Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Come on, Armin!”

“I already told you, no!”

“Aren’t you at least a little bit curious?”

“No! Also I’m not trying to die! ”

“Oh come on, you really think Levi would kill you for hugging him?”

“...”

“Connie, please use your brain for once.”

“Shut up, Jean!”

The new Levi Squad had just returned from their most recent expedition of rescuing Eren, and now they had some down time before Hanji would be arriving for some top-secret experiments for Eren to partake in.

So here they were, having lunch together, trying to egg Armin on to go find Levi and hug him. 

Yes, hug him.

It seemed out of the blue, but when there’s a handful of trauma-induced teenagers who do nothing but reflect in their free time, there’s going to end up being chatter about the most random topics.

It started with Connie mentioning how Levi had mellowed out after they came back from their mission to rescue Eren.

It made sense that he was quiet, considering he wasn’t currently on the battlefield due to his once-injured ankle. Sasha piped in, mentioning how even now that he’s nearly fully recovered, he doesn’t say as much as he used to, not making as many snarky remarks as he once would.

Mikasa proposed that Levi just had a lot on his mind, that maybe he was still mourning his old special operations squad, (Mikasa immediately apologized for mentioning it when she saw the way Eren curled in on himself, still clearly blaming their deaths on his own decisions).

Even so, everyone thought it made even more sense. Levi may have a cold exterior, but there’s no way, in their eyes, that he didn’t get emotional over his fallen comrades.

Armin was convinced there had to be more to it, he wasn’t quite sure what, and didn’t voice his opinion when he had no evidence to back it up. Levi wasn’t one to be sad for so long over death.

So what could it have been…?

Well… that’s what brought them to their current situation.

Armin had just finished his dinner, and his heart was racing, because holy shit I’m actually going through with this . They had finished cleaning up dinner, and now they were all waiting in the dining room. Mikasa made sure to stress to him that he didn’t have to go through with anything, but he felt like he had to, according to everyone else- even Eren convinced him to go through with it.

So here Armin was, pacing by the window, freshly showered, waiting for Levi to come back to the cabin. The sun was setting, and Hanji and Moblit had already come back. Hanji said Levi was making one more round. Everyone else was beginning to get tired.

But then, there was a silhouette in the distance, appearing from the trees. With a closer look, Armin could see it was the captain. The way Levi clearly avoided putting weight on his left ankle, causing his walking to be a little uneven, gave that away.

Right, Armin remembered. His leg still needed to recover.

Armin felt his stomach twist as he remembered his fate, while everyone else jumped up from their seats with excitement.

Before Armin could even catch his breath, he was being shoved to the door by Connie, trying to stop himself by planting his feet in front of him. Too bad Armin was physically less strong, because he ended up constantly tripping over himself when Connie wouldn’t relent.

“Hey! Wait!”

“Come on!” Sasha piped up with a snicker, following behind Armin and Connie. “You’ll need to do it outside so we can peep on you without seeming suspicious!”

“Huh?!” Armin froze as Jean opened the door for Connie to push Armin out. 

“T-that’s weird!”

“Maybe,” Historia grinned. “But think of it as an experiment to see if the captain likes hugs.”

Armin sighed, clearly defeated, before he was shoved outside, nearly falling over on the porch.

“Good luck!” A few of them whispered, before the door was being slammed shut behind him.

Armin swallowed, body stiffening as his head whipped around to look outside for the captain. It was harder to see either the sun set behind the trees, the sky fading into purples and blues.

“I thought you preferred morning showers, Arlert.”

Armin nearly jumped out of his own skin. He didn’t realize the captain was already right in front of him, stopping a few meters away from the porch he stood on. Armin laughed awkwardly, grasping a strand of damp hair between two fingers.

“Y-yeah…”

Levi just stood there, much like the boy before him. Armin, even in the dim light of the night sky, could see how tense Levi looked. His shoulders were stiff, practically to his ears, and his back was completely straightened, chin pointed up at Armin. He still had his civilian cloak on, pulling the hood down while Armin gazed at him.

The silence only grew between them, and Armin could begin to hear crickets. Levi began to walk forward.

“I hope you don’t plan on staying out here for long, but if you could move out of the doorway so I can clean up myself I would-”

“ Wait !” Armin shook his hands, stepping down off the porch and closer to Levi. Levi’s eyes squinted at the sudden flustered outburst, stepping back a few steps in confusion. Armin looked at him with horror.

“Ah! Forgive me, Captain!” Armin took a step back as well, hands retreating to his sides. “I-I didn’t mean to intrude on your personal space like that-”

“‘The hell are you so tense for?”

Armin’s mouth shut immediately. The captain didn’t look angry, but he began to rub his temple as he looked toward the dark cabin.

“Did you brats get into some sort of trouble and send you out to handle it?” Armin’s eyes widened, and he shook his head vigorously.

“No, nothing like that!” Levi didn’t seem to believe Armin, scanning his taller body with his cold, sunken eyes. Armin could see the bags under his captain’s eyes, the permanent frown he wore as well.

“Armin, what’s going on?”

Armin inhaled sharply as he wiped his sweaty hands on the sides of his pants.

Do I tell him? Armin pondered. There’s a good chance if he did say something first, Levi would deny him the chance for a hug, and everyone would be disappointed. However, there’s no guarantee he’ll elicit a good response by just wrapping his arms around Levi without warning.

“I…” Armin tried to come up with a lie, looking down at Levi as he took a small step forward. “We…”

Levi cocked a brow with impatience, hand moving to his hip. Oh no, Armin thought. He’s getting angry with me.

With shaking legs, Armin took another step forward, body moving without logic catching up to him. Levi said nothing.

Come on, Armin told himself with a nervous face. It’s just a hug.

“Armin…?” Levi tried again, a scowl forming at the end of his lips when he still got no response, just a shaking boy in front of him. Armin would rather die at this point.

Maybe the captain would kill him. That would put him out of his misery.

It’s just…

Armin walked up to the point where he was one foot away from the captain, and Levi subconsciously took a step back again to not need to crane his head upward. Armin looked down to Levi again- he looked so small up close. Malnutritioned. Tired, more than likely from always carrying so many burdens on his shoulders.

Armin sucked in a deep breath, extending his arms, getting over himself. Just as Levi was opening his lips, about to ask Armin to move away, Armin was sliding his arms under the captain’s, around the small of his back, pulling him in close enough so that he could place his head on Levi’s shoulder and hold the captain against himself.

It’s just…

a hug.

Levi froze, eyes widening.

The stance they were in made Levi’s heels pick up ever so slightly, hands going stiff at his sides, at a loss for what to do.

Armin’s heart was pounding furiously, and he was sure Levi could feel it where their chests touched. He was able to hide his trembling with his firm grip on Levi, placing his face close to Levi’s neck.

“...

…Armin…?”

Armin breathed in slowly, eyes closing while he embraced Levi. He could feel the captain’s ribs while he held his tense body so close.

“Yes Captain?”

“What are you doing?”

Armin opened his eyes slowly. The blonde boy had to make sure he chose his words carefully.

“I’m giving you a hug, Captain.”

Levi didn’t say anything right away, staring off into the sky while Armin held him with a surprisingly strong grip. He could feel Armin’s hair tickling the side of his face and neck. He had to admit, having the boy’s slender arms wrapped around him while he buried himself into Levi’s neck, smelling fresh and feeling warm against Levi… it was a comforting feeling.

Not that he would ever voice that.

“...Yes, I can see that, but why?”

Armin weakened his grip, but didn’t unwrap his arms quite yet.

“Because… I thought you might need one.”

Oh.

Levi sat there for a few more seconds. The more time that passed by, the more he could feel Armin tense. Soon, Levi began to feel the slender arms that enclosed him unwrap from his frame, the dainty fingers releasing his sides, as Armin began to pull away, unsure.

