Retrieving Footsteps [Levi x Reader]

Introductions

A few days had passed since that last conversation with Seiji, and the weight of it still lingered. The silence that followed our exchange had been deafening, yet oddly freeing. I'd stopped waiting for messages from him or Hana, stopped glancing over my shoulder to see if they were watching as I packed up my things, preparing for the transition to my new role.

Now, the once-familiar hallways of Yeager Corporation felt foreign, as though they belonged to someone else. Each desk, each conference room, each team meeting I passed seemed like echoes of a place I no longer belonged. I had given so much of myself to this job, to the friendships I thought were a solid foundation, only to realize they'd been built on shifting sand.

As I walked through the corridors one last time, I couldn't help but think about all the times I'd sacrificed my own ambitions for theirs, for the sake of keeping the peace, of staying within the lines they'd drawn. I felt a surge of determination, a quiet resolve that this time, I would prioritize my own goals—even if it meant leaving behind people who couldn't see beyond their own expectations of me.

I passed a few familiar faces on my way out, colleagues who smiled warmly and congratulated me on my new role. Their support, though quieter than what I'd hoped from Seiji and Hana, was enough to remind me that I wasn't alone in this. That there were people who respected my decisions without judgment, who didn't see my success as a betrayal.

As I reached the exit, I glanced back one last time. This chapter was over, but it was one I would carry with me—its lessons, its struggles, and the clarity it had finally brought. I took a deep breath and stepped forward, feeling a strange but comforting mix of sadness and freedom.

Outside, the world seemed brighter, as though reflecting the change I was finally embracing. I was ready for whatever lay ahead, ready to walk into this new chapter of my life with nothing holding me back.

As I stepped out of the building, a sleek black car was waiting for me at the curb, bearing the unmistakable logo of my new company—Ackerman Corp. Standing beside it, leaning casually against the hood with a look of indifference and barely masked annoyance, was Eren Yeager. Seiji's little brother. His green eyes flicked over me with that intense, almost predatory gaze he was known for. He pushed himself off the car, hands slipping into his pockets as he nodded once, a silent greeting.

"You ready?" he asked, his tone curt and direct, not one for pleasantries. He wasn't one to waste time, and I could tell he'd been waiting a while, though he hadn't made a fuss about it.

Before I could answer, I heard the sharp click of heels against the pavement. I didn't have to look to know who it was—Hana, striding toward me with a look of barely restrained fury. Her face twisted in an expression of resentment, and I braced myself for whatever was coming.

"(Y/n)!" she called out, her tone dripping with contempt. "So, this is it? You're just walking away without a second thought, throwing us all under the bus?"