“Do you ever think before you act?” Levi’s voice snapped like a whip, cold and sharp, as he fixed you with a glare that could have pierced through steel. The hallway outside the war room was dimly lit, the muffled voices of the other captains filtering through the door. You barely noticed them, too focused on the fire in Levi’s tone.

You crossed your arms, refusing to be cowed. “I made a call, Levi. It worked, didn’t it?”

His glare deepened, and for a moment, his hands clenched at his sides as if he was holding back the urge to shake some sense into you. “It worked this time,” he growled. “But it could’ve gotten you killed. Do you ever stop to consider that?”

The echo of his voice filled the narrow space, the rawness in his tone making your defiance falter for a second. But only a second.

“Why do you care so much?” you challenged, stepping closer to him. The gap between you shrank, and you tilted your head defiantly, daring him to answer. “You’re always telling everyone to act on instinct in the field. That’s exactly what I did.”

Levi’s jaw tightened, and his hands unclenched, though the tension in his frame was palpable. His steel-gray eyes locked onto yours, and for a moment, the mask he wore so flawlessly cracked.

“Because,” he started, his voice quieter now but no less intense, “losing you isn’t an option I’m willing to face.”

The weight of his words hung in the air between you, heavy and raw. It was unlike Levi to be so vulnerable, and yet here he was, staring at you with an intensity that made it hard to breathe.

Your heart thudded in your chest as his words sank in, and for the first time, you saw the fear behind his anger—the fear of losing someone else.

“Levi,” you said softly, your tone no longer defensive but uncertain.

“Don’t,” he cut you off, his voice sharp again. “Don’t brush this off like it’s nothing. It’s not. You think I care this much about what happens to just anyone?”