Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It's true that when he'd initially been introduced to her earlier that evening, he had been curious. He would probably go far enough to say that he was even attracted to the auburn haired girl with eyes too bright for a party held under such dim lighting. The attraction, as far as everyone but Levi was concerned, was very much returned.

Erd and Gunther could tell by the way she leaned just a little too close when he whispered something in her ear above the music. Hanj and Erwin were definitely not oblivious to Levi subtle shifts and tilts of the head as he was speaking to her— how he would lean just close enough for the skin of his nose, sometimes his lips, to touch the hair that escaped from the back of her ear as it pooled at her shoulders.

It was obvious, as the night went on that Petra was not one to hold her liquor down very well. Levi could sense that she was a little bit more than just tipsy as her movements became slower and more languid as the night progressed. Of course, it wasn't helping that her two friends— practically her brothers— were giving her alcoholic beverage after alcoholic beverage as if it were water.

By the time he'd finally realized it was time to step in, it was too late. Petra's eyes, already glazed and lidded. She stared at him dreamily, her lips upturned in a soft smile and her cheeks flushed from the alcohol. Levi was definitely not drunk enough for the feelings she was making erupt within him.

"Hey, senpai," Although she was most definitely drunk, her words and her tongue did not betray her sobriety, or rather, lack thereof.

"I think you've had enough to drink, yeah?" Levi said. His hand moving swiftly to take the glass of unknown alcoholic substance from her hand.

Petra though, ever the angel, made no move to fight back. Instead, she let him take the glass in her hand without much comment. Despite her drunken stupor, when Levi's admonishing gaze had landed on her, she had somehow managed to still find some sobriety in her to give him a sheepish look.

It had made Levi turn his own shade of crimson wondering how the auburnette could manage to look so innocent, yet so devilish at the same time. Really, Petra Ral made his blood boil, his temperature rise and his logic lost.

"Maybe she needs some air?" Hanji cooes over the music. He can tell from her voice that she's slightly tipsy, but not nearly as bad as the smallest member of their tiny group of six.

He hesitates for a moment, looking over at Erwin who doesn't seem very fazed at all by the alcohol, then over at Hanji who seems to be handling the intoxicating substance in an opposing manner. His eyes move over to Gunther and Erd—both who are actually Petra's friends and had come with her tonight— his eyes, lightly asking for permission from them.

Erd, who is less intoxicated than Gunther, but intoxicated—regardless—just laughs boisterously and gives him a massive pat on the back. It's enough to knock the air out of his lungs, but not enough for him to stumble.

Without another word, he's picking Petra up by the shoulders. His hands are light and Levi's careful not to grab her too hard, but not too soft that he'd accidentally let go, inadvertently injuring the girl. She wraps her hand around his waist and presses herself into him, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder and Levi cannot help but feel comfort in how warm she is.

They make their way through the throng of people, dancing, laughing and drinking. They stumble a few times, Petra's body unable to completely carry her weight. He compliantly pulls her up onto her feet, never letting anything other than her feet touch the ground and she clutches onto him.

When they reach the door, a gust of cold air greets them both. Petra, with her eyes half closed and half her wait impressed onto Levi's coat, hums softly at the feel of his warmth to counter the sudden cold. She shivers a little once impacted with the cold winter chill outside the warm bar.

It would be the perfect atmosphere, Levi thinks, if it didn't look so suspicious. With her pressed tightly against him, barely able to hold her own and him, completely sober and clutching her to him. He can tell that she's enjoying the proximity and he would be too, truly, if only he didn't look like some pervert victimizing an unsuspecting, innocent and highly intoxicated girl.

Ten minutes later, they're making their way back into the bar, Petra a little bit better on her feet. She's carrying most of her weight now, but she's clutching onto Levi in the same manner— not that he really minds.

When they reach the table, it's empty. Save for Petra's handbag that sits quietly on the couch. Beneath it, Levi extracts a small paper—the receipt—with some messy handwriting. He can tell right away that it's Hanji's handwriting because even when she wrote sober, he could barely make out half the things she wrote.

