I Promise | Attack on Titan: Levi x Reader

[eleven]

You thought fresh air would have made you feel better, but as you made your way to the training ground, you only felt more sick.

"...so anyways, Alex totally has a thing for Isle, but she's too pretty for him, don't you think? He's always trying to sit next to her, but I don't think she even notices, she's always writing in that book of hers—(Y/N)? Are you sure you're okay to train today?" Alice's babbling ended with a tone of concern.

"Y-Yeah," you responded, "it's only because I was laying down for so long. I'll be okay in a bit."

"If you're really sure about that. If you're not feeling up to it, I think you should just go back."

"I'm fine, really. This is nothing." You didn't want to seem weak, and Alice's firm made you feel uncomfortable. It was a look of concern, of caring, of worry. You weren't used to someone looking at you like that—only Isabelle, Farlen, and Levi had looked at you that way.

"...Okay. But if you feel worse, you're going to tell me and I'll take you back to the dorms straight away. Promise?" Alice lifted her pinky finger.

You stared at it.

"Promise?" she repeated.

You awkwardly laced your pinky with hers. "...Promise."

Alice smiled. "Good!" she started humming to herself.

Your finger twitched. Isabel used to do that. Whenever she wanted something, she would make you promise, grinning widely from ear to ear.

How empty. Promises are made so easily, yet are so easily broken. In fact, sometimes it's better to never promise at all, to save you from a little heartbreak.

Just like Levi's promise to always protect you three. It was a promise he could never keep.

"Alice, (Y/N), nice of y'all to fine'ly join us," Rayan commented as you approached the training grounds.

"Hehe, sorry, that's my fault! I really had to go to the bathroom, and (Y/N) was nice enough to wait for me." Alice scratched the back of her head. "You guys didn't start yet, right?"

"Not yet," Alex responded, "Erd's been having trouble putting on the vertical maneuver gear." Erd nodded sheepishly, sitting in in the pile of harnesses as Alex tried to untangle them.

"How did you even graduate from the cadet corps?" Levi asked, and Erd turned in red in embarrassment, lowering his head. "Rayan, don't just stand there help them out. Alice, check on the equipment."

"Yes sir," they both replied, rushing to work.

"(Y/N)." Levi turned to you.

"Y-Yes? What do you want me to do?" you asked. He started to walk towards you. "What? What's wrong?" you squeaked. His face was mere inches from your face, and his stare felt like it could burn a hole through your face.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. What do you want me to do?"

"You don't have to do anything. You can sit down by the tree, and-"

"Wait, what?" you cut him off. "Aren't I supposed to be training with you guys?"

"You don't have to. If you're worried my squad will say something, don't."

"What do you mean, "I don't have to"? Aren't I supposed to be a member of your squad now? Didn't you send Alice to get me so I could train with you guys?"

"I only sent her so you could stay in my sight. I couldn't train well yesterday without knowing if you were okay."

"Levi." your voice was starting to rise. "I'm not a child, so don't treat me like one. You left me alone in that hell, and I survived. You don't think I can sleep in the barracks by myself without needing you to supervise me?"

"Take a fucking look at yourself." Levi's tone was as cold as ice. "You look like you're going to faint any second now. And you expect me to not worry?"

"Yes. You did it for three years, you can do it again." You spat, not even giving him a chance to reply as you stormed away towards the rest of the squad.

"Cap'n! Erd's rea'y!" Rayan called.

"He won't be needing it," Levi shot back. "We're doing hand-to-hand combat practice."

"Huh? Why? I just got all the gear checked," Alice questioned.

"We can do vertical maneuver gear practice when Erd learns how to put on his own equipment by himself," Levi said stiffly.

"Hey, that's not fair," you objected, "don't take this out on Erd just because—"

"Did you say something, (Y/N)?" Levi glared at you, and you had to stop yourself from trembling.

"Yes," you said, wondering if you should bite your tongue now or keep going. "I want to go first."