Levi Ackerman Lemon - Eyes that See - Request

A Levi request, took a little longer than expected (Super sorry... blame my advanced cognitive neuroscience class) but we made it! Hope I did it justice for ya.

If anyone else is interested in a request just head over to my request page and take a look.

Enjoy! 

                “Pass me that map.”

                Akame hummed at the ‘order’, and handed over the map on the table beside her. Levi grunted in thanks before going back to being completely absorbed in his work. She was pretty sure he was working on planning their next trip outside the walls but couldn’t be sure as he hadn’t spoken in hours. Ever since he’d sat down at his desk with the new pile of papers he hadn’t said a word. But this was nothing new, Levi was nothing if not dedicated.

                Their pairing was an odd one, Akame had to admit that. Levi was still Levi, carrying the label of her boyfriend did not lessen the brashness. His curt words still stung sometimes, but if she admitted it to herself, that was why she had been so comfortable in the relationship. The insults, the treatment, although very much diluted it reminded her of her past and where she came from. After so many years in such a place, Akame hadn’t been sure how to react to anything else. Levi had been her source of comfort, so much better than where she had been, but still enough to ease her anxiety.

                She looked at the man, his eyes sharp and focused like always, not even blinking as his hair fell into them while he bent over the map. She had the urge to brush the strands back, but knew that Levi would be furious if she distracted him. There were rules for being in Levi’s office while he was working, and Akame had no doubt that he would throw her out if she broke them, girlfriend or not.

                So she settled back into the chair and closed her eyes, subconsciously matching her breathing to Levi’s and drifting off to sleep.

               

                Although Levi was there to ease her anxiety when she was awake, there was nothing to comfort her in sleep. Once again, she felt the dreams seeping in and clouding her previously calm thoughts. But they were not dreams, but memories. Memories of her parents saying goodbye, of her little sister’s small hand clasped around her own. The poor girl never understood, she was too small, too weak. But their parents had needed the money and there was nothing else to sell. The camp had apparently paid a good price for them, and Akame sometimes wondering how much it was, just how much her life was worth. Akame could still feel the lashes, the pain of failure. She’d tried so hard to keep the attention on herself, hoping that they would ignore her sister, but it was not enough.

                They hadn’t even let her see the body, not even to say goodbye.      

                They had worked Akame hard, harder than all of the others because they could see the raw potential in her. And they were right, Akame advanced past the others, and for a brief part of her life assassin work was all she knew, all she was allowed to know. The few friends she had there were as broken and twisted as she was, everyone else avoided her red eyes that unsettled them so much. Those had been dark times, even now the thought of them made her shiver. She could feel the revulsion crawl under her skin at the thought of the person she had been then, at who she was on the road to becoming.

                She didn’t remember what spurred her rebellion, but one day she found herself hiding from the guards and running away. The underground wasn’t exactly safe, but to her it was freedom. Ironically, there was no way she would have made it out without the skills they had taught her.

               

                “Akame.”

                She startled awake, sitting up in the chair and feeling her neck crack from the way she’d slid down the chair. Levi was standing beside his desk, fingertips pushing the papers to line up with the edge. “Time to go.”

                “Go? Where?” Her mind was sluggishly trying to catch up and unless she was mistaken she saw the flicker of an amused smirk before reality came back.

                “The meeting, with all of the captains.”

                “Right. That meeting.” Akame stood and followed Levi out of the room, heading towards a meeting they both knew would probably just tell them everything they already knew about their current situation with the Titans.

  

                ***

                They’d been wrong. The meeting was about a trip outside the walls. A small scouting party, it shouldn’t be something that had such a big effect on them. They’d done this many times before. But this time, they would be accompanied by new recruits, and it had Levi in a rage.

                “What is he thinking? They’re not nearly ready enough to go outside!”

                He was pacing around his office with long purposeful strides, hands gripping his hair. Akame was sat in her chair, quiet. She knew there was no way to change the mission details, she knew that the scouts were running low on men, why else would such new recruits be sent out with her and Levi? But she could understand why Levi was having such an issue with it, the likelihood of these new scouts coming back from the mission was low, and wasting life was the one thing Levi hated most.

                “Levi, there’s nothing we can do.” She tried to keep her voice calm, not wanting to further enrage him when he was already so furious. But it seemed to have the opposite effect, his scathing eyes turned on her and for once she couldn’t find comfort in them.

***

The mission was over.

They’d done what they needed to do.

Only she and Levi had made it back.

Levi had been silent the entire time, he hadn’t been himself. She’d practically had to tear him away from the corpses to get him to turn back, or else neither of them would have made it back at all. But since then, he’d refused to look at her. She’d followed him to his office like usual, thinking that he just needed time, but then he’d slammed the door in her face.

So she was currently stood outside it, heart clenched in a vice. He’d never shunned her before, at least not like this. He was a little mean and sarcastic by nature, but he was never cruel. Hesitantly, she knocked. “Levi?”

There was nothing. But she wasn’t about to let him sit and fester in whatever he was feeling now. “Levi I’m not leaving.”

She heard a dull thud, and then his loud footsteps towards the door as it was wrenched open.

“Get lost.”

