Levi Ackerman Lemon - Bruises and Promises - Request

Sorry this took so long! Would you believe that the place I went for Christmas didn't actually have internet?!
This is another request, once again I hope I did it justice. If anyone else is interested in requesting something just head over to my request page and email me the info listed there.
Enjoy!

            A pen scratched away in the dark, transferring a messy yet somehow refined scribble onto the document. Levi’s flint eyes darted over the paper, as if daring it to show him any mistakes. But of course there were none, Levi didn’t make mistakes. In the back of his mind he registered a soft distinctive click of the latch of his office door, which opened further when he didn’t respond. He continued writing, these papers had to be finished by morning. There was a clink of china as a scalding hot cup of tea was placed in the corner of his desk, far enough away from him that he wouldn’t spill it while his mind was preoccupied, hot enough that it would still be warm when his mind was free.

He barely spared her a look before diving back into his work, the sky outside was deceptively dark and he couldn’t waste a second, dawn was fast approaching.

Focused once again, he barely noticed as fingertips lightly brushed through his hair, and then the door opened and shut behind his visitor as she left, but the sharp smell of piping hot tea stayed with him till dawn.

Hailey Ash hummed as she stirred the water with the instant coffee grains. She could already picture Levi’s face when she brought it into his office. The reaction wouldn’t be as large as the first time he’d seen her drinking it, but his nose would still crinkle adorable. He’d tried many times to switch her to the ‘civilised peoples’ drink, but she’d always preferred coffee, there was a certain liveliness to it that tea lacked.

“Being maid service to Levi again?” Hanji joked as she walked up behind her. Hailey laughed, “nah he’s got cadets for that. Do you see how many of them have ‘cleaning punishments’? I swear this place is going to be spotless before we know it.”

The two women chuckled at the cadet’s misfortune and their captains excessive dislike for dirt.

“You should stop by the lab sometime, I’m working on something really new, it’s going to be great! First I’ll cut open-” Hailey held up a hand to stop her friend there, “I think I’m good without watching you dissect some poor creature. So as entertaining as that sounds, I think I’ll have to pass. Maybe another time, when you’ve got less sharp objects and more… fun.”

Hanji shrugged as Hailey picked up the two cups, “another time then.”

            Bringing the new tea, made to an appropriate temperature this time, and her coffee, Hailey made her way to Levi’s office. Knowing what state Levi would be in, she pushed the handle down awkwardly with her elbow, and walked inside. As expected, Levi was still at his desk, but this time his face was flat on his folded arms and his eyes were closed in sleep.

            She placed the tea next to him, moving the cup she had given him the night before to the bookshelf.

            “Levi, wake up, it’s morning.”

            His eyes opened, just enough to see a sliver of angry grey underneath.

            “Don’t you give me that look” she retorted, “it’s your own fault for staying up so late.”

            Levi muttered under his breath, but Hailey ignored him, he was always like this in the mornings. He was grumpy and mean by nature, a state not helped by his constant sleep deprivation and mounds of paperwork that never seemed to be completed. There was always work for Levi to be doing, and as a man true to his position he did every scrap of it.

            He’d been the same when they first met, Hailey had been laughing and joking with Hanji during dinner and Levi had been a complete raincloud on their conversation, claiming to ‘not give a shit what you brats had to say’, but obviously still listening as he threw in insults every now and then. It hadn’t left her with the greatest impression of the man, that’s for sure. It had continued like that, and Hailey eventually figured out that he was that mean to everybody. She’d left it at that and stayed out of his way. Well, tried to.

She didn’t know if she’d say that Levi went out of his way to be mean to her, but he certainly didn’t have a problem with it. He never seemed to let anything slide, always sending her to do things, always telling her to quiet down her singing, or in his terms, ‘shitty noise’. This all continued until one day he decided to lock her out of the building. Literally left her standing in the rain because she ‘wasn’t back by curfew’. Scouts didn’t even have a curfew! Determined to get to the bottom of it she’d marched straight to his office and demanded the truth out of him. His answer? She distracted him, so she was better locked somewhere where that wouldn’t be an issue. It was such a Levi thing to say, only he could make something as sentimental as a confession into a selfish insult. But Hailey had seen through it and decided to give the guy a chance.

