Angel With A Shotgun [Levi Ackerman x OC] / Attack on Titan / Shingeki no Kyojin

Code XV: That Which Hurts Him

"I've been wasting so much time," Xora whispered, the color draining from her face. A strange sense of... uselessness tingled underneath her skin, prompting her to leave.

"You're such a dumbass," Levi seethed to Hange, chasing after Xora. Halfway down the hallway, he screamed, "I told you not to tell her!"

"Sorry," Hange said sheepishly, pulling a loose strand out of her stray ponytail. "I guess it slipped out."

---

When Levi finally discovered Xora, he found her in the fitness. She was on the treadmill, the speed set to thirteen kilometers-per-hour with twenty kilogram weights in each hand.

"I don't think it's smart to push yourself when you just woke up from something like a short-lived coma," Levi sighed, shutting the door behind him with a gentle click. "You haven't even had a proper meal yet, have you?"

"I don't see the point in doing so," Xora panted, increasing her pace. Levi stepped forward and pulled the plug belonging to the treadmill out of the power outlet, the machine jerking to a stop. Xora's usually stoic face was ridden with disbelief as she stepped off of the machine and put away her weights.

"We need to debrief immediately. Is it really necessary for you to exercise right now?"

"Levi," Xora coughed, wiping away a bead of sweat from her brow. "You do not understand. With a body like mine, it is important to maintain my physique, or else I will deteriorate. If I don't keep up with my regimen, it will create room for mistake in case of an emergency.

"While I am present, there's no need to worry about the event of an emergency." Grabbing her hand, he stood in front of her. "I'm sorry, Xora. After all you went through, I wish I had another choice, but we have no time to wait. We must continue moving forward."

Tensing, Xora bit her bottom lip harshly and eased her hand out of Levi's. "No... I should be the one to apologize. I apologize for my sudden outburst. There should be no reason for me to put myself in front of the mission. I don't know what's wrong with me" She side-stepped him, but before she could reach for the door, Levi snatched her forearm and whipped her back around.

"Xora," he growled, pulling her close. Their noses were nearly touching, an electric spark igniting between their gazes. "You should know that I care about you more than anyone else. Even though you cannot, I hope you will be able to remember that we carry ourselves far back, farther than you could even imagine. I am usually a loyal man, but with you, I am a traitor to my own feelings."

"What... what are you implying?" Xora whispered through gritted teeth, attempting to break free from Levi's grasp, but he held tight.

"That is for you to figure out." Leaning in closer, with his lips against Xora's ear, he whispered, "After all, you are mon amour." Then he pulled her into a tight hug, sending her head back into a whirlwind. Why was he saying such a thing to her, a spy, an agent, a subordinate?

"Levi—" He cut Xora off.

"It truly saddens me when you talk about shitty things, like putting the mission in front of yourself." He twisted his fingers into her hair, embracing her even more tightly. "Please don't do that in front of me. It terrifies me—the thought of losing you."

Stunned, Xora stood in shock as Levi slowly pulled away, refusing to meet her gaze as he left silently. Sighing, she held her head; how was she supposed to respond when he said things like that? The complexity of the affection he showed confused her; it was as if he were speaking in riddles.

Not only that... her heart was racing. It made her breath short whenever Levi looked at her that way, his metallic eyes glittering with mystery. She'd never experienced such a sensation before; what was it, and what did it mean?