Overprotective: AOT/KNB Crossover [Reader x Eren]

Chapter 31: Practice Match

~from (y/n)'s POV~
The entire team had been working hard for almost two weeks when Hanji gathered everyone and made the announcement, Armin slightly off to the side.
"All right, team! Tomorrow, you guys have a practice match!"
"What?" a few guys mumbled, but Koganei just grinned.
Luckily, all of your friends had made the team, by the way! Furihata, Koganei, Sakurai, Mayuzumi (more of an acquaintance), Eren, Levi...
"Who are we up against?" Koganei asked, and Hanji grinned sadistically.
"Yosen High!" she said cheerfully, winking through her glasses, and the players moaned.
"You've got to be kidding! Yosen?! Already?! We've barely practiced!" one player moaned, and Furihata looked sick.
"Sumimasen~!" Sakurai apologized, bowing deeply, and was ignored by everyone.
Hanji glared at the team. "I'm not saying you have to win. In fact, I'd rather you not win."
"Huh??" the team asked as one unanimous unit.
Hanji's glasses glinted dangerously. "That's because our real purpose in tomorrow's match is to have Armin analyze their team and their plays! So I need you guys to put enough pressure on Yosen to draw out a few tricks up their sleeve without revealing too much of our deck, either. Got it?"
Armin smiled nervously. "Thanks everyone for your help and support...I'll do my best," he promised earnestly.
"Why's everyone freaking out about some stupid high school basketball team?" Levi asked from the middle of the crowd, where he'd been hidden due to his lack of height.
"Some stupid high school basketball team? Levi, Yosen is one of the best basketball teams in the region, if not the country!"
Levi yawned, but his eyes were narrowed. "So what? They're only human, just like us."
Normally, a sentence like that would have been supportive or uplifting...that is, if Levi hadn't added, "A bullet to the head or a knife to the neck is all it takes to kill them."
You winced. Levi...not...helping...
Still, you felt bad. Everyone else looked to be in varying stages of depression as of Hanji's announcement, but you could only try to hide the faint blush on your cheeks from your excitement. Himuro! I'll get to see Himuro play!

~from Levi's POV the next day~
I could tell that (y/n) was excited by the way she tried to hide her small smile. I knew that it was because she wanted to see Himuro play for the first time.
But...
But part of me wanted her to be excited that I was going to be playing. I'd already talked to Hanji and told her to put me in as a starter.

~flashback~
"Hanji," I said, jogging up to her.
"Heichou!" she exclaimed, turning to face me.
I gritted my teeth, but pissing Hanji off wouldn't bode well for my request. "Make me a starter tomorrow."
She didn't ask why, just grinned knowingly. "All right. Should I also make sure (y/n)'s attention is focused on you?"
I scowled, trying to hide the slight color in my cheeks. "What do you mean, brat?" I looked away. "Just make me a starter."
"Sure, sure~"
~end flashback~

Well, I would just have to make (y/n) focus on me. After all, I can't lose to that Himuro asshole.
I saw him on the opposite team's bench, talking to some purple-haired giant. Tch. Not even acknowledging my presence, eh? I'd make him regret that.
Our team starters got in a huddle. I looked around me at the people that would probably just be getting in my way - Sakurai (small forward), Eren (center), Mayuzumi (shooting guard), and Koganei (acting as a second small forward). I would be doubling as point guard and power forward. This was an arrangement I'd discussed with Hanji as well since it was so unconventional.
We broke the huddle after each high-fiving (although I ignored Eren), and just as I was about to set foot onto the court, (y/n) ran up and hugged me from behind.
"Good luck, nii-san~!" she said, and I froze before pushing her away, unable to look her in the face.
"Yeah, yeah, brat," I muttered, and I jogged onto the court, nearly tripping before righting my sense of balance.
"Levi? Are you okay?" Eren asked. "Your face is really red."
"Tsk. Shut up an mind your own business."
He glared at me. "I just don't want us to lose because you pass out from a fever mid-game."
"I said I'm fine, brat. Leave me alone."
"If you make us lose-"
"If we lose, I'm going to kill you," I reminded him, narrowing my eyes at him as my face color gradually went back to normal.
"Well, it doesn't matter, because I'll win every game!"
"You'll win?" I snapped, glaring at him as the ref tossed the ball up in the air.
"Yeah!"
"Shut up, fool," I said, turning away and jumping for the ball. I was up against the purple giant, but I didn't have to do much of anything, as he made contact with the ball too early. The ref blew his whistle, and we gained possession.
And then the game began...