            They were good for one another, as Hailey was the type to stay up-beat and happy even in the dark times they were in. She brought Levi out of that dark hole he was in, even if only a little bit. And Levi made her more focused, rational. Yes, they were a good match, different enough to compliment, similar enough to get along.

            As their haphazard relationship had continued, Hailey came to learn that Levi actually did care, quite a bit actually. She had planned to hang out with the others and was running late. The only thing, she couldn’t find her room keys. Guessing that she’d left them with Levi, she’d gone to his office but for once he actually wasn’t there. Deciding it couldn’t hurt to look in his desk in case he’d placed them there for safekeeping, she’d gone through all of his drawers until she opened the one on the bottom right. There lay the emblems of the soldiers of the soldiers who had died for him, for this war. Hailey had completely forgotten about her friends and ran to find Levi, crushing him in a tight hug as she realised that he was actually a human being deep down, beneath the asshole on the exterior.        

            “So how long do you have for a break?” She asked, sipping her coffee as she sat perched on the edge of his desk, facing him. Levi shrugged, too tired to answer as he clasped the tea with one hand and picked up his pen with the other.

            “Oh no you don’t.” Hailey plucked the pen from his grasp, “for one moment in your life you don’t have any paperwork to do. So we’re going to sneak out very quietly, not tell anyone where to find us, and have a couple hours off.”

            “Soldiers don’t get time off, we’re at war.” He mumbled, still in the process of blinking his eyes open.

            “Well if we see a Titan, you can kill it. Other than that…” She could see she was persuading him, and knew what to say next to win this battle, when Hanji opened the door and walked straight into Levi’s office. She didn’t bother to look up from the papers she was holding as she began talking.

“Levi what do you think of this new-”

            “What are you doing?” Levi’s voice was hard, a voice that would have terrified any cadet, a voice so different from the mildly-disinterested-and-tired-but-softer voice of a few moments ago. Hanji seemed not to notice. She blinked owlishly at him,

            “Asking your opinion on this n-”

            “What are you doing in my office.” Levi cut her off again, his voice no louder than before, yet somehow more menacing.   

            “Well where else would I have found you?”

            “You think you can just walk in without knocking?”

            Hanji blinked again, “Well Hailey does.”      

            Levi’s hands tightened, the tendons on the back of his hands shifting under his skin as he resisted the urge to throttle Hanji. “Get out of my office.”

            “But what about this-”

            “Now.”

            “Even if I go out and knock?”

            “Now!”

            Even Levi’s yell seemed not to affect Hanji. The strange woman simply rolled her eyes and chuckled at him, saying “such a drama queen” before leaving.

            “So going back to our plan for the day-” Hailey began, but stopped when Levi turned his gaze on her. The anger that usually dissipated with Hanji’s depart was still present in his eyes, and it was now entirely focused on Hailey.

            “Why are you looking at me like that?”

            “That was your fault.”

            “Excuse me?”

            “Ever since we got together people have started taking advantage of me, touching me, invading my personal space, cadets talking to me without respect, and now Hanji walking straight into my office!”

            “Well if you don’t like it just tell them to stop doing it.”

            “its not that”

            “Then what is it?”

            “They don’t respect me anymore, because of you!”

Hailey stiffened, “what are you saying Levi?”

“I’m saying you should treat me with respect!”

“Knock on your office door, no touching, treating you like my captain?”

“Yes!”

Did he even understand what he was saying? Was he trying to break up with her, or was he just being a bigger dick than usual? “Levi are you breaking up with me?”

“What?” His eyes widened a bit more, “where’d you get that stupid idea, are you even listening to me?”

