Tea and Truth- Levi Ackerman (Attack on Titan)

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Fem Y/N

𝓢𝓶𝓾𝓽 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰

The rhythmic tapping of rain against the window panes of the Survey Corps headquarters provided a soothing backdrop to what had otherwise been a tense evening. Y/N sat alone in the officers' common room, absently stirring her now-cold tea as she reviewed supply reports by candlelight. The facility's budget meetings were approaching, and as one of the newer squad leaders, she felt additional pressure to prove her worth through meticulous preparation.

A sudden draft caused the candle's flame to dance, and Y/N looked up to find Captain Levi standing in the doorway, his cravat slightly loosened after the long day. Their eyes met briefly before he clicked his tongue and strode toward the kettle in his characteristic purposeful manner.

"Your tea's gone cold," he stated matter-of-factly, glancing at her untouched cup. "That's a waste of good leaves."

Y/N couldn't help but smile slightly. Trust Levi to notice such a detail. "I got caught up in these reports, Captain. The quarterly budget meeting—"

"Tch. Those old bureaucrats wouldn't know proper resource allocation if it kicked them in the teeth," Levi interrupted, already preparing fresh tea for both of them. His movements were precise and graceful, even in such a mundane task. "But you already knew that."

She watched as he measured the leaves with expert care, his slender fingers handling the delicate teapot with surprising gentleness. It was these moments of contradiction that had first drawn her attention to him – how someone so lethal in battle could be so refined in matters of tea and cleanliness.

"Maybe I just needed an excuse to stay up late," Y/N ventured, her voice softer than intended. The late hour and peaceful rain had created an unusual atmosphere of intimacy in the normally bustling common room.

Levi paused in his preparations, fixing her with that piercing grey gaze that always seemed to see right through any pretence. "You've been avoiding the training grounds during my morning sessions."

Heat crept up Y/N's neck. She hadn't expected him to notice, let alone mention it. "I've been busy with administrative duties."

"Bullshit." The word was harsh, but his tone wasn't. He resumed preparing the tea, his movements slightly more rigid than before. "You've never let paperwork interfere with training before. Something changed after the last expedition."

Y/N's fingers tightened around her pen as unwanted memories surfaced – the chaos of the mission, the desperate fight against two abnormal titans, and most notably, the moment Levi had swept in to save her squad. She'd been competent, had handled the situation well according to all reports, but something in his expression when he'd found her afterward had shaken her to her core.

"Nothing changed," she lied, gathering her papers in a weak attempt at escape. "I should probably turn in—"

"Sit down." It wasn't quite an order, but the authority in his voice made her sink back into her chair automatically. Levi approached with two cups of fresh tea, setting one before her with unnecessary precision. "You're going to tell me what's bothering you, because whatever it is has been affecting your performance."

"My performance is fine," Y/N protested, though she wrapped her hands around the warm cup gratefully.

"Your performance is adequate," he corrected, taking the seat across from her. "But you're holding back. Hesitating. In our line of work, that gets people killed."

The steam from the tea rose between them like a veil as Y/N struggled to find the right words. How could she explain that her hesitation stemmed from the way her heart had raced when he'd grabbed her mid-air during that expedition? How his touch, even in that moment of danger, had sent electricity through her body? How she'd caught herself watching him during meetings, admiring the way his fingers curled around his teacup or how his undercut emphasized the sharp line of his jaw?

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