a/n: hello dear readers, I'd like to address a comment about the length of the updates. I do my best to update weekly. I feel that ~1000 words is decent for a weekly update. I do not have the time to write 20,000 words every week as I am a full time college student. This is the best I can do at the moment. Please appreciate that I write this in my spare time, this isn't exactly a full time job. Also, have my apologies for not updating last week, I was rather busy.

"Oh, good evening, Mikasa. It's awfully late for you to be out, isn't it?"

"Levi!" she said with a start, "what are you doing here?"

"Probably the same as you. I couldn't sleep. I can never sleep in new places."

"Oh," she mumbled, "I'm sorry to hear that. I can't sleep either."

"Would you like some tea? I made extra. It relaxes me and sometimes helps me sleep," he gestured to the seat next to him for her to sit down as he spoke.

"Thank you, Levi."

He handed her the cup of tea and went back to reading. Mikasa picked up her book from the table, and sipped the tea, savoring the taste. As she opened her book, she peered at Levi from the corner of her eye. 'This boy is very strange,' she thought, 'one minute he's calling me a brat and now he's being overly nice to me.' She stared down at her book as she contemplated Levi's actions, completely unaware that Levi was now observing her from the corner of his eye. She curled her legs up underneath herself and was quietly enjoying her book and the tea until Levi interrupted her thoughts.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry for calling you filthy. You're just a kid." Mikasa rolled her eyes and sighed before answering him.

"Thank you for apologizing, but you're also 'just a kid,'" her voice dripping with sarcasm.

He looked over at her with a smirk, but she kept her gaze down on her book. They read together into the wee hours of the morning, only to be discovered by Mikasa's parents. Mikasa had her head on Levi's shoulder and was snoring softly with her book spread across her lap, while Levi's head was leaned back to rest upon the back of the sofa, his book having fallen to the floor. Mikasa's mother covered her smile with her hand as she looked to her husband.

"Looks like they're getting along now, dear." He chuckled as he viewed them, and they both turned to walk back out. Levi and Mikasa slept for a few hours after that, only being awakened by the sunlight that streamed through the window. Levi groaned, lifting his arms to stretch, only to realize that Mikasa obstructed his left arm from movement. He looked down as she began to stir. She yawned and stretched her body out. She looked up to find his gaze on hers. Startled, she moved back to the other end of the sofa, blushing furiously.

"L-levi, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep on you," she apologized profusely. He only shook his head and smiled at her.

"Don't worry about it, Mikasa," he said as he stood and strode out of the room. Finding herself alone, she thought about the events that had just transpired. She felt her face flush again at just the thought of falling asleep on Levi. 'He's practically a stranger,' she thought, 'why had she let herself do that?' She fixed her ruffled pajamas, and walked out of the room as well. She walked into the kitchen where there was a plate of food waiting for her. She sat at the small dining table in the kitchen and was taking the first bite of her food when Levi walked in. She kept her head down as he entered and grabbed an apple from the fruit basket and plopped down into the chair in front of her.

"Good morning," he murmured as he took out his book from the night before, "how did you sleep?"

"I slept fine," she muttered into the eggs she was eating. He grinned behind his book, unnoticed by her. Breakfast passed by quietly otherwise, with Mikasa sneaking looks at Levi as he read. Mikasa slid out of her chair and put her dishes away and walked out of the room, only to discover Levi following her. Trying to not think too much of it, she walked out of the castle towards the field where she could lay under the trees. As she sprawled out underneath the shade, Levi sat besides her, still reading from his book.

"Mr. Levi, why are you following me?"

"Why are you calling me mister all of the sudden? Don't call me that, I'm only four years older than you."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Your mother told me to watch over you for the week that I'm here."

"But I don't need another kid watching over me."

"Listen Mikasa, I'm not disobeying your mother."