“You just told me you wanted to have a ‘professional only’ relationship with me, how else am I supposed to take that?” Hailey rarely got mad, and she wasn’t doing now. It was the opposite actually, as Levi’s blood was running faster and hotter with adrenaline she could feel herself growing dull and pale, a yearning in her chest as she realised just how far her feelings for this arrogant and selfish man had grown. She reached out for him, as she had done hundreds of times when he was angry. Apparently this time was different.

His hand snatched out, grabbing her wrist tightly between his strong fingers and harshly throwing her arm away from him. “I said don’t touch me!”

Hailey looked at him, lightly cradling her arm from where he’d gripped it. The air between them was frozen, even as his anger tried to burn right through it.

“Have fun with your paperwork.” She muttered under her breath, standing and walking out of his office, closing the door behind her.  

           

***

            Hailey stood next to the group of soldiers who were already mounted on their horses ready to embark on a quick scouting mission. It was nothing big, just a routine run. Something that Hailey usually would have been a part of as well.

“See you soon, Levi.” She said.

He didn’t look at her, obviously still furious, but not so petulant to ignore the fact that he may not come home. He grunted in response.

From the corner of his eye he could see Gunther and Olou peering at him, but not having the guts to keep looking when he turned his gaze to them.

Che, nosy brats.

A few hours later, and the patrol had gone surprisingly smooth, now the small scouting party was heading back to base. They were almost in the home stretch, and Hanji’s irritating mood had only grown with their success. “Hey Levi, where’s Hailey? Are you two fighting? She looked pretty angry this morning.”

Levi didn’t dignify her with an answer.

“Oh yeah, why didn’t she come with us?” Gunther piped up

“She didn’t tell you?” Olou asked, sounding smug that he was the only one who knew. “She was trying to make peace with Fraiser and injured her wrist reigning him in.”

Levi’s eyes sharpened, knowing that horse-skittish-Haliey would never go near one of the biggest horses the scouts had. There was no way in hell. It took him hours to get her on her first horse and even now she would only ride that one. So how had she injured her wrist? And why was she lying about it-

            -a memory flickered, of his pale fingers wrapped around her thin wrist, throwing it away from him in anger.

            Had he done that to her? Had he hurt her? Hurt her enough that she couldn’t even go on patrol?

            He kicked his heels into his horse’s sides, urging him into a gallop. Ignoring the yells of his patrol-mates he passed them, eyes focused on getting back to base.

            Once there, he threw the reigns of his horse to one of the new cadets, rushing inside, attempting to ignore the twisting guilt in his stomach.

            He ran to her bedroom and threw open the door. He didn’t know what to say, but a cold lump settled in his stomach as he realised that she wasn’t there. Her bed was neatly made like she hadn’t been there all day. Where was she?

            Walking quickly, Levi checked everywhere, the cafeteria, the grounds, the cadets, the offices, and it was over an hour before he heard her laugh nearby. He was near his own room, was she there waiting for him?

            Apparently not, his door was closed and locked, just the way he’d left it that morning. Her laughing was coming from a few doors down… From Captain Mike’s room. Not bothering to knock, he opened the door, silencing all laughter.

            “Levi? You’re back already?” Hailey was the first to speak.

            “Come with me.”

            Hailey’s eyes flickered to Mike, “I’m busy, I’ll talk to you after.”

            Was that hostility he heard? She couldn’t possibly still be angry at him, could she? Her silver eyes were narrowed at him, guarded. His eyes flickered to her wrist, which rested almost casually on her lap, but he knew her well enough to know that the placement was calculated. She was trying to hide that she was hurt, did she not trust him anymore? Obviously she trusted Captain Mike with it, she wouldn’t be here otherwise.

            Without a word Levi left, stalking back to his office and locking the door behind him. He collapsed in his chair and for once, ignored the stack of paperwork on his desk. The looks on their faces when he’d opened the door, he’d felt like an intruder, like he wasn’t supposed to be there. But she was his Hailey, she was supposed to come to him when she was hurt.

            But then again, he was the one who had hurt her.

            He had to fix this.

