The laughter echoed across the training grounds, light and carefree. Levi’s eyes narrowed as he watched you and Jean talk. The way you leaned into Jean, laughing at something he said, set his jaw tight. You rarely let your guard down like this, and he usually enjoyed seeing your more relaxed side. But right now, all he could see was Jean standing too close, looking a little too smug, and making you laugh in a way Levi never could.
He stood with his arms crossed, silent, watching the two of you from across the grounds. His expression remained unreadable, but the way he watched—cold, assessing—left no room for doubt. He was annoyed, though he’d sooner die than admit it.
As the conversation between you and Jean continued, Levi decided he’d had enough. With brisk steps, he made his way over, his presence cutting through the air like a blade. Jean noticed him first, giving a casual salute with a grin, though it faltered slightly at Levi’s stern expression.
“Oh, Captain!” Jean greeted. “Just giving some training pointers.” He said it with a casual shrug, but Levi’s eyes were sharp, noticing the way Jean still lingered a little too close.
“Tch.” Levi’s gaze flickered to you, ignoring Jean entirely. “We have a briefing. You done wasting time?”
You blinked, caught off guard by the harshness in his tone, but you smiled nonetheless. “Didn’t realize the time, Levi. I’ll head over now.”
Levi’s eyes didn’t leave you, but his tone turned colder. “I’m sure you wouldn’t if you’re standing around, laughing like an idiot with him.”
Jean raised an eyebrow, chuckling slightly, almost as if he wasn’t intimidated. “Relax, Captain. I was just—”
“Shouldn’t you be somewhere else, Kirstein?” Levi interrupted, his voice dripping with disdain. His glare was sharp, intense, leaving Jean momentarily silent. “Or do you need an invitation?”
Jean cleared his throat, looking between you and Levi before giving you a little shrug. “See you around, (Y/N),” he said before heading off, leaving the tension thick in his wake.
You sighed as you watched Jean leave, then turned to Levi, eyebrows raised. “Was that necessary?”
He crossed his arms tighter, still glaring in the direction Jean had gone. “If you’re going to waste time, pick someone more worthwhile to talk to.”
You blinked, slightly taken aback by the edge in his voice. “Jean’s a good guy, Levi. We were just talking.”
Levi’s mouth twisted in a frown. “Didn’t look like ‘just talking’ from where I stood.”
You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t ignore the tension radiating from him. “Levi…are you actually jealous?”
He scoffed, looking away, but his silence gave him away. He still wouldn’t meet your gaze, and his shoulders were rigid, guarded. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
You moved closer, trying to read his expression, but he stayed silent, eyes cold and distant. When he finally did look at you, the faintest flicker of vulnerability crossed his features, though he hid it almost instantly.
“Levi,” you said softly, reaching out to touch his arm, “I didn’t realize…you don’t have to worry about anyone else. You know that, right?”
He said nothing, but his gaze softened slightly as he looked down at where your hand rested on his arm. Though he remained quiet, you saw the tension in his shoulders ease, just a bit.
“Levi, I’d rather spend time with you. Always,” you added, voice sincere.
His lips pressed into a thin line, the hard edge of his expression softening only slightly. After a long silence, he finally let out a small “Tch,” but his voice was quieter, almost grudging. “Then don’t waste it on people who don’t deserve it.”
You couldn’t help the small smile tugging at your lips. “All right, Levi. Point taken.”
In a rare show of affection, you rose onto your toes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, feeling the warmth radiate from his skin. When you stepped back, you noticed the faintest hint of color in his face, though he quickly turned away to hide it.
“Enough,” he muttered, but he didn’t let go of your hand.
For once, he felt that maybe his jealousy hadn’t been completely misplaced, and as the two of you walked to the briefing together, he felt a little more at ease.