“No. I’m not leaving you like this-”

“Why not, that’s what you’re good at isn’t it? Leaving people behind?” He opened the door fully and took a steps towards her, walking her back until she was pressed against the wall and there was nowhere left to turn. She could feel his breath on her face, but there were none of the feelings that usually accompanied it. “Your sister, your ‘friends’, those new recruits, you’ve left every single one of them to die, to save your own skin!”

Akame couldn’t find the words, the madness in his eyes stole them from her. She could feel herself curling in, trying to protect herself. Her hands flew to her ears to block out his words but he grabbed her wrists and held them down.

“You’ve left everyone you ever knew to die, and today was no different! I wanted to go back, we could have saved them! But you, you left them! You’re a monster!”

He let go of her, his breathing laboured, and with one last glance turned back to his office.

Akame felt the silent tears brim and trickle over her cheeks, “I’m a person.” She wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince Levi or herself, but he chose to reply anyway.

“You are what they made you, and nothing more.”

His door slammed shut and Akame felt her legs collapse from under her, sliding down the wall to finally curl into herself, trying to hold the pieces of herself that were finally breaking apart.

***

Levi took two days to calm down.

Then another day to think over everything he’d said.

Then another day to feel shitty about everything.

And then finally, he found himself stood outside Akame’s door, with no plan in mind, and no idea of what to say. He raised his hand to knock, but let it fall back down. What was he even doing here? He’d spent days waiting for her to show up at his door and yell at him, insult him, break up with him, something! But when she didn’t show, that was somehow worse. Maybe she couldn’t even bear to look at him. In one angry moment he may have lost her forever.

He sighed, resting his forehead against her door, straining his ears for any sign that she was inside. And then he heard her, he pressed his ear to the wood to confirm, and he heard her again. Not thinking, he opened the door and walked in. After a moment his eyes adjusted to the dim light and he saw her sitting on her bed, knees curled up to her chest, and a glistening streak of tears down her cheek.

“Akame…” he breathed out her name at the sight of her, his breath catching in his throat as her head turned and her teary eyes snapped to meet his. He gaze lowered to her throat as she swallowed, then up to her lips as she spoke,

“What do you want.” Her voice was dull and lifeless, just as he remembered it being when she’d first arrived. He’d heard that voice many times since then, but it’d never been aimed directly at him. But what was he supposed to say, after everything he’d said before, how could he atone for that?

“I came to see you.” She flinched at his words, trying to hide it behind a sniffle but Levi’s sharp eyes caught the movement.

“Why would you want to see me?” She asked, letting out a broken sob, “I’m just a monster, remember?”

And at this, Levi couldn’t remain by the door any longer, he stepped forward to the side of her bed and kneeled down, grasping one of her hands in both of his as he looked up at her, “Don’t say that Akame”

She looked away, determinedly avoiding his gaze, but she didn’t pull her hand back which sparked hope in him yet. “I’m a person.” Her voice was small, but clear in the silent room, “and you can’t tell me I’m not.”

Levi moved up, sitting gently on the bed beside her, tracing his thumb over her cheekbone and wiping away one trail of tears, “I know you are. You went through all that shit and you still somehow came out a better person than anyone of the dumbasses here.” He gave her a wry smile, and was rewarded with a reluctant giggle, her cheek lifting under his hand.

“I’m sorry I said those things, I, I was just so angry that we’d lost them and-”

“I know.” Her palm was resting on his, smoothing circles into the calloused skin. She knew him inside and out, because they’d both been through so much, they were the only people who understood one another. And that’s what allowed them to find solace in each other, they were both broken and dark and twisted at their cores, but were fighting to be like the people they admired.

And then their faces were closer than before, Levi could count her eyelashes around the no longer dewy eyes. Slowly, he tilted his face, waiting for her permission.

He counted the beats, feeling her breath coat over his lips, and then, as he felt that he’d made the wrong move and was about to pull away, he felt her lips press against his.

The weight that he felt lifted from his chest in that moment was indescribable. After everything he’d done, she always understood. Once again, showing that she truly was the better person of the two.

Akame felt a familiar warmth grow in her stomach as Levi’s lips ghosted slowly over hers in the lightest of touches, slowly coaxing her lips apart. Then his tongue was slipping to stroke languidly against her own and a pitiful whine bubbled from her throat.

Immediately she pulled away, turning her head to hide behind her dark hair. She and Levi had been together before, but this was a whole new level. Never before had it felt so intimate, like they were baring their souls to one another, completely immersed in the moment. Levi wasn’t generally a take-it-slow kind of guy, and Akame had always admired and agreed with that tactic, but this was something else entirely. This was proof that no matter what a person says, how they feel doesn’t change in an instant. This was proof that when something is right, it doesn’t matter just how fucked up everything else was.

His thumb caressed her lower lip, giving her a rare small smile as he kissed her again, slowly and deeply as if he had all the time in the world.

Her hands fell on his chest, fisting in his shirt, and then a moment later pulling on in gently yet insistently, telling him exactly what she wanted. Levi fisted his shirt and pulled it over his head, tossing it aside and reclaiming her lips, the pressure slowly building as their mouths met more insistently.

He leaned back, pulling her atop him, his hands wandering to her waist and rubbing her thumbs over her hipbones. He groaned underneath her, as he felt her thankful weight press down on him, her warmth encompassing him.

