In Another Life

Chapter 7

6 weeks later

Y/N's POV

I brought the back of my hand up, using it to wipe the vomit from my mouth as my entire body shook, retching over the toilet. The soup, it had to have been. I smelled it almost immediately. The meat in it smelled spoiled, yet nobody seemed to bat an eye. I ate mine without complaint, unable to keep much down. And much to my dismay, that soup had been the only thing I had been able to keep down recently.

I wasn't going to fight it; I was just relieved I had managed to keep something down finally. With all the training of late, I was running off of fumes, collapsing into my bed immediately after training and skipping dinner entirely. I stayed away from the Captain after that night. And that seemed to anger him for whatever reason. It started with confused glances in my direction when I refused to meet his gaze or acknowledge he was actually there.

I couldn't think of him, of how I felt right now. After everything, I felt disgusted with myself. How could I even dare to look at a man like that after everything that had happened to me, I was unworthy and ruined. His confusion was quickly replaced with hateful rage the second the new recruits made it on base to replace the ones on the Special Operations Unit had lost that day.

Jean Kirstein, another young hotshot that was trying to make a name for himself. His scores were impeccable, one of the top in his class. He had everything Levi looked for, except eyes that seemed to always wander in my direction. It changed from glances to sparring partners after his second day in training after he shamelessly requested me to spar with him before Levi was done giving out orders. He followed it up with how I held undying beauty and he'd enjoy having dinner with me. Levi had no patience for either of us after that.

I stood in formation, one hand behind my back as I used the other to rub my eyes. I was so sleepy. I caught the sight of Levi walking across the field in our direction just as I felt a set of fingers fumbling with a belt wrapped around my thigh. My breath caught in my throat as I caught Levi's eyes landing on me from afar.

Jean sighed before he began to speak, knelt down on a knee in front of me as he fumbled with my belts. "Loose again Y/N. I told you yesterday when I tightened them for you that they were way too loose."

I swallowed as I bit down on the inside of my cheek as Jean continued to tighten the belts past comfort. He was right, but I was still bruised after... The damage was far worse than what I managed to tend to the night I made it back on base. I was still healing.

I caught Levi out of the corner of my eye as he came to stand before the squad. Jean looked up at me as his hands lingered on my thighs. "Partners today?" I bit my lip as I cringed away. He scoffed back. "Oh come on, I had no idea you were that fragile. I promise I won't hurt—" "Kirstein, Y/N. Since the two of you seem to think it's okay to hold court while I am speaking, I take it that both of you already know what I have to say." He stepped to the side, his arm coming out to signal us to come stand in his place. "So please." Levi's eyes never left Jean, not when Jean turned back to meet his glare still on his knees, not when Jean's hands fell from my thighs, and not when he came to stand beside me, completely clueless to the blind rage Levi held for him.

Jean straightened himself out, clearing his throat as he folded his arms behind his back. "Sorry, Captain! I was helping a fellow cadet tighten her belts so she remains secure in her—" "Help or grope?" Levi's jaw sets as he turned to take a step and then another until he brought himself to stand toe to toe with Jean beside me. I swallowed, forcing myself to look forward, my arms folded tightly behind myself. Jean made a confused sound as he scoffed; I could hear it in his voice that his face had fallen to confusion. "What? I was just helping her tighten her belts."

Levi's hand clenched into a tight fist just before he openes it, only to do it all over again. He spoke through clenched teeth at Jean. "Her belts were fine. They were fine just now, and they were fine yesterday as they have been all week." Jean stumbled back as Levi took one step forward, not allowing him any room to run. I broke stance, turning to watch the two of them face off. Levi's hand shot out the second Jean made to take another step back, grabbing him by his uniform before dragging him closer. "You've been following Y/N around like a lost puppy dog since the second you stepped on base. Try to cop another cheap feel, and I'll break every bone in your hand." Jean's eyes shot to mine, confusion and fear written all over his face. Levi continued to speak through clenched teeth, not allowing any of the others to hear the words he spoke.

I stepped forward, my hand coming out to grab ahold of the hand that remained at Levi's side. My fingers brushed against his as my palm covered his own. His hand twitched, flinching away from mine as I yanked mine back. Right. Not here, nobody knew that we ever... I cleared my throat as Levi narrowed his brows, looking over his shoulder to see who would dare touch him. "Levi- Captain, Jean here is right. My belts were far too loose. He was just looking out for me."

Levi's eyes narrowed, his jaw twitching as he breathes in deep. A second passed before he loosened his hold on Jean, pushing him back so he fell onto his ass in the dirt. His eyes remained on me as he spoke. "Kirstein, keep your hands off of Y/N and the rest of my cadets unless we are sparring." Jean swallowed, nodding at Levi as he remained in the dirt. I turned around, looking forward as Levi dismissed the squad to run laps. Taking a step forward, a hand wrapped around my forearm, holding me in place as Jean got up and ran past. We stood there for a second in silence as Levi waited for the squad to make enough ground to be out of earshot.

"Stop letting him touch you. If I have to see that shit again, I might actually follow through with that threat." My lips formed into a hard line as I looked down at his hand wrapped around my forearm before looking back at him. Our eyes locked for a moment as we stood in silence. "Why?" The words fell from my lips in a whisper. His nose scrunched as if he was in pain, the corner of his mouth twitching before he looked down at the ground, releasing his hold on my arm. "You know why." I turned to look back at him. "No, I don't—" He cut me off, anger flooding his voice. "No, I suppose you wouldn't, meaning how you ran the second you could from me." He took a step forward, hand twitching to reach out. "You ran from me—" "Captain Levi, a word." My eyes wandered as I looked back behind Levi's shoulder at the Commander. My mouth closes as I look back to see that Levi's eyes had never left mine.

Jean and I take to the ground amongst the others as we both try to disarm the other during a drill. I manage to wrap my legs around his head as I put him into an arm bar. His body twitches beneath me as he tries to tap my leg. Taps become hits, one of them landing straight in the gut. The giggles quickly become whimpers of pain as I loosen my hold on him, rolling over onto my back as I claw at my stomach.

Jean is quick to make it to his knees, crawling back over to me. "Shit, sorry Y/N. I didn't mean to get you there—" He stops himself from speaking, hands flying to his mouth. I push myself up, already feeling the warmth spread across my jeans. I reach out for my cape but come up shy. "Jean, grab my cape. I need to go to medical—" "Captain Levi!" Jean's eyes grow wide with horror as he looks at me. Pushing himself to his feet, he stumbles back just as I push myself up to stand. I sway back, losing my footing just in time as a set of arms scoops me up from under the back of my knee and my back. My eyes flutter, my vision blurring. Levi's brows crease as he takes in my blood-soaked jeans. He turns, looking over his shoulder as he begins to carry me back into base. "Someone notify medical!"