no funny business | levi x reader

fourteen [nsfw]

CW: light bondage. Woooooooooo I'm going to hell

.

Monday arrives, marking the beginning of December and the last month of your work term. It's sort of bittersweet, really; like it's the beginning of the end. You're not sure whether you're excited or upset to be done with work. Mostly the latter, you assume.

Besides, you have more pressing concerns. Namely, your long overdue discussion with Levi.

You've been bristling with anxiety all weekend, planning out over and over again how you want this conversation to go, running through a variety of scenarios multiple times in your head. There's so many ways this could go, so many things Levi could say, and you want to do your best to expect as many possibilities as you can.

Naturally, Levi does the exact opposite.

You'd been expecting a few different things: he'd prompt you to go first, he'd make excuses for his behavior, he'd just nod along and then dismiss you. 

You had definitely not been expecting him to apologize point blank.

"I'm sorry," Levi says- without asking, without prompting, without even letting you get a word in- "for ever making you uncomfortable, and for ever insinuating that I had any sort of control over you or your decisions."

His bluntness makes your jaw drop. You stare at him for a minute, his firm grey eyes drilling holes into your soul, until you can pick up your jaw again and nod. "O- Okay."

"Anything else you want me to say?"

You feel gutted, like Levi sank a blade into your stomach. You channel your confidence and swallow hard. "And Zeke?" you ask cautiously.

Levi's face sours. He grits his teeth, like he's choking back words. "I've known Zeke for a long time," he mutters slowly, choosing his words carefully. "And he's a shitty salesman. Thinks he's a lot better than he is. Working with him would be a waste of your time and energy. With..." he huffs. "With that said, if you want to go ruin your career and the rest of your life, be my guest. I can't stop you."

His wording makes your lips twitch. If Levi says that Zeke's bad, you'll take his word for it. You trust Levi- he's never given you a reason not to. 

"If you're worried about getting another job, you shouldn't be," Levi continues, lacing his fingers together and resting his elbows up on the desk. "Erwin has a giant network of connections. Whatever kind of job you're looking for, he'll get you to it. I'll make sure that he does."

"And you'll write me a glowing letter of recommendation, I'm sure," you say with a grin.

"Only if the tea you bring me tomorrow is moderately satisfactory." He sighs. "Look," Levi says lowly, averting his eyes, "you're a good worker. It'd be stupid for your potential to be wasted working for someone like Zeke."

The praise warms your chest. You straighten up a bit, trying not to come across as too smug. This is more than you expected- you've barely had to say anything at all.

Levi sighs again, and his eyes lock on yours. "Well?"

"Well, that's..." you exhale. "That's more than I was expecting." He doesn't say anything, so you continue, trying to keep your voice from shaking. "Thank you," you say, "for the apology. And for- for taking care of me on Friday. I must've been a handful."

"You were," he agrees.

Well, he wasn't supposed to agree with me. You pinch your lips together. "You've done nothing to prove I can't trust you," you continue, trying to meet his eyes but finding yourself unable to, "so I'll trust your judgement on Zeke."