To say that those days the headquarters were a little busy would be a nice and soft way to describe the catastrophic state of the Survey Corps HQ.

Actually it was pitiful.

How it could get this filthy in a week was a riddle. But then again, without him there what could he expect. Maybe a little dust or a couple of dirty windows would have been acceptable but not the mountains of unwashed dishes piling up in the kitchen, nor the infinite number of finger marks on every fucking window.

Someone was slacking off their job, and swear to god he was going to hunt them down and make them pay.

-Hanji- Levi called, making the brunette look up from some paper Moblit had just given to her-where's the cleaning schedule?

-eh? Why do you need- she started asking but upon seeing the murderous look in Levi's face she halted her question and quickly answered- it's hung on the task board in the soldier's barracks.

Finding the answer satisfying Levi gave her a short nod and started walking towards the barracks at quick pace, dodging with trained agility all the soldiers running up and down the corridors, in a hurry to fulfill their superiors orders the faster they could, carrying stacks of forms, reports and multiple shits he was sure he also had on his desk waiting for him to come back to fill them. And after a week in Sina, he was certain the mountain of paper in his office had skyrocketed.

The thought only made the wrinkles between his eyebrows to deepen while he slid his forefinger on the rough paper of the cleaning schedule searching for the names of the undisciplined soldiers who dared to overlook their duties in favor of leisure activities.

Joy Makarzur- in charge of the kitchen.

Laura Frency – in charge of windows' cleaning.

Well, now he knew what to put on their tombstones. Turning to go out the building to pursuit the unsuspecting teens, his eyes caught a little pile of dirt in the corner trying to pass unnoticed and his left eye started twitching.

And that's how Hera Hoteman (in charge of sweeping) earned a place in Captain Levi's black list.

Going out to the training grounds he quickly spotted Keith Shadis, surveying a group of cadets doing one-on-one combat. After asking him, Shadis immediately pointed a couple of teens in the far corner who were "practicing".

-What the fuck are they doing?- the shorter man asked disgusted, making Shadis roll his eyes.

-Don't ask Corporal, too many hormones per square meter- the other answered with a frown.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Levi advanced towards them already preparing the deadly look that would have them pissing their pants in no time while the couple, Joy and Laura, (Hera was still safe somewhere) continued making eyes to each other totally unwary.

They were soon begging for their lives as in a sudden, they were held up from the front of their shirts by the fists of the feared used-to-be-thug Corporal.

-You little piece of shits- their superior started- I found you.

-Corporal Levi!? We didn't know you were back from Sina already, what good news! - Joy said nervously while Laura nodded hastily beside him, both of them trying to stay on their superior's good side.

-don't start with me, little fucker, what you both did is inexcusable.

-Excuse me sir?-

-oh, so you don't know what I talking about, do you?- Levi said and watched the teens shaking their heads- That's too bad, does cleaning tasks say something to you?

Immediately realization showed up in their faces and their eyes widened with dread.

-Yeah, that's what I thought- The captain concluded, turning around dragging the cadets behind him by their shirts.

-Sir please, we didn't meant to slack off on purpose!- Laura started.

- I'll take that as a confession- Levi said.

-But sir!- Joy tried while struggling with the steel grip of his corporal.-today is Valentine's day so we were busy preparing each other gift so-

-I don't care if today is the cheesiest day of the year or the apocalypse day- the older man interrupted and with a yank he dropped the two cadets at the feet of their instructor.- Kheiss, make sure they receive a proper punishment- he ordered ignoring the pleads and quite imaginative excuses of the teens.

Before taking off in search of the third defaulting cadet, Levi took a minute to delight himself in the sought of the faces of the two lovebirds when they were told to run 100 laps around the training grounds. A bit of guilty pleasure after a week in Sine wasn't going to hurt him.

He was watching the teens start running while Kheiss yelled at them when, suddenly his eyes caught a sudden shade of blonde hair by the corner of his field of vision.

Tilting his head to catch a better look he saw a blonde head disappearing behind the door of one of the storage building outside the headquarters.

Humming to himself and careful for not draw attention, Levi started to walk towards said door when something else caught his eye.


Levi opened the door carefully, with the stealth he mastered during his thug days, and closed behind him, not even making a creak to give him away, and leaned against it, taking his sweet time to observe his subordinate.

It had been a week since he had seen her, for he had not taken her to Sina with him, and he would be lying if he said he had not missed her every night after spending the whole day dealing with the filth of the inner lands.

