Sunlight {Levi x Fem!Reader} [COMPLETE]

12: Rumors

Levi and yourself were on much better terms after your discussion. You had spent a lot of time together helping with paperwork and training. Despite how much Levi disliked being around Hanji when she was in her 'experimenting moods', he spent just as much time with Hanji as he did with you in the recent weeks.
"Thanks cadets, you did well today. Some of you need to push yourselves more. We're in the military after all. This isn't an era for laziness." You informed all of the cadets once you were finished with the daily training. Many of the newer cadets were visibly exhausted. It made you laugh. You were appointed the responsibility to conduct daily training with new soldiers, and even tenured ones.
"Y/N!" You heard Eren call for you off in the distance. Mikasa, Armin, and Jean followed not too far behind him.
"Wow, I never would've thought I'd see Jean and Eren together willingly." You jabbed with the both of them as they approached. Jean scoffed, grinning at your joke.
"We don't hate each other that much." Jean responded, blank faced.
"Yes we do." Eren corrected Jean, completely aware of their relationship.
"Eh, you're right, but we are capable of acting like civil adults. Even Jaeger." Jean mentioned, continuing with the playful banter.
"Besides, we don't find enjoyment in assaulting each other since that would just result in Captain Levi turning our innards into soup." Eren explained. You laughed wholeheartedly.
"That's... oddly specific. Thanks for the mental image." You mentioned, shaking your head of the idea as Eren and Jean laughed along with you.
"How's training going?" Mikasa asked, shifting the subject.
"Half and half." You said, not leaving any possibility for understanding. She stared at you, puzzled by your response. Eren followed suit.
"Huh?" Eren questioned.
"Half good, half bad." You explained further.
"Ah, makes sense." Eren nodded his head, understanding completely.
"Eh, not really. These are new cadets but they're not that new. They're lazy and it's obvious. It's pissing me off." You explained, showing signs of agitation.
"Levi rubbed off on you a lot didn't he?" Jean cut in to the conversation. You tittered at his assumption.
"I've always been like this but maybe that's why he and I get along." You reassured while shrugging, then laughed a little. Jean chuckled in return. Eren stayed silent, as did Mikasa and Armin. You weren't awkward around Armin or Mikasa anymore. You completely understood their silence and desire not to indulge in that much conversation. Mikasa and yourself often talked privately and have found to have a lot more in common that you could've imagined. It was soothing in an odd way for the both of you.
"You up for downtime training?" Eren asked, exuberance filled his voice.
"You can't use 'downtime' and 'training' in the same sentence. Now I have a migraine." Eren laughed at your joking mannerisms. Jean shook his head, in full agreement of what you stated.
"But yeah, I'm up for that. You guys wanna join too?" You asked Jean, Mikasa and Armin. They all replied with a simple 'no' and went off separately to complete their daily paperwork and other responsibilities. Eren and yourself had began your own form of training. The training for new cadets were obviously much less tedious and intense compared to the training for pro soldiers like all of you.
  At the current point in time, it had been nearly a year since you were in the Survey Corps with everyone. It relaxed you to know that your life was far more meaningful compared to the one you used to live while being in the Underground. After you and Eren were finished training, the both of you talked with each other more as the day became darker.
"You amaze me every day." Eren blurted out without hesitation. You tittered softly, not expecting to hear such a random, yet kind compliment.
"Thank you, but what exactly amazes you?" You were curious to hear what he had to say.
"Well, for starters, you worked your way up this much with barely a year under your belt and I've been here for seven. There's many more things but there's one in particular as well." He explained, becoming a bit hesitant.
"And what would that be?" You questioned, concerned for what was on his mind.
"That Mikasa can stand you." You looked at Eren oddly.
"It's not a girl versus girl thing or even a jealously thing. A lot of people think that and it's all wrong. It's that she cares for me so much that she can't help but want to protect me even if I don't need it. You bring out a different side to her and get her off my back a little bit. Which, just so you know, I appreciate that greatly. I love Mikasa, but sometimes the amount of time we spend together is tiring." Eren chortled after explaining the topic to you.
"I really enjoy talking with Mikasa. I believe the reason why she can stand to be around me is because her and I have quite a bit in common." You reassured Eren.
