As evening descended, Finn arrived. I had arranged for a comforting dinner to be delivered. Conscious of Levi's sobriety, and we abstained from any alcohol.

Finn was practically on his knees, his voice thick with desperation. "Levi, it's an absolute catastrophe without you. Please, you have to come back. It's not just difficult; it's fundamentally impossible. We're trying to run this entire government on fumes. No one, no one, has your knack for untangling these legislative nightmares. Please, Levi... this past month has been a descent into chaos. The entire staff is on the verge of collapse, and we've been reduced to the humiliating task of begging other nations for help just to decipher our own damn laws. Please, for the sake of everything…"

Levi took a spoonful of the flavorless mush, his gaze steady as he addressed Finn with a calm voice.

“Dear Finn, do you possess even a rudimentary understanding of the absolute force I would unleash upon those hapless staff were I to return to that… theater of incompetence? Recall, if you will, our shared history within those halls. Even veiled within a chemical-fog, I was… efficient. Now, Finn, consider this: I am not ‘clean.’ I am sober. The clarity, while enlightening, has also stripped away any semblance of tolerance for ineptitude. Truth be told, Finn, if I were to set foot back in that office and witness the… catastrophe you have wrought upon my established democracy, the urge to crush your skulls beneath the very soles of my shoes would be… exceedingly difficult to resist.”

Oh shit.

Finn rubbed his temples wearily. "But Levi... what else are we supposed to do? We're trying our best here! It's not like we want to mess things up. We just... we're not you. Is the only alternative really mass casualties and footwear-related trauma?"

Levi continued to eat his bland meal with an unnerving lack of emotion.

“Dear Finn,” he finally replied, “to consider the eradication of profound incompetence on such a scale as ‘mass casualty’ is, in my current state of… enlightenment, bordering on a righteous act. A form of… divine intervention, one might argue, given the circumstances. Let me reiterate, Finn: my reluctance to return to that bureaucratic abyss stems not from mere tedium or lingering fatigue. I endured two months of sensory deprivation in a sterile void; the prospect of a prison cell holds little terror for me. In fact,” a faint smile touched his lips, “given the… unique skill set I have recently rediscovered, there is a distinct and rather high probability that your attempts to confine me would prove… remarkably unsuccessful.”

My breath hitched. God, Finn, please stop.

Finn's mouth hung slightly open, like a fish gasping for air, and his eyes, wide and unblinking, were fixed on Levi with a horrified fascination. I wanted to say something, to interject, to somehow diffuse the tension that had descended upon the dinner table. But the words caught in my throat, choked by the same fear that had silenced Finn.

My gaze flickered from Finn's petrified face back to Levi, who continued to eat his bland mush with an unnerving detachment, as if discussing the weather.

Taking a deliberate breath, trying to inject a sliver of dark humor into the suffocating tension, I said, "Alright, Levi, let's dial back the tyrannical shadow routine a notch, shall we? We get it, the office is your personal hell, and skull crushing is apparently on the table. But, you know, for the sake of avoiding widespread panic and potential international incidents, maybe just… a tiny breadcrumb of guidance for the poor souls floundering in your wake?"

Levi turned his warm smile on my clearly horrified face. "Raphael, has dear Finn ever elucidated the precise nature of my 'work' within those halls? I rather suspect he glossed over the aspects.”

“W-What do you mean by… that?” I stammered, the unease tightening its grip.

Levi chuckled, a mirth that didn't reach his eyes. "You see, Raphael, I wasn't merely an 'office worker' within those hallowed halls. I was the architect. The conductor of the entire legislative orchestra. I delegated the very bills Finn now struggles to comprehend, reviewed legislation with an eye for both its immediate impact and its long-term ramifications, forged alliances and struck deals with often… temperamental envoys. I nurtured and educated the very politicians who now hold positions of power within this fledgling democracy – your mayors, your governors. I wrote laws with a flick of my wrist, revoked them with a carefully chosen word, funded their implementation with a strategic allocation of resources. The staff, dear Raphael, were not my peers. They were… extensions of my will. Keyboards and computers translating the workings of my mind into actionable output. Finn, has been attempting to conduct a symphony with an orchestra that has lost its composer."

My mind struggled to grasp the implications of Levi's words. It was like trying to comprehend the vastness of the ocean while only ever having seen a puddle. Finn's frantic pleas, the staff's burnout, the reliance on foreign aid – it all snapped into focus. He wasn't just a cog in the machine; he was the machine.

Finn's whispered "Oh, God," echoed the silent dread that had taken root in my own chest. "It's even worse than I thought. We're... we're completely lost without you." He looked down at his hands, as if searching for an answer that wasn't there.

"So, all those bills, the envoy negotiations, the political appointments... that was all you? Single-handedly? How is that even possible? And if it was, what kind of system have we built that's so utterly dependent on one person?”

Levi took another measured bite of his mush. "Pride is a tedious and often counterproductive emotion, Raphael. However," a faint hint of his old sardonic amusement flickered across his lips, "it is a factual observation that my… heightened state of awareness during those formative months of the democracy did indeed facilitate a certain… singular efficiency. As for your query regarding the system's dependence on a single individual, the answer, is rather elementary. It was dependent on a single person because that person was, and remains, 'me'."