But Levi wasn’t about to let him go just yet.

Slowly, just as Armin nearly let go completely, he felt One of Levi’s arms snake around his shoulder, the other one following suit, both his sword-calloused hands pulling Armin back in tight.

Armin’s heart skipped a beat.

The Captain’s hugging me back.

The Captain himself is hugging me back…!

Taken over by the overwhelming emotions that coursed through his veins, Armin eagerly returned his grip around Levi’s torso, hands pressing flat on the captain’s back as he squeezed Levi.

Levi let out a grunt.

“S-sorry!” Armin spoke immediately, retracting his grip once again. Levi didn’t move, simply shaking his head. Levi closed his eyes, head laying onto Armin’s shoulder. Armin’s heart was about to explode.

“It’s fine.”

Armin could help his smile.

Slowly, Armin pulled Levi back in, almost giggling at the way he had to bend down, while Levi was clearly lifting himself off of his heels for the hug. Armin buried his nose back into Levi’s shoulder, taking in the grassy scent of his cloak that somehow still smelled clean.

The two of them stood there in silence for a moment. Levi relaxed more and more under Armin’s touch, almost entirely at peace in his arms. Meanwhile, Armin was trying to calm his thudding heart, genuinely surprised that Levi so willingly reciprocated his affection.

After another minute or so, Armin slowly loosened his grip from the captain. He tried to unwind his arms, lifting his head. Before he could, Levi was pulling him in tighter, causing Armin to nearly step on his captain’s feet.

Levi buried his face further into Armin’s shoulder.

“Not yet.”

Armin heart rate picked up again. Did Levi enjoy this more than Armin realized? He wouldn’t blame him, considering everyone that Levi’s know has ended up dying.

He felt bad for the captain. Maybe touch was his only escape.

So, Armin hummed softly, before letting his arms slide around Levi’s middle again, blushing as he felt Levi do something close to a nuzzle against his neck.

~~~

“Uh… What is going on?” Connie queried, hand holding the curtain open as they all huddled by the door. Sasha cocked her head.

“Beats me. I thought Armin would’ve been dead by now.”

“Yeah,” Jean replied, holding the curtain opposite to Connie open. “He seems to like it?”

“I don’t trust him,” Mikasa immediately responded, glaring at the way Levi’s hands gripped Armin’s shoulders firmly. They could see Armin beginning to rub the captain’s back.

“Aww,” Historia cooed with a giggle. “I don’t think it’s meant to be harmful at all.”

They continued to watch Armin and the captain in awe. Eren could feel his stomach stir. He always took the captain to be cold and reserved. Whenever he would do so much as walk toward Levi, he could feel the captain recoiling from him, tossing him a rag, or in some cases, his cravat, where there just so happened to be ‘dirt and grime covering him from head to toe’.

So why, Eren wondered, as he watched Armin and Levi slowly disband. The moment they let go of each other, Armin wore an awkward smile on his face while rubbing the back of his head. Levi turned to the window they were gathered at, and the group never disbanded quicker, shutting the curtains and panicking at the glare they just received.

Why, Eren marveled, as the door finally opened, and in walked a flustered Armin and a tired Levi (who, frankly, no longer seemed as moody after his moment with Armin). His new squad stood there awkwardly, Levi surveying each one of them, scanning their faces, before letting out a long sigh. Eren only caught his eyes once, seeing he was less annoyed and more… amused?

“We have a long day ahead of us,” Levi spoke, beginning to take off his cloak, Armin taking it from him to fold and put away.

“You kids should get some rest.”

“Yes sir!” They all responded, tense, aside from Mikasa, who simply nodded. Levi looked like there was something else he wanted to say to them, but let it be, walking into the kitchen to make some tea before he too went to sleep.

As they all walked to their own shared rooms, Eren still wondered why.

Why would he avoid me?

~~~

Chapter Text

The next morning after breakfast, when Levi had already gone outside to meet with Hange, everyone began to ask Armin what was said between them, and why he didn’t die.

“Well…” Armin laughed. “He seemed to enjoy it. He seemed more relaxed when it happened.”

“That’s impossible!” Eren piped up. “The captain has never hinted at liking people being that close to him!”

“Yeah,” Connie agreed, scratching the back of his head. “What did you say to make him so willing to hug you?”

Armin’s brow twitched, clearly confused. 

“I just… I was just being nice to him? I said I thought he could use a hug and he… seemed to agree.”

It didn’t quite make sense to the rest of them, how easily he made Levi hug him back. There was no way the captain would be so affectionate so willingly.

“Enough about that,” Jean chimed in, already bored of the conversation. “Why did ya have to tell him about the dare in the first place? That look he gave us wasn’t easy to miss.”

Armin froze at that, blood rushing to his face as Sasha, Jean and Connie began to berate him. While Historia attempted to stop the quarrel, Eren sat back quietly in his chair. 

It still didn’t make sense to him. Could it be possible that Levi favored Armin? There’s no way. Eren’s known him for longer, talked to him more. The captain didn’t hate Eren- there was no way. Surely he cared for Eren’s safety from day one, right? Surely he didn’t resent Eren for being the cause of his old squad’s death, did he?

…

Did he?

“Eren.”

Eren snapped his head up at the sound of Mikasa’s voice. She looked worried, and the rest of them were staring blankly, oblivious to his own concerns.

“Connie asked if you might know why the captain was so okay with it?”

Eren exhaled slowly.

“Beats me.” He let a hand rest in his head, eyes trailing back to the table. “I can’t really think of anything.”

Jean muttered something under his breath, something snarky that Eren was too careless to catch. 

Soon, they finished prodding at Armin, boring themselves out after not finding out why the captain behaved so strangely. A silent agreement was shared between the seven of them, to not speak a word of it towards Levi, and pretend like it never happened.

Of course, being the teenagers they were, tried way too hard to act normally.

~~~

A few days passed. It was rather quiet and uneventful where the Scouts were situated.  Not a word was spoken about Levi and Armin’s exchange. It wasn’t that they were scared to bring it up to Levi, but it was more about figuring out how they would even talk about it. 

Levi could tell it was on their minds; sometimes it was on his, too. He didn’t like to dwell on things, but that didn’t stop him from asking himself why these brats dared Armin to hug him, of all things?

It was a sweet gesture, sure, and Levi felt like he could even relax slightly while he was engulfed in Armin’s arms. Even so, Levi couldn’t seem to understand why they were (and are still) so embarrassed about it. The only thing that changed was the small smiles Armin would give in passing, in which Levi would simply nod back, unlike their formal salutes. The other cadets caught on shortly after, and would do the same, greeting their captain with grins and shy waves.

Other than his initial confusion on the shift in behavior, Levi let the subject be. There were bigger things to deal with.

~~~

Hange had gotten up at the crack of dawn, dragging Eren and Moblit along with them to immediately begin their slew of experiments. In the process of doing so, they woke up the rest of the sleeping squad. Simultaneous groans sounded throughout the cabin when Hange’s booming voice filled the atmosphere. Hange didn’t miss the way Levi scowled at them when he emerged from his room. Though they paid little mind to it, as Levi barely got any sleep already.

Wordlessly, everyone began to get dressed for the day. The sun had barely risen, only a small sliver of golden light illuminating the bedrooms and chilly breeze in the air. Jean, Eren, Armin and Connie shared a room, while Historia, Mikasa and Sasha shared another. Hange, Moblit and Levi all had their own rooms.

No one really spoke, still trying to wake up and become coherent after such an abrupt awakening. Aside from Hange’s eager shouting outside and poor Moblit trying to calm them down, it was relatively quiet in the cabin yet again.

One by one, everyone filed out of their rooms and into the kitchen. Levi was already lighting some candles, creating some temporary light while the sun began to rise.

