthusiastically, "Third grade."

"Wow," he replied sincerely. "I couldn't do that, too much noise."

"What do you do?" She asked, feeling braver.

He crossed his arms, and Petra swallowed as the action highlighted his chest and biceps. "I'm a lawyer."

"Oh! Like defense attorney stuff?"

"Child welfare," he replied, looking to the side, and Petra's heart melted. Hot and chivalrous? She had to tell Nanaba about him later.

"That's amazing!" She said enthusiastically, nearly forgetting about his unclothed state, and she stepped closer to him. His eyes widened as the side of her robe brushed against his stomach, and she caught herself, giggling.

"Aha, sorry!" She pulled the straps tighter against her. "Can I ask why you're in your underwear?" Don't look near his groin, Petra. Don't try to guess how big—

"I was asleep," Levi deadpanned, as if it were obvious. Petra looked around them, wondering if anyone else was in a similar state of disarray, but most people were in their robes or threw on a jacket to cover themselves up. Seemingly, as if Levi could read her mind, "I never know if one of these things are real or not, so I just gun for it. I guess I should know by now, but it's a pretty knee jerk reaction."

"Do you want my robe?" She asked suddenly, feeling bad for him and maybe he was feeling self-conscious.

"Hell no. I'd rather be like this than be caught dead in your pink lingerie."

Petra blushed furiously. "It is not lingerie! It's a robe!"

He nodded, and with a teasing lilt to his tone, "Sure. With a v-neck cut out to show off your cleavage. Just a robe."

She looked down at herself for the first time since putting on the ensemble, and she grew hotter noticing the lacy and thin tank top she was wearing. It was obvious to anyone looking at her up close that she wasn't wearing a bra, and her sleep shorts cut off before her robe, making her look pants-less.

"Do you want to sit in my car and make out until the trucks leave?"

"W-What?!" Petra gaped, and she looked up to see Levi's face lined in amusement, holding up his car keys.

"I'm kidding. I was actually going to sit in there before I saw you taking a picture of me. We've already seen each other half naked, so it isn't too weird to sit in a car together."

Not seeing how her night could get any more embarrassing, Petra nodded and found herself following Levi to his car in the adjacent lot. Maybe I should call out of work tomorrow…

"For the record, I definitely was not taking a photo of you."

"I wouldn't mind if you did, though." He said, opening the door to his black sports car, and Petra's heart thrummed in her chest, inhaling the leather.

Maybe the fire alarm going off wasn't so bad.

Chapter 2: in which Levi was not kidding

Chapter Text

"…And then on field day, the kids spilled punch all over my white shirt! I was mostly embarrassed, but I got them back in the water balloon fight later. I have a pretty good arm—I played softball in high school so my aim can be deadly." Petra rambled on about work, thinking fondly back to last year at her old job. Levi listened patiently, his gaze transfixed on her silken body in the moonlight.

It had been about an hour since the fire trucks left, nearly 4 AM, but they had been talking the entire time and neither of them had wanted to leave. The car radio hummed softly, and they had rolled down the windows to let in some fresh air. He stretched, raising his arms above his head, letting his hands rest behind his neck, and he smirked as Petra paused mid sentence and stuttered, seemingly distracted by him.

He wasn't unaware of the effect his body had on woman—the gym was often a headache and he preferred to keep to early hours when less people were there or only serious gym goers occupied the floor space. It had been forever since he had dated someone, his career was demanding and left little time for someone other than himself, but he couldn't help but be drawn to his flustered and captivating neighbor. Maybe it's because her blunt candor mirrored his own with a softer touch, or how she outright said he's attractive without semblance of shame, but as he looked at her longer, it was apparent to him that he wanted her.

Petra yawned, suddenly becoming cognizant of the time as she noticed the clock on his dashboard.

"Ugh, I better get to bed if I want to get up in time. If I'm lucky, I'll get like an hour's worth of sleep, but it was totally worth it since I got to meet a new neighbor. Thanks again for letting me sit in your car, it was nice not having to stand in the squishy grass in this get up. If you ever see me around don't be a stranger—"

Leaning in closer, Levi rested a palm onto her knee and she squeaked in surprise. His eyes grew dark, barely illuminated by the moonlight and the surrounding street lights, and he breathed her in, their faces barely inches apart.

"You talk a lot, you know that?" He whispered huskily, allowing his other hand to trace down her hair and down to her cheek. Petra's eyes were wide and her heart thrummed rapidly as she swallowed.

Their bodies were separated by the console of the car and Levi maneuvered himself so his bare chest faced her. The hand touching her knee went higher, tracing light patterns up her thigh and he bit back a groan since her skin was as soft as it looked. He sought her, asking for permission, and the starry eyed smile she gave him was enough as he fisted the side of her robe, untying it and he seized her waist.

Petra's breath increased as she returned his touch, first through his hair, taking time to run her thumb past his undercut and she trailed her fingers down the lines of his neck and chest. He sighed, her touch featherlight and tantalizing as goosebumps covered him and she skimmed the sides of his arms, letting her fingers rest and resume at each valley of muscle.

A surge of bravery struck Petra, and she raised herself as high as she could in the low ceiling car and pressed her lips to his neck, sucking gently. Levi shivered with pleasure as he bit back a growl. His hand traveled from her thigh up to her ass, giving it a firm squeeze from beneath her sleep shorts, and Petra moaned languidly.

Not being able to contain himself any longer, Levi pressed her shoulders away from him, and Petra whimpered at the loss of contact, but gasped as he swung himself from the console and straddled her, his underwear leaving little barrier between her and his hard-on.

He ducked his head to avoid hitting the ceiling of the car, and he began to pepper kisses up and down her neck and Petra's breathy sighs of pleasure erupted a dormant need to be closer. She held him; her fingers settling on the planes of his back as she squeezed and pressed her fingernails in, and a hiss escaped him.

She gripped the back of his hair and tilted his head so they could make eye contact. Her golden eyes danced as she grinned devilishly, "So you really did want to make out with me?"

"Yes," he responded without hesitation, leaning in to kiss her as she snaked her arms around his neck, and his to her waist. They held each other as they explored one another lips, starting with light kisses and deep sighs that escalated when Petra brushed his lips with her tongue.

An airy gasp left him, and he dove in, allowing himself to taste her, stroking his tongue against the roof her mouth and suckling her bottom limp. Petra darted across his teeth and swirled their tongues together, neither wanting to stop for air, but she released them and pressed their foreheads together.

"God, you're sexy," she breathed, running her palms down his abdomen and just barely graced the tent in his boxers. Levi clenched his jaw since it was just enough for him to buck his hips. They both writhed at the motion, and Petra desperately wanted to draw herself against him, but were limited by the seat of his car.

He nuzzled his face into her neck and gently nibbled at her collar, with Petra's face growing hotter at the intimate contact. He pressed his lips just blow the curve of her ear and whispered, "My place or yours?"

Petra's fire was momentarily put out at the thought of Levi in her messy, clothes strewn apartment and she gulped, anticipation building at her core.

Her honey laden gaze met his stormy ones as she gave a heady, "Yours."

Chapter 3: in which Petra is found out

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"Ms. Ral, Eren stole my crayon again!"

"I did not! Ms. Ral, Jean tried to join our group even though you said it's supposed to be groups of three and not four."

Jean crossed his chubby arms and blew a puff of air out. "Mikasa said she didn't mind—"

Petra groaned, casting a withering glance at the wall clock, and begged for time to move faster. It was currently 2:45 and they got out at 3:30—Just 45 more minutes. And yet the minutes grew longer with each whine from her students. It was Friday, the best day of the week next to Saturday, or at least to Petra, and she was at her wit's end with her students.

Waving both of them off, she scolded, "There will be no crayon stealing here. And Jean," she gave the sandy haired boy a pointed look, "I thought I put you in Connie and Sasha's group. What happened to them?"

Jean pouted, looking deflated. "Marco said he wanted to be in their group so I let him."

Petra sighed, brushing her ginger hair back and with a defeated press to her temples, she nodded to the children. "Okay Jean, you can join Mikasa's group, but no switching next time, okay? I want those worksheets turned in before you all leave."

Jean beamed, followed by a scowl from Eren, and an apathetic look from Mikasa. Armin sheepishly guided the two boys back to their group table and caught Jean up to speed on what the group's ideas were so far. Petra smiled at Armin, seeing the sweet kid always made her day easier, and Mikasa was a star student despite how quiet she was, unless she was near Eren. It was apparent to Petra who had a crush on who in the classroom, and with it being third graders, it was all relatively harmless until the universal feeling of jealousy reared its loud annoying head.

Speaking of crushes, Petra sauntered back to her desk and spun in her well worn swivel chair. Dreamily sighing, she looked at the picture that sat on the right, away from the students. The kids knew that this area was absolutely off limits "Ms. Ral's corner" is what she called it, and the kids knew that going within a foot of it would earn their pin from the green to red in an instant. So, Petra took it upon herself to put a picture of Levi, her boyfriend of two months, on her desk so that she could remind herself of all the nice things that were outside of work.

Looking handsome in his work suit and tie, she snapped it serendipitously on one of their evening dates, and true to his disposition, he wore something resembling a scowl. He generously offered a picture of himself smiling since he wasn't sure what she could do with such a candid photo (Petra had plenty of ideas but she wasn't about to tell him that), but when he tried to pose, Petra had to stop him.

"I don't mean to be rude, but you look creepy when you're forcing a smile. This is going on my work desk, I don't want anyone asking why I have a picture of a crazy guy next to me."

Looking slightly offended, Levi scowled again and she snapped another photo, and beamed. "Better," she decided, tucking away the phone into her purse, and Levi just shrugged, not understanding women's antics but willing to put up with hers.

The day after they hooked up after the fire alarm debacle, Petra embarrassingly told Levi that she wasn't usually a hookup person and didn't necessarily want it to turn into a regular thing. Sure, the atmosphere was right, he was sexy as hell, but Petra didn't know anything about him besides his job and expensive tastes and she was't about to be involved with a random person.

In classic Levi fashion, he said he was the same and asked her out on a date that following weekend. She didn't say no, and the rest was history.

She learned that he was really really funny, and not in a knee slapping way, but his biting observations and the way he described benign situations often had her in stitches, and him confused. Learning that he was a bit of a fitness freak and that she was into the outdoors and rock climbing, they made for a fit pair where their dates were often filled sexual tension and mostly ending in them making out as soon as they got to a private place or in one of their cars.

He was her total opposite in decor—his place was minimal and stark despite living there for over a year, and hers was already filled with clutter and trinkets to remind her more of home. Coming from a modest background, Petra didn't feel the need for anything fancy, but enjoyed the homeyness found in thrift shops or a local craft fair.

Her place always had a floral aroma, something which Levi commented on the first time he visited her place, and she nodded, explaining that her parents were beekeepers and made soaps and other goods from the wax. She quickly learned that he was a bit of a neat freak and always intrigued by new ways to clean, Levi became interested in her knowledge and she promised that she'd take him back home with her next time she planned a visit.

Two months later, Petra had fallen for him and still looked forward to each of their dates, usually on Friday nights leading into Saturday mornings. Tonight, they planned to go the wharf, a bit longer of a drive than their usual fanfare so he agreed to pick her up from work to hasten the process and they could pick up her car later.

Staring at the clock as it hit 3:25, Petra clapped in jubilee, signaling for the students to get ready to dismiss and hand in their worksheets. Feeling the Friday energy, everyone quickly packed their things and pulled their backpacks over, and Petra skipped down the hallway, leading them to the buses. She held little Historia's hand, with Ymir in the other, and patted them on the head, wishing them a good weekend as she waved to the others.

Going back to the classroom to collect her things, and taking another look at Levi's picture, she threw on her coat and stuffed her flats into her purse in exchange for some heels. Compact in one hand, lipstick in another, she exchanged her plain lip balm for a fiery red and smacked her lips together twice to get rid of the lines. Another layer of mascara and some eyeliner on her under eyes, she smiled triumphantly and nodded to herself, smacking the compact shut.

Ms. Ral is getting laid tonight! She thought, head held up high as she said goodbye to her colleagues, gunning for the school doors, but stopped abruptly when she spotted Levi at the entryway, surrounded by students. More specifically, her students.

"Hey, isn't this the same guy that Ms. Ral keeps on her desk?" Sasha asked, examining him closer.

"I think so? Do you think he's her brother?" Connie asked, giving him a sniff, to which Levi shuddered.

"Guys, he's obviously her boyfriend," Historia dreamily sighed, almost leaning into Levi, and he took a step back, checking for other children behind his shoulder.

"Uh…" he started, and she knew that look, the one where he was seconds away from cursing or punching someone, neither of which would be anywhere near appropriate in this scenario.

"Levi!" She called, waving to him and waded through the sea of students that started to flood out.

"Ooooooo!" Her students chorused, and she blushed furiously as they started to put the puzzle pieces together. They were too damn smart for third graders.

"He is her boyfriend!" Eren jeered, pointing at him, and if Petra didn't know any better, he looked outright terrified of the children, wondering if they were about to stampede him.

"Kids, leave him alone, okay?" And she pushed through, hooking her arm with his as she pulled him from the fray and into the bus circle.

"I thought I was going to meet you at the parking lot," she questioned, and he looked around, seemingly overstimulated by all the noise and shouting.

"My phone died in the car and I got blocked in," he said, gesturing to the buses. "I didn't want you to wait or think I forgot."

Petra's heart skipped a beat as she threaded her fingers through his, touched by his thoughtfulness. Since she was wearing heels, she didn't have to stand on her tip toes as she deposited a gentle kiss to his cheek, careful not to smudge her lipstick.

"OOOOOOO!" The chorus rang again, and Petra groaned, cursing herself for assuming that her students were already on the bus by now.

Putting a foot down, Petra crossed her arms and glared at them. "By the time I count to three, you'll all be on the bus, and if you aren't, I'm taking snack time away on Monday." The children's faces paled, and Sasha furiously tugged on their sleeves, begging them that they couldn't lose snack time.

"One…."

And with a trail of dust, they ran away.

Notes:

Next chapter is going to be steamier, promise! If anyone has any prompts or ideas for this universe, feel free to drop them here or in my inbox: . /ask

Chapter 4: in which Levi is caught

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Petra hummed to herself, clutching a bag of Chipotle as she skipped down the street. Levi's office was in the heart of the city whereas she worked in a nearby suburb, and today she had a free day since the school gave all of the teachers off to finish up their grading. Being a third grade teacher, she didn't have much in the way of grades, and her timeliness had paid off for the past quarter. It was near spring, and she had just finished shopping at the mall and wasted no time in cutting off the tags in her car to switch her outfit before she saw Levi.

She stopped by a mirrored building and admired her reflection, giving herself a wink at the white mini dress she chose with puffy sleeves and a plunging neckline. Underneath was also a new purchase; a baby blue floral push up bra with a thong and garter, and she clicked her heels in girlish delight at the thigh high stockings that accompanied them. Being a teacher, she tended to dress conservatively on workdays, and any chance she got to look a bit sexier, she took it.

Being the gracious girlfriend that she was, she offered to buy Levi lunch since he mentioned he usually skipped lunch or picked at whatever food was left from a staff meeting. She texted him about 20 minutes ago that she was on her way, but he hadn't responded, and she assumed he must be swamped with work. Being a child welfare attorney wasn't easy, and she saw how some of his cases weighed heavily on his mind after a long day. He assured her that it was just stress that came with the job, and Petra nodded, admiring her boyfriend, and was already thinking of just the thing to relieve some stress from work.

It wasn't often they got opportunities like this since they both worked throughout the week, and as soon as Petra saw the date in her calendar, the gears in her head started turning, and fantasies of being taken in his office already swam in her mind. There will be other times for that, she reassured herself since today's mission was already set in stone.

Opening the doors to the large 40 story building that he worked in, Petra located Smith & Son's floor and made her way to the elevator. Fluffing up her hair, Petra waited for the familiar chime and gave a resolute huff. Commence operation seduce Levi at work and provide some much needed stress relief!

And Chipotle, of course.

"M-Mr. Ackerman, there's a woman here to see you. She said she has your lunch and wants to personally bring it to you. Should I buzz her in? She's not on your appointment list for today—"

Levi took a glance at the clock, noting that it was nearly noon and with a sudden realization, he sighed into the receiver. Shit. He had a lot work to do today and he completely forgot that Petra was stopping by to visit. He supposed he could take a working lunch with her and catch up later at home, but he could already picture her disappointed face since she went out of her way to pick something up.

"Yeah, you can let her in," he quipped, already moving to end the call, but he caught the secretary's mousey he's never seen anyone outside of work before while he hung up and Levi already knew what this week's office gossip was going to be about. Dumb blabbermouth didn't know when to keep his mouth shut but at least he guarded his office like a fortress. Levi valued silence and unless Erwin or Four-eyes needed him, most people stayed away unless they had an appointment.

Casting a look to the picture on his desk, he softly smiled thinking about his girlfriend. Petra was in a spaghetti strapped yellow sundress looking off into the ocean, hand holding her sun hat in place from the breeze. Nearly three months into dating, for the first time in years he had something to look forward to outside of work. Sure, he hung out with Erwin and Hange, but the line between work and casual was often blurred between the three of them as they often continued work conversations well into happy hour, something of which Levi wasn't always a fan of.