He paused, his gaze sharpening. "I believe I mentioned previously that I lacked a formal 'title' within that bureaucratic labyrinth. Perhaps now, with the reality of its floundering in my absence, the underlying reason for that deliberate omission becomes… abundantly clear."

“So when you said… you owned Ascaria… you were actually being realistic.”

A humorless chuckle escaped Levi. "Realistic? Dear Raphael, that was perhaps the most understated assessment I have ever uttered. Owning Ascaria in the conventional sense – land deeds and mineral rights – is a triviality. I was Ascaria, in its functional entirety. The laws, the economy, the very direction of its progress flowed through me.”

Finn leaned forward, his voice strained. "But... but why didn't you tell us? Why let us flounder like this? We could have... we could have tried to understand, to help. You just let us think you were some kind of... tyrannical boss!"

"Perhaps, Finn, it was a failing on my part. But consider the inherent limitations. Could you truly have comprehended the sheer volume of data, the web of connections that occupied my mind?” Levi offered a dismissive shrug. "A solitary burden, indeed."

Levi always came home late, often exhausted, sometimes… not entirely himself. All this time, while I was fretting over his well-being, his occasional dark moods… he had been carrying the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders. Gods… What have I done? My attempts to "help," my well-intentioned but ultimately stifling concerns about his work habits… had I been so focused on the periphery that I had completely missed the monumental reality of his existence?

"But... but if we had known! We could have tried harder! We could have trusted you more! We just thought you were... difficult! God, Levi, we had no idea! This is all our fault!" Finn wrung his hands.

Levi languidly swirled his glass. "Fault, indeed. Your collective ineptitude – not as individuals, mind you, but as the supposed backbone of this nascent government – will, with the certainty of a collapsing star, reduce this nation to rubble. The future I crafted over fifteen years, the very vision I held for the Ascarian people… you have butchered it. Utterly and without reservation."

While the crushing weight of guilt for my role in sending Levi to rehab settled like a stone in my stomach, Finn, finally snapped. His fist clenched on the table, the knuckles turning white. "Hey!" he exclaimed, his voice rising in pitch. “We were trying our best! You can't just blame us for everything! You were the one who kept it all a secret! You built a system so dependent on yourself that the moment you stepped away, it crumbled! That's not our fault, Levi, that's yours!"

Shit… No… No… Calm down Finn.

"Hm," Levi mused, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he regarded Finn's outburst. "A rather... spirited display. You demanded honesty, did you not, dear Finn? Very well, let us dispense with pleasantries and embrace the exquisite discomfort of brutal truth. While you bureaucratic insects buzzed inanely around my periphery, utterly incapable of deciphering the very documents that lay before your vacant gazes, I was single-handedly toppling an archaic regime and birthing a nation. Your minuscule intellects couldn't even begin to grasp the monumental undertaking of instilling a functional democracy. In fact, Finn, not just you, but every single citizen of Ascaria should prostrate themselves before the celestial powers in gratitude for my democratic inclinations. A far more... efficient, shall we say, system of governance could have been implemented with a mere flick of my wrist. Fascism, for instance. But alas, my aesthetic sensibilities recoil at such vulgarity."

He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "Secrecy? I harbored no secrets. You, and your equally dimwitted colleagues, simply lacked the audacity, the sheer intellectual fortitude, to shoulder any actual responsibility. You were content to bask in the comforting illusion of a single, albeit chemically compromised, individual pulling all the strings, diligently performing the tedious tasks your feeble minds could not comprehend. Well, Finn, that chemically compromised individual is gone. You, and your collective incompetence, have wrought this disaster. And let me be unequivocally clear: should I return to that fetid office and be met with your vacant stares and blank incomprehension when issuing even the simplest of directives, my newfound sobriety will not temper my response. I will end you."

Gods… No… Levi had just delivered an utterly unambiguous threat to Finn. All I could manage was to stare fixedly at my plate of cooling food, the foos now looking like a landscape of meaningless shapes and textures.

Finn, his face a mask of mingled fear and fury, didn't heed my silent plea for restraint. He surged to his feet, the chair scraping violently against the floor. He stalked towards the still-seated Levi, his body trembling with adrenaline. "Did you just threaten me?" he spat, his voice thick with rage, and with a guttural cry, he swung, his fist connecting with a sickening thud against Levi's jaw.

In that heart-stopping moment, my own chair screeched against the floor as I scrambled to my feet, every muscle in my body tensed, bracing for Levi's inevitable, brutal retaliation. But the explosion never came. Instead, Levi slowly lifted his head, a smug smirk playing on his lips. He didn't even seem fazed by the force of Finn's blow.

"You see, dear Finn," he purred, a disturbing confidence radiating from him, "sobriety has granted me a newfound appreciation for the… remarkable resilience inherent in my genetic makeup."

