A Second Chance (Levi x Reader)

thirty-seven

The hum of the heater had been the only thing keeping Levi grounded for the past few days. He was now staring at the ceiling, jaw tight, fingers tapping absently against his knee. The campus had grown quieter than usual—most students were gone, leaving behind a stillness that only made his thoughts louder.

When something bothered him, Levi liked to set it aside. To focus on what mattered. But recently, it wasn't working. Not anymore.

Levi shifted in his bed, leaning back against the cold headboard as he brought his eyes back to the book sitting on his nightstand.

The same worn-out book she had lent all that time ago. When she first got with Eren.

A stupid excuse to talk to him, really, but at the time, it felt like a step. Something small but meaningful.

He'd tried to occupy himself with anything else for the past week—reading, tutoring, even cleaning—but his mind always circled back to her. And he hated it.

Levi closed his eyes with a long, drawn-out sigh.

He was doing a lot of thinking. Too much thinking. Reflecting, and wondering, how things could have possibly gotten to this point.

She had been dating Eren for months up until now—but Levi knew it was never meant to last. Their relationship was fragile, slowly moving to the verge of collapse. It was obvious, the way Eren had been pulling away from her, how she'd visited Levi more often when she probably shouldn't have. Levi had thought—maybe when the time was right, he could be there when it mattered. He had planned it all out . . . once she was past the breakup, once she was able to smile and laugh again as if nothing happened, he'd find the courage to ask her out. He had been patient, biding his time and waiting for a sense of progress.

But now everything was a mess.

Levi had been so close, too. But then Armin came into the picture in a way Levi hadn't expected, and now . . . now he couldn't even bring himself to look at her.

The memory of that night, the one he'd been trying to bury, resurfaced again. That night with her. And Armin.

Levi's brows scrunched up, his teeth digging into each other as he exhaled.

He hadn't expected that to happen. None of it. That night was supposed to be about her and him. Something they could share, something to finalize. But Armin had gotten involved, and now Levi couldn't shake the confusion—and the lingering sense of hurt.

Levi took hold of his blanket, bringing it close to his face as he swallowed hard. He wasn't one to get jealous, but how could he not be?

She said she had everything under control.

The lamp beside his bed flickered, drawing his attention for a moment.

He wasn't sure what led him to leave that morning. Insecurity, maybe.