Levi x Reader Oneshots 2

Steady (Levi x Panicking Reader)

Author's Note: Hello, lovelies! It has only been a week, and I'm already breaking my promise to solely publish updates to "Love Story". 😅 However, my life is once again in turmoil, so I wrote this oneshot to comfort myself, and then I figured I may as well post it. (There will also be an update to "Love Story" later today. I promise I won't shortchange you.) From here on out, I will try to solely update "Love Story" until it is finished, just so I don't kill myself trying to write too much. But I might break my commitment again. Who knows? Writing as a coping mechanism while also devoting enough time to other areas of life is a delicate balance. Anyway, enjoy the story!

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.

Too fast, the anxious thoughts that had been floating around your head became too much to handle. You lurched forward, bracing your hands on your desk as your body began to shake uncontrollably. A cold sweat broke out over your skin, and your heart was pounding. Suddenly, you felt like you couldn't get enough air, no matter how many times you inhaled...

Sit down, you told yourself – more of an instinct than a conscious thought, because thinking coherently was impossible. I need to sit down.

Your knees buckled, and you collapsed onto your floor, curling yourself into a tight ball against the side of your desk. There, all you could do was try to breathe, because you felt like you were suffocating. Like you were falling apart.

You didn't know how long you sat there, struggling to hold yourself together, before you heard the far-away sound of someone knocking on a door. But then...you realized it was your door. And someone was calling out to you from the other side.

"(F/n)?" spoke a low, familiar voice. "Are you in there?"

You gasped involuntarily – still finding it difficult to breathe. You couldn't let your boyfriend see you like this. You were a mess. You were...

"Are you alright?" Levi called, concern evident in his tone. He must've heard your choked noise, must've noticed something was wrong. "I'm coming in."

No. No, no, no, no, no...

But then the door opened, and he was there – his gaze only needing a split second to find you before he was moving. He crossed the room quicker than it took for the door to fall shut behind him. And then he was kneeling in front of you, his brows drawn tight, his grey eyes full of worry.

"(F/n)? What's wrong? Talk to me," he murmured hastily. His hands reached out, only to stop halfway, as if he were afraid that touching you would make things worse.

You tried to answer, but all that came out was a broken sob. And then – oh, those were tears on your cheeks...

Understanding flickered in Levi's concerned gaze. After all, you weren't the first soldier he'd seen break down like this. "Shh, shh. It's okay," he cooed, his voice soft and gentle, like a lifeline cast into the storm that was sweeping you away. "Is it alright if I hug you?"

Hug? Yes, yes, that's what you needed. You needed someone to hold you together – needed Levi.

You nodded vehemently, and then Levi's strong muscles were around you, pulling you close, tucking your shaking frame into his warmth. He had you in his lap, still in a ball, cradling you like a baby. Instinctively, you pressed your face into the crook of his neck, hiding – though you weren't sure from what. From the world? From everything?

"Shh, I've got you. I've got you," he whispered. "Here, breathe with me. C'mon. Like this."

It took several tries, but you finally matched Levi's deep breaths. Once you did, he gradually slowed you down, patiently sticking with you for about five minutes, until you were at a somewhat-normal level. However, your body still shivered, and every now and then, a tear slipped down your cheek.