Levi unfolded his tall frame from the chair. He rose slowly until he towered over the trembling Finn, his shadow engulfing him. He was a god surveying his insignificant mortal subject, amusement and a terrifying potential for destruction swirling within his gaze.

"So... you orchestrated the near-collapse of my nation through sheer incompetence, groveled for my intervention, and then, in a display of breathtaking audacity, you struck me. A rather… interesting confluence of events, wouldn't you agree, dear Finn?"

"I... I am sorry I punched you, okay?" Finn stammered, his voice still trembling. "I was at my breaking point, mentally and physically drained. But Levi, you did threaten us! You're still doing it with that... that look!"

A delighted smile spread across Levi's face.

"Defiance," Levi purred, the sound sending a fresh wave of unease through the room, "is a rather… delicious poison. But let us be precise, dear Finn. I did not threaten you. I merely outlined the logical and inevitable sequence of events should I find myself once more within that den of incompetence. A prediction, if you will, based on observable realities. And still," he tilted his head, his gaze piercing, "you steadfastly refuse to acknowledge your role in this delightful predicament, don't you?"

Okay, Raphael. Deep breath. Levi's disdain for outright violence is a key to navigating this.

I reached out and grasped Levi's arm. "Alright, Levi," I said, my voice calm but firm. "Finn acknowledges he was wrong to strike you. He's exhausted and felt cornered, but that doesn't excuse his actions. However," I turned my gaze to Finn, my expression stern, "Finn is also right, Levi. Your words, the way you phrased things… they were perceived as a threat. A very real one." I then looked back at Levi, my grip on his arm unwavering. "Both of you. Before this spirals any further into something we'll all regret, sit down. Now. We are going to talk this through, calmly. And Levi," I added, meeting his intense gaze, "enough with the malevolent deity routine. You're scaring Finn and me.”

Levi cast a fleeting, amused glance at my clearly anxious expression. "My apologies, Finn," he said, a touch of theatricality in his voice, "for my penchant for villainous pronouncements." With that, he settled back into his chair.

A beat later, Finn, still looking shaken mumbled, "Yeah. I... I'm also sorry for punching you, Levi. It was stupid." He then lowered himself gingerly back into his own seat.

...

Okay… The immediate threat of a skull-crushing incident has been averted, but the underlying crisis—the potential collapse of the government and the ensuing public panic—looms large. We need a solution, before Levi's dire predictions become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"So, Levi," I ventured, forcing a nervous chuckle and trying to tap into his dark sense of humor, "my proposed solution involves a heavily reinforced enclosure within the office. You'd be free to unleash your scathing wit upon the staff, but with the distinct disadvantage of being physically unable to act on any lingering skull-crushing urges? A sort of verbal tyranny confined by sturdy bars?"

Levi considered the idea, his brow furrowed slightly. "The principle of controlled output has merit. Limiting the… more physical manifestations of my frustration might indeed be prudent. However, the cage itself… it lacks a certain… elegance. Perhaps a soundproofed, one-way observation chamber would be more aesthetically pleasing and equally effective."

Observation chamber? Gods, the tyrant wasn't even trying to hide it anymore. The man genuinely saw himself as some detached overseer, doling out wisdom from his isolated perch. But… a hysterical laugh bubbled up inside me. At least my terrible joke had landed.

Finn, however, remained focused on the core issue. "But Levi," he persisted, his voice earnest, "this idea of an observation chamber... it feels like you're just creating another wall. We admit it, we were incompetent, and we treated you like some kind of tireless, unfeeling machine. That was our monumental screw-up. But isolating yourself further isn't the answer, is it? We need guidance, actual leadership, not just disembodied directives from behind soundproof glass. There has to be a way for you to be involved without feeling completely crushed by the weight of it all. Something less… burdensome for you, and frankly, less psychologically damaging for the rest of us."

Levi tapped his fingers. "Very well, then, Finn. Let us establish the parameters of this… arrangement. I will not physically return to that bureaucratic abyss. However," he paused, a predatory glint in his eyes, "I am willing to offer my… leadership remotely, from the relative sanctuary of my study. Do not mistake this for leniency. My directives will be delivered with the precision of a surgeon's blade, and I assure you, Finn, I can whip the entire staff into a semblance of competence with a telephone call. But be warned: my patience for ineptitude has been thoroughly purged. Should your demonstrated inability to follow even the simplest of instructions persist, I will consider that a direct breach of this agreement. And in that event," his voice dropped to a soft whisper, "I will personally visit the office. The consequences will be incineration. So, dear Finn, do we have an accord?"

"Yes... Yes, thank the Gods," Finn stammered, his voice thick with a mixture of relief and lingering terror. "Yes, Levi... a thousand times yes. Ah..." He scrubbed a hand across his eyes, a choked sob escaping his lips. "I think... I think I might actually cry."

I leaned back in my chair, a wave of exhaustion washing over me. "Gods, that was intense. Finn, I'm glad you said yes. Levi... thank you for reconsidering. Let's just... let's try to make this work. For everyone's sake."