The only thing he could make out was the last sentence that even had an ugly drawing of what Levi presumed was a smiley face with two thumbs up. 'Use protection.'

Part of Levi wanted to punch his four-eyed friend right in her annoying face because what kind of man did she think Levi was? He wasn't just about to sleep with a girl who was obviously inebriated beyond her wits, no matter how much he liked her! Another part of him almost flushed because had it been that obvious that he had inclinations toward Petra?

Shrugging the thought away, he spends a good twenty-five minutes trying to get Petra to tell him where she lives. He'd even gone so far as to open her purse and search the contents of her wallet for anything that remotely resembled an address. But to no avail.

"Petra," he asked for the enth time, "Where do you live?"

Giggling from her intoxication, she lifted a hand, placing it between his creased brows. "You worry too much. Relaaax."

He's flustered but only for a fraction of a moment. "C'mon Petra, I have to take you home. So tell me where you live."

This time, her hands move lower and her index finger lands at his lips. "Shhhhh, it's a secret." With that, she nestles her head on his shoulder and proceeds to doze off.

By one in the morning, Levi decides that there's no other choice. He brings her home.

The walks to his one-story apartment is short, but thankfully uneventful and quiet. They get there without so much fuss or any of the suspicion from passers-by that he was worried about.

Petra is fully asleep by the time he gets her past the door. Her legs refuse to cooperate or even carry her weight and her breaths are deep and even. He shifts his arms around and carries her over to the couch, princess-style.

Levi definitely doesn't think how much of a married couple they resemble, him carrying her as though they were newly-weds and he most certainly does not entertain the idea of what a gorgeous bride Petra would make or how nice it would be to have her on his arm as they walk out of a chapel.

Shrugging thoughts he was definitely not having about the sleeping girl, he sets her down and tucks her in with a spare blanket that's hanging off of the couch arm. Staring at her peaceful sleeping face, Levi decides that the alcohol has finally made it all the way to his brain and that is the only reason he would ever do this for anyone.

He doesn't hear it at first, as he turns to leave.

"Levi." The second time is louder and more audible, but just as gentle.

She doesn't call him senpai this time just as she had been for most of the night, but he didn't mind. Being called senpai made him feel so much older than her. He didn't like the gap. Plus, it sounded nice— his name coming from her lips— it made something warm build in his chest. It seemed she was really good at producing that strange effect on him—making him feel all warm inside.

"Hm?" He moves closer to her lying figure on the couch and before he can protest or react, with her eyes still closed, her arms snake around his neck, pulling her even closer to him.

"You're really warm." She mumbles, nuzzling his neck and burying her face in the exposed flesh of his neck.

"P-Petra! Y-You're drunk! Thi-this isn't—" Levi, whose composure is usually unbreakable, is stuttering and stumbling, trying to release himself from her hold. He holds down her shoulders, trying to pry her off of him as gently as he can when he hears her speak again.

"You're arms are the warmest. I want to sleep in your arms." He stops struggling and practically freezes in place from the shock of her, albeit drunk, but sort of romantic confession.

He stares at her face, more serene than she had been just a few moments ago. He wonders if his arms are really that warm and if he really has that effect on her or if she's just so utterly hammered that she's saying the things he wants to hear.

Levi doesn't try to find an answer anymore.

Instead, he wraps his arms around her back and partially lifts her up. He slowly maneuvers himself into the now free space of the couch. Unable to remove her arms from around his neck, he places her on his lap, seating her there so as not to break contact— or get himself strangled by her. He wraps his arms around her again— this time her waist and takes the blanket and wraps it neatly around the both of them.

He doesn't mind that he hasn't changed out of his clothes or his winter coat or that most of Petra's weight is leaning against him. He doesn't feel crushed. He feels warm and so does Petra. So for once, he doesn't think about it or over analyze anything. For once, he just sleeps— peacefully and happily— warm in the arms of the auburn haired girl he was sure he liked a lot more after the night's events.