Deviate | Levi Ackerman x OC

Ch. 11

Petra was composed and kind as she completed her discussion with Levi, not even breaking away to look at me as I re-entered the room. I stood off to the side, haphazardly situating our meals for whenever they wrapped up. They seemed to be concluding upon my return and she thanked him for his time and consideration. She also turned to me directly and showed appreciation, too; for what, I wasn't entirely sure, but the gesture itself was nice. I smiled and assured her it was no trouble at all, hopeful that we would be seeing more of each other in the near future. Once she was out of view and had closed the door behind her, Levi looked at me.
"I hate doing this shit," he griped, bringing his hands up to rub his temples. "They're great, perfect for the job. Anything to not have to go through that again."
I chortled under my breath as I walked one of the trays from the dining hall over to him. "That's reassuring to know our Special Operations Squad was selected almost exclusively because their leader didn't want to go through the interview process any further."
"They're more than qualified," he explained, offering me a nod in exchange and looking over what I'd brought. "So I don't see the point in digging any further."
"Ah okay, so the antisocial component is more of an afterthought."
He hummed as he preoccupied himself with his tea. I went back and took a seat on the chair next to the side table.

"Feedback."
I was a little startled when he spoke again. "What?"
"Let's hear it, I know you have some. Probably even took notes."
I took a sip from my own cup and thought for a moment. "Eld wasn't overly talkative, kind of serious but presented himself well. Gunther also seemed a little firm but took the time to really let you know where he was coming from. Oluo... did he actually bite his tongue? Or was I seeing things?"
Levi shot me a "Let's not talk about it" look. I immediately understood.
"Seems a little arrogant but solid where it counts. Petra was thoughtful, patient, and passionate. I thought they were a very solid crew from over here."
"You're far more eloquent than I am, but I'd say you summed it up well."
I took pleasure in the rare compliment he paid my way and moved around the contents on my dish. Whatever was before me was runny for a stew but rather chunky to be considered a soup. I could distinguish potatoes in it but not much else.
"This looks like shit," he stated unabashed.
"I'm not the one that made it, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to bring you back some, too. Although... I can't say your assessment is incorrect."
"Hm," Levi pondered quietly. "Ready to go running back to Hange yet?"
His question seemed more poking fun than an actual attack. The air in the room was more comfortable than it had been at the start of the afternoon.
"Nah, not yet. Can't get rid of me that easily."
"That's unfortunate."
I played with a ripped piece of bread in my hands. "Are you going to tell Erwin these are the ones?"
"Yeah, they show enough promise that I can feel confident in these selections."
"Hear, hear," I raised my cup in agreement.
He was quiet again before finally adding. "Thank you for your help today."
I had to be careful in my response - this felt a little vulnerable for him and the wrong kind of reply could make sure that never happens again. "It was my pleasure. I actually enjoyed it a lot - crunching numbers and recording data with Hange is great and all but tends to not be as sociable."
"Hange has the personality of 10 people in one, so I'm not sure how you could miss that part," Levi asserted, trailing off again. He wasn't as talkative when he wasn't hurling as many insults I was beginning to notice.
I took a bite of my food and pondered how to continue from here. I glanced up again and met his eyes that were already looking at me. He lingered there for a moment before diverting his attention again elsewhere.
"So what happens next?" The silence wasn't uncomfortable between us, but I did still have questions.
"I turn our selections over to Erwin who finalizes it on paper and we can begin training with them. We have another mission coming up so we'll need to become as cohesive as possible between now and then."
I strummed my fingers against my cup. I have been actively training and practicing the skills necessary for combat, of course, but I haven't been present in this consciousness for a mission outside the walls yet. It was both enticing and absolutely terrifying at the same time.
"I'm–," he began, looking like he was struggling to find the words he wanted to say. "I am glad you're here. It might come as a shock, but I'm not the best with people. You seem to fare well enough so that hopefully helps this process along."
For Levi Ackerman, this might as well be a profession of love. I curbed the smile that pulled at the corners of my mouth and relished this moment, thinking of how to counter in a way that wouldn't tank it all.
"I am glad to be here. You're among the best of the best and I look forward to all I'll get to learn from you alongside these guys. I'm not all that good with people, either, but we seem to be a complementary match."
His eyes met mine again and I immediately dreaded that I'd gotten too mushy.
"As far as this project goes, I mean," I clarified with an awkward huff.