"Ah," Levi interjected, his smile widening. "Which reminds me, Finn, given my current state, a salary will be required for my invaluable remote consultation services. A rather substantial one, I would imagine, considering the alternative we so narrowly avoided." He leaned back in his chair, the picture of a cat who had just secured a very large and very plump mouse.

"Yeah, okay, Levi. Salary. You call the shots now, don't you?" Finn said, the fight completely gone from his voice. "Just... try not to bankrupt us before you get the chance to incinerate us."

I watched Levi. Basking in glory was an understatement. He looked like a monarch reassuming his throne after a brief absence.

His title? He is, quite simply, the consequence.

A ghost in the bureaucratic machine. He is the shadow sovereign, ruling from the comfortable remove of his study. No formal title graces his door, yet his pronouncements carry the weight of a god's decree. He is not merely indispensable; he is the irreplaceable terror, the silent earthquake that will shatter Ascaria the moment his disembodied voice falls silent.

Levi took a sip from his drink, his gaze sweeping between Finn and me. "Interesting, gentlemen. This marks the second occasion in my… eventful life where I have brought a nation to its knees. A curious parallel, wouldn't you agree? Especially when one considers the present company: two individuals, seated across this very table, one of whom saw fit to introduce his fist to my jaw, while the other," his gaze lingered on me for a moment, a hint of something unreadable in his expression, "managed to inflict the rather more… inconvenient injury of fractured ribs."

Fuck… Okay… Stop him from being a tyrannical shadow once again. Dark humor, immediately.

"Alright, alright, let's not get too comfortable on the villain's chaise lounge just yet, Levi," I interjected, forcing a light tone despite the lingering tension. "And for the record," I added, meeting his gaze with a deliberately wry smile, "you absolutely had that punch coming. Consider it a belated office morale booster. Plus," I continued, gesturing vaguely, "you do have that rather smug, sunbeam-absorbing quality about you right now. Very… feline."

Finn managed a shaky grin. "Yeah, Levi, you were channeling your inner villain there for a minute. The cat analogy is pretty accurate, though. Maybe we should get you a little bowl of ice cream for your study meetings?"

Levi's lips twitched. "Ice cream? That would be… surprisingly delightful, dear Finn."

Thank god. Beneath the tyrannical pronouncements and the god complex, the man still appreciates a bit of sugar.

A fragile truce settled over the remainder of the evening. Finn and I, did our best to steer clear of governmental collapse and skull-crushing scenarios. Levi, occasionally interjected with a dry remark, his ego clearly enjoying the attention. Once the remnants of our uneasy meal were cleared, Finn, looking utterly drained but visibly relieved, made his excuses and departed, leaving me alone with the architect of Ascaria's fate.

...

Levi stretched out on the couch, a hint of genuine relaxation in his posture. He turned his gaze towards me, a thoughtful expression replacing his earlier amusement. "You know, Raphael, you possess a rather remarkable talent for diplomacy. Diffusing that… volatile situation with Finn was quite skillfully done. I daresay even seasoned politicians would struggle to navigate such treacherous waters with your level of… competence." He offered an almost admiring nod. "You should be the one welcoming foreign envoys. You have a knack for preventing international incidents before they even begin."

I settled onto the opposite couch, a weary sigh escaping my lips. "Thank you for the compliment, Levi. It's... appreciated. But let's not forget the catalyst for my diplomatic prowess: you scared the absolute shit out of both of us."

"And you both, in your infinite wisdom, saw fit to disregard my explicit warnings and my lack of enthusiastic consent, forcing me into the rather tedious endeavor of remotely salvaging collective incompetence. We are even."

"There's one more thing that's been nagging at me, Levi," I said, leaning forward slightly. "You took a full-force punch from Finn, and... it was like hitting a wall. You didn't even flinch. What was that about?"

Unlawfully taken from NovelBin, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Levi tapped his fingers. "Ah, yes, the… unexpected impact. You see, Raphael, now that my system is no longer swimming in a chemical miasma, my motor reflexes have returned to their peak, and dare I say, my inherent physical strength has been… amplified. To be perfectly honest," a hint of surprise entered his voice, "it even took me aback slightly."

“I mean you were always strong but you are stronger now? What about other things, agility, stamina?”

"An astute observation, Raphael. Strength was always a baseline, a fundamental aspect of the Conqueror's lineage. But yes, the clarity of sobriety has undoubtedly amplified it. As for other attributes... agility, stamina... imagine a finely tuned instrument, previously muffled and slightly out of sync. The 'chemical miasma,' created a certain sluggishness, a delay in the transmission between mind and body. Now, that interference is gone. My reflexes are sharper, my movements more precise, and yes, my stamina... regarding sexual activities are still blank.”

“You still did not even masturbate?”

Levi's brow furrowed slightly. "No, Raphael. I do not feel the… 'need' or the want for such activities.”

“Isn’t that kinda… weird? Considering your newly found amplified ‘vitality’?”

"Weird?" Levi echoed. "Perhaps, from a purely biological standpoint. One might expect an increase in… all primal urges with a return to a more optimal physiological state.”

