Natural Strength || Levi Ackerman x Reader

Chapter 23: Hypocrite

The ride back to HQ is slow as you know the Scouts deserve to absorb the tranquil scenery that gifts their vision while it's present. All your time as a soldier, you never truly got the opportunity to enjoy the nature because something is always around the corner, and you want these kids to be able to stop and smell the roses.

Sundown is upon the community when your and Hanji's groups gallop in. You should have been back an hour or two ago, but the open air was too good to pass up. You spent a little of that time daydreaming about your future with Levi outside the walls in a world where titans don't exist and you were the happiest you had ever been. Sadly, you don't know if that can ever be reality.

"Jaeger, Kirstein, you guys are on stable duty. Take all the horses back," you direct as the group gets back to headquarters and dismount their horses.

"Why us!?" they complain in unison.

"Because both of you complained before operating a dangerous job. This is your punishment for being childish. Get to work," you say, handing off the reigns before walking to meet up with Hanji.

"She's like a polite Captain Levi," you hear Eren mumble.

You smile and get five feet from Hanji before a tall figure with short black hair blocks your path.

"What is it, Mikasa?" you ask.

"Squad Leader, I would like to apologize for my actions against you and Captain Levi. I'm protective of Eren, but I've been disrespectful," she says.

You sigh. "Apology accepted." Motioning her a ways away for no one else to hear, you continue. "I completely understand. People aren't away of this, but Levi and I are best friend. I feel as, if not more protective of him as you are of Eren. It's okay."

Mikasa's eyes widen a fraction. You pat her arm awkwardly and go over to start walking back to the main building with Hanji.

"New recruits did pretty well, don't you think?" you question casually.

"Yeah, they're pros, but I just want to get back to my office. There's some stuff I want to... handle on the surface of my desk. Catch my drift?" she replies suggestively.

"...No, I don't," you say with a raised brow in confusion.

Hanji smirks. "So you guys haven't did the deed?"

"Who is 'you guys' exactly?"

"You and Levi!" Hanji screams.

You keep your composure and hesitate in your words because you want to say you and Levi are just friends like you said to Mikasa, but it's not quite true anymore.

"We're friends," you say simply.

You enter the building with Hanji berating you until she goes off to her own office and you continue to Levi's. You take a deep breath with your hand on the knob and push it open with a bright smile that turns into an immediate frown at the sight. You let the door slam shut behind you and you let a fake grin morph your lips.

"What are you doing?"

Levi is sitting behind his desk straightening the pile of papers and looking at your with a tiny, pleased smirk of his own.

"I finished all the paperwork."

You saunter very slowly toward his desk while letting your arm go limp by your side. You drag it across the couch and nonchalantly pick up a pillow to let hang on your side. The silence sticks as you round the desk and gently bring the hand with the pillow up, then slam it in Levi's face.

"What the hell!?" Levi yells.

"I told you not to do any work!" you screech, hitting him once more.

Levi puts his hands up and snatches the pillows from your hands to throw back on the couch across the room.

"I thought you would appreciate it!" Levi retorts, trying to get on his own feet to stand above you, but you push him back in the chair.

"I don't appreciate you doing the work you're not allowed to do! Why can't you just take a break and let me handle it so you can recover!?"

"Why can't you see I'm trying to do this for you because I hate seeing you tired and stressed all the time!?" Levi growls.

"Do you not think I can do your job? Is that why you keep trying to do it yourself!?" you shout, leaning one hand on the desk to have only inches between your faces.

"I didn't say that!" Levi groans in frustration. "I'm useless to everyone the way I am and you're being burdened by always watching me on top of being buried by my job! You care so fucking much that you won't acknowledge when you're overwhelmed."

You blink and stand up to your full height. You suddenly realize all at once that your throat is sore, Levi's face is red--probably the same as yours--and the words he conveyed hit you full force.

"You think you're useless because you can't fight and you're burdening me?" you ask with a head tilt.

"Is that all you heard?" he grumbles.

"It was the most important," you reply. "How could you ever think you're useless or that you're anything but a blessing to me?"

Levi averts his eyes and taps his fingers against the wood of the desk. "All you've been doing these past two weeks is annoyingly order me around to keep me out of your way, give all your attention to work, and I can't do shit except sit on that couch."

"Isn't two-thirds of that what you do to me?" you ask slyly, crossing your arms over your chest.

"No, of course not."

Feeling like your regular self, you sit on the edge of Levi's desk with a condescending gaze.

"You're a liar. You order everyone around and are always working. I don't complain because I know you have to, and now you're angry because I'm the one who has to handle it."

"Tch," Levi scoffs. "I make time you for and get my work done at a leisurely pace while you're taking your damn time day and night, even trying to skip dinner."

You nod and come to a decision. "Okay, you're right, but so am I. I really appreciate you doing the rest of the work, but I would love for you to rest first. I want you to get better as much as you do."

"Whatever. I'm just... glad you got back safe," he grits out.

You plant your feet on the floor before leaning down to brush your lips against Levi's with your hand in his hair.

"I will always come back to you. There is no way I would leave you here, even if I have to battle through thousands of titans just to kiss you goodnight," you promise in a whisper.

"I love you, (Y/N). I know I'm a stubborn asshole sometimes," Levi responds with his hand on your cheek.

"I love you, too, but 'sometimes' is an understatement."

You dive in to kiss him so he can't reply to your comment. You're both rough around the edges, but in the end, you only care for each other's wellness, even if it comes out in the worst possible ways.