***

            It was night when Hailey finally made her way back to her room. She’d only just been able to break away from Hanji in her lab, despite hours of trying. She usually avoided the place, but seeing the look on Levi’s face this afternoon had driven her to distraction, and Hanji was always willing to provide one.

            She approached her door, mind elsewhere, when she noticed a figure slumped on the ground next to it. It couldn’t be…

            “…Levi?”

            The figure stirred and stood up quickly as he realised she was there, and then she was face to face with the man she’d been trying to avoid all day.

            “How long have you been sat there?” She asked, still trying to wrap her mind around the situation.

            Levi shrugged, avoiding her question, and nodded at her door.

Sighing, and knowing the situation was unavoidable, she unlocked it and walked inside, Levi only a breath behind her.

“Sit down.” He ordered, following with “just do it,” when it was clear she was about to protest. She did so, and he walked closer, kneeling in front of her. She didn’t know what to expect, but it definitely wasn’t him picking up her injured wrist with the most delicate of touches, his fingers brushing over the light swelling like fluttering wings. He’d never been this gentle with her. His eyes were focused, examining every detail of damage, turning her wrist over and tracing the bruise there. Hailey couldn’t look away, the heart she had been avoiding was pulsing, all of her love for this man was rushing back as he handled her, as much as she would try to deny it.

So she never stood a chance really, when Levi ducked his head and placed the barest of kisses to the inside of her wrist, his eyes chancing up to meet hers which were wide and honest.

“Levi what are you doing?”

“I will do better. I promise.”

“Levi-”

His look cut her off, the image of him still kneeled before her, his every touch ringing with reverence, it was so different than the Levi she knew.

“I want you to come to me when you’re hurt. I don’t want to be the man who hurts you.”

He was saying the kind of words she’d been dreaming about for so long, and she wanted to just wrap him up in her arms and kiss him to no end, but the words wouldn’t stop.

“But you did hurt me.”

“I know.” His gaze didn’t waver, because Levi was done being unsure, he was done questioning. “But I understand now. You are different from the others, because I love you. That gives you rights that they will never have, and I wasn’t there to lay down the law with the others, but I will now.” He stood, bending over and tracing her lips with his thumb, her lips which parted of their own will and desire for him, “If you will allow me, I will do better.”

Hailey didn’t stand a chance, her hand curling itself in Levi’s hair and pulling him down to crush his lips with hers. Her other hand, still cradled in Levi’s, came up to rest on his chest as he still stood above her, encompassing her senses and setting her mind spinning. His lips were soft against hers, as if determined to show that he would never hurt her again, in any way. But Hailey didn’t want soft and gentle, there would be time for that later. She wanted to be swept away in the throes of passion and bury herself in it. She wanted to lose herself in this man and for him to do the same in her, and it was these desires that made her lean up against him, pull him closer and press her lips firmer against his. Kissing him harder and more insistently, demanding what she wanted.

Levi broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers, admiring the way her pupils were blown just for him. How her lips were parted and glistening and so damn kissable. He reached up, pushing her hair back that had fallen into her face. Her bright hair seemed otherworldly in the moonlight streaming through his window, the highlights almost sparkling in the light. She seemed so radiant, so perfect, and it was all Levi could do not to throw her down underneath him and pin her there.

“Behave.” He muttered, his lips brushing hers and noting how her neck stretched to follow him, “you’re still injured.”

“mmm”, she pressed her lips hard to his again, feeling him yield to her. Honestly, it was just a little bruising, “I’m not that injured.”

Levi growled, ducking his face into her neck and attacking the skin there, pulling it between his teeth and sucking, marking her as his. He could feel her pulse pounding wildly as her desire built inside her, and he was quick to reach to his shirt and undo the buttons, casting the offending piece of clothing from his body.

Hailey reacted immediately, hands smoothing up the firm expanse of his chest, built from years of work with 3DMG, his muscles coiling under her touch, reacting to her. She chuckled lightly, “I wasn’t aware I had this much of an effect on you.”