There is one simple issue… I am so filled with hormones. Fuck. Okay, focus, Raphael. Nation-saving first, hormonal implosion second. But Gods… after all that tension, all that raw power radiating off him, the way his eyes gleamed… Just one kiss. That's all it would take to maybe… ground me? Or maybe just set off a whole new level of chaos. He's right there, leaning back, all that terrifying intellect and newfound strength… and not a single damn touch.

Here I was, practically radiating a desperate need, and he was likely contemplating the optimal angle for his remote surveillance system.

I took a deep breath. Right now, the priority was damage control, establishing the new rules of engagement with our terrifyingly sober leader. But Gods, the urge to just lean over and… test the waters… was almost unbearable. Focus, Raphael. Focus.

I cleared my throat. "So, Levi," I began, forcing my attention back to the conversation at hand. "About these remote directives... what's the best way for Finn and the others to communicate with you? We need to establish a system that won't… incite your more explosive tendencies." My gaze flickered towards him, a traitorous longing before I wrenched it back to the table. Damn hormones.

Levi tapped his fingers again. "Worry not about the intricacies of communication, Raphael. I have already established secure channels. As for inciting my 'explosive tendencies,' that lies entirely within the realm of competence. Or rather, their demonstrated competence."

He paused, a predatory smile playing on his lips. "They have enjoyed a rather extended respite, haven't they? Two months of blissful incompetence, no doubt. Rest assured, Raphael, the tranquility of that vacation is about to be shattered. The era of gentle suggestions and polite requests is over. The real work begins now. And it will be… loud."

Damn hormones. Here he was, calmly laying out the terms of his remote tyranny, the implicit threat of annihilation hanging in the air like a toxic cloud, and my brain was apparently interpreting it as some kind of bizarre foreplay.

"Right," I said, my voice a little strained. "Loud. Understood. So, specific reporting times? Formats? We need to ensure clarity to minimize… misinterpretations." I clenched my hands in my lap. Focus, Raphael. He's threatening people.

Levi considered my question. "Details, Raphael, details. They will receive their directives. Suffice it to say that tardiness and imprecision will be… discouraged. Severely. The channels are secure; the instructions will be unambiguous, even for intellects of their… caliber. Your primary concern should not be the how of communication, but the efficacy of their response. Their ability to execute without error. Because, unlike my previous tenure, there will be no second chances born of weariness or… sentimentality." He leaned forward slightly, his gaze intense. "Their vacation is over. Mine is just beginning, in the quiet comfort of my study, observing their struggles and dispensing correction as needed. And trust me, Raphael, I have a great deal of pent-up… correction to dispense."

My traitorous hormones chose that exact moment to stage a full-blown rebellion. Pent-up, my mind echoed, twisting his menacing words into… suggestive. I had to get a grip. Now. Change the conversation… Chose something else. Something else which he does not act like a tyrant…

The image of Levi, a sugar-fueled overlord, actually brought a smile to my face. "You know what?" I said, pushing myself to a more upright position on the couch. "While you're orchestrating the symphony of bureaucratic terror from your study, I'll make sure you're properly provisioned. A steady supply of your favorite chocolates and an industrial-sized tub of ice cream. What flavor would you prefer as you're metaphorically tearing them limb from limb over the phone?"

Levi leaned back, a hint of a pout on his lips. "Ice cream would be… most appreciated, Raphael. This whole remote leadership thing is rather draining. Something… rich. Very rich. With lots of… chocolate bits. And perhaps… a few extra chocolate bars on the side? Just… in case."

Oh, God… did he just pout? My traitorous brain supplied the answer with a rush of warmth. Yes. Yes, he absolutely did. He looks… almost… cute.

Gods, what have I become?

One minute I was terrified, by a newly sober, genetically enhanced tyrant. And now? Now I'm fixated on the way his lips quirk when he talks about chocolate. Hot and cute. The dichotomy was enough to give me whiplash. Hot and cute. Levi. The man who threatened to incinerate an entire office building. This is officially insane.

Insane, yes. Certifiably. It was like my survival instincts and my libido were having a particularly violent disagreement in my brain. One half was screaming "Danger! Run!", while the other was whispering, "But have you seen the way his eyes crinkle when he's even slightly amused?"

I needed to regain control, to remember the very real threat he posed, to stop finding the architect of our potential destruction… well, attractive. But the memory of that fleeting pout, the almost vulnerable request for more chocolate… it kept short-circuiting my terror response. Focus, Raphael. He's still Levi. Still capable of… terrible things. Cute and terrifying. What a truly messed-up combination.

I wanted to reach across the space separating us, to feel the warmth of his skin, to breathe in whatever unique scent clung to him. A hug. Or more. So much more. Touch. Just one touch.

Sometimes… The simplest move is right.

"I missed you so much, Levi," I blurted out. And before the rational part of my brain could issue a single coherent warning, I acted. I launched myself across the space separating the couches, landing on him with a surprised oof as the air left his lungs. My arms wrapped around his neck, clinging tightly, burying my face in the crook of his shoulder.

"R-Raphael?" he stammered, his voice a mixture of shock and utter confusion. His body beneath me tensed.