He suppressed a quiet chuckle as he watched Petra struggled to reach the highest drawer of a file full of old reports, keeping un impressive equilibrium on top a mountain of unstable boxes that she had piled up to lift herself. After an arduous fight with lack of height, the petite woman finally managed to find whatever she was looking for up there, making a little victory dance to celebrate her success as soon as her feet touched the ground.

- What the hell were you doing up there?-he asked calmly, startling her.

-Captain!- she exclaimed shocked- how long have you been there!?-she asked alarmed while feeling her face reddening in embarrassment.

-Long enough- he answered, a small smile cracking up in his face at the sought of her shyness- so?

-ah yes- Petra replied, putting a stray strand of hair behind her ear- I've been helping Moblit to reorganize Hanji archive this week, and we needed some of the files that are stored here- she told him while putting the report she just had got with the rest, that were piled nearby.

Levi hummed in response not very interested in whatever Hanji's lapdog had been investing his time in. Instead of that, Levi contemplated the room they were in, the filthiest so far, while Petra finished to arrange the stack of paper she was to carry back to Hanji's office.

-Why are you still inn your suit?- the woman casually asked.

-I didn't have time to change-he said making Petra arch an eyebrow in curiosity- I had to find the little shits that haven't done their cleaning duties while I was away- he explained.

His response made her giggled, humored by his antics silently pitying the poor fools.

-Oh! By the way I've got something for you- she suddenly said while walking up to him.

That immediately picked up his interest, making him straighten up, readying to receive his gift. The slacking-off cadet had said before today was Valentine so, maybe chocolate?

Instead, Petra pulled out some forms, much to her corporal's disappointment.

-this is for you, Hanji gave me this forms you are supposed to sign, here, here and here-she explained while showing him the paper- and Erwin told me that you have a meeting later that you need to attend and….-

Levi immediately turned off the conversation. All he could hear was paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork and the thought of the mountain of paper in his office returned to him giving birth to beautiful migraine, while Petra shoved more and more paper onto his arms.

But all thoughts flew from his mind the instant Petra rested her body against him, making the physical contact he had been craving for during the whole week and making his attention to be fully focused on her.

-…and after you meet with Commander Nile, maybe you and I could make up for lost time- she whispered making her breath tickle his face. Levi didn't what she was talking about, he definitely was not going to meet up with that loser, but whatever he was supposed to do lost importance as Levi leaned forward to kiss her.

Her lips were soft and sweet as always and their familiarity made him sigh in content. He had missed too much.

However, Petra pulled out too soon for his taste, and giving him a smile and a quick peck she reached for the doorknob.

-Well, I'll be going then- she said, pulling the door open.

Almost unconsciously, Levi reached back and pushed the door closed again.

-No-he said.

-No what?- Petra retorted back, taken aback.

-You are not going anywhere- he said as a matter of fact.

-Levi, seriously I've got tons of things to do and Moblit is waiting for me and you too, Erwin is expecting you to go to the…-she explained trying to make him understand.

-Fuck them all-the man interrupted stubbornly, throwing the papers aside, and to make sure he got the message across, he suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders turning her around and pushed her away from the door.

-Levi!- Petra protested, trying by all means to escape his grip without success while she tried in vain not to drop the forms in her arms.

-I just came back from a shitty mission on the shittiest town and spent a whole week with shitty people who I don't give a fuck for- he fumed loudly behind her-in not in the mood to lock myself in a room with Erwin, Hanji and ;ike to have a bloody meeting!- he concluded, slipping down between two storage boxes dragging Petra down with him with an impatient yank.

Petra fell on her butt, huffing in protest at the rough treatment, but instead of words of complain, what came out of her mouth was a surprised yelp when suddenly Levi buried his face in the crook of her neck giving her goosebumps.

He had her trapped, encased between his chest and surrounded by his legs, with his arms securely encircling her waist, letting her no escape route.

-Petra- he called her quietly, his lips lightly brushing her neck.

-What is it? - She said softly letting her body relax and rest against Levi's. If she could not escape it, at least she could enjoy it.

Then she felt him shifting behind her as one of the arms encircling her waist untangled and reached back and suddenly put something blue in front of her.

It was a flower, a five blue petal small flower, slightly crushed. The simplest of gifts that made her heart skip a beat.

With a huge smile, she took it from his hand careful not to make any petal fall and turned her head so that she was looking at him. He was looking away feigning indifference although the redness of the tips of his ears gave him away.

Stretching her neck, she kissed his jaw tenderly in appreciation.

-Thanks- she told him, laughing softly when she felt Levi tightened his hold around her.

-I just picked it from the ground on my way here, it has no value- he said embarrassed.

