Hold Still - Levi Ackerman x Gender Neutral Reader One Shot
Summary: Levi is in desperate need of a haircut and you offer to cut it for him. The last thing you expect is for him to accept the offer.
It breaks my heart that Levi probably cuts his own hair. I wanted to believe he would let the person he loves and trusts most to do it for him. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it♡
Thank you to @levislolita for proof reading and @levionlyyours for hyping me up to write this♡
You had already noticed the Captain’s hair. The longer undercut tickling his ears. The way his fringe kept getting in his eyes. The almost constant motion of his hand pushing it back throughout the day. Hange had even made a joke about him growing it out like Eren.
The first time you mentioned it Levi had answered with a look sharp enough to kill the conversation where it stood. However, it didn't stop his hair from falling back into his eyes five minutes later. You watched him shove it away again as he finished signing the last report, his expression pinched with quiet annoyance.
You tilted your head at him with a small smile.
"Your hair's annoying you."
The second time you mentioned it Levi had answered with a long, defeated sigh. He was beyond infuriated that he had not had time to cut it. You said it quietly. Reserved. You had often cut your dad's hair before joining the Scouts. You offered to cut his. As usual, you were met with—
But the annoyance wasn't there. Not anymore.
The knock at your door was so soft you almost missed it.
You looked up from the book in your lap, surprised to find Levi standing in the doorway. His expression was that of someone on the edge. The slightly longer strands at the nape of his neck stuck out at wild angles behind his jaw.
You set the book down next to you softly.
A brief silence settled between you.
It took you a heartbeat to realise what he meant.
"If the offer still stands."
A warm smile made its way onto your lips before you could stop it.
Before long, a towel was draped over his shoulders as he sat in the chair you'd pulled into the middle of your room. A pair of sharp scissors rested in your hand and a razor on the side table. Levi eyed them suspiciously.
"If I leave here looking ridiculous, I'm blaming you."
You laughed. Something in his posture had softened.
"Come on Captain, just trust me."
"I have a high opinion of competence."
"I know you do. No pressure then."
The corner of his mouth twitched. Only for a second. But you caught it. The ghost of a smile.
The room fell quiet except for the rhythmic snip... snip... snip of the scissors. Your fingers ran through his hair holding it gently to trim away at the wild ends. Every so often, your fingertips brushed against his scalp or ear. Each time you felt his shoulders tense. Loose strands clung stubbornly to the back of his neck. You placed the scissors down and reached for the razor.
Without a word, he obeyed. Your hand moved through his hair, pushing the longer strands forwards and holding them out of the way. Your hand rested on the crown of his head, your palm pressing against him. You paused. You blinked a couple times. His head leaned into your palm. You felt it. Captain Levi Ackerman leaned into your hand. Humanity's Strongest Soldier was letting you cut his hair. Your breath caught in your throat. It wasn't about the haircut. It was about trust.
You moved carefully. With precision. Every time you moved your hand, his head went with you. The undercut slowly returned to its usual clean and neat state. Just the way he liked it.
Your fingertips brushed lightly against the warm skin at the nape of his neck as you dusted away the loose hairs. You knew those would irritate him otherwise. He stayed perfectly still, shoulders relaxed in a way you rarely saw.
"You alright?" you asked quietly.
"I'll take that as a yes."
He didn't say anything back. He didn't have to. A smile found your face as you continued to neaten the edges around his ears. For a little while, neither of you spoke. Neither of you needed to. The silence felt comfortable. Somehow it felt warm.
You set the razor down and walked round to face him. Your lips pursed and eyes narrowed as your hand came up to style the hair. You brushed the hair to the natural part. Both hands, fingers spread wide, ran through either side of the parting. Your heart felt like it shattered. Levi's eyes fluttered closed. His breathing slowed. The crease between his brows eased away. The tension in his neck loosened. He looked... peaceful. You weren't sure you had ever seen him like this before.
You finished styling it and took a small step back, studying your work with the same concentration you had the entire time.
Levi opened his eyes, blinking once as if waking from a nap he hadn't intended to take. You held up a small handheld mirror. He took it from you, his fingers brushing against yours. He held it up, inspecting the fringe and the edges of the undercut. His hand ran through the top once, the sides falling perfectly above his eye.
You breathed out a laugh.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
He handed the mirror back without another word. He stood, removing the towel from his shoulders carefully to not drop loose hair all over the floor. He placed it on top of the chair and turned to you.
"I'll come to you next time."
The words felt like being hit mid-air by a Titan. It felt as though the air had been sucked from your lungs. Your heart hammering against your ribs like it wanted to break free. You couldn't think of any words. All you could do was smile. The warm, genuine smile that Levi somehow always managed to get out of you.
He turned on his heel and made his way to the door. Just before crossing the threshold into the hallway, his head swivelled round. His gaze met yours as you were rooted to the spot.
There it was again. The ghost of a smile. The slightly upturned lip and tiny eye crinkle you had grown to crave seeing on his features. You nodded once. Some things didn't need to be said. They never had. Trust had always looked more like this.
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