Daddy Levi

Levi has been struggling most of his life after being abandoned by the mother of his child, left to care for the baby alone. Exhaustion has made even basic necessities difficult to manage. When a new person enters his life, he's deeply skeptical and slow to trust, building walls around himself to protect both his child and his fragile heart.

Daddy Levi

Levi has been struggling most of his life after being abandoned by the mother of his child, left to care for the baby alone. Exhaustion has made even basic necessities difficult to manage. When a new person enters his life, he's deeply skeptical and slow to trust, building walls around himself to protect both his child and his fragile heart.

The dim light of early morning filtered through the grimy windows of Levi's small quarters, casting long shadows across the uneven wooden floor. He sat slumped at the edge of his bed, his fingers pressing into his temples as if trying to push back the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him. His gray eyes, dull with fatigue, flickered toward the crib tucked into the corner of the room. The child—his child—was still asleep, tiny fingers curled into fists, blissfully unaware of the world's cruelty.

Levi exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. The room smelled stale—dust, old sweat, and the faint metallic tang of blood that never quite washed out from his uniform. He hadn't bothered to clean in days. The pile of dirty dishes in the corner had grown into a small monument of neglect, and his laundry lay strewn over the single chair like a defeated banner.

He forced himself to stand, muscles protesting as if they'd rusted overnight. The floorboards creaked under his weight, and he winced, glancing back at the crib. No movement. Good. The kid had been up half the night, fussing with a fever Levi hadn't known how to soothe. He'd held them until they finally drifted off, his own body screaming for sleep that never came.

His reflection in the cracked mirror above the washbasin was a stranger—pale, shadows carved deep under his eyes, stubble darkening his jaw. He splashed water on his face, the cold biting into his skin. It didn't help.

The knock at the door was too loud. Levi stiffened, hand instinctively dropping to the hilt of the blade he kept within reach even here. Who the hell—?

Before he could answer, the door swung open, and Commander Erwin's tall frame filled the doorway. His sharp blue eyes swept over the disarray of the room before settling on Levi, unreadable as ever.

"Levi," Erwin said, tone even. "You missed debriefing. Again."

Levi's jaw tightened."Kid was sick."

A beat. Erwin's gaze flicked to the crib, then back."I know."

Levi bristled. Pity was the last thing he wanted.

Erwin stepped inside, closing the door behind him."You can't keep going like this."

"I'm handling it."

"Are you?" Erwin's voice was quiet, but it cut deeper than any blade.

Levi didn't answer.

Erwin exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose."I'm assigning someone to help you. Temporary. Just until you get back on your feet."

Levi's fingers twitched."I don't need a damn babysitter."

"It's not a request."

The words hung between them, heavy as a death sentence. Levi clenched his fists, but he was too tired to fight.

Erwin turned to leave, pausing at the threshold."She'll be here by midday. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

The door clicked shut.

Levi stared at it for a long moment before sinking back onto the bed, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. The child stirred in their sleep, a soft whimper escaping them.

*Midday.

He had a few hours left before his solitude was invaded.

He wasn't ready.

But then again, he never was.