The first time he declined their invite, he lied, stating he wasn't feeling well. The second time he used the excuse that his apartment had a plumbing issue. The third, they caught on while they cornered him on a Friday afternoon, leaving the office in a hurry.

"Aha! You put on extra cologne, you weren't wearing that earlier!" Hange accused, throwing her finger into his chest as he stepped from his office door. Moblit, Hange's paralegal, gulped nervously, looking between them since Levi's expression turned icy. "Levi's finally going on a date!" She cheered, pleased with her conclusion since Levi didn't bother arguing as he attempted to brush past her.
"Soooo, who's the lucky lady?" She followed him down the hall and all the way to the elevator and he considered taking the stairs just to throw her off.

Rolling his eyes, he supposed this was as good of a time as any to get this over with. "My neighbor. We hooked up a couple weeks ago and I guess we're dating."

Hange gaped at him. "You guess you're dating?! What does that even mean? And you? Hook-ups? I thought that wasn't your thing!"

He coughed into his hand. "It isn't. The fire alarm went off in our building and we kind of hit it off."

Leaning against the elevator, Hange pushed her glasses up the same way it made everyone in the court room nervous. "When do I get to meet her?"

The elevator dinged, reaching the bottom floor. Levi pulled his cell phone from his suit pocket and started typing something out and said sternly, "Tch. You won't. I'm not trying to scare her off. Now fuck off, I have a date to go to."

Settling back into his office chair, Levi leaned over, one hand supporting his cheek and the other mindlessly filling out paperwork as he cross checked it between the paper and the laptop in front of him. He heard a soft knock at the door followed by the twist of the door knob, and Petra walked in coyly with a wide smile on her face.

"Hey!" she said, waving the brown bag. "Lunch is here!" He looked up from his work and took a deep breath as she looked like vixen prancing into his office in her short dress. He noted the white thigh high stockings that were unusual for her, but figured she was feeling adventurous due to not working today. Hoping to not burst her bubble, he gave a half smile and a thank you as she deposited the burrito bowl on his desk.

"I've got your usual grains and veggies, but you wanted extra spicy sauce, grilled chicken, and guac, right?" She asked, handing him a fork and napkin from the bag from across his desk.

He nodded, setting the fork on top of the bowl and braced himself as he looked into her hopeful eyes, not moving from his desk chair. The center of his office had a coffee table with a couch and two love seats facing opposite sides. He usually consulted with clients there, but he often took tea there in the morning and afternoon just to take a break from staring at his work.

He exhaled slowly, "So…I know I was supposed to show you around, but I got swamped today with work. I'll probably have to work through lunch, but I can stop by your place when I come home. Is that okay?"

Petra chewed the bottom of her lip, an act of contemplation that she did subconsciously, but it drove Levi crazy as thought back to all of the times he pulled on those pink lips and the things she did with them.

"Promise me you'll find time to eat?" She asked, pushing the burrito bowl closer to him and he nodded while pressing a grateful hand over her own. A playful glint flickered across her face as she trailed a finger on the mahogany of his desk, touching his name plate, Levi Ackerman, Attorney and she gently moved it to the right side. Confusion wrapped his brain as she also proceeded to move his pen and pad and gestured to the laptop.

"You might want to save whatever you're working on," she suggested and he stared dumbly at her.

"Petra, did you not hear me? I have work—" With a hard yank, Petra pulled on his tie and crashed her lips onto his, kissing him furiously as she wasted no time in swirling her tongue around his. Barely having time to think, his eyes widened as he caught himself with two hands slamming onto the desk.

"You work too hard, you need a break," she whispered sultrily into his ear, giving him a moment to breathe while she worked at his suit jacket. "And this won't take too long," she added, scrambling to sit on top of his desk while she pushed him back onto his chair with her stocking clad foot as she kicked off her other shoe.

"Uh…" Levi's mind raced, trying to comprehend what was happening because Petra was starting to undo her dress and he nervously looked behind him at the open glass windows.

Noticing his unease, Petra waved nonchalantly, "We're like 40 floors up, no one is gonna see us."

After working at the tie of her dress, she pulled down the shoulders of the loose dress, giving him a full view of her cleavage. She was wearing a very very lacy bra that clearly pushed her breasts together that and he was sure he hadn't seen that one before. Levi's eyebrows shot up as his mouth went dry. He gripped the sides of his office chair with fervor, contemplating if he should give in or kick her out before he wouldn't be able to look at his desk the same way. If he didn't know any better, Petra was trying to seduce him, given the way she looked and the kittenish smile that was currently playing at her lips.

"Speechless?" She taunted, pulling the dress down further and he felt the blood rush down to his crotch as she revealed not only a matching thong lined with pastel flowers but a matching garter set that hugged her delicate waist and accentuated the curve of her ass. Four metal clips held the stockings up, drawing his attention from her ass to her creamy thighs. He groaned, not realizing that he clearly had a thing for garters, and moved to bring her to his lap, but she pushed him back again with her left foot, giggling.

"As much as I want you to ravish me, this is for you. Allow me," she slipped from the desk after her little strip tease and moved to stand above him, kissing his neck and guiding his hands to her ass. He choked as she licked his jawline, and she starting working at his tie. Gripping her ass, he allowed himself to draw circles in the negative space of the thong and he smirked to himself hearing Petra's breath hitch.

Tie half off, she started to unbutton his white dress shirt and kissed the planes of his chest with each button that came undone. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes as his breathing became more erratic with each inch of new skin exposed and her lips on him.
Petra hummed softly to herself, running her hands down his waist and through his pants, earning a hiss from Levi as heat and blood continued to rush through him. Kissing his hard lined stomach, Petra murmured, "I know you're a big shot lawyer, but seeing you in your element, with all of your swagger and sharp looks, it turns me on, Levi." She moved to unbuckle his belt and she pulled down his pants, grinning to herself at his clear desire for her.

Levi grit his teeth, lost in waves of lust as she continued tracing him but never quite touching long enough until she cupped him and got down on the floor. She ran her mouth up and down his leg, breathing deeply, and he growled, "Not like this." Fisting her hair into his palm, he drew her up and pushed her against the desk, back facing him. Petra yelped, but he was familiar enough with her at this point to know that she adored this, eyes black with carnal desire as she stuck her rear out to him.

"You think I'd allow you to suck me off wearing that?" He asked, palming at her breast and rand his hand down her side, making sure to squeeze and pinch every bit of skin. Petra gasped, moving behind him in fervor as he unhooked her garters and purred with pleasure as his fingers toyed with the elastic of the garter belt.

"You planned this, didn't you?" He kissed the hollow of her neck, reaching down to touch her through her thong and lightly sucked on her earlobe, earning a cry from Petra.

"I'm—" she breathed, "Supposed to be making you relax."

Pulling his underwear down, he pressed her harder against the desk and nudged behind her knee to get her to bend over further. Acquiescing, he gripped her breasts firmly and moved to grace her backside, while panting into her ear, "Oh Petra, I am relaxed. I'm about to be—"

BEEEEEEEP. BEEEEEEEP. BEEEEEEEP.

Like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over him, Levi halted his movements and cursed. Releasing a flushed Petra, he pulled his pants up as he tossed her discarded dress into her lap.

"The fucking fire alarm is going off," he snarled darkly.

Sirens whirring, Petra and Levi stood a good 50 feet away from the building as the firefighters made their way into the skyscraper. There didn't seem to be an apparent fire, and rumor had it some low level office employee burned popcorn in a microwave, causing the near hundreds of employees who worked the building to exit.

Levi hurriedly adjusted his tie and buttoned up his shirt while Petra stood behind him, garters undone and hair a mess. He muttered that they could go out for coffee while they waited for the madness to clear, but both of them forget their wallets in the fervor of exiting and were exhausted from running down the flight of stairs.
If it weren't for the irony of the situation, Petra would've been pissed but she laughed after catching her breath as she leaned on Levi's shoulder while they waited, fingers interlocked as they observed the firetruck.

"Leeeeeeevi~!"

Levi felt the hairs on his neck tingle, recognizing Hange's unmistakable intonation, and he quickly turned around, finding the source of his annoyance as the brunette woman grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

Meandering through the crowd, and not bothering to say excuse me, Hange eyed both Levi and Petra menacingly.

Levi sighed. "Petra, I apologize in advance."

Hange crossed her arms and laughed. "Don't be rude, Levi. I'm dying to meet your girlfriend, you've been keeping us from her for months now." She extended a hand and Petra smiled as she shook it, not understanding the strange dynamic between the two. "I'm Zoe Hange, Levi's associate. And you must be his neighbor!"

Blushing, Petra nodded and felt her smile drop as Hange paused and took in both her and Levi's appearance, putting the pieces together. A smug smile crossed her lips as she noted Petra's sloppy dress and unkempt hair, and Levi's crooked tie. Crimson crawled down Petra's neck in dread and she looked to Levi who was already avoiding eye contact with Hange.

Hange belted in laughter, "Levi, you missed a button. Never took you for a nooner guy, but I can see why." She winked at Petra who scurried to hide behind Levi, already scowling.

Damn the fire alarm.

Notes:

I've caught up to the fire alarm suggestions/prompts, so feel free to drop more in the comments or at ask! I always like coming back to this universe since it's easy and fluffy :) Thanks for all the support!

Chapter 5: in which Levi needs stress relief

Summary:

Hello, please note the change in rating! Moving forward, I'll be adding a note for the rating of each chapter and any content warnings.

Summary: Levi lost a case so he's having a bad day and Petra offers to take care of him. Cue angry sex and dom!Levi.

CW: Passive mentions of abuse/domestic violence, dom!Levi, sub!Petra, BDSM, gags, restraints, roleplay

Notes:

This one is for something I'm calling Smutty Saturdays, where I try to post a fic or prompt with smut in it. Thank you to the suggestions given to me over Tumblr! Feel free to drop requests here: ask

Chapter Text

Levi loosened his tie as he ascended the steps into his apartment complex. Jaw tight, he slammed the door to the entryway harder than he meant to as his footfalls pounded up the stairs.

What shitty day , he thought morosely, clenching his eyes shut momentarily to block out the images that flooded through him. It wasn't often he lost a case, him and Erwin were good at what they did. Even though he resigned to himself long ago that there was only so much he could control, days like today weighed heavy on him.

It didn't help that the little boy had a dark mop of hair similar to his own when he was that age, and the pallor of his cheeks spoke more volumes than could ever be put into a court report; it was also the fact that the man they were fighting against had the familiar glint in his eyes that Levi recognized all too well from Kenny-possession. It wasn't enough to physically control the family-no-he had to own them emotionally and his connections to the seedy underbelly of the world took care of that no matter the evidence that Levi and Erwin presented to the court.

"Your honor, the evidence is damning, just read the boy's account! Strangers coming in and out of the house, his mother unable to speak, these signs are clear as crystal!"

"Watch the language, Ackerman. There will be no disrespect in my court."

And after the judge's gavel hit the stand, Levi couldn't look at the boy's mother in the eye. I'm sorry I failed you , was what he wanted to say, but he quickly sped out, needing to leave. Erwin had his ways of dealing with things, Levi had his own, and his foot never left the gas pedal the entire way home.

Speaking of which, Petra mentioned that she had ordered food for them since it was a Friday night, and Levi had half a thought of cancelling on her since his mood was so foul that all he wanted was some whiskey for the night. As soon as he entered his apartment, he heard the clinking of plates and Petra's cheery voice singing along to some pop song from her phone that dangled from her back jeans pocket.

He had given her the key to his place a while ago-the action almost automatic since they were neighbors and split their time nearly equally between their places, but it said something else like I trust you and this is serious . Who knew that an accidental fire alarm trip could lead to a whirlwind six month relationship, but stranger things have happened, and Levi had no complaints since Petra was goodness personified. Sure, she had her temper and so did he, but it still never ceased to amaze him that their interests aligned so well despite their polar opposite personalities and the fact that they were so sexually compatible.

Like any red blooded male, Levi had needs, and the fact that they hooked up on their first meeting probably should have indicated how mutually interested they were in each other's bodies since they had sex not once, but three times that night. After their first date, it has been nothing but clandestine meetings at all hours since they lived right next to each other, and six months later, he was still giddy at how Petra continued to openly flirt with him and surprise him at each turn.

He was used to relationships fizzling out after a few months, he either got bored or tired of the same routine-date, dinner, and then fuck, but with Petra, it was like a spark that kept rekindling over and over again.

Closing his front door, he dropped his briefcase by the entryway cadenza and cleared his throat to let Petra know he was home. She paused, smiling as she flitted towards him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Hey, how did the trial go?"

"Shitty," he muttered, moving to discard his suit jacket onto the hook. "Fucking asshole of a judge had no fucking sympathy. He couldn't tell that the father is a piece of shit, with his pockets deep with money. One look at him and I could tell he's an abusive cunt."

She frowned, concern clouding her as she rubbed his shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Levi. I know how much the case meant to you. I got Chinese food for us; I was just setting it up in the dining room. Why don't you shower up and-"

"Petra, I honestly want to be alone right now, I'm fucking pissed and I don't want Chinese."

He didn't mean to sound so abrasive, it was something that came out when people tried to placate him with flowery words. Even though he knew Petra understood the magnitude of the situation, the fact of the matter was, he fucked up somewhere and it was his fault that this kid would continue living a shitty life.

Making for the kitchen as he extracted himself from her arms, he pulled out the bottle of whiskey that sat on the counter and a heavy glass he kept above the sink. He poured himself half and took a long sip, the alcohol stinging the back of his throat. He hadn't had anything to drink all day, too concentrated on the case and his lips were parched.

Petra slowly padded towards him, giving him a careful look. "If you want me to go, that's fine, but if you need me, I'm more than happy to be of service... Sir ."

Levi froze as he set the weighted glass of whiskey onto the countertop with a heavy clink and he examined her steadily. As of late, they had been experimenting with dominant and submissive roles in the bedroom, both enjoying the rush of each and coming up with their own rules. One of those rules was initiation and sir was Petra's way of indicating that she wanted to be submissive as she batted her eyelashes at him. There was something thrilling about him being control; sure he was a boss in real life, barking out orders and being downright blunt about it, but with her it turned him on the moment they first had sex in their office. Whispering in his ear, telling him to pretend that she was just his secretary working for him and she was offering some stress relief for her boss, he went absolutely wild and fucked her hard against his desk that day.

Swallowing, he rolled his up white his shirt sleeves, stopping just at his forearms. "I'm feeling pretty pent up today, is that something you can handle?"

Petra pulled herself up to sit on the counter, unscrewing the bottle of whiskey and poured him another glass. "Of course, sir. That's what I'm here for," she said, bringing the glass to his lips and he took a few sips before tapping the glass to indicate he was done for now. Pulling him by the tie, Petra had him flush against the counter and kissed him deeply, tongue diving in and moving against his lips as she licked the corners of his mouth.

Levi groaned, closing his eyes as the dryness of the whiskey mixed with her saliva and he tugged at her lips, suckling on the bottom one the way she liked it, hard and painful but sensual as he moved to wrap his arms around her waist, lifting her from the counter.

"I like how your ass looks in this, but I want you in something different," he said, pulling the jean zipper down as she instantly wrapped her legs around his torso, letting him guide her wherever he wanted.

The door to his bedroom was already open, and he dropped her onto the bed as he kicked off his loafers. Dick already hard, he ground against her as he bit down on her earlobe, earning a cry and yes. As he moved his hands down her body, he stopped at the edge of her t-shirt and lifted it up, tongue trailing down her stomach. Petra squirmed beneath him, and he growled that she needed to stay put or else she was going to be punished.

"Whatever you say, sir," she said breathlessly, assisting him in removing her shirt, revealing a baby pink floral bustier.

Levi's eyebrows skyrocketed, certainly not expecting that underneath her rather casual outfit and she smirked. "You little minx," he growled, pulling down her jeans and threw them off the bed and onto the floor. A matching thong with two rows of elastic hugged her hips, showing two triangles of skin as it made a V between her thighs.

Petra sighed in delight as Levi went for her neck, sucking hard and giving two taps two her waist, their signal for is this okay? She returned with two taps of her own, which was a yes and he dove in harder, biting and sucking as he laced his fingers through her hair and roughly pulled her head back so he had unlimited access to her neck. He swirled his tongue, lapping at the flesh as his teeth grazed against her smooth skin as it changed from peach to red, then purple, and with a final delicate lick, he released her, gasping.

Smiling in satisfaction, Levi unhooked Petra's bustier as she removed it, baring her naked breasts in front of him as he kissed her again, this time rutting against her leg through his pants. His cock was swollen and hard, and the heat between the layer of fabric was almost too much to handle as Petra whined from the pain of his member pressing into her soft legs.

"More," she begged, reaching to touch herself, and Levi stopped, eyes fiery as he undid his tie in a single fluid motion.

"Who's giving the orders here?" He clicked his tongue as he straddled her, wrapping his silken tie around her wrists, bringing them upward above her head.

Petra lifted her hips, seeking friction, and she bit her lip. "Sir, I need to feel you. Please ," she begged, and Levi tweaked her nipples once before making the final knot between her wrists.

"You need to be better about receiving orders, Ral. Another word out of you and I'm gagging your dirty mouth."