But even as they parted for breath Levi darted back in and latched his mouth to her neck, sucking and biting, marking her as his own. Again, he felt her keen, the vibrations against his puckered lips sending heat straight to his lower regions which were steadily hardening for feel of her.

Hooking a leg around her, he rolled them over, looking at her as she now lay below him. Her red eyes were darkened like wine in a familiar lust, her dark hair spread out in a halo, her lips parted and glistening ready for him. She met him halfway, her back arching to press her body against him, inviting his hands to crawl up her back squeezing at her shoulder blades before lifting her shirt off completely.

She had been ready for bed, so there was no bra, which meant that Levi’s path was uninterrupted.

Levi’s lips ducked to press a light kiss to the already forming bruise on her collarbone, before lowering to admire the top of her breasts. Her back arched even more, her hands curling in his hair to guide him lower. He smirked against her skin, lowering agonizingly slowly down, kissing around the perking bud.

“Levi, quit it ahh-” Her admonishment was cut short as his teeth closed around her nipple, sucking in a pulsing rhythm. Her groans only grew louder as he began rolling his hips against her, grinding his heat into her.  

For Levi, every touch of her was like a thankful caress. The past few days he’d expected to never be able to hold her like this again, he’d been tearing through his memories to get a glimpse of what this felt like, because he thought that memories would be all he had left.

But she was here, moaning underneath him as his hands went automatically to their stations, running over her ribs, pressing down on her skin above her hipbones, caressing lower and lower until he heard her frustrated groan.

“Fuck, Levi just –“

He enjoyed cutting off her words. He had to admit, it sent his blood south when he saw her unable to even speak because of what he was doing. His fingers were pressing hard against her folds, his hand stuffed under her clothes and surrounded by her warmth.

His lips surged up, smothering her moans as he kissed her hard, dragging his teeth along her lower lip and sucking hard against it.

Ignoring her whimpers of protest he tore his hand away from her core and fumbled with his remaining clothes, throwing them on the ground and for once not caring where they landed. Hers were soon to follow, his hands leaving searing trails where they’d passed over her skin.

She had scars, of course she did, it was impossible to live in this life and not have them, but Levi ran his calloused fingertips over every single one of them in his fevered touches, thanking god for the inner strength of the girl beneath him.   

He didn’t apologise again, but he didn’t need to. There was a moment as he locked his eyes with hers, as his tip pressed frustratingly against her dripping folds, and he knew that was all the two of them needed. He threw her legs tight around his hips and plunged deep into her, a groan rolling low in his throat as she clenched around him

And Akame, as she always did, grew breathless at the sight of him. It was probably her favourite part of sex, not the climax, not the ways they'd end up in the situation, but the minute he entered her. Every time his expression never failed to tighten the coil in her stomach like nothing else.

It was like he’d forgotten what it felt like to be united with her, so every time she got to see his eyes close in reverence, a curse spat from between his lips, his adam’s apple bob as he swallowed down whatever groans were fighting to come out.

Her admiration came to an end when Levi tossed one of her legs over his shoulder, casually pressing an open mouthed kiss to her calf before ramming back into her. He didn’t rest, and Akame was rolling her hips in time with him, both of their minds searching for solace in the other. The bedsheets were hot between her fingers, giving her no pause from the inferno raging inside her that was gripping her muscles and urging her back to arch higher and higher as their bodies pounding more harshly against one another.

Then Levi was leaning forward, just a touch, just to brace his outstretched hand on the sheets beside her. But it stretched her leg more than she’d been ready for, the new angle taking her completely by surprise as she was so much tighter around him. He felt bigger than before, as if he filled her to the brim and had her bursting at the seams.

Levi’s hair had long since fallen into his eyes, but even that couldn’t hide his dark eyes as he almost blew his load at this new angle. Ramming into her harder, his free hand dove to her clit and rubbed harshly, abusing it the way he knew she craved.

And within seconds she was gone, Levi finishing thankfully a few thrusts after, still thrusting his hips lazily as he came down from his high and noticed that her eyes were still unblinking as tremors continued to run through her.

Finally, she collapsed back to the mattress, her limbs all untangled from Levi just for him to gather her in his arms and tangle them back up. He cheek was pressed against her hair and his thumb was rubbing circles on the skin of her waist, both of them silent as they took breath back into their lungs.

They didn’t say anything else, because they weren’t that type of couple. Theirs was a relationship not many would understand. But it was a relationship that they both needed, and although neither of them would ever admit it, it was a relationship that they both deserved to the end.    

          

Sasuke Uchiha Lemon/Baby Daddy - Unforeseen Wanderings - Request

Another Sasuke Request,
If anyone has ideas for anything you'd like to see happening, take a look at my request page,
Enjoy!

 His footfalls were silent, as they had always been. For once, however, he wasn’t hiding, there wasn’t anything he had to hide from now. Everything he did now was just habit, habit from the mess of a life he’d led so far.

                The fourth shinobi war was finally over. People were settling back down in their villages, ready for the prosperous time of peace to wash over them once more. Sasuke thought he would have been grateful for a time like this, but although he was glad the war was over, he wasn’t quite finished yet. There was no way to simply go back to the life he’d had before, he couldn’t just have a house in the Leaf village and live his life there. He’d considered it, had seriously given it thought but it seemed hollow, like something was missing.

