CHALEUR
Written for Levi Week 2013 on Tumblr || Day 2 Prompt: One Ship (RivaMika/LeviMika)
A/N: This is a personal study on how Levi and Mikasa might interact currently in a canon scenario - up to the most recent chapter 52, at least. Chaleur is French for "warmth/heat" in more ways than one (Or so Google translate tells me, ha).
Pungent soil.
Fresh blades of grass.
Mikasa blinked awake as the contradicting scents invaded her nostrils. Where am I?
Her surroundings were enveloped in utter darkness, but she could easily decipher by the type of soil rubbing against her cheek that she was in the midst of the woods – quite possibly the one some distance north of her new squad's hideout. Her limbs were tied behind her back, while a thick rag was wrapped across her mouth and around her jaw to restrain any vocalizations. She had a brief moment of panic before realizing that she was almost fully clothed in what she wore last – her scarf and uniform sans harnesses, though her cloak had gone missing – and that her only apparent injury were the soreness in her arms, no doubt caused by the restraints.
As Mikasa endeavored to analyze her precarious circumstances further, a mouth descended upon her bound wrists without warning.
"Mmph!" She struggled fervently against the gag and rope bindings as hot breaths tickled her forearms. Behind her lower back, Mikasa could vaguely make out the strained groans of someone attempting to place tactical bites - not at her flesh but at the ties themselves. Teeth tore at the plaited fibers with strange expertise, only occasionally grazing her skin when the angle was too difficult. Soon, sensing the growing weakness of the twine from the anonymous person's efforts, she shook her arms again in an attempt to finally break free.
"Stop moving, Mikasa." The gnawing paused to make way for a familiar, commanding voice that caused her to freeze instantly. "I'm trying to release you here."
Cor…corporal Levi? Without the ability to speak, Mikasa could only consider the revelation mentally. It was apparent now that he was also limited in mobility, as someone like Levi would never use his mouth in such a way unless the situation was desperate. Henceforth, she obediently waited for his teeth to continue their due diligence, removing layer upon layer of material and diminishing the rope's strength down to almost nil within another two minutes.
"Now…now you may try to snap it in two." Her superior voiced between gasps as he halted his previous movements.
Exerting her strength to full capacity, Mikasa ignored the painful friction against her skin and finally managed to split apart the weakened material. Her hands immediately went to the back of her neck, feverishly untying the strangling knots that helped hold her jaw in place. As she worked on the stubborn loops she turned her head to look at Levi, who had remained unusually silent in the past few moments.
Even in the darkness, she could decipher that the shorter man was resting on his side upon the ground, breathing deeply and evidently fatigued from his recent efforts. Somehow he had chewed through his own gag first, as evidenced by the tattered piece of cloth next to him in the grass. Somehow, she was not surprised.
Seconds later, Mikasa felt her final knot come undone under the rushed dexterity of her fingers. Still somewhat enraged from the adrenaline from breaking free, she threw the stifling object a short distance away and spit to the side, wanting to eliminate the foul aftertaste within her mouth. "Corporal," her breaths were now in sync with his. "What…what is going on?"
His hooded eyes glanced upward towards her through the added obscurity of his bangs. "What, Mikasa? Not even a thanks for liberating you?"
The crude words pricked at her pride a little, but Mikasa had almost expected such a retort to her own brusque question. After all, as she had come to learn quite well, especially over the past few months, the corporal's demeanor and manner of speech was quite different from anyone else in her sphere. He was – in the best euphemism she could muster – direct, almost painfully so.
"You know me, corporal. I just prefer to know exactly what is happening before we dive into things…" She defended herself with uneasiness as she rubbed the irritated flesh around her wrists. "But I should make an exception in this case, yes. Thank you for setting me free."
He scoffed, head twisting to the side in implied conceit. "You are very welcome, even though I will likely need to cleanse my mouth ten times over once we return. Now untie me first, and I will try to explain."
With that, he rotated his entire body 180 degrees, exposing his stretched back and bound arms to her brazenly. She quickly reached out towards his hands and began her near-blind scrutiny, fingers carefully curling around each loop and knot to determine the loosest points. Gradually, her pupils began to adjust to the darkness, and she could almost see the texture of the rope by the time she solved the mystery of its flaws. One by one, the persistent loops unwound, admitting defeat against her engagements. And as her actions slowed near the finishing line, Mikasa finally realized from her progressively visible and foggy breaths that wherever they were, the temperature was anything but kind.
