In Another Life || Levi x Reader/OC

Marley

One hit.

And then another.

The punching bag moved only slightly, swaying back and forth. Your strength had already exhausted itself. Sweat trickled down your face as you stood in front of the beaten bag, panting in fatigue.

Short of breath, you collected yourself again before making one last grunt and punching the bag with the rest of the pent-up energy you had left. The bag moved several inches this time, but you stumbled backwards until you fell onto the ground out of pure weariness.

You rested your arms on your knees while still breathing heavily, head facing the ground. Normally, you were much better at controlling how much you could handle physically, but it was evident today that you pushed yourself far past your limit.

You lifted your head to gaze at the heavy bag before you, inhaling heavily through your nose. You were well aware that you had an audience member the whole time you were making a mockery of yourself but chose not to acknowledge their presence.

"Are you gonna say something, or are you gonna keep staring at me like a creep?" you asked the person behind you. You didn't need to turn around to know that Zeke stood several feet away from you with a smug expression plastered on his face.

"I just find it amusing that after all these years, you still try to find ways to prove yourself."

You snapped your head around, glaring at him in irritation.

Zeke was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. He had the same prideful grin he always carried around you that gave you the urge to strike him in the face. You'd let your impulses take over a few times in the past, but the repercussions were never ideal, so it was best not to indulge in that kind of behavior.

You sighed while standing up from the ground, tossing the worn-out punching mitts on the floor and grabbing your towel to wipe the sweat off of your face. After grabbing your bag, you made an attempt to walk past him, but he extended out an arm to block your path from the doorway.

"I might be on the brink of exhaustion, but I always have enough energy to punch you square in the jaw if you don't move out of the way," you threatened. "Or I could always kick you. My legs aren't feeling particularly worn out today."

"How endearing," he replied, placing a hand lightly on your head out of affection. Your hand swung up to smack his hand away.

"What did I tell you about trying to touch me?" you told him, wiping your hand on the spot he touched.

"Touch me again and you die," he mocked. You rolled your eyes.

"I never said it like that."

"Maybe not, but you sure as hell didn't mind beating me to a pulp that last time I did it, did you?" he half-joked.

"So you're aware of the consequences." The efforts you made to push past him again were in vain - he still wouldn't budge. It didn't help that his height matched that of the doorway either.

"As entertaining as it was to see how you let out your frustrations, I'm here for another reason," Zeke responded. "Commander Magath wants to see you."

"He wants to see me?

"By the end of the day."

You pulled your eyebrows together in confusion. Since when did the commander want to speak to you?

"Why would he need to see me?" you asked curiously.

"Well, if you ask me, you're probably in trouble again."