#high potential

Birds of a Feather

Morgan struggles to keep herself occupied when Karadec returns to work. Then, a surprising witness helps the team solve an unusual murder.

You can check it out here:

Summary: There had been something in the way Morgan Gillory had focused on the case and had written so confidently on the case board. And on the way she was now analyzing Selena and Oz. Everything about her movements was sharp, intent, as though not much missed her notice.

Series rewrite AU where Selena Soto becomes Morgan's partner, rather than Karadec.

Lev Ozdil x Female Detective Reader

Lev ozdil x female fanfic where they’ve know each other since they were kids, reader had a hard upbringing. Both are detectives, lots of pinning and near kisses and longing glances.

First fanfic on tumblr…… kind of nervous

Everyone at Major Crimes thought Detective Lev Ozdil was impossible to read. Calm. Collected. Wicked sense of humour, and loved a doughnut.

The kind of detective who could walk into a crime scene, take one glance around, and quietly piece things together.

But you could read him perfectly.

Mostly because you’d spent twenty-three years learning every tiny expression he had.

⸻

You first met when you were eight. Your foster home had organised a “community day” at the local police station. Most of the children were excited about the police dogs.

You were more interested in hiding. Lev had been there with his father, bored out of his mind, sitting alone on a bench with a comic book. You’d quietly sat beside him.Neither of you had spoken for almost twenty minutes.Eventually he’d offered you half his packet of chips.

“…You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.” He mumbled glancing at you. It was the first kindness anyone had shown you in weeks. From then on you were inseparable.

⸻

Lev learned very quickly that home wasn’t safe for you. He never pushed for details, he simply noticed, bruises that were always “accidents.” The way you flinched when adults raised their voices, and how you apologised for absolutely everything.

He’d quietly started walking you home after school, never asking questions just quietly comforting

⸻

When you were sixteen, things got worse a broken wrist, bloody nose, bruised ribs and countless cuts and bruises. You finally ran. Lev was the one who found you sitting outside the train station in the pouring rain with nothing but a backpack. He didn’t ask questions. He wrapped his hoodie around your shoulders.

“You coming?” He asked holding out his hand.

“…Where?” You asked eyes burning with tears.

“Home.” He simply stated as if it was the most obvious answer.

“No I can’t, your parents they’ll hate me.” You replied shaking your head

“They’ll love you.” He whispered bending down looking at you.

He’d been right.

⸻

Fifteen years later, the two of you worked homicide together. Everyone assumed you were dating.

Well everyone except, the two people actually involved.

⸻

“You two are ridiculous.” Daphne deadpanned as stood beside your desk with crossed arms. You looked up from your paperwork.

“Uh, what?”

“You two” She pointed across the bullpen. Lev was leaning against the coffee machine talking with Morgan, he glanced up sending a smile your way one to which you absentmindedly reciprocated.

“What are you talking about Daph?” You sighed turning back to her.

“You smiled.”

“I did not.”

“You absolutely did.”

“I smile at everyone.” You replied fighting the urge to smack her across her leg.

“No” Daphne snorted as she leaned closer “You look at Oz like he invented oxygen”

You nearly choked on your coffee. “What? I do not.”

⸻

Morgan nudged Lev “You know she’s staring.”

Lev frowned “No, she wasn’t.”

Morgan raised an eyebrow “You looked at each other for five straight seconds.”

“Seriously? We’re friends we look at each other, that’s normal”

“No, Oz” Morgan laughed “That’s pining, Karadec back me up here” she exclaimed as he walked in to pour his coffee.

Karadec sighed “leave me out of this, and leave them alone we have a killer to catch, not keeping up with love island here”

“Ok that made no sense, it’s love island and keeping up with the Kardashian’s, two different shows, and your no fun” Morgan pouted.

“This is a police station, we’re in major crimes Morgan nothing here is ment to be fun” Karadec turns with his coffee in hand towards his desk.

“You’ve loved her since you were kids.” Morgan accused pointing her finger at him already over Karadec’s tantrum.

Lev froze “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He stated more interested in stirring his coffee.

Morgan grinned. “You still keep that friendship bracelet she made you when you were twelve.”

