Rivals (OC X Levi Ackerman)

Chapter 25

We make our way to the training grounds under the stars, in what felt like a silent night. Levi's face is calm, but there's a hint of some infuriating smirk.

"All right, let's see what you've got," he says, rolling his shoulders.

"This'll be easy." I say, flicking my hair, though I know for a fact, pretty much, this will go the same as it always does. I'll lose.

"Oh, really?" He raises an eyebrow, challenging me.

Just as I'm about to throw my first punch, I hear muffled laughter and whispers. Glancing over my shoulder, I spot both my squad and Levi's squad lingering at the edge of the training grounds, grins plastered across their faces.

"Oh, this is gonna be good," Connie whispers, nudging Sasha, who's already biting her lip to keep from laughing.

"Guess we've got ourselves an audience," I mutter to Levi, rolling my eyes.

"Good. Maybe they'll learn something," he replies smoothly, getting into his stance.

I scoff. "Yeah, you can teach them how to lose gracefully."

Before I can fully prepare, Levi lunges, moving with his insane, inhuman speed. I twist to the side just in time, dodging his first strike and throwing a jab toward his shoulder. He deflects it with ease.

Ignoring them, I feint left, then pivot to the right, catching Levi off guard just enough to land a light jab on his side. He grunts, barely reacting, but I can see the surprise flash in his eyes.

"Oooh!" Sasha cheers, clapping.

Levi narrows his eyes, clearly determined now. "Think that's clever?"

"Only because it is," I reply with a grin, darting backward before he can counter. We circle each other, and I can feel the others watching intently, caught up in the energy of the sparring match.

We trade strikes, dodges, and counters, and I can tell Levi's done playing nice. His moves are sharper, quicker, and I'm struggling to keep up. Sweat trickles down my brow, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing me tired.

"Is she slowing down?" Jean mutters, smirking. "Levi's got this in the bag."

"Oh, come on, Jean! She's doing amazing!" Sasha argues, practically bouncing with excitement.

Levi glabces at me, blankly, though theres a familiar sense of arrogance in his eyes. "Getting tired?"

"Not even close," I bluff, lunging forward again. He sidesteps, grabbing my arm and twisting just enough to throw me off balance. I barely catch myself.

I shoot back, flipping my grip and managing to break Levi's hold with a twist of my arm. The maneuver catches him by surprise, and I dart back, grinning at him.

"Did she just-" Connie gasps, wide-eyed.

"She got out of Levi's grip?" Armin finishes, equally stunned.

Levi's eyes narrow, though there's a hint of amusement in them. "Not bad," he admits.

"Amateur?" I retort, feigning offense. "I'll show you amateur."

I charge forward with renewed energy, throwing a series of quick jabs. Levi deflects each one effortlessly, his gaze focused and unreadable. But just when I think I have an opening, he shifts, sweeping his leg out to hook behind my ankles. I'm thrown off balance and land on the ground with a thud.

"Oooh!" Sasha exclaims, wincing.

"Down she goes," Jean says, smirking. "Nice try, though."

I groan, propping myself up on my elbows. "Lucky shot," I grumble.