Credits/Disclaimers[AU]: The story is developed by me, everything else belongs to their respective creators. Written for RivaMikaWeek6 (December 25th, 2015-Jan 1st, 2016), Day 1: Tarot: The Fool (His views are unconventional) and The Chariot (He wins the race after travelling far and wide to achieve his goals).

She stopped by on this day every year, ever since they had met. And every time she stopped by, she arrived like the fury and left in a similar fashion resulting in an upheaval of Levi's daily routine.

Years ago, now, she had stumbled upon this tea shop by accident. On a rainy evening, when Levi was entertaining a measly two customers - an elderly couple - with a decided lack of enthusiasm, she had rushed into the shop and settled down in one of the booths.

He had walked up to request her order and she had opted for black tea. He had served her delightfully. Taking in her beautiful features, sparkling and sharp eyes and slightly drenched clothing, he had not moved very far away when her face had contorted and he had been vivaciously informed of how tasteless his black tea was.

No one insulted Levi's teas. Not even those who did not like tea. No one.

He had stopped abruptly, walked right back and politely asked her to repeat herself. Which she had, loudly.

"Your tea has no taste. Do you brew it?"

Oh.

"I believe that is the only way you can make a decent cup of tea. Or do you prefer an alternative method?"

This was business and he shouldn't have said that - but his drenched-in-rain customer had somehow gotten under his skin in less than ten words.

This had resulted in barbed insults flying back and forth, prompting the woman to pick up her cup and attempt to hurl the contents of it onto Levi. Fortunately, he had prevented such a disaster by grasping her wrists and landing in a stale-mate staring contest, that had only ended with a resigned, "Would you like a different tea, Miss?" from him.

She had nodded to that and relaxed allowing Levi to venture releasing her hands.

After discarding three more kinds of teas, she had finally accepted his blend of rooibos as the "one thing he could brew right."

While his was not a disposition to handle technically-adult-but-bratty customers, he had somehow been captivated by silly and constant banter; and her insistent quips on his habits and not-so-perfect tea making had carved a niche in his heart.

Undoubtedly, they had scared off the elderly couple, but she had remained past closing time pointing and questioning him about everything in the shop - tea or otherwise.

She had visited a couple of times in the following days and then intermittently ever since. Levi had learned about her too - she was a travelling photographer and was hardly ever in town. She had a penchant for teas and preferred savory snacks along with her favourite cup of piping hot tea. She liked the colour red. And her name was Mikasa Ackerman.

And she always stopped by on the 25th of December every year. To mark the anniversary of her friendship with Levi. It didn't matter to him that she did not know that her arrival in his life was also the day of his arrival into this world. But he was happy, what had started as a quarrel and overbearing attitude had transformed into deep affection over the years, as foolish as that sounded. The niche she had begun to carve so long had now taken on emotions and had only grown larger - incapable of being contained only in dreams, and at this point, Levi was not even sure whether, it was his heart that housed her or she who housed his heart.

He sighed at the train of thought. He was a fool. And he was an insane fool - falling for the racing ball of energy named Mikasa. Who, in their right mind, tried to rein in the chariot of the sun? Who, in their right mind, hoped for a future with a fleeting dream? Who, in their right mind, fell for her?

But the problem with love is, mind does not have a whole lot to say when it comes to paltry physical barriers.

Year after year, it had become a tradition, then an obsession - for both of them and eventually his most treasured moment and her coziest one. Nothing had ever been awkward and every year, every time, it seemed whatever bond they held, just strengthened more. That spelled trouble for Levi, because a strong attachment to the namesake of "wanderlust" did not bode well for a nestled anchor like him.

And yet, this was his idea of love. Unconventional. Yes. Warm, soothing and wholesome. Yes.

It was already past closing time and there had been no sign of her all day. And even though, it looked despairing, he held on and waited. Like always.

-x-

It was very close to midnight and Levi had dozed off on the counter when a fierce rattling of the Christmas decorations on the front door of the shop shook him awake. Sleep tried to lull him back with it's long, seductive tendrils, but something far more tempting was calling to him. He opened the door, a little rushed and a little out of breath.

There she was. Standing in the snow, wrapped in her tell-tale red scarf and bringing the kinds of joys to Levi that even old Christmas carols could not evoke.

"Hi." He could only muster that.

"Levi." She smiled. "May I come in?"

He moved back to let her in and closed the door while she shed her jacket and remnants of snow flakes from her hair. Everything looked gorgeous on her. From rain to snow.

"Would you like some tea? I have a special blend that I made recently." He offered.

