"Captain," Mikasa saluted when Captain Levi's face appeared behind the door, clearly trying to keep his room and his body hidden.
"Ackerman," he returned the greeting, "I hope you have a reason for coming to my door at this hour."
Mikasa stood her ground in silence, the two of them having a stare down before he sighed in resignation, then looked down both hallways to make sure no one was coming, and let her in.
His room was disheveled, definitely smaller than his quarters in the castle, with papers everywhere and his clothing scattered. He was shirtless, wearing only the pants that he had donned earlier in the day, and Mikasa deduced that he had only gotten in minutes before; it was uncharacteristic of him to leave his living space this cluttered. He sat on his bed, scratching his head and looked up at the soldier, the rings around his eyes darker than usual.
"Did I disturb you?" Mikasa inquired, her voice almost completely muffled by her scarf.
"What do you think Mikasa?" He motioned to his room, "You really think I enjoy living in a space like this?"
"Another late night meeting," she noted. She looked down, clearly uncomfortable in this space, "So then what are we going to do? How will we get Eren and Historia back?" She walked over towards him and sat down on the bed, close to him but with enough distance to avoid touching him.
"We don't know. We're still strategizing." Her head dropped at his admission. She was drained not knowing what was to become of her brother. "Between the civilians, Kenny, and the military police, we're walking on very thin ice," he continued, "Nothing is set in stone." He ruffled his hair, fatigue dominating his features, "I know you're concerned about Eren, but you're not the only one. We're going to do our best to get him back safe and alive." He tucked a stand of hair behind Mikasa's ear, lifting her chin upward, "What is it?"
"I… ," her dark eyes looked up into his, "I just wanted to know what our next course of action was." She blushed, looking away from him.
"Mikasa, we will get them back. With all of us alive." He caressed her cheek, her face growing redder. The corner of his mouth quirked up, almost a smile, and she turned away from him, embarrassed.
"Do you trust me?" That question cut her short, and when she faced him again, his grey eyes caught her attention. Even after everything that has happened, she still wasn't used to the sincerity in his gaze. She stilled, considering his question.
"Yes. Isn't it obvious?" She answered softly. Levi shifted closer, concentrating to hear her better as she continued her response, "I even got the others to trust your judgment despite it going against what we've been taught. You said that there isn't any room for moral absolutes anymore, and I agree. The titans aren't the only enemies we have."
He considered what she said, and the weight of everything that had occurred within the last few months was felt by them both. Levi crumpled under the weight of the stress and sheer physical exhaustion that he felt and flopped back onto the bed. Mikasa stood immediately, not knowing what to do. She started towards the door when Levi grabbed her by her jacket sleeve. She froze, but didn't turn to face him. She had her own weight to carry, and though she wanted to, she couldn't afford to carry his too.
"Please, just stay the night." She turned, her face incredulous at his request. However, his expression was calm and stoic, only his eyes betraying his vulnerability.
"Captain…" She started to protest as her legs walked to his bed. Though she'd never admit it first, she needed someone too. He was the only one who would be able to get her family back, the only one who really knows the loss of loved ones the way she does. She sat on his bed, taking her boots and jacket off and laid down, Levi immediately taking her into his arms.
Before she could respond, she felt his fingers running in her hair, his arm wrapped around her waist. Though this kind of contact was foreign to her, it felt right. They both sighed in contentment, Mikasa closing her eyes, the last thing she remembered was the low sound of his humming, the feeling of his hand interlocked with hers as she drifted off to sleep.