Clamping her mouth shut, Petra grinned between her lips as she wiggled underneath his tie, imploring him to continue. Levi finally undid the buttons of his shirt and he sensually circled against Petra as he stripped for her, her eyes locking with his as she remained silent. Chest bare, Petra balked at his toned muscles, never getting tired of the chance to ravish him, but she was the observer today as he also undid his belt buckle and pulled it from its loops.

Pressing his forehead against hers, he whispered, "Have you been a good girl today?"

She nodded, squeezing her legs together as wetness pooled between them, and Levi tugged at her wrapped arms. "Look at you, so needy and wet , I bet you're dying to be fucked."

Swallowing and barely containing a moan at Levi's dirty talk, Petra nodded again as Levi fisted her breasts and kneaded them as his voice hung over her ear, "Let's play a game. I'm going to flip you over and spank your ass ten times. One whine or word out of you, we start over until your ass is raw. Sound good? You have permission to speak."

Eyes dark and glassy with lust, Petra choked out, "Yes sir."

"Good."

Levi moved to flip her over, her arms bracing itself against the bed as she stuck her ass in the air, begging to be smacked. She knew exactly how he liked it, and pulled down his zipper and gave himself a few strokes before proceeding, needing to feel release. His eyes never left her rear the entire time, and he put himself back in before getting started.

He rubbed circles on her cheeks, warming them up before giving them a few playful smacks and murmuring these don't count . Levi was thankful for their matched stamina and strength as Petra balanced herself perfectly, shivering in anticipating from his hands.

"I'm going to start counting now," he said, tugging at her hair.

Smack . "One."

Smack . "Two."

Smack. "Three," and Petra moaned loudly. Levi knew from the way her voice hitched it was intentional, and he loved it as he pulled his hand away and wrapped himself around her, hands on her tits, making circles around her nipples then giving them each a single flick.

"You know the rules," he said, giving her a sideways kiss and Petra looked up at him with a glint in her eyes as she shrugged.

"Guess I need more punishment."

"Damn right you do, brat ," and he hooked his index fingers between the straps of her panties and pulled them down, her dewy wetness leaving a string between her underwear and sex. Levi nearly lost his composure then and there because he was unbelievably turned on, and so was she, so what was stopping him, but he wanted to continue playing the game.

He rolled her thong into a ball, savoring her scent and slickness and stuffed it into her mouth. "This is your punishment for speaking out of turn. Enjoy it," he growled, making sure she was comfortable before proceeding.

Levi kissed the swell of her ass and dipped a finger into her slick folds before returning to her punishment. Petra was quivering, the sensations rolling off her back as he continued spanking her, the force of his palm increasing with each smack and his dick becoming harder and harder. A red handprint formed on her cheeks, and Levi felt a swell of dominance as he lowered himself and checked in with Petra, who was red faced, barely holding it together. He chuckled, he supposed his teasing was going long enough because she was absolutely soaked as her arousal dripped down her thigh.

He kissed the side of her cheek and said good girl as he pulled down his pants and his underwear, springing his erection free. Petra looked on greedily, eyes hungry as she craned her neck, and he brushed the tip of his penis onto her cheek, hitting her with the side, and moved to the other to do the same. Precum leaked from his head, and he moved to stroke himself one final time before positioning himself behind her, kissing her ass and breathing her in.

"Since you've been such a brat, you're going to get fucked like one."

Probing her with the tip, he teased her entrance, and Petra moved to try to take him in. Moaning at the contact, Levi towered over her and grabbed a tit in each hand and used his knee to spread her legs. He steadily breathed in as an attempt to control himself since he didn't want to come right away, but his arousal was near painful.

Kissing her neck, Levi entered her and let out an animalistic moan , stilling himself to get situated. She was so wet and he was able to enter her so easily, the act in itself was damn near enough to make him lose control, but he continued, first starting slowly then picking up the pace as he felt her flex against him.

He squeezed her tits hard, and he could tell that the line between pleasure and pain had been crossed as she egged him on with her vocalizations and hums. The sound of their bodies as they met each other with him, balls deep, and her, slicked with sweat, was driving him crazy as he moved one hand to touch her clit.

Hand circling and navigating her folds, he hooked his finger and gasped at her velvet walls, reaching for the bundle of nerves as he prepared himself for climax. He picked up the pace as he continued, hitting her cervix with hard thrusts, going deeper and faster than he normally would. He loved feeling her all around, and his dick was hot as he continued fingering her, feeling her climax coming close.

"Come for me, baby. I want to feel you when I release inside you." He said the statement like an order despite sweat rolling down his face. His steely eyes were absolutely livid as he took her fast and their bodies made wet sounds between their movement.

Petra came with a loud moan between her gag, and Levi felt his own orgasm build as she fluttered around him, the act finally pushing him over the edge as he continued driving himself deep into her. Warmth spread between them as Levi came, and he pulled at Petra's hair, whispering mine over and over again until he was spent. He breathed heavily, heart beating fast as he let the endorphins and pleasure wash over him. The dull throb that hung over his head earlier was gone, and he smiled as his head swam with warmth.

Pulling himself out of her, a line of white hung between them as he moved to remove his tie and gag, and flipped her over, cradling her in his arms.

Petra was out of breath in her sweat soaked body and she trembled as Levi adjusted her hair and peppered kisses down her face. "You okay?" he asked, always a bit worried after an escapade like this, but Petra laughed and kissed him under the chin as she nodded happily, settling herself between his arms.

"How does a bath sound?" Levi asked, alreadying having in mind the body scrub he'd like to massage her with, and she gave a lazy nod as he moved to run the water, but returned to hold her again.

"Thanks for the suggestion," he said, resting his head atop hers. "I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but it does."

She nodded, lacing her hand through his. "That's what I'm here for," she replied cheekily and he shook his head in disbelief.

Chapter 6: in which they take a shower

Summary:

While on a trip to Petra's childhood home, they have shower sex.

Rating: E

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"...And then Eren melted all of the crayons in the bin, so I had to buy new ones the next day! The school was out of extra funds since it was the end of the year, but Levi was so kind and donated five dozen boxes to the kids so we could make enough pieces in time for the art show. Isn't he the best?" Petra said to her parents, folding her hands together as a dreamy sigh left her lips.

Levi looked down at his meal; a simple chicken and rice recipe. He was doing his best to avoid eye contact with her parents since they were cooing over him, eager to get to know their daughter's new boyfriend. Well, new as in for the past eight months, but this was their first meeting since Petra's parents lived three hours away from their town and rarely left the countryside.

She had mentioned her parents in passing several times, from her homely childhood, to their beekeeping business, and while Levi listened attentively each time she recounted memories or told him facts about her family, the idea of such a simplistic lifestyle seemed so idealistic and fantasy-like that he brushed it aside. He was a city boy through and through, and his rough upbringing was enough to show for it.

"Well Levi seems like a respectable man," her father said, sandy haired with Petra's eyes. He laughed heartily as he refilled Levi's wine glass. Levi nodded to thank the man, and also gauged her mother's reaction, who was just as warm as she deposited another piece of bread onto his plate.

They didn't seem put off by his terse demeanor, in fact, they seemed not to notice it at all, and he was beginning to understand more of where Petra received her sunny disposition from. She giggled at something her mother said, about finding a handsome man to take care of her, and how lucky it was that they were neighbors and if they were planning on moving in together since Petra's lease would be up soon.

"Ma, you're going to scare him! I swear Levi, don't pay attention to her, she just wants grandkids-" And Petra clamped her mouth shut, staring at him worriedly since they certainly hadn't had that conversation yet, and Levi kept his unfaltering gaze as he took another sip of wine.

"Aha," Petra laughed, embarrassed, but her parents kept their usual smiles as they watched the couple. Levi didn't say a word since it seemed pretty obvious to both him and Petra that one day they would have kids, given both of their professions and it wasn't a matter of whether but when .

He paused at the thought, a sudden warmth filling his stomach as he thought about the idea of him and Petra having children, maybe a little girl with Petra's hair and his eyes.

Petra's mother broke the silence as she reached for the salad bowl. "Well what mother doesn't want to have grandchildren? Levi, what do your parents think? Do they love Petra as much as we love you-thank you for your help, by the way, Oscar and I are getting older and handling the bees with our arthritis can get to us. It's the busy season after all, and we're hoping to stop by your neck of the woods to sell at the farmer's market one of these weekends!"

Levi's jaw twitched as he chose his next words carefully, not wanting to disturb the gentle family. "My mother and I don't talk. I was raised by my uncle. We don't talk much either."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the dinner table as Levi continued picking at his chicken, taking small calculated bites, and Petra placed a hand on his thigh in comfort. She smiled to herself, thinking how good of a sport he was the past day-from doing all of the driving to her parent's place since he insisted on taking his sports car, to donning a beekeeping outfit to join the Rals, and then sticking his hands down the honeycomb. She didn't think it was possible to fall in love with him more.

"Petra, if you send that Erwin and Hange, I'm going to drop the honeycomb and blame you."

Pouting, Petra held up her phone as she showed Levi the most recent picture she took. He was wearing a beekeeping uniform, looking utterly disgusted but in her opinion, adorable, as he assisted Petra in extracting the honey. She promised him she'd make him specialty soaps since they had access to her parent's workshop, and she brought along his favorite teas so she could extract the flavor and scent.

"You know after this, you're basically husband material to my folks. My exes would not go anywhere near the bees and called us crazy."

He grunted, muttering something under his breath akin to 'that's the plan' but Petra barely heard him between the buzzing of the bees and scraping of the honey. He noted that Petra's eyes were a similar color to the amber liquid she nestled into the bucket, and a soft smile fell onto his lips as her expression became more concentrated and her muscle memory took over.

"Well, Levi has a family now, right guys?" Petra said, interrupting her own thoughts as her parents gave Levi a sympathetic look.

"Of course!" Her mother chirped, moving to gather the plates and Levi took the opportunity to assist her.

"Dessert then?" Petra's father asked, and Petra eyes lit at the prospect.

"They make the best baklava," she explained as she discussed the various honey-laden confections that they specialized in.

Levi wordlessly moved through dessert as Petra continued to catch up with her parents. She floated through conversations about work, her friends, and how proud she was of Levi taking on an especially difficult case in the past month. Stretching, Petra yawned as she glanced at the clock, muscles tired from the laborious day they've had and she told her parents that her and Levi would be turning in for the night.

Taking his hand, Petra led him up the stairs of her childhood home and back into her bedroom that remained untouched by time. Various pictures from her high school years were hung up, and a flag of her college perched itself on top of the floor length mirror. Levi suddenly felt very old even though their age difference wasn't new to him, but he marveled at the girlishness of Petra's bedroom in contrast to her well kept apartment for a woman in her mid-twenties.

"Why don't you shower first?" Petra said, flinging herself onto the full sized bed, and Levi cringed remembering how cramped he was last night.

"Sure," he said, moving to grab his toiletries from their shared luggage and Petra rocked her legs back and forth as she stared up into the ceiling, noting the glow in the dark stars that stuck onto the ceiling from when she was a child.

There was only one bathroom in the Ral household, and Levi switched both the fan and the light on as he let the water run. He stripped and he folded his clothes neatly on top of the toilet seat to be put away into the dirty laundry bin for later. Steam rose in the bathroom, and Levi let out a long sigh as his body made contact with the scalding water.

He first let the water hit his hair before it ran down his body, and he took a minute to close his eyes, processing the day's events. To be in a household with two parents that loved each other, a place where no one raised their voices over a certain decibel level...it was nice if not perturbing to him since the concept was so foreign.

He heard the turn of the doorknob, and Levi cursed under his breath, realizing he forgot to lock it, but before he could shout, he heard Petra say it's me, followed by the click of the lock. Levi poked his head from the shower door, sliding it away just a small amount. His jaw nearly dropped as he observed Petra casually taking off her clothes and leaving them in a crumpled mess in front of the door.

"W-what are you doing?" He asked shakily, hand firmly on the shower door since he knew if he opened it, it was certainly going to turn into more than just a shower.

"Showering," she said matter-of-factly, pulling the handle and she slid in, naked body caressing him. Levi's mouth went dry as he stood stark still, watching as Petra wet her hair, her body, and then moving to intentionally squeeze her breasts as the water ran between them. Droplets danced across her skin, and he involuntarily licked his lips as he watched the water stop at her nipples, beading, and then rolling off.

"Help me get my back?" She asked, tossing him her loofah, and he lathered the bar of soap and got to work as he stood behind her, rubbing circles between her shoulder blades and then down the line of her back, stopping at her ass.

"Mmm, I think you're going to have to rub it in, I got pretty sweaty today," she said, tossing a grin from behind her shoulder and Levi groaned as his dick started to harden, parallel to the floor.

"Sure," he responded, making sure to press his length against her ass and Petra smiled as she grinded against him, the slipperiness of the water providing lubrication.

Levi resisted the urge to take her immediately, and part of him wondered if he should be questioning the sanctity of defiling her in her parent's house. However, he quickly threw all caution to the wind as Petra spread her legs further apart and insisted that he get her entire body since she was feeling particularly dirty tonight.

Moving to grab the body wash that Petra had used the night before-blueberry and vanilla, he squirted a medium amount onto his palms and began lathering her, taking care to massage her shoulders and gave her waist a squeeze, earning a shudder from Petra as she pressed her hands against the wall, the water falling between them.

Between the aroma of the body wash and the steam, Levi was beginning to understand why people had shower sex-there was something deeply erotic about seeing Petra's body covered in soap bubbles as the steam enveloped between them.

Her forearms were pressed against the wall and Levi wasted no time in bringing his hands higher and taking his time to brush his thumbs at the undersides of her breasts, the skin soft and supple. One of his favorite outfits was a crop top that Petra often wore when they went hiking, and whenever she raised her arms, he was able to peek at the sides of her chest, driving him wild with lust.

He kissed the curve of her neck, licking the droplets between the valley of her shoulder and he moved both his hands to massage her tits, drawing circles around her nipples while she moaned, throwing her head back to rest against his chest. Levi hummed happily, taking the opportunity to nibble her ear while dragging his tongue in between the crevices, breath hot against the running water.

She kissed the underside of his chin, and he trailed a finger from her chest to her navel, then stopping right at her core. Petra shuddered against him, body flush against his as they slid against one another, skin slippery from the soap.

"You've been so wonderful," Petra breathed between gasps as Levi slid a finger between the junction of her thighs, and her balance went slack as he kept one arm wrapped firmly around her chest. Levi kissed her cheek then resumed nibbling at her ear as his finger slid higher, earning a startled gasp.

"Tell me why I've been wonderful," he requested, squeezing a tit as he continued fingering her, slipping in another while pumping his hand back and forth. Petra whined and moved against his hand with fervor, wanting more friction. They moved in time, with Levi moving his other hand to stroke the curve of her back, then settling on her ass, fingers teasing at the entrance.

"You're just-ah-" she said in between breaths, "So good to me and my parents-" Petra let out a long groan as he played with her ass, hands between her pussy and her backside, and she clamoured out the next words, "I know the country isn't your thing, but I really really love you for it-" And at the word love Levi fluttered his fingers against her core, causing Petra to lose all sense of control as she nearly fell backward. Hands leaving her, Levi spun Petra around and kissed her as the hot water drizzled against her back.

"Your turn," Petra purred, reaching for the bar of soap on the ledge and lathered it between her hands before depositing it back onto the shelf. Lavender and musk flew into the air, tingling their senses as Petra ran an appreciative hand over his collarbones, hands resting on Levi's chest as she took time to lavish his nipples with the suds as she dragged her tongue between them.

Levi groaned and thrust himself towards her, eager for her hands to slide down his abdomen as he shook with revelry while her fingers lapped at his muscles. Twisting and turning between each curve, she stopped at the v above his shaft while she kissed him, her tongue taking its time to savor his lips.

Her hands teased the line running down to his dick, and he bucked his hips as she finally took him in the warmth of her palm, hand slick with soap as she stroked him. Sprays of hot water hit Levi's back as moaned into the crook of her shoulder, begging her to go faster but also wanting to feel her everywhere.

"Wrap a leg around me," Levi ordered between kisses, nipping at her lips, and he backed her against the wall. Her skin hit the cold tile of the bathroom wall, and they both took a moment to breathe in the vanilla scent that was now wafting between them. Petra hooked her right leg around Levi's and pulled him close, hands resting behind his neck as his dick settled between their bodies. He was hot and ready, the tip nearly purple from the mixture of the steamy temperature and foreplay, and Petra slid her hips against his, letting the water fall between them as they both groaned in bliss.

"I'll go slow," Levi said, prodding her entrance, and she nodded, bracing herself for the familiar wave of pleasure. He felt like a homecoming when they joined, and their mutual hums of pleasure reverberated into the night as their bodies slid against each other.

Her arms were wrapped around his chest, and Levi pounded into her with earnestness, huskily whispering sweet nothings into her mouth as they continued building waves and crests with each thrust and movement.

"Petra," Levi gasped between breaths, eyes meeting hers in an emotional intensity. "You're my home. I was thinking, ah-"

Pressure continued building between them, and before Levi could finish his sentence, he came, caught up in the moment and overwhelmed with the intimacy and awe of how lucky he was. Petra stroked his hair as she kissed him softly, riding out his orgasm, his body shaking as he pumped into her.

"You want to move in together?" She asked, eyes watering. He looked up into her dazzling smile as he exhaled yes.

Notes:

Happy smutty Saturday! Won't be able to post tomorrow so here's my entry for this week :)

Chapter 7: in which Petra deceives Levi

Summary:

Petra lies to Levi and he gets angry.