As she untied the final knot, she heard Levi's sigh of relief. "Tch, much better." He bent his fingers one by one, ensuring that proper bloodflow had returned to each digit before using both palms to lift himself from the ground into a seated position. His neck then twisted once more to give her a glance of approval. "Nice work."
Mikasa nodded once in understated acknowledgement, though she could not deny the satisfaction that bubbled within at the brief praise. "So…what happened to us?"
"Long story short, I think the Military Police found our cabin location." There was a sudden acidic tone in Levi's voice as he surveyed the trees closest to them.
The response sent a piercing chill down Mikasa's spine that rivaled the temperature of her surroundings. "What? How?"
He stood, hands zealously patting down the fabric of his pants to remove invisible stains that likely only his scrupulous mind could see. "No matter how much we try to conceal our actions, Mikasa, even the most secretive of news tends to travel far too quickly within the walls…"
"So you think that the Military Police did this to us? Left us fending for ourselves in the middle of the forest with nothing but the clothes off our backs?"
"I'm quite certain that they did, though they meant for this to be just a temporary solution in the midst of bigger plans." His arms were folded now as he recited further analysis, and his attention shifted from the trees back to her. "Tell me, what do you still remember from earlier?"
She winced at the sudden throb in her head that reverberated against any attempt at recollection. That's right…what was I doing?
"Relax." Levi's placid yet somehow reassuring voice broke through the threat of chaos. "I have a damn headache as well. Just relax and think slowly."
Mikasa closed her eyes and heeded his suggestions. Moments later, as the pain waned, muddled images finally began to grace the darkness behind her lids. She then reopened them, focusing her sight at a particular point ahead until each remembered scene became more and more vivid.
"It was my turn to keep watch for the first hours of nightfall… I brewed some of the holly tea from the kitchen and brought it outside with me to keep warm…" The memory of fragrant, hot liquid caused her to shudder again, her nerves now further reminded of how much warmth she lacked at the moment.
"I didn't realize someone else other than me touched the holly tea leaves." He interrupted, one eyebrow arching in surprise. "As far as I knew all the squad members preferred jasmine."
Mikasa actually felt her face flush with embarrassment, and her heart immediately thanked the heavens that it was too dark for him to witness her in such a state. "I tried the jasmine once." She admitted. "It wasn't…bitter enough."
Of course, she purposefully left out the fact that she had followed his lead a few weeks ago, after spying him preparing the unpopular option for himself in the kitchen. As soon as the drink reached his lips, his stoic expression had transformed into one of rare yet ominous contentment – which he probably would not have displayed had he known she was also present. Mikasa, on the other hand, found herself thoroughly fascinated by what he consumed. And from that day onwards, she sought out the same tin in the aged cabinet in her thirst to experience the same remedial effect. The bitterness was the perfect companion to the suppressed dynamism of her emotions, quenching her innate desire to slaughter while serving as reminder that the fight would come again soon. Surely, she had thought with every sip, Surely this is how he feels as well.
"Tch." The person at hand affirmed her suspicions as he regarded her admission with interest. "And I thought I had gloomy preferences."
Mikasa cleared her throat and stood at attention, wanting to refocus her own mind as she returned his gaze from her taller height. "Do you want me to finish my report or not, corporal?"
He did not retaliate against her challenge. "Go on."
"I remember feeling drowsy about ten minutes after I took the first sip of tea, which only made me drink more." She continued, voice becoming steadier as she reported in the style of a soldier. "I don't recall much from the subsequent fifteen minutes…and the next thing I knew after that, your teeth were gnawing at my wrists."
Levi ignored her final grievance as he evaluated the situation. "So they somehow drugged the tea leaves to knock me out, but when they came to grab my unconscious self they must have found you passed out at the outpost as well…"
Her eyes widened at the potential accuracy of the revelation. "And what did they use to carry us?"
"Look around and use your scouting skills, Mikasa." He glanced downward impassively. "Hoof prints everywhere."
