Overprotective: AOT/KNB Crossover [Reader x Eren]

Chapter 29: Practice Match - START!

~from (y/n)'s POV and resuming from chapter 27~
"Your coach is..." The manager squinted down at the clipboard. "What is this? Multiple coaches?"
Hanji walked into the gym, waving. "SORRY, SORRY! Did I miss my cue!" She turned to the gaping players, grinning widely. "Hey, basketball guys! I'm your new coach!"
"Excuse me," came a small voice from behind Hanji, and a short blonde popped out from behind her shadow. "I-I'm your assistant coach, Armin."
"Manager, are we allowed to have two coaches?" you asked, waving at Hanji before turning to the confused manager.
"Well, technically...I'm not sure. But the blonde over there really wanted to be on the team...only, he's too short, so...I told him he could be coach instead."
"I-I'm really good with planning," he piped up, suddenly right next to you and the manager.
"What about that shorty?" the manager, asking, turning towards Levi, and you winced. "Is he a coach too, then?"
Before he could see Levi glaring holes at him, you grabbed the manager's arm and turned him so he wasn't facing Levi.
(Of course, by doing so, you missed Levi glaring even harder at your arm on the manager's sleeve). "I think that he's more suited to playing. He's really..." You risked a glance at Levi, who looked pisssssed. EEEEEK! "...spirited," you finished, turning back to the manager with a fake smile.
"Whatever," he said, shaking his head as you let you arm drop. He nodded towards the coaches. "The rest is up to you two." Then he left.
Hanji grinned, stepping forward. "All right! Everybody, take off your shirts!"
"What the hell, Hanji?" Levi snapped.
"Why?" Koganei asked. "Ooh, wait! This sounds familiar. My old coach used to make us do this so she could get a read on our athletic abilities."
"No, I just want to see you all shirtless," Hanji said, eyebrows raised and hands on hip. "So hurry up and strip already."
With much grumbling, all of the guys took off their shirts, revealing pecs and abs on almost everyone.
"Wow, Levi," you said, a good deal away but not exactly closing your eyes. "I didn't know that you were so fit. Did you train for this? Or are you in another sport?"
"Stop staring at me," he muttered. "Pervert."
"Eeek!" you yelped, turning bright red and putting your hands over your eyes. "Gomen~!"
The other guys laughed and poked small jokes at you, but you were not going to open your eyes until everyone was fully clothed.
The two potential managers-to-be behind you did not restrain themselves at all.
Finally, Hanji told everyone to put their shirts back on, and you opened your eyes to see Armin scrawling something on a clipboard and nodding at Hanji. She turned back to the team. "Okay! We're going to start with some warm up, and then we'll have a practice match. Got it?"
With less grumbling this time, the players all turned to the basketballs and started making some practice shots, doings layups and three pointers and whatever. After a few minutes, Hanji blew a whistle and had everyone line back up.
"Okay! Armin here is going to give you temporary team assignments."
Armin nodded nervously and stepped up, holding his clipboard in front of his face. "Um...okay, let's see...team 1...no wait, team A, because placing numerical values on team names shows discrimination..."
"ARMIN, THE NAMES, PLEASE!"
"Ahem. Yes...the names...Team A: center..." Armin listed off a few people you didn't recognize, and then, "Point guard: Furihata, and small forward: Koganei."
Koganei grinned and gave the shyly-smiling Furihata a high five, and when they looked over, you smiled and gave them a thumbs up.
Then Armin announced the second team. "All right...Team B: center: Jaegar, power forward: Mayuzumi, shooting guard: Sakurai, small forward: [some random guy], and point guard: Ackerman."
For a second, your heart stopped. ME? I HAVE TO PLAY? WHAAAAT? Then your realized who they were really calling, and you shifted your glance to...
...Levi, who was glaring at Eren through slitted eyes.
"If you lose the game for us, I'll kill you," Levi threatened, and Eren stood his ground.
"I'm not going to lose! I'll be the best forward in the game!"
"Um, Eren?" you called, wincing as he looked over. "Center. You're playing center."
"Then I'll be the best at that!" he replied enthusiastically, grinning, and you winced again.
"There are only two centers on the entire court."
He didn't falter. "Then I'll beat the other guy!"
You hesitated before offering a weak smile. "Oookay, then. Do that."
Seeing your radiant smile, he perked up, grinning at Levi, which only pissed him off and deepened his scowl.
"Good luck, Levi!" you said, backing off the court with a wave to your older brother.
"Keep your luck," he snapped. "I don't need it."
You cringed but kept a smile on your face. You couldn't really tell if Levi liked you - or, in his terms, didn't hate you - half the time.
Hanji called for a player from each team to do the jump ball, but as the forward from team B moved towards the center line, Levi stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and took his place.
You dropped your jaw. Not that you'd ever call Levi it to his face, but he...wasn't exactly...tall...
The tallest guy from team A stepped up, grinning down at Levi.
Oh no! It's the guy who was making fun of Levi earlier!
And did he look pissed about it...
Hanji just grinned at the dramatic development and held the ball in her hands, tossing it up. Right before the team A guy jumped, Levi leaned in closer to him and whispered something in his ear.
The team A guy's eyes widened and he stumbled, giving Levi the opportunity to simply wait for the ball to reverse its course back to the earth via gravity before it dropped into his hands.
Levi ignored the team A giant standing before him and began dribbling, his eyes scanning his teammates, and after a second, you realized the problem.
"Levi!" you shout-whispered, pointing to the left. "You're aiming for that basket!"
"Tch," he muttered, ignoring you, but he started moving, more quickly than you had expected, weaving around the team A guy and towards the basket.
Things were about to get interesting.