100 Prompts: Words

Levi/Mikasa sibling relationship
Slight Rivetra

A/N: So it turns out I am soft for Levi treating Mikasa like a younger sibling. Unfortunately he is also pretty emotionally constipated.

It's not his fault Levi is just not the best at social situations, especially when it came to women.

Apparently, it was just in the nature of men to throw words around and to be terrible at expressing their true feelings. Furthermore, Levi was especially terrible with these things, seeing as he grew up using his fists instead of his words.

Fortunately, the women in his life were already professionals at dealing with his incapability to speak to the opposite gender properly, and therefore have adapted.

.

"Levi!" he perked up at the sound of her voice. Hanji bounced into the room happily, while he was cleaning his gear.

'Hey. How are you doing? Any new leads on scout missions?'

"Shitty glasses," he nods instead.

"You're in a good mood today," she sang and ruffled his hair.

"I need a new blade," he tried to swat her hand away, but she retracted it before he could.

Hanji pretended to pout, inviting herself into his personal bubble. "Pleeeease," she corrected, inches from his face, and moved back just in time before he could flick her in the nose. She laughed, and playfully held out the blade that he was asking for.

When he reached for it, she pulled it back and made a sound that resembled a snicker. Much to her surprise, Levi then just grabbed it from her by the sharp end.

Hanji gasped obnoxiously, "you're crazy!"

"You're fucking crazy," he sat back down and resumed his work.

"Thank you, Hanjiiii," she mocked. He rolled his eyes; he had every intention of thanking her himself until she pulled this nonsense and started giggling at her own jokes like they were funny.

"Fuck off," he said instead, and she walked away laughing.

"You're welcome!"

.

Even back then with Petra, he seemed to be just as socially inept.

"Good morning, Heichou!" she came bouncing into his office, the same way she did every morning, "here's your tea: two creams, two sugars."

He watched her set the cup down gently, fighting a smile as he thought about how much care she put into anything related to him. His eyes traveled to her face and she smiled up at him, waiting for a response.

'Thank you Petra, you know exactly how I like my tea. To speak my truth, I appreciate the gesture every morning.'

Instead-

"It's cold."

Petra faltered. "U-uh, it's been off the stove for awhile, sir, I can go reheat it for you-"

'No, it's perfect, I'm sorry.'

"Don't bother, it's fine." Panic overcame the man as he realized what nonsense came out of his mouth instead.

Petra felt the heat spread across her face, and she was sure it wasn't because of the steam the cup was emitting. The color of her cheeks matched her hair as embarrassment clawed at her stomach.

"Well then," she straightened up, making her way to the door, "I'll see you at the meeting?"

'No, don't go, come sit here and keep me company until then.'

"Don't be late." He says instead.

Petra sighed and tried not to laugh at how ridiculous he was being. It wasn't easy reading the corporal, but in her experience, that usually meant they should just go to the meeting together.

"I know that face," she felt him relax as she pulled up a chair beside him. "I'll stay here then."

He was quiet for a minute, but very much thankful that she was able to see right through him. "Thank you," he murmured after a moment and picked up his cup.

Petra smiled, attempting to hide her increasingly red cheeks from him. No matter how emotionally constipated this man was, something about him still enticed her. Perhaps it was the way that he meant well, despite being very awkward with his words. Levi watched her read a book in silence from the corner of his eye.

Maybe he should learn how to communicate properly, he mused.

.

After finding out that they both reigned from the same clan, Mikasa set a goal to open up more to her captain. Given their rocky start, she figured perhaps she should try to approach him first. She was even ready to let go of all the dumb Eren-related grudges she held against the older man. So, Mikasa figured, she should start by being nicer and more respectful towards the corporal.

"Good morning, Heichou," she nodded to him one morning. She was carrying a box of gas tanks with Eren trailing close behind.

If he was going to be completely honest with himself, Levi was just as affected by the news as she was. Though they both hadn't been showing any indication at all, he actually found himself growing fond of her. Aside from always choosing the young Ackerman as his right hand man due to her strength, Levi found himself wanting to get to know her more. She felt like a little sister, almost, and it reminded him very much of Isabel.

He looked up and made eye contact, and the softness in his eyes gave her hope, like maybe he would reciprocate the effort.

Alas, Levi was terrible at these things.

"Shitty brat," he responds out of force of habit. When her smile faded ever so slightly, he began the internal self-destruction.

For once, he wondered, why couldn't something nice come out of his mouth, like, 'Good morning, Mikasa, did you sleep well? We should train later. Also I love you.'?

Hanji and Petra, the only women who were important enough to him had become accustomed to the shitty way he articulates his thoughts and expresses affection. Furthermore, they had grown to love the caring yet emotionally constipated man he is. But this one was new, and he couldn't-no, he shouldn't be talking to her this way just yet.

Nevertheless, Mikasa picks herself up and continues to walk away, and Levi watches as her posture faltered a little on her way out.

Eren remained in his spot, watching Levi become transparent with his feelings. When his best friend was somewhat out of earshot, he looked at his captain, fully knowing he will probably get his ass beat later today for it and says, "You should really learn to talk to girls, heichou."