“Eat quick this morning,” Was all Levi said, placing a lantern at the center of the kitchen table. The teenagers all gave a sleepy ‘yes sir’, trying to hold back their yawns and tired groans.

Once Levi saw each member of his squad emerge from their beds and into the kitchen, he made his way outside, out to meet with Moblit and Hange to plan for the day.

“I can steam some potatoes,” Jean yawned, his stomach growling as he walked over to the pantry. Sasha followed behind, along with Connie who made sure the girl didn’t end up eating all of the rations.

Mikasa leaned against the door of the girl’s room after shutting it, rubbing her eyes. She was already a light sleeper, so exhaustion in the mornings wasn’t new to her. Her waist was still sore, too; being grabbed not-so-gingerly by a titan had its repercussions.

The raven blinked a few times for her eyes to adjust to the candlelit kitchen. Eren had already gone outside, and by the sounds of it, Hange didn’t plan on allowing him the time to eat first.

While there was commotion in the kitchen, something about Sasha not letting Connie touch the potatoes while Jean and Armin tried to interfere, Historia had walked up to Mikasa.

“Are you alright?”

Mikasa looked down to her, blonde locks messily pulled back into a ponytail, hugging a cardigan tight around her frame. Mikasa didn’t blame her, it was cold outside today.

Nonetheless, Mikasa sighed through her nose, looking toward the door, where she heard the voices getting more and more distant.

“Eren didn’t get to eat breakfast.”

Historia also looked over to the door, letting out a small laugh.

“I’m not surprised, given it’s Hange he has to deal with.”

Mikasa only frowned more. Historia didn’t know what she should say.

“Maybe the captain will mention something to Hange?” Armin suggested, stepping away from whatever the hell Connie, Jean and Sasha were bickering about now.

As if on cue, there were mumbles behind the door, before it opened yet again. Everyone stopped in place, watching as a half asleep Eren trudged in, Levi right behind him.

“He’s still a kid. He’s not going to perform well for your tests if he doesn’t eat.”

Hange groaned, mumbling something under their breath, but ultimately agreeing with Levi when Moblit sided with the captain as well.

Mikasa immediately rushed to Eren’s side, bringing him over to the table so he could sit down while she brought a glass of water to him. The Jean, Connie and Sasha trio didn’t move, despite the potatoes that rolled onto the floor and the noise they were just creating.

Levi, still in the doorway, curled his lip at the mess.

“Mind telling me what all this is about?”

It was silent for a moment, aside from Mikasa talking to Eren and ensuring that he drank at least a full glass of water. Jean was the first to speak.

“Um… we… we’re low on food. We only have a few potatoes and some bread.”

Levi let out one of his infamous ‘tch’s, eyeing the food on the floor.

“Well we’re not going to have anything to eat if you fight over it.”

Sasha and Connie flinched. Both soldiers scrambled to pick up the potatoes that spilled. Jean reluctantly followed suit with an elongated yawn.

“Well that’ll be a problem later,” Hange sighed, stepping into the cabin with Moblit. “Nifa and the rest of my squad hasn’t come back with a report yet… I wonder if something’s up. I can send Moblit down to Trost undercover to retrieve supplies if necessary.”

Moblit even lit up at that, because that would mean he didn’t have to deal with Hange’s persistence for a few hours. His hope immediately washed away when Levi shook his head.

“It’s not worth the risk to go out in public right now. The scouts are on thin ice with the government, and could demand for Eren to be turned in at any moment. Not to mention, with Historia’s name getting out, there may be a demand for her from the monarch as well.” 

There was a silent agreement between all the scouts.

(That didn’t stop all their stomachs from growling, wanting some, if any sustenance.)

“So? What should we do?” Mikasa asked. Her eyes never left Eren, who had finally picked the glass off the table to drink.

Levi thought for a moment. Hange was right, he will admit: they were going to need to leave the area if they were hoping to gather more rations. 

Unless…

“Sasha.”

Sasha looked up from where she was currently situated on the ground. She had a few potatoes in her arms, one in her mouth. Levi held back a heavy sigh.

Then, after a long pause, Levi began to walk to the room he was staying in grabbing a cloak on the way.

“You hunt, right?”

The girl’s eyes lit up almost immediately, stumbling to her feet with her arms and face stuffed full of potatoes. She nodded her head vigorously.

“Mhmm!”

Levi gave a curt nod back, before going to grab what everyone assumed would be hunting materials.

“We’ll survey the forest for now. I’ll be counting on you to help out.”

Sasha wasted no time in dropping all the potatoes onto the kitchen table (including the one in her mouth). She ignored the scoff of disgust Connie let out while he picked up the rest of the food on the ground.

“Yes sir!” Sasha responded, before rushing to her own room to grab her own bow.

Levi attached a holster to his pants, grabbing a knife and sliding it in, grabbing a rifle as well. As he left the room, he squinted his eyes when the peak of the sun poked its way through the window and straight into his eyes.

Jean and Connie had begun to get ready in the kitchen once again, Jean washing the potatoes while Connie pulled out some plates. Historia doused some of the candles as the sunlight made its way into the cabin. Armin and Mikasa sat at Eren’s sides, engaging in conversation the best they could with an exhausted Eren.

“Jean.” Jean paused his washing and looked to his captain.

“Make sure Eren eats well. I know there’s not much right now, but we need to make sure him of all people get enough food in his system before Hange proceeds to torture him.”

“Rude much?” Hange responded with a laugh. Levi ignored them.

“Mikasa,” Levi continued, glancing over to Sasha when she stumbled out of her room, hopping on one foot as she tried to slide her boot on the other. Her bow and arrows were clearly shoved into her bag in a haste where it was slung over her shoulder.

“Yes?”

“Make sure Eren doesn’t overwork himself. If he passes out on us it’ll only delay things.”

Mikasa mumbled a ‘yes sir’, and Levi would’ve scolded her half-assed tone if Sasha wasn’t practically bouncing off the walls, eager to head out.