“No I don’t” he replied, Morgan looked at him accusingly. Lev sighed. “…It’s in my desk.”

“I knew it.” She grinned triumphantly.

⸻

The team arrived at a murder scene. An old warehouse, the rain pouring, you stepped onto a rusted staircase.

Lev looked up towards you immediately “Careful.”

You huffed “I’m fi—” Your foot slipped. Before you even fell, hand caught your waist strong, warm and steady.

His fingers tightened around your waist chest against your back keeping you upright “you okay?

Your heart was pounding far harder than the near fall justified. “I’m okay.”

Neither of you moving from the embrace, not immediately. Morgan walked past holding evidence bags “…Interesting.” She muttered catching your attention, causing both of you to jump apart.

⸻

Daphne cornered Morgan by the vending machine. “So? What are we going to do?”

Morgan sighed dramatically. “They’re disasters, they’re thirty and still acting like high schoolers with crushes” Morgan rubbed her temples. “We have to help.”

“Oh…” Daphne smiled. “I already have a plan.”

Karadec looked horrified walking up to Daphne and Morgan “Why are you smiling like that?” He questioned

Daphne grinned “you’ll see”

⸻

You and Lev stood outside the precinct after your shift, rain still tapped softly against the pavement, neither of you seemed eager to leave.

“So…” you trail off

“So…” You both laughed awkwardly.

Silence. Comfortable. The kind only the two of you ever managed.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Lev asked leaning against the precinct building.

“You always do.” You replied grinning up at him

He smiled as he turned to walk towards his car. You were still standing there watching him, when your eyes met again as he turned to give the tiniest nod. You smiled back.

⸻

By Friday morning, Daphne had already set her plan in motion.

She leaned casually against the desk while Morgan pretended to study the vehicle log. “So…” Morgan said loudly, “looks like Unit Three’s in the shop.”

Daphne nodded with exaggerated disappointment.“Unit Five too.” Lev walked in carrying two coffees placing one at your desk

“That leaves…” Morgan looked down at the clipboard with a grin she was desperately trying to hide. “…one unmarked sedan.”

You frowned. “For four detectives?”

“Actually,” Daphne replied innocently, “the witness interviews are in two different suburbs.” She pointed at the board. “You and Lev are taking the north route. Morgan, Karadec and I have the south.”

Before either you or Lev could object, Morgan was already jingling another set of keys “See you this afternoon!” She called out dragging a grumpy Karadec out with her.

The trio disappeared before you had the chance to say a word. You turned slowly toward Lev. “…I think we’ve been set up.” You say tilting your head.

Lev looked toward the exit where Morgan and Daphne had practically sprinted away. “Yeah, I think you’re right.”

⸻

The drive was quiet, not uncomfortable, never uncomfortable, just familiar.

Lev drove with one hand resting loosely on the steering wheel, the other tapping absentmindedly to the music playing softly through the speakers.

“You still listen to this band?” You question laughing

“It reminds me of school.”

“You mean when you insisted they were the greatest musicians alive?” You glance over at him

“They are.” He laughed

“ Oz they broke up after one album.” You deadpanned

“They were misunderstood.” He argued back laughing, you joined in. God, he loved that sound.

Lev stole a glance at you before quickly returning his eyes to the road.

He wished he could make you laugh every day for the rest of his life. The thought hit him so suddenly that he gripped the steering wheel tighter.

⸻

The witness interview took less than an hour. So you both stoped at a cafe near the precinct for lunch. As you stepped outside, the sky darkened and thunder rolled overhead.

“I don’t like the look of that” he mumbled. As if on cue, the rain began pouring in sheets. Lev sighed. “We’re soaked before we even reach the car.”

You laughed. “We’ve survived worse.”

He smiled.” True.”

You both glanced at each other before sprinting toward the car. Halfway there, you slipped on the wet pavement. Again. Before you could even react Lev caught you by the waist. Your hands instinctively grabbed his jacket. Neither of you moved. His hand remained firmly against your side. You could feel his heartbeat, or maybe it was yours.

Your faces where inches apart, his eyes searched yours with a softness you’d never seen before. Your gaze fell briefly to his lips. He noticed. Almost without thinking he leaned in, you did too.