Ah… that scent. Subtle, clean, like expensive soap. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed it. Now, pressed against him, his body radiated a comforting warmth, a stark contrast to the clinical chill I remembered. Even his skin felt different, no longer that worryingly pale hue. I tightened my grip. Gods, I missed him so much.

"Well, Raphael," Levi said, a hint of amusement finally entering his voice. "This is certainly a more… direct form of expressing your relief than mere verbal affirmation. Though, I must admit, my current vantage point is somewhat… unusual. And you do realize I was just discussing the finer points of bureaucratic annihilation?"

"Yeah…" I mumbled into the fabric of his shirt, tightening my grip. "I was scared shitless, Levi. But then… then you were all intense and… yeah, still kind of hot. And then the pout! Gods, the pout. You looked… almost… vulnerable. You've completely broke my damn brain." I nuzzled closer, inhaling his scent.

Levi remained still for a moment, then sighed softly. "Alright, Raphael. Just… breathe. I'm here. And yes," he added, his voice a low murmur against my hair, "it has been far too long."

I just held him tighter, burying my face further into his neck. "Just… be quiet," I mumbled. "Just let me… have this for a minute."

In this moment, the tyrant, the remote ruler, the genetically enhanced being, was just… Levi. My Levi.

He wrapped his arms around me. "I missed you too, Raphael," he murmured, his voice rough, almost hesitant.

A lump formed in my throat, a burning sensation behind my eyes. Am I actually going to cry? Right here, right now, clinging to the man who was threatening global annihilation an hour ago? Damn it, he really has broken my brain.

A tear escaped, hot against my temple, and I squeezed my eyes shut. I took a shuddering breath. But the dam had broken, and the tears kept coming, silent and hot against his shirt. In the quiet of his unexpected embrace, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I allowed myself to feel it all, the beautiful, terrifying, utterly broken mess that Levi always seemed to bring out in me.

He cupped my cheek with his warm hand, his thumb gently brushing away a stray tear. "Why are you crying, Raphael?" he asked, his voice softer than I'd heard it in weeks.

"Because..." I choked out. "Because I missed you so damn much, Levi. And the house… it felt so empty. We were… distant. You were there, but you weren't really there."

His eyes held a flicker of something I rarely saw: uncertainty.

"Accept my apologies, then, Raphael. I do not possess a readily discernible, logical explanation for my… distance. I can only surmise that my mind, now unburdened by its former… chemical haze, is attempting to re-evaluate the parameters of our… relationship. Frankly," a ghost of his usual sardonic smile touched his lips, "ours is rather… unique, wouldn't you agree?”

"Unique is one word, Levi," I echoed softly, a shaky smile finally breaking through the tears. "Ten months, give or take a few weeks of near-death experiences and governmental crises. It's certainly not the typical honeymoon phase, is it?" I leaned into his touch. "But… it's ours. Bizarre and terrifying and… inexplicably us."

A genuine smile, one that crinkled the corners of his eyes, finally spread across Levi's face. "Our ten months have been… decidedly less conventional than the average newlywed's. Though, I daresay, far more stimulating. And," his thumb traced a softer circle on my cheek, "unquestionably ours."

Just one kiss. That's all it would take to bridge the gap, to solidify the fragile connection we were tentatively rebuilding. Ten months deserved at least that. My gaze dropped to his lips, the memory of their rare softness a potent temptation. Please, Levi. Just one small gesture.

My hand rose and tentatively mirrored his touch, my fingers lightly tracing the line of his jaw. His breath hitched, a subtle tremor running through him. My thumb brushed against the corner of his mouth. His lips parted slightly, an invitation I could barely resist.

The last sliver of restraint shattered. My lips met his, tentatively at first, a soft brush that sent a wave of heat through my entire body. His breath hitched again, a low sound escaping his throat before his lips parted further, a silent invitation to deepen the kiss. And I did. The tentative touch became a more insistent pressure, a desperate meeting of unspoken needs and long-suppressed desires. His hand on my cheek tightened, pulling me closer, and his other hand found its way to the small of my back.

He pulled back just enough to break the seal of our lips. "This is your last warning, Raphael," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "If you ever abandon me again, I will incinerate Ascaria. From the comfort of my own study.”

"I'm not abandoning you, Levi," I said, my voice firm, meeting his intense gaze without flinching. "Not ever again. Not out of fear, no. Because… because I love you." A defiant smile touched my lips. "Besides, you do realize I'm not even Ascarian, right? So, your threats of national immolation are… somewhat geographically misdirected. Do you have a sudden penchant for arson, Levi?"

"Incinerate does have a certain… theatrical flair to it, doesn't it?" Levi mused, a hint of his dry wit returning. "It conveys a level of… thoroughness that 'burn' simply lacks. A certain… crispness. But do not mistake my linguistic preferences for a lack of commitment, Raphael. The intent remains the same, regardless of the chosen verb. Stray again

, and you will discover my capacity for creatively expressing displeasure extends far beyond mere semantics."

