Chapter Text
It was just before dawn— a blend of corals, violets, and baby blues painted the sky, creating a stunning twilight landscape that stretched from horizon to horizon. The soft light filtered through the forest. Everyone was asleep, everyone except for them. Y/N and Levi were the only ones awake at this ungodly hour of four A.M. While Levi was typically awake at this time due to being an early bird, Y/N usually remained sound asleep, just like the rest of the Survey Corps. The expedition was set to depart in a few hours, and every soldier knew that casualties were highly likely. Nobody said anything, but the atmosphere was tense— that was what kept Y/N awake.
They lay on the top bunk, their eyes wide open and fixed on the ceiling above. After a moment, they let out a long, quiet sigh. Slowly, they sat up and moved their legs to dangle over the cool metal railing. Placing their feet on the ladder, they carefully climbed down, trying not to make a sound that would wake their comrades.
As they sneaked out of the dorms and into the hallway, they had no idea where they were headed. Their footsteps were light, more like bunny hops than a ballerina's tiptoe. They decided to head to the mess hall, knowing that everyone felt tired after a big meal and that they could enjoy a good breakfast without racing against the others for food. Plus, a nice cup of green tea could help soothe their nerves.
As they pushed open the tall, heavy wooden doors, they expected the room to be empty. However, a figure stood near the windows, gazing out at the sunrise. It was a member of the Survey Corps, already dressed in uniform. Y/N couldn'trecognize them yet and instinctively pulled back when the figure moved to sit down at a nearby table. Y/N gulped, fearing that this might be a higher-up and that they would get reprimanded for being up early. Suddenly, the figure turned its head toward the door behind which Y/N was hiding.
"Who is it?" It was Levi, their captain. Y/N decided they had to face the music. They stood up, exposing themselves.
"It's... just me." Y/N braced for the reprimand they expected would follow, but surprisingly, none came. Y/N was a new soldier who had just joined Levi's squad, and things were still quite awkward between the two. It wasn't awkward in the sense of being exes or enemies; rather, they were two people forced to be in proximity without knowing much about each other beyond the obvious.
For instance, Levi had noticed certain totally obvious things about Y/N. He observed how their hair bounced as their horse jostled them up and down during expeditions, and he noticed the sparkle in their eyes when they laughed with friends. Most of all, Levi noticed the playful banter that occurred between Y/N, Sasha, and Connie. He wouldn’t call it spying or eavesdropping, but rather a clever way to gather information without having to ask directly.
"Here for tea?" Y/N was silent, said nothing, but gave a small nod in response. Levi set down his own cup and slowly pushed the teapot toward them. Y/N swung their feet over the bench and rested their elbows on the table, taking the pot from Levi as their fingers brushed against each other. Levi didn’t flinch, but Y/N quickly pulled back. "Why are you up so early?" he asked between sips.
"I couldn't sleep." They bit their lip, peeling the dead skin off, and averted their gaze from Levi. This whole situation would be a lot less awkward if Y/N hadn't said "smash" to him while playing Smash or Pass with Connie and Sasha the evening before. "The sky's pretty tonight."
"Are you going to pour your tea, or do you expect me to do that, too?" Y/N's eyes darted toward the captain; they hadn'teven noticed that they hadn’t poured a cup.
"Oh!" Y/N giggled, embarrassed, a blush filling their cheeks as they poured the tea into their cup. "So... how's the weather going to be today?" Levi turned his attention from the view outside to the one inside; he stayed silent, giving Y/N his signature glare. The amazing aroma that rose from the cup just under their nose filled their senses, and did actually calmtheir nerves. "During the expedition, I mean," Y/N explained.
"I know what you mean; I just don't care to answer it." He turned his eyes back to the clouds. "Tell me, Y/N, what do you really want to say?" His stance was casual— for Levi— but his face said otherwise; his jaw was locked tight. As the morning light filled the room, Y/N noticed the captain's features up close: his dark hair that shone in the faint rays of sunrise, his pale skin that glowed from years spent away from the sun in the underground, and his muscular figure that was a result of years of training.
"I'm sorry, I... don't know what you mean, Captain." Levi blinked, long and hard, clearly annoyed at the lack of an answer to Y/N's nine-word sentence. Y/N analyzed the situation, trying to find whatever they had done wrong, when they realized, "Hey... Captain?" Y/N tilted their head, brows furrowed, and squinted as they noticed an inconsistency.
"What?" Levi barely turned his head more than forty-five degrees and annoyedly annunciated the 't' at the end of his "what." The morning doves outside faintly fill the silence with their beautiful, yet nostalgic calls and wing-flapping.
"Why did you already have two cups of tea out if you were here alone?" Levi gulped, his brows pulling together slowly as his head turned down slightly, and his fists clenched tightly. Y/N blushed at the implication of their question, lips parting slightly. "Were you... expecting me?"
"Tch. Pass." Y/N's eyebrows furrowed, and a confused look came upon their face. Levi took notice of this and corrected himself. "Or is that not how the game works?"