- I like it nonetheless. - She said while caressing the soft petals of her gift.

-I thought that…-he started but pursed his lips in shyness.

-What?- she asked encouragingly.

- I thought it matched your hair- he quickly confessed feeling his ears burn. He couldn't believe he had just said that. However the smile that Petra gave him accompanied by the endearing blush that reddened her cheeks and the adolescent giggles that erupted from her made it worth it.

-I also have something for you- she suddenly said cheerfully.- I was going to give it to you later, but you are so impatient I swear.

Her words immediately picked up his interest as he surveyed her as she put the flower in the exterior pocket of her jacket and started looking for something inside it from behind her shoulder.

Soon after, Petra pulled a small sachet closed by a red ribbon that was quickly undone by Petra's agile fingers.

-here, open up- she said shyly while pulling a round chocolate from inside the sachet and pulling it lose to his lips- happy Valentine's Day.

Giving her a quick look of confirmation, he opened his lips, letting the chocolate inside, taking his sweet time savoring it under the attentive gaze of Petra, who was carefully searching his face in search of anything that indicated he liked it. It was good, and the fact he had not tasted chocolate in a long time made it better.

When the first chocolate finished melting on his tongue he asked eagerly:

-Do you have more? - that simple question making Petra relax again.

-Well, I only managed to make three good ones, I ruined the rest- she answered embarrassed while pulling out a second chocolate.

Levi ate it from her fingers rather impatiently this time, relishing himself in its flavor as Petra babbled about how difficult was to make chocolates and such while he hummed in delight.

-it's good Petra, stop nattering already.-he abruptly interrupted her chatter, one of his hands reaching up to grab her chin and tilt her head in his direction- here, taste it.

And with those words he crushed their lips together taking advantage of her parted ones to plunge his tongue inside her mouth letting her savor his Valentine's gift while she melted against him, reaching back with one hand to tangle her finger in his hair while the other entwined fingers with one of his.

Pulling back before things got to heated, Levi finished the kiss he had started with a quick peck, buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply the familiar lavender scent.

-I am better at cooking than I thought- she said jokingly while licking her lips, making him chuckle, the vibrations of his chest shaking her lightly.

With a contented sigh, she leaned back, resting her head on his shoulder while Levi entertained himself nuzzling her neck.

And then without them noticing the fatigue of day caught up to them, curled up in each other warmth making their eyelids surprisingly heavy

-Are you sure she was supposed to be here, Moblit?-

-Yes, squad leader- the blonde man answered.

-humm- Hanji hummed thoughtfully. They were in the storage room Petra was supposed to have come back from two hours ago, but haven't, both in search of the files Petra was supposed to get and the woman. And finding a grumpy short man as well would be a plus (Erwin had a good lecture prepared for him for not coming to the meeting). Looking around with the trained eyes of the second-to-none scientist she was, Hanji suddenly caught a glimpse of a half hidden sheet of paper behind a wooden box, what made a wide smile to appear in her face.

"There you are" she thought.

Side glancing Moblit who was examinating some files of the enormous file cabinet, to make sure he wasn't paying attention to her, Hanji walked quietly towards the stray sheet of paper, discovering after looking pass the box it has hidden behind some more, and after those more and more.

Curious, the brunette followed the trail of discarded paper until she came up to an uncommon sight. Humanity's strongest and his subordinate, two full grown adults sleeping huddled in a corner of a storage room hidden in the middle of storage chests. "As if they were still cadets" Hanji thought fondly shaking her head while smiling "the two lovebirds, damn, where's a camera when you need it?"

Squatting down, Hanji observed the satisfied expression on their faces, completely at ease, when suddenly her eyes landed on a discarded sachet next to Petra and reached for it, curiously looking up its content.

Hanji pulled out the last chocolate and looked at it and then at the couple and put two and two together.

"Damn Levi, how can you punish the cadets and then do the same yourself?"-she thought humored at the thought of the two teen who had spent their Valentine's Day running.

Putting the candy inside her mouth, Hanji quickly picked up the paper on the floor and stood up, turning around to go the way she had come from.

-let's go Moblit, I found the files we needed-she said without looking at him and reaching for the door.

-And Petra?-he asked, looking up from the paper he was reading.

-not here-Hanji answered while licking her lips.

Yep, Petra's chocolate is definitely the best.


Hi readers! I hope you liked my little contribution to Rivetra San valentine's (don't hate me, I know it's cheesy). Actually this is a fic dedicated to Deceptivecommander for the Rivetra's San Valentine's Exchange.

Hope you enjoyed it!