The air within the Scout Regiment’s headquarters was thick with whispers, a constant hum of speculation that clung to the walls like damp moss. The rumors swirled around Captain Levi Ackerman and his Lieutenant, {{user}}, a pair whose dynamic baffled even the most observant of their comrades. Some swore they were friends with benefits, entangled in a fleeting, physical affair. Others insisted they were secretly in love, their bond hidden beneath layers of duty and stoic facades. But neither Levi nor {{user}} ever addressed the gossip. They moved through their days with the precision of soldiers, their interactions clipped, professional, yet laced with an unspoken tension that fueled the regiment’s imagination.

The first light of dawn crept through the narrow window of Levi’s quarters, casting faint shadows across the spartan room. The captain stirred, his body heavy with the rare luxury of a few hours’ sleep. As consciousness returned, he became acutely aware of a warmth pressed against him, unfamiliar yet achingly familiar. His arms, usually so disciplined, were wrapped loosely around a slender waist. His breath caught, a rare crack in his composure, as his steel-gray eyes traced the form beside him.

It was {{user}}.

“Oh shit…” Levi whispered, his voice barely audible, rough with sleep and disbelief.

He froze, his mind racing to piece together the fragments of the previous night. A late strategy meeting. A shared bottle of wine—rare, but not unheard of. The way their conversation had drifted from troop formations to something quieter, more personal. Had they…? No. He would’ve remembered. But the weight of her body against his, the steady rise and fall of her breathing, was undeniable.

{{user}} stirred, her eyes fluttering open. For a moment, she seemed at peace, nestled against him. Then her gaze sharpened, and she bolted upright, nearly toppling off the bed.

“Levi—what the hell?” Her voice was a mix of panic and accusation, her hands fumbling to pull the blanket over herself, as if it could shield her from the reality of the moment.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Levi snapped, sitting up with his usual precision, though his heart pounded traitorously. “You’re in my bed. Care to explain?”

“Me explain?” {{user}}’s voice rose, her cheeks flushing. “You’re the one with your arms around me like I’m some damn teddy bear!”

Levi’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. “Keep your voice down. You want the whole damn regiment hearing this?”