Rating: M

Trigger warnings: Child abuse, trauma, angst

Notes:

This chapter is dedicated to my husband to be, the Petra to my Levi. The work you do with your kids will impact them far more than you will ever know.

Chapter Text

Petra was a horrible liar.

And while that was one of the things he loved most about her, the way she wore her heart on her sleeve when she was happy, angry, or sad, at a moment like this, it was infuriatingly annoying.

She fidgeted in her seat, the warm spring hair blowing her hair back as she kept nervously tucking her hair behind her ears despite the strands already being there. She had requested for them to go out to a French cafe in the center of town for a brunch date, and while Levi never minded going out on an impromptu date with his girlfriend, something was off .

Petra had always dressed nice and feminine, but today, she had taken painstaking care to do her makeup and her hair before they left, and she threw a modest cardigan over her sundress. If he didn't know any better, it was like she was going on a first date with him, but the notion was ridiculous since they had been going out for 7, almost 8, months. He tilted his head as she nervously tapped the table, aimlessly looking at the menu.

"Do you want to get a mimosa?" He asked, knowing she usually liked them but she shook her head.

"Maybe no alcohol for today," she suggested, giving him a sheepish, worried look.

A thought flashed across his mind, one of anxiety and excitement as he looked up from the menu.

Did he dare ask?

He set the menu down with firmness and Petra looked up at the gesture.

"Something wrong?" She asked and his eyes narrowed.

"No, but something seems wrong with you ," he accused, not needing to beat around the bush. She already knew she could barely get anything past him; he wasn't a lawyer for nothing, and playing poker with him and his friends always antagonized Petra to the point where she always folded early.

She coughed, another tell of hers that was so absurdly fake he had to bite back a scoff.

"What do you mean?" She asked innocently, eyes darting between him and the menu. The waiter came by to refill their water since they had already been sitting there for 15 minutes without ordering, another fact Levi found to be odd, but Petra insisted that she wanted to take her time perusing the menu.

He sighed as an odd flutter came into his heart. "Petra, are you going to make me spell it out? You, getting all dressed up, springing this on me after we spent all of last night fucking when you know I like lazy mornings; then you , turning down a mimosa, I know you and Nifa do bottomless brunch all the time, so don't give me any shit for it. Look, I'll cut to the chase because I know what you're thinking. I know this isn't what we had planned, but I know you, and I know me, and I know you would be a great-"

"Sorry I'm late!" An older woman's voice chimed and Levi froze, blood running cold.

Petra immediately set her menu down, sliding out from her chair as she went to go greet the raven haired woman with grey eyes that mirrored Levi's.

His lips turned thin as he glared darkly at Petra. "What the fuck is going on?"

Petra pulled up a seat for Kuchel, gesturing for her to sit down as she called a waiter over for an extra place setting and menu. All of a sudden, things started clicking together, the outdoor seating suggestion, and Petra's strange silence on the drive to the cafe.

Petra gave him a worried look as she placed her hand on top of his. "Your mom contacted me on Facebook after seeing my profile picture with you."

Levi's head was starting to feel dizzy, his vision faltering from black to red in rage, and he pulled his hand back with a hiss. Petra gave him a hurt look, but brushed it aside as she continued explaining.

"I guess we have some mutual friends through the school or something, but she wanted to get to know me." She paused, looking at Kuchel for permission, who was starting to look uncomfortable from her son's rage and gave Petra a nod. "And more importantly, she wanted to know how you were."

Kuchel finally spoke up in a low voice. "Levi...I'm so happy to see you. It's been what, 10 years?"

"Twelve," he spat, crossing his arms and legs. "Or twenty if you want to count all the years you chose not to see me. Maybe let's just make it a solid 31 years and 5 months since you've never done shit for me."

Petra gasped, not expecting to hear such hurtful words come from him, even though he had told her numerous times that he and his mother did not have a relationship. She had given birth to him when she was 18, barely an adult, and instead of giving him up for adoption, she kept him while she made money at the local whore house. He was left alone for hours in an empty room, leaving him malnourished at times. Kuchel had a strained relationship with her parents as well while she tried to fend for herself and her baby. Things finally came to a head when someone called child protective services on her when he arrived at school in the same filthy clothes for the third week in a row and attempted to steal food from the cafeteria.

However, things didn't improve. He was placed with his next of kin, his uncle, Kenny Ackerman, and while he had the financial means to support him and Levi, he scorned him at every turn where praise came in the form of a lack of punishment.

"Do you want to be a pussy like your mom, kid? Get up and fight."

"I know you see the guys coming in and out of the house. Keep your fuckin' mouth shut if you know what's good for you."

If it wasn't for Levi's intellect, and the graces of a good teacher who mentored him in his last years of high school, he would've ended up just like them. Petra had helped run a school play for her students a month ago, and while she insisted he didn't have to come since it was mostly senseless babbling, he attended the show from the back row. She looked radiant, directing and ushering in the children, and that night, he pooled his face into her lap, telling how a teacher saved his life when he was 16.

"I told them I wanted to get a job to get me out here. They told me I could do much more than that. Teachers are angels, Petra. I mean it even if the rest of the shitty world doesn't see it."

And so, after hours of writing and rewriting college applications and scholarships, he was accepted to a university far away from his home with a full ride, and he never looked back. He turned 18 during his senior year, and he already moved all of his finances into his own name, purchasing a ratty beater van to live in. It was Christmas Eve when he pulled into the trailer park, hands freezing from the cold, but in that moment, he felt free as he watched the clock strike midnight.

A condition of his scholarship was that he had to remain in the pre-law track, and while it was a career Levi had decided on after excelling in the school's debate team, he threw himself into his studies, never losing sight of his goal, and he slowly letting his past dissipate behind him as he curated his new life.

He looked into his mother's eyes, the same eyes that let him go easily, the ones that chose a drug addicted man over him , and he curled his lip. His designer shoes and clothes he wore spoke volumes, and the click from his watch reverberated uncomfortably as the three of them looked between each other.

"Levi, can you please listen to what she has to say? She's changed-"

"You have no right," he snarled, cutting her off. "You don't know what it's like, having a good for nothing mother who never chose you, and an abusive uncle who only wanted you for the check from the government. God Petra, you're so fucking sheltered sometimes." He pushed back his chair, not sparing a second glance to his mother. "We're leaving, now . If you don't come with me, I'm going home."

Petra swallowed, holding down the bile in her throat as she looked into her glass of water that was sweating and left a wet ring on the napkin. Kuchel sighed, patting Petra's hand and then clasped it gently.

"You're a sweet girl, Petra. I know my son is angry with me, I shouldn't have put you in this position. Why don't I leave and you two can resume your date?"

Levi scoffed. "Angry? You think I'm fucking angry, mom ? No, I'm not angry anymore, I buried that feeling the last time you tried to visit me at work on Christmas to wish me a happy fucking birthday, acting like you hadn't been absent for the past 10 years. I wish I was angry, I'm more pissed that you involved my girlfriend of all people, that's a new low for you. Though I suppose fucking a man in the same room where her 6 year old son is sleeping was a pretty big low, huh?"

"Levi, stop, " Petra pleaded, tears coming to her eyes from his harsh words, but he kept pressing on.

"I'm not angry," he said in a godless, hollow voice. "For all I care, I don't have a mother, an uncle, or any family, and that's fine with me. Petra's my new family and we don't need you involved in our life. Petra, let's go," and he grabbed her hand, but she pulled it back with force, irritating him further. "Fine, then. I'll call you later-"

"Levi, your mother's dying!" She cried, taking his hand while she held Kuchel's in her other. She gave an apologetic look to Kuchel who merely sighed.

Levi froze, dropping Petra's hand as his blood chilled. Good riddance, he wanted to say to himself, but couldn't bear to move a step further away from the table.

"So, is this your apology tour or something?" He muttered, sitting back down, looking into the cobblestone street.

"No," Kuchel said with finality. "It's me wanting to know my son before I go. It's me wanting to get on my knees and beg for forgiveness for the horrible mother I've been, but I know words wouldn't change anything. But Levi, I'm so so proud of you. Petra told me all about you and all of the children you've saved. I know you're the hero who you wished you had, and I'm so sorry I'm the reason you became it."

Silence hung in the air as they all stared at each other with varying looks. Petra held her breath, wondering if her boyfriend would snap again, his fists clenching and retracting as he steadied himself. Kuchel sat nervously and the waiter came by again to fill their glasses up, nervously asking if they were ready to order since they had been sitting there for 45 minutes.

"Ah, a bread basket, please," Petra said to acquiesce the man, and his face fell as he jotted it down, expecting something more, but Levi's look was enough to have him scurrying away.

"How long do you have?" Levi asked, finally looking at his mother with a measured gaze. It was eerie to him, seeing her face, sallow and wrinkled since the mother in his mind was not more than in her mid 30s, an age not far from his own. But she was weary, the dark bags familiar to him because he carried the same for years.

She smiled, though it didn't reach the corners of her cheeks. "You're so much like your uncle," she said, and he kept himself from rolling his eyes, wanting to tell her that was probably the worst thing she could have said, next to comparing him to herself.

"2 years, maybe less," was her quiet answer. "It's stage four breast cancer and it's spread. I've stopped responding to chemo and I want to live out the rest of my life not feeling like I'm sick all the time."

The waiter came back and placed the bread basket at the center of the table. He shuffled the various spreads between all of them and Petra politely asked for a club sandwich, asking if Kuchel and Levi wanted anything. Both of them didn't respond as the waiter ran off again.

Levi let one leg settle over his thigh, looking pensively at Kuchel. He leaned his elbows against the chair's arms, settling in closer, tone near menacing. "So what do you want? Money? I've got plenty of it, but you're not getting a cent from me."

Petra gave him a look again, but he brushed it aside as he watched her butter a slice of a baguette for his mother, passing the small plate to her while she helped herself to one too.

"I don't want anything from you, Levi. I just want to know you and for you to know me. I'm assuming Petra hasn't told you, but I'm doing a lot better now. I've been a secretary for the past 7 years at a good company, and I've met a man who makes me very happy. We live not too far away from here, I would love for you and Petra to visit sometime."

Rage hung in his throat, the request so casual and nonchalant as if it were any other weekend, and they were a normal family where of course his mother wanted to invite her son's girlfriend over to meet her boyfriend. The image almost made him laugh.

"So, you're…" And he searched for the word that would be most appropriate. Sober? Not a whore anymore?

"Doing okay?" He settled on, and she smiled, for real this time, as understanding seemed to sink into Levi.

"Yes, I'm the happiest I've ever been. I guess dying will do that to you, and the only thing that would make me happier is getting to know my son again."

Discord whipped through Levi's heart as he debated between the confusing emotions bubbling up inside him. He had every right to be resentful towards her, that wasn't a fact he wanted to dispute. But, there was a part of him, the sad and lonely child still buried beneath the layers of wealth and education, that wanted to hug his mother and cry. And ask why and I need you and I forgive you .

He didn't say or do either of those things, but instead sat back and ordered a salad while he listened to his mother's story over the course of two hours. Petra was silent, holding his hand the entire time while Kuchel cried and laughed between her recounts and finally, they exchanged numbers at the end of the meal.

Levi was exhausted, the mental strain of comprehending the morning was catching up to him as he and Petra drove back to their apartment complex. It would only be another two months before they moved in together, a prospect he was looking forward to, and they were moving into the city so his commute would be shorter. He had been frugal over the past few years, building up his career, and decided that he deserved to splurge a bit for him and Petra while they picked out a luxury apartment with two bedrooms in a complex called the Three Walls .

Neither said a word on the drive back, and when Levi closed the car door shut and they made their way to the stairs, Petra touched his shirt sleeve pensively.

"Levi, I'm so sorry I deceived you. It was a horrible thing to do, putting you on the spot like that, I should have told you when your mother messaged me, but from the minute I saw her picture I knew she was your mom. I'm going to go back to my place, and don't feel obligated to call or text me, I know this was a rough day, and it's all my fault. I just...I just wanted you to get some closure too, you know? If it were me, I'd at least want to know the better version of my parents than the memory I'd be stuck with otherwise. I realize that was a naive thing to do, and I wasn't thinking about your feelings and I'm sorry . You have every right to be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you," he said quietly, walking up the few flights to their floor, finding the key to his apartment. He opened it and gestured for her to enter, and confused, Petra walked in, putting her purse down in its familiar spot.

"You're right. If you told me she messaged you, I'd tell her to fuck off. I would've never seen her, case closed. And while I don't agree with your methods...I don't regret it, Petra. I may not ever love my mother the way I should, but I don't regret seeing her today."

Petra perked up. "Really? You don't? You looked so upset earlier-"

"Because I've had three decades of childhood trauma coming back to me. But for what it's worth, I think it was important. My heart feels heavier, and not in a bad way. Like I was shutting a part of it off because I hate dealing with this shit. I guess that's maturity."

And with that, he tugged Petra to sit on his lap as they sat on the couch, and she obliged, looking both bewildered and in love with the complicated man below her.

"Now, for that little stunt you pulled, I hope you're ready for a good punishment," he muttered into her ear, and she already pulled off her sweater and sundress while he licked a line down her neck and bit down hard on her collarbone.

Petra rolled her hips against his, embracing his cock between his pants. "Yes sir," she purred between her lips, giggling as he threw off her bra and rubbed his face between her breasts.

God, he loved her so much.

Chapter 8: in which they move in together

Summary:

Chapter inspired by Taylor Swift's album Reptuation, specifically the songs Call It What You Want, Gorgeous, King of My Heart, and Dress 💕

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

A lump formed in the back of Petra's throat as she looked at her empty apartment.

The movers had just finished packing in all of her furniture and boxes, and even though she would return tomorrow to do a final sweeping with the help of her meticulous boyfriend, she couldn't help but feel like today was the final goodbye.

This was the first place she rented on her own; a year out of college, her second teaching job, and bright eyed and bushy tailed, she had finally landed the position of her dreams. Not too far away from her parents so that she was still able to reasonably visit them, and just a twenty minute drive into the city, she was still able to live out her twenties with rapturous wonder while balancing the responsibilities of adulthood.

Dust bunnies scattered across the wood flooring, and the beams of lights poured in, catching every speck as she had removed the curtains just this morning and made a box to donate it to Goodwill.

In a lot of ways, the apartment represented a cornerstone of her youth-most of her furniture pieces were thrifted or hastily thrown together from the cheapest IKEA furniture she could afford at the time, and dashes of her student life intermingled on the shelves of the new adventure that she was about to embark on.

Petra chewed on the inner corner of her lip as she reminisced on how much her life had changed in the past year. She shuffled her feet from side to side, wondering how long it would take before someone noticed she was still inside the apartment. She clutched her keys within her hands, the smell of metal intermingling with the sweat between her palms, and as she was about to sit down onto the empty floor as the sunshine touched the window, a voice cleared its throat from the open doorway.

"Petra, the movers just finished my place. Are you ready to go?"

Petra drew a breath, turning on her heel to find the source of why her life had dramatically changed. Sure, love had always been on the horizon for her, a faraway dream that she didn't often think too hard about since she loved so easily and freely. The trick was finding a person where everything felt just right and Petra knew that that could take time, possibly years, and in a sordid way, that thought used to excite her.

The pining, the heartbreak, the late nights of wondering who would be next, she had experienced enough of that in college and was ready to enter the next phase of what that would look like as a working woman.

By all accounts, she would have pushed Levi away if it weren't for the serendipitous happenstance in which they met. He was her polar opposite-grumpy, often waited for the worst possible thing to happen, a workaholic, and an ultra refined taste that she resigned to only existing in an alternate universe.

And yet, he was her heart and soul.

At 8 years her senior, every alarm bell in her mind told her to run away from him. She knew the type; power hungry business men who liked to spoil young girls and make them dependent on them, but Levi was nothing like that. He respected her, let her pay for her own meals if she desired, but wasted no time in spoiling her rotten if she allowed it.

When they hooked up, she thought it was only going to be a casual thing, a way to get her lifeless sex life kick started after moving into a new city, but from the minute she woke up in his apartment to his blazing eyes set with intensity, she knew this was something different.

Their sexual chemistry certainly helped; Levi was glorious in bed, and she had never felt more sexy and confident than when she was with him. Always on the more open minded side, Petra reminisced the first time they had sex after finishing a particularly grueling hike. The view more than made up for all the sweat, and with both of them being fit, they knew it was difficult and deserved a reward. The trail was empty since it was the off season, and barely between taking their clothes off and finding a secluded area between the rocks to hoist her against, Petra heard Levi laugh joyously for the first time after they made love.

At first she was offended, wondering if the heat and exhaustion was making him delirious, but when she inquired, Levi reassured her that the situation was hilarious to him .

"I hate getting filthy and this is probably one of the most unsanitary things I've done. But I didn't think twice, seeing your ass in those shorts all day, I'd say I should reward myself for holding back the entire time. I know I don't say it enough Petra, but I've never looked forward to anything more than spending time with you. I've always enjoyed work, but now I'm flooring the gas pedal to catch you before you go to bed, and now weekends are something I actively plan out...God, I love you so much."

That was the first time he said I love you too, and the hopeless romantic in her was glad he said it first. She knew, of course, after the first month, but he mentioned that it had been ages since he had been in any sort of long term relationship and she didn't want to scare him off.

