Levi x Reader Oneshots

Taking Care of You (Levi x Sad Reader)

You couldn't believe it had already been another year. That made two – two years since that terrible day, when your brother's superior had come to deliver a folded green cloak and the worst news of your life. Although the pain had faded over time, it still stung on occasion. Especially today.

Life in the military had gone on, and you had done your best to go on with it. After all, soldiers were supposed to be strong. Losing comrades and loved ones was part of the job. Most of the time, you were able to steel your heart and focus. But not today.

During training, you were distracted and melancholy. Your subordinates definitely noticed, but when they asked, you insisted that everything was fine. They clearly didn't believe you. However, it wasn't their place to question a superior.

You skipped dinner and went straight to your private office – one of the perks of being a captain. You sat in your desk chair, not even registering the stacks of paperwork in front of you, and you finally let the tears fall. The clear droplets dripped silently onto your uniform pants, darkening the white material.

You hated that you cried – that you couldn't be as strong as a soldier should be. But most of all, you just missed your brother.

------------------------------------------

In the mess hall, your squad sat down to dinner without you. They were uncharacteristically silent – your melancholy mood had affected them as well. Despite your refusal to talk about it, they understood what the issue was. The same thing happened last year, on this exact day, and they knew by now that you just wanted to be left alone.

However, one person was still in the dark. Corporal Levi was the newest member of your squad, and because he had been assigned to you less than a year ago, he wasn't aware of why this day was so hard for you.

"Oi, what's wrong with (f/n)?" he grumbled, not bothering with formalities. He rarely did, even when addressing you directly, as he still retained some of the rebellious and casual attitude from his days in the Underground City.

Most officers wouldn't have allowed it, but you let it slide. You knew he wasn't intending to be disrespectful – not with you, anyway. Aside from Section Commander Smith, you were the only officer to whom he was not openly defiant. That was why he had been placed under your command.

You figured that he followed you because you didn't try to force him to submit. Levi didn't come from the Trainee Corps – he wasn't conditioned to obey your orders simply because you held a higher rank. No, he had to judge that you were competent, so you gave him the opportunity to do that. Once you did, he was surprisingly willing to let you take the lead.

You also didn't try to stifle his unique way of doing things, as long as it didn't interfere with the mission. The other officers were constantly on his case about the way he held his blades, or the way he engaged titans on his own. However, while the latter occasionally gave you a heart attack, you didn't see any reason to change him when he was the best fighter the Scouts had ever seen. And Levi clearly appreciated the fact that you didn't try to stuff him into a mold – not that anyone could, but still, the lack of attempt made you less annoying than the other soldiers.

Finally, you didn't look down on him because of his small stature or where he came from. Too often, Levi had to endure sneers or jabs spoken behind his back when the other soldiers thought he couldn't hear – or sometimes, when they knew he would. He wasn't bothered by it – after all, you didn't survive in the Underground City without a thick skin. However, it was nice that he could have a safe space with you, especially when he was having such a hard time fitting in here. It didn't help that he had lost the two people who would have always been on his side.