"Horses…how far could they have traveled with us then?"
"Considering the current night temperature compared to before, not as far as we may fear."
Just as Mikasa found temporary relief at the theory, another particular realization suddenly dawned upon her.
"Eren…and the others!" A layer of sweat immediately formed upon her back and upon her concealed neck, dousing her in anxiety that she had been trying hard to control during this entire time with the new squad. "We have to find our way back and help them!"
"No need to panic." Levi lifted one limb and placed a reassuring palm against her shoulder. "Hanji is already there."
"What?" As their conversation carried on, each of his composed answers only stupefied her more and more. The warmth from his hand also emanated through the thin fabric of her shirt, almost distracting her nerves from producing further unease.
"Don't underestimate your superiors. We already overheard the whispers about this plan days ago and took precautions." He divulged. "If they are to kidnap Eren and Historia they would do it in the dead of night, which is right now. But Hanji's squad should already be hiding out on the grounds."
Mikasa could not help but be impressed at the foresight the corporal articulated. Years of serving under Erwin no doubt trained both him and Hanji's intuitions, but to execute such a counterplan with so little manpower was no simple matter. And even though the procedures had evidently hit a snag with their random relocation, the underlying confidence in Levi's voice demanded respect, which she was prepared to give.
"I just never thought that they would have the guts to incapacitate me first before Hanji even got there…" As if reading her mind, he expressed his own displeasure at their unforeseen detour. "My damn leg is not even completely healed, so I don't know why they even assumed that I would be their greatest threat."
At the mere mention of his injury she instantly flushed with shame. "…I still take full responsibility for that, corporal."
"I didn't say that to guilt you." The palm that was still upon her shoulder gave a sudden squeeze, almost startling Mikasa in the process. "Those bastards were lucky they got you with the tea as a bonus, because you probably would've wrecked the last of them with your bare hands. That would show them to never underestimate subordinates, either…"
His commendation was nothing short of surprising. Even though she had sensed his growing respect towards her since their rather unpleasant first encounter in the courtroom, Mikasa hadn't noticed that he now regarded her as a completely capable fighter, even when operating solo. Uncertain of how to respond, she could only watch him with both curiosity and esteem, which he returned with something unreadable. As quickly as that indistinct emotion surfaced, however, it disappeared along with the warm grasp against her skin. "The damn canopy is obstructing our view of the stars and our sense of direction." Levi looked above them again, voice giving off a preoccupied tone. "I will have to try to figure out our exact location from atop a tree."
Before she could state her thoughts on the notion, he was already limping towards the trunk of the giant cedar just behind her. Mikasa followed close behind, trying to splice together words against such an irrational idea but unable to conjure up an alternative method to improve their circumstances.
"The good news is that I am certain that we are not far from the cabin, as I said before." Extending his arms upward, Levi tested the strength of the lowest branches as he reached the tree. "They would not risk endangering our lives that much to accomplish whatever their damn goal is."
"But they even killed Pastor Nick." She reiterated Hanji's recent, harrowing tale. "You don't think that they would go to the same lengths just to get Eren and Historia at this point? They certainly didn't leave us with 3DMG or extra items to keep warm with…"
With a pause, he looked back with her with burning determination in his gaze. "Well even if their intentions were to eliminate us, we're not going to let that happen, are we, Mikasa?"
Nearly pinned by his resolve and unable to come up with a suitable response, she shook her head.
A smirk twitched at the corner of his lips. "I thought so. Now, give me a lift."
"Corporal, your leg…" She made one final attempt to discourage him, though her arms had already automatically reached out in obedience of the command. Fingers gripped around his healthy ankle – she almost tensed at the memory of Eren's jaw being pulverized by it – before propelling him upward and allowing him to effortlessly settle upon the surface of the lowest branch.
"I'm not an invalid by any means, so don't treat me like one." From his now elevated position, Levi observed her beneath shadowy eyes as booted legs dangled beneath him. "It disappoints me that even those Military Police idiots had more confidence in my survival than you right now."
