Levi's gaze remained fixed ahead as his horse galloped through the lush green fields, each stride steady and rhythmic. The breeze swept across the open plains, carrying the delicate scent of wildflowers, mingling with the earthy scent of freshly turned soil. Spring had arrived, and the world seemed to hum with life and renewal, as if it hadn't been touched by the harsh reality outside the walls. His cape fluttered gently behind him, and his hair shifted with the wind, but his mind remained weighed down with the memories of yesterday.
It had been a beautiful day then, too. Almost cruel in its serenity. The sun had barely risen when three Abnormals descended on their camp without warning. He had acted quickly, but not quickly enough. Four dead, two more gravely injured, unlikely to survive. Fresh-faced cadets, full of ambition and fear, their lives snuffed out in less than two minutes. Their deaths – like many – were needless, and Levi carried the burden of their loss in his chest, the weight of guilt, grief and failure gnawing at him beneath his constantly composed demeanor.
He tightened his grip on the reins as his horse crested a grassy hill. The familiar sight of a small log cabin appeared in the valley below, nestled within a peaceful clearing, surrounded by fruit trees swaying gently in the breeze. A few newborn lambs and foals dotted the pasture, and butterflies flickered throughout the air all around him. Here, in this small slice of beautiful simplicity, the world felt different.
Dismounting his horse with fluid ease, Levi let his feet touch the earth, the soft grass cushioning his steps. He walked toward the cabin, the honey-brown door catching the sunlight. Along its edges, delicate carvings of flowers and vines framed the entrance, small details that always made him pause and appreciate the care and detail taken to make this house a home.
As expected, the door was unlocked.
He stepped inside, the warmth of the house wrapping around him like a comforting embrace. The air inside was filled with the soft fragrance of lilies and citrus. His eyes swept the room. It was exactly as he remembered: cozy and inviting, with a lived-in charm that embraced the serenity of home. Wooden floors gleamed under the afternoon sunlight, which streamed through lace-trimmed curtains, casting delicate shadows on the space. A worn, tan-colored sofa sat against one wall, its cushions inviting despite the slight disarray of blankets and pillows. The room was clean and cluttered only in ways he found endearing – the stacks of books on the coffee table, paintings in various stages of completion resting on every available surface, drying in the room's natural light.
His tension eased, the weight of his thoughts slipping away the closer he came to her. He moved through the living room, his boots almost soundless on the wooden floor, and entered the kitchen, but it, too, was empty. He continued down the hall, rounding the corner to the bedroom and…
There she was.
Liora stood by the bed, folding a small stack of laundry into neatly stacked piles. Her long, fiery copper hair tumbled in loose, thick ringlet curls down her back, the vivid strands catching the light like tangerines in the sun. Though wild and free, it was gathered just at the crown with a simple yellow ribbon, keeping the soft spirals from falling into her face.
She was wearing a simple, floor-length yellow dress that flowed around her as she moved. Levi's breath hitched, and for a moment, he simply stood there, watching her. She was radiant, her emerald green eyes soft and focused as she went about her simple task. Time seemed to slow as he took her in, his gaze tracing her delicate curves, the way the sunlight kissed her skin. It had been too long since he'd seen her —peaceful, unguarded, beautiful in ways that stirred him deep inside.
He took a quiet step closer and gently knocked on the doorframe. The soft sound caused her to look up, and when her eyes met his, relief washed over them both like a tidal wave. A smile broke across her face instantly, wide and genuine, and the joy in her eyes seemed to shimmer with life. Without hesitation, she ran to him, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck, pulling him close for a deep, passionate kiss.
He returned the action intently, the kiss filled with longing and love. One of his hands slid to the small of her back, pressing her into him, while the other tangled in her unruly curls. He kissed her harder, losing himself in her – in the softness of her lips, in the faint taste of something sweet on her tongue, in the sensations of her hands tangling in his hair, in the way their hearts seemed to beat in unison. His pulse thrummed with both passion and comfort, a combination he only found with her.
She broke the kiss, gasping for air as she pulled away, her brilliant eyes searching his face, inspecting him. She rested her forehead against his, locked in an intimate, unspoken exchange. He held her loving gaze in knowing vulnerability – she was the only one in the world who could see past his stoic expression, beneath the mask. She could see when rage burned beneath his eyes, when grief stuck a heavy blow, when doubt clouded him, or worse, when the numbness came.
In that single look, she diagnosed every fragmented piece of him, every fresh wound on his soul. Empathy and compassion swirled in her eyes – but she could tell already that he didn't want to talk about it. She always knew when to ask, and when to simply be.
Her lips found his again, this time slower, softer. It was a kiss not just of passion, but of understanding, of healing. Her hands slid down his chest, nimble fingers working to unclasp his cloak, then the buckles of his vest with practiced ease. Levi followed suit, shrugging off his layers while his hands slid with deliberate ease to undo the buttons in the back of her dress. And as the soft fabric parted beneath his touch, pooling silently at her feet, Levi broke the kiss momentarily to admire her –
Her flushed cheeks and swollen lips matched the color of her simple, pink undergarments. They weren't intentionally seductive pieces – no lace, satin or strings – but they looked ravishing on her. His lips found hers again with hunger, and traced slow, deliberate kisses down her jaw, following the curve of her neck until he found the spot, just under and behind her ear, that always elicited a moan.
There.
Liora cried out – a sound that ignited him. He suckled that sensitive part of her while his hands roamed the familiar terrain of her body, caressing the soft, round swell of her breasts, the curve of her hips, the delicate dip of her waist, all the way to her soft, wet folds. Her body responded to him like it always did—leaning into his touch, her breath quickening and intermingled with whimpers and moans of pleasure.
Levi lost himself in their lovemaking, an unhurried, intimate dance built on years of knowing each other. Their bodies moved together with fluidity and familiarity, an expert execution of pleasure. Each touch was deliberate, every caress tender. They moved as though they were made for one another, as if every curve of her body had been crafted to meet the strength of his.
His lips followed the contours of her body, lingering at the places that made her sigh and moan, his breath warm against her skin as he explored every inch of her with reverence. He didn't rush. There was no need to. They had mastered the art of this together, learning over time how to bring each other to the brink and back again.
When they finally reached that peak together, it was with the kind of slow, breathtaking release that left them both trembling, their hearts pounding in tandem as they held each other close. Levi pressed his forehead to hers, both of them gasping for breath, the world around them falling away until there was nothing but the two of them, tangled in each other's arms, their love a quiet, unshakable thing that filled the space between them.
He moved to lay beside her, pulling her slick and tired body close to his. His lips brushed her hair as they lay together in the aftermath, her breath soft against his chest, the weight of her body a comforting presence against his. Levi closed his eyes, letting her warmth, the scent of her skin, the steady beat of her heart, lull him into a sense of peace that he so rarely felt.