"I figured as much. She also likes people who aren't scared of her and you clearly show her that with no effort at all." Eren continued, making you smile joyfully at the news.
"I agree." You laughed along with Eren.
"Off topic, but has Levi really been that aggressive with you and Jean over fighting?" You questioned, somewhat impatient to hear Eren's answer.
"Oh yeah, one hundred percent. He once punched Jean in the stomach so hard that he puked." Eren answered honestly. You busted up with uncontrollable laughter.
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry but that's just hilarious. I can't believe he would do that. Eh, actually, you know what? I can believe it." You continued laughing, admitting that you knew the type of person Levi was to do something like that.
"He's a lot more laid-back after the Titans became less of a threat. He also seemed to change exponentially right after you joined the Survey Corps." Eren mentioned, catching you off guard.
"Seriously? He's always been pretty much the same ever since he and I first met." You chuckled some more, recalling how different he became once you were released from Levi's torture upon thinking you were an enemy.
"Yeah, I imagine that's expected when you date someone. I'm surprised Captain Levi ended up with someone. He never struck me as the romantic type." Eren revealed. You looked at him with a greatly puzzled expression, almost gasping at how shocking the statement was.
"Woah, back up. Who's dating who?" You questioned, worriedly. You were utterly surprised at what you heard come out of Eren's mouth so randomly.
"You and him aren't— oh boy." Eren scratched the back of his head nervously.
"No, we're not. Not at all, actually. Who told you this?" You questioned, demanding answers.
"It's not really something that anyone started, we all just agreed it was a thing going on between the two of you." Eren added, being completely honest with you of what he and the rest of the tenured soldiers had observed in the last handful of months.
"Based on what?" You began to become agitated. Eren was taken aback by your demeanor, but he understood why your reactions had transpired.
"Just that you two spend a lot of time together. The fact that you spent the first few months here in his room. That you're really friendly with each other." Eren continued on. You massaged your temples with your index finger and thumb.
"Okay, this is beyond stupid. The next time there are suspicions like this, you may either want to get actual proof or ask me about it directly. That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." You angrily ranted, feeling bad once you had stated it.
"I'm sorry, Y/N." Eren apologized, feeling guilty for believing such a rumor.
"It's fine, I got a little carried away. So, everyone knows about this rumor?" You asked, nervous for what the answer would be. Eren nodded hesitantly.
"Jesus Christ." You added, sighing loudly. Eren knitted his brows in a culpable manner.
"I can tell them it isn't true. I'll set everything straight." Eren suggested, wanting to help.
"No, what's done is done. People will always think what they want. Especially if we're also talking about the new cadets as well." You mentioned, recalling how much the newer cadets loved to talk a bunch of moronic nonsense instead of focusing on what was of greater importance.
"What if Levi finds out about it?" Eren asked, dreading the idea.
"Then you all better hope he doesn't rip your organs out and hang them up to dry." You joked, not thinking too much of what Levi might do about the matter.
"That would be unpleasant." Eren mentioned, still feeling guilty.
"It is possible for men and women to just be friends. You and Mikasa are just friends. Hanji and Levi are just friends. For all you know, Levi or myself could even be gay." You explained, giving Eren an idea of what to say to people who accused you and Levi of dating. Eren nodded in understanding and then exhaled with sudden relief.
"I'll talk to Levi about it. He'll probably just laugh it off." You reassured.
"Wait, really? He laughs in front of you?" Eren interrogated, completely shocked.
"A little, yeah. Why?" You asked, confused by his reaction.
"It's just a rarity. He must really trust you." Eren added, making you tilt your head with wonder. Even still, you knew that what Eren stated about trust was completely truthful.
"I know he does, and I trust him as well." You smiled at Eren.
"Well, I hope he truly does just laugh it off. I got a pretty scary image of him deboweling all of us." Eren shivered at the though. You guffawed once more.
"Now you know how I felt." You joked, recalling what Eren had described to you earlier.
"I'll talk to you later. Warn me before hand if Levi gets all lethal on everyone." Eren proclaimed, walking off to his own room.
"Sure thing." You answered confidently, waving goodbye.