                So here he was, touring the world with a new perspective. For once there was no mission, no hidden agenda, for once he could appreciate the beauty of a village. He wasn’t quite sure what he was looking for, just something new, something that would be the line where his new life started. He wanted something that would mark the beginning of his life after the war, something that he could hold onto when times seemed darkest, even if that something was only a memory that would fade with time.

                He’d been travelling a long while now, but currently, he was in Kumogakure. His last visit here hadn’t been on the best terms so even in this time of peace, he kept his wits about him. He had to admit, the Village Hidden by Clouds was breathtaking, the mountain range gave him a sense of comfort, and the mist of clouds gave the place an ethereal, otherworldly look about it. It was fairly cold at this altitude, only further stating its difference from the leaf village. The air was different too; thinner, and somehow purer, untainted.

He allowed himself to walk further into the village, his head down to avoid unwanted attention. He wasn’t afraid, but he wanted to be invisible on this trip. This was his time to find himself again, and he didn’t want any distractions.

                Sunrise came and Sasuke watched from his perch on the cliffs. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d ever watched a sunrise, or if he had ever done. Already he felt like he was wasting his time but he forced himself to sit still. The world wasn’t at war anymore, he needed to learn to move at a slower pace, to live like everyone else. He took a deep breath to calm himself, to settle the heart that was raring to go. Taking another breath he noticed that something was different. The air that had been clean and pure before was now accompanied by something else. His brow furrowed as he focused on it. Some kind of poison, a gas? Genjutsu?

                “People aren’t usually bored when they watch this sunrise.”

                Sasuke whipped around, his eyes focusing on the girl watching him. She had a soft teasing smile, her green eyes bright and laughing.

                “Mind if I sit with you?” She asked him, seemingly unaffected by his terse nod. Who is she? Did someone send her here?

                “Who do you work for?” He asked, still standing. She had sat down on his ledge, kicking her feet as they dangled over the edge.

                “Currently no one.” She answered, blinking up at him, “what about you?”

                He didn’t answer her question, firing off another one instead, “then why are you here?”

                Damn it what was that smell!

                “I’m travelling, decided it was high time I saw the world and appreciated it for what it was. What about you, what brings you here?”

                He didn’t answer again and kept his eyes trained on her. She laughed under her breath, but it was a sad laugh. Her wavy white hair was illuminated by the sunrise, she brushed at it as strands flew in her face, caught by a stray breeze. “The war really did a number on you didn’t it?” Her voice was soft, like she felt every ounce of his pain and his confusion. Still she kept her eyes fixed on the sunrise, even as he cautiously sat down beside her.

                This is what regular people do. And I can take her out if she turns out to be a spy.

                “I’m Yona.” She said, finally turning and offering her hand to Sasuke.

                He waited a moment, analyzing her warm smile, and looking at the fit of her clothes for concealed weapons. Then, he placed his hand in hers. Her hands were small, much smaller than his, and calloused on her fingertips from years of training or work.

                “I’m Sasuke.” He said, answering one of her questions for the first time.

                Strawberries, it smells like strawberries.

***

                “So how long are you staying here?” She asked. They were walking in the village, well, Sasuke was walking in the village. Yona was following him, walking next to him, talking to him. He wasn’t quite sure why she was doing it but it was enough to put him on edge. Why would she be following him around like this if she wasn’t hired by someone to kill him? He shrugged in answer to her question, looking pointedly away from her but keeping her in his peripheral vision in case she tried anything funny.

                “So you’re wandering too then? What a coincidence. In honour of this occasion I think we should get some breakfast.”

                Sasuke had to stop walking and stare at her, “What are you doing?”

                “Inviting you for breakfast?”

                “Why are you following me?” He needed to know, he couldn’t think of any logical reason for her to be there.

                “I’m not following you, I’m walking with you, there’s a difference.” She cocked her head the tiniest bit to the side, “breakfast?”

                Sasuke followed her into the shop where she began to pour over the options. She was walking with him, side by side, as equals. No wonder he hadn’t recognised it.

***

                “Where do you think you’re going to go next?” She asked him, sipping the tea she was cupping between her hands.

                He shrugged, and she kept chattering on.

                “I was thinking of going to Sand country, and just stop in all the villages along the way.”

                “Hn.” Sasuke grunted, not really listening, but slowly considering what she’d said, “do you know how far that is?”

                She shrugged, “I’ll find my way somehow. I’ve not really got much else planned for the next year anyway.”

                “You’re just going to wander?”

                “Yeah, seems like fun. Wanna come with me?”

                A less dignified version of Sasuke may have spluttered on his own tea, but he somehow managed to swallow calmly. “What if I’m dangerous?” His dark eyes flickered over to hers,

                “Then I’ll just have to knock some sense into you.”

                When the tea was finished, Yona ran off to some ‘important meeting’, and Sasuke returned to the ledge to ponder the strange girl.

                Who was she, really? To be wandering like him, there had to be some kind of backstory, someone she was running from. Honestly, at this point he’d welcome any kind of explanation to satiate his doubting untrusting self.

                He had to find out more about her, about why she was so welcoming. She seemed to know details about the war, had she fought in it, did she know who he was? If so, why on earth would she continue speaking with him, Let alone invite him to travel with her?

