Underground (Levi x Reader)

Capable

The next morning, I approached the special forces squad, Miller and Johnson close at my heels.

I motioned for Miller and Johnson to line up with the other six members of the squad and then moved to stand beside Levi at the front of the group, who stood watching us, his hands held behind his back. He raised an eyebrow at me. "You only brought two cadets over with you?"

"They're the only two I need." I retorted back at him, irked slightly at the hint of superiority laced in his tone.

I glanced over at Johnson and Miller, who stood at attention in the back row, alongside the girl, Braus, and the horse-faced kid, Kirstein. Arlert, who stood beside Jaeger in the front row, flashed Miller a shy smile as she took her place in the squad, and she blushed, looking down at the ground at her feet.

Levi stepped forward. "Alright, brats. We're all in this together now." He glanced over at my two cadets with dark eyes and said severely, "You two. Newbies." They snapped to attention. He glared at them both. "Tch. Don't get left behind. We move faster here in the special forces, and I expect you both to keep up."

"Yes, Corporal!" Miller and Johnson echoed in unison.

I stepped up beside Levi, and crossing my arms over my chest, glared at the rest of the special forces cadets, Jaeger especially, before saying sternly, "And on that note, if I hear of any of you...." I swept my gaze over them one by one. "Giving my cadets a hard time unnecessarily, you'll have to answer to me. They're your teammates now, and you will treat them as such. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Corporal."

"Oi, Braus, Springer." Levi flicked his fingers at the two cadets dismissively. "Go and ready the horses." The two took off toward the stables, shoving each other playfully as they jogged. Levi turned his attention to the rest of the cadets in front of us. "The rest of you brats make sure all of the equipment is in working order. We don't want another failed 3DM on our hands in the middle of the field."

Johnson blushed slightly at his words as they all started off toward the stables after Springer and Braus.

I glanced over at Levi, who stood watching them go with a blank expression, and then said, "So....we're really stuck with each other then."

He flicked his dark eyes over to my face and stared at me for a moment without saying anything, letting the silence build, before he finally said, "Tch. It appears that way."

"Are you going to be okay?" He furrowed his brow at my words, as if wondering why I was asking about him. "I mean, you know, are you going to be okay working beside someone from the....Underground?" I whispered the last word sarcastically, holding my hand up to my mouth to cover my lips as if I was worried someone would hear what I was saying.

"Oi, (L/N)." He turned to me, his arms crossed over his chest, irritation in his voice. "Are you going to be okay without the use of your arms and legs? Because I'll break them both if you keep it up with the attitude."
I scoffed. "How many times have you threatened me with that, Ackerman? Nothing ever actually happens."

He took a step toward me, his eyes darkening. "Press your luck this time, (L/N). I dare you. See what I'm capable of."

I stepped toward him as well, bringing us closer together, so close in fact that I could feel his warm breath on my face as we glared at each other. His eyes were so much more black up close, as if they were endless and you could just fall into them without any effort. "Try it, Ackerman. And then you can see what I'm capable of."

We stood there in tense silence for a few moments, our gazes locked, and I began to lose focus on what we were fighting about the longer I stared into his eyes at this distance. We were so close again. How did this keep happening? How could I let this keep happening?