Author's Note: Hi everyone! Here's the last chapter of this piece. Sorry it took me so long to get it posted.

This is the first fic I've written for eruri, so please comment and let me know how you liked it! You can also follow me at my Levi tumblr, .com (this url may change soon, and I'll try to update it here if that happens. If I don't, feel free to message me for it).

Thanks for reading!

It took Levi a full two years to finally decide it was time to retire. His leg had never quite healed enough for him to return to special operations and anything else would have felt like a demotion at that point. At least, that was the reason he gave anyone who asked. Deep down, he knew it wasn't worth it to leave Erwin behind again. He finally had a home and found himself ready to settle down.

As a celebration of his retirement, Levi decided to have the wings tattooed on his back as well. With a painted version of the symbol in hand, Erwin took him to the same place he'd had his done.

The outline came first. On a second visit, the color and shading. Levi told Erwin he was fine with going by himself, but Erwin insisted on going with him, sitting at his side for the long hours he spent under the needle. Finally, after two long sessions, Levi's wings were complete, spreading across his back, the tips just reaching his shoulders. They were beautiful, a nearly perfect copy of the version he had painted. They sat exactly where the insignia always was in his visions. The only difference was that instead of being on a uniform, his wings were permanently etched on his skin.

One of the benefits to a back tattoo was that Levi couldn't handle the aftercare on his own. He began to enjoy the evening ritual of having dinner together, cleaning up, followed by him lying on his stomach on the bed while Erwin cleaned everything and made sure it was healing properly.

"Who took care of yours?"

"A friend?"

"Someone I know?"

"No. Hanji was promoted when I retired, and they weren't on leave at the same time as you." Erwin paused. "I think you'd like them."

"I might. The name sounds familiar."

"But I haven't talked about them be—"

"I know that," Levi said, cutting him off. "The name is familiar." He frowned to himself. Had he drank enough at dinner to be willing to talk about this? Had Erwin had enough to listen? Before he could fully answer the questions, he heard himself starting to talk.

"I see things, Erwin. Ever since the first day we met. I looked up at you after I fell and you were there, but everything else was different, and I hated you. I wanted to kill you because you'd done something to me, worse than getting tea on my coat. And then…it was over, and I was back." He paused, trying to decide how to keep going. Thankfully, Erwin sensed that Levi had more to say and didn't respond. He just patiently waited.

"It happened again when I visited you in the hospital. And more after we started living together. I thought it'd stop when I left again, but it just…happened more." The confusion was obvious in his voice. He was silent for several seconds before hearing Erwin speak.

"Go on, Levi."

There was no hint of judging in his voice, no indication that he thought Levi was crazy. Levi sighed, relieved that he'd guessed right. Erwin must have experienced something similar. How else could he accept what he was saying so easily? Of course Levi had guessed right. Erwin had calmly accepted his calling him "Commander" all this time. Called him "Captain" in return. It seemed so obvious now that he was speaking. Erwin had known all along.

"I started dreaming. About you. Almost every night. I have sketches of those, somewhere, I don't know where. I'm not sure where all my things ended up. That's what those paintings were though. The ones in my room. And the sketches. All things I saw or dreamed or…fuck, whatever you want to call what happened.

"I don't believe in supernatural bullshit, Erwin. I never have. I don't know what's going on between you and me, but it's weird as fuck. Like…like we were…"

"Like we were meant to be together," Erwin finished, his voice eternally calm, more so when compared to the way Levi's thoughts were jumbled, tangled together like a web he couldn't decipher.

"Yeah…" Levi's voice softened. "Like that."

"I can't explain it either," Erwin said, still calm, starting to move his hands over Levi's back again. That was right. He was cleaning the tattoo. Levi knew there was a reason they were like this.

"I guess it doesn't matter what the explanation is," Levi muttered, relaxing against the bed again. "It's something though. You've seen it too. When it happens, it feels real. Like I've known you forever, not just for a few years."

Erwin moved away, finished, and Levi sat up. When he turned to look at Erwin, Erwin was smiling.

"Levi, whatever the explanation is, I believe I've known you for a long time." Something in Erwin's tone told Levi it was the truth. How he knew Erwin didn't matter. All that mattered was that he did know him, had known him. Levi was soon pulled out of his thoughts again.

"O Captain, my Captain…I realized while you were gone that I needed you. Your letters were the best thing about that year. I didn't want to frighten you away when you came back, so I tried not to let on too much just how badly I'd missed you."

Without another word, Erwin leaned forward and took Levi's face in his hands. He kissed him gently, lovingly, and while it was the first time they'd kissed each other, Levi felt like he'd done it a thousand times, just like that. Erwin's hands felt perfect against his skin, as though they were made to hold him and him alone. He found his own hands sliding to Erwin's chest and settling against it, his fingers closing around his shirt just enough to keep him there.

It was over too soon, and Levi was, uncharacteristically, at a complete loss for words.

Erwin ran his thumb over Levi's lips, slightly swollen from the kiss, a soft look on his face.

"Levi, I love you."

Levi blinked. He was sitting in a room, yes, but it was different. He was fully dressed, as was Erwin, in a uniform with the wings over the pocket.

"I love you, Levi." This Erwin said the words again, just before everything faded back into focus, just as it had been before.

"Levi?"

"I heard you. You said you…" he paused. "You said it then too."

Erwin looked confused for a fraction of a second before realizing what Levi meant.

"Ah. Did I."

"You did."

"And what did you say back?"

"I don't know. It ended before that."

"That's unfortunate."

"I wanted to say it. I just…it ended too fast."

"Levi, it's alright. You don't have to say it now. Just let me say it." Erwin smiled softly, brushing the backs of his knuckles over Levi's cheek. "Levi, I would like you to stay with me."

"I'm already living with you…"

"Not live with me. Stay with me." His eyes were earnest. "Please."

Levi finally understood what he was asking.

"Erwin…Commander…" he almost smiled at the title. "I'm retired too. I'm not going anywhere. Not without you, anyways. I felt shitty being away from you and I don't feel like doing that to myself again."

Erwin broke into a smile, then wrapped his arms around Levi, his hands at the small of his back, acting carefully so as not to touch the still-healing wings.

"That's all I wanted to hear."

Levi slid his arms around Erwin, over his shoulders, pulling him close. The gesture was just as familiar as the kiss.

"I love you too."

"Levi…I don't want you to feel like you have to say that back."

"I don't. I'm overdue, anyways. You said it to me two years ago, right after I got back."

Erwin pulled away, looking at Levi, surprised.

"Did I?"

"Stupid ass. You thought I was asleep."

Erwin chuckled softly. "Did I?"

"Stop saying that. You know what you did."

"Do I?"

"Tch. You sound like a shitty parrot."

"Yes, I suppose I do."

"Admit that you said it."

"Yes, Levi, I said it after I thought you were asleep. I couldn't help myself."

Levi looked satisfied with the confession.

"Like I said, I'm overdue."

Erwin kissed Levi again, this time harder, but quicker.

"Tell me again then, and I won't argue this time."

"Erwin Smith, I love you, and I intend to stay with you. Even if you're shit at figuring out when I'm sleeping."

With a laugh, Erwin pulled Levi down on top of him. The light was shut off and Levi curled up against Erwin, reluctant to let any space come between them. As they drifted off, Erwin held Levi close.

"My Captain."