                He needed to know more, so there was really only one option when Yona found him there later, still sat on the outcropping of rock.

                “Let’s go.”

***

                “Ah, this is nice isn’t it Sasuke?”

                Yona seemed to have picked up on his reluctance to travel into the larger villages fairly quickly, and so had subtly decided that their travels would consist of visiting the smaller villages, ‘seeing a slice of the real everyday life’ was how she had phrased it. Whatever she was thinking, Sasuke was grateful. He felt more at ease in the outskirts where less people had a chance of recognising him. He needed to come to terms with himself first before he was ready to face everyone else.

                Yona, again, seemed to realise that and didn’t ask him questions about himself. He’d asked about her once but she’d replied “does it matter where I came from? Right now I’m here.” Then she’d smiled that smile at him and he’d almost felt ashamed at prying into her life when she’d granted him such trust. But he was dying to know, any glimpse into her life, he’d take anything.

                Slowly, he felt guilt creep into his gut. What would she think of him if she knew who she was travelling with? She was trusting him when he didn’t deserve it, she deserved to know.

                “I’m a Uchiha.” He said, breaking their silence as they walked. She turned her head in confusion but he was still talking, “I’m originally from the Leaf village but I-”

                She placed her finger on his lips, and stepped closer to him. Only then did Sasuke realise that he’d stopped walking. “I know.”

                What? She knew? How, since when? So many questions ran through his mind but he settled on “why didn’t you say anything?” His lips brushed against the warm skin of her finger, and she slowly dropped her hand to her side.

                One side of her lips pulled up in a small half smile, “because it doesn’t matter.” She turned and kept walking, leaving Sasuke’s mind reeling before he realised she was leaving and ran after her, slowing to her pace when he caught up. She still looked cheerful, as if nothing had changed, and for her maybe it hadn’t. Sasuke, however, was once again feeling like he was missing something. Life couldn’t be that simple, nothing was ever that easy. He’d done things that he had to atone for, he’d made mistakes with devastating consequences, even now he was still running from those in the Leaf who wanted him to come home.

                No, his world had never been that simple, but Yona was one step closer to making it so.

***

                “Sasuke? You ok?”

                Sasuke lurched up, his blankets tumbling around his waist and a kunai grasped tightly in his hand. Yona was at his side, her face calm and tranquil as ever.

                “Hey there, it’s ok. It was just a dream.” The state of his blankets wrapped around his legs told him that he’d been tossing and turning as he was wont to do when memories accursed him while he slept. He was dimly aware of her loosening his grip on his weapon, and then his eyes jerked to her as her fingers traces across his cheekbone. “You’re freezing cold Sasuke.”

                He could feel it, his skin coated with a cold sweat, his bones shivering in a lame attempt to warm him without results. He was well aware of how his gaze must look frantic, of how on edge he was, the cycle of memories still running even in consciousness. One after the other, slamming into him, forcing him to relive the things he’d done, the things he regretted. He could feel them dragging him down, pulling at him, tearing at him-

                Yona pulled him down to her, cradling his head against her chest and calmly stroking his hair. “Go back to sleep Sasuke, I’m watching over you.”      

                Any other time he would have felt like a child, curled up against her side like he was. But now all he could focus on was her steady heartbeat and deep breaths. And even with no knowledge of her actual ability to fight, he fell asleep feeling the safest he could remember.

***

                “You know what I want?”

                “Hm? What would that be?” Sasuke asked, knowing full well that she would continue on whether he asked or not.

                “I want a night in a real bed. I don’t care if it’s small, or cramped, or the most uncomfortable bed in the world. I just want something that’s not the ground.”

                Sasuke chuckled at her complaining, “We could detour to that village to the west? We could get there by nightfall at this rate.”

                She turned to him, beaming. “Really? I was just complaining for the sake of it.” But it was obvious by her excited smile and the way her green eyes were wide and hopeful that this small comfort was something she really wanted.

                Sasuke felt the corner of his lips twitch up, and then he was turning directions to head towards the nearby village. “What are you waiting for?” He called behind him, not looking back at her but knowing that she would soon be scampering after him the same way he had once run after her.

                “What do you mean there’s no rooms?” They were at the last place in the village to book two beds, but their search was apparently in vain.

                “I’m sorry miss, but it’s tourism season, we don’t have two rooms left.” Sasuke’s ears pricked up at this, and he moved from his leaning post on the wall to stand beside Yona.

                “So you have one room left?”

                The man behind the counter nodded, “yes, but it’s only a single bed, it’s a very small room.”

                But it had a bed, and that was good enough. “We’ll take it.”

                They took the key and found their room tucked away in the far corner of the building. The man was right, this room looked more like a converted closet than a bedroom, but Sasuke still saw Yona’s eyes light up at the sight of the bed tucked against the wall and that was good enough for him. The room had a window that looked like it was painted shut, but the pale moonlight filtered through.

                Sasuke unrolled his mat on the ground, taking up the rest of the floor space. Laying down, he saw Yona still stood in the doorway, watching him.

                “What?”

                “You’re a good guy, you know that right?”