“Let’s go. Be careful, Hange. Moblit.” Levi received salutes from the two. Then, Levi finally set off towards the woods, Sasha following close behind.

~~~

About fifteen minutes into their stroll, the sun was completely up. Sasha was wide awake (to Levi’s surprise; her mood completely shifted when Levi mentioned hunting).

The two followed down a path made by those who previously lived in the area, before they were forced to leave and move in towards Wall Rose. So far, they hadn’t found much wildlife. Aside from a few skittish birds and obnoxious crickets, it was practically barren.

Sasha didn’t know how to start a conversation with the captain. He hadn’t said a word since they went off on the trail. She knew the captain wasn’t one for small talk, but she didn’t know he would be this stoic.

“U-um… Captain…?”

A pause. Leaves beneath their feet crunched as they walked along.

“Yes?”

Sasha subconsciously gripped onto her bag.

“How... did you know I can hunt?”

There was more silence. Levi looked around up ahead, before finally answering a tense Sasha.

“Connie talked about it on our trip here. Not to mention, you lived in a similar place to these woods, haven’t you?”

Sasha looked around the forest. It was quieter than the one back where she was from. Yet at the same time, it almost made her feel at home, with the quiet atmosphere and nothing but nature as her surroundings.

“Yeah…” She smiled. Levi’s eyes softened.

They settled into a more comfortable silence after that, simply waiting to potentially run across some game. Sasha noticed the limp in Levi’s step; while he was good at hiding it, she didn’t miss the way his body would stiffen as he shifted his weight from his left foot to his right.

“How’s your leg doing, Captain?” She asked him. Levi looked to her, then down to his leg, slowing down his pace slightly.

“Unpleasant, but it’s manageable.”

If Sasha didn’t think she’d get her head bit off for it, she would’ve chastised Levi. He should be spending more time off of his leg to let it properly heal.

But instead, she said nothing. She was continuously having a hard time figuring out what was and wasn’t okay to say to her captain.

Levi, on the other hand, enjoyed the silence that surrounded them. It was a pleasant surprise that Sasha could even be so quiet.

That is of course, until she wasn’t.

“I hear something!”

Levi paused, turning around in his tracks. Sasha had both hands cupping her ears, holding her breath.

There was a distant rustle.

There it is again!

“Quick!” Sasha whispered, before making her way into the trees, off the trail. Levi followed silently, doing his best to avoid stepping on any sticks, much like what Sasha was doing.

Sasha kept one hand on an ear as they slowly trudged through the plants that surrounded the trees. Levi waited patiently, trusting the girl’s intuition. He remembered on the trip here that Connie also mentioned how good Sasha’s hearing was. He mentioned something about the Utgard Castle incident…

“Here!”

Levi stopped walking, watching as Sasha crouched down and behind a fallen tree log. She looked up to Levi expectantly, before blushing, as she realized Levi didn’t know what she wanted. She waved her hand down for Levi to join her.

Levi got the hint, and also crouched down behind the log. Sasha said nothing, only pointing ahead of them. Levi looked ahead, and was surprised to see what appeared to be a mallard, currently taking water from a small puddle by a tree. But what caught Levi’s attention most was its size. It was enough to last all of them at least half a week if rationed correctly.

“Impressive,” Levi whispered. Sasha’s turned more red, laughing gingerly. She fumbled with her bag, taking it off her shoulders to pull out her bow, along with two arrows.

“There’s rarely any more ducks around. Last time I saw one this size was years ago!”

Levi cocked a brow with intrigue. Sasha propped her arms onto the wooden trunk, situating her bow in in her left hand, grasping the bow between two fingers of her other hand.

“Okay…” Sasha took in a deep breath, before exhaling slowly. She placed the arrow against the string of the bow, closing one eye as she drew it back, aiming straight for the bottom of the duck’s neck.

Sasha sucked in a breath again.

Okay.

As soon as she had been centered on the preoccupied mallard for a few seconds, ensuring that it wouldn’t fly away, has drew her arrow back entirely, before releasing it.

Levi watched as the arrow flew straight toward the duck. Unfortunately, to Sasha’s demise, the arrow barely skimmed the duck’s front, landing in the tree behind the bird.

Sasha squealed in embarrassment, watching as the duck aggressively flapped its wings before taking off.

“What?!” She shrieked, throwing her head back in frustration. “I’ve never screwed a shot up so royally!”

“Got it.”

Sasha paused in her despair, facing burning with humiliation. But, she looked ahead of her, and there the bird was, dead on the ground, letting out a pathetic cry as the life completely drained from it.

Sasha’s eyes widened. Her head whipped over to the captain. To her shock, the captain had shot it with his rifle while it was in the air.

“Whoa…” Sasha gawked at Levi. Levi simply blew off the smoke at the end of the gun silencer, before standing up and walking over to the now dead bird.

Sasha quickly followed suit, still in awe. Levi didn’t seem to notice as he began to ensure that the bird was dead. 

“Do you know how to hunt Levi?!”

Levi shrugged as he slung the rifle over his shoulder. 

“I was never great at it, but I learned some basics.”

Sasha’s mouth never closed. She was clearly still trying to process what she just saw.

Levi still paid no mind to her, slowly grabbing the duck by its legs.

“We should bring this back as soon as we can so it doesn’t bleed out- eh?”

As soon as Levi was standing back up, duck in hand, two arms were winding around his shoulders in a tight grip. Levi grunted, dropping the duck. His feet moved forward while Sasha brought him close with an abnormally strong grip. Levi's face planted into her shoulder, ears turning red.

“…Sasha-”

“Thank you so much!” Sasha cried. “I owe you my life! I can already taste the meat because you saved my dignity!”

That’s a bit of an over-exaggeration, Levi sighed. But Sasha was only holding him tighter, and Levi found it a little hard to breathe as the girl held him in her arms.

“Sasha.”

“I’ll let you have first dibs once we cook it up!” She laughed, her own head going to Levi’s shoulder. Levi didn’t know how to react.

“No, that’s… that’s not necessary.” Levi grunted again, hands gently pushing at Sasha’s arms. “Sasha, please let me go. The fowl will go bad if we don’t bring it back…”

Sasha opened her mouth to respond, smile wide on her face. But she paused, processing Levi’s words. Noticing the hands that pushed at her arms, Sasha realized the mistake she had just made.

Sasha flinched back, away from the captain. Levi furrowed his brows at her sudden skittishness, watching as the color drained from her face.

“Oh-” Sasha stepped back, one step, then another, looking as if she had just murdered someone.

These kids are so damn dramatic.

“I apologize!” Sasha bowed her head, as if to prove how horribly she felt. Levi’s mouth twitched.

“Why?”

Sasha picked her head up, eyes wide and about to fall out. She stood up a little straighter, eyes moving to the ground when she saw that the captain was staring directly at her, bewildered.

“I- uh-” Sasha tried to find the right words to say, but the only thought that clouded her mind was please don’t kill me Levi.

“Well… the night that we dared Armin to uh… you know…” Levi didn’t react. Sasha cleared her throat.

“Um… well we didn’t know if it was a one time thing for you to just… let him hug you? We thought it was just because you were tired, ya know? So we didn’t say anything because we didn’t want to upset you. But then I started thinking about what would happen if you were hugged again? Connie said it was a stupid thing to think of, so I dropped it, but I got so excited when you saved my kill and- and I didn’t know how to thank you and I guess I overreacted-”

“Sasha. Relax.”

In the middle of her rant, Sasha paused, letting out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding. The captain, to her surprise, didn’t even look the least bit angry. He just looked... baffled? Sasha couldn’t quite place it.

Levi let out a long, long sigh.

“You brats really find the weirdest things to worry about.”

Sasha wasn’t sure what she should say to that. Were they really that paranoid? Was she that paranoid, when in reality Levi couldn’t care less?

“If you all are that concerned,” Levi continued. Sasha’s eyes widened once again when she saw Levi open his arms. Not by a lot, but enough to be welcoming.

“There are bigger things in the world that I need to give two shits about. A hug isn’t one of them.”

Sasha couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face. Without hesitation, the girl ran up to Levi, throwing her arms around him yet again.

Levi had to step back with his right leg to not fall, still taken aback by Sasha’s strength. She may not look it, but Sasha was definitely one of the stronger soldiers in his squad.

As Sasha’s hands went to his shoulders, Levi tenderly wrapped his arms around her middle. Unlike his hug with Armin, he didn’t have to lift himself off of his heels, despite Sasha being a few inches taller. It bugged him to know that she hadn’t showered for the day yet, but he was partially at fault for dragging her along to the forest before the day had even started.

Besides, he could feel his morning stress begin to simmer away, and he let himself sink further into Sasha’s arms. He could hear her heartbeat where his head laid, going at a slightly quicker pace.

She was warm.

Comforting. 

Levi closed his eyes, slowly resting his head on its side against Sasha’s shoulder. Sasha followed suit, her chin resting against Levi’s left shoulder. Her hands gently squeezed his shoulders, and she could even feel Levi hold her tighter in response.

While they hugged, Sasha wondered if Armin felt this gleeful when he had his moment with Levi. His grip wasn’t necessarily firm, but she could tell that he wasn’t reluctant about it, either. Is this what Armin meant when he said the captain seemed like he was more relaxed?

A few more minutes passed, just Sasha and Levi holding each other, surrounded by the sounds of rustling leaves and nearby insects. Sasha felt more at home in Levi’s arms than she had since she first joined the survey corps. She was a family person, and being away from her parents proved to be extremely hard at times. 

Perhaps that’s why it was so nice to finally have this sort of human contact again, especially from someone she looks up to.

Alas, Levi slowly pulled his arms away, and Sasha did the same. The smile on her face never faded.

Once they disbanded, Levi fixed his posture, returning to his stoic self. It caught Sasha off guard, but she kept her mouth shut. 

“Let’s head out,” The captain spoke, going to pick up the bird. “Until the rest of Hange’s squad comes back, this should do.”

Sasha agreed quietly. She packed her things and set off with Levi back to the trail.

There was a silence between them again as they made their way back; except this time, Sasha was as comfortable with the peaceful quiet as Levi was.