Levi’s eyes met hers, as calculating as ever. His hands, previously running over her arms, reached under her and grasped at her thighs. He lifted her just a little, dumping her further up the bed and then climbing over her, one arm bracing himself by her head. She wasn’t prepared for the move, and her lips were still parted so there was no chance of her swallowing the gasping moan that left her mouth at his next move. His hips, still tight in his gear from patrol, ground powerfully into hers, his hardness shifting against her.

His lips were at her ear in a second, “you know exactly the effect you have on me.” His voice was a low growl, like sandpaper cast over shale, lingering with a darkness and tainted with something that twisted deliciously in Hailey’s gut. His hands were running up her shirt, undoing the buttons as he went with quick nimble fingers. His lips followed, kissing over her stomach and up to her breasts which were now bared for him.

Her skin was tingling with electricity, jumping and ready for any touch from him. And she knew Levi was not a patient man, praising his impatience for once as his lips careened to her breasts while his hands moved further south for something infinitely more devious.

And it was somehow both so torturous and so wonderful, having his mouth nipping at her breasts, paying close attention to her nipples which were standing at attention for him. Torturous, that their lower bodies were still both clothed and that the heat she could feel from him was dampened by that cloth. Wonderful, that their bodies were pressed together, and when he moved back up to claim her mouth she could feel the whole of his body pressed against hers, forcing her down even as she arched into him.

His one hand had finally succeeded in popping the button on her bottoms and without prompting, Hailey raised her hips against his so he could take them off. She wasn’t prepared however, for the feel just how hard he would be, even through his own clothes. Levi shuddered above her, obviously ready to be free of his constraints.

It was with this in mind that he tore himself away from her, stood by the side of the bed and wrestled with the buckles and ties holding his trousers in place. Hailey watched him, lifting her naked self up onto her elbows as she lay there waiting for his return. And as Levi was finally kicking the pants off his ankles he looked at her and paused. Somehow, her big silver eyes were still so demure, such a contrast to the rest of her that was subtly turned to him, subconsciously begging him to return to her.

He wasn’t one to deny her, and he felt blood rush to his lower regions as she yelped when he tumbled on top of her again. Her yelp was not long lived as he smothered her mouth with his, forcing his tongue past her lips, swallowing the groan of appreciation that followed. His hands were buried in her hair, fisting it between his fingers and tilting her head back.

Their lower bodies crashed together, building against one another even as their arousals grew.

“Levi” Hailey breathed his name and felt him shudder into her, his desire as high as hers, pounding into the both of them and forcing them ever closer.

One of his hands trailed down her body, squeezing at her hip as he went, and lined himself up to her, merely waiting on her approval. He was inside her before her nod was even over, fully sheathed in one move, and his body bowed back to her, desperate to feel her against him, around him, soft and warm and tight as she squeezed him. Burying his face in her neck he thrust into her, shaking her consciousness and shattering her thoughts until they were scattered around her like stars, leaving her crying his name to the heavens. Her legs wrapped around his hips, bringing his deeper to her core, matching his pace as he continued to pound into her.

The bed was shaking with them, and Levi’s low grunts had joined her moans in their chorus, harmonising his state with hers as both of them careened closer to the edge of that precarious cliff. He could feel her walls beginning to tighten and shudder around him, could feel her breasts pressed further up against him as she arched, her hands were pressed flat on his back, urging him always onwards, faster, deeper.

“Ah~ Levi I can’t-” And then her eyes were flying open as his thrust hit somewhere deep inside her that shattered her, casting the pieces of herself to the sky, bursting like intimate fireworks inside herself, in every cell of her being. Levi was not far in following, meeting his end as he buried himself deep inside her, slowing his thrusts to stretch out the zinging sparks of their pleasure.

Slowly, he rolled off her and collapsed beside her. He cupped her hip and pulled her towards him, until their legs were tangled and their chests touching.

“How was that for better?” He asked sleepily, as his heavy lids threatened to close and he stifled a yawn.

Hailey chuckled, snuggling herself closer still. She closed her eyes, feeling his lips press one last time against her injured wrist, as if sealing his promise there, “much better.”