Levi had been avoiding you. Not because he was mad at you, quite the opposite actually. He had feelings for you, feelings that he knew he wasn’t supposed to have. He didn’t know when it started…or why. Maybe it was when he first saw you, standing amongst the newest recruits, or maybe it was when you comforted a scout in their last moments. He knew that love was dangerous, especially in this line of work.

He loved you and he hated it. So he avoided you in a desperate attempt to try and get that fluttering feeling out of his chest. But he found himself missing your presence more than he cared to admit, he hated it. He hated that he missed your smile, your laugh.

So when you cornered him in his office demanding answers he panicked—blurting out the first thing that came to mind.

“I think I’m in love with you.”

And instead of stopping there, he kept going, his ears burned red. He couldn't stop the words from spilling out—each one worse than the last.

"I didn't want to feel this," he said stiffly, arms rigid at his sides. "It's stupid. Distracting. I'm supposed to be focused on missions, on keeping my squad alive—not... this."

He finally looked at you—really looked—and for a second, something cracked in that cold grey stare.

"You smile too much," he muttered suddenly. "And you're always so damn gentle with everyone like it doesn't cost you anything." His voice dropped lower, almost pained, "I hate how much I like that."

Levi's breath came sharp and uneven, his hands clenched at his sides. He hadn't meant to say all of that—hadn’t planned any of it. The words were a betrayal, tearing through the armor he’d spent years building.

He wanted to shut up. Wanted to turn around and walk out like nothing happened.

But you were right there, looking at him with those soft eyes—and suddenly, the room felt too small.

His jaw tightened as another stupid thing escaped "I dream about you."

A beat of silence.

Then quieter—almost ashamed "...Every damn night."