Mikasa huffed, but accepted his answer. Instead, she focused her gaze on the clouds to take her mind off the fact that Levi was forced to be her personal chaperone for the week. Although it was often her, Eren, and Armin that would be under this tree gazing at the clouds, she accepted that this week would be spent with Levi. He was quiet, and his presence was agreeable. Seeing a cloud in the sky, she quickly began tugging on Levi's sleeve.

"Levi! Levi, look!"

He set his book down onto his chest, looking in the direction of her finger.

"Doesn't it look like a dragon fighting a unicorn?"

"Yeah, I definitely see that. Look at the one next to it, it looks like a pirate ship!"

The two continued excitedly pointing out cloud formations through the rest of the afternoon, stopping only when the clouds had all been blown away and they were left with clear blue sky. They laid in silence, both secretly enjoying the others company. Rolling onto her side, she faced Levi for a moment before asking, "What's your book about?" Levi also rolled onto his side and faced her and began explaining what the book he had been reading was about. Mikasa listened intently to his description, but on occasion, Levi would use a larger word that she wouldn't understand and she would make him stop and explain that as well.

Once reading had surpassed her attention span, Mikasa decided that she wanted to play. She rose up from her spot on the ground, while Levi's eyes watched her back curiously. Looking down at him, she grinned mischievously. She whipped around and faced the nearest tree as she sprinted towards it. Levi smiled as he watched her; she was all giggles and smiles as she jumped and grabbed onto the lowest branch of the tree. She began swinging back and forth, bringing her legs in between her arms so that she could hook them around the branch and pull her body up to sit on the branch. She stood, reaching out for the next branch, jumping slightly to reach it. She scraped her feet against the tree, trying to find purchase so she could climb up to the next. Grunting, she suddenly felt hands at her feet pushing her up. She looked down to find a grinning Levi lifting her to the next branch. She hadn't even seen or heard him move from their spot and climb the first branch. It was probably easier for him to climb it since he was a bit taller than her anyways. She smiled as she gained her balance on the next branch and felt Levi grasping at the branch to pull himself up. Keeping herself steady, she reached down and helped pull him up. They stood and admired the slightly higher view, until Mikasa piped up, "Let's go higher! I bet we can reach the top. I've never made it to the top of this tree before," she finished sheepishly. Levi gave her a little smile and went to lift her up towards the next branch. They continued climbing until they finally reached the top of the tree. She steadied herself against the tree, wrapping her arms around it. "Wow," she murmured, "it's really pretty up here." Levi smiled, thinking about how right she was. However, he was quickly interrupted from his thoughts as Mikasa shouted, "I'm gonna jump all the way down!" Levi watched, slightly horrified as Mikasa flung herself from the tree. As she neared the ground, Levi began descending the tree as fast as he could. He heard her hit the ground with a thud, panic about what her mom would say if it turned out he had let her precious only daughter break her leg or something under his watch. "Mikasa!" he yelled again.

"Yes?" came her calm reply. He whipped around to face her, grabbing her shoulders and quickly examining her. He sighed.

"Don't do that again, that was so stupid!" he stated gruffly.

"Were you worried about me, shorty?" she said grinning at him.

"What. Did. You. Just. Call. Me," Levi growled. Mikasa's grin grew even wider. She turned, and began running away from him, laughing as she went. Levi could feel his anger vanishing as he heard the tinkling of her laughter being carried back on the wind. A smile slowly grew on his face as he began jogging slowly after her.

That night after dinner, the two met up in the library again. Unbeknownst to them, Mikasa's mother had decided to see if their actions from the previous night would be repeated. She slowly pushed the door open, making sure to keep quiet. As she slipped into the room, she heard soft murmuring, coming from Levi. She approached the figure on the couch, tip toeing to make sure she wouldn't be heard. She peeked over the back of the couch, only to witness Mikasa sleeping with her head in Levi's lap, as Levi read softly to her sleeping form. Covering her mouth to hide her delighted sigh and smile, Mikasa's mother quietly crept out of the room, and pulled the door shut behind her.