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The Ackerman siblings were never known to be able to express their feelings correctly. However, there were exceptions who were able to understand their words properly. Hanji Zoe was definitely one of them, it’s known to everyone around them that she’s the best at understanding Levi’s words. Erwin Smith was probably next after Hanji to be able to read Levi’s words, although he would still need Hanji’s help sometimes.
Rarely, but it had happened.
Being one of her longest friends, Armin Arlert understood Mikasa’s words perfectly. Eren was too dense to understand the little hints in between her words. Maybe it’s because they were the only two girls in their team and they’d been roommates when they were living in the dormitory, Sasha (even though she didn’t look like it) understand Mikasa’s thoughts too. She was also the first to see through Mikasa’s crush on Eren.
The last two that really could see through their real feelings being the harsh words were themselves — Levi and Mikasa Ackerman.
Before Mikasa knocked on the closed door, she took in a deep breath. After receiving the call from Erwin, she had dropped everything and left her dormitory in a hurry. However, Levi didn’t have to know and neither did he need to know that she ran.
Mikasa slowly pushed the door open and there, she saw a tall blonde standing beside the bedside. Levi’s left leg was bandaged up and so was his arm. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Mikasa noticed the bandaged around his waist too.
Right, he was stabbed.
“Hey Mikasa.” Erwin was the first to greet her with a small smile. “I will head off first.” He turned back to Levi and then to Mikasa again who returned a nod of acknowledgement as the blonde head out.
“You tried being a hero again.” Mikasa took a seat beside the bed side and gave her brother a blank expression.
“Why?” Levi asked in the same flat voice. “Disappointed that I’m not dead yet?”
“What happened?”
“I screwed up.” Levi answered, tilting his head up and stared at the ceiling. “Fucking screwed up.”
“Only Erwin came? What about—“
“She did not, you won’t be able to finally see her in person.”
Mikasa kept silent after a quiet ‘oh’, piecing everything together in her mind and decided to drop the subject.
“You look like shit,” Mikasa began again, opening her bag and took out a packet of black tea. “I brought these and hopefully, it won't kill you since I don't know if you're allowed to have tea in this state.”
“If I die, it's gonna be your fault.”
Mikasa rolled her eyes in response but despite that, she stood up and walked to the table beside the hospital room.
Silence greeted Levi when he opened the door to his apartment. He was half bracing himself from Mikasa’s wrath. He's pretty sure the news had gotten to her especially since his resignation had been spreading around like wildfire.
But the light from Mikasa’s bedroom further proved that his sister was already home from her dormitory. He hesitated a little before he walked up to her room and pushed the door open.
“Br— What the fuck?” Levi yelled when he felt his face and body being hit by what felt like small beads repeatedly. It was only when he looked down at the floor then he realised that it was popcorns.
“My mother used to tell me about monsters that look like people and you have to drive them out of the house with beans.” Mikasa commented, still throwing her popcorns at Levi’s direction.
“We have the same mother and these are popcorns.”
“I don't care.” Mikasa still did not stop.
“I know you're mad but— will you just stop it?”
That finally made Mikasa put her pack of popcorns down on the bed as she plopped down too. Levi grabbed the chair beside the desk and sat down too, crossing his arms as he looked at Mikasa who's a little more calm now.
“I thought you always said that you will hate it if I'm your superior? Isn't this better now that I've resigned?”
“I did not say that to have you resign! Your leg injuries ain't as bad too! True, your elbow might take a while to recover but you could've taken some time off, not give up on your job!”
“Mikasa, you know why I did that.”
“No, I don't.” Mikasa retorted back, trying her best to not cry out. “That's you being a coward, you're just being a coward and that is not my brother at all!”
“Is that why you said I'm a monster?” Levi paused for a moment, watching Mikasa’s expression before he asked. “Are you crying?”
“I'm not.” The younger girl wiped the tears away from her cheek with the back of her hand. “Why would I?”
Levi made no response and continued to watch Mikasa who’s desperately trying to stop her tears from flowing even more. Her eyes met with his and he raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, I am...” Mikasa admitted in defeat. “But that's because I'm mad, you stupid short ass! Go take back the damn letter!”
“You know I can't, brat.” Levi stood up from the chair and pointed at the mess on the floor. “And clean up this mess.”
In the end, Levi was the one who cleaned up the mess for Mikasa. He did not like Mikasa’s reaction to his decision even though he had been expecting a bad reaction. However, never did he once thought that she would end up crying.