The harsh statement rippled through her conscience like an ongoing drum, stirring up echoes within her vacillating conviction. Where the corporal had battered Titans and Eren physically, she had often felt the same type of consequences mentally. These days she understood his agenda – each proclamation, no matter how severe, was another building block of his subordinates' development as soldiers. Yet with her there was always a visible difference – beneath every word was a hint of something personal, as if he were concerned for her individually rather than classifying her within the conglomerate of his troops. This night was no different, and any previous suspicions were only proven correct time and again as they were, for once, interacting on their own.
"Mikasa."
The calling of her name from up in the air disturbed her train of thought. She darted her eyes upward at the strangely distant sound and gasped when she saw that during her brief trance, Levi had inexplicably climbed around twenty branches higher. I'm not an invalid by any means. His reminder resonated within her mind.
"You should get up here," He stood precariously at the edge of his latest conquest, figure now only half in shade from the scattered moonlight that could reach his altitude. "It's much colder, but even if we are within safe territory, being weaponless on the ground in these parts is never a good thing."
She could only gape at him, almost in awe of how his entire silhouette seemed to billow majestically against the stronger winds above. Humanity's strongest after Levi, the people had dubbed her against her wishes, and at this very moment all Mikasa desired was to acquire the same strength and fulfill those expectations. But for whose sake? For the people?
"That's an order to climb, Mikasa." Levi's voice sounded again, this time with further authority. "Consider it a test of your abilities under dire circumstances."
An unyielding resolve to conquer his task scorched within her. No. For myself. For my loved ones. "Yes, sir." Her fingers clenched at the coarse bark texture.
For him.
Branch by branch, meter by meter, Mikasa took full control of her own ascent with him as her zenith. The jagged texture of each new offshoot scratched against her skin, piercing existing callouses though never enough to draw blood. Throughout the strenuous climb she could feel his eyes on her, though she failed to interpret whether the look was one of disapproval or appreciation. As she approached her goal, she finally saw that he was actually regarding her with trust – trust that she would arrive at him via her own volition, but also that she would rely on him to reach for her should she stumble.
When she arrived at the branch just beneath his, an unexpected crack echoed through the air as the wood nearly snapped under her weight. Mikasa swiftly shifted her balance, landing safely upon the previous surface as the damaged fragments plummeted towards the ground.
She breathed a sigh of relief as she crouched down, rubbing her arms to find reprieve from the now measurable coldness while the frayed end of her scarf swung freely in the wind. Only when her sight shifted below her did Mikasa yelp with surprise at just how high she had climbed without the use of maneuver gear. Seconds later, from the corner of her eye, she observed a familiar hand extending downward into her space. With one final look at the astonishing view below, she took ahold of Levi's muscled forearm and accepted his assistance.
"Tch, why are you so goddamn heavy…" He protested as he hauled her onto the same level and placed her across from him. "Just how much more muscle had you gained since the last time I intercepted you in the air?"
Despite the surface insult, Mikasa somehow found comfort in his veiled meaning. Contrary to her own expectations, he had not accused her for being a glutton or criticized her for not paying attention to her fitness. Instead, he fully acknowledged that she had been training with diligence. The concern reflected through his eyes was now obvious within the stronger light, and she wondered if fear had even transpired across those blue orbs when she nearly fell.
Instead of lauding her on the recent achievement, Levi dove straight into the answers she desired.
"As I expected, we are not far – I can see the river that we fish in from here. But the bad news is I doubt I can walk enough distance to get back." He pointed towards the southeast, guiding her eyes to the stream of water barely visible behind some pinewoods. "So if you are adamant on going, you will have to do it on your own-"
She did not allow him to finish as she directed a tenacious gaze back at him. "I won't leave you alone here, corporal."
Levi's expression flashed with astonishment at her forwardness. But he remained silent, as if anticipating her continuance.
"I trust what you said about Hanji's team being able to handle things." She confessed her recent conclusion. "You trusted me with not making another blunder when it comes to Eren and being able to climb this tree. So it's the least I can do to have the same confidence."
She could have sworn that a genuine smile gleamed across Levi's face then, but between her increasing fatigue and the cloudy barriers of her own breath, Mikasa could not be certain. The abrupt draft that traveled through their vicinity only served as further distraction, and her teeth clattered at the biting breeze.
"Mikasa Ackerman." He suddenly announced her full name. "Humor me, since I've been watching you convulse ever since we regained consciousness - are you freezing to your wit's end?"