~~~

Roughly an hour later, Levi and Sasha had made it back to their hideout. It looked like they were all taking a break; Hange was conversing with Moblit, who was vigorously writing things down as she went on; Eren was close by, laying on the ground and attempting to get some shuteye. 

“Oi Levi! Glad you could join us!”

Hange’s holler drew everyone else’s attention to the forest, where they saw Levi and Sasha emerge. Sasha was still smiling, a bounce in her step. It was an interesting contrast to Levi, who calmly strolled forward, duck in one hand.

As soon as everyone saw Levi and Sasha, they gasped at the sight of the bird.

“Holy shit!” Jean exclaimed, and Levi wasted no time in shooting a glare his direction at the language. 

“That thing is huge!” Hange gaped. Levi looked to Sasha, cocking his head in her direction.

“Sasha’s the one who found it. She’s got a good ear.”

Sasha couldn’t hold back her pride at that, especially when Hange praised her as well.

“Excellent job Sasha! You’ve saved us from a lot of hassle!” 

“That’s Sasha for ya,” Connie chuckled, sitting down next to a sleeping Eren. 

Sasha, out of a sudden burst of joy, turned to Levi and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from the side. Levi’s eyes widened, holding the bird away from him so the girl didn’t crush it. 

Hange blinked once, twice. The rest of Levi’s squad stared at Sasha as if she had grown a second head.

What is she doing?!

“It’s thanks to Levi we got it!” She giggled, her head going to Levi’s shoulder. The shorter man stumbled on his feet slightly, fighting the urge to wince when he put weight on his bad ankle.

“Eh, that’s great Sasha,” Hange’s tone was hesitant. “But maybe you shouldn’t-”

“It was a team effort.” Suddenly, Hange noticed, Levi’s left hand was at Sasha’s back. It was very gentle, the way Levi just let Sasha bury herself into him. Hange was more shocked at the way Levi just let it happen.

The rest of his squad, along with Moblit, was just as confused.

But, Levi didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. His relaxed mouth could almost have been mistaken as a smile in Hange’s opinion.

Hange couldn’t help the smile on their face, seeing Levi so relaxed. They could even see it in his eyes. That was a new look from the captain; has Hange ever seen him look like that?

I got to figure out what that look is all about.

The rest of his squad remained speechless as Sasha pulled away from her captain, who rubbed her back once before retreating his own hand. They shared looks with one another as Levi and Sasha set off to prepare the duck. Hange and Moblit followed suit.

...

”What was that about?”

Eren, who apparently had never fallen entirely asleep, sat up in the grass he laid on. Everyone watched Levi and Sasha in silent bemusement. Historia spoke next, saying what everyone was thinking, but was too baffled to voice out loud.

”Is the captain... okay with us hugging him so casually?”

~~~

Chapter Text

She wasn’t imagining it, right?

Levi had been oddly serene for a good few days.

He still maintained his rather impassive attitude. Any time there were any small conflicts, whether it be Jean and Eren quarreling for the umpteenth time, or just Connie being a dumbass, Levi wouldn’t tolerate any of it; eventually all he had to do to get them to do their work was give them one of his cold, emotionless stares that spoke for itself.

Other than the occasional glower of the captain, he seemed calmer.

It was throwing Historia off more than she wanted it to.

There was no way she was imagining it.

Even if she wanted to ask him about it, she still didn’t know how to have a proper conversation with Levi; his cold exterior made it more complicated than just going up to him and starting small talk about the weather.

After the incident with Sasha, however, and seeing the way he so easily relaxed (even with his entire squad present), Historia couldn’t get the idea of a calm Levi out of her mind. 

The most she and Levi had ever talked in one sitting was immediately after the Utgard Castle incident, when they just discovered both Ymir’s and Historia’s true identities. All he had to say were questions regarding her family and bloodline. He was short with his words, and Hange had to pull him away to stop overwhelming the poor girl with questions that she didn’t know the answers to.

So her confusion on the captain’s behavior was understandable.

~~~

Historia set out to gather more firewood before sundown. It gradually became more chilly with each passing day, etching its way to the winter season. Mikasa offered to go with her, but Historia refused, insisting that Mikasa should be resting. She knew Mikasa wouldn’t listen, but she at least left Historia to go alone, after Eren managed to convince her to stay back at the cabin.

Connie offered to go with her, as did Jean, worried for her safety. It annoyed Historia, but her instinct was to deny their offers as kindly as she could.

They were all sitting ducks; it was only a matter of time until the Military Police caught on to their antiques and seized all activity.

Historia hated to admit it, but right now their success was all up to Eren, with what little knowledge he had acquired about his titan abilities. 

She knew what it was like to carry such a heavy burden, so she was able to empathize with the titan shifter; She knew how it felt to want to live up to everyone’s expectations.

In the midst of her train of thought, Historia had wandered off her path. She looked around her, firewood perched under one arm. There were trees farther than she could see, and the dirt trail was just barely out of her view.

Geez, Historia kicked at the ground. I must’ve been lost in thought for some time.

The sun was just beginning to set, so Historia set towards the trail. She didn’t find as much firewood as she would’ve liked, but it would do.

In the middle of her walk back to the trail, she heard the crunch of leaves and twigs in the distance.

Historia did another take of her surroundings. Did someone follow her out while she gathered wood? If that was the case, she couldn’t wait to tell them off. Maybe she would get the chance to stop masking her annoyance with the soft-hearted persona everyone knew as Krista.

Another rustle.

Historia looked toward the direction of the sound, opposite of where the path was. She squinted her eyes to see what was in the distance. Through the array of sparse trees, Historia could see a silhouette of a person. From the way their legs swung through the air, Historia assumed they were training.

Historia looked up to where the sun was currently fading. It would get dark in the forest real soon, especially with the multiplicity of trees currently surrounding them.

So, setting aside her original plan to head back to the trail, she went to meet up with presumably one of the scouts of the Levi Squad.

To her surprise, as she got close enough to see who it was, it was Levi himself who was out training.

It wasn’t even that surprising, though.

Instead of his usual uniform shirt, he wore a simple t-shirt, along with his black slacks. Historia assumed it was to not get his good shirt dirty.

The new shirt allowed for Levi’s toned arms to be exposed. Historia couldn’t help but wonder how much time Levi actually spent training through all his years of being in the survey corps.

It also made her think about if Levi gave good hugs.

It was random of Historia to wonder such a thing. Blushing at her own thoughts, Historia couldn’t understand why she was so hung up on the idea of hugging Levi. She knew he wasn’t a fan of physical contact, either.

Until recently, apparently.

Still, did he even like hugs or were the past few instances just exceptions for whatever reason?

“…Did you need something?”

Historia was startled out of her own wandering mind. Chunks of firewood fell from her arms, and she hastily bent to pick them back up. 

I hope I wasn’t standing there for too long…

“Ah…” Historia, situating the wood chunks in both arms, looked back toward the trail.

“The sun was beginning to set, so I wanted to see who was still out here. Sorry for interrupting.”

Levi didn’t even realize the sun had already gotten so low. It had been awhile since he last found himself with time to spare; being the rigid soldier that he was, he refused to relax and waste time at the cabin. Since Hange and Moblit were currently allowing Eren the rest he desperately needed, they were back at the hideout, which meant Levi could head off on his own temporarily.