“Oz!, Y/N!” Both of you jumped apart. Morgan was waving from across the street, standing under the awning of a café beside Daphne.

“You two planning on catching pneumonia?” She shouted.

Lev cleared his throat so hard it almost hurt. “We’re coming.”

Morgan exchanged a knowing glance with Daphne who looked at her furious

“That,” Morgan whispered as the pair approached, “was definitely almost a kiss.”

Daphne tuned to Morgan grabbing her by the shoulders “why would you stop them!”

“Relax Daph, it will make the actual kiss so much better they won’t be able to hold back”

⸻

The four detectives and consultant gathered in the briefing room to go over the case.

Captain Wagner assigning tasks for the following week. “Ozdil and Y/N, you’ll be reviewing evidence together tomorrow.”

Morgan coughed suspiciously into her fist wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

“What was that?” Wagner asked staring down Morgan

“Nothing, sir.” She stated smiling smugly

Daphne was staring very hard at the table to hide her smile are the couple looked at each other confused by Morgan’s implication.

⸻

The meeting ended and everyone filtered out. You remained behind gathering files. Lev reached for the same folder at exactly the same time. Neither of you pulled away immediately.

“You take it,” he said quietly.

“No you.”

“I insist.”

“You always insist, such a gentleman” you say smiling.

You looked up. Again, your eyes met, the room suddenly felt very small and very quiet.

“You know…” Lev began.

Your heart skipped. “Yeah?”

“I…” He hesitated.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway coming closer to the meeting room, the moment shattered. Captain Wagner poked his head back into the room.

“Ozdil? Need those reports before you leave.”

Lev stepped back immediately “Right. Of course.” He picked up the folders with a sigh. “I’ll… see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.” You echoed watching him leave

⸻

As Lev walked toward his desk, Morgan fell into step beside him. “You nearly told her.” She sang

Lev sighed heavily. “I know.”

“So… why didn’t you?” Morgan questioned.

Lev looked back toward the briefing room, where you were still standing alone. His voice was barely above a whisper.

“Because if she doesn’t feel the same…” He swallowed hard. “…I’d rather spend my whole life as her best friend than lose her completely.”

Unbeknownst to him, just around the corner, Daphne had paused. She’d heard every word, a smile tugged at her lips. “Oh, Lev,” she murmured. “You have no idea how wrong you are.”

The next afternoon, the evidence room was unusually quiet, just you and Lev, and boxes of case files stacked from floor to ceiling.

“You take photographs,” Lev said, sliding a folder across the table. “I’ll go through the statements.”

“You always give me the easy job.” You pout

“You complain less.”

“I do not.” You argue back

He looked up with the smallest hint of a smile. “You absolutely do.”

You nudged his shoulder as you passed, and he let out a quiet laugh. For a moment, it wasn’t work. It was just the two of you. Like always.

⸻

An hour later, Lev disappeared to retrieve another evidence box. The second the door closed behind him, Daphne slipped inside. “You’ve got exactly five minutes before he comes back.”

You blinked. “Should I be concerned?”

“Probably.” She shrugged as she sat on the edge of the table, studying your face. “So how long are you planning on pretending?”

Your shoulders turned ridged, defensive. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Please.” She rolled her eyes affectionately. “I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

You stared at the floor. “It’s that obvious?”

“To everyone except Lev.”

A weak laugh escaped you. “That sounds about right.” Silence settled between you. Finally, you spoke.“I’ve loved him for years.” The words felt terrifying once they were out. “I think, maybe since we were teenagers.”

Daphne’s expression softened. “And you’ve never told him?”

You shook your head. “I couldn’t.”

“Why?”

You hesitated. “When you’ve spent your childhood believing people only stay until they don’t” Your voice cracked. “it’s hard to believe someone could choose you.”

Daphne reached over and squeezed your hand. “You really think Lev would leave?” She questioned.

“I know he wouldn’t as a friend.” You smiled sadly “But if I told him how I felt and he didn’t feel the same…” You looked away. “I’d lose the one constant I’ve ever had. The only person who’s been there through everything.” Your eyes glistened. “I can’t lose him, Daph.”

Daphne’s heart ached. She’d known you’d had a difficult upbringing. She hadn’t realized just how deeply it still shaped you.

