*****

When Hanji, Erwin, and Petra left, it's already past seven in the evening. Groaning, I laid down on the couch, my mind finally soaking in the silence it got when Shitty Glasses left. I closed my eyes and cleared my mind, ready to relax when someone decided to poke my fucking cheek like the shitty brat he is.

"Rein, give me a break, will you?"

Ignoring my demand, he continued to poke my cheek. Letting out an exasperated sigh, I grabbed his finger and opened my eyes to glare at him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, huh?"

"I don't want you to sleep on your couch, you'll hurt your back."

I groaned again and shifted myself to lay on my stomach, burying my face in a cushion. I heard him sigh and felt him stood up but I didn't heard any footsteps. Then suddenly, I felt myself being lifted off of the couch by a pair of strong arms. I let out a surprised grunt before looking at the brat who has a cheeky grin on his face. This bastard.

"What the fucking hell are you doing?"

"I told you, I don't want you to sleep on your couch."

"Fucking put me down this instant."

"No."

I started to squirm my way out of his grasp but he just tighten his grip more. Where the hell did he get all of those strength? He took me to my room and tossed me to my bed and I landed with an oof, earning him a glare from me.

"What?"

"Get down here."

With a suspicious look on his face, he leaned down and I used the opportunity to grab his ear. Twisting it, he let out a yelp and jumped back, one hand cupping the ear I hurt.

"What was that for?"

"For ignoring what I fucking said. You should've put me down, you brat."

"Sorry."

I rolled my eyes and laid on my bed, once again burying my face in the pillows. I felt a blanket covered my tired body and I snuggled into it immediately. Dealing with Shitty Glasses for hours drained the fucking life out of me. Before sleep took over me completely, I felt Rein ran his hands through my hair.

"Good night, Levi."

And I let the darkness take over me.

I woke up two hours after. Looking around, I saw no evidence of other's presence inside my room. I stretched my muscles—I don't know what's with it but it feels good—before I stood up, walking to the door rather groggily. I haven't been having a good amount of sleep for the past few months so I'm surprised that I was able to fall asleep earlier.

Arriving in the kitchen to grab some water, I saw Rein sitting on a stool by the black and white counter top, a bitten apple in hand while the other is busy scrolling down on his phone. Noticing my presence, he looked up from his phone and smiled.

"Hey, Levi. How's your sleep?"

"Good." I took a glass with a yawn. "I haven't had enough sleep for the past months so being able to take some sleep surprised me."

"You shouldn't miss hours of sleep. It's not good for you."

Amused, I rolled my eyes and shook my head, proceeding to quench my thirst. Once I'm finished, I looked at him again and saw a worried look on his face. His eyebrows are furrowed, lips pursed into a thin line and I waved my hand in a dismissive manner. "Don't fret yourself there, brat. It's not like I can fucking do anything about it."

I leaned on the wall a few feet away from him, a glass full of water in hand. He's scrutinizing me, I can feel his gaze leaving trails in its wake on my skin. I started to get self-conscious—I never get conscious about my fucking self—and I cannot help myself to stop what he's doing.

"Stop watching me like a damn hawk, Rein."

"Are you taking pills to help you sleep?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes, walking over to the sink to clean my glass. "I do sometimes, but I don't want to rely on pills too much."

Placing the glass on the dryer, I sauntered towards him and sat on the stool beside him. He used the lack of space between us to his advantage and held my face in between two hands, his eyebrows still furrowed.

"Look at the dark circles beneath your eyes, Levi."

"Tch, you don't need to tell me that. I am painfully aware."

Removing his hands from my face, I lifted my hand to his face, flattening out the crease in between his eyebrows. "Stop frowning and worrying, Rein. I'm okay."

"But—"

Shooting him a pointed look, he pursed his lips to keep himself from talking. We stayed silent for quite sometime until Rein broke it.

"Hey, Levi. Do you have anything we can use to entertain ourselves?"

"I have some video games—"

"Do you have TEKKEN?"

"I have the latest one. Are you planning to lose?" Cocking my head to the side, I gave him a smirk, watching how his eyes lighten up because of my challenge. He also smirked back, and I can't help but feel the air rush out of my lungs as I stared at those lips which is now sporting a sexy-looking smirk. This should be fucking illegal.

"Oooh, are you challenging me, Ackerman?"