"Right, got it. 'Incinerate' means 'really, really don't leave me.' Subtext noted. And I appreciate the clarification on your artistic vision. But, just stop acting like a malevolent deity and kiss me.”

A ghost of a smile played on Levi's lips before he finally relented. "As you wish, Raphael."

Ah, his lips. That softness. How could such gentle pressure deliver words capable of such chilling intent? It was the eternal paradox of Levi, the terrifying and the tender, all wrapped up in one infuriatingly compelling package.

The kiss deepened, the initial tenderness giving way to a more urgent need. His hand that cupped my cheek tightened slightly, drawing me closer, and his other hand slid from my back to tangle in the hair at the nape of my neck. A low groan rumbled in his chest, a sound that vibrated against my lips, and I found myself melting into him.

His lips moved against mine with increasing pressure, a silent demand that I gladly met. My own hands found their way to his shoulders, gripping the fabric of his shirt as if he might disappear. His fingers in my hair tightened slightly, tilting my head to allow for a more intimate connection. The low groan rumbled again, more insistent this time.

This is it... This is what I've been craving. The taste of him, the feel of his lips moving against mine, the undeniable connection that transcended words.

Then, something so unexpected, so profoundly human, happened that it stole the very air from my lungs. Levi’s hand, the one that had been so possessively cupping my cheek moved. His thumb, which had been tracing soft circles against my skin, stilled. His fingers closed around my hand.

Ah, not a heat wave. That was a pathetic understatement. It was a volcanic eruption. A primal surge of heat that started in the pit of my stomach and blazed through my veins.

“You are acting, so cute, Levi,” I said, a small chuckle escaping my lips.

“I wanted to hold your hand in that hellhole so bad, Raphael.”

I squeezed his hand gently. A soft smile touched my lips. “Well… now you can hold it anytime you want, Levi.”

His gaze, still holding a trace of its earlier vulnerability, flickered down to our joined hands.

That glimpse of unguarded emotion, vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "I changed my mind," he stated, his voice low and devoid of any warmth. His grip on my hand tightened. "If you take this away from me for a third time, Raphael… if you abandon me again… I will also incinerate Cyrusia. Consider it… an expansion of my previous terms."

“So, what? You gonna force me to stay with you? Is that it? By threatening me?” My voice, trembled slightly. The warmth of his hand just moments ago now felt like a cold shackle.

“Force you?” A flicker of pain crossed Levi’s intense gaze. His grip on my hand softened. “Please, Raphael. Do you truly believe my intent is mere coercion? This… this is not me being menacing for the sake of it. This is me terrified. Scared of being abandoned for a third time. By you. The same person who has now twice carved a gaping hole in my existence with your absence.”

"Then show it, Levi," I said, my voice firm despite the tremor within. "Show me you're scared. Don't threaten me."

“How? By weeping? By writing you more of those pathetic letters you so readily ignored? My methods, I concede, may be unconventional, perhaps even outright barbaric, but the visceral need beneath them, Raphael, the gnawing terror of finding myself alone in that void again… that is real.”

“I am sorry about not responding to your letters, Levi. And I know that you can't cry. But the fear… the fear of being alone… that is a deeply human feeling, one that resonates within me even if I express it differently. So, Levi,” I continued, my fingers tightening around his hand, “this time… this time we both have a chance to take necessary steps, right? You… perhaps you can temper the more… villainous pronouncements, just a touch. And I…” I took a small breath, my eyes searching his, “I will truly strive to understand you, to see your world not solely through the prism of my own emotions.”

“My penchant for… villainy,” Levi conceded, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes, “is often, admittedly, for my own perverse entertainment. However,” his gaze sharpened, a clear line drawn, “I can promise a cessation of actual murder and gratuitous violence. The threats, however, Raphael, are a non-negotiable aspect of my charm. Consider them… a verbal flourish. And,” a subtle softening entered his voice, “thank you. Your promise to attempt a different perspective… it is… noted.”

"Verbal flourishes it is. But if those flourishes start sounding a little too… specific about certain individuals or locations, we'll be having another conversation. Understood?"

"Me threatening an 'individual'?" he echoed, his gaze holding mine. "Ah, Raphael, where would be the dramatic flair in that? The sheer tedium of focusing my considerable intellect on a single, insignificant speck in the grand tapestry of existence? My pronouncements require a broader canvas, a stage befitting their dramatic weight. Think of the poetry of threatening a continent versus the mundane unpleasantness of targeting one unfortunate soul.”

Levi… threatening the entire continent with the casualness of discussing the weather… and a strange, twisted part of me finds it… amusing? Gods, my brain has clearly taken a detour through the absurd, hasn't it? Is this what living in his orbit does to a person? Fractures your sense of reality until the potential annihilation of millions becomes darkly… funny?

“You broke my brain, Levi,” I murmured, a shaky laugh escaping me, tinged with a hysteria I couldn’t quite suppress. “I almost… almost chuckled when you threatened an entire continent. What does that say about me?”

