Unspoken Norms | Levi Ackerman ✔️

Chp 18 ~ Barriers Between Us

Your POV

The next morning came with a tsunami of exhaustion, mainly because of our early hike back to base camp and the fact that I didn't sleep—couldn't sleep. Those stupid thoughts about the encounters I had with Levi... of contemplating my feelings...

Curse it all.

"Hey wake up!" A hand cuffed the back of my head, throwing me back into sunlit reality. Golden sheets of light filtered through the wide windows of the dining hall, gilding Jean's displeased expression.

"That hurt, Jean," I said, scowling. With my free hand—the one not holding the tray—I rubbed at my scalp. It felt bruised.

The queue began moving, and I watched as Jean walked forward, looking to the side. "I didn't want to whack you—it was a last resort."

"Sure it was." Eren trailed behind me, a smirk grinded into his features. "(Y/N), I literally saw him smack your head several times."

I shot a glare at Horseface, fatigue making me all snappy and grumpy. "So it wasn't a last resort. Liar."

We headed to one of the long wooden tables as soon as our breakfast was deposited on our trays; scrambled eggs, bacon, canned beans and toast. Our grade was beginning to fill out the benches—their chattering and laughing dealt me an immense headache.

Amber eyes and hair caught my attention, making me pause. I watched as Blondie carried her tray towards a large group, unsurprisingly the bully group. Levi sat in the midst of them all, drinking from his cup with no small amount of grace.

Around him seated Furlan, Isabel, Jarrod, Arden and many others, as if they were magnets drawn to iron. It was fitting, really. Levi bore the qualities of iron: hard, unwavering and strong. To top it off, he had metal-coloured eyes.

A space was left between him and Arden—I knew what spot Blondie was aiming for. And I was not going to give her the satisfaction of claiming it.

I picked up my pace towards the group, even though I hated the bullies. This... this was worth it. To see Blondie's reaction.

"(Y/N)! Where are you going?" Jean's question sailed through the room, but I ignored him. After everything Blondie did to me... I was so going to return it.

Before the golden-haired girl could sit down beside Levi, I shoved in between them, tray clashing with hers. Blondie's eyes lit a wrathful flame. "Excuse me, I think that's my seat you took."

I felt Levi's surprised gaze on me as I replied with; "Look again, jerk. I was going to sit here all along." With that, I dug into my eggs, disregarding Blondie's existence altogether. As if I was a bully too.

In the corner of my eye, I saw Nyx nudge the girl's arm. "Let's go, Petra. She's not worth it." They started retreating, leaving me with the group I hated the most. The group that was the source of all my troubles.

"Well, well, isn't it (Y/N) who decided to join the gang," Jarrod remarked, bracing his arms on the table. "I guess my charisma is too hard to resist."

I looked up from my breakfast, opening my mouth to say something.

"You speak to yourself, Jarrod." The deep, bored tone of Levi Ackerman made me turn towards him. The boy sipped his tea again, a strand of jet-black hair falling into his eye.

"He does, doesn't he," Furlan put in, rising from his seat beside Jarrod. "I sometimes wonder how we all managed to get along." Laughter echoed around the table, and I found myself smiling. It quickly dissipated when Levi got up too, taking his tray with him.

Soon, many of them had left the table. It was only Jarrod, Arden, a few others and I. The original bullies and victim.

"Don't tell me you've fallen for Levi as well, (Y/N)," drawled the platinum-haired boy. I spewed out the water I was downing, spraying some droplets onto Arden. What the— "He has enough admirers to handle. No need for you to join in the throng as well."

"I'll decide that myself," I responded defiantly, wiping my mouth on my jacket sleeve. Jarrod leaned in closer towards me, until he was a few centimetres away.

"Who do you think you are, deciding to sit with us? You'll never be accepted by any of us—let alone Levi. He hates people like you. You had an advantage; you could've chosen to hang out with some of us—but no, you had to sit with them." He jutted his chin in the direction of my friends. Disgust dripped like venom from his face. "And that's why you should stay away from him. I think Petra already has her eyes set."

I followed his gaze to the beaming girl as she asked Levi something. I caught the inconspicuous movement of his lips before he turned away. Whatever he said made Petra smile more.

And I didn't want to admit it, but I felt a twinge of fury. A twinge of something dark and unusual. Something foreign.

***

Levi's POV

Shock was my first reaction when (Y/N) came over and stole Petra's seat. Well, she didn't really steal it. Either way, I was glad she did so. I didn't want to suffer another morning with the blonde's endless conversations.

"You speak to yourself, Jarrod," I said when the guy began complimenting himself. Sometimes he was a cocky bastard. Come to think of it, he always was one.

Lowering the cup from my lips, I found Jarrod eyeing me suggestively. As if he saw the way (Y/N) barged in to sit next to me. I shrugged off the thought, the feeling.

I had told myself to forget it—to forget all of it.

Furlan coiled to his feet, picking up his tray. "He does, doesn't he. I sometimes wonder how we all managed to get along."

He tilted his head at me slightly, indicating towards the washing station. Come with me to put away your tray. In other words; let's not associate with (Y/N).

It made sense—she wasn't popular. Sitting next to her would tell others of the people I hung out with. 

I got up from the table, mimicking Furlan's actions.

But... did I really think that way? Did I really care about other peoples' opinions? Or was that just the typical mindset of every popular kid?

Deep down, I knew I didn't care. No one in my grade really mattered to me. Only Furlan and Isabel did. Maybe Hange and Erwin, too. But these barriers... they always stopped me. The world my grade had forged, with all these ranks and spectrums and popularity...

In the end, was it worth it? Was it worth more than my desire to be with who I liked?