                Her random statement startled him, and it was obvious she could tell. “Letting the lady take the bed, it’s quite chivalrous of you.” She laughed, perching on the edge of the bed and testing its softness. She looked at him again, “thank you Sasuke.”

                There was an underlying voice to her words, like there was a hidden double meaning there but Sasuke couldn’t figure it out. Even as she lay on the bed and covered herself with the blanket he was still pondering. She had been the one to initiate everything, in his eyes, he had done nothing worthy of thanks.

                He turned his head to look at her. The light was dim but her hair was as visible as ever, even though her vibrant green eyes were hidden behind smooth eyelids. He felt a stirring in his gut as he looked at her properly, noting for once how pretty she actually was. Usually he was distracted by her words or that ever-present smile, or even the scent of strawberries that seemed to follow her everywhere.

                He closed his eyes but her sleeping face stayed in his mind, and his thoughts were of her as he drifted off to sleep.     

***

               

                Suna wasn’t quite what Yona expected. Originally she’d picked the destination because it was the furthest from where she had been at the time, and it was the trip there that had excited her. Now that they were here, Yona had to admit she was a little disappointed. Sasuke had agreed at the beginning that he would escort her to Suna, they’d never really talked about what would happen once they got here. So although she wanted to look at the sights and the monuments, Sasuke was always by her side, forcing her to return to the fact that she didn’t want him to leave. She was well aware of how her view of him had changed from the day they had embarked together, and knew that it made everything much more complicated, because she’d received no signs from Sasuke that he felt the same, not that he was an easy person to read when he wanted to hide something.

                Sasuke, unknown to her, was having the same dilemma. Now that he’d fulfilled the task she’d asked of him would she expect him to leave? Was he to go back to wandering aimlessly, searching for something. He wasn’t even sure what he’d been looking for, because at that moment there was nothing else he needed.

They were wandering around Suna, avoiding the topic that loomed between them. Sasuke was on edge, this was the biggest village they’d been in and he feared that something was waiting for him, something dangerous. So when he saw a large group of ninja approaching from ahead, he sidestepped quickly and pulled Yona with him into an alleyway.

Listening quietly he heard footsteps quicken into a run, and he knew they’d seen him. Grasping Yona’s hand he ran, ducking in shadows and making random turns, finally pulling her into an abandoned shop. She stumbled into him, and was quickly silenced by the finger he placed on her lips. He didn’t hear anything, but was still cautious. His life had trained him for these kind of scenarios and led by his instincts he pulled Yona further into the store until they were pressed behind the shop counter against the back wall.

This store obviously hadn’t been used in a long time, the mirrors on the wall had a thin layer of dust, but only enough that the reflection was muted. He could still see that Yona was staring at him from behind, and then he became overly conscious that his hand still clasped hers. Quickly he tried to take it back, but her fingers tightened around his, keeping their hands entwined.

Still watching her through the mirror, he saw her free hand reach up slowly and stroke along his jaw, turning his face to her.

“You ok?” She asked, her voice soft.

He glanced towards the door of the shop, then back to her, “I thought I saw…”

“No one’s coming for you.” She said, knowing where his thoughts were, “You’re safe here.” She was quiet for a moment, as if debating what to say next or if she should say it, “safe with me.”

And the hesitant way her eyes met his, how her fingers tightened shyly around his, Sasuke couldn’t help himself from dipping down and pressing his lips lightly to hers. Neither of them moved, touching only at their hands and lips, but feeling a shiver run through their entire bodies.

When Sasuke pulled away, he didn’t move far, and an impish grin was playing on his lips. Yona’s eyes were open wide as her mind raced from the simple touch. But then Sasuke was reclaiming her lips, his hand releasing hers to cup her face, thumbs pressing under her jaw to angle her face up to meet him. He kissed her again, and again, each touch firmer and more confident than the last, until he felt her lips part under him as an invitation. Brazenly, his tongue darted out to touch hers, twirling around it as he felt her respond in kind. His hands locked under her thighs and lifted her onto the counter, more comfortable kissing her now that she was his height.

Yona wrapped her legs around his waist, burying her hands in his hair as if this was a dream and she feared it would disappear at any moment. But this wasn’t a dream, it couldn’t be, there was no way a dream would feel as good as this. A dream wouldn’t be able to replicate the warmth she felt as his body pressed against hers, or the surprising softness of his unyielding lips as they smothered her own, or the burning heat of his hands as they dipped under her shirt and splayed over her lower back.   

   She tightened her legs, bringing their bodies even closer, an excited shock running to her core when she felt a hardness pressing against her. Her hands drifted to his shirt, tugging at the hem and Sasuke jerked it off in seconds, dropping it on the floor beside him. He crushed his body back to hers, and rolled his hips experimentally into her. She wasn’t expecting it, which was probably why she couldn’t stop any of the moan from leaving her lips. Her cheeks blossomed red at the sound, she’d never imagined she was capable of producing such an erotic sound. But Sasuke only grinned and grew harder, continuing to roll their hips together as he felt her growing hotter and hotter, knowing she was getting wetter for him.