"Why? Does it sound like anything other than that, Yeager?"

"I'm so gonna kick your ass."

"You got it the other way around. I'm going to kick your ass."

I slowly stood up and he did the same, watching every move the other made before we started running to the living room. Being the tall bastard he is, he outrun me.

"Midget."

I felt my eye twitched with what he said. "What did you just fucking call me?"

He shrugged as he sat on the floor in front of the TV and waited for me to finish preparing the game. I tossed him the controller and he caught it before I took the other and sat beside him.

"Ready to be beaten?"

I scoffed and rolled my eyes before giving him a serious look. "I'm going to make you eat dust."

Returning our attention to the TV, we picked our characters and choose the place where we'll fight, my nerves jittery with anticipation. I took a sidelong glance at Rein who's sitting beside me, a look of determination and excitement never leaving his face.

The fight started, and I can say that this brat is doing a great job. I'm having a bit of difficulty beating him, one that I never experienced before. I directed all of my attention to the game and focused on winning, my thumb pressing different buttons to execute different moves.

With one last kick, my character defeated his, the screen showing 'K.O.' as I kept my face impassive despite the feeling of triumph inside me. Looking at him, I saw how his face contorted into one of disbelief, slowly morphing into one of determination as he looked straight at me.

"I underestimated you—"

"You made the wrong choice—"

"But I won't let you win this time."

My eyebrow automatically raised in his response. The determined look on his face didn't fade, and I let my impassive mask crumble to be replaced by an amused one. This guy really is something.

"I'll look forward to it then."

He smirked and looked back to the screen, me doing the same thing. The match once again started, and I noticed how drastically his gameplay changed. We are both furiously pressing our controllers, up to the point where I thought that it will break because of the pressure. I didn't notice it but his character grabbed mine and I watched how my character got knocked out.

"Hah! I win!"

I looked at him and I saw him looking at me with a proud look on his face. I narrowed my eyes at him before muttering, "Oh, you're on."

We continued playing many rounds like that, and I saw how much he brought out the competitive side of me. My blood rushed in my veins because of adrenaline, making me feel each pulse as we fought. We both win and lose and it's already after our eighth round when he raised his hand.

"What?"

"I have an idea."

I let a frown took over my features as confusion with a mix of excitement bubbled inside me. "I have a feeling that it's not a good one."

"It is a good one. Just listen to me first."

I gave him a nod which spurred him to say what's in his mind. "Since we still have a tie, let's make the game more exciting."

"Go straight to the point, Rein."

"Okay, okay. So, whoever wins this next match can make the other do what he wants."

So it's like a dare? What's going on in his mind? Why would he even think of such consequence?

"Anything? If I tell you to run stark naked around the park, you'll do it?"

He cringed at my idea but nodded in the end. "Err, yeah, that is if you win. And if you win, you won't make me do that, right?"

I responded with a shrug, masking my excitement with an impassive look again. "Who knows?"

He looked at his side and muttered something under his breath before returning his gaze to me.

"Is it a deal?"

"Deal."

He nodded and we both returned our attention to the game. I wonder what I will make him do if ever I win. Should I make him do something embarrassingly or something that will bring me convenience?

Our match already started and I pushed the thought aside, my thoughts fixed on winning. The tension was thick in the air, my heart pumping hard as the last round began. Whoever won this part will be the victor, and I won't let him be that one.

Not even a minute had passed when we both have only a few amount of our life left. He made a move without precaution and I was caught off guard, making my character unable to do nothing as his character kicked mine and sent it flying.

"Fuck! Dammit!"

He let out a laugh, so loud that it resonate throughout the whole place and he looked at me with a smug look on his face. I scowled at the sight, wanting to erase that look on that pretty face of his.

"I won, Levi."

"Tch, I know. I'm not blind."

"So..." He tilted his head a bit to the side, staring at me looking like he's in a deep thought. Then he suddenly straighten up, his eyes wide in excitement as he looked straight at me.

"Wait here."

Without waiting for my response, he went off to the direction where the kitchen was, leaving me to question myself what's with his sudden excitement. I bet he's going to make me do some childish things.

My thought was confirmed when he went back, a box of Pocky in hand. He lifted it and waved it, looking at me with a smirk. I sent him a sharp look.

"What are you going to do with that?"

"I'm going to eat it."

