Gentle Persuasion - [AU] Levi x Aquaphobe!Reader

“Come on, [First], get your ass in the water,” came the irate voice of Levi, your easily angered boyfriend.

The two of you had currently been in your backyard, addressing the same problem you had been addressing for the majority of the year, now. That problem being…

You were extremely aquaphobic.

Showers were fine, taps were fine – baths were not, pools were not, the beach was not. You didn’t know what it was that terrified you so much about water—no, actually, that was a lie. You were entirely aware of what caused you to live in constant fear. You had almost drowned on your trip to the beach last year; you remembered the suffocating feeling of water filling your lungs. The waves were rough, and they were too strong for you to overpower. The pure terror that wracked your nerves was something that was constantly renewed whenever you so much as looked at a sink full of water.

You shook your head furiously at Levi’s demand. “No, no, I can’t do it!” you cried.

He placed his hands on your shoulders in as comforting a matter someone like Levi could muster. “Baby, nothing bad’s gonna happen to you, I’m here, alright?”

You scrunched up your face and whined incoherent mumbles. Levi heaved an exasperated sigh – he hated it when you made that face. You somehow managed to look like the most adorable yet most annoying entity at the same time.

“Stop that. I saved you at the beach, didn’t I? I’ll save you here, too.”

Ah, that’s right. You briefly looked back on the first time you and Levi had met. Levi was a lifeguard on duty and had noticed your frantic waving as the waters held you. At first glance he thought you were nothing more than a joker, trying to direct some attention your way – it was unbelievable how many times that happened – but after taking a closer look he realised he couldn’t take the chance and went in after you.

By the time he reached you your entire body had been engulfed by the temperamental waves and if he were being honest, he knew that if he took any longer you likely wouldn’t be here today. Of course he never told you this, you were scared enough of water as it was, the last thing you needed was to know you were literally only seconds away from death when he found you.

Your expression didn’t change, however. You were such a little brat.

Giving in to your protests, he finally offered, “Do you want me to go in first?”

“So you can drown?! No you have to stay out here with me.”

“You really think someone can drown in—no, never mind, I’ll just show you.”

He let go of your shoulders and walked over to the pool, much to your demise. You had tried to call out to him and even attempted to run after him, but alas, one look at the water in front of you was enough to freeze you in place.

It dreaded you to think about the deadly liquid that lurked there, waiting for you to enter so it can drown you in its depths. It would hold you in its fatal grip once again, trapping you in a watery prison that you had no way to escape from. No, you wouldn’t fall for its tricks again.

“[First], relax,” Levi soothed before stepping over the edge of the inflatable pool and standing in the centre of it. The water only reached little more than an inch above his ankles. “It’s a fucking kiddie pool.”

He held out his arms in your direction and gestured for you to come in. You took a shaky breath inward and frowned. I can do this, you thought. Levi’s a lifeguard, he can save me.

You nodded your head once and carefully inched over to the pool. Levi made sure not to make any sudden movements, as he knew that’d likely scare you away and make you come to the conclusion that the water was trying to eat you.

As you edged closer to the malicious inflatable border you couldn’t help but glare at it. It was pure evil, you decided; it was the definition of malevolence. You couldn’t trust it not to make mischief. The bright colours and childlike patterns were nothing but a ruse, nothing but a falsehood of villainous crime to lure you in. That cartoon face was smiling at you? No, more like that cartoon face was trying to get you close enough to devour you.

You squeezed your eyes shut. It was just a little water. It wouldn't kill you, right? You put your faith in yourself and jumped. The big toe of your left foot brushed the surface; with a yelp you grabbed blindly and found your boyfriend's shoulders, your legs around his waist and feet out of reach of the death-liquid. His muscular arms wrapped around you to balance you, and you felt just a little safer.

“I’ve got you. Now just lower your legs. Stand in the pool, you can do it.”

“O-o-okay, okay, don’t let go of me, please.”

“I won’t,” he murmured, nuzzling his nose against the crook of your neck.

You inhaled and exhaled, your chest heaving with each breath you took as you slowly moved your legs from their cling on Levi to the daunting water beneath. Once your toe skimmed the surface, you almost pulled away right then, but instead your grip on Levi tightened and your feet became enveloped in the death-liquid of the pool. You shuddered against Levi’s body as you stood against him in the water.

“Good girl, you’ve done well.”

“Oh god this is the worst moment of my life,” you blurted out.

Levi clicked his tongue against his teeth before picking you up and carrying you out of the pool and back into the house. His hands firmly gripped your backside as your legs wrapped around his waist once again.

“W-what are you doing?” you asked.

“The fuck’s it look like? I’m giving you a reward.”