Yona felt his hands at her waist and lifted her arms, quickly getting rid of the burdening dress she was wearing, leaving her in just a skimp of cloth covering her core. She met his eyes, and felt another delicious shiver run through her at the fire that was blazing there. She watched his lips part in a thankful sigh as she finally touched him, smoothing her hands over his chest, tracing over his muscles, and then letting her hands dip further south. She was still watching his face, and she saw his adam’s apple bob as her hand slunk into his waistband, grasping at the hardened length underneath. She could feel herself burning as she stroked him, knowing that she had done this to him. He buried his face in her neck, sucking and biting at the skin there. His hands came up and latched onto her breasts, squeezing the flesh and pinching her nipples between his fingers. Every suck, and every twist of his fingers timed with her strokes, and she found herself stroking him harder and faster, feeling him respond.

He was groaning softly against her neck, “Fuck, Yona, stop – I’m gonna-” His hand wrapped around hers, stopping any movement between them. His breathing was laboured and his eyes closed shut, as if it had taken a great deal of effort to stop her.

“You didn’t really seem like you wanted me to stop.” Yona teased, pressing a light kiss against his collarbone, squeezing him lightly in her hand. His hips bucked involuntarily into her, but he just chuckled, leaning forward and nipping at her ear. His breath was hot against her skin, but nothing compared to the words he whispered, “I don’t think we’re anywhere near being finished yet.”

He squeezed her hand, and she couldn’t help but look down and fix her eyes on the sight below her. His hand wrapped around her own, slowly guiding her up and down his shaft, teasing her. His lips nibbled at the shell of her ear, lowering to kiss the skin before asking, “do you?”

She shook her head immediately, even though it was obvious that neither of them had plans of stopping. Sasuke removed her hand from him, almost regretfully, and bent down to pick up his shirt. He lay it on the counter behind Yona, smoothing it out and then moved back to his original place between her thighs. “For later.” He promised, an almost devilish look in his eyes. He hooked his hands in his pants (which had been shoved down to his thighs) and removed the last of his clothing, his eyes locking on the last piece of clothing between the two of them. Yona watched as his hands moved, almost reverently, to smooth over the skin of her thighs, slowly moving upwards. But he didn’t her panties off as she had expected, at the last second his hand ducked to her core and pressed two fingers against her clothed opening.

Sasuke grinned, and Yona blushed knowing that it was the knowledge of how wet she was that made him do so. His two fingers trailed up, brushing against her clit in the journey to the band. “Up.” She followed the command, lifting herself up as he slid the cloth off, and then they were finally both bare to one another.

Yona brought him to her, crushing their lips together as his hand resumed its position, delicately tracing her outer lips, lightly flicking at her hardened clit. It was only when her his began to buck up against him that he relented, sinking his fingers knuckle deep in her and curling them back, his thumb pressing hard in circle motions against her clit. The burning heat in her lower gut was rising, her moans growing louder and louder even as Sasuke smothered them. Her back was arching, breasts pressing against his chest, hands once again fisted in his hair as he dominated her mouth.

“Yona I-” The words caught in his throat but she got the message as his hand was removed and his length pressed against her, coating it in her juices as he slid it along her. Her legs wrapping around his waist was enough of an answer for him, and he sank into her blazing heat, feeling her walls tighten around him.

Yona pulled lightly at his hair, her body readjusting to the intrusion. Not able to stand still any longer Sasuke pushed her back to rest on her hands, leaving her breasts open and vulnerable. His lips fastened around one bud and felt the vibration of a moan in her chest. His tongue flicked and prodded at her, sucking each standing nipple until they glistened with his saliva and each breast was dotted with his marks. Her head was thrown back, the sucking feeling almost relaxing, a drastic contrast to the sharp pleasure she received when Sasuke drew his hips back slowly and hammered them back in. He was fully sheathed within her, she could feel every inch of him. He circled his hips slowly, then repeated the slow draw out and thrust back in. This repeated, and he could feel her breasts jostling against his chest as he briefly claimed her lips once more. “Lie down.” He murmured.

Yona lowered herself to the counter, feeling his shirt beneath her. His scent surrounded her, that familiar sense from their time of travelling together. Who knew that when she stumbled upon him watching that sunset that it would lead to this? His hands clasped around her waist as he straightened up, and his next thrust was accompanied by him pulling her hips down to meet him. She didn’t even try to stop the moan, or the next as he continued thrusting into her. She attempted to move her hips with his but his hands directed her every move, all she could do was lay there and admire the sight above her, and drown in the pleasure he was giving her.

She’d always thought he had the look of a hand-chiseled statue, but he’d never looked so perfect as he did now. Now, with his head tilted back and his lips parted, with his eyes closed and sweat trickling down his temple, he looked perfectly divine.

The raging fire that he had kindled before was back in full force, rising and twisting within her. She found herself throwing her head back and whispering his name like a mantra on her lips, like a plea. Her hands, desperate for anything to ground herself, gripped the other side of the counter above her, and it was the look on Sasuke’s face as he saw her lying beneath him like that, that was what set her coiling insides spasming and tightening around him, was what caused her whisper to become a long drawn out cry. And Sasuke, seeing her unravel beneath him quickened his thrusts, prolonging her pleasure and hastening his own, only too soon falling into her, completely satisfied.

“So, it’s safe to say I’m not leaving anytime soon then.”