“He used to sneak sandwiches into school for me,” you said with a watery laugh. “When I pretended I’d already eaten. He’d walk me home, even when it meant going the opposite direction. He sat with me for six hours in the hospital after I broke my wrist.”

Your smile softened. “He never once made me feel like I was too much.” A tear slipped down your cheek. “I think, I fell in love with him because he taught me what safe feels like.”

⸻

Lev returned as he reached for the handle, he paused hearing your voice through the slightly open door.

“I think, I fell in love with him because he taught me what safe feels like.”

He froze. His breath caught. She, she was talking about, him? He stood rooted to the spot, afraid to move, afraid to interrupt.

Inside, Daphne smiled gently. “I wish you could hear yourself.”

You laughed quietly. “I sound pathetic, I am pathetic.” You groan

“No.” She shook her head holding your hand “You’re in love.”

⸻

Morgan rounded the corner carrying another evidence box. And saw Lev standing motionless outside the door. “Oz?”

Lev looked at her with wide, stunned eyes. Morgan followed his gaze to the half-open door. Then realization dawned. Morgan had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from cheering.

“I…” Lev cleared his throat, his hand tightened around the box. “I need a minute.”

Morgan smiled. “For the first time in twenty years you’re finally the one who’s speechless.”

Inside the evidence room, completely unaware that the man you loved had just heard the truth, you wiped away another tear and smiled at Daphne. “I just hope, one day, he finds someone who loves him as much as he deserves.”

Outside the door, Lev closed his eyes. She has. Lev barely remembered the rest of the afternoon. He answered questions, photographed evidence and interviewed a witness.

His mind kept replaying your voice. “ I fell in love with him because he taught me what safe feels like.” Every time he looked at you, he had to remind himself to breathe. You loved him.

⸻

You noticed something was different. Lev was quieter than usual, distracted. As the team packed up to leave the crime scene, you caught up beside him. “You okay?”

He looked at you, and for a split second, his expression softened so completely that your heart skipped. “I’m fine.”

“You sure?” He nodded, you searched his face “You’d tell me if something was wrong.”

His smile was gentle. “I always tell you.” Not everything, he thought.

⸻

The following evening, Captain Wagner called the team into the briefing room. ”I’ve got good news and bad news.”

Morgan sighed. “The bad news first.”

“The suspect from yesterday fled to a cabin two hours outside the city.”

“And the good news?” Karadec asked.

“We’ve secured a search warrant.”

Everyone nodded. Nick continued. “The roads are expected to flood overnight, so whoever goes needs to stay there until morning.”

Morgan looked at Daphne. Daphne looked at Morgan. Karadec nudged Morgan to keep out of it. Both females looked at Nick pointing aggressively at Oz and Y/N

“Detectives Ozdil and Y/N,” Nick said, sighing

Morgan coughed into her fist to hide a laugh. Daphne looked suspiciously innocent. And Karadec was just bored.

You frowned. “Just us?”

“You’ve worked together longer than anyone.”

Lev glanced sideways at you. “We’ll go” You smiled

Morgan mouthed thank you to the ceiling and sent a thumbs up to Nick who just raised his eyebrows at her.

⸻

The cabin was smaller than either of you expected. One bedroom. One sofa. One tiny fireplace. The suspect had long since been taken into custody by local officers three hours after you’d come to town, leaving you with nothing to do but wait out the storm until morning.

The storm had settled into a steady rhythm outside. Rain tapped softly against the cabin windows while the fire crackled in the hearth. Neither of you had moved. Your fingers were slowly moving closer till they were intertwining. Neither of you seemed willing to be the first to let go.

Lev looked down at your joined hands before taking a slow breath. “Can I ask you something?”

You nodded. His thumb brushed gently across your knuckles.

“If I tell you something, will you let me finish before you say anything?”

You smiled nervously. “I’ll try.”

A tiny laugh escaped him. “That’s probably the best promise I’m going to get.”

Silence stretched between you. He looked at the fire instead of you. “I heard you.”

Your smile faltered. “Heard me?”

“The other afternoon with Daphne.”

Realization washed over you in an instant. Your confession. “Oh.”