Little did she know he was absolutely the doting kind, both sexually and emotionally, and in return, she gave him her heart and body, enjoying watching his jaw drop at every new surprise she had in store for him.

Today he was wearing a polo and casual slacks, insisting that he paid good money for the movers and she didn't have to lift a finger even though she felt useless just standing around and felt like she had to be doing something . He gave her a soft look then, reminding himself that a reason why he fell in love with her was her tenacity and desire to see things through.

Tears sprung at Petras eyes as she wavered to answer his question.

"Is it silly I don't want to leave just yet?" She asked, closing the space between them as her dress fluttered from her quick pace.

Levi embraced her, wiping her tears with his thumbs. "Oi, you better not regret moving in with me. It's a little too late since we signed a year-long lease." He was joking, of course, and a smile peeked through the corners of his lips.

Petra sniffled, shaking her head, pressing a kiss into the palm of his hand. Though Levi didn't show it, she could have sworn she caught a glint of relief in his eyes as she kissed his lips.

Silly man , she thought, fiddling with the chain around her neck that held his initial. At first Levi was surprised by her request, she said it so offhandedly when he asked what kind of jewelry she would like. Bracelets and rings weren't practical for an elementary school teacher, so she tended to lean towards necklaces, and with a rush of pleasure at the thought of having something that represented him on her body, she coyly told him.

A week later, he awkwardly slid her the jewelry box at one of their five star restaurant dates, and Petra wondered what the occasion was. He blushed, muttering it was their nine month anniversary even though they had stopped counting after six. It was unusual to see him so flustered, but he explained that she was under no obligation to wear it, but since she asked…

They later had sex under candlelight where she wore nothing but his necklace, and Levi trailed love bites around her collarbones, saying she looked so gorgeous with him all over her.

"It's just...Well, in a way, we met and got together because of this apartment. Leaving is like saying goodbye to those memories."

Levi rolled his eyes, not the type to get sentimental over physical things. "The fire alarm going off at least once a month for no reason is enough to get me to move, I don't know about you. And besides," he swung their hands together between them. "This is the next chapter in our lives." He said the last bit, turning away from her, and Petra was endeared by his bashfulness as he usually became when they spoke about things like always and forever .

Sex was easy for Levi. Words outside of the courtroom were something else entirely.

He looped his arm around her waist gracefully and pulled her closer, nibbling on her ear. "I'm also excited to break in our new bed ," he whispered as hot desire crept up on Petra.

One of Petra's worries about moving in was that their styles clashed. He was all about modern decor and she considered him a minimalist despite him saying he had plenty of crap around his place. She collected trinkets and memorabilia, saving the matchbox that was between their bill from their first date.

He was with her when she packed it, keeping it in a safe place in a box that she dubbed The Levi box , a name that sounded utterly dirty to him when in reality, it held her most prized possessions, from photographs that she had yet to scrapbook or find a place for, and his little love notes that he often snuck in between her school folders.

Levi's response was blunt when she asked him if he would be open to keeping any of her furniture.

No , he said sternly, noting the caked on dust from the multiple layers of finishing paint from the owners throughout the years. Unless you want anything, but I was thinking we can buy new furniture together .

Together.

Petra's head spun at the idea of both of them picking out new furniture, the act feeling very intimate, but absolutely needed since all of Levi's furniture was either black or grey, and she made it clear that his style was a bit too stifling for her tastes. She needed her home to feel cozy and light; hygge is how the Danes described it, and she took to finding a style that suited them both.

And despite the fact that Levi hated the mall, much preferring outdoor outlets or shopping centers, he drove them there on a busy weekend so that Petra could take her time perusing West Elm, telling her to pick out anything she wanted.

But it's so expensive! She exclaimed, pointing to the price tag of a large earth toned couch she had fallen in love with.

Levi blinked, then a smirk came to his lips as he pulled her hand away from the tag and snapped a picture of the couch and told her not to worry about it and to keep making her list. Petra insisted on at least writing the price down, but he firmly told her no as he pulled her to the next showroom.

Thousands of dollars later, they left with a delivery date and a perfect blend of their styles. Petra took Levi's modern inclinations and combined with her warm sense of home, opting for brighter colors, but not so much so that it was overbearing. She had plenty of plants that she was bringing to their new place, which would balance out nicely with the tans of couch and golden hanging lights.

Petra grew up modestly so the idea that she could have matching sets that were brand new made her feel like a princess opening up her lavish wardrobe. Later that day, Levi handed her his credit card, another big step in their relationship, and told her she could buy any decor she wanted and she could ship it straight to their new apartment.

Baffled, she looked at the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, feeling heavier in her hand than any of hers as she looked at his name in all capital letters L. ACKERMAN and briefly allowed herself to fantasize herself as Petra Ackerman as she slipped it into her years old worn wallet. He kissed her softly, eyes going tender in a way that only she could decipher.

"I like making you happy, Petra," he said in between kisses. "Is this okay?"

Feeling like a schoolgirl again, Petra blushed, inhaling the expensive cologne at his shirt collar. "I feel like a gold digger," she said between incredulous giggles. "But if it makes you happy, I'm not going to say no. It's nice being treated. Maybe it's something we can role play around with too."

She trailed her lips down his neck, causing his breath to grow heady as she whispered into his ear how he could be her sugar daddy and the types of rewards and punishments he could implement if he so choosed. Levi tilted his head back as he let Petra rain murmurs of love and adoration down his neck.

Returning to the present, Petra felt herself melt under Levi, his hand pressing into the small of her back as she envisioned their new king size bed, a metal canopy covered in iron circles at the headboard for all sorts of ways to tie each other up. Her toes curled at the vision, wondering how much energy they'd have later after getting their initial things settled, and Levi hummed as he gave her an inquisitive look.

"You ready to go now?" He asked, seeing her expression change from trepidation to excitement and she took his hand, leading them from her apartment and into their respective cars.

The ride was short into the city and Petra turned her car radio up as she trailed behind Levi's car. Intentionally, she chose the song Sleep on the Floor by the Lumineers as she drove, letting the lyrics provide the sense of nostalgia and hopefulness she felt.

The parking garage was fitted with the latest technology, a sensor was put into the sun visor of her so that she could easily enter and exit without scrounging around in her purse, and lines of lights varying red and green to show which spaces were open and closed reminded Petra of Christmas time.

Levi had paid for them to have their own personal parking spots, and she pulled into her number, right next to him, giving him a wave while he chuckled in response.

They made their way into the lobby and stopped by the manager's office to ensure the elevator they reserved to move in was still good to go.

"Welcome to the Three Walls!" The manager, Frank, exclaimed, giving the couple a cheery grin while confirming their reservation.

Petra could hardly believe that everything was flowing seamlessly as they made their way to their apartment, unit 20A. They held hands the entire time and Petra swore she felt Levi's pace quicken after they exited the elevator, the only indication that bore his excitement despite his plain expression.

They stood at the door and Levi held up his keys.

"Do you want to do the honors?"

With a giddy smile, Petra plucked the key from his hands and hastily undid the lock, stepping into their apartment for their first night together in their shared space. They had already done some work, laying down the carpets she chose on the hardwood floors and the couches and dining room set, but to her, it looked empty without the little touches of their personalities.

As predicted, the movers brought everything between their homes without a hitch, and two became one as Petra leaned over the boxes in exhaustion, dizzy from all the directives she gave and the decisions she would come to face within the next few days.

However, all of that was quickly pushed to the back of her mind as Levi suggested a bath in their new corner tub with jets, and she had already installed a basket of bath bombs between their double sinks. The sugary rose aroma enveloped the room as she ran the hot water and threw the fuchsia orb into the water, the jets doing its job as it swirled and pinks and purples bloomed from the center.

Petra slid in, moaning in contentment from the contact of the hot water and Levi soon joined. She openly ogled at him, never getting tired of his chiseled chest and lean body as she swam to his side while he opened his arms to her.

It was only a mere few seconds before they began kissing, the tension from the day leaving her body as Levi pressed her against the jets, the water pressure massaging her back. It was erotic, being pleasured in her naked state as hot water swam around her muscles and joints. The scent from the bath bomb only escalated her further as Levi pressed his length between her legs as she melted under his touch.

"If this is going to be how our first day goes, I'm looking forward to the rest of it," she murmured under his smoldering lips while his hands held her waist. She smoothed his hair down with her wet hands, enjoying how his hair looked slicked back.

Levi purred under her touch as he nipped at her neck. "Our goal for this week is to make love in every single room and on every piece of furniture. Think we can do it before I go back to work?"

Petra gasped as Levi swiftly entered her, words becoming lost on her tongue as he pumped into her slowly and sensually. She thought of the new desk Levi had bought for himself in their second bedroom, a home office so he wouldn't have to stay so late at work, and for her, a chaise lounge specifically set by the window for reading.

All the positions they could try, all the memories they would be able to make in the comfort of their home, Petra nearly cried at the thought as she moved in time with him and the jets, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Her fingers laced themselves around his neck while she caught his question in the steam, already whispering to him what she wanted to do to him later that night, happy that she no longer had to return to a home with out him.

Notes:

Hello, just wanted to pop in and apologize for the weird pacing of this chapter, it's mostly for exposition for the next two arcs which I see being maybe the next 5 chapters or so :) Commens are always loved, thanks for reading! 3

Chapter 9: in which Petra makes a choice (there is a light that never goes out)

Summary:

For extra feelings, listen to "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths :)

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Petra had been quiet the entire day.

And while she was usually soft-spoken, which was one of the many traits that Levi valued dearly about her since he spent most of his workday with the likes of Hange, it was disconcerting.

The last time she was like this was when she lied to him about their cafe date, a bump in their relationship that they worked through, but he was pretty sure she wasn't lying today.

She peered out the window of his car, the window rolled up at her request despite the warm sunny day it was, and her arm was pressed up against the glass as she rested her chin into her palm. A somber look crossed her face, and she jolted in surprise when Levi moved to stroke her cheek.

"Baby, what's wrong? The program seems perfect for you."

Petra frowned, then kissed his hand as she removed it from her cheek, bringing it to her lap at where her skirt hem met the skin.

Levi kept his eyes on the road but darted them briefly to look at her in concern as she gnawed on her lip. He held the leather steering wheel of his car with ease, preferring to drive one-handed anyway as she fiddled with his fingers, tracing the lines and ridges between his digits. She often did this when she was nervous, like going to the dentist, or when she begged him to watch another rom-com instead of the thriller he had picked out even though it was his night to choose.

It was April, just a month and a half before Petra's school year ended, and she offhandedly mentioned to him that her school encouraged her to apply to a graduate program about three hours north. She applied early into their relationship, not thinking anything of it since she was most definitely just a slightly above average student in university, and it wasn't guaranteed she would get in. But when she received the acceptance letter to their new address, she knew a decision had to be made.

"We've only been living together for a month! I don't want to live in another town, even if it's temporary, it would be for the entire summer. What about Paris?"

"We can go another time, it's more pleasant in the fall anyway. Petra, haven't you been saying you're feeling a calling to special education? This is your opportunity, your school pays for half of it anyway."

She pouted, a childish expression, but Levi knew she was only masking the deep fear that her lines of worry revealed. In a quieter voice, she looked down to the floor, holding the acceptance letter in her hand. "I don't want to leave you. I'd have to get an apartment since it's for three months, I haven't even done the math if I can afford it."

"I'm sure there's student housing. And as luck would have it, you have a very rich boyfriend who's more than happy to spoil you."

Curling the acceptance letter into a roll, Petra smacked him on the bicep. "This isn't about spoiling me, Levi! I can't accept that kind of money from you."

He scowled, irritation setting in since she was clearly trying to talk herself out of it and he wasn't about to let her throw away an opportunity for him.

"Well, since you seem to want us to function as roommates, and since you won't be living here for three months, it wouldn't be fair for you to pay your half. You can use that money to pay for your temporary place. I can't imagine rent being more than what it is here, you said it was up north?"

She nodded, defeat and acceptance sinking in as Levi continued reasoning with her.

"Then you'll be fine. We can do long-distance."

Petra flinched at the words long-distance and threw the acceptance letter onto their kitchen island with the rest of the mail.

"At least take a tour," Levi offered and Petra sighed, already on the school website for a list of dates.

"Why are you so damn convincing?" She muttered, scrolling through their shared calendars.

Levi smirked, leaning back into the island stool with his hands laced around his neck as he gave her a wink. "It's my job to be persuasive."

"That's the problem," she said above a whisper, lowering the already soft radio as she regarded him with dismay. "It is perfect. Their summer camp is a great opportunity to get practical experience and I wouldn't be bound by curriculum like I am in school. It's just..." Her voice trailed off, letting the static of the music as they passed under a tunnel fill the space.

Sunlight broke through the car again and Petra sighed as she held Levi's hand close to her chest.

"I don't want to leave you."

Gray eyes turning sharp, Levi side-eyed her. "We talked about this. We can do long distance, I'm not going anywhere." It was his turn to feel uneasy as he posited in a forcefully joking manner, "Are you worried you're going to meet someone else, all the way in bum-fuck nowhere?"

"No!" She gasped, dropping his hand back into her lap. "Why would you think that?!"

"I don't understand why you're being so damn cagey about this. You want to be a special education teacher, here's the opportunity! You're worried about money? Petra, baby, please let me take care of you. I want you to get your master's degree. I know you love your kids, but I see the way your eyes light up when you get the students with special needs and how fucking sweet you are when you curate alternative curriculum that includes them too."

His eyes were darting between her and the road, his driving slowing as he attempted to concentrate on both as he didn't intend to upset her, but she was being ridiculous.

Petra gaped at him in silence, giving him his hand back as she leaned back in her seat, sliding down, causing her yellow dress to ride up. She opted for chiffon, wanting to look put together for the admitted students tour, and Levi looked impeccable as always, looking like a Brooks Brothers model. It didn't escape her that the women in the tour gawked at him, and she held his hand possessively, trying to concentrate on the tour and not at the disbelieving looks of her soon-to-be peers.

She may feel sexy and confident, and on most days she believed it, but sometimes there was a small voice in her head that wondered what the hell someone like Levi was doing with her. Petra came from a modest upbringing, and she was pretty mousy up until high school where she became more athletic, and college was where she really bloomed, but at the end of it all, she was still Petra Ral, the girl who bought off-brand if she could help it, and still clipped coupons in her spare time.

"I don't want to leave just as we're getting our life started together," she admitted truthfully, which was the other half of it. She had finally gotten all of the furniture that they ordered, putting everything into place as she finished up the school year.

And true to Levi's request, they had sex in every room, on every feasible piece of furniture, and she loved every second of it as he pressed her up against the floor-length glass windows of their 20th story apartment. He fucked her as she looked down into the city, with only the lights of the traffic illuminating their bodies.

At her confession, Levi's eyes softened, threading his fingers through hers as he spun a smooth hand in the center of the steering wheel to make a turn.

"We have the rest of our lives to live together. The apartment will still be here, I'll still be here. Even after work starts up again, you'll have to go back in the winter, right? We'll have plenty of time in between and you'll be done by next summer."

Maybe it was Levi's compelling use of language, or maybe it was her flashback to their most recent lovemaking, but Petra was finding herself fixating on Levi's driving, and more precisely, his fingers, long and sleek, and she gulped as a shiver went down her spine, lips wetting at a fantasy she had since the first night they made out in his car.

She pressed her thighs together, her initial fears mostly dissipating at Levi's reminder of the rest of our lives, and she looked side to side for any nearby cars, but the country road was empty, as it had been for the last half an hour.

Levi noticed her change in disposition, a single eyebrow raising in question as a hopeful look crossed him. "So you're going to go, then?"

A coy smile played at the corners of her mouth as she hummed, her right hand disappearing underneath her dress to pull off her thong.

"Maybe," she teased, hooking her underwear over his gear stick, then returned her hand to her skirts, watching him carefully.

Levi's jaw was clenched, along with both of his hands firmly on the steering wheel, gripping it hard as he attempted to ignore the placement of her hands, as her other reached to grope her breast.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Keep driving," she sing-songed, sighing with relief as her hand met her folds. She was already wet, always thinking of Levi's driving as sexy and when she mentioned it to him, he was baffled.

"Driving can't be sexy," he argued and Petra let out a giggle.

"Of course it can be, that's why car commercials look the way they do. I've just never experienced until I saw you drive."

Combined with his firm insistence on taking care of her, and then his promise of forever, a topic he usually shied away from and preferred to let his actions do the talking, the mood was just right, and she let out a soft moan as she gazed at him.

A single vein protruded from Levi's jawline to his shoulder in his attempt to control himself, but he nearly swerved as Petra threw her head back, gasping when she pinched her nipple, remembering how he always took his sweet time with her tits.

"That's enough," **Levi growled, placing the car on cruise control as he glared at her, letting the automatic steering take over for just a second as he told her to sit on her fucking hands, his left hand holding the steering wheel with only just enough force to keep them inside the lane.

Red-faced, Petra acquiesced with a playful pout. "I was just having some fun."

Levi snorted, "Like hell you were, you dirty little brat. You can't do that in my car and expect me to watch and do nothing. Thanks to you, I'm driving with a hard-on." Petra looked to Levi's pants, which were quite tented, and she licked her lips as she pressed her legs together in an attempt to gain some friction.