He must’ve been in his own world for quite some time, mindlessly running through his old training regimen. 

“No need to apologize.” Levi inhaled slowly, steadying his breathing. “I should be heading back anyways.”

With nothing more to say, Levi walked toward the path Historia stood on. She wasn’t really sure why she even waited for Levi to walk with her. Maybe it was because it was instinctive, constantly feeling the need to ensure the well being of others.

She said nothing, and neither did he, as the two quietly set off for the cabin. 

Considering Historia never had to converse with the captain until recently, it wasn’t surprising that she struggled to gauge the captain’s behavior and mannerisms; it was near impossible to ever tell what he was thinking.

Not to mention, they were polar opposites.

So naturally, she opted for a silent stroll back to the hideout. It seemed that Levi felt the same way.

Until his voice took her out of her head once again.

“Are you certain there’s nothing else about your family that you know about?”

Historia turned her head to Levi, stumbling slightly over her feet when she did so. Blushing, she looked back to the trail ahead.

“Uh… I… no, not really. I wish I did…” She felt an overwhelming pit of guilt form in her stomach with each time it was brought up. Should she know more about her family? Her dad? Her childhood was far from normal, she knew that much (as if the stunned stares from everyone as she told her story wasn’t enough to go by).

She felt useless without any dire information. What made it worse was that there was no doubt that the Military Police were likely trying to hunt her down and take her into custody, to further conceal whatever truth was being hidden.

Levi didn’t speak after her meek reply. He hated to admit it, but he pitied Historia. It wasn’t an easy feat to hold a burden that you knew so little about on your own shoulders. 

Levi exhaled slowly.

“It’s a good thing you were honest with the military.”

More silence. The girl alongside him mumbled something intelligible, but didn’t say anything more.

As they made their way down the forest path, it occurred to Levi that he had yet to actually have a proper conversation with Historia. 

Levi’s gaze fell back onto the girl. Levi could recognize that look from a mile away; a deep anguish and guilt seeping through her quivering lip and diverted eyes. 

“It’s not unheard of for your childhood to be as fucked as it was, you know.”

Taken out of her own head so suddenly, Historia nearly stumbled over her feet. Again. She cleared her throat, shifting the wood in her arms as it began to slip.

“What do you mean?”

Levi fell silent for a moment. The path felt longer now that Levi felt as if he had an obligation to talk to Historia and lift her mood.

“Ask anyone here. Most of them haven’t grown up normally or have lost a handful of their loved ones. If not all.”

Historia didn’t say anything. It’s different, though.

At least they had loving families.

Levi took note of Historia’s response (or lack thereof). You would think a soft-spoken woman like her would be easy to read. After knowing her story, knowing all that she suffered at such a young age (much like himself), Levi wasn’t sure that he knew the girl even in the slightest.

There were a few things he could empathize with; they both lost their closest friends. Friends that were the closest thing you could get to family. And in this case, Levi could only assume that Ymir meant even more to Historia than just a friend. On top of all that, there was clearly some family history that she ached to find out more about. Levi understood it all too well.

Levi looked back ahead of them. For a silence that felt like an eternity, they were already standing in front of their hideout, the sun hidden behind the tall oak trees. Everyone must’ve already gathered inside, as there was currently no fire running, and there was muffled shouting to be heard from the indoors. Levi walked ahead of Historia, off to the cabin.

“Go ahead and place the firewood by the pit for tomorrow. We’ll head in for the night-”

A sniffle cut Levi off.

The captain felt his entire body tense, hesitantly turning to face Historia. She wasn’t walking with Levi. Instead, she hid her face behind the wood in her hands, trying to bite back the cries that fell from her.

“Sorry-” She hiccuped, squeezing her eyes shut. She took a step back where she stood, though Levi was nowhere near her. “Sorry.”

Levi, at a loss for words, tried to understand what made her upset. Did he come off too harsh? It was no secret that Levi could be short with his words, and it often left people in a sour mood, but he believed his frankness would provide comfort.

The captain didn’t move where he stood. Neither did Historia, who only continued to hold back her cries. It almost sounded painful.

Levi opened his mouth to speak, but Historia beat him to it.

“Sorry, it-” Another hiccup. She sounded like she had been holding this in the entire walk. No, far longer than that…

“It’s just… There's so much going on, and I feel so helpless… I feel like I should be doing more, that I should know more. But instead I’m here with you while we basically wait for the mp’s to find me and take me away. I… I feel so useless, Captain.”

The firewood began to slip from her grasp, a few logs falling and startling the shaken girl.

Well, that made more sense to Levi. It was less of what he said, and more of how things have turned out. 

She was overwhelmed.

With Historia’s choked cries filling the air, she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed for herself. Here she was, breaking down in front of Humanity’s Strongest. A man with so many other things to worry about, so many troubles to deal with every day, and here she was, crying about her own issues.

“Let’s take a detour.”

Through blurry vision, Historia lifted her head. Levi walked over to her, crouching down to her feet, where the wood had fallen nearby.

She sniffled again.

“... A detour?”

Levi nodded. Historia took a step back as the captain picked up everything she dropped, taking them into his own hands.

“We’ll only be a moment. We’ll be back in time to eat while the food’s warm.”

Historia stood there, confusion etched onto her face. Levi didn’t say anything more. He simply set the fallen wood to the side of the path, before he stood back up.

While it was dark, Historia could see Levi’s features vividly this close. She could see the beads of sweat against his forehead, against the tips of his raven hair, and the striking eyes that held so much mystery behind them.

But what baffled Historia, was how relaxed Levi looked. There wasn’t a crease between his brows, and while he still wore that same frown of his, it held a serenity to it.

“Are you going to let me take those?”

Only when Levi spoke up again did she notice his extended hands, offering to take the logs from her grip.

As a blush warmed her cheeks, she held the wood out to Levi. Wordlessly, she watched him take the rest of the logs, setting it down next to the pieces he had already set beside the path.

“Now then,” He began, and Historia watched him glance over her again, as if he was worried she was going to break at the wrong words.

“Let’s go.”

Historia was slow to react, but suddenly, Levi began to walk in the direction opposite to their hideout.

Ever the empath, Historia abandoned her own dismay. Sure, she had no idea what Levi was up to, but without a word from her, he began to walk back again, while his ankle was still wrapped. He shouldn’t be on it currently, especially with how dark it was now, how cool the air was becoming.

“Sir- Captain wait-” Levi paused where he walked, turning back around as Historia jogged back up to him. She was trembling, likely from the cold. But, tear stains still remained on her cheeks, a telltale sign that she still was feeling miserable.

Which is why Levi was doing this for her in the first place.

Even as Levi turned to face her, grabbing a handkerchief from his pocket, she wiped her bleary eyes before he could hand it to her.

“Don’t you- your leg- you should be resting!”

Levi almost lets a soft laugh leave him. Old habits die hard, he supposed. For him, yes, he grows impatient laying around all day- but Historia especially. Even if her identity has officially been revealed, she still behaves like Krista. The name feels so foreign to him now.

But he sighs, taking the handkerchief up against her cheek anyways. Historia freezes, not expecting the affection, the hand that wiped at her face, at the corners of her eyes with the soft material.

“I’m fine. You need a place to cool your head. I’m sure you don’t want those brats fussing over you any more than they already have.”

Something lights up in Historia’s eyes at that. He wasn’t wrong in the slightest. Ever since they moved down here, her friends have treated her differently. They tiptoed around their words and actions, treating her like glass that had been cracked, on the verge of shattering. Hell, it felt like Levi was the only one who didn’t treat her like some broken child that needed to be rescued.

She was grateful for that- not that she’d even say that to his face.

