Losing game (Levi x reader)

Horses

I swung one foot after the other, jogging around the training course. We were running for ages  before I started complaining.

"If I have to keep running like this we're all about to see my breakfast" I said toto Eren between gasps. He was falling behind me and Mikasa.

"Move it Yeager, unless you want to run till your ass falls off" Levi shouted to Eren when we passed him. I narrowed my brows at him but he kept his face still and emotionless.

I started to feel bile in the back of my throat. My head was pounding with the beginning of a headache. He usually didn't go this hard on us. I gave him a pleading look and he raised his eyebrows.

"I see y/n wants to run ten more laps" he teased.

I brought my hands up and tried to reason with him.

"Captain, you gotta give us a break" I begged between pants.

He uncrossed his arms and thought about it for a moment before clearing his throat.

"One more lap and then hit the showers, you all smell like shit" he said in a low voice.

That lap dragged on but I managed to finish it. With each step, I got closer to the end. When I finished I spotted Levi leaning on a nearby tree. I approached him and give his shoulder a light punch. He didn't flinch but turned his head sharply. He grabbed my wrists and held them together with one hand behind my back. He used his knee to press my legs to the tree.

His grip was solid and my wrists began to burn. I rolled them a couple times and winced. Immediately the pressure lessened.

"Going easy on me captain?" I smirked

In response he released my wrists and turned me back around. Our bodies were impossibly close. I could feel his warm breath dance across my cheek. I looked into his eyes and searched for an explanation.

He realized the proximity and took a hesitant step back.

"Yo- you reek. I thought I told you to take a shower cadet.

"I don't smell that bad! And even if I do it's your fault. Why'd you make us train so hard today?"

"Are you asking about my teaching techniques?" he crossed his arms and leaned back against the tree

"I guess I am." I responded

"Do you want the nice answer or the honest one?" He asked

"The honest one" I said

"The scout regiment has grown weak. We need to train you harder if we're going to get stronger. Otherwise the whole regiment will get turned into titan shit." He said bluntly.

"Oh...I see." I whispered

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and plopped down on the ground.

"You know, we're not totally useless."

"I never said that"

"Then what were you implying?" I asked

"That you have a lot of work to get done." He answered. "Get up, I would like to show you something."

I used my knee to balance myself as I got up. It left a smear of dirt and grass on my white jeans. Levi looked at it and tried to keep his face stoic. I could tell he was holding his tongue.

He led me to the horse stables. The big door was propped open to let a breeze through. It cooled me down and my headache was starting to fade. He walked to the end of the stable and stopped at a stall. Once I realized what stall heat flooded to my cheeks. This was the stall I was in on the first day of training. I had no idea that that was Levi's horse.

A mixture of embarrassment and shame crossed my mind. He opened the stall and the horse walked up to him. He pressed his small hand on the horses nose and gave it a few strokes. I swear I saw Levi's tense shoulders relax a little. The horse licked his palm and Levi reached in his pocket. He pulled out a little drawstring bag and took something out of it. He offered it to his horse and he gratefully took it.

"This is Alrick. He's my horse. I've had him since I joined the scouts." I stared at both of them in wonder.

"Can... can I pet him?" I asked cautiously.

"Knock yourself out." He shrugged.

I took a step towards Alrick and hesitantly drew my hand near his nose. He must have remembered my scent because he leaned into my hand. His nose felt like velvet beneath my fingertips. I pet him for a couple minutes until Levi interrupted me.

"I didn't just bring you here to pet him, like you, he's in desperate need of a bath..."

I looked Alrick over but didn't see any obvious dirt or filth on him. His hooves were a little dirty but that was it.

"He looks just fine, when was the last time you washed him?"

"Three and a half days ago. And no he isn't fine look at all that gross."

"Stop it your going to hurt his feelings" I pouted.

"He's a horse. The hell makes you think he has feelings?" He scoffed while grabbing a bucket full of water. He poured some soap into the bucket and sloshed it around to make bubbles. He handed me a brush and told me to get to work.

I dipped the brush into the suds and worked up a lather on Alricks hide. He seemed to enjoy it so I didn't pester Levi anymore. Levi did the same except he worked on his legs. He scrubbed until he was satisfied and moved on.

I watched him as he expertly rinsed off the suds, revealing Alricks cleaned hair. Levi pushed his own hair back out of his eyes and tucked it behind his ears. A small section made its way out of the neatly organized strands. Levi was using both hands to scrub the side of the horses belly so he couldn't fix it. His arm muscles were tensing ever so slightly. Levi grabbed the bucket again to rinse off the suds. I wished I could freeze this moment and live in it forever.

He threw the water onto Alrick and quickly used his hand to push the soap out. He looked straight at me and frowned.

"What is it?" He asked

"I..uh..I don't know what you mean."

"Spit it out"

"It's really nothing.." I said nervously. He turned around and reached for something.

"If your not gonna talk willingly, maybe you need an incentive."

He picked up another pail of water and threw it right at me. It didn't hit my head but it got my clothes soaking wet. I gave him a devilish grin.

"Oh your so on Ackerman" I fumed

I reached for my pail of water and threw it right back. The water cascaded over his head and left droplets in his hair. They made prisms in the sun. His shirt was soaked through and I could see his abs peeking out. I found it hard to take my eyes off him.

By the time he had recovered I was already running away. The training had been gruesome so my legs burned. He was getting closer and closer to catching me. I tripped on a tree root and fell face first onto the ground. I pushed myself up and brought my hand up to my nose. A thick red stream of blood ran down my face. I prodded at the tender flesh and deduced that it wasn't broken.

I heard loud footsteps behind me and turned around, causing a sharp pain to stab my nose.