He stroked her thighs, first rubbing circles into them with his warm palms, and she groaned from the contact, needing relief.

To make matters more frustrating, Levi kept his eyes on the road the entire time, not even breaking contact when Petra said his name all breathy and heady.

Flipping her skirt up, he began with one finger, sneaking it agonizingly slow into her apex as she cried out, hands escaping from under her thighs so she could spread them further apart. She latched onto the door handle, the other on the center console, and bobbed herself up and down, needing more than just a finger.

Levi clucked his tongue, and Petra could tell he was using every ounce of willpower he had to not look over because if he did, he wouldn't stop and they would surely crash.

To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die~

The radio sang The Smiths, but neither of them paid attention as Levi curled his finger into Petra's core, feeling her silken walls throb and ache as she raised herself to get a better angle, ass and pussy floating in the air.

"Fuck," she gasped in frustration, and Levi let out a low chuckle, not used to hearing Petra curse during sex since she usually opted for moans and screams, but nevertheless enjoyed hearing her vulgarity as he slipped another finger in, scissoring her while carefully dancing around the spot that drove her wild.

He allowed one eye to stray to take his beautiful girlfriend in, temples beading in sweat, eyes clamped shut as he teased a thumb over her folds to provide extra friction.

Petra was whimpering, enjoying the rush of being vocal where other people could possibly see them. Levi turned another corner, his movements smooth and effortless as he guided the steering wheel, with Petra watching the entire time as his other hand drummed up and down in a facade of nonchalance.

"I'm getting close," she groaned.

"I know, sweetheart," he said with a smirk, and Petra bit her lip as Levi moved his hand to cup her ass at the same time, his ring finger at her other hole, prodding it.

That was enough to send her over the edge, and Petra's cries overshadowed the radio as she came, seatbelt tight across her stomach as she rocked against Levi's hand.

Her eyes squinted in pleasure to the point where she didn't even notice Levi pulling over to the shoulder, clicking his hazards on while he unbuckled his seat belt in one swift movement, not letting go of her pussy the entire time.

He kissed her, his warm tongue diving in between her loose lips. Petra barely had time to collect herself as he moved her seat back the furthest away from the dashboard, releasing his hands from her as he cupped her cheeks, kissing her with gentleness and languidly.

"I love you," he said in between breaths. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I know," she sighed into him, pulling down the zipper of his shorts, then releasing his dick, stroking it with fervor before he entered her.

Straddling above her, trying to avoid his head from hitting the low ceiling of the car as they reclined the seat as far as it could go, Levi panted, doing his best to find a rhythm while Petra arched her back for him.

Their movements were awkward and the space was tight, but both were wildly turned on from the maddening urgency they held for each other.

They couldn't wait another hour, it had to be now, and with the promise of future encounters like this, as in most cases where absence only makes the heart grow fonder, Petra accepted her enrollment for graduate school.

Notes:

and here we go, onto the next arc of the story! how will our couple get creative doing long distance? find out next time in fire alarm, in which they have phone sex!

I don't usually provide previews since I'm fickle, but since I have the next few chapters drafted here ya go 😘

Chapter 10: in which they go long distance (part one)

Summary:

Petra's first week of grad school comes to an end and she misses Levi.

Chapter Text

Petra sighed as she entered her apartment.

She had just finished her first full week of classes, and alongside her internship, she was exhausted; it had been a long time since she was in school as a student, and she had forgotten the great lengths it took to manage assignments, keep with emails, and also show up as a working adult without getting paid.

Time management had never been her forte, enjoying that being a teacher allowed her to focus her energy on one thing at a time. Despite the cute planner that Levi gifted her, the multiple sticky notes attached to each syllabus, and important documents, they were starting to lose their not-so-careful organization.

Being a student again ought to be humbling as a teacher, but more than anything, Petra wanted a drink and a night out with her boyfriend.

The other girls in her class were nice, aging from fresh out of undergrad or older than herself, but she wasn't close enough with them yet to suggest hanging out since the only thing Petra really wanted to do was sleep.

Her full-sized bed looked like a pauper's mattress compared to the luxury she had at home, and while Levi insisted she could replace any furniture she needed with his assistance, she didn't see the point since she would only be here for three months.

And while Petra had no regrets about taking the opportunity, bracing herself for loneliness the minute Levi drove away, leaving her in her dimly lit apartment, she couldn't help but wonder if three months was going to be too long.

Since the program was compressed, there was barely any time for her to travel home, and Levi promised he would visit as often as he could. He tended to work late, and he had a big deposition coming up that he had complained to Petra through their evening FaceTime calls, with both of them barely able to hold a conversation for more than 20 minutes since they'd both be nodding off from exhaustion.

With a splash of cold water to her face, and with a heavy drop of her school bag, Petra changed into her pajamas as she flicked on the TV to some aimless channel. She planned to order take-out, though the options were limited in the rural area, and instead found a box of freezer mac and cheese.

Proceeding to poke holes into the plastic with a ferocity that matched her desire to be done with the week, she felt a vibration in her pocket as she stuck the offending dish into the microwave.

❤️ Levi Ackerman 🔥

Hey. How was your day? Your calendar says you should be home by now.

Petra smiled, their calendars merged since they moved in together, and what was once a convenience was now a lifeline to each other. The campus was small enough where she didn't have to put her class schedule and internship in every day since her schedule was relatively the same, but there was something serendipitous about Levi looking down at their calendar, knowing where she was.

The same went for him, blocking his staff meetings out like he usually did, and Petra daydreamed of his bored expression, him picking at his salad, then tossing it by the end of the day because he didn't get to it. Petra made sure to check in to ensure he was eating enough, and he assuaged her worries by Snapchatting her his food.

He was remarkably bad at taking pictures, the image either blurry or angled in an odd way, and Petra would giggle to herself, demanding selfies throughout the day, but they were usually taken from below, the camera capturing his neck and chin that barely hinted as his expression.

She still thought he was the most handsome man she'd ever seen.

Exhausted. Eating some sad dinner.

And she sent a picture of her burnt macaroni and cheese with the plastic film dripping off condensation.

Immediately, he responded.

Get some rest.

Though his texts were brief, Petra's heart melted at his concern.

I am. I've got Outlander and my two boyfriends to keep me company! NOT going to be thinking about homework until tomorrow

Three gray dots sat on the screen, disappearing, and then reappearing, until Levi settled on one word:

What?!

Giggling, Petra found the pint of Ben and Jerry's she had been saving for the end of the week and sent him a picture.

My dates for the night, she captioned, adding a 😉 to her next text.

You little shit.

Thumb hovering over the screen and with a scorched noddle on a fork, Petra chewed her food as her thoughts turned. She had been so tired that she hadn't taken care of her needs in nearly a week. While no stranger to masturbating, she missed her boyfriend.

Even when they were exhausted, usually they would find some time to sneak something in, whether it was a quickie before dinner, or her personal favorite, morning sex.

Petra was an early riser due to her job and Levi was always more than happy to oblige as she woke him, needy kisses against his neck, with a hand sneaking between the sheets to grasp his cock and stroking him until he was hard before his eyelids fluttered open.

Still in the office? How was your day?

Yeah, just finishing up some paperwork since the intern left for the night. Glad this case will be over by Wednesday so I can visit early.

Discarding the plastic tray of her dinner, a coy smile played on Petra's lips as she walked barefoot across her apartment. Phone sex was something she experimented with past boyfriends, always awkward and mostly a combination of what are you wearing and explicit dirty talk, the latter always fun but never enticing since she had done most of the work.

However, with Levi...Well, he always made sure she was taken care of, and then some.

Still clad in her baggy shirt and cotton sleep shorts, Petra sauntered onto the bed, flicking the bedside lamp on as she laid back, fingers playing at the flesh of her flat stomach.

She could send him some pictures, but where would the fun be in that? Hair tousled and not in a sexy way, she had the opportunity to paint him a picture, and that was the enthralling bit about phone sex.

Is anyone else in your office? She typed quickly, heart racing. Ridiculously, she felt like a school girl again, and then with another punctuated thought, she realized she was, the idea making her blush and smile as she imagined her freshman year self ogling over Levi.

No. Was his single text, and as she hit his picture at the top of her phone, then clicking on the call button, the phone barely rang twice before he picked up.

"Hey," she said breathily into the receiver, tapping the speaker option. "Thought I'd catch you before you head out. You going to the bar with Erwin and Hange?"

His low smooth voice replied, "Nah, we're all too wiped from the case. I think Hange fell asleep at her desk and Moblit's too afraid to wake her up."

"Oh, too bad," Petra said without a hint of remorse. "I miss you," she added, scooting back into the bed, head falling against the flat pillow, a far cry from her fluffy down at home.

"I miss you too," Levi said softly, and she heard his keystrokes from his laptop stop.

With a glint of mischievousness, Petra shuffled her hips, angling her fingers at the rim of her panties. "You said you're alone?"

"Mhmm," Levi responded, catching her tone, and she heard his leather chair creak as he moved to lock his office door. She caught a swishing sound, recognizing it as the blinds moving sideways as the plastic pittered against each other while Levi sat back in his chair with a grunt.

"I was thinking about you last night," he said, with Petra imagining his tired gray eyes lined with circles from his long evenings.

"Oh yeah?" Petra said, diving two fingers to her slit, holding back a groan.

"Remember that outfit I got for you after our third date?"

Petra closed her eyes, remembering the black lacy number Levi had picked out on a trip to Victoria's Secret. Maybe it was a bit too forward for a third date, but she didn't care, seeing him looking at each piece of clothing with her body in mind. She remembered watching his lean fingers dancing across the lace, his gaze hungry, licking his lips in anticipation.

"Yeah, you asked me why women's lingerie has so many straps," she giggled, pushing up her shirt to palm her naked breasts, wishing it was his large hands encircling her. "But then you told me you had a thing for bows because they're," and she imitated his voice, her lilt going an octave deeper, "Really fucking cute, especially on you."

Levi chuckled, the sound like a mixture of dark chocolate and velvet as Petra heard his pants unzip. "Did I mention afterward that I get why lingerie has straps?"

"Mmm, I think so, but remind me again." Completely taking off her shirt, Petra whined at the loss of contact to her clit, but sighed in relief as the air hit her bare skin. Shorts sliding down her legs, she pictured Levi's arms dragging her pants deliciously down her smooth skin, tantalizing and taking his time as he would take a moment to bury his face into her pussy, then teasing her with a quick lick, but no more than once.

Levi grunted, and Petra could tell he was stroking himself, pupils black with desire and longing, with his legs spread out like an offering as he sat back in his leather office chair.

"Undo your tie for me," Petra commanded huskily, and Levi set the phone down on the wooden desk as he fumbled with the neck. "And take off the three top buttons of your shirt."

"As you wish," Levi chuckled, taking his time before letting Petra know he was done.

"So, lingerie and straps?" She teased, her voice like a fresh grape at the precipice of his lips.

Levi breathed heavily into the phone, the metal of his belt buckle clattering against the hook. "Right," he said with a pause. "When I saw you wearing that outfit, with the sheer lace on the cups, the adorable fucking flowers covering your tits, I wanted to tear it right off you. Your skin looked so good, all pressed and tight together like that."

Petra groaned, loving when he got possessive, even more so when it was over her body, and she let out another moan as she resumed her ministrations to her core, now wet from Levi's clamoring words.

"What else did you like," she gasped, no longer hiding the fact that she was getting off, loudly.

Not that it was ever a question to begin with, but she could hear Levi's smirk as he said airily, "The way each little strap created a shape every time it crossed over, highlighting your skin, I kissed every spot until you were so needy you barely noticed me being so meticulous."

Petra managed to laugh as she hit that spot, her legs shaking from the impending climax, but she clenched her thighs together, willing herself to wait as her other hand scooped her breast, the gesture rough. Levi would press his face between them, kneading her tits like they were about to be devoured.

"With you, I never seem to know how I can manage to be fully clothed one minute, and then my panties are on the floor."

"Are you wearing panties now?"

Petra took a look at her boring cotton underwear, hooking them down so they sat at her ankles, and she could smell how aroused she was as dampness between the cloth slid down her knees.

"Not anymore," she replied, dancing a finger down the centerline of her chest to her naval. If only Levi were here, that action would have been his nose, coupled with his lips as it drove her crazy when he blew hot breaths down her skin.

Levi groaned, his words becoming more clipped and haggard as he stroked himself further. "You know what really drives me crazy?"

With embers in her eyes, Petra gasped as she arched her back, eyes soaring into the ceiling. "What?"

"Those shitty bows that they put in between your tits and ass crack. How the fuck am I supposed to think about foreplay when I want to fuck you, looking like a damn present?"

"Then fuck me," Petra replied, hurrying her pace as her fingers danced between her folds, each stroke reminding her of the man she loved, and her hand squelched between her thighs as she cried out. She could tell he was close, his language becoming more profane and less coherent.

"God, I want to so bad. I want to feel your ass all around me, your perfect tits bouncing each time I pound into you. I want your pussy around my cock, all tight and needy, you'd like that wouldn't you, you little slut?"

And at his dirty talk, Petra came, her muscles sore from working at her apex, and the release was like a fresh breath of air, her shoulders shaking as she bounced up and down the bed, rusty springs squeaking beneath her.

"Yes Levi, yes!" She cried, riding out her orgasm, imagining his perfect face, his sharp jawline, and his eyes that reminded her of rainfall on a cloudy day. His teeth clenched when he came, his cute little pants and grunts, all because of her, and she pushed herself until she couldn't take it anymore, wanting him and only him.

Her whimpers must have had the same effect on him because Petra heard a strangled gasp, followed by an ah and her name was somewhere in there along with baby and so good.

Naked, Petra laid on the bed, sweat trickling down the sides of her face and her neck as she gave Levi a moment to collect himself before switching to video chat.

As she suspected, his hair was mussed, and as requested, his navy tie and dress shirt were undone as he gazed into the camera.

"Hey babe," she said, giving him a view of her naked body, camera facing down for a full view of her tits and soaked curls of her pussy.

Laughing, Levi zipped his pants back up, discarding the tissues into the waste bin beneath his desk.

"If you're going to call me looking like that, we might have to go for round two."

Already reaching for her vibrator, Petra shot him a wink. "How about a reward for each piece of paperwork you do?"

Setting his phone down on the stand at his desk, Levi grinned, looking at the clock. "I've got time."

Chapter 11: in which they go long distance (part two)

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Petra stared at her computer screen with cold horror. It was as if the letter was branded into the offending rectangle, mocking her in a bold black letter.

C-

Always an anxious test taker, preferring to write essays or shine through her practicum in undergrad, Petra thought that as a fully grown adult, she would have kicked the habit.

But, the night before the test, stomach-turning, cold sweats, and then vicious nightmares of failing and wasting her school's tuition money, then having to repay all of it sent her into a sleepless tizzy until her alarm salvaged her dreams.

Head aching and heart buzzing from the cup of coffee in her cheap Keurig, Petra thought her midterm went okay but not that dreadful.

Turns out, taking a fifty-question multiple-choice test and writing three short essays was hard to pull off in her sleep-deprived state, a fact she hadn't had to wrestle with in years.

Grad school sucked. Why did she talk herself into this?

If she was home, she'd currently be taking a bubble bath in the corner jacuzzi of her luxe apartment that she barely got to enjoy, glass of wine in hand. Levi would be getting home from work, tired from the long week but happy to be home and join her in the tub while he kicked the jets to a higher pulse.

Even her dirtiest fantasies weren't helping now and Petra kept staring at the letter, refreshing the page to the online school portal as if it were some divine mistake.

Scrolling through the questions, she cringed at the ones she got wrong, and it turned out her essays were just fine it was all the silly mistakes in the long-winded multiple-choice questions. It should be illegal to use the phrase "Which one of the following is NOT..." Who even asks questions like that in real life?! Maniacs, that's who!

Her thoughts drifted to Levi, a wordsmith by trade, but not in the flowery sense. She heard him practicing for depositions, his voice turning her on as he would pace throughout the apartment, his speech coming to him seamlessly, but practiced varied tones, choosing which pieces of evidence to highlight.

"You're sexy when you're explaining things," Petra said one day, head hanging off the back of the couch, upside down.

"You say that about everything," Levi said absently, making a strikethrough on his notepad. He kept it old school, some ridiculously (and unnecessarily expensive) heavy ballpoint pen in hand as he mused.

"Well, it's true," she giggled, the image of him in his pajamas and working always a fun sight, one that was just meant for her.

Being surrounded by teachers, Petra didn't often feel dumb as being in an atmosphere of learning was humbling to her heart, but sometimes when she watched Levi and his world, she felt very small.

He used words that didn't even touch her vocabulary, read the news every morning like a grandpa—except it was on his iPad—and the sheer amount of paperwork he did that was all extremely vital made her head spin.

His friends never made her feel unwelcome at Happy Hour, quite the opposite, thanks to Hange and her enthusiasm for meeting the girl that "charmed the ice king's heart," a reputation he seemed to obtain in the law world. But, as with any office get-together, chatter turned into work, which left Petra alone, sipping her martini while Levi kept a steady arm around her waist.

It was funny when she learned he was a lawyer; anything legal, whether it be lawyers, cops, or judges scared the crap out of Petra, as she was taught to respect authority, even an episode of Judge Judy put her into a foul mood.