After wiping the rest of her cheeks and eyes dry, Levi’s other hand extended to grab onto one of her hands. He held it palm up, dropping the cloth into her hands. She looked back up to the captain, and she could’ve sworn that he had the smallest grin on his face.

Maybe it was just because it was too dark for her to see.

Levi nodded to her, before moving away from her, as he once again began his walk.

“Let’s go.”

Historia wasted no time in catching up with him.

And so they walked. They walked down the dim trail, in the direction of where Levi was just training. Historia thinks that they should’ve brought a lantern, but at the same time it’s a bit of a relief to not look at her dark surroundings. Instead, she trusts Levi to lead them in the dark, the sound of a few distant owls, the of the wind rustling in the trees, and the crunch of the leaves and twigs against their feet enough to soothe the knots in Historia’s stomach.

As they continue down the path, Historia notices that Levi began to go off-trail. Her instinct is to ask where they’re going, why they’re not on the trail, why did they have to go out when it was so dark- but she remains silent. She doesn’t need to hear Levi sigh in exasperation, or roll his eyes at her concern.

He probably wouldn’t, but that didn’t stop her from worrying.

The ambience of the forest sounds surrounded them, saving them from a deadly silence where they would be forced to talk. It was a comfort Historia didn’t know she needed in her life.

The hideout was nowhere in sight. They were surrounded by pitch black, and Historia found herself walking closer behind Levi. Levi found it endearing, as he lead the way.

The darkness faded when Historia could see the moon. Specifically, the moon’s reflection in a body of water, in the distance.

“We’re here,” Levi speaks. His voice is softer; Historia almost doesn’t recognize it.

Emerging from the trees, Levi walks out to the open area, and Historia follows. 

In front of them was a lake, clearer than the sky had ever been. It glimmered in the moon’s reflection, warping the shape of it with each ripple produced from the wind. The stars shined bright, and Historia liked to think that ymir was looking up to them right now.

They stood against a ledge about two feet above the water, with grass that had grown over the dirt. The ledge created a U-shape that opened up to the lake further down. The trees blew with the wind and tide, amplified by the sounds of the sloshing water.

It was beautiful.

Breathless, Historia sat down on the dirt-and-rock ledge. Levi could see her awestruck face from the shine of the moon, mouth agape, eyes wide like a child eating sweets for the first time. He had to remember that they were still kids. War didn’t change that matter.

Historia sat there in silence, completely blown away by what she was seeing. She only snapped back into full consciousness when she heard Levi sitting down as well. She closed her mouth, looking to Levi as he settled on the ledge, one foot apart from each other.

“It’s peaceful here,” He explained, picking up a rock to his side. He looked up to the moon, feeling Historia’s eyes on him as he spoke. 

“You don’t get many places like this anymore. Not in the world we live in.

Historia’s eyes go down the water, to the moon in its reflection. It almost felt selfish of her to enjoy such a beautiful scene, to have access to an area where she could escape her responsibilities, even if only for a moment. She hoped that someday, she’d have the chance to make this a reality for any kid, especially those underground. She hoped that they too would get a chance to experience the beauty of the world, despite the hellish life it comes with.

But for now, Historia took a deep breath, relaxing her shoulders. This was okay for a moment.

Historia looks to Levi, feeling the need to respond with something. But, before she can say anything, Levi’s twisting his arm back, before flinging it forward, flicking his wrist out towards the lake. Historia watches with delight as a rock skips past the lake, jumping 6 times before it falls into the water.

A smile immediately grows on her face, brows raised in pure surprise.

“How’d you do that?!” Levi can hear the glee in her voice, looking over to see the look of joy across her features, glowing in the moonlight. 

He took another flat rock into his hand, between his thumb and middle finger.

“You take a rock into your hand like this,” He explains, showing her the positioning of his fingers. “And you hold it at an angle.”

Their eyes followed the rock, watching as Levi launched another against the water, this time skipping through the water eight times.

Historia gave a soft laugh, a soothing sound that mixed well with the sound of the rock against water.

They quieted down once again. They were both relaxed; not an ounce of tension could be found in either of their bodies. It was the first time with Levi’s presence that Historia felt truly calm.

Levi looked over to Historia. Her eyes, still glossy from the tears, scanned over the sky; they jumped from star to star, taking in every twinkle before her.

Her eyes held that wonder in them, one that Levi himself once had. He remembered the first time he left the underground, how the sky stunned him to such a halt that Farlan had to make sure he was alright. He could only hope that these kids didn’t suffer the same fate as him.

Alas, war was unpredictable, and it tore people apart. It didn’t, couldn’t stop him from helping his squad now, ensuring their safety as much as he could.

Levi’s hand dug into the grass, a bit of dirt getting caught in his fingernail.

“What was Ymir to you?”

Levi could see Historia go through five different emotions at once, before her brows were furrowed, smile fading.

Shit.

“Sorry,” Levi digs his finger further into the ground.”I didn’t mean to open any wounds.”

“No, it’s okay,” a sad smile makes its way to her lips. Looking down to her lap. “I like to talk about her.”

Levi leaned back on his hands, looking up at the sky.

“Ymir… helped me figure out what I want to do with myself, who I want to be.” Her eyes flickered to Levi, then the stars.

“She was so strong and unapologetic. I could only hope to be like her.” 

“But…” Historia could feel the tears reach her eyes again. It was painful to think about her loss, even if no one knew for certain that Ymir was even dead.

“I couldn’t save her.”

Levi only drew his attention back to Historia when he saw her wipe his eyes, with the handkerchief she had been previously handed.

“She said to me that she wanted me to live a life I was proud of.” A choked cry escaped her. Levi feels partially at fault for mentioning her. 

“How can I do that when the love of my life left me?”

Historia wore a look of longing. It tugged at Levi’s heart, a familiar sting that came with the loss of a loved one.His mother, Farlan and Isabel, his old squad…

Tentatively, Levi brought up a hand. He reached for Historia. Slowly, as to not alert her, he settled his hand onto her delicate shoulder. 

He did receive a flinch, and retreated his hand momentarily because of it. Maybe he should’ve asked before he just assumed she needed comforting.

Historia stared at him after jolting away from his touch. She definitely wasn’t expecting it, and it overwhelmed her a bit having her cold-fronted captain attempt to provide his sympathy.

If it was one of her friends, one of the other kids that chose to feel bad for her, she would’ve only dug herself deeper into the hole of self hatred she’s created for herself. She didn’t need to be treated differently and hated when it happened.

So when Levi, her superior, makes the lightest physical contact with her- when she knows how much he tries to stay away from others, she can’t bring herself to be angry, or even annoyed. She only felt warmth. 

They made eye contact again, Levi’s concerned eyes meeting Historia’s wide ones. And then, without warning. Historia lurched toward him.

Her head fell against Levi’s chest, arms wrapping around his torso. 

Oh?

Levi blinked, Historia’s arms fighting around his torso. They were still sitting facing the lake, and the angle of which Historia hugged him was a little awkward.

But, as Levi caught his breath after it was punched out by Historia’s body, he didn’t move her. Especially as he heard a soft whimper come from her, head moving to rest on his shoulder.

Should he ask her what was wrong? No- he already knew. He knew a little too well, actually. Levi wanted to believe that Historia knew how much he could relate, which is why she probably found it so easy to confide in him.

Historia grew cold feet, however. The lack of response on Levi’s end drove her to pull away, arms retreating from around his frame.

“Sorry,” Her voice was frail, unsteady as she straightened up where she sat, away from Levi. “I should’ve asked if you’d be okay with that.”

Levi began to wonder if he truly was as scary as they believed him to be. He had a very strong presence, and he didn’t take bullshit from anyone who tried to cause him problems. He still had a heart, though. And, as much as he refused to admit it, he had already grown a soft spot for these new kids, for his new squad. 

