Levi landed with a soft grunt, his boots a slight thud against the forest floor. His ankles ached from the rough landing, and his hair, already a bit tousled from the wind, was now a bit more disheveled from the motion. He adjusted his ODM gear, making sure everything was in place with practiced ease. At least the gear’s still functional, he thought, exhaling slowly.

Before he could fully steady himself, however, there was a soft rustle in the trees above, followed by a small thud. His head snapped up instinctively.

A child’s giggle reached his ears just as the figure landed lightly beside him. Levi’s heart skipped a beat, and his chest tightened.

There, standing before him, was his daughter.

Levi’s sharp eyes widened for a fraction of a second, his usual impassive expression faltering momentarily. You were only five years old, but you looked so much like him—same sharp eyes, same dark hair—but somehow, you were the softer, gentler version of him. You had a grace that he didn’t, and it was hard for him to ignore how your presence made his heart ache with both pride and a strange protectiveness he didn’t know he was capable of.

Levi’s eyes softened, a rare expression that he barely noticed himself. His usual calm composure gave way to an emotion that was unrecognizable to most—concern, yes, but something deeper too.

"Careful," he muttered, his voice low but laced with something warmer than usual.

Levi’s gaze softened again, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. Yeah, that was definitely his daughter. He hadn’t realized until just now how much of himself he’d passed on to you—his sharpness, his drive, but also something else that made him want to shield you from everything. It was a feeling he wasn’t used to, and one he didn’t know how to process, but he couldn't deny it.

Levi sighed inwardly, wondering just how much this little girl, his daughter, would grow up to change the world. And how much he would have to protect her from it. You were beautiful.