And that was when he remembered that he was the reason why she ended up joining the Police Force too.
“That damn Eyebrows..” Levi muttered a curse under his breath while he cleaned the gunshot wound on Mikasa’s shoulders. “He could have sent you to the hospital or get you to Hanji.”
“We are on a secret mission...” Mikasa deadpanned. “Hanji’s busy too.”
“Whoever took care of your wound did a bad job.” Levi commented. “Sloppy and messy, just like how a man would— Wait, did that Eren kid did this?”
“Before you start planning a murder scheme, Sasha did this.” Mikasa confirmed, she definitely did not want her crush to be killed by her own brother.
“Still a shitty job.”
Mikasa rolled her eyes and stood up from the couch after Levi's done with her wounds.
“I've had leftovers, eat something before you sleep.”
Mikasa raised an eyebrow at Levi’s statement then shifted her gaze to the food on the table. It's not much but she did notice that it's all her favourite food. A small smirk formed on her lips but it was gone right after.
“If they taste weird, I'm going to kick you.”
Levi clicked his tongue in response as he went to the kitchen to get the utensils for Mikasa. After all, she hadn't been home for a while because of Erwin’s secret mission.
Guess, it's alright to be a good brother once in a while.
It was more than a year later when Levi made the decision to go back to the force after Erwin’s very powerful persuasion to take over his post. Despite not showing it on her face, Mikasa was secretly happy with her brother’s decision. However, that thought was dropped almost immediately when he also said that he would be her superior.
“What?”
“I said, I’m going back to take over Erwin’s position.”
“You’re lying.”
“Does my face look like I’m lying?”
“Yes.”
Levi kept silent and only kept his gaze on Mikasa.
“So, you’re really going to be our captain?” Mikasa asked carefully, hoping to get another answer from her brother. However, the nod from Levi told her that she’s not getting it.
“I thought you wanted me to go back to the frontline?”
“I did!” Mikasa crossed her legs on her bed after she threw her pillow at Levi, who avoided it skilfully. “But I don’t want you to be my superior. Seeing your face at home is enough and I have to see it at work too?”
“Unfortunately, for me.” Levi deadpanned and continued. “If you throw another pillow right at me, I’m going to throw you on the floor.”
Mikasa ignored his words and threw her other pillow towards her brother’s face. This time, it hit Levi right in his face.
“If you make things hard for Eren, I will fucking kill you.”
“Is that really what you’re worried about?”
“Shut up.” Mikasa sighed in defeat. “Anyway, if you get yourself hurt in our team, I’m not going to tend to your wounds. Doctor Zoe will— Does she know?”
“Erwin told her.”
“Talk to her.” Mikasa’s tone from earlier softened suddenly, but it was only for a brief moment. “Or I will kick you.”
“Have you guys always been this reckless?” Levi asked during dinner that night after his first day of work. “Is your body okay?”
“Why would you care?” Mikasa mumbled, picking out her vegetables from the food.
“I don’t like injuries on my team.” Levi found an excuse and put the vegetables Mikasa had picked out back onto her plate. “Eat your veggies.”
“No.”
“Do it or I will shove them down your throat.” Levi threatened even though he knew that it wouldn’t work. So, he changed his words. “Or maybe I should stop making dinner since you didn’t like my food.”
That made Mikasa paused in her movement which she then put the vegetables she picked out back onto her plate. She might not say it but Levi’s cooking was one of her favourites. It had always been nice to go back to her brother’s cooking after an investigation or a long day.
However, obviously she wouldn’t admit that loud. Her actions were enough for Levi to understand her.
Levi who just came out from the shower stopped in his tracks when he saw his sister in his room. Mikasa then dropped a card on his desk and despite him holding back the urge to do it, he still rolled his eyes.
“This is payment for making us go through the mountain of trash the other day.”
“How much did you spend?”
“We didn’t go anywhere expensive. I wanted to but since they knew it’s your card, they didn’t dare to spend a lot.”
Levi raised an eyebrow when Mikasa avoided eye contact with him. She told them on purpose.
“Did you brats have fun then?”
“I guess.” Mikasa shrugged and turned to head out from his room. But Levi’s words stopped her for a while.
“Erwin suggested that I sign up for another card…” Levi cleared his throat. “Since I’m employed again, what do you think?”
Mikasa hid the growing smile on her face by not turning back to face her brother.
“It’s up to you.”