I felt like I shouldn't wait to upload, since I have no excuse. School feels slow and boring and I already had a couple chapters prepared (Thank you, insomnia) so I figured, why not? To me this chapter isn't very long but then again, it's more towards the focus of their childhood (Mainly Levi) yet I don't want you to think that Alais is a minor character, because, in fact, she plays a major role in the development of Levi's character. You can refer to her as a guru of sorts. Again, I don't know a lot about love, except for the minimal things I've read about it to write this story, yet even with not knowing enough I do know that it takes time to develop, which means that the romance won't start, it'll be hinted later on. They are still too young in my opinion (And it's only been-if you count this chapter-four chapters).

Excuse some mistakes, this was a rushed edit.

"Time stood still

the way it did before..."

To him, the next few years were hazy. Constantly he would do the same things, watch his mother, tell her to stop, wait for the father that would never show at their door...then there was Alais. She was still as quiet as ever, but sometimes he found himself learning from her, wishing that he saw the same things she did. Whatever she saw was never boring. One memory would forever be lodged into his mind. He was twelve and she was thirteen, just one year older than him. The snow was softly falling, melting away as it touched the ground, decorations littering the streets. It was the one day he was suppose to despise the most, his birthday.

His heart fluttered like an idiot.

"Merry Christmas to you all! May the Wall Gods have mercy on all your souls!" Pastor Nick cheered out from where he stood, the clothing he wore resembling the many dresses the woman who walked along the streets wore, as well as adorning three gold colored bands, each with at least one of the symbols of the walls. Which told you one thing, he looked as stupid as always.

"How idiotic," Alais murmured behind her scarf, her eyes never leaving the book in her hands.

"He just doesn't know when to shut up, the stupid idiot," Levi added tucking his glove covered hands into his pocket, a heated glare being thrown at Pastor Nick who still, had yet to stop shouting about the 'almighty' Wall Gods.

Alais sighed, closing her book, tucking it in between her arm and her side pulling her hat further down her head, "I read something new," She confessed snuggling further into her scarf.

"Really?" He looked towards her, white puffs of air leaving his mouth, "What was it about?"

"It was about the people back then," She stopped walking and looked up, lifting her hand up to catch snowflakes, "On Christmas Eve, they would write letters to a man called Santa Claus telling him all about their dreams and wishes. On Christmas day, when they wake up whatever they wished for would be under something called a Christmas tree."

Levi's nose scrunched up in distaste, "That's weird," He would never like the idea of someone sneaking into his home, no matter if they were giving him something he wished for, "Hey...Alais?" She looked at him, and he couldn't help but wonder if his heart was suppose to be pounding this much, "If you could do that-wish for anything and get it, what would you wish for?"

She titled her head to the side, a contemplating look in her eyes almost as if the answer was right in front of her, "Why would I need to wish for anything?" For a second his face fell and he covered it up with a bored look, "I have you," His heart speed up, thumping in his chest so much that he could swear it was going to burst, "I don't need to wish for anything because you're here," Her scarf tilted slightly giving him a front row seat of her rare smile.

"Levi? Are you alright? You're all red," She raised her hand to his forehead. He pushed her hand away, pulling his hat further down his head.

"Tch, of course I'm alright," He muttered, continuing to walk his ears tinting pink, "It's just cold."

"Happy Birthday, Levi!" He pushed the hat further down his face, a barely visible smile curving on his lips.

Such a moron.

His heart ached every time he remembered that moment, every time the snow fell. For the first time he was happy that it was his birthday, and he just couldn't wait to be the first to say, 'Happy Birthday' on hers. She never knew how loud she made his heart thump that day, he didn't know whether to feel thankful or disappointed. Since it wasn't the last time he let it slide, anyways she smile again. Six smiles, and it seemed like only his birthday made her smile. He still couldn't understand why.

"Won't tell anybody how you turn my world around
I won't tell anyone how your voice is my favourite sound."

I wanted to make this fanfiction as accurate as possible so I did look for Levi's birthday and it is, in fact on Christmas day. I wanted to put it out there that in this story I'm debunking technology to the times where they had huge, bulky cameras that only took pictures in black and white, where you had to physically hold a light (flash) and go under a cover. Since the SnK universe is a time period where civilization was thrown back to a point where technology is almost, non-existent.

And yes, in this fanfiction, Pastor Nick is as crazy as ever.

Cheers.