She nodded gracefully. He made hi sway to the kitchen to put the kettle on the stove and proceeded to prepare everything else to give himself some time before settling in her presence, for she tended to toss his composure in the wind a bit every time he saw her.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, there wasn't much to prepare. He had everything set and ready to go. Drawing in a long breath, he returned to her - her preferred booth to find her twiddling her thumbs. Quite literally. She seemed a bit shy, which, if their first encounter was anything to go by, was very, very much unlike her.

"Tea is brewing.." That was weak.

She looked up and smiled at him and began with a small, "How have you been?"

"Same as always. Teas, people, rain, snow, brats yelling on the street." - he didn't know what else to say to her and honestly, if he could have his way he would just sit and stare at her. Take in her presence, because he missed her all the time. - "You?"

"Busy. I haven't been able to stop by."

("I have noticed.")

"Your work demands it."

"It does." Another tentative smile. He did not know what it was but she was a little out of sorts.

"Mikasa, are you alright?"

She jumped at that. She visibly lifted slightly off her seat. Something was definitely not right. Levi was not sure if concern was the right emotion or fear. Fear that she was here to end things. Goodness! He was not even dating the woman and he didn't think his heart could take it if she stopped showing up the handful of times a year that she did. Not that his inexpressive face gave anything away.

And that sounded insane. Maybe she should just stop visiting. He was a fool in love and he did not know how to help himself.

The whistling kettle broke the mild tension that had begun to condense around them and he excused himself to go prepare the tea. When he returned, she was taking deep breaths. So, when he offered her the cup, she very happily welcomed the evasion from his watchful eyes.

They sipped on in silence and he recognised her easing shoulders and returning colour.

"Levi."

"Yes?" Perhaps she was feeling better and bold enough to tell him whatever was bothering her.

"This will sound weird." She set her cup down.

"And I might not have the courage to come back to the shop after this." Eyes downcast, pushing the cup to the center of the table, she continued.

("Courage?")

"But I want you to know." She gripped onto the edge of the table tightly and went still. Very, very still.

"I. I like you." Pause.

"A lot." Pause.

"I don't know how or why, but I do." A deep breath in and a long one out. She remained there. Very still and stilling everything around her along with it.

She ...what?

She. What?!

"You..like..me?" His cup forgotten on the table, eyes slightly more open and face perplexed, he asked, to which she merely nodded. Not chancing a look at his face.

Time seemed to either stand still or pass by so quickly that he could not comprehend. Levi's desires in life had never been the source of materialistic greed and he had disciplined himself to be humble and grateful. So, his affections for Mikasa, while storming were always tempered because he could not bear to lose her. How-much-ever of her.

But now that seemed to be changing. Or was it? Had he just fallen asleep? Was all this a dream? Hearing her confess was an enticement in which he wanted to indulge completely and entirely.

He shakily reached out to cover her increasingly whitening knuckles with this own rough fingers. The action opened a dam and his fingers quickly wrapped around her palms. Levi realised that he liked the sensation.

And when she looked up with trembling eyes, questioning, asking for affirmation, fearful and hopeful, he realised that nothing was more beautiful than Mikasa looking at him. He pulled her hands up and to the middle of the table. She was within reach. After so long, she was finally within his reach.

Her hands were soft, somehow pristine. They were warm in this cold weather and they were rather unsteady. As if her heartbeat reverberated all the way to her finger tips.

He opened his mouth a time or two. Maybe three. He could feel her tense with each passing moment and the pause had gone on for far too long.This had gone on for far too long. Years, after all.

"I have wanted to tell you that for years." He breathed out.

The fear and confusion left her eyes and hope turned to happiness. The changes were subtle, but he had spent many a nights and a lot of days imagining this. She was accepting him and this was not a dream. It was not difficult to paint a future with her. She was giving him a promise. She wanted this as much as he wanted it. She was here.

And her fingers were finally curling up around his.

They both sighed at the same time without breaking eye contact. The same relief, the same hidden sentiments and identically immense pleasure coursing through them. For the first time in a long while, Levi smiled fully. A real smile not an imagined one, and informed her, "You are beautiful when you are shy. Just like you are beautiful when you are insulting my teas."

She blushed at that and looked away. Obviously embarrassed and feigning annoyance, "That was seven years ago. And I was only eighteen."

Levi chuckled at that. "And I have loved you since."

He picked up her hands and kissed on top of her knuckles. Eyes still on her.

Cheeks intensifying in redness, and chest swelling bashfully, she looked down unable to keep the beautiful smile off her face.

Levi watched her. She was a breath of new life. No wonder she always appeared on this day.

And he could wait till she was ready. He could wait for more to come. He did that the best anyway.

After all, a fool in love waits the best.

A/N: I am a bit early, but I wanted to put this up! Enjoy, my dearies :)

Also, the interpretations of the Tarot are slightly different, reflecting what I read from my deck.