Unless Levi was commenting on it, which then the program became much more entertaining and a brand of reality TV she could get behind, and since he was a child welfare lawyer, it immediately tore down any intimidating walls and morphed him into a modern-day knight.

Finger at his picture in her phone, a pensive shot of him while they were backpacking one day and woke up at 5 AM to watch the sunrise in the mountains, Petra tapped it, holding her breath and hoped that she wasn't disturbing him. It was 5 PM, which meant he could be on his way home or still in the office depending on how intense a case was.

It rang only twice before he picked up.

"Hey," he said, the roar of the city behind him as Petra heard a car horn.

"Hi," she said, still staring at her computer screen. "You done with work?"

"Just got out," he said as Petra heard his car door unlock and slide into the smooth leather seat. His seatbelt clicked as he shuffled around with his keys, then a beeping sound cut through the phone as his voice became much clearer.

"You're on Bluetooth now."

"Glad I'm in surround sound," she joked, thinking to the premium sound system Levi had but never used. At least, until her, and she spent plenty of time seeing just how much bass she could boost in Ariana Grande's latest song.

"I can't wait for next weekend," he said, his voice clipping as he made his way down the garage to exit. Petra waited for a signal that he was back, counting down how long it usually took if there weren't other employees exiting. Thirty seconds if it was clear, three minutes if a visitor didn't validate their parking, which she could imagine Levi's eyebrow twitching and hand-tapping the steering wheel in irritation.

How could she tell him she had to cancel next week? She wanted to go home so badly or even have him here, but one look at her grade...

She would be stuck doing extra credit, an option her professor made sure to point out as she said midterm grades would be released this afternoon. It wasn't difficult, Petra could make lesson plans in her sleep, but the extra credit involved live critiquing others, something that would have to be spent half a Saturday doing, leaving little time for travel or entertaining her boyfriend.

"Sorry about that," Levi's voice cut in, the scowl permeable over the phone. "Some dumb-ass forgot to validate his parking and couldn't figure out the credit card machine like a fucking idiot. You stick the card in, wait two seconds for the flashing green light, and then stick your ticket in again. How hard is that?!"

"People are dumb," Petra agreed, instantly soothing him, and he sighed. "Yeah. But it's the weekend and I was thinking of making reservations for this new tapas place that just opened up a few blocks away from the apartment—"

"I can't see you next weekend," Petra said instantly, the shame crawling up her throat like vomit. "I failed my midterm. I have to stay to do the extra credit which is next Saturday. I'm so sorry Levi—"

"It's fine."

"No, it isn't! We haven't seen each other in three weeks and I miss you, and I ruined all of it because I'm a fucking idiot!"

She didn't curse often, the words not forthcoming as an elementary school teacher, and Petra swallowed down the tears that were threatening to fall. All of her insecurities returned, of watching all of her brilliant friends go to medical school, sports scholarships, or graduate with some fancy six-figure job lined up.

She loved being a teacher, but she didn't kid herself that it was some life-altering or world-difference-making career. She loved kids, she enjoyed helping others, and all of the self-deprecating stickers and mugs that said "I became a teacher for the money and fame," were starting to get old.

She just wanted to pass a fucking test.

"You're not an idiot," Levi said, voice edging on anger, not taking kindly to people speaking ill of his girlfriend, even if it was his girlfriend herself. "What grade did you get? I remember you studying all week for that test."

"C-," she bemoaned. "Anything less than a B average in the class is failing. It brought my grade down to 80%, which is a B-. But if I do the extra credit, it'll raise it to an 82, and then hopefully between my other assignments and the final I'll pass the class."

"Then do the extra credit."

If he wasn't trying to be helpful, Petra would have thrown her phone across the room, hating how matter of fact he was. But that was Levi, all cool logic and facts, except when it wasn't.

"I miss you," she said softly, hand clenching around the phone. "Maybe I should just quit before it gets worse and I waste more time. The drop out period ends next Monday, I could save the school tuition—"

"Petra," Levi's voice was firm, and she recognized that voice, the one he used in court that meant that negotiations were over. "You're not dropping out. You have a plan, you're going to do fine. We'll just reschedule our date for another time. I'm not going anywhere, remember?"

She sniffed, the tears not quite ready to fall, but between her guilt, shame, and the long week, her resolve was beginning to crack.

"I just...I was really looking forward to seeing you. I know you're Mr. Cool, Levi, but it hurts a bit," and she gave a wary laugh, her insecurities coming out like a downpour, "You can brush me off so easily. I wish I was more like you, not caring as much, maybe I wouldn't get so anxious over a dumb test. Maybe I'm not cut out for grad school, maybe I'm supposed to be 'just average' Petra Ral, the girl destined for mediocrity! I mean, I'm dating you, who is brilliant, and that's only because we met by chance. If you saw me on the street, you wouldn't have looked at me twice. I shop at Target, have a pack of fifty Bic pens that I got from the dollar store, and spend my money on crayons for the classroom. The only reason why I have a car is because my parents helped me after I worked at my town's general store for three summers instead of taking a penniless internship. I'm just...average."

There was silence over the phone and Petra couldn't tell if he pulled into their parking garage or if he was pissed at her tirade. He always made a face when Petra spoke about her upbringing, telling her he was quite aware of what it was like to grow up without wealth, while also shoving her own Chase Sapphire Reserve card into her hands before she left for school. It's tied to my account. For emergencies.

"Levi?" She asked again, regretting her words, but the needy part of her wanted him to say I miss you too.

"Go to these GPS coordinates in an hour," Levi said suddenly, a text popping up in Petra's phone with a Google Maps location. She clicked on it as the app opened up, revealing an equidistant point between their two locations. "And you have to leave in an hour. I'm sending you a location request, one sec," another text linking to their mutual app appeared in her messages as she clicked accept. "It'll ping me if you're here early. See you soon."

The call ended abruptly as Petra heard the two tones signaling Levi hung up and she stared at her phone, wondering what Levi had in store. He didn't even bother asking if she was free, but she supposed her calendar gave that away and she had no upcoming tests to study for.

Another text came in from Levi:

I brought your clothes from home so don't worry about anything. You're staying the night with me.

Blushing, Petra wondered exactly what kind of "clothes" Levi was referring to, but she gathered her duffel bag, throwing in her toothbrush, pajamas, and some generic casual clothing as she slipped into some old cotton shorts and her green college hoodie.

It took exactly an hour and forty-five minutes for Petra to reach their destination, noticing that the countryside was turning more into forest land as she headed out west, the sun setting just forty-five minutes ago as dusk settled in. Hues of reds and oranges flew throughout the sky, the clouds a pale dusting of cirrus as they caught the last rays of light.

Petra pulled into the gravel driveway that seemingly led to nowhere as there wasn't a single landmark in sight. Pine trees canopied the night sky as stars twinkled in the light, the absence of the city illuminating the forest.

Letting out a puff of air, Petra was glad she wore a sweatshirt to keep her warm on the chilly summer night. She turned her head, seeing Levi's black sports car parked, but it was off and no Levi was in sight.

She texted: Are you going to murder me? I'll make a pretty sexy corpse.

Petra held her phone in the air, hoping it would send with only one signal bar.

A minute later and Levi's name appeared.

Turn around and look to your left.

And on cue, Petra immediately noticed two rows of luminaries forming a pathway through the forest. It was near pitch black with the outline of the trees just visible and she squinted, noticing the uphill path carved by logs acting as a staircase.

Intrigued, Petra followed the path, realizing that the lights were made of brown paper bags and electric tea lights in the center. They were evenly spaced apart, leading uphill, and Petra padded her way up the forest floor, flip flops hitting the damp grass as dew clicked on her heels.

It had been weeks since she last went to the gym, and Petra's thighs burned as she reached the very top of the staircase, head between her knees as she panted, taking a moment to collect herself. Wherever Levi had planned had better include a cold drink!

"Hey, this was not halfway!" Petra called to him, still catching her breath as her hands rested on her knees. "I did the math, I had to drive way longer than you! Also, was there any place closer to park? You should've told me I would be hiking, I'm wearing flip-flops and I think I stepped on a branch and there's a hole in my shoe. By the way, I also have to pee, so I hope there's a bathroom wherever—"

"Petra."

Levi said her name with something akin to fear, and immediately, she snapped her head upward, taking one last breath as the air caught in her throat.

At the top of the hill sat a small yurt with a white top and wooden sidings. Two rows of lanterns ran parallel to the dwelling, leading to a cozy den of blankets and pillows lined with amber fairy lights. A fire pit was stoking just twenty feet away, lighting up the atmospheric ring as sparks flew into the air.

And then there was Levi, the architect of this romantic getaway, standing at the center of everything in a crisp black suit. Anyone looking at him would think he just came from work, his thin black tie neatly tucked in between his jacket, navy pocket square sitting primly at his breast, but Petra knew this suit.

It was the suit he liked to wear when they went out on dates since she complimented his ass in those pants. The one that hugged all his muscles just right, showing just enough definition in his arms, the one that she insisted on sewing his button back on instead of taking it to a tailor.

"You talk a lot, you know that?"

Petra cracked a grin at the sentence; the words he said that sealed their fate, the last sentence he whispered before he kissed her for the first time.

"I've been told," she said, legs shaky as walked towards him.

There was something different in the air that told her that this wasn't just a date night. For a spontaneous trip, this seemed elaborately planned, and Levi's jaw twinged as she came closer.

She tugged at the sleeve of her hoodie, feeling extremely underdressed. "So, are we going to go in?" Craning her head, she peered into the yurt, an excited giggle escaping her lips as she noted the bottle of champagne inside.

"I hope that flap closes," she said, shooting him a wink, a jittery flutter thumping in her heart. "Since we'll be doing a lot more than sleeping in there tonight. Though, since we're in the middle of nowhere, I guess it doesn't matter that much, we've done freakier things, just not at night. Maybe our cries will scare away the bears, or are we supposed to keep the fire going? I don't see any bear lines, but we can always store food in the car—"

"Petra," Levi said again, this time with more confidence as he slid onto the mossy floor, getting down on one knee in front of her.

"Can you please stop talking? I have something I need to say and you're making it difficult." He smirked as his hands reached into his pocket as Petra's lip wobbled.

"What are you doing?" She cried, burying her face into her thick cotton sleeves, catching her tears.

"What do you think?" Levi asked, taking out a robin's egg blue box.

Petra's eyes widened at the color and tears were already streaming down her face as she wailed, "I'm not dressed to be engaged!" And she pointed to her shorts and flip-flops.

"Doesn't matter," Levi said, relief shrouding his features as a smile finally broke through. "And for the record, this was plan C. Plan B was Paris, but I didn't want to wait any longer."

"What was plan A then?!"

"I'm getting to that, hold on," and held the box to her like an offering as he took her hand.

Petra's eyes glowed in the firelight, her tears ceasing as she desperately wanted to burn this memory into her soul for the rest of her life.

"Petra, you're anything but mediocre. I wish you could see yourself the way I see you—"

"Oh god," Petra said, the tears coming down her face as she withdrew her hand to wipe them away.

"Oi, I worked hard on this speech, so you better listen," Levi said, taking her hand again, giving a quick kiss to it.

"As I was saying, Petra, you're anything but mediocre. You're kind, patient," and she made a face at that word, with Levi clicking his tongue, "I know you have a temper, but you have more patience than you give yourself credit for you. Your job isn't easy and just because society doesn't value you doesn't mean shit because you're amazing. Who gives a fuck if you shop at Target, you actually got me into that thing where you don't have to talk to people to get your groceries—"

"Drive up," Petra said with a blooming smile.

"Yeah, that." He kissed her hand again, letting his lips rest against her cold skin. "And you are so fucking sexy, baby. I know you know that, but god...If I could spend every day inside you, I would. I wish I didn't pick such a demanding job so I could come home to you sooner, but it's all worth it, for you. I had such a shit life before and I was always just fine before I met you, but Petra..."

His grey eyes met hers, and Levi breathed, thinking she had never looked so beautiful, standing above him with a watery smile that spoke of hope.

"Meeting you made me realize what I had been missing my entire life. Spontaneity. You're so daring, you know that? Inviting my mom to lunch even though you know it would piss me off but you knew I wouldn't agree to it anyway. You're going to grad school even though it scares you in so many ways. I always did sports and outdoor stuff for the adrenaline, but I don't think I ever looked at it the same way until you came along. You have fun and this is cheesy as shit, but Petra..." And for the first time, Petra saw Levi's eyes well into a visage of pools as he looked to her without any shame.

"My life is better because of you. You taught me to be brave, to feel once in a while, and you don't get very far in life by hiding. I've had the same group of friends for 12 years. I lived in a shitty apartment where the fire alarm went off for a year and I didn't think about moving even though it pissed me off. I would have died, never knowing my mom in the way she wants to know me. And it's all because of you."

Petra was barely keeping it together as she sobbed, sleeve halfway between her face but kept her eyes on Levi as he happily sighed, pressing the silver button on the box, revealing a ring with a single diamond and silver band.

"So please, don't ever say you're average, Petra. Every time you laugh at some shitty joke I make or when I wake up and see you looking at me, I want to keep experiencing those things for the rest of my life. I'm not an easy man to love, but for some reason, you do, and I love you so goddamn much. I would be the luckiest man in the world if you would be my wife."

Levi sucked in a breath as Petra was already furiously nodding between her tears and he chuckled, "Oi, let me ask first."

And he readjusted his position, on one knee for the past fifteen minutes, surely staining his suit but not giving a damn as he asked, "Petra Ral, will you marry me?"

Flying into Levi's arms, Petra cried, "Yes! Oh my god, YES!" She nearly knocked the ring from his hands as she kissed him with abandon, processing his declaration of love as the words melted her heart and washed away her insecurities.

If someone like Levi loved her, surely that meant something. Her flip flops slipped off her feet as Levi lifted her, kissing her with ferocity as his lips sought hers.

Breaking the kiss, Levi paused. "Wait, I need to put this on you. Can't lose all that money in the woods." He plucked the ring from the box and slipped it onto Petra's left hand as she gaped at it.

"I'm shocked, actually. That you chose something so basic."

Levi frowned, "You don't like it?"

"No! I love it, it's so me. But I figured with your taste, you'd be decorating it with as many diamonds as you could fit."

Rolling his eyes, "I'm not the one wearing it. But I promise you, the price is anything but basic, and before you ask, no I'm not telling you."

"I can guess from the box," Petra said, eyeing the iconic blue-green square, her heart dancing at the image of Levi picking out a ring and thinking of her.

"Alright, now that that's out of the way," Petra squeaked as Levi picked her up bridal style. "Time to celebrate. I've got champagne in the yurt."

"Wait!" Petra cried, pushing against his chest, her eyes never leaving the ring on her hand. "At least let me get changed. You brought my lingerie, right? That's what you were referring to over the phone?"

Levi smirked as he entered the yurt, setting Petra down against the white blankets and pillows. "No, I was talking about your hiking gear. I packed your boots and your favorite shorts and sports bra. There's a really good trail we can hike tomorrow. As for lingerie," he tugged at her hoodie, pulling it over her head. "We won't be needing any tonight. I want you now."

"Oh," Petra gasped as Levi dove for her neck, seeking her warmth like a moth as he lavished her skin, tongue gliding up and down. She moaned as he slid off her shorts, feeling her wetness through her panties.

"Wait," Petra said again and Levi groaned into her chest.

"Babe, this is some of my best work, you're killing me."

"I need to know what Plan A was! Especially if B was Paris."

Levi grinned, planting a kiss between her breasts while she shuddered.

"Oh, that. Plan A was marrying you."

Heat dove down to Petra's core as Levi licked his lips. How could this man manage to make something so sweet sound so sexy?

As he entered her, her name the first thing on his lips, Petra decided she could spend the rest of her life figuring that question out as she held Levi close, fingers pressing into his back while their moans echoed into the night.

Notes:

Link to Petra's ring: engagement/engagement-rings/tiffany-true-engagement-ring-with-a-round-brilliant-diamond-and-a-platinum-diam-GRP11929/tiffany-true-engagement-ring-with-a-round-brilliant-diamond-and-a-platinum-diam-70269325/

Chapter 12: in which Levi learns about wedding hashtags

Summary:

It's time for the Rivetra engagement party and an unwelcome guest stops by!

Chapter rating: T

Chapter Text

"If you're going to look that good, I might not let you out of the apartment," Levi said, delicately running his hands down Petra's sides from behind her. She wore a nude bodycon dress with spaghetti straps that cut off just after her ass. A diagonal neckline kept the ensemble tasteful, but the matching stilettos that accentuated her legs were enough to forget about their event for the evening.

Resting into him, Petra giggled while her lover, no, fiancé, peppered kisses along her neck, his hands sending waves of delight into her skin. Tilting her head, Petra puckered her red-tinted lips and threw a sheepish smile.

"Can't ruin the makeup," she chided, taking a purposeful step away from him before he could further seduce her.

Levi scowled, wanting nothing more than to avoid the next few hours. "Remind me again why we need to do this."

Grabbing her purse, Petra slung it over her shoulders while closing the lights of their apartment. "In most cultures, the parents of the families need to meet before the wedding," she winked to him. "And besides, my mother can't wait to show off all the decor she bought, courtesy of you."

Sighing, Levi grabbed his car keys from the hook and took his time walking towards the elevator. "Engagement parties are stupid. Everyone will be invited to the wedding anyway."