"I…I could be…be worse." Her voice trembled against her will at the increasing recognition of the coldness. "My cloak must've fallen… fallen during the journey here."
"Come." He extended the same arm that had pulled her to safety in the most nonchalant manner. "Another person's body heat is always the best remedy."
Her body actually became immobilized at the invitation. "What?" She attempted to scurry away, only finding that there was no more room behind. "No, corporal, but thank you."
"Stop hesitating. You know you learned this long ago as a cadet." His more errant eyebrow raised itself once again. "If we don't do it, both of us are going to die from the cold. I could care less about myself, but it would be unacceptable to have a subordinate like you die on my watch when we're not even in battle."
Levi's final sentence was the nail upon her coffin of trepidation, and Mikasa found herself easing towards him, crawling little by little into the tempting security and warmth she knew he now represented. Soon her torso leaned carefully against his, while her hair fell uniform against his shoulder and shrouded it in shades of onyx. She paid special heed to situate herself outside of his slightly parted legs, but she could not control her fingers' natural instinct to grasp the fabric against his chest as they sought out relief from the winds. In response, one of Levi's arms wrapped across the small of her back, and his hand eventually found a comfortable placement in the dip of her waist. Had this been anyone else or any other time she probably would have jumped, but his was a most respectful and gentle touch – one that she actually wanted to experience more.
"Better?" Levi murmured as she finally settled her movements.
"Mm." She hummed, lifting her scarf to shield her blushing face as she tried not to enjoy the faint musk of his scent, which she recalled from the last time they were this close together just before their battle with the Female Titan.
"The truth is." He said to no one in particular as his other hand reached to rub additional warmth into her exposed shoulder. "I've already had too many deaths happen under my command."
They were recalling moments from around the same traumatic time period simultaneously, though Levi's were evidently of a different nature from hers. Mikasa's fist clenched his shirt further, her own heart aching at the flash of vulnerability he exhibited. "Sorry again…for reminding you of bad memories."
"No need to be sorry all the time." He admonished. "Just be glad that the others now won't find us in icicle form."
She could not hold back a chuckle at the description. Oh, what would Eren say if he saw us like this…
"And don't you fucking die on me, Mikasa Ackerman." Levi continued his statements in command form, seemingly unable to suppress his honesty any longer. "As your senior I'm supposed to go first, and I'm expecting you, and you alone, to carry on my legacy. Do you understand?"
At his fervent endorsement, she could only raise her head in disbelief. "Corporal…"
"Humanity has high hopes for you." His narrow eyes bore into hers, showcasing a thorough range of concern and affection that she did not know him capable of. "I have damn high hopes for you. But don't you dare tell anyone I'm playing favorites."
"Than…thank you." She stuttered as she continued to drink in his admissions.
"Plus, I would rather not live out the rest of my days under the chagrin of your destructive brother and that mushroom head."
Mikasa could no longer subdue a resounding snort as she processed the unforgiving monikers he bestowed upon her closest loved ones. The frazzled noise traversed through the trees around them, and she could see the astonishment in Levi's eyes as he watched her expression utterly break through that signature stoicism. Once she recovered, she noticed him removing the white fabric draping against his neck, the smile she suspected of seeing before now fully displayed upon his features.
"Corporal…what…what are you doing?" She questioned as he began to wrap the material around one of her hands, taking extra care to not disturb the still-red flesh from her earlier bindings.
"This damn thing doesn't even keep my neck warm like your scarf does." His explanation was brief and direct as he remained tedious to his work. "Might as well put it to better use."
"But your own hands…" She could feel the numbing coldness of each digit as they passed her own, grazing against her wrist like the icicles he had been alluding to.
Tying ends together to complete the improvised glove, Levi shrugged. The remnants of his smile were still somewhat visible as he leaned against the bark with his own hands at the back of his head. "I'm fine."
"No, corporal." Mikasa insisted, not willing to relent any longer. As if on instinct, she loosened her scarf before extending both arms to grasp at his wrists. Despite Levi's persistence and the fact that one of her hands now had bound fingers, she managed to wrestle his hands into the cavity between the sides of her neck and the scarf. The intrusion of coldness made her hiss, but she crossed elbows over his, forcing him to maintain the unusual position – one made even stranger by the fact that they were still upon a large tree branch.