***

               

                4 years later, the Rookie 9 stood at the village gates. It was something none of them dared hope for, and all of them, even Naruto, kept silent for fear of jinxing the situation. Scouts had returned earlier that day, they hadn’t even been looking for anything, it had just been a random patrol of the nearby woods. But they knew they had brought back had thrown the Hidden Leaf Village into limbo.

                Sasuke was on his way.

                And he wasn’t alone.  

                The news had set the village on edge, and had rushed the Rookie 9 to the gates to await his arrival.

                Even as the sun wandered higher in the sky, none of them spoke, they barely even dared to move. Not until they all saw the familiar black hair of their once-comrade emerging from the trees. Beside him was a woman, with white hair and striking green eyes. In the woman’s arms was a sleeping toddler.

                Together, the three walked to the gates, stopping short of entering the village. Naruto moved forward in disbelief, his eyes wide and unblinking. “Sasuke?” He questioned, as if the man before him was some form of mirage. His hand landed on the man’s shoulder, and only when he had proof that he was real did Naruto dare to ask, “What are you doing here?”

                Sasuke shuffled awkwardly, glancing at the ground and rubbing the back of his neck. He cast a grateful glance at Yona when she gripped his nervous hand with her own and smiled encouragingly at him. He looked back to Naruto, “I’ve come home.”

                It was safe to say that Naruto was overjoyed that his friend had returned, and for Naruto a celebration meant a trip to Ichiraku ramen, which is where the group ended up. Only then, when everyone had scavenged chairs and was seated together did Sasuke introduce his two companions. “I’d like you all to meet Yona, my wife, and Sarada, our child.”

                It had been pretty obvious what the relations were between the three, but hearing Sasuke say it out loud seemed to hammer the shock home, as eyes darted to Yona’s left hand where her ring lay, to the toddler in her arms, to Sasuke’s black hair that he had undoubtedly passed to his daughter. Congratulations were passed around, but one person couldn’t yet find it in herself to say anything. Sakura moved to sit next to Yona.

                “You must be Sakura,” Yona said, anticipating why the woman had changed seats, “Sasuke’s told me all about you.”

                Sakura was shocked, any words she’d planned to say were lost. “He has?”

                Yona nodded, smiling, “he says you’re an excellent kunoichi, with some of the most talented chakra control he’s ever seen.” Yona paused to brush hair away from Sarada’s eyes. “And he says you are a good friend. From everything he’s told me I must agree, he is lucky to have had someone like you on his team.”

                Sakura blinked quickly, brushing back the faint itching that meant tears were on the way. Quickly changing the topic, she looked at the stirring toddler who was slowly blinking her eyes open. As soon as she saw Sakura she cuddled closer to her mother. Yona laughed, “don’t be shy darling, this is auntie Sakura.”

                Sarada’s big dark eyes blinked slowly at her mother before turning to Sakura, who greeted her. With her chubby little hand, Sarada reached out to run her fingers through Sakura’s pink hair, “pretty.”

                Both women laughed at the child’s actions, and any remaining uncomfortable air between them dissolved.

                “So what’s he like?”

                Yona and Saukra turned to the new voice. Kiba was leaning towards them, his canine eyes mischievous, “what’s Sasuke like as a dad?”

                The question quieted the group, who all looked at Yona for an answer. Out of the corner of her eye she could see her husband’s gaze, and she knew that if he ever blushed he would be doing so now. “He was adorable actually.” She looked fondly at Sasuke whose eyes were clearly begging her to stop her story now to save his manly pride.

                “He was so nervous. He kept running around, picking things up and then putting them back down, he wouldn’t rest for a second. He was constantly cooking in case I wanted any food. You should have seen the amount of time he spent with medical nin, asking every single question he could think of, he’s probably qualified to deliver a baby now.” The group laughed at her tale, but Sasuke was deliberately looking at the ceiling as if he found it to be the most interesting thing around.

                “I was not nervous.” He rebutted, “I was being prepared. There’s a difference.”

                Yona pat his knee affectionately, “of course there is.”

                Sasuke huffed, reaching to take Sarada out of her arms, “I’m finished eating so I’ll hold her.” Yona reached over to get her meal, but Sakura wasn’t watching that. She was watching the way Sasuke held Sarada, breathing in that ‘baby smell’ like he was some old woman. She was watching the way Yona leaned against him when she returned, and the kiss Sasuke placed on her forehead. Lastly, she was watching the slight smile on Sasuke face, and expression she had never seen before. Even though he may have smiled a bit in their times as rookies, he had never looked as content as he did now surrounded by his little family. It was that small smile, probably not even noticeable unless you knew him well, that made her decision for her. Sasuke was finally happy and this woman was the reason, and that was enough to make Sakura welcome her with open arms.

                Sasuke, of course, wasn’t paying attention to any of this. His mind was on the way Yona was chatting with his old teammates, and how she was laughing at Naruto’s over-exaggerated stories and Sakura’s chastising. Holding his little girl, Sasuke bent down and kissed the top of her head, one of his favourite things to do for a very specific reason. Sarada looked a lot like him, and anyone looking at the family would be hard placed to find any of Yona’s features in their child. But perhaps Sasuke’s favourite part of Yona had been passed to their daughter, something like a secret that only he knew, he wasn’t even aware if his wife was aware of it.

                Sarada, like Yona, smelled like strawberries. 

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.”