Rivals (OC X Levi Ackerman)

Chapter 8

I throw the medical supplies and food rations onto a cart and groan, feeling the familiar ache in my muscles from lifting the heavy bags. The weight of the supplies feels like a ton, and I glance over at the remaining pile that still needs loading. My heart sinks at the sight of it. Ugh. One by one, I lift the bags, and it doesn’t take long before exhaustion sets in.

I lift another bag, and just as I feel my arms beginning to tremble, the weight suddenly shifts.

"I'll get it," Levi says, his voice calm and steady.

I can’t help but smile at him, relief flooding my chest. "Thanks."

"It's nothing," he replies, a hint of indifference in his tone as he expertly hoists the bag into the cart. Together, we finish loading the last of the supplies, and I can’t shake the gratitude I feel for his help.

"Levi," I say, hesitating for a moment as he raises both of his eyebrows, waiting for me to find the right words.

"I'm freaked out."

"Mm. You should be." His bluntness cuts through me, and I can tell it wasn’t the reassurance I was looking for.

"...but you're on my squad, so you'll be fine," he continues, softer this time. I nod, the knot in my stomach loosening just a bit as I feel a flicker of hope.

"Squad Levi!" he suddenly yells, his voice breaking the tension in the air. I can’t help but smile as I watch our teammates assemble: Eren, Mikasa, Jean, Armin, Connie, Sasha. They look eager, ready for whatever comes next.

"Sir!" they yell in unison, a chorus of youthful energy.

"I want you to sleep plenty for tomorrow's expedition," Levi instructs, his voice steady. "I would like to tell you all that Captain Meyer here will be on our squad while her own squad… well, doesn’t exist. She is to be my second in command should anything happen to me."

The group salutes, and then, as if released from a spell, they disperse, laughter and chatter filling the air. I stare at Levi in shock for a few moments, the weight of his words settling in.

"Why me?" I finally manage to ask, feeling both honored and perplexed.

He shrugs, nonchalant as ever. "Tsch. Don’t read too much into it. Nothing will happen to me anyway. Honourary title." With that, he turns and walks away, leaving me to digest the unexpected turn of events.

Once the sun sets, I find myself on the roof of the barracks, the cool night air wrapping around me like a comforting blanket. I sit in silence, watching the sky as it transforms into a vast, pitch-black sea, sprinkled with countless stars. I don't move a muscle, feeling an odd sense of peace wash over me in the stillness.

"Thought I told you to get rest," Levi says, surprising me as he takes a seat beside me, his presence both grounding and unsettling.

"How do you always know what I'm up to?" I ask, curious and a bit awed by his uncanny ability to sense my mood.

He shrugs slightly, his gaze fixed on the stars above.

"Still scared?" he asks suddenly, his voice cutting through the tranquility.

"Mm. Out of my mind scared," I admit, a wave of vulnerability crashing over me.

He looks down for a moment, the faintest hint of concern flickering across his features. "Well, fear will keep you alive," he says, the practicality of his words both comforting and harsh.

"Maybe," I reply, chewing on a fingernail, the anxiety still clawing at my insides.

"I know you hate me. That’s fine — but — do your best. For the kids in the squad. Look out for them," he says, his tone surprisingly earnest.

I watch him in silence for a moment, feeling a pang of guilt for the misconception he seems to carry. I don’t hate you.

I want to tell him that I look up to him, that he makes me feel safe, and that despite my frustrations, I’m proud to be on his team. But the words stick in my throat. The silence stretches between us, palpable and uncomfortable.

Shuffling a bit closer, I rest my head on his shoulder, hoping to convey what I can’t seem to articulate.

That was probably the wrong choice.

His body stiffens in surprise, but to my relief, he doesn’t shrug me off. I feel him glance down at me, and for a moment, he doesn’t breathe, as if processing this sudden shift. The tension between us hangs in the air, electric and fragile.

For some inexplicable reason, I lean my full weight against him, and I feel his body relax, as if granting me permission to be close. The warmth radiating from him is comforting, and I close my eyes, allowing myself to just enjoy the air on my face.

This feels nice.