"And what? I'm going to watch you fucking eat that thing?"

"Oh, let me correct myself. We are going to eat it."

Sitting down on the couch, he patted the space beside him and I stood up, albeit reluctantly. I have doubts about what he is planning but since he won, I can't make any excuses to save myself from him.

I sat beside him and he opened the box, tearing the plastic that holding the sticks inside. He offered me and I took one, trapping it between my lips and started to nibble.

He also took one and held it in between his thumb and index finger, also nibbling it. I took it out of my mouth and held it before calling him.

"Oi, Rein."

He looked at me in a questioning way, humming as he did so. "Is this what you wanted me to do? To eat Pocky with you?"

I finished his stick off with large bites before answering me. "No, but I want to do it later." His answer was followed by a smirk, and I need to swallow the lump that formed in my throat at the sight. I have a feeling that I won't like what will happen.

I just averted my gaze away from him, finishing the stick before reaching out for another one.

"When did you bought this? As I can recall, I don't have any Pockys in here."

"Ah, I bought it at the nearest convenience store earlier when you fell asleep."

Nodding as a response, we let silence took over us. I don't know how long we stayed like that, eating Pockys while soaking in the comfortable blanket of silence, but I can't deny the happiness that's warming my chest and spreading throughout me when I took the time to think that I'm spending my time alone with him, one of the persons that I fucking miss the most.

I'm reaching for another Pocky when I felt his hand wrapped around my wrist, making me look at him. I studied him for a moment to look for any hints of what he's thinking but I got nothing. Instead, he made another unexpected move, placing his hand on my waist and pulling me closer to him. I shivered when his large hand settled on my waist, my skin still able to feel his warmth despite the thin cloth that's separating my skin to his. My heart started to pound in my chest, annoying butterflies rumbled around inside my stomach as I stared straight into his eyes.

"What are you doing, Rein?"

"This is my prize, I'm going to do it."

He leaned back to get one stick and pressed it to my lips, making me open my mouth and take it between it. Heat started to rush to my cheeks and ears when he leaned forward, trapping the other side between his before he started nibbling.

I didn't make any move and just stared at him with wide eyes, taken aback by the lack of distance between our faces. I moved my gaze away from his eyes down to his lips, that enticing lips of his.

I wonder what it taste and feels like.

Closing my eyes, I quickly willed the thought away, my face getting hotter and hotter. Fucking dammit, Levi, get a grip of yourself, will you? I opened my eyes and was met by Rein's stare, his gaze holding meaning behind it.

Eat it. That's what it's telling me. That's what he wanted me to do.

Wanting this to get fucking over and done with, I started nibbling my side, a smile gracing Rein's lips as he continued eating his side. I looked down to avoid his gaze, fully aware of the hand that's resting on my waist.

My heart started picking up its pace as the distance between us started to get closer and closer. I'm fucking sure that my panic is being reflected by the look I have on my face by the way he chuckled. I was planning to pull away but his hand was faster, locking my face in front of him.

Go on, Levi. Kiss him.

Shut the fuck up, mind. You're not helping.

He stared straight into me, his eyes have a questioning look in it. My mind instantly went blank, stripping me off of any ability to make a response.

I can feel his hot breath grazing over my lips and the butterflies in my stomach erupted. I just stared at his eyes before I slowly closed mine, just waiting for our lips to connect, feeling his hands travelled down to my waist. I can feel it, his lips just being less than an inch away from mine—

Until my damn phone decided to fuck this thing up by suddenly ringing. My eyes shot open and I saw Rein's eyes are also wide, not expecting that fucking phone to interrupt the moment. He quickly leaned back, his face flushed as he keep his gaze on the floor. I took my phone out of my pocket and unlocked it, just to see Shitty Glasses' name on the fucking screen.

Shitty Glasses: Hey, Levi. I just want to tell you that I have your notes and thank you for letting us interrupt your time with Rein.

P.S. Take it slow, you wouldn't want to let us see you limping. ;)

Dammit, Hanji! It's decided. I'm going to fucking kill them.

Once again, our moment was fucking ruined.

*****

Author's Note

Sorry for the kind of late update. I hope that this chapter male up for it.

Another almost kissed moment. I wonder when it will finally happen without interruption. 😂

I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for more than 200 reads 😊

'Til next time then!