Levi Ackerman x Reader
Part 2
The first thing Levi notices about you is that you don’t flinch.
Most recruits do.
Some straighten when he walks by. Others avoid eye contact entirely. A few practically stop breathing whenever he enters a room.
You just glance up from cleaning your gear and continue what you’re doing.
It annoys him immediately.
You were transferred into his squad after proving yourself during an expedition. Not the strongest soldier he’d seen. Not the fastest but the most reliable , competent, stubborn, and apparently incapable of being intimidated.
Levi discovers this during your first week.
“Your blade maintenance is sloppy.”
You glance down.
“No it isn’t.”
Levi stares.
Most people would apologize instantly.
You don’t.
Instead, you point toward the hinge.
“The oil’s fresh. The edge is sharpened. The locking mechanism isn’t worn.”
Levi narrows his eyes.
“So unless there’s something specific wrong with it, Captain, I think it’s fine.”
The nerve.
The absolute nerve.
Levi snatches the blade from your hand.
Inspects it before realizing you were right. “…Fine.” He mumbled, walking away with a slightly clenched jaw.
It becomes a pattern.
Not disrespect.
You always follow orders.
Always.
You simply refuse to treat Levi like some untouchable legend.
If he says something wrong, you point it out.
If you disagree, you say so.
If he’s being unreasonable—“You’re being unreasonable.”
Levi’s eye twitches. It always did when you said that.
The worst part? You aren’t usually wrong.
Which makes it significantly more irritating.
One afternoon the squad is cleaning headquarters.
Levi naturally inspects everyone’s work, being the clean freak he is he hates seeing even the slightest bit of dust somewhere.
When he finally checks on the area your cleaning, he pauses.
Everything is spotless.
Not clean.
Spotless.
Levi slowly looks around.
There weren’t any dust, stains, or even clutter.
You glance up from folding blankets.
“What?”
Levi studies the room.
“…Nothing.”
Then leaves.
During expeditions you become one of the few soldiers he never worries about.
You stay focused.
You don’t panic.
You don’t freeze.
You don’t need constant supervision.
When Levi gives an order, it’s done.
Immediately.
Correctly.
No questions.
No hesitation.
It’s infuriatingly convenient.
The first time Levi truly notices you is during a mission gone wrong.
A Titan appears from an unexpected direction.
One of the younger recruits freezes.
The Titan reaches.
Too fast.
Too close.
Everyone sees it.
Nobody can get there in time.
Except you.
You don’t think.
You move.
Your ODM gear screams.
Steel flashes.
You slam into the recruit, sending both of you crashing through tree branches.
The Titan misses by inches.
The recruit survives.
You don’t escape unharmed.
Your shoulder dislocates during the impact.
Levi arrives seconds later.
The mission continues, there’s no time for discussion.
But afterwards when the injured are being treated, Levi notices you sitting quietly while a medic forces your shoulder back into place.
No screaming, no complaints, just clenched teeth and a few beads of sweat.
The medic leaves. You think you’re alone.
Then—“That was reckless.”
You look up.
Levi.
Of course it was.
“Thanks.” You said, letting out a sigh as you adjusted in your seat.
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“The recruit lived.”
“You could’ve died.”
You shrug.
“So could they.”
Levi’s expression hardens.
For a moment he looks genuinely angry.
Not annoyed, but angry.
Then he leaves.
You stare after him, confused.
For some reason Levi becomes more critical afterward.
He corrects you more.
Watches you more.
Seems irritated by your existence more than usual.
You assume he’s just being Levi.
You don’t realize something has changed.
Because now when he sees you take risks—His chest tightens.
And he hates it.
The problem starts small.
Embarrassingly small.
Levi notices your laugh.
Not because it’s special.
Not because it’s beautiful.
Just because he hears it.
One afternoon.
Petra says something stupid, you laugh.
And Levi immediately realizes he’s memorized the sound.
Which is ridiculous.
Then he notices your smile.
Then the way you roll your eyes.
Then the way you cross your arms whenever you’re annoyed.
Then the way you mutter to yourself while working.
Then the way you always steal extra tea.
This is becoming a problem.
Because now he notices when you’re absent.
If you’re late to breakfast.
If you’re assigned elsewhere.
If he hasn’t seen you all day.
He notices. And he hates that too.
Meanwhile, you’re completely oblivious.
As far as you know? Levi barely tolerates you. The man spends half his time criticizing you. You assume that’s just how he expresses approval.
The expedition gets caught in a storm.
A bad one.
Visibility drops.
Snow blinds everyone.
Squads become separated.
Communication collapses.
And somehow you end up stranded with Levi.
Alone.
For the entire night.
You find shelter in an abandoned cabin.
It’s freezing.
Wind howls outside.
The walls shake.
Neither of you can leave until morning.
The silence is unbearable.
You sit near the fire.
Levi sits across from you.
Arms crossed.
Expression unreadable.
Hours pass.
Eventually you sigh.
“Are you always this pleasant?”
Levi looks up.
“Are you always this annoying?”
“There he is.”
“What does that mean?”
“That’s the Levi I know.”
A pause.
Then to your complete shock, his mouth twitches.
Not a smile.
Barely.
But enough.
You nearly fall over.
“Did you just almost smile?”
“No.”
“You did.”
“No.”
“You absolutely—”
“No.”
You grin while Levi looks away.
And for the first time since you’ve known him,
The atmosphere feels easy.
You talk for hours.
Not serious things just small things like story’s, complaints, observations.
Little pieces of yourselves.
Things neither of you share often.
By morning something feels different.
Neither of you mention it, but it’s there.
The realization comes much later.
And Levi hates every second of it.
You’re injured.
Not seriously.
Just enough to be confined to headquarters for recovery.
A few weeks.
Nothing dangerous.
But headquarters feels wrong.
Too quiet.
Too empty.
Levi catches himself looking for you.
Constantly.
In hallways.
At meals.
During meetings.
Everywhere.
Then one evening he finds himself standing outside your room.
For absolutely no reason.
Just standing there.
Staring at the door.
Like an idiot.
“…Tch.”
Because now he finally understands.
And understanding is significantly worse.
Because Levi Ackerman—Humanity’s strongest soldier has somehow fallen in love with the most stubborn woman in his squad.
And he has absolutely no idea what to do about it.
Meanwhile, inside your room—You’re staring at the ceiling.
Thinking about your captain.
Far more often than is probably healthy.
Wondering when exactly irritation turned into admiration, when admiration became something else.
Wondering why seeing him smile—once, barely—has occupied your thoughts for three weeks.
Neither of you are ready to admit it.
Not yet, and definitely not to each other.
© SleepyKina 2026. Do not steal, translate, feed my work into AI, or repost on any other platforms other than tumblr.