Lev’s heart sank at the look on your face. “I’m sorry,” he said immediately. “I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop. I came back with another evidence box, and the door was open. I heard, enough.”

You pulled your hand away, wrapping your arms around yourself. “Oh my God.”

“You don’t have to—”

“I told Daphne everything.” You panicked

“You did.”

“I basically embarrassed myself in front of you.”

“You didn’t.”

“I definitely did.” You buried your face in your hands. “I should probably transfer to another precinct.”

Despite everything, Lev laughed. It was soft, warm, and so familiar that you peeked through your fingers. “You don’t have to transfer.”

“I don’t?”

“No.” He reached out carefully, giving you every chance to pull away. Instead, he took one of your hands in both of his. “You said you were afraid.” Your eyes met his. “You thought if I didn’t feel the same” he continued quietly, “you’d lose your best friend.”

A tear slipped down your cheek. “Yes.”

“You were wrong.”

Your breath caught.

“Because even if I hadn’t felt the same” He squeezed your hand. “nothing would have made me walk away from you.”

Your vision blurred.

“I promised you when we were sixteen that I’d stay.” Images flashed through your mind. A rainy train station. His hoodie around your shoulders. His hand reaching for yours “You’re coming home with us.” “I meant it then,” he whispered. “And I mean it now.”

You could barely breathe.

“And the really unfair part” A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Is that I’ve been in love with you for almost as long.”

You stared at him. “What?” You stated confused.

“I don’t even know when it happened.” He laughed quietly. “Maybe it was when you punched that boy in middle school for making fun of my glasses.”

“I absolutely did.” You said proudly

“You gave him a black eye!”

“I was very emotional, I liked those glasses”You laughed through your tears.

“I remember.” He laughed “I think” Lev admitted, “I realized it the day you moved in with my family.” He looked down, almost shy. “You were asleep on our couch, mum covered you with a blanket.”

“And I remember thinking” He looked back into your eyes. “I wanted you to feel safe for the rest of your life.”

Your hand flew to your mouth. “Lev”

He nodded once. “Every birthday, every Christmas, every terrible date either of us went on.”

You blinked. “You knew those dates were terrible?”

“I interrogated every guy you ever mentioned.”

“You did?”

“In my head.” He admitted

A watery laugh escaped you. “I hated every woman you dated.”

“I noticed.”

“You did?” You asked shocked.

“You once called one of them ‘aggressively beige.’”

Your cheeks burned. “Hey, I stand by that.” In your defence she was aggressively beige.

Lev laughed so hard he had to wipe at his eyes. “You were jealous.”

“I was.”

He shook his head. “So was I.”

The laughter faded into another quiet moment.

He reached up, brushing away the tears still clinging to your cheeks.

“You once told me I taught you what safe feels like.”

You nodded.

“You taught me what home feels like.”

The words broke the last of your resolve. You leaned forward first this time. Slowly. Giving him every chance to stop you.

He didn’t.

His hand cupped your cheek. His forehead touched yours. “So…”

“So…” you echoed.

“No Morgan?”

You laughed. “No Morgan.”

“No Daphne?”

“Definitely no Daphne.”

He smiled. “Good.”

Then, after twenty-three years of friendship, years of quiet longing, countless stolen glances and interrupted moments Lev closed the distance.

His lips met yours in a kiss that was soft, tentative, and full of everything the two of you had never been brave enough to say. It lasted only a few seconds. When you pulled back, neither of you had stopped smiling.

“I’ve wanted to do that for years,” Lev admitted. You rested your forehead against his again.

“Took you long enough, Detective.”

“I was gathering evidence.”

You laughed. “And your conclusion?”

He kissed your forehead this time.

“My conclusion” He looked at you with a smile so full of love that it made your heart ache. “is that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

He pulled you back in by the back of your neck and one hand on your waist, gentleness out the window as you use one hand to grasp the front of his shirt and the other on his jaw, lips only leaving each other or a second to catch air before diving back in. Trying to pull each other as close as possible, making up for lost time. And Morgan was right their first kiss together they won’t be able to hold back.

Outside, the storm finally began to clear. Inside the little cabin, for the first time since they were eight years old, neither of you had to wonder how the other felt.