The Feeling's Mutual | Levi x Reader

eleven - jupiter

You see Levi differently now.

There's no way around it. The way he was ready to come help you at two in the morning- and not just the fact he helped, but the fact he stayed. He stayed with you for the drive, and then for the time in the hospital, and then for the ride home. He opened up to you, and then he let you sleep in and finished up everything for you so that you didn't have to.

How are you supposed to be skeptical about him after that? Ages ago, you never would've considered giving Levi even an ounce of your trust, and now he's given you a dozen reasons to trust him.

He came through. You needed help from him and he exceeded all expectations.

The weather warms as January transitions into February, snow gives way for rain, and winter jackets trade out for raincoats. You and Levi still stick to a strict work schedule, taking turns to bring tea to your meetings (one time, the two of you both brought tea, and after plenty of bickering of who fucked up your schedule, you both just decided that having two each wasn't the worst thing in the world). Life goes on, just now with a bit of a change of perspective.

You enjoy the weather warming up, but you're not the biggest fan of the rain. You'd take light snow over rain any day, honestly, but that snowstorm in the tail end of January seemed to be the last of it.

February chugs along. Your midterms go well, your work is going fine, and Connie seems to be in high spirits. Apparently both of his parents have been healing well and are both at home- although his father has a bit of a longer recovery journey ahead of him. Regardless, you're happy that everything worked out okay for him.

"I've noticed a distinct lack of annoyances at this table in the past few months," Levi remarks one day, when the two of you are working on yet another project report in your residence study hall.

You blink at him, trying to understand what he means. When it clicks, you laugh. "Lara," you say with a roll of your eyes. "Yeah, she tried asking again once, but I think she's got the hint by now."

"Lucky for me," he grumbles. "Don't have to be bothered by her anymore."

"You were the one that was bothered? I was the one she was talking to."

"Her voice made me want to invest in ear plugs."

"Wow. That's mean, even for you."

Levi raises his eyebrows. "Either you're just immune now, or you're retracting your declaration that I'm a narcissistic asshole."

"Definitely not retracting my declaration," you say, lips twitching. "But maybe you've just gone soft."

Levi's scowl deepens. "Oh, fuck off."

"Hey, you called yourself a softie, I just jumped on board."

"I hate you."

"The feeling's mutual." You sigh to yourself, then add, "alright. I won't retract my declaration, but I'm going to modify it."

He looks towards you. "Oh?" he deadpans.

You nod. "Yeah. You're only slightly narcissistic."

"Wow," Levi says sarcastically, leaning back in his chair. "Wow, you've really cut yourself back. I'm impressed by the self-restraint."

You sigh dramatically. "Thanks. That really took a lot of effort. Lying is always super hard for me, you see-"

Levi throws his pen at you. You laugh and block it before it can hit you in the arm. "Fine. Status update for you," he says, snatching the pen he just threw and pointing it at you. "Since you want to be so snarky."