It was the middle of the night when you heard the soft, uneven breathing.

Levi.

He was usually a fortress—unbreakable, untouchable—but tonight, something was different.

You found him sitting on the edge of his bed, eyes wide open, sweat dampening his dark hair, hands clenched tightly in his lap. He didn’t want you to see.

You hesitated, then quietly sat beside him, close enough to offer comfort without words.

Minutes passed in silence. Then he spoke, voice rough and low, like dragging a knife across stone.

"You hear them too, don’t you?"

You blinked, unsure what he meant. "The screams... the cries. The ones I couldn’t save."

His gaze flickered to you—searching, desperate. "I can’t forget them. I won’t." Levi’s jaw tightened. A single, almost invisible tremor passed through his fingers.

You reached out, gently touching his arm. He flinched—but didn’t pull away. For once, the unbreakable soldier wasn’t alone with his ghosts.