Pressing the down arrow, Petra admired her ring in the elevator light. It glimmered, throwing specks of rainbow where the beams met the angles, and an easy smile sat on her face. "It's to congratulate us. We're both only children, I think our parents will have a good time. You'll get to meet all my friends, my co-workers. I get to do my bridesmaid proposals."

"What?!" Levi asked, his eyebrow twitching as they exited. He gave a wave to Frank, the manager, as they made for the parking lot.

"I told you," Petra said, unlocking her car and opening the trunk. Four hot-pink bags with tissue paper sat upright, each containing a different initial. "Bridesmaids are a big deal. My maid of honor is my childhood friend, Poppy. Then there are my college friends Nifa and Nanaba. And my co-worker, Eva. I got them all spa gifsets." She shook the bag as if the contents could speak for itself and Levi stood, confused.

"Did you even ask Erwin and Hange?" She shut the trunk door then moved the contents into Levi's car.

"…No," Levi admitted, starting the car up with the click of a button. "Didn't think it was important enough to mention eight months before the wedding."

Petra shook her head as she opened her phone, swiping through her notifications and answering texts. "Think of it like this, wouldn't you rather our parents meet at an event with a definitive start and end? Instead of a restaurant or an activity that could go on for hours? You know my mom is going to talk your mother's ear off and ask about what you were like as a baby."

"If she remembers," Levi grumbled, making a point to drive at the speed limit, wanting to prolong his time in the car.

The radio was on low, and Petra was idly typing on her phone while snapping several selfies. Levi's gaze drifted to her, admiring her carefree attitude. At the end of it all, he didn't care about the fanfare or all the bullshit events leading up to it as long as he was married to her. Despite all of her stress, along with the start of the school year, he knew Petra enjoyed spending time with her parents and fantasizing about her dream wedding that he had no complaints about. He drew the line at line dancing, flash mobs, and anything related to public embarrassment, but other than that, he was up for anything.

Thus began Petra's saga into wedding planning, insisting that she didn't want a wedding planner and half the fun of it was planning it herself.

It should be noted that this sentence did not contain Levi's name because as far as Levi was concerned, she was throwing a party for her, her mother, and her girlfriends. Every time she tried to get him involved, he would default to her first choice.

"I know you have a preference," was a sentence that might as well be auto-saved into his phone.

She would then reply: 😑 So you're okay with a rose gold color scheme?

Sure, whatever you want. All I have to do is show up on the day of.

He wasn't trying to be an ass. He truly didn't care for these sorts of things. He'd been to exactly one wedding in his entire life as a plus one for a girlfriend and he hated every second of it. It was all contrived, like a sweet sixteen among adults and copious amounts of alcohol being consumed. There was always someone crying in the corner for some bullshit reason, the maid of honor and best man would make an embarrassing speech that would border on insulting. At the end of the day, Levi wondered if the couple even enjoyed it, being paraded around like a pony.

Under any other circumstance, he would prefer a courthouse wedding, but that wasn't what his intended wanted.

So, like a good fiancé, he went along with whatever unnecessary event Petra (and her mother) had cooked up.

His mother was all too thrilled when Petra invited her to all of the quintessential wedding events, like dress shopping (it was only her first visit and she did not say 'yes to the dress'). Their venue was already secured; Petra knew from the moment he proposed. As much as she disliked "leeching" off his money, The Boathouse at the edge of town encapsulated their love of both nature and elegance.

She made the call the day they returned from their impromptu proposal.

This engagement party was just another checkbox on the seemingly never-ending list of tasks before their wedding day. He didn't mind Petra's parents; on the contrary, they adored him and always treated him like a son-in-law before he even proposed.

It was his mother who he worried about. Her cancer was taking its toll and high energy events like this exhausted her more often. Her partner, Joe, was a nice enough guy. Boring, in Levi's opinion, but his mother could use boring after spending most of her life chasing highs.

"Alright, vibe check," Petra said, turning to him with a cheeky grin. "What's our code word if you want a break?"

"What—" Levi interjected, feeling like a child under her maternal tone.

"I know you," she poked his chest, admiring his form-fitting suit. "You're going to hate this. So what's our word?"

Levi stopped the car as they pulled into the restaurant. His feet settled into his shoes and he breathed in the leather of the seat. If he floored it now, he and Petra could rent a beach house in two hours. No one would know they could say they got into an accident—

He met her gaze and her honeyed eyes brimmed in concern.

Fuck, there was no getting out of it now, was there?

"Fire alarm," Levi said, a smirk edging on the corners of his lips.

Understanding grew on Petra's face while she giggled, "It's fitting."

Hand in hand, they walked through the restaurant doors, recognizing their friends and family's cars. Levi inhaled, hearing the low upbeat music accompanied by balloons and murmuring of people.

As soon as they entered, the crowd fell silent and looked at them, all screaming, "CONGRATULATIONS!" at once.

Petra shrieked in delight, already dropping Levi's hand while running to her parents and her girlfriends. Levi spotted Erwin and Hange along with their coworkers, and also his mother. She gave a small wave to him, though her smile was wide while she held a glass of wine in one hand.

It took a minute for Levi to process everything—the restaurant they rented out was an upscale sushi bar where they had their first date. The usual maritime decor was still in its place, except it was now flocked with wedding innuendos from the entrance to the back.

There was a banner made from mylar balloons, spelling out MR & MRS in rose gold, and accompanying white balloons that said SHE SAID YES! with a picture of a ring. There were rows of cupcakes in the back tables, and his eyes narrowed in on the flags that were stuck in by a toothpick:

#LevisNotPetrafied

As soon as he registered what it said, he began to see it everywhere. On the place settings. On the sign that he noticeably ignored on their way in. And then it was written on the party favor bags. Seriously, was this a birthday party, why did they need party favors?!

"Petra," Levi hissed, ignoring Hange and grabbed his fiancé's wrist. "What's with the slogan?"

"Huh?" Petra asked, excusing herself from her grandmother after giving Levi a pointed look. "Oh, the hashtag? It's so people can tag their photos! You said you were okay with it last month, is something wrong?"

Last month.

Damn it, he was working on the Johnson case then. It kept him in the office for nearly 80 hours that week, no wonder it slid by.

"It's fine," he grimaced, and with a relieved smile, Petra led him over to her Nana.

"Nana, this is Levi! He was in my Christmas card, remember?"

The elderly woman sized him up between her thick glasses and white hair. "Oh ho ho Petra, no wonder you're in such a rush to get married! He's so handsome!"

"Isn't he?!" Petra squealed, her grip on his arm tightening as her heels clicked excitedly.

"Bet you'll make some good-looking kids," her grandmother added with a wink to Levi.

He sighed, blushing under the older woman's gaze.

Let the show pony-ing begin.

In a strange turn of events, Levi found himself at his mother's side, seeking a reprieve. He'd lost count of how many friends and relatives of Petra's he met and shook hands with. The Rals were a lively bunch, and her mother's side all seemed to share varying shades of Petra's hair color. It fascinated him that Petra could remember everyone's names and relations, even remembering small details from cousins she hadn't seen in years.

Apparently, they flew into town for this. Petra's parents were all too happy to host them, even invited Petra to a family gathering the previous day, to which she declined since she needed a day to recover from work. Levi could count the number of relatives he had on one hand, and if he included his friends, that only extended to the other hand.

"You doing okay?" Kuchel asked him, turning to adjust his bangs that fell over his eyes.

Levi swatted her hand away.

"Yep, just needed some peace and quiet."

Kuchel smiled, "Your fiancé is quite extroverted, isn't she?"

Petra was giving out her bachelorette proposals since the appetizer just finished, and variations of screaming, crying, and laughing echoed across the restaurant. The girls enveloped her into a group hug while they all chanted Levi's not Petra-fied!

Kuchel laughed at that, looking fondly at the group. "I would've liked that."

Levi craned his head, looking for Joe, but he was occupying himself with Erwin, speaking of mundane office politics.

"I've never met anyone as sincere as her," Levi said quietly to his mother, earning a surprised look. "She's unabashedly outgoing like the sun is pouring out of her. Even when she's angry or upset, I don't mind because at least she's herself."

His mother leaned back into her chair, "You always valued genuineness. You're so blunt, I always worried how you would find your way in the world. Law suits you, it's black and white."

Levi let out a soft snort, "Tell that to shit heads abusing their kids."

Her expression faltered then, and instead of retorting, she took his hand. Another apology. They've had several conversations since Petra reunited them, all of where she expressed her remorse and he accepted her explanations. He started seeing a therapist; grappling with his dying mother, her wishes to reconnect, and was in the midst of deconstructing his pain. It was a lot to handle in the months that followed. He was learning he could love this version of his mother and still harbor hate for the woman that abandoned him. Dialectics is what his therapist called it, and as someone who preferred to see things in black and white, Levi found comfort in the unknown through Petra.

"You're good for her too, you know," Kuchel treaded, taking her hand away. "You make her so happy."

Crossing his legs, Levi sipped on some water. "Still can't figure out why."

Kuchel's laugh entered like a church bell. "Really? Don't these signs say everything?"

Levi shrunk in his seat, averting his gaze from the offending decor. "Please don't remind me."

"Levi," Kuchel mollified, "she loves you because you let her be herself. As it should in any good relationship, but I've never seen such two opposite people get along so nicely."

Pouting like a petulant child, Levi reached for her wine glass, stealing a gulp. "We're not that opposite."

"I know," Kuchel concluded with a proud kiss to his cheek, "but there's something beautiful about two lives intertwining. Can you blame her for being so excited?"

Levi nudged her off, but his cheeks were stained with a rosy hue. "I liked you better when you were high," he said with a grin and Kuchel gave him a subdued slap to his arm.

"Why don't you go back to your fiancé? I think she has a speech ready."

Taking her hand, Levi led them back to the main table where Petra was handed a microphone from her mother. She cleared her throat, gesturing for Levi to stand alongside her, and he acquiesced, slinking over as if he wasn't part of the main event. Fingers intertwined, Petra looked to him lovingly like he was the only person in the room.

"Thank you all for coming to our engagement party! I want to give a special thanks to—"

A rattle at the door interrupted Petra's speech, and the party jolted while turning their heads to their interloper. Levi's eyes narrowed, about to tell whoever interrupted his fiancé off, but a click of the doorknob made him freeze into place. The restaurant was locked and as boots tapped against the tile floor, the wide-brimmed hat was enough for Levi to step in front of Petra in a guarded stance.

"Oi, oi oi, did someone forget Uncle Kenny's invitation?"

Kuchel immediately stood up, the action dizzying, and Petra's mother put a secure arm around her waist. Levi stepped forward, gritting his teeth while winding up for a punch. He glared at his mother, wondering if she was the culprit behind this, but her equally shocked expression told "him otherwise.

"Kenny," Levi said measuredly while the man who he hadn't seen in over a decade grinned up at him.

"Hey, shortie. Congratulations on getting hitched," Kenny leaned to the right, his slender figure imposing from his jacket while he spotted Petra in the crowd. He winked to her, then returned to Levi, "Can't believe you landed a hot chick like her. Guess she doesn't care you look like a drowned rat?"

Levi balled his fists, stepping closer, "I'm giving you five seconds to leave before I beat the shit out of you."

Kenny grinned.

"One," Levi grit between clenched teeth.

Holding his hands up, Kenny tipped the brim of his hat. "I don't want to ruin the day, I just wanted to pop by and say hi to my favorite nephew."

"I'm your only nephew," Levi deadpanned, winding up his arm. "Two," he continued, but Petra's voice cut through before he could make another quip.

"Fire alarm!" Petra shouted, her stilettos shuffling against the floor while she ran over to the men. Levi scowled, turning around to shield her from Kenny.

"Petra, stay out of this. He's my baggage."

Petra adjusted her hair, craning up to meet Kenny even in her heels. "Hi, I'm Petra, Levi's fiancé," she introduced herself, holding out a hand with a wary smile. Kenny took it and leaned down to kiss her hand, earning a growl from Levi.

"I'm Uncle Kenny."

"I know," Petra said, quickly withdrawing her hand and wiped it on her dress. "Can I steal Levi for a second?"

Kenny sauntered over to Kuchel and pulled out a chair while the party's eyes were fixated on him. "Sure, sure. Don't let me get in the way of whatever kinky shit you've got going on."

Levi choked while Petra blushed furiously, tugging him along to the bathroom area. Eyes were still on the couple, but the ambient music seemed to ameliorate the awkwardness as Kenny made himself comfortable while chatting with his sister.

"Petra, I have to get back there—" Levi began, but she turned around, hands on her hips.

Hissing in a whisper, Petra jutted her jaw, "You will not get into a fistfight at our engagement party."

Mouth ajar, Levi's face twisted in rage, "You know who he is, what he's done!"

"Yes, yes, I know he's horrible!" Petra confirmed, waving her hands, "And he has no right to be here. But for the sake of the party, maybe you can just…"

A dark look simmered over Levi, anticipating her next words.

"…let him stay? You said he and your mom recently reconnected too? Maybe this is a good place for them to talk?"

"They can talk at her place," Levi muttered, more to himself, but Petra's pleading look made him sigh in resignation.

"But I agree, I don't want to ruin the party."

At equal height from her shoes, Petra kissed him delicately on the lips. "Thank you," she said with a relieved smile.

With a glower, Levi returned to the party where Petra made her speech, thanking their guests for attending. For the entire time, he stared at Kenny, catching up with his mother. She was laughing at something he said and Joe was engaged in the conversation as well.

Was he still involved with his gangs? The possibility was high, and an odd paternal feeling came over Levi as he thought about Petra's family. They were innocents, not needing to get involved with a degenerate like him, and if he had anything rolled up his sleeve, he would kill him, with or without Petra's permission.

He was so lost in thought, fantasizing how he could maim the man with several different means, that he didn't hear Petra's crystalline laugh breaking through the crowd. She was situated with their parents, except now she was engaged in conversation with Kenny while she handed him a party favor.

Speeding towards her, Levi let out a conspicuous cough to announce his presence. "What's so funny?"

Petra had tears at the corners of her eyes while she sat perched against the table. "Kenny was telling us about the time you set the house on fire from a pop tart. And the sprinklers went off."

Levi scowled, remembering that day clearly since he was barely in fifth grade and he came to school smelling like mildew. His peers all turned their noses up at him.

"The shorty forgot to put the setting on low," Kenny said with a beer in his hand. "Took me nearly a week to fix everything up."

No longer in the mood to play nice, Levi crossed his arms and glared at Kenny. "Why are you here? And more importantly, how did you know where the party was?"

Kuchel spoke up while an embarrassed flush colored her pale figure. "It's my fault, honey. I posted a picture on Facebook saying how proud I am of you and tagged the location."

Fucking Facebook. What was with the dying social media platform and its penchant for reuniting bygone family members?

Why was Kenny on Facebook to begin with?

"So you decided to crash my engagement party?" Levi asked pointedly, and Petra rose to calm him down.

"Well," Kenny drawled, crossing his legs, and threw an arm over Kuchel, "I wanted to catch up with my dear old sis, given that she doesn't have a lot of time left. You can't blame me for wantin' to see ya, I did raise you for ten years."

Petra's parents graciously excused themselves, seeing as things were about to get heated, but Petra took his hand and gave a reassuring squeeze.

"You were a terrible father figure," Levi scorned, eyes narrowing, "And if my childhood serves me correctly, you're involved in some unsavory deals that I don't want my future wife around." He brought Petra closer to emphasize his point.

Kenny chuckled, his lungs wheezing with every breath, "Aww Levi, don't worry about that. I'm straight now—I'm a private investigator. Your mom knows all about it."

A look of betrayal struck Levi while he sent daggers to his mother, "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," she said hurriedly, but Levi knew a lie when he saw one. She gave a slow exhale, gauging Petra.

"Kenny helped me reconnect me to you. He did some digging and found a mutual friend of me and Petra—"

"What?" Levi hissed, letting go of Petra's hand, and stalked dangerously closer to the table. "You didn't want to go through me so you wormed your way through with my fiancé?!"

"You wouldn't have spoken to me!" Kuchel argued, but Levi was already collecting his things and gestured for Petra to do the same.

"Fire alarm," he said to Petra, who didn't need to be told twice while she scurried off to let her mother know they were stepping out.

They sat in his car, his arms folded and music blaring while Petra scrolled on her phone. She gave him a cautionary glance, then moved to turn the volume dial down and set a gentle hand on his knee. He melted under her touch, his face crumbling its stony exterior.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked quietly.

"Not really," he said, hitting the recliner button of the driver's seat. Staring into the gray speckled ceiling, he mused, "Why is my family so fucked up?"

Taking off her heels, Petra crawled over the console of the car and straddled Levi's lap. She gave him a soft kiss that he reciprocated eagerly, though the weariness of the day was catching up to him. Breaking their connection, Petra settled her cheek into his chest and hummed along with the music.

We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January

And this is our place, we make the rules

"Do you want to get out of here?" She asked, trailing her fingers across his shirt collar. "We could go to the aquarium, look at the shark tank for hours. They probably still have that snow cone with the gummy you like."

Adoringly, Levi kissed the crown of her head while a deep rumble reverberated in his chest. "I'm fine now. Just as long as Kenny doesn't come to the actual wedding, I can deal."

Pressing her nose to his, Petra's floral perfume engulfed his sense while she gave him another deep kiss. "I'll make sure he isn't there."