Disclaimer: I don't own Shingeki no Kyojin, nor any of the characters from it. (Ha, nor is a kinda funny word.)
Silence.
Levi glared at the boy seated across the couch from him and Eren shifted awkwardly, his eyes downcast.
More silence…
Finally, Levi cleared his throat, a scowl on his face.
"What're your intentions with my daughter?" he demanded. Yeah, that sounded good. Solid. Menacing. Nobody could tell that he got the line from watching late night romance movies with Petra, right?
"Um, just to take her to the dance, sir!" Eren said, trying to maintain eye contact but wiggling like a worm.
Levi's eyes narrowed and Eren's forehead beaded with sweat. "Just so you know… Mikasa can take care of herself perfectly fine. I'm sure you remember she's taken several martial arts classes?"
Levi picked up his cup of tea and sipped at it slowly, his eyes never leaving Eren's.
"Yes, sir, I was in them with her."
"And she always outranked you. So don't try anything."
Eren's face flushed slightly and, inwardly, Levi smirked. Yeah, he put the little brat in his place. He won't be messing with Mikasa, not anymore-
"Don't be too hard on Eren, okay? We've known him for years; he's perfectly nice to Mikasa. And she really likes him. So don't mess up Homecoming for her, please." Petra's voice interrupted Levi's thoughts and he frowned.
He wasn't being too hard on Eren, right? Just intimidating him, putting him in his place so he won't screw up.
But Petra thought differently than him; she'd think he was being too harsh.
Whatever, Levi thought. She won't know, right?
But, then again, Petra always seemed to know these things somehow.
Eren, apparently taking the silence for disapproval, piped up. "I promise to respect your daughter and treat her the best I can, sir!" he vowed, his voice a little shaky.
"Yeah, yeah." Levi sighed in defeat, imagining Petra's narrowed eyes and irritation. "Whatever. You're an okay kid. I trust you." His frown deepened from having to say the dreaded words and his glare intensified.
Eren, surprised and a little confused by Levi's sudden change, blinked stupidly, which made Levi feel even worse about him taking his precious daughter anywhere.
"Look, brat, that doesn't mean I like this, so you'd better watch yourself."
Eren paused before nodding furiously. "Yes, sir!"
"There are some things we need to set straight right now-"
"Levi? What're you and Eren talking about?" Petra asked, walking into the room with suspicion clearly written all across her face. Eren visibly relaxed, more comfortable knowing she'd back him up. Meanwhile, Levi froze, his eyes widening slightly as he realized that she had quite possibly figured out what he was doing.
"Nothing," he said sharply, fighting to keep his impassive mask on, but Petra didn't seem impressed.
Seemingly able to sense a way to score brownie points with Levi, Eren piped up. "It really was nothing, Mrs. Ackerman! Just talking about the dance."
Petra smiled, suspicion mostly gone. "How many times have I told you to call me Petra, Eren? Well, I'm sorry to keep you waiting, but Mikasa keeps thinking she's not ready yet."
"It's fine, Ms. Petra," said Eren, a blush rising awkwardly to his face. "I don't think she needs to dress up all that fancily, though."
Petra smiled and shook her head. "Men," she sighed, turning and walking back through the doorway.
Levi nodded at Eren in approval at his save, inwardly sighing with relief that Petra wasn't mad. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let the brat take Mikasa to the dance. After all, it was just a one-time thing, wasn't it?
...
...
... It wasn't.
At his daughter's wedding, Levi glared angrily at the groom.
But Eren was too busy smiling and trying to look impressive instead of anxious to notice his future father-in-law trying to kill him with the sheer force of his gaze.
Levi tightened his arm, linked with Mikasa's, his lips set in a thin line. She was all grown up, an adult now. No longer his little girl.
His gray eyes shifted to see his wife, her face calm but tears running down her cheeks to the wavering, loving smile on her lips. Suddenly, he was overcome with emotions, with memories.
The end of the aisle was approaching. Levi stopped, slowly letting go of his daughter and feeling a clench in his heart.
She turned to look at him with her eyes the same shade as his and the same shape as Petra's and he pressed his lips together, taking in the moment.
Her face was stoic, just like his own, but emotions swirled in her eyes. They locked gazes for a second and she smiled softly. "I love you," she whispered, surprisingly sentimental considering it was her, his reserved daughter who took after him so much. But he understood so well.
His mask broke, too. "I love you, too," he mumbled, before finally releasing her forever.
And as he regarded her with Eren at the altar, he realized with stunning clarity that there wasn't anybody else he would rather have up there with his daughter.
But that didn't mean he regretted any moment of his intimidation of poor Eren.