As Historia’s hands brushed over her face, wiping at the constant tears that fell from her crystal blue eyes, Levi took the initiative to extend an arm around her shoulders.

She immediately snapped her head back to the captain, just as his other arm extended around her shoulders as well. She then was being pulled toward Levi, his grip strong around her, a physical comfort she didn’t know she craved.

Then, with Historia’s head once again on his shoulder, Levi spoke with a hushed voice- so quiet that she almost missed what he said.

“It’s okay.”

Historia was overwhelmed- overwhelmed by the strong arms that held her, the warmth that Levi’s body brought to her.

Levi can feel her crumble in his arms; her shoulders began to tremble, just as her own hands moved back around his torso. Historia couldn’t help the dam that broke, finally releasing the weight of her emotions into Levi’s shoulder.

Levi held onto her tighter.

He would hold her as long as she needed.

Historia sobbed into Levi’s arms. It wasn’t by any means the prettiest of sounds, breaking that peaceful quiet of the lake and wind- but it felt so good to let out all of the pent up feelings inside of her. All of the rage, the frustration, the fear and heartbreak- it all was let out, and Levi was there to remove that burden from her.

The girl’s small frame wracked with each sob, tears dampening the cloth of Levi’s shirt. Neither of them seemed to care. Levi’s grip didn’t falter in the slightest. He let one of his hands trace patterns against her back, fingers running up and down her spine, soothing her.

Historia felt herself melting further into her captain’s touch. As her cries died down, her body relaxed. She began to enter an almost-sleepy state, especially with the hand running up and down her back.

Levi felt a sense of relief as Historia’s body calmed, broken sobs diluting to soft cries and occasional sniffles. Her body still trembled with each inhale, but they were less intense with each breath.

Historia, taking a deep breath, exhaled slowly, slumping down into Levi. She let her forehead rest on his shoulder, closing her eyes. 

Well, at least she knew now that her captain gave amazing hugs.

The moment came to an end when Historia loosened her grip against Levi. Levi loosened his arms as well, enough for Historia to slide out from under his grip.

She gave one last wipe to her eyes. She didn’t want or need anyone that wasn’t Levi seeing how much she’s been crying.

“Thank you,” She manages, hiccuping once, twice.

“It’s my job to make sure you’re alright, kid,” Levi explained. It was his responsibility to be someone they could go to, right? That included being there to comfort them when they had no one else around.

Historia giggled. Levi cocked his head, not quite sure why she laughed.

She turned back to him, grinning wide.

“Pretty lucky to have a captain whose duty is to give out hugs to his soldiers.”

Suddenly, Levi’s cheeks were burning, eyes flickering. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Historia let out another wet laugh, especially as Levi closed his mouth, standing up without a word.

“You kids kill me,” He mumbled, intending for her not to hear. He extended his own hand out to her, watching as she gently grabbed onto him. He hoisted her back up onto her feet as well, her face beaming.

“I know,” She responded.

~~~

Their official walk back to the hideout was once again quiet. Historia walked next to Levi, close; she felt at ease next to him, like nothing could stand in her way with him there. Levi seemed content too, occasionally looking over to the woman beside him. Even though it was too dark now, he could no longer see any tension in her face. It calmed him to know that Historia was feeling better. It didn’t erase all the troubles they would likely face down the road, but at least in that moment, she could act her age, she could rely on someone else to share her pain.

When they emerged from the forest, a campfire had been set up. They were all talking, and Levi assumed they just began to eat.

“Go on ahead,” Levi told Historia. She paused in her tracks, just as Levi was bending down to grab the chunks of wood alongside the trail. She was a bit amazed at how easily Levi remembered where they had set the wood down, in the dark of the forest. “I’ll grab all this. You go eat okay?”

“Yeah.” She spoke. Levi situated the wood under one arm.. Before he could continue his walk, Historia hugged his open side. 

“Thank you, really.”

As she hugged him, Levi could see a familiar silhouette of red pigtails- if he squinted hard enough.

Damn, he was really growing a soft spot for these kids, wasn’t he.

He hummed back, unable to hug her as well, but placed a hand on the top of her head.

“Anytime.”

He then ruffled her hair gently, tousling the top of her blonde locks. She pulled away with a surprised squeak. She swatted his hand away.

“Rude!” She laughed. A soft chuckle escaped Levi too- he made sure it couldn’t be heard, laying just under the sound of Historia’s laugh.

“Historia? Is that you?”

Both of them turned to the voice- Armin, it sounded like. Historia looks to Levi once more. Her face is still a little blotchy, and her lashes felt heavy with her tears, but she didn’t seem to worry. With one last grin, Historia nods to Levi. before running off to Armin.

Levi watched fondly as the girl went off. He meant it when he said anytime. He wonders if she knew that.

~~~

The scouts, who all had gathered around the warm fire, turned their attention to Historia, who jogged out of the woods.

“Historia! It’s so dark out,” Armin mentions, concern spreading across his face. “What were you out so late for?”

“We had to gather more firewood,” She explains. As if on cue, Levi appears from behind her, hands full of the alleged firewood.

“Nice to see you again!” Hange beamed. Levi rolled his eyes, walking over to the log that Hange and Moblit were on.

“I see it’s been a busy day for you. You reek of titan all the way from over here.”

Hange only laughs. Moblit sighs.

“She and Eren were out for quite some time,” Moblit answered for Hange, yawning.

“I see,” Levi nodded. As he was about to set the wood down, most of the scouts greet Historia cheerfully, faces stuffed full of food. Everyone except for Eren, who hops up from his spot next to Mikasa.

“Are you okay?” Eren asked. Mikasa could be seen wearing a glare, and Historia blinked. Levi could see the visible dread appear on her face, as Eren pushed in front of Eren to make sure she was alright.

“Did you get hurt at all? It’s extremely dark!”

And thank the walls for Levi being there in that moment.

“Oi, Eren, she’s fine. Calm down.”

Eren is startled by Levi’s tone, holding that authoritative ring to it. 

“Lay off her. Let her get some food and relax with the rest of you. She’s been out all evening helping me out.”

Eren is bewildered by the words of his captain. On the other hand, Historia visibly relaxes, relieved at her captain’s words.

“Sorry– sorry sir! Sorry Historia,” Eren stammered as he steps out of her way. Jean could be seen fighting back a smirk at Eren’s embarrassment.

“Don’t worry about it.” She smiled. She and Levi glanced at each other, a look that doesn’t go unnoticed by Eren, as the captain sets down the wood to the side.

They join the rest of the gang in a particularly talkative dinner. Jean and Connie are arguing about something senseless, while Sasha stole food off of Connie’s plate whenever he turned away. Mikasa talked to Historia, something about chopping wood in the morning, and Levi had sat toward Hange and Moblit- likely talking about their plans for the next few days, maybe even weeks.

But, Eren was silent, only prompted to speak when Armin asked if he was okay. Eren waved him away, playing it off as him just being tired.

Which wouldn't have been far off. Hange was working him like crazy. He could only handle so much. He really wanted to help the best he could, but he was still human. He had his limits.

However, he was more focused on the captain, along with Historia. Did something happen between them? She seemed to be the most chipper that she’d been since Ymir left. She willingly engages in conversation with Mikasa, and Eren is reminded of the Krista they used to know. The only difference was that you could tell how confident she had grown in herself.

Eren, as he took a slow bite of his food, looked slowly back to the captain. He didn’t seem tense- well- as tense as he usually was. Hange even noticed, mentioning it to him. No one else seemed to catch the hesitance in his face, before he changed the subject smoothly.

No one else except Eren, apparently.

Was he looking too much into things? No- he’s always been perceptive. Something was up with the captain. With Armin, with Sasha and with Historia. The question is- what?

And why wasn’t he one of those people?