“No, Raphael, I did not break it,” Levi purred. “It is you, dear. You are merely… acclimating. You miss the rush of blood, the sharp tang of fear, the exhilarating thrill of teetering on the precipice of danger when you are in my proximity. Or…” his eyes narrowed, a hint of something darker flickering within their depths, “perhaps you are finally shedding the tiresome shackles of boring ‘morality.’ Though, I am highly inclined towards the former explanation.”

I leaned closer, a challenging glint in my eyes. "And if it is just acclimation, Levi? What happens when I finally get used to the altitude? Will your threats lose their… thrill?"

Levi’s eyes crinkled at the corners, a genuine smile spreading across his lips, chasing away some of the earlier darkness. “My, my,” he murmured, his voice laced with a playful amusement. “Your fire never truly extinguishes, does it, Raphael? A most… endearing quality. Allow me to demonstrate something regarding this ‘altitude’ you speak of.”

One moment I was laying down, the next I was perched on his lap, held securely in his arms like some bewildered princess. What the actual fuck? When had that even happened? His strength, the sheer ease with which he’d moved me, was startling.

“See, Raphael?” he said, a smugly satisfied expression on his face, clearly enjoying my utter confusion. “This is what I have been referring to. I am not typically a person who would derive any particular glory from such… pedestrian displays of physical prowess. However,” his smile widened, “witnessing the utterly perplexed expression currently adorning your face is, I must confess, rather… fun.”

"How?" I blurted out. "What the actual fuck, Levi?"

"Ah, the chemical fog has finally dissipated, wouldn't you agree, Raphael?" he purred, his eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement. "Motor reflexes, brute strength, agility – all those tiresome limitations imposed by my… temporary incapacitation are, shall we say, delightfully 'amplified' once more."

He really did look like a sleek cat basking in a sudden ray of sunlight, utterly pleased with itself.

"Are you finally putting that noble education regarding your personal safety into practical application, now, Levi?" I asked, a nervous laugh escaping me. "Though, I must admit," I added, a grudging admiration creeping into my voice, "I can certainly see what you meant about your strength."

"Demonstrating my noble self-defense education," he mused, his eyes gleaming with a predatory amusement. "While my primary directive remains your… continued well-being, Raphael, I believe a further illustration is in order."

What in the seven hells is he going to do now?

Before I could fully process the thought, he effortlessly tossed me into the air. Just a quick upward thrust, and with the same ease, he caught me, settling me back onto his lap as if I weighed no more than a particularly fluffy cushion. What the actual fuck? The sheer impossibility of what he had just done sent a fresh wave of bewildered fear coursing through me.

Although, a part of me had to admit, there was something undeniably… endearing… about being so effortlessly propelled into the air, like a child being tossed by a doting, albeit terrifyingly strong, parent. A giddy chuckle escaped my lips. My brain was officially scrambled.

He gave me another small, almost playful toss, catching me with the same effortless grace. "Again?" he offered, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Think of it as… trust exercises. Though I suspect your therapist would have a far less dramatic approach."

"Gods, Levi…" I breathed, a nervous laugh bubbling up again. "Did they pump you full of growth hormones and industrial-strength caffeine in that place, or something? But yes," I admitted, a small smile flickering across my lips, "there is something undeniably… endearing about being weightless in the air. The landing, however," I added quickly, a shudder running through me at the memory of The Conqueror, "the landing is decidedly less amusing."

“Do not fret, Raphael,” Levi purred, his voice laced with a conspiratorial amusement. “I assure you, I have no intention of simply hurling you across the room. Instead,” a slow, knowing smile spread across his lips, and I recognized that look – that calculating, scheming, plotting gaze that usually preceded some form of delightful chaos – “I have another idea. One that I assure you will be entirely… painless.”

Famous last words.

Levi propelled me towards the couch. He didn't place me, no. He propelled me, a smooth glide through the air until I landed softly on the cushions. It didn't hurt. But that brief, disorienting second of weightlessness, the feeling of being effortlessly moved like a doll… What the actual fuck was going on? Why was I being so casually manhandled? And the most disturbing question of all: why was a traitorous part of me finding this utterly bizarre display… endearing?

Ah… Wait… That casual lifting, the effortless tossing… it wasn't just a display of strength. It was… something else. There are things you do with a partner, intimate acts that bind you together: having sex, the playful jabs of banter, the heated arguments that somehow resolve, the shared secrets whispered in the dark. But there was one other activity, one that held a particularly ridiculous and strangely endearing appeal, especially with someone as… unique as Levi: wrestling.

Let’s challenge him.

"Grappling, huh? You know, for someone who claims to abhor pedestrian displays of physical prowess, you seem awfully eager to engage in a bit of roughhousing. Fine. But don't cry to me when my 'mere' agility manages to trip your super-powered feet."

Levi moved, closing the remaining space between us until his shadow stretched over me.

"A challenge accepted, Raphael," he purred, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down my spine. "Let us dispense with this tiresome verbal fencing and proceed to a more… visceral demonstration of our respective strengths. Though," a knowing smile spread across his lips, "I confess I have a distinct feeling the outcome is already quite… foregone."

What do I do?

I can jump high, and I am kinda quick on my feet.