The quiet of headquarters was a rare luxury. For once, the halls were still—no barking orders, no clashing boots, no knocks at your door. Everyone was either out on patrol or resting elsewhere, and you were certain you had the place to yourself. The silence was comforting, almost indulgent.

You let yourself breathe. Just once, a moment for yourself.

Your fingers slipped beneath the waistband of your uniform pants, the fabric pooling low on your hips as you leaned back against your bed. The air was cool, but your skin was flushed, your mind adrift in fantasy. You bit your lip as a soft breath escaped you. You shouldn’t have been thinking about him—not him. Not your captain. And yet...

“Levi...” His name left your mouth in a breathy whisper, barely audible even to yourself. But it was real. Honest. A moment you thought no one would ever witness.

What you didn’t know was that Levi had returned early from his errand, moving through the halls with his usual silent efficiency. He’d headed straight for your room, intent on discussing patrol assignments—nothing more. But just before knocking, he heard something.

Your voice.

His name.

Without hesitation, the door opened.

You froze—caught in every sense of the word. Your eyes widened, your heart leaping to your throat as Levi stood in the doorway, hand still on the knob, unreadable expression fixed on your flushed face and disheveled state.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked flatly, though something flickered in his eyes—surprise, maybe. Or something darker.

You scrambled to pull your sheets over yourself, voice catching. “Captain—I thought no one—”

“Clearly,” he cut in, stepping just inside and closing the door behind him with a soft click. “You were thinking, alright.”

He didn’t move closer, but his eyes stayed locked on yours, something unreadable lingering in the air between you.

“Next time,” he said, voice low and rough, “lock the damn door. Or... don't say my name if you don't mean it.”