"Keep your hands here. Please." Leaning in until their foreheads touched, she voiced while ensuring that her gaze contained the same burning determination he had been showing her all night.
He angled his chin upward slightly, allowing the reddened tips of their noses to almost rub together. "You're putting me in quite the compromising position right now, Mikasa."
"Well, I won't have any superiors die or get frostbite while I'm around, either."
Mikasa was not sure how much time passed as she continued to lounge against the corporal, all their hands thoroughly enveloped in heat while the rest of their bodies provided just enough for each other. Outside of the physical comfort, however, her heart soared with something beyond mere admiration for the man next to her.
He may be daunting, and challenging, and cold beyond belief.
Yet he provided more warmth than I ever expected to have.
"Corporal! Mikasa!"
Alongside the resonating call, the indisputable noise of 3D maneuver gear in operation sounded in close proximity, and seconds later the mousy brown mane of Jean came into view as he glided around a neighboring tree. She could have sworn that she overheard a displeased grunt from Levi's throat as Jean flew towards them, but the moment was as fleeting as her own laugh from earlier. One thing was certain - even as their comrade landed right next to them, they had still mutually refused to untangle themselves from one another.
"Wow, you two look…comfortable." The nervousness in the young man's forced chuckle could not be concealed.
"Stop gaping, Kirschstein." Levi's breath warmed her ear as it blew past. "And give your cloak to her before I am tempted to eventually blame you for her demise."
"Yes…yes sir!" The anxiety was even more apparent as Jean swiftly removed his outerwear before handing it to her. Finally detaching herself from Levi's embrace, Mikasa accepted the item with a stern nod whilst feeling an immediate sense of loss. And even as she threw the cloak around her shoulders, she found that its coziness could not measure up to what she had just experienced. But as she sensed Levi's hands still attempting to grasp for hers underneath the cloak, she could not help but grin.
"Everyone is safe and sound back at the cabin." Seemingly unaware of her reactions, Jean continued his report and brought some much-needed ease. "We caught all the perpetrators and forced them to disclose your location."
Behind her, Levi scoffed. "Tch, I'm going to personally deliver them to Erwin…and I will commend the rest of you on a job well done." He looked towards her before giving her hands a reassuring squeeze. "But not before we both get some proper, drugless rest."
It was already near dawn by the time Mikasa returned to the familiar confines of her own bed, but Hanji had advised her to sleep in to recover from what must have been a "distressful experience of being stuck with Levi."
She had shook her head in denial, but she noticed that Jean and Levi were the only ones who did not laugh at Hanji's imagined portrayal.
Minutes later, after much fruitless tossing and turning, Mikasa found herself knocking upon the door of another room just a few quarters down in her corridor. A grunt of approval later, she twisted the knob, finding it surprisingly unlocked.
"What is it?" Levi watched as she entered while dressed in her nightshirt and loose pants. Contrary to her, his eyes possessed little surprise, as if he had been expecting these exact circumstances.
Closing the door softly, she leaned against the frame with both hands behind her back. "I…I cannot sleep."
"Why are you stammering like you're still freezing in the goddamn forest?"
Mikasa's brows furrowed before she stomped over to his bedside.
"My room now feels colder than before." Her grumble contained both frustration and anticipation. "So I need something familiar to warm me up."
Levi regarded her for a prolonged moment, the same undiscernible emotion as before flickering again behind his eyes.
"Well then…at your service." He lifted his thin duvet in welcome, allowing her to enter his boundaries as if he had always wanted to permit the notion. Wordlessly, she settled against him like a lost bird returning to its nest, one arm encircling his waist and one leg burrowing between both of his. Her mind was no longer apprehensive about the countless stories that would lie beyond of their soothing night of rest. Beneath her touch, however, every sinew of his muscles discernibly tensed.
"Don't get too comfortable, Mikasa." He whispered against her forehead, lips tickling the single cluster of hair that habitually fell against that area. "Otherwise I may have to tie you back up for the full reenactment of earlier tonight."
"…You can do that next time." She mumbled into his neck.
"Oh."
[Fin]